Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of the binding performance of histamine‐imprinted microspheres by frontal analysis capillary electrophoresis

Frontal analysis capillary electrophoresis was used to evaluate the binding performance of molecularly imprinted microspheres (MIM) toward its template histamine and analogs at pH 7, and compared to the high performance liquid chromatographic method. In both methods, batch binding was employed and the binding parameters were calculated from the measured concentration of unbound amine analytes and afforded comparable histamine equilibrium dissociation constants (Kd ∼ 0.4 mM). FACE was easily carried out at shorter binding equilibration time (i.e. 30 min) and without the need to separate the microspheres, circumventing laborious and, in the case of the system under study, inefficient sample filtration. It also allowed for competitive binding studies by virtue of its ability to distinctly separate intact microspheres and all tested amines which could not be resolved in HPLC. Kd’s for nonimprinted (control) microspheres (NIM) from FACE and HPLC were also comparable (∼ 0.6 mM) but at higher histamine concentrations, HPLC gave lower histamine binding. This discrepancy was attributed to inefficient filtration of the batch binding samples prior to HPLC analysis resulting in an over‐estimation of the concentration of free histamine brought about by the presence of unfiltered histamine‐bound microspheres.
Linear Graphene Nanocomposite Synthesis and an Analytical Application for the Amino Acid Detection of Camellia nitidissima Chi Seeds

Husk derived amino modified linear graphene nanocomposites (aLGN) with a diameter range of 80–300 nm and a length range of 100–300 μm were prepared by a modified Hummers method, ammonia treatment, NaBH4 reduction and phenylalanine induced assembly processes, etc. The resulting composites were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), biological microscope (BM), and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), etc. Investigations found that the aLGN can serve as the novel coating of stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) technology. By combing this technology with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), the combined SBSE/GC-MS technology with an aLGN coating can detect seventeen kinds of amino acids of Camellia nitidissima Chi seeds, including Ala, Gly, Thr, Ser, Val, Leu, Ile, Cys, Pro, Met, Asp, Phe, Glu, Lys, Tyr, His, and Arg. Compared to a conventional polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coating, an aLGN coating for SBSE exhibited a better thermal desorption performance, better analytes fragmentation depressing efficiencies, higher peak intensities, and superior amino acid discrimination, leading to a practicable and highly distinguishable method for the variable amino acid detection of Camellia nitidissima Chi seeds.
Explicit and Implicit Structuring of Genres in Electronic Communication: Reinforcement and Change of Social Interaction

In a study of how an RD and the use of local genres tacitly shaped by members within their own research teams. We suggest that these patterns reflect the more general processes of explicit and implicit structuring, resulting in both the reinforcement and change of social interaction within communities. Explicit st ructuring included the planned replication, planned modification, and opportunistic modification of existing genres, while implicit structuring included the migration and variation of existing genres. We believe that these two processes provide suggestive models for understanding the initial and ongoing use of new electronic media within a community.
Of Pheromones and Kairomones: What Receptors Mediate Innate Emotional Responses?

Some chemicals elicit innate emotionally laden behavioral responses. Pheromones mediate sexual attraction, parental care or agonistic confrontation, whereas predators' kairomones elicit defensive behaviors in their preys. This essay explores the hypothesis that the detection of these semiochemicals relies on highly specific olfactory and/or vomeronasal receptors. The V1R, V2R, and formyl‐peptide vomeronasal receptors bind their ligands in highly specific and sensitive way, thus being good candidates for pheromone‐ or kairomone‐detectors (e.g., secreted and excreted proteins, peptides and lipophilic volatiles). The olfactory epithelium also expresses specific receptors, for example trace amine‐associated receptors (TAAR) and guanylyl cyclase receptors (GC‐D and other types), some of which bind kairomones and putative pheromones. However, most of the olfactory neurons express canonical olfactory receptors (ORs) that bind many ligands with different affinity, being not suitable for mediating responses to pheromones and kairomones. In this respect, trimethylthiazoline (TMT) is considered a fox‐derived kairomone for mice and rats, but it seems to be detected by canonical ORs. Therefore, we have reassessed the kairomonal nature of TMT by analyzing the behavioral responses of outbred (CD1) and inbred mice (C57BL/J6) to TMT. Our results confirm that both mouse strains avoid TMT, which increases immobility in C57BL/J6, but not CD1 mice. However, mice of both strains sniff at TMT throughout the test and show no trace of TMT‐induced contextual conditioning (immobility or avoidance). This suggests that TMT is not a kairomone but, similar to a loud noise, in high concentrations it induces aversion and stress as unspecific responses to a strong olfactory stimulation. Anat Rec, 296:1346‐1363, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Thematic Analysis and Its Reconceptualization as ‘Saliency Analysis’

