Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Accuracy and reliability of the sensory test performed using the laryngopharyngeal endoscopic esthesiometer and rangefinder in patients with suspected obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnoea: protocol for a prospective double-blinded, randomised, exploratory study

Introduction Patients with obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnoea syndrome (OSA) might have varying degrees of laryngopharyngeal mechanical hyposensitivity that might impair the brain’s capacity to prevent airway collapse during sleep. However, this knowledge about sensory compromises in OSA comes from studies performed using methods with little evidence of their validity. Hence, the purpose of this study is to assess the reliability and accuracy of the measurement of laryngopharyngeal mechanosensitivity in patients with OSA using a recently developed laryngopharyngeal endoscopic esthesiometer and rangefinder (LPEER). Methods and analysis The study will be prospective and double blinded, with a randomised crossover assignment of raters performing the sensory tests. Subjects will be recruited from patients with suspected OSA referred for baseline polysomnography to a university hospital sleep laboratory. Intra-rater and inter-rater reliability will be evaluated using the Bland–Altman’s limits of agreement plot, the intraclass correlation coefficient, and the Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficient, depending on the distribution of the variables. Diagnostic accuracy will be evaluated plotting ROC curves using standard baseline polysomnography as a reference. The sensory threshold values for patients with mild, moderate and severe OSA will be determined and compared using ANOVA or the Kruskal–Wallis test, depending on the distribution of the variables. The LPEER could be a new tool for evaluating and monitoring laryngopharyngeal sensory impairment in patients with OSA. If it is shown to be valid, it could help to increase our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of this condition and potentially help in finding new therapeutic interventions for OSA. Ethics and dissemination The protocol has been approved by the Institutional Review Board of Fundacion Neumologica Colombiana. The results will be disseminated through conference presentations and peer-reviewed publication. Trial registration This trial was registered at Clinical Trials Accuracy of the sensory test using the lLaryngopharyngeal endoscopic esthesiometer in obstructive sleep apnea. Protocol ID: 201611-22405. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03109171.
A context-aware speech recognition and understanding system for air traffic control domain

Automatic Speech Recognition and Understanding (ASRU) systems can generally use temporal and situational context information to improve their performance for a given task. This is typically done by rescoring the ASR hypotheses or by dynamically adapting the ASR models. For some domains, such as Air Traffic Control (ATC), this context information can be, however, small in size, partial and available only as abstract concepts (e.g. airline codes), which are difficult to map into full possible spoken sentences to perform rescoring or adaptation. This paper presents a multi-modal ASRU system, which dynamically integrates partial temporal and situational ATC context information to improve its performance. This is done either by 1) extracting word sequences which carry relevant ATC information from ASR N-best Lists and then perform a context-based rescoring on the extracted ATC segments or 2) by a partial adaptation of the language model. Experiments conducted on 4 hours of test data from Prague and Vienna approach (arrivals) showed a relative reduction of the ATC command error rate metric by 30% to 50%.
Drivers of Corporate Social Responsibility Leading to Sustainable Development

Organizational dedication to corporate social responsibility (CSR) is set off by a number of driving forces, such as enhancing corporate financial performance, concern for the environment, regulatory compliance, and social equity. This article aims to ascertain the uptake of CSR among firms in the Philippines and Thailand leading to the attainment of sustainable development. The results revealed that CSR is carried out by the companies primarily to enhance their competitive advantage and legal compliance, which are deemed essential to the firms’ existence. This study seeks to contribute to understanding how companies undertake their operations based on socially responsible practices so that the theoretical conceptualizations of sustainability can be developed. By determining what prods companies to pursue CSR, it will shed light on the mechanism that promotes the existence of sustainable organizations, linking it with CSR and the companies’ objectives and strategies.
Long-term renal function in heart transplant recipients receiving cyclosporine therapy.

BACKGROUND Immunosuppression with cyclosporine has improved allograft function and reduced both morbidity and mortality in organ transplantation. However, cyclosporine-induced nephrotoxicity still is a concern. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effects of cyclosporine on renal function in orthotopic heart transplant recipients. METHODS Thirty-nine patients who received transplants from 1985 to 1991 and had at least three yearly glomerular filtration rate measurements posttransplantation by 125I-iothalamate clearance method were included in the study. In addition, serum creatinine (before and after transplantation) and cyclosporine doses were analyzed. RESULTS Maintenance immunosuppression at 1 year consisted of prednisone (0.1 mg/kg/day), azathioprine (2 mg/kg/day), and cyclosporine (12-hour trough level 100 to 150 ng/ml by fluorescence polarization immunoassay). The mean serum creatinine at 1 year was significantly higher than the mean pretransplantation serum creatinine (1.51 +/- 0.32 versus 1.28 +/- 0.38, p < 0.05) and stabilized after the first year. The mean glomerular filtration rate by 125I-iothalamate clearance method was 70.6 +/- 20.3 ml/min/1.73 m2 (range 32 to 105) at 1 year and remained relatively stable during the follow-up period of up to 7 years. Creatinine clearance calculated by the Cockcroft and Gault formula overestimated the true glomerular filtration rate after the third year. The mean cyclosporine dosage was significantly lower after the first-year dose of 3.9 +/- 1.8 mg/kg/day (p < 0.05). Three patients in 39 started hemodialysis at 5, 7, and 10 years after transplantation. CONCLUSION Our data indicate that the adequacy of renal function is preserved with long-term cyclosporine therapy in heart transplant recipients.
Research of multi-direction transition probability matrices algorithm for JPEG steganalysis

