Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Smell discrimination and identification scores in Thai adults with normosmia

Abstract Background Olfactory function can be assessed using quantitative or qualitative tests. The phenyl ethyl alcohol (PEA) olfactory threshold test is a useful quantitative test by which to detect olfactory thresholds and to classify them into normosmia, hyposmia, and anosmia. Qualitative tests of olfaction include the smell discrimination and identification tests, which are helpful in diagnosing several neurological diseases. Objectives To identify normal values of smell discrimination and identification scores as references for Thai adults. Methods We prospectively recruited 128 healthy participants with normosmia as measured by the PEA olfactory threshold test and tested them for smell discrimination and identification scores. Results The participants included 64 men and 64 women with age ranging from 18 to 60 years and a mean age of 35.9 years. Median score (interquartile range) of smell discrimination was 16 (13.5-16.0) and mean score (± standard deviation) of smell identification was 8 ± 1.5. The ability of women to discriminate and identify smells was significantly better than that of men as shown by a lower olfactory threshold and higher discrimination and identification scores. Conclusions Our study provides normal values for smell discrimination and identification scores in Thai adults, which may be used as references in clinical practice and research. The ability to identify smells may be influenced by individual experience and cultural backgrounds.
Understanding Financial Instability: Minsky Versus the Austrians

Abstract Although Minsky’s interpretation of Keynes’s macroeconomics and essential message clashes with authoritative alternative interpretations, it has become increasingly influential during the years following the Global Financial Crisis, even in mainstream circles. This paper offers a critical evaluation of Minsky’s Financial Instability Hypothesis from the perspective of the alternative Austro-Wicksellian paradigm. Although some of the similarities and/or analogies between Minsky’s approach and that of the Austrian School suggest a more than merely superficial affinity between the two theoretical frameworks and although some scope for cross-fertilization between both approaches can be found, both theoretically and empirically, at a fundamental conceptual level both theories remain incompatible and difficult if not impossible to reconcile, in particular in terms of fundamental causality and in terms of policy conclusions and prescriptions. Despite the fact that Minsky’s policy conclusions are multifaceted and somewhat eclectic, they manifest a lack of familiarity with the conclusions of the Austrian analysis of the problems of central planning by Big Players such as Big Bank and Big Government. Both approaches also offer contrasting interpretations of the historical experience of the Global Financial Crisis.
Planning and organisation of teachers' Continuous Professional Development in schools in England

The senior leadership team promotes commitment among staff to the whole school as well as to the department, key stage or year group Members of staff see the school improvement plan as relevant and useful for teaching and learning Staff development time is used effectively to realise school improvement priorities Formal training provides opportunities for staff to develop professionally Teachers are helped to develop skills to assess pupils’ work in ways that move their pupils on in their learning
Efficient Use of Behavioral Tools to Reduce Electricity Demand of Domestic Consumers

Abstract Purpose: The present study investigated the main literature on the subject of methods and policies for reducing the electricity demand of domestic consumers, in order to identify the place of behavioral tools. Methodology: We used secondary sources, performing a literature review, together with analysis and synthesis. Findings: Policy makers prefer to use tools offered by neoclassical economics, such as various forms of taxation, fines and financial incentives in order to make domestic electricity consumers save electricity, on the assumption that consumers will make rational decisions while maximizing their personal benefit. However, studies conducted in recent years in the field of behavioral economics, which are based on the assumption that consumers’ decisions are not rational and are affected by cognitive biases, showed that the use of behavioral tools, such as detailed online information (feedback),social comparison information, information on varying rates (dynamic pricing) and general information (advertising campaign), are tools that are not less appropriate than the ones the neoclassical economics offers, mainly because electricity is an invisible product and consumers are unable to assess it by normal cognitive measures. Using an interdisciplinary combination of behavioral tools that come from a variety of approaches taken from a wide variety of different academic fields, it is possible to receive efficient results in the endeavor of reducing electricity demand. Implications: Although the neoclassical economics still remains the fundamental theory used by policymakers, it is recommended to consider behavioral economics as a complementary approach to the neoclassical economics, and combine behavioral tools in the policymakers’ toolbox, especially when those tools do not require a significant financial investment, thus efficiently maximizing the reduction of electricity demand among domestic consumers. These theoretical results will be used for designing future empirical researches on the efficiency of behavioral tools in changing the pattern of electricity consumers’ behavior.
Palynostratigraphy and vegetation changes during the early Middle Pleistocene, based on new studies of deposits from Ferdynandów (central eastern Poland)

