Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of Computed Tomography Voxel Size in Detection and Discrimination of Calcium and Iron Deposits in Atherosclerotic Human Coronary Artery Specimens

Objective: This study evaluated the influence of voxel size on its ability to discriminate calcium from iron deposits in ex vivo coronary arteries. Methods: Postmortem human coronary arteries underwent multislice computed tomographic scan at (600-&mgr;m)3 voxel size to provide an index of computed tomography (CT) image noise and synchrotron-based micro-CT at (4-&mgr;m)3 voxel size to provide data for generating a range of voxel sizes 4 to (600-&mgr;m)3 after grayscale noise was added to the projection images before reconstruction so as to mimic the effect of retaining the same radiation exposure involved in the multislice computed tomographic scan. Results: At voxel sizes of (20-&mgr;m)3 or smaller, iron deposits could be identified based on CT grayscale value. Voxels of (100-&mgr;m)3 or larger cannot resolve nor distinguish iron deposits from calcifications by virtue of CT grayscale value. Conclusions: Clinical CT scanners cannot be expected to discriminate iron deposits from calcifications by their CT value alone in the arterial wall.
Nonlinear effects in behavioral changes in Huntington disease.

To the Editor: Craufurd et al. (1) found three factors in their study of the behavioral changes in Huntington disease (HD): apathy, depression and irritability. The “apathy” factor was highly correlated with duration of illness, whereas no such relationship was observed for “depression” and “irritability. ” However, in our opinion, they have underestimated their findings due to inappropriate statistical methodology. In figure 1B of their article, all variables in factor 2, labeled as irritability, have a peak in the middle of the progression of the disease. The overall range of illness duration the authors monitored was 1 to 23 years. The peak in the figure suggests a nonlinear relationship in their data. Although they did mention that there was a tendency for factor 2 symptoms to occur more frequently in subjects with illness duration between 6 and 11 years, they did not report whether they tested the significance of this tendency. Dividing duration of illness into seven equal groups has the consequence that the measurement level is reduced from continuous to categorical. The authors have used Spearman rank-order correlations for analyzing the relationship of behavioral symptoms to disease duration. Generally, the efficiency of Spearman correlations are 91% relative to Pearson correlations (2,3). It is less efficient to categorize data and use Spearman correlations than it is to use Pearson correlations on the original continuous data. Much information is lost by categorizing the continuous variable. In a similar study on developing a 32 four-answer item rating scale for Huntington patients in the final stages of the disease (Behavior Observation Scale Huntington), we found five principal components in two clusters (4). The first cluster includes activities of daily living, social-cognition, and speech capacity, representing the progression of the disease. The other cluster contains inflexibility and obsessive-compulsive behavior, representing unmanageability of the patient. Using regression analysis, we found a significant nonlinear relation between these two clusters (F(2,81) = 6.56; p = 0.0023). Unmanageability was found to be highest half way through the progression of the disease. Although it is possible to find a quadratic relation by correlating the square of the progression with the unmanageability, it is less effective to find nonlinear effects, such as quadratic, cubic, or logarithmic effects. Commonly used statistical packages, such as the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) (5), provide a curve-fitting module, based on regression, which facilitates the finding of nonlinear relations. If our data would have been analyzed with Spearman rank order correlations, after categorization into seven equal groups, the effect would not have been significant (p = 0.185), which is particularly due to unnecessary loss of information. This loss of information may disguise clinical reality. Therefore, regression analysis on the continuous data is more suitable here, and we suggest that Craufurd et al. reanalyze their data.
Towards Assessment of Saudi Arabia Public Awareness of Water Shortage Problem

