Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measuring Physical Activity in a Cardiac Rehabilitation Population Using a Smartphone-Based Questionnaire

Background Questionnaires are commonly used to assess physical activity in large population-based studies because of their low cost and convenience. Many self-report physical activity questionnaires have been shown to be valid and reliable measures, but they are subject to measurement errors and misreporting, often due to lengthy recall periods. Mobile phones offer a novel approach to measure self-reported physical activity on a daily basis and offer real-time data collection with the potential to enhance recall. Objective The aims of this study were to determine the convergent validity of a mobile phone physical activity (MobilePAL) questionnaire against accelerometry in people with cardiovascular disease (CVD), and to compare how the MobilePAL questionnaire performed compared with the commonly used self-recall International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Methods Thirty adults aged 49 to 85 years with CVD were recruited from a local exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation clinic in Auckland, New Zealand. All participants completed a demographics questionnaire and underwent a 6-minute walk test at the first visit. Subsequently, participants were temporarily provided a smartphone (with the MobilePAL questionnaire preloaded that asked 2 questions daily) and an accelerometer, which was to be worn for 7 days. After 1 week, a follow-up visit was completed during which the smartphone and accelerometer were returned, and participants completed the IPAQ. Results Average daily physical activity level measured using the MobilePAL questionnaire showed moderate correlation (r=.45; P=.01) with daily activity counts per minute (Acc_CPM) and estimated metabolic equivalents (MET) (r=.45; P=.01) measured using the accelerometer. Both MobilePAL (beta=.42; P=.008) and age (beta=–.48, P=.002) were significantly associated with Acc_CPM (adjusted R2=.40). When IPAQ-derived energy expenditure, measured in MET-minutes per week (IPAQ_met), was considered in the predicted model, both IPAQ_met (beta=.51; P=.001) and age (beta=–.36; P=.016) made unique contributions (adjusted R2=.47, F 2,27=13.58; P<.001). There was also a significant association between the MobilePAL and IPAQ measures (r=.49, beta=.51; P=.007). Conclusions A mobile phone–delivered questionnaire is a relatively reliable and valid measure of physical activity in a CVD cohort. Reliability and validity measures in the present study are comparable to existing self-report measures. Given their ubiquitous use, mobile phones may be an effective method for physical activity surveillance data collection.
Flexible Workforce Management System for Call Center: A Case Study of Public Sector

Call centers play an essential role in today's business world. They serve as the 'public face' for many firms and their services are directly connected with customers' perceived quality. Typical inbound call centers are very labor-intensive operations and workforces are the main cause of the cost in call center. And they also affect the customers' experience in call center. Therefore, many call centers try to manage their workforces more effectively. To this end, WFM (workforce management) systems, computer programs or solutions which can support several tasks required for workforce management, have been used in most call centers. But, in recent, advances of technologies and emerging strategies are applied to call center industry, and these are changing the environment of call center workforce management. To respond to such changes of environment, WFM system should be more flexible. In this paper, we will introduce the current and projected changes for call centers and propose a flexible design of WFM system through a case of a public corporation. Call centers for public sector organizations are in great demand in recent and therefore, our study will be able to provide a good insight into the future directions of call centers and WFM systems. We also have built a web-based WFM system for the public corporation. Because of the flexibility of the system, it is applicable to various conditions of the corporation. Therefore, our system can make call center of the corporation adaptive and agile. As a result, effectiveness of the call center operations can be enhanced and the corporation also will be able to manage their customers' perceived quality more effectively.
Energy-efficient concurrent media streaming over time-varying wireless networks

In this paper, we design an energy-efficient cross-layer optimization framework for media streaming over time-varying wireless network. The energy efficiency (EE) is characterized by the stochastic optimization model subject to the network stability, which is also used to depict the average media delivery delay. In harmony with the hierarchical architecture of the wireless network, the problem of stochastic optimization of media streaming is decomposed by the Lyapunov drift theory into two subproblems, associated with the flow control in transport layer and the power allocation in physical (PHY) layer. Specifically, the dynamic cross-layer control algorithm for media streaming is developed for adapting to the time-varying network state information, i.e. time-varying channel state information (CSI) of mobile terminal (MT)-access points (AP) links and dynamic queue state information (QSI) at APs. We derive a tradeoff between EE and media streaming delay, where the increase of average delay is approximately linear in V and the increase of EE is at the speed of 1/V with the control parameter V. Simulation results validate the theoretical analysis of our proposed scheme.
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Gentamicin Peak Concentrations in Critically Ill Patients

