Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Non‐invasive prenatal diagnosis for single gene disorders: experience of patients

The aim of this study is to explore women's experiences of using newly developed non‐invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD) for single gene disorders. Methods used in this study include qualitative one‐to‐one interviews with eight women with pregnancies at risk of achondroplasia, Apert syndrome, thanatophoric dysplasia or a neuromuscular condition. The results of the study show that the women were positive about an accurate, safe, and early test. Where the foetus was at increased risk of inheriting a genetic condition, the benefits of NIPD over invasive testing were that it reduced the period of uncertainty and worry by being conducted within the first trimester. For those women for whom there was a low recurrence risk, the period of uncertainty could be reduced and pregnancy ‘normalized’ earlier. For women who would not have risked invasive testing, NIPD enabled them to have an early diagnostic test that was more accurate than ultrasound. Where ultrasound abnormalities were detected, NIPD ended the ‘diagnostic odyssey’, enabling women to make practical and psychological preparations for the birth. NIPD conducted through specialist services was considered most appropriate. NIPD for these particular single gene disorders was appreciated by women and appears to be satisfactory. Further exploration of stakeholder views may be required to inform more widespread implementation of NIPD for a broader range of genetic conditions.
A multiphase direct-digital-synthesis sinewave generator for high-accuracy impedance comparison

We report on the realization and characterization of a dual-phase sinewave generator based on the direct-digital-synthesis technique, by using the new Analog Devices direct-digital-synthesizer AD9854. Particular attention is paid on the stability and accuracy of the sinewave amplitude in order to achieved high-accuracy impedance measurements. The sinewave frequency can be tuned in the range from 16 Hz to 16 kHz with a resolution <10 /spl mu/Hz and with a relative frequency stability of 10/sup -8/, whereas the sinewave long-term amplitude stability is better than 10/sup -5/ around the 10 V nominal. Signal amplitude, frequency, and phase are monitored and set by means of a personal computer.
Ethical Implications of Pain Management in a Nursing Home: a discussion

Pain is the most frequently communicated complaint among elderly people. Discussion of the ethics of pain management in nursing home residents has not appeared in the literature. The purpose of this article is to present an ethically-based pain management action plan for elderly nursing home residents. Nurses empowered with the latest information and cognizant and comfortable with their own views about pain are likely to effectuate a positive patient outcome. Further research will add to the current knowledge base while laying the groundwork for new interventions.
Categorization and Matching for Drone-based Services

The exchange of supply and demand in drone-based services would benefit from the shared use of an online platform. Such a platform would need to offer two important opportunities. One is to share the service with other users, and the other is to receive offers from all providers interacting on the platform, who optimize their investments by sharing their own resources and technologies. The purpose of this position paper is to propose a categorization and matching algorithm on which to base this platform. The platform will aim to facilitate the sharing of services provided through the use of drones. The algorithm will match demand and offer, and will evolve through the use and the application of all participants (operators, users, lenders of shared resources). The platform, currently in development, could be the first web-based system in Europe to offer this model.
The Effect of Earnings Management Practice on Corporate Borrowing Capacity through Corporate Reputation

This research is conducted to determine the association between earnings management practice and corporate borrowing capacity through corporate reputation. Earnings management practice is measured by discretionary accruals based on the Modified Jones Model. Hypotheses are tested using multiple regression analysis and two-stage ordinary least squares for 65 companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in the period 2012–2013. The results of the research provide empirical evidence that earnings management practice has a significant negative association with corporate reputation, while corporate reputation has a significant positive association with corporate borrowing capacity. The results of this research also show that there is a significant positive association between corporate reputation estimated by earnings management practice and borrowing capacity.
Visual loss associated with fusiform enlargement of the intracranial portion of the internal carotid artery.

UR purpose is to discuss a syndrome which is characterized by progressively diminishing visual acuity and peripheral vision in one or both eyes after the age of 80 years. At exploratory craniotomy or necropsy, the terminal segment of the internal carotid artery is found to be enlarged and to displace the ipsilateral optic nerve upward against the superior rim of the optic foramen. Caramazza described the clinical findings of ~ unconfirmed cases in 193~. 2 Linear sellar calcifications were noted on the skull films, and a correlation with an arteriosclerotic process was suggested. In 1934, Schloffer 7 reported his experience with a 65-year-old woman who complained of a loss of vision in the right eye of 5 years' duration, a recent visual defect on the left of 6 weeks, plus headache, dizziness, and diplopia. Examination revealed decreased vision and field defects in both eyes. The right disc was atrophic and the left was raised with ~ diopters of papilledema. Because of the apparent Foster Kennedy syndrome a frontal tumor was diagnosed. A right frontal eraniotomy was performed and no tumor was found, but the right internal carotid artery was enlarged and compressed a thinned optic nerve upward. The left nerve was not visualized. At post-mortem, it was found that both internal carotid arteries and both optic nerves were equally involved. It was felt that decompression of one or both optic foranlina might have been beneficial. In 1938, Glees described 3 eases that had come to his attention with the diagnosis of
Consumer Stated Preference for Acer Laptop from Online Reviews

