Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Utilizing the Experience of Consumers in Consultation to Develop the Australasian Oncofertility Consortium Charter.

PURPOSE In Australia and New Zealand, there has not been a national systematic development of oncofertility services for cancer patients of reproductive age although many cancer and fertility centers have independently developed services. A number of barriers exist to the development of these services, including a lack of clear referral pathways, a lack of communication between clinicians and patients about fertility preservation, differences in the knowledge base of clinicians about the risk of cancer treatment causing infertility and fertility preservation options, a lack of national health insurance funding covering all aspects of fertility preservation, and storage costs and cultural, religious, and ethical barriers. The development of strategies to overcome these barriers is a high priority for oncofertility care to ensure that equitable access to the best standard of care is available for all patients. METHOD The FUTuRE Fertility Research Group led a collaborative consultation process with the Australasian Oncofertility Consumer group and oncofertility specialists to explore consumers' experiences of oncofertility care. Consumers participated in qualitative focus group meetings to define and develop a model of consumer driven or informed "gold standard oncofertility care" with the aim of putting together a Charter that specifically described this. CONCLUSIONS The finalized Australasian Oncofertility Consortium Charter documents eight key elements of gold standard oncofertility care that will be used to monitor the implementation of oncofertility services nationally, to ensure that these key elements are incorporated into standard practice over time.
Impact of ICT-based innovations on organizational performance: The role of corporate entrepreneurship

Purpose Research has shown that information and communication technologies (ICT) are crucial for economic growth. The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework that would depict and examine the nature of the relationship between ICT use and organizational performance in the Lebanese market, taking into consideration the impact that innovation and corporate entrepreneurship may have on this relationship. Design/methodology/approach To investigate the proposed model a survey targeting employees, and managers who adopted ICT applications in SMEs located in Lebanon was conducted. Findings The results indicate that ICT and innovation are strategic resources. However, their contribution to sustainable competitive advantage vitally depends on the implicitness and entrepreneurial behaviors of those involved. It is through this capability that ICT and ICT-based innovations could make a difference in organization’s performance – both present and future. Research limitations/implications First, the respondents were selected using the convenience sampling technique. Second, the data were collected through self-report questionnaires. Finally, the use of perceptual data related to performance may have a bias effect on the study results. Practical/implications At the practical level, the study results have repercussions for managers, technology suppliers, and innovation adopters and managers, as this may contribute to better understanding of the factors that could influence the adoption, management, and use of ICT resources for enhancing the competitiveness level of the firm. Originality/value The results of this study have implications for ICT adoption in Lebanese SMEs. More importantly, they suggest a framework which depicts the relationship between ICT and the organization’s innovation level on one hand, and a company’s performance on the other, taking entrepreneurship as a mediator in this relationship.
Microalbuminuria in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract Background: Microalbuminuria is an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Microalbuminuria may be seen due to hypoxemia in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Objectives: In this study, we investigated prevalence and relationship of microalbuminuria with clinical and physiological parameters in patients with COPD. Method: During the research, 66 consecutive patients with COPD and 40 cases smokers with normal spirometry were included. The urinary albumin creatinin ratio (UACR) was calculated according to previously described formula. The presence of microalbuminuria was defined as UACR being ≥20 in men and ≥30 in women. The severity index of chronic diseases was evaluated by using MCIRS. Results: The rate of presence of microalbuminuria and UACR were higher in patients with COPD than smokers with normal spirometry. Pearson correlation analysis showed a significant inverse relationship between UACR and PaO2, FEV1%, FVC%. On the other hand, there was a positive relationship between UACR and BODE index. There was a significant relationship between the presence of microalbuminuria with PaO2 and BODE index. In the linear regression model, there was a negative relationship between UARC and PaO2 yet there was a significantly positive relationship between UARC and MCIRS score, BODE index. In the logistic regression model, the presence of microalbuminuria showed significant associations with PaO2, BODE index. Conclusion: Microalbuminuria may be seen in patients with COPD, depending on the severity of disease and hypoxemia. Microalbuminuria in patients with severe COPD should be examined in regular periods for risk of cardiovascular morbidity or mortality.
Distributed scheduling and power control for cognitive spatial-reuse TDMA networks

