Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Millisecond SPECT image reconstruction acceleration using OSEM algorithm based on CPU / GPU hybrid parallel hardware platform

Currently SPECT image reconstruction algorithm mainly includes analytical method represented by FBP and iterative method represented by OSEM. The OSEM reconstruction algorithm can obtain better reconstructed image quality, at cost of reconstruction computation time overhead. In order to improve the computational efficiency of OSEM algorithm and to further promote the clinical application of OSEM algorithm, this work focus on the research of parallel computing applications in OSEM algorithm.In this work, we first analyze and exploit the general principles and methods of parallel computing applications on OSEM algorithm, and then implement OSEM algorithm on multi-core CPU, GPU, CPU / GPU hybrid parallel hardware platform, including some further targeted parallel acceleration algorithm combined with each hardware platform. Finally, we performance testing of optimized parallel algorithms on each hardware platform respectively, with comparison and analysis. Test is implemented on CPU, GPU, CPU / GPU platform respectively of various condition for optimization. A slight distinction emerged between reconstruction image implement on CPU and GPU. Performance of acceleration per iteration using OSEM contains: 1)3.987s on CPU with 17.54 time speed-up; 2)1.100s on GPU with 63.54 time speed -up 3)0.610s on CPU/GPU hybrid platform with 114.58 time speed -up. Test results with multiple sets of experiment show that CPU / GPU parallel hybrid algorithm get the best performance with reconstruction time of 0.61s per iteration, leading to a significant implement of OSEM algorithm for clinical application.
Electronic Loyalty Programs Comparative Survey

Loyalty is defined as the repeated satisfaction of a customer with purchases of products from a specific firm or brand. Firms have been developing customer loyalty programs because it is generally less expensive for firms to retain existing customers than to attract new ones (Reichheld & Schefter, 2000). Although the correlation between customer loyalty and long-run firm profitability is under discussion, there is a consensus on positive effects of customer loyalty programs on firm sales (Reinartz & Kumar, 2002). Loyalty programs are also attractive for customers since they receive special offers or discounts. The notion of loyalty on the Internet, coined as electronic loyalty (e-loyalty), is a relatively new concept. However, because of their potential to increase sales and reduce online customer retention costs, e-loyalty programs have received much attention from both businesses and academic researchers. In what follows, we first summarize major theoretical results and empirical evidence on customer loyalty in the literature. We then analyze different types of popular e-loyalty programs on the Internet.
ISSUES AND CHALLENGES IN BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE CASE STUDIES

Business Intelligence (BI) has embarked on decision-making setting. This has influenced many organizations from different industries that are located in diverse regions to implement BI. Critical Successful Factors (CSF) becomes the guideline for the implementer to adopt BI successfully. However, lack of BI knowledge and weak consideration of BI CSF led to the failure of BI implementation project. Several issues and challenges have been identified during the BI implementation. In addition, other researchers rarely discussed this subject. Thus, the objective of this paper is to recognize the issues and challenges on BI implementation. Through qualitative method, BI practices systematically described the purpose of BI execution on selected organizations, industries and regions. It has given the path towards the issues and challenges of BI implementation. The identified issues and challenges are defining the business goal, data management, limited funding, training and user acceptance as well as the lack of expertise issues. The findings categorized the issues and challenges into three dimensions of CSF for BI implementation, which are Organization, Process and Technology dimension. Limitation in this study requires future researchers to study in details of these issues and challenges including the solutions and the impact of BI implementation.
An Adaptive Central Force Optimization (ACFO) and Feed Forward Back Propagation Neural Network (FFBNN) based iris recognition system

