Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Brachial Plexus Injuries in Scapulothoracic Dissociation

The rare condition of scapulothoracic dissociation (STD) is characterized by a lateral displacement of the scapula from the thoracic cage following severe trauma to the scapular girdle. This study presents an analysis of five STDs. There were three supraclavicular brachial plexus palsies and two retro- and infraclavicular palsies. Recovery of elbow flexion was obtained in only two cases. Nerve damage dominates the prognosis and nerve recovery only rarely occurs. Nerve surgery should attempt to reestablish elbow flexion
Preoperative Instability Does Not Influence the Clinical Outcome in Patients with Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy Treated with Expansive Laminoplasty

Sixty-seven patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy treated with expansive laminoplasty were retrospectively reviewed at a minimum 2-year follow-up. This study was designed to evaluate whether preoperative instability influences the clinical outcome in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy treated with laminoplasty without spinal fusion. Patients with preoperative instability were older and had shorter durations of symptoms prior to surgery than those without the instability. There were no significant differences in prevalence of axial symptoms, neurologic recovery, or radiologic findings between patients with and without preoperative cervical instability. At follow-up, the cervical range of motion was limited to 43.5% of the preoperative range, and no cervical instability was observed in any patients. Preoperative instability does not influence the clinical outcome and can be ignored if expansive laminoplasty is indicated for patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy.
Whole mounts of rabbit lens epithelium for cytological study.

The eye globe is cut equatorially just posterior to the equator and the anterior part fixed in acetic-acid:akohol (1:3) for 24 hours. After washing, the lens is removed, hydrolyzed, and stained by the Feulgen technic. In the SO2 wash solution, the lens epithelium is dissected free of the lens in one piece under a binocular microscope and laid on a cover slip, cell side down. It is flattened, after radial incisions, by absorbing water around the edge, and inverted on to a drop of glychrogel on a slide. Cell and nuclear structure are observed with the aid of phase contrast.
DEVELOPMENT OF QUANTITATIVE RECEPTOR-LIGAND BINDING ASSAY FOR USE AS A TOOL TO ESTIMATE IMMUNE RESPONSES AGAINST Plasmodium vivax DUFFY BINDING PROTEIN REGION II

Antibodies generated against Region II of Plasmodium vivax Duffy binding protein (PvRII) can block binding of this parasite ligand to its receptor, the Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC), and prevent erythrocyte infection by the parasite. An in vitro functional assay that can serve as an immune correlate of an antigen activity is an important tool to guide vaccine development. We describe here the development of a quantitative binding assay and its use to study immune responses against PvRII. The assay was used to test anti-PvRII mouse sera, and was found a useful tool for quantitative estimation of anti-PvRII blocking antibodies.
Services Marketing: Integrating Customer Focus Across the Firm

The Second European Edition of Services Marketing: Integrating Customer Focus Across the Firm by Wilson, Zeithaml, Bitner and Gremler uniquely focuses on the development of customer relationships through quality service. Reflecting the increasing importance of the service economy, Services Marketing is the only text that put the customer's experience of services at the centre of its approach. The core theories, concepts and frameworks are retained, and specifically the gaps model, a popular feature of the book. The text moves from the foundations of services marketing before introducing the gaps model and demonstrating its application to services marketing. In the second edition, the book takes on more European and International contexts to reflect the needs of courses, lecturers and students. The second edition builds on the wealth of European and International examples, cases, and research in the first edition, offering more integration of European content. It has also be fully updated with the latest research to ensure that it continues to be seen as the text covering the very latest services marketing thinking. In addition, the cases section has been thoroughly examined and revised to offer a range of new case studies with a European and global focus. The online resources have also been fully revised and updated providing an excellent package of support for lecturers and students.
Author ' s personal copy Ultrasound-guided insertion of intramuscular electrodes into suboccipital muscles in the non-human primate

The head–neck system is highly complex from a biomechanical and musculoskeletal perspective. Currently, the options for recording the recruitment of deep neck muscles in experimental animals are limited to chronic approaches requiring permanent implantation of electromyographic electrodes. Here, we describe a method for targeting deep muscles of the dorsal neck in non-human primates with intramuscular electrodes that are inserted acutely. Electrode insertion is guided by ultrasonography, which is necessary to ensure placement of the electrode in the target muscle. To confirm electrode placement, we delivered threshold electrical stimulation through the intramuscular electrode and visualized the muscle twitch. In one animal, we also compared recordings obtained from acutelyand chronically-implanted electrodes. This method increases the options for accessing deep neck muscles, and hence could be used in experiments for which the invasive surgery inherent to a chronic implant is not appropriate. This method could also be extended to the injection of pharmacological agents or anatomical tracers into specific neck muscles. 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The internationalization of the firm

