Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nodule size is a key factor for differentiating benign and malignant thyroid nodules using virtual touch tissue quantification and conventional sonography

Thyroid nodules with different size may have different ultrasound features. We compared the differences of ultrasound features of small and large thyroid nodules and figured out the best features for small and large nodules for the differential diagnosis. 348 thyroid nodules included in this study were divided into four groups as small malignant nodules, small benign nodules, large malignant nodules and large benign nodules. The conventional sonographic features and quantitative elasticity features (VTQ, Virtual Touch Tissue Quantification and VTR, ratio of VTQ value of the nodule to that of the surrounding thyroid tissue) were observed and compared among the four groups. When compared with large malignant nodules, small malignant nodules were less frequently solitary, with macrocalcification, more frequently “taller than wide” and had lower VTQ and VTR. The most sensitive features for large nodules were with higher VTR and a solitary occurrence and those for small nodules were with higher VTQ, a taller than wide shape and marked hypoechogenicity. In conclusion, malignant thyroid nodules with different size had different conventional sonographic features and elastic features, which should be taken consideration during the differential diagnosis.
Action Plan for Stroke in Europe 2018–2030

Abstract Two previous pan-European consensus meetings, the 1995 and 2006 Helsingborg meetings, were convened to review the scientific evidence and the state of current services to identify priorities for research and development and to set targets for the development of stroke care for the decade to follow. Adhering to the same format, the European Stroke Organisation (ESO) prepared a European Stroke Action Plan (ESAP) for the years 2018 to 2030, in cooperation with the Stroke Alliance for Europe (SAFE). The ESAP included seven domains: primary prevention, organisation of stroke services, management of acute stroke, secondary prevention, rehabilitation, evaluation of stroke outcome and quality assessment and life after stroke. Research priorities for translational stroke research were also identified. Documents were prepared by a working group and were open to public comments. The final document was prepared after a workshop in Munich on 21–23 March 2018. Four overarching targets for 2030 were identified: (1) to reduce the absolute number of strokes in Europe by 10%, (2) to treat 90% or more of all patients with stroke in Europe in a dedicated stroke unit as the first level of care, (3) to have national plans for stroke encompassing the entire chain of care, (4) to fully implement national strategies for multisector public health interventions. Overall, 30 targets and 72 research priorities were identified for the seven domains. The ESAP provides a basic road map and sets targets for the implementation of evidence-based preventive actions and stroke services to 2030.
Fourth Moments and Independent Component Analysis

In independent component analysis it is assumed that the components of the observed random vector are linear combinations of latent independent random variables, and the aim is then to find an estimate for a transformation matrix back to these independent components. In the engineering literature, there are several traditional estimation procedures based on the use of fourth moments, such as FOBI (fourth order blind identification), JADE (joint approximate diagonalization of eigenmatrices), and FastICA, but the statistical properties of these estimates are not well known. In this paper various independent component functionals based on the fourth moments are discussed in detail, starting with the corresponding optimization problems, deriving the estimating equations and estimation algorithms, and finding asymptotic statistical properties of the estimates. Comparisons of the asymptotic variances of the estimates in wide independent component models show that in most cases JADE and the symmetric version of FastICA perform better than their competitors.
Changes in estrogen receptor-α and -β in the infundibular nucleus of the human hypothalamus are related to the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease neuropathology

The expression of estrogen receptor (ER)α and -β in the infundibular nucleus of the hypothalamus was studied immunocytochemically in 28 control subjects and 14 patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A shift was found from more nuclear staining of ERα in young female controls to more cytoplasmic staining in elderly female controls, whereas no such change was observed in elderly male controls. The shift of ERα from nucleus to cytoplasm in elderly female controls was accompanied by a relative absence of AD neuropathology, i.e. hyperphosphorylated tau stained by hyperphosphorylated tau protein (AT8). In contrast, male and female AD patients showed more nuclear ERα and a much stronger AD neuropathology. It is proposed that the shift of ERα from nucleus to the cytoplasm may reflect activation of neurons and that hyperactivity decreases the risk that neurons in the course of aging develop AD neuropathology. In contrast, the presence of nuclear ERα seems to predispose to reduced activity and increases the risk o.
The Dark Side of Cellular Plasticity: Stem Cells in Development and Cancer

