Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of methodologic quality of randomized trials of interventional techniques: development of an interventional pain management specific instrument.

BACKGROUND A major component of a systematic review is an assessment of the methodological quality and bias of randomized trials. The most commonly utilized methodological quality assessment and bias assessment for randomized trials is by the Cochrane Review Group. While this is not a "gold standard," it is an indication of the current state-of-the-art review methodology. There is, however, no specific instrument to assess the methodological quality of manuscripts published for interventional techniques. OBJECTIVES Our objective was to develop an instrument specifically for interventional pain management, to assess the methodological quality of randomized trials of interventional techniques. METHODS Item generation for the instrument was based on a definition of quality, to the extent to which the design and conduct of the trial were congruent with the objectives of the trial. Applicability was defined as the extent to which the trial produced procedures could be applied with contemporary interventional pain management techniques. Multiple items based on Cochrane review criteria were utilized along with specific requirements for interventional techniques. RESULTS A total of 22 items were developed which formed IPM-QRB or Interventional Pain Management Techniques - Quality Appraisal of Reliability and Risk of Bias Assessment tool. This included 9 of the 12 items from the Cochrane review criteria with definition of some items that were repetitive or duplicate, and the addition of 13 new items. The results were compared for inter-rater reliability of Cochrane review criteria and IPM-QRB, and inter-instrument reliability. The assessment was performed in multiple stages with an initial learning curve. The final assessment was for 4 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) utilizing both Cochrane review criteria and IPM-QRB criteria. The inter-rater agreement for Cochrane review criteria with overall intra-class correlation coefficient was 0.407 compared to an intra-class correlation coefficient of 0.833 for IPM-QRB criteria. The inter-rater agreement was superior for IPM-QRB criteria compared to Cochrane review criteria despite twice the items of Cochrane review criteria as IPM-QRB criteria with the detailed nature of assessment. LIMITATIONS Limited validity or accuracy assessment of the instrument and the large number of items to be scored. CONCLUSION We have developed a new comprehensive instrument to assess the methodological quality of randomized trials of interventional techniques. This instrument is superior to Cochrane review methodology criteria in that it provides more extensive and specific information for interventional techniques that will be useful in assessing the methodologic quality and bias of interventional techniques.
Phase I Trial of a Monoclonal Antibody Specific for αvβ3 Integrin (MEDI-522) in Patients with Advanced Malignancies, Including an Assessment of Effect on Tumor Perfusion

At present, a variety of agents targeting tumor angiogenesis are under clinical investigation as new therapies for patients with cancer. Overexpression of the αvβ3 integrin on tumor vasculature has been associated with an aggressive phenotype of several solid tumor types. Murine models have shown that antibodies targeting the αvβ3 integrin can affect tumor vasculature and block tumor formation and metastasis. These findings suggest that antibodies directed at αvβ3 could be investigated in the treatment of human malignancies. The current phase I dose escalation study evaluated the safety of MEDI-522, a monoclonal antibody specific for the αvβ3 integrin, in patients with advanced malignancies. Twenty-five patients with a variety of metastatic solid tumors were treated with MEDI-522 on a weekly basis with doses ranging from 2 to 10 mg/kg/wk. Adverse events were assessed weekly; pharmacokinetic studies were done; and radiographic staging was done every 8 weeks. In addition, dynamic computed tomography imaging was done at baseline and at 8 weeks in patients with suitable target lesions amenable to analysis, to potentially identify the effect of MEDI-522 on tumor perfusion. Treatment was well tolerated, and a maximum tolerated dose was not identified by traditional dose-limiting toxicities. The major adverse events observed were grade 1 and 2 infusion-related reactions (fever, rigors, flushing, injection site reactions, and tachycardia), low-grade constitutional and gastrointestinal symptoms (fatigue, myalgias, and nausea), and asymptomatic hypophosphatemia. Dynamic computed tomography imaging suggested a possible effect on tumor perfusion with an increase in contrast mean transit time from baseline to the 8-week evaluation with increasing doses of MEDI-522. No complete or partial responses were observed. Three patients with metastatic renal cell cancer experienced prolonged stable disease (34 weeks, >1 and >2 years) on treatment. With this weekly schedule of administration, and in the doses studied, MEDI-522 seems to be without significant toxicity, may have effects on tumor perfusion, and may have clinical activity in renal cell cancer. These findings suggest the MEDI-522 could be further investigated as an antiangiogenic agent for the treatment of cancer.
Offenders’ Risk‐Taking Attitude Inside and Outside the Prison Walls

