Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of online shoppers with navigation problems

Purpose – Many internet users are not able to navigate through e‐commerce web pages and reach their targets. Navigation problems lead to customers' disappointment and, as a consequence, companies fail to provide information and offer direct sales through the internet. The purpose of this paper is to profile internet users experiencing navigation problems while shopping online using socio‐demographic indicators. The application of usability is proposed as a solution to web site navigation issues.Design/methodology/approach – Hierarchical segmentation and regression analysis are applied to a sample of online shoppers with navigation problems.Findings – Socio‐demographic profiles of online shoppers with navigation problems.Research limitations/implications – This paper focuses on customers' socio‐demographic features. Other indicators, such as attitudes or behaviours, have not been considered.Practical implications – Understanding the socio‐demographic profiles of customers with higher levels of navigation p.
Presentation of Benefits and Harms in US Cancer Screening and Prevention Guidelines: Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND Cancer prevention and screening guidelines are ideally suited to the task of providing high-quality benefit-harm information that informs clinical practice. We systematically examined how US guidelines present benefits and harms for recommended cancer prevention and screening interventions. METHODS We included cancer screening and prevention recommendations from: 1) the United States Preventive Services Task Force, 2) the American Cancer Society, 3) the American College of Physicians, 4) the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, and 5) other US guidelines within the National Guidelines Clearinghouse. Searches took place November 20, 2013, and January 1, 2014, and updates were reviewed through July 1, 2015. Two coders used an abstraction form to code information about benefits and harms presented anywhere within a guideline document, including appendices. The primary outcome was each recommendation's benefit-harm "comparability" rating, based on how benefits and harms were presented. Recommendations presenting absolute effects for both benefits and harms received a "comparable" rating. Other recommendations received an incomplete rating or an asymmetric rating based on prespecified criteria. RESULTS Fifty-five recommendations for using interventions to prevent or detect breast, prostate, colon, cervical, and lung cancer were identified among 32 guidelines. Thirty point nine percent (n = 17) received a comparable rating, 14.5% (n = 8) received an incomplete rating, and 54.5% (n = 30) received an asymmetric rating. CONCLUSIONS Sixty-nine percent of cancer prevention and screening recommendation statements either did not quantify benefits and harms or presented them in an asymmetric manner. Improved presentation of benefits and harms in guidelines would better ensure that clinicians and patients have access to the information required for making informed decisions.
Detection of chronic kidney disease by using ensemble classifiers

Chronic kidney disease is a major health problem that affect the lives of millions of people around the world and causes serious economical, social and medical problems. Chronic kidney disease can be detected with several automatic diagnosis systems. In this study, we apply Adaboost, Bagging and Random Subspaces ensemble learning algorithms for the diagnosis of chronic kidney diseases. Decision tree based classifiers are used in the decision stage. The classification performances are evaluated with kappa and accuracy criteria. Considering the performance analyses of the proposed systems, it is observed that ensemble learning classifiers provide better classification performance than individual classifiers.
High-frequency oscillation in adults: A utilization review*