Consumer preference is a hot topic in the domain of marking management and e-commerce. Many previous studies have been conducted in this field. Whereas, there are rarely studies building on the particular commodity such as laptop. Therefore, this study explores comprehensive features that affect consumer preference for laptops by mining the online reviews. Firstly, we collect 6531 online reviews for Acer laptop from Amazon.cn and code these reviews with Nvivo10. Secondly, we develop a feature-based consumer preference model named MCPL based on the review text analysis. Considering the data imbalance of the collected 6531 product reviews, we adopt a random cluster sampling method to extract 50 groups with 100 samples per group. Then the correspondent regression analyses are conducted for the 50 groups of reviews. Finally, the meta-analysis is creatively conducted to integrate the multiple liner regression results of different groups. According to the result of meta-analysis, we demonstrate dominant features on behalf of the consumer preference of laptop and draw practical implications for enterprise competition strategies to facilitate product design or improvement.
Glut4 Storage Vesicles without Glut4: Transcriptional Regulation of Insulin-Dependent Vesicular Traffic

ABSTRACT Two families of transcription factors that play a major role in the development of adipocytes are the CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBPs) and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), in particular PPARγ. Ectopic expression of either C/EBPα or PPARγ in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts results in the conversion of these cells to adipocyte-like cells replete with fat droplets. NIH 3T3 cells ectopically expressing C/EBPα (NIH-C/EBPα) differentiate into adipocytes and exhibit insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, whereas NIH 3T3 cells ectopically expressing PPARγ (NIH-PPARγ) differentiate but do not exhibit any insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, nor do they express any C/EBPα. The reason for the lack of insulin-responsive glucose uptake in the NIH-PPARγ cells is their virtual lack of the insulin-responsive glucose transporter, Glut4. The NIH-PPARγ cells express functionally active components of the insulin receptor-signaling pathway (the insulin receptor, IRS-1, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and Akt2) at levels comparable to those in responsive cell lines. They also express components of the insulin-sensitive vesicular transport machinery, namely, VAMP2, syntaxin-4, and IRAP, the last of these being the other marker of insulin-regulated vesicular traffic along with Glut4. Interestingly, the NIH-PPARγ cells show normal insulin-dependent translocation of IRAP and form an insulin-responsive vesicular compartment as assessed by cell surface biotinylation and sucrose velocity gradient analysis, respectively. Moreover, expression of a Glut4-myc construct in the NIH-PPARγ cells results in its insulin-dependent translocation to the plasma membrane as assessed by immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis. Based on these data, we conclude that major role of C/EBPα in the context of the NIH-PPARγ cells is to regulate Glut4 expression. The differentiated cells possess a large insulin-sensitive vesicular compartment with negligible Glut4, and Glut4 translocation can be reconstituted on expression of this transporter.
Analysis of information security service for internet application

Background/Objectives: With the proliferation of online platforms, information is generated every second, and there is an urgent need to firstly store the huge amount of data and secondly to secure that data. The level of sophistication is increasing day by day, so alongside the demand for excessive computational power and resources also hikes up. With the advancements in technology and with the concepts like globalization coming into picture, people find the need of sharing information important. Methods/Statistical Analysis: Information security aspects are analyzed based on confidentiality, integrity, availability, authentication, authorization and non-Repudiation. Findings: Different web application needs different security parameter and out of these authentication and access control are among the top security issues which can be resolved by using two factor and three factor authentication and are more effective with respect to mobility. Application/Improvement: Most handheld devices have built-in sensors which can be used for self authentication and authorization. Device ID, fingerprint, iris, SMS based OTPs add extra security to information security.
Individual and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status Characteristics and Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the association of individual socioeconomic status (iSES) and neighborhood SES (nSES) on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (1987–1999). Methods: Participants included 2932 black and 9777 white men and women aged 45 to 64 years without diabetes at baseline. Total combined family income for the past 12 months and six census tract socioeconomic measures combined into a composite index were used to quantify iSES and nSES, respectively. Poisson regression was used to assess associations of the joint contribution of iSES and nSES on the MetS, stratified by gender and race and adjusting for multiple covariates. For analyses that included nSES, hierarchical modeling techniques were used. Results: Using 2005 Third Report of the Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults criteria, MetS was identified in 40% of black women, 30% of white women, 28% of black men, and 35% of white men. Among black and white men, there was no association between MetS and iSES or nSES. In contrast, after adjustment for risk factors, black and white women with low (L)-iSES and medium (M)-iSES were more likely to have MetS than those with high (H)-iSES. Similar but weaker patterns were noted for L-nSES and M-nSES. Conclusions: In summary, both iSES and nSES were independently associated with an increased prevalence of MetS among women but not men. Efforts aimed at understanding the causes of these gender differences may offer insight into avenues for reducing the prevalence of the MetS and its chronic disease sequelae. MetS = metabolic syndrome; CVD = cardiovascular disease; SES = socioeconomic status; iSES = individual-level socioeconomic status; nSES = neighborhood-level socioeconomic status; ARIC = atherosclerosis risk in communities study; NC = North Carolina; MS = Mississippi; MN = Minnesota; MD = Maryland; L = low; M = middle; H = high; LDL-C = low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; PR = prevalence ratio; CI = confidence interval.
Oxidatively Modified Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Inhibits TLR2 and TLR4 Cytokine Responses in Human Monocytes but Not in Macrophages*

