Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Organizational Culture Perspective in Business-IT Alignment

Business-IT alignment BITA has gained attention during the last decade. As a result, a number of theoretical models that can be applied as supportive tools for assessing different components of BITA have been developed. However, most of these efforts have been produced in different countries and they ignore the factor that's subjected to change due to cultural contexts. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of organizational culture on achieving BITA and influences its maturity. The research method and process follows the design science research and is done in three phases. First, an in-depth literature survey followed by a survey was carried out to identify and classify limitations of BITA attributes based on Luftman's strategic alignment maturity SAM model and then, hypothesize the potential impact of organizational culture element based on the Smit et al. model on BITA attributes. Second, an empirical study is carried out to test the hypotheses in order to identify the limited BITA attributes based on organizational culture context. These attributes are further classified for proposing an extended version to the SAM model. Finally, the extended-SAM model is evaluated in 6 Swedish large and medium organizations to test its practicality for comparing its assessment with the assessment of the original SAM model.
Variability in isotopic composition of base flow in two headwater streams of the southern Appalachians

We investigated the influence of hillslope scale topographic characteristics and the relative position of hillslopes along streams (i.e., internal catchment structure) on the isotopic composition of base flow in first‐order, forested headwater streams at Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory. The study focused on two adjacent forested catchments with different topographic characteristics. We used stable isotopes (18O and 2H) of water together with stream gauging and geospatial analysis to evaluate relationships between internal catchment structure and the spatiotemporal variability of base flow δ18O. Base flow δ18O was variable in space and time along streams, and the temporal variability of base flow δ18O declined with increasing drainage area. Base flow became enriched in 18O moving along streams from channel heads to catchment outlets but the frequency of enrichment varied between catchments. The spatiotemporal variability in base flow δ18O was high adjacent to large hillslopes with short flow paths, and it was positively correlated with the relative arrangement of hillslopes within the catchment. These results point to influence of unique arrangement of hillslopes on the patterns of downstream enrichment. Spatial variability in base flow δ18O within the streams was relatively low during dry and wet conditions, but it was higher during the transition period between dry and wet conditions. These results suggest that the strength of topographic control on the isotopic composition of base flow can vary with catchment wetness. This study highlights that topographic control on base flow generation and isotopic composition is important even at fine spatial scales.
A low-offset analogue front-end IC for multi-channel physiological signal acquisition

This paper describes a low-offset analogue front-end (AFE) integrated circuit (IC) for multi-channel physiological signal acquisitions. The mixed signal IC consists of low-offset gain programmable instrumentation amplifiers (GPIAs), high sensitive current-to-voltage converters (I-V converters), reference and an 8-bit analogue-to-digital converter (ADC). The IC offered adjustable gains that were elaborated for various physiological signal acquisitions. The conditional signals were quantized by ADC that offered an optimal solution for portable applications. The circuit was fabricated in SMIC 0.18-μm mixed-signal CMOS technology, and core area of the whole IC measured 1.36 mm2. The post-annotated simulations suggested that the system achieved a common-mode-rejection-ration (CMRR) of 142 dB, the adjustable gain from 31.6 dB to 76.5 dB, and the offset voltage less than 80 μV. The 8-bit ADC exhibited less than 0.8 LSB DNL and 1.1 LSB INL. Power dissipation of each channel and the ADC were approximately 348 μW and 1.65 mW under a 1.8 V single supply voltage, respectively. It is suitable for a wide range of high precision biomedical applications.
TAL effectors from Xanthomonas: design of a programmable DNA-binding specificity

Xanthomonas spp. are Gram-negative bacteria with powerful molecular weapons to attack their plant hosts. Key for pathogenicity of Xanthomonas is a type III secretion system that injects a cocktail of effector proteins into plant cells to function as potent virulence factors. TAL (transcription activator-like) effectors from Xanthomonas function as transcriptional activators of plant genes in the plant nucleus. They contain a central domain of tandem, near-identical 34 amino-acid repeats. Each repeat recognizes a single base pair in a contiguous DNA sequence and two adjacent hypervariable amino acids per repeat specify the base that is bound. This modular DNA-binding code allows a simple reprogramming of DNA-binding specificity, a feature with high potential for biotechnology. We developed a method called "Golden TAL Technology" that allows a flexible assembly of TAL proteins with a designed order of repeats.
Deficits in haptic perception and right parietal theta power changes in patients with anorexia nervosa before and after weight gain.