Thematic analysis is characteristic of most qualitative research. Themes are groups of codes that recur through being similar or connected to each other in a patterned way. Thematic analysis ignores codes that do not recur yet may nonetheless be important. This paper proposes the concept of ‘saliency analysis’ as an enhancement of thematic analysis. Saliency analysis assesses the degree to which each code recurs, is highly important or both. Codes of high importance are ones that advance understanding or are useful in addressing real world problems, or both. Thus saliency analysis can expose what is non-recurrent but potentially important to the aims of a study.
Matrix forgetting factor with adaptation

We suggest an approach to provide time-varying parameter estimates in ARMA (Auto Regression Moving Average) models of a stochastic nature based on the use of the recursive version of the Instrumental Variable Method (IVM) with a Matrix Forgetting Factor (MFF). We demonstrate that there exists the best selection of MFF minimizing the error strip bound. This optimal MFF depends in a complex manner on a group of unknown parameters. An adaptation procedure is suggested to obtain asymptotically this optimal value using only the available measurements. The adaptation procedure is based on one Gaussian smoothing technique. The combination of IVM with adaptive MFF is a tool for estimating the entries of a non-stationary parameter matrix involved in the ARMA model. An asymptotic analysis of the error matrix is presented. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the suggested approach.
An Analysis of Corporate Governance and Its Impact on the Firm’s Financial Performance in Libya: (A Study in ENI Oil and Gas Company)

Survive in competitive market good and established corporate governance essential and important for growth to modern corporations. Corporate governance effect firm’s performance. In Libyan perspective, corporate governance practices have been established from earlier of 1950 when oil and natural gas were discovered. British and American companies are involved in oil and gas sectors since 1950. ENI is one of the well-known and established oil and gas companies in Libya. Aim of this study was to identify the impact of corporate governance on ENI’s performance in Libya. It has found that there is a positive effect of corporate governance on ENI’s financial performance in Libya. Admitted to a long-term basis, in a transparent and responsible corporate behavior of market confidence in the delivery of benefits to the establishment of a corporate governance practices and procedures.
Trends in cancer of the urinary bladder and urinary tract in elderly in Denmark, 2008–2012

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to examine the trends in incidence, mortality, survival, and prevalence of cancers of the urinary bladder and urinary tract in Denmark from 1980 to 2012 with particular focus on elderly patients over age 70 years. Design Cancer of the urinary bladder and urinary tract was defined as ICD-10 codes C67.9, D09.0, D41.4. Data were derived from the NORDCAN database with comparable data on cancer incidence, mortality, prevalence and relative survival in the Nordic countries, where the Danish data were delivered from the Danish Cancer Registry and the Danish Cause of Death Registry. Results The average annual number of bladder cancers increased from 1478 to 1810 (22%) from 1980 to 2012, with close to 60% occurring in the elderly population. The incidence rates were 7–10 times higher in persons aged 70 years or more compared with younger persons. Mortality rates were decreasing with time in all age groups but 90+-year-old men. The one- and five-year relative survival improved significantly with time for all age groups both in men and women. The prevalence increased two times from 6014 in 1980 to 12 359 in 2012 among men and from 1974 to 4454 among women. There was a relatively higher proportional increase in prevalence among elderly men compared to younger patients. Conclusion More prospective data are needed, preferably as randomized clinical trials, for determining the influence of age on the decisions of the surgical approach as well as chemo/radiotherapy for the elderly patients with urothelial cancers compared to younger patients.
INTERMEDIATE CLEAVAGE PEPTIDASE55 Modifies Enzyme Amino Termini and Alters Protein Stability in Arabidopsis Mitochondria1[OPEN]