Background: The role of oxidatively modified LDL (oxmLDL) in atherosclerotic inflammation is controversial. Results: Endotoxin-free oxmLDL fails to enhance mononuclear phagocyte inflammatory responses but suppresses IL-1β, TNF, and IL-6 when combined with endotoxin or PamCSK4. Conclusion: OxmLDL suppresses proinflammatory responses. Significance: Although LDL preparations have been linked to inflammatory responses, endotoxin-free, oxidatively modified LDL inhibits monocyte Toll ligands. Inflammation characterized by the expression and release of cytokines and chemokines is implicated in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. Oxidatively modified low density lipoproteins, central to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, have been reported to signal through Toll-like receptors (TLRs), TLR4 and TLR2, in concert with scavenger receptors to regulate the inflammatory microenvironment in atherosclerosis. This study evaluates the role of low density lipoproteins (LDL) and oxidatively modified LDL (oxmLDL) in the expression and release of proinflammatory mediators IκBζ, IL-6, IL-1β, TNFα, and IL-8 in human monocytes and macrophages. Although standard LDL preparations induced IκBζ along with IL-6 and IL-8 production, this inflammatory effect was eliminated when LDL was isolated under endotoxin-restricted conditions. However, when added with TLR4 and TLR2 ligands, this low endotoxin preparation of oxmLDL suppressed the expression and release of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα but surprisingly spared IL-8 production. The suppressive effect of oxmLDL was specific to monocytes as it did not inhibit LPS-induced proinflammatory cytokines in human macrophages. Thus, TLR ligand contamination of LDL/oxmLDL preparations can complicate interpretations of inflammatory responses to these modified lipoproteins. In contrast to providing a proinflammatory function, oxmLDL suppresses the expression and release of selected proinflammatory mediators.
Racial/ethnic disparities in HIV infection among people who inject drugs: an international systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIMS The Ethnic Minority Meta-Analysis (EMMA) aims to assess racial/ethnic disparities in HIV infection among people who inject drugs (PWID) across various countries. This is the first report of the data. METHODS Standard systematic review/meta-analysis methods were utilized, including searching for, screening and coding published and unpublished reports and meta-analytical statistics. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) guidelines for reporting methods. Disparities were measured with the odds ratio (OR) for HIV prevalence among ethnic minority PWID compared to ethnic majority PWID; an OR >1.0 indicated higher prevalence among ethnic minorities. RESULTS Racial/ethnic disparities in HIV prevalence among PWID were examined in 131 prevalence reports, with 214 racial/ethnic minority to majority comparisons, comprising 106 715 PWID. Overall, the pooled OR indicates an increased likelihood of higher HIV prevalence among racial/ethnic minority compared to racial/ethnic majority PWID [OR = 2.09, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.92-2.28]. Among 214 comparisons, 106 produced a statistically significant higher OR for minorities; in 102 comparisons the OR was not significantly different from 1.0; six comparisons produced a statistically significant higher OR for majority group members. Disparities were particularly large in the United States, pooled OR = 2.22 (95% CI: 2.03-2.44). There was substantial variation in ORs-I(2) = 75.3%: interquartile range = 1.38-3.56-and an approximate Gaussian distribution of the log ORs. CONCLUSIONS Among people who inject drugs, ethnic minorities are approximately twice as likely to be HIV seropositive than ethnic majorities. The great heterogeneity and Gaussian distribution suggest multiple causal factors and a need to tailor interventions to local conditions.
Dampak Industrialisasi Pedesaan terhadap Kesejahteraan Masyarakat di Desa Ciherang Pondok, Kecamatan Caringin, Kabupaten Bogor