1Fernando Abollo-Jimenez1,*, Elena Campos-Sanchez2,*, Ana Sagrera3,*, Maria Eugenia Munoz4, Ana Isabel Galan4, Rafael Jimenez4 and Cesar Cobaleda2,4 1Experimental Therapeutics and Translational Oncology Program; Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular del Cancer; CSIC/Universidad de Salamanca; Campus M. Unamuno s/n; Salamanca 2Centro de Biologia Molecular "Severo Ochoa, "Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas-Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, C/Nicolas Cabrera 1, Universidad Autonoma, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid 3Estacion de Atocha, 1, 28740 Colmenar Viejo, Madrid 4Departamento de Fisiologia y Farmacologia, Universidad de Salamanca, Edificio Departamental, Campus Unamuno s/n, 37007-SALAMANCA, Spain
Interwall screening and excitons in double-wall carbon nanotubes

Exciton properties of double-wall carbon nanotubes are studied in the static screened Hartree-Fock approximation within a k ·p scheme. The intrawall electron-hole interaction is largely suppressed by interwall screening effects. The suppression is sensitive to the effective interwall distance between the inner and outer tubes and reduces the exciton binding energy as well as the band gap. As a result, the exciton energy levels are redshifted from those in the single-wall tube with the same diameter. The energy shift of the ground exciton has little dependence on the tube diameter, in contrast to that of the excited excitons. In the case of a metallic outer and inner tube, excited exciton states in the semiconducting tube disappear due to strong screening.
The inward rectifier in a model of corticotroph electrical activity

Pituitary corticotroph cells generate repetitive action potentials and associated Ca transients in response to the agonist corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH). There is indirect evidence suggesting that the agonist, by way of complex intracellular mechanisms, modulates the voltage sensitivity of the L-type Ca channels embedded in the plasma membrane. We have previously constructed a Hodgkin–Huxley type model of this process, which indicated that an increase in the L-type Ca current is sufficient to generate repetitive action potentials [LeBeau et al. (1997). Biophysical Journal 73, 1263–1275]. The agonist is also believed to inhibit an inwardly rectifying K+ current. In this paper we investigate a role of the inwardly rectifying K+ current in the action potential firing frequency and membrane excitability. We have found that a CRH-induced inhibition of the inwardly rectifying K+ current increases the action potential firing frequency and membrane excitability. This structural alteration to the model along with parametric changes bring the model firing frequency in line with experimental data. We also show that the model exhibits experimentally observed bursting behaviour, where the depolarization spike is followed by small oscillations in the membrane potential.
EURASIAN JOURNAL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

The customer retention is an important factor in today’s increasingly tourism competitive markets which should be concerned seriously. At present, many academic customer retention researches mostly focused on the business market research in the hotel industry. In view of the tourism resort, especially the urban cultural themes attraction, analyzing the influencing factors of customer retention in such resort has its special significance. The aim of this study is to empirically explore the relationship among the cultural attractive, attraction operation, promotion strategy and tourist costs on customer retention in the urban cultural themes attraction. A quantitative research method was adopted to collect empirical data from the case study of Lingnan Impression Park, Guangzhou, China and the analysis of the influencing factors base on the integrated research approach for the urban cultural themes resort. The results indicate what extent these individual factors can have an impact on customer retention is beneficial for the resort marketing practices and several strategies are suggested about improving the degree of the customer retention to the urban cultural themes resorts in China.
Geochemical and Isotopic Evolution of Loihi Volcano, Hawaii

