Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Back-Related Quality of Life: The Continuing Challenge

It is always gratifying to be acknowledged by a colleague and asked to give a talk in a faraway land about a topic of one’s particular interest. To be invited, however, to give the Harry Farfan Presidential Lecture at the 27th Meeting of the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine is, for me, a special honor and privilege. Too many years ago, when I was a very junior faculty member at the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, we offered our students a course in Orthopedic Conditions. This course was primarily taught by orthopedic surgeons, rheumatologists, and other members of the medical profession with special interest in disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Teaching in this course was considered to be a professional obligation at McGill, and, while most individuals accepted the invitation, they did so with varying degrees of enthusiasm. Each year, Dr. Harry Farfan graciously agreed and provided several lectures for our students. He told them about the surgical management of problems of the lumbar spine and the necessity of treating the “whole” patient, as well as about his theory as to the cause of low back pain. At that point in time, we were not talking about quality of life as an outcome of care for our patients, but I cannot help but believe that he would keenly approve of the subject of this presentation.
Critical Review: Does the length of group aural rehabilitation program for adults with hearing loss predict self-perceived hearing handicap?

This critical review evaluates the relationship between length of Aural Rehabilitation (AR) program and perceived hearing handicap in adults with hearing loss. Types of studies located include: randomized control trials and cohort designs. Overall, there is evidence that attending group AR programs for an hour and a half to two hours a week for four to six weeks in length significantly reduces self-perceived hearing handicap. Criticisms of the available research include research design, various standardized and non-standardized measures to assess outcome and not differentiating between participant’s hearing aid experience during analysis.
The Significant Determinants of Private Investment: A Case Study of Pakistan (1972-2013)

This study has made an attempt to investigate the significant determinants of private investment in Pakistan during the time span of 43 years, from 1973 to 2013. We have use ARDL technique for the estimation of results. It has been observed in this study that real gross domestic product, real exchange rate, public investment and credit to private sector are the significant determinants of private investment and the enhancements in these variables has increased private investment in Pakistan. It has also been observed that financial development, real exchange rate and external debt have negative relation with private investment in Pakistan. We have also suggested in this study that government may consider these significant determinants to enhance private investment in Pakistan.
FinFET NBTI degradation reduction and recovery enhancement through hydrogen incorporation and self-heating

Negative-Bias Temperature Instability (NBTI) degrades the drive current of p-channel FinFET because defect centers are depassivated as hydrogen diffuses away under negative bias and elevated temperature. We propose incorporating hydrogen in the gate stack to reduce hydrogen depassivation rate and, thus, NBTI degradation. This approach is also expected to enhance NBTI recovery. Besides, we also propose using punch-through stop implant in bulk FinFET as an effective mean for on-chip self-heating and self-healing to enhance NBTI recovery. TCAD simulation is used to verify the ideas.
Telaprevir-containing regimen for treatment of hepatitis C virus infection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma awaiting liver transplantation: a case series

In patients who undergo liver transplantation (LT), allograft failure secondary to hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence after LT accounts for two-thirds of graft failures and deaths. Achievement of sustained virologic response before LT eliminates the risk of HCV recurrence. Only a limited number of studies have evaluated the role of antiviral treatment before LT. No published data are available regarding the use of HCV protease inhibitors before LT. We report our experience using the combination of telaprevir, pegylated interferon alfa-2a (PegIFN alfa-2a), and ribavirin in three patients with HCV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) awaiting LT. Two patients had not received, and one had had a partial response to HCV therapy (PegIFN alfa-2a plus ribavirin). All three patients had genotype 1b and were started on telaprevir and full doses of PegIFN alfa-2a and ribavirin. Treatment was planned to be continued until the day of LT or 48 weeks total, whichever came first. One patient still had detectable HCV RNA after 24 weeks of antivirals and was, therefore, excluded from further analysis. The other two patients had undetectable HCV RNA at the end of antiviral therapy. In one of these patients, HCV RNA remained undetectable after LT; the other patient experienced viral relapse. HCV therapy was tolerated by all patients; no patient required permanent discontinuation of therapy because of toxic effects. All three patients experienced hematologic toxic effects. Only one patient required treatment discontinuation, due to progression of HCC. The use of telaprevir-containing regimens appears to be safe in selected patients with HCV-associated HCC awaiting LT, but more studies are warranted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this treatment combination to prevent post-LT viral recurrence.
A Model and its Solution Method for a Two-Item Newsvendor Supply Chain with Return Policy and Demand Leakage