Abstract New palynological data from the Ferdynandów site are presented and interpreted against the background of the earlier division of this stratotype pollen sequence by Janczyk-Kopikowa (1975), with special attention to a comparison with the nearest profile of a complete Ferdynandovian succession in Łuków (Łuków Plain). The proposed division of the new pollen diagram from Ferdynandów - into two warm periods of interglacial rank separated by a succession typical of glacial periods - is based on the new division of the Ferdynandovian pollen sequence s.l. , applied for the first time by Mamakowa (1996) to the Podgórze B1 pollen profile close to Nowe Miasto on the Pilica river. The two warm units and the cold one between them in the new pollen diagram from the Ferdynandów site correspond to the climatostratigraphic units named Ferdynandovian 1 and 2. Together with the cooling/glaciation (Ferdynandovian 1/2) separating them, the whole Ferdynandovian sequence s.l. can be related to the early Middle Pleistocene Cromerian Complex (Cromerian II Westerhoven and Cromerian III Rosmalen) and Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 13-15.
The Changing Role of the Service Sector in an Innovation-Oriented Economy

Abstract The development of a service economy and the more and more noticeable phenomenon of servicization have become inseparable elements in the evolution of the modern economy. The goal of this paper is to analyse the impact of servicization on selected economies, both in terms of GDP and employment structure, as well as on changes in foreign trade. The secondary, but still important aim is to examine the relationship between servicization and innovation processes. Based on the conducted research, it can be stated that the process of servicization occurs in both developed post-industrial economies and increasingly often in developing countries. Moreover, the analysis of the relationship between the general level of innovation in the economy and the degree of its servicization, showed that in many countries higher innovation is often associated with a stronger role of the service sector in the economy. The dynamics of structural change taking place in the “deagrarianization-deindustrialization-servicization” chain is therefore substantially influenced by technological progress.
Coinheritance of Southeast Asian ovalocytosis and the β-thalassemia trait in a Malay family

Abstract Background Southeast Asian ovalocytosis (SAO) is a red blood cell membrane disorder caused by a 27 base pair (bp) deletion in the SLC4A1 that transcribes to a truncated variant of band-3 glycoprotein. β-Thalassemia is another red blood cell disorder, caused by mutant alleles in the β-globin gene that lead to globin chain impairment. Both conditions occur in Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia. Objectives This report describes hematological and molecular features of a patient with both SAO and β-thalassemia and her children. Methods A 58-year-old Malay woman presented to our clinic with dizziness, tiredness, and easy fatigability. She was mildly anaemic. Analysis of her complete blood counts and her peripheral blood smear revealed microcytic hypochromic anaemia with large numbers of macro-ovalocytes and stomatocytes. Results Hemoglobin and globin gene studies revealed heterozygous β-thalassemia, and further analysis demonstrated a heterozygous 27 bp deletion on the SLC4A1 gene consistent with SAO. Analysis of the patient’s offspring showed co-inheritance of β-thalassemia and SAO in her elder daughter and son, and SAO alone in another daughter. Conclusions High frequencies of SAO and different β-thalassemia mutations are present in the Malaysian population, thus coinheritance of SAO and β-thalassemia is not uncommon. However, this coinheritance is rarely reported, possibly because the red blood cell indices are overlooked and peripheral smear examinations are not routine.
Innovation enablers: A review of Turkish contractors’ collaborative activities and sources of information

Abstract This study attempts to examine the differences in the collaborative activities between the Turkish contracting firms that are listed as the “Top 225 International Contractors” by Engineering News Record (ENR), according to their international revenues, and other large contracting firms that are not on this list. For this purpose, 30 large-scale Turkish general contracting firms, including 15 listed by the ENR, have been examined in terms of their collaborations during the innovation process as well as the levels of significance for the sources of information that serve as the means of “sources of innovation”. Results show some remarkable differences between the top-listed firms and other largescale contracting companies. The levels of importance indicated for the collaborations made with “universities and research institutions” and the sources of information “conferences, fairs and exhibitions” and “scientific/technical publications” show remarkable differences between the two groups of companies. Contractors who are not ENR listed are more active in making collaborations. While the number of collaborations is increasing in the timeline, both groups of contractors indicate the most important collaborations as “consultants, private R&D institutions” and “suppliers”. Findings also show a decreasing interest against collaborations with universities. Finally, findings of the research are discussed in the context of innovation, expecting to contribute to international contracting firms in evaluating their innovation approaches to their competitive advantage.
Crystal structure of 2-(2-bromophenyl)-5-ethyl-1,3-dioxane-5-carboxylic acid, C13H15BrO4

Abstract C13H15BrO4, orthorhombic, Pbca (no. 61), a = 15.894(3) Å, b = 7.6064(16) Å, c = 21.571(4) Å, V = 2607.8(9) Å3, Z = 8, Rgt(F) = 0.0268, wRref(F2) = 0.0702, T = 296(2) K.
The Effect of Institutional Quality on Bank Lending in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries

