Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigating the role of social networking sites in increasing purchase intention for environmentally sustainable apparel: an exploratory study

With apparel production finding itself a leading cause of harm to the environment, the call to action to influence purchase intention for environmentally sustainable apparel (ESA) is pertinent for the current and future well-being of both the environment and humankind. Supplying a base of knowledge to consumers is crucial to enable them to understand the consequences the AT industry has on the environment. This knowledge can potentially lead to a change of attitude and change in purchase intention. However, reaching the populous and changing consumer knowledge of and attitudes towards environmentally sustainable apparel is challenging. This study considers social networking sites (SNS) a feasible strategy regarding this issue because they not only rapidly communicate to consumers but SNS also convey the attitudes and opinions of users’ online referent groups. This study better understands the variances among consumer characteristics and their knowledge of environmental issues in the apparel and textile industry. The purpose of this exploratory study is to initiate the investigation as to whether or not SNS may be a potential mechanism for increasing purchase intention for environmentally sustainable apparel. This exploration focuses on identifying consumer characteristics of social networking site users and investigating whether differences in consumer knowledge about environmental issues in apparel production leads to differences in attitudes about and ultimately purchase intentions of ESA. This study also examines whether or not the presence of social influence on SNS may serve as a mechanism to overcome the barriers (knowledge and attitudes) limiting purchase intention for ESA. An online national survey of 783 participants was conducted utilizing six scales. Simple bivariate correlations, ANOVA, and a hierarchial regression was conducted to understand if adding social influence of SNS as an additional component to Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) provides greater predictive power for ESA behavior intentions. Findings from the study indicate that SNS influence and subjective norm are not stronger predictors of ESA purchase intention above knowledge and attitudes but they do contribute to the TRA and increasing the probability of purchase intention. INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES IN INCREASING PURCHASE INTENTION FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE APPAREL: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY
The double-edged sword of corporatisation in the hospital sector: evidence from Indonesia

Abstract Hoping to improve their health system performance, many countries have corporatised their hospitals in the past 20 years. What this means for hospital performance remains as yet largely unknown. This study looks into the association of corporatisation and hospital performance in Indonesia. We apply panel data regression analysis to survey data on 54 public hospitals in East Java province. Our analysis suggests that corporatisation is associated with higher hospital income and expenditure, but fails to improve efficiency and equity. These findings suggest that hospital corporatisation policy in Indonesia should increase emphasis on efficiency and equity rather than on financial performance alone.
The aging stomach or the stomachs of the ages

See article on page452 Although few would challenge the role of Helicobacter pylori as a major gastroduodenal pathogen, many paradoxes remain. Infection is mainly acquired in childhood, yet the major symptomatic diseases, peptic ulcer and gastric cancer, occur predominantly in adults or the elderly. Patterns of disease vary within and between different populations. In some countries, the incidence of duodenal ulcer is high whereas in others the progression of H pylori associated pathology is more towards gastric ulcer and adenocarcinoma. These patterns of disease are changing in certain countries and this seems to correlate with improvements in socioeconomic status. Thus in the United Kingdom and the United States, peptic ulcer and gastric cancer were rare before the 19th century.1 2 From the middle 1800s, gastric ulcer and cancer increased and by the early 1900s duodenal ulcers appeared and slowly started to surpass gastric ulcers in frequency. In more recent times, there has been a decline in the frequency of carcinoma, and both types of ulcer while reflux oesophagitis seems to be on the increase. In the less developed world, in countries such as Colombia and China, these changes have been delayed and gastric cancer remains a frequent cause of death. Given that H pylori is an aetiological factor in both ulcer disease and gastric malignancy, how can these temporal and geographical trends be reconciled? One of us had postulated differences in acid output as the explanation.3 Higher acid restricts growth of H pylori and inflammation to the antrum while lower acid allows the bacterium to thrive in the body, inducing a pangastritis. We predicted that the mean local acid output in those populations with the gastric ulcer/gastric cancer profile would be less than in populations more prone …
Increasing spare part availability to achieve maximum system availability at lower cost at SABIC Geleen

Disclaimer This document contains a student thesis (bachelor's or master's), as authored by a student at Eindhoven University of Technology. Student theses are made available in the TU/e repository upon obtaining the required degree. The grade received is not published on the document as presented in the repository. The required complexity or quality of research of student theses may vary by program, and the required minimum study period may vary in duration.
Factors Affecting the Share Price: Evidence from Nepalese Commercial Banks

