Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MINIREVIEW Hazard Ratio in Clinical Trials

Time-to-event curves analyzed by Cox proportional hazards regression are commonly used to describe the outcome of drug studies. This methodology has the advantage of using all available information, including patients who fail to complete the trial, such as in cancer chemotherapy or human immunodeficiency virus antiviral treatment studies. The goal of treatment in such studies may be to prevent the development of a complication, for example, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, and to describe the likelihood of this complication’s developing in the treatment group compared to the control group. The hazard ratio describes the relative risk of the complication based on comparison of event rates. Hazard ratios have also been used to describe the outcome of therapeutic trials where the question is to what extent treatment can shorten the duration of the illness. However, the hazard ratio, a type of relative risk, does not always accurately portray the degree of abbreviation of the illness that occurred. In these circumstances, time-based parameters available from the time-to-event curve, such as the ratio of the median times of the placebo and drug groups, should be used to describe the magnitude of the benefit to the patient. The difference between hazard-based and time-based measures is analogous to the odds of winning a race and the margin of victory. The hazard ratio is the odds of a patient’s healing faster under treatment but does not convey any information about how much faster this event may occur. We have observed that there is substantial confusion among clinicians and clinical investigators about the difference between the hazard ratio and the median ratio. This report presents examples of this confusion, the exact distinction between the two statistics, and proper use of the hazard ratio and median ratio when interpreting the results of clinical trials to patients.
The Pricing of Bank Stocks in Europe

In this study we examine the validity of the earnings - book value capitalization (EBVC) model in the European banking sector. We perform cross section tests using a sample of credit institutions from 21 European Union countries. Moreover, we split our sample into code law and common law countries to check for the influence of the accounting regulatory regime upon the earnings response coefficients. Our empirical findings suggest that disaggregating total reported clean surplus income into income from banking activities and other income increases the explanatory power of the EBVC model. Income from banking activities is priced higher than income from non-banking activities, irrespective of whether the financial sector is classified as a code law or a common law system, probably because the market considers the former as a more stable source of income. Earnings reported under a common law accounting system are priced differently from those reported under a code law accounting system. We also provide evidence that comprehensive income and dirty surplus income are two value relevant variables for banks reporting under a code law system, although dirty surplus income is priced lower than clean surplus income.
Promoting Business Success Through Contract Visualization

Contracts are an important construct for the formation and performance of agreements. Yet, many business people view contract review as a time-consuming nuisance or an administrative burden. Furthermore, contracts contain concepts and language that non-lawyers often find overly complicated, obscure, and unappealing. We explore whether contract visualization, the description of their scope and terms of an agreement through visual means rather than the written word, can have a beneficial impact on the contracting process and the value capacity of organizations.
Sensitivity and rapidity of blood culture bottles in the detection of cornea organ culture media contamination by bacteria and fungi

Aims: To test the bactericidal activity of standard organ culture medium, and to compare the sensitivity and rapidity of blood culture bottles with conventional microbiological methods for detection of bacteria and fungi inoculated in a standard cornea organ culture medium. Methods: The bactericidal activity of contaminated standard organ culture medium containing 100 IU/ml penicillin, 0.1 mg/ml streptomycin, and 0.25 μg/ml amphotericin B was evaluated after 48 hours of incubation at 31°C with five inocula of 14 bacteria. Two yeasts (Candida spp) and one Aspergillus were also tested. Contaminated media were then inoculated in three blood bottles (aerobic, anaerobic, fungal) placed in a Bactec 9240 automat; three conventional microbiological broths were the control. Changes in colour of organ culture medium and growth on conventional broth were screened daily by visual inspection. The sensitivity and rapidity of detection of contamination were compared between the three methods: blood bottle, conventional, and visual. Results: Organ culture medium eradicated five bacteria irrespective of the starting inoculums: Streptococcus pneumoniae, Branhamella catarrhalis, Escherichia coli, Propionibacterium acnes, and Haemophilus influenzae. For micro-organisms where the medium was ineffective or bactericidal only (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, Candida albicans, Candida kruzei, Aspergillus fumigatus), the blood bottle, conventional, and visual methods detected microbial growth in 100%, 76.5%, and 70% of cases respectively. Mean detection time using blood bottles was 15.1 hours (SD 13.8, range 2–52). In cases of detection by the blood bottle method and the conventional method, the former was always faster: 95.5% against 65.2% detection within 24 hours (p=0.022) respectively. Conclusions: Blood bottles detect more efficiently and more rapidly a wider range of bacteria and fungi than the conventional microbiological method and the visual inspection of organ culture media.
User-centred design in public transport: Discovering mobile user needs

