Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CRM and customer-centric knowledge management: an empirical research

Current competitive challenges induced by globalization and advances in information technology have forced companies to focus on managing customer relationships, and in particular customer satisfaction, in order to efficiently maximize revenues. This paper reports exploratory research based on a mail survey addressed to the largest 1,000 Greek organizations. The objectives of the research were: to investigate the extent of the usage of customer‐ and market‐related knowledge management (KM) instruments and customer relationship management (CRM) systems by Greek organizations and their relationship with demographic and organizational variables; to investigate whether enterprises systematically carry out customer satisfaction and complaining behavior research; and to examine the impact of the type of the information system used and managers’ attitudes towards customer KM practices. In addition, a conceptual model of CRM development stages is proposed. The findings of the survey show that about half of the organizations of the sample do not adopt any CRM philosophy. The remaining organizations employ instruments to conduct customer satisfaction and other customer‐related research. However, according to the proposed model, they are positioned in the first, the preliminary CRM development stage. The findings also suggest that managers hold positive attitudes towards CRM and that there is no significant relationship between the type of the transactional information system used and the extent to which customer satisfaction research is performed by the organizations. The paper concludes by discussing the survey findings and proposing future research.
Association Between Hypertension, Menopause, and Cognition in Women

The aim of this study was to investigate the cognitive state in women and its relation to menopause and hypertension (HTN). The authors included 1034 women aged 47.13±15.71 years. The prevalence of HTN was 47.1%, with 67.8% of patients treated and 48.6% controlled. Cognitive impairment was higher among hypertensive menopausal (mini‐Boston Naming Test: 7.4±3.1 vs 8.5±2.4, P<.001; Clock‐Drawing Test: 5.2±2 vs 5.6±1.6, P<.01). Using logistic regression adjusted by age and education level, statistical differences were found in the results from the mini‐Boston Naming Test between menopausal hypertensive vs menopausal normotensive women (odds ratio, 1.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.06–2.07; P=.021), and no difference between nonmenopausal hypertensive vs menopausal normotensive women (odds ratio, 0.89; 95% confidence interval, 0.51–1.57; P=.697). The P interaction between both groups was significant (P=.038). The possibility of alteration in cortical functions in menopausal hypertensive woman showed a relative increment of 48% (P=.021). The association between HTN and menopause increases the possibility of compromising the semantic memory by 50%.
Perspectivas sobre a Gamifcação: um fenómeno que quer gerar envolvimento

A gamificacao enquanto nova palavra na calha de muitas apresentacoes academicas parece gerar controversia. Uns afirmam ser um fenomeno capaz de envolver o utilizador, saturado das antigas estrategias comunicacionais. Outros refutam o termo e reivindicam a total dissociacao da ideia de jogo – paidia e entroncam-no com a ideia de ludus de Caillois. Isto porque o que motiva o utilizador a alterar o seu comportamento nao sao apenas recompensas extrinsecas, mas antes a harmonia com objectivos intrinsecos.
Patient Race/Ethnicity and Shared Medical Record Use Among Diabetes Patients

Background:Previous studies have documented racial/ethnic differences in patients’ use of websites providing shared electronic medical records between patients and health care professionals. Less is known about whether these are driven by patient-level preferences and/or barriers versus broader provider or system factors. Methods:Cross-sectional study of diabetes patients in an integrated delivery system in 2008–2009. Primary measures were race/ethnicity and shared medical record (SMR) use. Covariates included sociodemographics (age, sex, income, education), health status (comorbidity, diabetes severity), and provider characteristics (encouragement of SMR, secure messaging use, clinic). Results:The majority (62%) of Whites used the SMR, compared with 34% of Blacks, 37% of Asians, and 55% of other race/ethnicity (P<0.001). Most respondents (76%) stated that their provider had encouraged them to use the SMR, with no differences by race/ethnicity. Patients saw primary care providers who used a similar amount of secure messaging in their practices—except Asians, who were less likely to see high-messaging providers. In fully adjusted models, Blacks [odds ratio (OR), 0.18; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.11–0.30] and Asians (OR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.20–0.77) were significantly less likely than Whites to use the SMR. When restricted to individuals reporting at least occasional Internet use, this finding remained for Black respondents (OR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.10–0.63). Conclusions:Among diabetes patients, differences in SMR use by race/ethnicity were not fully explained by differences in age, sex, sociodemographics, health status, or provider factors—particularly for Black patients. There were few racial/ethnic differences in provider encouragement or provider secure messaging use that would have suggested disparities at the provider level.
The expression pattern of the Hmgic gene during development

