Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Benefits realisation management in information technology projects

This study evaluates the use of benefits realisation management (BRM) in information technology (IT) projects. Past research concludes that realising the tangible and intangible benefits from IT projects is not easy and is often not carried out at all. Fifty-four IT project managers in South Africa successfully completed an online questionnaire. An analysis of the data showed that, whilst BRM processes exist in some IT projects, benefits monitoring during the project is rarely applied even though planned benefits can change dramatically. It was also found that IT project managers are keen to improve BRM processes so that benefits are more clearly defined and realised. They identify the project owner as the person accountable for benefits realisation as the business benefits normally occur long after the project is complete, but they argue that this is not happening. They also conclude that, because their performance is measured using project efficiency metrics (on time, on budget and on specification), they are not required to focus on the project effectiveness (the longer term benefits from the IT investment).
Beta-2 microglobulin in renal disease.

In 1968, Berggard and Beam (1) isolated f32-microglobulin (J32m). It is a 100-amino acid single polypeptide chain, with a globular structure maintained by a disulfide bond linking two cysteins in positions 25 and 80, respectively. It has a molecular weight of 1 1,815 daltons and a stokes radius of 16 A. Its tridimensional structure, as well as its amino acid sequence, is homologous to immunoglobulin constant domains (2). 2m is found on the surface of human cells expressing MHC class I (3). The MHC class I molecule is made up of a heavy chain carrying the allotypic determinants of its specificity and a noncovabent bound light chain, 32m. Like immunoglobulin light chains, f32m stabilizes the structure of the heavy chain and allows surface MHC class I antigen expression (3). f32m is produced by all cells expressing MHC class I antigen. Lymphocytes and tumor cells synthesize large amounts of f32m in vitro and are thus presumably major biosynthetic sites. In vitro stimulation of lymphocytes by mitogens or specific antigens increases 2m production (4,5). Shedding from cell surface of the MHC occurs through proteolysis, requires metabolic energy, and is inhibited by colchicine (3). /32m instantly dissociates from the heavy chain and enters the circulation as a monomer. 2m is released not only in blood but also in synovial, cerebrospinal, amniotic, and seminal fluids, and in the aqueous humor, the colostrum, and the saliva. Endogenous production depends partly on the activity of /32m synthesizing cells. In the healthy subject, ‘251-labeled f32m turnover studies suggest a daily synthesis of 150 to 200 mg (6). 2m synthesis is stimulated in various conditions and is characterized by monoclonal or polyclonal activation and proliferation of lymphoid cells such as malignant tumors, lymphoproliferative B cell disorders and various chronic inflammatory diseases, e.g. , rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Crohn’s disease, viral hepatitis, and other viral infections (7-9). 2m is readily filtered through the glomerulus and almost completely reabsorbed and destroyed by proximal tubular cells, with less than 400 ng of intact /32m appearing daily in the urine (10).
Exposure to interbank market and risk-taking by Mexican banks