This study examines the factors affecting the share price of Nepalese commercial banks. Market price per share is selected as dependent variable while earning per share, divided per share, price earnings ratio, book value per share, return on assets and size were chosen as firm specific independent variables. Likewise, gross domestic product, inflation and money supply were chosen as macroeconomic independent variables. The data were collected from the banking and financial statistics and supervision report published by Nepal Rastra Bank and annual report of selected banks. The multiple regression models were estimated to test impact of firm specific and macroeconomic factors on share price of Nepalese commercial banks.Using data of 14 banks listed in NEPSE for the period 2002/03-2013/14, the result shows that firm specific variables like earnings per share, divided per share, price earnings ratio, book value per share, return on assets and size are the major determining stock price in context of commercial banks in Nepal. Among the variables, size is found to be the most important determining variable that affects the share price. It means, larger the firm size, higher would be the stock price. Among the macro economic variables such as gross domestic product, inflation and money supply, gross domestic product is a major variable that affect the share price.
Sleep disturbances as a predictor of long-term increase in sickness absence among employees after family death or illness.

STUDY OBJECTIVES This study examined whether sleep disturbances after family death or illness are associated with an increase in health problems and delayed recovery. DESIGN Longitudinal observational cohort study. SETTING Ten cities in Finland. PARTICIPANTS A population of 6032 male and 20,933 female city employees. INTERVENTIONS N/A. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Self-reports of a family death or illness, the timing of the event, and postevent sleep duration and quality, measured by the Jenkins Scale, were linked with monthly sickness absence records from 36 months prior to the event to 30 months after the event. A repeated-measures Poisson regression analysis with the generalized estimating equation method showed no differences in the preevent absence rates between the employees with and without disturbed sleep. For employees with disturbed sleep, the rate of absence in the month the event occurred was 2.08-fold higher (95% confidence interval: 1.71, 2.53) compared with the employee's baseline level of sickness absence, and it was still 1.67-fold higher (95% confidence interval: 1.42, 1.98) 19 to 30 months after the event. The corresponding rate ratios were lower for the employees with undisturbed sleep after the event (1.49 and 1.16, respectively). Delayed recovery with disturbed sleep was observed after family illness but not after family death. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that a long-term increase in sickness absence is particularly likely if a family illness is associated with sleep disturbances. Identifying people with sleep disturbances may be important in preventing health problems in the aftermath of a family death or illness.
EFFECT OF DRYING METHODS ON DIETARY FIBER CONTENT IN DRIED FRUIT AND VEGETABLE FROM NON-TOXIC AGRICULTURAL FIELD

Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. However, they spoil easily and their shelf-life is very short after harvest. Especially, fruits and vegetables from organic or non- toxic agricultural fields spoiled easily as it has not contained any preservation reagent. Converted into dried powder form is easy to preserve and use as ingredients. Drying methods may affect the quality of dried fruits or vegetables. Drying with higher temperatures resulted in loss of nutrients but little studies have showed the change in dietary fiber. So, the objective of this study was to compare the effect of drying methods on dietary fiber contents in pumpkin, yardlong bean, tomato, red cabbage and guava. Natural sun drying, hot air oven drying and freeze drying were used to dry those fruit and vegetables. Then, dried fruit and vegetables were grained into a powder and analyzed for dietary fiber contents. The results show that dietary fiber contents in dried pumpkin, yardlong bean, red cabbage and guava had the same tendency, which having higher amounts of dietary fiber from natural sun dry, hot air oven dry and freeze dry, respectively. While, in tomato showed higher content in hot air oven, freeze dry and natural sun dry, respectively. According to the results, it was concluded that the condition of natural sun drying may work efficiently to get higher dietary fiber content in fruit or vegetables.
Physical asset management maturity in mining: a case study

Successful implementation and execution of asset management strategy is found to be a critical element in driving value, which depends on physical assets’ performance. This paper shows that strategic asset management targets measured as AM Maturity are often not attained. This study identifies key issues that prevent mining organisations from attaining the desired level of Asset Management Maturity. A qualitative methodology was utilised on a single case study design in order to investigate a particular phenomenon which is Asset Management Maturity at “A-Coal” site. The study revealed the following key issues: lack of strong Asset Management leadership; lack of a favourable organisational structure which will provide Asset Managers with credibility and the authority to make decisions in support of organisational objectives; no leadership support; and a lack of training limits the benefits that can be realised from improvement initiatives which motivated, committed and enthusiastic employees will be delivering. In addition to these challenges are organisational culture and a certain level of employees’ competitiveness in the field of asset management.
Chromosome identification in human oocytes and polar bodies by spectral karyotyping

