Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Implementation of a collaborative drug therapy management service for inpatients receiving direct thrombin inhibitors.

PURPOSE The development and implementation of a collaborative drug therapy management (CDTM) service for inpatients receiving direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs) are described. SUMMARY A pharmacist-driven DTI protocol was established to help establish guidelines for the use and monitoring of DTIs to ensure the effective and safe administration of these high-risk medications. The CDTM service and DTI dosing protocol, including order form development, were completed over a two-year period. The DTI order form consisted of five main sections: practice points pertaining to the clinical diagnosis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), initiation of DTIs, nurse- and pharmacist-driven instructions for the monitoring of DTI therapy, information to safely transition a patient from a DTI to warfarin, and a scoring system for determining the probability of HIT. A CDTM service for the inpatient setting was developed to improve patient outcomes and reduce medication errors related to the monitoring and adjusting of DTI dosages. To implement this service, three major areas were addressed: the credentialing of pharmacists, the ordering process, and required documentation. Challenges encountered during protocol development were eliminating the use of lepirudin, developing a comprehensive order form for two DTIs, obtaining approval of the DTI dosing protocol by the medical executive committee, and developing and implementing a comprehensive nursing education program for the new order form and protocol. CONCLUSION A dosing protocol for DTIs was developed to improve the use of these high-risk medications within an institution. The protocol provided physicians with the option of deferring DTI dosing to a pharmacist with appropriate credentials.
Estimation of microscope drift using fluorescent nanodiamonds as fiducial markers

Fiducial markers are used to correct the microscope drift and should be photostable, be usable at multiple wavelengths and be compatible for multimodal imaging. Fiducial markers such as beads, gold nanoparticles, microfabricated patterns and organic fluorophores lack one or more of these criteria. Moreover, the localization accuracy and drift correction can be degraded by other fluorophores, instrument noise and artefacts due to image processing and tracking algorithms. Estimating mechanical drift by assuming Gaussian distributed noise is not suitable under these circumstances. Here we present a method that uses fluorescent nanodiamonds as fiducial markers and uses an improved maximum likelihood algorithm to estimate the drift with both accuracy and precision within the range 1.55−5.75 nm.
Persistence of Escherichia coli in freshwater periphyton: biofilm-forming capacity as a selective advantage.

Recent research has shown that Escherichia coli can persist in aquatic environments, although the characteristics that contribute to their survival remain poorly understood. This study examines periphytic E. coli populations that were continuously present in three temperate freshwater lakes from June to October 2008 in numbers ranging from 2 to 2 × 10(2) CFU 100 cm(-2) . A crystal violet assay revealed that all tested periphytic E. coli isolates were superior biofilm formers and they formed, on average, 2.5 times as much biofilm as E. coli isolated from humans, 4.5 times as much biofilm as shiga-like toxin-producing E. coli, and 7.5 times as much biofilm as bovine E. coli isolates. Repetitive extragenic palindromic polymerase chain reaction (REP-PCR) DNA fingerprinting analysis demonstrated the genetically diverse nature of the periphytic isolates, with genetic similarity between strains ranging from 40% to 86%. Additionally, the role of curli fibers in biofilm formation was investigated by comparing biofilm formation with curli expression under optimal conditions, although little correlation (R(2) = 0.095, P = 0.005) was found. The high mean biofilm-forming capacity observed in E. coli isolated from the periphyton suggests that selective pressures may favor E. coli capable of forming biofilms in freshwater environments.
Policy Imperatives of Commercial Transformation of Smallholders: Market Orientation Versus market Participation in Ethiopia

Policies for commercial transformation of smallholder agriculture are often aimed at promoting household market participation. The literature on agricultural transformation also makes little distinction between market orientation and market participation. This paper analyzes the determinants of market orientation and market participation in Ethiopia separately and examines if market orientation translates into market participation. Results show that subsistence requirements, market access, and production factors affect market orientation, while market access and volume of production affect market participation. Results also show that market orientation translates strongly into market participation. The key implication of this study is that policy interventions aimed at promoting commercial transformation of subsistence agriculture should follow two-pronged approach: improving market orientation of smallholders at production level, and facilitation of market entry and participation of households in output markets. Focusing on either may not be as effective in achieving the transformation.
When Does a Mutual Fund&Apos;S Trade Reveal its Skill?