It has long been assumed that risk taking is closely associated with criminal behavior. One reason for placing criminals behind bars—aside from punishment and protecting the public—is to prevent them from engaging in further risky criminal activities. Limited attention has been paid to whether being inside or outside prison affects offenders’ risk‐taking behaviors and attitudes. We compared risk‐taking behaviors and attitudes in five risk domains (ethical, financial, health/safety, recreational, social) among 75 incarcerated offenders (i.e., offenders who are currently in prison) and 45 ex‐offenders (i.e., offenders who have just been released from prison). Ex‐offenders reported higher likelihood of engaging in risky behavior, driven largely by a willingness to take more risks in the recreational and ethical domains. Benefits attributed to risk taking as well as risk perception did not differ between incarcerated and ex‐offenders, indicating that the opportunity to take risks might underlie behavioral risk intentions. Our results also indicate that risk‐taking activities are better predicted by the expected benefits rather than by risk perception, aside from the health/safety domain. These results highlight the importance of studying the person and the environment and examining risk taking in a number of content domains.
Psychological Contract and Its Measurement in Marketing Context

Although the theory of psychological contract originated from organizational behavioral research, there also exist psychological contracts in enterprise-customer marketing context. Based upon the literature review, this paper applies the psychological contract theory to marketing context, and defines the specific connotation of psychological contract in marketing context. A measurement scale for psychological contract is designed and its reliability and validity are empirically tested by survey data analysis.
Consumer Acquisition Priorities for Home Appliances: A Replication and Re-evaluation

This paper reports on research that replicates and extends the previous Guttman scaling studies. The Guttman-scaled priorities are compared to average years of ownership for 12 appliances. Some limitations of the technique are revealed, and the role of a new innovation that disturbs an otherwise stable acquisition priority is discussed.
Sub-block recovery scheme for iterative decoding of turbo codes

Wireless communication systems usually employ a concatenated error control coding scheme consisting of an outer error detection code and an inner error correction code. Traditionally, these two codes are decoded separately. When the sub-block structure is used, each data block (input sequence) at the inner encoder consists of several sub-blocks and each of these sub-blocks is protected with the error detection code. The sub-block structure is used in the Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) system specified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). In this paper, a sub-block recovery scheme is proposed for this concatenated error control coding scheme to utilize the error detection capability introduced by the outer code in the decoding of the inner code. We demonstrate that, if the inner code is a turbo code with a highly structured interleaver and iterative sub-optimal decoding is used, the sub-block recovery scheme is helpful in correcting a typical error pattern, which helps to improve the block error rate performance. We analyze the decoding performance when sub-block recovery is used together with the maximum likelihood (ML) algorithm as well as the log maximum-a-posteriori probability (Log-MAP) and the soft output Viterbi algorithm (SOVA) and demonstrate gains introduced by the sub-block recovery in the latter two cases using computer simulations.
Purification and characterization of the staphylococcal slime-associated antigen and its occurrence among Staphylococcus epidermis clinical isolates

The Staphylococcus epidermidis slime-associated antigen (SAA) was purified and characterized. N-Acetyl-glucosamine accounted for 70% of the dry weight of SAA, which was immunolocalized on the ruthenium red-positive material produced by slime-positive strains. A total of 59% of slime-producing S. epidermidis clinical isolates expressed SAA, while the phenotype slime- SAA+ was never recovered.
An analysis of user‐generated content for hotel experiences

Purpose – The broad goal of the study is to determine how travelers communicate in the cyberspace in relation to their positive and negative experiences they had when staying in a particular hotel. Further goals of this study include identifying the main themes that motivate consumers to evaluate hotel experiences in online environments and categorize the most frequently mentioned areas in the online hotel reviews.Design/methodology/approach – Content analysis techniques were applied by using the software tool NVivo 8 in order to analyze comments extracted using an automated web spider. The spider extracted qualitative data in the form of reviews and comments and quantitative data in the form of demographic information and ratings. The reviews were considered as a primary data for analysis, these reviews portrayed both positive and negative experiences. During this process, the spider collected data on 3,124 hotels and 17,357 traveler reviews from the TripAdvisor site.Findings – By reviewing and understan.
A non-constant weight code approach for fast link assessment in multihop wireless mesh networks

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel link assessment scheme where the link assessment packets are transmitted efficiently according to a set of non‐constant weight codes, which achieves low collision probability within a short link assessment period.Design/methodology/approach – Each node considers the actual nodal degree while choosing the codeword for its link assessment. A link assessment procedure is designed and a set of theorems established that provide the necessary condition for successful link assessment.Findings – The wireless mesh network (WMN) is experiencing tremendous growth with the standardization of IEEE 802.11 and IEEE 802.16 technologies. Compared to its wired counterpart, the resource of the WMN is limited. Worst yet, the wireless link quality is time and space varying, depending on the environment and interference. In order to make efficient use of the scarce channel resource during topology formation, scheduling and routing, it is vital to understand the quality .
Signaling intrinsic service quality and value via accreditation and certification

