Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exploring Management and Employees' Perspective of HRM Practices in Saudi Arabia MNC hotels

This study explores the application of human resource management (HRM) practices used in Multinational corporation (MNC) hotels in Saudi Arabia. It also considers which HRM practices used in Saudi hotel corporations are more preferred by employees and management consider assist their staff in better undertaking their jobs. Currently there is a scarcity of research examining the HRM practices in the Saudi context. Further, this is the first study investigating these issues within the Saudi hotel setting. Interviews and questionnaires were conducted in the four Saudi cities of Makkah, Jeddah, Al Madinah and Riyadh. The results suggest that, despite the challenges facing the application of HRM practices in Saudi Arabia, the status of practices used in the hotel sector are more appropriately implemented than in other sectors, and were similar to those practices used in the international context. The results showed that there is no fixed list of HRM practices used in the Saudi hotel sector. However, those practices most preferred by managers and employees are job planning, performance evaluation, training, salary and wages, and recruitment.
RF‐EMF exposure at 1800 MHz did not elicit DNA damage or abnormal cellular behaviors in different neurogenic cells

Despite many years of studies, the debate on genotoxic effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF‐EMF) continues. To systematically evaluate genotoxicity of RF‐EMF, this study examined effects of RF‐EMF on DNA damage and cellular behavior in different neurogenic cells. Neurogenic A172, U251, and SH‐SY5Y cells were intermittently (5 min on/10 min off) exposed to 1800 MHz RF‐EMF at an average specific absorption rate (SAR) of 4.0 W/kg for 1, 6, or 24 h. DNA damage was evaluated by quantification of γH2AX foci, an early marker of DNA double‐strand breaks. Cell cycle progression, cell proliferation, and cell viability were examined by flow cytometry, hemocytometer, and cell counting kit‐8 assay, respectively. Results showed that exposure to RF‐EMF at an SAR of 4.0 W/kg neither significantly induced γH2AX foci formation in A172, U251, or SH‐SY5Y cells, nor resulted in abnormal cell cycle progression, cell proliferation, or cell viability. Furthermore, prolonged incubation of these cells for up to 48 h after exposure did not significantly affect cellular behavior. Our data suggest that 1800 MHz RF‐EMF exposure at 4.0 W/kg is unlikely to elicit DNA damage or abnormal cellular behaviors in neurogenic cells. Bioelectromagnetics. 38:175–185, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Role of Warrants in Corporate Reorganizations

An argument that informational asymmetries explain why the original shareholders of some firms emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings with stock in the reorganized company, while others receive warrants. By proposing a reorganization plan in which they receive warrants, the original stockholders of a firm with good future prospects can signal their superior information to the creditors in a way that firms with poor prospects will not wish to mimic.
Challenges to providing pre-travel care for travellers visiting friends and relatives: an audit of a specialist travel medicine clinic

Travellers visiting friends and relatives (VFRs) often have complex pre-travel needs. We identified the characteristics, destinations, vaccinations and pre-travel advice provided to VFRs and compared these with non-VFR travellers. The significant differences we found suggest that future research should focus on improving the uptake of recommended interventions in VFR travellers.
The effect of participation in the Ugandan National Agricultural Advisory Services on willingness to pay for extension services

Ugandaâ€™s National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), established in 2001, is a demand-driven extension program for developing farmer organizations and improving farmer production and welfare. The program is expected to be 50% client funded after 25 years. However, varying returns to extension services and inconclusive evidence about their effectiveness suggest that farmers may not be willing to pay for these services. Using a choice experiment, this study found that longer participation in NAADS increased farmersâ€™ willingness to pay and that NAADS had a cost beneficial effect at farm level. The findings suggest that farmers are willing to pay for extension advice (US$0.20, which is higher than that found for most other African extension systems) if they see they are given good information, though they should not be asked to pay the full cost. Longer association with NAADS promoted the adoption of new crops, reduced the vulnerability of farms by increasing technology adoption and improved farmer welfare.
Applying Dynamic Data Mining on Multi-Agent Systems

Abstract A new perspective on analysis of large-scale Multi-Agent Dynamic Systems is presented. The aim is to capture the global trends at a glance, by the use of dynamic data mining techniques, which group agents according to similar characteristics or behavior, measuring and recording how the different trends evolve through time. This methodology is presented and an example with a simulated dynamic Multi-Agent System is included.
Positional Correlative Anatomy of Invertebrate Model Organisms Increases Efficiency of TEM Data Production

Abstract Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is an important tool for studies in cell biology, and is essential to address research questions from bacteria to animals. Recent technological innovations have advanced the entire field of TEM, yet classical techniques still prevail for most present-day studies. Indeed, the majority of cell and developmental biology studies that use TEM do not require cutting-edge methodologies, but rather fast and efficient data generation. Although access to state-of-the-art equipment is frequently problematic, standard TEM microscopes are typically available, even in modest research facilities. However, a major unmet need in standard TEM is the ability to quickly prepare and orient a sample to identify a region of interest. Here, I provide a detailed step-by-step method for a positional correlative anatomy approach to flat-embedded samples. These modifications make the TEM preparation and analytic procedures faster and more straightforward, supporting a higher sampling rate. To illustrate the modified procedures, I provide numerous examples addressing research questions in Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila. This method can be equally applied to address questions of cell and developmental biology in other small multicellular model organisms.
Competition and coexistence in spatially subdivided habitats.

