Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Survival of patients with prostate cancer and normal PSA levels treated by radical prostatectomy.

INTRODUCTION The unpredictability of prostate cancer has become a daily challenge for the urologist, with different strategies being required to manage these cases. In this study, we report on the perspectives for curing prostate cancer in males undergoing radical prostatectomy with Gleason score of 2-6 on prostate biopsy in relation to pre-operative PSA levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS From 1991-- 2000, we selected 440 individuals whose pathological diagnosis revealed a Gleason score of 2-6 upon prostate biopsy and who subsequently underwent retro-pubic radical prostatectomy due to localized prostate cancer. The clinical stage identified in the group under study was T1c: 206 (46.8%); T2a: 122 (27.7%); T2b: 93 (21.1%); T2c: 17 (3.9%); T3a: 2 (0.5%). Following surgery, we constructed a biochemical recurrence-free survival curve according to pre-operative PSA levels between 0-4; 4.1-10; 10.1-20 and > 20 ng/mL, with a median follow-up of 5 years. RESULTS Following radical prostatectomy, the pathological stage was confirmed as pT2a: 137 (31.1%); T2b: 118 (26.8%); T2c: 85 (19.3%); T3a: 67 (15.2%); T3b: 6 (1.4%); T3c: 22 (5%). The biochemical recurrence-free survival, according to PSA values between 0-4; 4.1-10; 10.1-20 and > 20 ng/mL, was 86.6%, 62.7%, 39.8% and 24.8% respectively. CONCLUSION Better chances for curing low-grade prostate cancer occur in individuals with normal PSA for whom a biopsy is not usually recommended.
Low Molecular Weight Heparin-Loaded Polymeric Nanoparticles: Formulation, Characterization, and Release Characteristics

ABSTRACT The aim of the present work was to investigate the preparation of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) nanoparticles (NP) as potential oral heparin carriers. The NP were formulated using an ultrasound probe by water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) emulsification and solvent evaporation with two biodegradable polymers [poly-ε-caprolactone, PCL and poly(d,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) 50/50, PLGA] and two non-biodegradable positively charged polymers (Eudragit RS and RL) used alone or in combination. The mean diameter of LMWH-loaded NP ranged from 240 to 490 nm and was dependent on the reduced viscosity of the polymeric organic solution. The surface potential of LMWH NP prepared with Eudragit polymers used alone or blended with PCL and PLGA was changed dramatically from strong positive values obtained with unloaded NP to negative values. The highest encapsulation efficiencies were observed when Eudragit polymers took part in the composition of the polymeric matrix, compared with PCL and PLGA NP exhibiting low LMWH entrapment. The in vitro LMWH release in phosphate buffer from all formulations ranged from 10 to 25% and was more important (two- to threefold) when esterase was added into the dissolution medium. The in vitro biological activity of released LMWH, determined by the anti-factor Xa activity with a chromogenic substrate, was preserved after the encapsulation process, making these NP good candidates for oral administration.
The value of EEG in the investigation of postapoplectic epilepsy

Abstract During the 5 years 1979–1983 61 patients within the county of Frederiksborg developed postapoplectic seizures after the age of 60. Of these patients EEG was performed on 48. These EEG's were compared to the EEG's from 25 patients of the same age with epilepsy due to cerebral tumors 33 patients with acute stroke and 24 patients with stroke sequelae who had not experienced seizures. Slow wave activity and foci were seen more often among patients with acute stroke than among patients with postapoplectic seizures whereas paroxysmal activity occurred less often in patients with acute stroke than among patients with postapoplectic seizures patients with stroke sequelae and patients with seizures due to cerebral tumours. Patients with stroke sequelae with proven hemispheric localization had focal abnormalities more often than patients with postapoplectic seizures but apart from this EEG difference between patients with postapoplectic seizures and patients with stroke sequelae or seizures due to brain tumours were not found. In 12 of the patients with postapoplectic seizures and in 20 of the patients with stroke sequelae without seizures EEG at the time of the acute stroke was available. Differences between patients with and patients without seizures were not found neither at the time of the acute stroke nor at the time of readmission due to stroke sequelae or due to onset of seizures. It is concluded that a routine EEG is without value in the diagnosis of postapoplectic seizures in the elderly.
Racism and Democracy Reconsidered

