Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Severity, Causes and Outcomes of Traumatic Brain Injuries Occurring at Different Locations: Implications for Prevention and Public Health.

AIM Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are a major public health problem. Although they are well studied, information on some aspects, such as the place of occurrence, is limited. The aim of this study was to describe the patterns of severity, causes and outcomes of TBI occurring at different locations and to identify the primary populations at risk of suffering TBI at each of the analysed locations. METHODS 1,818 patients with TBI admitted to hospitals in Austria, Slovakia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Macedonia were analysed. Primary populations at risk, injury severity and extent along with short/long-term outcomes were analysed for TBI at each location. RESULTS The highest mean age (57.9 years, p<0.001) was observed in injuries at home. The distribution of injury causes across the group was significantly different (p<0.001), with falls (39%) and traffic accidents (30%) being predominant. TBI occurring on roads or highways were the most severe (mean ISS=32.5, p<0.001; mean GCS=7.8, p<0.001). Injuries at home had the worst outcome (50% mortality, p<0.001 and 70% unfavourable outcome, p<0.001) whereas TBI at sport facilities or outdoors had the best outcome (24% mortality, 44% unfavourable outcome). When adjusted for age and severity, TBI occurring at home had the highest odds of mortality (OR=3.12, 95% CI=1.86-5.25) and unfavourable outcome (OR=2.51, 95% CI=1.54-4.08), compared to sports facility and outdoors as a reference. CONCLUSIONS TBI at different locations display distinctive patterns as to causes, severity, outcome and populations at risk. Location is therefore a relevant epidemiological aspect of TBI and we advocate its inclusion in future studies. Definitions of primary populations at risk at different locations could help in targeted public health actions.
IgM Neutralizing Antibody Responses to Human Herpesvirus‐6 in Patients with Exanthem Subitum or Organ Transplantation

The assay for detecting IgM neutralizing (NT) antibody activity to human herpesvirus‐6 (HHV‐6) was developed by using pretreatment of blood sample with staphylococcal protein A. The activity was mostly present in IgM fractions of serum but not in IgA fractions separated by ultracentrifugation. The assay was used for seroepidemiological studies for HHV‐6 infection. In primary HHV‐6 infection, IgM NT antibodies appeared 5 to 7 days after onset of exanthem subitum, reached maximum titers at 2 to 3 weeks, and tended to decline to undetectable levels after 2 months. In contrast, reactivation of HHV‐6 observed in organ transplants showed somewhat greater degree of IgM NT antibody responses that persisted for 2 to 3 months and became undetectable 5 to 6 months after transplantation. The level and persistence of NT antibody titers measured by the conventional method was generally greater than those of the IgM titers. The prevalence of the IgM NT antibodies was examined in healthy individuals. The antibody was first detected at 4 to 7 months of age (5%), reached maximum level at 8 to 11 months (40%), and was detectable by 4 to 6 years (17%). A few (4 to 5%) of adolescents and adults were positive for the antibody.
Multiple mating and clutch size in invertebrate brooders versus pregnant vertebrates

We summarize the genetic literature on polygamy rates and sire numbers per clutch in invertebrate animals that brood their offspring and then compare findings with analogous data previously compiled for vertebrate species displaying viviparity or other pregnancy-like syndromes. As deduced from molecular parentage analyses of several thousand broods from more than 100 “pregnant” species, invertebrate brooders had significantly higher mean incidences of multiple mating than pregnant vertebrates, a finding generally consistent with the postulate that clutch size constrains successful mate numbers in species with extended parental care. However, we uncovered no significant correlation in invertebrates between brood size and genetically deduced rates of multiple mating by the incubating sex. Instead, in embryo-gestating animals otherwise as different as mammals and mollusks, polygamy rates and histograms of successful mates per brooder proved to be strikingly similar. Most previous studies have sought to understand why gestating parents have so many mates and such high incidences of successful multiple mating; an alternative perspective based on logistical constraints turns the issue on its head by asking why mate numbers and polygamy rates are much lower than they theoretically could be, given the parentage-resolving power of molecular markers and the huge sizes of many invertebrate broods.
Reliability and validity of the Glover-Nilsson smoking behavioral questionnaire.