A 680 m thick section from the deeply dissected east flank of Loihi Volcano was sampled using the Pisces Vsubmersible to evaluate the volcano's geochemical evolution. Three types of lavas were recovered: tholeiitic, weakly alkalic and strongly alkalic The ratio of alkalic to tholeiitic lavas varies systematically with depth, from predominantly alkalic at the base of the section to tholeiitic at the top. Glasses from these rocks have similar ratios of highly incompatible elements and Pb, Sr and Nd isotopes, but distinct ratios of highly to moderately incompatible elements. Partial melting modeling indicates that these tholeiitic and alkalic lavas could be derived by variable degrees of partial melting of a slightly heterogeneous source. Many distinct parental magmas weregeneratedfor each rock type during the 100-150 fey. that the east flank section was formed. Crystalfractionation and olivine accumulation were the dominant processes controlling compositional variation among lavas of the same rock type. Magma mixingfeatures were observed in only a few of the lavas collected
A symphony of designiettes exploring the boundaries of design thinking in engineering education

In this paper, we consider the integration of design into engineering curricula from the perspective of designiettes. Designiettes are glimpses, snapshots, small-scale, short turnaround and well-scoped design problems that provide a significant design experience. While most engineering programs around the world introduce design at distinct points in a curriculum, such as freshman and capstone design courses, we present the concept of a “4-D” design pedagogy, where design is integrated across courses, semesters, years, and extra-curricular activities. This pedagogy, or framework, may be implemented in whole or in part in any engineering program. Building on this design pedagogy, we present the context of designiettes in terms of educational theories, the I-Engineering, and assessment. We then explore the strategic development and use of designiettes, and present a literature review on small scale design project efforts as they relate to the concept of designiettes. This literature leads to a categorization of characteristics and questions that form a basis for creating designiettes for use in engineering curricula. Exemplar designiettes are then presented to illustrate their development and implementation process.
Production Factors, Productivity Dynamics and Quality Gains as Determinants of Healthcare Spending Growth in U.S. Hospitals

We analyze the contribution of production factors to revenue growth in almost the complete universe of U.S. hospitals, accounting for quality and productivity. Production factors (capital, labor, energy, materials and drugs) contributed 70% (drugs alone contributed 52%), better health outcomes (higher quality) contributed 5%, and better use of resources (productivity) contributed 25%. We find increasing returns to scale, a markup of between 15% and 36% and a much larger productivity dispersion in the hospital sector than the one found in manufacturing, with gains coming mainly from within-hospital productivity growth and almost zero coming from net entry.
Hemispherical Asymmetry of Tropical Precipitation in ECHAM5/MPI-OM during El Niño and under Global Warming

Abstract Similarities and differences between El Nino and global warming are examined in hemispherical and zonal tropical precipitation changes of the ECHAM5/Max Planck Institute Ocean Model (MPI-OM) simulations. Similarities include hemispherical asymmetry of tropical precipitation changes. This precipitation asymmetry varies with season. In the boreal summer and autumn (winter and spring), positive precipitation anomalies are found over the Northern (Southern) Hemisphere and negative precipitation anomalies are found over the Southern (Northern) Hemisphere. This precipitation asymmetry in both the El Nino and global warming cases is associated with the seasonal migration of the Hadley circulation; however, their causes are different. In El Nino, a meridional moisture gradient between convective and subsidence regions is the fundamental basis for inducing the asymmetry. Over the ascending branch of the Hadley circulation, convection is enhanced by less effective static stability. Over the margins of the .
Nonlinear Conversion Enhancement for Efficient Piezoelectric Electrical Generators

Ferroelectric materials exhibit a wide spectrum of functional properties, including switchable polarization, piezoelectricity, high non-linear optical activity, pyroelectricity, and non-linear dielectric behaviour. These properties are crucial for application in electronic devices such as sensors, microactuators, infrared detectors, microwave phase filters and, non-volatile memories. This unique combination of properties of ferroelectric materials has attracted researchers and engineers for a long time. This book reviews a wide range of diverse topics related to the phenomenon of ferroelectricity (in the bulk as well as thin film form) and provides a forum for scientists, engineers, and students working in this field. The present book containing 24 chapters is a result of contributions of experts from international scientific community working in different aspects of ferroelectricity related to experimental and theoretical work aimed at the understanding of ferroelectricity and their utilization in devices. It provides an up-to-date insightful coverage to the recent advances in the synthesis, characterization, functional properties and potential device applications in specialized areas.
States Diverge, Cities Converge: Drivers of Local Growth Catch-Up in India

