Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Peptide Digestion and Absorption in the Small Intestinal Mucosa During Acute and Chronic Diarrhea

Before dietary protein or endogenous protein of the alimentary tract can be assimilated, it must be hydrolyzed by intraluminal digestive processes into small peptides and free amino acids. Borgstrom et al. (1) found that in normal subjects, 60 to 80% of 1 g of radioiodinated human serum albumin disappeared at the level of the proximal jejunum. Subsequently, Nixon and Mawer (2,3) measured the protein concentration and amino acid composition of gut content at the various levels of the intestine after a 15-g protein meal. They found that the major part of the meal protein was digested and absorbed in the duodenum and upper jejunum. More recently Adibi and Mercer (4) reported an experiment in which human subjects were fed 50 g of bovine serum albumin in a mixed meal, after which samples were taken from points 110 and 220 cm from the teeth, and the ingested protein was identified by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. They found that undigested protein could be detected from the jejunum and upper ileum for as long as 4 hr after ingestion and that exogenous protein was the principal contributor to increases above fasting levels of intraluminal amino acids and peptides in the upper gut during this period. They further reported that greater amounts of amino acids in the intestinal aspirates were present as small peptides than in the free form. Chung and co-workers (5) studied the extent of digestion and absorption of 59 g of bovine serum albumin contained in a mixed meal. Sixty percent of the meal protein was digested and absorbed at the level of the proximal jejunum, and 99% by the distal ileum. These data indicate that almost complete digestion and absorption of protein occurs by the time it reaches the terminal ileum. However, bovine serum albumin was still present in the proximal ileal content, thus suggesting that the ileum is important for normal protein digestion. All of these studies have also demonstrated that peptides account for the largest amount of nitrogen in the intestinal lumen during protein digestion. Chung et al. (5) found that, in general, over 50% of each amino acid is present in peptide form in the intestinal aspirates (Table 1). I should like to stress that almost all acidic amino acids and proline are present as peptides; it is, in fact,
Targeted disruption of the HFE gene.

The genetic nature of primary hemochromatosis had been proposed more than 60 years ago by Sheldon (1), but it was not until Simon et al. (2) demonstrated unequivocally the HLA linkage of this disorder that its genetic basis was clear. The gene involved proved to be particularly elusive. Several groups of scientists invested enormous effort in attempting to identify it, but because the genomic region in which it is located seems particularly resistant to crossing over, it was only in 1996 that a large group of investigators at Mercator Genetics succeeded by positional cloning in …
A supply chain performance measurement approach using the internet of things: Toward more practical SCPMS

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce a more practical approach for supply chain performance measurement (SCPM) and to approve the promising role of internet of things (IoT) technologies in SCPM systems. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper that includes literature review analysis, designing a new approach for SCPM, and a case study scenario for proving its applicability. Findings The case study scenario shows that IoT can enhance SCPM, as it has the capability to enable real-time data collection, increase data efficiency as long as enable real-time communication within the supply chain (SC). Practical implications The proposed approach can help to develop performance measurement systems and applications enabled by IoT technologies. These systems can be used to monitor, manage, and control the overall SC in real time and in a more integrated and cooperative manner. Originality/value This paper provides a structured systems building approach tailored to show how to employ IoT technologies in the field of SCPM. This approach could help in establishing new performance measurement applications, and it is believed that both practitioners and researchers will benefit from it.
Factors Contributing To The Unsuccessful Implementation Of The BSC In A South African Provincial Treasury Department

This study investigated the factors that contributed to the unsuccessful implementation of the Balanced Scorecard in a provincial government department in South Africa. The study was inspired by the unsatisfactory attempt to introduce the Balanced Scorecard as a performance measurement system in that department in the year 2009. Data were collected through a questionnaire comprising of two sections. The questionnaire was administered to 81 managers and employees who were on the approved establishment of the department in 2009. The factors contributing to the failure of the program were extracted using principal components analysis. An analysis of the descriptive statistics for each factor was also conducted. The findings of the study indicate that the failure of the Balanced Scorecard project may be linked to four factors; namely, inconsistencies within the project team, an ineffective communication strategy, myopic planning and poor execution. Among these factors, planning contributed the highest to the demise of the project. Using these findings as an anchor, the study recommended a number of strategies that may be adopted in in the event that public organisations intend to implement Balanced Scorecard programs in the future.
Use of heteroduplex analysis to classify legionellae on the basis of 5S rRNA gene sequences

