Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
What Constitutes Software Development Agility?

Software development agility is the capability to manage various kinds of changes during the development process. Agile methods purport to facilitate processes that can address agility. However, the underlying dimensions of agility are not well elucidated in the literature. Specifically, what constitutes software development agility and what are organizational antecedents and outcomes of the agility dimensions are research questions that remain to be adequately answered. To bridge this literature gap, this study presents agility dimensions with corresponding descriptions that can help develop measures of agility. This study will contribute to the theoretical literature by developing better understanding about the measurement and nature of agility. Furthermore, the study will provide guidance to practitioners regarding specific processes for achieving agility in the agile software development process.
Coronary Artery Calcium in Relation to Initiation and Continuation of Cardiovascular Preventive Medications

Background—Whether measuring and reporting of coronary artery calcium scores (CACS) might lead to changes in cardiovascular risk management is not established. In this observational study, we examined whether high baseline CACS were associated with the initiation as well continuation of new lipid-lowering medication (LLM), blood pressure–lowering medication (BPLM), and regular aspirin (ASA) use in a multi-ethnic population-based cohort. Methods and Results—The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) is a prospective cohort study of 6814 participants free of clinical cardiovascular disease at entry who underwent CAC testing at baseline examination (examination 1). Information on LLM, BPLM, and regular ASA usage was also obtained at baseline and at exams 2 and 3 (average of 1.6 and 3.2 years after baseline, respectively). In this study, we examined (1) initiation of these medications at examination 2 among participants not taking these medications at baseline; and (2) continuation of medication use to examination 3 among participants already on medication at baseline. Among MESA participants, initiation of LLM, BPLM, and ASA was greater in those with higher CACS. After taking into account age, sex, race, MESA site, LDL cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, body mass index, smoking status, hypertension, systolic blood pressure, and socioeconomic status (income, education, and health insurance), the risk ratios for medication initiation comparing those with CACS 400 versus CACS 0 were 1.53 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08, 2.15) for LLM, 1.55 (95% CI, 1.10 to 2.17) for BPLM, and 1.32 (95% CI, 1.03 to 1.69) for ASA initiation, respectively. The risk ratios for medication continuation among those with CAC 400 versus CACS 0 were 1.10 (95% CI, 1.01 to 1.20) for LLM, 1.05 (95% CI, 1.02 to 1.08) for BPLM, and 1.14 (95% CI, 1.04 to 1.25) for ASA initiation, respectively. Conclusions—CACS 400 was associated with a higher likelihood of initiation and continuation of LLM, BPLM, and ASA. The association was weaker for continuation than for initiation of these preventive therapies. (Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2010;3:228-235.)
CMOS Cross-Coupled Oscillator Operating Close to the Transistor’s $f_{\max }$

A design methodology of CMOS cross-coupled oscillator operating close to the transistor’s maximum oscillation frequency (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathbf {f}_{\mathrm {\mathbf {max}}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) is proposed by utilizing the loop impedance matching and phase shift control technique to maximize the oscillator’s loop gain. A fundamental oscillator following the proposed design methodology has been implemented in 65-nm CMOS. The measured results show that the oscillator achieves 192.3-GHz oscillation frequency, which is 71.1% of the transistor’s <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathbf {f}_{\mathrm {\mathbf {max}}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. The spectrum output power is −10.4 dBm with the phase noise of −100 dBc/Hz at 10 MHz offset. The oscillator draws only 14-mA current from a 1.2-V power supply.
Using Focus Groups to Develop Culturally Relevant Instruments

Recent criticism has focused on the validity of instruments used in research with immigrant populations. Conventional instrument development or validation techniques may not be adequate to determine whether an instrument is appropriate for use with populations who differ from those with whom the instrument was originally developed. This article discusses the value of using focus group methodology to develop instruments for use with immigrant populations using the example of an intergenerational conflict tool for multigenerational Chinese immigrant families. Involving community members through focus groups is an important component of instrument development that is often neglected by researchers. This process was critical to developing a culturally appropriate instrument that accurately reflected the community's life experiences. Strategies for conducting meaningful and successful focus groups with Chinese immigrants are provided. Advantages and disadvantages of using focus groups are also discussed.
Ambient Communication Experience (ACE)

