Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Image quality and radiation exposure in pediatric cardiovascular CT angiography from different injection sites.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this article is to evaluate the effect of different injection sites (i.e., head, arm, or leg vein) on image quality and radiation exposure in pediatric cardiovascular CT angiography (CTA) with 64-MDCT. MATERIALS AND METHODS CTA was performed in 61 children with suspected extracardiac abnormalities. Patients were assigned to three groups according to the different injection sites: head, arm, or leg vein. Enhancement of heart chamber and great vessels and background noise were quantified. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), dose-length product (DLP), and effective dose (ED) were calculated. Subjective image quality was assessed by two radiologists in consensus. RESULTS There was no significant difference among all groups in the mean attenuation of the heart chamber, pulmonary artery (PA), and aorta. There was also no significant difference in their mean attenuation, background noise, SNR, and CNR. However, there were significant differences among the three groups for aorta image quality (p = 0.006), despite the nonsignificant differences in heart chamber and PA image quality. There also were significant differences among the three groups for total DLP and ED (p = 0.01 for both), with prescanning DLPs of 17.6%, 20.2%, and 24.5%, respectively, of the total DLP for each group. CONCLUSION Although all injection sites can yield diagnostic-quality images with a low radiation dose in pediatric cardiovascular CTA, the injection site has a slight impact on the image quality of different targeted areas with a significantly different radiation dose. The optimization of a prescanning protocol may open an avenue to reduce the radiation dose associated with cardiovascular CTA.
The process of conflict in buyer‐seller relationships at domestic and international levels: A comparative analysis

Despite the fact that conflict is an essential behavioural dimension underlying the buyer‐seller relationship, no empirical work has as yet been conducted on the comparison of conflictual processes between different types of marketing channels. This paper attempts to compare exporter‐importer and exporter‐domestic customer business partnerships, regarding the dimension of conflict throughout its various stages of growth and development. The study was carried out on a sample of 53 indigenous Greek manufacturing firms. Contrary to prior expectations, it was found that the exporter‐importer (E‐I) kind of relationship was not characterized by higher levels of conflictual processes than those in the domestic type of business association. Surprisingly, the study results also showed that in a substantial number of conflict areas, the domestic relationship category was governed by significantly higher levels of conflictual processes compared with those in the E‐I kind of business partnership. The managerial impli.
Effect of the interaction between cryoprotectant concentration and cryopreservation method on frozen/thawed chicken sperm variables.

This work examines the effect of the interaction between different concentrations of two cryoprotectants - glycerol (GLY) and dimethylacetamide (DMA) - and two methods of cryopreservation - pellets produced by plunging into liquid nitrogen and gradual in-straw freezing - on frozen/thawed chicken sperm variables. Sperm was cryopreserved using: (i) 6% DMA, following the in-straw and the pellet methods (ii) 11% GLY, following the in-straw and the pellet methods; and (iii) 8% GLY in the in-straw method and 3% DMA in the pellet method (i.e. reduced cryoprotectant concentrations). When 6% DMA was used as the cryoprotectant, no differences were seen between the in-straw and pellet methods in terms of frozen/thawed sperm variables or fertility (10.8% and 12.8%, respectively). The viability and motility variables of the frozen/thawed sperm produced using the in-straw method with 11% GLY were higher (p < 0.05) than those recorded for the sperm preserved using the same cryoprotectant and concentration in the pellet method. However, fertility was extremely low in both groups (2.1% and 4.2% for the in-straw and pellet methods, respectively). Finally, the use of 8% GLY in the in-straw method returned higher sperm viability, intact acrosome and motility values than the use of 3% DMA in the pellet method (p < 0.01). No differences were seen, however, in the fertility results obtained (28.8% and 25.0%, respectively). These results suggest that cryoprotectant concentrations can be reduced and still provide acceptable fertility rates.
Constructing Stable Spatial Maps of the Word

To interact rapidly and effectively with our environment, our brain needs access to a neural representation—or map—of the spatial layout of the external world. However, the construction of such a map poses major challenges to the visual system, given that the images on our retinae depend on where the eyes are looking, and shift each time we move our eyes, head, and body to explore the world. Much research has been devoted to how the stability is achieved, with the debate often polarized between the utility of spatiotopic maps (that remain solid in external coordinates), as opposed to transiently updated retinotopic maps. Our research suggests that the visual system uses both strategies to maintain stability. f MRI, motion-adaptation, and saccade-adaptation studies demonstrate and characterize spatiotopic neural maps within the dorsal visual stream that remain solid in external rather than retinal coordinates. However, the construction of these maps takes time (up to 500 ms) and attentional resources. To solve the immediate problems created by individual saccades, we postulate the existence of a separate system to bridge each saccade with neural units that are ‘transiently craniotopic’. These units prepare for the effects of saccades with a shift of their receptive fields before the saccade starts, then relaxing back into their standard position during the saccade, compensating for its action. Psychophysical studies investigating localization of stimuli flashed briefly around the time of saccades provide strong support for these neural mechanisms, and show quantitatively how they integrate information across saccades. This transient system cooperates with the spatiotopic mechanism to provide a useful map to guide interactions with our environment: one rapid and transitory, bringing into play the high-resolution visual areas; the other slow, long-lasting, and low-resolution, useful for interacting with the world.
Managing Overutilization, Quality of Care, and Sustainable Health Care Outcomes in Oman

