Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Knowledge management enablers and outcomes in the small-and-medium sized enterprises

– This paper attempts to accomplish the following aims: first, identify the preliminary knowledge management (KM) critical success factors (CSFs) or enablers that need to be concentrated by small‐and‐medium sized enterprises (SMEs) before launching a full‐scale KM initiative. Second, develop a conceptual research model which comprises both CSFs and outcomes. Finally, empirically assess the relationships between CSFs and performance outcomes in SMEs. , – The approach of this study consists of two phases: first, development of a conceptual model based on the literature. Second, an empirical evaluation of the validity of the conceptual model. This phase is carried out by developing a survey instrument comprising 16 factors. Then, through a postal survey, data are collected from SMEs in Saudi Arabia in order to investigate the relationships between KM CSFs and outcomes. , – The survey instrument is shown to be both reliable and valid. Pertinent statistical analyses are then performed. The overall results from the empirical assessment were positive, thus reflecting the appropriateness of the proposed CSFs and outcomes. , – The current findings of this research study may indicate some limitations. Although this study shows that CSFs may enhance an organization's capability to manage knowledge effectively and in return achieve better outcomes, the findings of this study are the results of a “snapshot” survey that do not take into account the feedback effects. Hence, further researching such as longitudinal studies into the relationships between CSFs and outcomes in SMEs to further validate the conceptual model is needed. , – The set of CSFs proposed is in itself important because it can act as a list of items for SMEs to address and deal with when adopting KM. This helps to ensure that essential issues and factors are covered during implementation of KM. Later, it can provide a basis for them to systematically evaluate their KM practices. For academics, this study provides insights into the relationships between KM efforts and outcomes. , – This study is probably one of the first to systematically determine the CSFs for KM implementation and comprehensively explain the criteria for measuring KM efforts in SMEs. It offers valuable information, which will encourage SMEs to practice KM from the right perspective in order to reap outcomes from KM initiatives.
Extended transmediastinal dissection: an alternative to gastroplasty for short esophagus.

HYPOTHESIS The significance of short esophagus and its impact on failure after laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication are unknown. Although patients with severe esophageal shortening that requires Collis gastroplasty comprise a small percentage of patients undergoing fundoplication, we hypothesize that patients with moderate esophageal shortening requiring extended mediastinal dissection make up a larger subgroup and that extended laparoscopic mediastinal dissection is a good treatment strategy for such patients. DESIGN AND SETTING Retrospective comparative analysis in an academic and private practice-based tertiary referral center. PATIENTS A total of 205 patients underwent laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux disease or paraesophageal hernias over 4 years. Outcomes in patients requiring either a type I (<5 cm) or type II (>5 cm) mediastinal dissection were compared. INTERVENTIONS Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication with or without extended mediastinal dissection and esophageal physiology testing. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Symptom assessments, operative reports, and outcomes were prospectively recorded on standardized data sheets. Postoperative symptom assessment and esophageal physiology testing were performed. RESULTS A total of 133 (65%) of the 205 patients underwent type I dissection, and 72 (35%) of the 205 patients underwent type II dissection. Failure occurred in 15 (11%) of 133 patients and 6 (10%) of 72 patients, respectively. The presence of a large hiatal or paraesophageal hernia predicted the need for type II dissection. CONCLUSIONS No difference was seen in failure rates between patients who required a type II dissection and those who did not. This finding suggests that aggressive application of laparoscopic transmediastinal dissection to obtain adequate esophageal length may reduce fundoplication failure in patients with esophageal shortening and provide a success rate similar to that of patients with normal esophageal length. More liberal application of Collis gastroplasty in these patients is not warranted.
Monthly analysis of PM ratio characteristics and its relation to AOD

