Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Disease Free Survival of Well Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: 20 years Experience at a tertiary care center in Lebanon

Background: Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy. Although relatively common, to date, there is no study about its prognosis in Lebanon. The objectives of this study were to determine the disease free survival, the recurrence rate and possible predictors of recurrence, as well as the rate of post thyroidectomy complications among patients with differentiated thyroid cancer who received treatment at the American University of Beirut Medical Center. Methods and Findings: retrospective observational study of 480 cases of differentiated thyroid cancer who underwent thyroidectomy between January 1995 and June 2014. The mean age was 42±14 years. 74.4% were females. The mean tumor size was 1.9 cm±1.4. Papillary type was predominant (91%). Males had more extra-glandular extension than females (24.8% versus 10.9% respectively, p=0.001), more lymph node involvement (69.7% versus 52.9% respectively, p=0.017) and more vascular invasion (28.1% versus 14.9%, p=0.007). Around 70% of patients had at least one follow up visit after the surgery; among those, the median follow up duration was 4 years (1month-19years). At last follow-up visit, 78.7% were disease free, 14.9% had residual disease and only 6.3% had recurrent disease. By multivariate analysis, age greater than 45 years was the only independent predictor of persistence or recurrence (p=0.03) whereas both age below 45 years and lack of vascular invasion were significant predictors of disease free survival (p=0.001 and p=0.019 respectively). Conclusion: Differentiated thyroid cancer has an overall good prognosis in this cohort of Lebanese patients. Young age and lack of vascular invasion are the most important predictors of disease free survival. Key words: Differentiated thyroid cancer: disease free survival, prognostic factors, recurrence
Expression and function of toll like receptors in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia cells

Mature B‐cells can recognize microbial antigens via B‐cell‐receptor (BCR) in a specific way and via Toll‐like receptors (TLR) in a costimulatory manner. A wealth of information is gathering on the possible role of antigenic stimulation in the natural history of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL). However little is known regarding the repertoire and function of TLR in CLL cells. The TLR family includes 10 different transmembrane proteins devoted to recognize specific pathogen‐associated molecular patterns and to alarm immunocompetent cells to trigger an immune response. Here, we studied fresh leukaemic cells for the expression pattern of TLR1 to TLR10, NOD1, NOD2 and SIGIRR (also known as TIR8). CLL cells were found to express several pattern recognition receptors including TLR1, TLR2, TLR6, TLR10, NOD1 and NOD2. The specific TLR expressed by CLL cells were functional. Leukaemic cells, upon stimulation with TLR1/2/6 ligands, such as bacterial lipopeptides, activated the nuclear factor‐κB signalling pathway, expressed CD86 and CD25 activation molecules, and were protected from spontaneous apoptosis. These findings further support the hypothesis that CLL cells resemble antigen‐activated B‐cells and suggest a potential role of TLR in modulating CLL cell response in the context of specific antigen recognition.
Journalism after all: Professionalism, content and performance – A comparison between alternative news websites and websites of traditional newspapers in German local media markets

In light of the problems traditional news organizations are facing in many countries, it has been suggested that journalism’s relevance as the sole provider of news in an increasingly networked society is decreasing and that the Internet has given rise to new kinds of amateur, citizen, and participatory forms of content production, changing the nature of traditional journalism and threatening its institutions. The study presented here suggests otherwise. Taking a look at the German local news market and presenting a survey of the alternative news websites that have entered this market in recent years, it suggests that it is not so much journalism’s standards and practices – its institutional characteristics – that are changing, but its organizational framework.
Frontotemporal Dementia Treatment: Current Symptomatic Therapies and Implications of Recent Genetic, Biochemical, and Neuroimaging Studies

