Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Performance-Centered Design of Knowledge-Intensive Processes

We develop and illustrate a performance-centered design (PCD) methodology for structuring knowledge-intensive, ill-defined processes. PCD provides a holistic view of a performance environment by considering the complex interdependencies between the organizational context, business processes, and individual performers. The context for our theoretical exposition is the fuzzy front-end of the new product development (NPD) process. Despite the fact that front-end concept definition and selection is central to a firm's innovation capability, these activities are ill-structured and typically the most poorly managed in the entire innovation process. Through a case study, we illustrate the proposed PCD methodology as applied to the fuzzy front-end and additionally illustrate how electronic performance support technology can be utilized to support the fuzzy front-end process. Although specifically applied within the context of one firm, we contend that the PCD methodology is applicable to other knowledge-intensive and relatively unstructured processes.
Addressing the persistence of Tuberculosis Among the Canadian Inuit Population: The need for a social determinants of health framework

Canadian Aboriginal people have poorer levels of health than the general population. A serious issue is the high rate of tuberculosis (TB) among the Inuit population; rates are much higher than those of the general Canadian population. Several social determinants of health (SDOH), including household crowding and poverty, are strongly correlated with TB prevalence. In this paper, we describe the medical and social determinants of TB, and critically examine the TB literature specific to the Inuit population. The majority of studies recommend biomedical interventions for the treatment of TB. Few researchers have employed the social determinants of health theory to steer their research, and even fewer researchers suggest improving living and social conditions in Inuit communities as a way of eradicating TB. We conclude with research and policy recommendations.
The effect of rifampin on the nasopharyngeal carriage of Neisseria meningitidis in a military population.

(73.5% of the positive cultures) were isolated just after administration of the drug. This proportion of resistant strains dropped to approximately 30% by the time the study group departed. The carrier rate among a new group of trainees was 64.2%, and all 524 isolates were sensitive to rifampin. No rifampin-resistant organisms were isolated from any of the men before treatment or from the controls at any time. Timely administration may interrupt epidemics of meningococcal disease, but its long term use in a closed population should be discouraged.
Biology of the X chromosome

The biology of the X chromosome is unique, as there are two Xs in females and only a single X in males, whereas the autosomes are present in duplicate in both sexes. The presence of only a single autosome, which can occur as a result of an error in meiotic segregation, is invariably an embryonic lethal event. Monosomy for the X chromosome is viable because of dosage compensation, a system found in all organisms with an X:Y form of sex determination, which brings about equality of expression of most X-linked genes in females and males. In mammals, the dosage compensation system involves silencing of most of the genes on one X chromosome; it is called X chromosome inactivation. In this review, we focus first on recent advances in our understanding of the molecular basis of the X inactivation mechanism. Then we consider an unusual feature of X inactivation, the mosaic nature of the female and subsequent exposure to somatic cell selection.
The simian virus 40 small-t intron, present in many common expression vectors, leads to aberrant splicing

Polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to identify aberrant splicing of the simian virus 40 small-t intron present in pRSVcat. We examined factors governing the selection and relative use of aberrant 5' splice sites derived from the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase-coding region. Our results indicated that transcripts from virtually any cDNA positioned upstream of the small-t intron could contain alternative 5' splice sites and therefore be subject to deletions within the protein-coding region.
Validation of the Distress Thermometer, Impact Thermometer and combinations of these in screening for distress

Objective: Screening for distress is important for identifying those who might benefit from support and allocating limited resources. A common screening tool is the Distress Thermometer (DT) but other thermometers such as the Impact Thermometer (IT) have also been suggested. The objective of this study was to investigate the accuracy in identifying distress of these two screening thermometers individually and two possible methods of combining the responses.
Economic dispatch in a microgrid through an iterated-based algorithm

This paper presents a new algorithm to solve economic dispatch (ED) as an optimization problem in power systems. A simple iterated-based algorithm has been developed. It starts with a guess and converges to the optimal point in such a way that the total generation cost of a microgrid is minimized. Since microgrid is considered as a lossless small network, the algorithm is supposed to solve the lossless economic dispatch problem. The proposed method applied on a microgrid consisting of three distributed energy resources (DERs) with convex type of cost functions. The problem was also solved by CPLEX solver as a quadratic programming problem (QP) and the obtained results of proposed algorithm were compared with its results. The comparison confirmed the capability of proposed method to solve ED problem since it was easy to implement with acceptable speed and accuracy.
Fundamental Role for HO‐1 in the Self‐Protection of Renal Allografts

