Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tuna Fisheries and Trade within COMESA

Tuna is an important marine resource caught in most oceans. Certain tuna species in some of the existing stocks are already overfished, while others are fully exploited. Various mechanisms such as those stemming from the UNCLOS are in place and efforts to streamline management of the tuna fishery are ongoing. Within the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) where the tuna stock is reported as moderately exploited, fishing fleets of Distant Water Fishing Nations (DWFN) are active. Here, they have deployed better technology, catching and trading more tuna than countries operating a less technical operation. Many of the COMESA members operating in this fishery can be described as having a less technical operation. As a consequence, some COMESA countries operating within the same fishery have little or no exports reported in their trading books. This is despite tuna being among the leading tradable marine fish, representing 8% of the value of internationally traded fish products. This paper first reviews relevant literature relating to the tuna fishery within the WIO region. Next, the paper employs an augmented gravity model in an attempt to determine whether membership in COMESA is likely to imply more internal tuna trade. Data on the export of unprocessed tuna (fresh, chilled and frozen) from various data portals is used for this purpose. The study period considered stretches from 2001 to 2012 and examines exports from 19 countries operating in the WIO. Like the bulk of gravity models in trade literature, our approach employs a number of estimation approaches including the Poisson Pseudo-Maximum Likelihood Estimator as well as the usual OLS. Results show no evidence that COMESA membership means improvements in tuna exports. The analysis suggests several areas that COMESA may take to improve trade among members operating in the WIO tuna fishery. Among them include suggestions for increased investment from locals in the fishery. In addition, suggestions are provided on agreements between fisheries authorities and trade partners, recommendations which may strengthen the bargaining position of COMESA countries and introduce economically viable management decisions and consequently, better trade outcomes.
Evaluation of measurement of fat mass reduction after liposuction in obese patients

Abstract Body composition measurements are used to evaluate surgical treatment, such as bariatric surgery in overweight patients. Nowadays, there are many different methods to measure body composition available. However, none of them has been validated for use in patients after operation. The aim of the present study was to compare the amount of surgically removed fat with two different methods, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and total body potassium (TBK). Amount of removed fat during liposuction was measured 1, 2, 3, 4, 14 days, and 1 year postoperatively in 27 obese patients after liposuction. The results were compared with actual removed fat during the operation. The median fat mass removed was 4020 grams (range 1954–9655). Postoperatively there was a varying reduction in fat mass, as measured with BIA and with TBK. There was a clear difference between the range of amounts removed measured with BIA and the range of amount removed measured with TBK. This study indicates that BIA, but not TBK, is an appropriate method to measure fat mass in obese subjects in a surgical setting. BIA seems to underestimate the amount of fat removed, whereas TBK seems to overestimate it.
How Could Companies Engage in Sustainable Landscape Management? An Exploratory Perspective

Current concepts that aim to align economic development with sustainability, such as the circular and green economy, often consider natural systems as externalities. We extend the green economy concept by including the landscape as the provider of social, economic and environmental values. Our aim is to explore how companies could engage in creating landscape-inclusive solutions for sustainable landscapes. We propose a conceptual model of the relationship between companies and landscape services based on a demand for landscape benefits by companies, implications for wider society. We present a short overview of how scientists addressed the role of companies in landscape-inclusive solutions. We also give some examples taken from the World Wide Web to illustrate the variety of ways in which companies already invest in landscape services. Our findings suggest that the relationship between companies and landscapes is not yet strongly recognized in sustainability science. However, examples from practice show that some companies do recognize the added values of landscape services, to the extent that they invest in landscape management. We conclude that future research should provide information on the added value of landscape-inclusive solutions to companies, and increase their capacity to engage in regional social–ecological networks.
Estimation of the level of tumor necrosis factor- α in gingival crevicular fluid and serum in periodontal health & disease: A biochemical study.

UNLABELLED Tumor Necrosis Factor-α(TNF-α), a "major inflammatory cytokine" not only plays an important role in periodontal destruction, but also is extremely toxic to the host. Till date, there are not many studies comparing the levels of TNF-α in GCF and serum and its relationship to periodontal disease. aim: Hence, an attempt is made to estimate the level of TNF-α in GCF and serum, its relationship to periodontal disease, and to explore the possibility of using the level of TNF-α in GCF as a biochemical "marker" of periodontal disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS 60 subjects participated in the study and were grouped into control, gingivitis and periodonititis groups. The GCF and serum samples were assayed for TNF-α levels by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method. RESULTS Showed elevated levels of TNF-α in group II and III subjects as compared to healthy controls in both GCF and serum, suggesting an association between periodontal disease and levels of TNF-α. CONCLUSION It remains a possibility that the absence or low levels of TNF-α in GCF might indicate a stable lesion and elevated levels might indicate an active site but only longitudinal studies taking into account, the disease "activity" and "inactivity" could suggest the possibility of using TNF-α in GCF as an "Indicator" of periodontal disease.
Differentiation of serological responses to Yersinia enterocolitica serotype O9 and Brucella species by immunoblot or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using whole bacteria and Yersinia outer membrane proteins

