Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mitochondrial variations in the MT-ND4 and MT-TL1 genes are associated with male infertility

ABSTRACT Mitochondrial gene mutations have been reported to be associated with sperm motility and the quality of semen. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the two mitochondrial genes (MT-ND4 and MT-TL1) are involved in Chinese male infertility. A total of 97 asthenospermia patients and 80 fertile controls were recruited in this case-control study. Genomic DNA were extracted from the sperm of all participants. Two mitochondrial DNA genes (MT-ND4 and MT-TL1) were amplified by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the gene-specific primers and sequenced on an ABI 3730XL DNA sequencer. For the MT-ND4 gene, we found a total of 64 and 54 nucleotide substitutions in patients and controls, respectively, with no discrepancy in the mutation rates (66.0% vs. 67.5%, p>0.05). However, one mutation (g.11084A>G, p.T109A) leading to an amino acid substitution in a highly conserved residue and predicted to be deleterious was detected only in the cases. For another gene MT-TL1, a novel mutation (g.3263C>T) near the anticodon TAA was identified in an asthenospermia patient and was absent from normal controls. However, the mutation positions in the cases varied from the controls and one highly conserved mutation (g.11084A>G, p.T109A) which was not found in the controls and probably caused damage to the protein structure might contribute to asthenospermia. For another gene MT-TL1, a highly conservative novel mutation which is located closely next to the anticodon also might contribute to asthenospermia. Our result suggests that the MT-ND4 and MT-TL1 genes might be associated with Chinese male infertility. Abbreviations: MT-ND4: mitochondrially encoded NADH dehydrogenase 4; MT-TL1: mitochondrially encoded tRNA leucine 1 (UUA/G); PCR: polymerase chain reaction; OXPHOS: mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation; ATP: adenosine triphosphate; mtDNA: mitochondrial DNA; SNPs: single nucleotide substitutions; AD: alzheimer’s disease; PD: parkinson’s disease; MELAS: mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes; ROS: reactive oxygen species
A Unified Approach for IP Protection across Design Phases in a Packaged Chip

IP values contributed by the distinct design tools in specific design phases, are recognized by observing the signature of the owner of each tool as functional or scan mode output of the fabricated chip, for certain input vector secret to the owner. An existing approach inserts watermark through reordering of single scan chain, and solely identifies the owner of the logic design tool. Here we propose a novel scheme to watermark the recent reconfigurable scan architectures, operating in both scan tree and single scan mode. The signature of the owner of physical design tool along with that of logic design tool can separately be embedded while designing the scan tree and also verified from the packaged chip without conflict using two distinct modes. A bi-objective minimization of overhead in routing and power is supported through our scheme. Experimental results on design overhead and robustness for ISCAS’89 benchmarks are encouraging.
Comparison of Gafchromic EBT2 and EBT3 for patient-specific quality assurance: cranial stereotactic radiosurgery using volumetric modulated arc therapy with multiple noncoplanar arcs.

PURPOSE Patient-specific quality assurance in volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) brain stereotactic radiosurgery raises specific issues on dosimetric procedures, mainly represented by the small radiation fields associated with the lack of lateral electronic equilibrium, the need of small detectors and the high dose delivered (up to 30 Gy). GafchromicTM EBT2 and EBT3 films may be considered the dosimeter of choice, and the authors here provide some additional data about uniformity correction for this new generation of radiochromic films. METHODS A new analysis method using blue channel for marker dye correction was proposed for uniformity correction both for EBT2 and EBT3 films. Symmetry, flatness, and field-width of a reference field were analyzed to provide an evaluation in a high-spatial resolution of the film uniformity for EBT3. Absolute doses were compared with thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD) as baseline. VMAT plans with multiple noncoplanar arcs were generated with a treatment planning system on a selected pool of eleven patients with cranial lesions and then recalculated on a water-equivalent plastic phantom by Monte Carlo algorithm for patient-specific QA. 2D quantitative dose comparison parameters were calculated, for the computed and measured dose distributions, and tested for statistically significant differences. RESULTS Sensitometric curves showed a different behavior above dose of 5 Gy for EBT2 and EBT3 films; with the use of inhouse marker-dye correction method, the authors obtained values of 2.5% for flatness, 1.5% of symmetry, and a field width of 4.8 cm for a 5×5 cm2 reference field. Compared with TLD and selecting a 5% dose tolerance, the percentage of points with ICRU index below 1 was 100% for EBT2 and 83% for EBT3. Patients analysis revealed statistically significant differences (p<0.05) between EBT2 and EBT3 in the percentage of points with gamma values<1 (p=0.009 and p=0.016); the percent difference as well as the mean difference between calculated and measured isodoses (20% and 80%) were found not to be significant (p=0.074, p=0.185, and p=0.57). CONCLUSIONS Excellent performances in terms of dose homogeneity were obtained using a new blue channel method for marker-dye correction on both EBT2 and EBT3 GafchromicTM films. In comparison with TLD, the passing rates for the EBT2 film were higher than for EBT3; a good agreement with estimated data by Monte Carlo algorithm was found for both films, with some statistically significant differences again in favor of EBT2. These results suggest that the use of GafchromicTM EBT2 and EBT3 films is appropriate for dose verification measurements in VMAT stereotactic radiosurgery; taking into account the uncertainty associated with Gafchromic film dosimetry, the use of adequate action levels is strongly advised, in particular, for EBT3.
A fully integrated high gain 85–106 GHz packaged receiver module in CMOS 65 nm for FMCW radar

