Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Triple Assessment Modalities in the Management of Palpable Breast Lumps

Department of Surgery AL-Jamhoory Teaching Hospital Mosul Medical City Iraq. diagnostic approach of palpable breast lumps should involve the use of rapid, inexpensive, most accurate and least invasive methods to evaluate and distinguish between benign and malignant lumps in out patient clinics, such methods would benefit both patients and surgeons by  Promoting proper preoperative diagnosis and management.  Further limits unnecessary testing and procedures (2,3,4) . ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Breast masses are common clinical presentation in breast clinics, their managements require an efficient and accurate evaluation, using the least invasive, most accurate methods that cause minimal patients discomfort and limit any unnecessary procedure. OBJECTIVE: This study is designed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of triple assessment (a combination of clinical examination, imaging studies and tissue sampling) in the preoperative assessment and optimal management of palpable breast masses. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This clinical prospective study which was conducted in mosul breast center, department of surgery, aljamhoory teaching hospital, mosul medical city, from november 2007 to november 2008 included 60 female patients with palpable breast masses, their age ranging between (20-76) years, were assessed prospectively using triple assessment modalities and the results of each modality were classified as benign, suspicious or malignant and compared with the confirmatory histopathological examination of the tissue specimens obtained from all patients under study via an appropriate surgical procedure. the data was collected, classified and analyzed. RESULTS: The results triple test (TT) was concordant (elements had either all benign or all malignant) in 31 cases (52٪) with diagnostic accuracy reaching (100٪). Again the TT achieved (100٪) diagnostic accuracy when all elements were either malignant or suspicious which appeared in 12 of 29 nonconcordant cases (20٪ of all cases). FNAC was the most reliable element of TT in cases where the elements of TT weren't concordant (NPV 94.5٪, sensitivity 92٪ and accuracy 96.7٪). CONCLUSION: The TT has proved to be accurate, reliable diagnostic approach for evaluation of breast masses, achieved (100٪) accuracy rate when all elements were concordant or when all elements were either suspicious or
Research on the Combined Effects of Ionization and Displacement Defects in NPN Transistors Based on Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy

The properties of the combined effect between ionization and displacement defects have been researched on the base-collector junctions of 3DG110 silicon NPN bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) irradiated by 6 MeV carbon (C) ions with different fluence. The Gummel curve is used to characterize the degradation of the current gain at a given fluence. Nonlinear relationship, induced by 6 MeV C ions with lower fluence, between irradiation fluence and BJT radiation response can be observed, which is attributed to the combined effect. Evolution of deep level centers is characterized by the deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) with various biases. An unusual discovery is that the deep level centers decrease in the amplitude of DLTS peaks with increasing the biases. Based on the results of DLTS measurement, interface traps caused by 6 MeV C ions produce apparent enhanced effect to displacement defects in the base-collector junction of NPN BJT. Meanwhile, two factors, including bias used in DLTS measurement and irradiation fluence, can influence characteristics of DLTS signals caused by oxide-trapped charge. With increasing the bias or the irradiation fluence, both the height and the temperature of the defect peaks induced by the oxide charge in DLTS spectra will increase, illustrating concentration and energy level of the defects are enhanced.
Subcellular reorganization and altered phosphorylation of the astrocytic gap junction protein connexin43 in human and experimental temporal lobe epilepsy

