Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of a genetically modified bacteriophage for use in tracing sources of pollution

Bacteriophage are frequently used as biotracers to identify the source of water pollutants. Genetic manipulation of bacteriophage M13mp18 has been used to enhance this technique by creating a library in which each recombinant bacteriophage genome contains a unique identification sequence. Techniques that identify a recombinant bacteriophage by the presence of the identification sequence, including polymerase chain reaction, restriction site polymorphism and plaque hybridization, have been developed. Recombinant bacteriophage can be used to test a large number of suspected sources simultaneously. The identification sequence also eliminates confusion with natural bacteriophage present in water samples. The performance of the modified bacteriophage and the techniques were assessed in simulated field trials on a restricted site carried out under a consent for environmental release of a genetically modified organism. The techniques were also field tested at sites in northwest England using wild‐type M13 bacteriophage.
Building a Mobile Tourist Guide based on Tourists’ On-Site Information Needs

Mobile information services are gradually supplementing and may in the future even replace traditional information sources to support tourists during on-site stay. The scope of the article is to identify mobile information services, already in the preprototype phase, types and functionalities of which are most relevant to tourists during their urban destination stay. For this aim a user-centered approach using both focus groups and expert surveys is proposed. In addition, multiple regression based on acceptance data gathered from 705 tourists allows the deduction of potentially accepted mobile information services targeted to the specific destination use. Finally, by drawing on these results, the architectural framework as well as the various building and implementation steps of a mobile tourist guide called innsbruck.mobile are discussed.
The customer in the sociology of work: different ways of going beyond the management–worker dyad

Customers play a key part in the working experience of a significant proportion of the working class in contemporary service work. This e-special issue features articles selected from previous issues of Work, Employment and Society which have made significant contributions to our understanding of the role of the customer within the social relations of interactive service work. This introduction argues that the literature in this area is implicitly comprised of three approaches: an approach which sees worker–customer relations merely as an additional dimension; an approach which sees the customer’s role as having knock-on implications for a limited number of dimensions of work organization; and an approach which sees implications of the customer across the whole of work organization. The contributions of the e-special articles are brought out by positioning them within these approaches. This introduction ends with a consideration of strengths and weaknesses in the three approaches.
Differential effects of uninostril and alternate nostril pranayamas on cardiovascular parameters and reaction time

Background: Recent studies have reported the differential physiological and psychological effects of yogic uninostril breathing (UNB) and alternate nostril breathing (ANB) techniques. This study aims to determine differential effects of these techniques on reaction time (RT), heart rate (HR), and blood pressure (BP). Materials and Methods: Twenty yoga-trained subjects came to the lab on six different days and RT, HR, and BP were recorded randomly before and after nine rounds of right UNB (surya nadi [SN]), left UNB (chandra nadi [CN]), right initiated ANB (surya bhedana [SB]), left initiated ANB (chandra bhedana [CB]), nadi shuddhi (NS), and normal breathing (NB). Results: Overall comparison of ∆ % changes showed statistically significant differences between groups for all parameters. There was an overall reduction in HR- and BP-based parameters following CB, CN, and NS with concurrent increases following SB and SN. The differential effects of right nostril initiated (SB and SN) and left nostril initiated (CB, CN, and NS) UNB and ANB techniques were clearly evidenced. Changes following NB were insignificant in all respects. The overall comparison of ∆ % changes for RT showed statistically significant differences between groups that were significantly lowered following both SB and SN. Discussion and Conclusion: Our study provides evidence of sympathomimetic effects of right nostril initiated pranayamas with sympatholytic/parasympathomimetic effect following left nostril initiated pranayamas. We suggest that the main effect of UNB and ANB techniques is determined by the nostril used for inspiration rather than that used for expiration. We conclude that right and left yogic UNB and ANB techniques have differential physiological effects that are in tune with the traditional swara yoga concept that air flow through right nostril (SN and pingala swara) is activatory in nature, whereas the flow through left nostril (CN and ida swara) is relaxatory.
Assessment of the accuracy of physical activity questionnaire occupational data.

