Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Outer-retina locus of increased flicker sensitivity of the peripheral retina.

We tested alternative hypotheses concerning the locus of enhanced flicker sensitivity observed in response to stimuli presented to the peripheral retina. The first hypothesis attributes increased temporal frequency sensitivity to ganglion cell and higher-order neural processing, whereas the second hypothesis states that the locus of these temporal effects is at the cone photoreceptors. To test these alternative hypotheses we measured retinal electrophysiological and psychophysical temporal modulation thresholds. We found that sensitivity for temporal frequencies < 30 Hz did not vary as a function of retinal location for either the focal electroretinogram (ERG) or the psychophysical measure. However, for both measures, sensitivity for temporal frequencies > or = 30 Hz was greater in the peripheral retina than in the central retina. In addition, critical flicker frequency for the central retina was linear as a function of retinal illuminance for both the psychophysical and the electrophysiological measures. For the peripheral retina the slopes of critical flicker frequency versus log illuminance functions were steeper than the central slopes for both threshold measures. Eccentrically measured focal ERG and psychophysical critical flicker frequency values showed a relative saturation, deviating from the linear slope above 3.5 log Td. The findings of similar focal ERG and psychophysical temporal sensitivity changes with eccentricity support an outer retinal origin of this phenomenon.
Who watches the Whatchmen? Uso of cookies on most important spanish websites.

Since last March 2012, when the Spanish legislation incorporated the EU Directive on Electronic Privacy, all Spanish websites collecting users’ data are required to inform clearly on the type and purpose of the data collected and to obtain the users’ consent to use their data with analytic or marketing purposes. In order to provide support to webmasters, the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) released last April the «Use of cookies guidance» similar to the UK ICO «Guidance on the rules on use of cookies and similar technologies», with some advises to help websites accomplish with the current regulations. In October 2013, more than a year and a half after the law incorporation, the results of this research show that only 51% of the 500 most visited Spanish websites (according to Alexa Rank), apply the regulations correctly, asking their users for the informed consent to collect their data. As a direct consequence, a new question arises: Who are the trackers behind these cookies? We identify and analyze in this research the most important tracking corporations (also named Data Collectors) and their direct efect with Cyberspace Data Privacy. We propose, to complete the dissertation, the need for greater responsibility by stakeholders concerned, such as Institutions, Cybermedia and other relevant websites and Internet users. Internet users have the right to be correctly informed about the potential risks they assume while suring the web and the right to know how these data will be used. As the boundaries between physical space and Cyberspace tend to disappear, E-privacy becomes a major issue, which has a direct efect not only in the online data safety, but also in the oline life.
Prognostic significance of transforming growth factor‐α in human esophageal carcinoma implication for the autocrine proliferation

Background. The authors recently used immunostaining to demonstrate that patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) overexpression have poor survival after surgery. However, the clinical significance of transforming growth factor (TGF)‐α, one of the ligands of EGFR, has not been demonstrated in esophageal carcinoma.
DUST PRODUCTION AND PARTICLE ACCELERATION IN SUPERNOVA 1987A REVEALED WITH ALMA

Supernova (SN) explosions are crucial engines driving the evolution of galaxies by shock heating gas, increasing the metallicity, creating dust, and accelerating energetic particles. In 2012 we used the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array to observe SN 1987A, one of the best-observed supernovae since the invention of the telescope. We present spatially resolved images at 450 μm, 870 μm, 1.4 mm, and 2.8 mm, an important transition wavelength range. Longer wavelength emission is dominated by synchrotron radiation from shock-accelerated particles, shorter wavelengths by emission from the largest mass of dust measured in a supernova remnant (>0.2 M☉). For the first time we show unambiguously that this dust has formed in the inner ejecta (the cold remnants of the exploded star's core). The dust emission is concentrated at the center of the remnant, so the dust has not yet been affected by the shocks. If a significant fraction survives, and if SN 1987A is typical, supernovae are important cosmological dust producers.
An integrated approach for measuring the performance of suppliers in the pharmaceutical industry: a case study

In analysing an organisation, performance measurement plays a key role in ensuring the success of the organisation and improvement its activities; such an evaluation can be carried out through organisation efficiency evaluation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of pharmaceutical suppliers. Therefore, an integrated methodology was proposed which is supported by three different techniques. In the first phase, eight sub-criteria were grouped in four main criteria of BOCR, then the relationship between the main criteria was identified using DEMATEL technique. In the second phase, the sub-criteria were weighted by fuzzy ANP. In the third phase, the criteria weights from the previous phase were entered into a DEA model as restriction and the efficiency of the decision-making units (DMUS) were evaluated. Also, the efficient units were ranked using Andersen and Petersen technique. A case study of the present research was examined in 15 DMUS from the pharmaceutical industry, and the computational results indicated that units 1, 3, 4, 10, 11 and 15 were efficient units, among which unit 11 was the most efficient.
The management of depression during pregnancy: a report from the American Psychiatric Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