Dysfunctional astrocytes are increasingly recognized as key players in the development and progression of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). One of the dramatic changes astrocytes undergo in MTLE with hippocampal sclerosis (HS) is loss of gap junction coupling. To further elucidate molecular mechanism(s) underlying this alteration, we assessed expression, cellular localization and phosphorylation status of astrocytic gap junction proteins in human and experimental MTLE‐HS. In addition to conventional confocal analysis of immunohistochemical staining we employed expansion microscopy, which allowed visualization of blood‐brain‐barrier (BBB) associated cellular elements at a sub‐µm scale. Western Blot analysis showed that plasma membrane expression of connexin43 (Cx43) and Cx30 were not significantly different in hippocampal specimens with and without sclerosis. However, we observed a pronounced subcellular redistribution of Cx43 toward perivascular endfeet in HS, an effect that was accompanied by increased plaque size. Furthermore, in HS Cx43 was characterized by enhanced C‐terminal phosphorylation of sites affecting channel permeability. Prominent albumin immunoreactivity was found in the perivascular space of HS tissue, indicating that BBB damage and consequential albumin extravasation was involved in Cx43 dysregulation. Together, our results suggest that subcellular reorganization and/or abnormal posttranslational processing rather than transcriptional downregulation of astrocytic gap junction proteins account for the loss of coupling reported in human and experimental TLE. The observations of the present study provide new insights into pathological alterations of astrocytes in HS, which may aid in the identification of novel therapeutic targets and development of alternative anti‐epileptogenic strategies.
The offset cortical potential: An electrical correlate of movement inhibition in man

Nine normal subjects were asked to make either a brisk isometric pinch of a force transducer held between the forefinger and thumb, or to hold a pinch for approximately 15 s and then release the force suddenly without any overt antagonist contraction. EEG activity was averaged about the onset or offset of EMG activity, and movements were made in the subjects' own time. All subjects found the task simple. The EEG activity preceding offset of contraction (offset cortical potential) was significantly smaller in lateral leads than that seen before onset of contraction. Midline activation was similar in both tasks. We suggest that in the onset task, motor cortex activity related to the act to be performed contributes substantially to the EEG potentials in lateral leads. This activity is absent in the offset task which requires only withdrawal of tonic input to motor cortex. Midline activity, common to both onset and offset tasks, could reflect timing, attentional, or other processes. The results are discussed in relation to previous data from an isotonic relaxation task1.
Cutting Edge: Long-Term B Cell Memory in Humans after Smallpox Vaccination 1

Memory B cells are a central component of humoral immunity, and yet little is known about their longevity in humans. Immune memory after smallpox vaccination (DryVax) is a valuable benchmark for understanding the longevity of B cell memory in the absence of re-exposure to Ag. In this study, we demonstrate that smallpox vaccine-specific memory B cells last for >50 years in immunized individuals. Virus-specific memory B cells initially declined postimmunization, but then reached a plateau ∼10-fold lower than peak and were stably maintained for >50 years after vaccination at a frequency of ∼0.1% of total circulating IgG+ B cells. These persisting memory B cells were functional and able to mount a robust anamnestic Ab response upon revaccination. Additionally, virus-specific CD4+ T cells were detected decades after vaccination. These data show that immunological memory to DryVax vaccine is long-lived and may contribute to protection against smallpox.
The Chinese Corporate Savings Puzzle: A Firm-Level Cross-Country Perspective

China's high corporate savings rate is commonly claimed to be a key driver for the country's large current account surplus. The mainstream explanation for high corporate savings is a combination of windfall profits in state-owned firms, especially in resource sectors, and mis-governance of state-owned firms represented by their low dividend payout. The paper casts doubt on these views by comparing the savings of 1557 Chinese listed firms with those of 29330 listed firms from 51 other countries over 2002 to 2007. First, Chinese firms do not have a significantly higher savings rate (as a share of total assets) than the global average because corporations in most countries have a high savings rate. The rising corporate savings rate is also consistent with a global trend. Second, there is no significant difference in the savings behavior and dividend patterns between Chinese majority state-owned and private listed firms, contrary to the received wisdom.
Hexosamine and cell wall biogenesis in the aquatic fungus Blastocladiella emersonii

