Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic accuracy of shear wave elastography for prediction of breast malignancy in patients with pathological nipple discharge

Objectives Pathological nipple discharge (PND) may indicate malignant breast lesions. As the role of shear wave elastography (SWE) in predicting these malignant lesions has not yet been evaluated, we aim to evaluate the diagnostic value of SWE for this condition. Design Prospective diagnostic accuracy study comparing a combination of qualitative and quantitative measurements of SWE (index test) to a ductoscopy and microdochectomy for histological diagnosis (reference test). Setting Fuzhou General Hospital of Nanjing military command. Participants A total of 379 patients with PND were finally included from January, 2011 to March 2014, after we screened 1084 possible candidates. All participants were evaluated through SWE, with qualitative parameters generated by Virtual Touch tissue imaging (VTI) and quantitative parameters generated by Virtual Touch tissue quantification (VTQ). All the patients were consented to receive a ductoscopy and microdochectomy for histological diagnosis, and the results were set as a reference test. Outcome measures Sensitivity and specificity of the combined VTI and VTQ of the SWE for detection of malignancy in patients with PND. Results The 379 participants presented with 404 lesions. The results of pathological examination showed that 326 (80.7%) of the 404 lesions were benign and the other 78 (19.3%) were malignant. An area under the curve of elasticity score, VTQm and VTQc, were 0.872, 0.825 and 0.857, respectively, with the corresponding cut-off point as 2.50, 2.860 m/s and 3.015 m/s, respectively. After a combination of these measurements, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value (PPV and NPV), were 89.7%, 72.1%, 43.5% and 96.7%, respectively. The sensitivity analysis showed 82% of the sensitivity and 96.8% of the specificity, in which patients with no pathological findings in ductoscopy were excluded. Conclusions Ultrasonographic elastography is sensitive for patients with PND and could be used as a triage test before ductoscopy examination. Studies for further improvement of diagnostic sensitivity are warranted.
Hedonic Eating Goals and Emotion: When Sadness Decreases the Desire to Indulge

This article uses the functionalist perspective of emotion to demonstrate that the influence of sadness on indulgent consumption depends on the presence of a hedonic eating goal. Sadness heightens a person's sensitivity to the potentially harmful consequences of indulgent consumption, which decreases indulgence when a hedonic eating goal is salient. As sadness is often associated with a loss, this protective function is geared toward preventing future losses. The execution of this function is mitigated by feelings of safety, a counterforce to concerns about the harmful consequences of goal pursuit. Alternatively, when a hedonic eating goal is not salient, or a salient goal does not have harmful consequences, sadness results in emotion regulation (i.e., indulging as a means of feeling better). This conceptualization and findings show that the effects of emotions on indulgent consumption can be goal-dependent, and that emotions can aid consumers in the balancing of long-term goals and well-being.
The skill of convective parameters and indices to predict isolated and severe thunderstorms

Abstract. The preconvective environment on days with ordinary, widespread, and severe thunderstorms in Southwest Germany was investigated. Various thermodynamic and kinetic parameters calculated from radiosoundings at 12:00 UTC were verified against subsequent thunderstorm observations derived from SYNOP station data, radar data, and damage reports of a building insurance company. The skill of the convective parameters and indices to predict thunderstorms was evaluated by means of probability distribution functions, probabilities of thunderstorms according to an index threshold, and skill scores like the Heidke Skill Score (HSS) that are based on categorical verification. For the ordinary decision as to whether a thunderstorm day was expected or not, the best results were obtained with the original Lifted Index (80% prediction probability for LI≤−1.73; HSS=0.57 for LI≤1.76), the Showalter Index, and the modified K-Index. Considering days with isolated compared to widespread thunderstorms, the best performance is reached by the Deep Convective Index. For days with severe thunderstorms that caused damage due to hail, local storms or floods, the best prediction skill is found again for the Lifted Index and the Deep Convective Index, but also for the Potential Instability Index, the Delta-θe Index, and a version of the CAPE, where the lifting profile is determined by averaging over the lowest 100 hPa.
Peak electron densities in Saturn's ionosphere derived from the low‐frequency cutoff of Saturn lightning