The technique of RNA in situ hybridization to mouse embryo sections from different developmental stages was used to perform a detailed analysis of the expression pattern of the gene for the architectural chromatin factor Hmgic. At early stages of fetal development (day 9.5 post conceptionem), Hmgic is expressed at a high rate throughout the whole embryo. In the second half of development, the pattern of expression becomes more restricted. Expression is found in mesenchymal derivatives, which differentiate into cartilage or muscle, in epithelial cell layers of the lung, pancreas, submandibular gland, and vibrissae, and in some special parts of the central nervous system. The expression pattern of Hmgic was compared with the previously reported studies of Hmgiy gene expression, another member of the Hmgic protein family, and with the expression of histone H4, Hist4, which is representative of cellular proliferation stages. In some tissues the pattern of expression for both factors coincides, but in others the expression is different. Hmgic expression correlates throughout fetal development with high proliferative activity. In contrast, Hmgiy is expressed also in tissues with no proliferative activity, such as the cortical plate of the telencephalon and the spinal cord at late gestational stages. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 23:350–357, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Ultrastructural and Immunocytochemical Studies on the H2O2-Producing Enzyme Pyranose Oxidase in Phanerochaete chrysosporium Grown under Liquid Culture Conditions

The ultrastructural distribution of the sugar-oxidizing enzyme pyranose 2-oxidase (POD) in hyphae of Phanerochaete chrysosporium K-3 grown under liquid culture conditions optimal for the enzyme's production was studied by transmission electron microscopy immunocytochemistry. Using the 3-dimethylaminobenzoic acid-3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone hydrochloride H2O2 peroxidase spectrophotometric assay, POD was detected in mycelial extracts from days 7 to 18, with maximum activity recorded on day 12. Onset of POD activity occurred in the secondary phase of hyphal development at a time of stationary growth, glucose limitation, and pH increase. POD was also detected extracellularly in the culture fluid from days 7 to 18, with maximum activity recorded on day 13. At early stages of development (3 to 4 days), using anti-POD antibodies and immunogold labeling, POD was localized in multivesicular and electron-dense bodies and in cell membrane regions. After 10 to 12 days of growth, at maximum POD activity, POD was concentrated within the periplasmic space where it was associated with membrane-bound vesicles and other membrane structures. At later stages of development (17 to 18 days), when the majority of hyphae were lysed, POD was observed associated with residual intracellular membrane systems and vesicles. Transmission electron microscopy immunocytochemical studies also demonstrated an extracellular distribution of the enzyme at the stationary growth phase, showing its association with fungal extracellular slime. In studies of ligninolytic cultures of the same fungus, POD was found to have a similar intracellular and extracellular distribution in slime as that recorded for cultures grown with cornsteep. POD's peripheral cytoplasmic distribution shows similarities to the cellular distribution of that reported previously for H2O2-dependent lignin and manganese peroxidases in P. chrysosporium.
Severe CD4+ T-Cell Depletion in Gut Lymphoid Tissue during Primary Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Infection and Substantial Delay in Restoration following Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

