Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Conventional Open Thyroidectomy and Endoscopic Thyroidectomy via Breast Approach for Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

Purpose. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of endoscopic thyroidectomy via breast approach for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Methods. Between March 2008 and March 2013, 34 patients with PTC received endoscopic thyroidectomy (endo group) and 30 patients received conventional open thyroidectomy (open group). Patients in two groups underwent ipsilateral central compartment node dissection. The two groups were compared in terms of patient characteristics, perioperative clinical results, and postoperative complication. Results. The rates of lymph node metastasis in endo group and open group were 23.5% (8/34) and 13.3% (4/30), respectively, without statistically significant difference (P = 0.351). The mean number of lymph nodes dissected was 2.4 ± 2.9 in endoscopic group and 2.2 ± 1.9 in open group (P = 0.774). During the follow-up period, there was no recurrence or metastatic patients in two groups. All patients received the excellent cosmetic results in endo group, while 25 patients were satisfied with the cosmetic result and 5 were unsatisfied in the open group. Conclusions. The efficacy of endoscopic thyroidectomy via breast approach could be comparable to conventional open thyroidectomy in selected patients with PTC.
A multiobjective immune clustering ensemble technique applied to unsupervised SAR image segmentation

In the past few years, multiobjective clustering has been one of the most successful techniques in the field of computer vision and data clustering. This paper proposes a novel unsupervised approach for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image segmentation, namely, multiobjective immune clustering ensemble technique (MICET). The new technique first divides the image into several regions, and a certain number of pixels are picked out from these regions to form the clustering dataset. Second, artificial immune system (AIS) and multiobjective optimization (MOO) are introduced to generate multiple clustering results, which are then combined together for the following ensemble process. Multiple runs of the multiobjective clustering method with different randomly selected image features are performed to ensure high quality components as well as necessary diversity for an efficient ensemble. Finally, each datum is assigned to one cluster according to the relationship with the clustering dataset. Experimental results show that interesting segmentation performances on SAR images can be achieved by the proposed technique despite its completely unsupervised nature.
RADAR: a rigorously annotated database of A-to-I RNA editing

We present RADAR—a rigorously annotated database of A-to-I RNA editing (available at http://RNAedit.com). The identification of A-to-I RNA editing sites has been dramatically accelerated in the past few years by high-throughput RNA sequencing studies. RADAR includes a comprehensive collection of A-to-I RNA editing sites identified in humans (Homo sapiens), mice (Mus musculus) and flies (Drosophila melanogaster), together with extensive manually curated annotations for each editing site. RADAR also includes an expandable listing of tissue-specific editing levels for each editing site, which will facilitate the assignment of biological functions to specific editing sites.
Affective Working Memory in Depression

Depressed individuals show a wide range of difficulties in executive functioning (including working memory), which can be a significant burden on everyday mental processes. Theoretical models of depression have proposed these difficulties to be especially pronounced in affective contexts. However, evidence investigating affective working memory (WM) capacity in depressed individuals has shown mixed results. The preregistered study used a complex span task, which has been shown to be sensitive to difficulties with WM capacity in affective relative to neutral contexts in other clinical groups, to explore affective WM capacity in clinical depression. Affective WM capacity was compared between individuals with current depression (n = 24), individuals in remission from depression (n = 25), and healthy controls (n = 30). The results showed that, overall, WM capacity was more impaired in the context of negative distractor images, relative to neutral images. Furthermore, those with a lifetime history of depression (individuals with current depression and individuals remitted from depression), performed worse on the task, compared to healthy controls. However, there was no support for the greater disruption of WM capacity in affective compared to neutral contexts in those with a lifetime history of depression. These findings’ implications for current models of depression are discussed.
TAF4b Regulates Oocyte-Specific Genes Essential for Meiosis

TAF4b is a gonadal-enriched subunit of the general transcription factor TFIID that is implicated in promoting healthy ovarian aging and female fertility in mice and humans. To further explore the potential mechanism of TAF4b in promoting ovarian follicle development, we analyzed global gene expression at multiple time points in the human fetal ovary. This computational analysis revealed coordinate expression of human TAF4B and critical regulators and effectors of meiosis I including SYCP3, YBX2, STAG3, and DAZL. To address the functional relevance of this analysis, we turned to the embryonic Taf4b-deficient mouse ovary where, for the first time, we demonstrate, severe deficits in prophase I progression as well as asynapsis in Taf4b-deficient oocytes. Accordingly, TAF4b occupies the proximal promoters of many essential meiosis and oogenesis regulators, including Stra8, Dazl, Figla, and Nobox, and is required for their proper expression. These data reveal a novel TAF4b function in regulating a meiotic gene expression program in early mouse oogenesis, and support the existence of a highly conserved TAF4b-dependent gene regulatory network promoting early oocyte development in both mice and women.
Organizational Visions and Followers’ Motives