In this paper, I will take up certain hard questions of a theoretical sort that bear on the persistence of racism within democratic societies. I want to address the conceptual connection between the requirement of democracy and the critique of racism, as well as the role that the social construction of race can play in democratic theory. Here, the question arises as to whether racial identity can be interpreted in cultural terms, and I will discuss Anthony Appiah’s recent argument on this point. Concerning the norms of democracy, I want to argue for a reinterpretation that draws on a conception of concrete universality. In this connection, while appreciating Charles Mills’ trenchant critique of the ‘racial contract’, I will suggest that his appeal to an ideal social contract, with its set of natural and human rights, does not yet provide an adequate normative basis for a fully non-racist democracy. Instead, we will need a conception of an inclusive, multicultural democratic community, on a certain interpretation. Here it is also relevant to consider the potential impact of systems of economic democracy for reducing racial divisiveness, and this will be the nal hard question of the paper. As background for taking up these difcult questions, however, it will be helpful at the outset to review briey the present situation regarding racism and theories of democracy.
Communication of Expectations between Principals and Entry-Year Instrumental Music Teachers: Implications for Music Teacher Assessment

Assessment of arts educators, including music educators, has evolved into a high-stakes situation that drives teacher pay, promotion, and retention. This assessment process is driven by federal policy advocating for a value-added model based on student performance. Principals, who are often charged with assessing artistic musical performance, traditionally conduct these evaluations but may be underprepared to do so. This disconnect between evaluator expertise and teacher assessment expectations poses a challenge for arts educators, administrators, and policymakers. This article presents a policy model for music teacher assessment based on findings from a study of principals’ expectations of entry-year instrumental music teachers (EYTs) and how these expectations are communicated. I first outline this study and then explain how these findings are relevant for music teacher assessment, especially within a value-added model. Principal expectations are especially important to articulate, given the high-stakes nature of teacher assessment and the direct connection between expectations and assessment. After speaking with both principals and EYTs, I derived the following conclusions: (a) principals’ expectations largely focus on interpersonal and general teaching skills such as engaging students and classroom management, not on musical expertise; (b) principals’ expectations are often not adequately conveyed to EYTs, and assessments are conducted primarily through official reviews; and (c) increased communication of principal expectations would benefit the EYT's induction process. I suggest that principals and music teachers increase communication and dialogue to define “musical success” and determine adequate methods for music teacher assessment. Finally, I conclude by presenting a new model linking policy with music teacher assessment.
Software and Hardware Architecture of H. 264/AVC Decoder

This paper discusses combined software and hardware architecture of a H.264/AVC video compression decoder. The software version of the decoder was implemented using NIOS II processor on a FPGA board (Stratix III of Altera). The mixed, software and hardware, architecture was proposed to ameliorate the decoder speed throughputs. According to the time execution profiling and data dependencies, the decoder partitioning was applied. Thus, the inverse 4x4 Intra process is replaced by a hardware accelerator. It includes inverse 4x4 Intra prediction, inverse transform and inverse quantization. The experimental results at 317 MHz show improvement on the decoding throughput by 20% between software solution and mixed one.
Investigating preservice elementary science teacher reflective thinking using integrated media case-based instruction in elementary science teacher preparation

To improve the preparation of future teachers, we must come to understand their personal theories about teaching and learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate preservice elementary teachers' theories about science teaching and learning through their reflections on integrated media case-based instruction, and subsequently to reflect upon and reform our own practice. Students in an elementary science methods course participated in a series of written and oral reflection tasks in response to integrated media instruction. Specifically, they responded to a videodisc case of a first grade teacher teaching a conceptual change unit about seeds and eggs. Considering their responses to the reflection tasks, we constructed a profile of these elementary preservice teachers. This profile consists of their images of themselves as future science teachers, the characteristics of their personal theories of teaching and learning, and the ways in which they frame classroom -problems. Our findings led to reforms in our methods course instruction and have implications for the preparation and continuing education of elementary science teachers. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed82:491–509, 1998
Fault secureness need for next generation high performance microprocessor design for testability structures

We analyze the risks associated with faults affecting some Design For Testability (DFT) features employed within todays' high performance microprocessors. We will show that, because of the occurrence of internal faults, some of these structures may become useless, with consequent dramatic impact on test effectiveness and product quality. We borrow the Fault Secure property, that is well known for Self-Checking Circuits, for DFT structures. We will show that it guarantees that no escapes or false acceptance of faulty products may occur because of faults affecting the employed DFT structures. We will discuss the Fault Secureness of the considered DFT structures. We will provide some examples of how the non Fault Secure ones can be modified to meet the Fault Secure goal, thus avoiding their prospected detrimental effect on next generation high performance microprocessors test effectiveness and quality.
Experimental evidence for the volitional control of vocal production in an immature gibbon