With the rapid development of information technology and Web communication technology, steganalysis is becoming an important issue in the field of information hiding. A multi direction transition probability Matrices algorithm based on Bayes decision is proposed for JPEG images steganalysis. First, the multi-direction transition probability matrices are presented for image steganalysis. It captures the correlation of DCT coefficients from eight directions. 450-dimensional feature is extracted from intra-blocks and inter-blocks, and the feature catches the changes of the image when the secret information is embedded. Then, as the feature dimension is too high, a new universal steganalysis model and Bayes decision rule are adopted. Finally, the SVM is utilized as classifier. Experiment results demonstrate that multi-direction transition probability matrices can effectively detect Jsteg, F5, OutGuess and MB1 steganagraphies. And especially for F5 steganagraphy, the detection ratio increases apparently compared with other steganalysis methods. With Bayes decision, the proposed model could effectively avoid the high dimension feature problems.
Design and Use of Performance Measures to Decrease Low-Value Services and Achieve Cost-Conscious Care

Improving quality of care while decreasing the cost of health care isa national priority. The American College of Physicians recently launched its High-Value Care Initiative to help physicians and patients understand the benefits, harms, and costs of interventions and to determine whether services provide good value. Public and private payers continue to measure underuse of high-value services(for example, preventive services, medications for chronic disease),but they are now widely using performance measures to assess use of low-value interventions (such as imaging for patients with uncomplicated low back pain) and using the results for public reporting and pay-for-performance. This paper gives an overview of performance measures that target low-value services to help physicians understand the strengths and limitations of these measures,provides specific examples of measures that assess use of low-value services, and discusses how these measures can be used in clinical practice and policy.
The Conceptual Framework for Predicting Loyalty Intention in the Consumer Cooperatives Using Modified Theory of Planned Behavior

This study is intended to investigate loyalty intention among members in the consumer cooperatives societies in Malaysia and identifying factors that may constitute members loyalty in patronizing the cooperative stores. Most of the study done across the globe on loyalty lies in investigating the unit of analysis of an ordinary customer and not as ‘member’ per say. An individual person who joins a cooperative are called ‘member’. Guided by the cooperative principles, these members join cooperative voluntarily and manage the cooperative in a democratic and autonomous way through holding of certain portion of shares. What separates a member from a customer is that, members are also a shareholder, stakeholder and owner of the cooperative as depicted by the principles. Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior as the basis of this research, the authors try to propose a conceptual framework by modifying the theory to suit the context and environment of this study.
An internal hepta-band printed loop antenna for laptop computer

This paper presents a simple printed-loop antenna with wideband characteristic. The rectangular loop pattern generates four resonant modes. A U-shape tuning element printed on the back side of the circuit board can be used to adjust the resonant modes to cover GSM850/GSM900/DCS/PCS/UMTS/WLAN2.4 and WiMAX2.7 bands. Simulation was performed here by HFSS to optimally design the antenna and the practical structure was also fabricated to verify the simulation results. The measured antenna parameters are presented to validate the proposed antenna.
Regulation of the Low Molecular Weight Phosphotyrosine Phosphatase by Phosphorylation at Tyrosines 131 and 132*

Activation of resting T lymphocytes is initiated by rapid but transient tyrosine phosphorylation of a number of cellular proteins. Several protein tyrosine kinases and protein tyrosine phosphatases are known to be important for this response. Here we report that normal T lymphocytes express the B isoform of low molecular weight protein tyrosine phosphatase B (LMPTP-B). The cDNA was cloned from Jurkat T cells, and an antiserum was raised against it. LMPTP immunoprecipitated from resting Jurkat T cells was found to be tyrosine phosphorylated. On stimulation of the cells through their T cell antigen receptor, the phosphotyrosine content of LMPTP-B declined rapidly. In co-transfected COS cells, Lck and Fyn caused phosphorylation of LMPTP, whereas Csk, Zap, and Jak2 did not. Most of the phosphate was located at Tyr-131, and some was also located at Tyr-132. Incubation of wild-type LMPTP with Lck and adenosine 5′-O-(thiotriphosphate) caused a 2-fold increase in the activity of LMPTP. Site-directed mutagenesis showed that Tyr-131 is important for the catalytic activity of LMPTP, and that thiophosphorylation of Tyr-131, and to a lesser degree Tyr-132, is responsible for the activation.
The Global Implementation of Basel II: Prospects and Outstanding Problems