espanolLos bancos pueden evitar las huidas y el panico utilizando el mercado interbancario como un tipo de coseguro. Ademas, debido a la posibilidad de perder activos financieros, teoricamente tienen incentivos para supervisar a sus homologos, solicitando prestamos en este mercado. Este articulo examina si los riesgos bancarios se explican mediante su exposicion al mercado interbancario. La hipotesis de disciplina de mercado sugiere que los banqueros estan bien equipados para supervisar a sus homologos, y los prestamos interbancarios son, por excelencia, depositos no asegurados. Por tanto, los bancos con una mayor exposicion al mercado interbancario deben presentar solidos fundamentos bancarios. Utilizando una muestra de 37 bancos mexicanos, de diciembre de 2008 a septiembre de 2012, y modelos dinamicos con datos de panel, basados en el estimador SYS GMM, no se encontro una evidencia a favor de la hipotesis de disciplina de mercado. Estos resultados son robustos con respecto a diferentes indicadores de riesgo bancario y de exposicion a los mercados interbancarios. Suponen una llamada de advertencia para los legisladores, quienes deben restaurar la disciplina de mercado en las operaciones interbancarias, como continuacion de la politica de divulgacion de informacion de Basilea III. EnglishBanks can avoid bank runs and panic using the interbank market as a type of coinsurance. Moreover, because of the possibility of losing financial assets, they theoretically have incentives to monitor their peers, borrowing in this market. This paper examines whether bank risks are explained by their exposure to the interbank market. The market discipline hypothesis suggests that bankers are well equipped to monitor their peers, and the interbank borrowing is par excellence an uninsured deposit. Consequently, banks with a larger exposure to the interbank market should present strong bank fundamentals. Using a sample of 37 Mexican banks, from December 2008 to September 2012, and dynamic panel models based on the SYS GMM estimator, I did not find evidence in favor of the market discipline hypothesis. These results are robust to different indicators of bank risk and exposure to interbank markets. This is a wake-up call for policymakers, who should restore market discipline in interbank operations, following the disclosure policy in Basel III.
Prior psychiatric hospitalization is associated with excess mortality in patients hospitalized with non-cardiac chest pain: a data linkage study based on the full Scottish population (1991-2006).

AIMS Non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP) is considered a benign condition. We investigate case-fatality following an incident hospitalization for NCCP and determine whether previous psychiatric hospitalization is associated with short-term mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS This was a population-based retrospective cohort study of 159 888 patients discharged from hospital in Scotland (1991-2006) following a first NCCP hospitalization, using routinely collected morbidity and mortality data. All-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality at 1 year following hospitalization was examined. A total of 3514 (4.4%) men and 3136 (3.9%) women with a first NCCP hospitalization had a psychiatric hospitalization in the 10 years preceding incident NCCP hospitalization. Those with a previous psychiatric hospitalization were younger and more socioeconomically deprived (SED). Overall, crude case fatality at 1 year was 4.4% in men and 3.7% in women. This was higher in patients with a previous psychiatric hospitalization compared with those without (overall: men 6.3 vs. 4.3%; women: 5.3 vs. 3.6%), in all age groups and all SED quintiles. Following adjustment (year of NCCP hospitalization, SED, co-morbid diabetes, and hypertension), the hazard of all-cause and CVD-specific death at 1 year was higher in men and women with a previous psychiatric hospitalization than without, with effect modification according to age group. CONCLUSION Non-cardiac chest pain is not an entirely benign condition. Individuals with a hospital discharge diagnosis of NCCP who have a previous psychiatric hospitalization have a greater risk of death, all-cause, and CVD-specific, at 1 year, than those without. A NCCP hospitalization is an opportunity to engage, and where appropriate, intervene to modify cardiovascular risk in this difficult-to-reach and high-risk group.
Observation of Gradients, by Means of Algorithmic Differentiation

Changing environmental influences as well as changes in internal parameters of mechatronic systems deteriorate the system performance. A good means to ensure good performance despite these impediments is self-optimizing control. Optimization algorithms often depends on gradient informations. This paper presents an observer structure to achieve these gradients at run time. Therefore we make use of a method called algorithmic differentiation
Driving status and risk of entry into long-term care in older adults.

