Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems ( PACIS ) 7-15-2012 Platform-Based Online Services , Competitive Actions , And E-Marketplace Seller Performance

Platform-based services are online services provided by e-marketplace operators to online sellers for them to compete and enhance performance. This paper aims at examining two important questions in the context of e-marketplace: (1) what kind of platform-based services can be used by online retail sellers as competitive moves? and (2) to what extent does the usage of these platform-based services impact online seller’s performance? Drawing on competitive dynamics theory, we argue that sellers that undertake a larger number of, more complex and heterogeneous platform-based services achieve better performance in e-marketplace. Using data of 1046 sellers, who open online retail stores and sell cosmetics on Taobao, a Chinese e-marketplace, we found that while undertaking more complex platform-based services is important by itself, it is more important to be strategic by undertaking a large number of platform-based services and these services had better be different from its competitors and the industry. Implications for practice and research and suggestions for future research on improving sellers’ competitiveness are discussed. This research was supported in part by a grant from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (No. CityU 141809).
Linguistic ostracism causes prejudice: Support for a serial mediation effect

ABSTRACT This research investigated the effects of linguistic ostracism, defined as any communication setting in which a target individual (or group) is ostracized by another individual (or group) in a language that the target has extremely limited ability to understand. Participants were included or ostracized by their group members during a computer-mediated group discussion. Half of the ostracized participants were linguistically ostracized via their group members conversing with one another in a language the participant did not know well (Spanish Ostracism: SO), or in a language the participant did know well (English Ostracism: EO). SO participants reported feeling less similar than both included and EO participants. SO participants also reported being angrier and expressed more prejudice than included participants (and EO participants using effect size estimates). Results also provided support for the hypothesized serial mediation model. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for intergroup relations.
Characterization of protocadherin‐1 expression in primary bronchial epithelial cells: association with epithelial cell differentiation

Protocadherin‐1 (PCDH1) is a novel susceptibility gene for asthma that is expressed in airway epithelium. We aimed to characterize PCDH1 mRNA transcripts and protein expression in primary bronchial epithelial cells and to determine regulation of PCDH1 during mucociliary differentiation. Total RNA and protein were isolated from human primary bronchial epithelial cells. PCDH1 transcripts were characterized by rapid amplification of cDNA ends in bronchial epithelial cells of 4 subjects. PCDH1 expression was quantified by quantitative RT‐PCR and Western blotting in bronchial epithelial cells directly ex vivo and after air liquid interface (ALI) or submerged culture. We identified 5 novel exons on the 5‘ end and 1 exon on the 3‘ end of PCDH1. Novel transcripts showed major variation in expression of intracellular conserved motifs. Expression levels of PCDH1 transcripts encoding exon 1‐2 were 4‐fold higher, and transcripts encoding exon 3‐4 were 15‐fold higher in freshly isolated bronchial epithelial cells than in submerged cultures. PCDH1 mRNA β‐to 8‐fold) and protein levels (2‐ to 3‐fold) were strongly up‐regulated during mucociliary differentiation of primary bronchial epithelial cells in ALI cultures. In summary, PCDH1 transcripts display remarkable variability in expression of conserved intracellular signaling domains. Enhanced PCDH1 expression levels strongly correlate with differentiation of bronchial epithelial cells. —Koning, H. , Sayers, I. , Stewart, C. E. , de Jong, D. , ten Hacken, N. H. T. , Postma, D. S. , van Oosterhout, A. J. M. , Nawijn, M. C. , Koppelman, G. H. Characterization of protocadherin‐1 expression in primary bronchial epithelial cells: association with epithelial cell differentiation. FASEB J. 26, 439–448 (2012). www.fasebj. org
Predictive Utility of Type and Duration of Symptoms at Initial Presentation in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment

Background/Aims: To assess (1) the duration and symptoms present in participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and (2) the impact of these variables on predicting conversion to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods: Participants with MCI (n = 148) were assessed and followed systematically. Results: Decline in memory was reported as the first symptom in 118 of the cases. Converters had more symptoms (e.g. language decline, depression), and the combination of decline in memory and in performance of high-order social/cognitive activities as well as disorientation more often than nonconverters (p = 0.036). In an age-stratified Cox model, predictors of conversion to AD were shorter time since onset of memory decline and lower baseline MMSE score. Conclusions: Recent onset of memory decline with older age, decreased MMSE score, change in performance and disorientation indicate a greater likelihood of short-term conversion to AD.
A case report on radiation-induced angiosarcoma of breast post skin-sparing mastectomy and reconstruction with transverse rectus abdominal muscle