Chitin, a β‐(1 → 4) polymer of N‐acetyl‐glucosamine, is an important constituent of fungal cell walls. This polymer is synthesized by the incorporation of N‐acetyl‐D‐glucosamine units from the precursor UDP‐N‐acetyl‐D‐glucosamine (UDP‐GlcNAc) in a reaction catalyzed by chitin synthase. In the aquatic fungus Blastocladiella emersonii, chitin, the major component of the cell wall, is synthesized and incorporated in the cell surface of the free‐swimming zoospore during the abrupt transition from this wall‐less cell to the sessile, wall‐containing cyst. Studies with cycloheximide indicate that chitin synthesis occurs in the apparent absence of protein synthesis, and thus posttranslational controls presumably regulate the cell wall biogenesis during encystment. Glutamine: fructose 6‐phosphate amidotransferase, first enzyme of the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway, was found to play a central role in the regulation of chitin synthesis in this fungus. This enzyme exists in two forms, which are interconvertible by phosphorylation or dephosphorylation of serine residues. It is allosterically inhibited in the phosphorylated form, as it is in the zoospore, by UDP‐Glc∗∗∗NAc. In addition, UDP‐GlcNAc inhibits the dephosphorylation of amidotransferase catalyzed by protein phosphatases 2A and 2G. Thus, UDP‐Glc∗∗∗NAc plays a dual role in hexosamine and chitin synthesis in zoospore: it not only inhibits the phosphorylated form of the enzyme but also prevents its dephosphorylation. The available data suggest that substrate availability plays a role in the control of chitin synthesis during zoospore differentiation. — Costa Maia, da José Carlos. Hexosamine and cell wall biogenesis in the aquatic fungus Blastocladiella emersonii. FASEB J. 8: 848‐853; 1994.
Metastatic melanoma: results of ‘classical' second-line treatment with cytotoxic chemotherapies

Abstract Background: Metastatic melanoma is one of the most aggressive tumours, with a median survival that does not exceed 12 months. None of the cytotoxic first-line therapies have shown survival benefit in randomised clinical trials. Objective: To describe clinical benefit of second-line cytotoxic chemotherapy in the second line of treatment for metastatic melanoma. Methods: In a retrospective study, we analyse the outcome of patients with metastatic melanoma who had received two lines or more of cytotoxic treatments in four French dermato-oncology departments between 1999 and 2009. Results:We describe the outcomes for 109 patients. Most of these patients received dacarbazine for the first line of chemotherapy and fotemustine for the second line of chemotherapy (67.0 and 64.2%, respectively). A clinical benefit was observed in 24.1% of the patients and overall survival was 4.1 months after the second-line treatment. At least 23.8% of patients suffered from grade 3 or 4 toxicities. The presence of more than two sites of metastasis and an M1c staging according to the AJCC classification represented negative predictive factors of clinical benefit. Conclusion: This study shows the modest benefit of a second line of cytotoxic chemotherapy in a nonselected population. If eligible, these patients should be proposed for ongoing clinical trials or for targeted therapies.
Canine Leishmaniasis with Amyloidosis

Visceral leishmaniasis was diagnosed in a 2-year-old male Great Dane imported from Greece. The clinical signs included anemia, diarrhea, weight loss, proteinuria, and hyperglobulinemia with increases in α2- and γ-regions. At necropsy there was plasmalymphocytic and macrophage infiltration of spleen, macrophage infiltration of bone marrow, intracellular organisms of macrophages having the ultrastructural characteristics of Leishmania species, and severe amyloidosis of the spleen, liver, and kidney.
Financial Performance of SMEs - Evidence on the Impact of Ownership Structure and Board Composition

This study investigates the impact that ownership structure and board composition have on performance in a sample of Finnish SMEs. Our study is one of few that shed light on how corporate governance and ownership structures affect performance of small firms. Our results suggest that the ownership structure, in particular, affects both the growth and profitability of small firms. Firms with high managerial ownership levels exhibit higher profitability ratios, but have lower growth rates. We further find that firms with high Venture Capital Firm ownership ratios grow faster and are less profitable. These results can be interpreted to indicate that owner-managers are risk averse and that Venture Capital Firms seek investments with high growth potential. Our results on board structure suggest that board structure has little impact on the performance of small firms. The only significant result in this context is that firms with outside board members have lower growth rates and are less profitable.
Moderate Hypothermia Depresses Arterial Baroreflex Control of Heart Rate during, and Delays Its Recovery after, General Anesthesia in Humans

