Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Konaklama İşletmelerinde Müşteri İlişkileri Yönetiminin İşletme Performansına Etkisi: 5 Yıldızlı Oteller Üzerine Bir Uygulama

Konaklama isletmelerinde musterinin memnun edilebilmesi kolay degildir. Hizmet isletmeleri olan konaklama isletmelerinde uretim ve tuketimin es zamanli olmasindan dolayi, hizmet uretimi ve sunumundaki yanlislarin dogrudan tuketiciye yansimasi soz konusudur. Musterilerle uzun donemli iliskiler kurmak ve bu iliskileri sadakate donusturmek, kârliligin anahtari haline gelmistir. Bu da konaklama isletmelerinin dikkatinin musteri iliskileri yonetimine odaklanmasina neden olmustur. Musteri Iliskileri Yonetimi (MIY) ya da bilinen populer adiyla Customer Relationship Management (CRM) pazarlama yonetimi konusunda son zamanlarda gelistirilmis onemli bir yaklasimdir. MIY; bir isletmenin butun birimlerini ilgilendiren, musteriler ile ortaklik kurarak, urun veya hizmetin tasarimindan, satisina kadar olan tum alanlarda karar alma surecinde iletisimin ve geri bildirimin yogun olarak kullanildigi, isletme vizyonu ve amaclarini ve musteri cikarlarini ayni anda koruyarak ve optimize ederek, isletme performansini, musteri memnuniyetini ve sadakatini artirmaya yonelik bir yonetim yaklasimidir. Bu calismada yukarida anlatilmaya calisilan MIY yaklasimi, konaklama isletmeleri acisindan ele alinmaktadir. Calisma kapsaminda konaklama isletmelerinde MIY uygulamalari kapsamli bir bicimde incelenecektir.
Plasma from patients undergoing major open surgery stimulates in vitro tumor growth: Lower insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 levels may, in part, account for this change.

BACKGROUND Plasma from laparotomized mice has been shown to stimulate in vitro tumor growth when compared to results with preoperative plasma. This study assessed the effect of plasma from patients who underwent major open (OS) or laparoscopic surgery (LS) on in vitro tumor cell growth. METHODS Eighty-four patients undergoing major abdominal surgery were studied (45 OS, 39 LS). Peripheral blood was collected preoperatively (PreOP) and on days 1 (POD1) and 3 (POD3) after operation. HT29 human colon cancer cells were plated with samples of the plasma. Proliferation was assessed by cell counts and the bromodeoxyuridine incorporation assay. Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 was detected in plasma by Western blot analysis. RESULTS Increased mitogenic activity was noted in POD1 OS plasma when compared to PreOP OS plasma results (P <.005). This increase correlated with the length of incision (r = 0.58, P <.01). No differences were noted when the PreOP LS and POD1 LS results were compared or for any of the POD3 versus PreOP comparisons. CONCLUSIONS Major OS is associated with alterations in plasma composition that promote HT29 tumor cell proliferation in vitro. As shown, this effect was due, at least in part, to surgery-related depletion of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 in peripheral blood.
Hepatitis C Infection in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

The management of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is complex and represents a particular concern since numerous issues, such as antiviral therapy in dialysis patients and post renal transplant, and prevention of HCV spread within dialysis units, remain unresolved. An enormous body of literature has been published on HCV in the CKD population; however, clinical evidence on important issues is mostly based on uncontrolled clinical trials or retrospective surveys. The aim of this paper is to provide a systematic review of the literature. Responses to the critical issues have been developed by a consensus of experts, endorsed by the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver (AISF) and some clinical recommendations have been added.
Effect of the prostaglandin precursor, arachidonic acid, on histamine stimulated gastric secretion in the conscious dog, and observations on the effect of inhibiting endogenous prostaglandin synthesis.

