Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Consumer Behavior towards Decision Making and Loyalty to Particular Brands

Currently, consumers pay more attention to their health; there is a growing awareness of health benefits of healthy drinks such as the green tea. Green tea is a popular healthy drink that helps prevent many deadly diseases. There are increasing numbers of green tea manufacturers around the world especially in Thailand. This industry has overwhelmingly expanded due to high consumers demand and purchases. Previous studies show that the market of green tea beverage in Thailand is worth nearly 9000 million baht. The most popular green tea brand in Thailand known as “Oishi” accounts for over 50% of the total market share and as a result of the growing demand for this product, its market worth and benefits to the consumers, there is need to look at the consumers’ behavior towards the product. Hence, the purpose of this study is to explore the determinants of consumer behavior and decision making towards loyalty to Oishi green tea. A survey method using well-constructed questionnaire was administered to 50 consumers. The researchers utilized the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 19.0) as data analysis tool to run the analysis such as the Chi-square and correlation analysis. The findings of this study shows that the factors influencing Thai consumer decisions toward Oishi beverage green tea are perception values (brand awareness, brand association and brand loyalty) and perceived quality. In addition, there is a positive link between decision making and consumer loyalty behaviors which are re-purchasing and word-of-mouth behavior. This study discovered that apart from the four main factors well-thought-out in the literature review, there are other numerous factors (such as convenience to buy, taste, flavors, price and packaging) that influence consumer decision to buy and consume the Oishi green tea. Based on these findings, this study provides consciousness for further marketing research development and also the strategies for planning an efficient marketing strategy in responding to consumer needs.
Preconception Leptin and Fecundability, Pregnancy, and Live Birth Among Women With a History of Pregnancy Loss

Abstract Context With the increase of obesity, it is imperative to understand the neuroendocrine mechanisms, including the neuroendocrine hormone leptin, by which obese or overweight women are at increased risk for subfertility and infertility. Objective The objective was to examine associations between preconception serum leptin concentrations, fecundability, pregnancy, and live birth. Design Secondary analysis of a prospective cohort among women with prior pregnancy losses. Setting The study was conducted at four US medical centers (2006 to 2012). Intervention Not available. Materials and Methods Preconception serum leptin concentrations were measured at baseline, and women were followed for up to six menstrual cycles, and throughout pregnancy if they conceived. Discrete Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to assess fecundability odds ratios (FORs) and log-binomial regression to estimate risk ratios (RRs) for pregnancy and live birth. Models were adjusted for age, physical activity, treatment arm, and adiposity, either by measured waist-to-hip ratio or body mass index (BMI). Results High leptin concentrations were associated with decreased fecundability (FOR 0.72, 95% CI 0.58, 0.90), reduced risk of pregnancy (RR 0.87, 95% CI 0.78, 0.96) and live birth (RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.65, 0.89) comparing the upper to the lower tertile. However, adjustment for BMI in lieu of waist-to-hip ratio nullified observed associations. Conclusions In women with a history of pregnancy loss, relations between higher preconception leptin and fecundability were attenuated after adjustment for BMI, although not after adjustment for other markers of adiposity. Leptin may serve as a complementary marker of adiposity for assessment of obesity and reproductive outcomes.
Liver Involvement in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a potentially severe, frequently disabling autoimmune disease with multi-organ involvement. Liver involvement in SLE is not uncommon. It is frequently asymptomatic and limited to liver tests abnormalities. Aim: To detect the frequency and nature of liver involvement in SLE patients and to correlate these with other organ involvement. Patients and Methods: A retrospective study included 200 SLE patients who had admitted at Rheumatology and Rehabilitation department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo university. Patients were classified into two groups Group I (no liver affection) and Group II (with liver affection). These groups were subdivided into subgroups; A (6 patients with AIH), B (194 patients without AIH), C (13 patients with fatty changes), D ( 187 patients without fatty changes), E ( 6 patients with HCV) & F (194 patients without HCV). Patients were subjected to full history taking, clinical examination and laboratory investigations; the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), complete blood count (CBC), serum creatinine, alanine transaminases (ALT), aspartate transaminases (AST), Autoantibodies (ANA and Anti DNA, and Anti LKM), serum complement levels (C3, C4), urine analysis, total albumin in 24 hours urine and HCV by PCR. Liver and renal biopsies were done in selected patients. Patients were also subjected to plain X-ray and abdominal sonography. Assessment of disease damage was measured by using systemic lupus erythematosus international collaborating clinic (SLICC). Results: Liver involvement was found in 23 SLE patients (11%). We classified the 23 patients into 5 major groups: Autoimmune hepatitis in 6 patients (26%), Cholangitis in 1 patient (4.3%), portal venous thrombosis in 2 patients (8.6%), Cirrhosis in 1 patient (4.3%), Liver congestion in 1 patient (4.3%), fatty changes in 13 patients (56.6%), HCV in 6 patients (26%). A significant relation between the age of onset, presence of ascites and SLICC in group A compared to B (p=0.034, p=0.007 and p=0.010 respectively) was found. Conclusion: Liver in SLE is the least organ affected. The younger the age group of lupus patients with AIH, the more the organ damage.
Trade-Offs in Resource Use: Implications for State Economic Development