BackgroundEffects of hypothermia on arterial baroreflex function during, and on its recovery after, general anesthesia were examined in humans. MethodsTwenty healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to a normothermic group (n = 10 each, active forced-air warming) or to a hypothermic group (no active warming) during anesthesia. Measurements of R-R intervals and systolic blood pressure were made at conscious baseline and at 20, 60, and 120 min after the induction and 20, 60, 120, and 180 min after emergence from general anesthesia with sevoflurane for 2 h. Ventilation was mechanically controlled, and end-tidal sevoflurane concentration was maintained at 2% during anesthesia. Baroreflex responses were triggered by bolus intravenous injections of phenylephrine and nitroprusside. The linear portions of the baroreflex curves relating R-R intervals and systolic blood pressure were determined to obtain baroslopes. ResultsDuring anesthesia, the mean lowest tympanic temperature of the hypothermia group (33.9 ± 0.5°C [mean ± SD]) was significantly lower than that of the normothermia group (36.1 ± 0.7°C, P < 0.001). The baroslopes of the pressor and depressor tests were decreased by 19–39% during and by 27–53% after general anesthesia in the hypothermia group, compared with the normothermia group (P < 0.05). The baroslopes of the normothermia group returned to the baseline values at 60 min after anesthesia, whereas the pressor test sensitivity of the hypothermia group was significantly less than that of the normothermia group for the entire course of recovery. ConclusionsThe results indicate that moderate hypothermia enhances anesthesia-induced depression of baroreflex function in anesthetized humans and delays its recovery after general anesthesia.
Corporate Investment and Financing Constraints: Evidence from Nepalese Capital Market

Capital market imperfection and problems of asymmetric information lead to a difference between the cost of internal and external funds. As a consequence investment by firms facing high information cost is not only determined by expected profitability but also potentially by the availability of internal funds. Investments by those firms expected to face higher information cost are thought to be more constrained by the availability of internal finance and vice versa. Therefore, the present study derives a theoretical investment-liquidity constraint model to test the hypothesis that the investment decisions of more financially constrained firm will be more sensitive to their internal funds as compared to the less financially constrained firms in the case of least developed capital market. The basic idea to this notion underlies various empirical studies on the severity of liquidity constraints for investment. The major findings of the study indicate that when the information asymmetry between firm and investor increases, investment becomes more sensitive to changes in internal funds.
Mass Spectrometry in Diagnostic Oncoproteomics

Diagnostic oncoproteomics is the application of proteomic techniques for the diagnosis of malignancies. A new mass spectrometric technology involves surface enhanced laser desorption ionization combined with time-of flight mass analysis (SELDI-TOF-MS), using special protein chips. After the description of the relevant principles of the technique, including approaches to proteomic pattern diagnostics, applications are reviewed for the diagnosis of ovarian, breast, prostate, bladder, pancreatic, and head and neck cancers, and also several other malignancies. Finally, problems and prospects of the approach are discussed.
Evaluation of carcinogen exposure in people who used "reduced exposure" tobacco products.

