Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
RANKING AGRICULTURAL SUPPLY CHAIN RISK IN GHANA: AN AHP APPROACH

This paper used the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method to rank agricultural supply chain risk in Ghana based on the categories in the agricultural sector which includes Crops, Livestock, Forestry and Logging and Fishing. The scores of both criteria and the alternatives were given based on Experts judgments using the Saaty’s AHP pairwise comparison scale. Business Performance Management (AHP) priority software was then used to calculated the weights of the both the criteria and alternatives.The results revealed that,the agricultural sector in Ghana is highly affected by the market related risk followed by financial, logistical, weather, biological, operational, policy and political related risk respectively. Furthermore, among the categories studied, crops is highly influenced by the agricultural supply chain risk in Ghana. Aside crops, the order of importance based on the magnitude of risk effect are as follows Livestock, Forestry and Logging and Fishing respectively.
Training People to Deliver Service Excellence in British Airways

Before 1983 there was much criticism of the level of service at British Airways. Describes how British Airways has moved since then to the position of being able to call itself “The World’s Favourite Airline”. This took place by means of four staff programmes, “Putting People First”, “A Day in the Life”, “To be the Best” and “Winning for Customers”. The aim is ensure that quality permeates the organization in order to ensure the long‐term success of the company.
A Hong Kong view of offensive advertising

Considerable research has been conducted on offensive advertising in Western countries. However, not much is known about consumers' views of offensive advertising in an Asian context. This research, which was conducted in Hong Kong, aimed at identifying what product/service advertisements consumers find offensive, what executional styles consumers find offensive, consumers' tolerance of offensive advertisements in different media and the effects of offensive advertisements on consumers' purchase intentions. The results from a survey of 200 consumers showed that chat-line services and funeral services were considered the most offensive products or services to be advertised. When looking at the manner of advertising, sexist themes, indecent language and nudity were found to be the major reasons for the respondents finding advertisements offensive. In general, direct mail was considered to be a medium that prompts lower tolerance by consumers to potentially offensive advertisements while men and women's magazines were considered to be media that prompt higher tolerance to potentially offensive advertisements. Finally, it was found that levels of advertising offensiveness had an effect on purchase intentions.
Gaps of Service Quality in Private Banks Customers Regarding SERVQUAL in Isfahan, Iran

Financial liberalization has led to intense competitive pressures and private banks dealing in retail banking are consequently directing their strategies towards increasing service quality level which fosters customer satisfaction and loyalty through improved service quality. This article examines the influence of perceived service quality on customer satisfaction. The aim of this study is to examine the service quality from the perspective of bank customers. Service quality is defined as the degree of equality between customers' expectations and their perceptions of the service received. In this paper, we have used SERVQUAL as a technique to measure service quality in the Private Banks in Esfahan. The aim of this survey is to understand the most important strength and weaknesses of private banks. The results of this study showed that there are service quality gaps between customers' expectations and their perceptions in six dimensions. Furthermore, the private banks have to take improvement actions in mentioned dimensions. Keywords: Banking service, Service quality, Private Banks, Customers satisfaction.
Differentiation of Serratia marcescens 274 into swimmer and swarmer cells

We describe a new sensory response in the enteric bacterium Serratia marcescens. When grown in liquid media, the bacteria were short rods with one to two flagella and displayed classical swimming behavior. Upon transfer to a solid surface (0.7 to 0.8T% agar medium), the bacteria underwent a dramatic change of form. They ceased septation, elongated, and expressed numerous (10 to 100) flagella that covered the lateral sides of the cells. The bacteria now displayed a different form of locomotion--swarming--which allowed them to rapidly move over the top of the solid surface. The differentiation to either swimmer or swarmer cells could be reversed by growth on solid or liquid medium, respectively. To identify conditions that influence this differentiation, the growth environment of S. marcescens was manipulated extensively. The swarming response was monitored by visual and microscopic observation of cell movement on solid surfaces, by immunofluorescent labeling followed by microscopic observation for the presence of elongated, profusely flagellated cells, as well as by estimation of induction of flagellin protein, using Western immunoblot analysis. Conditions that imposed a physical constraint on bacterial movement, such as solid or viscous media, were the most efficient at inducing the swarming response. No chemical constituent of the medium that might contribute to the response could be identified, although the existence of such a component cannot be ruled out. Both swimmer and swarmer cells had flagellin proteins of identical molecular weight, which produced similar proteolysis patterns upon digestion with trypsin.
Short and long run macroeconomic effects of trade policy in the presence of debt servicing