PART 1: ANTECEDENTS 1. The Foreign Investment Decision Process 2. International Investments and International Trade in the Product Life Cycle 3. The Internationalization of the Firm - Four Swedish Cases 4. The Internationalization Process of the Firm - A Model of Knowledge Development and Increasing Foreign Market Commitments 5. A Theory of International Operations 6. Trade, Location of Economic Activity and the Multinational Enterprise - A Search for an Eclectic Approach, John H. Dunning - International Production and the Multinational Enterprise PART 2: THE INTERNATIONALIZATION PROCESS 7. Internationalization: Evolution of a Concept 8. Foreign Direct Investment by Small and Medium Sized Enterprises: The Theoretical Background 9. Network Relationships and the Internationalisation Process of Small Software Firms 10. The Expansion of Foreign Direct Investments: Discrete Rational Location Choices or a Cultural Learning Process? 11. The Internationalization of Service Firms: A Comparison with the Manufacturing Sector 12. The Process of Internationalization in the Operating Firm PART 3: METHODS OF FOREIGN MARKETING SERVICING 13. Modes of Foreign Entry: A Transaction Cost Analysis and Propositions 14. Differences Among Exporting Firms Based on a Degree of Internationalization 15. Outward Foreign Licensing by Australian Firms 16. Joint Ventures and Global Strategies 17. Interfirm Diversity, Organizational Learning, and Longevity in Global Strategic Alliances PART 4: ORGANIZING THE MULTINATIONAL FIRM 18. Options Thinking and Platform Investments: Investing in Opportunity 19. Organizing for Worldwide Effectiveness: The Transnational Solution 20. New Structures in MNCs Based in Small Countries: A Network Approach 21. Strategic Evolution Within Japanese Manufacturing Plants in Europe: UK Evidence PART 5: THE IMPACT OF CULTURE ON INTERNATIONALIZATION 22. Psychic Distance and Buyer-seller Interaction 23. The Effect of International Culture on the Choice of Entry Mode 24. The Business of International Business is Culture 25. The Psychic Distance Paradox
Evolution of Mathematical Models of Epidemics

interest in patterns of the spread of epidemics. The increasing mobility of the upper and mercantile classes motivated the development of an alarm system that would alert them with some precision when to move away from epicenters of emerging infectious diseases. For this purpose the Bills ofMortality was published in London as early as the 1600s (FIG. 1). In this document, mortality due to a variety of causes was systematically recorded, informing the people of the city of the patterns in the rise and fall of particular epidemics. In 1665, the year of the great plague, people (mostly from the nobility and mercantile class) left the city when the numbers of deaths due to this illness increased. As the number of deaths sharply declined, suggesting that the epidemic was over, they returned with the expectation that the danger was over as well. But it was soon discovered that mortality increased again, and that the new victims were chiefly among the very eople that had left and The lesson was that the inspection of num L ers and the analysis of statistical data were not enough to predict the hture course of an epidemic. It became obvious that the dynamics of the socio-economic characteristics of the London po ulation in those times played an important role in determining
The Influence of Interorganizational Trust, Individualism and Collectivism, and Superordinate Goal of JIT/TQM on Interorganizational Cooperation: An Exploratory Analysis of Institutions in Mexico

Since their introduction to the United States from Japan in the 1980s, inter-organizational cooperation practices between buyers and suppliers have provided lower costs, shorter development and production cycles, and higher levels of quality and productivity. Many studies of interorganizational cooperation have relied on transaction cost economicsframeworks,which ignore cultural differences. Few studies have analyzed inter-organizational cooperation in Mexico, a less-developed country (LDC) with a cultural and industrial environment differentfromthe U.S. This study is concerned with the influence of interorganizational trust, individualism and collectivism (indcol), and the superordinate goal ofjust-in-time/total quality management (JIT/TQM) on inter-organizational cooperation.
The corporate income tax rate-revenue paradox: Evidence in the EU

In Europe, the decline in the corporate tax rates has not been reflected in the tax-to-GDP ratios. This paper explores to what extent the observed trend can be explained by changes in the effective tax burden on corporate income, in the share of total income accruing to the corporate sector and in total business income relative to GDP. We present an overview of the findings from previous literature, apply the methodology developed by S? rensen to decompose the most complete data available on the European level and make use of information collected from parallel studies on the effective tax burden and corporatization. The results suggest that corporatization is the driving factor for the trend observed in corporate tax revenues.
SYNTHESIS AND BIOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF NOVEL mRNA 5′ CAP ANALOGS RESISTANT TO ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS

A series of new dinucleotide cap analogs with methylene groups replacing oxygens within the pyrophosphate moieties have been synthesized. All the compounds were resistant to the human scavenger decapping hydrolase, DcpS. Binding constants of the modified caps to eIF4E are comparable to those obtained for m7GpppG. This suggests these methylene modifications in the pyrophosphate chain do not significantly affect cap-binding at least for eIF4E. These cap analogs are also good inhibitors of in vitro translation. mRNAs capped with novel analogs were translated similarly to the mRNA capped with the parent m7GpppG.
Preoperative factors predicting poor outcomes following laparoscopic choledochotomy: a multivariate analysis study.

