Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Isoprostane and isofuran lipid mediators accumulate in stored red blood cells and influence platelet function in vitro

Stored red blood cells (RBCs) release hemoglobin (Hb) that leads to oxidative damage, which may contribute to thrombosis in susceptible transfusion recipients. Oxidative stress stimulates the generation of a new class of lipid mediators called F2‐isoprostanes (F2‐IsoPs) and isofurans (IsoFs) that influence cellular behavior. This study investigated RBC‐derived F2‐IsoPs and IsoFs during storage and their influence on human platelets (PLTs).
Mapping the organizational factors that support knowledge management in the Brazilian automotive industry

Purpose – The latest models on knowledge management (KM) recognize four phases for its practice: acquisition, storage, distribution, and knowledge utilization. The KM is characterized as a multidisciplinary discipline, involving both technical and social aspects. Therefore, the purpose of this research is both social and of coordination, aiming to identify contextual factors, internally developed in the organizations, which support the KM process in the Brazilian companies in the automotive sector. Design/methodology/approach – To achieve the research purpose, a quantitative research method was employed, based on a survey research in the automotive sector. Findings – The results point to the existence of eight contextual factors that support the KM process in the organizations. These factors are mainly related to the human being, responsible for the retention and transformation of primary knowledge, and the development of an organizational context that encourages the learning process through the culture a.
Is proximity to alcohol outlets associated with alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm in Denmark?

Background: This study examined the associations between distance from residence to the nearest alcohol outlet with alcohol consumption as well as with alcohol-related harm. Methods: Data on alcohol consumption, alcohol-related harm and sociodemographics were obtained from the 2011 Danish Drug and Alcohol Survey (n = 5133) with respondents aged 15–79 years. The information on distances from residence to the nearest alcohol outlets was obtained from Statistics Denmark. Multiple logistic and linear regressions were used to examine the association between distances to outlets and alcohol consumption whereas alcohol-related harm was analysed using negative binomial regression. Results: Among women it was found that those living closer to alcohol outlets were more likely to report alcohol-related harm (p < 0.05). This was not true for men. No association was found between distances to outlets and alcohol consumption (volume of drinking and risky single occasion drinking). Conclusions: This study found some support for an association between closer distances between place of residence and alcohol outlets and alcohol-related harm for women. Future studies in the Nordic region should continue to examine the association between physical alcohol availability (nearest distance to an outlet and outlet densities) and alcohol consumption as well as alcohol-related problems using different outlet types.
Effects of nuclear factor‐κB inhibitors and its implication on natural killer T‐cell lymphoma cells

Natural killer/T‐cell lymphoma (NKTL) is a highly aggressive disease. Despite the use of various treatment regimens, the prognosis of NKTL is poor, and new treatment strategies need to be determined. Because of the significant survival potential, nuclear factor (NF)‐κB has become one of the major targets for drug development. In this study, we explored the effect and action mechanism of NF‐κB inhibitors, BAY 11‐7082 and curcumin, on NKTL cell lines (NKL, NK‐92 and HANK1). Electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that NF‐κB was constitutively active in HANK1, a chemoresistant cell line. BAY 11‐7082 and curcumin suppressed NF‐κB activation in a time‐ and dose‐dependent manner, which finally resulted in cell death. BAY 11‐7082‐ and curcumin‐induced cell death was associated with downregulation of Bcl‐xL, cyclin D1, XIAP and c‐FLIP, followed by caspase‐8, poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase cleavage and activation. Given that the chemoresistant NK‐92 cells respond to NF‐κB inhibitors but not to conventional drugs, BAY 11‐7082 and curcumin could be potentially useful for achieving improved outcome in chemotherapy‐refractory NKTL.
From Nothing to Something: Study on How Local Government Transformed Oil and Gas Area into Ecotourism Village in Indonesia through Branding Strategy

This study aims to analyse how Bojonegoro District Government in Indonesia applied branding strategy for oil and gas area in Wonocolo Village. This village has a unique atmosphere of traditional petroleum mining. Government, villagers and state oil company discussed on how to change and add value to this village through branding strategy. Branding strategy involves creating, developing, implementing and managing brands continuously until the brand becomes strong. Using qualitative research methods, this study describes how the steps undertaken in the village that formerly was full of old oil wells, into a new tourist area that has economic value. The result of the research shows that there were three stages done in branding Wonocolo as an ecotourism village. They include identification of village uniqueness, creation of brand identity and brand message. The biggest challenge in this branding strategy was to change the mindset of Wonocolo villagers that turning the old oil wells village into an ecotourism destination can provide economic benefit.
Using blockchain as a tool for tracking and verification of official degrees: business model

While the number of universities, tertiary education students and number of graduates per year constantly increase, the need to easily verify degree certificates generates new business opportunities. The irruption of blockchain, and its implementation based in the blockcerts software, provides a straightforward solution that demands to explore plausible business models. In this paper we project two financial models balancing where the price for the service is balanced between the graduate and the employer as the main stakeholders of that service. Students demand a proof-of-certification at low cost and easy to check, employers also demand quick and trustable verification of degrees when recruiting. Both models are projected for several geographic markets and shares to explore plausible ways to develop that business in the European Union.
Observations on the placental giant cells of the rat.