We study a one-manufacturer and one-retailer type of supply chain that the manufacturer manufactures two newsvendor-type items and offers a buy-back contractual commitment to the retailer who sells the items in a stochastic demand market with various prices, allowing demand leakage from high-priced item to low-priced one. The objective of this study is to coordinate the chain by jointly determining wholesale prices, buy-back prices, retail prices and order sizes. We first derive a succinct model for the chain in which the manufacturers expected profit subject to the retailer’s optimal expected profit will be explored. And a solution method to the case of uniformly distributed error demand is subsequently proposed; accordingly, a series of examples along with graphical concavity and satisfying constraint of the manufacturer’s expected profit are conducted to validate our solution method.
Labanotation for design of movement-based interaction

This paper reports findings from a study of Labanotation, an already established movement notation, as a design tool for movement-based interaction where movements of the human body are direct input to technology. Using Labanotation, we transcribed movements performed by players of two different Eyetoy™ games. Our analysis identified a range of advantages and disadvantages of the potential use of Labanotation in design. Its major disadvantage is the effort required to learn how to use it. But it supports a representation of movement that can be easily linked into the context and point of interaction. This provides a valuable foundation for design of movement-based interaction.
Stoichiometry and pH dependence of the rabbit proton‐dependent oligopeptide transporter PepT1.

1. The intestinal H(+)‐coupled peptide transporter PepT1, displays a broad substrate specificity and accepts most charged and neutral di‐ and tripeptides. To study the proton‐to‐peptide stoichiometry and the dependence of the kinetic parameters on extracellular pH (pHo), rabbit PepT1 was expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes and used for uptake studies of radiolabelled neutral and charged dipeptides, voltage‐clamp analysis and intracellular pH measurements. 2. PepT1 did not display the substrate‐gated anion conductances that have been found to be characteristic of members of the Na(+)‐ and H(+)‐coupled high‐affinity glutamate transporter family. In conjunction with previous data on the ion dependence of PepT1, it can therefore be concluded that peptide‐evoked charge fluxes of PepT1 are entirely due to H+ movement. 3. Neutral, acidic and basic dipeptides induced intracellular acidification. The rate of acidification, the initial rates of the uptake of radiolabelled peptides and the associated charge fluxes gave proton‐substrate coupling ratios of 1:1, 2:1 and 1:1 for neutral, acidic and basic dipeptides, respectively. 4. Maximal transport of the neutral and charged dipeptides Gly‐Leu, Gly‐Glu, Gly‐Lys and Ala‐Lys occurred at pHo 5.5, 5.2, 6.2 and 5.8, respectively. The Imax values were relatively pHo independent but the apparent affinity (Km(app) values for these peptides were shown to be highly pHo dependent. 5. Our data show that at physiological pH (pHo 5.5‐6.0) PepT1 prefers neutral and acidic peptides. The shift in transport maximum for the acidic peptide Gly‐Glu to a lower pH value suggests that acidic dipeptides are transported in the protonated form. The shift in the transport maxima of the basic dipeptides to higher pH values may involve titration of a side‐chain on the transporter molecule (e.g. protonation of a histidine group). These considerations have led us to propose a model for coupled transport of neutral, acidic and basic dipeptides.
An exploration of managerial expertise in the Western Australian wine industry

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the key management skills for running a successful winery business, which in the Australian industry is predominately a small to medium sized business, and explores the existence of such skills within the industry.Design/methodology/approach – The information was obtained through structured interviews with a range of winery owners and managers in the four main wine regions of Western Australia.Findings – Whilst a set of universal management skills are identified by the industry participants, these are not universally held. The study examines skills and training issues highlighting the diversity of winery owners and managers.Research limitations/implications – The study was conducted using qualitative methodology in one state of Australia only.Practical implications – The findings require further quantitative testing, but strongly imply that managerial skills in the wine industry are limited, and most managers are more focused on technical expertise than f.
Case report. Anorexia nervosa and psychosis in a male triathlete.

Introduction: Eating disorders in men are uncommon. They are seen in male athletes participating in aesthetic sports, such as gymnastics and diving, and in sports for which leanness confers a competitive advantage. Although there are many similarities between men and women with eating disorders, there are notable differences as well. We present the case of a 23-year-old male triathlete with both anorexia and acute psychosis. This case highlights a potential difference, a primary thought disturbance, between men and women patients with disordered eating. In general, men presenting with anorexia or bulimia are treated by methods developed and evaluated for use in women. Perhaps the male patient’s poor prognosis for recovery owes itself to not only sex differences in the diseases themselves, but in the physician’s approach to treatment.
Strategic Human Resource Management and Theoretical Background: A Critical Review Perspective