We conjecture that a mutual fund manager with superior stock selection ability is more likely to benefit from trading in stocks affected by information-events. Taking the probability of informed trading (PIN, Easley, Kiefer, O'Hara, and Paperman, 1996) to measure the amount of informed trading in a stock, and inferring mutual fund trades from a large sample of mutual fund holdings, we provide empirical support for the conjecture. Funds trading high-PIN stocks exhibit superior performance on average, and superior performance that is more likely to persist. The findings are not due to price momentum or the higher returns earned by high-PIN stocks on average. Conclusions remain the same after testing for alternative measures for the amount of informed trading. Decomposing a fund's stock selection ability into "informed trading" and "liquidity provision" adds further insight into fund's underlying strengths. Impatient informed trading is a significant source of alpha for funds trading high-PIN stocks, while liquidity provision is more important as a source of alpha for funds trading low-PIN stocks.
A Simplified Approach to Semismooth Newton Methods in Function Space

We present an alternative approach to the analysis of Newton's method for function space problems involving semismooth Nemyckii operators. The simple main idea is to apply a local continuity result to appropriately chosen finite differences. In this respect it runs in parallel to the theory of Frechet differentiable Nemyckii operators. This leads to a concise proof of superlinear convergence under relaxed conditions, compared to previous results. Moreover, extensions of this technique allow one to prove sharpened bounds on the rate of convergence and study semismooth Newton methods in the presence of compactness.
THE PERFORMANCE OF ACCOUNTING-BASED VALUATION METHODS IN THE PRESENCE OF DIRTY SURPLUS FLOWS, AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS AND A PRACTICAL INSIGHT ON BROKER'S REPORTS

This dissertation analyzes the performance of accounting-based valuation methods in the presence of dirty surplus flows. We will first perform an empirical analysis on a large sample of U.S. companies between 2005 and 2010. This analysis compares the performance in terms of valuation errors of different accounting-based valuation methods (RIVM, AEGM and P/E) between two groups, with low and high level of dirty surplus flows. The study will show that P/E as the best accounting-based valuation method and it is independent of dirty surplus flows presence, while, RIVM was the second-best valuation method, followed by AEGM. The influence of dirty surplus flows is found in both RIVM and AEGM models. Particularly, the study reports that the longer the forecast horizon, the higher the valuation error AEGM would produce, in the presence of higher level of dirty surplus flows. Then a small sample of broker’s reports from FTSE 100 was studied. The study was divided in three parts; Studying the importance of dirty surplus for brokers, Practical insights about the valuation models used by brokers and Understanding the relevance of dirty surplus flows information to brokers. Brokers who introduce dirty surplus flow information in the valuation model, would, on average, use the DCF valuation model. However, the study concludes that the majority of brokers do not consider dirty surplus flow information. Finally, reports that incorporate dirty surplus flows information tend to achieve better performance. This dissertation presents JP Morgan reports as an example. 08 Fall
Sequence and expression of a xylanase gene from the hyperthermophile Thermotoga sp. strain FjSS3-B.1 and characterization of the recombinant enzyme and its activity on kraft pulp

A gene expressing xylanase activity was isolated from a genomic library of Thermotoga sp. strain FjSS3-B.1. The sequence of the gene shows that it encodes a single domain, family 10 xylanase. The recombinant enzyme has extremely high thermal stability, activity over a relatively broad pH range, and activity on Pinus radiata kraft pulp.
Middle management involvement in strategy and its association with strategic type: A research note

This paper reports the results of a study that investigated the strategic involvement of 259 middle managers in 25 organizations. Drawing from previous clinical research, a theoretical typology of middle management roles in strategy is developed. Measures for each role are derived, and the relationship between middle management strategic involvement and Miles and Snow's (1978) strategic type is examined. Results suggest the usefulness of these measures in assessing both the level and type of middle management strategic activity. In addition, the findings show that middle managers in Prospectors report significantly higher levels of upward and divergent forms of strategic involvement than those in Analyzers and Defenders. Traditionally, middle-level managers have not been considered part of the strategy process except in providing informational inputs and directing implementation. Contemporary theory and descriptions suggest, however, that middle managers regularly attempt to influence strategy and often provide the impetus for new initiatives (Burgelman, 1983a,b; Mintzberg and Waters, 1985). Bower (1970) was one of the first to recognize the contributions of middle managers: they '. are the only men [sic] in the organization who are in a position to judge whether [strategic] issues are being considered in the proper context' (297-298). More recently, empirical research has confirmed middle management's upward influence on strategic decisions (Schilit, 1987)
Neural Mechanisms Contributing to Dysphagia in Mouse Models

Investigative research into curative treatments for dysphagia is hindered by our incomplete understanding of the neural mechanisms of swallowing in health and disease. Development of translational research models is essential to bridge this knowledge gap by fostering innovative methodology. Toward this goal, our laboratory has developed a translational research assessment tool to investigate the neural mechanistic control of swallowing in unrestrained, self-feeding mice. Here we describe our initial development of synchronous brainstem neural recordings with a videofluoroscopic swallow study assay in healthy mice across the life span. Refinement of this combined methodology is currently underway. Ultimately, we envision that this assessment tool will permit systematic analysis of therapeutic interventions for dysphagia in preclinical trials with numerous mouse models of human conditions that cause dysphagia, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and advanced aging.
Integral equation solution of low frequency scattering with a conditioning that grows only Logarithmically with the number of unknowns