Purpose – This paper sets out to consider the role that can be played by independent professional accreditation systems and processes in influencing and grounding the intrinsic quality of what is offered by a service provider who has secured this certification.Design/methodology/approach – The approach takes the form of personal interviews conducted with senior management personnel within a range of accommodation providers who were responsible for preparing their accreditation submission.Findings – More than 80 percent of respondents agreed that the process of applying for accreditation forced a critical review of all aspects of their operations, and heightened their awareness of things that could prove problematic and ways by which these problems could be effectively countered. Respondents also agreed that the process served to motivate the development and detailed documentation of policies, systems and procedures, which enabled greater consistency in the standard of what is provided.Practical implicatio.
Efficient Small Bandgap Polymer Solar Cells with High Fill Factors for 300 nm Thick Films

A high-molecular-weight conjugated polymer based on alternating electron-rich and electron-deficient fused ring systems provides efficient polymer solar cells when blended with C60 and C70 fullerene derivatives. The morphology of the new polymer/fullerene blend reduces bimolecular recombination and allows reaching high fill factors and power conversion efficiencies for films up to 300 nm thickness.
Cyberbullying Detection on Twitter

Social networks such as Twitter is a microblogging service and broadcast medium that evolved as a disruptive platform to serve the purposes for the users to broadcast their daily activities, feelings and opinion by posting simple tweets (messages) within their friends circle. Cyberbullying is a type of harassment that takes place in social networking sites which enable the cyberbullies to execute their crime on the vulnerable victims and this serious offense in cyber world has resulted in death. Hence, the Cyberbullying Detection System on Twitter is a solution with the aim to effectively discover the cyberbullying related tweets from Twitter. The system will be used by the organizations member to monitor the social network community’s activities, especially the cyberbullies and victims in Twitter and hence preventing the cyberbullying event to be deteriorated. In order to accomplish these objectives, there are a lot of literatures related to event detection and cyberbullying detection system been reviewed and studied to gain insight of the system development and effectiveness. In our research, we have specified the cyberbullying related keywords from the research experts, and captured the targeted tweets.
Low-temperature redetermination of aquachloridotriphenyltin(IV)–1,10-phenanthroline (1/1)

The crystal structure of the title compound, [Sn(C6H5)3Cl(H2O)]·C12H8N2, which was refined in the triclinic space group P [Fu, Gao, Ma & Zhang (2005 ▶). Chin. J. Synth. Chem. 13, 55–57], has been redetermined in the monoclinic space group C2/c from low-temperature diffraction measurements. The Sn atom is five-coordinate in a trans-C3SnClO trigonal-bipyramidal geometry; the coordinated water molecule forms a pair of hydrogen bonds to the nitrogen heterocycle.
Isolation and characterization of a variety of microcystins from seven strains of the cyanobacterial genus Anabaena

Hepatotoxins (microcystins) from seven freshwater Anabaena strains originating from three different Finnish lakes and one lake in Norway were isolated by high-performance liquid chromatography and characterized by amino acid analysis and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. All strains produced three to seven different microcystins. A total of 17 different compounds were isolated, of which 8 were known microcystins. The known compounds identified from six strains were MCYST (microcystin)-LR, [D-Asp3]MCYST-LR, [Dha7]MCYST-LR, [D-Asp3,Dha7]MCYST-LR, MCYST-RR, [D-Asp3]MCYST-RR, [Dha7]MCYST-RR, and [D-Asp3,Dha7]MCYST-RR. With the exception of MCYST-LR and [D-Asp3]MCYST-LR, this is the first time that isolation of these toxins from Anabaena strains has been reported. Three of the strains produced one to three toxins as minor components which could not be identified. Anabaena sp. strain 66 produced four unidentified toxins. The other Anabaena strains always contained both MCYST-LR and MCYST-RR and/or their demethyl variants. Quantitative differences between toxins within and between strains were detected; at times MCYST-LR and at other times MCYST-RR or demethyl derivatives thereof were the most abundant toxins found in a strain.
Application of the differential evolution algorithm to the optimization of two-dimensional synthetic aperture microwave radiometer circle array

A new optimization technique based on the differential evolution algorithm is presented for the design of two-dimensional synthetic aperture microwave radiometer circle array. The object function is designed by minimizing redundant array and maximizing the distance between spatial frequency coverage samples and the optimal results of 16~32 elements circle array are obtained. Compare with simulated annealing algorithm and symmetrical distribution array, the numerical results show that the differential evolution algorithm can obtain a better solution and observably decrease computational run time. The image reconstruction and inversion algorithm of two-dimensional synthetic aperture microwave radiometer is G matrix algorithm. Compare with the symmetrical circle array, the image reconstruction of the optimal array is better.
Enhancement of mannose-mediated stimulation of human granulocytes by type 1 fimbriae aggregated with antibodies on Escherichia coli surfaces

