Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Computer-aided Diagnosis in Lung Nodule Assessment

Computed tomography (CT) imaging is playing an increasingly important role in cancer detection, diagnosis, and lesion characterization, and it is the most sensitive test for lung nodule detection. Interpretation of lung nodules involves characterization and integration of clinical and other imaging information. Advances in lung nodule management using CT require optimization of CT data acquisition, postprocessing tools, and computer-aided diagnosis (CAD). The goal of CAD systems being developed is to both assist radiologists in the more sensitive detection of nodules and noninvasively differentiate benign from malignant lesions; the latter is important given that malignant lesions account for between 1% and 11% of pulmonary nodules. The aim of this review is to summarize the current state of the art regarding CAD techniques for the detection and characterization of solitary pulmonary nodules and their potential applications in the clinical workup of these lesions.
Relationship between EGFR mutations and clinicopathological features of lung adenocarcinomas diagnosed via small biopsies.

AIM We performed this study to evaluate the frequency of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations and their association with the histological subtype of lung adenocarcinoma diagnosed via small biopsy specimens. PATIENTS AND METHODS Three hundred and fifty-nine lung adenocarcinoma specimens were tested for EGFR mutation by a direct sequencing method. In 135 patients, histological subtypes were classified according to the 2011 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer/American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society classification. We compared the EGFR mutation frequency by clinicopathological characteristics. RESULTS We detected 135 (37.6%) EGFR mutations and the incidence was highest in women who never smoked (54.6%). With regard to histological subtype, the highest prevalence of EGFR mutation was found in papillary (81.3%), followed by lepidic (70.4%), acinar (58.1%) and solid (28.3%) tumor types. In addition, the expression of thyroid transcription factor-1 was significantly higher in tumors with the EGFR mutation than in those without (p<0.001). CONCLUSION The histological subtype of adenocarcinoma can be predictive of existing EGFR mutation, although the histology was confirmed using only small biopsies.
The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Glyptothorax laosensis (Siluriformes, Sisoridae)

Abstract The complete mitogenome sequence of Glyptothorax laosensis was determined using long PCR reactions. The genome is 16 539 bp in length, including 13 typical vertebrate protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes and a control region. Except for eight tRNA and ND6 genes, all other mitochondrial genes are encoded on the heavy strand. The gene order and composition of G. laosensis was similar to that of most other vertebrates. The descending order of the base composition on heavy strand was 31.3% A, 27.5% C, 25.9% T, 15.3% G, with a relatively lower level of G and a slight AT bias of 57.2%. The results of phylogenetic reconstruction showed G. laosensis is the sister group with G. trilineatus (Figure 1), and the Glyptothorax genus formed a monophyletic group.
Mutual Information Games in Multi-user Channels with Correlated Jamming

We investigate the behavior of two users and one jammer in an AWGN channel with and without fading when they participate in a non-cooperative zero-sum game, with the channel's input/output mutual information as the objective function. We assume that the jammer can eavesdrop the channel and can use the information obtained to perform correlated jamming. Under various assumptions on the channel characteristics, and the extent of information available at the users and the jammer, we show the existence, or otherwise non-existence of a simultaneously optimal set of strategies for the users and the jammer. In all the cases where the channel is non-fading, we show that the game has a solution, and the optimal strategies are Gaussian signalling for the users and linear jamming for the jammer. In fading channels, we envision each player's strategy as a power allocation function over the channel states, together with the signalling strategies at each channel state. We reduce the game solution to a set of power allocation functions for the players and show that when the jammer is uncorrelated, the game has a solution, but when the jammer is correlated, a set of simultaneously optimal power allocation functions for the users and the jammer does not always exist. In this case, we characterize the max-min user power allocation strategies and the corresponding jammer power allocation strategy.
Accounting for the Tax Benefits of Employee Stock Options and Implications for Research

