Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Customer Service and Content Management on Online Retail Sales Performance: The Mediating Role of Customer Satisfaction

This paper analyzes the mediating role of customer satisfaction by studying the relationship between IT-enabled customer service and content management efforts and online sales performance. Using data on the top performing Web retailers in the U.S. based on their online annual sales, we show that the extent of retailers’ efforts in online customer service and content management is positively linked to customer satisfaction, which in turn is positively related to the retailers’ online sales performance. In addition to directly increasing the revenue, our results indicate that customer service and content management features can also indirectly improve the retailers’ financial performance. Specifically, customer service management impacts the sales performance via the average ticket amount, while content management affects the sales via the repeat visit.
Web-Based Information System for Favorable Colors of Korean Elderly

Color is believed to be a significant factor for products and environments because human beings are emotionally affected by colors although color adds almost no functional or additional value. Recently elderly people have been studied widely because of a rapidly increasing aged population in the world. Color preference of Korean elderly, however, has not been studied enough and no database system has been built yet. Five hundred Korean elderly persons participated in a survey and their color preference was investigated. The survey results were analyzed and a web based information system was established. The survey was conducted by a survey agency and participants were selected in Seoul and Busan, Korea. Favorable and unfavorable colors of the elderly were analyzed based on their ages and lifestyles by employing factor analysis and cluster analysis. Designers and marketing professionals can utilize the results of this study to design emotionally appealing products and environments.
Jump-Starting the Euro Area Recovery: Would a Rise in Core Fiscal Spending Help the Periphery?

We show that a fiscal expansion by the core economies of the euro area would have a large and positive impact on periphery GDP assuming that policy rates remain low for a prolonged period. Under our preferred model specification, an expansion of core government spending equal to one percent of euro area GDP would boost periphery GDP around 1 percent in a liquidity trap lasting three years, about half as large as the effect on core GDP. Accordingly, under a standard ad hoc loss function involving output and inflation gaps, increasing core spending would generate substantial welfare improvements, especially in the periphery. The benefits are considerably smaller under a utility-based welfare measure, reflecting in part that higher net exports play a material role in raising periphery GDP.
Cumulative Violence and PTSD Symptom Severity Among Urban Street-Based Female Sex Workers

Female sex workers (FSW) are a marginalized and vulnerable population at high risk of gender-based violence within and outside of their occupation. However, FSW remain underrepresented in the trauma and mental health literature. The aims of this study were to (a) characterize exposure to violence among street-based FSW, including violence type, patterns over the life course, and key perpetrator groups, and (b) examine the multivariate associations between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity and two constructs (revictimization across life stages and cumulative violence). Data were drawn from the Sex Workers and Police Promoting Health in Risky Environments (SAPPHIRE) study, an observational community-based cohort of street-based FSW recruited through targeted sampling across Baltimore, Maryland (USA) in 2016 to 2017. PTSD symptom severity was measured using the PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–Fifth Edition (PCL-5). At baseline, 61% of FSW screened positive for PTSD symptoms. The mean PCL-5 score was 38.6. We documented extensive histories of sexual and physical violence (lifetime: 81.8%; childhood and adult revictimization: 15.0% for sexual and 37.7% for physical). The vast majority of perpetrators were male and included paying clients, police officers, family members, and intimate partners. Exposure to childhood and adult sexual violence were independently associated with higher PTSD severity (p < .05), with marginal associations observed for physical violence. Data supported a cumulative violence model of PTSD severity (p < .05). Binge drinking also appeared to be a contributing factor (p < .05). The levels of PTSD observed among our sample were comparable with that reported among treatment-seeking war veterans. Our findings underscore the urgent need for tailored trauma-informed interventions and policies to address violence among urban street-based FSW, a population experiencing extremely high levels of violence, PTSD, and substance use.
Behavioural and socioeconomic factors associated with the simultaneous occurrence of periodontal disease and dental caries

Abstract Objective: The aim was to evaluate the association of behavioural and socioeconomic factors with the occurrence of periodontal disease and dental caries, paying special attention to the simultaneous occurrence of these diseases. Materials and methods: The study population consisted of 5255 dentate persons aged ≥30 years from a nationally representative survey. Caries and probing pocket depth were recorded by tooth and calculated in relation to the number of existing teeth. The groups were: non-affected (A), the two most affected quintiles for periodontal disease with little or no dental caries (B), the two most affected quintiles for dental caries with little or no periodontal disease (C) and the two most affected quintiles for both periodontal disease and dental caries (D). Presence of dental plaque was determined, and behavioural and socioeconomic factors were established. Results: Dental plaque, smoking, lack of regular dental check-ups, older age and a basic level of education were strongly associated with the simultaneous occurrence of periodontal disease and dental caries. Conclusions: There are many behavioural and socioeconomic factors that associate with the occurrence of both periodontal disease and dental caries. These factors also increase the risk of individuals having these diseases simultaneously.
Study of the Relationships between Bur Diameter and Dental Implant Diameter