In recent years, the design of mobile transportation apps has become a key area for cities and transport operators. However, less common is user research for the purpose of informing design. This paper reports findings from a mixed-method user study, which examined journey planning habits, usability of commercially available mobile transportation apps, and attitudes towards probabilistic recommendation (‘predictive’) digital journey planners. The study is part of a project aimed at incorporating a structured user-centred design process in the design of mobile apps for transportation,with study methodology intended to serve as an exemplar for future user-centred mobile app projects.Such a process is important for ensuring that transport apps are as successful as possible in meeting passenger needs. Findings will inform a later mobile app prototype, based on key design implications identified in the study: designing for distinct user groups, trust, user context, and adapting user research methods in transportation.
Assessing differences in toxicity and teratogenicity of three phthalates, Diethyl phthalate, Di-n-propyl phthalate, and Di-n-butyl phthalate, using Xenopus laevis embryos

ABSTRACT Phthalates, compounds used to add flexibility to plastics, are ubiquitous in the environment. In particular, the diethyl (DEP), di-n-propyl (DnPP), and di-n-butyl (DBP) phthalates were found to exert detrimental effects in both mammalian and non-mammalian studies, with toxic effects varying according to alkyl chain length. Embryos of Xenopus laevis, the African clawed frog, have been used to assess toxicity and teratogenicity of several compounds and serves as a model for assessing adverse and teratogenic effects of ortho-phthalate esters. The purpose of this study was to develop a model for comparison of developmentally toxic effects of ortho-phthalate esters using Xenopus embryos. In this study developing Xenopus laevis embryos were exposed to increasing concentrations of DEP, DnPP, and DBP using the 96-h Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay–Xenopus (FETAX), with 96-h lethal concentrations, effective concentrations to induce malformations, teratogenic indices, and concentrations to inhibit growth determined. DEP, DnPP, and DBP showed enhanced toxicity with increasing ester length. Developing Xenopus laevis exposed to DEP, DnPP, and DBP showed similar malformations that also occurred at lower concentrations with increasing alkyl chain length. Teratogenic risk did not change markedly with alkyl chain length, with data showing only DBP to be teratogenic.
Purchasing 2.0: An Explorative Study in the Telecom sector on the Potential of Web 2.0 in Purchasing *

Internet technology has had and continues to have major impact on businesses: organizations have changed the way they run their business, and there is an ongoing potential in new ways of leveraging the Internet. Web 2.0 services like Amazon.com and Wikipedia are undeniable, yet particularly present for the consumer market. The applicability of Web 2.0 services within the business-to-business area remains rather undetermined. This paper describes the Web 2.0 potential in the specific business-tobusiness purchasing process of telecommunication solution providers: a study is performed aiming at the determination of the potential of Web 2.0 to enhance the purchase function. Based on literature and qualitative, explorative interviews a positive view on the potential of Web 2.0 for purchasing is identified. The literature and interview results indicate that Web 2.0 has the most potential within two phases of the purchasing process in the telecom service sector: the phase of ‘determination of specifications’, and the phase of actual ‘order management’. Validation of the potential has been executed through a pluralistic walkthrough. Based on the two purchasing phases of most interest, two usage scenario’s were developed and a software prototype was built. This validation method proved its value by providing, in our case, confirmation of the potential of Web 2.0 services and principles, while placing the participants in the role of a user.
Are Investors more Aggressive in Transparent Markets

This study examines the impact of increasing pre-trade transparency on the intraday order placement strategies of individual and institutional investors. The effect of pretrade transparency on market performance is also studied. We find that transparency affects order placement strategies. First, greater pre-trade transparency intensifies competition and thus aggressiveness in order placement, especially for institutional investors. Transparency also reduces and reduces extreme order placement by individual investors as they are better informed about how to place orders. Second, increasing transparency also changes trader order sizes. Institutional investors make smaller orders with increasing transparency, while individual investors make larger orders. Generally, greater transparency increases volatility, but not liquidity and efficiency. Finally, this study shows that the impact of transparency on market performance and the changes in order placement strategies are simultaneously determined. The analytical results are robust to different trading periods.
Human Resource Management within Purchasing Management: Its Relationship to Total Quality Management Success

