Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Disclosure and Licensing of University Inventions

We examine the interplay of the three major university actors in technology transfer from universities to industry: the faculty, the technology transfer office (TTO), and the central administration. We model the faculty as an agent of the administration, and the TTO as an agent of both the faculty and the administration. Empirical tests of the theory are based on evidence from our survey of 62 US research universities. We find that the TTOs reported licensing objectives are influenced by their views of faculty and administration, which supports the assumption that the TTO is a dual agent. The theory yields predictions for whether or not faculty disclose inventions and if so, at what stage, which in turn affects license contract terms. We also examine how the portion of inventions disclosed at different stages varies with faculty quality. Quality is found to be inversely related to the share of license income allotted to faculty.
Performance Characteristics of Pilot-Scale Plasma-Chemical NOx Removal System from Boiler Emission

NOx removal from a smoke tube boiler flue gas was investigated using a commercial ozonizer for indirect NO oxidation and a Na2SO3 chemical scrubber. The flue gas flow rate was in the range of 410~1,480 Nm3/h, the gas temperature of 185~325degC, and NOx concentration of around 40 ppm in city gas firing. Operational and performance data were obtained. The NOx removal efficiency was clearly dependent on the ORP, and increased inversely as the oxidation reduction potential (ORP) in the liquid decreased. To keep the specified NOx removal performance, it is essential to maintain the ORP properly by controlling additional Na2SO3 and NaOH solution injection, and to keep the ORP of less than 0 mV and the ORP change rate of less than 0 mV/min. At least, more than 4 kg/h of Na2SO3 added to the scrubber should be necessary to sustain the condition. NOx emission of less than 4 ppm was attained at 410 Nm3/h for a 300 minutes system continuous operation by maintaining ORP of -30 mV and pH of more than 7.8.
Antioxidant Activities of Achyranthes japonica Nakai Extract and Its Application to the Pork Sausages

Influence of Achyranthes japonica Nakai Extract (AJNE) on properties of pork sausages were studied in the present investigation. AJNE was added to sausages alone or in combination with ascorbic acid to obtain a comparative analysis on properties of control and ascorbic acid added-sausages. Results showed that addition of 0.05% AJNE led to a decrease in color L* and whiteness (W), and an increase in color b* of pork sausage samples (p<0.05). Although color a* of pork sausages containing AJNE was not significantly different, ascorbic acid added-sausages were highest amongst other treatments (p<0.05). Sausages containing AJNE had lower non-heme iron values and peroxide value (POV) than control sausages (p<0.05); however, high nitrosomyoglobin content was observed in AJNE added-sausages (p<0.05). Ascorbic acid led to a decrease in residual nitrite concentration of sausages (p<0.05), but no difference was found in AJNE added-sausages. Free radical scavenging analysis showed that AJNE did not affect 1,1-diphenyl -2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) activity of sausages, whereas ascorbic acid added-sausages showed relatively higher activity among the samples (p<0.05). Addition of AJNE had no influence on texture properties of sausages. In sensory evaluation, AJNE treatment had significant effects on color (p<0.05), but no significant effects on aroma, flavor, springiness, juiciness, and overall acceptability. In conclusion, the addition of AJNE, as a natural supplement may offer natural antioxidants for pork sausages, and appears to be particularly effective in inducing changes in non-heme iron concentration, POV value and nitrosomyglobin content.
The Influence of Personality on the Relationship between Quality of Work Life and Job Satisfaction among Academic Staff in Kenyan Public Universities

A range of factors can influence the performance of employees and hence success of any organisation. Some of these factors include quality of work life, job satisfaction and dispositional factors like personality of employees. This study explored the influence of personality on relationship between quality of work life and job satisfaction of lecturers in Kenyan Public Universities. The population of the study consisted of all lecturers in the public universities. The study selected a sample of 356 respondents from the population using proportionate stratified sampling based on numbers of lecturers and their levels in each university. A descriptive crosssectional survey was used. The study used primary data collected using structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the characteristics of the respondents. Correlation analysis was done to determine the strength of the relationship between variables. Multiple regression technique was used to test the hypothesis. The study showed that personality characteristics of lecturers in public universities is more tuned towards agreeable, openness and conscientious. Lecturers were also seen to have high levels of job satisfaction. The study also showed that the relationship between quality of work life and job satisfaction is significant and that personality as a significant influence on the relationship between n quality of work life and job Original Research Article Muindi; BJEMT, 15(2): 1-11, 2016; Article no.BJEMT. 28334 2 satisfaction. The results of this study can be used by policy makers in human resources management, practitioners of human resource management and scholars of human resources management. The study offers a new insight into how personality can affect the relationship between quality of work life and job satisfaction.
Protective effects of N-acetylcysteine on cisplatin-induced oxidative stress and DNA damage in HepG2 cells