This paper examines how firms account for and report the tax benefits of employee stock options (ESOs). The tax benefits of ESOs reduce taxes actually owed but enter stockholders' equity directly without reducing reported income tax expense. Failing to adjust reported income tax expense for this benefit can lead to poorly specified studies with the distinct possibility of considerable measurement error and flawed inferences. We explain the adjustments needed for more reliable estimates of effective tax rates, tax burdens, and marginal tax rates often critical to analyses of firm‐specific and public policy issues. We document problems with firms' disclosures and, using a sample of large NASDAQ firms likely to be heavy users of ESOs, find that adjusting for the ESO tax benefit is essential to understanding the impact of taxes on those firms.
Investigations into Potential Extrasynaptic Communication between the Dopaminergic and Nitrergic Systems

Nitric oxide is unconstrained by cell membranes and can therefore act along a broad distance as a volume transmitter. Spillover of nitric oxide between neurons may have a major impact on central nervous system diseases and particularly on neurodegeneration. There is evidence whereby communication between nitrergic and dopaminergic systems plays an essential role in the control of the nigrostriatal pathway. However, there is sparse information for either the coexistence or overlap of nitric oxide and dopaminergic structures. The dual localization of immunoreactivity for nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and tyrosine hydroxylase, enzymes responsible for the synthesis of nitric oxide and dopamine, respectively, was examined in neurons of the nigrostriatal pathway in the rat brain by means of a double-immunohistochemical method and confocal laser scanning microscopy, acquired at the resolution limit. After perfusional fixation, the brains were cut and double-immunostained. A proximity analysis of tyrosine hydroxylase and NOS structures was done using binary masks generated from the respective maximum projections, using confocal laser microscopy. Unrevealed regions were determined somatodendritic positive for both NOS and tyrosine hydroxylase, within an image limit resolution at 2 μm-wide margin. The described interconnected localization of nNOS(+) and TH(+) containing neuronal fibers and cells bodies in the nigrostriatal pathway propose a close anatomical link between the two neurotransmitters.
Working Paper BANK OF GREECE IDENTIFICATION OF A LOAN SUPPLY FUNCTION : A CROSS-COUNTRY TEST FOR THE EXISTENCE OF A BANK LENDING CHANNEL No . 54 January 2007

Using the theoretical predictions of the Bernanke-Blinder (1988) model, we seek to examine the existence of a bank lending channel through the empirical identification of a loan supply function and to assess the impact of differential bank characteristics on banks’ ability to supply loans. To this end, we estimate a loan supply model and test for the restrictions implied by perfect substitutability between loans and bonds in bank portfolios. Estimations are carried out on bank panel data for 16 OECD countries, the results showing that a bank lending channel is at work in only two of them. Moreover, and contrary to standard accounts, we find that the relevance of bank characteristics is hardly a decisive factor in the identification of a loan supply function.
Protease Inhibitors, Lectins, Antifungal Protein and Saponins in Soybean

Many investigations have been conducted on soybean during the past decade since it is a unique dietary source of isoflavones which display a diversity of biological activities and reduce the risk of some chronic diseases. Soybean is distinctive in that it has a high content of isoflavones which allegedly diminish the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis, and also alleviate menopausal symptoms. Isoflavones are weakly estrogenic. The isoflavone genistein also affects signal transduction. Soyfoods and isoflavones have arrested the attention of many researchers on account of their potential role in preventing and treating cancer and osteoporosis. The low breast cancer mortality rates in Asia and the putative antiestrogenic infer that soyfood intake reduces breast cancer risk. Soy or isoflavones may decrease the risk of prostate cancer. The low estrogenic activity of soybean isoflavones and their structural resemblance to the synthetic isoflavone ipriflavone, which elevates bone mineral density in postmenopausal women, suggest that soy or isoflavones may decrease the risk of osteoporosis. Besides isoflavones, soybean also produces protease inhibitors, lectins, and antifungal proteins, which have important biological activities. This review encompasses a discussion of isoflavones, protease inhibitors, lectins and antifungal proteins.
Advances in the understanding and management of angioimmunoblastic T‐cell lymphoma

