Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modeling Initial and Repeat Online Trust in B2C E-Commerce

Prior research has demonstrated that the degrees and impact of customer trust on purchase intentions change with online experience. While online trust research has incorporated and built upon models and theories of interpersonal trust, swift trust, and impersonal trust, this line of research tends to examine initial and repeat online trust separately. Based on a dual processing model of persuasion — Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), this study attempts to provide one theoretical framework to examine customers’ formation of initial trust and repeat trust simultaneously. The model identifies motivation and ability to assess online vendor’s attributes as the key drivers to the formation of online trust attitude. These two factors, in combination, determine the salience of different information in influencing one’s trust attitude toward an e-vendor. Initial and repeat online transactions implied different levels of motivation and ability to deliberate vendor-related attributes, explaining the often observed distinct processes in initial trust and repeat trust formation. Implications and applications of such a framework are discussed.
Comparison between a Pediatric Health Promotion Center and a Pediatric Obesity Clinic in Detecting Metabolic Syndrome and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children

This study was done to evaluate the efficacy of health check-ups in children in detecting metabolic syndrome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by comparing the pediatric health promotion center with the pediatric obesity clinic. Children who visited a pediatric health promotion center (n=218) or a pediatric obesity clinic (n=178) were included. Anthropometric data, blood pressure, laboratory tests, and abdominal ultrasonography were evaluated. Two different criteria were applied to diagnose metabolic syndrome. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the 2 units was 3.2%-3.7% in a pediatric health promotion center and 23%-33.2% in a pediatric obesity clinic. Significant differences were observed in the prevalence of each component of metabolic syndrome between the 2 units including abdominal adiposity, blood pressure, serum triglycerides, and fasting blood glucose (P<0.05). The prevalence of NAFLD was 8.7% and 71.9% in the 2 units according to liver enzymes and 5.9% and 61.8% according to ultrasonography (P<0.05). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome and NAFLD was higher among patients visiting the obesity clinic targeting obese children than that among patients visiting the health promotion center offering routine check-ups. An obesity-oriented approach is required to prevent obesity-related health problems in children. Graphical Abstract
Accelerated three‐dimensional upper airway MRI using compressed sensing

In speech‐production research, three‐dimensional (3D) MRI of the upper airway has provided insights into vocal tract shaping and data for its modeling. Small movements of articulators can lead to large changes in the produced sound, therefore improving the resolution of these data sets, within the constraints of a sustained speech sound (6–12 s), is an important area for investigation. The purpose of the study is to provide a first application of compressed sensing (CS) to high‐resolution 3D upper airway MRI using spatial finite difference as the sparsifying transform, and to experimentally determine the benefit of applying constraints on image phase. Estimates of image phase are incorporated into the CS reconstruction to improve the sparsity of the finite difference of the solution. In a retrospective subsampling experiment with no sound production, 5× and 4× were the highest acceleration factors that produced acceptable image quality when using a phase constraint and when not using a phase constraint, respectively. The prospective use of a 5× undersampled acquisition and phase‐constrained CS reconstruction enabled 3D vocal tract MRI during sustained sound production of English consonants /s/, /∫/, /l/, and /r/ with 1.5 × 1.5 × 2.0 mm3 spatial resolution and 7 s of scan time. Magn Reson Med, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Leukocyte populations and steroid receptor expression in human first-trimester decidua; regulation by antiprogestin and prostaglandin E analog.

