Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MATHEMATICAL AND PHENOMENOLOGICAL CRITERIA IN SELECTION OF PHARMACOKINETIC MODEL FOR M1 METABOLITE OF PENTOXYPHYLLINE

Compartmental analysis transformed „phenomenological models” based on physicochemical and physiological considerations and parameters in „best fitting” models which are essentially empirical. In these conditions all the criteria for selection of best fitting as well as criteria for decision concerning the most significant and with highest prediction power are mainly informative, the final decision having to be validated by phenomenological physico-chemical-physiological considerations. Pharmacokinetics of pentoxyphylline and its major active metabolites was studied in a bioequivalence study on 24 healthy volunteers. Paper presents the results of mathematical and phenomenological analysis of case of the major active metabolite “M1”. Schwarz, Akaike, Imbibo and Fisher test indicated monocompartmental model as more adequate than bi and three compartmental model. Since metabolite appears in plasma after absorption of pentoxyphylline and distribution in lipid compartment has to be significant following its physicochemical properties, the actual model include at least three compartments. The explanation for this contradiction was considered to be a consequence of large differences between transfer constants, as a degeneration following large differences between transfer and metabolic parameters. Rezumat Analiza compartimentală a transformat modelele fiziologice bazate pe parametri si considerente fizicochimice si fiziologice in modele care se potrivesc cât mai bine cu datele experimentale, in fapt modele mai degrabă empirice. In aceste condiţii toate criteriile de “cea mai bună fitare” si cea mai bună predicţie devin in primul rând informative si trebuiesc validate de consideraţii fizico-chimice si fiziologice. Farmacocinetica pentoxifilinei si a metaboliţilor săi activi majori a fost determinate in cadrul unui studiu de bioechivalenţă pe 24 de voluntari sănătosi. Lucrarea prezintă rezultatele analizelor matematice si fenomenologice in cazul metabolitului M1. Testele Akaike, Schwarz, Imbibo si F au indicat modelul monocompartimental ca fiind mai adecvat decât modelele bi si tricompartimental. Dat fiind că metabolitul apare in plasmă după absorbţia si metabolizarea pentoxifilinei si că, pornind de la proprietătile sale fizico-chimice ele se distribuie semnificativ in compartimentul lipidic, modelul real trebuie să includă cel puţin trei compartimente. Explicaţia pentru această contradicţie a fost considerată ca fiind o urmare a diferenţelor mari intre constantele de transfer si metabolizare, ducând la un model degenerat in primul rând datorită diferenţelor mari intre parametrii de transfer si cei de metabolizare.
Revisiting the Interplay between Contractual and Relational Governance

A large literature has suggested that both contractual and relational governance mechanisms are at play in interorganizational relationships. In turn, a debate has ensued to determine how formal contracts and relational governance interact in interorganizational relationships. Although this issue has attracted much attention in the extant literature, the nature of the interplay between contractual and relational governance still remains equivocal. To better understand the mutual relationships between contractual and relational governance and their joint impacts on performance, we conduct a meta- analysis of existing literature. Meta-analytic results of 67 studies indicate that contract is positively related to both sides of relational governance—trust and relational norms. Our results also indicate that contract, trust, and relational norms jointly improve satisfaction and relationship performance but not opportunism. These findings provide strong evidence for the complementary arguments of the contractua.
MurAA, catalysing the first committed step in peptidoglycan biosynthesis, is a target of Clp‐dependent proteolysis in Bacillus subtilis