In this paper a fully integrated W-band receiver for FMCW radar in CMOS 65 nm technology is presented. The receiver topology is based on a 6-stage LNA, a Gilbert cell mixer, an IF buffer and an LO chain based on a x9 multiplying chain with a power amplifier. The receiver has a record peak conversion gain of +46 dB at 91 GHz and has a minimum NF of 7 dB for an IF of 40 MHz. A conversion gain higher than +30 dB was measured between 88 and 96 GHz. The circuit occupies an area of 1 mm2 and has a total DC power consumption of 300 mW. The chip is packaged in a connectorized module using wire-bonding with transition to WR10 and LO and IF filters.
Effects of Social Perceptions and Organizational Commitment on Restaurant Performance

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of employees’ organizational commitment and social perceptions of their coworkers and managers on key restaurant performance indicators (i.e., customer satisfaction, restaurant sales change, and employee turnover rate). This study enhances the existing literature related to the influence of the work environment and employees’ job attitudes on organizations’ performance, and includes two fundamental social dimensions that are often used to evaluate other individuals or groups, namely warmth and competence. In order to examine such effects, structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized. Results suggest that managers’ warmth and employees’ organizational commitment have significant effects on restaurants’ turnover rates. Moreover, employees’ organizational commitment improves restaurants’ sales change and customer satisfaction. Implications for practitioners and researchers are discussed in detail.
Fit Gap Analysis – The Role of Business Process Reference Models

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems support solutions for standard business processes such as financial, sales, procurement and warehouse. In order to improve the understandability and efficiency of their implementation, ERP vendors have introduced reference models that describe the processes and underlying structure of an ERP system. To select and successfully implement an ERP system, the capabilities of that system have to be compared with a company’s business needs. Based on a comparison, all of the fits and gaps must be identified and further analysed. This step usually forms part of ERP implementation methodologies and is called fit gap analysis. The paper theoretically overviews methods for applying reference models and describes fit gap analysis processes in detail. The paper’s first contribution is its presentation of a fit gap analysis using standard business process modelling notation. The second contribution is the demonstration of a process-based comparison approach between a supply chain process and an ERP system process reference model. In addition to its theoretical contributions, the results can also be practically applied to projects involving the selection and implementation of ERP systems.
Global Monetary Policy Shocks in the G5: A Svar Approach

The paper constructs a global monetary aggregate, namely the sum of the key monetary aggregates of the G5 economies (US, Euro area, Japan, UK, and Canada), and analyses its indicator properties for global output and inflation. Using a structural VAR approach we find that after a monetary policy shock output declines temporarily, with the downward effect reaching a peak within the second year, and the global monetary aggregate drops significantly. In addition, the price level rises permanently in response to a positive shock to the global liquidity aggregate. The similarity of our results with those found in country studies might supports the use of a global monetary aggregate as a summary measure of worldwide monetary trends.
What and How to Communicate CSR? The Role of CSR fit, Modality Interactivity, and Message Interactivity on Social Networking Sites

ABSTRACT The current study explored how organizations can build credibility of their CSR communication in social media. In particular the study investigated the role of CSR fit, modality interactivity and message interactivity through a 2 × 2 × 3 experimental design (N = 299). The results suggest that promoting CSR activities with a good fit for the organization leads to greater credibility. Message interactivity also leads to greater credibility perception by way of imbuing a sense of social presence and openness to communication; however, modality interactivity did not significantly influence credibility. Additional analysis suggests an interaction between CSR fit and message interactivity that makes fit critical in low-interactivity settings. Implications for public relations research and practice are discussed.
Are Alternative Farmers Yielding Success with Online Marketing and Communication Tools for Their Social Capital and Business Viability