Organizational visions are a core element of modern leadership theories. The current research examines the underlying motivational and psychological mechanisms of organizational visions on followers in international organizations. I assume that organizational visions increase followers’ commitment and inspiration, if they match with followers’ motives. Three field studies mainly support this prediction and consider additional contextual factors.
Happiness, Perfectionism, and Life Satisfaction among Adolescents

The present study scrutinizes happiness, perfectionism, and life satisfaction among adolescents. The sample consists of 100 students (boys =50, girls =50), who were randomly selected from Senior Secondary Schools, AMU, Aligarh.Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS; Lyubomirsky et al. 1999), Almost Perfect Scale –Revised (APS-R; Slaney et al. 2001),and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS; Diener et al. 1985) were used. The results of the t-test showedthe significant difference between boys and girls on life satisfaction and happiness i.e. girls scored more on life satisfaction and happiness as compare to boys. Correlational analysis showed that there were significant positive correlation of life satisfaction with happiness and adaptive perfectionism. Further, results of stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that happiness and the standard (dimension of perfectionism), gender, and order (dimension of perfectionism)were significant predictors of life satisfaction. This study will be better implications for parents, counsellors, psychologists, and further researchers to know the role of happiness and perfectionism in life satisfaction of adolescents.
Plasma Lipoprotein Levels in Treated and Untreated Hypertensive Men and Women: The National Heart Foundation of Australia Risk Factor Prevalence Study

Experimental studies have reported that common antihypertensive drugs such as diuretics, beta-blockers, and methyldopa have adverse effects on plasma lipids and lipoproteins. To investigate whether such effects can be observed in the general population, plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels were compared in subjects receiving antihypertensive treatment, subjects with untreated high blood pressure, and subjects with normal blood pressure in a random sample of 5603 subjects screened in a national study of risk factor prevalence in Australia. In both sexes, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was lower in the group receiving treatment than in the others (p < 0.001). In men, triglycerides (TG) (p < 0.001) and the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol (TC/HDL cholesterol) (p < 0.05) were higher in the group receiving treatment. In both sexes, the differences in plasma lipids and lipoproteins between treated and untreated hypertensive groups were independent of age, body mass index, alcohol consumption, and smoking. More than 40% of the treated or untreated hypertensive men and women had elevated total cholesterol (TC > 252 mg/dl) or an elevated TC/HDL cholesterol ratio (>6.0). In men receiving antihypertensive treatment, the prevalence of an elevated TC/HDL cholesterol ratio was significantly greater than in men with untreated high blood pressure (p < 0.01). The results of this study suggest that the effects of antihypertensive treatment on plasma lipids and lipoproteins can be observed in population lipid and lipoprotein levels. Even before treatment, a large proportion of high blood pressure patients have a significant plasma cholesterol abnormality, which may be aggravated by conventional antihypertensive therapy.
AN EXTENDED STAR CLUSTER AT THE OUTER EDGE OF THE SPIRAL GALAXY M 33

We report the discovery of an extended globular-like star cluster, M 33-EC1, at the outer edge of the spiral galaxy M 33. The distance to the cluster is 890 kpc, and it lies at a projected distance of 12.5 kpc from the center of M 33. Old age (≳7 Gyr) and low metallicity ([M/H] ≲−1.4) are estimated on the basis of isochrone fits. Color–magnitude diagrams of stars, located in the cluster's area, and photometric and structural parameters of the cluster are presented. The cluster's luminosity (MV = −6.6) and half-light radius (rh = 20.3 pc) are comparable to those of the extended globular clusters, discovered in more luminous Local Group galaxies, the Milky Way and M 31. Extended globular clusters are suspected to be remnants of accreted dwarf galaxies, and the finding of such a cluster in the late-type dwarf spiral galaxy M 33 would imply a complex merging history in the past.
A Class of Adaptive Importance Sampling Weighted EM Algorithms for Efficient and Robust Posterior and Predictive Simulation