Hepatocyte injury is a common pathological effect of cisplatin (CDDP) in various solid tumor therapies. Thus, strategies for minimizing CDDP toxicity are of great clinical interest. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a known antioxidant, is often used as an antidote for acetaminophen overdose in the clinic due to its ability to increase the levels of glutathione (GSH). In the present study, the aim was to investigate the protective effects of NAC against CDDP-induced apoptosis in human-derived HepG2 cells. The results showed that upon exposure of the cells to CDDP, oxidative stress was significantly induced. DNA damage caused by CDDP was associated with cell apoptosis. NAC pre-treatment significantly reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and ameliorated the GSH modulation induced by CDDP. NAC also protected against DNA damage and cell apoptosis. These data suggest the protective role of NAC against hepatocyte apoptosis induced by CDDP was achieved through the inhibition of DNA damage and alterations of the redox status in human derived HepG2 cells. These results indicate that NAC administration may protect against CDDP-induced damage.
The Use of Double-Needle Canula Method for Temporomandibular Joint Arthrocentesis: Clinical Report

Objective The purpose of this study is to demonstrate a temporomandibular lavage instrument with double needles in a single canula that make the procedure easier for surgeons. Materials and methods 38 year old woman was referred to our department with pain on the right temporomandibular joint (TMJ) region and restricted mouth opening. Magnetic resonance imaging reveals anterior disc displacement without reduction of the right TMJ. TMJ lysis and lavage was performed with double needle canula method. Results The upper joint space was successfully lavaged with 50 mL of 0.9% saline solution. Maximal mouth opening and lateral jaw movement increased and jaw functions improved immediately after the procedure. Conclusion It is recommended as a simple alternative to classical arthrocentesis with two needles that it is easy to use and enables to perform lysis and lavage with a single puncture.
Optimization of device geometry in single-plate digital microfluidics

Digital microfluidics is a popular tool for lab-on-a-chip applications and is typically implemented in one of two formats: single-plate (“open”) devices or two-plate (“closed”) devices. Single-plate devices have some advantages relative to the more common two-plate format such as faster mixing, the capacity to move larger volumes on a given footprint, and easier access to droplets for handling or optical detection. In contrast with the two-plate format, in which ground potential is generally supplied via a top electrode, in the single-plate format, many different geometries of ground wires/electrodes have been used. Until the present study, there has been no metric to determine which of these geometries is best suited for droplet actuation. Here, we present a combination of numerical simulations and experimental tests to compare six different single-plate designs. We applied finite element analysis, using the commercially available COMSOL software package to calculate the electrodynamic actuation forces i.
The effect of interviewer and respondent characteristics on refusals in a panel survey

Die vorliegende Untersuchung basiert auf Daten einer Panelstudie aus dem Bereich der Wahlforschung. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass politisch Interessierte mit hoherer Wahrscheinlichkeit an der zweiten Welle einer Panel-Studie teilnehmen und dass der erste Kontakt fur das zweite Interview vor allem bei Frauen mit niedrigem Bildungsstand sehr wichtig ist. Der Interviewereffekt wurde mit Hilfe einer Mehrebenenanalyse untersucht. Diese Analyse zeigt, dass der von den Interviewern des Jahres 1991 auf die Antwortverweigerungen 1995 ausgehende Effekt starker war als der Effekt, der von den Interviewern des Jahres 1995 ausgelost wurde. Dieses bemerkenswerte Ergebnis unterstreicht die Bedeutung, die die beim ersten Interview gemachten Erfahrungen haben. Anhand verschiedener Charakteristika wurden die Unterschiede zwischen den Interviewern modelliert. Ein signifikanter Effekt ging nur von der Anzahl der Interviews aus, die ein Interviewer durchfuhrte: mehr Interviews bedeuten mehr Verweigerungen. (ICEUbers)
Thinking with the help of images : On the metaphors of knowledge organization

In the literature of knowledge organization, metaphors and images such as 'tree ofknowledge', 'map ofknowledge' or the 'world as a network' play an important role. This imagery - although not yet thoroughly documented - should be examined from the various points of view of epistemology, the typology ofmetaphors, discourse analysis, metaphorology and iconography. The crucial point : Not only knowledge as such, but also its organization, is an essential part of our cultural heritage. (Author)
Beamsteering on Mobile Devices: Network Capacity and Client Efficiency

