Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CT detection of retroperitoneal lymph node metastases in patients with clinical stage I testicular nonseminomatous germ cell cancer: assessment of size and distribution criteria.

OBJECTIVE Patients with nonseminomatous germ cell cancer of the testis with no evidence of metastatic disease after orchiectomy may be managed with either retroperitoneal lymph node dissection or surveillance. The present retrospective study was undertaken to determine the accuracy of CT for revealing retroperitoneal lymph node metastases in patients with newly diagnosed clinical stage 1 testicular nonseminomatous germ cell cancer of the testis when smaller size criteria (smaller than 10 mm) are applied and to test the hypothesis that CT-revealed anterior retroperitoneal lymph nodes are more likely to correlate with metastases than are posterior lymph nodes. MATERIALS AND METHODS Abdominal CT scans obtained before surgery in 70 patients were reviewed by three observers who were unaware of the results of retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy. The sizes and sites of all lymph nodes measuring larger than or equal to 4 mm were recorded. Each CT scan was judged as positive or negative for retroperitoneal metastasis on the basis of the size of the largest measured lymph node at the expected metastatic site. Diameters of 4, 6, 8, and 10 mm were successively applied to each case as the criteria for a positive scan. RESULTS Using a criterion of 10 mm or larger for metastases, we calculated a sensitivity of 37% and a specificity of 100%; with a 4-mm criterion, the sensitivity was 93% and the specificity was 58%. Receiver operating characteristic curves comparing the accuracy of CT for revealing similar-sized lymph nodes located anterior or posterior to a line bisecting the aorta differed significantly (p = .04) when the same criteria were applied to lymph nodes in both regions. CONCLUSION False-negative rates were decreased from 63% using a size criterion of 10 mm to as low as 7% using a size criterion of 4 mm, with a corresponding decrease in specificity. Lymph nodes measuring larger than or equal to 4 mm, especially those located anterior to the mid portion of the aorta, should raise a suspicion of metastases.
Assessing the Robustness of Power Posing

In a growing body of research, psychologists have studied how physical expression influences psychological processes (see Riskind & Gotay, 1982; Stepper & Strack, 1993, for early contributions to this literature). A recent strand of literature within this field has focused on how physical postures that express power and dominance (power poses) influence psychological and physiological processes, as well as decision making (e.g., Carney, Cuddy, & Yap, 2010; Cesario & McDonald, 2013; Yap, Wazlawek, Lucas, Cuddy, & Carney, 2013). Carney et al. found that power posing affected levels of hormones such as testosterone and cortisol, financial risk taking, and self-reported feelings of power in a sample of 42 participants (randomly assigned to hold poses suggesting either high or low power). We conducted a conceptual replication study with a similar methodology as that employed by Carney et al. but using a substantially larger sample (N = 200) and a design in which the experimenter was blind to condition. Our statistical power to detect an effect of the magnitude reported by Carney et al. was more than 95% (see the Supplemental Material available online). In addition to the three outcome measures that Carney et al. used, we also studied two more behavioral tasks (risk taking in the loss domain and willingness to compete). Consistent with the findings of Carney et al., our results showed a significant effect of power posing on self-reported feelings of power. However, we found no significant effect of power posing on hormonal levels or in any of the three behavioral tasks.
Reactive nitrogen budget during the NASA SONEX Mission