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the macroeconomic effects of trade policy, when the instrument is a voluntary export restraint (VER), on both the home (imposing) country and the foreign (targeted) country. The innovation in the paper is the analysis of trade policy when debt servicing is present in the current account of the balance of payments. This captures the contemporary experience of deficit nations like the USA vis-a-vis surplus countries like China. Trade policy (VER) in the short-run affects the current account and exchange rate, leading to the accumulation of debt stocks, which have to be repaid in the long-run in the form of debt servicing flows. This leads to a major difference between the short and long-run effects of trade policy in the form of VERs, which can be expansionary and contractionary respectively for the trade policy initiating nation.
The Role of the Reticulo‐Endothelial Cell in Iron Metabolism *

SINCE exchange of iron with the external environment is very limited (Finch, 1959), body iron kinetics are largely concerned with the continuous redistribution of iron within the body. Thc reticulo-cndothelial system is an important participant in internal iron turnovcr. It is believed to removc haemoglobiii or non-viable erythrocytes from the circulation, proccss the iron from the hacm moiety and return iron to the plasma for transport to the marrow and subscqucnt incorporation into haemoglobin. The reticulo-eiidothelial cells also serve as a potential reservoir for storage of iron not used for other purposes. The present studies were undertaken to examine the way in which this system processes iron derived from iionviablc crythrocytcs.
Fracture risk in patients with chronic lung diseases treated with bronchodilator drugs and inhaled and oral corticosteroids.

BACKGROUND Chronic lung diseases and drugs used to treat patients with chronic lung diseases may be associated with an increased fracture risk. METHODS The design was a case-control study of all patients with a fracture (n=124,655) in the year 2000 in Denmark as case subjects. For each case subject, three age- and gender-matched control subjects were randomly drawn from the general population (n=373,962). RESULTS Chronic lung diseases such as COPD (odds ratio [OR], 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13 to 1.25), emphysema (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.16 to 1.48), and other chronic lung diseases (OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.44) were associated with a higher relative risk of any fracture than asthma (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.12). Oral corticosteroids were associated with a dose-dependent increased risk of fractures. Inhaled short-acting beta-agonists were associated with an increase in fracture risk that was not dose dependent and was seen already at low doses. Oral beta-agonists were associated with an increase in fracture risk at low doses but not at higher doses. Other bronchodilators (inhaled long-acting beta-agonists, inhaled beta-agonists plus inhaled corticosteroids, inhaled beta-agonists plus antimuscarinic substances, inhaled antimuscarinic substances, inhaled cromoglycate and cromoglycate-like substances, oral theophylline, and oral leukotriene receptor antagonists), and inhaled corticosteroids were not associated with fracture risk. CONCLUSIONS The increase in fracture risk seen with inhaled short-acting beta-agonists may be linked to the severity of the underlying lung disease rather than with the beta-agonists, per se, as other types of beta-agonists were not associated with fractures.
Experience with everolimus (RAD001), an oral mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor, in patients with systemic mastocytosis

KIT D816V mutation has been observed in more than 90% of patients with systemic mastocytosis (SM). This mutation constitutively activates the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. We tested the efficacy of everolimus (RAD001), a novel oral mTOR inhibitor, at a dose of 10 mg daily in an open label, non-comparative Phase II trial for patients with SM. Ten patients were enrolled from April 2007 to October 2008. Median age was 55 years, four were males, seven had indolent and three aggressive SM, and six were previously treated with other agents. Median duration of therapy was 4 months (range 0.2–18). No objective responses were noted. Four patients had a short-lasting subjective improvement in symptoms for a median duration of 3 months (range 3–15). Grade 1–3 diarrhea, mucositis, and neutropenia were the most common adverse effects. No Grade 4 toxicity was noted. In conclusion, everolimus does not result in appreciable clinical activity in patients with SM.
Sequence and Analysis of Promoter Region of Human Insulin-Receptor Gene

The promoter region of the human insulin-receptor (HINSR) gene was isolated from a human chromosome 19 bacteriophage library. With S1 nuclease mapping and primer-extension analysis, we identified multiple transcription-initiation sites. Dexamethasone, a known inducer of HINSR transcription, enhanced transcription of all major transcription-initiation sites. DNA sequence analysis indicated that the HINSR promoter has neither a TATA box nor a CAAT box. The HINSR promoter region contains six GGGCGG sequences that may be binding sites for the transcription factor Sp1. In addition, there were three TCCC sequences that were putative promoter regulatory regions. The HINSR gene promoter has structural similarity to the epidermal growth factor receptor gene promoter and has some features of the promoter of the meglutol (hydroxymethylglutaryl, HMG) CoA reductase gene and the early promoter of simian virus 40.
Building successful brands: The strategic options

The debate on whether to include brands on the balance sheet has created a new interest in branding strategies. Successful brands clearly generate higher returns on sales and on investment. But quality and service, rather than advertising, is the best way of creating such brands. Acquisition strategies frequently produce inconsistent portfolios of brands. The policy towards brand extension is shown to depend upon the similarity of positioning strategies between current and new brands.
Activity-Dependent Degradation of Synaptic Vesicle Proteins Requires Rab35 and the ESCRT Pathway