Serum samples from 134 patients showing by the microagglutination test serological cross-reactivity between Yersinia enterocolitica serotype O9 and Brucella spp. were analyzed by immunoblot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay techniques for the presence of antibodies directed against plasmid-encoded, yersinia-associated outer membrane proteins (OMPs). Since these OMPs are exclusively expressed in pathogenic strains of Yersinia spp. , this characteristic was chosen for serological differentiation of infections caused by these bacteria. The presence of antibodies against plasmid-encoded OMPs of pathogenic Yersinia spp. in patient sera appeared to be a suitable means to identify acute or recent infection with Y. enterocolitica serotype O9, whereas the failure to detect such antibodies indicated an acute or recent infection with Brucella spp.
Monitoring patient dissatisfaction: a methodology based on SERVQUAL scale and statistical process control charts

In this study, a methodology has been suggested to monitor patient dissatisfaction in hospitals. The proposed methodology uses the service quality (SERVQUAL) scale and statistical process control charts, namely standardised u-control chart. An empirical research including 618 random samples is conducted to show how the proposed methodology works in practice. A survey study based on the SERVQUAL scale is performed to obtain patient dissatisfaction level with respect to five major criteria, namely tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy, in a public hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. This study extends the current limited researches related to monitoring and obliterating patient dissatisfaction in hospital services. The current study also contributes to the literature on health-care research in the context of service business by proposing a methodology to monitor patient dissatisfaction in hospitals. The findings show that the proposed methodology can be easily and efficiently conducted in practice.
Functional characterization of mannose receptor expressed by immunocompetent mouse microglia

The mannose receptor is a pattern‐recognition receptor involved in innate and adaptive immunity. The receptor is mainly expressed by macrophages and, within the brain, by astrocytes and microglia. This study reports for the first time the effects of two classical proinflammatory (interferon‐γ, IFNγ) and anti‐inflammatory (interleukin‐4, IL‐4) cytokines on the levels of expression and activity of the mannose receptor expressed by mouse microglia, the brain resident macrophages. As observed for macrophages, IFNγ treatment led to a decrease and IL‐4 to an increase of mannose receptor expression. Consequently, the rates of pinocytosis were strongly upregulated by IL‐4 and inhibited by IFNγ. This latter, however, resumed with time and reached again the constitutive rate of pinocytosis. This recovery resulted from an increased pinocytic activity of the few mannose receptor molecules still expressed by IFNγ‐treated microglia. This may suggest a brain‐specific regulation of the effects of IFNγ since such a phenomenon has not been observed in macrophages. Together, these observations demonstrate that cytokine‐stimulated immunocompetent microglia express a functional mannose receptor. GLIA 41:89–100, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Application-Based Hearing Screening in the Elderly Population

Objectives: The effects of age-related hearing loss are severe. Early detection is essential for maximum benefit. However, most hearing-impaired adults delay obtaining treatment. Diagnostic hearing testing at an appropriate facility is impractical, and new methods for screening audiometry aim to provide easy access for patients and reliable outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the accuracy of application-based hearing screening in an elderly population. Methods: The uHear application was downloaded to an iPad. Application-based hearing screening was performed in a non-soundproofed quiet room, and subsequently all participants underwent full diagnostic audiometry in a soundproof booth. Results: Sixty patients were recruited and completed both tests. Significant differences were observed between the hearing results obtained with the application and the standard audiogram at all frequencies and in both ears. Following subtraction of a constant factor of 25 dB from the application-based results in order to compensate for ambient noise, no significant differences in pure tone average were found between the 2 methods. Conclusions: The uHear application is inaccurate in assessing hearing thresholds for screening in the elderly. However, when site-specifically corrected, the uHear application may be used as a screening tool for hearing loss in an elderly population.
Perceiving Airbnb as sharing economy: the issue of trust in using Airbnb

Airbnb is a growing business and has received much research attention. However, no research has specifically examined complaints against Airbnb. Understanding complaints serves not as a way to help improve services but provides an insight into guests’ perception of the Airbnb. I examined 664 reviews on sitejabber.com to study the common complaints and whether they are related to the perception that Airbnb is sharing economy. Using a grounded theory approach, I performed a content analysis of complaints. Besides customer service and technology challenges, one major complaint against Airbnb is their faded trust through their experiences.
Brain natriuretic peptide in plasma, atria, and ventricles of vasopressin- and phenylephrine-infused conscious rats.