ABSTRACT Airborne particulate matter (PM) is derived from diverse sources—natural and anthropogenic. Climate change processes and remote sensing measurements are affected by the PM properties, which are often lumped into homogeneous size fractions that show spatiotemporal variation. Since different sources are attributed to different geographic locations and show specific spatial and temporal PM patterns, we explored the spatiotemporal characteristics of the PM2.5/PM10 ratio in different areas. Furthermore, we examined the statistical relationships between AERONET aerosol optical depth (AOD) products, satellite-based AOD, and the PM ratio, as well as the specific PM size fractions. PM data from the northeastern United States, from San Joaquin Valley, CA, and from Italy, Israel, and France were analyzed, as well as the spatial and temporal co-measured AOD products obtained from the MultiAngle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) algorithm. Our results suggest that when both the AERONET AOD and the AERONET fine-mode AOD are available, the AERONET AOD ratio can be a fair proxy for the ground PM ratio. Therefore, we recommend incorporating the fine-mode AERONET AOD in the calibration of MAIAC. Along with a relatively large variation in the observed PM ratio (especially in the northeastern United States), this shows the need to revisit MAIAC assumptions on aerosol microphysical properties, and perhaps their seasonal variability, which are used to generate the look-up tables and conduct aerosol retrievals. Our results call for further scrutiny of satellite-borne AOD, in particular its errors, limitations, and relation to the vertical aerosol profile and the particle size, shape, and composition distribution. This work is one step of the required analyses to gain better understanding of what the satellite-based AOD represents. Implications: The analysis results recommend incorporating the fine-mode AERONET AOD in MAIAC calibration. Specifically, they indicate the need to revisit MAIAC regional aerosol microphysical model assumptions used to generate look-up tables (LUTs) and conduct retrievals. Furthermore, relatively large variations in measured PM ratio shows that adding seasonality in aerosol microphysics used in LUTs, which is currently static, could also help improve accuracy of MAIAC retrievals. These results call for further scrutiny of satellite-borne AOD for better understanding of its limitations and relation to the vertical aerosol profile and particle size, shape, and composition.
The influence of head and neck geometry on stability of total hip replacement: a mechanical test study.

BACKGROUND Dislocation after replacement may be caused by poor implant design or positioning, or by the surgical approach taken. We evaluated the influence of head and neck design on range of motion and stability (with respect to risk of dislocation) in total hip endoprostheses. MATERIAL AND METHODS Using a test device, we determined the stability afforded by different head sizes and neck geometries for various implant positions. RESULTS Increasing head diameter led to an enhancement of range of motion as well as resistance against subluxation, and thus to improved stability in any movement combination and implant orientation. Smaller femoral heads were associated with increased risk of dislocation, especially in a poor implant position such as retroversion, and steep positioning of the cup. Skirted metal or mushroom-shaped ceramic heads had a reduced range of motion until impingement of approx. 20 degrees, as compared to spherical standard heads. Furthermore, after identical joint loading, skirted heads dislocated more readily than standard heads with corresponding diameters. INTERPRETATION To obtain sufficient joint mobility and stability, neck geometry and implant position should be considered when choosing the femoral head size.
A Novel Programmable CMOS Fuzzifiers Using Voltage-to-Current Converter Circuit

This paper presents a new voltage-input, current-output programmable membership function generator circuit (MFC) using CMOS technology. It employs a voltage-to-current converter to provide the required current bias for the membership function circuit. The proposed MFC has several advantageous features. This MFC can be reconfigured to perform triangular, trapezoidal, S-shape, Z-Shape, and Gaussian membership forms. This membership function can be programmed in terms of its width, slope, and its center locations in its universe of discourses. The easily adjustable characteristics of the proposed circuit and its accuracy make it suitable for embedded system and industrial control applications. The proposed MFC is designed using the spice software, and simulation results are obtained.
Combining Regional Time Stepping With Two-Scale PCISPH Method

