Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Systematic review: prevalence of malignant incidental thyroid nodules identified on fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography

PurposeTo review current literature and determine the prevalence of malignant incidental focal hypermetabolic thyroid lesions detected by fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET). Materials and methodsStudies evaluating thyroid carcinomas discovered incidentally on 18F-FDG-PET were systematically searched in the MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) Reviews from 1998 to 2007. Studies were eligible for inclusion with the following criteria: 18F-FDG-PET studies carried out on humans, long-term clinical follow-up or presence of histological confirmation of thyroid disease, and if studies reported the prevalence of abnormal 18F-FDG-PET scans with thyroid lesions and confirmed pathological thyroid disease. Studies were excluded if (1) there was no confirmed diagnosis, (2) there was a history of thyroid cancer, (3) they were carried out for diagnoses of thyroid abnormalities, or (4) they were case series. Two reviewers independently reviewed each study's eligibility and abstracted the data. ResultsEighteen articles met criteria resulting in a total of 55 160 patients with 571 patients (1%) having an unexpected focal abnormality in the thyroid gland. Diagnostic confirmations were obtained in 322 patients. Among the confirmed diagnoses, 200 (62.1%) were benign, 107 (33.2%) were malignant, and 15 (4.7%) were indeterminate or a patient without a clear diagnosis. Papillary thyroid carcinoma was the most prevalent thyroid malignancy (82.2%). Eight studies reporting individual maximum standard uptake values were included in a subanalysis. The mean maximum standard uptake value for 73 benign lesions was 4.6±2.1, and for the 52 malignant lesions was 6.8±4.6 (P<0.001). ConclusionThe high prevalence of malignancy associated with focal hypermetabolic thyroid nodules found on 18F-FDG-PET warrants further evaluation when detected.
A Proposal for a Hardware Architecture for Ubiquitous Computing in Smart Home Environments

One of the major exponents for ubiquitous computing may be found in smart home environments, where a great deal of different devices must interact, process received information and actuate. Devices like sensors, effectors, microcontrollers, PDAs, personal computers, laptops, multimedia centers, mobile phones, etc. must operate together in order to suit user preferences. This paper proposes a hardware architecture for ubiquitous computing in smart home environments where the devices may autonomously act and collaborate with other devices. Proposed architecture supports previous work about agent-based service personalization software architecture.
Gesture in a kindergarten mathematics classroom

ABSTRACT Recent studies have advocated that mathematical meaning is mediated by gestures. This case study explores the gestures kindergarten children produce when learning spatial concepts in a mathematics classroom setting. Based on a video study of a mathematical lesson in a kindergarten class, we concentrated on the verbal and non-verbal behavior of one kindergartner who produced a great amount of gestures during instruction. The microgenetic approach was used for the analysis of the data. The results showed that the kindergartner used gestures throughout the whole instruction. For all the spatial concepts that were addressed (‘in’ and ‘out’, ‘on’ and ‘under’, ‘up’ and ‘down’), he produced mainly deictic gestures referring either to existing or virtual objects. The child was found to produce different types of gestures in different spatial contexts. Our analysis revealed the occurrence of a gesture–speech match and a gesture–speech mismatch. In the latter case, the child's gestures were found to complement and enrich his verbal utterances. The child's gestures along with his speech acted as semiotic means of objectification of specific spatial relations that were rather abstract for the child and were not represented adequately by speech. Besides the phenomenon of the coordination between oral speech and gesture, enacted by the child himself, evidence was found for the coordination between the two semiotic systems activated by different people, that is, the child under study and the other children or the teacher of the class. Furthermore, the teacher's gestures were found to influence the child's gestures in different ways. These findings are discussed and suggestions for further research on the role of gestures in the development of spatial thinking in the early years are drawn.
The Impact of Genetic and Non-Genetic Factors on Warfarin Dose Prediction in MENA Region: A Systematic Review

