Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) as a tool for identification of marine nematodes

Many phyla of marine invertebrates are difficult to identify using conventional morphological taxonomy. Larvae of a wider set of phyla are also difficult to identify as a result of conservation of morphology between species or because morphological characters are destroyed during sampling and preservation. DNA sequence analysis has the potential for identification of marine organisms to the species level. However, sequence analysis of specimens is time-consuming and impractical when species diversity is very high and densities of individuals huge, as they are in many marine habitats. The effectiveness of the 18S rRNA gene sequences for identification of one species-rich marine group, the Nematoda, is analysed. Following identification of variable regions of the 18S rRNA gene, primers were designed to amplify a small segment of sequences suitable for denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The effectiveness of DGGE for identifying individual species is analysed. DGGE analysis of natural communities of nematodes detected less than ? of the species present. This fraction of the community probably represents the abundant species in the original samples. It is concluded that DGGE is not a useful tool for analysis of species richness in marine communities as it fails to detect rare species of which there are usually many in the marine benthic environment. However, DGGE may be a useful method for detecting changes in communities that influence the abundance of the most common taxa.
Accounting for Intangibles and Managerial Information

I investigate whether firms subject to SFAS No. 86 Accounting for the Costs of Computer Software provide information regarding future benefits of these software development (SD) expenditures. Numerous comment letters from the 1985 Exposure Draft indicate analysts feel that given the leeway to capitalize, managers will use this latitude opportunistically. However, my findings imply that capitalized SD expenditures are informative about future cash flows and that managers' amortization schedules provide information about the timing of these benefits. My results also suggest that firms that expense all SD expenditures may have expenditures that are technically an asset but managers are choosing to expense rather than capitalize these expenditures. Moreover, I find that firms with higher amounts of private information tend to have a stronger association between the intangible asset and subsequent cash flows, indicating these firms may be more inclined to divulge information when the benefits to do so seem greater.
Ventriculoperitoneal shunt malfunction: cumulative effect of cost, radiation, and turnaround time on the patient and the health care system.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to reiterate the predominance of CT in evaluating ventriculoperitoneal shunt malfunction in terms of cost-effectiveness, reduction of radiation exposure, and turnaround time as the measurement parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective study included patients 18 years and older with a history of ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion who presented to the emergency department with symptoms of shunt malfunction and underwent shunt series radiography and head CT within 12 hours. Shunt revision occurring contemporaneously with imaging was defined as revision within 48 hours of the original imaging report. The effective radiation dose was calculated by multiplying dose-length product from the scanner with the standard conversion coefficient k (k = 0.0021 mSv/mGy × cm). The turnaround time for patients who underwent both head CT and shunt series radiography was calculated from time of the first study to the time of completion of the last study. RESULTS There were 16 shunt revisions in 239 patients. The sensitivity of CT was 87.5%; specificity, 91.4%; positive predictive value, 42.4%; and negative predictive value, 99%. The sensitivity of shunt series radiography was 18.7%; specificity, 90.9%; positive predictive value, 13%; and negative predictive value, 93.9%. There were 223 observations of CT radiation dose per patient (mean, 1.87 ± 0.45). There also were 223 observations of shunt radiography radiation dose per patient (mean, 1.57 ± 0.60). The median turnaround time among patients undergoing CT and shunt radiography was 109 ± 84 minutes. CONCLUSION Shunt series radiography is a low-yield diagnostic imaging modality for identifying shunt malfunction and prolongs turnaround time, increases medical cost, and exposes patients to unnecessary radiation.
When is open innovation beneficial? The role of strategic orientation

Various scholars have accomplished a great deal to better understand open innovation effectiveness. Case studies have detailed its performance effects, while other studies showed the effectiveness of an aspect of open innovation, such as collaboration with third parties, external technology commercialization, and cocreation. Though most studies report a positive relation between open innovation and innovation performance, some studies indicate possible negative effects. This has resulted in a call for research on what kind of organizational context suits open innovation best. This study therefore addresses two questions: (1) does performing open innovation activities lead to increased innovation performance, and to which aspects of innovation performance is open innovation most strongly related? (2) what is the moderating impact of various kinds of strategic orientation on the relation between open innovation and innovation performance? In this study, we investigate three types of strategic orientations: entrepreneurial orientation, market orientation, and resource orientation. In a survey among 223 Asian service firms, we first develop and test a comprehensive measurement scale for open innovation that captures the entire range of open innovation activities, including outside-in activities, inside-out activities, and coupled activities. The final scale comprises of 10 items and indicates to what extent a firm has implemented open innovation activities. Next, we study the relation between open innovation and innovation performance. The results indicate that performing open innovation activities is significantly and positively related to all four dimensions of innovation performance: new product/service innovativeness, new product/service success, customer performance, and financial performance. The impact of open innovation is not limited to a particular aspect of innovation performance; it positively affects a broad range of innovation performance indicators. Though open innovation is positively related to all four dimensions of innovation performance, the effect sizes are not equal. The impact on new service innovativeness and financial performance is relatively stronger. Regarding the influence of a firm's strategic orientation, we find that all significant moderation effects are positive. This suggests that, in general, having a more explicit strategic orientation enhances the effectiveness of open innovation. When comparing the three strategic orientations, entrepreneurial orientation strengthens the positive performance effects of open innovation significantly more than market orientation and resource orientation do. In turn, market orientation has a significantly stronger moderation effect than resource orientation. These findings provide empirical evidence of the context dependency of open innovation. Especially an entrepreneurial orientation, which is associated with proactive and entrepreneurial processes, seems to create a fertile setting for open innovation.
Use of Bakri balloon tamponade (BBT) for conservative management of postpartum haemorrhage: a tertiary referral centre case series

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of the Bakri balloon in the management of PPH. This was a retrospective review of 49 patients, who had Bakri balloon inserted for PPH in KK Hospital between April 2013 and December 2015. The main outcome measure was achievement of haemostasis by Bakri balloon tamponade (BBT). Our success rate was 81.6%. Out of the nine failures (18.0%), five (55.6%) had subtotal hysterectomies and four (44.4%) had total hysterectomies. The causes of PPH in these nine women were unsuspected or foci of placenta accreta (55.6%), uterine atony (33.3%) and retained products of conception (11.1%). Our study suggests that BBT is more likely to fail when bleeding is secondary to undiagnosed focal placenta accreta (p = .011) and when the estimated blood loss is more than 1.5 litres (p < .001). Our study adds to the growing body of evidence that BBT is not only effective for management of PPH in haemodynamically stable patients and in cases secondary to uterine atony and placenta praevia, but also in a small number of undiagnosed focal placenta accreta. Impact statement There is limited evidence regarding efficacy of BBT for PPH. Our study supports the use of BBT for PPH due to uterine atony and placenta praevia and in a small number of undiagnosed placenta accreta.
The Implications of Corporate Social Responsibility for Investors: An Overview and Evaluation of the Existing CSR Literature

This paper reviews the most important academic studies on CSR and ESG to show where the current research on this topic is standing. Along these lines we provide our assessment of the CSR literature where appropriate.Key questions of this report are: What are the effects of superior CSR on corporate financial performance? What are the effects that particular aspects of ESG have on the cost of equity or cost of debt for firms? Does CSR make sense from a strategic management perspective? Are financial markets aware of CSR? And if so, what can investors do with those firms that display inferior CSR and ESG standards? These are questions this research paper endeavours to answer while reviewing the most important research studies on CSR and ESG.
Small and Medium Enterprises` (SMEs) Access to Finance: Philippines

Based on a survey of 97 firms in the garments, textiles, automotive, electrical and electronics, and food manufacturing industries; the paper highlights the difficulties faced by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in accessing finance. For both firms with access to finance as well as those that did not make any finance request, financing obstacles posed as one of the top four serious problems for the growth of their businesses. The survey indicates the continued dependence of SMEs on internal sources of financing not only during the start-up phase but also to finance the current operations of the business. Close to 41 percent of the respondents intend to expand the size and scope of their business in the next two years. Sixty-seven percent said that financing the expansion through internal funds alone is not sufficient with the same proportion of firms indicating that they would finance their expansion by making a loan request. Previous surveys also showed a substantial proportion of firms that planned to borrow in the future. However, the continuing dependence of firms on internal sources of financing seem to suggest a gap between the plans of firms to borrow and the actual amount of funding made available by banks. SMEs particularly the smaller ones have been unable to access funds due to their limited track record, limited acceptable collateral, and inadequate financial statements and business plans. The bank survey showed that the top reasons for turning down financial requests were the firms` poor credit history, insufficient collateral, and insufficient sales, income or cash flow, unstable business type, and poor business plan. To improve MSMEs access to finance, the paper suggests the implementation of the Central Credit Information Corporation in order to address informational asymmetries. Changing the mindsets of banks and introducing nontraditional approach to SME lending would also be important along with trainings and capacity-building programs for SMEs to improve their financial literacy and management capacity.
Influence of focal spot on characteristics of very small diameter radiosurgical beams.

Percentage depth dose (PDD) distributions and beam profiles of very small diameter (1.5-5mm) megavoltage radiosurgical beams calculated with Monte Carlo (MC) technique critically depend on the diameter of the circular focal spot used in the simulation: The smaller is the field diameter, the larger is the effect. Thus, in simulations of radiosurgical fields that have diameters of the order of the focal spot size, an accurate focal spot geometry should be used. We used a simplified moving slit technique in conjunction with a diode detector for evaluation of the focal spot size and shape of a megavoltage 6MV linac as well as for determination of the equivalent focal spot diameter of the linac for use in MC simulations. The measured total diode signal contains three components: A direct focal spot signal, a background signal, and an extra-focal radiation signal. A single profile scan of the focal spot signal is Gaussian like in shape, and its full width at half maximum is used to define the focal spot dimension for this scan. The focal spot of our 6MV linac is approximated with a Gaussian circle, and when the geometry of the effective focal spot circle is used in MC simulations, the agreement between MC-calculated and measured PDD distributions as well as beam profiles is good even for radiosurgical fields as small as 1.5mm in diameter. Our results also confirm that matching the penumbral areas of accurately measured large-field beam profiles to the same areas of the MC-calculated beam profiles reliably leads to a realistic effective focal spot size for use in MC simulations of very small diameter beams.
Toward a definition of generalized anxiety disorder as an anxious temperament type

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is defined as an uncontrollable disposition to worry about one's welfare and that of one's immediate kin. Associated manifestations include arousal, vigilance, tension, irritability, unrestful sleep and gastrointestinal distress. There is growing evidence for the lifelong nature of this condition among many of its sufferers. This and other evidence reviewed in the present paper provide further support for the thesis that the chronic disposition to worry should probably be classified under constitutional or trait anxiety. GAD is best considered an exaggeration of a normal personality disposition that can be named‘Generalized anxious temperament’ (GAT). Despite some overlap with anxious‐phobic, inhibited and avoidant‐sensitive temperaments, GAT seems to have a distinct profile with altruistic overtones; on the other hand, GAT is less easily distinguished from harm‐avoidant and obsessive traits. That worrying would increase upon relaxation is not a paradox at all, and is understandable in an ethological perspective as subserving the defensive function of being vigilant of ever present yet uncertain external dangers ‐ to oneself and one's kin ‐ in day‐to‐day living. GAT can thus be considered as ‘altruistic anxiety’, subserving hypothetically the survival of one's extended phenotype in a ‘kin selection’ paradigm. Only when extreme does worrying manifest in a clinical context, impairing one's interpersonal life and functioning at work, and increasing use of general health care resources. Furthermore, generalized anxiety appears to predispose to and is often associated with depression, and a spectrum of phobic disorders, as well as alcohol and sedative use. These considerations place GAD (and the putative GAT) in the limelight and underscore the need for more research into its fundamental characteristics. Towards this aim, a self‐rated GAT measure under development in our center is provided in an appendix to this paper.
Endotokia matricida in a Xiphinema sp.

Endotokia matricida or intra-uterine birth, according to Maupas (8), is widespread in all Rhabditis species (Rhabditida) and has been r e p o r t e d in t h e T y l e n c h i d a (1,2,3,4,5,6,10,11,12,13). Paetzold (9) reported that larvae normally succeed in leaving the female body and continue normal development and reproduction. My paper reports on endotokia matricida in an undescribed species of Xiphinema. This is the first report of this phenomenon in Longidoridae.
Trichoderma – a promising plant growth stimulator and biocontrol agent

Biocontrol, or Biological Control, can be defined as the use of natural organisms, or genetically modified, genes or gene products, to reduce the effects of undesirable organisms to favor organisms useful to human, such as crops, trees, animals and beneficial microorganisms. The fungus Trichoderma, a low cost biocontrol agent that can establish itself in different pathosystems, has moderate effects on soil balance and does not harm beneficial organisms that contribute towards pathogen’s control. Fungi of the genus Trichoderma are soilborne, green-spored ascomycetes that are ubiquitous in nature. Trichoderma spp. are characterized by rapid growth, mostly bright green conidia and a repetitively branched conidiophore structure. As opportunistic plant symbionts and effective mycoparasites, numerous species of this genus have the potential to become commercial biofungicides. This biocontrol agent has no harmful effects on humans, wild life and other beneficial organisms. It is safe and effective in both natural and controlled environments that does not accumulate in the food chain. Trichoderma strains used as biocontrol agents can act: a) colonizing the soil and/or parts of the plant, occupying a physical space and avoiding the multiplication of the pathogens; b) producing cell wall degrading enzymes against the pathogens; c) producing antibiotics that can kill the pathogens; d) promoting the plant development and e) inducing the defensive mechanisms of the plant. The extensive studies on diverse physiological traits available and still progressing for Trichoderma make these fungi versatile model organisms for research on both industrial fermentations as well as natural phenomena.
Positioning Change Readiness in Knowledge Management Research

Purpose – This paper aims to propose a conceptual model for understanding the influence of change readiness on knowledge management processes and knowledge management effectiveness. It is suggested that change readiness should be assessed as a multidimensional construct consisting of psychological and structural facets. Furthermore, as the process of managing organizational knowledge requires interaction among members of the organization, a holistic view of readiness at individual and organizational levels is presented.Design/methodology/approach – A comprehensive literature review results in the development of the conceptual model that depicts potential relationships between change readiness and knowledge management processes. It also postulates the effects of different knowledge management processes on effective knowledge management implementation.Findings – Potential implications of change readiness from both psychological and structural dimensions for knowledge acquisition, creation and sharing proces.
Properly Σ2 minimal degrees and 0″ complementation

We show that there exists a properly Σ2 minimal (Turing) degree b, and moreover that b can be chosen to join with 0′ to 0″ – so that b is a 0″ complement for every degree a such that 0′ ≤ a < 0″. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Increased Nuclear NAD Biosynthesis and SIRT1 Activation Prevent Axonal Degeneration

Axonal degeneration is an active program of self-destruction that is observed in many physiological and pathological settings. In Wallerian degeneration slow (wlds) mice, Wallerian degeneration in response to axonal injury is delayed because of a mutation that results in overexpression of a chimeric protein (Wlds) composed of the ubiquitin assembly protein Ufd2a and the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) biosynthetic enzyme Nmnat1. We demonstrate that increased Nmnat activity is responsible for the axon-sparing activity of the Wlds protein. Furthermore, we demonstrate that SIRT1, a mammalian ortholog of Sir2, is the downstream effector of increased Nmnat activity that leads to axonal protection. These findings suggest that novel therapeutic strategies directed at increasing the supply of NAD and/or Sir2 activation may be effective for treatment of diseases characterized by axonopathy and neurodegeneration.
Lyra: An Interactive Visualization Design Environment

We present Lyra, an interactive environment for designing customized visualizations without writing code. Using drag‐and‐drop interactions, designers can bind data to the properties of graphical marks to author expressive visualization designs. Marks can be moved, rotated and resized using handles; relatively positioned using connectors; and parameterized by data fields using property drop zones. Lyra also provides a data pipeline interface for iterative, visual specification of data transformations and layout algorithms. Visualizations created with Lyra are represented as specifications in Vega, a declarative visualization grammar that enables sharing and reuse. We evaluate Lyra's expressivity and accessibility through diverse examples and studies with journalists and visualization designers. We find that Lyra enables users to rapidly develop customized visualizations, covering a design space comparable to existing programming‐based tools.
Comparison of risk assessment strategies for not-high-risk pulmonary embolism

We compared the prognostic performance of the 2014 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) risk stratification algorithm with the previous 2008 ESC algorithm, the Bova score and the modified FAST score (based on a positive heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) test, syncope and tachycardia, modified using high-sensitivity troponin T instead of H-FABP) in 388 normotensive pulmonary embolism patients included in a single-centre cohort study. Overall, 25 patients (6.4%) had an adverse 30-day outcome. Regardless of the score or algorithm used, the rate of an adverse outcome was highest in the intermediate-high-risk classes, while all patients classified as low-risk had a favourable outcome (no pulmonary embolism-related deaths, 0–1.4% adverse outcome). The area under the curve for predicting an adverse outcome was higher for the 2014 ESC algorithm (0.76, 95% CI 0.68–0.84) compared with the 2008 ESC algorithm (0.65, 95% CI 0.56–0.73) and highest for the modified FAST score (0.82, 95% CI 0.75–0.89). Patients classified as intermediate-high-risk by the 2014 ESC algorithm had a 8.9-fold increased risk for an adverse outcome (3.2–24.2, p<0.001 compared with intermediate-low- and low-risk patients), while the highest OR was observed for a modified FAST score ≥3 points (OR 15.9, 95% CI 5.3–47.6, p<0.001). The 2014 ESC algorithm improves risk stratification of not-high-risk pulmonary embolism compared with the 2008 ESC algorithm. All scores and algorithms accurately identified low-risk patients, while the modified FAST score appears more suitable to identify intermediate-high-risk patients. 2014 ESC guideline algorithm improves risk stratification of not-high-risk PE compared with 2008 ESC algorithm http://ow.ly/UT0K6