The SASS Ozone and Nitrogen Oxides Experiment (SONEX) over the North Atlantic during October/November 1997 offered an excellent opportunity to examine the budget of reactive nitrogen in the upper troposphere (8–12 km altitude). The median measured total reactive nitrogen (NOy) mixing ratio was 425 parts per trillion by volume (pptv). A data set merged to the HNO3 measurement time resolution was used to calculate NOy (NOy sum) by summing the reactive nitrogen species (a combination of measured plus modeled results) and comparing it to measured NOy (NOy meas.). Comparisons were done for tropospheric air (O3 <100 parts per billion by volume (ppbv)) and stratospherically influenced air (O3 > 100 ppbv) with both showing good agreement between NOy sum and NOy meas. (slope >0.9 and r² ≈ 0.9). The total reactive nitrogen budget in the upper troposphere over the North Atlantic appears to be dominated by a mixture of NOx (NO + NO2), HNO3, and PAN. In tropospheric air median values of NOx/NOy were ≈ 0.25, HNO3/NOy ≈ 0.35 and PAN/NOy ≈ 0.17. Particulate NO3− and alkyl nitrates together composed <10% of NOy, while model estimated HNO4 averaged 12%. For the air parcels sampled during SONEX, there does not appear to be a large reservoir of unidentified NOy compounds.
Intelligent Seat Belt Reminders—Do They Change Driver Seat Belt Use in Europe?

Objective. Many modern cars have seat belt reminders (SBRs) using loud and clear sound and light signals. These systems have developed over the last few years. This study investigates how these modern systems influence the seat belt use in real-life traffic in built-up areas in some European cities. Methods. The data were collected by field observations in major cities in six European countries and in five cities around Sweden. A selection of car models having seat belt reminders (SBR) were compared to a fleet of similar car models without such reminders. Results. A significant difference in seat belt wearing rate was found in the cars with seat belt reminders. For all observations, the total seat belt wearing rate was 97.5% +/− 0.5% in cars with SBR, while it was 85.8% +/− 0.8% in cars without. There were differences in seat belt use in the different observation locations. The lowest seat belt use was found in Brussels/Belgium with a use rate of 92.6 +/− 2.2% in cars with seat belt reminders and 69.6 +/− 3.1% in cars not fitted with reminders. The highest seat belt use was found in Paris/France where 99.8 +/− 0.4% of the drivers used the seat belt in cars with reminders and 96.9 +/−1.1% were belted in cars without reminders. Conclusion. Seat belt reminders fulfilling Euro NCAP's seat belt reminder protocol are increasing the seat belt use in daily traffic significantly. Around 80% (82.2% +/− 8.6%) of the drivers not putting the belt on without a seat belt reminder do so in cars equipped with an SBR that has a light signal and an associated loud and clear sound signal.
Cell adhesion molecule 1 is a novel pancreatic-islet cell adhesion molecule that mediates nerve-islet cell interactions.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Cell adhesion molecule 1 (CADM1), mediates nerve-mast cell attachment and communication through homophilic binding. An immunohistochemical screen showed that CADM1 is expressed in pancreatic islets. Here, we determined the cell types expressing CADM1 and examined its role in nerve-islet cell interactions. METHODS Immunohistochemistry and double-staining immunofluorescence were performed on murine and human pancreases and on islet cell tumors (ICTs). alphaTC6 cells, a murine alpha cell line, were cultured on neurite networks of superior cervical ganglia. Neurite-alphaTC6 cell attachment and communication were examined after nerves were activated specifically by scorpion venom. RESULTS CADM1 was expressed on the plasma membrane in all 4 major types of islet cells, alpha, beta, D, and pancreatic polypeptide in human beings, but primarily in alpha cells in mice. In cocultures, alphaTC6 cell to neurite attachment was inhibited dose-dependently by an anti-CADM1 function-blocking antibody. In response to scorpion venom-evoked nerve activation, 36% of the alphaTC6 cells mobilized Ca(2+), and introduction of a CADM1-targeting small interfering RNA reduced the fraction of responding cells to 7%. In 21 human ICTs, CADM1 was present in the plasma membrane of 7, and the others were negative for CADM1. Six of the CADM1-expressing tumors were functional hormonally, whereas all but 2 of the CADM1-negative tumors were nonfunctional (P = .0032). CONCLUSIONS CADM1 is a novel islet cell adhesion molecule mediating nerve-islet cell interactions. The strong correlation between CADM1 expression and hormonally functional phenotypes suggests that CADM1 is involved in hormone secretion from ICTs.
GABA transporter-1 mRNA in the prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia: decreased expression in a subset of neurons.

