Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems ( PACIS ) 2014 THE IMPACT OF BUSINESS-IT ALIGNMENT ON ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE

Organizational culture continues to be cited as one of the most important factors for organizations’ success in an increasingly competitive and IT-driven global environment. Given the fact that organizational culture has an influence all over the organization, the complexity of its nature is increased when considering the relationship between business and IT. As a result, different factors that have influence on changing organizational culture were highlighted in literature. These factors are found in the research literature distributed in three main group; micro-environment factors, macro-environment factors and leader’s impact. One of the factors that have not been yet well investigated in researches is concerning business-IT alignment (BITA. Therefore the purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of BITA maturity on organizational culture. The research process that we have followed is a literature survey followed by an in-depth case study. The result of this research shows a clear interrelation in theories of both BITA and organizational culture, and clear indications of BITA impact on organizational culture and its change. The findings may support both practitioners and researchers in order to understand the insights of the relationships between BITA and organizational culture components and provide a roadmap for improvements or desired changes in organizational culture with highlighted target business area.
Classification of ground vehicles using acoustic signal processing and neural network classifier

Almost all moving vehicles generate some kind of noise that can be due to the vibrations of engine, rotational parts, bumping and friction of the vehicle tires with the ground, wind effects, gears, fans etc. this sound provides an important clue or characteristic pattern to recognize the vehicle type. Similar vehicles working in comparable conditions would have a similar acoustic signature that could be used for recognition. Characteristic patterns may be extracted either in time domain or frequency domain or a combination of these two i.e. time frequency domain. Classification of ground vehicles based on acoustic signals can be employed effectively in battlefield surveillance, traffic control, military and many other applications. In this paper we present efficient and less complex method for feature extraction in time domain with the help of Fourier transform. The recorded signals and their feature vectors have to be stored and assigned to pre-existing categories or classes i.e. these feature vectors will give us our database in matrix form, which is used for vehicle classification in neural network classifier.
Multivariate Clustering by Dynamics

We present a Bayesian clustering algorithm for multivariate time series. A clustering is regarded as a probabilistic model in which the unknown auto-correlation structure of a time series is approximated by a first order Markov Chain and the overall joint distribution of the variables is simplified by conditional independence assumptions. The algorithm searches for the most probable set of clusters given the data using a entropy-based heuristic search method. The algorithm is evaluated on a set of multivariate time series of propositions produced by the perceptual system of a mobile robot.
Amphiregulin antisense oligonucleotide inhibits the growth of T3M4 human pancreatic cancer cells and sensitizes the cells to EGF receptor‐targeted therapy

Human pancreatic cancers overexpress the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) and all 5 ligands that bind to this receptor, including amphiregulin. It is not known, however, whether amphiregulin contributes in an autocrine manner to enhance pancreatic cancer cell growth. Therefore, we used an amphiregulin antisense oligonucleotide (AR‐AS) to suppress amphiregulin expression in T3M4 human pancreatic cancer cells. These cells express high levels of EGFR and amphiregulin. AR‐AS abolished amphiregulin immunoreactivity in T3M4 cells, decreased amphiregulin release into the medium and inhibited cell growth in a dose‐dependent manner. Exogenous amphiregulin reversed AR‐AS‐mediated growth inhibition. A random oligonucleotide (AR‐R) did not alter either cell growth or cellular amphiregulin immunoreactivity. AR‐AS also increased cellular EGFR protein levels and enhanced the growth‐inhibitory actions of TP40, a chimeric protein consisting of transforming growth factor‐α coupled to Pseudomonas exotoxin that internalizes into cells via EGFR. These findings indicate that there is an important EGFR/amphiregulin autocrine loop in T3M4 cells and raise the possibility that modalities aimed at abrogating amphiregulin action may prove useful in pancreatic cancer, especially when used in conjunction with EGFR‐targeted therapy. Int. J. Cancer 72:512–517, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Race hatred and the far right on the Internet

