Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An empirical evaluation of US bank customer perceptions of the impact of technology on service delivery in the banking sector

The instalment of customer friendly technology (such as menu driven automated teller machines, telephone and Internet banking services) as a means of delivering traditional banking services has become commonplace in recent years as a way of maintaining customer loyalty and increasing market share. Traditional brick and mortar banks are using technology to meet the competitive challenge posed by online banks, as well as a method of reducing the cost of providing services that were once delivered exclusively by bank personnel. The present research investigates some of the various roles technology plays in the US banking sector and how technology in general impacts the delivery of banking service. The authors developed a grid that might prove useful to bank managers when making decisions concerning the priority of implementation of service‐oriented technology. Key strategic implications are discussed to include ways banks can improve the level of technology‐based service they provide to their customers.
Epiphytic Occurrence of Azorhizobium caulinodans and Other Rhizobia on Host and Nonhost Legumes

A large population of Azorhizobium caulinodans was present on Sesbania rostrata; up to 5 × 10−5 cm−2 were found on leaves and fewer were found on flowers. Although A. caulinodans was also present on the leaves of Sesbania aculeata (nonhost), the populations were much smaller than that observed on S. rostrata. The population of S. aculeata rhizobia on host leaves was less than 30 cm−2, and their presence on host flowers was sporadic. Aeschynomene afraspera and Aeschynomene aspera rhizobia, which are profusely stem nodulating, were found on the leaves of host and nonhost plants and on the flowers of host plants, but, Aeschynomene pratensis and Aeschynomene sensitiva rhizobia were not found on the leaves and flowers of host plants.
Do Firms Engage in Aggressive Tax Reporting Prior to Bankruptcy?

Our study examines the tax reporting behaviors of firms just before they file for bankruptcy (prebankruptcy firms). Specifically, we investigate whether pre-bankruptcy firms engage in more aggressive tax reporting, in comparison to non-bankruptcy firms. We also investigate whether the relationship between aggressive financial reporting and aggressive tax reporting is different across pre-bankruptcy and non-bankruptcy firms. Our findings suggest that pre-bankruptcy firms engage in more aggressive tax reporting, vis-A -vis non-bankruptcy firms. Additionally, we find that the positive relation between aggressive book reporting and aggressive tax reporting is stronger among pre-bankruptcy firms, vis-A -vis firms that are not approaching bankruptcy. Thus, our findings not only further our understanding of the motivations behind these significant reporting decisions, but also help us understand how a growing proportion of corporate managers respond to increasing pressures to perform in a depressed economy.
Early Childhood Development: Economic Development with a High Public Return

Early childhood development programs are rarely portrayed as economic development initiatives, and we think that is a mistake. Such programs, if they appear at all, are at the bottom of the economic development lists for state and local governments. They should be at the top. Most of the numerous projects and initiatives that state and local governments fund in the name of creating new private businesses and new jobs result in few public benefits. In contrast, studies find that well-focused investments in early childhood development yield high public as well as private returns.
Entrepreneur as Anauthentic Leader's in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in Pakistan

The aim of this paper is to explore the Authentic leadership styles of an entrepreneurs and its impact on Employee’s Commitment and satisfaction. By Using the Authentic Leadership Model, this study seeks to give a tentative test of the connection among employees’ awareness of the business creator as an authentic leader and the employees’ attitudes. Findings are that the opinion of employees’ about authentic leadership serves as the intoxicating analyst of employee job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Key words: Leadership, Entrepreneurs, SME.
A linear programming estimate of the weight distribution of BCH(255, k)

To estimate the weight distribution of a binary linear code, a linear programming approach has been proposed, which leads to the best known values for BCH (255,k). Following that approach, we propose three methods which give tighter estimates. At the same time, we find the distance of the dual of BCH [255,199,15].
Anatomical basis for camouflaged polarized light communication in squid