ABSTRACT Gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) harbors the majority of T lymphocytes in the body and is an important target for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). We analyzed longitudinal jejunal biopsy samples from HIV-1-infected patients, during both primary and chronic stages of HIV-1 infection, prior to and following the initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) to determine the onset of CD4+ T-cell depletion and the effect of HAART on the restoration of CD4+ T cells in GALT. Severe depletion of intestinal CD4+ T cells occurred during primary HIV-1 infection. Our results showed that the restoration of intestinal CD4+ T cells following HAART in chronically HIV-1-infected patients was substantially delayed and incomplete. In contrast, initiation of HAART during early stages of infection resulted in near-complete restoration of intestinal CD4+ T cells, despite the delay in comparison to peripheral blood CD4+ T-cell recovery. DNA microarray analysis of gene expression profiles and flow-cytometric analysis of lymphocyte homing and cell proliferation markers demonstrated that cell trafficking to GALT and not local proliferation contributed to CD4+ T-cell restoration. Evaluation of jejunal biopsy samples from long-term HIV-1-infected nonprogressors showed maintenance of normal CD4+ T-cell levels in both GALT and peripheral blood. Our results demonstrate that near-complete restoration of mucosal immune system can be achieved by initiating HAART early in HIV-1 infection. Monitoring of the restoration and/or maintenance of CD4+ T cells in GALT provides a more accurate assessment of the efficacy of antiviral host immune responses as well as HAART.
Very early predictors of conduct problems and crime: results from a national cohort study.

BACKGROUND Longitudinal research has produced a wealth of knowledge about individual, family, and social predictors of crime. However, nearly all studies have started after children are age 5, and little is known about earlier risk factors. METHODS The 1970 British Cohort Study is a prospective population survey of more than 16,000 children born in 1970. Pregnancy, birth, child, parent, and socioeconomic characteristics were measured from medical records, parent interviews, and child assessments at birth and age 5. Conduct problems were reported by parents at age 10, and criminal convictions were self-reported by study members at ages 30-34. RESULTS Early (up to age 5) psychosocial risk factors were strong predictors of conduct problems and criminal conviction. Among pregnancy and birth measures, only prenatal maternal smoking was strongly predictive. Risk factors were similar for girls and boys. Additive risk scores predicted antisocial behaviour quite strongly. CONCLUSIONS Risk factors from pregnancy to age 5 are quite strong predictors of conduct problems and crime. New risk assessment tools could be developed to identify young children at high risk for later antisocial behaviour.
Performance of Disruption-Tolerant Network Mechanisms Applied to Airborne Networks

Recently, there has been a great deal of interest in the development of viable airborne network (AN) architectures for both defense and commercial applications. The design of an airborne network differs from traditional (e.g. Internet) networks because the dynamics of airborne networks give rise to a number of challenging conditions. In this work, we focus on link disruption caused by movement and changing orientation of network nodes/platforms. This includes wing and body blockage, terrain blockage, range limitations, atmospheric turbulence and weather effects. The focus of this paper is mitigation of disruption of links in the AN. Previous work has shown that a combination of transport layer and link layer approaches can successfully address link disruption in wireless network context. In this work, we leverage a combination of two technologies, a transport protocol LT-TCP and a hybrid link-layer FEC/ARQ protocol, LL-HARQ. LT-TCP is an enhancement to the transport layer protocol TCP, that provides loss tolerance and higher goodput on unreliable links. LL-HARQ is a link-layer protocol that provides improved reliability on a link-by-link basis. Both protocols operate under a common framework using loss estimation, proactive/reactive FEC and retransmission. These approaches have previously shown good performance on links with specified packet error rates, in this work we apply these approaches to links that suffer disruptions. We investigate the performance of these approaches, properly parameterized, on realistic link data gathered from AN flight experiments. We compare this performance to that of traditional link and transport approaches, for airborne network scenarios.
Z-Source AC-AC Converters Solving Commutation Problem

A new family of Z-source AC-AC converters with buck-boost ability are proposed, including four switches single-phase structure and six switches three- phase structure. New commutation strategies for these converters are proposed and safe commutation can be achieved without snubber circuit. Analysis, simulation and experimental results on the voltage-fed Z-source AC- AC converters verified the analysis. These converters have merits such as less conduction and switching loss, less devices, therefore high efficiency and reliability can be achieved.
Educação, capital humano e crescimento econômico