A mitochondrial protease alters the stability of proteins in Arabidopsis by removal of a single amino acid from their sequence. Precursor proteins containing mitochondrial peptide signals are cleaved after import by a mitochondrial processing peptidase. In yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and human (Homo sapiens), INTERMEDIATE CLEAVAGE PEPTIDASE55 (ICP55) plays a role in stabilizing mitochondrial proteins by the removal of single amino acids from mitochondrial processing peptidase-processed proteins. We have investigated the role of a metallopeptidase (At1g09300) from Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) that has sequence similarity to yeast ICP55. We identified this protein in mitochondria by mass spectrometry and have studied its function in a transfer DNA insertion line (icp55). Monitoring of amino-terminal peptides showed that Arabidopsis ICP55 was responsible for the removal of single amino acids, and its action explained the −3 arginine processing motif of a number of mitochondrial proteins. ICP55 also removed single amino acids from mitochondrial proteins known to be cleaved at nonconserved arginine sites, a subset of mitochondrial proteins specific to plants. Faster mitochondrial protein degradation rates not only for ICP55 cleaved protein but also for some non-ICP55 cleaved proteins were observed in Arabidopsis mitochondrial samples isolated from icp55 than from the wild type, indicating that a complicated protease degradation network has been affected. The lower protein stability of isolated mitochondria and the lack of processing of target proteins in icp55 were complemented by transformation with the full-length ICP55. Analysis of in vitro degradation rates and protein turnover rates in vivo of specific proteins indicated that serine hydroxymethyltransferase was affected in icp55. The maturation of serine hydroxymethyltransferase by ICP55 is unusual, as it involves breaking an amino-terminal diserine that is not known as an ICP55 substrate in other organisms and that is typically considered a sequence that stabilizes rather than destabilizes a protein.
Infinite-dimensional SVD for analyzing microphone array

Nowadays, various types of microphone array are used in many applications. However, it is not easy to compare arrays of different types because each array has been treated by a specific theory depending on the type of an array. Although several criteria have been proposed for microphone arrays for evaluating and/or designing an array, most of them are application-oriented criteria and the best configuration for some criterion may not be a better one in the other criterion. Therefore, an analysis and comparing method for microphone arrays which does not depend on an array configuration and application are necessary. In this paper, infinite-dimensional SVD is proposed for analyzing and comparing properties of arrays. The singular values and functions obtained by proposed method show sampling property of an array and can be unified criterion.
An Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) for the Identification of Naegleria fowleri in Environmental Water Samples

Abstract Naegleria fowleri, a free-living amoeba, is the causative agent of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, a fatal human disease of the central nervous system often contracted after swimming in fresh water. Identifying sites contaminated by N. fowleri is important in order to prevent the disease. An Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) has been developed for the specific identification of N. fowleri in primary cultures of environmental water samples. Of 939 samples isolated from artificially heated river water and screened by ELISA, 283 were positive. These results were subsequently confirmed by isoelectric focusing, the established reference method. A sensitivity of 97.4% and a specificity of 97% were obtained. These results indicate that this ELISA method is reliable and can be considered as a powerful tool for the detection of N. fowleri in environmental water samples.
E‐service: enhancing internal customer service through e‐procurement

E‐business developments represent a significant step in the evolution of inter‐organisational systems (IOS). Their impact on external supply chains is a major area of discussion and analysis in the literature, principally examining issues of governance structure and process efficiencies. This paper, however, addresses issues relating to the impact of e‐business developments on internal customer service with a focus on electronic procurement introduction – in other words it concentrates on the intra‐organisational system dynamics of e‐business. The procurement process is the basis for one of the primary internal customer‐provider interfaces and thus presents a valid and useful domain of study in internal customer service. In contributing to the emerging e‐service field the article first contends that much of the recent research into e‐service has taken a primarily external customer focus. However, reports suggest that the potential of e‐business comes from applications both within and between businesses. Consequently, this paper focuses on the findings relating to internal e‐service obtained from an extensive, primarily qualitative and exploratory, research programme incorporating 97 organisations. The article concludes that internal customer satisfaction is central to the success of e‐procurement deployment and is a significant determinant of the cost benefits to be gained from its adoption.
A longitudinal examination of JIT purchasing practices

Purpose – To examine the changes in just‐in‐time (JIT) purchasing practices over time.Design/methodology/approach – The evaluation of changes in JIT purchasing practices was done through a longitudinal study. The first study was performed in 1989. The second study was performed almost a decade later. The empirical studies measured the managerial perceptions of the importance of nine different areas of JIT purchasing activities. Regression and bootstrapping were used for comparison between time periods.Findings – The study found similar results from a decade earlier on all but 17 out of a total of 103 JIT purchasing practices. The only significantly more important item was the contract provision for delivery frequency. It appears that purchasing professionals have learned and are more familiar with JIT purchasing practices. As a result four problem areas were significantly lower and 12 other practices deemed less important.Research limitations/implications – Sample size is a limitation for the study. The a.
New rules for calculating contributions to deposit guarantee schemes in Europe: an application to the Spanish banking system