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a common cause of dementia that encompasses 3 clinical subtypes: a behavioral/dysexecutive (frontal) variant and 2 variants with prominent language impairments. There are currently no Food and Drug Administration-approved medications for FTD although symptomatic treatments such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and atypical antipsychotic agents are frequently used to manage behavioral abnormalities associated with this disorder. Evidence for the use of currently available symptomatic treatments in each FTD clinical subtype is reviewed. In addition, the implications of new genetic and neuropathologic information about FTD for the design of future clinical trials and the eventual development of FTD-specific disease-modifying treatments are discussed.
Two- and 3-dimensional MRI comparison of levator ani structure, volume, and integrity in women with stress incontinence and prolapse.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to identify imaging markers for genuine stress incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse by using magnetic resonance imaging and reconstructed 3-dimensional models. STUDY DESIGN Thirty women were studied, 10 with prolapse, 10 with genuine stress incontinence, and 10 asymptomatic volunteers. Axial and sagittal T1 and T2 weighted pelvic magnetic resonance scans were obtained with the patient in the supine position. Source images were measured to determine levator hiatus height, bladder neck to pubococcygeal line, levator plate angle, and perineal descent at rest and maximum Valsalva. Manual segmentation and surface modeling was applied to build 3-dimensional models of the organs. The 3-dimensional models were measured to determine levator muscle volume, shape and hiatus width, distance between symphysis and levator sling muscle, posterior urethrovesical angle, bladder neck descent, and levator plate angle. RESULTS The 3 groups of subjects were comparable in age, parity, and body mass index. In the control, genuine stress incontinence, and prolapse groups, the menopausal rate was 40%, 60%, and 55% (P =.7). In the same order, significant mean 2-dimensional measures were: resting bladder neck descent of 24, 17, and 3 mm (P <.005), straining levator plate angle of -4.3, -11.5, and -31 degrees (P =.01), straining levator hiatus height of 48.5, 51.1, and 65.3 mm (P <.005), and straining perineal descent of 17.2, 22.5, 27.2 mm (P =.02). Similarly ordered mean 3-dimensional parameters showed levator volumes of 32.2, 23.3, and 18.4 cm(3) (P <.005); hiatus widths of 25.7, 34.7, and 40.3 mm (P <.005); left levator sling muscle gaps of 15.6, 20.3, and 23.8 mm (P =.03), right levator sling muscle gaps of 15.6, 22.5, and 30.8 mm, (P = 0.003), and levator shape (90%, 40%, and 20% dome shaped; P <.005). CONCLUSION Both 2-dimensional magnetic resonance images and 3-dimensional models yield findings that differ among asymptomatic subjects compared with those with genuine stress incontinence and prolapse. Our 3-dimensional data demonstrate a statistically significant continuum in levator volume, shape, and integrity across groups of asymptomatic, genuine stress incontinence, and prolapse subjects.
The rhodopsin–guanylyl cyclase of the aquatic fungus Blastocladiella emersonii enables fast optical control of cGMP signaling

A light-responsive fungal guanylyl cyclase provides a tool with which to study cGMP signaling in mammalian systems. Lighting up cGMP signaling The second messenger cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) alters ion channel activity to mediate processes such as smooth muscle relaxation, transduction of light, and apoptosis. Guanylyl cyclases produce cGMP from GTP. Scheib et al. characterized the fungal photoreceptor RhGC, which consists of the light-sensitive receptor rhodopsin connected to a guanylyl cyclase. When expressed in mammalian cells, including neurons, light stimulated RhGC to generate cGMP. Thus, RhGC is another tool in the optogenetic kit and can be used to study cGMP signaling. Blastocladiomycota fungi form motile zoospores that are guided by sensory photoreceptors to areas of optimal light conditions. We showed that the microbial rhodopsin of Blastocladiella emersonii is a rhodopsin–guanylyl cyclase (RhGC), a member of a previously uncharacterized rhodopsin class of light-activated enzymes that generate the second messenger cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). Upon application of a short light flash, recombinant RhGC converted within 8 ms into a signaling state with blue-shifted absorption from which the dark state recovered within 100 ms. When expressed in Xenopus oocytes, Chinese hamster ovary cells, or mammalian neurons, RhGC generated cGMP in response to green light in a light dose–dependent manner on a subsecond time scale. Thus, we propose RhGC as a versatile tool for the optogenetic analysis of cGMP-dependent signaling processes in cell biology and the neurosciences.
Overview of the 2000-2001 ELISA Consortium research activities