Iris Recognition that emerged two decades back has a number of algorithms developed and vast amount of work has been carried out since its inception. Iris recognition uses pattern-recognition techniques based on high-resolution images of the person. This paper proposes a novel iris recognition system using FFBNN-ACFO. Initially the given input images are preprocessed using adaptive median filter to remove noise. Then the features which are extracted from the preprocessed image are used to train the FFBNN. During training, FFBNN parameters are optimized by ACFO to get high recognition accuracy. In the testing phase sufficient number of iris images, are utilized to analyze the performance of the proposed iris recognition system. The results of the proposed method are compared with FFBNN-AAPSO, FFBNN-PSO, and FFBNN techniques. The comparison result shows that the proposed iris recognition system based on FFBNN-ACFO, gives higher recognition accuracy than the existing iris recognition systems.
ANALYSIS OF EXPORT PERFORMANCE FACTORS OF ENTERPRISES FROM THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA IN THE PROCESS OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION

This paper focuses on the analysis of export problems and export strategies of enterprises from the Republic of Serbia, with the aim of identifying the major export problems and examining their impact on export performance in the light of European integration and future entry in international markets. The research model integrates export problems and export strategy as independent variables and then explores the relational connections of these variables with export performance. The study includes SMEs from the territory of the Republic of Serbia. We used a questionnaire to test the direct and indirect effects of variables on short-term export performance using the method of factor analysis. Research findings indicate that enterprises that have the personnel qualified for export into foreign markets have the most effective impact on improving export performance, and that the most important problems in entering the foreign market, especially the EU market, for the Serbian exporters are the complexity of export documentation, poor organization of the firm's export department, poor product design, high transportation costs, and inadequate promotion of enterprises on export markets.
Virulence Factors of Escherichia coli Isolates That Produce CTX-M-Type Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamases

ABSTRACT This study determined the phylogenetic groups and virulence factors of 37 Escherichia coli isolates producing types of CTX-M compared with those of 19 isolates producing different types of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) in a well-defined North American population. Most CTX-M-14 producers (97%) were from phylogenic group D; 67% of the CTX-M-15 producers were from group B2. A single CTX-M-14-producing strain belonged to clonal group A. There were significant prevalence differences for individual virulence factors among CTX-M producers and nonproducers; however, aggregate virulence factor scores were similar. CTX-M producers more commonly caused repeat urinary tract infections. Our results indicate that CTX-M type predicts phylogenetic background, and the virulence potential of ESBL-producing E. coli isolates is a complex issue, requiring further study and ongoing surveillance.
Akt, AS160, metabolic risk factors and aerobic fitness in middle-aged women.

AIMS This study investigated the association between the basal (rest) insulin-signaling proteins, Akt, and the Akt substrate AS160, metabolic risk factors, inflammatory markers and aerobic fitness, in middle-aged women with varying numbers of metabolic risk factors for type 2 diabetes. METHODS Sixteen women (n=16) aged 51.3 +/- 5.1 (mean +/- SD) years provided muscle biopsies and blood samples at rest. In addition, anthropometric characteristics and aerobic power were assessed and the number of metabolic risk factors for each participant was determined (IDF criteria). RESULTS The mean number of metabolic risk factors was 1.6 +/- 1.2. Total Akt was negatively correlated with IL-1beta (r = -0.45, p = 0.046), IL-6 (r = -0.44, p = 0.052) and TNF-alpha (r = -0.51, p = 0.025). Phosphorylated AS160 was positively correlated with HDL (r = 0.58, p = 0.024) and aerobic fitness (r = 0.51, p = 0.047). Furthermore, a multiple regression analysis revealed that both HDL (t = 2.5, p = 0.032) and VO2peak (t = 2.4, p = 0.037) were better predictors for phosphorylated AS160 than TNF-alpha or IL-6 (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Elevated inflammatory markers and increased metabolic risk factors may inhibit insulin-signaling protein phosphorylation in middle-aged women, thereby increasing insulin resistance under basal conditions. Furthermore, higher HDL and fitness levels are associated with an increased AS160 phosphorylation, which may in turn reduce insulin resistance.
Pulmonary artery catheterisation