Este trabalho estuda as relacoes entre capital humano - medido pelo numero de matriculas em quatro niveis de educacao - e o Produto Interno Bruto (PIB) do Brasil. Como abordagem, utiliza o metodo de Johansen de cointegracao e causalidade de Granger. Concomitantemente a isso, o estudo supoe a educacao como o principal elemento de formacao de capital humano e a existencia de uma relacao de longo prazo entre capital humano e PIB. De fato, este trabalho replica o estudo feito por Asteriou e Agiomirgianakis (2001, Journal of Policy Modeling) para a Grecia, o qual conclui que o capital humano causa, no sentido de Granger, o PIB daquele pais para os niveis educacionais primario e secundario, encontrando causalidade reversa para o ensino superior. No presente estudo, o periodo analisado compreende de 1959 a 2000, com dados sobre os numeros de matricula nos niveis do ensino fundamental, ensino medio, graduacao e pos-graduacao. Para o Brasil, o presente trabalho encontra relacoes de causalidade no sentido do capital humano para o crescimento economico apenas para a serie de ensino fundamental, sendo que a relacao de causalidade entre PIB e ensino de graduacao ficou indefinida e para a pos-graduacao a causalidade foi reversa. Nao foi encontrada nenhuma relacao de causalidade entre ensino medio e PIB.
Postsynaptic modulation of NMDA synaptic currents in rat hippocampal microcultures by paired‐pulse stimulation.

1. Paired‐pulse synaptic stimulation of hippocampal neurons in microcultures resulted in depression of synaptic currents mediated by both NMDA and alpha‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methylisoxazole‐4‐propionate (AMPA) receptors. However, NMDA EPSCs were more severely depressed than AMPA EPSCs. 2. Partial NMDA receptor blockade reduced paired‐pulse depression of NMDA but not of AMPA synaptic currents while partial AMPA receptor blockade had no effect on paired‐pulse depression of AMPA EPSCs. These results suggest that ion flux through NMDA receptors is important in paired‐pulse depression of NMDA responses but has no effect on AMPA responses. 3. Low extracellular Ca2+ concentrations or positive postsynaptic holding potentials reduced paired‐pulse depression of NMDA EPSCs to near that of AMPA responses. 4. Brief paired applications of exogenous glutamate to neurons produced Ca(2+)‐dependent depression similar to the depression of NMDA synaptic responses and synaptic stimulation depressed responses to exogenously applied NMDA. 5. Physiological concentrations of Mg2+ prevented expression of the postsynaptic modulation of NMDA EPSCs at ‐70 mV, but partial relief of Mg2+ block of the NMDA channel with depolarization increased paired‐pulse depression of NMDA EPSCs.
Analysis of ECG signal by chaos principle to help automatic diagnosis of myocardial infarction

Chaotic behavior of electrocardiogram (ECG) signal of myocardial and non-myocardial infarctions is differentiated using neuro-GA approach, incorporating heuristically chosen phase space fractal dimension (PSFD) of ECG data. A remarkable improvement of diagnostic efficiency, sensitivity and specificity was observed in case study.
ANÁLISE DE DADOS DE FISIOLOGIA DE PLANTAS APOIADA POR TÉCNICAS DE VISUALIZAÇÃO DE INFORMAÇÕES

Este artigo apresenta uma proposta alternativa para a analise de dados de fisiologia de plantas, usando como apoio, tecnicas de visualizacao de informacoes. Estas tecnicas conseguem gerar visualizacoes diretamente a partir de dados de alta dimensionalidade, que auxiliam a compreensao dos dados e servem para auxiliar a identificacao dos atributos mais relevantes para a discriminacao das especies estudadas. A identificacao dos parâmetros mais relevantes e fundamental para a construcao de um modelo de classificacao, seja usando um classificador Bayesiano ou mesmo uma Rede Neural Artificial.
Comparison of Different Commercial Serological Tests for the Detection of Toxoplasma gondii Antibodies in Serum of Naturally Exposed Pigs