The validity and reliability of occupational physical activity data from survey instruments were determined in 75 men and women (age 23 to 59 years) in white-collar jobs. Data were validated against measures of cardiorespiratory fitness, body fatness, motion detection, pulmonary function, and 12 days of occupational physical activity records. More than 90% of occupational physical activity was spent in light-intensity sitting, standing, and walking. Test-retest reliability was high for most occupational questions (r > or = .63, P < .05). Correlation coefficients between questionnaire data and validation criteria that reflect heavy-intensity physical activity were low (r < .17, P > .05). The modified Tecumseh Occupational Questionnaire and Seven-Day Recall, which classified occupational physical activity in hours per week worked and average level of ratio of associated metabolic rate for a specific activity divided by the resting metabolic rate, on the job, correlated best with physical activity records (r = .11 to .47). Validation of these self-administered questionnaires in populations with a greater diversity of jobs and occupational energy requirements is needed.
THE TREND AND PATTERN OF INCOME TAXATION IN INDIA

The Income Tax department in India is responsible for policy formulation and planning for direct taxes and for administering direct tax laws like the Income-tax Act, Wealth-tax Act and various Finance Acts passed during every budget session. Today it is the biggest revenue mobiliser for the government. Direct tax collections had seen tremendous growth due to policy innovations,rationalization of tax structure, improvement in tax administration and tax payer’s services through intensive use of technology. The economic crisis of 1991 led to structural tax reforms in India with main purpose of correcting the fiscal imbalance. In India steps are taken to improve the tax GDP ratio by augmenting tax collections by improving tax administration by leveraging technology and facilitating public interface, where required, through appropriate training and capacity building. This article discusses on origin and evolution of Income Tax, income tax structure, expenditure incurred by the Indian government to collect taxes and direct tax GDP ratio.The Direct Tax Collection as a percentage of GDP is doubled as a result of improved tax administrati on and better tax compliance.
Takeovers of targets lacking analyst coverage

We hypothesise that the market for targets that are uncovered (do not receive analyst coverage) is not as competitive as the market for targets that are covered (receive analyst coverage). We find that valuation effects are more favourable (or less unfavourable) for bidders that pursue uncovered targets while controlling for other factors. Furthermore, the adverse effect of relatively large deal size on bidder valuation effects is reduced when the target is not covered. Overall, the results suggest that the market for uncovered targets is less competitive. While some bidders may screen these targets out because of their limited visibility, transparency and information, bidders that pursue uncovered targets may be able to extract hidden value, and therefore offset the high premium paid for targets.
Auditor Selection: What Influences Decisions by Listed Companies?

Major business failures, including Enron and WorldCom in the United States and Harris Scarfe and HIH in Australia, and related alleged audit failures, have put the choice of auditor on the agenda. The choice of the right auditor has economic consequences for an auditee and implications for corporate governance. Factors important to explaining auditor choice are discussed, including institutional factors (pertaining to the auditee and auditor) and newer emerging criteria as well as networking between directors and auditors. Relevant research and the policy implications for good corporate governance of auditor choice in publicly listed companies are explored.
Are Low-Income Canadians Financially Literate? Placing Financial Literacy in the Context of Personal and Structural Constraints

This article argues that financial literacy varies across socioeconomic groups and their neighborhoods, in part because of the adult learning that occurs within a local context. The study begins by explaining that financial literacy needs vary across socioeconomic groups and that there are important structural factors affecting the financial well-being of low-income people. Drawing on data from qualitative field research undertaken in three Canadian inner cities, it then moves to examine low-income respondents’ financial literacy. The results show that many low-income respondents evidenced financial literacy in that many learned to cope with strict budgets, used diversified activities to raise their income, constrained their credit, and were reasonably knowledgeable about relevant government programs and banking services. Where particular constraints were noted in financial literacy, they related to detailed knowledge about institutional policies and attitudes about deeper financial and life goals.
Affine Currency Pricing Model with Regime Switching

Recent emprical studies show that, while uncovered interest parity fails at short horizons, there is more support for UIP at longer horizons. In this paper I show how these different results for UIP can be explained with a single model. The propsed model is a discrete-time affine stochastic discount factor model that allows for switching in mean and variance of the pricing kernel. Estimates of the model show that it can reproduce complex dynamics observed in the data.
Response to: The Ongoing Debate about the Impact of the 150-Hour Education Requirement on the Supply of Certified Public Accountants

ABSTRACT : In an earlier paper in this journal, Allen and Woodland (2006; hereafter AW) provided evidence that the 150-hour education requirement for licensure significantly reduced the number of candidates taking and passing the CPA exam, but had little effect on pass rates. Gramling and Rosman (2009; hereafter GR) extended AW by examining the number of candidates based on whether the 150-hour requirement applies to the exam or for licensure, concluding that the 150-hour requirement does not reduce the number of candidates taking and passing the exam. In this paper, we reopen the discussion of whether the 150-hour education requirement affects entrants into the accounting profession by comparing the AW and GR research designs and conclusions. We conclude that the GR research design yields results about whether differences in 150-hour implementation methods affect the number of candidates taking and passing the exam, but does not directly provide evidence about whether the 150-hour education requirement .
Basic Science of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy: Molecular and Electrophysiological Mechanisms