A class of adaptive sampling methods is introduced for efficient posterior and predictive simulation. The proposed methods are robust in the sense that they can handle target distributions that exhibit non-elliptical shapes such as multimodality and skewness. The basic method makes use of sequences of importance weighted Expectation Maximization steps in order to efficiently construct a mixture of Student-t densities that approximates accurately the target distribution–typically a posterior distribution, of which we only require a kernel–in the sense that the Kullback–Leibler divergence between target and mixture is minimized. We label this approach Mixture oftby Importance Sampling weighted Expectation Maximization (MitISEM). The constructed mixture is used as a candidate density for quick and reliable application of either Importance Sampling (IS) or the Metropolis–Hastings (MH) method. We also introduce three extensions of the basic MitISEM approach. First, we propose a method for applying MitISEM in a sequential manner, so that the candidate distribution for posterior simulation is cleverly updated when new data become available. Our results show that the computational effort reduces enormously, while the quality of the approximation remains almost unchanged. This sequential approach can be combined with a tempering approach, which facilitates the simulation from densities with multiple modes that are far apart. Second, we introduce a permutation-augmented MitISEM approach. This is useful for importance or Metropolis–Hastings sampling from posterior distributions in mixture models without the requirement of imposing identification restrictions on the model’s mixture regimes’ parameters. Third, we propose a partial MitISEM approach, which aims at approximating the joint distribution by estimating a product of marginal and conditional distributions. This division can substantially reduce the dimension of the approximation problem, which facilitates the application of adaptive importance sampling for posterior simulation in more complex models with larger numbers of parameters. Our results indicate that the proposed methods can substantially reduce the computational burden in econometric models like DCC or mixture GARCH models and a mixture instrumental variables model.
Neuropeptide Y inhibits the trigeminovascular pathway through NPY Y1 receptor: implications for migraine

Abstract Migraine is a painful neurologic disorder with premonitory symptomatology that can include disturbed appetite. Migraine pathophysiology involves abnormal activation of trigeminocervical complex (TCC) neurons. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is synthesized in the brain and is involved in pain modulation. NPY receptors are present in trigeminal ganglia and trigeminal nucleus caudalis suggesting a role in migraine pathophysiology. The present study aimed to determine the effect of systemic administration of NPY on TCC neuronal activity in response to dural nociceptive trigeminovascular activation. We performed in vivo electrophysiology in anesthetized rats, administered NPY (10, 30, and 100 µg·kg−1), and investigated the receptors involved by studying NPY Y1 (30 µg·kg−1), Y2 (30 µg·kg−1), and Y5 receptor agonists (100·µg·kg−1), and NPY Y1 receptor antagonist (30 µg·kg−1). NPY (30 and 100 µg·kg−1) significantly reduced TCC neuronal firing in response to dural-evoked trigeminovascular activation, but only NPY (30 µg·kg−1) significantly reduced spontaneous trigeminal firing. NPY Y1 receptor agonist also significantly reduced dural-evoked and spontaneous TCC neuronal firing. NPY (10 µg·kg−1), NPY Y2, and Y5 receptor agonists, and the NPY Y1 receptor antagonist had no significant effects on nociceptive dural-evoked neuronal firing in the TCC or spontaneous trigeminal firing. This study demonstrates that NPY dose dependently inhibits dural-evoked trigeminal activity, through NPY Y1 receptor activation, indicating antinociceptive actions of NPY in a migraine animal model. Based on the role of NPY in appetite regulation, it is possible that disruption of the NPY system might explain changes of appetite in migraineurs.
Influence of Citric Acid on the Pink Color and Characteristics of Sous Vide Processed Chicken Breasts During Chill Storage

Chicken breast dipped with citric acid (CA) was treated by sous vide processing and stored in a refrigerated state for 0, 3, 6, 9, and 14 d. A non-dipped control group (CON) and three groups dipped in different concentrations of citric acid concentration were analyzed (0.5%, 0.5CIT; 2.0%, 2CIT and 5.0%, 5CIT; w/v). Cooking yield and moisture content increased due to the citric acid. While the redness of the juice and meat in all groups showed significant increase during storage, the redness of the citric acid groups was reduced compared to the control group (p<0.05). The percentage of myoglobin denaturation (PMD) of the CA groups was also increased according to the level of CA during storage. Total aerobic counts, Enterobacteriaceae counts, volatile basic nitrogen and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were generally lower in the citric acid-treated samples than in untreated ones, indicating extended shelf life of the cooked chicken breast dipped in citric acid solution. The shear force of the 2CIT and 5CIT groups was significantly lower (p<0.05). The findings indicated positive effects in the physicochemical properties and storage ability of sous vide chicken breast at 2% and 5% citric acid concentrations.
Investigating the Efficacy of the Coping Strategies Adolescents Use to Handle Cyberbullying

Investigating the Efficacy of the Coping Strategies Adolescents Use to Handle Cyberbullying by Stacey Lynne Neaville MS, Walden University, 2011 BA.Ed, Central Washington University, 1993 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University May 2017
Ion Acceleration by Short Chirped Laser Pulses