OBJECTIVE Within the prefrontal cortex of schizophrenic subjects, alterations in markers of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission, including decreased immunoreactivity for the GABA membrane transporter GAT-1, may be most prominent in a subset of inhibitory neurons. In the present study, the authors sought to determine whether the alterations in GAT-1 protein could be attributed to a reduction in GAT-1 mRNA expression. METHOD Tissue sections containing prefrontal cortex area 9 from 10 matched pairs of schizophrenic and comparison subjects were processed for in situ hybridization histochemistry with (35)S-oligonucleotide probes for GAT-1 mRNA. RESULTS In the schizophrenic subjects, the relative density of labeled neurons was 21%-33% lower in layers 1-5 of the prefrontal cortex but was unchanged in layer 6. In contrast, cellular levels of GAT-1 mRNA expression, as reflected in grain density per labeled neuron, did not differ by more than 11% between subject groups in any layer. These findings indicate that GAT-1 mRNA expression is relatively unaltered in the majority of prefrontal cortex GABA neurons in schizophrenic subjects but is reduced below a detectable level in a subset of GABA neurons. Furthermore, the magnitude and laminar pattern of these results were strikingly similar to those found in a previous study of mRNA expression for the synthesizing enzyme of GABA, glutamic acid decarboxylase(67), in the same subjects. CONCLUSIONS Both GABA synthesis and reuptake appear to be altered at the level of gene expression in a subset of GABA neurons, and the resulting changes in GABA neurotransmission may contribute to prefrontal cortex dysfunction in schizophrenia.
tuPOY: Epitomizing a New Epoch in Communications With Polymer Textiles

The paper presents a new paradigm from the perspective of pervasive on-body computing through an innovative polymerized textile, which exhibits sensing and radiation properties. A radical, first of its kind, sensor fabricated from unsaturated polymer resin textile, establishes a dynamic link connecting human thermodynamics to electrical ambiance. A dynamic fabrication process of esterification and η-polymerization is developed, which is articulately arrested using an innovatively formulated retardant, yielding a permanent thermally unstable partially oriented yarn (tuPOY). A prudently established nontrivial interchange phenomenon is founded, presenting an inimitable calibration mechanism of the sensors and charting a novel relationship of exuberated energy to lattice kinetics of tuPOY. This meticulously researched conducting medium of tuPOY, fabricated from aromatic polyamides, also presents an avant-garde architecture for proliferation of electrical and thermal signals concomitantly between the sensors and its transmission circuit. A power generating unit (PGU) delineates the power mining from thermal energy dissipated from the body, presenting a new dimension in operational power dynamics. A textile composite antenna is premeditated exclusively from radiating tuPOY-based patch and substrate, an archetype reporting in published literature. The judiciously designed antenna, with tuPOY coupled as its patch, and substrate operate as shields against the radiations directed towards the body leading to a self-sustained sculpt. The back-end hardware of the test setup conceptualizes an automated physician machine (APM) presenting a standalone architecture. The artificial intelligence core of APM is modeled on weighted multiclass support vector machines (wmSVMs). The capturing of signal variations, devoid of any metallic components, presents a singular facet of research and amalgamates various interdisciplinary fields, while providing a robust architecture with minimum tradeoffs.
Agronomic and Economic Evaluation of Autumn Planted Sugarcane under Different Planting Patterns with Lentil Intercropping