CONTEXT Progesterone acting via its cognate receptor is critical to maintaining a viable endometrial environment for implantation and pregnancy. During medical termination of pregnancy, the biological effect of progesterone is pharmacologically withdrawn and prostaglandins administered exogenously. Leukocytes within the uterus are the effector cells of an inflammatory response and play important roles in both tissue breakdown and remodeling. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to identify the separate and combined effects of the antiprogestin Mifepristone (single dose, 200 mg) and the prostaglandin E (PGE) analog (gemeprost) on leukocyte populations and steroid receptor expression in human first-trimester decidua. PATIENTS Eighty women were recruited from the termination of pregnancy service with a gestational age of between 35 and 65 d at the time of surgical termination of pregnancy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Immunohistochemistry was used to measure macrophage (CD68 +ve), neutrophil (neutrophil elastase +ve), and uterine natural killer cell (CD56 +ve) populations and progesterone (PR(A) and PR(B)), estrogen (ERalpha and ERbeta), and androgen receptor (AR) expression. RESULTS After administration of both antiprogestin and the PGE analog, macrophage and neutrophil numbers were significantly increased, whereas natural killer cell numbers were unchanged. Antiprogestin and PGE analog coadministration also significantly decreased PR and ERalpha immunoreactivity but had no effect on androgen receptor or ERbeta receptor expression. PGE analog alone was also capable of reducing PR expression. CONCLUSIONS In this study, we demonstrate that the inflammatory response induced by antiprogestin in combination with PGE analog is accompanied by both increases in macrophages and neutrophils numbers and decreases in PR and ERalpha expression in human first-trimester decidua.
An operating room scheduling strategy to maximize the use of operating room block time: computer simulation of patient scheduling and survey of patients' preferences for surgical waiting time.

UNLABELLED Determining the appropriate amount of block time to allocate to surgeons and selecting the days on which to schedule elective cases can maximize operating room (OR) use. We used computer simulation to model OR scheduling. Inputs in the computer model included different methods to determine when a patient will have surgery (on-line bin-packing algorithms), case durations, lengths of time patients wait for surgery (2 wk is the median longest length of time that the outpatients [n = 367] surveyed considered acceptable), hours of block time each day, and number of blocks each week. For block time to be allocated to maximize OR utilization, two parameters must be specified: the method used to decide on what day a patient will have surgery and the average length of time patients wait to have surgery. OR utilization depends greatly on, and increases as, the average length of time patients wait for surgery increases. IMPLICATIONS Operating room utilization can be maximized by allocating block time for the elective cases based on expected total hours of elective cases, scheduling patients into the first available date provided open block time is available within 4 wk, and otherwise scheduling patients in "overflow" time outside of the block time.
Non-blocking Algorithm for Eventual Consistent Replicated Database on Cloud

— One of the challenges of cloud programming is to achieve the right balance between availability and consistency in a distributed database. Cloud computing environments, particularly cloud databases, are rapidly increasing in importance, acceptance and usage in major applications, which need the partition-tolerance and availability for scalability purposes, thus sacrificing the consistency side (CAP theorem). With this approach, use of paradigms such as eventual consistency became more widespread. In these environments, a large number of user’s access data stored in highly available storage systems. In this research we use eventually consistent transactions with revision diagrams for visibility and arbitration to manage updates in replicates. We present a new non-blocking algorithm to implement eventual consistency using revision diagrams and fork-join data in a distributed environment. Finally, we show that the proposed method solves the problem.
Creating invariance to "nuisance parameters" in face recognition

A major goal for face recognition is to identify faces where the pose of the probe is different from the stored face. Typical feature vectors vary more with pose than with identity, leading to very poor recognition performance. We propose a non-linear many-to-one mapping from a conventional feature space to a new space constructed so that each individual has a unique feature vector regardless of pose. Training data is used to implicitly parameterize the position of the multi-dimensional face manifold by pose. We introduce a co-ordinate transform, which depends on the position on the manifold. This transform is chosen so that different poses of the same face are mapped to the same feature vector. The same approach is applied to illumination changes. We investigate different methods for creating features, which are invariant to both pose and illumination. We provide a metric to assess the discriminability of the resulting features. Our technique increases the discriminability of faces under unknown pose and lighting compared to contemporary methods.
La limite Crétacé-Tertiaire dans le nord-est de l'Espagne, du point de vue des charophytes