To foster direct-to-consumer marketing, some alternative farmers are shifting to online tools like social media. What is unknown, however, is how they use them and what impacts use has on their business. The purpose of this study was to characterize and determine influences and outcomes of alternative farmers’ use of various online communication channels to better understand what they stand to gain (or lose) from participation in these activities as it relates to their farm business viability and social capital. Through survey data of 82 alternative farmers, it was learned their personal use of social media was highly correlated with their business use. Most of their time on the Internet was spent finding farming information and finding and interacting with customers; these activities (along with several others) were positively correlated with online bridging social capital. Personal uses of Facebook were indicative of greater social capital, whereas business uses of any social media were not. For business viability, the more Facebook Page likes their farms had, the more revenue they had, but no relationships were found between their business use of social media and customer loyalty or customer relationship. In sum, alternative farmers’ use of online communication tools was positively related to their social capital and their use of Facebook Pages was positively related to farm revenue. This study provides critical benchmark data to later determine the impact of effective use of these tools.
Utilization and perioperative complications of laparoscopic cryoablation vs. robotic partial nephrectomy for localized renal tumors

ABSTRACT Objective: To compare the utilization, perioperative complications and predictors of LCA versus RPN in the treatment of localized renal tumors. Methods: From the Nationwide Inpatient Sample we identified patients undergoing RPN or LCA for the treatment of localized renal tumors from October 2008 through 2010. Patient and hospital-specific factors which predict postoperative complications and use of LCA were investigated. Results: 14,275 patients with localized renal tumors were identified: 70.3% had RPN and 29.7% had LCA. LCA was more common in older patient and at hospitals without robotic consoles. No difference was identified in perioperative complications (0.2% vs. 0.2%), transfusion (5.1% vs. 6.2%), length of stay (2.9 vs. 3.0 days) or median cost ($41,753 vs. $44,618) between the groups, LCA vs. RPN. On multivariate analysis sicker patients were more likely to have LCA (OR 1.34, p=0.048) and sicker patients had greater postoperative complications (OR 3.30, p<0.001); LCA did not predict more complications (OR 1.63, p=0.138) and LCA was performed at hospitals without RCs (OR 0.02, p<0.001). Limitations include observational study design, inability to assess disease severity, operative time, or body mass index, which may affect patient selection and outcomes. Conclusions: More patients had RPN vs. LCA; surgical technique was not predictive of postoperative complications. As technology develops to treat localized renal tumors, it will be important to continue to track outcomes and costs for procedures including RPN and LCA.
Assessing the skill of yes / no predictions

Should healthy, middle-aged women receive precautionary mammograms? Should trauma surgeons use the popular TRISS score to predict the likelihood of patient survival? These are examples of questions confronting us when we decide whether to use a Yes/No prediction. In order to trust a prediction we must show that it is more valuable than would be our best guess of the future in absence of the prediction. Calculating value means identifying our loss should the prediction err and examining the past performance of the prediction with respect to that loss. A statistical test to do this is developed. Predictions that pass this test are said to have skill. Only skillful predictions should be used. Graphical and numerical methods to identify skill will be demonstrated. The usefulness of mammograms and weather predictions will be explored.
What cause of mortality can we predict by cholesterol screening in the Japanese general population?

Abstract. Okamura T, Kadowaki T, Hayakawa T, Kita Y, Okayama A, Ueshima H (Shiga University of Medical Science, Shiga, Japan; Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Iwate, Japan). What cause of mortality can we predict by cholesterol screening in the Japanese general population? J Intern Med 2003; 253: 169–180.
Gene therapy strategies to improve the effectiveness of cancer radiotherapy