Tissue attenuates to injury by the effects of heme oxygenase (HO)‐1. The induction of HO‐1 expression is modulated by a (GT)n dinucleotide polymorphism in the promoter of the gene, of which increased activity is associated with short (S) (≤27) repeats. We investigated the influence of this HO‐1 gene polymorphism on renal transplant survival.
PIC Codes in New Processors: A Full Relativistic PIC Code in CUDA-Enabled Hardware With Direct Visualization

Kinetic plasma simulations using an electromagnetic particle-in-cell (PIC) algorithm have become the tool of choice for numerical modeling of several astrophysical and laboratory scenarios, ranging from astrophysical shocks and plasma shell collisions, to high-intensity laser-plasma interactions, with applications to fast ignition and particle acceleration. However, fully relativistic kinetic codes are computationally intensive, and new computing paradigms are required for one-to-one direct modeling of these scenarios. In this paper, we look at the use of modern graphics processing units for PIC algorithm calculations, discussing the implementation of a fully relativistic PIC code using NVIDIA's Compute Unified Device Architecture, also allowing one for simultaneous visualization of simulation results with negligible impact on performance. Details on the algorithm implementation are given, focusing on grid-particle interpolation and current deposition and also on the direct visualization routines. Finally, we present results from a test simulation of an electron/positron plasma shell collision, focusing on code validation and performance evaluation.
Dream screen phenomenon in psychotherapy and artistic work

The aim of this article is to offer a point on the meaning of the dream screen phenomenon in psychotherapy and artistic work. Some current theories of early ego development, the formation of the dream screen and dream imagery seem to match the theories of symbol formation, artistic and literary creativity. In actual dreaming, the dream screen can exist in the form of empty sheets of paper, but also in the form of a landscape, hills or mountains. The activation of the dream screen is presented in the light of the psychotherapy of two depressed patients. Dreams implying activation of the dream screen have been interpreted to signify a turning point during psychotherapy. Dream screen can be considered as a phenomenon with different elements. Examples of dream screen symbols in Aleksis Kivi's poems and in Paul Cézanne's paintings are presented.
Comparison of the Levels of Five Heavy Metals in Human Urine and Sweat after Strenuous Exercise by ICP-MS

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to measure the levels of trace heavy metals in human urine and sweat, to compare the performance of ICP-MS using three sample processing methods, namely direct dilution, wet digestion, and microwave digestion. The results showed that the wet digestion ICP-MS method has the highest accuracy (relative standard deviation ≤10%) and is more useful for measuring the levels of trace heavy metals in urine and sweat. Hence, we used this method to compare the levels of the five trace heavy metals, namely chromium, copper, zinc, cadmium, and lead, in the urine and sweat of adults after strenuous exercise. The results showed that the levels of these five trace heavy metals in sweat were significantly higher than those in urine after strenuous exercise (The differences between the measurements in urine and those in sweat were significant P ≤ 0.01). The results suggested that exercise-induced sweating can effectively remove the harmful heavy metals from the human body.
Evaluation of CIMMYT maize (Zea mays L.) germplasm by tropical inbred testers

