Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
İnşaat sektöründe toplam kalite yönetimi ve Türkiye'deki uygulamalar

Bu calismada, insaat sektorunde k alite kavrami ve urune yonelik ozellikler tanimlanmis, toplam kalite yonetiminin uygulanmasi, kurum kulturu kavrami, uygulamada karsilasilan guclukler ve elde edilen sonuclar anlatilmistir. Turkiye’de insaat sektorunde toplam kalite yonetimi uygulamalarini degerlendirmek amaci ile yapilan alan calismasi kapsaminda elde edilen bulgular incelenerek degerlendirmeler yapilmis, insaat sektorunde toplam kalite yonetimi uygulamalarinin basarili olmasinda ana faktor olarak belirtilen kulturel degisimin saglanip kurum kulturunun olusturulmasi icin onerilen arastirma modeli ve arastirma kapsaminda ileri surulen diger varsayimlar sinanmistir. Yapilan alan calismasi kapsaminda insaat sektorunde toplam kalite yonetimi uygulamalarinin cogunun basarisiz oldugu gozlenmistir.
Development of the Use of Conversational Cues to Assess Reality Status

In this study, the authors assessed children's ability to use information overheard in other people's conversations to judge the reality status of a novel entity. Three- to 9-year-old children (N = 101) watched video clips in which two adults conversed casually about a novel being. Videos contained statements that explicitly denied, explicitly affirmed, or implicitly acknowledged the entity's existence. Results indicated that children of all ages used statements of denial to discount the reality status of the novel entity, but that this ability improved with age. By age 5, children used implicit existence cues to judge a novel entity as being real. Not until age 9, however, did children begin to doubt the existence of entities whose reality status was explicitly affirmed in conversation. Overall, results indicate that the ability to use conversational cues to determine reality status is present in some children as early as age 3, but recognition of the nuanced language of belief continues to develop during the elementary-school years.
Guanxi-oriented attitude and the selection of communication modality under friction events

The purpose of this study was to investigate how guanxi-oriented attitude, of salespersons will influence their behaviors, such as the selection of communication modality, under friction events. Data was collected via questionnaire from persons selling equipment in the oil industry. The partial least squares (PLS) method is applied to analyze the collected data. The study finds that the guanxi-oriented attitude positively influences the use of informal communication and negatively influences the use of formal communication. Our findings yield implications to managers on how to guide the employees to behave or act in the manner desired by the firm, and the findings imply that the managers may benefit from screening sales applicants in terms of their opinions of the importance of guanxi before hiring, and reinforcing positive guanxi-oriented attitude after hiring.
Effect of incremental levels of sunflower-seed oil in the diet on ruminal lipid metabolism in lactating cows

Based on the potential benefits of cis-9, trans-11-conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) for human health there is interest in developing sustainable nutritional strategies for enhancing the concentration of this fatty acid in ruminant-derived foods. Most evidence to date suggests that endogenous synthesis is the major source of cis-9, trans-11 in milk fat and ruminal outflow is limited and largely independent of dietary 18 : 2n-6 supply. Four lactating cows fitted with a rumen cannula were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square with 14 d experimental periods to examine the effects of sunflower-seed oil (SFO) as a source of 18 : 2n-6 on ruminal lipid metabolism. Cows were offered grass silage-based diets supplemented with 0, 250, 500 or 750 g SFO/d. Supplements of SFO had no effect on DM intake, milk fat or protein secretion, but increased linearly (P < 0·01) milk yield and milk lactose output and shifted (P < 0·001) rumen fermentation towards propionate at the expense of acetate. SFO supplements increased linearly (P < 0·05) the flow of 18 : 0, 18 : 1, 18 : 2n-6 and total CLA at the omasum and enhanced ruminal cis-9-18 : 1, 18 : 2n-6 and 18 : 3n-3 metabolism. Flows of all-trans- (Δ4–16) and cis- (Δ9–16) 18 : 1 isomers were elevated, while increases in ruminal CLA outflow were confined to trans-8, trans-10 and geometric 9,11 and 10,12 isomers. It is concluded that supplementing grass silage-based diets with plant oils rich in 18 : 2n-6 enhances ruminal outflow of trans-11-18 : 1 and cis-9, trans-11-CLA in lactating cows.
Enhanced Virulence of Sheep-Passaged Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Agent Is Revealed by Decreased Polymorphism Barriers in Prion Protein Conversion Studies