Background Warfarin is the most commonly used oral anticoagulant for the treatment and prevention of thromboembolic disorders. Pharmacogenomics studies have shown that variants in CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genes are strongly and consistently associated with warfarin dose variability. Although different populations from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region may share the same ancestry, it is still unclear how they compare in the genetic and non-genetic factors affecting their warfarin dosing. Objective To explore the prevalence of CYP2C9 and VKORC1 variants in MENA, and the effect of these variants along with other non-genetic factors in predicting warfarin dose. Methods In this systematic review, we included observational cross sectional and cohort studies that enrolled patients on stable warfarin dose and had the genetics and non-genetics factors associated with mean warfarin dose as the primary outcome. We searched PubMed, Medline, Scopus, PharmGKB, PHGKB, Google scholar and reference lists of relevant reviews. Results We identified 17 studies in eight different populations: Iranian, Israeli, Egyptian, Lebanese, Omani, Kuwaiti, Sudanese and Turkish. Most common genetic variant in all populations was the VKORC1 (-1639G>A), with a minor allele frequency ranging from 30% in Egyptians and up to 52% and 56% in Lebanese and Iranian, respectively. Variants in the CYP2C9 were less common, with the highest MAF for CYP2C9*2 among Iranians (27%). Variants in the VKORC1 and CYP2C9 were the most significant predictors of warfarin dose in all populations. Along with other genetic and non-genetic factors, they explained up to 63% of the dose variability in Omani and Israeli patients. Conclusion Variants of VKORC1 and CYP2C9 are the strongest predictors of warfarin dose variability among the different populations from MENA. Although many of those populations share the same ancestry and are similar in their warfarin dose predictors, a population specific dosing algorithm is needed for the prospective estimation of warfarin dose.
The teacher's soul and the terrors of performativity

This paper is the latest in a short series on the origins, processes and effects of performativity in the public sector. Performativity, it is argued, is a new mode of state regulation which makes it possible to govern in an ‘advanced liberal’ way. It requires individual practitioners to organize themselves as a response to targets, indicators and evaluations. To set aside personal beliefs and commitments and live an existence of calculation. The new performative worker is a promiscuous self, an enterprising self, with a passion for excellence. For some, this is an opportunity to make a success of themselves, for others it portends inner conflicts, inauthenticity and resistance. It is also suggested that performativity produces opacity rather than transparency as individuals and organizations take ever greater care in the construction and maintenance of fabrications.
The Marginal Product of Capital

Whether or not the marginal product of capital (MPK) differs across countries is a question that keeps coming up in discussions of comparative economic development and patterns of capital flows. Attempts to provide an empirical answer to this question have so far been mostly indirect and based on heroic assumptions. The first contribution of this paper is to present new estimates of the cross-country dispersion of marginal products. We find that the MPK is much higher on average in poor countries. However, the financial rate of return from investing in physical capital is not much higher in poor countries, so heterogeneity in MPKs is not principally due to financial market frictions. Instead, the main culprit is the relatively high cost of investment goods in developing countries. One implication of our findings is that increased aid flows to developing countries will not significantly increase these countries' incomes.
Probing an Open CFTR Pore with Organic Anion Blockers

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is an ion channel that conducts Cl− current. We explored the CFTR pore by studying voltage-dependent blockade of the channel by two organic anions: glibenclamide and isethionate. To simplify the kinetic analysis, a CFTR mutant, K1250A-CFTR, was used because this mutant channel, once opened, can remain open for minutes. Dose–response relationships of both blockers follow a simple Michaelis-Menten function with K d values that differ by three orders of magnitude. Glibenclamide blocks CFTR from the intracellular side of the membrane with slow kinetics. Both the on and off rates of glibenclamide block are voltage dependent. Removing external Cl− increases affinity of glibenclamide due to a decrease of the off rate and an increase of the on rate, suggesting the presence of a Cl− binding site external to the glibenclamide binding site. Isethionate blocks the channel from the cytoplasmic side with fast kinetics, but has no measurable effect when applied extracellularly. Increasing the internal Cl− concentration reduces isethionate block without affecting its voltage dependence, suggesting that Cl− and isethionate compete for a binding site in the pore. The voltage dependence and external Cl− concentration dependence of isethionate block are nearly identical to those of glibenclamide block, suggesting that these two blockers may bind to a common binding site, an idea further supported by kinetic studies of blocking with glibenclamide/isethionate mixtures. By comparing the physical and chemical natures of these two blockers, we propose that CFTR channel has an asymmetric pore with a wide internal entrance and a deeply embedded blocker binding site where local charges as well as hydrophobic components determine the affinity of the blockers.
Molecular analysis of the caecal and tracheal microbiome of heat-stressed broilers supplemented with prebiotic and probiotic