The trophoblastic giant cells of the rat placenta have been divided into two groups by Alden (1948). They differ in position and time of appearance, rather than in nature. The first set appears during the antimesometrial implantation and is derived from the ab-embryonic trophoblast. Alden called the cells of this set the primary giant cells, though it may be better to call them the implantation giant cells. They will later be related to the decidua capsularis. The cells of the other set, with which alone this paper deals, first become numerous at the 8th day (Alden), are derived from the ectoplacental cone and are applied to the mesometrial decidua over the whole area of the chorio-allantoic placenta. Alden termed these the placental giant cells. Though his study, was mainly concerned with the implantation, or primary, giant cells, he ascribed phagocytic properties to the placental giant cells. These cells have also been described as phagocytic in the mouse (Snell, 1956) and in the hamster (Orsini, 1954). Bridgman (1948a, b) made a study of them in the rat. She found that they ingest trypan blue injected into the mother and that, at the 9th day, they appear to contain ingested red cells. Further, she states that they are involved It the 11th day in symplasma formation, ingesting or absorbing the cytoplasmli decidual cells and leaving masses of nuclei, which are later ingested.
THE ALLOCATION OF FREE CASH FLOW: EVIDENCE FROM THE PERSIAN GULF CRISIS

The short-lived oil price shock at the beginning of the Persian Gulf Crisis created a natural experiment. Oil producers were left with an unexpected, one-time cash flow shock and unchanged investment opportunities. We examine how they spent this free cash flow. Most firms followed an expansionary path, but there is considerable variation in how the cash flow was allocated. Both costly external financing theories and agency conflict theories have power in explaining this variation and neither dominates the other. Managerial ownership is negatively related to allocations to expansionary activities. Firms identified as financially constrained prior to the shock used the cash to reduce debt, bolster their cash reserves and expand the firm. We conclude that both agency conflict and financing theories are necessary to explain how firms allocated this cash flow. * We thank Neil Fargher, Randy Heron, Tim Kruse, Erik Lie, Wayne Mikkleson, and participants at a University of Oregon Research Roundup for their comments and Todd Perry and Craig Rennie for research assistance.
Group B streptococcal conjugate vaccine: A timely concept for which the time has come

Invasive disease due to group B Streptococcus (GBS) has been recognized as a threat to the health of pregnant women and their infants for almost half a century. Development of GBS vaccine candidates has progressed at an exemplary pace given lack of manufacturer development, but efficacy testing of candidate GBS conjugate vaccines has been mired in economic and regulatory concerns for longer than a decade. A trivalent or pentavalent vaccine will be required, and decisions must be made as to the criteria by which efficacy will be determined and the population in whom efficacy will be assessed. Concerns regarding durability of conjugate vaccine-derived immunity, pregnant women as a possible target group and regulatory issues required for licensing must be resolved if the prospect of impacting GBS disease burden through immunization is to become a reality.
Enhanced Antiscrapie Effect Using Combination Drug Treatment

ABSTRACT Combination treatment with pentosan polysulfate and Fe(III)meso-tetra(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphine in mice beginning 14 or 28 days after scrapie inoculation significantly increased survival times. This increase may be synergistic, implying that the compounds act cooperatively in vivo. Combination therapy may therefore be more effective for treatment of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and other protein-misfolding diseases.
Growth Curves and Clearance Rates of Virulent and Benign Venezuelan Encephalitis Viruses in Hamsters

Four virulent strains of Venezuelan encephalitis virus attained higher concentrations of infectious virus in bloods of adult hamsters than two benign strains when given subcutaneously. One benign virus, the attenuated TC83 vaccine strain, reached higher concentrations in bone marrow and Peyer's patches than virulent subtype I strains, and another benign virus, subtype IV, grew to lower levels. When inoculated intracranially, the two benign viruses attained high concentrations in brain, but did not significantly alter in lethality although morbidity was increased. Intracardiac inoculation failed to increase virus concentrations of two benign viruses in blood or hematopoietic tissues above those found after subcutaneous inoculation, nor did it increase lethalities to those of virulent virus. Three benign virus strains were cleared more rapidly from hamster plasmas than six virulent strains. Differences in clearance rates were apparently not due to destruction of benign viruses by blood or tissue components. Thus viral concentrations in blood correlated directly and clearance rates inversely with hamster virulence, whereas the rate and extent of growth of a VE virus in hematopoietic or brain tissues did not correlate with ability to kill hamsters.
THE ROLE OF ONLINE BRAND COMMUNTIES ON BUILDING BRAND EQUITY AND LOYALTY THROUGH RELATIONAL BENEFITS