Kingdom of Saudi Arab ia (KSA) is located in a very harsh natural desert environ ment with no rivers or lakes and an average yearly rainfall of less than 100 mm. The country is under ext reme water shortage conditions. To meet the ever increasing water demand, KSA currently produces around 1 Billion Cubic Meter of desalinated sea water per year with an average cost of 0.80 US $/ m3. The current water pricing s ystem does not meet this cost. The water supplied to public almost free, where an average Saudi family pays less than 2 US $ per month for water. The current investigation was designed and implemented to measure the public awareness of water shortage problem and their wiliness to pay for water. One hundred and ninety-six questionnaires were completed online and in person in Al Khobar City at the Eastern Province of KSA. Results fro m the survey show low-level of water shortage awareness among respondents. Extensive work is urgently needed to increase water awareness through water media ca mpaigns. It shows also that the majo rity of respondents believe that they do not pay much for water. The current water pricing system should go through an intensive review and should be considered as an economic incentives tool for water conservation.
Hubungan Tingkat Kecemasan Terhadap Terkendalinya Gula Darah Pada Pasien Diabetes Melitus Di Puskesmas Pakis Surabaya

Pendahuluan: Keberhasilan pengobatan pada pasien Diabetes Mellitus salah satunya dilihat dari terkendalinya kadar gula darah. Terkendalinya kadar gula darah ini dipengaruhi oleh faktor diit, aktivitas fisik, kepatuhan minum obat dan pengetahuan. Keterlibatan faktor-faktor ini dapat mempengaruhi kondisi kesehatan. Pasien Diabetes Mellitus sering datang ke Puskesmas dan dilakukan pemeriksaan gula darah banyak yang gula darahnya naik atau tidak terkendali. Penderita DM yang memiliki gangguan psikologis terutama kece- masan dan depresi meningkatkan kurangnya manajeman dan hasil terapi. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mencari hubungan antara tingkat kecemasan dengan kadar gula darah pada penderita DM yang dirawat di Puskesmas Pakis Surabaya Metode: Desain yang digunakan pada penelitian ini korelasi. Dalam penelitian ini menggunakan variabel independen dan dependen. Populasi dari Penelitian ini adalah seluruh pasien Diabetes Mellitus di Puskesmas Pakis. Sampel yang digunakan 40 orang dengan menggunakan teknik consecutive sampling. Pengambilan data dengan kuisioner. Data diperoleh dari hasil kuisoner, data yang terkumpul ditabulasi dengan tabel dan dikonfirmasikan dalam bentuk tabel. Hasil: Dari hasil penelitian ini didapatkan hasil adanya hubungan antara kecemasan dengan terkendalinya kadar gula darah.
Determination of dose-response relationship in cultured human lymphocytes for biological dosimetry

Background: Lymphocyte-dicentric assay is the most generally accepted method for biological dosimetry of overexposed individuals. In this study, the frequency of unstable chromosome aberration in blood lymphocytes was used to estimate radiation dose received by individuals. Evaluation of dose using a calibration curve produced elsewhere may have a significant uncertainty; therefore, experiments were performed to produce a dose-response curve using an established protocol of international atomic energy agency. Materials and Methods: Lymphocytes in whole peripheral blood obtained from healthy individuals, were exposed to various doses of gamma radiation (0.25 – 4 Gy). Then after 1 hour of incubation in 37 o C, were cultured in complete RPMI-1640 medium. 500 mitoses were analysed for the presence or absence of unstable chromosomal aberrations for each radiation dose after the standard metaphase preparation and staining slides. Results and Conclusion: Intercellular distribution of dicentric chromosomes at each radiation dose has been used to contrast a dose-response curve. It seems that dose-effect relationship follows with the linear-quadratic model. There is a good agreement between our dose-response curves with similar published studies by other laboratories. Iran. J. Radiat. Res., 2004; 2 (2): 85-88
A Cool, Sub-0.2 dB Noise Figure GaN HEMT Power Amplifier With 2-Watt Output Power