Background: Adequate gentamicin peak concentrations (Cmax) are important for optimal clinical efficacy. Within a critically ill patient, substantial variability in Cmax can occur over time, hampering the usefulness of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of gentamicin dosing based on Cmax after the first dose on gentamicin target attainment in critically ill patients. Methods: From gentamicin-treated critically ill patients, dosing information, clinical parameters, and serum concentrations were collected prospectively. A population pharmacokinetic model was developed using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling to estimate Cmax after each dose. To evaluate the usefulness of routine TDM, percentages of Cmax within (%Cther, 15–20 mg/L), above (>20 mg/L), and below (%Csubther, <15 mg/L) the therapeutic range after the first and second doses were compared. In addition, simulations were performed to evaluate the impact of TDM. Results: Four hundred sixteen measurements from 59 patients receiving 130 gentamicin doses were included. In the 30 patients who received >1 dose, TDM increased %Cther from 40% after a first median dose of 5.0 mg/kg to 50% after the second dose, and decreased %Csubther from 47% to 30%. Simulations using a 5 mg/kg starting dose revealed %Cther after the second dose of 28.4% without and 36.8% with TDM and %Csubther of 56.9% and 29.3%, respectively. Increasing the simulated starting dose to 6 mg/kg increased %Cther after the first dose from 27.7% to 33.5% and decreased %Csubther from 58.6% to 35.6%. TDM after a first dose of 6 mg/kg had no substantial effect on %Cther or %Csubther after the second dose. Conclusions: Gentamicin dosing based on Cmax after the first dose increased %Cther and decreased %Csubther, but did not result in therapeutic Cmax in half of the patients. When simulating a higher starting dose, %Csubther after the first dose decreased, and TDM showed no additional influence. These data suggest that a starting dose of 6 mg/kg should be considered and that repeated Cmax measurements are not of added value.
Earnings Management: An Analysis on Textile Sector of Bangladesh

This paper evaluates the earnings management in the textile sector of Bangladesh. The modified Jones Model has been used in detecting earnings management, which incorporates the change in revenue in measuring discretionary accruals, for the period of 1992 to 2002. In this period discretionary accruals are found to be significant for five out of fourteen firms. Nevertheless it is not robustly conclusive from the test that earnings have been managed within the observation period.
Corporate Insider Trading and the Short-Run Price Impact of Private Information in Continental Europe

We analyze the stock price behavior around the disclosure of corporate insider transactions. Our sample consists of 1,242 public traded companies located in seven (continental) European countries. We document that insider's reveal information to the public through their trading activities and that they act as contrarian investors. They are timing their trades in buying shares after stock price declines and in selling shares after stock price augmentations. This general observation is mainly driven by German law countries and declines over time. We also show that parameters like transaction size and firm size significantly influences the price impact of insider trades.
Cognition‐in‐context: reorienting research in business market strategy

This paper highlights the usefulness of interpretive methodologies in theorizing over relatively unstructured, dynamic business market strategy issues. It is based on the tenet that interpretive methodologies are appropriate to cope with market strategy formation in dynamic market settings. We argue that in a “context of discovery”, marketing researchers need to uncover new relationships among key dimensions of market strategy and might consider reframing theories. Further, we demonstrate in this paper that interpretive research methods allow for managerial recommendations that are highly contextualized and that lead to more actionable prescriptions. We illustrate the above by reflecting on a concrete research on how companies in a business‐to‐business industry try to reorientate their market strategy. The process of understanding strategic reorientation in business markets should be based on a multiplex of perspectives, such as: multilevel research, fusing content with context and merging theoretical constructs with data and focusing on socially constructed realities.
Gaussian beam mode analysis of standing waves between two coupled corrugated horns

In this paper we present the theoretical analysis of the effects of standing waves between coupled horn antennas that can occur in terahertz quasi-optical systems. In particular we illustrate the approach for the case of two coupled horn antennas as the distance between them is varied. The full mode matching scattering matrix approach is based on combining a standard waveguide mode description of the horn antenna and a quasi-optical Gaussian beam description of the free space propagation. Track is kept of both the backward and forward going components of the propagating fields. We compare theoretical predictions with actual experimental test results for a quasi-optical system operating at a frequency of 0.480 THz.
Towards a model for understanding entrepreneurial intentions in an academic context

Over the past decades, universities have increasingly become ambidextrous organizations reconciling scientific and commercial missions. In order to manage this ambidexterity, technology transfer offices (TTOs) were established in most universities. This paper studies a specific, often implemented, but rather understudied type of TTO, namely a hybrid TTO model uniting centralized and decentralized levels. Employing a qualitative research design, we examine how and why the two TTO levels engage in diverse boundary spanning activities to help nascent spin-off companies move through the pre-spin-off process. Our research identifies differences in the types of boundary spanning activities that centralized and decentralized TTOs perform and in the parties they engage with. We find geographical, technological and organizational proximity to be important antecedents of the TTOs’ engagement in external and internal boundary spanning activities. These results have important implications for both academics and practitioners interested in university technology transfer through spin-off creation.
Combined Distributed Turbo Coding and Space Frequency Block Coding Techniques