Radiation-induced angiosarcomas (RIA) are rare tumours that can affect breast cancer patients following treatment with breast conservative surgery and radiotherapy. Their diagnosis is often delayed because of their benign appearance and the difficulty in differentiation from radiation-induced skin changes. We report here a case of RIA which occurred seven years after radiotherapy to highlight awareness of the disease and the role of careful histological evaluation of these tumours.
Impact of motion artifacts on Heart Rate Variability measurements and classification performance

Analysis of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is an active area of research in the engineering and the medical communities. Current studies use medical-grade ECG signals, from a limited number of available databases. On the other hand, the trend for physiological measurements is towards less obtrusive, wearable devices. It is therefore of interest to apply HRV analysis to signals from such wearable sensors, whose outputs could exhibit varying levels of noise caused by motion artifacts. The main contribution of this paper is the quantification of the impact of imperfect HRV measurements due to motion artifacts on classifiers which use standard time domain and spectral HRV features. The analysis could potentially lead to development of more robust features and classifiers for use in wearable and non-controlled environments.
The function of RhoGTPases in axon ensheathment and myelination

RhoGTPases are molecular switches that integrate extracellular signals to perform diverse cellular responses. This ability relies on the network of proteins regulating RhoGTPases activity and localization, and on the interaction of RhoGTPases with many different cellular effectors. Myelination is an ideal place for RhoGTPases regulation, as it is the result of fine orchestration of many stimuli from at least two cell types. Recent work has revealed that RhoGTPases are required for Schwann cells to sort, ensheath, and myelinate axons. Here, we will review these recent advances showing the critical roles for RhoGTPases in various aspects of Schwann development and myelination, including the recent discovery of their involvement in Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth disease. Comparison with potential roles of RhoGTPases in central nervous system myelination will be drawn. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Code design for MIMO broadcast channels

Recent information-theoretic results show the optimality of dirty-paper coding (DPC) in achieving the full capacity region of the Gaussian multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) broadcast channel (BC). This paper presents a DPC based code design for BCs. We consider the case in which there is an individual rate/signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) constraint for each user. For a fixed transmitter power, we choose the linear transmit precoding matrix such that the SINRs at users are uniformly maximized, thus ensuring the best bit-error rate performance. We start with Cover's simplest two-user Gaussian BC and present a coding scheme that operates 1.44 dB from the boundary of the capacity region at the rate of one bit per real sample (b/s) for each user. We then extend the coding strategy to a two-user MIMO Gaussian BC with two transmit antennas at the base-station and develop the first limit-approaching code design using nested turbo codes for DPC. At the rate of 1 b/s for each user, our design operates 1.48 dB from the capacity region boundary. We also consider the performance of our scheme over a slow fading BC. For two transmit antennas, simulation results indicate a performance loss of only 1.4 dB, 1.64 dB and 1.99 dB from the theoretical limit in terms of the total transmission power for the two, three and four user case, respectively.
Constraints on light bending and reflection from the hard X-ray background

Light bending due to strong gravity has recently been invoked to explain variability and flux correlations between different bands in some accreting black holes. A characteristic feature of light bending is reflection-dominated spectra, especially if photon sources lie in the deepest parts of the gravitational potential within a few gravitational radii of the event horizon. We use the spectrum of the hard X-ray background in order to constrain the prevalence of such reflection-dominated sources. We first emphasize the need for reflection and explore the broad-band properties of realistic spectra that incorporate light bending. We then use these spectra, in conjunction with the observed 2-10 keV active galactic nucleus distribution, evolutionary and obscuration functions in order to predict the hard X-ray background spectrum over 3-100 keV, and provide limits on the fraction of reflection-dominated objects, dependent on the height of the photon sources. Our results allow for a cosmologically-significant fraction of sources that incorporate strong light bending. The luminosity function based on intrinsic flare luminosities is derived and implications discussed. We discuss prospects for future hard X-ray missions such as New X-ray Telescope/Non-thermal Energy eXploration Telescope and Simbol-X that can image such sources as well as confirm the precise spectral shape of the X-ray background near its peak, important for constraining the universal relevance of light bending.
Marked length spectral rigidity for flat metrics

In this paper we prove that the space of flat metrics (nonpositively curved Euclidean cone metrics) on a closed, oriented surface is marked length spectrally rigid. In other words, two flat metrics assigning the same lengths to all closed curves differ by an isometry isotopic to the identity. The novel proof suggests a stronger rigidity result for flat metrics.
Effects of specimen collection, processing, and storage conditions on stability of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNA levels in plasma