Context. In computer graphics, realistic looking fluid is often desired. Simulating realistic fluids is a time consuming and computationally expensive task, therefore, much research has been devoted to reducing the simulation time while maintaining the realism. Two of the more recent optimization algorithms within particle based simulations are two-scale simulation and regional time stepping (RTS). Both of them are based on the predictive-corrective incompressible smoothed particle hydrodynamics (PCISPH) algorithm.Objectives. These algorithms improve on two separate aspects of PCISPH, two-scale simulation reduces the number of particles and RTS focuses computational power on regions of the fluid where it is most needed. In this paper we have developed and investigated the performance of an algorithm combining them, utilizing both optimizations.Methods. We implemented both of the base algorithms, as well as PCISPH, before combining them. Therefore we had equal conditions for all algorithms when we performed our experiments, which consisted of measuring the time it took to run each algorithm in three different scene configurations.Results. Results showed that our combined algorithm on average was faster than the other three algorithms. However, our implementation of two-scale simulation gave results inconsistent with the original paper, showing a slower time than even PCISPH. This invalidates the results for our combined algorithm since it utilizes the same implementation.Conclusions. We see that our combined algorithm has potential to speed up fluid simulations, but since the two-scale implementation was incorrect, our results are inconclusive.
Childhood onset of left ventricular dysfunction in a female manifesting carrier of muscular dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Becker muscular dystrophy are X‐linked disorders that result from a mutation in the dystrophin gene that reduces the production or effectiveness of the protein dystrophin. These disorders are clinically characterized by progressive muscle degeneration. Manifesting female carriers are generally not identified as such until after puberty, when symptoms such as muscle weakness may arise. This clinical report describes a female manifesting carrier who started to show deterioration of left ventricular systolic function, but no marked skeletal muscle weakness, at the age of 10 years. The patient's cardiac function improved significantly after dual drug therapy with an ACE inhibitor (enalapril) and a beta‐blocker (carvedilol). Our case adds to the existing evidence that left ventricular myocardial dysfunction may occur during childhood in female carriers of dystrophinopathies. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ubiquitous knowledge construction: mobile learning re‐defined and a conceptual framework

Emerging from recent mobile technologies, mobile learning, or m‐learning, is beginning to offer ‘stunning new technical capabilities’ in education (DiGiano et al., 2003). This new genre of learning is viewed as a revolutionary stage in educational technology. However, ubiquitous computing technologies have given rise to several issues. This article revisits the relevant definitions and provides a conceptual framework of ubiquitous knowledge construction in light of contemporary research and theory. The framework can be used to assist educators and researchers who are examining the specific implications of mobile learning.
Spatialization: spatial metaphors for user interfaces

1 Objectives 4 Part One: Introduction and Motivation 12 1.1 Why Spatial Metaphors in Interaction? 14 1.2 Introductory Examples 32 1.3 The Structure of (Spatial) Metaphors 44 1.4 Summary 52 Part Two: A Framework for Understanding Spatialization 62 2.1 The Structure of Spatial Source Domains 64 2.2 What Space Affords its Users 88 2.3 Prototypical Spaces 94 2.4 Properties of Potential Target Domains 104 2.5 Mapping Source to Target Domains 106 2.6 Summary: There is More than One Way to Spatialize 120 Part Three: Design Exercise 124 Part Four: Where is Spatialization Now and Where is it Going? 126 4.1 State of the Art in Spatialized Interfaces 128 4.2 Finding and Assessing Spatial Metaphors 144 4.3 Implementing Spatial Metaphors 154 4.4 Experiences, Open Issues, Critique 162 4.5 Conclusions 176 Proposed Solutions for Exercises 180 References 183 Supplementary Readings 189
Self-Management Support Interventions That are Clinically Linked and Technology Enabled: Can They Successfully Prevent and Treat Diabetes?