OBJECTIVE Our goal was to investigate whether patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) show deficits in haptic exploration tasks before and after weight gain. METHOD The haptic exploration tasks consisted of palpating the structure of six sunken reliefs in sequence with both hands, eyes closed. After each exploration, the structure was reproduced on a piece of paper. A 19-channel digital electroencephalogram (EEG; linked ears) was continuously recorded during rest and haptic tasks for 10 AN patients (females, mean age: 15.90) and 10 healthy controls (CO; females, mean age: 16.14). Mean spectral power density was calculated as the mean amplitude of the spectral lines of the theta band (4-8 Hz). The AN patients were examined again after weight gain (T(0) and T(1)). RESULTS The reproductions submitted by the AN patients were of notably poorer quality than those of the CO. Reproduction quality was unchanged after weight gain and independent of body mass index and intelligence. Mean exploration time was similiar in AN patients and CO. The analysis of spectral EEG power of both groups showed significant decrease in power data in the theta frequency band during haptic exploration compared with the rest intervals. The comparison of the theta power between CO and AN patients during haptic exploration showed major differences between the groups in both T(0) and T(1). Theta power was lower in AN patients than in the CO over the right hemisphere and right parietal regions. DISCUSSION The quality of reproduction of the haptic stimuli and the theta-power changes indicate a cortical dysfunction and deficits in somatosensory integration processing of the right parietal cortex in AN patients even after weight gain.
Cre‐loxP mediated control of PrP to study transmissible spongiform encephalopathy diseases

Expression of the PrP glycoprotein is essential for the development of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) or prion diseases. Although PrP is widely expressed in the mouse, the precise relevance of different PrP‐expressing cell types to disease remains unclear. To address this, we generated two lines of floxed PrP gene‐targeted transgenic mice using the Cre recombinase‐loxP system. These floxed mice allow a functional PrP allele to be either switched “on” or “off. ” We demonstrate control of PrP expression for both alleles following Cre‐mediated recombination, as determined by PrP mRNA and protein expression in the brain. Moreover, we show that Cre‐mediated alteration of PrP expression in these mice has a major influence on the development of TSE disease. These floxed PrP mice will allow the involvement of PrP expression in specific cell types following TSE infection to be defined, which may identify potential sites for therapeutic intervention. genesis 40:1–6, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
DNA BREAKS CAUSED BY MONOCHROMATIC 365 nm ULTRAVIOLET‐A RADIATION OR HYDROGEN PEROXIDE and THEIR REPAIR IN HUMAN EPITHELIOID and XERODERMA PIGMENTOSUM CELLS

The induction and repair of DNA single‐strand breaks (SSB) assayed by alkaline filter elution was compared in human epithelioid P3 and xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) cells exposed to monochromatic 365‐nm UV‐A radiation and H2O2. Initial yields of SSB were measured with the cells held at 0.5°C during exposure. The yield from exposure to 365‐nm radiation was slightly greater in XP than in P3 cells, whereas H2O2 produced more than three times as many SSB in P3 compared with XP cells. o‐Phenanthroline (50 mM) markedly inhibited the yields of SSB induced in XP cells by H2O2, but had no effect on those produced by 365‐nm UV‐A. These results are consistent with the fact that P3 cells, unlike XP cells, have undetectable levels of catalase. The measured production of trace amounts of H2O2 by the actual 365‐nm UV‐A exposures was not sufficient to account for the numbers of breaks that were observed. Single‐strand breaks produced by both agents were completely repaired after 50 min in P3 cells, as were H2O2‐induced SSB in XP cells. However, 25% of the 365‐nm UV‐A‐induced SSB in XP cells remained refractory to repair after 60 min. The results show that SSB produced by these two agents are different and that 365 nm radiation produces most SSB in cells by mechanisms other than by production of H2O2.
Deterministic Construction of Binary Measurement Matrices with Flexible Sizes

In this letter, a new framework for deterministically constructing binary measurement matrices of compressed sensing is presented. The proposed matrices are composed of (circulant) permutation submatrix blocks and zero submatrix blocks, which will make the hardware realization convenient and easy. In addition, while many existing deterministic measurement matrices may have strict restrictions to the number of rows, the proposed matrices have flexible sizes m n and nearly optimal coherence 1 O( p m) when m = O(n). Finally, several matrix examples based on
A machine learning approach for student assessment in E-learning using Quinlan's C4.5, Naive Bayes and Random Forest algorithms