Electromechanical dyssynchrony can markedly worsen heart failure (HF) morbidity and mortality, independent of traditional risk factors.1–4 Depending on the metric used, current estimates of the prevalence of dyssynchrony vary from 25–30% in patients with HF (based on QRS widening) up to 60%, based on tissue Doppler or MRI measures of dyssynchronous contraction of the left ventricle (LV). 5,6 Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) or biventricular pacing has emerged as a promising option to treat patients with HF and dyssynchronous contraction.7–9 The past few decades have seen the rise of pharmacotherapy, primarily through agents that antagonize the effect of excessive concentrations of circulating neurohormones, yet, HF-related morbidity and mortality remain high.3–6 Biventricular stimulation has been demonstrated to improve contractile performance in patients with mechanical dyssynchrony acutely and chronically while also prolonging long-term survival—something not yet achieved by drug therapy.10 Although the clinical and mechanical effectiveness of CRT are well described, 30% of patients do not benefit from CRT and clinical criteria to identify CRT nonresponders remain elusive8,11,12 Currently, the most widely used predictor of reverse remodeling is the presence of marked mechanical dyssynchrony before CRT, as indexed by the width of the QRS.13 Mechanical dyssynchrony seems important, yet imaging-based measures have not predicted response well14 and even improvement in dyssynchrony after initiation of CRT only weakly predicts chronic response.15 Limited understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying reverse cardiac remodeling induced by CRT has hampered the selection of potential responders. In this review, we focus on the electrophysiological aspects and molecular networks underlying the benefits of CRT. We will review how CRT homogenizes regional differences in stress kinase signaling and electric remodeling and then review its global effect on myocyte function and its …
Trade Policy and Integration Among Firms Producing Complementary Products.

This paper studies the effects on insurance premiums and consumer welfare when commissions to insurance agencies exist and are used strategically to sell insurance policies. The opportunistic behavior of agency insurers that sell the policy paying the highest commission is considered. Different market structures are considered, namely: a duopoly of insurers that compete in commissions (insurer competition), collusion among insurers with agency insurers remaining independent (horizontal collusion or insurer monopoly) and collusion between insurers and agency insurers (vertical integration or exclusive agents). We find that insurer competition and vertical integration trigger higher premiums than horizontal collusion with independent agencies. Furthermore, we argue that the optimal commission from the consumer viewpoint may be greater than the commission offered under any of the above three market structures.
Joint Modeling of Longitudinal and Survival Data via a Common Frailty

Summary We develop a joint model for the analysis of longitudinal and survival data in the presence of data clustering. We use a mixed effects model for the repeated measures that incorporates both subject‐ and cluster‐level random effects, with subjects nested within clusters. A Cox frailty model is used for the survival model in order to accommodate the clustering. We then link the two responses via the common cluster‐level random effects, or frailties. This model allows us to simultaneously evaluate the effect of covariates on the two types of responses, while accounting for both the relationship between the responses and data clustering. The model was motivated by a study of end‐stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis, where we wished to evaluate the effect of iron treatment on both the patients' hemoglobin levels and survival times, with the patients clustered by enrollment site.
The free vascularized fibular graft for bridging large skeletal defects of the upper extremity

Large skeletal defects of the upper extremity pose a serious clinical problem with potentially deleterious effects on both function and viability of the limb. Recent advances in the microsurgical techniques involved in free vascularized bone transfers for complex limb injuries have dramatically improved limb salvage and musculoskeletal reconstruction. This study evaluates the clinical and radiographic results of 18 patients who underwent reconstruction of large defects of the long bones of the upper extremity with free vascularized fibular bone grafts. Mean patient age was 27 years (7−43 years) and mean follow‐up was 4 years (1−10 years). The results confirm the value of vascularized fibular grafts for bridging large bone defects in the upper extremity. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery 2011.
Cleaning up water? Or building rural community? Community watershed organizations in Pennsylvania.