In the present study, we assayed protein iodination in human granulocytes after interaction of the cells with mannose-specific (MS) type 1 fimbriated (MS+) and nonfimbriated (MS-) phenotypes of Escherichia coli pretreated with various amounts of anti-E. coli and antifimbrial antibodies. The MS+ phenotype stimulated protein iodination in granulocytes and possessed potent MS activity as measured by yeast aggregometry. In contrast, the MS- phenotype lacked all these activities. MS+ pretreated with moderate concentrations of antibodies, however, showed up to a 15-fold increase in granulocyte stimulation as compared to granulocyte stimulation induced by the non-antibody-treated MS+ phenotype or by the antibody-treated MS- phenotype. This marked antibody-mediated increase in stimulation of granulocytes was (i) dependent on the antibody concentrations, (ii) markedly reduced by methyl-alpha-D-mannoside, (iii) caused by immunoglobulin G as well as by F(ab')2, (iv) caused only by antifimbrial antibodies, (v) associated with cross-linked fimbriae seen as "bundles" under an electron microscope, and (vi) mimicked by treating MS+ bacteria with a certain range of glutaraldehyde. The data taken together support the hypothesis that, although cross-linking of fimbriae reduced the density of functional MS fimbriae over the surface of antibody-treated bacteria and consequently reduced the ability of these organisms to agglutinate yeast cells, the resulting bundles of MS fimbriae were far more effective at stimulating granulocytes because, bound together, they were better equipped to aggregate the mannose-containing receptors on the granulocyte surface.
An interface for medical diagnosis support: from the viewpoint of chance discovery

In this paper, we propose a web-based interactive interface to show medical data analysis results by C4.5, where the physicians can easily confirm or correct medical data and analysed results. It can estimate health levels of medical data where health levels are not labelled, which can be referred to for medical diagnosis support. It demonstrates the possibilities of the chance discovery process, which enables the discovery of hidden or rare but very important relationships (chances) in a medical diagnosis support. We discovered models which are important for determining health levels but cannot be extracted during a machine learning process.
Safety Culture in Australian (New South Wales) Universities

Apart from Robens-style workplace health and safety (WHS) arrangements, most workplaces in Australia have never been compelled to create ongoing consultative mechanisms with workers. Under certain collective bargaining laws [e.g. Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) section 205] they are required to establish only a “process”, rather than a “mechanism” or “structure” for consultation. The paper analyses the effectiveness of WHS consultation, and issues related with the debate around whether WHS is an area of mutual concern between employers and employees or whether it is an area that is subject to political contestation at the workplace. This is done by reporting results of a “safety culture” survey conducted in three Australian higher education institutions.
BI‐69A11‐mediated inhibition of AKT leads to effective regression of xenograft melanoma

The AKT/PKB pathway plays a central role in tumor development and progression and is often up‐regulated in different tumor types, including melanomas. We have recently reported on the in silico approach to identify putative inhibitors for AKT/PKB. Of the reported hits, we selected BI‐69A11, a compound which was shown to inhibit AKT activity in in vitro kinase assays. Analysis of BI‐69A11 was performed in melanoma cells, a tumor type that commonly exhibits up‐regulation of AKT. Treatment of the UACC903 human melanoma cells, harboring the PTEN mutation, with BI‐69A11 caused efficient inhibition of AKT S473 phosphorylation with concomitant inhibition of AKT phosphorylation of PRAS40. Treatment of melanoma cells with BI‐69A11 also reduced AKT protein expression, which coincided with inhibition of AKT association with HSP‐90. BI‐69A11 treatment not only caused cell death of melanoma, but also prostate tumor cell lines. Notably, the effect of BI‐69A11 on cell death was more pronounced in cells that express an active form of AKT. Significantly, intra‐peritoneal injection of BI‐69A11 caused effective regression of melanoma tumor xenografts, which coincided with elevated levels of cell death. These findings identify BI‐69A11 as a potent inhibitor of AKT that is capable of eliciting effective regression of xenograft melanoma tumors.
Performances of low profile dipole antenna AMC-based surface using metamaterials structures

Artificial Magnetic Conductors (AMCs), a real version of Perfect Magnetic Conductors (PMCs), are widely used to replace surfaces of high impedance. Based on unit cells of Multiple Split-Ring Resonators (MSRRs) that are printed on low-cost dielectric grounded substrate, AMCs are employed as a ground plane for antennas. In this paper, the performance of a low profile dipole antenna positioned above a planar AMC surface is examined. The characteristics of the AMC return loss are initially investigated at the resonant frequency of 2.4 GHz. Two arrays having 49 and 81 MSRR unit cells are then simulated and modeled with the dipole antenna placed above. The results are of great importance as the directivity reaches 6 dB for the configuration of 9 × 9 unit cells. This confirms that the MSRR can perfectly replace the conventional ground plane antenna in order to improve the gain and the directivity of their radiations.