Abstract Camouflage is a means to defeat visual detection by predators, whereas visual communication involves a signal that is conspicuous to a receiver (usually a conspecific). However, most intraspecific visual signals are also conspicuous to predators, so that signalling can lead to the serious consequence of predation. Could an animal achieve visual camouflage and simultaneously send a hidden visual message to a conspecific? Here, we present evidence that the polarized aspect of iridescent colour in squid skin is maintained after it passes through the overlying pigmented chromatophores, which produce the highly evolved—and dynamically changeable—camouflaged patterns in cephalopods. Since cephalopods are polarization sensitive, and can regulate polarization via skin iridescence, it is conceivable that they could send polarized signals to conspecifics while staying camouflaged to fish or mammalian predators, most of which are not polarization sensitive.
APPLICATION OF CHROMIUM RESISTANT ORGANISMSIN BIOREMEDIATION

Water pollution resulting from the increased concentration of chromium is causing serious ecological problems necessitating its removal from the waste waters. In this investigation chromium resistant bacterial isolates viz. Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes and Bacillus globisporus were evaluated for their ability to abate pollution caused by chromium. Methods like bio-absorption using dead and live biomass and bio-reduction of chromium using live and resting cells were employed. All the isolates showed their potential as bio-cleansing agents in remediating chromium contaminated environments to varying degrees.
Education: Demand and Supply of Teachers for Primary Schools in the 21st Century Nigeria

How to ensure Nigerians have access to Universal Basic Education has often attracted the attention of some States and Federal Government of Nigeria since 1955. Several factors, bordering on supply of teachers, facilities, finance have constrained implementation of well fashioned policies. Demand and supply of teachers for primary schools have serious consequences on the implementation of primary school education in Nigeria. This paper explores the demand and supply of teachers for primary schools in the 21st century in Nigeria especially with the introduction of Universal Basic Education in Nigeria and attempts to ensure the attainment of United Nations Millennium Development Goals and Education for All (EFA) by the year 2015.
ELMAN Neural Network with Modified Grey Wolf Optimizer for Enhanced Wind Speed Forecasting

The scope of this paper is to forecast wind speed. Wind speed, temperature, wind direction, relative humidity, precipitation of water content and air pressure are the main factors make the wind speed forecasting as a complex problem and neural network performance is mainly influenced by proper hidden layer neuron units. This paper proposes new criteria for appropriate hidden layer neuron unit’s determination and attempts a novel hybrid method in order to achieve enhanced wind speed forecasting. This paper proposes the following two main innovative contributions 1) both either over fitting or under fitting issues are avoided by means of the proposed new criteria based hidden layer neuron unit’s estimation. 2) ELMAN neural network is optimized through Modified Grey Wolf Optimizer (MGWO). The proposed hybrid method (ELMAN-MGWO) performance, effectiveness is confirmed by means of the comparison between Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO), Adaptive Gbest-guided Gravitational Search Algorithm (GGSA), Artificial Bee Colony (ABC), Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), Cuckoo Search (CS), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Evolution Strategy (ES), Genetic Algorithm (GA) algorithms, meanwhile proposed new criteria effectiveness and precise are verified comparison with other existing selection criteria. Three real-time wind data sets are utilized in order to analysis the performance of the proposed approach. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed hybrid method (ELMAN-MGWO) achieve the mean square error AVG ± STD of 4.1379e-11 ± 1.0567e-15, 6.3073e-11 ± 3.5708e-15 and 7.5840e-11 ± 1.1613e-14 respectively for evaluation on three real-time data sets. Hence, the proposed hybrid method is superior, precise, enhance wind speed forecasting than that of other existing methods and robust.
Pretreatment with intraventricular aurintricarboxylic acid decreases infarct size by inhibiting apoptosis following transient global ischemia in gerbils