Angioimmunoblastic T‐cell lymphoma (AITL) is a distinct peripheral T‐cell lymphoma (PTCL) entity with peculiar clinical and pathological features. The recent identification of follicular helper T (TFH) cell as the cell of origin of this neoplasm represents a major step in our understanding of the pathobiological characteristics of the disease and should, in the future, clarify the diagnostic criteria for AITL and help to delineate its spectrum, especially from PTCL, not otherwise specified (PTCL, NOS). Deciphering the pathogenesis of the disease is needed to identify targets for new therapies that are expected to improve the poor outcome of AITL patients, when treated with conventional chemotherapy regimens. In this respect, efforts will be needed to evaluate promising innovative therapies in prospective clinical trials.
Glial fibrillary acidic protein in late life major depressive disorder: an immunocytochemical study

Objectives: Depression is a common psychiatric disorder in late life. Cerebrovascular disease has been postulated as an important aetiological factor in many cases (the “vascular depression” hypothesis). Consistent with this, an inflammatory response, most probably representing ischaemia, has been reported with increases in intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in postmortem tissue from elderly depressed subjects. As ischaemia is known to cause astrogliosis, this study has further tested the “vascular depression hypothesis” by investigating the distribution of the astrocytic marker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the DLPFC and in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Methods: Postmortem tissue was obtained from 20 elderly patients with a history of major depressive disorder (MDD) and 20 control subjects. Sections were stained for GFAP using standard immunocytochemistry. Sets of images were obtained from all cortical layers in the DLPFC and ACC with the exception of layer IV in the ACC, and from gyral and deep white matter in both regions. The percentage of the area of each image occupied by GFAP was calculated using true colour image analysis, and mean values obtained for each region examined. Results: Immunoreactivity for GFAP was low in grey matter (for example, Mean (SEM) 0.76 (0.2)% in DLPFC layer V in depressed subjects), but higher in white matter (for example, 12.02 (2.2)% in DLPFC deep white matter in depressed subjects). Pronounced gliosis was observed within grey matter in a few cases only. GFAP immunoreactivity was significantly higher in layer I of the DLPFC in depressed subjects 15.8 (2.6)% than in controls 9.7 (1.3)% (t=2.2; df=27.5, p=0.04). No difference was detected in any other region. Conclusions: The data suggest any increase in GFAP in elderly MDD patients is limited to layer 1 of the DLPFC. These results provide some support for the vascular depression hypothesis and further implicate DLPFC abnormalities in depression.
Parametric Plan Caching Using Density-Based Clustering

Query plan caching eliminates the need for repeated query optimization, hence, it has strong practical implications for relational database management systems (RDBMSs). Unfortunately, existing approaches consider only the query plan generated at the expected values of parameters that characterize the query, data and the current state of the system, while these parameters may take different values during the lifetime of a cached plan. A better alternative is to harvest the optimizer's plan choice for different parameter values, populate the cache with promising query plans, and select a cached plan based upon current parameter values. To address this challenge, we propose a parametric plan caching (PPC) framework that uses an online plan space clustering algorithm. The clustering algorithm is density-based, and it exploits locality-sensitive hashing as a pre-processing step so that clusters in the plan spaces can be efficiently stored in database histograms and queried in constant time. We experimentally validate that our approach is precise, efficient in space-and-time and adaptive, requiring no eager exploration of the plan spaces of the optimizer.
On the Uniqueness of FROG Methods