The effects of intravenous infusions of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and arachidonic acid (AA) on histamine-stimulated gastric secretion have been studied in conscious dogs with either a simple gastric fistula or a denervated Heidenhain pouch. Both compounds produced a dose-related inhibition of acid secretion, though AA was 86-5 to 203-2 times less potent than PGE2. The maximal effect of AA was not achieved until 20 to 40 minutes after the infusion had ceased, suggesting that AA has to undergo some kinetic or metabolic process before it can act. Eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYN) 1-0 microgram.kg-1min-1, an inhibitor of PG biosynthesis, almost totally abolished the anti-secretory effect of AA up to 200 microgram.kg-1min-1. At 400 microgram AA.kg-1min-1, the antisecretory effect was reduced by about one half. The effect of PGE2 was not altered by ETYN. Furthermore, ETYN did not increase the response to histamine stimulation in control studies, which suggests that, in this model at least, prostaglandins are not involved in regulating gastric secretion.
Interactions of Uranium and Neptunium With Cementitious Materials Studied by XAFS

We have investigated the interaction of U(VI) and Np(V) actinide ions with cementitious materials that are relevant to nuclear waste repositories using X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS) Spectroscopy. The actinide ions were individually loaded onto untreated as well as hydrothermally treated cements. The mixtures were then equilibrated at varying pH's for a period of approximately 6 months. In all cases uranium was introduced in the form of aqueous uranyl ion, UO{sub 2}{sup 2+}, and was observed to remain in this form based on the Near Edge (XANES) spectra. The uranium samples show evidence of interactions with both treated and untreated cements at all pH's, with uranyl interacting with the cement mineral phases (i.e., SiO{sub 2}) through an inner-sphere mechanism where oxygen atoms in the equatorial plane of the uranyl ion are shared with the mineral surface. In contact with the hydrothermally treated cement, the uranyl ions are also observed to form oligomeric species, proving that hydrothermal treatment of the concrete has a significant effect on the structural bonding characteristics of uranyl on the concrete. Neptunium was introduced as the neptunyl ion, NpO{sub 2}{sup +}, and was observed to undergo a reduction from Np(V) to Np(IV). Percent reduction was calculated frommore » both component analysis of the XANES region and by curve fitting to the EXAFS region. Results from both methods were in good agreement and showed ca. 15% of Np(V) is reduced to Np(IV) in the fresh sample. In comparison, the other samples showed higher reduction rates of between 40% and 65%. Reduction was thus observed to occur over a relatively slow time scale based on XAFS data collected from a ''fresh'' sample (aged for 1 month). No Np-Np interactions were observed in the EXAFS spectra which makes surface precipitation of Np{sup 4+} phases an unlikely mechanism for sorption. « less
Leukocyte migration inhibition test in children with cow milk allergy

The usefulness of the leukocyte migration inhibition factor (LIF) test to detect cow milk (CM) hypersensitivity was studied in 40 children with suspected allergy to CM. Hyper‐sensitivity was carefully investigated by oral milk challenges, which gave a final confirmation of cow milk hypersensitivity in 12 subjects, and excluded it in the remaining 28 subjects. Leukcocyte migration inhibition was measured using β‐lactoglobulin (BLG), α‐lactalbumin (ALA), α‐casein (ACA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) as antigens. IgA and IgG antibodies to these antigens were measured by an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, and IgE antibodies to these antigens and to CM by radioallergosorbent test (RAST). Skin prick test with CM was performed in 38 subjects, and with BLG, ALA, ACA and BSA in 29 subjects. Leukocyte migration was more often inhibited by cow milk antigens in the CM challenge positive (CM +) subjects than in the challenge negative (CM‐) subjects. Of the specific milk antigens, ALA was the most potent inhibitor, and gave a positive LIF test result in all CM + subjects, and significantly (P < 0.02) less often (15/24) in CM‐ subjects. Also in the skin prick test and RAST, ALA gave positive results more often than the other milk antigens. BLG, ACA and BSA had an inhibiting effect on leukocyte migration, but the difference between the CM + and CM‐ subjects was not statistically significant. Two of the 12 CM + subjects had no demonstrable IgE antibodies to CM proteins; both of them, however, had a positive LIF test with at least one of the CM antigens. No significant correlation was observed between leukocyte migration inhibition and the serum levels of IgA, IgG or IgE antibodies to milk antigens. The results of this study suggest that cell‐mediated immunity may play a role in cow milk allergy, also in subjects with demonstrable IgE antibodies to CM. Even though the LIF test is sensitive in the diagnosis of cow milk allergy, it is not useful as a diagnostic test, since many challenge‐negative subjects had a positive LIF test.
Activation of the furin endoprotease is a multiple‐step process: requirements for acidification and internal propeptide cleavage