This paper reports on a S-, C-band low-noise power amplifier (LNPA) which achieves a sub-0.2 dB noise figure (NF) over a multi-octave band and a saturated output power (Psat) of 2 W at a cool temperature of -30degC . The GaN MMIC is based on a 0.2 mum AlGaN/GaN-SiC HEMT technology with an fT ~ 75 GHz. At a cool temperature of -30degC and a power bias of 15 V-400 mA, the MMIC achieves 0.25-0.45 dB average NF over a 2-8 GHz band and a linear P1dB of 32.8 dBm ( ~ 2 W) with 25% power-added efficiency (PAE). At a medium bias of 12 V-200 mA, the amplifier achieves 0.1-0.2 dB average NF across the same band and a P1dB of 32.2 dBm (1.66 W) with 35% PAE. The corresponding saturated output power is greater than 2 W. At a low noise bias of 5 V-200 mA, a remarkable 0.05-0.15 dB average NF is achieved with a P1dB > 24 dBm and PAE ~ 33%. These results are believed to be the lowest NF ever reported for a multi-octave fully matched MMIC amplifier capable of > 2 W of output power.
The Transactive Processes of Social Coding: How Code Review Substitutes for Transactive Memory in Software Development Teams

Social coding refers to a modern and technology-mediated way of peer code review between software developers. Whereas social coding has a long tradition in open source communities, it is only recently becoming popular in co-located, agile information systems development teams. Although social coding constitutes an important mechanisms of quality assurance and organizational learning in open source, little is known about its effects on co-located and ongoing professional software development teams. We close this gap by examining the question of how and why social coding affects professional development teams’ work outcome and transactive memory. Results from our questionnaire-based survey with 61 development teams of more than 300 developers, team leads, and product managers, suggest that social coding not only improves teams’ software quality directly but can also partially substitute for their transactive memory system. This has implications for theory on software development and transactive memory.
Differences between early-onset pathological gambling and later-onset pathological gambling: data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC).

AIMS To examine differences between early-onset versus later-onset pathological gamblers in socio-demographic characteristics, rates of Axis I and II disorders, preferred type of gambling and rates of treatment-seeking in a large nationally representative survey of adults in the United States. DESIGN Data were collected from face-to-face interviews using the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule DSM-IV version IV (AUDADIS-IV). SETTING AND MEASUREMENT: The study drew on data from the United States' National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). PARTICIPANTS All individuals with a DSM-IV diagnosis of pathological gambling (PG). To be consistent with prior studies, age of onset of PG was dichotomized as 25 years and younger (early-onset) versus 26 years and older (later-onset). FINDINGS Individuals with early-onset PG were more likely than individuals with later-onset PG to be male [odds ratio (OR) = 2.86; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.20, 6.82], never married (OR = 3.51; 95% CI = 1.39, 8.84), to have income below US$70 000 (OR = 0.09; 95% CI = 0.01, 0.61), to belong to younger cohorts (OR = 0.93; 95% CI = 0.89, 0.97) and to have a cluster B personality disorder (OR = 4.11; 95% CI = 1.77, 9.55), but less likely to have a mood disorder (OR = 0.42; 95% CI = 0.19, 0.94). There were no differences between individuals with early- and later-onset PG regarding rates of treatment-seeking (OR = 0.71; 95% CI = 0.20, 2.43) or preferred type of gambling (OR = 2.00; 95% CI = 0.55, 7.3). All results remained significant after adjusting for age, sex and race, except the difference in the prevalence for mood disorders, which was no longer significant. CONCLUSIONS Individuals with early-onset versus later-onset pathological gambling differ in several socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, but not in their preferred types of game. Individuals from more recent cohorts appear to be at significantly increased risk for developing early-onset pathological gambling.
Business intelligence competence, agile capabilities, and agile performance in supply chain

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the role of business intelligence (BI) in achieving agility in supply chain context by examining the relationship between BI competence, agile capabilities, and agile performance of the supply chain. Design/methodology/approach – A theoretical framework is developed drawing on the resource-based view, the dynamic capabilities perspective, and the competence-capability relationship paradigm, as well as an extensive review of the literature. Structural equation modeling is employed to analyze the data collected from Iranian manufacturers in the automotive industry. Findings – The empirical results support the conceptualization of supply chain BI competence as a multi-dimensional construct comprising managerial, technical, and cultural competence, and confirm that it is a key enabler of supply chain agility in terms of both agile capabilities and agile performance. The results also provide support for partial mediation of agile capabilities on the relationship .
Comparison of different gutta-percha root filling techniques: Thermafil, Quick-fill, System B, and lateral condensation.