Wright et al. (1992) have mentioned that the field of Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) is lack of a strong theoretical foundation. Resource Base View (RBV) and there are some other theories which are relevant to the area of SHRM. The literature on HRM and performance can be divided into three main kinds of theories; Universalistic, Contingency and Configurationally (Gooderham et al., 2008). Wright et al. (1992, p.303) have mentioned that “one of the original and more popular theoretical models used in the SHRM literature is the Behavioral Perspective”. As they explained, this theory focuses on the mediator effect on the relationship between strategy and firm performance. On the other hand the agency/transaction cost theory approach to examining the problems of human exchange are based in the fields of finance and economics. According to Universalist principles there is a universal prescription or ‘one best way’ or a general pattern. Another important issue is although the best practice approach has considerable support, this approach is also criticized by different perspective in the literature. Meanwhile the contingency school has criticized best practice. However it is clear that there is no universal prescription of SHRM practice that should be employed in each different context. In contrast to the Universalistic or best practice approach, the best fit approach adopts a contingency approach. The linkage between strategy and HRM has received extensive attention from contingency school of through. After considering all of the relevant theories it can be concluded that the highly relevant theory for SHRM research is RBV while other theories do facilitating and supporting. ___________________________________________________________________________
Evidence-Based Marketing: A Perspective on the ‘Practice - Theory Divide’

This article seeks to explore some dimensions of the relationship between marketing research and theory, including the relationship between researchers and practitioners, using the lens on the debate around evidence-based management, with a view to stimulating debate within the marketing community. The article commences by introducing the concepts of evidence-based practice and management, and reviewing some of the challenges associated with integrating management and marketing research and practice. The following section visits the notion of ‘evidence’, including its link to mode 1 and mode 2 knowledge production. Finally, ten proposals for advancing evidence-based marketing and blurring the ‘practice–theory divide’ are proposed. These include peoplebased strategies, knowledge and inquiry-based strategies, and dissemination, communication and publication-based strategies.
An examination of accounting for repurchase agreements

Repurchase agreements have been a source of debate in the last few years. In June 2014, the FASB released Transfers and Servicing (Topic 860), Repurchase-to-Maturity Transactions, Repurchase Financings, and Disclosures as an amendment to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification. This paper attempts to discuss the origin of repurchase agreements, financial statement manipulations using repurchase agreements, actions the FASB has taken to modify financial reporting standards to better clarify accounting treatments, and identify potential remaining accounting issues.
Pre-Market Trading and IPO Pricing: Evidence from Taiwan

We study the only mandatory pre-IPO market in the world – Taiwan’s Emerging Stock Market (ESM). We document that pre-market prices are very informative about post-market prices and that the pre-market price efficiency increases with trading liquidity. Pre-market prices are utilized in IPO pricing. The ESM price-earnings ratio shortly before the IPO explains about 90% of the variation in the price-earnings ratio calculated using the offer price. Moreover, the more informative the pre-market price is, the higher the offer price (i.e., the lower the underpricing). However, the average IPO underpricing level remains high despite the pre-market. We provide evidence that this is due to underwriters’ rent-seeking behavior, suggesting that agency problems can lead to high levels of underpricing even when there is little information asymmetry or valuation uncertainty about the stock.
INSTITUTIONAL CONSTRAINTS AFFECTING DAIRY DEVELOPMENT IN WESTERN KENYA

This study examined institutional constraints and agribusiness capacity of key institutions involved in dairy development in Western Kenya. Using checklists and interview guides, data was collected from Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), farmer groups, credit insti tutions, agro dealer feed stockists, Inseminators, County livestock department and dairy cooperatives. The results showed that despite developing many feed technologies, KARI lacked agribusiness orientation which limited the scaling up and dissemination of improved technologies to target users. Fear to take loans on the part of farmers, and lack of tailor made loans targeting dairy farmers’ priority needs affected availability of credit. The protein content of commercial dairy meal were not labelled on bags by feed companies and analysis showed that the Kenyan dairy farmer was exposed to low quality concentrate due to lack of an inspectorate service. The study also found that the devolved county governments lacked dairy strategic plan, while Artificial Insem ination services were constrained by lack of liquid nitrogen, semen bank and testing laboratory. Finally, assessment of dairy cooperatives showed they were still embedded in traditional functions and had not taken off on a business path. It is concluded th at key challenges affecting dairy development and farmer groups in particular are mainly institutional rather than technological. Creating an enabling policy, institutional and regulatory framework would be key to the sector’s growth. Further studies shoul d be carried out to identify specific agribusiness impact model that would revitalise dairy development in the region.
DRUG USERS AND HIV-COMBINATION THERAPY (HAART): FACTORS WHICH IMPEDE OR FACILITATE ADHERENCE