To evaluate the mechanisms of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) gene expression, we determined the effect of acute cardiac overload (from 30 min to 4 h) on atrial and ventricular BNP mRNA levels in normal and hypertrophied myocardium. Arginine8 vasopressin (AVP; 0.05 microgram/kg.min) and l-phenylephrine (PHE; 20 micrograms/kg.min) were infused iv to increase cardiac workload in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. At the age of 10-22 months, during the established phase of ventricular hypertrophy, baseline BNP synthesis was increased in the hypertrophic ventricular cells of SHR, as reflected by about 2-fold (P < 0.05-0.001) elevation of levels of immunoreactive BNP (IR-BNP) and BNP mRNA. Intravenous infusions of AVP and PHE increased mean arterial pressure, plasma IR-BNP levels, and ventricular BNP mRNA levels within 1 h of pressure overload; peak levels of BNP mRNA were reached at 4 h. The increase in BNP mRNA levels was slightly greater in the epicardial (2.0- to 2.6-fold; P < 0.01) than in the endocardial layer (1.9- to 2.0-fold; P < 0.01) of the left ventricle. The rapid stimulation of ventricular BNP mRNA synthesis induced by AVP and PHE was accompanied by the simultaneous activation of left atrial BNP gene expression. Left atrial BNP mRNA levels were increased significantly in response to 1-h infusions, and values peaked in both the AVP- and PHE-infused SHR at 2 h, i.e. a 3.6-fold increase in BNP mRNA levels in left atria in AVP-infused SHR, and a 2.5-fold increase in PHE-infused SHR. Right atrial BNP mRNA levels remained unchanged during drug infusion, except for a transient increase in the WKY after 30 min of infusion. The induction of BNP synthesis was also reflected by increased ventricular IR-BNP levels, whereas AVP and PHE did not affect atrial IR-BNP concentrations or contents. In conclusion, the present study shows that pressure overload rapidly stimulates BNP gene expression in the hearts of normal and hypertensive rats. Thus, locally generated BNP in the heart muscle may play a significant role in cardiac adaptation to acute changes in mechanical load.
Fine‐scale genetic structure, estuarine colonization and incipient speciation in the marine silverside fish Odontesthes argentinensis

The idengification of incipient ecological species represents an opportunity to investigate current evolutionary process where adaptive divergence and reproductive isolation are associated. In this study we analysed the genetic structure of marine and estuarine populations of the silverside fish Odontesthes argentinensis using nine microsatellite loci and 396 bp of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region. Our main objective was to investigate the relationship among estuarine colonization, divergent selection and speciation in silversides. Significant genetic structure was detected among all marine and estuarine populations. Despite the low phylogeographic structure in mtDNA haplotypes, there was clear signal of local radiations of haplotypes in more ancient populations. Divergence among marine populations was interpreted as a combined result of homing behaviour, isolation by distance and drift. On the other hand, ecological shifts due to the colonization of estuarine habitats seem to have promoted rapid adaptive divergence and reproductive isolation in estuarine populations, which were considered as incipient ecological species. This conclusion is supported by the existence of a set of environmental factors required for successful reproduction of estuarine ecotypes. The pattern of genetic structure indicates that phenotypic and reproductive divergence evolved in the face of potential gene flow between populations. We suggest that the ‘divergence‐with‐gene‐flow’ model of speciation may account for the diversification of estuarine populations. The approach used can potentially idengify ‘incipient estuarine species’, being relevant to the investigation of the evolutionary relationships of silversides in several coastal regions of the world.
Identification of sodium‐calcium exchange current in single ventricular cells of guinea‐pig.