Seventeen different species of Legionella, 12 serogroups of Legionella pneumophila, and 2 Legionella-like amoebal pathogens (LLAP1 and Sarcobium lyticum) were examined by heteroduplex analysis of PCR products of the 5S rRNA gene. Eight different banding patterns were identified, indicating that heteroduplex analysis of this gene can be used to classify these bacteria according to base substitutions between species. This classification may have future applications in clinical and epidemiological studies.
Antifungal Activity of Wickerhamomyces anomalus and Lactobacillus plantarum during Sourdough Fermentation: Identification of Novel Compounds and Long-Term Effect during Storage of Wheat Bread

ABSTRACT This study aimed at investigating the antifungal activity of Wickerhamomyces anomalus and sourdough lactic acid bacteria to extend the shelf life of wheat flour bread. The antifungal activity was assayed by agar diffusion, growth rate inhibition, and conidial germination assays, using Penicillium roqueforti DPPMAF1 as the indicator fungus. Sourdough fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum 1A7 (S1A7) and dough fermented by W. anomalus LCF1695 (D1695) were selected and characterized. The water/salt-soluble extract of S1A7 was partially purified, and several novel antifungal peptides, encrypted into sequences of Oryza sativa proteins, were identified. The water/salt-soluble extract of D1695 contained ethanol and, especially, ethyl acetate as inhibitory compounds. As shown by growth inhibition assays, both water/salt-soluble extracts had a large inhibitory spectrum, with some differences, toward the most common fungi isolated from bakeries. Bread making at a pilot plant was carried out with S1A7, D1695, or a sourdough started with a combination of both strains (S1A7-1695). Slices of the bread manufactured with S1A7-1695 did not show contamination by fungi until 28 days of storage in polyethylene bags at room temperature, a level of protection comparable to that afforded by 0.3% (wt/wt) calcium propionate. The effect of sourdough fermentation with W. anomalus LCF1695 was also assessed based on rheology and sensory properties.
Effects of the Organization's Empowerment on Organizational Commitment and Service Quality of Employees -Focusing on Dental Hospital's Employees-

This study analyzed affecting factors of employees working at dental hospitals to the organizational commitment and service quality, and then tried to utilize it as a basic data in executing personnel training policies for dental hospital`s practitioners. The survey was conducted from July 1st to July 30th, 2010, and used 193 copies for this research analysis. As a hypothetical verification result through regression analysis, means and capabilities among empowerment factors influenced significant positive (+) effects, and self-determination and influences did not make significant effects. Also, organization commitment was displayed as influencing significant positive (+) effects to the service quality. When considering this research`s results as a basement, an alternative for the managerial innovation shall be established for promoting mutual developments of individuals and organization in midst of promptly changing economic environments. That is, a personal training system has to be set up in which more decision-making rights on given assignments of dental hospital`s employments are endowed, and then responsibilities are directed to be charged so much by introducing the empowerment concept instead of the managerial technique centering on controls.
Short Termism of Executive Compensation

I present an optimal contracting theory of short term contracts. Short term contracts arise as shareholders’ response to conflicting intergenerational managerial incentives. High return projects may be longer lived than the tenure of managers who implement them. Consequently, long term contracts must align incentives across multiple managers, which comes at greater costs than providing incentives for a single manager. Short term bias is amplified further when shareholders can only observe the returns of accepted projects. Managers choose short term projects and earn all information rents and avoid long term projects, in which these rents accrue to future managers.
Dynamic computed tomography and functional imaging in cerebral arterial occlusive disease: analysis in the chronic phase

ABSTRACT Dynamic CT was conducted on 10 patients with internal carotid artery (ICA) or middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion or stenosis and 14 controls. All the patients were chronic phase and they only presented small infarctions on CT. Those with ICA or MCA occlusions and insufficient collateral circulations showed delayed mean transit time and peak time of the affected side on functional image and in parameter analysis (P<0.01) compared with those of controls. A statistically significant positive coefficient of correlation was noted between the degree of the anterior horn dilatation of lateral ventricle and delay in mean transit time of the affected MCA area (r = 0.62, P <0.01).
POLLINATION STUDY IN A NATURAL POPULATION OF MIMULUS GUTTATUS