The goal of this study was to determine whether aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA), an endonuclease inhibitor known to inhibit apoptosis, could ameliorate cell damage in a gerbil model of transient ischemia. Transient ischemia. Transien ischemia was induced in gerbils by bilateral carotid artery occlusion for a period of 5 minutes. Four micrograms of ATA was administered intraventricularly I hour before ischemia, and the brains were assessed histologically 1 week later to quantitate cell loss in the vulnerable CA‐1 subsector of the hippocampus. In a separate set of experiments, 4 μg of ATA was administered intraventricularly 1 hour before ischemia and the brains were assessed for evidence of DNA fragmentation by the TUNEL method. There was only a 16% cell loss compared with nonischemic controls in animals pretreated with ATA that was significantly less (p < 0.05) than the 48% cell loss in animals pretreated with saline alone. TUNEL‐positive cells were first evident at 3 days and were still present at 7 days subsequent to ischemia. Maximal staining occurred at 4 days. Pretreatment with ATA virtually eliminated TUNEL staining at 4 days. These results support the hypothesis that the delayed cell death secondary to transient ischemia is, in part, apoptotic. Furthermore, ATA afforded significant neuronal protection and prevented DNA fragmentation.
Psychic Distance, International Commitment, Firm Experience, International Marketing Strategy, and Export Venture Success: An Empirical Study of Austrian SMEs

This study examines the influence of firm-specific factors, such as international marketing strategy, firm experience, psychic distance, and international commitment, on export performance in Austrian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Using survey data from 220 export ventures, this paper tests causal-effect-relationships in the proposed conceptual model, using structural equation modelling. The results of the study show that there is a twofold influence of psychic distance, commitment, and firm experience. There is evidence that this relationship is an inverted u-curve. In addition, we found that competition in foreign target markets exerts a positive effect on the adaption of marketing strategies. The results confirm that psychic distance has an impact on all measured dimensions of export success in SMEs. We found evidence that the degree of product adaptation positively influences the overall success and the profitability of export ventures, whereas the degree of price adaptation is positively related to sales growth and profitability. Our study indicates that SMEs are more successful in early stages of exporting and become less successful in later stages.
Temperature Management in Acute Neurologic Injury

Therapeutic hypothermia is becoming an important intervention following acute neurologic injury despite inconclusive results concerning efficacy. This enthusiasm primarily stems from a lack of other effective interventions in this population. With the increase in the use of therapeutic hypothermia, several practical issues must be considered when initiating this intervention. Clinical pharmacists can play an important role in anticipating and addressing some complications such as shivering, slow drug metabolism, and infection. This review will discuss the available literature concerning the efficacy of therapeutic hypothermia in various neurologic injuries, as well as the most common adverse events associated with it.
Predictors of returning for second round screening at a population based mammographic screening programme in Melbourne, Australia.

OBJECTIVE: To examine factors associated with returning for second round mammography screening. SETTING: This was a population based mammographic screening programme in Melbourne, Australia. DESIGN: A cohort design was used whereby 668 women were interviewed before the screening programme began and attendance for both first and second round screening was ascertained from programme records. The cohort sample was drawn from two regions of a defined area (close to and distant from the screening centre). MAIN RESULTS: Of the 315 women who attended for first round screening, 75% from the proximal sample and 70% from the distal sample returned for second round screening. Attendance at the second round was predicted by the following: the method of recruitment for first round screening, with women who required a letter of invitation and a reminder being less likely to reattend than those who initially attended in response to a community campaign (OR = 0.34; CI 0.19, 0.61); mammographic history before the initial screen, with women who reported previous diagnostic mammography being more likely to reattend than those who did not (OR = 2.97; CI 1.01, 8.9); stated intention of attending for the initial screen, with those with weakest intention of attending for their first round being less likely to attend for second round (OR = 0.44; CI 0.23, 0.85); and increasing scores on a scale that measured preventive orientation to health (OR = 1.24; CI 1.02, 1.50). CONCLUSION: Our findings corroborate other findings of reduced long term attendance for screening from people who are "reluctant participants" initially.
Prayer rooms: an augmented or expected benefit? Senayan City Mall Jakarta