Activation of furin requires autoproteolytic cleavage of its 83‐amino acid propeptide at the consensus furin site, Arg‐Thr‐Lys‐Arg107↓. This RER‐localized cleavage is necessary, but not sufficient, for enzyme activation. Rather, full activation of furin requires exposure to, and correct routing within, the TGN/endosomal system. Here, we identify the steps in addition to the initial propeptide cleavage necessary for activation of furin. Exposure of membrane preparations containing an inactive RER‐localized soluble furin construct to either: (i) an acidic and calcium‐containing environment characteristic of the TGN; or (ii) mild trypsinization at neutral pH, resulted in the activation of the endoprotease. Taken together, these results suggest that the pH drop facilitates the removal of a furin inhibitor. Consistent with these findings, following cleavage in the RER, the furin propeptide remains associated with the enzyme and functions as a potent inhibitor of the endoprotease. Co‐immunoprecipitation studies coupled with analysis by mass spectrometry show that release of the propeptide at acidic pH, and hence activation of furin, requires a second cleavage within the autoinhibitory domain at a site containing a P6 arginine (‐Arg70‐Gly‐Val‐Thr‐Lys‐Arg75↓‐). The significance of this cleavage in regulating the compartment‐specific activation of furin, and the relationship of the furin activation pathway to those of other serine endoproteases are discussed.
An Empirical Study on the Determinants of User Acceptance of e-Government in Public Sector

A linear reciprocating motion device according to the present invention comprises an object which is movable exclusively in a prescribed direction, a cam groove which is formed on a closed curve, a linking rod whose one end is connected to said object and its the other end is engaged with said cam groove, and means for moving the other end of said linking rod along said cam groove with a prescribed angular velocity. The moving means with angular velocity comprises a crank arm whose length is free to be increased or decreased, with its one end connected to the other end of said linking rod and rotates in the interior of said closed curve, and a motor that causes to rotate the crank sub-arm that is linked to the crank arm at a constant speed.
Self Field Instability in High- ${\rm J}_{\rm c}$  ${\rm Nb}_{3}{\rm Sn}$ Strands With High Copper Residual Resistivity Ratio

High critical current density (Jc) Nb3Sn conductor is the best candidate for next generation high field (>10 T) accelerator magnets. Although very promising, state of the art high-Jc Nb3Sn strands suffer magneto-thermal instabilities that can severely limit the strand performance. Recently it has been shown that at 1.9 K the self field instability is the dominating mechanism that limits the performance of strands with a low (<10) residual resistivity ratio (RRR) of the stabilizing copper. In this paper the self-field instability is investigated in high-Jc Nb3Sn strands with high RRR. At CERN several state of the art rod re-stack process (RRP) and powder in tube (PIT) Nb3Sn strands have been tested at 4.2 K and 1.9 K to study the effects on strand stability of: RRR, strand diameter and, strand impregnation with stycast. The experimental results are reported and discussed. A new 2-D finite element model for simulating magneto-thermal instabilities and its preliminary results are also presented. The model, which describes the whole development of the flux jump in the strand cross section taking into account the heat and current diffusion in the stabilizing copper, is in good agreement with the experimental data.
Isolation and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Escherichia coli causing urinary tract infections