Synaptic vesicle (SV) pools must maintain a functional repertoire of proteins to efficiently release neurotransmitter. The accumulation of old or damaged proteins on SV membranes is linked to synaptic dysfunction and neurodegeneration. However, despite the importance of SV protein turnover for neuronal health, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process are largely unknown. Here, we have used dissociated rat hippocampal neurons to investigate the pathway for SV protein degradation. We find that neuronal activity drives the degradation of a subset of SV proteins and that the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) machinery and SV-associated GTPase Rab35 are key elements of this use-dependent degradative pathway. Specifically, neuronal activity induces Rab35 activation and binding to the ESCRT-0 protein Hrs, which we have identified as a novel Rab35 effector. These actions recruit the downstream ESCRT machinery to SV pools, thereby initiating SV protein degradation via the ESCRT pathway. Our findings show that the Rab35/ESCRT pathway facilitates the activity-dependent removal of specific proteins from SV pools, thereby maintaining presynaptic protein homeostasis. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Synaptic transmission is mediated by the release of chemical neurotransmitters from synaptic vesicles (SVs). This tightly regulated process requires a functional pool of SVs, necessitating cellular mechanisms for removing old or damaged proteins that could impair SV cycling. Here, we show that a subset of SV proteins is degraded in an activity-dependent manner and that key steps in this degradative pathway are the activation of the small GTPase Rab35 and the subsequent recruitment of the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) machinery to SV pools. Further, we demonstrate that ESCRT-0 component Hrs is an effector of Rab35, thus providing novel mechanistic insight into the coupling of neuronal activity with SV protein degradation and the maintenance of functional SV pools.
Not the Usual Suspects: Addressing Layers of Vulnerability

This paper challenges the traditional account of vulnerability in healthcare which conceptualizes vulnerability as a list of identifiable subpopulations. This list of 'usual suspects', focusing on groups from lower resource settings, is a narrow account of vulnerability. In this article we argue that in certain circumstances middle-class individuals can be also rendered vulnerable. We propose a relational and layered account of vulnerability and explore this concept using the case study of cord blood (CB) banking. In the first section, two different approaches to 'vulnerability' are contrasted: categorical versus layered. In the second section, we describe CB banking and present a case study of CB banking in Argentina. We examine the types of pressure that middle-class pregnant women feel when considering CB collection and storage. In section three, we use the CB banking case study to critique the categorical approach to vulnerability: this model is unable to account for the ways in which these women are vulnerable. A layered account of vulnerability identifies several ways in which middle-class women are vulnerable. Finally, by utilizing the layered approach, this paper suggests how public health policies could be designed to overcome vulnerabilities.
Notice of RetractionThe Oat beta-Glucan Affects Mice Intestinal Morphology Similarly to Other Oat Products

Diets that are high in dietary fiber are reported to have substantial health benefits. We sought to compare the metabolic effects of 4 types of oat products - oat β-glucan, oat bran, oat flour and oatmeal - on body weight, peristalsis of gastrointestinal and intestinal morphology in normal mouse model. Fifty male mice (Kong Ming) were randomly divided into 5 groups that consumed normal diet alone or normal diet containing 5% oat β-glucan, oat bran, oat flour and oatmeal, respectively. After baseline measurement was assessed for body weight, animals were treated for 4 weeks. Weight gain and food intake were measured everyday. Gastric emptying, gastrointestinal transit and intestinal morphology were evaluated at the end of study. Whereas there was no difference at the baseline, body weight gains in the oat β-glucan and oatmeal groups were significantly lower than in the control group at the end of study. No difference in the food efficiency was observed among the oat flour, oatmeal and the control groups' animals. In addition, food intake test were also significantly lower in the oat β-glucan and oatmeal groups than in the control. Moreover, the jejunal villi in mice fed different oat products were predominantly tonguelike and fingerlike in appearance compared to those of mice fed the control diet. These results suggest that addition of oat diets result in improvements on cholesterol and lipid metabolism in mice through some changes in intestinal morphology.
Mechanism of Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL inhibition of NLRP1 inflammasome: Loop domain-dependent suppression of ATP binding and oligomerization

