Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors that determine customer loyalty to a mobile telephone service provider: a case of mobile telephone users in Nairobi

This study was undertaken with the objective of identifying the factors that determine customer loyalty to a mobile telephone service provider as well as to determine whether there are any demographic differences among customers in loyalty to a mobile telephone service provider. The study was conducted in Nairobi. In order to achieve this objective a sample of 120 customers was picked using shopping center sampling technique and each respondent was asked to fill a questionnaire. The questionnaire had both structured questions and five-point Iikert scale questions. The respondents were picked from authorized dealer outlets of afaricom and kencell (now cit I) u ing y t mali ampling method whereby every third customer entering the outlet wa a k d t questionnaire. rnpl t th The data collected was analyzed through descriptive stati tic . Th fir t bj tl\ wa a hi "'Ved through factor analysis, which was used to tabli h th und rl. ·n l p th:rn f r 1 hon hip, that exi t between the variable i.e. interr 1 tion hip • 1 i. hh: . 1 1 an s r s ' t:r u ll th tu l hi h \ . \ hl
Pengaruh Consumer Preference Melalui Brand Value dan Pengaruh Product Innovation Melalui Brand Luxury Terhadap Willingness To Pay a Premium Produk Louis Vuitton di Surabaya

Abstrak Bisnis ritel di Indonesia beberapa tahun terakhir telah menjadi fenomena di Asia, khususnya di antara negara berkembang. Indonesia bahkan telah menempati peringkat tiga pasar ritel terbaik di Asia. Surabaya merupakan kota "terbesar" kedua di Indonesia setelah Jakarta. Surabaya merupakan pusat bisnis, perdagangan, industri, dan pendidikan di kawasan Indonesia timur. Surabaya merupakan pusat bisnis yang sedang dikembangkan, selain itu juga tempat tinggal para kaum sosialita Surabaya. Barang mewah, serta layanan mewah menuntut bagian yang lebih besar dari barang-barang dan industri barang dan jasa, dan dengan demikian industri barang mewah menjadi kepentingan ekonomi yang signifikan. Salah satu ritel barang mewah (luxury) yang tidak asing bagi para pecintanya adalah Louis Vuitton. Louis Vuitton adalah ritel fashion yang dimiliki oleh LVMH Group, merupakan leader dari merek barang mewah di dunia yang tidak asing bagi para pecintanya dan telah memiliki pertumbuhan yang kuat dinamis sejak pembentukannya pada tahun 1987. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui pengaruh signifikan dari Consumer Preference terhadap Brand Value, Product Innovation terhadap Brand Luxury, serta pengaruh Brand Value dan Brand Luxury terhadap Willingness to Pay a Premium. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kuantitatif dengan metode regresi sederhana dan regresi berganda melalui program SPSS 16.0. Sampel yang digunakan adalah 51 responden di Surabaya dengan tenik non-probablility sampling. Metode sampling yang digunakan adalah purposive sampling.
Reasoning on the response of logical signaling networks with answer set programming

Deciphering the functioning of biological networks is one of the central tasks in systems biology. In particular, signal transduction networks are crucial for the understanding of the cellular response to external and internal perturbations. Importantly, in order to cope with the complexity of these networks, mathematical and computational modeling is required. We propose a computational modeling framework in order to achieve more robust discoveries in the context of logical signaling networks. More precisely, we focus on modeling the response of logical signaling networks by means of automated reasoning using Answer Set Programming (ASP). ASP provides a declarative language for modeling various knowledge representation and reasoning problems. Moreover, available ASP solvers provide several reasoning modes for assessing the multitude of answer sets. Therefore, leveraging its rich modeling language and its highly efficient solving capacities, we use ASP to address three challenging problems in the context of logical signaling networks: learning of (Boolean) logical networks, experimental design, and identification of intervention strategies. Overall, the contribution of this thesis is three-fold. Firstly, we introduce a mathematical framework for characterizing and reasoning on the response of logical signaling networks. Secondly, we contribute to a growing list of successful applications of ASP in systems biology. Thirdly, we present a software providing a complete pipeline for automated reasoning on the response of logical signaling networks.
Albayzin speech database: design of the phonetic corpus

This paper describes the phonetic content of Albayzin, a spoken database for Spanish designed for speech recognition purposes. A statistical study of a large sample of spontaneous speech is presented, and the phonetic and statistical criteria for the final constitution of the database are discussed. Finally, the contents of the phonetic database are analyzed
Assessing stages of change for fruit and vegetable intake in young adults: a combination of traditional staging algorithms and food-frequency questionnaires.