The gastrointestinal tract commensal microbiome is important for host nutrition, health and immunity. Little information is available regarding the role of these commensals at other mucosal surfaces in poultry. Tracheal mucosal surfaces offer sites for first-line health and immunity promotion in broilers, especially under stress-related conditions. The present study is aimed at elucidating the effects of feed supplementations with mannanoligosaccharides (MOS) prebiotic and a probiotic mixture (PM) on the caecal and tracheal microbiome of broilers kept under chronic heat stress (HS; 35 ± 2°C). Day-old chickens were randomly divided into five treatment groups: thermoneutral control (TN-CONT), HS-CONT, HS-MOS, HS-PM and HS synbiotic (fed MOS and PM). Caecal digesta and tracheal swabs were collected at day 42 and subjected to DNA extraction, followed by polymerase chain reaction denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) and pyrosequencing. The PCR-DGGE dendrograms revealed significant (49.5% similarity coefficients) differences between caecal and tracheal microbiome. Tracheal microbiome pyrosequencing revealed 9 phyla, 17 classes, 34 orders, 68 families and 125 genera, while 11 phyla, 19 classes, 34 orders, 85 families and 165 genera were identified in caeca. An unweighted UniFrac distance metric revealed a distinct clustering pattern (analysis of similarities, P = 0.007) between caecal and tracheal microbiome. Lactobacillus was the most abundant genus in trachea and caeca and was more abundant in caeca and trachea of HS groups compared with the TN-CONT group. Distinct bacterial clades occupied the caecal and tracheal microbiomes, although some bacterial groups overlapped, demonstrating a core microbiome dominated by Lactobacillus. No positive effects of supplementations were observed on abundance of probiotic bacteria.
Relationship between the relative age effect and anthropometry, maturity and performance in young soccer players

Abstract The presence of the relative age effect (RAE) has been widely reported; however, its underlying causes have not yet been determined. With this in mind, the present study examined if anthropometry and performance were different amongst older and younger soccer players born in the same year. Eighty-eight young soccer players participated in the study (age 9.75 ± 0.30). Anthropometric measurements, physical tests (sprint, agility, endurance test, jump and hand dynamometry) and the estimation of the maturity status were carried out. Most players (65.9%) were born in the first half of the year. Older players were taller (P < 0.05), had longer legs (P < 0.01) and a larger fat-free mass (P < 0.05). Maturity offset was smaller in the older boys (P < 0.05); however, age at peak height velocity was similar. Older boys performed better in velocity and agility (P < 0.05) and particularly in the overall score of performance (P < 0.01). Stepwise regression analysis revealed that chronological age was the most important variable in the agility test and the overall score, after the skinfolds (negative effect). We report differences in anthropometry and physical performance amongst older and younger pre-pubertal soccer players. These differences may underlie the RAE.
Discrete MDL Predicts in Total Variation

The Minimum Description Length (MDL) principle selects the model that has the shortest code for data plus model. We show that for a countable class of models, MDL predictions are close to the true distribution in a strong sense. The result is completely general. No independence, ergodicity, stationarity, identifiability, or other assumption on the model class need to be made. More formally, we show that for any countable class of models, the distributions selected by MDL (or MAP) asymptotically predict (merge with) the true measure in the class in total variation distance. Implications for non-i.i. d. domains like time-series forecasting, discriminative learning, and reinforcement learning are discussed.
Declaration of nutrition information on and nutritional quality of Thai ready-to-eat packaged food products

Abstract Objective The present study assessed the nutrition information displayed on ready-to-eat packaged foods and the nutritional quality of those food products in Thailand. Design In March 2015, the nutrition information panels and nutrition and health claims on ready-to-eat packaged foods were collected from the biggest store of each of the twelve major retailers, using protocols developed by the International Network for Food and Obesity/Non-communicable Diseases Research, Monitoring and Action Support (INFORMAS). The Thai Nutrient Profile Model was used to classify food products according to their nutritional quality as ‘healthier’ or ‘less healthy’. Results In total, information from 7205 food products was collected across five broad food categories. Out of those products, 5707 (79·2 %), 2536 (35·2 %) and 1487 (20·6 %) carried a nutrition facts panel, a Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) label and health-related claims, respectively. Only 4691 (65·1 %) and 2484 (34·5 %) of the products that displayed the nutrition facts or a GDA label, respectively, followed the guidelines of the Thai Food and Drug Administration. In total, 4689 products (65·1 %) could be classified according to the Thai Nutrient Profile Model, of which 432 products (9·2 %) were classified as healthier. Moreover, among the 1487 products carrying health-related claims, 1219 (82·0 %) were classified as less healthy. Allowing less healthy food products to carry claims could mislead consumers and result in overconsumption of ready-to-eat food products. Conclusions The findings suggest effective policies should be implemented to increase the relative availability of healthier ready-to-eat packaged foods, as well as to improve the provision of nutrition information on labels in Thailand.
Gearing up for mobile advertising: A cross‐cultural examination of key factors that drive mobile messages home to consumers

Mobile advertising is gearing up for success, but researchers and practitioners need to understand how to measure the effectiveness of this advertising form—particularly the factors that drive mobile messages home in different cultures. This study identifies key measures of effectiveness as well as antecedent variables in the context of 629 Korean and American consumers. Entertainment and credibility were key factors predicting positive attitude and purchase intention among both Koreans and Americans. However, this study found multiple cross-cultural differences—particularly in informativeness, perceived interactivity, and the value of mobile advertising. Theoretical explanations and practical implications are suggested. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Orientals: Asian Americans in Popular Culture