Current and emerging mobile devices are omni directional in wireless communication. Such omni directionality not only limits device energy efficiency but also poses a significant challenge toward the capacity of wireless networks through inter-link interference. In this work, we seek to make mobile clients directional with beamsteering. We first demonstrate that beamsteering is already feasible to mobile devices such as Netbooks and eBook readers in terms of form factor, power efficiency, and device mobility. We further reveal that beamsteering mobile clients face a unique challenge to balance client efficiency and network capacity. There is an optimal operating point for a beamsteering mobile client in terms of the number of antennas and transmit power that achieve the required capacity with lowest power. Finally, we provide a distributed algorithm called BeamAdapt that allows each client to closely approach its optimal point iteratively without central coordination. We also offer a cellular system realization of BeamAdapt. Using Qualnet-based simulation, we show that BeamAdapt with four antennas can reduce client power consumption by 55% while maintaining a required network throughput for a large-scale network, compared to the same network with omni directional mobile clients.
Experiments with Reinforcement Learning in Environments with Progressive Difficulty

This paper introduces Progressive Reinforcement Learning, which augments standard Q-Learning with a mechanism for transferring experience gained in one problem to new but related problems. In this approach, an agent acquires experience of operating in a simple domain through experimentation. It then engages in a period of introspection, during which it rationalises the experience gained and formulates symbolic knowledge describing how to behave in that simple domain. When subsequently experimenting in a more complex but related domain, it is guided by this knowledge until it gains direct experience. A test environment with 15 mazes, arranged in order of difficulty, is described. Experiments in this environment demonstrate the benefit of Progressive RL relative to a basic RL approach in which each puzzle is solved from scratch. 1
The Pfannenstiel Incision as a Source of Chronic Pain

OBJECTIVE: To estimate prevalence, risk factors, and etiology of post-Pfannenstiel pain syndromes. METHODS: All women (n=866) with a Pfannenstiel incision for cesarean delivery or abdominal hysterectomy performed between January 2003 and December 2004 received a questionnaire evaluating pain located in the Pfannenstiel region. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was done to determine predictors for chronic pain development. Patients with moderate or severe pain were interviewed and underwent a physical examination. RESULTS: The response rate was 80% (690 of 866 patients). Subsequent to a follow-up after 2 years, one third (223 of 690) experienced chronic pain at the incision site. Moderate or severe pain was reported by 7%, and in 8.9% of respondents, pain impaired daily activities. Numbness, recurrent Pfannenstiel surgery, and emergency caesarean delivery were significant predictors of chronic pain. Nerve entrapment was present in over half the examined patients with moderate-to-severe pain (17 of 32). CONCLUSION: Chronic pain occurs commonly after a Pfannenstiel incision. Nerve entrapment was found to be a frequent cause of moderate-to-severe pain. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II
Epidemiology of Pelvic Fractures in Germany: Considerably High Incidence Rates among Older People

Epidemiological data about pelvic fractures are limited. Until today, most studies only analyzed inpatient data. The purpose of this study was to estimate incidence rates of pelvic fractures in the German population aged 60 years or older, based on outpatient and inpatient data. We conducted a retrospective population-based observational study based on routine data from a large health insurance company in Germany. Age and sex-specific incidence rates of first fractures between 2008 and 2011 were calculated. We also standardized incidence rates with respect to age and sex in the German population. Multiple Poisson regression models were used to evaluate the association between the risk of first pelvic fracture as outcome and sex, age, calendar year and region as independent variables. The total number of patients with a first pelvic fracture corresponded to 8,041 and during the study period 5,978 insured persons needed inpatient treatment. Overall, the standardized incidence rate of all first pelvic fractures was 22.4 [95% CI 22.0–22.9] per 10,000 person-years, and the standardized incidence rate of inpatient treated fractures 16.5 [16.1–16.9]. Our adjusted regression analysis confirmed a significant sex (RR 2.38 [2.23–2.55], p < 0.001, men as reference) and age effect (higher risk with increasing age, p < 0.001) on first fracture risk. We found a slight association between calendar year (higher risk in later years compared to 2008, p = 0.0162) and first fracture risk and a further significant association with region (RR 0.92 [0.87–0.98], p = 0.006, Westfalen-Lippe as reference). The observed incidences are considerably higher than incidences described in the international literature, even if only inpatient treated pelvic fractures are regarded. Besides which, non-inclusion of outpatient data means that a relevant proportion of pelvic fractures are not taken into account. Prevention of low energy trauma among older people remains an important issue.
Agile Retrospective Games for Different Team Development Phases

: Retrospectives in Agile software development can be used for improving processes among other issues that could affect the final product quality or the working environment. Games used in retrospective meetings influence positively the project team behaviour. In this research, games from Agile retrospectives are gathered from various sources and a new classification of games is created based on the four stage group development model proposed by Tuckman. Suitable games to be used in Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing phases are presented. The results obtained in this research can help practitioners to choose the appropriate activities for process improvement and other technical or human related factors arising in the team, depending on the development stage at which their team currently is.
Evaluation of bilateral cingulum with tractography in patients with Alzheimer's disease