Student Assessment on e-learning platforms is a debated subject. The focal emphasis of this research study is to predict fair/transparent student evaluation using machine learning algorithms. A prediction on students' final grade showing whether the student will pass or fail would benefit the student/instructor and act as a guide for future recommendations/evaluations on performance. An in depth study on the assessment techniques for e-learning such as Markov Model, metacognitive perspectives has been conducted. A proposed model for fair/transparent student evaluation/performance has also been presented. Specific parameters have been defined that are then efficaciously tested by applying machine learning algorithms. In this study, classifiers such as Decision Trees-J48, Naive Bayes and Random Forest are used to progress the excellence of student data by initially eradicating noisy data, and consequently getting better prognostic accuracy. The scope of the paper has been set for undergraduate programs. The experimental results endow with set of guidelines to those students who have low grades. Performance testing has also been conducted for verification, accuracy and validity of results.
Comparison of drug sensitivity testing with microdilution quantitative minimum inhibitory concentration and the Autobac I system

Antibiotic susceptibility studies were compared by the quantitative minimum inhibitory concentration and Autobac I. Four hundred common isolates from clinical materials including both gram-negative and -positive organisms were evaluated. Results demonstrate that the Autobac I method can provide reliable semiquantitative estimation of bacterial susceptibility that correlates well with an acceptable standard procedure. The specific advantages of the Autobac I system in addition to the reliability demonstrated are speed, objectivity of interpretation, and ability to provide a printed result. These advantages can result in increased speed of reporting, which may reduce hospital stay and patient morbidity as well as providing needed information more rapidly in critically ill patients with bacterial infections.
A population-based study of neuroblastoma incidence, survival, and mortality in North America.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to provide a population-based estimate of neuroblastoma incidence, disease stage and age distribution, and survival and mortality rates in North America; and (2) to compare these figures in the province of Quebec at a time shortly before the institution of province-wide screening with those in a population-based control group, the Greater Delaware Valley (GDV) Pediatric Tumor Registry. MATERIALS AND METHODS In Quebec, the four major pediatric teaching hospital records were searched for children with a diagnosis of neuroblastoma. Tumor board registry data and information supplied to the Division of Vital Statistics were also reviewed. Birth statistics were obtained from the population registry. The GDV Pediatric Tumor Registry is a population-based registry of pediatric cancer covering all of Delaware and parts of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Age, stage of disease, and follow-up data were obtained through December 31, 1989, with Evans neuroblastoma staging data used for all comparisons. RESULTS One hundred thirty children with neuroblastoma were identified in Quebec and 165 in the GDV, in a combined population of 3,178,736 children. The annual incidence of neuroblastoma was 10.95/10(6) under the age of 15 years and 27.75/10(6) between the ages of 0 and 4 years. The annual mortality rate due to neuroblastoma was 4.89/10(6) and 9.10/10(6) for the age groups 0 to 14 and 0 to 4, respectively. The overall 10-year survival rate for the 295 cases of neuroblastoma was 55%. The 10-year survival rates for patients with Evans stage I-IV and IVS disease were 88%, 90%, 63%, 21%, and 81%. There was no significant difference observed in the incidence, mortality, or survival in the two populations. CONCLUSION These data represent the first large, population-based description of the clinical presentation and outcome of patients with neuroblastoma in North America, with no significant differences noted between Quebec patients and the GDV patients.
Dynein light chain Tctex‐1 identifies neural progenitors in adult brain

The identity and biology of stem cells and progenitors in the adult brain are of considerable interest, because these cells hold great promise for the development of novel therapies for damaged brain tissue in human diseases. This research field critically needs biological markers that specifically identify the resident precursors in the germinal zones of the adult central nervous system so that the discovery of regulatory influences for adult neurogenesis may be facilitated. In this study, by using a combination of in situ hybridization, bromodeoxyuridine incorporation, immunocolocalization, and ultrastructural studies, we show that in rodents Tctex‐1, a cytoplasmic dynein light chain, is selectively enriched in almost all cycling progenitors and young neuronal progeny, but not in mature granular cells and astrocytes, in the subgranular zone of the adult dentate gyrus. Tctex‐1 is also selectively abundant in cells closely resembling previously described immature progenitors and migrating neuroblasts at the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle. Our results suggest that Tctex‐1 serves as a novel marker for the identification of neural progenitors of the adult brain. J. Comp. Neurol. 496:773–786, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Simulation and analysis of performance of indoor meshed ZigBee networks

In this paper, system simulation for indoor meshed ZigBee networks is presented. The behavior of the radio channel is evaluated by means of 3D ray tracing algorithms that have been developed in order to analyze interference in a scenario of coexistence of two ZigBee meshed networks which are adjacent one to the other by electromagnetic transparent wall conditions. As a result, coverage plots, EVM values and SNR relations are obtained in the simulation space. The result aid in modeling the behavior ZigBee systems in indoor environments, as well as in adequate planning of large sensor networks based on ZigBee.
Future Directions in Metastatic Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC): Clinical Rationale and Use of New-Generation Hormonal Therapies