A detailed analysis of the Electric Field Integral Equation (EFIE) at low frequencies is presented which is based on the Sobolev space mapping properties of the EFIE. The theory shows that in the low-frequency regime an EFIE with a logarithmic condition number growth can be obtained. This, provided that both the solenoidal and non-solenoidal parts of the EFIE are properly regularized. The regularization is obtained by introducing a new set of loop hierarchical basis functions and the condition number growth for the proposed scheme is provably O(log2 N). Numerical tests confirm the results obtained by the theory.
Venture Performance in Malaysia: Personal Initiative, Human Capital, and Competency Areas of Founding Entrepreneurs as Critical Success Factors

Abstract This paper investigates the impact of factors such as personal initiative (PI), human capital, and competencies of founding entrepreneurs on venture growth. Malaysian entrepreneurs, who have taken their firms to the growth stage, have been used as respondents in this study. The factor PI is relatively new to entrepreneurial reseazch. Consistent with the theory, it is found that firms managed by high PI entrepreneurs achieve higher growth. In this study, competencies of founding entrepreneurs have been found to have a significant impact on venture growth.
Pulsed-Latch Circuits: A New Dimension in ASIC Design

Pulsed-latch circuits retain the advantages of both latches and flip-flops, offering higher performance and lower power consumption within a conventional ASIC design environment. This article identifies a design methodology and tools for pulsed-latch ASICs to complement this environment. The authors review potential solutions and provide quantitative results to assess the effectiveness of pulsed-latch circuits.
The adoption of variable-rate application of fertilizers technologies: the case of Iran.

Precision agriculture technologies are designed to provide broad information to assist farmers when making site-specific management decisions. The paper aims to investigate the use of adoption of precision agriculture technologies among agricultural specialists in Bushehr province, Iran. A survey using multi stage random sampling was used to collect data. Structural equation modeling using LISREL software was used to analyze data. The results showed that individual innovativeness and attitude to use affect intention to use of variable-rate application technologies. Perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness influence the intention to use of the technologies. Attitude to use is the most important determinant of intention. Based on the results, some recommendations have been provided.
BCCIP associates with the receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase PTPµ

The receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase PTPµ belongs to a family of adhesion molecules that contain cell–cell adhesion motifs in their extracellular segments and catalytic domains within their intracellular segments. The ability of PTPµ both to mediate adhesion and exhibit enzymatic activity makes PTPµ an excellent candidate to transduce signals in response to cell–cell adhesion. In an effort to identify downstream signaling partners of PTPµ, we performed a modified yeast two‐hybrid screen using the first tyrosine phosphatase domain of PTPµ as bait. We isolated an interacting clone encoding BRCA2 and CDKN1A interacting protein (BCCIP) from a HeLa cell library. BCCIP is a p21 and BRCA2 interacting protein that has been shown to play roles in both cell cycle arrest and DNA repair. In this manuscript, we confirm the interaction between BCCIP and PTPµ identified in yeast using in vitro biochemical studies and characterize BCCIP as a PTPµ binding protein. We demonstrate that BCCIP is phosphorylated by the Src tyrosine kinase and dephosphorylated by the PTPµ tyrosine phosphatase in vitro. Furthermore, we show that BCCIP is required for both the permissive and repulsive functions of PTPµ in neurite outgrowth assays, suggesting BCCIP and PTPµ are in a common signal transduction pathway. J. Cell. Biochem. 105: 1059–1072, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Successful transplantation of donor organs from a hemlock poisoning victim

Background. The poison hemlock plant (Conium maculatum) has been a known poison since early in human history, most notably as the agent used for the execution/suicide of Socrates in ancient Greece. No experience has been reported regarding the suitability of a hemlock victim’s organs for transplantation. Methods and Results. This report documents successful transplantation of the liver, kidney, and pancreas from a 14-year-old girl who died of anoxic encephalopathy from asphyxia after the accidental ingestion of fresh hemlock while on a nature hike. Predonation laboratory values were not remarkable, and liver and kidney biopsy results were normal. All organs in the three recipients had immediate function, and no recipient had any clinical evidence of transmitted toxin. All recipients are well, with functioning transplants at greater than 6 months after transplantation. Conclusions. Poison hemlock intoxication does not seem to be a contraindication to organ donation.
TELOMERE-INDEPENDENT REDUCTION OF HUMAN B LYMPHOCYTE: PROLIFERATION DURING LONG-TERM CULTURE