OBJECTIVES Given the importance of driving in American society, older non-drivers may be unable to meet basic needs while living independently. We assessed whether not driving is an independent risk factor for entering long-term care (LTC) institutions. METHODS Data were used from 1593 older adults who participated in the Salisbury Eye Evaluation cohort study and completed an additional telephone survey. Questions on driving status and LTC entry were obtained by self/proxy report. Cox time-dependent regression procedures were used to adjust for demographic and health factors. RESULTS Former and never drivers had higher hazards of LTC entry after adjustment for demographic and health variables (hazard ratio [HR]=4.85; 95% confidence interval [CI]=3.26, 7.21; and HR=3.53; 95% CI=1.89, 6.58, respectively). Also, having no other drivers in the house was an independent risk factor for LTC entry (HR=1.72; 95% CI=1.15, 2.57). Discussion. Older adults are expected to make good decisions about when to stop driving, but the hardships imposed on older adults by not driving are not widely recognized. Innovative strategies to improve transportation options for older adults should be considered.
Long-term supplementation of decaffeinated green tea extract does not modify body weight or abdominal obesity in a randomized trial of men at high risk for prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND Evidence continues to demonstrate the role of obesity in prostate carcinogenesis and prognosis, underscoring the need to identify and continue to evaluate the effective interventions to reduce obesity in populations at high risk. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of daily consumption of decaffeinated green tea catechins (GTC) formulation (Polyphenon E® (PolyE)) for 1 year on biomarkers of obesity in men who are at high risk for prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS A randomized, double-blinded trial was conducted targeting 97 men diagnosed with HGPIN or ASAP. Subjects were randomized to receive GTC (PolyE) (n = 49) or placebo (n = 48) for 1 year. Anthropometric data were collected at baseline, 6 and 12 months and data analyzed to observe change in weight, body mass index (indicator of obesity) and waist: hip ratio (indicator of abdominal obesity). RESULTS Decaffeinated GTC containing 400 mgs of the bioactive catechin, EGCG administered for 1 year to men diagnosed with ASAP and HGPIN appears to be bioavailable, well tolerated but not effective in reducing biomarkers of obesity including body weight, body mass index and waist: hip ratio. CONCLUSIONS The results of our trial demonstrates that men who are obese and at high risk for prostate cancer should resort to effective weight management strategies to reduce obesity and not resort to ineffective measures such as taking supplements of green tea to reduce biomarkers of obesity. Changes in body mass index and abdominal obesity seen in other studies were potentially due to caffeine and not GTC.
The effect of a short-wavelength mode on the evolution of a long-wavelength perturbation driven by a strong blast wave

Shock-accelerated material interfaces are potentially unstable to both the Richtmyer–Meshkov and Rayleigh–Taylor (RT) instabilities. Shear that develops along with these instabilities in turn drives the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. When driven by strong shocks, the evolution and interaction of these instabilities is further complicated by compressibility effects. This paper details a computational study of the formation of jets at strongly driven hydrodynamically unstable interfaces, and the interaction of these jets with one another and with developing spikes and bubbles. This provides a nonlinear spike-spike and spike-bubble interaction mechanism that can have a significant impact on the large-scale characteristics of the mixing layer. These interactions result in sensitivity to the initial perturbation spectrum, including the relative phases of the various modes, that persists long into the nonlinear phase of instability evolution. Implications for instability growth rates, the bubble merger process, .
DAF‐12‐dependent rescue of dauer formation in Caenorhabditis elegans by (25S)‐cholestenoic acid

Population density, temperature and food availability all regulate the formation of the Caenorhabditis elegans dauer larva by modulating endocrine signaling pathways. The orphan nuclear receptor DAF‐12 is pivotal for the decision to form a dauer or to undergo normal reproductive development. The DAF‐12 ligand has been predicted to be a sterol that is metabolized by DAF‐9, a cytochrome P450. Here we chemically characterize purified lipophilic nematode extracts and show that the ligand for DAF‐12 contains a carboxyl moiety and is likely to be derived from a sterol. Using a candidate ligand approach we find that the C27 bile acid cholestenoic acid (5‐cholesten‐3β‐ol‐(25S)‐carboxylic acid) promotes reproductive growth in dauer‐constitutive mutants in a daf‐9‐ and daf‐12‐dependent manner. Furthermore, we find that cholestenoic acid can act as a DAF‐12 ligand by activating DAF‐12 in a cell‐based transcription assay. Analysis of dauer‐rescuing lipophilic extracts from nematodes by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry indicates the presence of several regioisomers of cholestenoic acid that are distinct from Δ5‐cholestenoic acid and are not present in extracts from daf‐9 mutants. These data suggest that carboxylated sterols may be key determinants of life history.
Pricing Swaptions and Credit Default Swaptions in the Quadratic Gaussian Factor Model