The current highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), i.e., triple combination treatment including a protease inhibitor, allows for long-term suppression of HIV-replication. The intake guidelines, however, are very strict and, like many other HIV positive patients, drug users have problems in achieving good therapy compliance. As a result, the effectiveness of the medication therapy is seriously jeopardized. This qualitative study, involving in-depth interviews with 27 “hard drug” users in Amsterdam, seeks to provide better insights into the extent of adherence to HAART. In addition, factors that impede or facilitate adherence have been listed in order to develop and improve strategies. The study shows that almost half of the “hard drug” users interviewed do not adhere to the therapy. A large number of determinants for adherence were identified at the level of medication, the individual, and the environment. Many of these determinants can be influenced, which means that they can provide clues for the effective implementation of measures that may enhance effectiveness of treatment.
Equity Share Price Determinants : A Survey of Literature

Stock price in an efficient market provides investors with a good measure of any firm’s performance and its value. The corporate owners and prospective investors need a proper understanding of main variables that influence the firm’s stock market price in order to make better informed decisions. This study reviews the factors that determine the firms’ equity share price with special focus on the microeconomic factors. Dividend per share, earning per share, book value per share, dividend payout, price earnings ratio, and size of the firm have been identified as significant factors impacting the firm’s equity share price by the corporate finance scholars.
Parasitic worm therapy for allergy: Is this incongruous or avant‐garde medicine?

Helminth (worm) therapy has already been used in clinical trials associated with allergy. These were generally small scale, safety orientated trials of short duration, justified by epidemiological and experimental data indicating potentially beneficial immune modulation by some parasites. However, parasites by definition are disadvantageous to their hosts, and helminth infection in particular almost invariably induces an allergic phenotype, rendering this somewhat paradoxical therapeutic approach for allergy open to scrutiny. Is parasitic worm therapy for allergy incongruous medicine, or avant‐garde medicine? In the present article, we assess the strength of evidence supporting the use of helminth therapy for allergy and critically appraise the trials already completed. Then, should this approach prove successful, we suggest strategies to improve the delivery of helminth therapy, and ways to discover immune response modifiers derived from worms.
Sentimental Space Based Analysis of User Personalized Sentiments

With the development of social media, online documents such as the comments of news articles, blogs and microblogs have received great attention, and the sentiment analysis via online documents has become one popular research area. This paper focuses on establishing user sentimental space obtained from online documents to analyze user's personalized sentiments, which aims to identify user's sentimental feature. Affection, sentiment and attributes of user are firstly employed to build user's personalized sentimental space. Then, the general constrains of user sentiments space are proposed to calculate user's personality. And finally we seek out sentimental leaders who paly pivotal role in the leading public opinions. Our works can give some suggestions for decision makers when urgent event happen.
Role of content strategy in social media brand communities: a case of higher education institutes in India

Purpose – The aim of this study is to attempt to understand the role of content strategy followed by leading higher education institutes in India which have created brand community on social media web sites to initiate and enhance customer engagement. The impact of content strategy variables – content type, posting agility, posting day and content context on number of likes and number of comments, which were manifest variables for customer engagement was assessed here.Design/methodology/approach – This study follows a positivistic paradigm and employs case study research design. The data were collected by netnography method from brand communities on social networking web sites. The data were collected on a longitudinal basis for one year. Ten brand communities were tracked for the period and the analysis is based on total 1,440 posts made by brands during this period.Findings – The content type and content agility were found to have significant impact on number of likes and comments, which were treated as.
Nanostructured Hollow Tubes Based on Chitosan and Alginate Multilayers

The design and production of structures with nanometer‐sized polymer films based on layer‐by‐layer (LbL) are of particular interest for tissue engineering since they allow the precise control of physical and biochemical cues of implantable devices. In this work, a method is developed for the preparation of nanostructured hollow multilayers tubes combining LbL and template leaching. The aim is to produce hollow tubes based on polyelectrolyte multilayer films with tuned physical‐chemical properties and study their effects on cell behavior. The final tubular structures are characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), microscopy, swelling, and mechanical tests, including dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) in physiological simulated conditions. It is found that more robust films could be produced upon chemical cross‐linking with genipin. In particular, the mechanical properties confirms the viscoelastic properties and a storage and young modulus about two times higher. The water uptake decreases from about 390% to 110% after the cross‐linking. The biological performance is assessed in terms of cell adhesion, viability, and proliferation. The results obtained with the cross‐linked tubes demonstrate that these are more suitable structures for cell adhesion and spreading. The results suggest the potential of these structures to boost the development of innovative tubular structures for tissue engineering approaches.