As resources become scarcer, the trade-offs between alternative uses become more of an issue, particularly when resource utilization is influenced by public investment decisions rather than by the private marketplace. This study examines the extent to which irrigation development of approximately 800,000 acres in the Columbia River Basin stimulates secondary economic activity in Washington State.
Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation and Seasonality on Circulating Cytokines in Adolescents: Analysis of Data From a Feasibility Trial in Mongolia

Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in human populations and has been linked to immune dysfunction. Here we explored the effects of cholecalciferol supplementation on circulating cytokines in severely vitamin D deficient (blood 25(OH)D3 << 30 nmol/L) adolescents aged 12-15 from Mongolia. The study included 28 children receiving 800 IU daily cholecalciferol for 6 months spanning winter and spring, and 30 children receiving placebo during the same period. The levels of 25(OH)D3 were assessed at baseline, three and six months. Twenty-one cytokines were measured in serum at baseline and at six months. The median blood 25(OH)D3 concentration at baseline was 13.7 nmol/L (IQR=10.0-21.7). Supplementation tripled blood 25(OH)D3 levels (p<0.001) and reversed the direction of change for most cytokines (16/21, 86%). Supplementation was associated with elevated interleukin (IL)-6 (p=0.043). The placebo group had reduced MIP-1 (p=0.007) and IL-8 (p=0.034) at six months. These findings suggest that cholecalciferol supplementation and seasonality have a measurable impact on circulating cytokines in adolescents, identifying chemokines as potentially important biomarkers of vitamin D status in this population.
Spectropolarimetric observations of active stars

This paper reports the results of five years (five runs, 23 nights) of spectropolarimetric observations of active stars with the UCL Echelle Spectrograph of the Anglo-Australian Telescope. 225 circularly (and four linearly) polarized spectra were recorded on 28 objects (21 active stars and seven calibration standards) using the new technique of Zeeman-Doppler imaging. To extract polarization echelle spectra from raw frames, we developed a new dedicated automatic software package (called ESpRIT, which utilizes optimal extraction techniques) whose detailed description is given in the paper. For each recorded spectrum, we extract 'mean' polarized and unpolarized profiles using 'least-squares deconvolution', a technique similar to cross-correlation, which can enhance enormously the sensitivity of Zeeman-Doppler imaging, by up to 7.5 mag in flux with respect to a single average line analysis or by 4.5 mag compared with the older technique of Donati et al. in the particular case of a K1 star. Magnetic field is detected unambiguously on 14 objects, namely the weak-line T Tauri star V410 Tau, the pre-main-sequence binary HD 155555, the ZAMS stars AB Dor and LQ Hya, the dwarf flare star CC Eri, the RS CVn systems HR 1099, EI Eri, TY Pyx, CF Tue, SZ Psc, II Peg, IM Peg and IL Hya, and the FK Com star YY Men. Marginal field detections are also obtained for the weak-line T Tauri star HD 283572 and the Herbig Ae star HD 104237. Except on HR 1099 and II Peg, our results represent the first direct field detections ever reported on these objects, and in particular the first direct field detection on as young a star as V410 Tau. Most of the magnetic signatures we detect on cool stars show several sign reversals throughout the line profile, indicating that the parent field structure is rather complex and must feature (as expected) many small-scale magnetic regions of different polarities. For all stars on which Zeeman detections are recorded with sufficient accuracy (namely LQ Hya, CC Eri, HR 1099, El Eri, II Peg, IL Hya and YY Men), differential least-squares deconvolution from both the blue and the red parts of the spectral domain indicates that the magnetic regions we detect are mostly 500 to 1000 K cooler than, and sometimes at the same temperature as, but never warmer than the surrounding photosphere. Serendipitous results include the first detection (i) of small-amplitude radial velocity variations (1.3 kms -1 peak to peak) of the Herbig Ae star HD 104237 with small enough a period (37.5 ± 1 min) that they must be due to stellar pulsations and (ii) of the solar-like secondary component of the RS CVn system IL Hya.
Approximate Prediction-Based Control Method for Nonlinear Oscillatory Systems with Applications to Chaotic Systems