The bur used to construct the bed where a dental implant is installed is extremely important to treatment success. The aim of this investigation was to analyze the relationship between bur diameter and implant diameter in different areas. A descriptive study was designed to analyze 5 commercial brands currently on the market. The manufacturer’s instructions were followed to establish the size and type of bur indicated for the study implants, which were regular, with a width between 3.5 mm and 4.0 mm and a length from 12 mm to 13 mm. Drilling from the most apical region, the first measurement of width was established 3 mm cervically, the lower middle measurement 6 mm cervically, the upper middle measurement at 9 mm and the cervical measurement at 12 mm. A scanning electron microscope was used standardized for all measurements; the data were analyzed using the Shapiro-Wilk test and the t-test, having considering a value of p<0.05 for significant differences. At apical level, all the implants were wider than the bur. The greatest differences between bur width and implant were observed at cervical level, maintaining a relation where the implant was always wider. In mediumsized areas, it was observed that in some systems the burs have a larger diameter than the study implants. A significant relation was established in the apical, upper middle and cervical areas. Bur morphology is related to implant morphology; no implant system is the same as another in terms of the implant-bur relation.
The effect of cystatin B gene (CSTB) on productive traits in pigs

1 Polish Academy of Sciences Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Department of Molecular Cytogenetics, Jastrzebiec, 05-552 Magdalenka, Poland 2 Westpomeranian University of Technology, Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Doktora Judyma 6, 71-466 Szczecin, Poland 3 Pig Hybridization Centre, National Research Institute of Animal Production, Pawlowice, 64-122 Pawlowice, Poland 4 University of Technology and Life Sciences, Department of Pig Breeding, Mazowiecka 28, 85-084 Bydgoszcz, Poland 5 National Research Institute of Animal Production, 32-083 Cracow-Balice, Poland
Improving breast cancer sensitivity to paclitaxel by increasing aneuploidy

Significance Low levels of ATIP3 in breast tumors are associated with increased response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and ATIP3 silencing in breast cancer cells potentiates the effects of paclitaxel, highlighting the importance of this predictive biomarker to select breast cancer patients who are sensitive to taxane-based chemotherapy. ATIP3 depletion promotes mitotic abnormalities, including centrosome amplification and multipolar spindle formation, which is a source of chromosome segregation errors and aneuploidy. Excessive aneuploidy in ATIP3-deficient cells treated with low doses of paclitaxel results in massive cell death. Predictive biomarkers for tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy are needed in breast cancer. This study investigates the predictive value of 280 genes encoding proteins that regulate microtubule assembly and function. By analyzing 3 independent multicenter randomized cohorts of breast cancer patients, we identified 17 genes that are differentially regulated in tumors achieving pathological complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We focused on the MTUS1 gene, whose major product, ATIP3, is a microtubule-associated protein down-regulated in aggressive breast tumors. We show here that low levels of ATIP3 are associated with an increased pCR rate, pointing to ATIP3 as a predictive biomarker of breast tumor chemosensitivity. Using preclinical models of patient-derived xenografts and 3-dimensional models of breast cancer cell lines, we show that low ATIP3 levels sensitize tumors to the effects of taxanes but not DNA-damaging agents. ATIP3 silencing improves the proapoptotic effects of paclitaxel and induces mitotic abnormalities, including centrosome amplification and multipolar spindle formation, which results in chromosome missegregation leading to aneuploidy. As shown by time-lapse video microscopy, ATIP3 depletion exacerbates cytokinesis failure and mitotic death induced by low doses of paclitaxel. Our results favor a mechanism by which the combination of ATIP3 deficiency and paclitaxel treatment induces excessive aneuploidy, which in turn results in elevated cell death. Together, these studies highlight ATIP3 as an important regulator of mitotic integrity and a useful predictive biomarker for a population of chemoresistant breast cancer patients.
Assessing Physical Activity in Temporary Spaces: Application of SOPARC / iSOPARC® for Play Streets