The carboxyvinyl transfer from phosphoenolpyruvate to UDP‐N‐acetylglucosamine is the first committed step in the pathway of peptidoglycan formation. This crucial reaction for bacterial cell growth is catalysed by the MurA enzymes. Gram‐negative bacteria carry one murA gene, whereas in a subgroup of Gram‐positive bacteria two separate paralogues, MurAA and MurAB, exist. This study provides evidence that in the Gram‐positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis, the MurAA protein is specifically degraded by the ClpCP protease. This Clp‐dependent degradation is especially enhanced upon entry into stationary phase, thus ensuring an immediate growth arrest due to stalled murein biosynthesis. The MurAA protein can therefore be addressed as a target of Clp‐dependent regulatory proteolysis such as the transcriptional regulators CtsR, ComK, Spx in B. subtilis, CtrA in Caulobacter crescentus or RpoS in Escherichia coli. Taking into account all other known regulatory targets of ATP‐dependent proteases, MurAA of B. subtilis represents the first example of a metabolic enzyme which is a unique regulatory substrate of Clp‐dependent proteolysis. Its function as a regulatory metabolic checkpoint resembles that of homoserine trans‐succinylase (MetA) in E. coli which is similarly ATP‐dependently degraded.
Theoretical background for market emergence framework : Case: Electricity Distribution Industry

Both the competitive environment and the internal structure of an industrial organization are typically included in the processes which describe the strategic management processes of the firm, but less attention has been paid to the interdependence between these views. Therefore, this research focuses on explaining the particular conditions of an industry change, which lead managers to realign the firm in respect of its environment for generating competitive advantage. The research question that directs the development of the theoretical framework is: Why do firms outsource some of their functions? The three general stages of the analysis are related to the following research topics: (i) understanding forces that shape the industry, (ii) estimating the impacts of transforming customer preferences, rivalry, and changing capability bases on the relevance of existing assets and activities, and emergence of new business models, and (iii) developing optional structures for future value chains and understanding general boundaries for market emergence. The defined research setting contributes to the managerial research questions “Why do firms reorganize their value chains? ”, “Why and how are decisions made? ” Combining Transaction Cost Economics (TCE) and Resource-Based View (RBV) within an integrated framework makes it possible to evaluate the two dimensions of a company’s resources, namely the strategic value and transferability. The final decision of restructuring will be made based on an analysis of the actual business potential of the outsourcing, where benefits and risks are evaluated. The firm focuses on the risk of opportunism, hold-up problems, pricing, and opportunities to reach a complete contract, and finally on the direct benefits and risks for financial performance. The supplier analyzes the business potential of an activity outside the specific customer, the amount of customer-specific investments, the service provider’s competitive position, abilities to revenue gains in generic segments, and long-term dependence on the customer.
Transparency in Cooperative Online Education

The purpose of this article is to discuss the following question: What is the potential of social networking within cooperative online education? Social networking does not necessarily involve communication, dialogue, or collaboration. Instead, the authors argue that transparency is a unique feature of social networking services. Transparency gives students insight into each other’s actions. Cooperative learning seeks to develop virtual learning environments that allow students to have optimal individual freedom within online learning communities. This article demonstrates how cooperative learning can be supported by transparency. To illustrate this with current examples, the article presents NKI Distance Education’s surveys and experiences with cooperative learning. The article discusses by which means social networking and transparency may be utilized within cooperative online education. In conclusion, the article argues that the pedagogical potential of social networking lies within transparency and the ability to create awareness among students.
IEEE 1394: a ubiquitous bus

The IEEE 1394 high-speed serial bus promises to revolutionize the transport of digital data for computers and for professional and consumer electronics products. By providing an inexpensive non-proprietary high-speed method of interconnecting digital devices, IEEE 1394 is a truly universal I/O connection. Its scalable architecture and flexible peer-to-peer topology make 1394 ideal for connecting devices from computers and hard drives, to digital audio and video hardware. Isochronous, just in time delivery, allows low-cost implementations of time-critical multimedia interfaces. This paper examines this IEEE 1394 bus and provides a glimpse into its future potential.
The Price Shareholders Place on Risk

This study directly quantifies the value that equity markets place on companies' gold hedging policies, and examines their interaction with gold's price. The paper first analyses the performance of two companies whose assets are virtually identical, but which have opposite hedging policies. It finds that shareholders do not place any permanent value on hedge policies, but vary the hedge premium and discount in response to changes in gold's price. The result is confirmed by event studies of abnormal returns around the announcement of changes to hedging policies which have only small, inconsistent and short-lived effects on share prices. The second part of the study examines influences on gold beta, and finds that - contrary to expectations - gold beta for large unhedged producers falls below 1 in periods of high and low gold prices. The study's conclusions challenge a number of assumptions in previous hedging analyses, and are only weakly supportive of the standard finance assumption that investments with intuitively higher risks bring higher returns.
Alcohol misuse and mood disorders following traumatic brain injury.

