Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Medical Students Raising Concerns

Abstract After a number of high-profile incidents and national reports, it has become clear that all health professionals and all medical students must be able to raise concerns about a colleague’s behavior if this behavior puts patients, colleagues, or themselves at risk. Detailed evidence from medical students about their confidence to raise concerns is limited, together with examples of barriers, which impair their ability to do so. We describe a questionnaire survey of medical students in a single-center, examining self-reported confidence about raising concerns in a number of possible scenarios. Thematic analysis was applied to comments about barriers identified. Although 80% of respondents felt confident to report a patient safety issue, students were less confident around issues of probity, attitude, and conduct. This needs to be addressed to create clear mechanisms to raise concerns, as well as support for students during the process.
Cooking and Fe Fortification Have Different Effects on Fe Bioavailability of Bread and Tortillas

Objective: To identify iron sources for wheat- (WF) and corn-flour (CF) fortification taking into account the effect of cooking. Methods: Sixty-six Fe-depleted rats were replete with various Fe sources. Fe bioavailability and utilization in wheat bread (WB) and corn tortillas (CT) fortified with various Fe sources was assessed after the depletion and repletion periods. Results: Baking decreased the phytates content of WF by 97%. Improvements in Hb and FeHb were greater in rats fed unfortified WB than in those fed unfortified WF. Fe fortification had no benefit. In contrast, phytates content was unchanged by tortilla preparation, but fortification improved iron availability. Iron bioavailability indicators were best in rats fed CT fortified with ferrous sulfate and NaFe(III)EDTA than in those fed unfortified CT or CT plus reduced Fe. Conclusion: We concluded that baking WF bread improved the bioavailability of native Fe with no further effect of fortification. Pan-cooking of lime-treated CF did not improve Fe bioavailability, but addition of Ferrous sulfate or NaFe(III)EDTA did it, despite the high phytate and calcium content of tortillas.
28-ps switching window with a selective area MOVPE all-optical MZI switch

The first dynamic all-optical switching of a bandgap-engineered Mach-Zehnder interferometer semiconductor optical amplifier all-optical switch was achieved. A 28-ps switching window was successfully confirmed. This is the first demonstration of a bandgap-engineered large-scale all-optical photonic integrated circuit with either selective-area-growth or quantum-well-intermixing techniques.
A New Method of Collecting Nasal Secretions

I. Blattner RE: Anterior and posterior packing techniques. Ear Nose Throat J 60:457-460. 1981. 2. Rood SR. Parnes SM, Myers EN. Schramm VL: The management of epistaxis. Rochester, Minn, 1977. American Academy of Otolaryngology. p 27. 3. Pearson B: Epistaxis. In Gates G editor: Current therapy in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery 1982-1983. SI. Louis, 1982. The CV Mosby Co. p 266. Drug/Device Capsule
Hypoglycemic activity of the antioxidant saponarin, characterized as α-glucosidase inhibitor present in Tinospora cordifolia

Tinospora cordifolia, used in anti-diabetic herbal drug preparations, was reported [12] to contain an α-glucosidase inhibitor, characterized as saponarin (apigenin-6-C-glucosyl-7-O-glucoside). The leaf extract had appreciable antioxidant and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities and contained the flavonoid in the range of 32.1 ± 1.5–45.5 ± 3.5 mg/g of dry solid. Saponarin showed mixed competitive inhibition on activities of α-glucosidase and sucrase of different origins. IC50, Ki and ki′ values determined were 48 μM, 8 μM and 19.5 μM respectively for intestinal maltase and 35 μM, 6 μM and 13 μM respectively for intestinal sucrase. When given orally to maltose-fed rat, saponarin showed hypoglycemic activity in the range of 20–80 mg/kg compared to 100–200 mg/kg for acarbose as reported [27].
Comparison of limulus amebocyte lysates and correlation with the United States Pharmacopeial pyrogen test

Six limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) preparations obtained from five different suppliers were evaluated for sensitivity, dependability, cost, convenience of use, and correlation with the United States Pharmacopeial (USP) rabbit pyrogen test method. Endotoxins from various gram-negative microorganisms were used for the evaluation. Major differences among the LAL preparations lie in the area of sensitivity. Differences, up to 100-fold, exist in the sensitivity of the various LAL preparations to the same endotoxin. The LAL tests in general were 3 to 300 times more sensitive than was the USP rabbit pyrogen test method. The LAL and the USP rabbit pyrogen test data correlated well when the endotoxin in a relatively pure and undegraded form was examined. However, large discrepancies in correlation were found when partially degraded endotoxins were compared. One LAL preparation responded to both intact and degraded endotoxin, whereas others responded only to intact endotoxin; the latter closely correlated with the febrile response of the rabbit. Therefore, proper selection of an LAL preparation is important for its application in clinical, pharmaceutical, public health, and environmental areas.
High resolution ultrastructural investigation of insect sensory organs using field emission scanning electron microscopy

Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) is an extremely useful viewing technique for examining ultrastructural features pertaining to insect sensory organs (sensilla) at high magnifications. In comparison to conventional scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FESEM operates superiorly at lower accelerating voltages, offering greater resolution capabilities at higher magnifications and providing greater enhancement of surface cuticular structures (e.g., pores), often unattainable using conventional SEM. Overall, this technique provides a means for unambiguously classifying sensillum types (e.g., those used in the detection of olfactory/smell, gustatory/taste, mechanosensory/touch, and thermo-hygrosensory/temperature-humidity cues) based on external, morphological, cuticular features, such as the absence or presence of cuticular pores. The ability to resolve such external, ultrastructural features at higher magnifications (> 50,000 x) allows inferences to be made about the putative functions of these sensilla.
First Steps Toward Supervised Learning for Underactuated Bipedal Robot Locomotion , with Outdoor Experiments on the Wave Field

Supervised learning is used to build a control policy for robust, dynamic walking of an underactuated bipedal robot. The training and testing sets consist of controllers based on a full dynamic model, virtual constraints, and parameter optimization to meet torque limits, friction cone, and environmental conditions. The controllers are designed to induce periodic walking gaits at various speeds, both forward and backward, and for various constant ground slopes, flat ground, uphill, and downhill. They are also designed to induce aperiodic gaits that transition among a subset of the periodic gaits in a fixed number of steps. In experiments, the learned policy allows a 3D bipedal robot to recover from a significant kick. It also enables the robot to walk down a 22 degree slope and walk on sinusoidally varying terrain, all without using a camera.
Association between patient-centered medical home rating and operating cost at federally funded health centers.

CONTEXT Little is known about the cost associated with a health center's rating as a patient-centered medical home (PCMH). OBJECTIVE To determine whether PCMH rating is associated with operating cost among health centers funded by the US Health Resources and Services Administration. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Cross-sectional study of PCMH rating and operating cost in 2009. PCMH rating was assessed through surveys of health center administrators conducted by Harris Interactive of all 1009 Health Resources and Services Administration–funded community health centers. The survey provided scores from 0 (worst) to 100 (best) for total PCMH score and 6 subscales: access/communication, care management, external coordination, patient tracking, test/referral tracking, and quality improvement. Costs were obtained from the Uniform Data System reports submitted to the Health Resources and Services Administration. We used generalized linear models to determine the relationship between PCMH rating and operating cost. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Operating cost per physician full-time equivalent, operating cost per patient per month, and medical cost per visit. RESULTS Six hundred sixty-nine health centers (66%) were included in the study sample, with 340 excluded because of nonresponse or incomplete data. Mean total PCMH score was 60 (SD, 12; range, 21-90). For the average health center, a 10-point higher total PCMH score was associated with a $2.26 (4.6%) higher operating cost per patient per month (95% CI, $0.86-$4.12). Among PCMH subscales, a 10-point higher score for patient tracking was associated with higher operating cost per physician full-time equivalent ($27,300; 95% CI, $3047-$57,804) and higher operating cost per patient per month ($1.06; 95% CI, $0.29-$1.98). A 10-point higher score for quality improvement was also associated with higher operating cost per physician full-time equivalent ($32,731; 95% CI, $1571-$73,670) and higher operating cost per patient per month ($1.86; 95% CI, $0.54-$3.61). A 10-point higher PCMH subscale score for access/communication was associated with lower operating cost per physician full-time equivalent ($39,809; 95% CI, $1893-$63,169). CONCLUSIONS According to a survey of health center administrators, higher scores on a scale that assessed 6 aspects of the PCMH were associated with higher health center operating costs. Two subscales of the medical home were associated with higher cost and 1 with lower cost.
Automatic segmentation of speech into syllabic units.

As a first step toward automatic phonetic analysis of speech, one desires to segment the signal into syllable‐sized units. Experiments were conducted in automatic segmentation techniques for continuous, reading‐rate speech to derive such units. A new segmentation algorithm is described that allows assessment of the significance of a loudness minimum to be a potential syllabic boundary from the difference between the convex hull of the loudness function and the loudness function itself. Tested on roughly 400 syllables of continuous text, the algorithm results in 6.9% syllables missed and 2.6% extra syllables relative to a nominal, slow‐speech syllable count. It is suggested that inclusion of alternative fluent‐form syllabifications for multisyllabic words and the use of phonological rules for predicting syllabic contractions can further improve agreement between predicted and experimental syllable counts.Subject Classification: 70.40, 70.60.
Erbium: yttrium–aluminium–garnet (Er:YAG) laser treatment of penile pearly papules