ABSTRACT Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) can be efficiently transmitted to small ruminants (sheep and goats) with certain prion protein (PrP) genotypes. Polymorphisms in PrP of both the host and donor influence the transmission efficiency of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) in general. These polymorphisms in PrP also modulate the PrP conversion underlying TSE agent replication. Here we demonstrate that single-round protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) can be used to assess species and polymorphism barriers at the molecular level. We assessed those within and between the ovine and bovine species in vitro using a variety of natural scrapie and experimentally generated cross-species BSE agents. These BSE agents include ovBSE-ARQ isolates (BSE derived from sheep having the ARQ/ARQ PrP genotype), and two unique BSE-derived variants: BSE passaged in VRQ/VRQ sheep and a cow BSE agent isolate generated by back-transmission of ovBSE-ARQ into its original host. PMCA allowed us to quantitatively determine PrP conversion profiles that correlated with known in vivo transmissibility and susceptibility in the two ruminant species in which strain-specific molecular signatures, like its molecular weight after protease digestion, were maintained. Furthermore, both BSE agent isolates from ARQ and VRQ sheep demonstrated a surprising transmission profile in which efficient transmissions to both sheep and bovine variants was combined. Finally, all data support the notion that ARQ-derived sheep BSE points to a significant increase in virulence compared to all other tested scrapie- and BSE-derived variants reflected by the increased conversion efficiencies of previously inefficient convertible PrP variants (including the so-called “resistant” sheep ARR variant). IMPORTANCE Prion diseases such as scrapie in sheep and goats, BSE in cattle, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans are fatal neurodegenerative diseases caused by prions. BSE is known to be transmissible to a variety of hosts, including sheep and humans. Based on the typical BSE agent strain signatures and epidemiological data, the occurrence of a novel variant of CJD in humans was linked to BSE occurrence in the United Kingdom. Measures, including genetic selection of sheep toward less susceptible PrP genotypes, have been implemented to lower the risk of BSE transmission into sheep, since the disease could potentially spread into a natural reservoir. In this study, we demonstrated using molecular PrP conversion studies that when BSE is first transmitted through sheep, the host range is modified significantly and the PrP converting potency increased, allowing the ovine BSE to transmit more efficiently than cow BSE into supposedly less susceptible hosts.
A comparison of parenteral loxapine and haloperidol in hostile and aggressive acutely schizophrenic patients.

In a parallel groups, double-blind study, 54 acutely psychotic schizophrenics were given loxapine or haloperidol parenterally for 24 to 72 hours, then orally for a total study period of up to 10 days. Dosage ratios of loxapine to haloperidol ranged from a minimum of 2.7:1 to a maximum of 4.4:1. Both groups showed significant and rapid improvement from baseline. Forty-eight percent of the loxapine patients and 33% of the haloperidol patients achieved and maintained a global severity of illness rating of mild or better. By the end of the study, 84% of the loxapine patients and 63% of the haloperidol patients had achieved an improvement rating of moderate or marked. This difference approached significance (p less than .10). The most frequently reported adverse experiences were dystonic reactions and akathisia. The number and severity of adverse experiences did not differ significantly between drug groups. Intramuscular loxapine was at least as effective as haloperidol in the initial management of hostile and aggressive schizophrenic patients. The maintenance of therapeutic response after conversion to oral concentrate was comparable with the two drugs.
Comparison of US and Canadian Perioperative Outcomes and Hospital Efficiency After Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty.