The health care system in Oman is facing a major challenge in managing escalating health care costs. One of the reasons for the dramatic increase in health care cost is overutilization. This article explores the problem of overutilization in Oman and its effect on sustaining the quality of health care. A review of the literature is used to develop a comprehensive model in controlling overutilization that is more applicable to the health system in Oman. Efforts to control costs and increase quality are discussed for possible implementation.
An economic analysis of induction of labour and expectant monitoring in women with gestational hypertension or pre‐eclampsia at term (HYPITAT trial)

Please cite this paper as: Vijgen S, Koopmans C, Opmeer B, Groen H, Bijlenga D, Aarnoudse J, Bekedam D, van den Berg P, de Boer K, Burggraaff J, Bloemenkamp K, Drogtrop A, Franx A, de Groot C, Huisjes A, Kwee A, van Loon A, Lub A, Papatsonis D, van der Post J, Roumen F, Scheepers H, Stigter R, Willekes C, Mol B, Van Pampus M for the HYPITAT study group. An economic analysis of induction of labour and expectant monitoring in women with gestational hypertension or pre‐eclampsia at term (HYPITAT trial). BJOG 2010;117:1577–1585.
Glutathione and apoptosis

Apoptosis or programmed cell death represents a physiologically conserved mechanism of cell death that is pivotal in normal development and tissue homeostasis in all organisms. As a key modulator of cell functions, the most abundant non-protein thiol, glutathione (GSH), has important roles in cellular defense against oxidant aggression, redox regulation of proteins thiols and maintaining redox homeostasis that is critical for proper function of cellular processes, including apoptosis. Thus, a shift in the cellular GSH-to-GSSG redox balance in favour of the oxidized species, GSSG, constitutes an important signal that could decide the fate of a cell. The current review will focus on three main areas: (1) general description of cellular apoptotic pathways, (2) cellular compartmentation of GSH and the contribution of mitochondrial GSH and redox proteins to apoptotic signalling and (3) role of redox mechanisms in the initiation and execution phases of apoptosis.
Emergency relief logistics: an evaluation of military, non-military and composite response models

The nature of a particular disaster or emergency determines the form of response and the mix of military or non-military commitment. Whatever the balance between military and non-military involvement, logistical support and replenishment of supplies form crucial aspects of the stabilisation process. This paper examines the processes involved in emergency relief and highlights the relationships between the participating bodies. A generic portrayal of emergency response was initially proposed by Jennings et al. (Emergency relief logistics: a disaster response model, Occasional Paper No. 64, Cardiff University, 2000) and discussed further by Beresford et al. (Emergency relief logistics: a disaster response model, in Proceedings of the Logistics Research Network Conference, 2002, pp. 121–128). This paper presents recent research that proposes a refined model for logistics requirements in emergency conditions, taking account of existing response models, both military and non-military, and of results from field research conducted partially under sponsorship by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport. The composite model proposed here, which incorporates Jennings et al. 's model as well as the military/non-military dimension, appears to be robust and workable in a range of geopolitical and operational circumstances.
Hereditary protein C deficiency: a case report.