This paper takes a fresh look at growth convergence in India, combining insights from macroeconomics and urban economics. It departs from the existing literature in three ways. First, the paper assesses growth patterns across districts and across places below the district level instead of taking the state as the unit of analysis. Second, it relies on household expenditures per capita, instead of gross domestic product per capita, to measure living standards. And third, it uses a Bayesian model averaging approach to identify the key drivers of local growth, instead of the classical econometric approach. The paper finds absolute convergence in living standards across districts and places below the district level, with locations in the gray area between rural and urban growing fastest. In assessing conditional convergence, it finds that geography is a strong predictor of local growth, but population density is not. Market access, electrification and transport infrastructure matter, but irrigation and housing investments do not. The quality of state-level governance has a significant impact on local growth, but variations in city governance are only mildly relevant. The share of medium and large firms plays a role, but the sectoral structure of economic activity does not. And the coverage of primary education is an important predictor of subsequent growth, but not that of other levels of education. Strong convergence at the local level can be reconciled with lack of convergence at the state level if low-income states fail to generate enough locations with the"right"characteristics.
Detection of Soil Salinity for Bare and Cultivated Lands Using Landsat ETM+ Imagery Data: A Case Study from El-Beheira Governorate, Egypt

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Natural Resources and Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt E-mail address: emad.fawzy@damanhour.edu. eg (E.F. Abdelaty), emad@damanhour.edu. eg (E.F. Aboukila) *Corresponding Author: Emad F. Abdelaty. Faculty of Agriculture, Damanhour University, Al Abadia Campus, Damanhour, P.O. Box 22516, Egypt. Phone: +2 01225023534, Fax: +2 0453282303, Email: emad.fawzy@damanhour.edu. eg Received September 10,2017, Accepted September 30, 2017. ABSTRACT
Prompting arm activity after stroke: A clinical proof of concept study of wrist-worn accelerometers with a vibrating alert function

Background Frequent practice of functional movements after stroke may optimise motor recovery; however, it is challenging for patients to remember to integrate an impaired limb into daily activities. We report the activity responses of stroke patients receiving a vibrating alert delivered by a tri-axial accelerometer wristband to prompt movement of the impaired arm if hourly activity levels fell. Methods Adults with upper limb impairment ≤28 days post-stroke wore the device for four weeks. Therapists and patients reviewed movement activity data twice weekly to agree ongoing rehabilitation activities and programme the wristband with a personalised prompt threshold (median baseline activity + 5%, 25% or 50%). Results: Seven patients completed the programme (five males; mean ± standard deviation (age) 64 ± 5 years; days post-stroke 13 ± 7; baseline/four-week Action Research Arm Test median (Interquartile range (IQR)) 39 (8, 44)/56 (11, 57)). Wristbands were worn for 89% of programme duration. A total of 1,288 prompts were delivered, with a median of four (IQR 3,7) prompts per patient per day. Mean activity increases following a prompt ranged from 11% to 29%. Conclusions Feedback delivered by a programmable accelerometer increased impaired arm activity. Improvements are required in device reliability before conducting a pragmatic clinical trial to examine the impact upon recovery.
Adsorption of 2-(Hexadecanoylamino)Acetic Acid Onto the Surface of Smithsonite: Mechanism and Flotation Performance

