Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tenure security and demand for land tenure regularization in Nigeria: Empirical evidence from Ondo and Kano states :

The objectives of the research described in this report are to: provide general field information on physical, social, and institutional conditions in the pilot areas Kano and Ondo states that can be used to assess existing land tenure policy in Nigeria; assess the differentiated effect of existing land laws and practices on men and women in terms of access to, control over, and distribution of land by collecting gender-disaggregated data; contribute to better understanding of the magnitude, scope, and severity of tenure insecurity in the context of existing land laws and land policies; assess the efficiency of land-administration related service delivery by the public sector (e.g., dispute resolu-tion mechanisms).
Neurophysiological investigation of effects of the D‐1 agonist SKF 38393 on tonic activity of substantia nigra dopamine neurons

The effects of the D‐1 agonist SKF 38393 on tonic activity of rat substantia nigra pars compacta dopamine neurons were studied using extracellular, single‐unit recording techniques. Unlike nonselective D‐1/D‐2 dopamine agonists or the D‐2 agonist quinpirole, SKF 38393 did not inhibit dopamine neuronal activity when applied iontophoretically or when administered intravenously in doses up to 20 mg/kg to chloral hydrateanesthetized rats. Moreover, pretreatment with SKF 38393 did not alter the inhibitory response of these neurons to apomorphine or the D‐2 agonist quinpirole. However, in locally anesthetized, gallamine‐treated, artificially respired rats, dopamine cell activity was significantly altered by i.v. administration of SKF 38393; firing rate increases and decreases were observed. Administration of the inactive enantiomer of SKF 38393, S‐SKF 38393, did not induce similar changes in parallel experiments. These results support the idea that unlike D‐2 autoreceptor stimulation, D‐1 receptor stimulation does not exert a direct local effect on dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta and suggest that D‐1 receptor stimulation at sites postsynaptic to the dopamine cells may indirectly affect the activity of some dopamine neurons through long‐loop feedback mechanisms.
Gastric emptying, incretin hormone secretion, and postprandial glycemia in cystic fibrosis--effects of pancreatic enzyme supplementation.

CONTEXT Postprandial hyperglycemia is an important clinical problem in cystic fibrosis (CF), but the contribution of fat malabsorption, rapid gastric emptying, and the incretin axis has not been widely considered. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate these aspects of gut function in nondiabetic CF patients. DESIGN AND SETTING We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study at a clinical research laboratory. PATIENTS Five nondiabetic CF patients (three males; age, 25.8 ± 1.0 yr; body mass index, 20.2 ± 1.1 kg/m(2)) with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and six healthy subjects of similar age and body mass index participated in the study. INTERVENTIONS CF patients consumed a radiolabeled mashed potato meal on 2 separate days, together with four capsules of Creon Forte (100,000 IU lipase) or placebo. Healthy subjects consumed the meal once, without pancreatic enzymes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Gastric emptying was measured using scintigraphy, and blood was sampled frequently for blood glucose and plasma glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), and glucagon concentrations. RESULTS CF patients had more rapid gastric emptying (P < 0.001), impaired secretion of GLP-1 (P < 0.01) and GIP (P < 0.001), and greater postprandial glycemic excursions (P < 0.001) than healthy subjects. Pancreatic enzyme supplementation normalized gastric emptying and GLP-1 secretion and tended to increase glucagon (P = 0.08), but did not completely restore GIP secretion or normalize postprandial blood glucose. There was an excellent correlation between gastric emptying and blood glucose concentration at 60 min (R = 0.75; P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Pancreatic enzyme supplementation plays an important role in incretin secretion, gastric emptying, and postprandial hyperglycemia in CF.
Managing Brand Equity in E-Banking: A Simultaneous Equation System Approach I

Brand equity provides sustainable competitive advantages to internet firms and becomes a key determinant of competitive success in service industries. Using the data collected from the online banking service sector, this study investigates the relationships among brand equity, loyalty, trust, satisfaction, and e-service quality. We formulate and test our research hypotheses by using the simultaneous equations system approach to expand the traditional satisfaction-loyalty chain to further consider the simultaneous relationships between trust, satisfaction and loyalty. The significant simultaneous relationships between satisfaction and loyalty and between trust and loyalty are confirmed by our data, implying that these relationships must be determined simultaneously, rather than sequentially.
An Online Experiment on Consumers' susceptibility to Fall for Post-Transaction Marketing Scams