The problem of recovering a signal from its power spectrum, called phase retrieval, arises in many scientific fields. One of many examples is ultrashort laser pulse characterization, in which the electromagnetic field is oscillating with $\sim{\text{10}}^{15}$ Hz and phase information cannot be measured directly due to limitations of the electronic sensors. Phase retrieval is ill-posed in most of the cases, as there are many different signals with the same Fourier transform magnitude. To overcome this fundamental ill-posedness, several measurement techniques are used in practice. One of the most popular methods for complete characterization of ultrashort laser pulses is the frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG). In FROG, the acquired data are the power spectrum of the product of the unknown pulse with its delayed replica. Therefore, the measured signal is a quartic function of the unknown pulse. A generalized version of FROG, where the delayed replica is replaced by a second unknown pulse, is called blind FROG. In this case, the measured signal is quadratic with respect to both pulses. In this letter, we introduce and formulate FROG-type techniques. We then show that almost all band-limited signals are determined uniquely, up to trivial ambiguities, by blind FROG measurements (and thus also by FROG), if in addition we have access to the signals power spectrum.
Understanding continuance intention of mobile instant messaging: Motivators and inhibitors

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the continued usage of mobile instant messaging (IM) from the perspectives of both motivators and inhibitors. Design/methodology/approach – To cast light on the motivators and inhibitors of continuance intention (CI) to use mobile IM, 268 responses from Chinese mobile IM users were collected via an online survey. Findings – The results suggest that perceived system quality, procedural switching cost and relational switching cost (RSC) positively affect resistance to change (RTC), while perceived user base, perceived quality of communication, RSC and RTC positively affect the CI. Among them, RTC has the greatest effect on the CI, and RSC has the largest effect on RTC. Originality/value – Extant research has mainly focussed on the motivators behind the continued usage of mobile services. However, the inhibitors, such as switching cost and RTC, have been less considered in the research on the continued usage of mobile services. Also, only a little research ha.
Caffeinated energy drinks improve volleyball performance in elite female players.

PURPOSE The objective of this study is to determine the effects of a caffeine-containing energy drink on female volleyball players' performance. METHODS Thirteen elite female volleyball players ingested 3 mg·kg of caffeine with an energy drink or the same drink without caffeine (placebo drink) in a double-blind and randomized study. Then, participants performed the following: standing spike, jumping spike, spike jump, blocking jump, squat jump, countermovement jump, manual dynamometry, and the agility t-test. A simulated volleyball game was played, videotaped, and notated afterward. RESULTS In comparison to the placebo drink, the ingestion of the caffeinated energy drink increased the ball velocity in the standing spike (19.2 ± 2.1 vs 19.7 ± 1.9 m·s, P = 0.023) and in the jumping spike (17.9 ± 2.2 vs 18.8 ± 2.2 m·s, P = 0.038) and the jump height in the squat jump (28.1 ± 3.2 vs 29.4 ± 3.6 cm, P = 0.028), countermovement jump (32.0 ± 4.6 vs 33.1 ± 4.5 cm, P = 0.018), spike jump (43.3 ± 4.7 vs 44.4 ± 5.0 cm, P = 0.025), and block jump (35.2 ± 5.1 vs 36.1 ± 5.1 cm, P = 0.044). Furthermore, the caffeinated energy drink decreased the time needed to complete the agility t-test (11.1 ± 0.5 vs 10.9 ± 0.3 s, P = 0.036). During the game, the volleyball actions categorized as successful were more frequent with the caffeinated energy drink (34% ± 9% vs 45% ± 9%, P < 0.001), whereas imprecise actions decreased (28% ± 7% vs 14% ± 9%, P < 0.001) when compared with the placebo drink. CONCLUSION Commercially available energy drinks can significantly improve physical performance in female volleyball players. Increased physical performance led to improved accuracy during an actual volleyball match.
An examination of the effectiveness of video modelling intervention using a speech-generating device in preschool children at risk for autism