Ambient Information Systems (AIS), permit a mode of expression that can easily exist at the level of subconscious realisation. Principles of cognition are usually aggregated under the main auditory, visual and often innovative tactile sensory impetus. AIS are designed principally for the aesthetic communication of non-critical information. This research focuses on the development of an Ambient Communication Experience (ACE) system. ACE is a synchronisation framework to provide co-ordinated connectivity across various environmentally distributed devices via sensor data mapping. The intention is to facilitate location-independent and application-responsive screening for the user, leading to the concept of technologically integrated spaces. Technologically integrated spaces have the potential to change our perception of information and our behavioural interactions associated with its provision. The aim is to deliver contextual information without the need for direct user manipulation, and engagement at the level of peripheral perception.
Gastrointestinal System Toxicity and Oral Exposure (GI Tract, Pancreas, Liver)

A. Most likely accidental poisoning of animals, infant humans, and route of contaminated food or suicidal ingestions B. Damage to GI structures (proximal → distal)—see Table 16-1 1. Mouth a. Teeth—stain with food products (coffee, tea), tetracycline, chlorhexidine (in prescription mouthwash), fluoride; TCDD arrests molar development (AhR stimulation → apoptosis) and formation of enamel; cleft palate caused by cell cycle progression and proliferation disruption (TCDD, mycotoxin, glucocorticoids, secalonic acid, retinoic acid)
Video)Film in Africa and its relevance for development

Die vorliegende Arbeit befasst sich mit dem Medium Film als Sprachrohr der Gesellschaft. Es werden positive sowie negative Aspekte von Film und das Filmemachen selbst am Beispiel der nigerianischen Film- und Videoproduktionsindustrie diskutiert. Ziel dieser Abschlussarbeit ist es mit Hilfe den von mir durchgefuhrten Interviews mit nigerianischen Filmemacher_innen und –kritiker_innen und einer Filmanalyse der Frage, warum wird Film in Nigeria verwendet um Herausforderungen und Probleme der Gesellschaft aufzugreifen und auf welche Art und Weise wird dies umgesetzt, auf den Grund zu gehen. Seit den fruhen 1980er Jahren zahlen Videoproduktionen zu den wichtigsten Ausdruckformen von popularer Kunst und Kultur des westafrikanischen Landes. Austausch von Meinungen der Zivilgesellschaft, Bewusstseinsbildung und Kritik uben sind besondere Elemente von popularer Kultur, welche auch Entertainment-Education Konzepte weitgehend in ihrer Strategie aufgenommen haben. Entertainment-Education Produktionen bedienen sich einer Bandbreite von Medienformaten wie Radio, Musik, Fernsehen, Printmedien und Film, um gleichzeitig unterhaltend und bildend sein zu konnen. Die Idee hinter diesen Projekten ist dem Publikum zu zeigen, wie ein gesunderes, sichereres und glucklicheres Leben gefuhrt werden kann, indem Themen wie Gesundheit, Burger_innenrechte, Bildungssysteme, und ahnliches aufgegriffen werden. Der hier analysierte Film Arugba, des bekannten nigerianischen Regisseurs Tunde Kelani, ist eine solche Entertainment-Education Produktion, welche sich zum Hauptziel gemacht hat, die nigerianische Gesellschaft hinsichtlich HIV/AIDS aufzuklaren und zu sensibilisieren. Weiters werden verschiedene sozialkritische Themen wie Korruption, Bildung, Arbeitslosigkeit, usw. , in einem nigerianischen Setting, wo die Diskussion um Tradition und Moderne eine wichtige Rolle spielt, aufgegriffen. Ebenfalls hat die Regierung von Lagos State Beitrage zu Umweltfragen, dem Steuersystem und Grundstuckserwerb, welche vor allem die Bewohner_innen von Lagos als Zielgruppe haben, geleistet. Diese wurden weitgehend in die Narration des Filmes miteinbezogen. Der Film wurde mittels Mobile Cinema den Einwohner_innen von Lagos State zuganglich gemacht. Anhand von Fragebogen, die nach dem Screening ausgeteilt wurden, wurde Raum fur Diskussionen, Anregungen und Kritiken gegeben und eroffnet. Dieser Schritt kann als wichtige Brucke zwischen Regierung und Zivilbevolkerung gesehen werden. Von nigerianischen Filmkritiker_innen wird weitgehend die Meinung vertreten, dass Filme einen wichtigen Beitrag fur Bildung leisten konnen, indem eine Vielzahl von Menschen erreicht wird. Eine Unterstutzung dafur ist auch, dass viele Filme neben Englisch in verschiedenen Sprachen, wie beispielsweise Yoruba, Hausa und Igbo, produziert werden. Film ist zu einem Instrument fur Bewegungen der nigerianischen Gesellschaft geworden, welche informierend, allgemein- und bewusstseinsbildend sind. Fur den Erfolg ist es wichtig, dass sich die Zielgruppen mit den Themen selbst identifizieren konnen.
Iterated Economic Games, Logic Gates, and the Flow of Shared Information in Strategic Interactions