Objectives:High-frequency oscillation is used for adults with acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome. Given the uncertain benefits, our objective was to describe contemporary patient selection, high-frequency oscillation utilization, and outcomes. Design:Utilization review. Setting:Ten academic centers (Ontario, Canada; January 1, 2005–January 31, 2007). Patients:We included 190 consecutive adults treated with high-frequency oscillation and retrospectively abstracted data on patient demographics, gas exchange, hemodynamics, settings during conventional ventilation and high-frequency oscillation, adjunctive therapies, and outcomes. We used logistic regression to explore associations with oxygenation response and hemodynamic and ventilatory complications (2 hrs after high-frequency oscillation initiation) and mortality. Continuous data are reported as mean (sd) or median (quartile 1, quartile 3). Interventions:None. Measurements and Main Results:Patients (60.0% male; mean age, 52; sd 17) had predominantly acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (89.8%) and were severely ill (mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, 28; sd, 9) and hypoxemic (mean Pao2/Fio2, 80; sd, 42). High-frequency oscillation was started a median of 2 (1, 8) days after intubation and continued for a median of 3 (2, 7) days. During high-frequency oscillation, adjunctive treatments (neuromuscular blockade, 75.6%; recruitment maneuvers, 49.5%; nitric oxide, 34.0%; steroids, 63.1%) and new barotrauma or chest tube placement (23.5%) were common. Ten patients (5.3%) had technical complications; five required a new ventilator. Reasons for stopping high-frequency oscillation included death or withdrawal of life support (39.1%), significant improvement in respiratory failure (37.6%), and inadequate improvement (23.3%). One hundred and twenty-eight of 189 patients died in hospital. Most (62.5%) had a positive oxygenation response after 2 hrs of high-frequency oscillation (mean absolute increase in Pao2/Fio2, 22 [sd, 54]; 95% confidence interval of mean 14–31). A minority had lower Pao2/Fio2 (32.5%) or a hemodynamic (27.5%) or ventilatory (30.5%) complication. Older age, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, and Paco2 before high-frequency oscillation were independently associated with mortality. Conclusions:Most patients treated with high-frequency oscillation have acute respiratory distress syndrome and severe hypoxemia that modestly improves 2 hrs after high-frequency oscillation application. However, oxygenation worsens in some patients, complications are common, and mortality is high.
Holistic design considerations for environmentally adaptive 60 GHz beamforming technology

Proliferation of all forms of smart devices has driven the demand for high-data-rate Wi-Fi in recent years. Utilizing wide bandwidth in high frequency is the most efficient way of guaranteeing the explosive data demands. In spite of the notable advancements of RF technologies at millimeter wave, the relatively high propagation loss remains problematic. The authors present efficient beamforming technology to mitigate this challenge. In this article, we first discuss the principles and major applications of beamforming technology. Afterward, we present the challenges for optimizing the efficiency of beamforming as well as the solutions to tackle them by proposing enhanced algorithms and advanced design architectures based on our hands-on experience and knowledge. Lastly, experimental results are discussed to deduce insight and vision of future Wi-Fi.
The impact of a mid‐season change of manager on sporting performance

Purpose – This paper aims to evaluate the impact of a mid‐season change of manager on the sporting performance of professional football teams in the First Division of the Spanish Football League.Design/methodology/approach – In team sports, the manager takes important decisions that affect the sporting performance of the team. Although the manager is normally hired for a period of at least one season, clubs frequently change managers halfway through that period. Before taking that decision, the Board of Directors probably ask themselves: “Do we sack the manager … or is it better not to? ” Data envelopment analysis (DEA) techniques are used to compare the performance of a group of teams that have changed their manager mid‐season to that of teams that have stuck with the same manager for the entire season.Findings – The main result is that a mid‐season change of manager improves sporting performance, but it does not allow to perform as well as teams that have not changed managers halfway through the season.P.
Who Benefits from Building Insurance Groups? A Welfare Analysis Based on Optimal Group Risk Management

This paper compares the shareholder-value-maximizing capital structure and pricing policy of insurance groups against that of stand-alone insurers. Groups can utilise intra-group risk diversification by means of capital and risk transfer instruments. We show that using these instruments enables the group to offer insurance with less default risk and at lower premiums than is optimal for stand-alone insurers. We also take into account that shareholders of groups could find it more difficult to prevent inefficient overinvestment or cross-subsidisation, which we model by higher dead-weight costs of carrying capital. The tradeoff between risk diversification on the one hand and higher dead-weight costs on the other can result in group building being beneficial for shareholders but detrimental for policyholders.
The Impact of Audit Committee Characteristics on Earnings Management: Additional Evidence from Jordan