This paper summarizes the research activities in speaker recognition in the framework of the ELISA consortium. The ELISA speaker recognition common platform is first presented, including the common evaluation protocol and the functioning of the consortium. Then experiments with this platform on the development data of the NIST 2001 speaker recognition campaign are reported. Finally, a survey of the research directions in the various ELISA laboratories is given.
A Simulated Annealing Based Algorithm with Collision Free Region for the Irregular Shape Packing Problem

Abstract This paper investigates the irregular shape packing problem. The proposed algorithm constructively creates layouts from an ordered list of items and a placement heuristic. A moveable item is exclusively placed on a collision free region vertex. The container has a fixed width, while its length can change so that all items are placed on it. The objective is to find a layout of the set of items that minimizes the length of the container. The proposed algorithm has two hierarchical levels: core level with a simulated annealing algorithm, and the external level controlling the container length. The simulated annealing algorithm controls the ordered list of items and the placement of the items. If a feasible layout is found, the external level decreases the container length and applies the simulated annealing again. Otherwise, the container length is increased and the simulated annealing is applied again. Computational comparisons on benchmark problems show that the proposed algorithm generated highly competitive solutions. Moreover, our algorithm updated some best known results. Copyright © 2011 IFAC.
Asynchronous NOMA for Downlink Transmissions

In this letter, we propose a novel symbol-asynchronous non-orthogonal multiple access (ANOMA) scheme for downlink transmissions. First, ANOMA introduces an artificial symbol-offset between packets destined for different user equipment (UE) in order to reduce their mutual interference. Second, ANOMA adopts a pre-coding at the base station and a whitening-and-decomposing (WD) detection scheme at the receiving UE to simplify signal detection. With these two novel techniques, ANOMA can significantly enlarge the achievable rate region of the traditional non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA). Moreover, the impact of pulse shape and symbol offset on the performance of ANOMA scheme are investigated in both Gaussian and Rayleigh block-fading channels. The numerical results show that ANOMA with precoding and WD detection outperforms asynchronous NOMA with successive interference cancellation detection, both outperform synchronous NOMA.
Super-Resolution of Positive Sources: The Discrete Setup

In single-molecule microscopy it is necessary to locate with high precision point sources from noisy observations of the spectrum of the signal at frequencies capped by $f_c$, which is just about the frequency of natural light. This paper rigorously establishes that this super-resolution problem can be solved via linear programming in a stable manner. We prove that the quality of the reconstruction crucially depends on the Rayleigh regularity of the support of the signal; that is, on the maximum number of sources that can occur within a square of side length about $1/f_c$. The theoretical performance guarantee is complemented with a converse result showing that our simple convex program convex is nearly optimal. Finally, numerical experiments illustrate our methods.
Echinococcus multilocularis: An Emerging Pathogen in Hungary and Central Eastern Europe?

Echinococcus multilocularis, the causative agent of human alveolar echinococcosis, is reported for the first time in Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Hungary. This parasite may be spreading eastward because the population of foxes has increased because of human interventions, and this spread may result in the emergence of alveolar echinococcosis in Central Eastern Europe.
Over-representation of repeats in stress response genes: a strategy to increase versatility under stressful conditions?