Proper sowing orientation and spacing are important factors for best crop growth. A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of different planting patterns with and without lentil intercropping on sugarcane growth and yield and farm economics. Each of these treatments were planted as sole crop and intercropped with lentil. Data were collected on plant cane and first ratoon crop. The maximum stripped cane yields (154.36 t/ha and 130.28 t/ha in plant and ratoon crop, respectively) were obtained from sugarcane planted at 120 cm trench planting both as sole as well as lentil intercropped. This treatment also attained 61% and 43% higher total sugar yields compared to traditional 60 cm single rows planting in plant and ratoon crops, respectively. Lentil intercropping did not have any significant effect on sugarcane yield, but trench planting at 120 cm with lentil intercropping had the highest lentil seed yield (598.0 in 2013–2014 and 629.8 kg ha−1 in 2014–2015) along with maximum land equivalent ratio (1.40 and 1.37), net return (Rs.321254/ha), net field benefit (Rs.491703/ha) and benefit cost ratio (2.01). Sugarcane at 120 cm trench planting with lentil intercropping also outperformed other planting patterns in improving economic returns.
The correlation of adhesions and peritoneal fluid cytokine concentrations: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND Intra-abdominal adhesion formation and reformation after surgery is a significant cause of morbidity. The greatest problem after the surgical removal of adhesions is their reformation. We examined the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in the peritoneal fluid throughout the 48 h post-operative period following adhesiolysis, and correlated the results to the extent of adhesion reformation. METHODS Peritoneal fluid, collected from eight patients following laparoscopy and again at 12, 36 and 48 h after surgery, was analysed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (IL-1 and IL-6) and bioassay (TNF-alpha). At 48 h, a second look laparoscopy was performed to inspect the pelvis for adhesion formation/reformation. RESULTS Three patients had adhesion reformation >10% at 48 h after surgery. The mean adhesion score 48 h after adhesiolysis was 5 (range 0-17). The mean reduction in adhesion score was 88% (range 83-100%). Newly formed adhesions were filmy, relatively soft and avascular in nature. Adhesion reformation of >10% was associated with (i) high concentrations of IL-6 at 12 h (P < 0.01) and (ii) high concentrations of IL-1 at 48 h (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Results from this preliminary study suggest that future treatment strategies for adhesion prevention could be aimed at the control of cellular mediators in the peritoneal fluid during the initial adhesion formation period.
Nihongo: In Defence of Japanese . By Roy Andrew Miller. London: Athlone Press, 1986. 262 pp. $49.95. - The Myth of Japanese Uniqueness . By Peter N. Dale. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1986. 233 pp. $29.95.

The study does have its limitations. One seems to be an unavoidable part of studying a religion in a hamlet: there are very few members in his study. More important, the discussion of Rissho Kosei-kai seems somewhat underdeveloped and imbalanced. The first 114 pages are in effect an introduction; only the last 90 pages deal with Rissho Kosei-kai. The theoretical underpinnings of the study are also somewhat underdeveloped and imbalanced. Guthrie is at pains to defend the pragmatic rationality of the members as well as the empirical method they use in assessing this religion. His point is well taken, but it is developed at the expense of other aspects of the religion. His study strongly suggests that there are three main reasons members join and remain in Rissho Kosei-kai. The first is to solve specific problems, primarily illness, and here the pragmatism and empiricism—and his frequent use of economic metaphors—apply well. But in addition people remain members as a result of the "emotionally supportive community" (p. 190) that Rissho Kosei-kai provides, and here psychological and social metaphors and theories would be appropriate. Third, members are attracted to the fullness of their religion's explanation of the world: it gives life meaning. The model here is not economic but hermeneutic. Guthrie mentions all three factors, especially in his final chapter, but he seems to want to subsume all factors under the rubric of pragmatics and economy, rather than give each one a separate, although overlapping and complementary, role.
Effects of electroencephalogram biofeedback with Asperger's syndrome

This article reports the pilot study of electroencephalogram (EEG) biofeedback to improve focusing and decrease anxiety in 10 adolescent boys diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome attending a therapeutic day school. Five of the boys dropped out of the study before 12 sessions were completed. The analysis of pre- and post-intervention quantitative EEGs for the five students who completed the study showed a trend to ‘normalization’, but did not reach statistical significance. All five boys who completed 24 sessions showed improved behavior as rated by parents and teachers, but other factors, such as maturation could not be ruled out as causes of the improvement. The challenges facing this research and proposals for further exploration are outlined.
Reversal of rice yield decline in a long-term continuous cropping experiment.