While non-spatial models predict that like species cannot stably coexist, empirical studies suggest that similar species have similar distributions due to shared habitat requirements. A model is developed to discuss competition and coexistence in subdivided but locally stable habitats. The model predicts that in some cases it is possible for one species to exclude the other species from a geographic region, while in other cases two competing species can stably coexist. The equilibrium level and the fraction of doubly occupied patches, if there is coexistence, are determined by the strength of competition on colonization and exclusion in such a system. Also, it is possible for two ecologically identical species to stably coexist, and two asymmetrically competing species can coexist when there is a trade-off between local competition ability and invasion ability. When rescue effects are considered, the stable region at internal equilibrium point would be reduced, but the fraction of doubly occupied patches would be enlarged.
Suicide, diagnosis and age.

In recent years suicide rates have increased in all provinces of Canada. Thus, between 1960 and 1970 the overall rate rose from 7.6 to 11.3 per 100,000 (1) and by 1973 it had increased to 12.3 per 100,000 (5). By 1971 suicide had become the second highest cause of death, after road accidents, in the 15-30 age group (4). While between 1960 and 1970 middle-aged men continued to have the highest rate, certain sex and age trends were observable. The ratio of males per 100 females was reduced from 408 in 1960 to 254 in 1970, and to 251 in 1973 (latest figures) indicating that while younger males have increased their rates, women across practically all age groups have had greater increases. However, rates for suicide reflect many factors which must be examined. It is known that suicide is more frequent among the psychiatrically disturbed and the socially isolated (6). It has been demonstrated repeatedly that patients with major mood disorders carry an especially high risk, and on follow up about 15 percent of such persons were found to have committed suicide (3). Traditionally other mental disorders have not been considered to bear this risk, but Winokur (7) recently found from a
Financial Engineering: Derivatives and Risk Management

Preface. DERIVATIVES: AN OVERVIEW. Derivatives: An Overview. FORWARDS AND FUTURES. Futures Markets. Stock Index Futures. Currency Forwards and Futures. Short--Term Interest Rate Futures. T--Bond Futures. OPTIONS AND SWAPS. Options Markets. Options Pricing. Hedging and Volatility. Option Spreads and Stock Options. Foreign Currency Options. Futures Options. Portfolio Insurance. Swaps. ADVANCED DERIVATIVES AND STOCHASTIC PROCESSES. Interest Rate Derivatives. Complex Derivatives. Asset Price Dynamics. Pricing Interest Rate Derivatives. Real Options (Alexander Workman, Co--Author). RISK AND REGULATION. Regulation of Financial Institutions. Regulatory Framework in the UK and US. Market Risk. VaR: Mapping Cash Flows. VaR: Statistical Issues. Credit Risk. Glossary. List of Symbols. List of a Topic Boxesa . Internet Sites. References. Author Index. Subject Index.
Designing a protocol to aid decision making in a billion dollar healthcare organisation: using collaborative research

evidence based medicine, corporate memory, organisational culture, knowledge management, learning organisations This paper describes a method to accomplish 'a pre-planned guided search of interesting and known knowledge and information sources for decision making in public health medicine', i.e. a search protocol. The protocol is based around a knowledge base of known information and knowledge sources. These sources have been useful in earlier public health studies. The database of sources is maintained and updated as a consequence of each new study on which the search protocol is used. The paper outlines how the protocol has been created, built and tested. The results of using the protocol on five different public health studies are presented and analysed.
Design an algorithm to syntheses DC-DC converters

This paper proposes an algorithmic method for generating DC-DC converters with galvanic isolation. This method uses the Main Topological Matrix MTM. The definition and attributes of the MTM are stated. The common properties for single-switch DC-DC converters are described. The proposed method has unique advantages over other methods. This method is fully algorithmic. In addition this method is based on the design by parts that facilitates the design of power electronic circuits. And by some examples will be shown how this method is used for generating all sub-class (sub-family) of DC-DC converters with predetermined characteristics.
Design Catalogs: A Practical Real Options Valuation Tool for Real Estate Design and Development Planning