Adequate fruit and vegetable intake is strongly associated with a reduced risk for various chronic diseases. US national surveys show that 18- to-24-year-olds are not consuming enough of these foods. Theory-based nutrition interventions, e.g. stage-tailored education programs, are needed for promoting fruit and vegetable consumption in this age group. Accurate stage assignment is the basis for developing effective stage-tailored interventions. In the current study, three different methods were compared for assigning stages of change in fruit and vegetable intakes by young adults. Significant differences in food intake, decisional balance and self-efficacy were found between respondents with concordant responses to the traditional stage algorithm and the food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and those with discordant responses. The stage assignment method that combined the staging algorithm and FFQ identified a distinct stage, labeled 'non-reflective action', in addition to the traditional five stages of change. This stage lay between the preparation and action stages with regard to food intake and psychosocial variables. Implications of the findings were discussed for future intervention programs that attempt to promote fruit and vegetable intake.
Reactive Power Control of Doubly Fed Induction Generator during Grid Voltage Dips

The increasing wind power penetration brings big challenge for wind turbine to provide Low Voltage Ride-Through (LVRT) capability. Current grid codes require that wind turbine should support the grid voltage by the reactive power control. Doubly Fed Induction Generation (DFIG) system commonly uses rotor crowbar to protect the vulnerable power converter during grid voltage dips. Its unavoidable drawback is that the stator would absorb reactive power from the grid. This paper analyzes the reactive power capacities of grid side converter (GSC) and rotor side converter (RSC). Then a method is proposed to calculate the amount of stator reactive power when the rotor crowbar is active. To avoid this inductive reactive power consumption, two measures are implemented: (i) a proper dc-chopper is designed to reduce the active probability of crowbar; (ii) GSC compensates the reactive current for the stator. The paper presents the principle of choosing the dc-chopper resistor value and the reactive power priority control strategy of GSC. Simulation results validate the feasibility of the proposed design and control strategy. And the compared reactive power performances indicate the importance of the dc-chopper.
Nanolayer biofilm coated on magnetic nanoparticles by using a dielectric barrier discharge glow plasma fluidized bed for immobilizing an antimicrobial peptide

Using the monomer of acrylic acid and the novel technique of using a dielectric barrier discharge glow plasma fluidized bed (GPFB), a nanolayer biofilm of polyacrylic acid (PAA) was uniformly coated on the surface of magnetic nickel nanoparticles (NPs). Transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, etc, were used to characterize the modified NPs. The thickness of the biofilm was about 2 nm when the NPs were treated using the GPFB once, and the discharging conditions affected the density of the carboxyl group obviously. The PAA acting as an adhesion layer was used to immobilize the antimicrobial peptide LL-37, to kill the bacteria of Escherichia coli (E. coli), and the results indicated that the modified nickel NPs immobilizing a certain concentration of LL-37 could kill the bacteria effectively.
Sigma Receptor 1 Is Preferentially Involved in Modulation of N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor-Mediated Light-Evoked Excitatory Postsynaptic Currents in Rat Retinal Ganglion Cells

Using patch-clamp whole-cell recording, we investigated how activation of the sigma receptor 1 (σR1) modulates light-evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (eEPSCs) of ganglion cells (GCs) in rat retinal slice preparations. Bath application of the σR1 agonist SKF10047 (SKF) suppressed N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated eEPSCs at different holding potentials in ON, OFF and ON-OFF GCs, and the effects were blocked when the preparations were pre-incubated with the σR1 antagonist BD1047. In contrast, SKF had no effects on α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor-mediated eEPSCs of these GCs. Furthermore, application of SKF did not affect AMPA receptor-mediated miniature EPSCs of GCs, suggesting that activation of σR1 did not change the release of glutamate from bipolar cells. These results suggest that σR1 may be involved in the regulation of output signaling of GCs by preferentially modulating NMDA receptor-mediated eEPSCs of these retinal neurons.
Introduction to the Special Issue—Mapping the Boundaries of Marketing: What Needs to be Known