The distributed space-time (frequency) coding and distributed channel turbo coding used independently represent two cooperative techniques that can provide increased throughput and spectral efficiency at an imposed maximum Bit Error Rate (BER) and delay required from the new generation of cellular networks. This paper proposes two cooperative algorithms that employ jointly the two types of techniques, analyzes their BER and spectral efficiency performances versus the qualities of the channels involved, and presents some conclusions regarding the adaptive employment of these algorithms.
Effects of intentional delivery on maternal and neonatal outcomes in pregnancies with preterm prelabour rupture of membranes between 28 and 34 weeks of gestation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: To assess the effects of intentional delivery (ID) over expectant management (EM) in pregnancies complicated by preterm prelabour rupture of membranes (PPROM) between 28 and 34 weeks of gestation on maternal and neonatal outcomes. Methods: We searched Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, CENTRAL and Science Citation Index; contacted experts and checked reference lists of relevant studies. Studies were included if they were randomized controlled trials in all languages. Results: Five randomized trials were included and 488 subjects were analyzed. Overall, the results showed significant heterogeneity. Maternal infection as well as respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) & neonatal sepsis (NS) were not different between the two groups. Neonatal death, however, was significantly higher (risk ratio: 5.81; 95% CI: 1.35–25.08; p = 0.03) in the ID group after excluding studies that gave antenatal steroids. Incidence of cesarean section was significantly higher in the intentional delivery group, as well (risk ratio: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.02–1.80; p = 0.03). Conclusion: Based on the available evidence, ID in pregnancies complicated with PPROM between 28 and 34 weeks carries some maternal and neonatal risks with no added benefits. Thus, this treatment should not be considered as an option for women with PPROM before 34 weeks of gestation in the absence of other indications for early delivery.
Method for gene replacement in Pseudomonas aeruginosa used in construction of recA mutants: recA-independent instability of alginate production

The availability of a technique for site-directed mutagenesis by gene replacement provides a powerful tool for genetic analysis in any bacterial species. We report here a general technique for gene replacement in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Genes on fragments of cloned P. aeruginosa DNA, altered by transposon mutagenesis, can be transduced into a recipient strain and can replace homologous genes in the P. aeruginosa genome. In this study we applied this technique to the construction of recA mutants of P. aeruginosa. A cloned segment of P. aeruginosa FRD1 DNA was isolated which encoded a protein analogous to the recA gene product of Escherichia coli. The P. aeruginosa recA gene was able to complement several defects associated with recA mutation in E. coli. Transposon Tn1 and Tn501 insertions in the cloned recA gene of P. aeruginosa were used to generate chromosomal recA mutants by gene replacement. These recA strains of P. aeruginosa were more sensitive to UV irradiation and methyl methane sulfonate and showed reduced recombination proficiency compared with the wild type. Also examined was the effect of recA mutations on the expression of alginate, a virulence trait. Alginate is a capsulelike polysaccharide associated with certain pulmonary infections, and its expression is typically unstable. The genetic mechanism responsible for the instability of alginate biosynthesis was shown to be recA independent.
Form-Specific Visual Priming in the Left and Right Hemispheres

Word fragment completion performance was examined for items that were presented in the same or different letter case at study and test. During the study phase words and nonwords were presented at central fixation, then during the test phase a divided visual field technique was used in which word fragments were presented briefly to the right hemisphere (left visual field) or the left hemisphere (right visual field). Previous research using the word stem completion task indicated that only the right hemisphere was sensitive to case changes in words from study to test. In contrast, the current results indicate that in the fragment completion task the priming effects for the test items presented to either hemisphere were greater when the fragments were in the same compared to different letter case at study and test. These results indicate that both hemispheres are capable of supporting form-specific visual implicit memory.
High-mobility 0.85nm-EOT Si0.45Ge0.55-pFETs: Delivering high performance at scaled VDD

This work demonstrates the successful integration of 0.85nm-EOT Si<inf>0.45</inf>Ge<inf>0.55</inf>-pFETs using a gate first approach. An in-depth analysis, ranging from capacitor-level up to circuit-level is carried out, with systematic benchmarking to a conventional Si-channel reference. Outperforming the state-of-the-art Si<inf>0.55</inf>Ge<inf>0.45</inf>-pFETs, an I<inf>ON</inf> of 630µA/µm at L<inf>G_POLY</inf> = 35nm with I<inf>OFF</inf> = 100nA/µm and V<inf>DD</inf> = −1V has been achieved without any epi-S/D boosters. Significant improvements at lower V<inf>DD</inf> have also been confirmed through complex circuit simulations and validated by experimental results.
Measurement of scapula upward rotation: a reliable clinical procedure