1. The Na‐Ca exchange current was investigated in single ventricular cells from guinea‐pig hearts by combining the techniques of whole‐cell voltage clamp and intracellular perfusion. 2. The membrane conductance was minimized by blocking Ca and K channels as well as the Na‐K pump. Under these conditions, when Ca2+ was loaded internally by a pipette solution containing 430 nM‐Ca2+, changing the Li+‐rich external solution to a Na+‐rich one induced a significant inward current. Applying external Na+ in the absence of internal Ca2+ did not appreciably change the current. 3. In contrast, perfusing 1 mM‐external Ca2+ in the presence of internal Na+ which was loaded by a 20 mM‐Na+ pipette solution, induced a marked outward current. Ca2+ superfusion in the absence of internal Na+ caused only a small current change. 4. The current‐voltage relation of external‐Ca2+‐ and external‐Na+‐induced current showed almost exponential voltage dependence as given by the equation i = a exp (rEF/RT), where a is a scaling factor that determines the magnitude of the current and r is a partition parameter used in the rate theory and represents the position of the energy barrier in the electrical field, which indicates the steepness of the voltage dependence of the current. E, F, R and T have their usual meanings. The value of a was 1‐2 microA/microF and r about 0.35 for the Ca2+‐induced outward current. At very positive or negative potentials, the current magnitude became smaller than expected from an exponential relation. 5. The current was blocked by heavy metal cations, such as La3+, Cd2+, Mn2+ and Ni2+ and partially blocked by amiloride and D600. 6. The temperature coefficient (Q10) value of the Ca2+‐induced outward current was 3.6 +/‐ 0.4 (n = 4) at 0 mV and 4.0 +/‐ 0.9 at 50 mV in the range between 21 and 36 degrees C. 7. The outward current magnitude showed a sigmoidal dependence upon the external Ca2+ concentration with a half‐maximum concentration, K1/2 of 1.38 mM and a Hill coefficient of 0.9 +/‐ 0.2 (n = 5). 8. Sr2+ could replace Ca2+ with K1/2 of 7 mM. Mg2+ and Ba2+, however, did not replace Ca2+. 9. The inward current component also showed a sigmoidal external Na+ dependence with K1/2 of 87.5 +/‐ 10.7 mM and a Hill coefficient of 2.9 +/‐ 0.4 (n = 6). 10. The reversal potential of the current was obtained near the values expected for 3 Na+:1 Ca2+ exchange. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Determinants of Food Price Inflation in Pakistan

This study focuses on the identification of main determinants of food price inflation in Pakistan. Using the data from 1972 to 2008, Johansen’s cointegration technique is utilized to find out the long run relationships among food price inflation and its determinants like inflation expectations, money supply, per capita GDP, support prices, food imports and food exports. Empirical findings prove the long run relationships among food price inflation and its determinants. All the determinants affect food price inflation positively and significantly except money supply which is insignificant with correct positive sign. Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) has been used for the analysis of short run dynamics. In the short run, only inflation expectations, support prices and food exports affect the food price inflation. The results reveal that both demand and supply side factors are the determinants food price inflation in Pakistan. However, our study supports the structuralist point of view of inflation as money supply shows insignificant results.
Exploring Australian speech-language pathologists’ use and perceptions ofnon-speech oral motor exercises

Abstract Purpose: To explore Australian speech-language pathologists’ use of non-speech oral motor exercises, and rationales for using/not using non-speech oral motor exercises in clinical practice. Methods: A total of 124 speech-language pathologists practising in Australia, working with paediatric and/or adult clients with speech sound difficulties, completed an online survey. Results: The majority of speech-language pathologists reported that they did not use non-speech oral motor exercises when working with paediatric or adult clients with speech sound difficulties. However, more than half of the speech-language pathologists working with adult clients who have dysarthria reported using non-speech oral motor exercises with this population. The most frequently reported rationale for using non-speech oral motor exercises in speech sound difficulty management was to improve awareness/placement of articulators. The majority of speech-language pathologists agreed there is no clear clinical or research evidence base to support non-speech oral motor exercise use with clients who have speech sound difficulties. Conclusions: This study provides an overview of Australian speech-language pathologists’ reported use and perceptions of non-speech oral motor exercises’ applicability and efficacy in treating paediatric and adult clients who have speech sound difficulties. The research findings provide speech-language pathologists with insight into how and why non-speech oral motor exercises are currently used, and adds to the knowledge base regarding Australian speech-language pathology practice of non-speech oral motor exercises in the treatment of speech sound difficulties. Implications for Rehabilitation Non-speech oral motor exercises refer to oral motor activities which do not involve speech, but involve the manipulation or stimulation of oral structures including the lips, tongue, jaw, and soft palate. Non-speech oral motor exercises are intended to improve the function (e.g., movement, strength) of oral structures. The majority of speech-language pathologists agreed there is no clear clinical or research evidence base to support non-speech oral motor exercise use with clients who have speech sound disorders. Non-speech oral motor exercise use was most frequently reported in the treatment of dysarthria. Non-speech oral motor exercise use when targeting speech sound disorders is not widely endorsed in the literature.