Les Charophytes sont etudies dans les regions de Tremp, Coll de Nargo (Province de Lerida) et Figols-Vallcebre (Barcelona). Dans de nombreux cas, la limite Cretace-Tertiaire se situe au-dessous de la barre calcaire surmontant occasionnellement les niveaux rouges de la partie moyenne de la Formation de Tremp (a Sant Salvador de Tolo et Vallcebre). A Barranco de la Posa, les gisements a flore rognacienne sont interposes entre deux niveaux marins maastrich-tiens. Les niveaux superieurs de la Formation de Tremp sont dates par les charophytes du Thanetien a Claret, Beniure, La Baronia de Sant Oisme et a Vallcebre. Les flores etudiees comprennent 31 especes reparties en 3 familles et 12 genres. 5 especes et 1 sous-espece nouvelles sont creees : Microchara punctata, Pseudoharrisi-chara isonae, Peckisphaera clavata, Peckichara toscarensis, P. llo-bregatensis et Amblyochara concava ssp. mucronata. La nouvelle combinaison Porochara malladae = Chara malladae Bataller est introduite. La flore du Calcaire de Vallcebre est proposee comme association specifique de reference pour la base du Tertiaire (Dano-Montien).
Hemodynamic Responses Elicited by Systemic Injections of Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide in Anesthetized Rats

Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) elicits an endothelium-dependent vasodilation in isolated rat mesenteric beds via activation of P2Y-purinoceptors. The aims of this study were to characterize the hemodynamic responses elicited by systemic injections of FAD and flavin mononucleotide (FMN) in anesthetized rats and to determine the role of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), cyclooxygenase, P2Y/P2X-purinoceptors, and muscarinic receptor in these responses. FAD (0.05-1.0 μmol/kg, iv) elicited dose-dependent decreases in heart rate (HR), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), and hindquarter vascular resistance (HQR), whereas it elicited an initial increase and then a decrease in mesenteric (MR) vascular resistance. The FAD-induced responses were not affected by the P2Y/P2X-purinoceptor antagonist suramin, the muscarinic receptor antagonist methyl-atropine, or the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin. The vasodilator actions of FAD were unaffected by the NOS inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), whereas the bradycardia elicited by higher doses of FAD were diminished by L-NAME. FMN did not elicit hemodynamic responses in the absence or presence of L-NAME. In summary, FAD-induced bradycardia depends, in part, on the activation of NOS, whereas the vasodilator actions of FAD are not obviously due to newly synthesized nitrosyl factors. These findings and those in our companion manuscript support the concepts that the adenine moiety confers biological activity to FAD, which releases preformed pools of nitrosyl factors.
Nitrosylation of Human Glutathione Transferase P1-1 with Dinitrosyl Diglutathionyl Iron Complex in Vitro and in Vivo*

We have recently shown that dinitrosyl diglutathionyl iron complex, a possible in vivo nitric oxide (NO) donor, binds with extraordinary affinity to one of the active sites of human glutathione transferase (GST) P1-1 and triggers negative cooperativity in the neighboring subunit of the dimer. This strong interaction has also been observed in the human Mu, Alpha, and Theta GST classes, suggesting a common mechanism by which GSTs may act as intracellular NO carriers or scavengers. We present here the crystal structure of GST P1-1 in complex with the dinitrosyl diglutathionyl iron ligand at high resolution. In this complex the active site Tyr-7 coordinates to the iron atom through its phenolate group by displacing one of the GSH ligands. The crucial importance of this catalytic residue in binding the nitric oxide donor is demonstrated by site-directed mutagenesis of this residue with His, Cys, or Phe residues. The relative binding affinity for the complex is strongly reduced in all three mutants by about 3 orders of magnitude with respect to the wild type. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy studies on intact Escherichia coli cells expressing the recombinant GST P1-1 enzyme indicate that bacterial cells, in response to NO treatment, are able to form the dinitrosyl diglutathionyl iron complex using intracellular iron and GSH. We hypothesize the complex is stabilized in vivo through binding to GST P1-1.
Predictive Value of Triglyceride Glucose Index for the Risk of Incident Diabetes: A 4-Year Retrospective Longitudinal Study