Sixty unfertilized human oocytes and two fresh polar bodies were karyotyped by spectral karyotyping (SKY). The oocytes were provided by 29 women ranging from 30 to 42 yr of age. The mean hybridization efficiency for oocytes was 95.2% (60/63). Nondisjunction of bivalent chromosomes (13.3%) and predivision of sister chromatids at meiosis I (3.3%) were unequivocally determined by analysis first with SKY and then fluorescence in situ hybridization. Four oocytes (6.7%) were hyperhaploid, six (10.0%) were hypohaploid, one (1.7%) showed balanced predivision, and another (1.7%) was diploid. No specific structural rearrangements were detected. This study demonstrates that the SKY technique can be used successfully as an alternative method of karyotyping second meiotic metaphase chromosomes from human oocytes and polar bodies in appropriate spreads.
Measuring and enhancing self-efficacy among professional caregivers of individuals with dementia

Nurses who provide care for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias are at risk of burnout. Self-efficacy is a psychological construct with the potential to help reduce or prevent the impact of caregiver stress. Evidence supporting a link between higher levels of self-efficacy and lower levels of stress is emerging among lay caregivers. However, concurrent research for professional caregivers lags behind, partly due to a lack of appropriate self-efficacy measures for this population. We developed an intervention to enhance self-efficacy and an inventory to measure its improvements among long-term care nurses. Training resulted in lasting improvements in knowledge and selfefficacy regarding the management of challenging team, resident, and family situations. Short-term reductions in caregiver burnout were also evident. Suggestions for maintaining improvements in caregiver burnout over longer periods are offered.
A Simple Parametric Model Selection Test

ABSTRACT We propose a simple model selection test for choosing among two parametric likelihoods, which can be applied in the most general setting without any assumptions on the relation between the candidate models and the true distribution. That is, both, one or neither is allowed to be correctly specified or misspecified, they may be nested, nonnested, strictly nonnested, or overlapping. Unlike in previous testing approaches, no pretesting is needed, since in each case, the same test statistic together with a standard normal critical value can be used. The new procedure controls asymptotic size uniformly over a large class of data-generating processes. We demonstrate its finite sample properties in a Monte Carlo experiment and its practical relevance in an empirical application comparing Keynesian versus new classical macroeconomic models. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.
Bank Regulation, Profitabiltiy, and Lending: An Analysis of Systemically Important Banks pre-2007-09 Financial Crisis

Poor regulation and supervision have been noted as contributing factors to the recent financial crisis. The objective of banking regulation is to increase a bank’s solvency and liquidity in order to better absorb financial and economic shocks and to create a stable financial sector. The “public interest view,” represented by governments acting on behalf of the public, strive to generate a stable financial sector, while the “private interest view,” represented by banks and lobbyists, claim that regulations impede banking activities, its ability to be profitable and provide lending opportunities, thereby adversely impacting economic growth. Admati et al. (2010) argue that under higher capital regulations, banks would be able to make better, more socially optimal lending decisions, while maintaining the same lending levels. Using this idea, this paper demonstrates that under regulatory standards that promote financial and economic stability, banks can still be profitable and engage in lending activities. Using an econometric model loosely based on Beltratti and Stulz (2012), bank-specific determinants (based on Basel III recommended regulations) and regulation-specific determinants are used to determine the effect on bank profitability, thereby impacting a bank’s lending to support economic growth. The analysis was performed on systemically important banks in the period leading up to the 2007-09 financial crisis. Overall, it was found that Tier 1 capital is positively related to bank profitability and leverage is negatively related to bank profitability. Interestingly, the deposit ratio is negatively related to profits and the liquidity ratio is not significant. The results for the regulatory-specific determinants are conflicting regarding profitability. While the results imply that greater supervisory power implies higher bank profitability, tighter restrictions on bank activities decrease profitability. The resulting estimated equation predicts that under Basel III regulations, banks can still be profitable, continue lending activities, and contribute to economic growth.
Changes in circulating lipid and carbohydrate metabolites following systemic nicotine treatment in healthy men.