In seeking to understand how the far right have been able to flourish since the end of the Second World War, many writers stress the decline of heavy manufacturing in the West and the subsequent disenfranchisement of men within traditional working class white communities. It is within this context that Perry provides an extremely useful and precise explanation of the reasons for many hate crimes in the West: "Hate crime then, involves acts of violence and intimidation, usually directed toward already stigmatized and marginalized groups. As such, it is a mechanism of power and oppression, intended to reaffirm the precarious hierarchies that characterize a given social order. It attempts to re-create simultaneously the threatened (real or imagined) hegemony of the perpetrator's group and the 'appropriate' subordinate identity of the victim's group. It is a means of marking both the Self and the Other in such a way as to reestablish their 'proper' relative positions, as given and reproduced by broader ideologies and patterns of social and political inequality (Perry, 2001). "
Is Single-stage Revision Safe Following Infected Total Knee Arthroplasty? A Critical Review

With the improvement in outcomes and modern prosthesis design, total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has now become a commonly performed surgery. It is postulated that a total of 2-5% of the primary and revision TKA becomes infected every year, requiring a revision procedure which to date is the conventional two-stage revision. The diagnosis and treatment of these periprosthetic infections is a major and challenging task, as it requires precise identification of the pathogen, meticulous debridement, and postoperative rehabilitation. To date, there have been very few studies in existing literature comparing the outcomes of single-stage versus two-stage procedure in infected TKA. The aim of the review was to provide the clinicians an insight into the outcome of the single-stage procedure compared to two-stage procedures and to suggest ways to improve the results further. In the following critical review, a total of 669 cases that underwent either a single or two-stage revision for infected TKA were studied. The postoperative functional scores were comparable in most studies during the early postoperative period. Our data supports the use of a single-stage revision surgery in infected TKA as an alternative to a conventional two-stage procedure. However, larger prospective and multicentric trials are required to validate our ﬁndings.
Possible Role of Cbr, an Algal Early-Light-Induced Protein, in Nonphotochemical Quenching of Chlorophyll Fluorescence

The unicellular green alga Dunaliella bardawil exhibits typical responses to excessive light when starved for sulfate under normal light (60 [mu]E m-2 s-1) but not under low light (14 [mu]E m-2 s-1). Algae were analyzed during several days of sulfate starvation for nonphotochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence in the absence or presence of the uncouplers SF-6847 (SF) or carbonyl cyanide p- trifluoromethoxyphenyl hydrazone. Parallel analyses followed two light-stress responses: (a) violaxanthin conversion to zeaxanthin and (b) accumulation of Cbr, a protein analogous to plant early-light-induced proteins and implicated in zeaxanthin binding. In cells starved under normal light SF inhibited nonphotochemical quenching during the first 24 h, but not from 40 h onward. In cells starved under low light SF inhibited nonphotochemical quenching throughout the starvation period. Under normal light accumulation of zeaxanthin was nearly maximal by 24 h, but Cbr was fully induced only by 40h. Under low light zeaxanthin accumulated slowly but no Cbr was evident. These results suggest that during exposure to excessive light, the initial pH gradient-dependent, Cbr-independent mode of nonphotochemical quenching is modified to become less dependent on pH gradient and requires Cbr.
Intelligent and Automated Software Testing Methods Classification: A Review

Since software applications increased rapidly in modern life, it is important to have enough reliability and minimizing the probability of faults in software products. Software testing is a process to finding faults in software products and increasing their reliability. Because testing process is very costly, automation techniques are need to reduce these costs and also, increase reliability. In automatic testing, an attempt is made to reduce human roles in testing process by converting the testing phases or part of them to performed by intelligent methods. Automatic testing has several advantages such as decrease testing time, resources and costs and on the other hand, increase quality and reliability. In this paper, after explaining software testing phases, a classification of existing automatic testing methods has shown. These methods can automate software testing phases or at least part of them with aim to reach above advantages. The aim of this classification is to show which technique can applied in which phase of software testing. The classification clarifies which problems must address in each phase before moving to next problems and how to automate each phase. Moreover, approaches for automating each testing phase have recommended.
Nematode-Derived Proteins Suppress Proliferation and Cytokine Production of Antigen-Specific T Cells via Induction of Cell Death