The Triglyceride Glucose Index (TyG index) is considered a surrogate marker of insulin resistance. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the TyG index has a predictive role in identifying individuals with a high risk of incident diabetes and to compare it with other indicators of metabolic health. A total 2900 non-diabetic adults who attended five consecutive annual health check-ups at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital was divided into four subgroups using three methods: (1) baseline TyG index; (2) obesity status (body mass index ≥25 kg/m2) and cutoff value of TyG index; (3) obesity status and metabolic health, defined as having fewer than two of the five components of high blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, triglyceride, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and highest decile of homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance. The development of diabetes was assessed annually using self-questionnaire, fasting glucose, and glycated hemoglobin. We compared the risk of incident diabetes using multivariate Cox analysis. During 11623 person-years there were 101 case of incident diabetes. Subjects with high TyG index had a high risk of diabetes. For TyG index quartiles, hazard ratios (HRs) of quartiles 3 and 4 were 4.06 (p = 0.033) and 5.65 (p = 0.006) respectively. When the subjects were divided by obesity status and cutoff value of TyG index of 8.8, the subgroups with TyG index ≥ 8.8 regardless of obesity had a significantly high risk for diabetes (HR 2.40 [p = 0.024] and 2.25 [p = 0.048]). For obesity status and metabolic health, the two metabolically unhealthy subgroups regardless of obesity had a significantly high risk for diabetes (HRs 2.54 [p = 0.024] and 2.73 [p = 0.021]). In conclusion, the TyG index measured at a single time point may be an indicator of the risk for incident diabetes. The predictive value of the TyG index was comparable to that of metabolic health.
The Role of MicroRNAs in Arterial Stiffness and Arterial Calcification. An Update and Review of the Literature

Arterial stiffness is an independent risk factor for fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events, such as systolic hypertension, coronary artery disease, stroke, and heart failure. Moreover it reflects arterial aging which in many cases does not coincide with chronological aging, a fact that is in large attributed to genetic factors. In addition to genetic factors, microRNAs (miRNAs) seem to largely affect arterial aging either by advancing or by regressing arterial stiffness. MiRNAs are small RNA molecules, ~22 nucleotides long that can negatively control their target gene expression posttranscriptionally. Pathways that affect main components of stiffness such as fibrosis and calcification seem to be influenced by up or downregulation of specific miRNAs. Identification of this aberrant production of miRNAs can help identify epigenetic changes that can be therapeutic targets for prevention and treatment of vascular diseases. The present review summarizes the specific role of the so far discovered miRNAs that are involved in pathways of arterial stiffness.
Imperfect gluing bifurcation in a temporal glide-reflection symmetric Taylor-Couette flow

The unfolding due to imperfections of a gluing bifurcation occurring in a periodically forced Taylor–Couette system is numerically analyzed. In the absence of imperfections, a temporal glide-reflection Z2 symmetry exists, and two global bifurcations occur within a small parameter region: a heteroclinic bifurcation between two saddle two-tori and a gluing bifurcation of three-tori. Due to the presence of imperfections, these two global bifurcations collide, strongly reducing the range of validity of the generic unfolding of the gluing bifurcation.
Long-term outcomes of intervention for unprotected left main coronary artery stenosis: coronary stenting vs coronary artery bypass grafting.

BACKGROUND Although recent studies suggest that percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DES) achieves clinical outcomes comparable to coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) for unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) disease, long-term studies are rarely performed. METHODS AND RESULTS This study reviewed outcomes in 363 patients undergoing CABG (n=216), PCI with DES (n=94) or PCI with bare-metal stent (BMS) (n=53) for ULMCA stenosis between January 2000 and March 2007. The CABG group had more patients with diabetes (50.5%) and 3- or 4-vessel disease (77.3%) than the PCI group. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates showed higher TLR-free survival and revascularization-free survival in CABG group. Although cardiac-death-free survival did not significantly differ between the 3 groups, the DES group had the highest overall survival. Age (hazard ratio (HR): 1.060; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.017-1.104) and diffuseness score (HR: 1.157; 95%CI: 1.019-1.313) were significant independent risk factors for cardiac death. CONCLUSIONS There was higher TLR in the PCI group with either DES or BMS, but cardiac death did not significantly differ between the 3 groups. Advanced age and diffuse coronary atherosclerosis may increase the risk of cardiac death following revascularization.
Bioaccumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in sediment aged for 2 years to carps (Cyprinus carpio)