Patients with diabetes need a complex set of services and supports. The challenge of integrating these services into the diabetes regimen can be successfully overcome through self-management support interventions that are clinically linked and technology enabled: Self-management support because patients need help mastering the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviors so necessary for good outcomes; interventions because comprehensive theory-based, evidence-proven, long-term, longitudinal interventions work better than direct-to-consumer or nonplanned health promotion approaches; clinically linked because patients are more likely to adopt new behaviors when the approach is in the context of a trusted therapeutic relationship and within an effective medical care system; and technology enabled because capitalizing on the amazing power of information technology leads to the delivery of cost-effective, scalable, engaging solutions that prevent and manage diabetes.
Intranuclear dynamics in parvovirus infection

Ihalainen, Teemu O. Intranuclear Dynamics in Parvovirus Infection Jyvaskyla: University of Jyvaskyla, 2009, 86 p. (Jyvaskyla Studies in Biological and Environmental Science ISSN 1456-9701; 205) ISBN 978-951-39-3697-6 (PDF), 978-951-39-3671-6 (nid.) Yhteenveto: Tumansisainen dynamiikka parvovirus infektiossa Diss. During the last decades DNA virus replication and transcription has been studied in different in vitro systems. These studies have yielded a myriad of information about DNA replication, gene regulation and messenger RNA (mRNA) processing. The recent advances in the confocal microscopy and in fluorescent protein technology have allowed the elucidation of these processes in living cells. In our studies we have used canine parvovirus as a model virus to study DNA replication, transcription and mRNA export dynamics. Two viral proteins were fused to fluorescent proteins, non-structural protein 1 (NS1) was fused to enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP) and virus protein 2 (VP2) to a photoactivable green fluorescent protein (PAGFP). Fluorescence photobleaching methods indicated that NS1-EYFP is able to shuttle between the cytoplasm and the nucleus. In the infected cells large viral replication compartment filled the whole nucleus, discarding the host cell chromatin to the nuclear periphery. In these cells, NS1-EYFP and proliferating cell nuclear antigen fused to EYFP (PCNA-EYFP), both of which are needed for the viral DNA replication, showed highly similar binding behaviour, yielding an estimate of the virus genome replication time. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and Virtual Cell modelling indicated that the general protein mobility is increased in the virus infected nuclei. Photoactivation experiments showed that the majority of the virus capsids are able to diffuse inside the nucleus, but a large portion of the viral pariticles were almost immobile. Results of TATA binding protein EGFP fusion protein (TBP-EGFP) and transcription factor II B EGFP fusion protein (TFIIB-EGFP) studies support the overall consensus model of transcription initiation, where TFIID binds the promoter for a long time and TFIIB only helps the polymerase to attach to the promoter. Taken together, the results indicate that the host cell nucleus is highly reorganized in the infection.
Intraperitoneal Taxol (paclitaxel) in the management of ovarian cancer.

In an effort to examine the safety and pharmacology of the intraperitoneal (i.p.) delivery of paclitaxel, 25 patients (24 with ovarian cancer) were treated in a phase I dose escalation trial. The drug was administered in normal saline every 3 to 4 weeks, starting at a dose of 25 mg/m2. The dose-limiting toxicity at doses at or above 175 mg/m2 was abdominal pain. A 3-log pharmacokinetic advantage for peritoneal cavity exposure to paclitaxel, compared with the systemic compartment, was observed. High levels of drug persisted within the cavity for longer than 48 hours following a single treatment. In addition, significant paclitaxel concentrations were found in the systemic compartment after i.p. treatment, despite the pharmacokinetic advantage demonstrated for cavity exposure. Several patients exhibited clinical and laboratory evidence of an antitumor response. On the basis of these data, further exploration of a potential role for i.p. paclitaxel in the management of ovarian cancer appears justified.
[Tuberculosis among Brazilian indigenous individuals aged less than 15 years-old in State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil].

INTRODUCTION This study describes the epidemiological aspects of TB among Brazilian Native Indians aged less than 15 years-old in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, between 2000 and 2006. METHODS A retrospective observational study based on secondary data collected from the health system of Brazilian indigenous peoples, Special Indigenous Sanitary District (DSEI), and National System of Notifiable Diseases (SINAN) databases. The variables analyzed were: frequency of TB according to sex, age, clinical presentation and outcome. The Fisher test and the incidence tendency curve were calculated (p<0.01). RESULTS TB prevalence was 20.4% (224/1,096). The incidence rate decreased 14% per year during the study period. TB was more prevalent among Brazilian indigenous individuals aged less than 5 years-old and among those aged less than one year-old. More than half of TB cases were male and the most common clinical presentation was pulmonary TB (92.9%). Cure was the most common outcome (91.1%), followed by abandoned treatment (3.6%) and death (2.2%). CONCLUSIONS The high cure rate, reduced mortality and the progressive decrease in TB incidence rate during the study period indicate the effectiveness of supervised treatment of the new TB control model implemented among Brazilian indigenous peoples on 2000.
An empirical comparison of segmentation algorithms on auroral images (non-reviewed)