The baloon-tipped pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) was introduced by Swan in 1970 (1) and much due to work done by Bradley and others (2,3) bedside monitoring of central haemodynamic parameters rapidly evolved. PAC’s with thermodilution equipment have been used in Nordic intensive care units for about twenty years. Being an extremely invasive technique, monitoring through PAC’s has given us knowledge about patophysiology which previously was unclear. This has undoubtedly helped us in developing new strategies in treating the critically ill. The drawbacks of an invasive technique are however too obvious. Some of these are easily associated with the PAC like vascular perforation and arrythmias whereas others like emboli and infection can have multiple reasons in the critically ill. The present American debate (4,5) whether to use PAC’s or not started with the SUPPORT-trial’s conclusion that PAC’s are associated with increased mortality and increased utilization of resources despite adjustment for treatment selection bias and risk factors (6). Transfemng conclusions from North American hospitals to the Nordic scene should be done with caution. For instance, provided that the fractional use of PAC’s for diagnostic purposes in catheterisation laboratories is similar, market figures indicate that PAC’s for monitoring purposes are used nine times more frequent in United States than in Sweden. In Sweden coronary care units do not use PAC‘s. Almost all monitoring with PAC’s is done in operating rooms and in intensive care units under supervision of anaesthesiologists specialised or under training in both anaesthesia and intensive care. Consequently, patients subjected to major surgery and postoperative complications constitute a large proportion of those monitored with PAC’s. It should be noted that subgroup analysis in the SUPPORT trial identified postoperative patients as one of the groups With higher relative risk of death in the prescence of PAC’s. However, variance was large indicating confounding factors within the group of postoperative patients. For several years the lack of consensus in the use of PAC’s has been obvious. In highly specialised centres to which more complicated patients are referred indications for monitoring with PAC’s seem to be relatively clear cut and the amount of PAC’s used by Swedish university hospitals does not vary much betweeen the centres. However, in middle sized hospitals the range for use of PAC’s is large (4-40 PAC’s/year). This reflects local tradition and the ambition of individual intensivists. Do we have PAC-related problems in the Nordic countries which are more important than the benefits of monitoring with this dangerous device?
The relative validity of the repeated 24 h recall for estimating energy and selected nutrient intakes of rural Ghanaian children.

OBJECTIVES To investigate the relative validity of the 24 h recall for rural southern Ghanaian children. DESIGN Cross-sectional study, in which food consumption was estimated for the same two days, using the recall and weighed record dietary techniques. SETTING Two villages in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. SUBJECTS 72 rural children (39 females and 33 males; 56.2 +/- 9.4 months). RESULTS Overall agreement in the number of foods reported was noted for 42% of records; 53% of recalls under-reported and 5% over-reported the number of foods consumed. Over 65% of snacks compared to less than 6% of main meal foods were missed on recalls. Average recalled portions were similar to weighed with the exception of cereal staples; for Slepor 250 g vs 295 g, P = 0.007 and for Gidantuba 272 g vs 260 g, P = 0.02. Average daily recalled intakes of energy and most nutrients were lower (P < or = 0.05) than weighted intakes in Slepor, but similar in Gidantuba. In both villages, the recalled and weighted nutrient intakes per MJ, and percentage energy from food groups, were similar. Intraclass correlations between recalled and weighed intakes ranged from 0.06 (energy) to 0.78 (vitamin A) per day, and per MJ from 0.36 to 0.76 for Fe in Gidantuba and Slepor, respectively. Less than 35% of recalled energy and nutrient intakes were within +/- 10% of weighed intakes. CONCLUSIONS The recall could be substituted for the weighted record to estimate average intakes of energy and most nutrients, dietary quality and food consumption patterns, provided the average recalled serving of cereal staples was accurately estimated. For assessment of individual intakes or snack consumption, however, the recall technique was invalid. SPONSORSHIP The International Development Research Centre and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
ATM Engages Autodegradation of the E3 Ubiquitin Ligase COP1 After DNA Damage

The ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) protein kinase is a critical component of a DNA-damage response network configured to maintain genomic integrity. The abundance of an essential downstream effecter of this pathway, the tumor suppressor protein p53, is tightly regulated by controlled degradation through COP1 and other E3 ubiquitin ligases, such as MDM2 and Pirh2; however, the signal transduction pathway that regulates the COP1-p53 axis following DNA damage remains enigmatic. We observed that in response to DNA damage, ATM phosphorylated COP1 on Ser387 and stimulated a rapid autodegradation mechanism. Ionizing radiation triggered an ATM-dependent movement of COP1 from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, and ATM-dependent phosphorylation of COP1 on Ser387 was both necessary and sufficient to disrupt the COP1-p53 complex and subsequently to abrogate the ubiquitination and degradation of p53. Furthermore, phosphorylation of COP1 on Ser387 was required to permit p53 to become stabilized and to exert its tumor suppressor properties in response to DNA damage.
PERFORMANCE OF NATIONAL INNOVATION SYSTEMS DURING THE GLOBAL CRISIS: A CROSS-COUNTRY ANALYSIS

The Global Financial Crisis of 2007-2009, followed by the Euro Crisis, changed the world economic and social balances. By turning upside down the letter-perfect and internalized global economic and social judgments and expectations, the Global Financial Crisis gave birth to a new world order and to a ‘new normal’. Since the internal dynamics of the firms, sectors, countries and regions differ highly, the effect of the global crisis to firms, sectors, countries and regions in terms of intensity of the shock and the recovery process was also uneven. This new normal, together with the technological development, increased the importance of the innovation and efficient use of scarce resources to avoid deadlock in the inclusive and sustainable growth. Thus, the aim of this study is to focus on the innovation efficiency of the countries to see the effect of the global crisis on the capabilities of the countries. In this study, two alternative models with two different approaches of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) under two different specifications (input-oriented and output-oriented) are utilized to trace innovation performance across 56 countries during the global crisis from 2007 to 2012. The empirical evidence reveals that the negative effects of 2008 crisis are reflected on innovation efficiencies of countries in 2008 in the base model and 2009 in the lag model. In addition, grouping countries according to their GDP and GDP per capita and implementing two different models show that there could be difference in the innovation efficiency results since the DEA model shows the innovation efficiency in comparison with the other countries’ efficiency. Lastly, with the data it is observed that higher GDP or higher GDP per capita do not lead to high innovation efficiency
Seasonal changes in histophysiology of testis & epididymis of the Indian gerbil Tatera indica hardwickei (Gray).

Every mo during a yr, steroid dehydrogenases were localized histochem. in testis and epididymis of the gerbil T. indica hardwickei (Gray). Activities of I�5-3I²- and 17-hyroxysteroid dehydrogenases and NADH diaphorase were intense in the interstitium of the testis but seminiferous epithelium also showed pos. result. In epididymis, the epithelium and luminal contents (spermatozoa) showed enzyme activity, but it was more so in cauda than in caput and corpus epididymis. There does not seem to be any substrate specificity for hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases with any of the substrates studied. The study indicates marked redn. in steroidogenic activity in Apr. and May. The peak was seen twice a yr, one in June-July and the other in Dec.-Jan. During rest of the yr there is a moderate activity. These observations correlate with seasonal changes in wt. and histol. of these organs. [on SciFinder(R)]
Understanding customer relationship management (CRM) adoption in an Arab Middle Eastern context

ABSTRACT While the development of customer relationship management (CRM) started in the developed west, it has rapidly spread to developing countries. However, the way organisations adopt CRM in developing countries, and more specifically in the Arab world, might be different and the context certainly differs. There is a shortage of rigorous studies that examine the drivers of CRM adoption in this context. In this study, we examine the antecedents of CRM adoption in the Jordanian service sector. The conceptual framework of this research is tested using a cross-sectional survey of more than 322 practitioners. Using structural equation modelling analysis, results specify six underlying factors that explain CRM adoption: segmentation analysis, clear direction and objectives, performance measurement, rewarding usage, managing project changes, and knowledge management. Each area has implications for improving practices and maximising the benefits of adopting the process or management practice of CRM. This paper identifies key practices to provide useful guidelines for organisations in the Arab world making plans to adopt CRM, with broader implications for the adoption of many systems and projects there and for CRM deployment in developed regions.
Anomalies Across the Globe: Once Public, No Longer Existent?