BACKGROUND Laparoscopic surgery for common bile duct stones varies procedurally from a transcystic approach to laparoscopic choledochotomy (LC) with or without biliary drainage. However, LC is a difficult procedure with higher documented morbidity than the transcystic approach. We retrospectively investigated risk factors for adverse outcomes of LC. METHODS We used logistic regression models to assess 4 categories of adverse outcomes: overall, complications, conversion to open operation and failed surgical clearance. We calculated the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve to evaluate diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS We included 201 patients who underwent LC in our analysis. Adverse outcomes occurred in 48 (23.9%) patients, complications occurred in 43 (21.4%), retained stones were observed in 8 (4%), and conversion to laparotomy occurred in 7 (3.5%). Multivariate analysis showed that total bilirubin (BIL) and the presence of medical risk factors (MRFs) were significant predictors of adverse outcomes and complications. We calculated the probability of adverse outcomes (p) using the following formula: logit(p) = 0.977 (MRFs) + 0.014 (BIL) - 2.919. p = EXP (logit(p)) ÷ [1+EXP (logit(p))]. According to their logit(p), all patients were divided into a low-risk group (logit(p) ≤ -1.32, n = 130) and a high-risk group (logit(p) > -1.32, n = 71). Patients in the low-risk group had about a 1 in 10 chance (12 of 130) of adverse outcomes developing. Of the 71 patients in the high-risk group, 36 (50.7%) experienced adverse outcomes. CONCLUSION High BIL and the presence of MRFs could predict adverse outcomes in patients undergoing LC.
A Real-Time Fast-Flow Tube Study of VOC and Particulate Emissions from Electronic, Potentially Reduced-Harm, Conventional, and Reference Cigarettes

Tobacco-free electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), which are currently not regulated by the FDA, have become widespread as a “safe” form of smoking. One approach to evaluate the potential toxicity of e-cigarettes and other types of potentially “reduced-harm” cigarettes is to compare their emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including reactive organic electrophilic compounds such as acrolein, and particulate matter to those of conventional and reference cigarettes. Our newly designed fast-flow tube system enabled us to analyze VOC composition and particle number concentration in real-time by promptly diluting puffs of mainstream smoke obtained from different brands of combustion cigarettes and e-cigarettes. A proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTRMS) was used to analyze real-time cigarette VOC emissions with a 1-s time resolution. Particles were detected with a condensation particle counter (CPC). This technique offers real-time analysis of VOCs and particles in each puff without sample aging and does not require any sample pretreatment or extra handling. Several important determining factors in VOC and particle concentration were investigated: (1) puff frequency; (2) puff number; (3) tar content; (4) filter type. Results indicate that electronic cigarettes are not free from acrolein and acetaldehyde emissions and produce comparable particle number concentrations to those of combustion cigarettes, more specifically to the 1R5F reference cigarette. Unlike conventional cigarettes, which emit different amounts of particles and VOCs each puff, there was no significant puff dependence in the e-cigarette emissions. Charcoal filter cigarettes did not fully prevent the emission of acrolein and other VOCs. Copyright 2015 American Association for Aerosol Research
Convergence of a finite element discretization of the Navier-Stokes equations in vorticity and stream function formulation

The standard discretization of the Stokes and Navier-Stokes equations in vorticity and stream function formulation by affine finite elements is known for its bad convergence. We present here a modified discretization, we prove that the convergence is improved and we establish a priori error estimâtes. Resume. Il est bien connu que la discretisation usuelle des equations de Stokes et de Navier-Stokes en formulation tourbillon et fonction courant par elements finis affines converge mal. Nous presentons ici une discretisation modifiee dont nous prouvons la meilleure convergence et nous etablissons des majorations d'erreur a priori.
Internationalisation of High-Tech Start-Ups and Fast Growth - Evidence for UK and Germany

For firms acting in technological niches the expansion into foreign markets can be a way to increase sales and to thus to recover initial sunk costs over a shorter time frame. Our research, based on survey data for nearly 600 British and German high-tech start-ups, examines whether internationalisation leads to faster growth among high-tech start-ups. Results show that firms with international sales have higher sales growth than firms that sell only domestically. We find that technological sophistication of products and the experience of entrepreneurs has a positive impact on growth. In addition, intense competition and shorter windows of opportunity increase the pressure to grow rapidly to appropriate the returns from innovation. The findings suggest that high tech firm founders should be more determinedly international in their vision and strategies from the very start of their business to increase the economic success of their efforts.
All subgenomic mRNAs of equine arteritis virus contain a common leader sequence.