We investigate the problem of distributed scheduling and power control for vertical spectrum sharing in spatial-reuse time division multiple access (STDMA) networks. The objective is to minimize the transmission length (in term of time slots) of secondary users (e.g. users in femtocell networks) subject to the interference-limit constraint for primary users (e.g. users in cellular networks) and quality-of-service (QoS) guarantee of secondary users. This problem is known to be NP-complete. We therefore propose a novel distributed two-stage algorithm based on the distributed column generation method to find the near-optimal solution for the transmission schedule. In the first stage, the dual problem corresponding to the transmission length minimization problem subject to the minimum bandwidth requirement of secondary users, called the restricted master problem, is solved to obtain a dual optimal solution at each secondary transmitter. The dual optimal variables are passed to the second stage to solve the pricing problem. The pricing problem here finds a feasible channel access pattern such that the sum of dual optimal variables is greater than 1 subject to the interference constraints for primary users and the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) constraints for secondary users so that the solution of the master restricted problem can be improved. We also develop a distributed algorithm for solving the pricing problem based on local measurement at each secondary transmitter and a limited number of message exchanges. The proposed algorithm is compared with previously proposed methods and is evaluated in terms of the schedule length and the number of message exchanges.
Best Practices for Simulated Annealing in Multiprocessor Task Distribution Problems

Simulated Annealing (SA) is a widely used meta-algorithm for complex optimization problems. This chapter presents methods to distribute executable tasks onto a set of processors. This process is called task mapping. The most common goal is to decrease execution time via parallel computation. However, the presented mapping methods are not limited to optimizing application execution time because the cost function is arbitrary. The cost function is also called an objective function in many works. A smaller cost function value means a better solution. It may consider multiple metrics, such as execution time, communication time, memory, energy consumption and silicon area constraints. Especially in embedded systems, these other metrics are often as important as execution time. A multiprocessor system requires exploration to find an optimized architecture as well as the proper task distribution for the application. Resulting very large design space must be pruned systematically with fast algorithms, since the exploration of the whole design space is not feasible. Iterative algorithms evaluate a number of application mappings for each architecture, and the best architecture and mapping is selected in the process. The optimization process is shown in Figure 1(a). The application, the HW platform and an initial solution are fed to a mapping component. The mapping component generates a new solution that is passed to a simulation component. The simulation component determines relevant metrics of the solution. The metrics are passed to a cost function which will evaluate the badness (cost) of the solution. The cost value is passed back to the mapping component. The mapping component will finally terminate the optimization process and output a final solution. The system that is optimized is shown in Figure 1(b). The system consists of the application and the HW platform. The application consists of tasks which are mapped to processing elements (PEs). The PEs are interconnected with a communication network. The chapter has two focuses: • optimize the cost function and • minimize the time needed for simulated annealing. First, the task distribution problem is an NP problem which implies that a heuristic algorithm is needed. The focus is on reaching as good as possible mapping. Unfortunately the true optimum value is unknown for most applications, and therefore the relative O pe n A cc es s D at ab as e w w w . ite ch on lin e. co m
Investigator Sensitivity to Alibi Witness Inconsistency after a Long Delay.

In two studies, mock investigators conducted a computer-based investigation of a crime involving an alibi witness who varied in the consistency of his statements taken 5 years apart. Investigators showed evidence of skepticism of alibi witness statements in which major contradictions (activity, location) were present, and some skepticism of statements in which minor (activity) details were contradictory. Entirely consistent statements were judged favorably, and reduced perceptions of suspect guilt (Study 2). The age of the alibi witness did not impact judgments of suspect guilt when children (6 years) and adults (25 years) were compared (Study 1, N = 254), or when children of different ages were compared (6, 8, 11 years; Study 2, N = 234). The present data suggest that investigators were relatively more sensitive to considerations of accuracy than honesty. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Policy into Practice in the UK NHS

The challenge to provide a nation-wide integrated health service is central to UK government policy. The National Program for Information Technology was launched in 2002 to transform healthcare using information and communications technology. As the largest, non-military, non-scientific government funded IT program worldwide, it was planned over a decade with an estimated total cost expected to exceed £20bn. This paper is a longitudinal study of the National Care Record Service, which was the largest part of the program, aimed to provide 50 million UK (English) citizens with an electronic health record. Using episodic interviewing techniques over ten years and secondary source material, the findings reveal a series of IT policy changes to the original Program. Delays to roll out electronic health records are linked to issues about procurement strategies with IT suppliers, benefits realisation, risk assessment and clinical engagement. This study extends academic work on the deployment of large scale, long-term publicly funded IT projects, which go beyond the technical imperative to transform healthcare. Findings suggest government agencies need to embed cultural, social and economic criteria into health IT policy-making. Tracking this Program for a decade, we observe how a centralised, top-down approach was replaced by localised IT procurement and implementation, giving NHS organisations more decision-making powers. However, the Program was beset by continuous policy changes affecting the structure, organisation and IT of the NHS, where attempts to achieve benefits finally resulted in the break-up of the Program.
Purified Eicosapentaenoic Acid Induces Prolonged Survival of Cardiac Allografts and Generates Regulatory T Cells