BACKGROUND Although tobacco products with reportedly reduced carcinogen content are being marketed, carcinogen uptake in people who use these products has not been assessed systematically. METHODS Between June 2001 and November 2002, 54 users of smokeless tobacco and 51 cigarette smokers were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One used test products (Swedish snus for users of smokeless tobacco or OMNI cigarettes for smokers), while the other quit and used medicinal nicotine (the nicotine patch). All participants were assessed for urinary levels of total NNAL [4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol and its glucuronide], metabolites of the tobacco-specific carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone. Smokers were also assessed for levels of 1-hydroxypyrene (1-HOP), a biomarker of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon uptake. Assessments were made weekly during 2 weeks of baseline normal tobacco use and 4 weeks of treatment. Statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS Primary data analyses were conducted on 41 users of smokeless tobacco and 38 cigarette smokers who met the inclusion criteria. Total NNAL levels were statistically significantly lower in users of smokeless tobacco after they switched to snus or to nicotine patch (P<.001 for both groups) than they were before the switch, although the overall mean total NNAL level among subjects who used the nicotine patch was statistically significantly lower than that among those who used snus (mean = 1.2 and 2.0 pmol of NNAL/mg of creatinine, respectively; mean difference = 0.9 pmol of NNAL/mg of creatinine, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.2 to 1.5; P =.008). Compared with baseline levels, total NNAL levels (P =.003), but not 1-HOP levels, were statistically significantly reduced in cigarette smokers who switched to the OMNI cigarette, although both total NNAL levels and 1-HOP levels were statistically significantly reduced in smokers who switched to the nicotine patch (P<.001 for both). The overall mean total NNAL levels among smokers who used the nicotine patch was statistically significantly lower than that among smokers who used the OMNI cigarette (mean = 1.2 and 1.9 pmol of NNAL/mg of creatinine, respectively; mean difference = 0.6 pmol of NNAL/mg of creatinine, 95% CI = 0.1 to 1.1; P =.022). CONCLUSION Switching to reduced-exposure tobacco products or medicinal nicotine can decrease levels of tobacco-associated carcinogens, with greater reductions being observed with medicinal nicotine. Medicinal nicotine is a safer alternative than modified tobacco products.
Industry structure and the performance of the Global System for Mobile-telecommunication operators in Nigeria

This study investigates industry structure and its relationship with the performance of GSM network operators in Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey research design was adopted with the use of primary data, which were gathered with the aid of a questionnaire. The questionnaire was structured to elicit information from respondents. Three hundred and eight-five (385) copies of questionnaire were administered on the respondents using the stratified sampling technique. The strata comprised of the four GSM service providers operating in Nigeria as at when this study was carried out. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Multiple Regression Model were the statistical tools used to test the formulated hypothesis at 5% level of significance. The findings revealed that there was positive statistical significant relationship between the combination of industry structure variables and the performance of the GSM network operators in Nigeria. Based on the findings, the study recommended that, managers of the four sampled GSM service providers need to constantly carry-out strategic industry analysis and environmental scanning. This will serve to ensure rapid responses to both favourable and adverse industry conditions as business manager has little or no control over the industry structure. Keywords: GSM, industry structure, performance, profitability
Influence of CEO characteristics on short-term M&A performance

The purpose of this research study is to identify and analyse how different CEO characteristics can influence short-term M&A performance. In particular, personal aspects in regards to M&A decisions are examined within a European setting, covering the time period from 2004 until 2013. The defined hypotheses, based on previous empirical research studies, are tested by conducting multivariate regression analyses. As a result, it can be concluded which CEO characteristics have a crucial influence on short-term M&A performance and what kind of implications can be drawn for corporate governance.
Magnetic resonance imaging of the wrist: diagnostic performance statistics.

AIM To review the published diagnostic performance statistics for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the wrist for tears of the triangular fibrocartilage complex, the intrinsic carpal ligaments, and for osteonecrosis of the carpal bones. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used Medline and Embase to search the English language literature. Studies evaluating the diagnostic performance of MRI of the wrist in living patients with surgical confirmation of MR findings were identified. RESULTS We identified 11 studies reporting the diagnostic performance of MRI for tears of the triangular fibrocartilage complex for a total of 410 patients, six studies for the scapho-lunate ligament (159 patients), six studies for the luno-triquetral ligament (142 patients) and four studies (56 patients) for osteonecrosis of the carpal bones. CONCLUSIONS Magnetic resonance imaging is an accurate means of diagnosing tears of the triangular fibrocartilage and carpal osteonecrosis. Although MRI is highly specific for tears of the intrinsic carpal ligaments, its sensitivity is low. The diagnostic performance of MRI in the wrist is improved by using high-resolution T2* weighted 3D gradient echo sequences. Using current imaging techniques without intra-articular contrast medium, magnetic resonance imaging cannot reliably exclude tears of the intrinsic carpal ligaments. Hobby, J. L. (2001). Clinical Radiology, 56, 50-57.