Telomeres and telomerase, the telomere lengthening enzyme, have been shown to play a central role in the long-term ability of cells to proliferate and maintain viability. In opposition to transformed cells, normal somatic cells express a low level of telomerase, which results in the gradual shortening of their telomeres after each division and in cell senescence once a critical telomere length is reached. We have tested the hypothesis that shortening of telomeres could limit the expansion of normal human B lymphocytes maintained in long-term culture using a CD40/CD154 system. Measurement of temolerase activity in cell lysates showed a rapid up-regulation of telomerase following the initiation of the culture that was dependent on the CD40 signaling. The high level of telomerase activity and the corresponding long telomere structures remained constant for the 35 day culture period in which a gradual reduction of the cell expansion rate is observed. We conclude that the gradual in vitro senescence of cultured B cells does not correlate with a corresponding loss of telomerase activity and of telomere length. Rather the phenomenon may be related to an intrinsic property of the proliferating B cells to differentiate into Ig-secreting cells.
The Voluntary Adoption of Green Electricity by Ontario-Based Businesses

This paper explores the contextual factors that promote and inhibit firms’ motivations to adopt a voluntary environmental initiative that is good for the environment but does not provide a clear competitive or legitimating benefit to the firm itself. Using green electricity (e.g., wind, solar, small hydro, and biomass) as an example of such an initiative, the study uses qualitative research to investigate the willingness of 20 Canadian businesses to voluntarily adopt green electricity for at least a portion of their total electricity requirements. Although the corporate ecological responsiveness literature reveals that external factors (e.g., economic, government, infrastructure), organizational factors (e.g., industry cohesion), and individual factors (e.g., leadership, individual interest, manager discretion) can all affect the types of environmental projects that firms will adopt, in the case of green electricity the external factors were the more significant obstacles to it being perceived as a viable means to improve corporate environmental performance. In firms currently using green electricity, these obstacles were largely overcome by the successful efforts of an internal champion motivated primarily by individual values. An important aspect of the champion’s success is her ability to attach her personal interest to a tangible business issue. This task is in turn aided by proactive or sustaining corporate environmental strategies that formalize continual environmental improvement processes and are predisposed to evaluating the success of an initiative on more than its financial or legitimizing contribution to the firm. Based on these findings, the thesis concludes that the two most important factors associated with the willingness of firms to adopt an initiative that is good for the environment but not necessarily good for the firm are the development of decision-making criteria that extend beyond the bottom-line and the capability of concerned individuals to legitimize the initiative
Enhanced multi-target detection for HFSWR by sparse-recovery-based 2-D MUSIC

This paper proposes using the sparse-recovery (SR) based 2-D multiple-signal classification (MUSIC) to enhance the multi-target detection capability of high-frequency surface wave radars (HFSWRs). Usually, for wide-beam HFSWRs, target detection is first conducted in the range-Doppler spectrum; bearings are then estimated by super-resolution methods, such as MUSIC. Unfortunately, this approach can easily result in unfavorable deterioration of multi-target detection by conventional cascaded methods if target signals tend to mix in the Doppler spectrum. To compensate this shortage, spatial-temporal joint estimation is used. Owing to the lack of spatial-temporal snapshots caused by the non-stationarity of target signals, the efficiency of the estimator is improved by multiple-measurement-vector-based sparse recovery, which has been used to solve many under-sampling problems in the past ten years. As a result, 2D SR-MUSIC improves multi-target detection and outperforms conventional cascaded methods. The results obtained using real data with opportune targets validate our approach. Multiple adjacent targets are detected and distinguished from one another.
Ultra thin die embedding technology with 20μm-pitch interconnection

A novel approach is presented for polymer die embedding and 3D stacking technology, applicable to 3D LSI packaging with consideration to future die specifications. Two main parts are described here; a newly developed die thinning process and an integration process employing via opening by deep reactive ion etching (DRIE). The target minimum pad pitch on embedded dies was 20 µm, considering the finest pad pitch in the next 5 to 10 years. Thin dies embedded in polymer allow for the use of narrow-pitch copper pillars beside the dies for vertical conductive connections. 20 µm-pitch pads on approximately 15 µm-thick die were successfully connected using such 3D interconnections to a base wafer, and confirmed by electrical measurements.
The Impact of Online Information on the Value of Quality Signals in Traditional Markets

With the decentralization of information and the democratization of expertise brought about by the growth of the Web, consumers now have access to a plethora of information on various aspects of their purchase process. This study seeks to examine whether such decentralized online information substitutes or complements traditional centralized sources of information. Specifically, we examine how the increased access to online information alters the salience and value of conventional quality signaling mechanisms such as certification for consumers. We draw upon a unique and extensive dataset of consumers who obtained vehicle and transaction related information from online sources in their used vehicle purchase process to examine the impact of their information acquisition on the choice of certification, as well as the price paid. We compare the outcomes of sales across certified and non-certified used car purchases. Our findings highlight that product-related information substitutes, and price-related information complements, certification as indicated by their differential impacts on demand and price of certified used cars. We discuss the relevance of our findings for buyers and sellers and outline implications for online information providers as well.