SUMMARY The extent to which human resource management (HRM) within purchasing management affects total quality management (TQM) was empirically tested. Five primary results emerged, first, organizations with more successful TQM programs were more likely to stress formal performance evaluations of purchasing employees. Second, purchasing employees at successful TQM firms were more involved in key decisionmaking processes that impact their jobs than their counterparts in less successful TQM firms. Third, purchasing employees in organizations with more successful TQM programs had a greater level of perceived support through job security and less fear of failure when taking a risk. Fourth, purchasing employees in more successful TQM firms had more TQM-related training. Fifth, purchasing employees in more successful TQM organizations were more likely to be rewarded for individual goal attainment than purchasing employees in less successful TQM organizations.
Organizational Illegal Behavior as an Unanticipated Consequence of Philanthropy: Explaining a Paradox

We investigate how organizations engage in illegal behavior. We draw on institutional and signaling theory to suggest that corporate philanthropy creates legitimacy by signaling a positive organizational image. Additionally, we draw on key resources theories to suggest that individual resources create a positive reputation and create legitimacy by signaling a positive individual image. Based on these positive organizational and individual images, there may be an unanticipated consequence, whereby legitimacy becomes a catalyst to a process that could be potentially detrimental. Specifically, actors within the organization who engaged in corporate philanthropy may have done so with good intentions; however, other actors within the organization may capitalize on this increased legitimacy fueled by their individual and the organization’s positive social engagements and take advantage of the opportunity to engage in corporate illegal behavior. Implications of the proposed relationship and their limitations are provided, as well as a discussion of future research opportunities.
Defining brand values through sponsorship

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider sponsorship embedded within a brand strategy and how fit between the sponsor's and the sponsored brand provides a platform for the integrated communication of brand values. The importance of a service dimension to the brand in the form of retail outlets is considered.Design/methodology/approach – A case study research strategy was adopted. Other methods were used in the building of data and the triangulation of the findings: documentary analysis and participant observation also provided valuable insights. In particular, the environment in which the case study strategy was adopted demanded an understanding of the discourse on which the relationship was built and developed.Findings – Explains how the company integrated the sponsorship relationship within its communications and placed the relationship at the centre of its redefined brand strategy. The close semantic fit between the sponsoring and sponsored organisation helped to facilitate a co‐branding rela.
The A581G Mutation in the Gene Encoding Plasmodium falciparum Dihydropteroate Synthetase Reduces the Effectiveness of Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine Preventive Therapy in Malawian Pregnant Women.

BACKGROUND The A581 G: mutation in the gene encoding Plasmodium falciparum dihydropteroate synthase (dhps), in combination with the quintuple mutant involving mutations in both dhps and the gene encoding dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr), the so-called sextuple mutant, has been associated with increased placental inflammation and decreased infant birth weight among women receiving intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) during pregnancy. METHODS Between 2009 and 2011, delivering women without human immunodeficiency virus infection were enrolled in an observational study of IPTp-SP effectiveness in Malawi. Parasites were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR); positive samples were sequenced to genotype the dhfr and dhps loci. The presence of K540 E: in dhps was used as a marker for the quintuple mutant. RESULTS Samples from 1809 women were analyzed by PCR; 220 (12%) were positive for P. falciparum. A total of 202 specimens were genotyped at codon 581 of dhps; 17 (8.4%) harbored the sextuple mutant. The sextuple mutant was associated with higher risks of patent infection in peripheral blood (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR], 2.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.82-4.18) and placental blood (aPR 3.28; 95% CI, 1.88-5.78) and higher parasite densities. Recent SP use was not associated with increased parasite densities or placental pathology overall and among women with parasites carrying dhps A581 G: . CONCLUSIONS IPTp-SP failed to inhibit parasite growth but did not exacerbate pathology among women infected with sextuple-mutant parasites. New interventions to prevent malaria during pregnancy are needed urgently.
A General Approach to Exploit Aspects of Intelligence on the Web

This contribution discusses the architecture of a software system that can be adopted to leverage the characteristics of Web 2.0 and Semantic Web, in order to make efficient usage of information. Key aspects on the implementation of a reusable framework are discussed, and the effectiveness of the approach is illustrated in an example scenario, in the context of inclusive e-Tourism.
Preventing and combating the onset of dark-side symptoms