To define the optimal blood collection parameters for plasma human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) viral load testing, plasma HIV-1 RNA levels were quantitated with the NASBA HIV-1 RNA QT System from blood specimens that were collected, processed, and stored under a variety of conditions that might have affected HIV-1 RNA stability. We determined that when whole blood was processed within 2 h of specimen collection the levels of HIV-1 RNA detected in EDTA-, heparin-, and acid citrate dextrose (ACD)-anticoagulated plasma samples were comparable. The levels of HIV-1 RNA in serum specimens (mean = 4.126 log units) were significantly lower (P < 0.01) than the levels in corresponding plasma samples (mean = 4.501 log units). One cycle of freeze-thaw (-70 degrees C) did not significantly reduce the level of HIV-1 RNA detected in EDTA-, heparin-, or ACD-anticoagulated plasmas. The EDTA-anticoagulated plasmas showed the smallest decrease in HIV-1 RNA copies (0.050 log units). HIV-1 RNA levels decreased over a 6-month time period in serum as well as in EDTA-, ACD-, and heparin-anticoagulated plasmas stored at -70 degrees C. However, the only significant decreases were for serum (mean decrease = 0.317 log units) and heparin-anticoagulated samples (mean decrease = 0.384 log units). A comparison of the levels of HIV-1 RNA in cell-free plasma collected in VACUTAINER EDTA Plasma Preparation Tubes and in standard VACUTAINER EDTA tubes determined that HIV-1 RNA levels were stable for up to 30 h after collection when stored at either room temperature (mean standard deviation [SD] = +/- 0.101 log units) or at 4 degrees C (mean SD = +/- 0.102 log units) as cell-free plasma or as EDTA-anticoagulated whole blood (mean SD = +/- 0.109 log units). These data indicate that EDTA-anticoagulated plasma is the most suitable and stable matrix for HIV-1 RNA quantitation.
Perceived Risk and the Adoption of Tax E-Filing

2 Abstract: Many countries have introduced e-filing of tax returns to help citizens fulfill their responsibilities toward the government. However, despite the presence of such e-services, researchers argue e-filing of taxes is not popular among the public, especially in developing countries like Malaysia, because of the high perceived risk associated with the service. The lack of coordinated efforts on the part of the service provider to counter individual perceptions of risk further discourages the adoption of the tax e-filing service. The paper uses the technology acceptance model to understand how perceived risk and its facets influence the adoption behavior of consumers. By analyzing data from 249 Malaysian taxpayers, the authors found that facets of perceived risk have a positive relationship with the adoption of tax e-filing whereas perceived ease of use of the system does not have a positive relationship with the adoption of tax e-filing. The model suggests that different risk facets may influence the adoption of tax e-filing and perceived usefulness of the system differently.
Clinical Risk Factors of Death From Pneumonia in Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition in an Urban Critical Care Ward of Bangladesh

Background Risks of death are high when children with pneumonia also have severe acute malnutrition (SAM) as a co-morbidity. However, there is limited published information on risk factors of death from pneumonia in SAM children. We evaluated clinically identifiable factors associated with death in under-five children who were hospitalized for the management of pneumonia and SAM. Methods For this unmatched case-control design, SAM children of either sex, aged 0–59 months, admitted to the Dhaka Hospital of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) during April 2011 to July 2012 with radiological pneumonia were studied. The SAM children with pneumonia who had fatal outcome constituted the cases (n = 35), and randomly selected SAM children with pneumonia who survived constituted controls (n = 105). Results The median (inter-quartile range) age (months) was comparable among the cases and the controls [8.0 (4.9, 11.0) vs. 9.7 (5.0, 18.0); p = 0.210)]. In logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for potential confounders, such as vomiting, abnormal mental status, and systolic hypotension (<70 mm of Hg) in absence of dehydration, fatal cases of severely malnourished under-five children with pneumonia were more often hypoxemic (OR = 23.15, 95% CI = 4.38–122.42), had clinical dehydration (some/severe) (OR = 9.48, 95% CI = 2.42–37.19), abdominal distension at admission (OR = 4.41, 95% CI = 1.12–16.52), and received blood transfusion (OR = 5.50, 95% CI = 1.21–24.99) for the management of crystalloid resistant systolic hypotension. Conclusion and Significance We identified hypoxemia, clinical dehydration, and abdominal distension as the independent predictors of death in SAM children with pneumonia. SAM children with pneumonia who required blood transfusion for the management of crystalloid resistant systolic hypotension were also at risk for death. Thus, early identification and prompt management of these simple clinically recognizable predictors of death and discourage the use of blood transfusion for the management of crystalloid resistant systolic hypotension may help reduce deaths in such population.
Assessing The Usability Of University Websites From Users' Perspective