Radio bursts from Saturn lightning have been observed by the Cassini Radio and Plasma Wave Science instrument at frequencies of a few megahertz during several month-long storms since 2004. As the radio waves traverse Saturn's ionosphere on their way to the spacecraft, one can determine the peak electron density from the measurement of the low-frequency cutoff below which the radio bursts are not detected. In this way we obtained 231 profiles of peak electron densities that cover all Saturnian local times at a kronocentric latitude of 35°S, where the storms were spotted by the Cassini camera. Peak electron densities show a large variation at dawn and dusk and are around 5 × 10^4 cm^(−3), in fair agreement with radio occultation measurements at midlatitudes. At noon and midnight, the densities are typically somewhat above 10^5 cm^(−3) and around 10^4 cm^(−3), respectively. The diurnal variation is about 1 to 2 orders of magnitude for averaged profiles over one storm at 35°S. This is somewhat less compared to previous Voyager measurements which showed more than 2 orders of magnitude variation. The diurnal variation as well as the peak electron densities of Saturn's ionosphere tend to decrease with the decreasing solar EUV flux from 2004 until the end of 2009.
Multistatic Ground-Penetrating Radar Experiments

A multistatic ground-penetrating radar (GPR) system has been developed and used to measure the response of a number of targets to produce data for the investigation of multistatic inversion algorithms. The system consists of a linear array of resistive-vee antennas, microwave switches, a vector network analyzer, and a 3-D positioner, all under computer control. The array has two transmitters and four receivers which provide eight bistatic spacings from 12 to 96 cm in 12-cm increments. Buried targets are scanned with and without surface clutter, which is a layer of rocks whose spacing is empirically chosen to maximize the clutter effect. The measured responses are calibrated so that the direct coupling in the system is removed, and the signal reference point is located at the antenna drive point. Images are formed using a frequency-domain beamforming algorithm that compensates for the phase response of the antennas. Images of targets in air validate the system calibration and the imaging algorithm. Bistatic and multistatic images for the buried targets are very good, and they show the effectiveness of the system and processing.
Pseudospectral vs. Finite Difference Methods for Initial Value Problems with Discontinuous Coefficient

An initial value problem with piecewise-constant coefficients is considered. The accuracies for both finite difference methods and the pseudospectral method are analyzed, and a modification of the initial value problem is suggested. The modified problem is shown to have the same temporal period as the original problem does, and a second-order accuracy is obtained for the pseudospectral method at integral multiples of the temporal period.
Neurosteroid Synthesis-Mediated Regulation of GABAA Receptors: Relevance to the Ovarian Cycle and Stress

Recently, we demonstrated cyclic alterations in GABAA receptor (GABAAR) subunit composition over the ovarian cycle correlated with fluctuations in progesterone levels. However, it remains unclear whether this physiological regulation of GABAARs is directly mediated by hormones. Here, we show that both ovarian and stress hormones are capable of reorganizing GABAARs by actions through neurosteroid metabolites. The cyclic alterations in GABAARs demonstrated in female mice can be mimicked with exogenous progesterone treatment in males or in ovariectomized females. Progesterone (5 mg/kg, twice daily) upregulates the expression of GABAAR δ subunits and enhances the tonic inhibition mediated by these receptors in dentate gyrus granule cells (DGGCs). These changes in males as well as ovarian cycle-induced changes in females can be blocked by finasteride, an antagonist of neurosteroid synthesis from progesterone. The altered GABAAR expression is unaffected by the progesterone receptor antagonist RU486 [mifepristone (11β-[p-(dimethylamino)phenyl]-17β-hydroxy-17-(1-propynyl)estra-4,9-dien-3-one)], suggesting that neurosteroid synthesis and not progesterone receptor activation underlies the hormone-mediated effects on GABAAR expression. Neurosteroids can alter GABAAR expression on a rapid timescale, because GABAAR upregulation can be induced in brain slices maintained in vitro after a short (30 min) treatment with the neurosteroid 3α,5α-tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (THDOC) (100 nm). Consistent with these rapid alterations, acute stress, a condition known to quickly raise THDOC levels, within 30 min induces upregulation of GABAAR δ subunit expression and increase tonic inhibition in DGGCs. These results reveal that several physiological conditions characterized by elevations in neurosteroid levels induce a reorganization of GABAARs through the action of neurosteroids.
Inversion in indirect optimal control