CONTEXT Alcohol abuse and/or dependence (AA/D) and mood disturbance are co-occurring conditions among patients who have had a traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, the relationship between these disorders has not been extensively studied. OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship of AA/D and post-TBI mood disorders and the effect of these conditions on psychosocial outcome. DESIGN Prospective, case-control surveillance study conducted during the first year following trauma. Settings University hospital level I trauma centers and specialized rehabilitation units. Patients One hundred fifty-eight TBI patients with closed head injury with and without a history of AA/D. METHODS We prospectively compared psychiatric, neuropsychological, and psychosocial outcomes among the patients, who were evaluated at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months after trauma. Psychiatric diagnosis was made using a structured clinical interview and DSM-IV criteria. Neuropsychological testing results and quantitative magnetic resonance images were obtained at the 3-month follow-up. RESULTS A history of AA/D was significantly more frequent among patients who developed mood disorders during the first year following TBI. There was also a significantly higher frequency of mood disorders among patients with alcohol abuse relapse. Patients with a history of AA/D had significantly reduced frontal gray matter volumes than did patients without a history of alcohol abuse. In addition, patients who resumed alcohol abuse had decreased medial frontal gray matter volumes and impaired performance in executive tasks. Both AA/D and mood disorders following TBI were associated with a poor vocational outcome. CONCLUSIONS Previous alcohol abuse increases the risk of developing mood disorders after TBI, and emotional disturbance, in turn, increases the risk of alcohol abuse relapse. Alcohol's neurotoxic effects and TBI likely interact to produce greater disruption of the neural circuits that modulate reward, mood, and executive function. Patients with a history of AA/D who also developed mood disorders following TBI had major difficulties resuming a productive life.
Toward an Enhanced Human–Machine Interface for Upper-Limb Prosthesis Control With Combined EMG and NIRS Signals

Advanced myoelectric prosthetic hands are currently limited due to the lack of sufficient signal sources on amputation residual muscles and inadequate real-time control performance. This paper presents a novel human–machine interface for prosthetic manipulation that combines the advantages of surface electromyography (EMG) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to overcome the limitations of myoelectric control. Experiments including 13 able-bodied and three amputee subjects were carried out to evaluate both offline classification accuracy (CA) and online performance of the forearm motion recognition system based on three types of sensors (EMG-only, NIRS-only, and hybrid EMG-NIRS). The experimental results showed that both the offline CA and real-time performance for controlling a virtual prosthetic hand were significantly (p $<$ 0.05) improved by combining EMG and NIRS. These findings suggest that fusion of EMG and NIRS is feasible to improve the control of upper-limb prostheses, without increasing the number of sensor nodes or complexity of signal processing. The outcomes of this study have great potential to promote the development of dexterous prosthetic hands for transradial amputees.
The effects of advertising spending on brand loyalty in services