In order to establish long-lasting infections in their mammalian host, filarial nematodes have developed sophisticated strategies to dampen their host’s immune response. Proteins that are actively secreted by the parasites have been shown to induce the expansion of regulatory T cells and to directly interfere with effector T cell function. Here, we analyze the suppressive capacity of Onchocerca volvulus -derived excreted/secreted proteins. Addition of two recombinant O . volvulus proteins, abundant larval transcript-2 (OvALT-2) and novel larval transcript-1 (OvNLT-1) to cell cultures of T cell receptor transgenic CD4+ and CD8+ T cells suppressed antigen-specific stimulation in vitro. Ovalbumin-specific CD4+ DO11.10 and OT-II T cells that had been stimulated with their cognate antigen in the presence of OvALT-2 or OvNLT-1 displayed reduced DNA synthesis quantified by 3H-thymidine incorporation and reduced cell division quantified by CFSE dilution. Furthermore, the IL-2 and IFN-γ response of ovalbumin-specific CD8+ OT-I T cells was suppressed by OvALT-2 and OvNLT-1. In contrast, another recombinant O . volvulus protein, microfilariae surface-associated antigen (Ov103), did not modulate T cell activation, thus serving as internal control for non-ESP-mediated artifacts. Suppressive capacity of the identified ESP was associated with induction of apoptosis in T cells demonstrated by increased exposure of phosphatidylserine on the plasma membrane. Of note, the digestion of recombinant proteins with proteinase K did not abolish the suppression of antigen-specific proliferation although the suppressive capacity of the identified excreted/secreted products was not mediated by low molecular weight contaminants in the undigested preparations. In summary, we identified two suppressive excreted/secreted products from O . volvulus , which interfere with the function of antigen-specific T cells in vitro.
Thyroid incidentalomas identified by 18F-FDG PET: sonographic correlation.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk of malignancy of thyroid incidentalomas detected on (18)F-FDG PET and the diagnostic accuracy of sonography for differentiating benign from malignant focal thyroid incidentalomas that were detected on FDG PET. MATERIALS AND METHODS Retrospective review was performed of a database of 87 focal thyroid lesions seen on FDG PET and sonography. Forty-two focal lesions were malignant. We compared the accuracy of the maximum standard uptake value (SUV) to differentiate benign from malignant thyroid lesions. We classified the thyroid nodules as probably benign or suspicious for malignancy by the sonographic features. Statistical analyses compared two subgroups by sonographic classifications between benign and malignant thyroid lesions. RESULTS The maximum SUV of the malignant nodules was not significantly higher than that of benign lesions. Thirty-seven (75.5%) of 49 lesions with suspicious sonographic findings revealed malignancy on cytopathology, compared with five (13.2%) of 38 lesions that showed probably benign sonographic findings. These differences were statistically significant using a kappa test (kappa = 0.675, p = 0.001) and logistic regression (odds ratio = 26.2, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION The probability (48.3%) of malignancy of focal thyroid incidentalomas seen on FDG PET is high. The maximum SUV of thyroid cancer is not significantly higher than that of benign lesions. The probability (13.2%) of malignancy is much lower when the sonographic findings appear benign, as compared with a significantly higher probability (75.5%) of malignancy when the sonographic findings are suspicious for malignancy.
In situ survey of graphite in unequilibrated chondrites: Morphologies, C, N, O, and H isotopic ratios