OBJECTIVES In this in vitro study, the core (gutta-percha or gutta-percha and carrier)/sealer ratio and the sealing ability were calculated for 4 different gutta-percha techniques: Thermafil, JS Quick-Fill, System B, and lateral condensation. STUDY DESIGN One hundred single-rooted teeth were instrumented and obturated. Forty of the teeth were embedded in resin and sectioned horizontally at 1, 2,3, and 4 mm from the anatomic apex. Photographs were taken of each section, and the total area of the canal filled with core material or sealer was calculated. Sixty of the teeth were kept in wet storage for 90 days, after which the teeth were immersed in 2% methylene blue for 48 hours. The length of dye penetration was measured. RESULTS Roots obturated with Thermafil and JS Quick-Fill contained significantly more core material than did those obturated with System B or with lateral condensation. The lateral condensation technique had the lowest core/sealer ratio (P < .05). Roots using Thermafil and Quick-Fill showed significantly less dye leakage than did the lateral condensation technique. CONCLUSIONS Through use of these techniques in vitro, Thermafil and JS Quick-Fill with carrier and System B were found to be superior to the lateral condensation technique in terms of core/sealer ratio. Thermafil and Quick-Fill were superior to lateral condensation in terms of dye leakage.
Concerns about cancer risk and experiences with genetic testing in a diverse population of patients with breast cancer.

PURPOSE To evaluate preferences for and experiences with genetic testing in a diverse cohort of patients with breast cancer identified through population-based registries, with attention to differences by race/ethnicity. METHODS We surveyed women diagnosed with nonmetastatic breast cancer from 2005 to 2007, as reported to the SEER registries of metropolitan Los Angeles and Detroit, about experiences with hereditary risk evaluation. Multivariable models evaluated correlates of a strong desire for genetic testing, unmet need for discussion with a health care professional, and receipt of testing. RESULTS Among 1,536 patients who completed the survey, 35% expressed strong desire for genetic testing, 28% reported discussing testing with a health care professional, and 19% reported test receipt. Strong desire for testing was more common in younger women, Latinas, and those with family history. Minority patients were significantly more likely to have unmet need for discussion (failure to discuss genetic testing with a health professional when they had a strong desire for testing): odds ratios of 1.68, 2.44, and 7.39 for blacks, English-speaking Latinas, and Spanish-speaking Latinas compared with whites, respectively. Worry in the long-term survivorship period was higher among those with unmet need for discussion (48.7% v 24.9%; P <.001). Patients who received genetic testing were younger, less likely to be black, and more likely to have a family cancer history. CONCLUSION Many patients, especially minorities, express a strong desire for genetic testing and may benefit from discussion to clarify risks. Clinicians should discuss genetic risk even with patients they perceive to be at low risk, as this may reduce worry.
Uptake and intracellular activity of an optically active ofloxacin isomer in human neutrophils and tissue culture cells

The penetration of an optically active ofloxacin isomer [(-)-ofloxacin] into human neutrophils and different tissue culture cells (HEp-2, McCoy, MDCK, and Vero) was studied and compared with that of ofloxacin by a fluorometric assay. The cellular-to-extracellular-concentration ratios (C/E) of (-)-ofloxacin were always higher than 6, significantly greater than those of ofloxacin at extracellular concentrations of 5 and 10 mg/liter. The penetration of (-)-ofloxacin and ofloxacin was doubled when neutrophils were stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate but not affected after ingestion of opsonized Staphylococcus aureus. The C/E ratios of (-)-ofloxacin and ofloxacin for different tissue culture epithelial cells and fibroblasts were lower than those of neutrophils but still higher than 2. Both compounds produced a significant reduction in viable intraphagocytic S. aureus during 3 h of exposure to antimicrobial agents. We conclude that (-)-ofloxacin appears to reach higher intracellular concentrations than ofloxacin, remaining active inside the neutrophils.
Small Business Performance in Urban Tourism