OBJECTIVES To establish reliability/validity of the Glover-Nilsson Smoking Behavioral Questionnaire (GN-SBQ). METHODS The GN-SBQ and the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) were completed by 100 smokers. The number of cigarettes smoked, smoking duration, and craving were obtained. RESULTS The GN-SBQ was internally consistent (Cronbach α = .82), temporally stable (r = .86), and uncorrelated with FTND. There was a significant main effect for craving, F(3, 73) = 14.68, p < . 001; and the GN-SBQ was a significant predictor of craving levels (β = .476, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS The GN-SBQ shows promise as a tool for distinguishing behavioral from physical nicotine dependence.
The Adoption of Shared Mobility in California and Its Relationship with Other Components of Travel Behavior

Emerging technologies and shared mobility services are quickly changing transportation. The popularity of these services is particularly high among millennials and those living in the dense central parts of cities. Still, the reasons behind the adoption of these services and their impacts on the use of other transportation modes and on total travel demand are largely unclear. How are shared mobility services changing transportation demand and supply? This report provides useful insights to answer this question. The research explores the use of various types of shared mobility services in California, focusing in particular on the factors affecting the adoption and frequency of use of ridehailing services (such as those provided by Uber and Lyft), and the impacts that the use of these services has on other components of travel behavior. The authors analyze a dataset that they collected with a detailed online survey in fall 2015 as the first round of data collection in a panel study of emerging transportation trends and adoption of technology in California. More than 2,000 respondents, including millennials (i.e., young adults born between 1981 and 1997) and members of Generation X (i.e., middle-aged adults born between 1965 and 1980), completed the survey. View the NCST Project Webpage
The role of selection and historical factors in driving population differentiation along an elevational gradient in an island bird

Adaptation to local environmental conditions and the range dynamics of populations can influence evolutionary divergence along environmental gradients. Thus, it is important to investigate patterns of both phenotypic and genetic variations among populations to reveal the respective roles of these two types of factors in driving population differentiation. Here, we test for evidence of phenotypic and genetic structure across populations of a passerine bird (Zosterops borbonicus) distributed along a steep elevational gradient on the island of Réunion. Using 11 microsatellite loci screened in 401 individuals from 18 localities distributed along the gradient, we found that genetic differentiation occurred at two spatial levels: (i) between two main population groups corresponding to highland and lowland areas, respectively, and (ii) within each of these two groups. In contrast, several morphological traits varied gradually along the gradient. Comparison of neutral genetic differentiation (FST) and phenotypic differentiation (PST) showed that PST largely exceeds FST at several morphological traits, which is consistent with a role for local adaptation in driving morphological divergence along the gradient. Overall, our results revealed an area of secondary contact midway up the gradient between two major, cryptic, population groups likely diverged in allopatry. Remarkably, local adaptation has shaped phenotypic differentiation irrespective of population history, resulting in different patterns of variation along the elevational gradient. Our findings underscore the importance of understanding both historical and selective factors when trying to explain variation along environmental gradients.
The moderating role of customer engagement experiences in customer satisfaction–loyalty relationship

Purpose This study aims to examine the moderating role of customer engagement experiences in satisfaction–loyalty relationship in the digital business environment. This paper looks at mobile apps for shopping and travel planning to understand these relationships. Design/methodology/approach This paper includes the conceptualization and validation of the proposed relationship through multiple studies. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted to identify the relevant engagement experiences. Subsequently, multiple quantitative studies were conducted to examine the proposed relationships. Findings The effect of satisfaction on continuance intention is stronger among customers with higher levels of engagement. Further, the propensity to provide electronic word of mouth is non-linear in customers with higher levels of engagement and may not vary directly with satisfaction levels. Research limitations/implications The findings of this study contribute to the emerging literature on customer engagement and mobile app-usage domains. Future studies may examine such a relationship in different businesses and on varied digital platforms. Practical implications The findings of this paper may provide actionable insights to marketers, giving them a mechanism to segment customers based on engagement levels and using discretion while focusing on satisfaction levels among different segments. Originality/value This study validates the proposed moderating role of customer engagement in the satisfaction–loyalty relationship. The non-linear relationship between satisfaction and loyalty is also demonstrated.
Pain Assessment and Measurement in Neonates: An Updated Review

Pain assessment and measurement are the cornerstones of pain management. Pain assessment connotes a comprehensive multidimensional description. Conversely, pain measurement provides a numeric quantitative description of each factor illustrating pain qualities. Pain scales provide a composite score used to guide practice and research. The type of infant pain instrument chosen is a significant factor in guiding pain management practice. The purpose of this review was to summarize current infant pain measures by introducing a conceptual framework for pain measurement. Although more than 40 infant pain instruments exist, many were devised solely for research purposes; several of the newly developed instruments largely overlap with existing instruments. Integration of pain management into daily practice remains problematic. Understanding how each instrument measures infant pain allows clinicians to make better decisions about what instrument to use with which infant and in what circumstances. In addition, novel new measurement techniques need further testing.
VOLUNTARY ANNUAL REPORT DISCLOSURES BY MALAYSIAN MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS

Annual reports disclosure of multinational corporations (MNCs) is subject to various domestic as well as international users requirements. Voluntarydisclosures act as one of the ways that these MNCs can use to overcome the gap between information provided in annual reports and informationexpectation by these users. This study examines the relationship between the level of information disclosures and some of the MNCs characteristics. The level of disclosures is based on the amount of the voluntary disclosure information gathered from annual reports of listed MNCs on Bursa Malaysia across six industries. Overall, the results show that level of voluntary information disclosures is positively related to size of the company and the type of audit. Meanwhile, the level of multinationality is significantly related to the level of projected information disclosures. We also found MNCs in particular industries (e.g. construction industry) seem particularly inclined to provide certain information (e.g. summary of history results). Additional tests show that the level of multinationality and the number of countries where the products were exported jointly determine the level of voluntary disclosure in MNCs. Thus, these results indicate that the factors explaining voluntary annual report disclosures differ by the types of voluntary information presented in annual reports. Keywords: Voluntary disclosure, multinational corporations (MNCs)
Anaerobic mineralization of pentachlorophenol (PCP) by combining PCP‐dechlorinating and phenol‐degrading cultures

The dechlorination and mineralization of pentachlorophenol (PCP) was investigated by simultaneously or sequentially combining two different anaerobic microbial populations, a PCP‐dechlorinating culture capable of the reductive dechlorination of PCP to phenol and phenol‐ degrading cultures able to mineralize phenol under sulfate‐ or iron‐reducing conditions. In the simultaneously combined mixture, PCP (about 35 µM) was mostly dechlorinated to phenol after incubation for 17 days under sulfate‐reducing conditions or for 22 days under iron‐reducing conditions. Thereafter, the complete removal of phenol occurred within 40 days under both conditions. In the sequentially combined mixture, most of the phenol, the end product of PCP dechlorination, was degraded within 12 days of inoculation with the phenol degrader, without a lag phase, under both sulfate‐ and iron‐reducing conditions. In a radioactivity experiment, [14C–U]–PCP was mineralized to 14CO2 and 14CH4 by the combined anaerobic microbial activities. Analysis of electron donor and acceptor utilization and of the production and consumption of H2, CO2, and CH4 suggested that the dechlorinating and degrading microorganisms compete with other microorganisms to perform PCP dechlorination and part of the phenol degradation in complex anoxic environments in the presence of electron donors and acceptors. The presence of a small amount of autoclaved soil slurry in the medium was possibly another advantageous factor in the successful dechlorination and mineralization of PCP by the combined mixtures. This anaerobic–anaerobic combination technology holds great promise as a cost‐effective strategy for complete PCP bioremediation in situ. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009;102: 81–90. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Application of soft occlusal splints in patients suffering from clicking temporomandibular joints.

AbstractThis clinical study evaluated the application of prefabricated soft occlusal splints in 42 patients from a population of 84 patients with pain and dysfunction associated with clicking in the temporomandibular joints (TMJ). The soft occlusal splints were a temporary therapeutic and diagnostic modality for the relief of pain, dysfunction, and TMJ clicking over a 10- to 20-day-interim period between initial consultation and insertion of a custom-fabricated, full arch, hard acrylic, occlusal appliance or equilibration. The favorable results of this study support the use of the prefabricated, soft occlusal splints as a temporary treatment and diagnostic modality in patients suffering from reducible disk derangements of the temporomandibular joints.
Inhibition of Norepinephrine and Caffeine‐Induced Activation by Ryanodine and Thapsigargin in Rat Mesenteric Arteries

We examined the effects of ryanodine and thapsigargin on changes in cytoplasmic [Ca2+] (Cai) and muscle tension in rat mesenteric resistance arteries induced by norepinephrine (NE) and caffeine. Both ryanodine and thapsigargin markedly inhibited the increase in Cai and contractile responses to caffeine in physiological saline and to NE and caffeine in calcium-free conditions. In contrast, peak responses to potassium depolarisation and NE in physiological saline appeared little affected, although time taken to achieve 50% of peak response after addition of NE was slowed after ryanodine and thapsigargin treatment. Neither ryanodine nor thapsigargin altered resting tone or Cai or the Ca2+ sensitivity of contraction under depolarized conditions. The NE concentration–response relationship was not significantly altered after ryanodine or thapsigargin. Ryanodine and thapsigargin inhibit the release of intracellular Ca2+ stores by NE and caffeine. Inhibition of release of intracellular Ca2+ by NE has only slight effects on contractile responses of mesenteric resistance arteries when extracellular Ca2+ is present.
Use of Accurate Chip Level Modeling and Analysis of a Power Module to establish Reliability Rules

In order to analyze the electrical behavior of IGBT module, optimize new designs with reliability considerations, accurate models of semiconductor linking with wiring models are needed. So, this paper presents the both semiconductor and wiring modeling approaches and simulation methodology for the analysis of electrical and electromagnetic coupling phenomena. In order to validate this simulation approach, the method is applied to an IGBT 3.3 kV/1200A power module.
Better Safe than Sorry. Will New Rules on Bank Corporate Governance Prevent Excessive Risk Taking?