Abstract— We performed in situ morphological and isotopic studies of graphite in the primitive chondrites Khohar (L3), Mezö‐Madaras (L3), Inman (L3), Grady (H3), Acfer 182 (CH3), Acfer 207 (CH3), Acfer 214 (CH3), and St. Marks (EH5). Various graphite morphologies were identified, including book, veins, fibrous, fine‐grained, spherulitic, and granular graphite, and cliftonite. SIMS measurements of H, C, N, and O isotopic compositions of the graphites revealed large variations in the isotopic ratios of these four elements. The δ15N and δ13C values show significant variations among the different graphite types without displaying any strict correlation between the isotopic composition and morphology. In the Khohar vein graphites, large 15N excesses are found, with δ15Nmax ∼+955‰, confirming previous results. Excesses in 15N are also detected in fine‐grained graphites in chondrites of the CH clan, Acfer 182, Acfer 207, and Acfer 214, with δ15N ranging up to +440‰. The 15N excesses are attributed to ion‐molecule reactions at low temperatures in the interstellar molecular cloud (IMC) from which the solar system formed, though the largest excesses seem to be incompatible with the results of some recent calculation. Significant variations in the carbon isotopic ratios are detected between graphite from different chondrite groups, with a tendency for a systematic increase in δ13C from ordinary to enstatite to carbonaceous chondrites. These variations are interpreted as being due to small‐ and large‐scale carbon isotopic variations in the solar nebula.
Bacteriophage lambda DNA packaging: DNA site requirements for termination and processivity.

Bacteriophage lambda chromosomes are processively packaged into preformed shells, using end-to-end multimers of intracellular viral DNA as the packaging substate. A 200 bp long DNA segment, cos, contains all the sequences needed for DNA packaging. The work reported here shows that efficient DNA packaging termination requires cos's I2 segment, in addition to the required termination subsite, cosQ, and the nicking site, cosN. Efficient processivity requires cosB, in addition to cosQ and cosN. An initiation-defective mutant form of cosB sponsored efficient processivity, indicating that the terminase-cosB interactions required for termination are less stringent than those required at initiation. The finding that an initiation-defective form of cosB is functional for processivity allows a re-interpretation of a similar finding, obtained previously, that the initiation-defective cosB of phage 21 is functional for processivity by the lambda packaging machinery. The cosBphi21 result can now be interpreted as indicating that interactions between cosBphi21 and lambda terminase, while insufficient for initiation, function for processivity.
Localising Prostate Cancer: Comparison of Endorectal Magnetic Resonance (MR) Imaging and 3D-MR Spectroscopic Imaging with Transrectal Ultrasound-Guided Biopsy

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) have been gaining acceptance as tools in the evaluation of prostate cancer. We compared the accuracy of transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided biopsy and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI combined with three-dimensional (3D) MRSI in locating prostate tumours and determined the influence of prostate weight on MRI accuracy. Patients and Methods: Between March 1999 and October 2006, 507 patients with localised prostate cancer underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) at the Jules Bordet Institute. Of these, 220 had undergone endorectal MRI (1.5 T Siemens Quantum Symphony) and 3D-MRSI prior to RP. We retrospectively reviewed data on tumour location and compared the results obtained by MRI and by TRUS-guided biopsy with those obtained on histopathology of the RP specimen. Results: Patient data were as follows: median age 62.4 years (45–74); median PSA 6.36 ng/ml (0.5–22.6); 73.6% of patients had non-palpable disease (T1c); median biopsy Gleason score 6 (3–9); median RP specimen weight 50 g (12–172); median pathological Gleason score 7 (4–10); 68.64% of patients had organ-confined (pT2) disease. Tumour localisation was correlated with RP data in a significantly higher percentage of patients when using MRI rather than TRUS-guided biopsy (47.4 vs. 36.6%, p < 0.0001). MRI was marginally superior to TRUS-guided biopsy in detecting malignancy at the prostate apex (48.3 vs. 41.9%, p = 0.0687) and somewhat better at the prostate base (46 vs. 39.1%, p = 0.0413). It was highly significantly better at mid-gland (52 vs. 41.1%, p = 0.0015) and in the transition zone (40.1 vs. 24.3%, p < 0.0001). MRI had higher sensitivity in larger (≧50 g) than smaller (<50 g) prostates (50.3 vs. 42.2%, p = 0.0017). Conclusions: MRI was superior to TRUS-guided biopsy in locating prostate tumours except at the gland apex. MRI was more accurate in larger (≧50 g) than smaller prostates.
Integer Decomposition for Polyhedra Defined by Nearly Totally Unimodular Matrices