Basel II may lead to far-reaching changes in the regulation and supervision of banks, risk management, and other aspects of banking practice; these changes may well be considered as one of the most important elements of the global financial system. This paper reviews prospects for the implementation of Basel II, risks due to the changes involved, and features which may affect international trade in banking services. The discussion on prospects summarizes data in a survey conducted by the Basel-based Financial Stability Institute (FSI) of supervisors in countries, which do not belong to the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS). More than 90 countries participating in this survey have decided that they will implement Basel II, although the challenge to supervisors will be great as nearly a quarter of them to upgrade their skills. The discussion also covers other less systematic information, related to the implementation in member, as well as non-member countries of the BCBS, such as surveys of banks in developed countries and the impact of Basel II on capital requirements in the EU. Additional problems for implementation may result from disagreements between supervisory authorities in different countries as to the way in which Basel II should be implemented for banks with cross-border operations. Basel II may prove a source of macroeconomic risks in many emerging-market countries owing to changes following its adoption in lender-borrower relations and in the way in which banks are supervised. Basel II incorporates the fundamental assumption that the relationship between a bank and its counterparties is conducted at arms-length. A different model of borrower-lender relations in many emerging-market countries, especially in parts of Asia, has involved practices such as policy or directed lending, relationship or name lending and collateralbased lending. In this model, loans are made on the basis of criteria different from those underlying Basel II and often resemble equity investments. Too rapid a change to the new model of banking practice of Basel II could undermine an economy's credit mechanism and could have adverse knock-on macroeconomic consequences. Basel II coincides with the financial services negotiations, which form part of the WTO Doha round. The paper reviews somewhat inconclusive evidence on the relation between foreign banks' presence in selected emerging-market countries and prospects for implementation. Nevertheless, Basel II's effects on banks' costs via its rules for both overall regulatory capital and different categories of exposure will be a significant influence on the economic opportunities of foreign banks, and are thus likely to influence negotiating positions in the WTO.
Personal Inner Values – A Key to Effective Face-to-Face Business Communication

Effective face-to-face oral communication is crucial for organizational performance. Managers must communicate effectively with their subordinates, their peers and superiors to link organizational direction to those at all levels of the organization. In addition, face-to-face oral communications are fundamental to the messaging process between business entities (e.g., suppliers, vendors, customers, etc.), whether a person is acting for oneself or representing his/her company. Face*Dr. Chris Manning is a Professor of Finance and Real Estate, Dr. William Lindsey is the Associate Dean and Director of the Executive MBA Program and Mark Waldman is Faculty, EMBA Program, at Loyola Marymount University. Andrew Newberg, MD is an American Neuroscientist who is the Director of Research at the Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Medical College. Dorianne Cotter-Lockard is a recent PhD graduate in Human and Organizational Development at Fielding Graduate University 38 Journal of Executive Education to-face oral communication that builds empathic trust and mutual confidence is essential in business, especially in light of the recent “crisis in trust” caused by the 2008 financial market “meltdown” and the widely publicized ethical failures in business that have occurred in the past decade. This need is now being successfully addressed and taught to business executives using the neuro-scientifically-based communication technique of compassionate communication, in which two or more people speak slowly and briefly as they remain in a deep state of relaxation and nonjudgmental attentiveness. The twelve components of compassionate communication are reviewed along with the supporting research of earlier studies, with emphasis on a unique inner values exercise that appears to be a key to its successful use in business situations. The authors discuss how compassionate communication is being taught in Loyola Marymount University’s Executive MBA program and report on their experience from three years of training Executive MBA students to do an inner values exercise over a 10-day period.
Evaluation of the coagulation and inflammatory responses in solid organ transplant recipients and donors