The Journal of Marketing (JM) and the Marketing Science Institute (MSI) share a common purpose—to help develop and disseminate the most rigorous and relevant research possible to inform and engage academics and practitioners alike. To this end, the MSI has enlisted top scholars to take stock of the most managerially important research priorities, as identified by the institute, in a special issue of JM. In 2015, MSI initiated a series of activities organized around the theme of the “frontiers of marketing,” with the objective of assessing the state of the field and identifying future research directions. The MSI Research Priorities served as a backdrop to this initiative. Every two years, MSI asks its member companies to help select the priorities that will drive research initiatives and member activities going forward to ensure that they reflect the member companies’ most pressing needs. To help addressmembers’ stated interests from the most recent 2014–2016 research priority–setting process, MSI collaborated with the American Marketing Association; JM; and JM’s Editor in Chief, V. Kumar, for this special issue. Specifically, a select committee of past JM and Journal of Consumer Research editors and current and past MSI Executive Directors nominated pairs of top academics to collaborate on research articles addressing one of the top seven MSI research priorities. These articles were not intended to be thorough reviews of knowledge in each of the areas. Rather, the purpose of each article was to identify key research findings on a given priority that would be of the greatest interest and value to amanagerial audience and, more importantly, to identify critical areas for further academic research that would not simply be incremental research but would move an area forward in a significant way. Each research priority had a series of five or six questions based on member feedback that provided some indication of the range of topics of interest for MSI member companies. Scholars assigned to a priority were told to view the questions and topics as a guide for their analysis and writing. The participating scholars, and their assigned research priority, were as follows:
Do Firms Target Credit Ratings or Leverage

Firms reduce leverage following credit rating downgrades. In the year following a downgrade, downgraded firms issue approximately 1.5%-2.0% less net debt relative to net equity as a percentage of assets compared to other firms. This relationship persists within an empirical model of target leverage behavior. The effect of a downgrade is larger at downgrades to a speculative grade rating and if commercial paper access is affected. In particular, firms downgraded to speculative are about twice as likely to reduce debt as other firms. Rating upgrades do not affect subsequent capital structure activity, suggesting that firms target minimum rating levels.
Development of a high‐throughput method for preparing human urine for two‐dimensional electrophoresis

There is an increasing interest in analysing the human urinary proteome in the search for biomarkers. However, despite the ease of its collection, urine is a difficult fluid to analyse by two‐dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2‐D PAGE) because of its dilute protein content and high salt levels. Here, we describe a method for high‐throughput processing of urine for 2‐D PAGE. Urine is filtered and applied to solid phase extraction columns. After washing, the urinary proteins are eluted and freeze dried. The lyophilised powder can then be resuspended in an appropriate buffer for downstream proteomic analysis.
AN ASSESSMENT OF BUSINESS PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AT A PETROLEUM REFINING BUSINESS UNIT IN NDOLA

This study involved the assessment of business performance measurement at a refining business unit, in Ndola, Zambia. The goal of the study was to assess the current business performance measurement at the business unit, its significance on organisational performance and how it could be enhanced. This was done by using a survey method through a questionnaire distributed to a sample that was selected by stratified sampling and analysing the collected data to assess the knowledge, opinions and attitudes of the respondents as regards business performance measurement in the selected organisation. The research found that while business performance measurement exists in the organisation, the business unit concentrates more on business performance measures that enable it communicate business results to shareholders and industry regulators than measures which facilitate improvements in efficiency and business competitiveness. To enhance business performance measurement, the business unit should modify its current business performance measurement system, aligning it with a framework that will enhance internal business processes, satisfy multiple stakeholder needs and achieve greater growth and competitiveness.
The risk of incident type 2 diabetes in a Korean metabolically healthy obese population: the role of systemic inflammation.