Post-transaction marketing offers are often designed to trick consumers into purchasing products they would not want. To increase the frequency of transactions, retailers use strategies such as subscribing consumers by default to offers, camouflaging post-transaction offers as part of primary transactions, and being unclear about the terms of the offer. Further, sharing agreements for personal consumer data and payment credentials between first and third-party retailers violate consumers’ expectations about privacy and business conduct. Some of these tactics have been mitigated in the United States with the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA). In this paper, we report the results from an online post-transaction marketing experiment. We involve over 500 consumers in a purchasing episode (i.e., a functional mock-up music store) followed by a post-transaction marketing offer with low value to consumers. In the experiment, we systematically vary important design characteristics on the offer page, and collect additional data through a post-experimental questionnaire. We investigate which factors are most predictive of acceptance of the low-value post-transaction offer. We find that ROSCA’s interventions are a step in the right direction and should be considered by European regulators, but do not go far enough.
Influences of feeding frequency of extruded pellet and moist pellet on growth and body composition of juvenile Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus in suboptimal water temperatures

This study was carried out to investigate the influences of feeding frequency of extruded pellet and moist pellet on growth and body composition of juvenile flounder (initial mean weight 6.3 g) in sub optimal water temperatures. A 2 (diets: extruded pellet and moist pellet)×2 (feeding frequencies: two and three times daily)×2 (water temperatures: 12 and 17°C) factorial design with three replications was used. After 60 days of feeding, the feeding frequency did not significantly affect growth performance of fish. Weight gain, daily feed intake, feed efficiency and protein efficiency ratio were significantly (P<0.05) higher for fish reared at the higher water temperature. At the same water temperature, weight gain, feed efficiency, and protein efficiency ratio were significantly (P<0.05) higher for fish fed the extruded pellet than moist pellet. The results of this study indicate that feeding frequency of two times daily is sufficient for optimal growth of juvenile flounder when reared in suboptimal water temperatures, and an increase in water temperature from 12 to 17°C improved growth and feed efficiency.
In vitro activities of azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, and tetracycline against 13 strains of Chlamydia pneumoniae

Thirteen strains of Chlamydia pneumoniae were evaluated for their in vitro susceptibilities to azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, and tetracycline. The MIC ranges were 0.125 to 0.5 micrograms/ml for azithromycin, 0.031 to 1.0 micrograms/ml for clarithromycin, 0.125 to 1.0 micrograms/ml for erythromycin, and 0.25 to 1.0 micrograms/ml for tetracycline. The ranges for the minimal lethal concentrations were 0.125 to 0.5 micrograms/ml for azithromycin, 0.031 to 1.0 micrograms/ml for clarithromycin, 0.125 to 1.0 micrograms/ml for erythromycin, and 0.25 to 1.0 micrograms/ml for tetracycline. Clarithromycin and azithromycin were the most active antibiotics against C. pneumoniae in vitro.
An HIV-Preventive Intervention for Youth Living With HIV

As the number of youth infected with HIV rises, secondary prevention programs are needed to help youth living with HIV meet three goals: (a) increase self-care behaviors, medical adherence, and health-related interactions; (b) reduce transmission acts; and (c) enhance their quality of life. This article describes an intervention program for youth living with HIV. Youth engage in small-group activities with other infected peers to modify their behavioral patterns. The intervention aims to (a) reduce substance use and sexual behaviors that may transmit or enhance transmission of the HIV virus; (b) reduce negative impacts of substance use on seeking and utilizing health care, assertiveness, and adherence to health regimens; and (c) enhance the quality of life to maintain behavior changes over time. Interventions that target youth living with HIV are warranted. A variety of delivery strategies are discussed for secondary interventions.
Clinical treatment outcomes of periodontal therapy in HIV-seropositive patients undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy.

INTRODUCTION Since the worldwide HIV/AIDS epidemic started, various oral manifestations have been described. However, scientific assessment of therapeutic outcomes of chronic periodontitis in HIV-seropositive patients, in particular undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), has not been addressed. MATERIALS AND METHODS 22 patients divided into a HIV-1-seropositve test group and seronegative control group were studied for 12+ months after receiving periodontal therapy by conservative scaling and root planning and maintenance care. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Periodontal inflammatory parameters improved significantly under the immune reconstituting influence of HAART without major statistical differences in both examination groups. According to this standardized interventional concept, HIV-1-seropositive patients with chronic periodontal disease can be treated successfully. The treatment outcome in maintaining the periodontal attachment is equally well represented in both clinically controlled groups.
The Dominant Role of