Iterated games, in which the same economic interaction is repeatedly played between the same agents, are an important framework for understanding the effectiveness of strategic choices over time. To date very little work has applied information theory to the information sets used by agents in order to decide what action to take next in such strategic situations. This article looks at the mutual information between previous game states and an agent’s next action by introducing two new classes of games: ‘invertible games’ and ‘cyclical games’. By explicitly expanding out the mutual information between past states and the next action we show under what circumstances these expressions can be simplified. These information measures are then applied to the Traveler’s Dilemma game and the Prisoner’s Dilemma game, the Prisoner’s Dilemma being invertible, to illustrate their use. In the Prisoner’s Dilemma a novel connection is made between the computational principles of logic gates and both the structure of games and the agents’ decision strategies. This approach is applied to the cyclical game Matching Pennies to analyse the foundations of a behavioural ambiguity between two well studied strategies: ‘Tit-for-Tat’ and ‘Win-Stay, Lose-Switch’.
"Running pleated" suture technique opposes wound edges of unequal lengths.

BACKGROUND Cutaneous advancement flaps, such as the T-plasty or H-plasty, are commonly used in order to relocate standing cones away from critical structures. In this process, what would have been the tips of a standard elliptical closure are displaced laterally as Burrow's triangles. This method creates additional terminal incision lines, perpendicular to the force vector of the flap. OBJECTIVE To describe a suture technique commonly employed in our practice that eliminates the need for such Burrow's triangles, hence minimizing suture lines and enhancing cosmesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Through the described "running pleated" suture technique, excess tissue created by flap advancement is distributed equally along the entire length of the incision. RESULTS All patients did well postoperatively with excellent wound healing and superior cosmetic outcomes. CONCLUSION The "running pleated" suture technique obviates the need for large, laterally displaced Burrow's triangles that are normally created during the construction of flaps such as the T-plasty and H-plasty and can be a powerful tool in the armamentarium of any dermatologic surgeon.
Topographic organization of convergent projections to the thalamus from the inferior colliculus and spinal cord in the rat

The purpose of this study was to identify thalamic areas receiving convergent sensory inputs from acoustic and spinal projection systems in the rat. The topographic distribution of afferents to the thalamus from the inferior colliculus and spinal cord was examined by using WGA‐HRP as an anterograde axonal tracer. Following injections in the inferior colliculus, terminal labeling was present in ventral, medial, and dorsal divisions of the medial genicuate body (MGB) and in adjacent areas of the posterior thalamus, including the posterior limitans nucleus, the posterior intralaminar nucleus, the marginal zone, the peripeduncular region, the lateral or parvicellular part of the subparafascicular nucleus, and a region intercalated between the posterior limitans nucleus and the suprageniculate nucleus. In the caudal thalamus spinal projections remained in the reticular formation medial to the collicular terminal field. At intermediate levels of the MG, however, the spinal projection began to overlap the collicular field, terminating in the medial division of the MG and in the posterior intralaminar nucleus, the marginal zone, the lateral subparafascicular nucleus, and the area between the suprageniculate and posterior limitans nuclei. More rostrally, the convergent field expanded to include aspects of the dorsal MG division. The extent to which afferent projections to the thalamus from the inferior colliculus and spinal cord converge is thus graded in the caudorostral plane, with the greatest overlap occurring at the level of the rostral third of the MGB. These observations identify potential areas of acoustic and somesthetic integration and may account for observations of neuronal plasticity in the thalamus in response to the pairing of acoustic and somesthetic inputs.
High Performance Datacenter Networks: Architectures, Algorithms, & Opportunities