Fish oil, which is rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), has been found to have immunomodulatory effects. We examined whether administration of purified EPA affected survival of fully mismatched murine cardiac allografts. Hearts from C57BL/10 (H‐2b) mice were transplanted into CBA (H‐2k) recipients treated with one intraperitoneal dose of purified EPA the day of transplantation. Untreated CBA recipients and recipients given 0.1 g/kg of EPA rejected C57BL/10 hearts (median survival time [MST], 8 and 13 days, respectively). With a 1.0 g/kg dose of EPA, graft survival was markedly prolonged (MST >100 days). To determine whether regulatory cells were generated, naïve mice (secondary recipients) underwent adoptive transfer of splenocytes from EPA‐treated primary recipients and cardiac allograft transplantation. Adoptive transfer of whole, CD4+ and CD4+CD25+ splenocytes from EPA‐treated recipients induced indefinite survival in secondary recipients. Flow cytometry showed that the CD4+CD25+ cells were Foxp3+. In reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) studies, the expression of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ (PPARγ) mRNA was upregulated by EPA treatment. A PPARγ antagonist abrogated the prolongation of graft survival induced by EPA treatment (MST, 13 days). Thus, in our model, purified EPA induced prolonged survival of fully mismatched cardiac allografts and generated regulatory T cells dependent on PPARγ activation.
Human immunodeficiency virus endocrinopathy

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) endocrinopathy encompasses a broad spectrum of disorders. Almost all the endocrine organs are virtually affected by HIV infection. HIV can directly alter glandular function. More commonly secondary endocrine dysfunction occurs due to opportunistic infections and neoplasms in immunocompromised state. The complex interaction between HIV infection and endocrine system may be manifested as subtle biochemical and hormonal perturbation to overt glandular failure. Antiretroviral therapy as well as other essential medications often result in adverse endocrinal consequences. Apart from adrenal insufficiency, hypogonadism, diabetes and bone loss, AIDS wasting syndrome and HIV lipodystrophy need special reference. Endocrinal evaluation should proceed as in other patients with suspected endocrine dysfunction. Available treatment options have been shown to improve quality of life and long-term mortality in AIDS patients.
Association of park size, distance, and features with physical activity in neighborhood parks.

OBJECTIVES We studied whether park size, number of features in the park, and distance to a park from participants' homes were related to a park being used for physical activity. METHODS We collected observational data on 28 specific features from 33 parks. Adult residents in surrounding areas (n=380) completed 7-day physical activity logs that included the location of their activities. We used logistic regression to examine the relative importance of park size, features, and distance to participants' homes in predicting whether a park was used for physical activity, with control for perceived neighborhood safety and aesthetics. RESULTS Parks with more features were more likely to be used for physical activity; size and distance were not significant predictors. Park facilities were more important than were park amenities. Of the park facilities, trails had the strongest relationship with park use for physical activity. CONCLUSIONS Specific park features may have significant implications for park-based physical activity. Future research should explore these factors in diverse neighborhoods and diverse parks among both younger and older populations.
Attention Protects the Fidelity of Visual Memory: Behavioral and Electrophysiological Evidence

Recall from visual memory is vulnerable to the influence of task-irrelevant information, including the remembered, prototypical value of stimuli seen previously. Wilken and Ma (2004) proposed that this distortion of recall was actually adaptive, with the task-irrelevant information compensating for imperfections of memory. We tested their proposal by using trial-by-trial oscillations in the electroencephalogram's alpha band (8–14 Hz) collected from human subjects as a marker for the strength of visual attention. Subjects' recall of stimulus spatial frequency showed a systematic error, namely a shift toward the prototypical value of previously seen stimuli. The magnitude of this prototype effect was strongly related to the amplitude of alpha band oscillations recorded at posterior sensor locations during the first 100 ms after stimulus onset. Our results support the hypothesis that the prototype effect is compensatory for imprecision in memory. Moreover, the attentional modulation of alpha activity during the encoding of the target stimulus is consistent with the view that attention sharpens the neural responses that are elicited by the task-relevant stimulus.
Origins of low-symmetry phases in asymmetric diblock copolymer melts

