Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A novel method of defective vascular reconstruction using 2‐octyl‐cyanoacrylate and homemade prosthetic component

Background Currently, adhesive technique is popular in vascular repair but not widely used for defective vessels. This study aimed to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of repairing defective vessels with 2‐octyl‐cyanoacrylate and a homemade prosthetic component. Methods Homemade prosthetic component consisting of expanded polytetrofluoroethylene (ePTFE), terylene film, and homemade soluble hollow stent mixed with adhesive can replace autologous graft and suture in repairing defective vessels, can fix vessels better using the stent without occlusive bleeding. Forty male mongrel dogs were used, 20 for biomechanical tests and 20 for animal experiments. In the biomechanical test, dogs were randomly divided into two groups (n=10 each), one group repaired on the two sides of the carotid arteries with 2‐octyl‐cyanoacrylate and homemade component and another group repaired with suture and ePTFE. Of the 40 specimens, 10 were used for adhesive and 10 for suture specimens for tension strength test, whereas the remaining specimens were used for bursting pressure test. In animal experiments, dogs were also divided into adhesive and suture groups (n=10), only of the left carotid artery. Recording the operational time, bleeding or not. Vessels were tested using color Doppler ultrasound, the inner diameter was measured, and the degree of stenosis at 8 weeks was evaluated digital subtraction angiography (DSA) were also performed. Specimens were then analyzed histologically. Results In the adhesive and suture groups, the specimens could afford atension strength of (23.80±1.51) N versus (24.60±1.08) N (P>0.05), the bursting pressure was (52.03±2.43) kPa versus (50.04±3.51) kPa (P>0.05), and the mean time of anastomosis was (15.20±0.55) minutes versus (25.97±0.58) minutes (P <0.05). One dog in the adhesive group was bleeding from the suture. One dog from each group presented with thrombosis at 1 week. After measuring using ultrasound, the stenosis degree of all dogs were no more than 30% except the two thromboses. DSA and histological observation showed no obvious difference between the two groups. Conclusion Defective vascular anastomosis with 2‐octyl‐cyanoacrylate and our homemade prosthetic component is feasible, effective, timesaving, and easy to master.
Output feedback control of a walking support machine

In order to support patients with walking abnormalities, our laboratory developed a walking support machine (WSM). The tracking performance of the WSM needs to be guaranteed, which aims to assist the users to move to the destination. However, the trajectory tracking accuracy of the WSM is seriously dependent on the feedback information of speed. To overcome these issues, in the present paper, a speed observer is designed. With this speed observer, an output feedback tracking controller was designed to improve the tracking accuracy of WSM. Finally, a group of simulations were conducted to show that the WSM was capable of support the user to follow a complex path, and the results demonstrate the proposed method was feasible and effective.
Problems and Solutions in Knowledge Transfer

A central feature of innovation systems is that innovation arises from interaction between organizational units. This requires 'cognitive distance' that is sufficiently large to yield novelty of combinations, but not too large for mutual understanding. Two problems and solutions in the transfer of knowledge, especially to small firms, are identified and discussed. There is a problem not only of expressing tacit knowledge, but also of absorbing new knowledge when it needs to replace existing tacit knowledge. Next to issues of learning or competence development there are also issues of governance, in the management of relational risk of dependence and spillover. The analysis yields a number of tasks and functions for regional systems of innovation.
Determinants of consumers' repeat online buying of groceries

Abstract This study developed and empirically tested a model for understanding what factors determine repeat buying behaviour of already experienced online grocery consumers. Data were collected from 198 consumers who currently buy groceries via the Internet. The obtained Lisrel results suggest that consumers' attitude towards online grocery buying is positively affected by perceived offline physical effort and negatively affected by offline shopping enjoyment. Multi group analysis shows that the strength of these relations differed across several consumer characteristics. Also, it was found that a perceived high Internet grocery risk does not form an action barrier for consumers who already have a positive attitude towards online grocery buying. The results also indicate that consumers may hesitate from repeat online buying if they are faced with high online complexity. Implications and future research directions are discussed.
Traffic Sign Recognition Using Kernel Extreme Learning Machines With Deep Perceptual Features

Traffic sign recognition plays an important role in autonomous vehicles as well as advanced driver assistance systems. Although various methods have been developed, it is still difficult for the state-of-the-art algorithms to obtain high recognition precision with low computational costs. In this paper, based on the investigation on the influence that color spaces have on the representation learning of convolutional neural network, a novel traffic sign recognition approach called DP-KELM is proposed by using a kernel-based extreme learning machine (KELM) classifier with deep perceptual features. Unlike the previous approaches, the representation learning process in DP-KELM is implemented in the perceptual Lab color space. Based on the learned deep perceptual feature, a kernel-based ELM classifier is trained with high computational efficiency and generalization performance. Through the experiments on the German traffic sign recognition benchmark, the proposed method is demonstrated to have higher precision than most of the state-of-the-art approaches. In particular, when compared with the hinge loss stochastic gradient descent method which has the highest precision, the proposed method can achieve a comparable recognition rate with significantly fewer computational costs.
Chimeric RNA/DNA Oligonucleotide-Based Site-Specific Modification of the Tobacco Acetolactate Syntase Gene