Background: It is important to deal with the scapula when developing rehabilitation strategies for the shoulder complex. This requires clinical measurement tools that are readily available and easy to apply and which provide a reliable evaluation of scapula motion. Aim: To determine the reliability of the Plurimeter-V gravity inclinometer for the measurement of scapular upward rotation positions during humeral elevation in coronal abduction in a group of patients with shoulder pathology. Method: Twenty six patients were assessed in two repeat tests within a single testing session. Patients exhibiting a wide spectrum of shoulder pathology were selected. The angle of scapular upward rotation was measured during total shoulder abduction. The measurement protocol was performed twice during a single testing session by a single tester. Results of the two tests were compared and the reliability assessed by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Results: There was no significant difference in the scapula measurements taken during the two tests at each testing position. Overall, there was very good intrarater reliability (ICC = 0.88). The ICC ranged from 0.81 (at 135°) to 0.94 (at both resting and end of total shoulder abduction range). Conclusion: The Plurimeter-V gravity inclinometer can be used effectively and reliably for measuring upward rotation of the scapula in all ranges of shoulder abduction in the coronal plane.
Volunteer Tourism May Not be as Good as It Seems

Much volunteer tourism is characterized by a highly circumspect view of economic development in parts of the world in which the latter is most needed. As the lead article mentions, ‘small is beautiful’ is all too often taken as gospel, and a hostility to big business is meat and drink to some of the foremost academic advocates of volunteer tourism.
Omega‐3 fatty acids for the prevention of postpartum depression: Negative data from a preliminary, open‐label pilot study

Based on the putative relationship between depleted omega‐3 fatty acids and postpartum depression, we initiated an open‐label pilot study of omega‐3 fatty acid supplementation with the aim of preventing postpartum depression. Euthymic pregnant females with a past history of depression in the postpartum period were started on 2,960mg of fish oil (1.4:1 eicosapentaenoic acid:docosahexaenoic acid) per day between the 34th to 36th week of pregnancy and assessed through 12 weeks postpartum. Four of seven participants had a depressive episode during the study period. No participants withdrew from the study due to adverse events. This preliminary, small, open‐label pilot study failed to show promising results for the use of omega‐3 fatty acid monotherapy beginning at 34 to 36 weeks gestation for the prevention of postpartum depression in patients with a prior postpartum depression history. Controlled studies are lacking. Depression and Anxiety 19:20–23, 2004. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Subsets More Likely to Benefit From Surgery or Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation After Chemoradiation for Localized Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

After chemoradiation for localized non–small-cell lung cancer, surgery and prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) have been used as additional therapies. Less than a third of patients develop brain recurrences, or have local recurrence as their sole initial site of recurrence; these are groups that would benefit from PCI or surgery, respectively. Pretreatment identification of patients more likely to benefit from surgery or PCI would be useful. A retrospective analysis of 80 patients was performed to determine prognostic factors for such patterns of failure. Twenty-nine patients were subsequently selected for surgery in a nonrandomized manner. Seventeen patients had isolated local initial recurrence and 15 had brain recurrences. In multivariable analysis, female gender and elevated LDH were found to be risk factors for brain recurrence. In the subset with stage III disease (n = 76), squamous cell histology was a risk factor for isolated initial local recurrence in both univariable and multivariable analysis. It is possible to identify subsets that may show increased benefit from PCI or surgery.
In vivo footprinting analysis of constitutive and inducible protein-DNA interactions at the long terminal repeat of human immunodeficiency virus type 1

The regulation of the rate of transcription of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 is mainly exerted through the long terminal repeat (LTR) at the 5' end of the provirus. A large number of cis-acting regulatory elements have been identified in the LTR by in vitro binding studies; the biological role of these sites within living infected cells, however, is still not clear. We have studied the interactions of nuclear proteins with the LTR in the U1 monocytic cell line by in vivo dimethylsulfate footprinting, using the ligation-mediated polymerase chain reaction technique. In this cell line, transcription of the virus, which is very low under basal conditions, is highly inducible by treatment with phorbol esters; therefore, this system is likely to represent a suitable cellular model to study viral latency. Independently of the level of viral transcription, major in vivo footprints appear at the two Sp1 sites adjacent to the enhancer, the downstream-positioned enhancer repeat, the NFAT binding site, and one of the purine-rich sites of the negative regulatory element. Upon transcriptional activation by phorbol myristate acetate, the only perturbation in the footprinting pattern is a dramatic increase in dimethylsulfate sensitivity of guanine at position -92 in the downstream enhancer repeat. This modification is correlated with the transient induction of two enhancer-binding activities, as determined by gel retardation assays. While the transcriptional rate is still increasing and the in vivo footprinting pattern is unchanged at up to 24 h postactivation, these enhancer-binding factors are considerably reduced at this time. Therefore, further levels of regulation have to be considered to explain the maintenance of the induced state.