ABSTRACT This paper analyses the effects on the Spanish banking system of the new rules for calculating bank contributions to deposit guarantee schemes (DGSs) established by the European Directive dated 16 April 2014. Our sample represents over 90% of the covered deposits in Spain during the period from 2008 to 2014. We follow the guidelines published by the European Banking Authority in 2015, which propose two different methods for calculating risk weights: the bucket method and the sliding scale method. We find that most banks would increase their contributions to DGSs under the new system based on risk-adjusted contributions, indicating a cross-subsidy in the flat-rate system from lower-risk credit institutions to higher-risk institutions. Moreover, we report that the bucket method would provide stronger incentives for banks to engage in prudent risk management. Finally, we conclude that the new system could reduce the moral hazard often associated with larger banks.
Constraints and incentives for making long horizon corporate investments

This paper examines the conditions under which firms make long horizon investments (i.e., investments that take a long period of time to pay off). We predict firms are constrained from making long horizon investments when short‐term performance is poor—and this effect is especially pronounced for young firms. Moreover, we argue that when managers hold high levels of exercisable stock options, their firms are less likely to make long‐term investments. However, firms are more likely to pursue long horizon investments when managerial stock options are not yet exercisable. Based on analysis of investments made by cable television operators from 1972–1996, we find support for these predictions. In addition to enhancing our understanding of investment choices, these results—derived from the temporally focused analysis of an investment's payoff horizon—suggest that payoff horizon is an important investment attribute in its own right and should be analyzed distinctly from and in addition to other aspects of investments, such as expected return and risk. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Software complex for simulation of internal and external ballistics of artillery shot

The work is devoted to development of software complex for simulation of artillery shot, which includes calculation module, input and output data, modules of scientific graphics and 3D visualization. Mathematical models of internal and external ballistics of artillery shot are shown. Developing toolkit for software complex and its functionality are described in the paper.
Role Stress and Effectiveness in Horizontal Alliances

Horizontal arrangements are increasingly deployed in organizational networks, yet research has rarely examined the effectiveness of these alliances. The coalition of disparate corporate cultures yields appreciable levels of role stress for people in boundary-spanning positions. Dedicated assets and communication modality are factors that influence the level of role ambiguity and conflict. The authors implicate these facets of role stress as antecedents to four forms of effectiveness drawn from the competing values framework. The authors present alternative perspectives that examine the relationship between stress and performance. The received view frames role stressors as linear, negative antecedents to organizational outcomes. The authors contrast this perspective with theories that espouse triphasic, parabolic, and interactive influences of stressors on organizational outcomes. Data gathered with 218 managers of dual-branded retail oil outlets indicate that the relevance of these alternative perspectives is mitigated by the form of effectiveness pursued by the organization. The results support a linear relationship between role conflict and bargaining efforts, yet they also offer evidence of nonlinear influences of role ambiguity on contributions to sales, customer satisfaction, and competence. The study concludes with a discussion of relevance of the findings to the management of horizontal alliances and to interorganizational theory.
CNTs synthesis on steel strip a in microwave plasma reactor for medical application

There are a lot of nanotubes production methods [1-5]. The paper presents the research results of CNTs synthesis in a microwave plasma system in the atmospheric pressure. The magnetic properties of the synthesized CNTs are used for exploring possibilities of inducing hyperthermia and thermal ablation of cancer cells.
Antecedents and Consequences of Product Innovation: A Meta-Analytic Review

Building on the meta-analytic model suggested by Montoya? Weiss et al., Journal of Product Innovation Management, 11(5), 397-417, (1994), this study proposes a framework for product innovation to identify what strategies determine the drivers and outcomes of product innovation. Specifically, this meta-analytic study identifies key antecedents and consequences of product innovation and also examines the relationship between the antecedents and consequences of product innovation. A firm's size and firm's age were found to be the strongest determinants of product innovation, and new product sales was the most critical outcome of product innovation efforts. The model proffered in this study will motivate hypotheses to be examined by future researchers. The model also helps managers to identify the key drivers of product innovation.
Competitiveness as an Indicator of Sustainable Development of Tourism: Applying Destination Competitiveness Indicators to Ethiopia

Competitiveness can be applied to predict the economic sustainability of tourism in destinations which has been measured in terms of leakages and linkage related to employment and income generation opportunities to the destinations. This article examines destination competitiveness of Ethiopia based on the analyses of administrative records, academic journals, face-to-face discussion with the key industry players and email communication. The main objective of this study is to assess sustainability of economic benefits of tourism for Ethiopia by applying destination competitiveness indicators. The result shows that potential destination competitiveness is significant for the growth of tourism and its economy especially to employment and income generation in Ethiopia. As the competitiveness of Ethiopia is being improved, it will result in the increase of tourist arrivals that will sustain economic benefits of tourism.