Volitional control of vocal production is an essential ability for vocal usage learning in animal calls. Operant conditioning of vocal production is one of the most direct experimental approaches for assessing volitional vocal control in animals. In this case study, we attempted operant conditioning of the vocalizations of an immature female white-handed gibbon ( Hylobates lar ). For the operant conditioning of vocal production, the gibbon was required to immediately vocalize in response to a V-sign cue by the human experimenter's hand. During the 2-month period of intensive training for conditioning, the gibbon successfully learned to produce the contingent response of vocalizations. We again tested the conditioning with a 30-day interval after the completion of conditioning and were able to immediately show memorization of vocal conditioning. These results directly suggest greater volitional control of vocal production in gibbons than previously considered. Our study implies the possibility of upper level volitional control in this species, which involves differentiation of several call types in response to specific arbitrary stimuli over the motivational state.
First Steps Towards the Automatic Construction of Argument-Diagrams from Real Discussions

This paper presents our efforts to create argument structures from meeting transcripts automatically. We show that unit labels of argument diagrams can be learnt and predicted by a computer with an accuracy of 78,52% and 51,43% on an unbalanced and balanced set respectively. We used a corpus of over 250 argument diagrams that was manually created by applying the Twente Argument Schema. In this paper we also elaborate on this schema and we discuss applications and the role we foresee the diagrams to play.
Culture in the Context of Intercultural Negotiation: Individualism-Collectivism and Paths to Integrative Agreements.

This study explores culture’s effect on behaviors and outcomes in intercultural negotiation and examines how those effects are moderated by role. Eighty U.S. and international students took part in a previously developed negotiation task (Pruitt, 1981) and completed Hui and Triandis’s (1986) individualism-collectivism (INDCOL) scale. Negotiation interactions were coded for information sharing, offers, and distributive tactics. Findings show that a negotiation dyad’s collectivism is positively associated with higher joint profit. The effects of culture on both communication behaviors and joint outcomes, however, differ by role of the negotiator. In particular, seller collectivism has larger and more consistent effects on communication behavior and joint profit than buyer collectivism. Results support a “culture in context” perspective of negotiation that takes into account negotiator qualities, contextual and structural features of the negotiation, and mediating processes in addition to cultural values.
Logical reasoning and schizotypy Logical reasoning in schizotypal personality

It was examined whether psychotic-like personality traits in a sample of 205 college students could predict logical reasoning deficits, akin to those seen in schizophrenia. The participants were tested on their ability to assess the logical validity of premises (Logical Reasoning Task), and completed a multi-dimensional schizotypy inventory (O-LIFE). Low accuracy was associated with increased levels of disorganized schizotypy (‘Cognitive Disorganization’), while elevated errors were associated with increased levels of positive (‘Unusual Experiences’), negative (‘Introvertive Anhedonia’) and impulsive (‘Impulsivity Non-conformity’) schizotypy. Nevertheless, multiple regression analyses revealed that negative schizotypy was retained as the only significant predictor after performance was corrected for random guessing, and the contribution of the average amount of time spent on each premise was controlled. The results suggest that, although most schizotypy dimensions have a detrimental effect on reasoning performance, possibly due to disadvantageous test-taking strategies, negative schizotypy is the most reliable predictor of logical reasoning deficits. It is proposed that social/interpersonal schizotypal traits, like negative symptoms of schizophrenia, are accompanied by deficient executive functions of working memory, which appear to undermine, inter alia, logical reasoning processing.
Reset Map design for Switching between Stabilizing Controllers

In communication network, the network blocking probability can be efficiently calculated by applying a Gaussian approximation to a fixed point algorithm. Gaussian curves are approximated to represent state probability distributions of the network links. By efficiently calculating the network blocking probability, the network can be optimally designed by lowering the network blocking probability below a threshold at the least cost.
‘I don’t think we’ll ever be finished with this’: Fear and safety in policy and practice

In planning contexts, safety is often discussed from a women’s perspective. An ideal site for exploring some of the key issues is Umeå, a medium-sized town in northern Sweden. Here, attention to women’s fear of violence greatly increased at the turn of the century, when a single repeat offender known as the ‘Haga Man’ assaulted several women in the city. People’s (especially women’s) fear of violence came to be seriously recognised, discussed and taken into consideration in the city’s planning. The present research is based on an analysis of empirical data collected in 2008, through interviews with people who in various ways work to increase safety in Umeå. The paper addresses how the informants define the problem of fear of violence in public space and the strategies they employ to address it, what could be described as the analytical-practice paradox, as the results show the difficulties of integrating gender-aware planning into planning practice.
Establishing a Role for Bacterial Cellulose in Environmental Interactions: Lessons Learned from Diverse Biofilm-Producing Proteobacteria