IMPORTANCE The combination of an aging population, growing number of medical interventions, and surging economic burden of health care has renewed interest in reevaluating and exploring new health care models. OBJECTIVES To compare the performance of the US and Canadian health care systems by assessing major complications following primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and to measure the efficiency of both health care models by comparing the postoperative length of stay. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS With patients grouped according to the country where they underwent surgery, we queried the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database to identify 55,335 Canadian and US patients who underwent primary elective THA or TKA between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2012. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Differences in patient demographics, as well as the rate of 30-day major complications and length of stay, were compared between patients hospitalized in the United States and Canada. RESULTS Baseline characteristics were similar between the groups. Most US patients underwent general anesthesia (THA, 61.8%; TKA, 59.4%); Canadian patients received more regional anesthesia (THA, 78.7%; TKA, 81.0%). Patients in the United States received more transfusions postoperatively (THA, 9.0% more; TKA, 6.4% more; P < .001) and had shorter hospitalizations (THA, 1.4 days less; TKA, 1.3 days less; P < .001) with a greater proportion of patients discharged to rehabilitation facilities (THA, 21.6% more; TKA, 26.6% more; P < .001). With results reported as incidence rate ratios (95% CIs), after adjusting for all other variables, risk factors, and adverse outcomes, having surgery in Canada increased the postoperative length of stay by 57% (1.57 [1.53-1.61]) for THA and 49% (1.49 [1.46-1.52]) for TKA. With results reported as odds ratios (95% CIs), major complications were significantly more common in Canada following TKA (1.65 [1.31-2.07]) but not THA (1.09 [0.79-1.51]). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE The rate of major complications was significantly higher in Canada following TKA, but there was no significant difference following THA. Patients undergoing the procedures in US hospitals also had substantially shorter lengths of hospital stay, perhaps reflecting more efficient postoperative care and discharge planning in those facilities.
Alternative Translation Initiation of Theiler’s Murine Encephalomyelitis Virus

ABSTRACT DA strain and other members of the TO subgroup of Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) produce a chronic demyelinating disease in which the virus persists but has a restricted expression. We previously reported that TO subgroup strains, in addition to synthesizing the picornaviral polyprotein, use an alternative initiation codon just downstream from the polyprotein’s AUG to translate an 18-kDa protein called L* that is out of frame with the polyprotein (H. H. Chen et al., Nat. Med. 1:927–931, 1995; W. P. Kong and R. P. Roos, J. Virol. 65:3395–3399, 1991). L* is critically important for virus persistence and the induction of the demyelinating disease (Chen et al., 1995; G. D. Ghadge et al. J. Virol. 72:8605–8612, 1998). We have proposed that variations in the amount of translation initiation from the L* AUG versus the polyprotein AUG may occur in different cell types and therefore affect the degree of expression of viral capsid proteins. We now demonstrate that ribosomal translation initiation at the polyprotein’s initiation codon affects initiation at the L* AUG, suggesting that ribosomes land at the polyprotein’s initiation codon before scanning downstream and initiating at the L* AUG. We also find that the viral 5′ untranslated region affects utilization of the L* AUG. Surprisingly, mutant DA cDNAs were found to be infectious despite the presence of mutations of the polyprotein initiation codon or placement of a stop codon upstream of the L* AUG in the polyprotein’s reading frame. Sequencing studies showed that these viruses had a second site mutation, converting the reading frame of L* into the polyprotein’s reading frame; the results suggest that translation of the polyprotein during infection of these mutant viruses can be initiated at the L* AUG. These data are important in our understanding of translation initiation of TMEV and other RNAs that contain an internal ribosome entry site.
Ectoparasites of the Southeastern shrew, Sorex longirostris, and the masked shrew, S. cinereus, in Vigo County, Indiana, USA.

In Vigo County, Indiana, USA, 14,610 ectoparasites and phoretic mites from the Southeastern Shrew, Sorex longirostris , and the Masked Shrew, S. cinereus , included 31 species; 24 species were found on each shrew. The glycyphagid mite Orycteroxenus soricis and Myobiidae accounted for 90.2% and 93.1% of the ectoparasites and phoretic forms on S. longirostris and S. cinereiis , respectively. The occurrence of fleas and the myobiid mite Protomyobia americana on S. cinereus only and the myobiid Protomyobia indianensis on S. longirostris only was the most prominent difference between the ectoparasitic faunas of the 2 shrews.
The unity of heaven and man: Ancient Chinese concept of three properties of the universe - in the change of Zhou