Datacenter networks provide the communication substrate for large parallel computer systems that form the ecosystem for high performance computing (HPC) systems and modern Internet applications. The design of new datacenter networks is motivated by an array of applications ranging from communication intensive climatology, complex material simulations and molecular dynamics to such Internet applications as Web search, language translation, collaborative Internet applications, streaming video and voice-over-IP. For both Supercomputing and Cloud Computing the network enables distributed applications to communicate and interoperate in an orchestrated and efficient way. This book describes the design and engineering tradeoffs of datacenter networks. It describes interconnection networks from topology and network architecture to routing algorithms, and presents opportunities for taking advantage of the emerging technology trends that are influencing router microarchitecture. With the emergence of "many-core" processor chips, it is evident that we will also need "many-port" routing chips to provide a bandwidth-rich network to avoid the performance limiting effects of Amdahl's Law. We provide an overview of conventional topologies and their routing algorithms and show how technology, signaling rates and cost-effective optics are motivating new network topologies that scale up to millions of hosts. The book also provides detailed case studies of two high performance parallel computer systems and their networks. Table of Contents: Introduction / Background / Topology Basics / High-Radix Topologies / Routing / Scalable Switch Microarchitecture / System Packaging / Case Studies / Closing Remarks
Measuring Requirements Complexity to Increase the Probability of Project Success

The widespread adoption of Information Technology has helped reduce market problems caused by geographical separation and allow collaboration between organisations who are physically distributed around the globe. However, despite the successful strategic benefits brought by the evolution of the Internet and other web based services, this has not led to a higher project success rate. The biggest reason for project failure is cited as ‘incomplete requirements’ which suggests that research must be done into the requirements analysis to solve this reoccurring problem. This paper aims to highlight and analyse the current work done in the software complexity and requirements engineering field and demonstrate how measuring requirements complexity will lead to less project failures.
Quadriceps muscle wasting persists 5 months after total hip arthroplasty for osteoarthritis of the hip: a pilot study

Aims: To determine whether additional muscle fibre wasting of the ipsilateral vastus lateralis muscle occurs in the early postoperative period after total hip arthroplasty for osteoarthritis of the hip and whether there is an improvement in preoperative measures of quadriceps muscle thickness, strength, pain and function over a 5‐month postoperative period.
PMR1, a Ca2+-ATPase in Yeast Golgi, Has Properties Distinct from Sarco/endoplasmic Reticulum and Plasma Membrane Calcium Pumps*

PMR1, a P-type ATPase cloned from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was previously localized to the Golgi, and shown to be required for normal secretory processes (Antebi, A., and Fink, G.R. (1992) Mol. Biol. Cell 3, 633-654). We provide biochemical evidence that PMR1 is a Ca2+-transporting ATPase in the Golgi, a hitherto unusual location for a Ca2+ pump. As a starting point for structure-function analysis using a mutagenic approach, we used the strong and inducible heat shock promoter to direct high level expression of PMR1 from a multicopy plasmid. Yeast lysates were separated on sucrose density gradients, and fractions assayed for organellar markers. PMR1 is found in fractions containing the Golgi marker guanosine diphosphatase, and is associated with an ATP-dependent, protonophore-insensitive 45Ca2+ uptake activity. This activity is virtually abolished in the absence of the expression plasmid. Furthermore, replacement of the active site aspartate within the phosphorylation domain had the expected effect of abolishing Ca2+ transport activity entirely. Interestingly, the mutant enzymes (Asp-371 → Glu and Asp-371 → Asn) demonstrated proper targeting to the Golgi, unlike analogous mutations in the related yeast H+-ATPase. Detailed characterization of calcium transport by PMR1 showed that sensitivity to inhibitors (vanadate, thapsigargin, and cyclopiazonic acid) and affinity for substrates (MgATP and Ca2+) were different from the previously characterized sarco/endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPases. PMR1 therefore represents a new and distinct P-type Ca2+-ATPase. Because close homologs of PMR1 have been cloned from rat and other organisms, we suggest that Ca2+-ATPases in the Golgi will form a discrete subgroup that are important for functioning of the secretory pathway.
High-resolution electron microscopy of detonation nanodiamond