OBJECTIVE To address the maternal and neonatal risks of both depression and antidepressant exposure and develop algorithms for periconceptional and antenatal management. METHOD Representatives from the American Psychiatric Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and a consulting developmental pediatrician collaborated to review English language articles on fetal and neonatal outcomes associated with depression and antidepressant treatment during childbearing. Articles were obtained from Medline searches and bibliographies. Search keywords included pregnancy, pregnancy complications, pregnancy outcomes, depressive disorder, depressive disorder/dt, abnormalities/drug-induced/epidemiology, abnormalities/drug-induced/et. Iterative draft manuscripts were reviewed until consensus was achieved. RESULTS Both depressive symptoms and antidepressant exposure are associated with fetal growth changes and shorter gestations, but the majority of studies that evaluated antidepressant risks were unable to control for the possible effects of a depressive disorder. Short-term neonatal irritability and neurobehavioral changes are also linked with maternal depression and antidepressant treatment. Several studies report fetal malformations in association with first trimester antidepressant exposure but there is no specific pattern of defects for individual medications or class of agents. The association between paroxetine and cardiac defects is more often found in studies that included all malformations rather than clinically significant malformations. Late gestational use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants is associated with transitory neonatal signs and a low risk for persistent pulmonary hypertension in the newborn. Psychotherapy alone is an appropriate treatment for some pregnant women; however, others prefer pharmacotherapy or may require pharmacological treatment. CONCLUSIONS Antidepressant use in pregnancy is well studied, but available research has not yet adequately controlled for other factors that may influence birth outcomes including maternal illness or problematic health behaviors that can adversely affect pregnancy.
Optimizing congestion in wireless Ad-hoc Networks

we study joint design of end-to-end congestion control and Per-link medium access control (MAC) in ad-hoc networks. In the current scenario wireless communication is emerging the world. Wireless Ad Hoc networks demands for higher intermediate node supports for long-range communication. Wireless Ad Hoc network is an emerging communication approach. Ad Hoc networks are usually defined as an autonomous system of nodes connected by wireless links and communicating in a multi-hop fashion. The wireless ad-hoc networks are for easy of deployment without centralized administration or fixed infrastructure, to achieve the goal of less interference communication. In wireless Ad-hoc network the connections between the wireless links are not fixed but dependent on channel conditions as well as the specific medium access control (MAC). The channel medium and transmission links are affected by the interference, delay, and buffer overflow these may cause the network congestion. To avoid network congestion various congestion control methods were developed in past but they were performed less control of end-to-end congestion and less in per link connection control. To overcome the above problems and to improve the resource allocation an efficient method has to be developed. Keywords—Ad-hoc networks, random access, wireless networks, congestion control
Restriction of an Extinct Retrovirus by the Human TRIM5α Antiviral Protein

Primate genomes contain a large number of endogenous retroviruses and encode evolutionarily dynamic proteins that provide intrinsic immunity to retroviral infections. We report here the resurrection of the core protein of a 4-million-year-old endogenous virus from the chimpanzee genome and show that the human variant of the intrinsic immune protein TRIM5α can actively prevent infection by this virus. However, we suggest that selective changes that have occurred in the human lineage during the acquisition of resistance to this virus, and perhaps similar viruses, may have left our species more susceptible to infection by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1).
Examination of the Stability of Amoxicillin in Compounded Suppositories and Ointments

We examined the stability of amoxicillin trihydrate from the preparation Augmentin in compounded forms of drugs such as vaginal suppositories and ointments. The quantity of the antibiotic in the preparations studied was determined directly after they had been made and after a lapse of 7 and 14 days. We also carried out comparative examinations of the stability of sodium amoxicillin (Tarommentin) and sodium ampicillin (Ampicillin) in ointments with an addition of a boric acid solution. The examinations confirmed the stability of amoxicillin trihydrate in suppositories and in anhydrous and hydrated ointments. The content of this antibiotic in ointments with an addition of a boric acid solution decreases slightly. Comparative studies of the stability of sodium amoxicillin and sodium amoxicillin revealed a markedly lower stability of the two antibiotics in comparison to the stability of amoxicillin trihydrate.
SYNTHETIC APERTURE RADAR FOR MARITIME DOMAIN AWARNESS : SHIP DETECTION IN A SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT

Maritime Domain Awareness is an initiative started to help each sea-bordering country improve its understanding of its Exclusive Economic Zone. A country that improves its Maritime Domain Awareness ensures that activities such as piracy and Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing are identified more quickly and the appropriate actions for each are taken. For instance, having better awareness of the ships entering and leaving a country’s Exclusive Economic Zone could prevent illegal fishing that, in some cases, accounts for up to a 40% loss of legal catches. Various sources of data can be used to keep track of ships at sea including ship transponders (such as the Automatic Identification System and Long Range Identification and Tracking systems) and active radar sensor systems such as Synthetic Aperture Radar satellites. With the advent of new, freely available Synthetic Aperture Radar imagery from Sentinel-1, the observation of large coastal areas is becoming more and more feasible for countries such as South Africa. Synthetic Aperture Radar satellites are able to monitor large tracts of the Earth, day or night, in any weather condition. This allows for the tracking of hundreds of square kilometres of sea area in a single image. By combining and processing imagery from these satellites and ship transponders, a better picture of a country’s maritime domain can be captured thereby allowing countries to respond to environmental, commercial or security threats at sea. Furthermore, if South Africa can implement its own SAR asset, Maritime Domain Awareness for the entire country would be improved tremendously. This paper aims to give an overview of the research being done to detect ships in Synthetic Aperture Radar imagery within a South African context. It presents the current and future of Synthetic Aperture Radar satellites, how methods such as the Constant False Alarm Rate and Wavelet Transform are used to detect ships at sea and how techniques such as Simulated Annealing and Cascade Classifiers are currently being used to further improve ship detection accuracies.
Causes of cataract surgery malpractice claims in England 1995–2008

Aims To analyse the causes of malpractice claims related specifically to cataract surgery in the National Health Service in England from 1995 to 2008. Methods All the malpractice claims related to cataract surgery from 1995 to 2008 from the National Health Service Litigation Authority were analysed. Claims were classified according to causative problem. Total numbers of claims, total value of damages, mean level damages and paid:closed ratio (a measure of the likelihood of a claim resulting in payment of damages) were determined for each cause. Results Over the 14-year period, there were 324 cataract surgery claims with total damages of £1.97 million and mean damages for a paid claim of £19 900. Negligent surgery (including posterior capsule tear and dropped nucleus) was the most frequent cause for claims, while reduced vision accounted for the highest total and mean damages. Claims relating to biometry errors/wrong intraocular lens power were the second most frequent cause of claims and result in payment of damages in 62% of closed cases. The claims with the highest paid:closed ratio were inadequate anaesthetic (75%) and complications of anaesthetic injections including globe perforation (67%). Conclusions Claims from cataract surgery in the NHS are extremely infrequent. Consent, though essential, may not prevent a claim arising or resulting in damages. Refractive accuracy has significant medicolegal impact. Endophthalmitis can lead to successful claims if there is delay in diagnosis. Claims relating to inadequate anaesthesia or anaesthetic injection complications are particularly hard to defend.
Structural study of a DNA.RNA hybrid duplex with a chiral phosphorothioate moiety by NMR: extraction of distance and torsion angle constraints and imino proton exchange rates.

The solution structure of the thiophosphate-modified DNA.RNA hybrid duplex d(GCTATAApsTGG). r(CCAUUAUAGC) has been studied by NMR. Two samples with pure stereochemistry in the modified phosphate have been investigated. Two-dimensional NMR (2D NMR) methods have been applied to assign nearly all the resonances in both duplexes. Scalar coupling constants have been determined by comparing quantitative simulations with experimental double-quantum filtered COSY (DQF-COSY) cross-peaks. More than 300 distance constraints have been obtained from two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser spectroscopy (2D NOE) spectra recorded in D2O and H2O by using a complete relaxation matrix analysis as implemented in the program MARDIGRAS. This hybrid duplex presents a heteronomous structure. Riboses in the RNA strand are found in a N-type conformation typical of the A-form family as shown by the lack of H1'-H2' cross-peaks in DQF-COSY spectra and confirmed by the measured interproton distances. In contrast, the DNA strand adopts a different conformation with sugar puckers partially in the S-type domain, which is not in agreement with the A-family of structures. Coupling constants in deoxyriboses are not consistent with any single sugar conformation. Therefore, sugar pucker pseudorotation parameters are calculated according to a two-state dynamic equilibrium between N- and S-type conformers. In general, the population of major S conformer is lower than in double-stranded DNA duplexes, indicating that hybrid duplexes may be more flexible than pure DNA or RNA. The only differences observed in the spectra between the two stereoisomers studied originate from resonances of protons located near the modified phosphate. No significant differences in interproton distance have been detected, and only a slight difference of sugar pucker in the 5' neighbor has been found. The sulfur atom appears to be well-accommodated without further changes in the structure of the hybrid.
Customer Retention Strategies in Commercial Health and Fitness Centers