The survival of individual organisms facing stress is enhanced by the induction of a set of changes. As the intensity, duration and nature of stress is highly variable, the optimal response to stress may be unpredictable. To face such an uncertain future, it may be advantageous for a clonal population to increase its phenotypic heterogeneity (bet-hedging), ensuring that at least a subset of cells would survive the current stress. With current techniques, assessing the extent of this variability experimentally remains a challenge. Here, we use a bioinformatic approach to compare stress response genes with the rest of the genome for the presence of various kinds of repeated sequences, elements known to increase variability during the transfer of genetic information (i.e. during replication, but also during gene expression). We investigated the potential for illegitimate and homologous recombination of 296 Escherichia coli genes related to repair, recombination and physiological adaptations to different stresses. Although long repeats capable of engaging in homologous recombination are almost absent in stress response genes, we observed a significant high number of short close repeats capable of inducing phenotypic variability by slipped-mispair during DNA, RNA or protein synthesis.
Verb-preposition constructions in Hong Kong English: A cognitive semantic accountn

Abstract Studies on prepositions in Hong Kong English have focused on syntactic issues, most notably on the constituent structures of different prepositions with five transitive verbs (i.e., enter into, discuss about, return back, stress on and list out). As a result, they have neglected the role of meaning in the choice of prepositions that are associated with these verbs. This paper attempts to provide a convincing semantic explanation of the phenomenon from the theoretical framework of Cognitive Grammar. I will argue that the cooccurrence of particular prepositions with these verbs in Hong Kong English is not completely arbitrary, but is in fact semantically motivated to a considerable degree. All corpus uses of these structures evoke some kind of conceptual overlap between the lexical verb and the preposition. More specifically, a certain facet of the verb's conceptual content corresponds in some evident way to an active zone of the associated preposition. The conclusion considers the implications of a highly schematic constructional schema instantiated by these five verbpreposition constructions as a unit entrenched by nonnative speakers.
Mechanism or Bust? Explanation in Psychology

Proponents of mechanistic explanation have recently suggested that all explanation in the cognitive sciences is mechanistic, even functional explanation. This last claim is surprising, for functional explanation has traditionally been conceived as autonomous from the structural details that mechanistic explanations emphasize. I argue that functional explanation remains autonomous from mechanistic explanation, but not for reasons commonly associated with the phenomenon of multiple realizability. 1. Introduction2. Mechanistic Explanation: A Quick Primer3. Functional Explanation: An Example4. Autonomy as Lack of Constraint5. The Price of Autonomy6. Another Argument against Autonomy7. Conclusion: Autonomy and Multiple Realization Introduction Mechanistic Explanation: A Quick Primer Functional Explanation: An Example Autonomy as Lack of Constraint The Price of Autonomy Another Argument against Autonomy Conclusion: Autonomy and Multiple Realization
Nurses’ voluntary extra work in the hospital: The role of managers’ decision-making style

Abstract Introduction: Managers use different decision-making styles in different situations. Decision-making style is one of the basic skills of management work which can affect various individual and organizational factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between managers’ decision-making style and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) of nurses in hospital settings. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2015–2014 at three teaching hospitals of Yazd, Iran. All managers of hospitals as well as 171 nurses in these hospitals participated in the study. We used stratified-random sampling for the nursing population. The required data were gathered using two valid questionnaires including Persian version of Scot and Bruce (1995) decision-making style and McKinsey et al. (1991) OCB questionnaires. Data analysis was done through SPSS 19 statistical software. We used descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and the Spearman correlation coefficient for data analysis. Results: The results showed that the use of rational and intuitive styles of decision-making by the hospital managers has a positive correlation with all aspects of OCB and application of other decision-making styles including dependent, avoidant and spontaneous styles negatively correlates with most aspects of OCB. Conclusion: Based on our results, enabling hospital managers to use suitable decision-making styles can affect the behavioral aspects of staff which in turn affects their job performance.
Postural control in single‐limb stance