In a study of innovations developed by mountain bikers, we find that user-innovators almost always utilize "local" information - information already in their possession or generated by themselves - to assess the need for and to develop solutions for their innovations. We argue that this finding fits the economic incentives operating on users. Local need information is the most relevant to user-innovators, since the bulk of their innovation-related rewards typically come from in-house use. Local solution information that is already "in stock" is preferred because it can be applied to innovation-related problem-solving at a relatively low cost. Our findings suggest that innovation development is distributed among users in an economical way: user-innovations tend to be developed by "low-cost providers. " It also suggests that the likely function and solution type employed in most user innovations can be predicted on the basis of preexisting user activity patterns and stocks of solution-related information. This in turn opens the way to new methods for efficiently screening user populations for the presence of innovations of any specified type.
Scrapie: concept of a virus‐induced amyloidosis of the brain.

After an intraperitoneal infection disease‐specific incorporation of [3H]leucine into protein and [3H]uridine into RNA in the brain precede clinical scrapie in hamsters. Onset of both incorporations are the earliest measurable events in the disease. Infectivity and subsequent clinical symptoms appear only after this biochemical activity has ceased. The disease‐specific [3H]protein co‐purifies with scrapie‐associated fibrils (SAF) and infectivity during differential centrifugation and buffer extraction. SDS‐PAGE shows that the [3H]protein is not SAF protein but a protein with an apparently higher mol. wt. The [3H]RNA is metabolically stable and separates from SAF and the main portion of infectivity in the last step of the purification. The appearance of SAF‐protein is a late event and correlates with severe clinical symptoms. SAF seems to be derived from a brain protein turning over slowly. Our data are consistent with early pre‐clinical virus replication. In this case treatment aimed at suppressing virus replication in the clinical phase of the human Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease is unlikely to produce any beneficial effect.
Perception of Consumers towards Social Media Practices Used by Marketers for Creating Brand Loyalty

The concept of social media is top agenda for all the business firms today. Marketing Executives, Researchers and Consultants all are trying very hard to find out the ways in which a brand can make maximum use of different social media platforms. This research is focused on the statistical technique using the factor analysis on constructing the different factors related to social media which influences the brand loyalty of the consumers. The data were collected using survey questionnaires which were circulated through both offline and online modes. The number of respondents was 239 social media users who are following the different brands on social media. The methodologies used were Descriptive statistics and Factor analysis technique. The results derived shows eight factors which affect the loyalty level of consumers towards their preferred brand. Those factors are: (1) Accessibility; (2) Informative; (3) Brand image; (4) Customer care services; (5) Advertisements; (6) Relationship building; (7) Convenience; (8) Feedback. The findings of this study will enable the firms to have an overview of the perception of consumers towards different social media practices used by marketers. This research study was conducted in the year 2018 in India for FMCG products (Fast Moving Consumer Goods). This research will be very useful for the researchers who are working in the area of developing social media strategies for creation of brand loyalty.
Generalists Versus Specialists: The Board's Revealed Perception of CEO General Skill and CEO Pay

We construct a new index of CEO general managerial skill using the industry composition of the CEO compensation peer group and use it to examine the relation between CEO general skill and CEO pay. Our index has the advantage of capturing the board’s perception of CEO general skill and is less subject to concerns for confounding factors than existing measures based on lifetime work experience. Using our index, we find that the board does set a higher pay benchmark for generalist CEOs than specialist CEOs, however, the premium is not large enough to significantly increase CEO total pay. To validate our index, we provide evidence that industry composition of peer groups contains information about a CEO’s general skill and our index performs better and is less affected by CEO power and other confounding factors in capturing general skill than the existing measure. Overall, our evidence supports the existence of a pay premium for generalist CEOs but we find its effect on CEO total pay to be too small to explain the rise in executive compensation over the past decades.
Magnetic resonance spectroscopic abnormalities in sporadic and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

AIM To study the proton MR spectroscopic findings in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) (sporadic and variant). MATERIALS AND METHODS MR imaging and proton MR spectra were acquired in two patients with sporadic CJD (biopsy proven) and one patient with variant CJD. RESULTS The two patients with sporadic CJD demonstrated MR signal change within the basal ganglia and thalami and reduced N-acetylaspartate (NAA):creatine ratios. The patient with variant CJD showed characteristic signal change within the pulvinar of the thalami and a markedly reduced N-acetylaspartate:creatine ratio. CONCLUSION All three patients with CJD demonstrated evidence of reduced N-acetylaspartate: creatine ratios on MR spectroscopy. These changes imply that neuronal loss and/or dysfunction is a consistent finding in established CJD.
Space-Vector-Based Generalized Discontinuous Pulsewidth Modulation for Three-Level Inverters Operating at Lower Modulation Indices