This research investigates the impact of audit committees’ characteristics (audit committee size, independence, activity, financial expertise, and percentage of common stocks owned by audit committee) on improved accounting conservatism and earnings management practices for a sample of 50 Jordanian industrial corporations listed in Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) during the period of 2004-2009. The study measures accounting conservatism using book-to-market approach and ratio of total accruals to gross profit. By using Pooled Data Regression the study found the audit committee characteristics examined are not significantly related to accounting conservatism with the exception of financial experience of audit committee which was found to have a positive relationship to conservatism.
Structural Characterization of a Unique Interface between Carbohydrate Response Element-binding Protein (ChREBP) and 14-3-3β Protein*

Background: Glucose-responsive ChREBP binds 14-3-3 and localizes cytosolically during starvation. Results: ChREBP interacts with 14-3-3 through its α2 helix in a novel phosphorylation-independent conformation. Conclusion: 14-3-3 binds to ChREBP with high affinity to stabilize ChREBP in the cytosolic compartment under low glucose conditions. Significance: ChREBP·14-3-3 structure is the first step toward understanding the mechanism by which ChREBP responds to glucose levels. Carbohydrate response element-binding protein (ChREBP) is an insulin-independent, glucose-responsive transcription factor that is expressed at high levels in liver hepatocytes where it plays a critical role in converting excess carbohydrates to fat for storage. In response to fluctuating glucose levels, hepatic ChREBP activity is regulated in large part by nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of ChREBP protein via interactions with 14-3-3 proteins. The N-terminal ChREBP regulatory region is necessary and sufficient for glucose-responsive ChREBP nuclear import and export. Here, we report the crystal structure of a complex of 14-3-3β bound to the N-terminal regulatory region of ChREBP at 2.4 Å resolution. The crystal structure revealed that the α2 helix of ChREBP (residues 117–137) adopts a well defined α-helical conformation and binds 14-3-3 in a phosphorylation-independent manner that is different from all previously characterized 14-3-3 and target protein-binding modes. ChREBP α2 interacts with 14-3-3 through both electrostatic and van der Waals interactions, and the binding is partially mediated by a free sulfate or phosphate. Structure-based mutagenesis and binding assays indicated that disrupting the observed 14-3-3 and ChREBP α2 interface resulted in a loss of complex formation, thus validating the novel protein interaction mode in the 14-3-3β·ChREBP α2 complex.
Computed Tomographic Attenuation Value of Coronary Atherosclerotic Plaques With Different Tube Voltage: An Ex Vivo Study

Objectives: To compare the diagnostic performance of computed tomographic (CT) attenuation and CT attenuation ratio at different tube voltages for ex vivo plaque characterization. Materials and Methods: Human coronary arteries were obtained at the time of autopsy in 15 subjects. The coronary arteries were serially cut into 5-mm-long segments and scanned ex vivo using 4 sets of tube voltages and tube currents (80 kV, 660 mA; 100 kV, 500 mA; 120 kV, 400 mA; and 140 kV, 340 mA). The CT attenuation value at the center of each plaque was obtained, and the ratio of the CT attenuation value at the 80-kV setting divided by that at the 140-kV setting (Hounsfield ratio [HR], 80:140) was calculated. Separate receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were used to assess the usefulness of the CT attenuation value and the 80:140 HR for the differential diagnosis of lipid-rich plaques from other types of plaques. Results: A total of 93 coronary plaques were detected macroscopically. Histological examination revealed 39 lipid-rich, 24 calcified, and 30 fibrotic plaques. At all the tube voltages, the CT attenuation values of the lipid-rich plaques were lower than those of the calcified plaques, whereas the CT attenuation values of the lipid-rich and fibrotic plaques overlapped. An ROC analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) for the differential diagnosis of lipid-rich plaques from fibrotic plaques was 0.813 at 80 kV, 0.772 at 100 kV, 0.682 at 120 kV, or 0.651 at 140 kV. Regarding the 80:140 HR, the AUC was 0.952 (0.029). The AUC was significantly larger at 80 and 100 kV and 80:140 HR compared with the AUC at 120 kV. Conclusions: The diagnostic performance of CT analysis for ex vivo plaque characterization was superior at lower energy settings and using the dual-energy method.
Natural Transformation of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Agrobacterium tumefaciens in Soil