1), thus into the heart of the rookery. In such shallow water, part of the shark's back emerged. As the shark came in, a large bull moved almost into contact with it. The smaller sea lions dashed away across the surface and out onto the beach. Meanwhile, four bulls converged on the shark and deflected it out of the rookery. The shark did not swim faster, even though it was evidently avoiding the bulls. The shark took no sea lions, and the bulls did not clearly bite the shark, although a photo shows that one bull attempted to bite the shark. On the next day George A. Bartholomew reported that a shark was seen patrolling between 10:00 and 11:00 hr. The sharks' behavior suggests that they patrolled the reef awaiting an opportunity to capture a young sea lion. The bulls protected the young by escorting the sharks away. The sharks were not treated as territorial rivals because the bulls ignored one another's territories, even if poorly defined, to intercept the shark. The bulls acted collectively, mobbing the shark when it intruded upon the rookery. The development of protective behavior in the Galapagos sea lion is probably related to two factors. One is its extreme geographic position, being in a semitropical situation which forces the large bull to maintain his territory primarily in the water to prevent overheating. The other factor is the abundance of sharks there, which creates a continuous hazard for the smaller sea lions. Establishing the role of the male as a protector of pups complicates Bartholomew's (1970) elegant model. Calculations of reproductive success must include the degree of relationship between the bull and the progeny benefitting from his protection. Since the relationship between the bull and his offspring is closer if the animals return to the same place to breed each year, the model should also incorporate a component for site consistency. FIG. 1. A plan view of the cove on the east side of Champion Island (near Charles Is.), Galapagos, as reconstructed from field notes. "Rookery," to the left, identifies the beach where most of the sea lions hauled out. Everything to the right of "Blue Water" is open ocean. The other terms are explained in the text.
Khat (Catha edulis) consumption causes genotoxic effects in humans

We used the micronucleus (MN) test to determine the genetic damage caused by khat, a widely consumed psychostimulant plant, in exfoliated cells of volunteers who chewed the drug on a regular basis. In the first study in which we compared the frequency of MN in buccal and bladder mucosa cells in 20 khat consumers (10–160 g/day) and 10 controls, a pronounced (8‐fold) increase in micronucleated buccal mucosa cells was seen among khat consumers; khat consumption did not lead to a detectable elevation of micronucleated bladder mucosa cells. Among heavy khat chewers, 81% of the MN had a centromere signal indicating that khat is aneuploidogenic. To investigate the effect of simultaneous consumption of tobacco and alcoholic beverages, we compared the MN frequency in buccal cells of 25 khat consumers (20–85 g/day) who smoked cigarettes (15–60/day) and drank alcoholic beverages (15–80 g of pure ethanol/day) with a control group (control group I) of 25 individuals matched for age, body weight, tobacco and alcohol consumption and with another control group of 25 individuals (control group II) not consuming any of the drugs. The frequency of buccal mucosa cells with MN was higher in control group I than in group II and the effect of khat, tobacco and alcohol was found to be additive. A time‐kinetics study on khat‐induced MN showed that the highest frequency of MN was observed during the fourth week after consumption. In light of the large body of evidence on the close association between genetic damage and cancer, these results suggest that khat consumption, especially when accompanied by alcohol and tobacco consumption, might be a potential cause of oral malignancy. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Board Structure in Publicly-Listed Family-Controlled Firms: Mitigating or Exacerbating Agency Issues?

Using an agency theory perspective, this paper examines the influence of family control on the board size and board independence of Indonesian listed firms. Further, the study also seeks to investigate whether family control explains the association between board structure and firm value. This study is expected to enhance our understanding of the role of family firms’ boards in mitigating or exacerbating agency problems, using the setting of an emerging market with a high level of ownership concentration and family control. Indonesia is among economies that adopt a two-tier board system, where corporations are required to have a supervisory board and a management board. Employing a panel data set of Indonesian listed firms from the period of 2005-2007, we report limited evidence that family control has a negative impact on board size. However, family-controlled firms are likely to mitigate agency issues by employing smaller boards. Further, board independence is found to demonstrate no significance in either mitigating or exacerbating agency issues.
Effectiveness And Efficiency Of Public Procurement And Disposal Act In Shaping Competitive Purchasing And Disposal In The Civil Service In Kenya

The purpose of this paper was to examine the effectiveness and efficiency of public procurement and disposal act in shaping competitive purchasing and disposal in the civil service in Kenya in Uasin-Gishu County. The study adopted both qualitative and quantitative approaches where Questionnaire and interview schedule were used to collect data. Purposive, stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used. The study interviewed 33 administrators and 20 procurement officers from Uasin-Gishu County. The study found that the Public Procurement and Disposal Act has enhanced employment of standard procurement procedures; development of international standards; development of a workable legal framework; creation of reliable ICT; achievement of transparency and improvement of public confidence in procurement.
Brivaracetam, a selective high‐affinity synaptic vesicle protein 2A (SV2A) ligand with preclinical evidence of high brain permeability and fast onset of action

Rapid distribution to the brain is a prerequisite for antiepileptic drugs used for treatment of acute seizures. The preclinical studies described here investigated the high‐affinity synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) antiepileptic drug brivara‐cetam (BRV) for its rate of brain penetration and its onset of action. BRV was compared with levetiracetam (LEV).
Preservation of Implicit Memory in Adult Children of Alcoholics