During the replication of equine arteritis virus (EAV) six subgenomic mRNAs are synthesized. We present evidence that the viral mRNAs form a 3'-coterminal nested set and contain a common leader sequence of 208 nucleotides which is encoded by the 5'-end of the genome. The leader is joined to the bodies of mRNA 5 and 6 at positions defined by the sequence 5' UCAAC 3'. The part of the leader sequence flanking the UCAAC motif is very similar to the 5'-splice site of the Tetrahymena pre-rRNA. A possible internal guide sequence has been identified 43 nucleotides downstream of the leader sequence on the genome. Hybridization analysis shows that all EAV intracellular RNAs contain the leader sequence. These data imply that the viral subgenomic mRNAs are composed of leader and body sequences which are non-contiguous on the genome. Images
Reliability enhancement of deregulated power systems considering demand-price elasticity

With the development of deregulated power systems, the conventional "same for all customers" electricity prices are getting replaced by spot prices. Under this pricing system, electricity prices will interact mutually with loads. This interaction can be described as demand-price elasticity. In this paper, demand-price elasticity is studied using the matrix of self/cross-elasticities, and its effects on nodal spot price and reliability of deregulated power systems are investigated using optimal power flow (OPF) and reliability evaluation techniques. A small but comprehensive reliability test system, RBTS, is used to illustrate the concepts, and simulation results show that demand-price elasticity can reduce the volatility of nodal spot price while at the same time improving the system reliability
An investigation into specifying service level agreements for provisioning cloud computing services

Abstract : Within the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), service-level agreements are a widely used tool for acquiring enterprise-level information technology (IT) resources. In order to contain, if not reduce, the total cost of ownership of IT resources to the enterprise, the DoD has undertaken outsourcing its IT needs to Cloud service providers. In this thesis, we explore how service-level agreements are specified for non-Cloud-based services (client-server systems), followed by determining how to tailor those practices to fit service-level agreements for Cloud-based service provision, with a focus on end-to-end management of the service-provisioning.
Nonparametric Risk Management With Generalized Hyperbolic Distributions

In this article we propose the generalized hyperbolic adaptive volatility (GHADA) risk management model based on the generalized hyperbolic (GH) distribution and on a nonparametric adaptive methodology. Compared with the normal distribution, the GH distribution has semiheavy tails and represents the financial risk factors more appropriately. Nonparametric adaptive methodology has the desirable property of being able to estimate homogeneous volatility over a short time interval and reflects a sudden change in the volatility process. For the German mark/U.S. dollar exchange rate and German bank portfolio data, the proposed GHADA model provides more accurate Value at risk calculations than the models with assumptions of the normal and t distributions.
Recommendation System for Netflix

Faculty of Science Business Analytics Master of Science Business Analytics Recommendation System for Netflix by Leidy Esperanza MOLINA FERNÁNDEZ Providing a useful suggestion of products to online users to increase their consumption on websites is the goal of many companies nowadays. People usually select or purchase a new product based on some friend’s recommendations, comparison of similar products or feedbacks from other users. In order to do all these tasks automatically, a recommender system must be implemented. The recommender systems are tools that provide suggestions that best suit the client’s needs, even when they are not aware of it. That offers of personalized content are based on past behavior and it hooks the customer to keep coming back to the website. In this paper, a movie recommendation mechanism within Netflix will be built. The dataset that was used here consists of over 17K movies and 500K+ customers. The main types of recommender algorithm are Popularity, Collaborative Filtering, Content-based Filtering and Hybrid Approaches. All of them will be introduced in this paper. We will select the algorithms that best fit to the data and we will implement and compare them.
Functional Magnetic Resonance in Psychiatry

Neuroimaging is a powerful tool for the study of the neurobiological changes in psychiatric disorders. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive method that assesses cortical activation by measuring changes in the local concentration of deoxyhemoglobin, which is paramagnetic and therefore can be detected using MRI. This method has been referred to as blood oxygen level-dependent imaging. This article discusses the application of functional MRI techniques, with emphasis on blood oxygen level-dependent imaging, to the study of psychiatric diseases. The first part of the article provides an overview of the contribution of functional MRI research to the current understanding of mood disorders, schizophrenia, and substance abuse. The last part reviews recent advances and highlights future directions for the use of the functional MRI technique for psychiatric research.
Assistive Technology: Legal Issues for Students with Disabilities and Their Schools

This paper provides an analysis of federal policy, legislation, and adjudication related to assistive technology for students with disabilities. The authors review the expanded mandate for assistive technology in IDEA 1997 and its implications, including associated costs and benefits of assistive technology. Recent federal court decisions, hearing decisions, and Section 504 rulings that address assistive technology are discussed. School district responsibilities are explored, and recommendations are offered to special education professionals and parents who have children who may benefit from assistive technology devices and services.