Sir, Protein C is an important physiological anticoagulant factor and activated protein C (APC) inactivates the procoagulant cofactors Va and VIIIa, thereby downregulating the coagulation cascade and limiting the deposition of fibrin. The most congenital protein C deficiency is caused by the mutation of the gene coding for protein C, located on chromosome 2 and is transmitted as an autosomal dominant trait. Phenotypically, congenital protein C deficiency is classified into type I (quantitative) and type II (qualitative). In this study, we describe the genetic defects in one Chinese family (Fig. 1). The propositus from the family was a 40-year-old male with recurrent episodes of severe deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the left leg. A routine haemostatic investigation showed that the propositus had an approximately 50% reduction of both protein C antigen (PC:Ag) and protein C activity (PC:A), suggestive of type I PC deficiency. The family members’ platelet count, activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, thromboplastin time, fibrinogen, FVIII, FIX, FX, von Willebrand factor, prothrombin, protein S and antithrombin were within normal ranges. No family members exhibited APC resistance. The PC:A and PC:Ag levels for members of the family are shown in Fig. 1. Direct sequencing demonstrated that the propositus had a novel heterozygous non-sense mutation in exon 9 (G to A transition at nucleotide 8831 causing Trp372Stop, which in turn stops the translation of protein C gene prematurely and leads to the half-reduction of protein C production). The same heterozygous mutation was also found in eight other members of the family. Three other polymorphisms in promoter, 1654C/T, 21641A/G, and 21476A/T, which were associated with quantitative protein C deficiency and increased thrombotic risk, were also identified in the pedigree. It has been found that non-sense mutations may not only affect the translation process but also the stability of aberrant transcripts and the mRNA containing mutation may be eliminated through the non-sense mutation mediated decay mechanism (NMD). Since it is hard to obtain a tissue sample from liver, we instead examined the mRNA status of ectopically expressed protein C gene in peripheral leucocytes. These preliminary results show that the mutation Trp372Stop affects the metabolism of ectopically expressed protein C gene (Fig. 2), decreasing the amount of protein C mRNA, suggesting that the nonsense mutation interferes with the steady-state mRNA level. The marked reduction of mutant mRNA observed in the present study suggests that translation of mutant protein would also be decreased. The premature termination at residue 372 truncates the protein C protein and is 47 amino acid residues shorter than the wild type; however, there is no other band shown in the Western blot analysis (Fig. 3), suggesting that the mutant protein may either be unstable or incapable of secretion. Although seven other members of the pedigree have a half decreased protein C level, only the propositus has
Frequent phosphorylation at serine 392 in overexpressed p53 protein due to missense mutation in carcinoma of the urinary tract

Post‐transcriptional modification of p53 by phosphorylation has been proposed to be an important mechanism of p53 stabilization and functional regulation. Phosphorylation of p53 Ser392, in particular, activates specific DNA binding functions by stabilizing p53 tetramer formation. This study evaluated the relationship between p53 Ser392 phosphorylation and various types of p53 missense mutation detected in urothelial transitional cell carcinomas (TCCs), with stratification ofthe mutations according to the functional domains elucidated by the crystal structure of the p53protein. Of 41 TCCs with missense mutations, 26 (63.4%) exhibited immunopositivity with Ser392 phospho‐specific p53 antibody. In comparison to structural mutations, the missense mutations at exon 7 (p=0.0307) or located in regions that affect direct DNA binding ability (p=0.0273) were significantly associated with Ser392 immunopositivity. No statistically significant relationship was found between Ser392 immunoreactivity and other different types of p53 mutation. The prevalence of cases exhibiting Ser392‐positive immunostaining was higher forhigh‐grade (p<0.0001) and advanced‐stage TCCs (p=0.0119) than for TCCs with wild‐type p53. No significant relationship was found between Ser392 immunoreactivity and apoptotic index in urothelial TCCs. These in vivo findings indicate that Ser392 phosphorylation frequently occurs in mutant form p53 in TCCs. Because mutant form p53 can act dominant‐negatively by hetero‐oligomerization with wild‐type p53, these findings also suggest that Ser392 phosphorylation might activate tetramer formation to promote the dominant‐negative effects of mutant form p53, andthereby contribute to proliferation of aggressive TCCs. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Voice conversion versus speaker verification: an overview

A speaker verification system automatically accepts or rejects a claimed identity of a speaker based on a speech sample. Recently, a major progress was made in speaker verification which leads to mass market adoption, such as in smartphone and in online commerce for user authentication. A major concern when deploying speaker verification technology is whether a system is robust against spoofing attacks. Speaker verification studies provided us a good insight into speaker characterization, which has contributed to the progress of voice conversion technology. Unfortunately, voice conversion has become one of the most easily accessible techniques to carry out spoofing attacks; therefore, presents a threat to speaker verification systems. In this paper, we will briefly introduce the fundamentals of voice conversion and speaker verification technologies. We then give an overview of recent spoofing attack studies under different conditions with a focus on voice conversion spoofing attack. We will also discuss anti-spoofing attack measures for speaker verification.
Implications of Online Social Activities for E-Tailers’ Business Performance

Purpose – Despite the growing popularity of internet based social media on e-commerce platforms, systematic examination of the emerging phenomenon is scarce. This paper aims to study whether online retailers ' social activity on e-commerce platforms improves their business performance, and if it does, what are the underlying mechanisms. Design/methodology/approach – The paper proposes a typology of online retailers ' social activities on e-commerce platforms. Then drawing on social capital theory and social network theory, the authors develop hypotheses that relate online retailers ' social activities to their business performance. The hypotheses are tested using a large dataset collected from an e-commerce platform in China. Findings – The paper shows that: online retailers ' social activities for friend-making improve their business performance, regardless of the directional attribute of the activities; social activities for advice-seeking decrease online retailers ' business performance; and social act.
Association of Injury History and Incident Injury in Cadet Basic Military Training.