Abstract This paper examines the effect of institutional quality on lending by banks in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) group of countries. The methodology included the estimation of a reduced form regression equation utilizing cross country data for a range of variables capturing institutional quality. The empirical findings provide evidence that conventional institutional quality measured by: the time taken to enforce a contract, regulatory quality, the rule of law and government effectiveness; are inversely correlated with the lending by the banks, among other factors. Interestingly, our findings revealed that Sharia financing legislation to be positive and statistically significantly correlated with bank lending. Our main policy implication is that strengthening the domestic conventional institutional quality in the GCC countries is vital in order to facilitate effective lending by banks.
Matching ontologies for context

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés. Matching ontologies for context Jérôme Euzenat, Antoine Zimmermann, Marta Sabou, Mathieu d’Aquin
Market Imperfections and Income Distribution

Abstract This paper aims to search links between market imperfections and functional income distribution. For this purpose we construct a two-sector model – wage goods and luxury goods producing sectors – incorporating imperfections of the product and labor markets under income inequality. In a structure with interdependent and partially monopolistic and competitive markets, we analytically trace up the effects of the changes in power relations proxied by the degree of mark-ups in the product and labor market. The model shows that price and wage mark-ups in two sectors have crucial income distribution implications for the agents in the economy to varying extents. It also demonstrates the effect of the existence of the differentiated consumption patterns arising from income inequality on income distribution. Furthermore, it seems that unemployment level creates externalities on wage rate and on corporate taxes of firms.
Towards Tourism Sustainability: General Aspects and Empirical Evidence of the Italian Experience at Decentralized Level, with Specific Reference to Sicily

Abstract Even though the concepts and observations underlying sustainability are not a novelty, sustainable development was given impetus and made popular in 1987 by the Brundtland Report. This report introduced development policies and strategies that acknowledged the importance of resource and environmental constraints and the limitations imposed on growth patterns. Although sustainable development proved difficult to define and make operative, the concept was progressively applied to those economic sectors which had major detrimental effects on income, employment and wealth. Sustainable tourism was effectively one part of the effort to take full account of the current and future economic, social and environmental impacts of the sector, addressing the needs of visitors, industry, environment and host communities. After reviewing the main questions referring to the environmental, economic and social aspects of tourism development, this paper tries to identify a balanced indicator showing the impact of tourist accommodation facilities and related infrastructure in Sicily in terms of the three fundamental pillars of sustainability. Based on this indicator, the ranking of the nine Sicilian provinces is provided. In a wider perspective, the proposed approach is applied to make a comparison of tourism sustainability in Sicily and in other Italian regions.
Human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome in Asia: an update

Abstract Prevalence estimates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in Asia are diverse, ranging from <0.1% to 1.1%. In Asia, approximately 4.7 million people are living with HIV and 310,000 are newly infected each year. The fastest growth of the epidemic throughout Asia is among men who have sex with men (MSM). Drug resistance varies from 4%-5% in an Asian cohort to 10% in an acutely infected MSM cohort in Bangkok. A rise (4%-14%) in the prevalence of syphilis is associated with the HIV epidemic in Asia. Tuberculosis is among the most common coinfections; however, HIV testing of tuberculosis patients is not routine. Coinfection with HBV, HCV, and triple coinfection varies from 8.7%-11%, 5%-18%, and 0.4%-3% respectively. Although the World Health Organization 2013 guidelines to start antiretroviral therapy (ART) early are implemented, most patients present late, with low CD4 counts, resulting in a high mortality during the first year of ART. While integrase inhibitor-based treatments are preferred first-line treatments in high income countries, efavirenz-based treatments remain preferred treatments in resource-limited countries. HIV-1 viral load testing is not available in most of these countries, making low-cost point-of-care testing accessibility an urgent priority. Effective ART coverage to prevent new HIV infections among children in Asia remains low. To provide life-long ART for children, better use of current first-line regimens and access to pediatric second-line formulations are important. To end AIDS in Asia by 2030, committed policy with innovative strategies to enhance “reach recruit, treat and retain” combined with effective prevention strategies are required.
Bayesian optimal design of fixed knockout tournament brackets

Abstract We present a methodology for finding globally optimal knockout tournament designs when partial information is known about the strengths of the players. Our approach involves maximizing an expected utility through a Bayesian optimal design framework. Given the prohibitive computational barriers connected with direct computation, we compute a Monte Carlo estimate of the expected utility for a fixed tournament bracket, and optimize the expected utility through simulated annealing. We demonstrate our method by optimizing the probability that the best player wins the tournament. We compare our approach to other knockout tournament designs, including brackets following the standard seeding. We also demonstrate how our approach can be applied to a variety of other utility functions, including whether the best two players meet in the final, the consistency between the number of wins and the player strengths, and whether the players are matched up according to the standard seeding.
Sequence analysis of Plasmodium falciparum SERCA-type pfATPase6 in field isolates collected along Thai-Cambodian border