Rural industrialization is a development step to push the economic growth. Implementation of rural industrialization program not focused in the city but in rural area with purpose so that the development could disseminate evenly until the grassroots level. There was a shifting of livelihood caused by industrial penetration in rural area, from agriculture to non agriculture. Meanwhile from an economic view, the presence of industry could open an employment and business opportunity for the people around there. The aim of this research is to analyze the correlation of the impact of rural industrialization with community welfare between them who have livelihood in industrial and non industrial sectors. This research is using quantitative approach with survey method and supported by qualitative data. The result of this study shows that there are different correlations in the impact of rural industrialization with community welfare between them who have livelihood in industrial and non industrial sectors. Keywords: livelihood, agriculture, non agriculture -------------------------- ABSTRAK Industrialiasasi pedesaan merupakan suatu langkah pembangunan untuk mendorong pertumbuhan ekonomi. Kegiatan industri ini tidak dipusatkan di perkotaan, melainkan mendorong pertumbuhan ekonomi di tingkat pedesaan dengan tujuan agar pembangunan tersebar secara merata hingga ke lapisan akar rumput. Hadirnya industri di pedesaan, jika dilihat dari aspek sosial telah menggeser kehidupan pertanian. Sedangkan dari aspek ekonomi, berdirinya suatu industri di pedesaan dapat membuka kesempatan bekerja dan kesempatan berusaha bagi warga sekitar. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk menganalisis hubungan dampak industrialisasi pedesaan dengan kesejahteraan masyarakat antar kelompok dengan pola nafkah industri dan non industri. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dengan metode survei dan didukung oleh data kualitatif. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa terdapat perbedaan hubungan dampak industrialisasi pedesaan dengan kesejahteraan masyarakat antara kelompok dengan pola nafkah industri dan non industri. Kata kunci: nafkah, pertanian, non pertanian
Image compression via improved quadtree decomposition algorithms

Quadtree decomposition is a simple technique used to obtain an image representation at different resolution levels. This representation can be useful for a variety of image processing and image compression algorithms. This paper presents a simple way to get better compression performances (in MSE sense) via quadtree decomposition, by using near to optimal choice of the threshold for quadtree decomposition; and bit allocation procedure based on the equations derived from rate-distortion theory. The rate-distortion performance of the improved algorithm is calculated for some Gaussian field, and it is examined vie simulation over benchmark gray-level images. In both these cases, significant improvement in the compression performances is shown.
Benchmark product features using the Kano-QFD approach: a case study

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to apply the proposed methodology to develop the product as per customer’s requirements (CRs) and increase customer satisfaction (CS). Design/methodology/approach The companies are using different methods to identify CRs and translate these requirements into new products. The Kano model is used to identify CRs. The result of the Kano model is used in quality function deployment (QFD) to decide the priority for improvements of CRs and the technical requirements. Findings The integration of the Kano model and QFD is applied on the mobile phone. The Kano model helps to find out the CRs which affect the CS, such as attractive (A) attribute, one (O)-dimensional attribute and must be (M) attribute. The QFD method helps to translate the CRs into technical requirements so that the designer can decide priority of requirements for improvement or new product development. Research limitations/implications The proposed methodology can be applied to different consumers as well as industrial products. Originality/value The Kano model has been used in manufacturing as well as service sector. This work explores its usefulness and applicability for consumer and industrial products.
Thermal Tolerance of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis

ABSTRACT D values (decimal reduction time; the time required to kill 1 log concentration of bacteria) were determined for both human and bovine strains (Dominic, Ben, BO45, and ATCC 19698) ofMycobacterium paratuberculosis in 50 mM lactate solution (pH 6.8) and in milk at four temperatures (62, 65, 68, and 71°C). Viable M. paratuberculosis organisms were quantified by a radiometric culture method (BACTEC). Thermal death curves for theM. paratuberculosis strains tested were generally linear, with R2 of ≥0.90, but a few curves (R2, 0.80 to 0.90) were better described by a quadratic equation. The human strains (Dominic and Ben) had similarD values in milk and in lactate solution. However,D values for the bovine strains (BO45 and ATCC 19698) were significantly different depending on the menstruum. Dvalues for low-passage clinical strains (Dominic, Ben, and BO45) were lower than those of the high-passage laboratory strain (ATCC 19698). The D value based on pooled data for clinical strains ofM. paratuberculosis in milk at 71°C (D71°C) was 11.67 s. PooledD62°C, D65°C, andD68°C of clinical M. paratuberculosis strains in milk were 228.8, 47.8, and 21.8 s, respectively. The Z value (the temperature required for the decimal reduction time to traverse 1 log cycle) of clinical strains in milk was 7.11°C. The D values of clumped and singleM. paratuberculosis cells were not significantly different. The D values of all M. paratuberculosis strains tested were considerably higher than those published forListeria, Salmonella, and Coxiellaspp. and estimated for Mycobacterium bovis, indicating thatM. paratuberculosis is more thermally tolerant. This study supports the premise that M. paratuberculosis may survive high-temperature, short-time pasteurization when the initial organism concentration is greater than 101 cells/ml.