Several recent studies in mCRPC have identified the mechanisms of tumoral growth after the disease becomes unresponsive to standard hormonal therapy. These studies have highlighted the importance of residual intratumoral androgens in maintaining androgen receptor (AR) transcriptional activity in mCRPC [1]. Based on this findings, it has been possible to develop drugs, blocking the key enzyme in the biosynthesis of androgens through the inhibition of cytochrome p450 17 (CYP17) such as Abiraterone Acetate (AA) and drugs which directly target the AR including Enzalutamide (E) and Orteronel. Before this new knowledge, mCRPC treatment benefited from chemotherapy with taxanes. Recently a new taxane, Cabazitaxel (C), was approved in second line setting in association with prednisone. Retrospective analyses have tried to clarify the current role of chemotherapy in mCRPC patients and the right chemotherapy sequence of use of chemotherapy compared to new hormonal agents. Moreover, it would be important to address changes in the endpoints used in clinical trials, based on the stage of disease including the presence tumor-related symptoms, in order to identify the right therapeutic strategy.
High efficiency DC-DC autotransformer forward-flyback converter for DMPPT architectures in solar plants

Distributed Maximum Power Point Tracking (DMPPT) architectures are one of the most promising solutions to overcome the drawbacks associated to mismatching phenomena in photovoltaic (PV) applications. In these PV architectures, there is a DC-DC converter dedicated to perform the Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) for each PV panel. In order to have the greatest flexibility, the converter needs to have the ability of voltage step-up and step-down. Other desired specifications for the converters applied in DMPPT architectures are high efficiency and low cost. This paper proposes a new DCDC converter topology for PV applications. Its operating principle, as well as its static characteristics, is analyzed. Moreover, a theoretical efficiency comparison analysis, between the proposed converter and the Non-Inverting Buck-Boost (NIBB) converter, is carried out for a 100 kW solar plant. Three different scenarios are studied, according to different mismatching conditions. In all the scenarios, the proposed converter provides higher efficiency than the NIBB converter.
Exercise Rehabilitation for Chronic Heart Failure Patients with Cardiac Device Implants

ABSTRACT In the past decade a significant development in the management and rehabilitation of people with chronic heart failure (CHF) has been the utilization of cardiac devices. The use of biventricular pacemakers, referred to as Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) can yield improvements in functional abilities for a select group of CHF patients and the inclusion of implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs) may reduce the risk of sudden death. This review provides physical therapists with a basic understanding of how to prescribe exercise for people with CHF who have these device implants.
Delivery of rSLPI in a liposomal carrier for inhalation provides protection against cathepsin L degradation

Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) is an endogenous serine protease inhibitor that protects the lungs from excessive tissue damage caused by leukocyte proteases released during inflammation. Recombinant SLPI (rSLPI) has shown potential as a treatment for inflammatory lung conditions. To date, its clinical application has been limited by rapid enzymatic cleavage by cathepsins and rapid clearance from the lungs after inhalation. In this study, rSLPI was encapsulated in 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-Glycero-3-[Phospho-L-Serine] : Cholesterol (DOPS : Chol) liposomes for inhalation. Incubation of rSLPI with cathepsin L leads to complete loss of activity while encapsulation of rSLPI in DOPS : Chol liposomes retained 92.6% of its activity after challenge with cathepsin L. rSLPI-loaded liposomes were aerosolized efficiently using a standard nebulizer with a minimal loss of activity and stability. This formulation was biocompatible and encapsulation did not appear to diminish access to intracellular sites of action in in vitro cell culture studies. Liposome encapsulation of rSLPI therefore improves stability and potentially reduces the level and frequency of dosing required for therapeutic effect after inhalation.
BUILDING A CORPUS TO CATEGORIZE ARABIC SHORT TEXT USING GAMES WITH A PURPOSE

Text categorization, also known as text classification or topic detection is the task of automatically sorting documents into a predefined set of categories. This is considered to be one of the most important fields in the Natural Language Processing area, especially for the Arabic language where a fewer attempts are made towards constructing a corpus that could be used to train classifications algorithms for the Arabic short text. All the work investigated focuses on document classification whether for Arabic or other languages. Moreover, the small amount of work directed towards short text focused on sentiment analysis and neglected categorization. In this paper a new approach is presented to construct a corpus for short Arabic text classification using a Game with a Purpose (GWAP). "Eih elMawdoo3? " ("What is the Topic? ") is a multiplayer GWAP that aims to categorize short, unstructured Arabic text, along with collecting various keywords that will help constructing a strong, cheap, and expandable corpus for short text classification in the Arabic language.