paper uses a completely innovative point of view to analyze The Change of Zhou - a comprehensive ancient Chinese philosophical work, which is composed of well-known Book of Change and its philosophical commentaries, so called The Commentaries of Change. The chapters of The Commentaries of Change like “Jicizhuan”, “Tuanci” and “Xiangci” are quoted in this paper and their meaning is explained, which is important for understanding the ancient Chinese cosmological concept of “the Unity of Heaven and Man”. According to the Chinese perception of the Universe - Heaven, Earth and man are holistically connected and interdependent. Man is considered to be responsible for all his actions and it is emphasized that even the most trivial human activity causes the changes in the whole cosmic order. A human being is born not to indulge in carefree pleasures, but to choose himself a goal of spiritual growth i.e. self-cultivation through the stages of honest man (junzi), and wise man (shengren). He should also endeavor to establish and maintain harmony with nature and thus have a beneficial effect on all the beings and things in nature.
Anthropometric indicators as predictors of serum triglycerides and hypertriglyceridemia in older adults

OBJETIVOS: Comparar a relacao entre indicadores antropometricos e triglicerideos sericos e identificar os indicadores mais associados a hipertrigliceridemia em idosos. METODOS: Estudo transversal de base populacional realizado com 316 idosos (> 60 anos), em 2011. Foram verificados os triglicerideos (sistema Accutrend(r) Plus), o indice de massa corporal, a razao cintura-quadril, a razao cintura-estatura, o indice de conicidade, o indice de adiposidade corporal, a dobra cutânea tricipital e as circunferencias da cintura e da panturrilha. RESULTADOS: As analises de regressao linear mostraram que a razao cintura-quadril (6,5%), nas mulheres e o indice de massa corporal (12,3%), nos homens, foram os indicadores que mais explicaram a variabilidade dos triglicerideos. A regressao de Poisson mostrou que o indice de massa corporal, a circunferencia da panturrilha e a dobra cutânea tricipital foram os indicadores associados a hipertrigliceridemia (triglicerides > 150 mg/dl), no sexo feminino. Para os homens, a excecao da razao cintura-quadril e do indice de conicidade, os demais indicadores foram associados a hipertrigliceridemia. CONCLUSOES: Os indicadores antropometricos que melhor discriminam a variabilidade dos triglicerideos diferem entre os sexos. O indice de massa corporal, a circunferencia da panturrilha e a dobra cutânea tricipital se destacam como os melhores indicadores antropometricos para hipertrigliceridemia em idosos de ambos os sexos.
Mouse strain differences in inflammatory responses of colonic mucosa induced by dextran sulfate sodium cause differential susceptibility to PhIP‐induced large bowel carcinogenesis

In mice, 2‐amino‐1‐methyl‐6‐phenylimidazo[4,5‐b]pyridine (PhIP) induces a high incidence of malignant lymphoma and leukemia, but exhibits little, if any, carcinogenic activity in the large intestine after long‐term exposure. However, recent studies have revealed that colonic adenocarcinomas can be efficiently and rapidly induced by combined treatment with PhIP and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), a potent inducer of colitis. In the present study, the authors investigated the effects of inflammation on PhIP‐induced carcinogenesis using two mouse strains, C57BL/6J and MSM/Ms, showing distinct temporal profiles of inflammatory responses to DSS. A long‐term carcinogenesis experiment conducted with a single i.g. administration of PhIP (200 mg/kg body weight), followed by DSS treatment in drinking water for 4–6 days, revealed an increase in tumor incidence in C57BL/6J mice in accordance with the DSS intake. In contrast, neoplastic lesions were rarely observed in the MSM/Ms strain. From the short‐term exposure to DSS for 4 days, C57BL/6J mice demonstrated severe chronic colitis, accompanied by hyperplastic cryptal epithelium and extensive cellular infiltration. Splenomegaly and swelling of mesenteric lymph nodes were also evident for over 1 month as chronic symptoms of systemic immunological disturbance. However, no inflammatory lesions were detected in MSM/Ms mice. The present results provide strong evidence that prolonged chronic inflammatory responses induced by DSS are directly responsible for the observed enhancement of PhIP‐induced large bowel carcinogenicity. (Cancer Sci 2007; 98: 1157–1163)
Neurospora Spore Killers Sk-2 and Sk-3 Suppress Meiotic Silencing by Unpaired DNA