Twenty five CIMMYT inbreds were crossed with four elite tropical maize testers. Results exhibited that one inbred line tester can select the top best lines from a large number of CIMMYT lines and two testers gave more reliable results than one tester did. However, when line × environment interaction was significant, selected lines by one tester in one environment were not necessarily same as those selected at another environment indicating thereby that different testers should be used for selecting best inbreds at different environments. This study also showed that inbred lines from different maize heterotic groups did not show any significant differences in identifying best CIMMYT germplasm DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.3329/bjb.v43i2. 21661 Bangladesh J. Bot. 43 (2): 131-139, 2014 (September)
Experimental and procedural influences on differential electrodermal activity.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the influence of some experimental and procedural variables on differential electrodermal activity. A standard procedure was designed to evoke a maximum differentiation of skin conductance response (SCR) amplitude between signal and nonsignal stimuli. Signal value was produced by experimental manipulation for 1 out of 10 stimuli. This series then was presented 3 times in random order to the subjects who were not required to make a response of any kind. In a sample of 228 subjects the critical stimulus was identified in 182 cases (80%) by means of SCR amplitude. Experimental or procedural variations such as an attempt to increase motivation not to be detected, auditory instead of visual presentation of stimuli, or the use of a different scoring procedure did not influence detection rates, nor did the fact that women showed slightly higher responses to critical stimuli than men. Manipulation of the number of series presented to the subjects, however, greatly influenced hit rates. The percentage of hits in a subsample of 142 subjects at presentations of 1, 2, and 3 series increased from 58% to 69% and 78%, respectively. These results were related to “dichotomization theory” (Ben-Shakar, 1977), which states that in addition to the influence of signal value properties of the critical stimulus, critical and neutral stimuli create two distinct categories which habituate independently. Manipulating the number of stimuli in each category will, by consequence, strongly influence detection rates.
Cigarette Smoking and Alcohol Consumption as Risk Factors for Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Background and Purpose Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage is a serious disease despite recent improvements in medical and surgical treatment. Hence, identification of modifiable risk factors for subarachnoid hemorrhage is important. Methods We compared the smoking and drinking habits of 278 consecutive patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, aged 15–60 years (145 men and 133 women) with those of 314 hospitalized control patients (164 men and 150 women) who did not differ in regard to age, day of onset of symptoms, and acuteness of disease onset. Results Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that recent alcohol intake and smoking, but not hypertension, were significant independent risk factors for hemorrhage. After adjustment for age, hypertension, and smoking status, men who had consumed 1–40, 41–120, or >120 g of alcohol within the 24 hours preceding the onset of illness had a relative risk of hemorrhage of 0.3 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.1–0.8), 2.5 (95% CI, 1.1–5.5), and 4.5 (95% CI, 1.5–12.9), respectively, compared with men who had consumed 0 g. Women who had consumed 1–40 or >40 g of alcohol had a risk of hemorrhage of 0.4 (95% CI, 0.2–0.8) and 6.4 (95% CI, 2.3–17.9), respectively, compared with women without use of alcohol. Heavily smoking (>20 cigarettes per day) men and currently smoking women had adjusted relative risks of hemorrhage of 7.3 (95% CI, 3.8–14.3) and 2.1 (95% CI, 1.2–3.6), respectively, compared with men who had never smoked and with women who were not current smokers. Higher levels of erythrocyte mean corpuscular volume in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage than in control subjects supported the notion of different smoking and drinking habits. Conclusions Recent heavy alcohol intake and current smoking seem to be independent risk factors for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Reducing HIV-Related Stigma: Lessons Learned from Horizons Research and Programs

Since the early years of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic, stigma has been understood to be a major barrier to successful HIV prevention, care, and treatment. This article highlights findings from more than 10 studies in Asia, Africa, and Latin America—conducted from 1997 through 2007 as part of the Horizons program—that have contributed to clarifying the relationship between stigma and HIV, determining how best to measure stigma among varied populations, and designing and evaluating the impact of stigma reduction-focused program strategies. Studies showed significant associations between HIV-related stigma and less use of voluntary counseling and testing, less willingness to disclose test results, and incorrect knowledge about transmission. Programmatic lessons learned included how to assist institutions with recognizing stigma, the importance of confronting both fears of contagion and negative social judgments, and how best to engage people living with HIV in programs. The portfolio of work reveals the potential and importance of directly addressing stigma reduction in HIV programs.
A new MPPT method for Photovoltaic generation systems based on Hill Climbing algorithm

This paper presents a new method for MPPT in photovoltaic systems based on "Hill Climbing" algorithm. According to the proposed method cube of slope of power vs. voltage (P-V) curve is calculated in each calculation step. Through this calculation both the direction of photovoltaic's (PV) voltage change and the step size of this change are resulted without making any slope or sign control. Moreover, a way to apply this method in PV systems which are consisted of Ns in series and Np in parallel connection PV arrays with high installed nominal power is proposed. A DC to DC buck-boost converter is used in connection with PV arrays for achieving operation in maximum power point and keeping output voltage constant. The whole system is simulated using Matlab/Simulink and simulation results are presented and analyzed.
Hardware virtualization for rapid and secure CE product development and life cycle management

The CE market demands such flexibility and fast results that the developer teams have serious difficulties to follow, unless they adopt a unique HW/SW platform and smoothly evolve it over time. However, this reasonable approach results to tying them up with their initial choices and the specific electronic components that they have modeled. In order to cope with this phenomenon, new SW architecture and design patterns that make possible the virtualization of hardware components are presented in this paper, and the experience of their application in the OS porting process is reported. Finally, it is explained why they can further contribute to the evolution of a platform independent CE application development paradigm.
Interdisciplinary healthcare education: fact or fiction?