Abstract Background: Penile pearly papules (PPP) are benign angiofibromas of the penis, frequently misdiagnosed as genital warts (condylomata acuminata). The lesions are often the reason for significant distress of the patient and his sexual partner, thus requiring occasional treatment, removing the lesions in a non-aggressive manner. Methods: Forty-five patients with PPP were treated with 2940 nm Er:YAG laser (Skinlight, FOTONA, Slovenia) in ablation mode. The treatment parameters were: energy 400–500 mJ, spot diameter 1.5–3 mm, repetition rate 8–10 Hz and energy density 5.8–28.9 J/cm2. Results: PPP were successfully removed in all 45 patients in 1–6 (mean ± SD = 2.0 ± 1.3) sessions without complications. Conclusion: Er:YAG laser ablation represents an efficient method of removal of PPP. The procedure can be performed in outpatient clinics.
Developmental Programming: Deficits in Reproductive Hormone Dynamics and Ovulatory Outcomes in Prenatal, Testosterone-Treated Sheep1

Abstract Prenatal testosterone excess leads to neuroendocrine, ovarian, and metabolic disruptions, culminating in reproductive phenotypes mimicking that of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The objective of this study was to determine the consequences of prenatal testosterone treatment on periovulatory hormonal dynamics and ovulatory outcomes. To generate prenatal testosterone-treated females, pregnant sheep were injected intramuscularly (days 30–90 of gestation, term = 147 days) with 100 mg of testosterone-propionate in cottonseed oil semi-weekly. Female offspring born to untreated control females and prenatal testosterone-treated females were then studied during their first two breeding seasons. Sheep were given two injections of prostaglandin F2alpha 11 days apart, and blood samples were collected at 2-h intervals for 120 h, 10-min intervals for 8 h during the luteal phase (first breeding season only), and daily for an additional 15 days to characterize changes in reproductive hormonal dynamics. During the first breeding season, prenatal testosterone-treated females manifested disruptions in the timing and magnitude of primary gonadotropin surges, luteal defects, and reduced responsiveness to progesterone negative feedback. Disruptions in the periovulatory sequence of events during the second breeding season included: 1) delayed but increased preovulatory estradiol rise, 2) delayed and severely reduced primary gonadotropin surge in prenatal testosterone-treated females having an LH surge, 3) tendency for an amplified secondary FSH surge and a shift in the relative balance of FSH regulatory proteins, and 4) luteal responses that ranged from normal to anovulatory. These outcomes are likely to be of relevance to developmental origin of infertility disorders and suggest that differences in fetal exposure or fetal susceptibility to testosterone may account for the variability in reproductive phenotypes.
Defensive and Strategic Restructuring in Central European Enterprises

This paper interprets the existing evidence on enterprise restructuring in Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Despite differences in restructuring policies, the pattern of observed restructuring appears similar in the three countries. Contrary to initial expectations, managers of SOEs have engaged in significant adjustment activities. We argue that such behaviour is due to dramatic changes in the market environment of firms and in their perceived incentive structure. It appears, however, that the adjustment measures have mainly had a defensive character restricted to labour-shedding and downsizing activities. Strategic restructuring, involving thoughtful business projects and modernization investments, is much more limited. We argue that progress on strategic restructuring requires both progress in ownership transformation and in financial reform. A crucial role could be played by intermediaries playing the role of venture capital funds.
A Non-Classical Logic for Information Retrieval

This paper is to be seen as describing a new theoretical framework for investigating information retrieval. For some years now, I have felt the need to describe such a framework. It is especially important if one wants to develop information retrieval beyond the mere keyword approach. In the closing pages of my earlier book on the subject I said the following: “It has never been assumed that a retrieval system should attempt to understand” the content of a document. Most Information Retrieval systems at the moment merely aim at a bibliographic search. Documents are deemed to be relevant on the basis of a superficial description. I do not suggest that it is going to be a simple matter to program a computer to understand documents. What is suggested is that some attempt should be made to construct something like a naive model, using more than just keywords, of the content of each document in the system. The more sophisticated question-answering systems do something very similar. They have a model of their universe of discourse and can answer questions about it, and can incorporate new facts and rules as they become available (van Rijsbergen, 1979).
Developing a Price-Sensitive Recommender System to Improve Accuracy and Business Performance of Ecommerce Applications