We call a matrix A nearly totally unimodular if it can be obtained from a totally unimodular matrix $\tilde{A}$ by adding to each row of $\tilde{A}$ an integer multiple of some fixed row $a^{\transp}$ of $\tilde{A}$. For an integer vector b and a nearly totally unimodular matrix A, we denote by $P_{A,b}$ the integer hull of the set $\{x\in\mathbb{R}^n\mid Ax\leq b\}$. We show that $P_{A,b}$ has the integer decomposition property and that we can find a decomposition of a given integer vector $x\in kP_{A,b}$ in polynomial time.An interesting special case that plays a role in many cyclic scheduling problems is when A is a circular-ones matrix. In this case, we show that given a nonnegative integer k and an integer vector x, testing if $x\in kP_{A,b}$ and finding a decomposition of x into k integer vectors in $P_{A,b}$ can be done in time $O(n(n+m)+\text{size}(x))$, where A is an $m\times n$ matrix. We show that the method unifies some known results on coloring circular arc graphs and edge coloring nearly bip.
An empirical investigation to use solar-geothermal hybrid energy system for small towns

c National Iranian Gas Distribution Company, Qom Branch, Qom, Iran A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T During the past few years, there has been increasing interest to find a replacement for gas consumption in Iranian small towns and cities. The government believes delivering cheap gas to small towns is not economical and can be replaced with recent technological solar-geothermal hybrid energy system. In this paper, we present an empirical study to calculate internal rate of return (IRR) for a small town located near the city of Qom, Iran. We consider three scenarios of population, namely 1000, 1500 and 2000 households and various rates for gas price from 7 to 40 cents. The results show that a gas distribution unit yields 2% to 20% in terms of return. This brings us to conclude that gas distribution for small towns far from major cities is not economically justified for government. Therefore, we need to use alternative methods such as solar-geothermal hybrid energy system. We use TOPSIS method, as a multi criteria decision making approach, to prioritize ten small towns in Qom province and the results are analyzed.
Incidence and Outcome of BRCA Mutations in Unselected Patients with Triple Receptor-Negative Breast Cancer

Purpose: To investigate the incidence of germline and somatic BRCA1/2 mutations in unselected patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and determine the prognostic significance of carrying a mutation. Methods: DNA was obtained from 77 TNBC and normal tissues. BRCA1/2 exons/flanking regions were sequenced from tumor and patients classified as mutant or wild type (WT). Sequencing was repeated from normal tissue to identify germline and somatic mutations. Patient characteristics were compared with chi-square. Survival was estimated by Kaplan–Meier method and compared with log-rank. Cox proportional hazards models were fit to determine the independent association of mutation status with outcome. Results: Median age was 51 years (27–83 years). Fifteen patients (19.5%) had BRCA mutations: 12 (15.6%) in BRCA1 (one somatic), and 3 (3.9%) in BRCA2. Patients with BRCA mutations tended to be younger than WT, (P = 0.005). Grade, histology, and stage were not associated with mutation status. At a median follow-up of 43 months (7–214 months), there were 33 (42.9%) recurrences and 35 (45.5%) deaths. Five-year recurrence-free survival estimates were 51.7% for WT versus 86.2% for patients with mutations, (P = 0.031); and 5-year overall survival estimates were 52.8% for WT versus 73.3% for patients with mutations (P = 0.225). After adjustment, patients with BRCA mutations had a significantly better RFS (HR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.045–0.79, P = 0.016) compared with WT. Conclusions: In this unselected cohort of TNBC, we found a 19.5% incidence of BRCA mutations. Genetic testing should be discussed with patients with TNBC. Patients with TNBC with BRCA mutations had a significantly lower risk of relapse. Clin Cancer Res; 17(5); 1082–9. ©2011 AACR.