Preface: Where Are You From? Introduction: Yellowface 1. The "Heathen Chinee" on God's Free Soil 2. The Coolie and the Making of the White Working Class 3. The Third Sex 4. Inner Dikes and Barred Zones 5. The Cold War Origins of the Model Minority 6. The Model Minority as Gook 7. After LA 8. Disobediant Citizenship: Deconstructing the Oriental Notes Index
Emotional Reactions to Sounds without Meaning

The present research examined the relationship between emotional reactions to sounds without meaning (tone and noise complexes) and objective sound descriptors. Two experiments showed that the core affect dimensions valence and activation were related to perceived loudness (intensity) and sharpness (perceived high frequency content), respectively. These results can be used as design criteria for emotion induction with sounds, implementation of emotional sounds in products, as well as in research on environmental noise perception.
Measuring Stigma in Older and Younger Adults with HIV/AIDS: An Analysis of an HIV Stigma Scale and Initial Exploration of Subscales

The purpose of this study is to explore the validity of a scale designed to measure HIV stigma and identify potential subscales. A nonrandom sample of 88 individuals, 44 between the ages of 20 and 39 and 44 ages 50 and older, living with HIV/AIDS were interviewed and completed a 13-item HIV Stigma Scale. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) found 12 of the 13 items loaded cleanly into three subscales labeled as Distancing, Blaming, and Discrimination, with an overall Cronbach’s alpha of . 83. The three newly identified subscales were found to have convergent validity with social support as expected. Overall, older adults were found to have higher, but nonsignificant scores on the Blaming subscale, whereas those 20 to 39 years old had significantly higher scores related to discrimination. The 13-item HIV stigma scale can discriminate experiences of stigma in older adults and support three subscales while maintaining internal consistency.
Elevation Leads to Altruistic Behavior

Feelings of elevation, elicited by witnessing another person perform a good deed, have been hypothesized to motivate a desire to help others. However, despite growing interest in the determinants of prosocial behavior, there is only limited evidence that elevation leads to increases in altruistic behavior. In two experiments, we tested the relationship between elevation and helping behavior. Prior to measuring helping behavior, we measured elevation among participants in an elevation-inducing condition and control conditions in order to determine whether witnessing altruistic behavior elicited elevation. In Experiment 1, participants experiencing elevation were more likely to volunteer for a subsequent unpaid study than were participants in a neutral state. In Experiment 2, participants experiencing elevation spent approximately twice as long helping the experimenter with a tedious task as participants experiencing mirth or a neutral emotional state. Further, feelings of elevation, but not feelings of amusement or happiness, predicted the amount of helping. Together, these results provide evidence that witnessing another person’s altruistic behavior elicits elevation, a discrete emotion that, in turn, leads to tangible increases in altruism.
Can adult education change extremist attitudes

Although adult education leads to a moderation of racist or authoritarian attitudes amongst the general population, little is known concerning the impact of adult education on individuals with extremist racist–authoritarian views. In this paper we group individuals from the NCDS (National Child Development Study) into various racist–authoritarian categories at ages 33 and 42 using cluster analysis. Following this identification we test various hypothesis concerning the relationship between adult education and attitude change. In particular, questioning whether adult education can transform attitudes amongst those with racist–authoritarian attitudes and/or whether adult education can sustain non-extremist views. Although there is evidence of a conditional association between adult education and sustaining non-extremist views we are sceptical concerning the ability of adult education to change extremist positions. We conclude that further work on the mechanisms linking education and extremist attitudes is required if we are to identify causal processes.
Assessing of Celiac Disease and Nonceliac Gluten Sensitivity

The publication of papers on the topic of gluten related disorders has substantially increased over the last few years. This has motivated healthcare professionals to pay attention not only to celiac disease and wheat allergy but also to a condition termed nonceliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). Until now this condition has been diagnosed clinically on the basis of exclusion criteria and clinical response to gluten withdrawal. In addition, recent research in this field has shown that other food components distinct from gluten are implicated in NCGS cases, thereby changing our general understanding of NCGS diagnosis in either individuals on gluten containing diets or those already following a gluten-free diet with no proper diagnostic work-up of celiac disease. With this in mind, the assessment of NCGS will require extensive knowledge of celiac disease manifestations and the laboratory tests commonly performed during diagnosis of celiac disease.
The basic color terms of Russian

Selon la theorie des couleurs de Berlin et Kay (1969), une langue peut posseder au maximum onze termes designant les couleurs de base. Or, on en denombre douze pour le russe, l'A. propose une etude sur ce phenomene et compare chez des locuteurs russes et anglais l'utilisation des termes de couleur