Single amino acid substitutions at either of two crucial positions in acetolactate synthase (ALS) result in a chlorsulfuron-insensitive form of this enzyme and, as a consequence, a herbicide-resistant phenotype. Here, we describe the successful in vivo targeting of endogenous tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) ALS genes using chimeric RNA/DNA and all-DNA oligonucleotides at two different locations. Similar number of conversion events with two different chimeras indicates the absence of restricting influence of genomic target sequence on the gene repair in tobacco. Chlorsulfuron-resistant plants were regenerated from calli after mesophyll protoplast electroporation or leaf tissue particle bombardment with these specifically constructed chimeras. Sequence analysis and enzyme assays proved the resulting alterations to ALS at both DNA and protein levels. Furthermore, foliar application of chlorsulfuron confirmed the development of resistant phenotypes. Lines with proline-196-alanine, threonine, glutamine, or serine substitutions or with tryptophan-573-leucine substitutions were highly resistant at both cellular and whole plant levels, whereas lines with proline-196-leucine substitutions were less resistant. The stability of these modifications was demonstrated by the continuous growth of calli on chlorsulfuron-containing medium and by the transmission of herbicide resistance to progeny in a Mendelian manner. Ability of haploid state to promote chimera-mediated conversions is discussed.
On the inner—outer core density contrast from PKiKP/PcP amplitude ratios and uncertainties caused by seismic noise

SUMMARY The inner core boundary (ICB) of the earth is characterized by a discontinuous change in elastic properties between the liquid outer and solid inner core. In the ray theory approximation, a measure of the density contrast at the ICB is given by the amplitude ratio of P waves reflected from the core–mantle boundary (CMB; PcP waves) and the ICB (PKiKP waves), since that ratio conveniently appears in an explicit form in the transmission/reflection coefficient equations. The results for inner–outer core density contrast derived from direct amplitude picks of these waves in the time domain have varied significantly among different authors. The transmission/reflection coefficients on the liquid–solid and solid–liquid boundaries derived from ground displacements enable a direct comparison between the amplitude measurements on displacement seismograms in the time domain and theoretical values. A new approach is proposed and applied to integrate effects of microseismic and signal-generated noise with the amplitude measurements, thus providing a direct maximal uncertainty measure. To suppress the effects of varying radiation pattern and distinctively different ray paths at longer epicentral distances, this new method was applied to high-quality arrivals of PcP and PKiKP waves from a nuclear explosion observed at epicentral distances 10 ◦ –20 ◦ from recording stations. The resulting uncertainties are high precluding precise estimates of the ICB density contrast, but provide a robust estimate of an upper bound from body waves of about 1100 kg m −3 . Median values of two amplitude ratios observed around 17 ◦ epicentral distance indicate a small density contrast of 200–300 kg m −3 and suggest the existence of zones of suppressed density contrast between the inner and the outer core, a density contrast stronger than 5000 kg m −3 at the CMB, or a combination of both.
BAMLET Activates a Lysosomal Cell Death Program in Cancer Cells

A complex of human α-lactalbumin and oleic acid (HAMLET) was originally isolated from human milk as a potent anticancer agent. It kills a wide range of transformed cells of various origins while leaving nontransformed healthy cells largely unaffected both in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, purified α-lactalbumins from other mammals form complexes with oleic acid that show biological activities similar to that of HAMLET. The mechanism by which these protein-lipid complexes kill tumor cells is, however, largely unknown. Here, we show that complex of bovine α-lactalbumin and oleic acid (BAMLET), the bovine counterpart of HAMLET, kills tumor cells via a mechanism involving lysosomal membrane permeabilization. BAMLET shows potent cytotoxic activity against eight cancer cell lines tested, whereas nontransformed NIH-3T3 murine embryonic fibroblasts are relatively resistant. BAMLET accumulates rapidly and specifically in the endolysosomal compartment of tumor cells and induces an early leakage of lysosomal cathepsins into the cytosol followed by the activation of the proapoptotic protein Bax. Ectopic expression of three proteins known to stabilize the lysosomal compartment, i.e. heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), Hsp70-2, and lens epithelium-derived growth factor, confer significant protection against BAMLET-induced cell death, whereas the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2, caspase inhibition, and autophagy inhibition fail to do so. These data indicate that BAMLET triggers lysosomal cell death pathway in cancer cells, thereby clarifying the ability of α-lactalbumin:oleate complexes to kill highly apoptosis-resistant tumor cells. Mol Cancer Ther; 9(1); 24–32
Capital Expenditures· and Financial Constraints: Evidence from Indonesia Stock Exchange

This study attempts to explore the sources of capital which are often used to fund capital expenditures or financially constrained firms. Significant sources of funding includ~ c(;ash flow from investing and financing activities and growth of short-term debt. While the young company that has financial constraints, sources of funding affect capital expenditures activities such as cash flow from operating activities, growth of short-term debt and rights issue. The factors shown that affect capital expenditures of financially constrained firms and old category are cash flow from financing activities and rights issue.
The influence of sales force technology use on outcome performance

Purpose – This paper aims to examine whether and how sales technology (ST) use helps salespeople perform better through the modification of their customer-qualification skills and customer-oriented selling behaviors. Also, the moderating role of salespeople’s technology self-efficacy is analyzed. Technological advancements have become an integral part of the personal selling process, yet the relationship between salesperson’s technology use and salesperson performance remains primarily unsubstantiated. Design/methodology/approach – Data are collected from a diverse sample of 265 salespeople across different industries. Hypotheses are tested with structural equation modeling. Findings – The results indicate that a salesperson’s customer-qualification skills and customer-oriented selling fully mediate the effect of technology use on outcome performance. In addition, salespeople high in technology self-efficacy seem to get the most out of their technology use. More specifically, the influence of technology u.
Tax Incentives in the Philippines: A Regional Perspective

The Philippines is faced with a policy dilemma in the area of corporate taxation. On the one hand, the country has, over the past few years, witnessed a decline in revenue as a share of output. On the other, it is operating in an increasingly competitive regional market for foreign direct investment. In order to remain competitive, the Philippines offers a broad array of fiscal incentives to entice inward investment and pursue the country`s development goals. This paper looks at the fiscal incentives available in the Philippines, compares them with those available in the ASEAN region, and with the evidence on the efficacy of tax incentives in a global context. The paper provides some broad conclusions on the use of the various forms of tax incentives in the Philippines and on their administration.
Wal‐Mart in Europe: prospects for the UK

The purpose of this paper is to assess the long‐term opportunity (or lack thereof) for Wal‐Mart in the UK. Wal‐Mart is the world’s largest retailer and the UK market offers a logical next step following Wal‐Mart’s 1997 entry into the European market via Germany. Retail internationalisation is discussed and how Wal‐Mart might enter the UK market. Wal‐Mart’s North American growth is attributed to a unique organisational culture, low cost operating procedures and a significant consumer impact related to the determinant low price, assortment, service and community support store choice attributes. These attributes are discussed in a UK context and conclude that the UK workforce would respond positively to the front‐line empowerment of the “Wal‐Mart Way”. UK consumers also would support the unique Wal‐Mart retail proposition. In terms of efficient supply chains, however, Wal‐Mart will not offer any significant competitive advantage over UK retailers.
Pressure ulcer classification: defining early skin damage.

This article is the second of a two-part series. The first part (Russell, 2002) looked at various systems and pitfalls of pressure ulcer classification systems. This article focuses on the difficulties of defining early skin damage. Patients' quality of life suffers significantly with a pressure ulcer. The smell of the exudate may be an embarrassment to the patient. The pain and the distress the patient will experience will not easily be forgotten, i.e. the number of dressings required for a deep pressure ulcer, even after the pressure ulcer has healed, will be a memorable intrusion to the patient's daily routine. Early detection of pressure ulcers and timely intervention are essential in the management of patients with pressure ulcers. Controversy exists over the definition of the first three stages of pressure ulcers, but there is consensus on the definition of deep tissue damage. If the pressure ulcer is covered with black necrotic tissue it is difficult to establish depth of the tissue damage. Intact skin can cause problems, as a sacrum may be purple but intact. There is still considerable debate with regard to reactive hyperaemia, as the exact time parameters for persistent erythema to occur are unknown. Little is understood with regard to the exact pathophysiology of reactive hyperaemia and this area requires further investigation. Blistered skin and skin tone also cause confusion in grading of pressure ulcers. The problems associated with classification of pressure ulcers, using colour classification systems, are discussed and the implications for practice are considered. The confusion surrounding early classification of pressure ulcers is discussed and it is hoped that such confusion can be addressed by standardizing training using one national classification system.
The Effect of Moral Reasoning, Exposure to Ethics and Perceived Ethical Climate on Ethical Judgement of Auditors in Malaysia

This study examines whether perceived ethical climate of the firm, exposure to ethics and moral reasoning have an influence on the ethical judgement of auditors in Malaysia. Analysis suggests that all three factors have positive and significant influence on the ethical judgement of auditors. This study also finds that the moral reasoning of majority of the auditors in Malaysia is contained within the first and second levels of Kohlberg’s moral development stage although some have also achieved the highest level. It is deduced that this is because majority of the auditors in Malaysia are more deontologists in approach rather than teleologists and that they tend to adhere to strict rules and processes. Additionally, the study finds that the level of ethical judgement among these auditors is at the average level. The findings will be useful for the government, the regulator and also audit firms which are striving to improve the ethicality of their auditors.
Perturbation of the Small Intestine Microbial Ecology by Streptomycin Alters Pathology in a Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Murine Model of Infection

ABSTRACT The small intestine is an important site of infection for many enteric bacterial pathogens, and murine models, including the streptomycin-treated mouse model of infection, are frequently used to study these infections. The environment of the mouse small intestine and the microbiota with which enteric pathogens are likely to interact, however, have not been well described. Therefore, we compared the microbiota and the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) present in the ileum and cecum of streptomycin-treated mice and untreated controls. We found that the microbiota in the ileum of untreated mice differed greatly from that of the cecum of the same mice, primarily among families of the phylum Firmicutes. Upon treatment with streptomycin, substantial changes in the microbial composition occurred, with a marked loss of population complexity. Characterization of the metabolic products of the microbiota, the SCFAs, showed that formate was present in the ileum but low or not detectable in the cecum while butyrate was present in the cecum but not the ileum. Treatment with streptomycin altered the SCFAs in the cecum, significantly decreasing the concentration of acetate, propionate, and butyrate. In this work, we also characterized the pathology of Salmonella infection in the ileum. Infection of streptomycin-treated mice with Salmonella was characterized by a significant increase in the relative and absolute levels of the pathogen and was associated with more severe ileal inflammation and pathology. Together these results provide a better understanding of the ileal environment in the mouse and the changes that occur upon streptomycin treatment.
Liquid biopsy: ready to guide therapy in advanced prostate cancer?

The identification of molecular markers associated with response to specific therapy is a key step for the implementation of personalised treatment strategies in patients with metastatic prostate cancer. Only in a low proportion of patients biopsies of metastatic tissue are performed. Circulating tumour cells (CTC), cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) and RNA offer the potential for non‐invasive characterisation of disease and molecular stratification of patients. Furthermore, a ‘liquid biopsy’ approach permits longitudinal assessments, allowing sequential monitoring of response and progression and the potential to alter therapy based on observed molecular changes. In prostate cancer, CTC enumeration using the CellSearch© platform correlates with survival. Recent studies on the presence of androgen receptor (AR) variants in CTC have shown that such molecular characterisation of CTC provides a potential for identifying patients with resistance to agents that inhibit the androgen signalling axis, such as abiraterone and enzalutamide. New developments in CTC isolation, as well as in vitro and in vivo analysis of CTC will further promote the use of CTC as a tool for retrieving molecular information from advanced tumours in order to identify mechanisms of therapy resistance. In addition to CTC, nucleic acids such as RNA and cfDNA released by tumour cells into the peripheral blood contain important information on transcriptomic and genomic alterations in the tumours. Initial studies have shown that genomic alterations of the AR and other genes detected in CTC or cfDNA of patients with castration‐resistant prostate cancer correlate with treatment outcomes to enzalutamide and abiraterone. Due to recent developments in high‐throughput analysis techniques, it is likely that CTC, cfDNA and RNA will be an important component of personalised treatment strategies in the future.
Marketing knowledge and the value of segmentation

This paper reports findings from a study into how marketing academics and MBA students view segmentation. The research indicates that both respondent groups view segmentation as being more valuable in helping to understand customers than improving business performance. For MBA students there appears to be no relationship between their reported marketing knowledge and the value attributed to using market segmentation. The findings for academics suggest inconsistencies in how they interpret the value of segmentation and appraise the usefulness of analytical and evaluation approaches.
Corporate Governance, Cultural Factors and Voluntary Disclosure: Evidence from Selected Companies in Bangladesh

This research aims to test empirically the relationship between corporate governance, cultural factors and voluntary disclosure by the listed companies in Bangladesh. The corporate governance factors examined are proportion of independent non-executive directors (INDs), board leadership structure, management ownership, board size and audit committee size. The extent of voluntary disclosure level is measured using 68 items of information. Data are taken from annual reports of the listed companies in Bangladesh. The result shows a positive association between board size, board leadership structure, audit committee size and voluntary disclosure. However, no evidence is found to support the contention that independent directors are associated with increased disclosure, consistent with previous studies. Higher education of the CEO and CFO is positively related to the level of voluntary disclosure. The result also indicates that the extent of voluntary disclosures is negatively associated with a higher management ownership.