PURPOSE This study aimed to determine the association between injury history at enrollment and incident lower extremity (LE) injury during cadet basic training among first-year military cadets. METHODS Medically treated LE injuries during cadet basic training documented in the Defense Medical Surveillance System were ascertained in a prospective cohort study of three large US military academies from 2005 to 2008. Both acute injuries (International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, codes in the 800-900s, including fracture, dislocations, and sprains/strains) and injury-related musculoskeletal injuries (International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, codes in the 700s, including inflammation and pain, joint derangement, stress fracture, sprain/strain/rupture, and dislocation) were included. Risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were computed using multivariate log-binomial models stratified by gender. RESULTS During basic training, there were 1438 medically treated acute and 1719 musculoskeletal-related LE injuries in the 9811 cadets. The most frequent LE injuries were sprains/strains (73.6% of acute injuries) and inflammation and pain (89.6% of musculoskeletal-related injuries). The overall risk of incident LE injury was 23.2% (95% CI = 22.3%-24.0%). Cadets with a history of LE injury were at increased risk for incident LE injury. This association was identical in males (RR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.55-1.94) and females (RR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.52-1.99). In site-specific analyses, strong associations between injury history and incident injury were observed for hip, knee ligament, stress fracture, and ankle sprain. Injury risk was greater (P < 0.01) for females (39.1%) compared with males (18.0%). The elevated injury risk in females (RR = 2.19, 95% CI = 2.04-2.36) was independent of injury history (adjusted RR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.95-2.24). CONCLUSION Injury history upon entry to the military is associated with the incidence of LE injuries sustained during cadet basic training. Prevention programs targeted at modifiable factors in cadets with a history of LE injury should be considered.
Sensor design and calibration of piezoresistive composite material

In this paper we outline the design of a tactile sensor suitable for force calibration. The sensor is composed of piezoresistive composite material, sandwiched between two electrodes and arranged as sensor array. This sensor design allows to cover large surfaces with tactile perception, for example, as tactile robot skin. However, inhomogeneity as a result of randomly dispersed conductive filler in the polymer and unknown pressure areas have prevented this sensor material to be calibrated properly until now. We present an appropriate sensor design, successfully demonstrating force calibration of large sensor cells. Drift correction based on the Voigt-model increases the accuracy of the sensor. Finally, experiments with a 2×2 calibrated sensor array prove the reliability of the force sensor.
What is Reasonable Remuneration for Corporate Officers? An Empirical Investigation into the Relationship between Pay and Performance in the Largest Australian Companies

Executive remuneration is a topical subject. It is important because of the introduction into the corporations legislation of the concept of corporate officers being paid reasonable remuneration. The authors examine a series of court judgments both in Australia and in overseas jurisdictions which have dealt with the question of what constitutes reasonable remuneration. The authors also present the results of an empirical investigation into the relationship between remuneration and performance in the largest Australian companies.
Dielectric loaded planar inverted-F antenna for millimeter-wave 5G hand held devices

A compact planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA) with single layer dielectric load is presented in this paper. The proposed antenna covers 28 GHz millimeter wave frequency bands and can be useful for future 5G hand held devices. The antenna is placed on a mobile phone substrate of dimensions 110 mm × 60 mm reserving 70 mm × 35 mm for a battery, and occupies a small volume of 4 mm × 4 mm × 1.34 mm. The antenna has a wide operating bandwidth (|S11| <; -10dB) of 980 MHz (27.47 - 28.45 GHz) and a peak gain of 8.80 dBi with a gain variation of less than 0.55 dB within the antenna bandwidth. The proposed antenna has stable broadside radiation in yz and xz planes with low side lobe levels of -13.3 dB, -14.4 dB, and wide beamwidths of 66.6°, 64.5°, respectively. Radiation efficiency and total efficiency of the antenna vary between 97% - 99% and 88% - 96%, respectively. Antennas impedance bandwidth, gain, radiation, and total efficiency are assessed with and without a battery.
Service Quality in Multichannel Services Employing Virtual Channels

Services employing virtual channels of delivery such as the Internet are typically multichannel. Service quality research in traditional services and, more recently, in e-services tends to take a single-channel perspective. This article argues that a multichannel setting introduces a set of complexities that call for a broader conceptualization of service quality, recognizing that customer experience is formed across all moments of contact with the firm through several channels. Building on existing research, the article develops a framework for conceptualizing multichannel service quality, distinguishing between virtual, physical, and integration quality. Integration quality is identified as a key new service quality component. The framework also addresses how the three components of service quality are delivered by the different parts of the service delivery system and identifies the associated challenges for providing good levels of service quality. A number of research and managerial implications as well as future research needs are put forward.