Title – Prayer rooms: an augmented or expected benefit? Senayan City Mall Jakarta. Subject area – Services marketing, Market segmentation, Ethnography. Study level/applicability – Postgraduate programs, Master in Strategic Marketing and Master in Business Administration. Case overview – One of the signs of an increase in religion awareness of Indonesian society is a high demand on Musholla in public area. While other shopping malls just provide a normal standard room for prayer, Senayan City has become a pioneer in introducing an excellent facility of a prayer room. In services marketing, one of the substantial matters to consider is physical evidence, or in other words service setting or servicescape. Musholla is one of the intangible aspects, which depicts services in shopping malls in Indonesia. There are three variables that distinguish visitors' types, such as time spent, liturgical compliance level and concerns for cleanliness/hygiene. Expected learning outcomes – The objective of this case study is.
Performance Evaluation of the Alere PIMA CD4 Test for Monitoring HIV-Infected Individuals in Resource-Constrained Settings

Background: Enumeration of CD4+ T-lymphocytes is important in the management of HIV. However, standard laboratory systems based on flow cytometry are expensive, complicated, and thus unavailable to most resource-limited settings where a low-cost and fully automated point-of-care CD4 testing system is required. In attempts to address this issue, a study was conducted to validate the Alere PIMA point-of-care CD4 test. Method: Duplicate values of the absolute number of CD4+ T-lymphocytes in 203 HIV-infected blood samples obtained using the PIMA system were compared with the two predicate single-platform FACSCount and the dual-platform FACSCan (Becton Dickinson Biosciences). Results: The overall absolute CD4+ T-lymphocyte count obtained using the PIMA system correlated highly with the FACSCount (r2 = 0.957; mean bias, -54.2 cells/μL; limit of agreement, -190.9 to +82.5 cells/μL) and the FACSCan (r2 = 0.957; mean bias -44.0 cells/μL; limit of agreement, -179.7 to +91.6 cells/μL). Good correlation and low biases were also observed for samples with CD4+ T-lymphocyte count ranges of 0 to 200 and 0 to 350 cells/μL. Additionally, there was no significant difference in absolute CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts noted between the duplicate samples using the PIMA system. Conclusions: This new point-of-care product is a simple and reliable system and should contribute significantly to the simplification of performing CD4 testing and thus increase access for patients in resource-limited settings. The inability to obtain values for the frequency (%) of CD4+ T-lymphocyte count is one limitation of the PIMA system, the addition of which would be of value for clinical staging or monitoring in HIV-infected pediatric patients.
Molecular basis of sickle cell‐endothelial cell interactions

Adherence of sickle erythrocytes to microvascular endothelium is posited to initiate or contribute to sickle cell vaso‐occlusive pain episodes. Adherence and occlusion in vivo may depend on hemodynamics interacting with plasma, erythrocyte, and endothelial cell factors. Four receptor‐mediated adherence pathways have been described to date: adherence mediated by high molecular weight von Willebrand factor multimers bridging glycoprotein Ib‐like and integrin receptors on sickle cells and similar receptors on endothelial cells; thrombo‐spondin bridging CD36 on sickle reticulocytes and the &agr;v&bgr;3 integrin on large‐vessel endothelial cells or &agr;v&bgr;3 and CD36 on microvascular endothelium; binding of sickle reticulocyte &agr;4&bgr;1 receptors to vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 expressed on endothelial cells stimulated by cytokine or double‐stranded RNA viruses; and binding of sickle cells to endothelial cell‐associated fibronectin via sickle reticulocyte &agr;4&bgr;1 activated by phorbol ester or interleukin‐8. The significance of these adherence pathways in sickle cell vaso‐occlusion is discussed.
Detecting structural changes in viral capsids by hydrogen exchange and mass spectrometry