Purpose – This paper aims to model the effect of advertising spending on brand loyalty by examining the simultaneous effects of advertising spending, store image, perceived quality and satisfaction on brand loyalty.Design/methodology/approach – A proposed model is compared with three competing models of the relationships amongst, and impact of, independent variables on brand loyalty. Data from the banking and discount store services in South Korea are used to examine the indirect effects of customer perceptions of advertising spending on brand loyalty.Findings – Results elucidate the complexity of advertising spending effects on brand loyalty, with mediating roles played by store image, perceived quality and satisfaction. Significant results obtained in both banking and retail services differing in firm‐customer relationships suggest that the findings are robust.Research limitations/implications – Future research might test the proposed research model in other cultures and conduct cross‐cultural compariso.
The investment opportunity set and policy decisions: the association between leverage; dividend; B-BBEE policies and growth opportunity

and keywords . i Declaration . ii Acknowledgements . iii Table of contents . iv List of equations . viii List of tables . ix List of figures . x 1. Chapter 1 Introduction to the research problem . 1 1.1 Research title . 1 1.2 Definition of problem and purpose . 1 1.3 Background to the problem . 4 1.4 Research objective and motivation . 6 2. Chapter 2 – Theory and literature review . 9 2.
Beck Depression Inventory Test Assessment Using Fuzzy Inference System

In this paper, the fuzzy takagi-sugeno method, one of fuzzy inference system, is proposed to evaluate Beck Depression Inventory II Test (BDI II-Test). BDI II-Test is an assessment tool by healthcare professionals and researchers to diagnose someone’s depression level in the fields of psychology and psychiatry. In this case, all the depressed factors; emotional, cognitive, motivational, physical, and delusional; are compiled as fuzzy rules input variables. The sample test case has shown that the Fuzzy Inference System may help in diagnosing all the components resulted by BDI II Test, 21 questions to get membership values, to support the medical treatment decision
LIVER FAILURE AND LIVER DISEASE

The role played by coagulation defects in the occurrence of bleeding in cirrhosis is still unclear. This is partly due to the lack of tests that truly reflect the balance of procoagulant and anticoagulant factors in vivo. Conventional coagulation tests such as prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time are inadequate to explore the physiological mechanism regulating thrombin, because they do not allow full activation of the main anticoagulant factor, protein C, whose levels are considerably reduced in cirrhosis. We used a thrombin generation test to investigate the coagulation function in patients with cirrhosis. Thrombin generation measured without thrombomodulin was impaired, which is consistent with the reduced levels of procoagulant factors typically found in cirrhosis. However, when the test was modified by adding thrombomodulin (i.e., the protein C activator operating in vivo), patients generated as much thrombin as controls. Hence, the reduction of procoagulant factors in patients with cirrhosis is compensated by the reduction of anticoagulant factors, thus leaving the coagulation balance unaltered. These findings help clarify the pathophysiology of hemostasis in cirrhosis, suggesting that bleeding is mainly due to the presence of hemodynamic alterations and that conventional coagulation tests are unlikely to reflect the coagulation status of these patients. In conclusion, generation of thrombin is normal in cirrhosis. For a clinical validation of these findings, a prospective clinical trial is warranted where the results of thrombin generation in the presence of thrombomodulin are related to the occurrence of bleeding. (HEPATOLOGY 2005;41:553–558.)
An integrated lot-size model of deteriorating item for one vendor and multiple retailers considering market pricing using genetic algorithm

In this paper, we propose a model to study influence of pricing and deteriorating rate on the supply chain level net profit and total inventory where genetic algorithm is used for determine the optimal solution. A one-vendor and multi-retailer supply chain for a single deteriorating finished product and raw materials is analyzed. Under the proposed strategy, the vendor buys a non-deteriorating materials to vendor a deteriorating finished product, delivers the finished product to all retailers by common replenishment periods based on VMI (vendor managed inventory) being implemented. All retailers who buy the finished product sell the finished product on their markets. In all of these markets, the finished product in different markets has substitution each other since consumers may have opportunity to buy the finished product from different retailer and Cobb-Douglas demand function is introduced to describe this market attribute. After developing an integrated product-inventory-marketing model for deteriorating product, genetic algorithm is conducted to calculate the optimal pricing and inventory policies. Finally we present the results of a detailed numerical study that analyses the market and deteriorating rate related parameters influence on the supply chain level net profit and inventory level.
Geochemical Evolution of Ground Water in the Great Plains (Dakota) Aquifer of Nebraska: Implications for the Management of a Regional Aquifer System