This paper proposes and demonstrates design catalogs as a practical and computationally efficient method for identifying and valuing improved and flexible development plans for real estate projects. This new process significantly speeds up the analysis for complex projects facing various uncertainty sources (e.g. market, regulations, technology). It enables analysts to explore the design space more fully, taking into account a greater number of design parameters and variables. It can lead to design and development solutions with greatly improved economic performance over the system’s useful life. The design catalog consists of a small subset of design and development plans that collectively perform reasonably well over a range of possible scenarios. The catalog approach contrasts with the usual approach that optimizes development plans for each scenario, and thus can only afford to examine a limited number of situations. Each element in the catalog consists of combinations of design variables, parameters, and flexibility (or real option) decision rules. The set of designs in the catalog is determined using adaptive One-Factor-At-a-Time (aOFAT) analysis. An example shows how to use the proposed process to recognize additional value in a complex real estate project stemming from flexibility and real options. It shows improved economic lifecycle performance compared to a standard benchmark design and development plan.
Adherence of Streptococcus mutans to an E-glass fiber-reinforced composite and conventional restorative materials used in prosthetic dentistry.

The adherence of Streptococcus mutans to E-glass used in fiber-reinforced composites, denture base polymer, and four other restoratives was investigated. The materials were studied with and without a parotid saliva and serum pellicle. Specimens of the studied materials (E-glass, denture base polymer, titanium, cobalt-chromium alloy, gold alloy, and grained feldspar ceramic) were incubated in a suspension of S. mutans, allowing initial adhesion to occur. The degree of bacterial adhesion was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The studied uncoated materials showed rather similar adhesion of S. mutans. Saliva coating resulted in a decrease of adherence to all materials except glass. With a saliva pellicle E-glass showed the strongest ability to bind S. mutans, and it differed significantly from the other studied materials. Serum coating markedly decreased adhesion to all materials, and only minor differences among the studied materials were observed. The results of this study suggest that the studied restoratives are rather similar with respect to S. mutans adhesion and that a saliva pellicle may promote adhesion of S. mutans to glass fibers.
Nitrogen Fixation in a Coral Reef Community

Algal reef flats at Enewetak Atoll, Marshall Islands, fix atmospheric nitrogen at rates comparable to those in managed agriculture. The dominant nitrogen fixer appears to be the blue-green alga Calothrix crustacea. Since this nutrient enrichment contributes to the high productivity of adjacent coral reefs and undoubtedly to atoll lagoons, it is recommended that the algal reef flats receive increased conservation priority.
Failure behaviour of fatigue-tested post and cores.

Evaluation of the long-term behaviour of restorations in clinical trials can be time-consuming. A partial alternative to the clinical trial can be found in mechanical fatigue testing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the failure behaviour of post and core restored teeth when subjected to cyclic mechanical loading and to compare it with quasistatic failure. Eighty seven premolar teeth were restored with a titanium alloy post and an amalgam or composite core. Five to 21 days after restoration, the specimens were subjected to cyclic loading (frequency 5 Hz), at an angle of 45 degrees to the long axis of the tooth. The load levels were 50, 60, 65 and 70% of mean quasistatic failure loads. The specimens were divided into three groups according to their survival time: short (S) (< 10(4) cycles), intermediate (I) (10(4) < or = life < 10(5) cycles) and long (L) (> or = 10(5) cycles). For both core materials failure behaviour changed after approximately 10(5) cycles, and the change was most marked for the composite group. Catastrophic fatigue failure consisted of core fracture in the amalgam group (three times) and of post fracture in the composite L group (four times). Three post fractures occurred at a site theoretically predisposed to fatigue failure. It was concluded that fatigue failure characteristics of post and core restorations may be very different from those of quasistatic failure. Therefore, in addition to quasistatic tests, fatigue tests are necessary, covering at least 10(5) load cycles.
Effects of Brand Evidence on Emotion, Brand Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty in Family Restaurants

Abstract The study assessed the relationship between brand evidence (e.g., bran d name, price/value for m oney, servicescape, core service, employee service and self-image congruence) and pos itive/negative emotion and brand satisfaction, and between positive/negative emotion and brand satisfaction in the family restaurant setting. Also, the relationship of positive/ negative emotion and brand satisfaction with customer loyalt y were assessed. Customers who used five brands of family restaurant in Daegu and Pusan during October of 2008 were surveyed by questionnaires. Brand evidence was positively related to positive emotion and brand satisfaction, and was nega tively related to negative emotion. Positive emotion was positively related to brand satisfaction and negative emotion was negatively related to brand satisfaction. Brand satisfaction was positively relatively to customer loyalty. The results indicate that management of family restaurants should focus on brand evidence as a means of increasing profits and sales volume.
Cross‐blocking studies with monoclonal antibodies against I‐A molecules of haplotypes b, d and k