Much work has been done on recommender systems (RS) and much evidence was collected from applications about their effectiveness on business. As a consequence, the use of RS has quickly shifted from information retrieval to automatic marketing tools. The main aim of marketing tools is to positively affect customersâ€™ purchasing decisions and we know through marketing literature that purchasing decisions are strongly influenced by price. However, few works have explored the issue of including price in a recommendation engine. In this paper, we want to describe the main issues of designing this type of price-sensitive recommendation engine. We want also to demonstrate what the effect is of this design on recommendationsâ€™ accuracy and on business performance. We demonstrate that including price in an RS improves the accuracy of recommendations, but it has to be properly modeled in order to also improve business performance. We have experimented with a Price-Sensitive RS in a laboratory setting and compared it to a traditional one by varying several settings. To cite this document: Panniello Umberto, "Developing a price-sensitive recommender system to improve accuracy and business performance of ecommerce applications", International Journal of Electronic Commerce Studies, Vol.6, No.1, pp.1-18, 2015. Permanent link to this document: http://dx.doi. org/10.7903/ijecs.1348
ENGINEERED WOOD FLOORING WITH A DENSIFIED SURFACE LAYER FOR HEAVY-DUTY USE

High-density wood is required in wood flooring, especially in engineered wood flooring (EWF) designed for heavy-duty applications. However, high-density wood resources are limited and their cost is high. A densification treatment makes it possible for low- or moderate-density woods to replace harder species by modifying them into high-performance and high-value products, such as engineered wood flooring for heavy-duty applications. The general objective of this study was to develop a prototype of engineered wood flooring using sugar maple hygro-thermally densified surface layers. The results showed that thin sugar maple lumber densified at 200 °C under the combined effects of steam, heat, and pressure with a heat-resistant fabric had great potential for the manufacturing of engineered wood flooring for heavy-duty use. As a result of treatment, it acquired high density, improved mechanical properties, and it had a relatively high dimensional stability and an attractive color. Tests in conditioning rooms showed that the EWF with a densified sugar maple (Acer saccharum March.) surface layer presented the lowest amplitude distortion between the dry and humid conditions compared with the standard EWF (0.15 mm vs. 0.17mm and 0.25 mm).
Microprocessor-Based Memory Device for Ambulatory Heart Rate and Physical Activity Recording

Abstract: Using microprocessor techniques, a portable digital memory device has been designed for the ambulatory monitoring of heart rate and physical activity. The device consists of a microprocessor, an ECG amplifier to record the heart rate and an accelerometerto detect the physical activity. This accelerometer is piezoresistive and is suitable for ambulatory physical activity recording, because this sensor requires low electrical power, has high durability and wide frequency response (DC~1.2 kHz). Changes in hearti rates and physical activity in daily life have been successfully recorded.
The Evolution of Price Dispersion in Internet Retail Markets

We investigate how online price dispersion has evolved since the bursting of the Internet bubble by comparing price dispersion levels in years 2000, 2001, and 2003 and between multi-channel and pure play e-tailers. The results show that although online price dispersion declined between 2000 and 2001 when there was a shakeout in Internet retailing, it increased from 2001 to 2003, the post bubble period, in particular, for desktop computers, laptop computers, PDAs, electronics and software. The proportion of items for which price dispersion at multi-channel retailers was higher than that at pure play e-tailers, increased steadily during 2000–2003. These findings suggest that online price dispersion is persistent even as Internet markets mature.
How Exactly Do Networking Investments Pay Off? Analyzing the Impact of Nascent Entrepreneurs Networking Investments on Access to Start-Up Resources

It is widely recognized that networks provide access to the resources necessary for founding a business. Up until now, however, the relationship between networking investments and the availability of resources has not been analyzed in depth. Using a sample of 416 nascent entrepreneurs, we address this issue, and provide evidence that networking investments lead to diminishing marginal resource returns in terms of financial, informational, emotional and contact support. Our results also show that resource returns strongly vary with resource type. While emotional support is quite easy to get, many more networking investments are needed to achieve financial support.
Identifying Barriers with Joint Venture Implementation : Empirical Evidence on Petia

In order for the companies to continue existing and stay competitive in today’s business world, they must go international. More and more researchers are stating how all companies should expand to new and existing markets. Emerging markets are showing more and more potential for growth and customer demand. However, when expanding internationally, barriers will arise to hinder the expansion.In order to have successful implementation, companies need to be aware of potential barriers prior to entry. During the course of this paper, the authors discussed the barriers that the case company encountered when implementing their joint venture in Bulgaria. To discover what these barriers were, the authors conducted a deductive and qualitative study. The authors gathered information by using primary data such as semi-structured interviews with the addition of follow up questions. This information was also triangulated with secondary data. To further validate the authors’ findings, they conducted interviews with both founders of the case company and followed up with companies that the founders utilized when implementing their joint venture. The variables that were investigated were strategy formation according to Mintzberg, Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, PESTEL analysis focusing on legal issues and the case company’s joint venture implementation as a whole. The authors’ investigation led to the confirmation that, the variables measured were actually relevant to joint venture implementation; in addition they had great influence on each other. Even though, the findings were specified to a case company, the conclusions can be generalized for managers that wish to expand to emerging markets.