The focus of our title is education, but the notion of interdisciplinary healthcare is not a new idea. Indeed, authors Given and Simmons entitled their provocative article from 1977, “The Interdisciplinary Health-Care Team: Fact or Fiction. ”1 The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Healthcare System for the 21st Century,2 recognized the need for an interdisciplinary approach for optimal patient outcomes. The report also emphasized that healthcare practitioners will need to adopt new skills and approaches to patient care delivery and their interactions with one another. While not impossible, doing so in the workplace will require significant training and a shift of mindset. Clearly, this type of change needs to be adopted and implemented.
Practise patterns of Malaysian speech-language pathologists in managing children with speech and language delay/disorder

Abstract Purpose: Children with speech and language delay/disorder (SLD) in the developing language stage (DLS) are one of the largest populations served by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) working in paediatric settings. The aim of this study was to investigate the practise patterns adopted by Malaysian SLPs when managing these children. Method: A web-based questionnaire was developed to obtain information about SLPs’ practises during assessment, planning and treatment. Result: A total of 53 SLPs completed the questionnaire. When assessing the children, participants either always or usually involved parents, suggesting that they understood the importance of family involvement in services provided. When planning goals, the SLPs relied mostly on their clinical experience and less on research evidence. Participants reported that, most often, they employed a one-to-one approach when providing treatment. There was, however, great variation in the frequency of treatment provided, reflecting the different workplaces of participants. Conclusion: Generally, findings from this study indicated that some practises employed by Malaysian SLPs when managing children with SLD in the DLS are on par with the best practise guidelines, but there is still room for improvement in certain areas such as team collaboration and evidence-based practise. Clinical and research implications are discussed.
Design optimization of a high frequency resonating micro-mirror with low dynamic deformation

One of the main design limitations of resonant micro-mirrors intended for visual projection display applications is inertia-driven dynamic deformation. Micro-mirrors used for high frequency (20–30 kHz) laser beam scanning are typically operated at resonance in the region of their torsional modal frequency in order to achieve high scan angles. Although the optical resolution of the projected image is defined by the micro-mirror frequency, maximum scan angle and dimensions, significant dynamic deformation (> 1/10 of the incident wavelength) results in a loss in contrast between adjacent projected spots. This paper presents a structural design optimization scheme for a one directional resonant micro-mirror intended for laser projection with XGA optical resolution. The minimization of dynamic deformation is considered as one of the partial objectives together with other micro-mirror performance and reliability characteristics. The optimization scheme is performed using the response surface method and multi-objective genetic algorithms. This design process demonstrates the technical feasibility of including features, such as a gimbal structure, that improve the dynamic mirror flatness without compromising on the target scanning frequency, mode separation and maximum shear stress.
Ontologiebasierte domänenspezifische Datenbereinigung in Data Warehouse Systemen

Zusammenfassung. Datenbereinigung wird haufig im Transformationsschritt von ETL-Prozessen in Data Warehouses durchgefuhrt. Existierende Ansatze fokussieren auf syntaktische Korrektheit der vorliegenden Daten, indem beispielsweise Formatprufungen und schemabasierte Bereinigungen durchgefuhrt werden. Weitere Ansatze konzentrieren sich auf semantische Prufungen in Form von Duplikaterkennungen oder unerlaubten Werten. Data Warehouses werden oft in speziellen Anwendungsdomanen, wie beispielsweise dem Gesundheitswesen, eingesetzt. Dort existiert domanenspezifisches Wissen uber die zu bereinigenden Daten, welches in bisherigen Ansatzen nur unzureichend berucksichtigt wird. In diesem Beitrag wird ein ontologiebasierter Ansatz zur Datenbereinigung vorgestellt, in welchem dieses Wissen geeignet modelliert werden kann und wahrend der Datenbereinigung Konzepthierarchien berucksichtigt werden konnen, welche semantische Zusammenhange in Datenbestanden erkennen lassen konnen.
The membrane and the lesions of storage in preserved red cells

AN ANECDOTE RELATED by Dr. Diamond depicts the extent of the storage lesions in banked blood. Dr. J.G. Gibson, when he was studying blood preservatives, requested a specimen for his own analysis from a bottle of 21day old blood preserved in acid-citratedextrose (ACD) about to be used for transfusion. In error, the tube was sent to the hospital laboratory for routine analysis. The report returned as follows:
Leisure participation for school-aged children with Down syndrome

Purpose. To describe leisure participation for school-aged children with Down syndrome and to investigate how factors, classified by the World Health Organisation's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, influence their leisure participation. Method. Families in Western Australia with a child aged 5–18 years with Down syndrome were surveyed in a population-based study (n == 208) in 2004. Results. One-third of parents reported that their child with Down syndrome had no friends although half reported two or more friends. Factors affecting number of friendships included the child's functional ability, behavioural issues and parent's availability of time. Those children with higher functional independence scores in daily tasks were more likely to have two or more friends than those with lower functional independence scores (OR: 1.02, 95%% CI 1.01–1.04 for a single point increase in WeeFIM score). All children participated in predominantly solitary and sedentary leisure activities. Conclusions. Leisure participation was affected by complex factors both within and external to the child with Down syndrome. Further investigation of the relevance of these factors to leisure may enable more satisfying and meaningful participation in leisure for school-aged children with Down syndrome.