Motivated by McLean and Pontiff (2016), we study the pre- and post-publication return predictability of 138 anomalies in 39 stock markets. Based on more than a million anomaly country-months, we find that the United States is the only country with a statistically significant and economically meaningful post-publication decline in long/short returns. The surprisingly large differences between the U.S. and international markets cannot be fully explained with general time effects or differences in limits to arbitrage, in-sample anomaly profitability, data availability, or local risk factor exposure. Our results have implications for the recent literature on arbitrage trading, data mining, and market segmentation.
Cloning and sequence analysis of the muramidase-2 gene from Enterococcus hirae

Extracellular muramidase-2 of Enterococcus hirae ATCC 9790 was purified to homogeneity by substrate binding, guanidine-HCl extraction, and reversed-phase chromatography. A monoclonal antibody, 2F8, which specifically recognizes muramidase-2, was used to screen a genomic library of E. hirae ATCC 9790 DNA in bacteriophage lambda gt11. A positive phage clone containing a 4.5-kb DNA insert was isolated and analyzed. The EcoRI-digested 4.5-kb fragment was cut into 2.3-, 1.0-, and 1.5-kb pieces by using restriction enzymes KpnI, Sau3AI, and PstI, and each fragment was subcloned into plasmid pJDC9 or pUC19. The nucleotide sequence of each subclone was determined. The sequence data indicated an open reading frame encoding a polypeptide of 666 amino acid residues, with a calculated molecular mass of 70,678 Da. The first 24 N-terminal amino acids of purified extracellular muramidase-2 were in very good agreement with the deduced amino acid sequence after a 49-amino-acid putative signal sequence. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence showed the presence at the C-terminal region of the protein of six highly homologous repeat units separated by nonhomologous intervening sequences that are highly enriched in serine and threonine. The overall sequence showed a high degree of homology with a recently cloned Streptococcus faecalis autolysin.
Novel Space-Time Coded MIMO Receivers in the Presence of Channel Estimation Errors

Novel maximum likelihood (ML) receivers for multiple-input and multiple-output systems with imperfect channel estimation are proposed. Two different cases are considered. In the first case, the conditional probablity density function (PDF) of the channel estimate is assumed Gaussian and known. In the second case, the joint PDF of the channel estimate and the true channel gain is assumed Gaussian and known. In addition to optimal signal detection with channel estimation, optimal signal detection without channel estimation is also studied. To reduce the implementation cost of optimal receivers, two suboptimal structures are derived. As an example, the Alamouti space-time codes are used to examine the performances of the new receivers. Simulation results show that the new receivers can reduce the gap between the conventional receiver with channel estimation errors and the receiver with perfect channel knowledge at least by half in some cases.
An Optimization-based Framework for Route Selection in Communication Networks

This paper introduces a new approach for routing in telecommunication networks. In this approach some theoretical foundations from mathematical modeling theory and integer programming have been exploited to develop a framework for routing problems. Some binary variables are assigned to the network links and for each link the corresponding binary variable shows the presence of the corresponding link on a specified route. The optimal route is determined in the source router per connection request by optimization of an objective function. An estimate of the residual bandwidth of network links is maintained in the source router. This information is used in the optimization problem to select the best available route from the source router to the destination router based on the selected metric. Required characteristics of a route are specified as logical constraints on the optimization variables. By using some tools from mathematical modeling theory, these logical constraints are transformed into equivalent integer linear inequalities. This technique results in a well-defined integer linear programming optimization problem