Significance We demonstrate that low-molecular weight asymmetric diblock copolymer melts can form multiple metastable liquid states at a common temperature, dependent on the processing history. Formation of ordered self-assembled micelles at low temperatures shapes the number density of the mesoscopic particles, which is preserved upon heating above the order–disorder transition temperature. Cooling returns the liquid to the same crystalline state reflecting a memory—a type of hidden symmetry—imprinted in the fluid. These surprising results are explained based on the large energetic penalty associated with fusing or fragmenting micelles in the highly structured liquid state. This work reveals concepts related to spontaneous symmetry breaking in self-assembled soft materials including surfactant-based systems. Cooling disordered compositionally asymmetric diblock copolymers leads to the formation of nearly spherical particles, each containing hundreds of molecules, which crystallize upon cooling below the order–disorder transition temperature (TODT). Self-consistent field theory (SCFT) reveals that dispersity in the block degrees of polymerization stabilizes various Frank–Kasper phases, including the C14 and C15 Laves phases, which have been accessed experimentally in low-molar-mass poly(isoprene)-b-poly(lactide) (PI-PLA) diblock copolymers using thermal processing strategies. Heating and cooling a specimen containing 15% PLA above and below the TODT from the body-centered cubic (BCC) or C14 states regenerates the same crystalline order established at lower temperatures. This memory effect is also demonstrated with a specimen containing 20% PLA, which recrystallizes to either C15 or hexagonally ordered cylinders (HEXC) upon heating and cooling. The process-path–dependent formation of crystalline order shapes the number of particles per unit volume, n/V, which is retained in the highly structured disordered liquid as revealed by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments. We hypothesize that symmetry breaking during crystallization is governed by the particle number density imprinted in the liquid during ordering at lower temperature, and this metastable liquid is kinetically constrained from equilibrating due to prohibitively large free energy barriers for micelle fusion and fission. Ordering at fixed n/V is enabled by facile chain exchange, which redistributes mass as required to meet the multiple particle sizes and packing associated with specific low-symmetry Frank–Kasper phases. This discovery exposes universal concepts related to order and disorder in self-assembled soft materials.
Influence of Laccase and Tyrosinase on the Antioxidant Capacity of Selected Phenolic Compounds on Human Cell Lines

Polyphenolic compounds affect the color, odor and taste of numerous food products of plant origin. In addition to the visual and gustatory properties, they serve as radical scavengers and have antioxidant effects. Polyphenols, especially resveratrol in red wine, have gained increasing scientific and public interest due to their presumptive beneficial impact on human health. Enzymatic oxidation of phenolic compounds takes place under the influence of polyphenol oxidases (PPO), including tyrosinase and laccase. Several studies have demonstrated the radical scavenger effect of plants, food products and individual polyphenols in vitro, but, apart from resveratrol, such impact has not been proved in physiological test systems. Furthermore, only a few data exist on the antioxidant capacities of the enzymatic oxidation products of phenolic compounds generated by PPO. We report here first results about the antioxidant effects of phenolic substances, before and after oxidation by fungal model tyrosinase and laccase. In general, the common chemical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay and the biological tests using two different types of cell cultures (monocytes and endothelial cells) delivered similar results. The phenols tested showed significant differences with respect to their antioxidant activity in all test systems. Their antioxidant capacities after enzymatic conversion decreased or increased depending on the individual PPO used.
Mining Relationship Between Video Concepts using Probabilistic Graphical Models

For large scale automatic semantic video characterization, it is necessary to learn and model a large number of semantic concepts. These semantic concepts do not exist in isolation to each other and exploiting this relationship between multiple video concepts could be a useful source to improve the concept detection accuracy. In this paper, we describe various multi-concept relational learning approaches via a unified probabilistic graphical model representation and propose using numerous graphical models to mine the relationship between video concepts that have not been applied before. Their performances in video semantic concept detection are evaluated and compared on two TRECVID'05 video collections
Edinburgh Research Explorer Identification of Functionally Segregated Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium Stores in Pulmonary Arterial Smooth Muscle

In pulmonary arterial smooth muscle, Ca 2 (cid:1) release from the sarcoplasmicreticulum(SR)viaryanodinereceptors(RyRs)may induce constriction and dilation in a manner that is not mutu-ally exclusive. We show here that the targeting of different sar-coplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca 2 (cid:1) -ATPases (SERCA) and RyR subtypes to discrete SR regions explains this paradox. Western blots identified protein bands for SERCA2a and SERCA2b, whereas immunofluorescence labeling of isolated pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells revealed striking differ-ences in the spatial distribution of SERCA2a and SERCA2b and RyR1, RyR2, and RyR3, respectively. Almost all SERCA2a and RyR3 labeling was restricted to a region within 1.5 (cid:2) m of the nucleus. In