Amide hydrogen exchange and mass spectrometry have been used to study the pH‐induced structural changes in the capsid of brome mosaic virus (BMV). Capsid protein was labeled in a structurally sensitive way by incubating intact viral particles in D2O at pH 5.4 and 7.3. Deuterium levels in the intact coat protein and its proteolytic fragments were determined by mass spectrometry. The largest deuterium increases induced by structural alteration occurred in the regions around the quasi‐threefold axes, which are located at the center of the asymmetric unit. The increased levels of deuterium indicate loosening of structure in these regions. This observation confirms the previously proposed swelling model for BMV and cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) and is consistent with the structure of swollen CCMV recently determined by cryo‐electron microscopy and image reconstruction. Structural changes in the extended N‐ and C‐terminal arms were also detected and compared with the results obtained with other swollen plant viruses. This study demonstrates that protein fragmentation/amide hydrogen exchange is a useful tool for probing structural changes in viral capsids.
Emerging Roles of Long Non-Coding RNAs in Ankylosing Spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation, bone erosion, spur formation of the spine and the sacroiliac joints. However, the etiology and molecular pathogenesis of AS remain largely unclear. Recently, a growing number of studies showed that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) played critical roles in the development and progression of autoimmune and orthopedic conditions, including AS. Studies demonstrated that a myriad of lncRNAs (e.g. H19, MEG3, LOC645166) pertinent to regulation of inflammatory signals were deregulated in AS. A number of lncRNAs might also serve as new biomarkers for the diagnosis and predicting the outcomes of AS. In this review, we summarize lncRNA profiling studies on AS and the functional roles and mechanism of key lncRNAs relevant to AS pathogenesis. We also discuss their potential values as biomarkers and druggable targets for this potentially disabling condition.
Educational Interventions Successfully Reduce Pedestrians' Overestimates of Their Own Nighttime Visibility

Pedestrians dramatically overestimate their own visibility at night. This is likely to result in pedestrians unknowingly engaging in dangerous behavior. To determine the extent to which pedestrians' estimates of their own visibility are influenced by educational interventions, clothing reflectance, and headlamp beam setting, participants in 2 experiments estimated their own nighttime visibility by walking toward a stationary car to the point where they believed they were just recognizable as a pedestrian. In the first experiment 48 university students were tested and in the second experiment 9 high-school driver education students were tested. Overall, participants failed to appreciate the benefits of reflective clothing and of high-beam illumination. However, the participants in Experiment 1 who had heard a relevant lecture several weeks earlier gave estimates that were 10% shorter than did a control group. Participants in Experiment 2 heard a more focused and graphicintensive lecture and gave estimates that were 56% shorter than did a control group. Potential applications of this research include increasing pedestrian safety by designing and implementing research-based public education campaigns aimed at reducing pedestrians' overestimates of their own nighttime visibility.
Enterprise Education and Venture Initiative in Developing Entrepreneurial Potentials

The development of entrepreneurial potentials is important to sustaining a competitive advantage among people coexisting in innovative environment. Quality entrepreneurship education and training seem to be a mechanism in promoting and encouraging entrepreneurial potentials among youth in schools. However, identifying and nurturing these potentials can contribute immensely for the development of entrepreneurial skills to sustaining economic growth and development. This research investigates the effect of enterprise education in arousing entrepreneurial spirits among pre-tertiary level students. Ten public secondary schools in Gombe metropolis Nigeria were examined to identify students who started a given form of business after graduation; students that graduated ten years ago from 2000-2010 was sampled. The study examined among non-science based students that had entrepreneurship related subjects and the science based students that had not. The study observed that entrepreneurship education can influence psychological attributes commonly associated with entrepreneurship spirit. Further reveals that secondary school students with entrepreneurship or related knowledge have higher achievement motivation and creativity for starting a business than their counter part without it. The study recommends that there is need to include a compulsory entrepreneurship subject in the secondary school curriculum. Keywords—Enterprise education, venture initiative, entrepreneurial potential, pre-tertiary and Gombe.