Abstract Relationship marketing (RM) has assumed a prominent role within the marketing domain. However, there is an emergent body of literature that claims that there is a dark side to the RM strategy. The dark side of RM implies that, in spite of all of RM's noted benefits, employing such a relational strategy can actually, over time, produce negative effects for firms and their partners. The present article addresses the next logical question, namely, given the inevitable emergence of the dark-side symptoms over time, what corrective strategies can the relational partners utilise to arrest this deterioration of their relationships. RM literature has frequently invoked the marriage metaphor to describe relational exchange partnerships. Not surprisingly, then, even though the metaphor is not perfect, this paper draws on the twin related literature streams of marriage counselling and marriage and relationship education to make recommendations about preventative and combative strategies for countering the onset of dark-side symptoms.
Predominance of Porcine Rotavirus G9 in Japanese Piglets with Diarrhea: Close Relationship of Their VP7 Genes with Those of Recent Human G9 Strains

ABSTRACT Type G9 of group A rotavirus (GAR) was shown to be predominant in a survey of VP7 (G) and VP4 (P) genotypes among porcine GARs associated with outbreaks of diarrhea in young pigs in Japan between 2000 and 2002. Comparison of the G9 VP7 gene sequences showed that the porcine G9 strains were more closely related to human G9 strains reemerging globally since the mid-1990s than to those from the mid-1980s. The VP7 gene sequences of porcine G9 strains from different farms were divergent (6.1 to 7.2% difference in nucleotides), suggesting that these G9 VP7 genes were not the result of recent introduction into the porcine population. Regarding the P genotype specificities of porcine G9 strains, while the majority of strains were close to unusual porcine P types (P[13] and P[23]), two strains were of the P[6] type, which has closer sequence identity with the human AU19 strain than with the porcine Gottfried strain. These unexpected results suggest that G9 GARs in the porcine population have spread more widely than previously thought and that the VP7 genes of porcine G9 strains and those of some human G9 strains detected recently may have a common progenitor.
An Attempt to Develop SharīʿAh Compliant Liquidity Management Instruments for the Financier of Last Resort: With Reference to Qatar Development Plan

In 2011, Islamic banking reached around 24% of the banking sector in Qatar, yet Qatar Central Bank (QCB) has not developed a Sharīʿah compliant financier of last resort. This paper investigates to which extent the available liquidity management instruments for Islamic banks are Sharīʿah compliant. Each instrument is analyzed in the context of Sharīʿah standards. Findings of this analysis suggest that the available instruments some Sharīʿah issues, such as ribā, tawarruq, and ijārah ʿīnah. We propose three alternative Sharīʿah compliant liquidity management instruments for the financier of last resort, as well as the interbank market. The first instrument is short-term muḍārabah deposits. The second, is to sell Islamic banks’ leased assets to the central bank. Whereas, the third is open market operations utilizing tradable ṣukūk.
Mindfulness, indigenous knowledge, indigenous innovations and entrepreneurship

Purpose – This paper aims to highlight the role of mindfulness in the development of indigenous knowledge (IK), indigenous innovations and entrepreneurship or new entry. Design/methodology/approach – Through an extensive analysis of extant mindfulness and indigenous entrepreneurship literatures, the paper argues for the facilitating role of individual mindfulness in IK, indigenous innovations and entrepreneurship and generates several propositions as a result. Findings – The paper argues that mindfulness encourages the appreciation of other forms of knowledge and practices distinct from the more prevalent Western forms, and by so doing, promotes indigenous innovation and indigenous entrepreneurship (or indigenous new entry or new business venture). Research limitations/implications – It is reasoned that indigenous communities around the world have rich experiences and accumulated knowledge that have enabled them develop explanations of their environments and economic development and sustainability, and by.
Semantic Instance Segmentation for Autonomous Driving Bert

Semantic instance segmentation remains a challenge. We propose to tackle the problem with a discriminative loss function, operating at pixel level, that encourages a convolutional network to produce a representation of the image that can easily be clustered into instances with a simple post-processing step. Our approach of combining an offthe-shelf network with a principled loss function inspired by a metric learning objective is conceptually simple and distinct from recent efforts in instance segmentation and is well-suited for real-time applications. In contrast to previous works, our method does not rely on object proposals or recurrent mechanisms and is particularly well suited for tasks with complex occlusions. A key contribution of our work is to demonstrate that such a simple setup without bells and whistles is effective and can perform on-par with more complex methods. We achieve competitive performance on the Cityscapes segmentation benchmark.
Lithium response in unipolar versus bipolar depression.

The antidepressant effects of lithium carbonate were evaluated in a group of 52 hospitalized depressed patients, using a longitudinal double-blind design that involved alternating drug and placebo periods in the same patient. Thirty-six of the 52 patients showed some improvement on lithium, including 15 who had complete remission of symptoms. Virtually all of the antidepressant responses occurred in patients with a past history of mania or hypomania (the bipolar group).