In order to understand the risk of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) existing in sediment for years, the accumulation of PBDEs in sediment aged for 2 years to fish was investigated. Simulated aquatic system microcosms were conducted with PBDE contaminated sediment aged for 2 years and carps were cultured in the microcosms for 20 days. PBDE concentrations in carp tissues were analyzed to estimate the bioavailability of aged PBDEs in carps. The main spiked PBDE congeners were detected in sediment even though the contaminated sediment was aged for 2 years. Similarly, the five PBDE (BDE-28, 47, 100, 153 and 154) congeners which probably were bioaccumulated by carp were detected in fish tissues, indicating that PBDEs could be bioaccumulated after aging for 2 years. The PBDEs distribution revealed that the concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in tissues of Cyprinus carpio is in this order of magnitude: gut > liver > gill > fillet. The PBDEs concentrations in fillet were as high as 67.9 ng/g dry wt, in which BDE-47 contributed almost 50% in profile.
Field-Based Estimates of Global Warming Potential in Bioenergy Systems of Hawaii: Crop Choice and Deficit Irrigation

Replacing fossil fuel with biofuel is environmentally viable from a climate change perspective only if the net greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint of the system is reduced. The effects of replacing annual arable crops with perennial bioenergy feedstocks on net GHG production and soil carbon (C) stock are critical to the system-level balance. Here, we compared GHG flux, crop yield, root biomass, and soil C stock under two potential tropical, perennial grass biofuel feedstocks: conventional sugarcane and ratoon-harvested, zero-tillage napiergrass. Evaluations were conducted at two irrigation levels, 100% of plantation application and at a 50% deficit. Peaks and troughs of GHG emission followed agronomic events such as ratoon harvest of napiergrass and fertilization. Yet, net GHG flux was dominated by carbon dioxide (CO2), as methane was oxidized and nitrous oxide (N2O) emission was very low even following fertilization. High N2O fluxes that frequently negate other greenhouse gas benefits that come from replacing fossil fuels with agronomic forms of bioenergy were mitigated by efficient water and fertilizer management, including direct injection of fertilizer into buried irrigation lines. From soil intensively cultivated for a century in sugarcane, soil C stock and root biomass increased rapidly following cultivation in grasses selected for robust root systems and drought tolerance. The net soil C increase over the two-year crop cycle was three-fold greater than the annualized soil surface CO2 flux. Deficit irrigation reduced yield, but increased soil C accumulation as proportionately more photosynthetic resources were allocated belowground. In the first two years of cultivation napiergrass did not increase net greenhouse warming potential (GWP) compared to sugarcane, and has the advantage of multiple ratoon harvests per year and less negative effects of deficit irrigation to yield.
Molecular mechanism of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation by PARP1 and identification of lysine residues as ADP-ribose acceptor sites

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) synthesizes poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) using nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) as a substrate. Despite intensive research on the cellular functions of PARP1, the molecular mechanism of PAR formation has not been comprehensively understood. In this study, we elucidate the molecular mechanisms of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation and identify PAR acceptor sites. Generation of different chimera proteins revealed that the amino-terminal domains of PARP1, PARP2 and PARP3 cooperate tightly with their corresponding catalytic domains. The DNA-dependent interaction between the amino-terminal DNA-binding domain and the catalytic domain of PARP1 increased Vmax and decreased the Km for NAD. Furthermore, we show that glutamic acid residues in the auto-modification domain of PARP1 are not required for PAR formation. Instead, we identify individual lysine residues as acceptor sites for ADP-ribosylation. Together, our findings provide novel mechanistic insights into PAR synthesis with significant relevance for the different biological functions of PARP family members.