In this thesis we show how the multi-factor quadratic Gaussian model can be used to price default free and defaultable securities. The mathematical tools used include the theory of stochastic processes, the theory of matrix Riccati equations, the change of measure technique, Ito's formula, use of Fourier Transforms in swaption valuation and approximation methods based on replacing the values of some stochastic processes by their time zero values. The first chapter of the thesis deals with the derivation of efficient closed form formulas for the price of zero coupon bonds in the multi-factor quadratic Gaussian model and the calibration of the multi-factor quadratic Gaussian model to the domestic and foreign forward rate term structures through closed form formulas. In the second chapter of the thesis, we derive approximations for the price of default free swaptions which are based on log-quadratic Gaussian processes. Using numerical experiments, we show the limitations of these approximations. We also give some numerical results for the pricing of a default free swaption using momentbased density approximants of the probability density function of the swaption's payoff. The third chapter of the thesis deals with the calibration of a quadratic Gaussian reduced form model of credit risk to the default free forward rate curve and to the survival probability of an obligor. We also consider different approximations for the price of credit default swaptions. Using numerical experiments, we show the limitations of the approximations. The final chapter of this thesis considers a two country reduced form model of credit risk. We examine the relationship between the domestic forward credit spread and the foreign forward credit spread of an obligor and provide quanto adjustment formulas for the probability of survival of an obligor. In the final part of this chapter, we show that the valuation of a quanto default swap is tractable in a contagion type reduced form model of credit risk which assumes that underlying processes are modelled by quadratic Gaussian processes.
Stakeholder Interaction in Research Processes - A Guide for Researchers and Research Groups

Habitat fragmentation is one of the largest threats to biodiversity. Landscape corridors, which are hypothesized to reduce the negative consequences of fragmentation, have become common features of ecological management plans worldwide. Despite their popularity, there is little evidence documenting the effectiveness of corridors in preserving biodiversity at large scales. Using a large-scale replicated experiment, we showed that habitat patches connected by corridors retain more native plant species than do isolated patches, that this difference increases over time, and that corridors do not promote invasion by exotic species. Our results support the use of corridors in biodiversity conservation For more guidance see: Baron, Nancy, Escape from the Ivory tower – a guide to making science matter http://www.escapefromtheivorytower. com/ https://www.earthleadership. org/ Tool 2: Who are your stakeholders? This tool helps you map national and international stakeholders from the public and private sectors, civil society and academia. It provides a simple structure for deciding who to engage with, why and how. It also includes a column in which you list current connections with the stakeholders or ideas on how to strengthen your contacts. Involve colleagues as well as people outside your research group in the compilation of a potential stakeholder list. Tools 1–2 are strongly related. Look at all of them and decide which ones make the most sense for your work. Start off with an open attitude and include many stakeholders rather than few. You will prioritise among the suggested stakeholders later on. Stakeholder (name of organisation, group or individual) Who? Why and when interact? (Short description of why and when, e.g. problem formulation, knowledge production or communication of results) Mode of interaction (What type of interaction could be relevant? ) Contacts (List existing contacts with the stakeholder or ways to make contact) Private sector stakeholders: e.g. business associations, individual companies, farmers Public sector stakeholders: e.g. parliament and ministries, agencies, municipalities, regions, EU, UN Civil society stakeholders: e.g. non-governmental organisations, community based organisations, unions Academia stakeholders and think tanks: e.g. other research groups or research organisations, knowledge brokers, boundary organisations8 8 Knowledge brokers: actors that translate scientifc knowledge into knowledge relevant for the stakeholder. Boundary organisation: an arena where researchers can meet with stakeholders with the purpose of increasing the relevance of and possibility for stakeholders to understand scientifc knowledge. Stakeholder interaction in research processes – A guide for researchers and research groups Gothenburg Centre for Sustainable Development (GMV 47
Prognostic impact of deletions at 1p36 and numerical aberrations in Ewing tumors