Bacterial cellulose (BC) serves as a molecular glue to facilitate intra- and inter-domain interactions in nature. Biosynthesis of BC-containing biofilms occurs in a variety of Proteobacteria that inhabit diverse ecological niches. The enzymatic and regulatory systems responsible for the polymerization, exportation, and regulation of BC are equally as diverse. Though the magnitude and environmental consequences of BC production are species-specific, the common role of BC-containing biofilms is to establish close contact with a preferred host to facilitate efficient host–bacteria interactions. Universally, BC aids in attachment, adherence, and subsequent colonization of a substrate. Bi-directional interactions influence host physiology, bacterial physiology, and regulation of BC biosynthesis, primarily through modulation of intracellular bis-(3′→5′)-cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) levels. Depending on the circumstance, BC producers exhibit a pathogenic or symbiotic relationship with plant, animal, or fungal hosts. Rhizobiaceae species colonize plant roots, Pseudomonadaceae inhabit the phyllosphere, Acetobacteriaceae associate with sugar-loving insects and inhabit the carposphere, Enterobacteriaceae use fresh produce as vehicles to infect animal hosts, and Vibrionaceae, particularly Aliivibrio fischeri, colonize the light organ of squid. This review will highlight the diversity of the biosynthesis and regulation of BC in nature by discussing various examples of Proteobacteria that use BC-containing biofilms to facilitate host–bacteria interactions. Through discussion of current data we will establish new directions for the elucidation of BC biosynthesis, its regulation and its ecophysiological roles.
Irritable bowel syndrome and diet

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic functional disorder of the gastrointestinal tract and is one of the most commonly diagnosed gastrointestinal diseases. The impact of IBS on the general population is large due to its high prevalence, suboptimal medical treatments and significant economic burden. The pathophysiology of IBS is complex and treatments are often symptom-specific. The most common therapeutic approaches for IBS include education and reassurance, lifestyles (especially nutrition-based interventions), peripherally acting medications (which typically target motility), centrally acting medications (which target visceral hypersensitivity and pain) and psychological interventions (which aim to reduce the effects of stress or symptom-specific anxiety). A beneficial dietary approach might include the following measures: a diet low in fermentable oligo-,di- and monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPs), limitation or exclusion of gas-producing foods and/or lactose and gluten and fiber supplementation in selected cases. New therapeutic agents, namely nutraceutics, are also an interesting option in the management of IBS patients. This paper will focus on available dietary interventions for IBS and will review the evidence for nutrition-based therapies.
"I Knew It All Along" Eventually: The Development of Hindsight Bias in Reaction to the Clinton Impeachment Verdict

Students estimated the chance that President Clinton would be convicted or acquitted in the U.S. Senate impeachment trial, at 4 points in time: (a) 22 days before the verdict (distal pretest), (b) 3 days before the verdict (proximal pretest), (c) 4 days after the verdict (immediate posttest), and (d) 11 days after the verdict (delayed posttest). Within-subjects analyses revealed that both foresight and hindsight changed over time. With respect to foresight, the perceived likelihood of conviction significantly decreased and the perceived likelihood of acquittal significantly increased between the 2 pretests. Content analyses of archived national news reports supported the notion that media predictions about the impending vote produced this temporal shift toward greater prospective accuracy. Confirming hypotheses, hindsight bias emerged for estimates of the prior probability of conviction, but not for estimates of the prior probability of acquittal. Within-subjects analyses revealed that 4 days after the verdict, participants accurately recalled that their prospective estimates of the likelihood of conviction had shifted toward greater accuracy over time; but 1 week later, they incorrectly believed that they had been more certain all along that Clinton would not be convicted. This article suggests that the potential losses associated with conviction were more salient than the potential gains associated with acquittal, and speculates that cognitive assimilation of the past did not occur until people had forgotten their earlier beliefs. These findings are important because they demonstrate that whether or not hindsight bias emerges depends not only on how long after the event people make retrospective judgments, but also how long before the event people focus these retrospective judgments. Supporting a self-serving interpretation, hindsight bias held for one's own estimates, but not for one's beliefs about the estimates of the average American or one's best friend. Consistent with Hawkins and Hastie's (1990) conclusions, a hybrid of cognitive and motivational accounts thus best explains the results.
Multidimensional aspects of parental involvement in Korean adolescents’ schooling: a mediating role of general and domain-specific self-efficacy

This study examined the relation of parental involvement with Korean adolescent academic achievement and self-efficacy, and the mediating role of academic self-efficacy in this relationship. We investigated the effects of parental involvement in both overall and domain-specific self-efficacy and academic achievement across three academic subjects (reading, English and mathematics). We conducted structural equation modelling analysis with the responses of 6,334 students from the Korean Education Longitudinal Survey. Our results were that first, academic self-efficacy partially mediated the relation between parental involvement and academic achievement. Specifically, domain-specific self-efficacy mediated the relations between parental involvement and academic achievement across three academic subjects (reading, English and mathematics), but these relations varied across subjects. Second, among multidimensions of parental involvement, parental participation and parental supervision had significant effects on adolescent academic achievement compared to parental expectation. This indicates that higher parental participation and parental supervision increased academic self-efficacy in Korean youth, which in turn, improved their academic achievement.