Objective: Escherichia coli is the greatest cause of primary urinary tract infections (UTI). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing provides information that allows physicians to select the most appropriate antimicrobial agents for treating a specific infection. This study aimed to assess the current status of multidrug resistance among urinary Escherichia coli isolates in Kenya. Methodology and results: A total of 3,341 urine samples were collected from in and out-patients attending Thika district hospital in Kenya between January and December 2008. The samples were cultured on Cystein lysine electrolytes deficiency (CLED) media and the bacterial isolates recovered were tested against Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, Cefuroxime, Augmentin®, Nitrofurantoin, Nalidixic acid, Gentamycin, Cephaloxin, Norfloxacin, Ciproxin®, Ceftazidime, Amikacin, Ofloxacin, Centriaxone, Perfloxacin, Ticarcillin, Pipril and Roceph using Kirby Bauer disc diffusion technique. Among the 3,341 samples examined, 24% had Escherichia coli isolates with 64% of them being from female patients compared to 36% that were from men aged above 21 years. In children aged >10yrs, boys had the highest prevalence (55%) compared to girls (45%). Those in age categories <21yrs had the more isolates (73%) followed by 5-10yrs (46%), 1-4yrs (16%), and the least 11-20yrs (5%). Upto 75% of the isolates were resistant to Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole; all (100%) were susceptible to Ticarcillin, Peril/Tazo, Amikacin, Ofloxacin and Roceph; and 80% of the isolates were susceptible to Cephalexin, Ceftriaxime, Nalidixic acid, Gentamycin, Norfloxacin, Ciproxin®, Ceftazidime/fortum and Centraixone. Conclusion and application of findings: Considering the relatively high rates of UTI and drug resistance observed in this study, continued local, regional, and national surveillance is warranted. Antibiotics should only be issued when prescribed by physicians.
Consumers’ willingness to pay for a functional food

In recent years food manufacturers have been devoting a large portion of their RD on the other hand, consumers, despite functional foods exhibit a significant level of information asymmetry, show an increasing attention towards them,recognizing their role in preventing or reducing health risks and/or improving other general functions of the organism.The objective of this paper is to evaluate the Italian consumers’ willingness-too-pay for functional attributes in a food product (a probiotic yogurt with the addition of catechines). For this purpose, a web-based stated choice experiment involving a representative sample of 6600 Italian consumers has been carried out and the willingness-too-pay for two functional attributes (probiotic and catechine-enricheed) has been measured using the panel data version of a Random Parameters Logit model. The results show that Italian consumers are willing too pay a rather high price premium for a catechine-enrriched yogurt (0.36 €/pot, that is a 40%% premium, on average) well above their willingness-to-pay for thee probiotic attribute (0.23 €//pot). Further, there is a statistically significant heterogeneity within the sample; then, averaging across sample sub-groups indicates that the willingness-to-pay for the new attribute (catechine-enriched) may be related to age, income, health-status, life-style and education
LHRH Pulse Generator is Stimulated by Naloxone in the Pentobarbital‐Blocked Proestrous Rat

Previous studies by us and others led us to hypothesize that there are separate LHRH pulse and surge generators in the rat brain. The present study was designed to detect the activity of LHRH pulse generator by checking changes in LH secretion and the multiunit activity (MUA) of the arcuate‐median eminence region of the hypothalamus during infusions of naloxone (NAL, 2 mg/h) in the proestrous rat in which the LHRH surge generator activity was blocked by pentobarbital sodium (PB, 32 mg/kg bw, ip). The animals were subjected to blood sampling in the morning (1000–1300 h) or afternoon (1400–1700), and injected with PB at 09.45 or 13.45, respectively. During saline infusions in the rat given PB injection at either 09.45 or 13.45, serum LH levels were low but fluctuated significantly, suggesting a pulsatile secretion in either the morning or the afternoon period. The pulse intervals were an average 28.2 min in the morning and 42.2 min in the afternoon. NAL infusions decreased the pulse interval significantly, to 22.0 min in the morning and to 27.0 min in the afternoon. In the electrophysiological experiment, characteristic increases in the MUA (volleys), which occur in association with the initiation of an LH pulse and therefore are considered to represent an increased activity of the LHRH pulse generator, appeared during NAL (5 mg/h) infusions in either the morning or the afternoon. These results strongly suggest that separate LHRH pulse and surge generators exist in the brain, and that, even during the critical period of proestrus, the activity of LHRH pulse generator is disclosed by PB, which, on the other hand, arrests the surge generator.
Early childhood caries and risk factors in Jordan.