Having the ability to alter the genetic makeup of a cancer cell by gene transfer is a potentially powerful strategy for treating human cancer. However, a low efficiency of gene delivery in vivo and poor tumour specificity has prevented the widespread implementation of this technology in the clinic. Despite these formidable obstacles, the first successful application of gene therapy in the treatment of cancer may occur when it is combined with local modalities such as radiation therapy. A small number of gene therapy strategies have been evaluated in clinical trials in combination with external beam radiation therapy. The combined therapy has been well-tolerated and has not exacerbated the side effects of radiation therapy. Gene transfer and tumour cell destruction has been demonstrated in vivo. Although the results await confirmation in larger, prospective Phase III trials, there is suggestive evidence that the combined therapies may be demonstrating better than expected antitumour activity. Our vast knowledge of the molecular defects that drive the cancer process, coupled with our expanding understanding of the genes responsible for tumour cell radioresistance, have spawned the development of rational, targeted gene therapies designed to increase tumour cell radiosensitivity. Here, the results of the clinical trials conducted so far will be reviewed, followed by a description of new approaches under development at present.
Psychometric Validity and Reliability of the Thai Version of the Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate validity and reliability of the Thai version of the Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI-T) in Thai patients with neuropathic pain. Although the Thai version of Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI-T) has been linguistically validated, the tool has to be psychometrically validated before applying to neuropathic pain patients in daily practice. MATERIAL AND METHOD Forty Thai patients with diagnosis of neuropathic pain were enrolled to the study and were evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS), the Thai version of Neuropathic Pain Diagnostic Questionnaire (DN4-T) and NPSI-T questionnaires. Four hours later the patients were asked to perform retest NPSI-T and to evaluate the understanding of each NPSI-T question. RESULTS The total score of NPSI-T questionnaire was statistically correlated to visual analog scale (VAS) (Spearman's correlation coefficient = 0.599, p < 0.001) and neuropathic pain diagnostic questionnaire (DN4-T) (Spearman's correlation coefficient = 0.695, p < 0.001). The reliability was determined by Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), an excellent interobserver agreement (ICC > 0.8) and good agreement (ICC 0.6-0.8) were presented in 30% and 70% of the questionnaire, respectively. CONCLUSION The study demonstrated validity and reliability of the NPSI-T for assessing the neuropathic pain in Thai patients.
Testing Excess Returns from Passive Options Investment Strategies

When analyzing options returns, most papers tend to focus on the expected and realized return from strategies where the investors are long on those financial instruments. We conduct a test searching for excess returns on passive options investment strategies resorting to a four factor model, evaluating the case of an investor who launches options and evaluates returns to the light of capital invested in the form of margins requirement. The main point of our research work is to continue the line of research where we evaluate options returns using the metrics with respect to margin requirements. We find that there are excess returns not explained by the four factor model, which in turn may indicate the strategy generates extra returns, or that the investor going short on options provides insurance to events not captured by the traditional models.
Memory-efficient and fast enumeration of global states

We describe a simple algorithm for level-wise enumeration of the global states of a distributed computation. In addition to fast execution, it requires working memory for only two global states plus a variable amount of memory which permits the trading of higher speed for storage. Furthermore, we present a new caching strategy that speeds up the state enumeration algorithm described in [A. Andrzejak et al., (2003)].
Automobile Purchase-peer Influence in Decision Making

The overall economic development of a country is determined by the development in Manufacturing sector. Similarly, the quality of life to a great extent depends upon the growth and development in Consumer luxury goods segment. Though the entry of quality luxury goods in India is late, to be precise only after the liberalization, still India is competing with top nations in terms of range and quality of such goods. Urbanization and metropolitan culture have necessitated the need for Fast foods, Designer clothes, Luxury cars, Modern flats etc. Added to this, the change in the family and in earning pattern, especially the emergence of Double Income Group families have resulted in significant changes in the buying behaviour of individuals.
Human Resource Management Practices and Organizational Performance: Evidence from Japanese and US Subsidiaries/Joint Venture in Bangladesh

The purpose of this research is to examine the conditions of home and host country culture as well as country of origin effect of HRM practices and its result on organizational performance (OP). The empirical findings showed that Japanese and U.S subsidiaries and joint ventures adapt localization practices with their modifying home host technique with the local business environment. The findings recommend that managers in the US and Japanese subsidiaries and joint ventures in Bangladesh are more strongly influenced by its host country’s national culture (as an adoptive host country national and corporate culture). Finally, it can be stated that foreign subsidiaries and joint ventures are trying to achieve the location advantage to create a particular type of HRM practices, with a combined and confined HRM practice that can fit for better organizational performance.
The Effects of Functional Training on Pain, Function, and Performance in Taekwondo Players with Mechanical Low Back Pain

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of functional training (FT) on pain, function, and performance in elite male taekwondo players with CMLBP. Method: 27 elite male taekwondo players (mean ± standard deviation: age 24.4 ± 4.9 years, body mass 75.7 ± 15.1 kg, height 181.4 ± 7.8 cm) were allocated to two experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 12) groups. The eight-week FT was divided into four distinct phases for the subjects of the experimental group. Variables of pain and function were assessed by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), respectively. The movement time of Ap Douliou Chagi kick (MTAK) and speed of Ap Douliou Chagi kick (SAK) was used for the variable of performance. Results: Considering the results of pretest before the implementation of the scores protocol, after FT intervention, VAS (p = 0.004), ODI (p = 0.005), MTAK on the right leg (p = 0.029) and the left leg (p = 0.013) decreased and SAK on both legs (p = 0.000) increased significantly in comparison with the control group. Conclusion: It is assumed that FT can reduce the pain intensity and improve the function and performance in taekwondo players.