Image segmentation is an essential step in extracting information from raw images for interpretation. Although many segmentation algorithms have been proposed in the literature, image segmentation is still an elusive goal in image processing. In this study, we compared and tested four different segmentation techniques for improvement on auroral image segmentation. To extract some useful information from auroral images, Gabor wavelet transform was used to perform the transformations.
Induction of Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm formation via proteolytic processing of the accumulation‐associated protein by staphylococcal and host proteases

Because of its biofilm forming potential Staphylococcus epidermidis has evolved as a leading cause of device‐related infections. The polysaccharide intercellular adhesin (PIA) is significantly involved in biofilm accumulation. However, infections because of PIA‐negative strains are not uncommon, suggesting the existence of PIA‐independent biofilm accumulation mechanisms. Here we found that biofilm formation in the clinically significant S. epidermidis 5179 depended on the expression of a truncated 140 kDa isoform of the 220 kDa accumulation‐associated protein Aap. As expression of the truncated Aap isoform leads to biofilm formation in aap‐negative S. epidermidis 1585, this domain mediates intercellular adhesion in a polysaccharide‐independent manner. In contrast, expression of full‐length Aap did not lead to a biofilm‐positive phenotype. Obviously, to gain adhesive function, full‐length Aap has to be proteolytically processed through staphylococcal proteases as demonstrated by inhibition of biofilm formation by α2‐macroglobulin. Importantly, also exogenously added granulocyte proteases activated Aap, thereby inducing biofilm formation in S. epidermidis 5179 and four additional, independent clinical S. epidermidis strains. It is therefore reasonable to assume that in vivo effector mechanisms of the innate immunity can directly induce protein‐dependent S. epidermidis cell aggregation and biofilm formation, thereby enabling the pathogen to evade clearance by phagocytes.
Protein Kinase C-θ Critically Regulates the Proliferation and Survival of Pathogen-Specific T Cells in Murine Listeriosis1

Protein kinase C-θ (PKC-θ) is essential for the activation of T cells in autoimmune disorders, but not in viral infections. To study the role of PKC-θ in bacterial infections, PKC-θ−/− and wild-type mice were infected with Listeria monocytogenes (LM). In primary and secondary listeriosis, the numbers of LM-specific CD8 and CD4 T cells were drastically reduced in PKC-θ−/− mice, resulting in increased CFUs in spleen and liver of both PKC-θ−/− C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice. Furthermore, immunization with peptide-loaded wild-type dendritic cells induced LM-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells in wild-type but not in PKC-θ−/− mice. In listeriosis, transfer of wild-type T cells into PKC-θ−/− mice resulted in a normal control of Listeria, and, additionally, a selective expression of PKC-θ in LM-specific T cells was sufficient to drive a normal proliferation and survival of these T cells in LM-infected PKC-θ−/− recipients, illustrating a cell-autonomous function of PKC-θ in LM-specific T cells. Conversely, adoptively transferred PKC-θ−/− T cells were partially rescued from cell death and proliferated in LM-infected wild-type recipients, demonstrating that a PKC-θ deficiency of LM-specific T cells can be partially compensated for by a wild-type environment. Additionally, in vitro experiments showed that only the addition of IL-2, but not an inhibition of caspase-3, induced proliferation and prevented death of PKC-θ−/− T cells stimulated with LM-infected wild-type dendritic cells, further demonstrating that the impaired proliferation and survival of PKC-θ−/− T cells in listeriosis is not intrinsically fixed and can be experimentally improved.