OBJECTIVE To describe the prevalence of dental caries among Jordanian preschool children and risk factors for caries. DESIGN Preschool children aged 1 to 5 years from randomly selected nurseries and kindergartens in Amman were surveyed in September 2001. A questionnaire to investigate factors that might have affected dental caries level was completed by parents. Dental caries was diagnosed as recommended by the World Health Organization. RESULTS The mean dmft scores at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years were 0.19, 1.15, 1.7, 2.13, and 3.22 respectively. Overall, 52% of children were caries-free. Caries level was significantly related to feeding practices, snacking habits, oral health practices and pattern of dental visiting as well as to socio-economic background, parents, education level and awareness. CONCLUSION The dental caries level was slightly higher than that of children in industrialised countries but lower than that of children in the neighbouring Arab countries. However, the early caries development seen in children from the lower socio-economic classes, because they are at high risk for caries in Jordan, reinforces the need for preventive programmes before eruption of the teeth. Access to dental care must be improved to enable any preventive strategies to be implemented.
Metamaterial waveguide with reduced cross section

In this article, the use of a metamaterial walls is proposed for the design of waveguides with reduced cross section. First, the analytical modes expansion for cylindrical waveguides with anisotropic boundary condition is reminded. It will be shown that with particular anisotropic surface impedances on the waveguide walls, hybrid modes can propagate with a cut off frequency of the fundamental mode lower than the usual TE11 mode in metallic waveguides. The design of the metamaterial surface is then presented with regard to its surface impedance properties. Finally, the dispersion properties of this waveguide with metamaterial walls are computed.
Using Soft Computing Techniques for Prediction of Winners in Tennis Matches

The forecast of winners in sports brings valuable information for both organizers, media and audience, and this is particularly important in tennis, where the results of a round in a tournament determine which matches will occur in the next round. With that in mind, this work presents a study of the main factors influencing matches predictability and, from this analysis, a new hybrid approach is proposed to calculate the chances of victory of each of the competitors before the start of a match. A Fuzzy Inference System, with its ability to reproduce knowledge of an expert among mixed information, a Neural Network, with the capability of features extraction from examples, and a Strength Equation with optimized weighting factors are the techniques employed. These predictors have as inputs data from previous performances of the players, which in this case try to capture their short, medium and long-term performances, as well as their affinity for the different types of surfaces. Subsequently the results from these predictors are combined by a voting system. The results are encouraging, showing significant gains when comparing to the use of the ATP ranking.
Violence and today's youth.

The violent behavior of adolescents in our society is a topic of enormous interest and concern, limited data and knowledge, and, unfortunately, substantial misinformation and distortion. In 1990, some 16.3% (1,749,343) of the total number of arrests in the United States were of youth 17 years of age or younger, and 5.5% (95,677) of these arrests were for violent crimes. Of incarcerated youth (fewer than 100,000 of all prisoners), about one quarter have committed crimes against persons. Although the overall magnitude of this problem is often distorted by the media, these numbers, which have increased over the past decade, do mask the substantially higher rates in extremely poor, populous urban communities. In addition, on a national survey, about 20% of adolescents reported having engaged in one violent incident by 18 years of age. Other youths are the predominant victims of violent behavior by adolescents, Many environmental, psychologic, and biologic risk and protective factors and population indicators have been related to violent behavior and, in various combinations, increase or decrease the likelihood of its occurrence. However, no one theory or combination of variables allows prediction of which individuals will commit violent acts or what interventions will prevent these acts initially or reduce the incidence of repeated offenses. Few, if any, of the individual therapeutic techniques, promising state or community-based programs, or traditional law enforcement and judicial approaches have been adequately evaluated to determine whether they are effective in reducing violent incidents in schools and neighborhoods. The juvenile courts have become increasingly punitive, more youths are being transferred to adult criminal courts, and increasing numbers of adolescents are being incarcerated at a national average cost of about $35,000 per youth per year. Nevertheless, despite our lack of certainty about what will work to decrease violence among youth, we do know enough to take a number of practical steps that are likely to ameliorate the situation. These include a combination of activities directed toward improving the quality of life in areas of extreme poverty in large cities, and reforming the juvenile justice system. — R.E. B.