The approximate Prediction-Based Control method (aPBC) is the continuous-time version of the well-known Prediction-Based Chaos Control method applied to stabilize periodic orbits of nonlinear dynamical systems. The method is based on estimating future states of the free system response of continuous-time systems using the solution from the Runge-Kutta implicit method in real time. Some aspects of aPBC are evaluated in the present work, particularly its robustness to low future states estimation precision is exemplified.
Being a droog vs. being a friend: A qualitative investigation of friendship models in Russia vs. Canada

Introduction. A substantial body of work has established that friendship is an important non-kin interpersonal relationship, with many positive outcomes. An issue with this literature is that it originated primarily in anglocentric Euro-American societies, when several studies have shown that the meaning of friendship varies across cultural settings. In particular, linguistic analyses advance that the meaning of friendship in Russian is quite different from that in English. The goal of this study was to seek psychological evidence of these linguistic findings by documenting similarities and differences in people’s understanding of friendship in both cultural contexts. Methods. The research consisted of a qualitative investigation of friendship cultural models among Russian migrants to Canada, through semi-structured interviews that were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis, whereby data segments are coded and codes are gradually refined and streamlined in order to identify the main themes that emerge from the data. Results. Participants’ depictions of friendship in Russian vs. Canadian contexts were largely in line with semantic analyses of friendship in Russian vs. English, with friendship being described as a stronger and deeper bond, but also more demanding in Russia than in Canada. Discussion. The findings support Wierzbicka’s proposal that key terms in a language encapsulate cultural models prevalent among its speakers. The results are also consistent with the existence of close parallels between people’s cultural models and the linguistic ecologies in which they live.
Superfluid phases of $^3$He in nano-scale channels

Confinement of superfluid $^3$He on length scales comparable to the radial size of the p-wave Cooper pairs can greatly alter the phase diagram by stabilizing broken symmetry phases not observed in bulk $^3$He. We consider superfluid $^3$He confined within long cylindrical channels of radius $100\mbox{ nm}$, and report new theoretical predictions for the equilibrium superfluid phases under strong confinement. The results are based on the strong-coupling formulation of Ginzburg-Landau theory with precise numerical minimization of the free energy functional to identify the equilibrium phases and their regions of stability. We introduce an extension of the standard GL strong-coupling theory that accurately accounts for the phase diagram at high pressures, including the tri-crital point and $T_{AB}(p)$ line defining the region of stability for the bulk A-phase. We also introduce tuneable boundary conditions that allow us to explore boundary scattering ranging from maximal to minimal pairbreaking, and report results for the phase diagram as a function of pressure, temperature, and boundary conditions. Four stable phases are found: a polar phase stable in the vicinity of $T_c$, a strongly anisotropic, cylindrical analog of the bulk B phase stable at sufficiently low temperatures, and two chiral A-like phases with distinctly different orbital symmetry, one of which spontaneously breaks rotation symmetry about the axis of the cylindrical channel. The relative stability of these phases depends sensitively on pressure and the degree of pairbreaking by boundary scattering. The broken symmetries exhibited by these phases give rise to distinct signatures in transverse NMR resonance spectroscopy. We present theoretical results for the transverse NMR frequency shifts as functions of temperature, the r.f. pulse tipping angle and the static NMR field orientation.
Imaging and Echelle Spectroscopy via Compressive Sensing by

SWIR Imaging and Echelle Spectroscopy via Compressive Sensing by LinaXu A new sampling theory, called compressive sensing (CS), has re~ently emerged and its fundamental idea can be distilled as: it is possible to obtain near complete recovery of a signal/image from a small set of mixed measurements of it if the signal/image possesses properties akin to sparseness. Based on this theory, we have developed a unique hardware platform for imaging and spectroscopy applications which incorporates a spatial modulator and a single pixel detector. Random projections of the signal/image are applied to the light modulator and the modulated light is focused on the single detector generating a series of photovoltage values which are later used in the image reconstruction. For wavelengths outside the visible spectrum, where it is especially expensive to produce the large detector arrays, this scheme provides a far better solution using a single detector element.
A Randomised Controlled Trial of a Symptom Management Education Package (SMEP) for People with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)

More people die of cardiovascular disease in Australia than from any other condition. Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) is the acute event of the chronic condition coronary heart disease (CHD) represents a continuing spectrum of three conditions and can be divided into unstable angina, non ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Patients’ symptoms in all three conditions are self managed by the first line medication sublingual glycerine trinitrate (SLGTN). The aim of management of ACS is to minimise symptoms and improve quality of life (QOL). Education of this complex medication such as recommended route, timing, side effects, prophylactic use and response to emergency when symptoms are not relieved are essential for the person to be able to effectively self administer the medication. Nitrates such as SLGTN have different biovariabilities and pharmokinetic properties which can have potent adverse effects such as vasodilatation if not taken correctly. Patients self-manage and prevent angina symptoms using SLGTN and rest when they are home; therefore it is essential that they have adequate knowledge of SLGTN and its use. However previous studies have reported patients have poor knowledge of SLGTN and appropriate symptom management.
Acceptance of Privacy-Sensitive Infrastructure Systems: A Case of Smart Metering in The Netherlands