The Great Plains (Dakota) aquifer system is one of the most extensive in North America extending from the Arctic Circle to New Mexico, and underlies approximately 94% of Nebraska. In Nebraska, we do not have the physical ground water monitoring data at the scale that is necessary to manage ground water flow systems. However, first‐order management strategies for this regional aquifer can be developed by understanding the geochemical evolution of the ground water. Using major‐ion water chemistry data from 203 wells in 19 counties in eastern Nebraska, reconnaissance δ180, δD, and δ87Sr data, and two geochemical models, PHREEQC and SNORM, we determine that modern meteoric water, NaCl brines from underlying formations, and cold glacial melt water are the primary sources for the water in the Dakota Aquifer. Based on these three water sources and the geochemical evolution of the various water types, the following first‐order management strategies are suggested. In areas where CaSO4 and Ca‐Na SO4 type water occur, Pleistocene‐age glacial meltwater is the source. This water supply is not easily renewable. It is recommended that detailed water resource evaluation be conducted before extensive development occurs. The source of Ca (± Mg) HCO3 type water is from recharge by local precipitation and should be managed to maintain them as a renewable resource. In mixed ground water type areas, the ground water chemistry reflects the interaction of two distinct water types, one of which is meteoric water and the other is either CaSO4 and Ca‐Na SO4‐type water or NaCl‐type water. If the relatively fresh ground water is extracted at a rate that changes the location of the interface between the endmembers, then monitoring changes in water chemistry in a well over time could be used as an early warning system for the onset of potential problems related to overpumping.
Modified target and concatenated coding for d=1 constrained magnetic recording channels

A modified E3PRML (ME3PRML) channel with concatenated coding is proposed for d=1 coded magnetic recording channels. First an analytical approach to obtain the optimized target is detailed, and compared with that obtained by search. It is observed that the channel is dominated by single bit error events. A concatenated code with interleaving in conjunction with the 2/3 (1,7) code, and a low-complexity correction method are proposed to detect and correct the dominant error events. For a code rate of 300/459 with 6-way interleaving, the proposed channel provides an improvement of 1.5 dB (including code rate loss) over conventional d=1 E3PRML channel at a bit-error rate of 1E-5, and better robustness to non-linearities than d=0 ME2PRML channel.
Productivity Metrics and Consumers’ Misunderstanding of Time Savings

The marketplace is replete with productivity metrics that put units of output in the numerator and one unit of time in the denominator (e.g., megabits per second [Mbps] to measure download speed). In this article, three studies examine how productivity metrics influence consumer decision making. Many consumers have incorrect intuitions about the impact of productivity increases on time savings: they do not sufficiently realize that productivity increases at the high end of the productivity range (e.g., from 40 to 50 Mbps) imply smaller time savings than productivity increases at the low end of the productivity range (e.g., from 10 to 20 Mbps). Consequently, the availability of productivity metrics increases willingness to pay for products and services that offer higher productivity levels. This tendency is smaller when consumers receive additional information about time savings through product experience or through metrics that are linearly related to time savings. Consumers’ intuitions about time savings are also more accurate when they estimate time savings than when they rank them. Estimates are based less on absolute than on proportional changes in productivity (and proportional changes correspond more with actual time savings).
Experiential Basis of Meaning in a Semantic Associative Test: A Move toward an Embodied Explanation of Primary Metaphor

The concept of meaning has undergone many changes in the course of scientific study of language, thought and behavior. At first, it was explained as something which happens in the mind and then is changed to a product of association of ideas. Today, however, new meaning of meaning has emerged with the emphasis on the experiential basis as has been formulated in the concept of metaphoric expression. In this paper, we report a preliminary study on meaning as measured by a semantic-associative test in four different cultures (Iranian, German, Arabic and American). The findings have been explained in the framework of the primary metaphors and embodiment theory.