A fiber-tracking algorithm was used to extract fractional anisotropy of bilateral cingulum bundles in patients with probable Alzheimer's disease and normal aging controls. In addition, their hippocampal volumes were measured manually. Relative to normal controls, Alzheimer's disease patients showed a significant reduction of fractional anisotropy and hippocampal volumes. Significant correlation was observed between fractional anisotropy values and volumes of hippocampi and mini-mental state examination scores. This study suggests that lower anisotropy of cingulum bundles is associated with cognitive dysfunction and atrophy of the limbic system.
Clan-Culture Attributes in a Privatized Kibbutz Industry: An Israeli Case Study

This article focuses on one privatized kibbutz factory. The research question was: How did this factory preserve clan cultural features after the process of privatization, while most other privatized kibbutz factories discarded their communal nature and became bureaucratic and highly hierarchic? While most privatized kibbutz factories experienced worker alienation and frustration, this case study describes an organization with a strong culture of commitment and solidarity among workers. Management, on its part, invests in the workers and encourages them to develop with the factory. The findings indicate that a double social control mechanism maintains the factory’s success. Within a family-like working environment, internal control demands professionalism, commitment, integrity, quality, and innovation. External control, from the surrounding kibbutz community, reinforces communal values.
Graphs with relations, coverings and group-graded algebras

The paper studies the interrelationship between coverings of finite directed graphs and gradings of the path algebras associated to the directed graphs. To include gradings of all basic finite-dimensional algebras over an algebraically closed field, a theory of coverings of graphs with relations is introduced. The object of this paper is to relate group gradings on algebras to coverings of a graph which is associated to the algebra. The linking of the theories allows one to relate purely algebraic questions to questions in algebraic topology, group theory or combinatorics. In the representation theory of Artin algebras the association to each algebra of a finite directed graph, called the quiver of the algebra, has been a useful tool. The reason that the quiver of such an algebra is of interest is that there is a natural definition of representations of the quiver so that the category of representations of the quiver satisfying certain relations is equivalent to the category of finitely generated modules over the algebra. §1 gives a slight extension of these concepts to finitely generated algebras. The main emphasis of the paper is to show that the theory of coverings of graphs with relations, introduced by C. Riedtmann (9) and expanded by P. Gabriel (2), and the theory of group-graded algebras are essentially the same. Although the original connection between coverings and gradings was inspired by the similarity of results for Z-graded Artin algebras (3,4) and P. Gabriel's announced results (2), the context of this paper is more general and deals with all finitely generated algebras over a field. We associate to each such algebra a finite directed graph which we still call a quiver of the algebra. We show that for each regular covering T of a quiver T0 of an algebra A, with certain prescribed restrictions, we get a G-grading of the algebra A, where G is the automorphism group of the covering Y over ro. Conversely, given a certain type of G-grading of A, where G is a group, we construct a regular covering Y of the quiver T0 of the algebra such that G is isomorphic to the automorphism group of T over ro. Furthermore, if Y is a regular covering of T0 with automorphism group G, we show that the category of representations of Y satisfying a certain set of relations is equivalent to the category of finite-dimensional graded G-modules. We
Altered Gene Expression Profile After Exposure to Transforming Growth Factor β1 in the 253J Human Bladder Cancer Cell Line

Purpose Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) inhibits the growth of bladder cancer cells and this effect is prominent and constant in 253J bladder cancer cells. We performed a microarray analysis to search for genes that were altered after TGF-β1 treatment to understand the growth inhibitory action of TGF-β1. Materials and Methods 253J bladder cancer cells were exposed to TGF-β1 and total RNA was extracted at 6, 24, and 48 hours after exposure. The RNA was hybridized onto a human 22K oligonucleotide microarray and the data were analyzed by using GeneSpring 7.1. Results In the microarray analysis, a total of 1,974 genes showing changes of more than 2.0 fold were selected. The selected genes were further subdivided into five highly cohesive clusters with high probability according to the time-dependent expression pattern. A total of 310 genes showing changes of more than 2.0 fold in repeated arrays were identified by use of simple t-tests. Of these genes, those having a known function were listed according to clusters. Microarray analysis showed increased expression of molecules known to be related to Smad-dependent signal transduction, such as SARA and Smad4, and also those known to be related to the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, such as MAPKK1 and MAPKK4. Conclusions A list of genes showing significantly altered expression profiles after TGF-β1 treatment was made according to five highly cohesive clusters. The data suggest that the growth inhibitory effect of TGF-β1 in bladder cancer may occur through the Smad-dependent pathway, possibly via activation of the extracellular signal-related kinase 1 and Jun amino-terminal kinases Mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway.