Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On rise and decline.

In 1776, the year when America declared its independence, Edward Gibbon released his book The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He concluded, rightly or wrongly, that the fall of the empire was mainly due to barbarian invasions and the spread of Christianity. Since Gibbon's day, many others have observed that great nations and institutions, after reaching the pinnacle of power and success, gradually decline because of internal degradation. Arnold Toynbee, another British historian, is reported to have said, “An autopsy of history would show that all great nations commit suicide. ” I am using these pronouncements to create an analogy with the condition of the orthopaedic discipline. The metaphor is based on observations on the manner in which our profession appears to be showing symptoms suggestive of decline. The technological explosion that began in earnest in the 1960s has changed the face of orthopaedic surgery. As a result, its representative organizations, such as the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Orthopaedic Association, the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, and state and regional orthopaedic societies, expanded their territory and became large, comprehensive business-like organizations. Simultaneously, the unrestrained growth of subspecialization began, leading to the creation of twenty-six subspecialty societies to date. The overemphasis on the fragmentation of orthopaedics into subspecialties incited other surgical and medical disciplines to erode the orthopaedic territory as they perceived that orthopaedics was no longer an eclectic body of knowledge but rather splintered groups with a territory consisting of one or several operations. Within a very short time, areas traditionally the purview of the orthopaedist became either partially or completely the possession of other disciplines: neurosurgery, in a number of institutions, is now in virtual control of all conditions of the spine. Plastic surgery includes in its territory the treatment of fractures from the phalanges …
An Empirical Investigation of Knowledge Management Strategy and Information Technology Strategy on Performance

Recently, a great number of theoretical frameworks have been proposed to develop the linkages between knowledge management (KM) and organizational strategy. While there has been much theorizing and case study in the area, validated research models integrating KM strategy and information technology (IT) strategy for empirical testing of these theories have been scarce. It is thought that the rapid progress of IT has been provided a good solution to support KM practices. Choosing the proper ITs to fit with different KM strategies is critical for organizations. Effective KM activities require employing KM strategies, as well as IT, appropriately. That is, as long as the KM strategy has been determined within an organization, the IT strategy must be followed. In this present research, we try to develop and examine a research model for explaining the relationships between KM strategy, IT strategy, and their effects on performance. Empirical data for hypotheses testing are collected from top-ranked companies in Taiwan; yielding 161 valid samples. The findings showed that KM strategy has a positive direct effect upon IT strategy; KM strategy and IT strategy have significant positive effects upon KM performance and IT performance respectively, and then collectively, have the impact upon business performance. Finally, from the empirical data analysis, meaningful findings and conclusions are derived, and suggestions for future research are proposed and discussed.
Predicting aflatoxin content in peanuts using ambient temperature, soil temperature and soil moisture content during pod development

Higher than acceptable aflatoxin levels in peanut kernels (Arachis hypogaea L.) and related products is a worldwide food safety concern. Strict regulatory standards by major importers of peanuts limit the marketability of peanuts for many developing tropical countries including Zambia. The incidence of pre-harvest aflatoxins is strongly linked to soil and weather conditions during pod-development. This study aimed to formulate statistical models to predict total aflatoxin content in peanut kernels using selected environmental factors during pod development. Field experiments were conducted for two years during which the peanut crop was exposed to 84 combinations of ambient temperature, soil temperature and soil moisture content measured during the last 30 days of pod development. These data were used to formulate regression models to predict total aflatoxin content in peanut kernels. Simple linear regression models had R2 values of 0.30 for maximum ambient temperature, 0.24 for soil temperature and 0.38 for soil moisture content. Combining soil moisture content and soil temperature in a multivariate regression model could explain 54% of the variation in total aflatoxin content while a combination of soil moisture content and maximum ambient temperature could only explain 46% of the variation in total aflatoxin content. Key words: Aflatoxin, groundnut, linear regression, statistical model, Zambia.
Noninvasive Assessment of Elimination and Retention using CT-FMT and Kinetic Whole-body Modeling

Fluorescence-mediated tomography (FMT) is a quantitative three-dimensional imaging technique for preclinical research applications. The combination with micro-computed tomography (µCT) enables improved reconstruction and analysis. The aim of this study is to assess the potential of µCT-FMT and kinetic modeling to determine elimination and retention of typical model drugs and drug delivery systems. We selected four fluorescent probes with different but well-known biodistribution and elimination routes: Indocyanine green (ICG), hydroxyapatite-binding OsteoSense (OS), biodegradable nanogels (NG) and microbubbles (MB). µCT-FMT scans were performed in twenty BALB/c nude mice (5 per group) at 0.25, 2, 4, 8, 24, 48 and 72 h after intravenous injection. Longitudinal organ curves were determined using interactive organ segmentation software and a pharmacokinetic whole-body model was implemented and applied to compute physiological parameters describing elimination and retention. ICG demonstrated high initial hepatic uptake which decreased rapidly while intestinal accumulation appeared for around 8 hours which is in line with the known direct uptake by hepatocytes followed by hepatobiliary elimination. Complete clearance from the body was observed at 48 h. NG showed similar but slower hepatobiliary elimination because these nanoparticles require degradation before elimination can take place. OS was strongly located in the bones in addition to high signal in the bladder at 0.25 h indicating fast renal excretion. MB showed longest retention in liver and spleen and low signal in the kidneys likely caused by renal elimination or retention of fragments. Furthermore, probe retention was found in liver (MB, NG and OS), spleen (MB) and kidneys (MB and NG) at 72 h which was confirmed by ex vivo data. The kinetic model enabled robust extraction of physiological parameters from the organ curves. In summary, µCT-FMT and kinetic modeling enable differentiation of hepatobiliary and renal elimination routes and allow for the noninvasive assessment of retention sites in relevant organs including liver, kidney, bone and spleen.
Does the conflict of interest matter for credit ratings? The impact of the client’s economic importance and the CRA tenure*

Abstract We investigate whether the potential conflict of interest affects credit ratings. Based on US data, we find that: (1) the client’s economic importance is positively related to credit ratings, and impairs the rating accuracy, and (2) at first, the credit rating (rating accuracy) increases (decreases) in the early years of the CRA-client relationship, but when the length of the engagement relationship gets longer enough, the CRA tenure is negatively (positively) related to the credit rating (rating accuracy). Overall, it suggests that the CRAs’ contention that the conflict of interest has been well-managed does not appear to be convincing.
Angiomodulin Is a Specific Marker of Vasculature and Regulates Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A–Dependent Neoangiogenesis

Blood vessel formation is controlled by the balance between pro- and antiangiogenic pathways. Although much is known about the factors that drive sprouting of neovessels, the factors that stabilize and pattern neovessels are undefined. The expression of angiomodulin (AGM), a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A binding protein, was increased in the vasculature of several human tumors as compared to normal tissue, raising the hypothesis that AGM may modulate VEGF-A–dependent vascular patterning. To elucidate the expression pattern of AGM, we developed an AGM knockin reporter mouse (AGMlacZ/+), with which we demonstrate that AGM is predominantly expressed in the vasculature of developing embryos and adult organs. During physiological and pathological angiogenesis, AGM is upregulated in the angiogenic vasculature. Using the zebrafish model, we found that AGM is restricted to developing vasculature by 17 to 22 hours postfertilization. Blockade of AGM activity with morpholino oligomers results in prominent angiogenesis defects in vascular sprouting and remodeling. Concurrent knockdown of both AGM and VEGF-A results in synergistic angiogenesis defects. When VEGF-A is overexpressed, the compensatory induction of the VEGF-A receptor, VEGFR2/flk-1, is blocked by the simultaneous injection of AGM morpholino oligomers. These results demonstrate that the vascular-specific marker AGM modulates vascular remodeling in part by temporizing the proangiogenic effects of VEGF-A.
Combining Statins with Tissue Plasminogen Activator Treatment After Experimental and Human Stroke: A Safety Study on Hemorrhagic Transformation

Statins may afford neuroprotection against ischemic injury, but it remains controversial whether combined treatment with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) after stroke increases the risk of hemorrhagic transformation (HT), the major tPA‐related complication. We evaluated the safety of combining statin with tPA administration during the acute phase of both experimental and human stroke.
Increased Sensitivity to Warfarin After Heart Valve Replacement

Background: The dosage requirement of warfarin to achieve a given international normalized ratio (INR) often varies considerably between the immediate postoperative period and long-term follow-up in patients with prosthetic heart valves, leading to INR instability. Objective: To document the extent of warfarin sensitivity in a prospective study of patients receiving heart valve replacements. Methods: Clinical and laboratory data regarding anticoagulation for 111 patients who received warfarin following heart valve replacement were collected during their hospital stay (induction period) and between 1 and 3 months after surgery (follow-up period). Results: Mean patient age was 65.39 ± 10.55 years (range 29–85), with 66 men. The mean INR value during the follow-up period was, on average, 0.21 higher than the induction period (2.81 ± 0.5 vs 2.6 ± 0.6; p = 0.007). The mean follow-up warfarin dose was 1.54 mg higher than the mean induction warfarin dose (5.09 ± 2.03 vs 3.55 ± 1.94 mg; p < 0.001). The warfarin dose index, which indicates relative sensitivity of warfarin, decreased from 1.16 to 0.65 (p < 0.001). Although the INR values during the induction and follow-up periods were similar, the dose requirement in the follow-up period was, on average, 43% higher than that of the induction period. Conclusions: Immediately after heart valve replacement, patients are more sensitive to warfarin and should receive a lower warfarin dose during the initial phase of oral anticoagulation treatment. This enhanced sensitivity decreases with time. Patients require frequent monitoring and are likely to need an increase in the warfarin dose to avoid insufficient anticoagulation during the early follow-up period.
Anterior Cervical Fusion for Degenerated or Protruded Discs: A Review of One Hundred Forty-Six Patients

The results of 146 patients with anterior cervical intervertebral disc removal and fusions are reviewed. The diagnosis was cervical spondylosis in 75%, disc protrusion in 16%, and spondylosis at one level with disc protrusions at another in 9%. There were 81 women and 65 men with an average age of 48 ± 9 years. The average follow-up was 5 ± 3.3 years. The rate of fusion was 97%. Complete pain relief occurred in 78%, partial in 18% and little or no pain relief in 4%. There were no serious complications, and none of the patients thought they were made worse by surgery.
CREATING A STRONGER MODEL FOR INTERNATIONAL YOUTH EXCHANGE: A CASE STUDY

Youth exchanges across national boundaries can be powerful learning experiences. Both 4-H and FFA have experimented with different types of group exchanges. This article reviews the tour group model, the work team model, the 4-H ambassador model, and an improved model developed between 1991 and 1993 through a W.K. Kellogg funded project. Through collaborative planning, implementation, and evaluation between Land Grant institutions in the United States and partner universities in Mexico, this new model was developed to strengthen the educational value of youth exchanges and to give participants experience in community development. For the first time in history, a majority of the Latin American nations have democratically elected leaders. Also for the first time, national education planners in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe can seriously focus on long-term educational goals including youth development through non-formal educational programs. On too many occasions, during the last thirty years, the author has witnessed the failure of non-formal educational programs for youth and the demise of effective programs. Some of those failures have been due to political turmoil, national priorities which favored military spending, or economic recession. Programs that were started during the 1960s and seemed to be working have been terminated or absorbed into bureaucratic structures in a "watered down" form. One effective international non-formal education program was the International Farm Youth Exchange (IFYE) which was started in 1948 under the direction of the National 4-H Council. This program placed young adults, ages 19 to 25, with host farm families to live and work together for six months while learning a language and culture and promoting world peace. Subsequently, IFYE was changed to International 4-H youth exchange and expanded to include non-farm families. Due to the success and popularity of IFYE a group exchange called IFYE Ambassador was added. This was a short term exchange (4-5 weeks) for youth 14-19 years old. These youth traveled in groups of approximately 15 with an adult chaperon. They combined touring with a host family experience in the host country. In 1992, the National 4-H Council decided to terminate their administration of both IFYE programs. IFYE alumni were able to find a private group based in Phoenix, Arizona, to assume administration of the IFYE program and resume the IFYE Ambassador program a year later.
APPROXIMATE SOLUTIONS OF TIME-FRACTIONAL SHARMA-TASSO-OLEVER EQUATIONS VIA HOMOTOPY ANALYSIS METHODS

In this paper, the homotopy analysis transform method is used to solve the time-fractional SharmaTasso-Olever (STO) equation. This method yields an approximate analytical solution of a rapidly convergent power series with easily computable terms and produces a good approximate solution on enlarged intervals for solving the time-fractional STO equation.
Subjective intoxication in response to alcohol challenge: heritability and covariation with personality, breath alcohol level, and drinking history.

BACKGROUND Numerous studies have identified differences in subjective response to alcohol in subjects differentiated by family history of alcoholism. Results suggest that genetic influences on individual variation in subjective response to alcohol may be a mechanism for genetic effects on alcohol problems. However, direct evidence for genetic effects on subjective response to alcohol is very limited. METHODS In a sample of 99 adult twin pairs, we studied genetic influences on subjective intoxication after alcohol challenge. The twins ingested a standard dose of ethanol (0.70 g/kg for men/0.65 g/kg for women), and two measures of subjective response to alcohol were assessed. RESULTS Genetic effects on variation in subjective intoxication reported 1 hr after drinking were significant and substantial: heritability was 0.60 for a 22-item scale and 0.48 for a brief 2-item measure. Self-report measures of neuroticism, psychasthenia, hostility, and family problems shared significant genetic covariation with subjective intoxication. Achieved breath alcohol level, rate of change in breath alcohol on the descending limb, and individual drinking history all shared familial variation with subjective intoxication. No significant genetic effects for subjective intoxication were found 2 hr after drinking, but familial influences remained present, and many of the same personality, drinking history, and breath alcohol variables were predictive of intoxication. CONCLUSIONS Subjective response to alcohol is heritable, and genetic effects on subjective intoxication are partly shared with genetic effects on personality.
Factors Contributing to Popularity of Loyalty Programs

Using secondary data from multiple sources, this study empirically examines the factors that contribute to the popularity of loyalty programs in the airline and hotel industries in the context of emerging market economies. We find that the number of partners, the number of redemption options, and the threshold for obtaining elite status all positively contribute to a loyalty program’s popularity. However, the award redemption requirement has the opposite effects on a program’s popularity. Our results show that the redemption requirement of top-tier preferential treatment negatively affects the program’s popularity. Surprisingly, the redemption requirement of entry-tier preferential treatment positively affects the program’s popularity. As one of the few program-level empirical studies, this study contributes new insights to the extant literature on loyalty program management and provides managerial guidelines for practitioners in the hospitality sector.
Risk and Return Spillovers Among the G10 Currencies

We study spillovers among daily returns and innovations in the option-implied risk-neutral volatility and skewness of the G10 currencies. Using an empirical network model, we uncover substantial time variation in the interaction of returns and risk measures, both within and between currencies. We find that aggregate spillover intensity is countercyclical with respect to the federal funds rate and increases in periods of financial stress. Cross-currency spillovers of volatility and especially of skewness increase in times of stress, reflecting greater systematic risk. Similarly, in such times, returns become more sensitive to risk measures and vice versa.
Target Motion Parameters Estimation in Forward Scatter Radar

This paper is devoted to the estimation of target motion parameters with a forward scatter radar (FSR). To provide an upper bound for the estimation performance, a closed-form expression of the Cramér–Rao lower bound (CRLB) is provided for the main target signal parameters, namely Doppler rate, baseline crossing instant, and main lobe width parameter of the target amplitude modulation pattern. This is performed by operating on the signal at the output of the standard FSR processing scheme, namely on the crystal video detector signal: the received signal, which is passed through a square-law envelope detector followed by a DC removal filter. The estimate of the kinematic parameters of moving targets that follow a linear trajectory can be obtained by inverting the relationship between these parameters and the previously estimated target signal parameters. Especially, two FSR configurations are investigated: single-node FSR configuration and dual-baseline FSR configuration with a small angular separation between the two baselines. The closed-form expression of the corresponding CRLB is derived by using a linearized version of the same inverse transformation. Finally, a practical estimator is presented, based on a two-dimensional filter bank, and its performance is compared with the derived CRLB. The results show that unbiased and highly accurate estimates of the kinematic parameters are obtained. The feasibility and the effectiveness of this estimation scheme is demonstrated by applying this technique to recorded live data acquired with a dual-baseline FSR configuration exploiting FM signals as a waveform of opportunity.
Automated LEGO assembly construction by interactive selection from multiple optimization techniques

This paper presents a software environment to create a Lego model from input 3D mesh data. We added flexibility to the process of Lego assembly creation by providing user interaction. To achieve this, we implemented three different optimization algorithms. Users can interactively select a region of the input model data and then apply optimization algorithms with the feedback of stability evaluation.
Context-dependent DNA recognition code for C2H2 zinc-finger transcription factors

MOTIVATION Modeling and identifying the DNA-protein recognition code is one of the most challenging problems in computational biology. Several quantitative methods have been developed to model DNA-protein interactions with specific focus on the C(2)H(2) zinc-finger proteins, the largest transcription factor family in eukaryotic genomes. In many cases, they performed well. But the overall the predictive accuracy of these methods is still limited. One of the major reasons is all these methods used weight matrix models to represent DNA-protein interactions, assuming all base-amino acid contacts contribute independently to the total free energy of binding. RESULTS We present a context-dependent model for DNA-zinc-finger protein interactions that allows us to identify inter-positional dependencies in the DNA recognition code for C(2)H(2) zinc-finger proteins. The degree of non-independence was detected by comparing the linear perceptron model with the non-linear neural net (NN) model for their predictions of DNA-zinc-finger protein interactions. This dependency is supported by the complex base-amino acid contacts observed in DNA-zinc-finger interactions from structural analyses. Using extensive published qualitative and quantitative experimental data, we demonstrated that the context-dependent model developed in this study can significantly improves predictions of DNA binding profiles and free energies of binding for both individual zinc fingers and proteins with multiple zinc fingers when comparing to previous positional-independent models. This approach can be extended to other protein families with complex base-amino acid residue interactions that would help to further understand the transcriptional regulation in eukaryotic genomes. AVAILABILITY The software implemented as c programs and are available by request. http://ural.wustl. edu/softwares.html