Abstract The authors investigated implicit memory in 21 adult children of alcoholics (ACAs) and 24 control individuals (all college undergraduates) who performed a serial reaction time task (SRT) to evaluate their implicit memory performance and their formation of new associations. Each group was presented with 5 blocks of 100 trials per block in which Blocks 1-4 contained a 10-item repeating sequence; Block 5 was a pseudo-random sequence. The latency difference between Block 4 and Block 5 presumably measure implicit memory. The amount of implicit memory did not differ (in ms) between the ACAs (M = 55 ms) and the controls (M = 67 ms). Implicit memory (at least as measured by the SRT task) appears to be preserved in ACAs.
Human Productivity in a Workspace Shared with a Safe Robotic Manipulator

Robotics technology is approaching a state where highly capable autonomous platforms can directly interact with human companions. This paper explores the ability of a human and manipulator to efficiently complete independent tasks in a shared physical workspace without explicit communication of their planned actions. With focus on quantifying the impact of robot presence on human task performance and workload, a series of human-subject experiments were conducted in which a seated human was asked to perform cognitive and mobility tasks in this shared workspace. The manipulator could unintentionally interrupt these activities, blocking the field of view or physical path to a worksite while completing its own tasks. To avert impending conflict, the robot received and reacted to ideal sensor data identifying the human’s tasks upon initiation. Tests over a progressively complex set of tasks for the human–manipulator team were conducted. Results indicate minimal impact on a human companion’s productivity when a.
Inhibition of Murine Leukemia Virus Envelope Protein ( Env ) Processing by Intracellular Expression of the Env N-Terminal Heptad Repeat Region

A conserved structural motif in the envelope proteins of several viruses consists of an N-terminal, alphahelical, trimerization domain and a C-terminal region that refolds during fusion to bind the N-helix trimer. Interaction between the N and C regions is believed to pull viral and target membranes together in a crucial step during membrane fusion. For several viruses with type I fusion proteins, C regions pack as alpha-helices in the grooves between N-helix monomers, and exogenously added Nand C-region peptides block fusion by inhibiting the formation of the six-helix bundle. For other viruses, including influenza virus and murine leukemia virus (MLV), there is no evidence for comparably extended C-region alpha-helices, although a short, non-alpha-helical interaction structure has been reported for influenza virus. We tested candidate N-helix and C-region peptides from MLV for their ability to inhibit cell fusion but found no inhibitory activity. In contrast, intracellular expression of the MLV N-helix inhibited fusion by efficiently blocking proteolytic processing and intracellular transport of the envelope protein. The results highlight another mechanism by which the N-helix peptides can inhibit fusion.
Diagnostic Value of Computed Tomography in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Abstract Introduction: Computed tomography (CT) has been approved for diagnosing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The diagnostic accuracy, however, has never been examined in a systematic review. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the accuracy of CT in diagnosing COPD. Methods: Articles reporting diagnostic accuracy of CT for COPD were searched from seven electronic databases and hand searching. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed methodological quality. Sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPE), positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR+ and LR–, respectively), and diagnostic odds ratios (DOR) were pooled using a bivariate model. The diagnostic performance of overall test also was assessed using the visual power of the ROC plot to present the bivariate model. Potential between-study heterogeneity was explored using subgroup analyses. Results: Data were extracted from 8 studies that met the inclusion criteria. All summary measures were grossly heterogeneous and therefore would not be appropriately summarized. These studies were further stratified by type of imaging technique and test index. The summary estimates of CT for COPD were as follows: SEN, 0.83(95% CI, 0.73-0.89); SPE, 0.87(95% CI, 0.70-0.95); LR+, 6.2(95% CI, 2.5-15.5); LR–, 0.20(95% CI, 0.12-0.34); and DOR, 31(95% CI, 8-116). The five summary estimates of CT on the lung density were 0.80 (95% CI, 0.74-0.84), 0.77(95% CI, 0.58-0.89), 3.5(95% CI, 1.8-6.9), 0.26(95% CI, 0.20-0.34) and 13(95% CI, 6-32), respectively. Conclusions: The current meta-analyses suggest that quantitative measures of CT may be useful to diagnose COPD. Developed CT technology may improve the accuracy of diagnosis. Further studies assessed diagnostic performance of CT are needed.
Research on the Relationship between Trust and Cost,Trust and Legal Supervision in Construction Projects

Trust insufficiency is one of the important reasons for the existence of hostility between project owners and contractors.Using the transaction cost theory to analyze transaction cost in projects and establishing the relationship between transaction cost and trust,this paper determined the optimal trust level with minimum total cost.The game theory was used to analyze the relationship between trust and legal supervision.The result shows that the owners and the contractors can trust each other with the certain level of legal supervision.