OBJECTIVE This study sought to investigate whether the metabolically healthy obese (MHO) phenotype is associated with an increased risk of incident type 2 diabetes in a Korean population and, if so, whether systemic inflammation affects this risk in MHO individuals. DESIGN AND METHODS The study population comprised 36 135 Koreans without type 2 diabetes. Participants were stratified by body mass index (cutoff value, 25.0 kg/m(2)) and metabolic health state (assessed using Adult Treatment Panel-III criteria). High-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) was used as a surrogate marker of systemic inflammation. Subjects were classified into low (ie, hsCRP < 0.5 mg/L) and high (ie, hsCRP ≥ 0.5 mg/L) systemic inflammation groups. RESULTS During a median followup of 36.5 months (range, 4.8-81.7 mo), 635 of the 36 135 individuals (1.8%) developed type 2 diabetes. The MHO group had a significantly higher risk of incident type 2 diabetes (multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16-2.11) than the metabolically healthy nonobese (MHNO) group. However, the risk of the MHO group varied according to the degree of systemic inflammation. Compared with the MHNO/low systemic inflammation group, the risk of type 2 diabetes in the MHO/low systemic inflammation group was not significantly elevated (multivariate-adjusted HR, 1.61; 95% CI, 0.77-3.34). However, the MHO/high systemic inflammation group had an elevated risk of incident type 2 diabetes (multivariate-adjusted HR, 3.73; 95% CI 2.36-5.88). CONCLUSIONS MHO subjects show a substantially higher risk of incident type 2 diabetes than MHNO subjects. The level of systemic inflammation partially explains this increased risk.
Understanding Quality in Science: A Proposal and Exploration

Quality is a concept or characteristic that everyone knows, but yet is not well understood or defined. In many cases it is simply recognised as the absence of defects. Indeed when specific criteria are provided this is often in such as way as to enable personal preferences or prejudices to inform the decision. In this paper, we present an overview of the work that we are embarking upon examining quality in science. We propose three analysis approaches that integrate conceptual, functional, and perceptual levels, and combine both qualitative and quantitative techniques. In addition to providing small-scale case studies, we outline future work which is guided by an understanding of quality as a collective process.
Prenatal lens development in connexin43 and connexin50 double knockout mice.

PURPOSE To determine the roles of intercellular communication in embryonic eye growth and development, mice with a targeted deletion of the Cx43 gene were examined, and mice without both Cx43 and Cx50 were generated and analyzed. METHODS Embryonic eyes and lenses from wild-type mice, or mice deficient in Cx43, Cx50, or both Cx43 and Cx50 were collected and analyzed structurally by light and electron microscopy, immunohistochemically using connexin-specific antibodies, biochemically by Western blot analysis, and physiologically by measuring patterns of junctional communication revealed by iontophoretic injection of junction-permeable reporter molecules. RESULTS Cx50 expression was limited to the ocular lens and was not detected in either the cornea or the retina. Cx43(-/-) embryos showed development of structurally normal lenses and eyes when examined by light and electron microscopy through embryonic day (E)18.5. In addition, Cx43(-/-) lenses synthesized four different markers of lens differentiation: MIP26, alphaA-crystallin, alphaB-crystallin, and gamma-crystallin. Double-knockout lenses were also histologically normal through E18.5 and synthesized the four lens differentiation markers. When assayed by intracellular injection with Lucifer yellow (Molecular Probes, Eugene, OR) and neurobiotin at E15.5, Cx43(-/-)/Cx50(-/-) lenses retained gap junction-mediated dye transfer between fiber cells. In contrast, dye transfer in double-knockout lenses was dramatically reduced between epithelial cells and was eliminated between epithelial cells and fibers. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that the unique functional properties of both Cx43 and Cx50 are not required for prenatal lens development and that connexin diversity is required for regulation of postnatal growth and homeostasis.
LSPR- and SPR-Based Fiber-Optic Cholesterol Sensor Using Immobilization of Cholesterol Oxidase Over Silver Nanoparticles Coated Graphene Oxide Nanosheets