University websites aim at providing up-to-date information and services to students,lecturers, administrators and other users in efficient ways. Unfortunately, website design is often driven by technology, organisational structure, or business objectives, rather than by its usability from the perspective of students in university Website designers end up developing websites which do not meet the needs of the primary users (students). The study evaluated the usability of the University website from the perspective of of 364 university students and investigated whether area of specialisation has significant impacts on these usability factors. This aim is achieved by using a questionnaire based on the five factors of usability defined by WAMMI (Website Analysis and Measurement Inventory): attractiveness, controllability, helpfulness, efficiency and learnability.The results identifies the usability factors that need to be given more consideration when designing an educational website and shows that different perspectieves derived from area of specialization gives different evaluation.
The Nuclear Region of Low Luminosity Flat Radio Spectrum Sources. I. Stellar Content

We have examined the spectroscopic properties of a sample of 19 optically bright, low luminosity Flat Radio Spectrum (LL FRS) sources. Our study focuses on the properties of their host galaxies, namely the nuclear stellar populations and dust content. In the optical, the objects in the sample are mainly dominated by the host galaxy starlight, which strongly dilutes the non-thermal continuum as well as possible emission-line features related to the active nucleus. We have computed the nuclear stellar populations contributing to the spectra of our objects. The stellar population synthesis has been performed by using a very reliable mathematical method, which yields a Global Principal Geometrical solution. Our results show that, for most of the objects in the sample, the populations are composed of old stars of solar metallicity, or lower; the populations are mainly composed of late-type stars, i.e. G, K and M spectral types, the young component coming thus from supergiant stars; the dust content is weak. Both the stellar populations and the dust content are in agreement with what is usually observed in "normal" elliptical galaxies. Similar stellar content has equally been found in the nuclear regions of galaxies hosting a Low Ionization Nuclear Emission Line Region, or LINER. The present work is important in illustrating the different applications of stellar population synthesis in the study of low luminosity radio sources. In fact, the synthesis allows us not only to obtain valuable information about the stellar populations and dust content of the host galaxies, therefore providing material for further studies on the connection between host galaxy and active nucleus, but also to reveal the so-far unstudied optical emission-line features present in the spectrum of our objects.
PENGARUH KUALITAS PELAYANAN INTERNET BANKING TERHADAP KEPUASAN DAN LOYALITAS KONSUMEN PADA BANK SWASTA

Tujuan Penelitian ini adalah untuk mengkaji mutu internet banking terhadap kepuasan pelanggan. Pesertanya sebanyak 145 pelanggan yang biasanya menggunakan internet banking dalam melakukan transaksi pada 5 perbankan di Palembang. Regresi ganda dan sederhana digunakan untuk menguji hipotesis. Hasilnya menunjukkan bahwa kualitas internet banking bisa mempengaruhi kepuasan pelanggan. Dimension of tangible, responsiveness and empathy mempunyai dampak yang signifikan, tetapi tidak berlaku untuk dimension of reliability and assurance. Â Penelitian ini juga menemukan bahwa kepuasan pelanggan berdampak signifikan terhadap kesetiaan pelanggan bank. Â Abstract This study examines the effects of internet banking quality to the customer satisfaction. A number of 145 customers that use internet banking for their transactions in 5 banks located in Palembang are selected as the data. Multiple and simple regressions are used to investigate hypothesis.The result shows that internet banking quality can influence the customer satisfaction. Dimensions of tangible, responsiveness and empathy have significant effects, but dimension of reliability and assurance are unsignificant. This study also finds that the customer satisfaction has significant effect to the bank customer loyalty. Keywords : internet banking; service quality; customer satisfaction
Identification and Antimicrobial Resistance of Campylobacter Species Isolated from Animal Sources

Background: Campylobacter spp. are together with Salmonella spp. the leading causes of human bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. The most commonly isolated species in humans are Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli. The isolation, identification, and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter spp. from poultry and raw meat from slaughterhouses, has been investigated for the first time in Greece. During the period from August 2005 to November 2008 a total of 1080 samples were collected: (a) 830 fecal samples from five poultry farms, (b) 150 cecal samples from chicken carcasses in a slaughterhouse, and (c) 100 fecal samples from one pig farm near the region of Attica. The identification of the isolates was performed with conventional (sodium hippurate hydrolysis and commercial identification system (Api CAMPY system, bioMerieux, France), as well as with and molecular methods based on 16S rRNA species specific gene amplification by PCR and subsequent sequence analysis of the PCR products. Results: Sixteen Campylobacter strains were isolated, all collected from the poultry farms. None of the strains was identified as C. jejuni. Antimicrobial susceptibility to six antimicrobials was performed and all the strains were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin–clavulanic acid, and gentamicin. Thirteen out of 14 C. coli were resistant to erythromycin and all C. coli strains were resistant to ampicillin. Conclusion: Our results emphasize the need for a surveillance and monitoring system with respect to the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter in poultry, as well as for the use of antimicrobials in veterinary medicine in Greece.