Recent initiatives from state and federal government agencies have helped foster the formation of community-based watershed organizations. Although there is a great deal of enthusiasm about the potential of these organizations to enhance water quality, relatively little attention has been paid to the impacts these organizations may have on the well-being of rural communities more generally. Assessments of effectiveness have typically focused on specific activities and accomplishments, rather than a broader range of community-based effects. In short, we ask whether community-based environmental management improves community as well as environment. Our research utilized a mixed-methods design, including a statewide mail survey of all Pennsylvania watershed organizations, followed by in-depth interviews with 28 rural watershed organizations. This sequential approach progressively explored in more detail definitions of effectiveness, including the building of rural capacity. We find watershed organizations are potentially effective mechanisms for building local leadership, enhancing the skill so f rural residents, and making valuable connections with other communities, facing similar water-resource and rural-development issues. However, the range of issues with which local watershed organizations engage and the methods they currently utilize may eventually limit their usefulness.
The Mechanism of Vascularized Lymph Node Transfer for Lymphedema: Natural Lymphaticovenous Drainage

Background: Vascularized lymph node flap transfer for the treatment of upper and lower limb lymphedema has had promising results. This study was performed to investigate the mechanism of lymph drainage of a vascularized lymph node flap both experimentally and clinically. Methods: In the experimental study, 18 Sprague-Dawley rats were used to create 36 flaps, either a groin lymph node flap or an abdominal cutaneous flap that did not contain lymph nodes. Indocyanine green dye was injected into the edge of 12 lymph node flaps, directly into a lymph node of 12 lymph node flaps, and into the edge of 12 cutaneous flaps. In the clinical study, an identical study design was used, with 24 vascularized lymph node flaps and 12 cutaneous flaps not containing lymph nodes. Results: Experimentally, fluorescence was detected in the pedicle vein after a mean latency period of 153 ± 129 seconds when the edge of the lymph node flap was injected and 12.8 ± 8.1 seconds when the lymph node was directly injected. Fluorescence was not detected in the pedicle vein of the cutaneous flaps (p < 0.01). Clinically, fluorescence was detected in the pedicle vein after a mean latency period of 346 ± 249 seconds when the edge of the lymph node flap was injected and 23.5 ± 27.1 seconds when the lymph node was directly injected. Fluorescence was not detected in the pedicle vein of the cutaneous flaps (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The vascularized lymph node flap drains lymph into the pedicle vein, both experimentally and clinically. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, V.
Prevalence and Overtesting of True Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia in a 591-Bed Tertiary Care, Teaching Hospital

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia type II (HIT) is a rare but potentially fatal antibody-mediated reaction to all forms of heparin (unfractionated heparin, low-molecular weight heparin, heparin flushes, and heparin-coated catheters), which can lead to HIT with thrombosis. Two tests commonly used to screen for HIT include the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and serotonin release assay (SRA). This is a retrospective chart review study conducted from January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2014, to estimate the rate of true HIT in critical care patients at Winthrop-University Hospital, located in Mineola, New York. Patients are classified as positive for HIT if both ELISA and SRA immunoassays are positive. We reviewed 507 heparin immunoassays, excluding 64 who had an inappropriate ELISA test sent due to no administration of heparin, enoxaparin, or heparin lock flush at this or previous hospital stays at Winthrop. Of the 443 heparin immunoassays, ELISA results were positive for 66 patients (15.1%), and only 11 (2.5%) patients had true cases of HIT with a 95% confidence interval of 1.3% to 4.4%. The 4T score for those with true HIT (median: 5.0) was statistically higher compared to those without true HIT (median: 2.0; P < .001). Despite guidelines in place, overtesting for HIT is still a prevalent issue.
FISCAL AUTONOMY OF SUB-CENTRAL GOVERNMENTS

State and local governments in OECD countries have access to a variety of fiscal resources. Discretion over these resources varies considerably, and so does sub-central governments’ power to shape public service delivery. The design of fiscal autonomy affects sub-central government’s behaviour and determines outcomes like public sector efficiency, equity in access to public services or the long term fiscal stance. This paper provides data and interpretation on the fiscal resources of sub-central government in OECD countries. It presents a set of fiscal autonomy indicators such as revenue and expenditure decentralisation, tax autonomy, intergovernmental grants and the stringency of fiscal rules. In sum, the statistics show that taxes are still the most significant revenue source for subcentral governments but that only a part is under their effective control. Fiscal autonomy is further reduced by a high percentage of earmarked grants. The design of fiscal federalism varies considerably across countries, and factor analysis reveals almost no correlation between different fiscal autonomy indicators. Indeed, “fiscal autonomy” appears to have several dimensions.