In this paper we explain how to use inversion (as defined in nonlinear control theory) for indirect optimal control. Given the relative degree r, it is possible to recover r adjoint states and thus to simplify the problem. Explicit proof is given and relies on the triangular structure of the underlying normal form. An example from the literature is treated in the last section.
Concentrations of Plasma Immunoglobulins in the Dog as Determined by Laser Nephelometry. Comparison with Radial Immunodiffusion and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay

Concentrations of immunoglobulins were determined by laser nephelometry and, for comparison, by single radial immunodiffusion assay and a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in plasma samples of normal dogs. Correlation between methods was high, although the mean IgM concentrations determined by laser nephelometry were significantly higher than those determined by the single radial immunodiffusion assay or ELISA. In contrast, the mean IgA concentrations were significantly lower than those determined by ELISA. Laser nephelometry was the most reproducible method. The between-assay coefficient of variation was 4.12% for IgG, 6.98% for IgM and 6.35% for IgA. Laser nephelometry and ELISA showed similar accuracies, and both were more accurate than single radial immunodiffusion. Finally, laser nephelometry was much more sensitive than single radial immunodiffusion, but less sensitive than the ELISA method. In conclusion, results of the three methods were in general comparable. The higher range of linearity precision and accuracy of laser nephelometry, and the availability of automated nephelometers make this the method of choice for quantifying canine plasma immunoglobulins.
Prenatal alcohol exposure and offspring cognition and school performance. A ‘Mendelian randomization’ natural experiment

Background There is substantial debate as to whether moderate alcohol use during pregnancy could have subtle but important effects on offspring, by impairing later cognitive function and thus school performance. The authors aimed to investigate the unconfounded effect of moderately increased prenatal alcohol exposure on cognitive/educational performance. Methods We used mother-offspring pairs participating in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) and performed both conventional observational analyses and Mendelian randomization using an ADH1B variant (rs1229984) associated with reduced alcohol consumption. Women of White European origin with genotype and self-reported prenatal alcohol consumption, whose offspring’s IQ score had been assessed in clinic (N = 4061 pairs) or Key Stage 2 (KS2) academic achievement score was available through linkage to the National Pupil Database (N = 6268), contributed to the analyses. Results Women reporting moderate drinking before and during early pregnancy were relatively affluent compared with women reporting lighter drinking, and their children had higher KS2 and IQ scores. In contrast, children whose mothers’ genotype predisposes to lower consumption or abstinence during early pregnancy had higher KS2 scores (mean difference +1.7, 95% confidence interval +0.4, +3.0) than children of mothers whose genotype predisposed to heavier drinking, after adjustment for population stratification. Conclusions Better offspring cognitive/educational outcomes observed in association with prenatal alcohol exposure presumably reflected residual confounding by factors associated with social position and maternal education. The unconfounded Mendelian randomization estimates suggest a small but potentially important detrimental effect of small increases in prenatal alcohol exposure, at least on educational outcomes.
[Krakow Program for Secondary Prevention of Ischaemic Heart Disease. Part III. Secondary prevention of ischaemic heart disease after discharge].