Research findings indicate that the successful performance of small businesses is an important determinant of regional development. Successful business performance is affected by a number of firm-specific factors including human and social capital. Although, small and medium firms comprise the vast majority of the tourism production system, research on small business performance in tourism is rather limited. Drawing on recent advances and empirical evidence from enterpreneurship and small business literature we control first, for the role of human and social capital and second, for the role of owners'/managers' perceptions of place attractiveness over small business performance. We hypothesise that such perceptions should have specific effects on tourism business performance. Analysis is based on cross-sectional data gathered from face-to-face interviews with small tourism businesses owners/managers in Patras, Greece.
Developmental and Reproductive Outcomes in Humans and Animals After Glyphosate Exposure: A Critical Analysis

Glyphosate is the active ingredient of several widely used herbicide formulations. Glyphosate targets the shikimate metabolic pathway, which is found in plants but not in animals. Despite the relative safety of glyphosate, various adverse developmental and reproductive problems have been alleged as a result of exposure in humans and animals. To assess the developmental and reproductive safety of glyphosate, an analysis of the available literature was conducted. Epidemiological and animal reports, as well as studies on mechanisms of action related to possible developmental and reproductive effects of glyphosate, were reviewed. An evaluation of this database found no consistent effects of glyphosate exposure on reproductive health or the developing offspring. Furthermore, no plausible mechanisms of action for such effects were elucidated. Although toxicity was observed in studies that used glyphosate-based formulations, the data strongly suggest that such effects were due to surfactants present in the formulations and not the direct result of glyphosate exposure. To estimate potential human exposure concentrations to glyphosate as a result of working directly with the herbicide, available biomonitoring data were examined. These data demonstrated extremely low human exposures as a result of normal application practices. Furthermore, the estimated exposure concentrations in humans are >500-fold less than the oral reference dose for glyphosate of 2 mg/kg/d set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA 1993). In conclusion, the available literature shows no solid evidence linking glyphosate exposure to adverse developmental or reproductive effects at environmentally realistic exposure concentrations.
Implications of Cash-Hoarding for Shareholders

Agency theory suggests that firms with very high cash balances (“cash hoarders”) are likely to misinvest their funds. However, if investors do not fully recognize the implications of a high cash balance, then future returns may be predictable for cash-hoarding firms. We find that cash hoarders significantly underperform over the two years following their identification as hoarding. In subsequent analysis, we find that returns are significantly negative in the year that a prior cash-hoarding firm reports a significant decrease in cash. Our results suggest that investors do not fully appreciate the implications of a high cash balance for future returns, but do recognize problems when that cash is subsequently spent.
The role of Active Galactic Nuclei feedback in the formation of the brightest cluster galaxies

Abstract The formation of the brightest cluster galaxies (BCG) is a challenge for galaxy formation theory. We performed high resolution cosmological hydrodynamical simulations with the AMR code RAMSES to study the properties of the BCG which forms at the center of a Virgo–like cluster. We compare the results of 2 galaxy formation scenarios, one in which only supernovae feedback is included, and one in which also AGN feedback is considered. Properties of the simulated BCG which are comparable with those of observed massive elliptical galaxies and BCGs cannot be obtained if AGN feedback is not considered. The stellar-to-halo mass ratio in simulations without AGN feedback appears too large when compared to observations, while it is compatible the observationally determined values when AGN feedback is included. The kinematical and structural properties of the BCG are extremely different in the two models. When we do not include AGN feedback, the BCG is quickly rotating, with high Sérsic index, a clear mass excess in the center and a very large stellar mass fraction. When AGN feedback is considered, the BCG is slowly rotating, with a significantly cored surface density profile and low stellar mass fraction.