In Neurospora crassa, pairing of homologous DNA segments is monitored during meiotic prophase I. Any genes not paired with a homolog, as well as any paired homologs of that gene, are silenced during the sexual phase by a mechanism known as meiotic silencing by unpaired DNA (MSUD). Two genes required for MSUD have been described previously: sad-1 (suppressor of ascus dominance), encoding an RNA-directed RNA polymerase, and sad-2, encoding a protein that controls the perinuclear localization of SAD-1. Inactivation of either sad-1 or sad-2 suppresses MSUD. We have now shown that MSUD is also suppressed by either of two Spore killer strains, Sk-2 and Sk-3. These were both known to contain a haplotype segment that behaves as a meiotic drive element in heterozygous crosses of killer × sensitive. Progeny ascospores not carrying the killer element fail to mature and are inviable. Crosses homozygous for either of the killer haplotypes suppress MSUD even though ascospores are not killed. The killer activity maps to the same 30-unit-long region within which recombination is suppressed in killer × sensitive crosses. We suggest that the region contains a suppressor of MSUD.
Sexual dimorphism in vasopressin-induced contraction of rat aorta.

Previously, we reported that, in the rat, pressor responsiveness to vasopressin (VP) is higher in males than in females during most phases of the estrous cycle. To explore the role of the vasculature in this phenomenon, we examined vascular reactivity to VP in thoracic aortas of male rats and female rats during each phase of the estrous cycle. Aortic rings were prepared from age-matched male and female Sprague-Dawley rats and mounted for isometric tension recording. Maximal response of female aortas to VP (4,246 +/- 163 mg/mg ring dry wt) was more than twice (P less than 0.001) that of male aortas (1,877 +/- 215 mg/mg ring wt). Sensitivity of female aortas to VP was substantially higher (P less than 0.001) than that of male aortas (EC50: 10.9 +/- 0.7 vs. 19.0 +/- 1.6 nM, respectively). Maximal rate of tension development (dT/dtmax) during contraction with VP was nearly twofold higher (P less than 0.01) in female aortas (536 +/- 23 mg/min) than in male aortas (300 +/- 19 mg/min). Maximal response, sensitivity, and dT/dtmax of female aortas did not vary significantly during the estrous cycle. Maximal response of female aortas to phenylephrine (PE; 1,251 +/- 93 mg/mg ring wt) was half that (P less than 0.001) of male aortas (2,546 +/- 194 mg/mg ring wt); sensitivity to PE did not differ significantly (EC50: 0.33 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.38 +/- 0.06 microM, respectively). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Radiopharmaceuticals in Preclinical and Clinical Development for Monitoring of Therapy with PET

This review article discusses PET agents, other than 18F-FDG, with the potential to monitor the response to therapy before, during, or after therapeutic intervention. This review deals primarily with non–18F-FDG PET tracers that are in the final stages of preclinical development or in the early stages of clinical application for monitoring the therapeutic response. Four sections related to the nature of the tracers are included: radiotracers of DNA synthesis, such as the 2 most promising agents, the thymidine analogs 3′-18F-fluoro-3′-deoxythymidine and 18F-1-(2′-deoxy-2′-fluoro-β-d-arabinofuranosyl)thymine; agents for PET imaging of hypoxia within tumors, such as 60/62/64Cu-labeled diacetyl-bis(N4-methylthiosemicarbazone) and 18F-fluoromisonidazole; amino acids for PET imaging, including the most popular such agent, l-[methyl-11C]methionine; and agents for the imaging of tumor expression of androgen and estrogen receptors, such as 16β-18F-fluoro-5α-dihydrotestosterone and 16α-18F-fluoro-17β-estradiol, respectively.
Spinal Cord Stimulation With Hybrid Lead Relieves Pain in Low Back and Legs

Objective: The failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) is the most common chronic pain syndrome. Whereas it is relatively easy to achieve pain relief in the lower limbs of FBSS patients with spinal cord stimulation (SCS), it is difficult to manage low back pain with SCS. The performance of a paddle‐shaped SCS lead that can be inserted surgically as well as percutaneously (a hybrid lead) was evaluated in a prospective study on the relief of low back pain and leg pain in patients with FBSS.