Ewing's sarcoma, peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumors, and Askin tumors are referred to as Ewing tumors (ETs), and are characterized by high MIC2 expression and a t(11;22)(q24;q12) or other rearrangements involving 22q12. In addition to these constant aberrations, facultative numerical and structural aberrations have been reported: gains of chromosomes 8 and 12, the unbalanced translocation t(1;16), and deletions at the short arm of chromosome 1. To evaluate the frequency and to study the biological impact of these facultative aberrations, we analyzed tumor specimens from 58 ET patients by classical cytogenetics and/or in situ hybridization techniques and compared these data with clinical parameters. Gains of chromosomes 8 and 12 were detected in 55% (32/58) and 24% (14/58) of the cases, respectively. Loss of chromosome 16 or der(16)t(1;16) chromosomes were found in 20% (10/51); deletions at 1p36 were observed in 18% (9/51) of the cases evaluated. The presence of these aberrations did not correlate with age and sex of the patients, with the location of the primary tumor or with the extent of disease at diagnosis by chi‐square analysis and Fisher's exact test. Patients with tumors harboring gains of chromosome 8 showed a slightly better clinical outcome (n = 14/30, P = 0.17), whereas gains of chromosome 12 did not influence the clinical outcome (n = 7/30, P = 0.63). However, Kaplan and Meier analysis revealed that deletions at the short arm of chromosome 1 were associated with an unfavorable outcome in patients with localized disease (n = 6/22; P = 0.004). Genes Chromosomes Cancer 24:243–254, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Development and Validation of Bearing Diagnostic and Prognostic Tools using HUMS Condition Indicators

Health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS) are currently used in military and civil service helicopters for health monitoring of flight critical components. Typically, vibration data recorded during a flight is processed to generate condition indicators (CIs). CIs from healthy components are normally used to set thresholds such that there is a small probability of the CIs of nominal components exceeding the thresholds. If a CI exceeds the threshold, the component is declared bad. The limitation of these CI thresholds is that they don't quantitatively correlate to the health condition of the components and therefore cannot be used for accurate diagnosis and prognosis in the implementation of condition-based maintenance. In this paper, we present an experience in developing bearing diagnostic and prognostic tools using HUMS condition indicators. Data mining models are investigated to correlate the CIs with the physical damage of the bearings and determine the minimum set of CIs with the maximum correlation coefficient. Further, data mining models for bearing prognostics are investigated. These data mining models are validated using real rolling element bearing test data with intermediate inspection. The significance of the work presented in this paper is that it could be used not only be used to set CI thresholds in HUMS for reliable diagnostics, but also potentially, to enhance the prognostic capability of HUMS.
The LVIS/LVIS Jr. stents in the treatment of wide-neck intracranial aneurysms: multicentre registry

Background Wide-necked intracranial aneurysms have been a challenge for endovascular techniques. With the advent of adjunctive devices such as balloons or stents, recanalisation rates have decreased secondary to better packing. Purpose The purpose of this registry was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the new Low-profiled Visualized Intraluminal Support LVIS and LVIS Jr. stents in the treatment of unruptured wide-neck intracranial aneurysms. Methods The LVIS or LVIS Jr. stent-assisted coil embolisation was performed in 78 patients harbouring 78 intracranial aneurysms. There were 59 aneurysms located in the anterior circulation and 19 in the posterior circulation. Clinical data and 6-month follow-up angiograms are presented. Results The LVIS and LVIS Jr. stents were successfully delivered to the target aneurysm; however, there were seven cases in which the LVIS/LVIS Jr. stents had suboptimal opening and apposition to the parent vessel wall. The overall technical success for all groups was 91% (71 of 78 stents). There was complete angiographic occlusion in 66 (85%) of 78 cases and residual neck remnants in 12 (15%) cases. All patients had 6-month angiographic follow-up, which demonstrated complete occlusion of the target aneurysm in 64 (82%) cases, residual neck remnants in 5 (6%) cases and there was aneurysm filling in 9 (12%) cases. Conclusions The LVIS/LVIS Jr. stent system is safe and effective for the treatment of wide-neck intracranial aneurysms, providing suitable support of the coil mass, which allows for a high level of occlusion with low rates of recanalisation and subsequent treatments.