Fabrication and characterization of a highly sensitive fiber-optic cholesterol sensor utilizing cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) have been carried out. The operation of the sensor is based on combined phenomenon of localized and propagating surface plasmons. Two different immobilization schemes of enzyme ChOx have been used. In one, the enzyme is entrapped in the hydrogel and in second the enzyme is immobilized over the graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets. The synthesis of GO is confirmed by XRD, TEM, and Raman spectroscopy and the binding between ChOx and GO is verified through the Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy techniques. Following three types of probes having different configurations are fabricated and compared: 1) enzyme entrapped gel layer over silver coated unclad fiber; 2) enzyme immobilized over silver and GO coated unclad fiber; and 3) enzyme immobilized over silver, GO, and silver nanoparticles coated unclad fiber. The performance of all these probes have been compared in terms of operating range, sensitivity and limit of detection. The sensors have many advantages, such as compact size, modest cost, high sensitivity, high selectivity, and capability of remote sensing.
Evaluation of an elisa to assess the intensity of Fasciola hepatica infection in cattle

An elisa with a diagnostic sensitivity of 98 per cent and specificity of 96 per cent was evaluated as a means of assessing the intensity of Fasciola hepatica infection in cattle. A total of 294 blood samples were collected from infected cattle at a local abattoir, and the level of infection in each animal was assessed on the basis of the extent of liver pathology and the presence of flukes; 120 blood samples were also collected from uninfected cattle kept on a farm known to be free of F hepatica. The results indicated that there was a significant correlation (P<0·001) between the elisa values and the intensity of infection. Values between 15 and 28 per cent of a positive control sample indicated a low intensity of infection, values between 28 and 50 per cent indicated a medium intensity of infection and values above 50 per cent indicated a high intensity of infection.
Liquids, smoke, and soap bubbles: reflections on materials for ephemeral user interfaces

In this paper we inquire material qualities for tangible user interfaces and introduce the term "ephemeral user interface". We present an example user interface that employs fragile soap bubbles for human-computer interaction: the user has to move or blow bubbles over a dark liquid surface in order to interact with a computer system. Our installation uses liquid, smoke, and soap bubbles as unusual and transient materials that demand a very cautious and calm handling, and furthermore elude the complete control of users, as the bubbles inevitably burst after a short while. Thus, the soap bubble interface provokes thoughts about durability, control, and materiality of tangible user interfaces.
Persistence of tropical ataxic neuropathy in a Nigerian community

OBJECTIVES The term tropical ataxic neuropathy (TAN) is currently used to describe several neurological syndromes attributed to toxiconutritional causes. However, TAN was initially proposed to describe a specific neurological syndrome seen predominantly among the Ijebu speaking Yorubas in south western Nigeria. In this study, the prevalence of TAN was determined in Ososa, a semiurban community in south western Nigeria described as endemic for TAN in 1969, and its neurological features were compared with Strachan's syndrome, prisoners of war neuropathy, the epidemic neuropathy in Cuba, and konzo. METHODS A census of Ososa was followed by door to door screening of all subjects aged 10 years and above with a newly designed screening instrument. Subjects who screened positive had a neurological examination, and the diagnosis of TAN was made if any two or more of bilateral optic atrophy, bilateral neurosensory deafness, sensory gait ataxia, or distal symmetric sensory polyneuropathy were present. RESULTS A total of 4583 inhabitants were registered in the census. Of these, 3428 subjects aged 10 years and above were screened. The diagnosis of TAN was made in 206 of 323 subjects who screened positive for TAN. The prevalence of TAN was 6.0%, 3.9% in males and 7.7% in females. The highest age specific prevalence was 24% in the 60–69 years age group in women. CONCLUSION The occurrence of TAN in Ososa continues at a higher prevalence than was reported 30 years ago. Its neurological features and natural history do not resemble those described for Strachan syndrome, epidemic neuropathy in Cuba, or konzo. The increasing consumption of cassava foods linked to its causation makes TAN of public health importance in Nigeria, the most populous African country.