In the present study the influence of low doses of intravenous nicotine administration on hormonal and metabolic events was studied in man in view of the clinical implications of moderate smoking on the development of hyperlipidemia. Hormonal, metabolic and cardiovascular effects of a 30 min intravenous nicotine infusion (0.25 or 0.5 microgram/kg/min) were determined in seven non-smoking, healthy, normal weight male individuals after an overnight fast. Nicotine caused a significant dose-dependent increase in the plasma levels of nicotine, cotinine, noradrenaline, adrenaline, glycerol and free fatty acids (FFA). The serum nicotine concentrations peaked at the end of the infusion followed by a gradual decline, although they were still increased 90 min after cessation of infusion. Serum cotinine levels (the main nicotine metabolite) continuously increased during the experiment and statistically significant increases were found from 30 min after the start of infusion of nicotine. Serum noradrenaline, adrenaline, glycerol and FFA levels had increased significantly by 15 min of nicotine infusion. Nicotine produced significant elevations of adrenaline, glycerol and FFA concentrations at both doses (maximal increments of 247, 184 and 153%, respectively) and the peak effect occurred at 30 min. However, noradrenaline levels only responded to the high nicotine dose and the maximal increment (168%) was already found at 15 min. The increments of noradrenaline and adrenaline failed to elicit changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure or heart rate. Nicotine did not alter plasma levels of glucagon, insulin, glucose, pyruvate or lactate and a non-significant increase in serum cortisol and growth hormone levels was observed. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
FACTORS IMPACTING ON THE KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER OF FOREIGN AFRICAN DOCTORS PRACTICING IN SOUTH AFRICAN PROVINCIAL HOSPITALS

This study assesses the perceptions of foreign African doctors, practicing in South African provincial hospitals, of the impact of individual culture, language and communication and interpersonal relations on knowledge transfer. A sample of 62 foreign African doctors who obtained their degrees at medical schools outside South Africa and who are now living and practicing in South African provincial hospitals was drawn using snowball sampling. Data was collected using a self-developed, selfadministered questionnaire whose psychometric properties were statistically determined. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results indicate that language and communication has the greatest impact on knowledge transfer, negligibly followed by interpersonal relations and then individual culture. Recommendations are made in attempts to reduce the negative impact of these dimensions on the transfer of knowledge and to enhance knowledge sharing.
RNA remodeling by bacterial global regulator CsrA promotes Rho-dependent transcription termination

RNA-binding protein CsrA is a key regulator of a variety of cellular process in bacteria, including biofilm formation. Figueroa-Bossi et al. uncover a novel gene regulatory mechanism through which CsrA inhibits translation initiation. CsrA binding to the 5′ UTR of E. coli pgA mRNA—involved in biofilm formation—unfolds a secondary structure that sequesters an entry site for termination factor Rho, resulting in the premature stop of transcription. CsrA-induced transcription termination thus marks the switch from the sessile to the planktonic lifestyle.
A Review on the Impact of Body Mass Index on Outcomes in Pediatric Leukemia

Abstract In the last decades, adults and pediatric obesity have become a major issue in developed countries. Considerable research has been conducted in patients with acute lymphoblastic (ALL) and myeloid leukemia (AML) with the aim of correlating body mass index (BMI) and outcomes in patients undergoing chemotherapy for hematological diseases. In adults, a high BMI has been associated with increased leukemia-related mortality. Whether a similar effect exists in the pediatric setting remains controversial. Some of the studies detailed in this review have reported no differences in outcomes according to BMI, whilst other reports have described higher treatment-related mortality, increased risk of relapse and death. Although the link between BMI and acute leukemia outcomes is controversial, a large number of studies describe poorer survival rates in children with AML or ALL with higher BMI. On the other hand, being underweight has been associated with higher treatment-related toxicity. Understanding more about the impact of BMI in pediatric leukemia is of utmost importance to provide prompt intervention and improve outcomes.
Novel Membrane-Targeted ERK1 and ERK2 Chimeras Which Act as Dominant Negative, Isotype-Specific Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Inhibitors of Ras-Raf-Mediated Transcriptional Activation of c-fos in NIH 3T3 Cells

ABSTRACT Expression of constructs encoding fusion proteins of ERK1 and ERK2 containing a C-terminal farnesylation motif (CAAX) is predominantly localized at the cell membrane and was activated by coexpression of constitutively active Ha-RasL61 and epidermal growth factor. Both fusion proteins significantly inhibit the transcriptional activation of a c-fos–chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter induced by RasL61, constitutively active MEK1, or constitutively active RafBXB. The corresponding SAAX chimeras or overexpression of the wild-type ERKs did not interfere with the transcriptional activation of c-fos. The inhibition of the Ras-mediated c-fosinduction by ERK2-CAAX can in part be rescued by coexpression of a wild-type ERK2 but not by wild-type ERK1. We find that ERK1-CAAX acts in the same fashion, indicating that mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)–CAAX chimeras interact in an isotype-specific manner. It is demonstrated that both ERK1-CAAX and ERK2-CAAX associate with the corresponding endogenous ERKs, which explains the isotype-specific inhibitory effects of the ERK-CAAX chimeras. Evidence is presented that expression of ERK-CAAX fusion proteins inhibits the nuclear translocation of the corresponding endogenous ERKs. Disruption of MAPK translocation by membrane targeting provides additional, independent proof that nuclear translocation of ERKs is essential for the transcriptional activation of c-fos.