Conventional three-level discontinuous pulsewidth modulation (DPWM) templates typically provide maximum switching loss reduction capability for load power factor angles in the range from 30° lagging to 30° leading. This paper proposes three space-vector-based DPWM templates for lower power factors and a generalized DPWM strategy for three-level inverters operating with modulation indices lower than 0.5. For different power factors, the proposed strategy adapts the inverter pulse sequence by combining different portions of the proposed and conventional DPWM templates within one operating fundamental cycle and ensures minimum switching instances when changing templates. Consequently, the strategy aligns the PWM clamping intervals with the respective load-current peaks, achieving around 50% switching loss reduction capability extended to all operating power factor angles (90° lagging to 90° leading). The simulation and experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed three-level generalized DPWM strategy over the conventional three-level modulation strategies.
Population Pharmacokinetics and Exposure‐Response of Albinterferon Alfa‐2b

Albinterferon alfa‐2b (albIFN) has been studied for treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). A population pharmacokinetics model was developed using nonlinear mixed‐effects modeling. Efficacy/safety exposure‐response relationships were assessed for subcutaneous albIFN doses (900–1800 μg once every 2 or 4 weeks) administered for either 24 weeks (HCV genotypes 2/3) or 48 weeks (genotype 1), plus daily oral ribavirin. Sustained virologic response (SVR) exposure‐response was modeled using logistic regression. Adverse event incidence was tabulated versus exposure quartiles. First‐order absorption rate constant (0.0148 h−1), apparent clearance (38.9 mL/h), and apparent volume of distribution (11.6 L) had interindividual variances (coefficient of variation) of 21%, 34%, and 24%, respectively. Residual variance estimates were 27% (coefficient of variation) and 1.51 ng/mL (standard deviation). For the only explanatory covariate—body weight—exposure decreased as weight increased. Important SVR predictors included baseline HCV RNA, fibrosis score, and black race (genotype 1); SVR was minimally related to exposure. Most adverse events had similar incidence rates across exposure quartiles. Some adverse events had a higher incidence in the upper exposure quartile without evidence of exposure‐response across the lower quartiles. Given the lack of consistent efficacy/safety exposure‐response relationships, further investigation is necessary to optimize albIFN dosing.
Leveraging Who You Know by What You Know: Specialization and Returns to Relational Capital

Research Summary: This paper investigates the interaction effects of specialization and relational capital on performance. We distinguish between upstream and downstream relational capital and theorize that higher levels of specialization will buffer against decreases in upstream relational capital, because of deeper domain expertise and stronger downstream relational capital. Conversely, higher levels of generalization permit greater gains from increases in upstream relational capital, due to leverage across a more diversified downstream portfolio of activities. We test and find support for these hypotheses in the context of the US lobbying industry. Our study contributes to the strategic human capital literature by isolating the dimension of specialization and relational capital embodied within individuals and providing performance implications of the interactions. Managerial Summary: Both “what you know” and “whom you know” impacts performance. Generalists and specialists are different on the “what you know” dimension. On the “who you know” dimension, we distinguish between upstream (supplier) and downstream (client) relationships. We show that specialists are buffered by deeper downstream relations from performance declines when their powerful upstream connections lose power. Generalists benefit from broader networks when their upstream connections gain power. Thus, when the value of their relationships change, specialists and generalists should each assess when they can reap performance benefits, and when they need to bolster against adversities. For firms, our study suggests hiring the right mix of specialists and generalists is important to reduce risks from relational losses while enjoying the performance benefits from relational gains.
A Short-Term Wind Power Forecasting Approach With Adjustment of Numerical Weather Prediction Input by Data Mining

This paper proposes a novel short-term wind power forecasting approach by mining the bad data of numerical weather prediction (NWP). Today's short-term wind power forecast (WPF) highly depends on the NWP, which contributes the most in the WPF error. This paper first introduces a bad data analyzer to fully study the relationship between the WPF error with several new extracted features from the raw NWP. Second, a hierarchical structure is proposed, which is composed of a K-means clustering-based bad data detection module and a neural network (NN)-based forecasting module. In the NN module, the WPF is fully adjusted based on the output of the bad data analyzer. Simulations are performed comparing with two other different methods. It proves that the proposed approach can improve the short-term wind power forecasting by effectively identifying and adjusting the errors from NWP.