Direct laser acceleration of ions by short frequency chirped laser pulses is investigated theoretically. We demonstrate that intense beams of ions with a kinetic energy broadening of about 1% can be generated. The chirping of the laser pulse allows the particles to gain kinetic energies of hundreds of MeVs, which is required for hadron cancer therapy, from pulses of energies in the order of 100 J. It is shown that few-cycle chirped pulses can accelerate ions more efficiently than long ones, i.e., higher ion kinetic energies are reached with the same amount of total electromagnetic pulse energy.
Stopping the “Madness”: Positive Psychology and Deconstructing the Illness Ideology and the DSM

Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology The Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology studies the burgeoning field of positive psychology, which, in recent years, has transcended academia to capture the imagination of the general public. The book provides a roadmap for the psychology needed by the majority of the populationâ€”those who donâ€TMt need treatment, but want to achieve the lives to which they aspire.
An Analysis Framework for Transient-Error Tolerance

Transient or soft errors are an increasing problem in mainstream microelectronics. We propose a framework for modeling transient-error tolerance (TET) in logic circuits. We classify transient errors as critical or non-critical according to their impact on circuit behavior, such as their ability to disturb the internal state for specified periods of time. We introduce a metric called the critical soft-error rate (CSER) as an alternative to conventional SER, and present some analysis strategies based on CSER. This approach employs a new single transient fault (STF) model, which is defined in terms of a temporary stuck-at fault and its associated circuit state. Although basically technology-independent, STFs can be extended with low-level physical attributes. With STFs, we can estimate the transient error probability perr of a circuit's nodes, as well as various measures of error susceptibility and TET. We demonstrate the use of STFs with combinational and sequential circuits, including several types of adders. We also present a systematic hardening strategy that uses perr as a guide to improving TET.
Out of the Andes: patterns of diversification in clearwing butterflies

Global biodiversity peaks in the tropical forests of the Andes, a striking geological feature that has likely been instrumental in generating biodiversity by providing opportunities for both vicariant and ecological speciation. However, the role of these mountains in the diversification of insects, which dominate biodiversity, has been poorly explored using phylogenetic methods. Here we study the role of the Andes in the evolution of a diverse Neotropical insect group, the clearwing butterflies. We used dated species‐level phylogenies to investigate the time course of speciation and to infer ancestral elevation ranges for two diverse genera. We show that both genera likely originated at middle elevations in the Andes in the Middle Miocene, contrasting with most published results in vertebrates that point to a lowland origin. Although we detected a signature of vicariance caused by the uplift of the Andes at the Miocene–Pliocene boundary, most sister species were parapatric without any obvious vicariant barrier. Combined with an overall decelerating speciation rate, these results suggest an important role for ecological speciation and adaptive radiation, rather than simple vicariance.
Lender Exposure and Effort in the Syndicated Loan Market

This article tests for asymmetric information problems between the lead arranger and the participants in a lending syndicate. One problem comes from adverse selection, whereby the lead has a private informational advantage over participants. A second problem comes from moral hazard, whereby the lead puts less effort in monitoring when it retains a smaller loan share. Applying an instrumental variables strategy using lending limits, borrower performance is improved by increasing the lead's share. The focus is on separating moral hazard from adverse selection and the results are consistently indicative of monitoring. First, the lead's share is more important for revocable credit lines than for fully funded term facilities. Second, a lead with greater liquidity risk reduces its share resulting in worse borrower performance, but its liquidity risk does not affect the quality of credits it chooses to syndicate in the first place. Third, covenants are paired with a higher lead share, and the sensitivity between share and borrower ex post performance is greater on loans with more covenants.
Skin matters! The role of keratinocytes in nociception: a rational argument for the development of topical analgesics

Treatment of neuropathic pain using topical formulations is still in its infancy. Only few topical analgesic formulations have become available for clinical use, and among these, analgesic creams are still rare. This is unfortunate because analgesic creams offer a number of advantages over patches, such as convenience, ease of adapting the frequency of application, and dose, and “rubbing cream where it hurts” involves the patient much more in the therapeutic process compared to patches and other localized treatment modalities. Although the literature supporting the efficacy and safety of analgesic creams (mostly compounded) is growing since the last decade, most pain physicians have not yet noticed and appreciated the therapeutic potential and clinical value of these creams. This is most probably due to a prejudice that topical application should need to act transdermally, more or less as a slow-release formulation, such as in patches delivering opioids. We will discuss this prejudice and show that there are multiple important targets in the skin to be reached by topical analgesic or anti-inflammatory compounds, and that the keratinocyte is one of those targets. By specifically targeting the keratinocyte, analgesia seems possible, effective, and safe, and thus topical analgesic creams may hold promise as a novel treatment modality for neuropathic pain.