ABSTRACT Little information is available concerning the occurrence of natural transformation of bacteria in soil, the frequency of such events, and the actual role of this process on bacterial evolution. This is because few bacteria are known to possess the genes required to develop competence and because the tested bacteria are unable to reach this physiological state in situ. In this study we found that two soil bacteria, Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Pseudomonas fluorescens, can undergo transformation in soil microcosms without any specific physical or chemical treatment. Moreover, P. fluorescens produced transformants in both sterile and nonsterile soil microcosms but failed to do so in the various in vitro conditions we tested. A. tumefaciens could be transformed in vitro and in sterile soil samples. These results indicate that the number of transformable bacteria could be higher than previously thought and that these bacteria could find the conditions necessary for uptake of extracellular DNA in soil.
Impact of left ventricular lead position in cardiac resynchronization therapy on left ventricular remodelling . A circumferential strain analysis based on 2 D echocardiography

Aims To assess if myocardial deformation imaging allows definition of an optimal left ventricular (LV) lead position with improved effectiveness of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) on LV reverse remodelling. Methods Circumferential strain imaging based on tracking of acoustic markers within 2D echo images (GE Ultrasound) was performed in 47 heart failure patients (59+9 years, 28 men) at baseline, one day postoperatively, 3 and 10 months after initiation of CRT. Myocardial deformation imaging was used to determine the segment with latest peak negative systolic circumferential strain prior to CRT, and the segment with maximal temporal difference of peak strain before-to-on CRT as the segment with greatest benefit of CRTand assumed LV lead position. Anatomic LV lead position was determined by fluoroscopy. Optimal LV lead position was defined as concordance or immediate neighbouring of the segment with latest systolic strain prior to CRT and segment with assumed LV lead position. Results Agreement of assumed LV lead position based on strain analysis and LV lead position defined by fluoroscopy were high (kappa 1⁄4 0.847). At 10 month follow-up, there was greater increase of EF (12+3 vs. 7+4%, P , 0.001), greater decrease of left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) (23+8 vs. 13+7 mL, P , 0.001) and left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) (42+10 vs. 27+8 mL, P , 0.001), and greater increase of VO2max (2.8+0.8 vs. 1.9+1.0 mL/kg/min, P 1⁄4 0.035) in the optimal (n 1⁄4 28 patients) compared to the non-optimal LV lead position group (n 1⁄4 19 patients). The distance between segment with latest systolic strain prior to CRT and segment with assumed LV lead position was the only independent predictor of DLVEDV and DLVESV at 10 month follow-up (R 1⁄4 0.2175, P 1⁄4 0.0197) and (R 1⁄4 0.3774, P 1⁄4 0.0054), respectively. Conclusion Detailed analysis of the myocardial contraction sequence using circumferential strain imaging allows determination of the LV lead position in CRT. Optimal LV lead position in CRT defined by circumferential strain analysis results in greater improvement in LV function and more LV reverse remodelling than non-optimal LV lead position.
Effects of Random Values for Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm

Particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is generally improved by adaptively adjusting the inertia weight or combining with other evolution algorithms. However, in most modified PSO algorithms, the random values are always generated by uniform distribution in the range of [0, 1]. In this study, the random values, which are generated by uniform distribution in the ranges of [0, 1] and [−1, 1], and Gauss distribution with mean 0 and variance 1 ( U [ 0 , 1 ] , U [ − 1 , 1 ] and G ( 0 , 1 ) ), are respectively used in the standard PSO and linear decreasing inertia weight (LDIW) PSO algorithms. For comparison, the deterministic PSO algorithm, in which the random values are set as 0.5, is also investigated in this study. Some benchmark functions and the pressure vessel design problem are selected to test these algorithms with different types of random values in three space dimensions (10, 30, and 100). The experimental results show that the standard PSO and LDIW-PSO algorithms with random values generated by U [ − 1 , 1 ] or G ( 0 , 1 ) are more likely to avoid falling into local optima and quickly obtain the global optima. This is because the large-scale random values can expand the range of particle velocity to make the particle more likely to escape from local optima and obtain the global optima. Although the random values generated by U [ − 1 , 1 ] or G ( 0 , 1 ) are beneficial to improve the global searching ability, the local searching ability for a low dimensional practical optimization problem may be decreased due to the finite particles.
Draft Genome Sequence of Myroides sp. N17-2, a Multidrug-Resistant Bacterium Isolated from Radiation-Polluted Soils