For assessment of the distribution of allodeterminants on I‐A molecules, binding inhibition studies were performed with monoclonal anti‐I‐A antibodies (mAb) in which pairs of labeled and unlabeled mAb were tested for cross‐blocking on spleen cells of H‐2 haplotypes b, d and k. The data suggest that allodeterminants are randomly distributed on the surface of the I‐A molecule. Comparison of mAb with cross‐reactivity for b, d or k haplotypes indicates that the allelic forms of determinants are located in analogous positions on different I‐A antigens.
Retain or sacrifice the posterior cruciate ligament in total knee arthroplasty? A histopathological study of the cruciate ligament in osteoarthritic and rheumatoid disease

Background—The decision whether to retain or resect the posterior cruciate ligament in total knee arthroplasty is at present determined clinically by preoperative radiological variables focusing upon the amount of joint destruction, and subsequent soft tissue contractures. However, these variables give only indirect information on the histological integrity and proprioceptive properties of the posterior cruciate ligament. Methods—Twenty posterior cruciate ligaments, obtained during total knee arthroplasty, were evaluated histologically to study the relation between the degree of preoperative radiological joint destruction, structural integrity of the posterior cruciate ligament and the neurological integrity of the targeted tissue. Eleven patients had osteoarthritis and nine patients rheumatoid arthritis. Haematoxylin and eosin, Alcian blue (mucoid degeneration), elastica von Gieson, Gomori (elastic fibres and collagen), and immunohistochemical staining for neural structures were used. Results—In all but one of the posterior cruciate ligaments, morphologically intact neural tissue was present in the peritendineum of the ligaments. Structural integrity of the collagen framework was present in only seven posterior cruciate ligaments. These cases all had grade three or four radiological joint destruction. In 13 of the specimens a certain degree of mucoid degeneration of collagen was present. All patients with grade five radiological knee joint destruction displayed mucoid degeneration and irregularity of the posterior cruciate ligament fibres. Conclusion—Because of the extensive architectural and probably functional damage of the posterior cruciate ligament in patients who have grade five radiological knee joint destruction, retention of the posterior cruciate ligament in knee prosthesis should not be advocated.
D-dimers as a screening test for venous thromboembolism in pregnancy: Is it of any use?

Summary In non-pregnant women, D-dimers are used successfully to aid diagnosis of suspected pulmonary embolus (PE), as they have high sensitivity, moderate specificity and high negative predictive value. However, D-dimer levels are physiologically raised in pregnancy and thus overlap the values normally associated with PE. The aim of this retrospective study therefore was to investigate the use of D-dimer levels as a screening test for suspected PE in pregnancy and to determine if a negative D-dimer level could exclude the diagnosis in pregnant women. A total of 37 women suspected of PE had both ventilation perfusion (VQ) scans and D-dimer levels performed. Thirteen were reported as having a low probability of PE following VQ scan, while 24 were thought to have a moderate or high probability of PE. Women who had a low probability of PE following VQ scanning were found to have D-dimer levels ranging from 0.25–2.2 mg/l, while women who had a high probability of PE following scanning had D-dimer levels ranging from 0.31–1.74 mg/l. The sensitivity and specificity of D-dimer as a test for suspected PE in pregnancy was calculated to be 0.73 and 0.15 respectively, while the negative likelihood ratio was 1.8. Current guidelines advocate the use of a negative D-dimer result to exclude the diagnosis of PE in pregnancy. However, this study suggests that D-dimer testing in pregnancy has a high negative likelihood ratio and should not be used. Larger prospective observational studies are required to collaborate the findings from this study.
Retrieve vegetation effective optical depth using time-series AMSR-E brightness temperature data at C band — A case study

The effective vegetation optical depth (EVOD), plays an important role in vegetation monitoring and land key parameters retrieval. In this study, we attempt to retrieve the EVOD using time-series AMSR-E data at SNOTEL[839] site for a case study. It is found that at site scale the retrieved EVOD can capture the overall trend of the vegetation growth. However, phase differences are found between EVOD and NDVI. Different overpass times can also affect the exhibition of EVOD.
Neurogenic cardiac effects of cerebrovascular disease

The electrocardiogram changes and cardiac arrhythmias frequently encountered after stroke are not solely explicable by concomitant ischemic cardiac disease. Excessive sympathoadrenal tone is contributory. Specifically, it is now believed that augmentation of intra-cardiac sympathetic nerve activity occurs, producing cardiac myocyte damage and depolarizing ionic shifts, resulting in electrocardiogram repolarization changes and arrhythmogenesis. Experimental and clinical evidence now implicates the insular cortex and its subcortical connections in the generation of cardiac arrhythmias under stress and following hemispheric stroke. Lateralization studies indicate that destruction of areas adjacent to the right insular cortex, or involving noncardioactive zones within this region have especially marked cardiac effects. This very likely contributes to the cardiac mortality which is the principle long-term cause of death in stroke patients.