Abstract Objective: To investigate whether preschool children at risk for autism would learn to request a preferred object using a speech-generating device (SGD) following a video modelling (VM) intervention and generalize requesting behaviours to preferred objects across stimuli and communication partners. Method: A single-subject multiple baseline design across participants (n = 3) was used to assess the effects of VM intervention on requesting behaviour. Intervention consisted of having each participant view a VM of two adults demonstrating the requesting of a preferred object using the SGD. Additionally, a least-to-most-prompting technique was employed to facilitate the production of a correct response. Results: All three participants demonstrated the ability to request preferred objects following the intervention and were able to generalize the newly acquired requesting behaviour across stimuli and people. Conclusions: Study findings indicate that a VM treatment package is effective in facilitating communication in children with little or no functional speech.
Receiving bad news: patients with haematological cancer reflect upon their experience

The literature on breaking bad news (BBN) tends to focus on professional consensus rather than empirical patient evidence -the ‘giver’ rather than the ‘receiver’. Using semi-structured interviews, this study explores the experiences of patients with haematological cancer as they reflect on the process and content of receiving bad news. Fifteen patients with a diagnosis of leukaemia or lymphoma were recruited through a haematology service during a routine clinical visit, with the decision to participate being made later. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed and analysed using thematic content analysis. Patients place importance on not being rushed during the bad news consultation and the doctor’s manner. Receiving bad news was the first step on a journey, not an isolated incident. Doctors were regarded as the best judge of their information needs, with leaflets and written summaries as supplements. Patients had strong preferences about continuity and language use. Displays of empathy were important, but must be genuine. Patients wanted to know about likely emotional reactions and future support. Where patients brought a companion, they found this valuable. Patients concur with much of the content of the guidelines, but place more emphasis on their illness journey, the doctor’s ability to adapt to their emotional needs, language used, information leaflets, having a companion and genuinely personalizing the approach. Reflection on these patient-derived factors may help health professionals better serve patients with serious illness.
Critical role of PIP5KIγ87 in InsP3-mediated Ca2+ signaling

Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) is the obligatory precursor of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3 or IP3) and is therefore critical to intracellular Ca2+ signaling. Using RNA interference (RNAi), we identified the short splice variant of type I phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinase γ (PIP5KIγ87) as the major contributor of the PIP2 pool that supports G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR)-mediated IP3 generation. PIP5KIγ87 RNAi decreases the histamine-induced IP3 response and Ca2+ flux by 70%. Strikingly, RNAi of other PIP5KI isoforms has minimal effect, even though some of these isoforms account for a larger percent of total PIP2 mass and have previously been implicated in receptor mediated endocytosis or focal adhesion formation. Therefore, PIP5KIγ87's PIP2 pool that supports GPCR-mediated Ca2+ signaling is functionally compartmentalized from those generated by the other PIP5KIs.
Inhibitory Effect of Arctigenin from Fructus Arctii Extract on Melanin Synthesis via Repression of Tyrosinase Expression

To identify the active compound arctigenin in Fructus Arctii (dried seed of medicinal plant Arctium lappa) and to elucidate the inhibitory mechanism in melanogenesis, we analyzed melanin content and tyrosinase activity on B16BL6 murine melanoma and melan-A cell cultures. Water extracts of Fructus Arctii were shown to inhibit tyrosinase activity in vitro and melanin content in α-melanocyte stimulating hormone-stimulated cells to similar levels as the well-known kojic acid and arbutin, respectively. The active compound arctigenin of Fructus Arctii displayed little or no cytotoxicity at all concentrations examined and decreased the relative melanin content and tyrosinase activity in a dose-dependent manner. Melanogenic inhibitory activity was also identified in vivo with zebrafish embryo. To determine the mechanism of inhibition, the effects of arctigenin on tyrosinase gene expression and tyrosinase promoter activity were examined. Also in addition, in the signaling cascade, arctigenin dose dependently decreased the cAMP level and promoted the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase. This result suggests that arctigenin downregulates cAMP and the tyrosinase enzyme through its gene promoter and subsequently upregulates extracellular signal-regulated kinase activity by increasing phosphorylation in the melanogenesis signaling pathway, which leads to a lower melanin content.