Conventional wisdom leads to assert that good governance may underpin bank performance while bad governance destroys stability and soundness. Using the banks in the Eurostoxx index, we run a factor analysis that enables us to synthesize 23 bank board characteristics into seven key features: independence, size, dedication, tenure, corporate governance quality, external perspective, competence and diversity. We then use a multiple regression and find that indeed Corporate Governance curbs risk taking - measured by Z-Score - by banks in our sample. Our findings try to assess which governance variables are most relevant for regulators in containing bank risk taking.
Emulation of MIMO Rician-Fading Environments With Mode-Stirred Reverberation Chambers

Some recent publications have extended the emulating capabilities of mode-stirred reverberation chambers, which are now able to emulate Ricean-fading and non-isotropic environments. Either the need to physically modify existing chambers or multiple sets of measurements is required for these enhancements. In this paper a novel post-processing hybrid tool is presented for the transformation of a Rayleigh-fading emulated environment into a Rician one. The model is tested and compared to outdoor measurements and simulations through the K-factor, correlation, diversity gain and MIMO capacity. Results show an excellent matching performance with no hardware modifications of mode-stirred chambers with just one set of measurements. The method is patent protected by EMITE Ing.
Measuring E-Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction with Internet Banking in India

The objective of this study is to measure the e-service quality of internet banking and the relationship with customer satisfaction in India. This study aims to explore the critical factors of e-service quality of internet banking in India and to measure the customers’ satisfaction of internet banking on the identified e-service quality dimensions. A survey method was carried out to acquire data from 650 respondents from India. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was used to identify the dimensions of internet banking. Multiple Regression Analysis was used to test the relationship with e-service quality dimensions and customer satisfaction of internet banking. The study uncovered three factors of e-service quality, namely, “Responsiveness,” “Efficiency,” and “Perceived Credibility”. “Responsiveness” found to be the most significant predictor of the e-service quality of internet banking. The study also found that there is a positive relationship exists between e-service quality dimensions and customer satisfaction of internet banking. These findings can be used by banks to improve the service quality of their internet banking service and thereby to satisfy their customers. The findings open up many business opportunities to India as well as other Asian countries. The digital payments industry can concentrate on improving the security of the payment systems, gateways, and payment networks. Advanced technologies can be developed to improve the digital payment systems which offer many business opportunities for creating computers, smartphones, and innovation in internet and security software. The study findings can be used by banks to improve the service quality of internet banking and attract more customers towards using this service. The improvement in service quality comprising of responsiveness, efficiency, and perceived credibility automatically leads to the customer satisfaction of internet banking services, which gives competitive advantages to the banks. This study is an attempt to cover both urban and rural population of India to understand the digital mindset by studying the quality perception of internet banking channel.
The Effects of Bank Regulation on Financial Development in the MENA Countries: The Supporting Role of Supervision

T his study investigates the impact of bank regulation on financial development in the MENA countries for the period 1995-2014. Restrictions on activity, foreign banks, and capital were used as proxies for bank regulation. Also, bank supervisory power, independence, private monitoring, and moral hazard were used as proxies for bank supervision. Liquid liabilities, private credit, and z-score were chosen as proxies for financial development. They represent, consecutively, size, activity, and stability of the financial sector. A positive and significant impact of bank regulation was observed on all measures of financial development. The most important contribution of the present study is that, it gives evidence of an important supporting role of supervision on bank regulation, to realize its desired impact on financial development. This final result is important for the MENA countries, since data analysis shows that financial sector reform is more concentrated on regulation than supervision. Policy makers in the MENA countries need to focus more, in their financial sector reform, on bank supervision to realize the expected impact of bank regulation on financial development.
Managing Dietary Energy Intake by Broiler Chickens to Reduce Production Costs and Improve Product Quality

Feeding constitutes the highest variable cost in poultry production, accounting for at least 60% of such costs, especially in an intensive rearing system. Energy intake is an essential factor in broiler production because of its involvement in growth rate, carcass quality as well as its role in the development of certain metabolic diseases. Dietary energy is supplied in broiler nutrition through different feed resources. Dietary energy content strongly regulates feed consumption, and energy is the most expensive item in poultry diets. At the same time, excess energy intake may result in an increased fat deposition, which affects meat quality and consumer health. This chapter explores the implication of imbalance in energy intake, possible nutritional strategies to restrict energy intake with- out reducing performance and hence improving meat quality. to influence intake on and of to explore on energy intake is used to the cost of and product quality of broiler chickens. Various strategies aimed at through the use of fibre with is very promising in and