The sole purpose of a commercial organization was initially “to create a customer”. However, retaining the customer has since become regarded as equally, if not more important. This is because it has become increasingly difficult for organizations to assume that there exists an unlimited customer base prepared to maintain patronage. To achieve a competitive advantage, it has become necessary for organizations to differentiate themselves in the minds of customers. Customers are the central focus of any organization, therefore the mission of an organization should be to create, grow and nurture ongoing relationships with them. The current study explored customer retention strategies that commercial health and fitness clubs in the Gauteng province of South Africa implement to effectively retain customers. The methodology involved data collection by administering a questionnaire to a sample of commercial health and fitness centers managers and administrators. The research findings indicate that most health and fitness centers implement various strategies to retain customers. Among the different strategies improved service quality and providing the most up-to-date equipment and technology emerged as the most used strategies. It is recommended that health and fitness centers should communicate on a more regular basis with their customers to keep in touch with them since building a relationship with them, monitoring the benefits that they seek help to continually marketing those benefits back to them. The organization must continually deliver if the requisite trust is to be established. In order to retain customers, it is important for marketers to have in depth knowledge of what each individual customer wants and the capacity they have to continue to add value to the needs of the customer.
Effects of Managerial Knowledge of Executive Compensation Structure and R&D Reporting Method on Real Earnings Management

This study examines the effects of managerial knowledge of executive compensation and research and development (R&D) reporting methods on managers’ decisions to engage in real earnings management through R&D project continuation decisions. Results from a 2x2 experiment indicate that managers with incentives to increase short-term earnings are more likely to continue with a failing R&D project when R&D is capitalized, relative to when it is expensed. A significant interaction is also observed, such that when R&D expenditures are capitalized, managers are less willing to abandon a failing project in favor of a superior project when executives are paid with unrestricted stock, relative to when executives are compensated with restricted stock. Structural analyses indicate that the interactive effect is driven by managerial concerns about the desires of the executives they report to and the need to justify their decision making to these executives.
Dynamics of Hybrid III-V Silicon Semiconductor Lasers for Integrated Photonics

The dynamics of hybrid III-V/Si lasers are studied for the first time under a combination of two optical feedbacks. A cleaved fiber placed about 20 μm away from the laser creates a short feedback cavity. The effect of this short feedback is studied on a Fabry-Perot laser and reveals the sensitivity of the device to such perturbation, as well as the presence of sub-cavities in the Si waveguides. The dynamics of the laser subjected to additional feedback from a 70-m fiber cavity show that the long-feedback dynamics are governed by the sub-cavities. This behavior is confirmed using a complex tunable III-V/Si laser.
Comedogenesis: Some Aetiological, Clinical and Therapeutic Strategies

Hypercornification is an early feature of acne and usually precedes inflammation. It is associated with ductal hyperproliferation, and there are many controlling factors such as androgens, retinoids, sebum composition and cytokines. Cycling of normal follicles and of comedones may explain the natural resolution of comedones and, in the longer term, resolution of the disease itself. There is a need to tailor treatment according to comedonal type. Suboptimal therapy can often result from inappropriate assessments of comedones, especially microcomedones, sandpaper comedones, submarine comedones and macrocomedones. Macrocomedones can produce devastating acne flares, particularly if patients are inappropriately prescribed oral isotretinoin. Gentle cautery under topical local anaesthesia is a useful therapy in the treatment of such lesions. The newer retinoids and new formulations of all-trans-retinoic acid show a better benefit/risk ratio.
Evaluating the Performance of Third‐Party Logistics Arrangements: A Relationship Marketing Perspective

SUMMARY By 2005, users of third-party logistics services may be spending an average of nearly one-third of their total logistics budgets (compared to 20 percent today) to support 3PL services (Gooley 2000). Yet, very little research has examined managerial activities that might influence the performance of these logistics outsourcing relationships. Over the past several years, the management approach that views relationships as key assets of the organization has gained increased prominence in the priorities and practices of many companies (Gruen, Summers and Acito 2000). The current study utilizes this relationship marketing perspective as the basis for evaluating the perceived performance of third-party logistics arrangements. In particular, the current study examines the influence of six key relationship marketing dimensions on a customer's perceptions of their 3PL provider's performance. In so doing, the article builds on research (e.g., Goldsby and Stank 2000) that focuses on potential linkages between logistical performance metrics and managerial activities. The results suggest linkages between relationship marketing activities and the perceived performance of the 3PL arrangement.