From a marketing perspective, companies use social media as a tool to establish relationships with customers. Thus, brand–customer relationships via social media are able to deliver different kinds of benefits for customers. This article conducts empirical research in order to measure the effect of each type of relational benefit on Customer-Based Brand Equity (CBBE) and customer loyalty. The findings show that social and exploration benefits affect CBBE and loyalty, while monetary and recognition benefits influence loyalty and CBBE, respectively. Results contribute to the existing literature by providing insights to the highly relevant phenomenon of social media across different industries.
Prospective study of the magnitude and duration of changes in tuberculin reactivity during uncomplicated and complicated measles

The suppression of cellular immune responses during measles is thought to contribute to the development of secondary infections which often complicate this disease. To determine whether there was a difference in the altered cellular immune responses of children with and without complications we performed a prospective study of purified protein derivative skin test reactivity in children with natural measles virus infections who had received Bacillus Calmette-Guerin as infants. Twenty-five tuberculin-positive children who developed measles (13 uncomplicated and 12 complicated) were skin-tested weekly beginning 1 to 2 weeks before and ending 2 to 7 weeks after the onset of the rash. All children became anergic during the acute phase of measles. Children with complications remained unreactive for a significantly longer period of time after the rash (mean, 4 weeks) than did children without complications (mean, 2.3 weeks, P less than 0.001).
BIM Backed Decision Support System in the Management of Heritage Building

Historical buildings are always at risk to great danger strike by fire, flood and other potential disasters affecting the building conditions. Thus positive and continuous actions need to be taken to preserve the heritage buildings or else a country might lose its cultural heritage value. In managing historic buildings, managers are often faced with complex decision-making process due to limited or unavailability of reliable information. The absence of such information influenced the way decision making and problem-solving made by the managers. This paper aims to highlight the potentials of Building Information Modelling (BIM) as a decision support system for cultural heritage management. An embedded case study was conducted on Istana Balai Besar Kota Bharu, focusing on the changes of the historical building's layout to demonstrate the ontology. A measured drawing dated back in 1976 was used together with the terrestrial laser scanning activity performed presently on the physical building in creating a model in BIM environment. The result gives an overview about tracking information on changes within a historical building as part of cultural heritage management. This paper finds that by modelling the data captured by the 3D laser scanner and utilizing the existing data, BIM is capable of helping managers to retrieve, analyze and store important information in a more efficient and productive process. This exploration is substantial as a precursor to a much broader study on BIM for cultural heritage in the Malaysian context. As BIM is set to drive the construction industry, the finding made would be a catalyst for creating awareness to support the development of BIM for cultural heritage management in Malaysia.
Culture and Continuing Bonds: A Prospective Comparison of Bereavement in the United States and the People's Republic of China

ABSTRACT There has been an increased interest and debate regarding the adaptiveness of continuing bonds with the deceased. The authors used data from a cross-cultural study of 61 participants from the United States (US) and 58 participants from the People's Republic of China (PRC) who completed measures of continuing bonds and adjustment at 4 and 18 months of bereavement. Higher levels of continuing bonds in the PRC at 4 months were related to better adjustment at 18 months. In contrast, results in the US showed that higher levels of continuing bonds were related to poorer adjustment at 18 months. The data suggest that culture should be addressed in the development of effective grief therapies, especially when considering continuing bonds with the deceased.
The influence of economic capacity and the formation of public revenues on human development

The promotion of human development, related to the improvement of several socioeconomic dimensions, is influenced by public funding and economic circulation. Considering the importance of economic growth to human development, this study aims to identify the structural relations of Brazilian municipalities’ economic profile and capacity, their tax revenue, financial transfers and municipal human development. A binomial logistic regression with panel data was used. The results pointed out the importance of the industrial and agricultural GDP, as well as the volume of intergovernmental transfers as a conditioning factor of municipal human development. On the other hand, the service sector presented a negative influence, although its importance must not be disregarded. This can be explained by the presence of this sector in all Brazilian municipalities, especially the smaller ones, which in most cases have low urban, social and economic infrastructure and, consequently, concentrate low added value to this sector.
A computational model to investigate astrocyte glutamate modulation effect on tripartite synapse and neuronal network state