ABSTRACT We report here the 4.29-Mb draft genome sequence of Myroides sp. N17-2, a new bacterium isolated from radiation-polluted soils in Xinjiang, Uyghur Autonomous Region, China. The acquisition of its genome will provide valuable information to reveal the relationship between radiation and multidrug resistance.
Linear matrix inequalities for full and reduced order anti-windup synthesis

This work considers the design of fixed-order antiwindup compensators guaranteeing stability and a given level of L2 performance. The main results show how the design of such a compensator can be cast as a nonconvex optimization problem. It is demonstrated how, under given conditions, this optimization problem can be reduced to a standard LMI (linear matrix inequality) feasibility problem, and situations in which these compensators coincide with those in the literature are described. Moreover, given this formulation, an algorithm for the construction of anti-windup compensators which meet an optimal C2 performance bound is proposed. Furthermore, a lower bound on the C2 performance achievable is shown to be precisely the greater of that predicted by the bounded real lemmas for the linear open-loop plant and for the linear unsaturated closed-loop system.
The Multifunctional Role of Forests - Policies, Methods and Case Studies

After 1990, with the transition towards democracy and market economy in Eastern countries, the integration of Europe became stronger causing both new problems and chances for forestry. There were two types of reaction in forest policy. On the one hand in the emerging democracies the classic instruments of forest government were formulated by rebuilding the rule of law, private ownership and markets for forestry. implementation of the progressive laws is the major problem today. On the other hand, cooperative forest policy-making in self-organizing networks of participants from policy, economy and society was introduced mainly by national forest programmes or by the European Union forest strategy. Based on a theory of policy-making and network analysis and case studies it is shown that this new “forest governance” offers chances for mutual learning but the results are also affected by a power process. By showing the distribution of power, network analysis could provide useful information for the decision on whether to join a specific network. Enhanced forest governance could be a new task for an active state administration. Whether the state forest service could fit into this new role depends on the ability to become a trusted mediator for all interests in forests. In conclusion, it is recommended to rely on the classic government instruments for a strong forest policy but to actively make use of the governance instruments in selected cases only.
Customer experience from a self-service system perspective

Purpose – A service system, including self-service technologies (SSTs), should facilitate actors’ value co-creation processes to enhance customer experiences. The purpose of this paper is to analyze how customers’ experiences – both favorable and unfavorable – are formed by identifying the underlying drivers when using SSTs in the context of a self-service-based system. The authors also analyze customers’ journeys, which occur before, during, and after their experience with a self-service-based system with SSTs. Design/methodology/approach – An exploratory, inductive study examines customers’ self-service experiences of using an SST. By undertaking 60 customer interviews, an event-based technique identified 200 favorable and unfavorable experienced events, which consist of activities and interactions identified through open coding guided by a theoretical framework. Customers’ experiences form through social norms and rules, referred to here as schemas. The authors sorted the drivers into four main categor.
National bank window dressing, 1866–1871

Market observers accused national banks of window dressing their balance sheets after the American Civil War. A test of window dressing compares two distinct series of legal tender reserves of Philadelphia banks from 1866 to 1871. The test provides some evidence that Philadelphia banks window dressed aggregate legal tender reserves by about 6%. At least in the aggregate, bank window dressing was not overly large during this period.