Toxoplasma gondii is the aetiological agent of the zoonotic disease toxoplasmosis and transmitted among other ways by chemically and physically untreated, that is, raw pork to humans. The detection of Toxoplasma gondii is impossible by currently practiced meat inspection, but serological tests can be used to detect Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in pig herds and can consequently be helpful to identify potentially contaminated pork. Therefore, appropriate serological tests are required. In this study, serum samples of 1368 naturally exposed slaughter pigs from 73 Austrian farms were collected. Serum samples of at least 16 slaughter pigs per farm were tested. The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in serum was measured by a commercial available modified agglutination test (MAT) and compared to three different commercial available enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). The MAT detected 6.5%, ELISA I 6.7%, ELISA II 4.8% and ELISA III 4.3% of the pigs as Toxoplasma gondii antibody positive. The agreement, according to the kappa coefficient (κ), was substantial between the MAT and ELISA I (κ = 0.62), II (κ = 0.64) and III (κ = 0.67). A better agreement was determined between ELISA I and II (κ = 0.715), ELISA I and III (κ = 0.747) and ELISA II and III (κ = 0.865). At least one pig per farm was detected Toxoplasma gondii antibody positive in 17 (23.3%) farms by the MAT, 26 (35.6%) farms by ELISA I, 16 (21.9%) farms by ELISA II and 11 (15.1%) farms by ELISA III. Pig farms with a high number of Toxoplasma gondii antibody‐positive pigs or high antibody titres were identified by all of the four used serological tests. Concerning the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in Austrian pig farms, a monitoring and surveillance programme would be reasonable to find high‐risk farms.
Responses to cardiovascular drugs during alcohol withdrawal.

AIM To present findings on the kinetics and dynamics of cardiovascular drugs during alcohol withdrawal (AW), compared with that observed in remission. METHOD Studies were reviewed and summarized. RESULTS A single-dose study in alcoholic patients with propranolol, a beta-adrenergic antagonist, showed that the negative inotropic effect was decreased and the bradycardiac effect increased during AW as compared with during early remission. The hypotensive effect of isosorbid dinitrate, commonly used as a vasodilatator, was weaker at the onset of AW, being associated with the decreased bioavailability of the drug. Verapamil, which is a L-type Ca2+ channel antagonist, produced a bradycardiac effect at the onset of AW, but no effect was observed in early remission. The effect was probably due to changes in L-type Ca2+ channels because no differences in verapamil concentrations between AW and early remission were observed. CONCLUSION Taken together, AW modifies the dynamics and kinetics of cardiac drugs, which may have an impact on the treatment of alcoholic patients with cardiac diseases.
Stability of Over-Relaxations for the Forward-Backward Algorithm, Application to FISTA

This paper is concerned with the convergence of over-relaxations of the forward-backward algorithm (FB) (in particular the fast iterative soft thresholding algorithm (FISTA)) in the case when proximal maps and/or gradients are computed with a possible error. We show that, provided these errors are small enough, the algorithm still converges to a minimizer of the functional, and with a speed of convergence (in terms of values of the functional) that remains the same as in the noise-free case. We also show that larger errors can be allowed, using a lower over-relaxation than FISTA. This still leads to the convergence of iterates and with ergodic convergence speed faster than the classical FB and FISTA.
Effect of caffeine treatment before vitrification on MPF and MAPK activity and spontaneous parthenogenetic activation of in vitro matured ovine oocytes.

BACKGROUND Molecules that stabilize protein kinases may be useful in overcoming the deleterious effects of cryopreservation. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of caffeine treatment before vitrification of in vitro matured ovine oocytes on the activity of MPF and MAPK as well as the spontaneous parthenogenetic activation after 24 h culture. MATERIALS AND METHODS Oocytes obtained from slaughterhouse sheep ovaries were in vitro matured for 21 h, incubated for 3 h with or without caffeine and then vitrified. After warming, oocytes were processed for the analysis of chromatin configuration and the evaluation of spontaneous parthenogenetic activation (24 h in vitro culture). Fresh in vitro matured oocytes were used as control. RESULTS Caffeine treatment before vitrification maintained the MPF activity at a level similar to that of fresh oocytes, and reduced the spontaneous parthenogenetic activation in comparison with oocytes that were not-treated with caffeine. CONCLUSION Caffeine treatment prolongs the meiotic arrest of vitrified MII oocytes, likely via its action of stabilizing the MPF level.