Abstract: New strategies that modify the coagulation/inflammatory cascades may be applicable to solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients in the treatment of complications. However, data on kinetics of post‐SOT cascades are needed before considering these strategies. Prospectively collected pre‐transplant serum measurements of inflammatory (high‐sensitive C‐reactive protein, HS‐CRP) and coagulation (d‐Dimer, DD; protein C, PC) markers were compared to post‐operative (day 1–90) values in deceased‐donor liver (DDLT) and renal (DDRT) transplant recipients, living‐related renal recipients (LRT) and donors (LRD). A total of 85 SOT were enrolled: 25 DDLT, 32 DDRT/LRT, 28 LRD. HS‐CRP increased in all groups, mainly immediate post‐SOT and in LRDs. DD had a similar pattern mainly in LRT and LRD. PC increased significantly over time in the DDLT group ( p < 0.01). Compared to those with no complications (infection, rejection or thrombosis), day 30 HS‐CRP (p = 0.04) and DD (p = 0.06) were elevated in the DDRT/LRT group with complications; PC was decreased at day 7 (p = 0.04) and day 30 (p = 0.009) in DDLT and DDRT/LRT groups with complications, respectively. In conclusion, activation of the inflammatory/coagulation cascades occurs after SOT and is least pronounced in DDLT. This activation diminishes over time unless transplant complications occur. Our results support further research in approaches to altering these cascades in SOT recipients.
Benchmarking for the development of quality assurance systems

This article aims to show a benchmarking experience developed by a Business Network for Experience Sharing in Quality (Benchmarking Network) made up of Spanish companies of different sizes and from different sectors. Co‐ordinated by a monitor, the participants were mainly managers from small companies with varying degrees of development in their quality assurance systems. The team learned to work in a team and discovered that, despite the different sectors, sizes, organization cultures and the like, their problems were similar and they were able to share experiences in quality management in an environment of co‐operation, where they could resolve a great deal of problems through an innovative system. After a brief summary of the problems involved in implementing quality assurance systems, the article puts forward the features of the initiative developed and the work methodology employed in the network. Details are given of what was experienced throughout the meetings held, and of the actions undertaken. Finally, the results achieved are presented.
How using versus showing interaction between characters and products boosts product placement effectiveness

Placements in movies increase brand awareness. Whether they are effective beyond memory, (e.g. in terms of brand attitudes) is a contested issue. This paper argues and shows that a specific type of placement, character–product interaction (CPI), is able to achieve effectiveness across measures of placement success. A comparison of three experimental versions of the same movie demonstrates the consistent advantage of CPI placements over static prominent placements. Additional exploratory analyses suggest that placement effectiveness may also depend on characteristics of the placed product.
Multispectra CWT-Based Algorithm (MCWT) in Mass Spectra for Peak Extraction

An important objective in mass spectrometry (MS) is to identify a set of biomarkers that can be used to potentially distinguish patients between distinct treatments (or conditions) from tens or hundreds of spectra. A common two-step approach involving peak extraction and quantification is employed to identify the features of scientific interest. The selected features are then used for further investigation to understand underlying biological mechanism of individual protein or for development of genomic biomarkers to early diagnosis. However, the use of inadequate or ineffective peak detection and peak alignment algorithms in peak extraction step may lead to a high rate of false positives. Also, it is crucial to reduce the false positive rate in detecting biomarkers from ten or hundreds of spectra. Here a new procedure is introduced for feature extraction in mass spectrometry data that extends the continuous wavelet transform-based (CWT-based) algorithm to multiple spectra. The proposed multispectra CWT-based algorithm (MCWT) not only can perform peak detection for multiple spectra but also carry out peak alignment at the same time. The author' MCWT algorithm constructs a reference, which integrates information of multiple raw spectra, for feature extraction. The algorithm is applied to a SELDI-TOF mass spectra data set provided by CAMDA 2006 with known polypeptide m/z positions. This new approach is easy to implement and it outperforms the existing peak extraction method from the Bioconductor PROcess package.
Early improvement of health-related quality of life during treatment with etanercept and adalimumab in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in routine practice.

OBJECTIVES To assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with etanercept or adalimumab in routine clinical practice. METHODS Patients with RA who started etanercept or adalimumab at Helsinki University Central Hospital or Lappeenranta Central Hospital during 2003-2006 were asked to participate in the study. In 97 patients, HRQoL was measured by the RAND 36-Item Health Survey 1.0 (RAND-36) at baseline and after three months of the treatment. HRQoL of the RA patients was compared to the Finnish age- and sex-matched general population values. In addition, changes in clinical parameters and disability index measured by the health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) were recorded. RESULTS Treatment with etanercept and adalimumab increased the values in all domains of the RAND-36 during the first three months in routine practice. The improvement in both groups was statistically significant: with etanercept p=0.041 and with adalimumab p=0.019. The efficacy of etanercept and adalimumab in improving HRQoL during the first three months was comparable. The patients reported their best improvement in the subscales of bodily pain, role functioning/physical, energy, social functioning, and role functioning/emotional. Compared to the Finnish age- and sex-matched general population values, the HRQoL of the patients with RA was significantly lower at baseline and remained low at follow-up. The change in clinical parameters and the HAQ paralleled the improvement in HRQoL. CONCLUSION Treatment of patients with RA with etanercept and adalimumab in routine clinical practice provides clinically important and statistically significant improvement in HRQoL already in the first three months.