NLRP1 (NLR family, pyrin domain-containing 1) is a contributor to innate immunity involved in intracellular sensing of pathogens, as well as danger signals related to cell injury. NLRP1 is one of the core components of caspase-1-activating platforms termed “inflammasomes,” which are involved in proteolytic processing of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and in cell death. We previously discovered that anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL bind to and inhibit NLRP1 in cells. Using an in vitro reconstituted system employing purified recombinant proteins, we studied the mechanism by which Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL inhibit NLRP1. Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL inhibited caspase-1 activation induced by NLRP1 in a concentration-dependent manner, with Ki ≈ 10 nM. Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL were also determined to inhibit ATP binding to NLRP1, which is required for oligomerization of NLRP1, and Bcl-XL was demonstrated to interfere with NLRP1 oligomerization. Deletion of the flexible loop regions of Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL, which are located between the first and second α-helices of these anti-apoptotic proteins and which were previously shown to be required for binding NLRP1, abrogated ability to inhibit caspase-1 activation, ATP binding and oligomerization of NLRP1. Conversely, synthetic peptides corresponding to the loop region of Bcl-2 were sufficient to potently inhibit NLRP1. These findings thus demonstrate that the loop domain is necessary and sufficient to inhibit NLRP1, providing insights into the mechanism by which anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL inhibit NLRP1.
Oxidants and antioxidants of erythrocytes

__________________________________________________________________________________________ Erythrocytes contain reactive forms of oxygen (superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical) and reactive form of nitrogen (nitric oxide anion, S-nitrosothiols, peroxynitrite anion). Reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species inactivate enzymatic (methemoglobin reductase, Cu, Zn-Superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase) and non-enzymatic (glutathione, alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, ascorbate) antioxidants. Their quantity in erythrocytes increases in case of exposure to xenobiotics, in erythrocytes containing pathological hemoglobin, in erythrocytes with the enzymatic defects of the glycolytic or pentose cycle, in erythrocytes found in arterial and venous thrombi, and in the blood extravasated to tissues and body cavity. In such cases are observed in erythrocytes: structure modification of hemoglobin and membrane proteins, and lipids peroxidation. These processes cause changes of shape, decrease of flexibility, decrease of resistance to hemolysis, Heinz's bodies production and shorten the life span of red cells.
The Effect of Core Service Quality and Peripheral ServiceQuality on Customer Satisfaction.

Quality of service and customer satisfaction is an important factor for the success of any business. Customer satisfaction is a business philosophy that tends to create value for customers, anticipate and manage their expectations, as well demonstrate the ability and responsibility to meet their needs. Therefore, this study analyzes the effect of core service quality and peripheral service quality on customer satisfaction, caused by indication of customer dissatisfaction with the services provided by the BMT HARUM REMBANG. Respondents in this study were a sample of 3422 customers BMT HARUM REMBANG with using convenience sampling technique. The study was conducted in the district Rembang with the object of research is clients domiciled in the district Rembang. Data collection in this study using a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis with IBM SPSS 19 program. Results and implications of this study are theoretically illustrates that this study supports previous research that says that core service quality and peripheral service quality affects customer satisfaction. At the managerial level, this study contributes to the management to improve core services and peripheral services if BMT HARUM REMBANG want to increase customer satisfaction. The coefficient of the variable service quality higher than coefficients core services quality, it was gave space management to the more innovative and varied to provide peripheral services to customers.
A Comparative Study of Teachers’ Decision Making Styles and Their Job Satisfaction in Four Selected Migrant High Schools in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand

The main purpose of this study was to determine the differences of teachers’ decision-making styles with their job satisfaction in four selected migrant high schools in Mae Sot district, Tak Province, Thailand. A total of one hundred and sixteen (116) teachers from the four schools were surveyed. The main source of the data was a set of questionnaires which investigated the teachers’ decision making styles and their job satisfaction levels. The collected data were analyzed by using the frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and one-way ANOVA. The study found that “Group Decision Making Style” was the most perceived decision making style used by the teachers in the four schools, and from the results of teachers’ satisfaction, it was found that their job satisfaction levels were regarded as ‘neither’. Therefore the hypothesis was accepted as the study discovered that there was a significance difference in teachers’ job satisfaction between teachers who preferred autocratic decision making style and teachers who preferred consultative decision making style among different decision making styles in the four selected migrant high schools in Mae Sot district, Tak Province, Thailand. Teachers are recommended to establish a teachers’ group to regularly meet and discuss openly all issues in their professional and personal lives which impact their decision-making and job satisfaction. They should be made aware of the impact these issues can have on their own performance and student achievement, Schools Leaders and Administrators should recognize the importance of decision-making and that it could affect the school’s success or failure. A workshop should be set up immediately for both teachers and leaders to get practical experience in making the best choice of decision making styles. Also weekly teacher development meetings should be arranged for all teachers to discuss and share ideas on job satisfaction issues, both intrinsic and extrinsic. Future researchers are recommended to conduct similar studies on other management issues in schools to improve teachers’ job satisfaction and the academic progress of students, e.g. student-based learning, student and teacher motivation, teacher incentives and rewards. These studies would be invaluable in improving the education system in Myanmar and to bring them in line with standards in firstly ASEAN member countries and worldwide.