Abstract Background Polymorphisms in the P. falciparum gene for ATPase6 (pfATPase6) have been proposed as markers for artemisinin resistance, though the precise artemisinin binding pocket has not yet been comprehensively investigated in cases of treatment failure from along the Thai-Cambodian border. Objective To investigate the specific regions of pfATPase6 in adequate clinical and parasitological response and treatment failures from Thai-Cambodian border. Methods We examined polymorphisms in pfATPase6 by sequence analysis in parasites collected from 164 patients with uncomplicated malaria showing variable clinical phenotypes (13 cases of treatment failure and 151 adequate clinical and parasitological response) from adjacent areas on either side of the Thai-Cambodian border during the period 2005-2007. We investigated potential correlations between putative binding pocket polymorphisms with clinical response. Results The majority of DNA sequences coding for the proposed artesunate binding pocket (M3, M5, and M7 helices) and the regions around Ser769 were conserved in parasite populations collected from patients in both study sites, regardless of clinical outcome. Conclusions The previously proposed areas of pfATPase6 did not appear to vary based on clinical outcome in a large number of patients from Southeast Asia, suggesting these regions are unlikely to be useful as molecular markers of resistance in clinical specimens from the Southeast Asian region.
Corporate Governance for A.S.E. Listed Firms

Abstract The present paper focuses on the level of compliance and application of corporate governance from the corporations listed in the Athens Stock Exchange (A.S.E.) and attempts to highlight improvements from the adoption of best practices suggested by corporate governance recent trends worldwide. In order for the research to be conducted, a series of qualitative and quantitative variables were used, as derived from the financial statements of 162 public companies. A more extensive analysis regarding the level of compliance with corporate governance was conducted in 25 companies with the highest and 25 corporations with the lowest score, whose classification in these positions was the result of a rating system that was created for this purpose.
Risk factors for intracerebral hemorrhage after treatment with recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator for acute ischemic stroke

Abstract Background Acute stroke is a common neurological disorder. Intravenous recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) treatment is recommended for treatment of patients with acute ischemic stroke. A major side effect of rt-PA is intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Studies of the risks for ICH after rt-PA treatment in Asian populations are limited. Objective To determine risk factors for intracerebral hemorrhage after treatment of acute ischemic stroke with rt-PA and create online tool to calculate the risk. Methods We reviewed all patients with acute ischemic stroke who received treatment with rt-PA within 4.5 hours of stroke onset at the stroke fast track unit, Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University, Thailand. The study period was between November 2008 and September 2011. Factors associated with ICH after rt-PA treatment were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression. Results There were 162 patients with acute ischemic stroke who received rt-PA treatment within 4.5 hours. Of those, 12 patients (7.41%) developed ICH. Only baseline modified Rankin scale score was significantly associated with ICH. The adjusted odds ratio was 1.733 (95% CI 1.008 to 2.982). An online tool to calculate the risk is available at http://202.28. 94.20/research/. Conclusions Intracerebral hemorrhage after rt-PA treatment of patients with acute stroke was low at 7.41% and related to baseline functional status.
The development and application of the ABCDE-health literacy scale for Thais

Abstract Background The 7th Global Conference on Health Promotion was held in 2009. The World Health Organization advocated focus on the development of health literacy (HL), which refers to cognitive and social skills of individuals to access, understand, and use information to promote and maintain a healthy life. Objectives To synthesize and develop an ABCDE (alcohol, baccy, coping, diet, and exercise) HL Scale for Thai adults, to evaluate their HL, and to determine whether the path model of HL influences health outcomes. Methods The synthesis used 12 research articles published in PubMed and Science Direct (1996-2013), and the participants used to test the research hypothesis were Thais aged >15 years. We selected 4,401 participants by systematic sampling, who responded to a 5-point scale for 64 items, with a Cronbach -coefficient of reliability between 0.61 and 0.91. Results (1) The HL scales were in a good range of factor loading from 0.326 to 0.861. (2) The overall HL of the subjects was fair for 72.0%. The health outcomes were poor for 53.5% of all participants, fair in 44.7%, and good in 1.8% percent. (3) The path model of HL that influences health outcomes was consistent with the empirical data (χ2 27.48, with 7 degrees of freedom, P = 0.003, and root mean square error of approximation of 0.032). Conclusions We recommend application of the ABCDE-HL Scale for Thai Adults as a screening tool to develop HL using a public health promotion policy for Thai adults with low levels of HL.