The structure of individual nanodiamond grains produced by the detonation of carbon-based explosives has been studied with a high-vacuum aberration-corrected electron microscope. Many grains show a well-resolved cubic diamond lattice with negligible contamination, thereby demonstrating that the non-diamond shell, universally observed on nanodiamond particles, could be intrinsic to the preparation process rather than to the nanosized diamond itself. The strength of the adhesion between the nanodiamond grains, and the possibility of their patterning with sub-nanometer precision, are also demonstrated.
MicroRNA and mRNA expression profiling in metastatic melanoma reveal associations with BRAF mutation and patient prognosis

The role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in melanoma is unclear. We examined global miRNA expression profiles in fresh‐frozen metastatic melanomas in relation to clinical outcome and BRAF mutation, with validation in independent cohorts of tumours and sera. We integrated miRNA and mRNA information from the same samples and elucidated networks associated with outcome and mutation. Associations with prognosis were replicated for miR‐150‐5p, miR‐142‐3p and miR‐142‐5p. Co‐analysis of miRNA and mRNA uncovered a network associated with poor prognosis (PP) that paradoxically favoured expression of miRNAs opposing tumorigenesis. These miRNAs are likely part of an autoregulatory response to oncogenic drivers, rather than drivers themselves. Robust association of miR‐150‐5p and the miR‐142 duplex with good prognosis and earlier stage metastatic melanoma supports their potential as biomarkers. miRNAs overexpressed in association with PP in an autoregulatory fashion will not be suitable therapeutic targets.
Aperture-Coupled Asymmetric Dielectric Resonators Antenna for Wideband Applications

A compact dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) for wideband applications is proposed. Two cylindrical dielectric resonators that are asymmetrically located with respect to the center of a rectangular coupling aperture are fed through this aperture. By optimizing the design parameters, an impedance bandwidth of about 29%, covering the frequency range from 9.62 to 12.9 GHz, and a gain of 8 dBi are obtained. Design details of the proposed antenna and the results of both simulation and experiment are presented and discussed.
Are There Acyl-Homoserine Lactones within Mammalian Intestines?

ABSTRACT Many Proteobacteria are capable of quorum sensing using N-acyl-homoserine lactone (acyl-HSL) signaling molecules that are synthesized by LuxI or LuxM homologs and detected by transcription factors of the LuxR family. Most quorum-sensing species have at least one LuxR and one LuxI homolog. However, members of the Escherichia, Salmonella, Klebsiella, and Enterobacter genera possess only a single LuxR homolog, SdiA, and no acyl-HSL synthase. The most obvious hypothesis is that these organisms are eavesdropping on acyl-HSL production within the complex microbial communities of the mammalian intestinal tract. However, there is currently no evidence of acyl-HSLs being produced within normal intestinal communities. A few intestinal pathogens, including Yersinia enterocolitica, do produce acyl-HSLs, and Salmonella can detect them during infection. Therefore, a more refined hypothesis is that SdiA orthologs are used for eavesdropping on other quorum-sensing pathogens in the host. However, the lack of acyl-HSL signaling among the normal intestinal residents is a surprising finding given the complexity of intestinal communities. In this review, we examine the evidence for and against the possibility of acyl-HSL signaling molecules in the mammalian intestine and discuss the possibility that related signaling molecules might be present and awaiting discovery.