Astrocytes, most numerous glial cells in brain, respond to neural activities by provoking calcium waves and releasing transmitters to adjacent synapses and consequently, modulate neural activities. Here, we used leaky integrate and fire (LIF) neuron and a minimal functional astrocyte models with detailed synaptic mechanism to investigate astrocyte modulation impact on firing of tripartite synapse and network firing states. We assumed astrocyte facilitates and depress synapses by D-serine acting on N-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors in post-synaptic neuron, and glutamate acting on metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in pre-synaptic terminal. The model predicted that in the presence of astrocyte, a tripartite synapse exhibited bi-stable activity in the terms of pre-and post-synaptic neural firing rate; and neural population with bi-stable characteristic exhibited more stability on high firing rates, and impaired astrocyte function lead to less stable network activity.
Introduction to this Special Issue on Smart Glasses

Abstract The idea of augmented or virtual reality in combination with head mounted display is being discussed already since at least 1968. However, for a long time, this topic was discussed mainly within the academic research area with only limited effect or uptake in the work place. Primary reason for this was the missing availability of robust and affordable hardware as well as the limited mobile graphics capabilities. This has changed recently with the availability of numerous affordable devices in combination with applications from the entertainment and gaming area. This Special Issue on Smart Glasses presents a mix of recent research papers and reports to provide an overview of ongoing research and developments in work place environments. In the remainder of this introductory paper we present an overview of the history of Smart Glasses and their applications over the last decades. We also clarify the term Augmented Reality in this historic context. Then we present a topology of current products as well as their intended application areas. Finally, we introduce the papers of this issue within this context.
New Nocardia taxon among isolates of Nocardia brasiliensis associated with invasive disease

Nocardia brasiliensis, the second most frequently isolated aerobic actinomycete in the clinical laboratory, is usually associated with localized cutaneous infections. However, 22% of 238 N. brasiliensis isolates from the United States and 12% of 66 isolates from Queensland, Australia, which had been collected over a 17-year period, were associated with extracutaneous and/or disseminated diseases. Of the 62 invasive isolates, 37 (60%) were susceptible to ciprofloxacin and/or were susceptible to clarithromycin and resistant to minocycline, compared with only 6 (3%) of 242 localized cutaneous isolates. The 43 isolates with this susceptibility pattern appeared to define a new taxon. They were similar to Nocardia asteroides complex isolates clinically in proportions from persons with pulmonary (70%), central nervous system (23%), and/or disseminated diseases (37%) in the setting of corticosteroids (74%) or AIDS (14%). This putative new taxon differed from N. brasiliensis in the hydrolysis of adenine (92 versus 4%), beta-lactamase patterns on isoelectric focusing, and the presence of two early mycolic acid-ester peaks by high-performance liquid chromatography. Restriction analysis of a 439-bp fragment of the 65-kDa heat shock protein gene revealed that N. brasiliensis and the new taxon had different restriction patterns with 8 of the 11 enzymes tested. Screening of invasive isolates of N. brasiliensis for susceptibility to ciprofloxacin will identify most isolates of the new taxon, which likely represents a new Nocardia species.
Adapting to within-country export barriers: Evidence from the Japan 2011 Tsunami

How do exports respond to changes in domestic trade costs? In particular how strongly are exports from one port affected by changes in the cost of exporting at neighbouring ports? To answer these questions we extend the standard trade model with heterogeneous firms to have a multiple port structure where exporting is subject to port specific local transportation costs and port specific fixed export costs as well as international bilateral trade costs. We derive a gravity equation with multiple ports and show that gravity distortion due to firm heterogeneity is conditional on port comparative advantage and resulting substitution of export across differentiated ports. We present evidence of the substitution effect using the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and following tsunami. This event allows us to measure the response of trade on ports not directly affected by the disaster. We detect a substitution effect for aggregate trade as well as differentiation at the sectoral level and by destination.
Dyslexia in higher education: implications for maths anxiety, statistics anxiety and psychological well-being.

This study examined levels of mathematics and statistics anxiety, as well as general mental health amongst undergraduate students with dyslexia (n = 28) and those without dyslexia (n = 71). Students with dyslexia had higher levels of mathematics anxiety relative to those without dyslexia, while statistics anxiety and general mental health were comparable for both reading ability groups. In terms of coping strategies, undergraduates with dyslexia tended to use planning-based strategies and seek instrumental support more frequently than those without dyslexia. Higher mathematics anxiety was associated with having a dyslexia diagnosis, as well as greater levels of worrying, denial, seeking instrumental support and less use of the positive reinterpretation coping strategy. By contrast, statistics anxiety was not predicted by dyslexia diagnosis, but was instead predicted by overall worrying and the use of denial and emotion focused coping strategies. The results suggest that disability practitioners should be aware that university students with dyslexia are at risk of high mathematics anxiety. Additionally, effective anxiety reduction strategies such as positive reframing and thought challenging would form a useful addition to the support package delivered to many students with dyslexia.