ABSTRACT Purpose: The System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) is a valid, reliable method for understanding how people engage in physical activity (PA) in various permanent settings (e.g., parks) and contexts. However, its utility, reliability, and validity in temporary spaces has not been examined. Temporary spaces can provide PA opportunities often absent in low-income communities due to inadequate safe permanent PA spaces. Play Streets involve temporary closure of streets or other publicly accessibly spaces (e.g., parking lots, open-fields) to create safe play spaces for a specified time-period. We describe the utility, reliability, and validity of using SOPARC to assess PA in temporary spaces like Play Streets. Method: Trained SOPARC/iSOPARC (iPad App) research staff completed systematic observations during Play Streets occurring in four diverse low-income rural U.S. communities during summer 2017. Results: We successfully used iSOPARC to document PA and how spaces were used at Play Streets (n = 16), confirming its utility, reliability, and validity. Unlike observations of permanent spaces, target areas could not be pre-established since play spaces often changed during set-up, requiring time onsite to identify target areas and boundaries. Play areas frequently appeared and/or disappeared during Play Streets, and this was systematically addressed by using physical target area boundaries instead of activities. Conclusions: Understanding how temporary spaces are used for PA is critical for promoting their use. SOPARC/iSOPARC methods are useful in a Play Streets’ context; however, systematic methods and training are needed to address inherent unpredictable and dynamic changes within and across target areas.
Mapping Information System ( IS ) Failure Factors on PRINCE 2 ® Stages : An Application of Interpretive Ranking Process ( IRP )

The social, political and cultural issues faced by organizations and their senior management team in the delivery and adoption of strategic projects, is highly complex and problematic. Despite a mature body of literature, increasing levels of practitioner certification, application of standards and numerous government initiatives, improvements in success have been minimal. In this study, we analyse the key underlying factors surrounding the failure of Information Systems (IS) projects and explore the merits of articulating a narrative that focusses on senior management embracing practical pessimism. Specifically, we develop a hypothesis supported by empirical study that leverages expert’s views on the dominance and interrelationships between failure factors within PRINCE2 project stages using an Interpretive Ranking Process (IRP). Our findings establish how the concept of dominance between individual failure factors can necessitate senior management to make key informed and timely decisions that could potentially influence project outcomes based on an empirical derived, interpretive predictive framework.
How much do farmers value their independence

A farmer's decision to contract or produce independently depends on the distribution of income and the nonpecuniary attributes associated with both business arrangements. The benefits to growers from contracting (such as risk reduction) may be overestimated if the nonpecuniary benefits enjoyed by independent producers (such as the right to make management decisions and own the commodity produced) are not accounted for. This study uses data from a U.S. national survey of hog producers to estimate (1) the difference in expected net returns between contracting and independent production, (2) the premium a representative farmer would pay for the risk reduction provided by a contract, and (3) the premium a farmer would pay for the nonpecuniary benefits associated with independent production. Results indicate that growers have a strong preference for autonomy-with moderately risk-averse growers being willing to pay more for the attributes of independent production than they would for the risk-reducing benefits of a contract. Copyright 2005 International Association of Agricultural Economics.
Oral Dysfunction in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND Head and neck cancers (HNCs) and their treatment may cause oral function impairment. PURPOSE This study was designed to identify oral dysfunction in patients receiving treatment for HNCs using a systematic review. METHODS The PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL databases were searched for studies on oral function impairment in patients receiving treatment for HNCs published between January 2014 and May 2019. Only descriptive, correlational, and interventional quantitative studies that included patients receiving treatment for HNCs who presented with oral dysfunction, were published in English during the aforementioned time frame, and were accessible in full-text versions were selected. RESULTS Twenty-eight studies (13 cross-sectional, two longitudinal, 12 randomized controlled trial, and one retrospective chart review) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Oral mucositis, dysphagia, xerostomia, trismus, and chewing and speech problems were the most common oral dysfunctions. Age, cancer stage, tumor location, treatment modalities, treatment status, treatment dose, and pretreatment oral function were factors associated with oral dysfunction. Although individual interventions were shown to improve oral dysfunction, the related evidence was inconclusive. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Primary HNCs and their treatment significantly deteriorate oral function. A holistic and interdisciplinary approach may maximize oral function.
Beyond tumor mutational burden: potential and limitations in using exosomes to predict response to immunotherapy

ABSTRACT Introduction: Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has ushered in a new era of cancer therapeutics. The standard for determining which patients might benefit from ICB-based therapies is through the assessment of tumor mutational burden using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor tissue samples; however, this strategy is imperfect. The discovery of exosomal PD-L1 has placed these nano-vesicles to the forefront of immunotherapy biomarker development. Exosomes and other extracellular vesicles contain proteins and nucleic acids specific to their cell of origin and their production is increased in disease state such as cancer and can be isolated from most types of liquid biopsy. Given this opportunity, a large-scale bioengineering effort has centered on developing technologies capable of isolating distinct subsets of exosomes and interrogating their content for biomarker discovery. Areas covered: This review investigates the current state of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), focusing on exosomes, as they relate to biomarkers of IBC. We will discuss technologies being developed to both capture and evaluate exosomal cargo and as some of the challenges they face. Expert opinion: The advancement of microfluidic technologies, along with rapidly evolving methodologies in RNAseq and proteomics, are making the potential of utilizing exosomes as prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers of ICB into a likely reality.
Application of Building Performance Simulation to Design Energy-Efficient Homes: Case Study from Saudi Arabia