Postural control in single‐limb stance has previously been shown to be impaired among soccer players with functional instability (FI) of the ankle joint. The aim of the present study was to further study the role of the ankle in postural control. A dynamic method was used involving optoelectronic movement recordings of body segments and force‐plate recordings of the reaction ground force. Surface electromyography was recorded for the peroneus longus muscle. Thirty physically active men were selected. Fifteen of them had FI of the ankle chosen for recording. The results show that different patterns exist for maintaining equilibrium in single‐limb stance. The ankle has a central role for postural corrections. The position of center of pressure is highly correlated to the position of the ankle and peroneal muscle activity. When the body was in disequilibrium, corrections were made at the hip. It is proposed that a change from an inverted pendulum model to a multisegmental chain model takes place when adjustments at the ankle joint no longer suffice to maintain postural control. The men with FI showed impaired postural control associated with increased upper segmental corrections.
Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems ( PACIS ) 2010 An Exploratory Study on the Impact of Trust on Different E-Payment Gateways : Octopus Card Vs . Credit Card

The study of trust of consumer on Business-to-Consumer (B2C) E-commerce is one of the key research interests of Information Systems (IS) researchers. In this research, we investigate the impact of trust on two different E-payment gateways, viz. online credit card payment system and the hypothetical online Octopus card (a stored-value smart card) payment system. Based on the model developed by Gefen et al. (2003) and McKnight et al. (2002a), we synthesize our own research model by incorporating disposition to trust, and trust and its antecedents with the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). An online survey was conducted on the Government-to-Citizen (G2C) E-commerce portal of the Hong Kong Government and 2,481 usable responses were collected. The empirical result shows that consumers in Hong Kong are using different trust building processes to consider their adoption for E-payment gateways.
The saliency of gestural misinformation in the perception of a violent crime

ABSTRACT Recent research has revealed that misinformation from gestures can influence eyewitness memory. However, it is still unclear whether gestural misinformation can emulate the effects of verbal misinformation on the reporting of major details in serious crimes. To investigate the salience of suggestions provided nonverbally, and how these compare to those made verbally, two experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1, participants watched footage of a crime scene and were presented with one of two types of gestures during questioning that suggested different interpretations of the crime. The results confirmed that the gestures influenced responses, with participants altering their interpretation of the crime according to the information gestured to them. Experiment 2 built on this to investigate how comparable gestural influence was to verbal influence. The results revealed that gestural misinformation caused participants to alter their interpretation of the crime and elicited the same effects as verbal misinformation. Across the two experiments, participants were unlikely to identify the misleading gestures or report feeling misled by them. These results reveal new insights into the strength of gestural misinformation and show that, despite their subtle nature in communication, gestures can exert a powerful influence in eyewitness interviews.
The T1405N Carbamoyl Phosphate Synthetase Polymorphism Does Not Affect Plasma Arginine Concentrations in Preterm Infants

Background A C-to-A nucleotide transversion (T1405N) in the gene that encodes carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS1) has been associated with changes in plasma concentrations of L-arginine in term and near term infants but not in adults. In preterm infants homozygosity for the CPS1 Thr1405 variant (CC genotype) was associated with an increased risk of having necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Plasma L-arginine concentrations are decreased in preterm infants with NEC. Aim To examine the putative association between the CPS1 T1405N polymorphism and plasma arginine concentrations in preterm infants. Methods Prospective multicenter cohort study. Plasma and DNA samples were collected from 128 preterm infants (<30 weeks) between 6 and 12 hours after birth. Plasma amino acid and CPS1 T1405N polymorphism analysis were performed. Results Distribution of genotypes did not differ between the preterm (CC∶CA∶AA = 55.5%∶33.6%∶10.9%, n = 128) and term infants (CC∶CA∶AA = 54.2%∶35.4%∶10.4%, n = 96). There was no association between the CPS1 genotype and plasma L-arginine or L-citrulline concentration, or the ornithine to citrulline ratio, which varies inversely with CPS1 activity. Also the levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine, and symmetric dimethylarginine were not significantly different among the three genotypes. Conclusions The present study in preterm infants did not confirm the earlier reported association between CPS1 genotype and L-arginine levels in term infants.