Over recent years there have been several initiatives around the world that aim to roll out smart metering systems, especially within North America and member states of the European Union. Smart metering systems, giving essential conditions for smart grids in the energy sector, can offer services aimed at achieving many different goals beyond the main task of metering electricity consumption of households. Despite the many advantages gained by the smart metering system, there is a number of serious issues that may lead to the system's failure or inability to reach its goals. One such obstacle which can lead to consumers' rejection of smart meters is perceived security and privacy violations of consumers' information. The social rejection of smart meters poses a significant threat to a successful rollout and operation of the system as consumers represent a cornerstone in the fulfillment of goals such as energy efficiency and savings, by their active interaction with the smart meters. To investigate consumers' perception of smart meters theories and models from the technology acceptance literature can be used for understanding consumers' behaviors, and exploring possible factors that can have a significant impact on consumers' acceptance and usage of a smart meter. In this paper, a first-stage hybrid model of a two well-known technology acceptance theories is presented. These theories are: the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Usage of Technology-UTAUT, and Innovation Diffusion Theory-IDT. The hybrid model is further extended with additional acceptance determinants derived from the smart metering case in the Dutch context. The model aims to investigate determinants that can help shed the light on consumers' perception of the system and its acceptance.
Charge Transfer Properties in MEH-PPV/PS:MWCNTs Nanocomposites

The effect of composition and annealing temperature on charge transfer properties, in a donor/acceptor nanocomposites based on poly (2-methoxy-5-(2-ethyhexyl-oxy)-p-phenylenevinylene) (MEH-PPV) and MWCNTs functionalized with Polystyrene (PS:MWCNTs), have been investigated. The quenching of photoluminescence (PL) intensity of pure MEH-PPV, by adding different amounts of functionalized carbon nanotubes, exhibits that a photoinduced charge transfer has been occurred. Charge transfer efficiency was obtained for an acceptable concentration of PS:MWCNTs about 0.5 wt% and at annealed temperature of about 80℃. Quenching efficiency studies imply that MEH-PPV/PS:MWCNTs nanocomposites reveal a high degree of PL quenching, reaching a value of η = 76.9%.
Spatial Econometrics Applied to Study the Influencing Factors of Honey Prices in Brazil

Recently, empirical econometric research has started to take into account the potential bias and loss of efficiency when spatial effects are ignored in the estimation process. The spatial econometrics methods deals with this kind of problem, by incorporating the spatial dependence into model specification. The application of this methodology has wide use, including rural economy, as apiculture. Currently, brazilian beekeeping is undergoing an expressive growth, projecting the country through the honey production and other bee products as well. Although, beekeeping sector has faced some important problems to reduce the deficits that strongly influence the beekeeping chain. Important issues are related to market, especially to understand the factors that influence the honey prices. This study aims to identify socio-economic, technological, management and geographic factors that have influenced the honey prices in Brazil. The analyses were based on classical linear and spatial econometrics regression models. In order to measure spatial dependence the Moran’s Index was applied and the stepAIC and Nagelkerke Pseudo-R² approaches to select the most appropriate model. The best model identified factors linked to improper agricultural practices, access to fund, honey production level, market competition and educational level as target variables that influence the honey prices in Brazil.
Factors Influencing Support for Rural Land Use Control: A Case Study

Agricultural land is being converted into rural residences at an unprecedented rate in the Inter-mountain West. Survey data have been collected for Sublette County, Wyoming concerning preferences for private land use and land use controls. Selected land use controls include zoning, purchase of development rights and cluster development. Local in-migration appears to be driven by the pursuit of open space and environmental amenities. Logit models are estimated for public and private choice co-variates. Private concerns about land use are the chief determinants of land use control approval.
Is ABC Adoption a Success in Australia

It has been asserted that Activity-Based Costing (ABC) is a procedure which improves the accuracy of product/service costing and also assists managers in understanding and evaluating how resources are used across a firm’s value-chain in delivering strategic outcomes. However worldwide adoption rates of ABC are relatively low and, it is claimed that the rate of new adoptions is declining. This could suggest that ABC is not perceived as being successful in delivering expected benefits. Based on a similar research study in the US, this project surveyed a number of Australian organisations to gauge whether they perceived their ABC implementation to be successful or not. The findings indicate that Australian organisations that have fully implemented ABC view it as successful compared with traditional cost management systems, the results being similar but stronger than those found in the US study. This raises the question of why are existing adoption rates relatively low, and the rate of new adoptions allegedly declining.