The per capita energy usage in Saudi Arabia is almost three times higher than the global average. A major contributor is the residential sector which consumes almost 50% of the total national energy consumption every year. Environmental and economic pressures along with the Saudi Vision 2030 reform program advocate for an improvement in energy consumption patterns. For a sustainable residential sector, energy-efficient solutions should be adopted in the design process preferably based on building performance simulation (BPS). This study investigates the existing status and future prospects of BPS in the construction industry of Saudi Arabia. A survey has been carried out with building industry professionals to investigate the existing practices in terms of use of BPS. Energy and environmental savings achievable through application of BPS have been estimated by modelling a typical residential villa as a case study. The results indicate that presently BPS is not being adequately applied by the building industry and a number of barriers exist which need to be addressed. The case study simulation indicates that electricity consumption of a villa based on a BPS-based design process is 51.3% less than the existing typical residential villa.
Mind-Body Therapies for Opioid-Treated Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance Mind-body therapies (MBTs) are emerging as potential tools for addressing the opioid crisis. Knowing whether mind-body therapies may benefit patients treated with opioids for acute, procedural, and chronic pain conditions may be useful for prescribers, payers, policy makers, and patients. Objective To evaluate the association of MBTs with pain and opioid dose reduction in a diverse adult population with clinical pain. Data Sources For this systematic review and meta-analysis, the MEDLINE, Embase, Emcare, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for English-language randomized clinical trials and systematic reviews from date of inception to March 2018. Search logic included (pain OR analgesia OR opioids) AND mind-body therapies. The gray literature, ClinicalTrials.gov, and relevant bibliographies were also searched. Study Selection Randomized clinical trials that evaluated the use of MBTs for symptom management in adults also prescribed opioids for clinical pain. Data Extraction and Synthesis Independent reviewers screened citations, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. Meta-analyses were conducted using standardized mean differences in pain and opioid dose to obtain aggregate estimates of effect size with 95% CIs. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was pain intensity. The secondary outcomes were opioid dose, opioid misuse, opioid craving, disability, or function. Results Of 4212 citations reviewed, 60 reports with 6404 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, MBTs were associated with pain reduction (Cohen d = -0.51; 95% CI, -0.76 to -0.26) and reduced opioid dose (Cohen d = -0.26; 95% CI, -0.44 to -0.08). Studies tested meditation (n = 5), hypnosis (n = 25), relaxation (n = 14), guided imagery (n = 7), therapeutic suggestion (n = 6), and cognitive behavioral therapy (n = 7) interventions. Moderate to large effect size improvements in pain outcomes were found for meditation (Cohen d = -0.70), hypnosis (Cohen d = -0.54), suggestion (Cohen d = -0.68), and cognitive behavioral therapy (Cohen d = -0.43) but not for other MBTs. Although most meditation (n = 4 [80%]), cognitive-behavioral therapy (n = 4 [57%]), and hypnosis (n = 12 [63%]) studies found improved opioid-related outcomes, fewer studies of suggestion, guided imagery, and relaxation reported such improvements. Most MBT studies used active or placebo controls and were judged to be at low risk of bias. Conclusions and Relevance The findings suggest that MBTs are associated with moderate improvements in pain and small reductions in opioid dose and may be associated with therapeutic benefits for opioid-related problems, such as opioid craving and misuse. Future studies should carefully quantify opioid dosing variables to determine the association of mind-body therapies with opioid-related outcomes.
The Effectiveness of Boards of Directors of State Owned Enterprises in Developing Countries

This paper aims to shed some new light on the conditions needed to ensure the effectiveness of Boards of Directors of state owned enterprises with a focus on infrastructure sectors. In the case of developing countries, empirical studies have found evidence of positive links between the composition of the Board of Directors and financial performance. Yet the lack of solid theoretical foundations, and in some cases poor data availability, makes the conclusions of most studies weak. Several policy recommendations emerge from the review of the economic literature and evidence from case studies. First, the introduction of a sufficient number of independent directors emerges as an important corporate governance milestone. Empowering them to exercise effective monitoring of management, however, may prove to be a formidable challenge for of state owned enterprises. More attention to board procedures, particularly related to the Board selection and evaluation process, is essential, to produce the necessary insulation of Boards from government interference. Ensuring sufficient continuity of services to directors is particularly crucial to improve corporate governance. In addition, other factors that may reduce directors' ability to monitor corporate activities, such as the age profile and the number of Boards on which they sit, need to be handled more carefully.