Zinc is mostly extracted from zinc oxide and sulfide minerals, and this process involves flotation as a key step. While it is easier to float the sulfide mineral, its consumption and depletion has led to an increased reliance on zinc oxide minerals, including smithsonite; hence the development of efficient ways of collecting smithsonite by flotation is an important objective. Herein, we describe the use of 2-(hexadecanoylamino)acetic acid (HAA), a novel surfactant, as a collector during smithsonite flotation. The mechanism and flotation performance of HAA during smithsonite flotation were investigated by total organic carbon (TOC) content studies, zeta potential measurements, FTIR spectroscopy, and XPS analyses, combined with micro-flotation experiments. The flotation results revealed that HAA is an excellent collector in pulp over a wide pH range (9–12) and at a relatively low concentration (2 × 10‒4 mol/L), at which a recovery of close to 90% of the smithsonite mineral was obtained. TOC-content studies reveal that the good flotation recovery is ascribable to large amounts of collector molecule adsorbed on the smithsonite surface, while zeta potential measurements show that the HAA is chemically adsorbed onto the smithsonite. FTIR and XPS analyses reveal that the HAA-collector molecules adsorb onto the smithsonite surface as zinc-HAA complexes involving carboxylate moieties and Zn sites on the smithsonite surface in alkaline solution.
2 3 O ct 2 01 8 Machine Learning by Two-Dimensional Hierarchical Tensor Networks : A Quantum Information Theoretic Perspective on Deep Architectures

Ding Liu, 2 Shi-Ju Ran, 2, ∗ Peter Wittek, 5, 6, 7, † Cheng Peng, Raul Blázquez Garćıa, Gang Su, 9 and Maciej Lewenstein 10 School of Computer Science & Software Engineering, Tianjin Polytechnic University, Tianjin 300387, China ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08860 Castelldefels (Barcelona), Spain Department of Physics, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China University of Toronto, M5S 3E6 Toronto, Canada Creative Destruction Lab, M5S 3E6 Toronto, Canada Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence, M5G 1M1 Toronto, Canada Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, N2L 2Y5 Waterloo, Canada School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China Kavli Institute for Theoretical Sciences, and CAS Center of Excellence in Topological Quantum Computation, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China ICREA, Passeig Lluis Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
Adaptive immune response in the intestinal mucosa of microscopic colitis patients

Background: Soluble factors released by intestinal mucosal cells contribute to immune homeostasis in the gut. This is the first study to investigate the role of soluble factors from the intestinal mucosa of collagenous colitis (CC) patients in the regulation of effector T cells using a novel system that mimics the in vivo exposure of newly recruited peripheral blood T cells to soluble factors derived from the colonic milieu of normal individuals and inflamed CC patient mucosa.Methods: Denuded biopsies (DNB) and isolated lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMCs) from mucosal biopsies from CC patients and non-inflamed controls were cultured to collect conditioned medium (CM). Enriched peripheral blood CD4+ T cells from healthy donors were polyclonally activated in the absence or presence of CM from CC patients and controls. Proliferation, as well as secretion of IL-1β IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, IFN-γ and TNF-α was analysed the latter with Luminex® analysis.Results: Peripheral CD4+ T cells exposed to CM from the colonic mucosa demonstrated reduced proliferation. This inhibition was less pronounced with DNB-CM derived from CC patients compared to non-inflamed control mucosa. In contrast, LPMC-CM from non-inflamed controls inhibited T-cell proliferation less than LPMC-CM from CC patients. Both DNB-CM and LPMC-CM from CC patients induced more or less increased production of the proinflammatory cytokines IFN-γ, IL-17A, IL-6 and TNF-α as well as the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 from peripheral CD4+ T cells compared to non-inflamed controls. In contrast, IL-1β production by peripheral T cells showed mixed results – it was either increased or reduced in the presence of both DNB and LPMC-CM from CC patients compared to noninflamed controls with different blood donors and different concentrations.Conclusion: Our preliminary data indicates reduced inhibition of proliferation of peripheral CD4+ T cells in the presence of mucosa-derived soluble factors from CC patients compared to controls. In addition, increased production of both inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines by peripheral CD4+ T cells was recorded in the presence of soluble factors from the colonic mucosa of CC patients compared to controls. This model can be valuable in evaluating the effect(s) of existing and new drugs on T cell differentiation in the intestinal mucosa.