UNLABELLED Even though the majority of actions undertaken within the secondary prevention of ischaemic heart disease should be initiated while the patient is still hospitalized, the maximum benefit (measured as decreased cardiovascular risk) achieved depends mostly on the continuation and modification of these actions in the postdischarge period. There is not much known about the quality of medical care provided for patients after hospitalization due to ischaemic heart disease. The aim of the study was to assess the quality of postdischarge care in the field of secondary prevention of ischaemic heart disease. METHODS Consecutive patients (age > or = 70 years; residing in the Cracow province) were identified according to the following clinical diagnoses or procedures: acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina, CABG and PCI. Out of 536 patients 418 took part in the control visit 6-18 months after discharge. Risk factors and medication used were assessed. RESULTS High total cholesterol (> or = 5.2 mmol/l) was found in 65.8% of patients, high blood pressure (> or = 140/90 mmHg) in 46.2%, obesity (BMI > or = 30 kg/m2) in 24.6%, fasting glucose over 6.0 mmol/l in 17.7% and smoking in 16.3%. The frequency of antiplatelet drugs and beta-blockers use decreased whereas that of lipid-lowering drugs increased in the postdischarge period. The highest frequency of use of antiplatelets and lipid-lowering drugs, as well as the best control of hypercholesterolemia was found in the PCI group, whereas the lowest frequency of smoking was found in the CABG group. CONCLUSIONS Insufficient control of risk factors and the frequency of secondary prevention using drugs was found. There is a need to intensify secondary prevention in patients with ischaemic heart disease in the postdischarge period.
A Theory of Granularity and its Application to Problems of Polysemy and Underspecification of Meaning

Communication using natural language is remarkably e(cid:14)cient, by allowing reuse (through the use of generative devices) of a (cid:12)nite vocabulary to describe a potentially in-(cid:12)nite set of situations. This vocabulary reuse contributes to words having many related senses (polysemy). Further, meanings can be relatively vague or precise; in other words, varying in their degree of speci(cid:12)cation of meaning. I suggest that these problems can be addressed by developing a knowledge representation which makes explicit the notion of granularity. As the grain size changes, we may fold certain distinctions, or split meanings more (cid:12)nely. In this paper, I formalize a theory of granularity and demonstrate how it can be applied to problems of meaning representation. Such a theory requires a world model which provides a rich sortal di(cid:11)eren-tiation of entities based on the distinctions made by natural language, including the representation of meronymic structure and rei(cid:12)-cation. Granularity will be represented in terms of structural operations de(cid:12)ned as abstractions. I illustrate how this applies to problems of polysemy and vagueness in nom-inalizations, where splitting and folding of meanings are particularly evident.
Informing System Design Through Organizational Learning

This paper describes a cycle in which organizational learning and work serve each other. Experience in a real-world software development project has led us to identify several key challenges for informing software design through organizational learning. A discussion of these challenges presents steps taken toward addressing them, as well as barriers remaining. The Group Interactive Memory Manager (GIMMe) system is presented along with early results from use of the system in software design projects.
Skeletal muscle denervation activates acetylcholine receptor genes

Transcriptional activity of acetylcholine receptor subunit genes was investigated in innervated and denervated chick skeletal muscle. The sciatic nerve of 3-d-old White Leghorn chicks was sectioned unilaterally; after various intervals, nuclei were isolated from operated and sham-operated animals, and run-on assays performed. Nuclei were incubated with 32P-UTP, and total RNA was extracted and hybridized onto filters containing an excess of subunit-specific DNA. Specific transcripts were detected by autoradiography and quantitated densitometrically. A sharp increase in transcriptional activity was observed to begin approximately 1/2 d after the operation and peak 1 d later when transcriptional rates reached approximately seven-, six-, and fivefold control levels for the alpha-, delta-, and gamma-subunit genes, respectively. The specificity of the effect was ascertained by normalization to total RNA synthesis and by the demonstration that several nonreceptor genes respond differently to denervation. These results suggest that a denervation signal reaches the genome to induce receptor expression. In addition, since the increase in mRNA levels significantly exceeds what can be accounted for by increased gene activity, posttranscriptional effects are suggested.
A Scalable Key Distribution Hierarchy

As the use of the Internet for electronic commerce, audio and video conferencing, and other applications with sensitive content grows, the need for secure services becomes critical. Central to the success of these services is the support for secure public key distribution. Although there are several existing services available for this purpose, they are not very scalable, either because they depend on a centralized server or rely on ad hoc trust relationships. In this paper, we present and examine a flexible approach to certificate distribution scalable to arbitrarily large networks. We propose a two level hierarchy where certificates can be independently authenticated by one or more peer authorities, called keyservers. Certificates for end-user and host entities are managed within local domains, called enterprises. By administering certificates close to the source, we reduce the load on the key servers and the effects of network topology changes. We describe the design of our system and present a preliminary performance analysis based on traces of present-day DNS requests.
Pattern of inheritance in hereditary myeloperoxidase deficiency associated with the R569W missense mutation

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is an essential component of the oxygen‐dependent microbicidal system of neutrophils and monocytes. Hereditary deficiency of MPO occurs in 1 in 2,000 to 4,000 individuals in the general population and has been generally considered an autosomal recessive trait. Previous studies have used the peroxidase activity of blood leukocytes to assess the phenotype of affected family members. Eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) also contributes to the peroxidase activity of blood leukocytes. Because EPO expression is normal in MPO‐deficient subjects, eosinophil contamination can significantly contribute to peroxidase activity in leukocytes from family members of an MPO‐deficient subject and thereby undermine correct interpretation of the inheritance pattern. To avoid this potential problem, we used cytochemical, immunochemical, and genetic techniques to assess the inheritance pattern of MPO deficiency in sixteen individuals from five unrelated kindreds. Each kindred had an index case with MPO deficiency and the R569W missense mutation, a genotype that causes MPO deficiency. Our analysis demonstrated that MPO deficiency was not inherited as a simple autosomal recessive trait. Most subjects were compound heterozygotes with respect to the R569W mutation and demonstrated a spectrum of phenotypes. Our data demonstrate the broad phenotypic impact of compound heterozygosity on the expression and function of a multimeric protein such as MPO. J. Leukoc. Biol. 63: 264–269; 1998.
A highly conserved Tyrosine residue of family B DNA polymerases contributes to dictate translesion synthesis past 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine

The harmfulness of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine (8oxodG) damage resides on its dual coding potential, as it can pair with the correct dCMP (dC) or the incorrect dAMP (dA). Here, we investigate the translesional synthesis ability of family B ϕ29 DNA polymerase on 8oxodG-containing templates. We show that this polymerase preferentially inserts dC opposite 8oxodG, its 3′–5′ exonuclease activity acting indistinctly on both dA or dC primer terminus. In addition, ϕ29 DNA polymerase shows a favoured extension of the 8oxodG/dA pair, but with an efficiency much lower than that of the canonical dG/dC pair. Additionally, we have analysed the role of the invariant tyrosine from motif B of family B DNA polymerases in translesional synthesis past 8oxodG, replacing the corresponding ϕ29 DNA polymerase Tyr390 by Phe or Ser. The lack of the aromatic portion in mutant Y390S led to a lost of discrimination against dA insertion opposite 8oxodG. On the contrary, the absence of the hydroxyl group in the Y390F mutant precluded the favoured extension of 8oxodG:dA base pair with respect to 8oxodG:dC. Based on the results obtained, we propose that this Tyr residue contributes to dictate nucleotide insertion and extension preferences during translesion synthesis past 8oxodG by family B replicases.
A recurrent neural network approach for visual servoing of manipulators

The control of robotic manipulators has received significant amount of attention in the control and robotics communities. In this paper, we investigate the kinematic control of a manipulator with an eye-in-hand camera, which is referred to as visual servoing. The visual servoing problem is formulated as a constrained optimization problem, which is then solved via a recurrent neural network. By this approach, the visual servoing with respect to a static point object is achieved with the feature coordinate errors in the image space converging to zero. Besides, joint angle and velocity limits of the manipulator are satisfied, which thus enhances the safety of the manipulator during the visual servoing process. The performance of the approach is guaranteed via theoretical analysis and verified via a simulative example.