In a long-term continuous cropping experiment at Los Banos, Philippines, three rice (Oryza sativa L.) crops were grown each year with the goals of maximum annual grain production and high N use efficiency. Our objective was to identify the factors responsible for the restoration of yields occurring after 1991. From 1968 to 1991, grain yields declined at an annual rate of 1.4 to 2.0%. From 1991 to 1995, dry season (DS) yields in the highest N treatment increased to within 80 to 100% of the simulated yield potential; yields in the unfertilized control did not increase. Increased solar radiation, increased N rate, and improved timing of N applications accounted for the restoration of yields in the DS. Wet season yields increased in fertilized and unfertilized plots due to greater solar radiation, improved timing of N applications, and increased soil N supply due to dry fallow periods in three years. Residual benefits of soil aeration were short-term. Reducing preplant N fertilizer and increasing the number of split applications had a greater effect on increasing yield than the increase in the amount of N applied. Our results provide evidence that N deficiency caused the yield decline before 1991. However, the actual processes that caused a decline in soil N supply or plant N uptake remain to be determined. It is possible to sustain high yields and high N use efficiency if fertilizer regimes are updated regularly to maintain the congruence between crop N demand and the N supply from soil and fertilizer.
No evidence for feature overwriting in visual working memory

The effect of repeating features in a short-term memory task was tested in three experiments. Experiments 1 and 2 used a recognition paradigm. Participants encoded four serially presented objects and then decided whether a probe matched one of them with regard to all three features. In the control condition no feature was repeated; in the experimental condition features were repeated in two memory objects. Experiment 3 used a cued recall paradigm with the same list design. After list presentation one feature was used as a cue uniquely indicating one of the memory objects. Participants recalled the remaining two features of the probed object. Feature overwriting as one component of the interference model of Oberauer and Kliegl (2006) predicts worse performance in the experimental compared to the control condition. Results of all three experiments did not support this hypothesis. Recognition performances in Experiments 1 and 2 were not impaired by repeating features. Recall performance in Experiment 3 was better for repeated features, contrary to the predictions of feature overwriting. Predictions from feature overwriting for the shape of serial position curves were also not confirmed.
Frequency and Time Domain Design, Analysis and Implementation of a Multi-Gbps UWB Wilkinson Power Divider for 5G New Spectrum and CAR Applications

5G new spectrum radio access should support data rates exceeding 10 Gbps in most of its applications. An Ultra Wide Band (UWB) Ultra-high data rate Wilkinson power divider up to 6.9 Gbps for 5G new spectrum and CAR applications is presented in this paper. The step by step design procedure, optimization and implementation of this Wilkinson power divider in 20–30 GHz are completely done to achieve the optimum performance. The final fabrication results show the average of −14 dB of input matching, −20 dB of isolation of isolated Ports, −4.2 dB of coupling in output ports (considering 2 SMA connectors and transitions in each path), and linear phase variation of outputs in the whole bandwidth of 20–30 GHz. During the design procedure, a new and very useful coaxial to microstrip transition in K-band is designed, analyzed, developed and fabricated to achieve the best results. Also a complete study of time domain analysis with ultra-high data rate signal is presented to minimize the total reflection coefficient caused by the partial reflections from several discontinuities. To complete and validate the final fabricated Wilkinson power divider in ultra-high data rate application in 5G new spectrum, the extracted results of UWB-IR impulse radio with modulated ultra-high data rate signal up to 7 Gbps and in 20–30 GHz bandwidth is completely done. The measured results show that this fabricated Wilkinson power divider can handle a periodic modulated signal up to 7 Gbps, which are valuable results for many applications in 5G and CAR systems.
Improvement of prognosis for colorectal metastases by major hepatectomy after portal vein embolization.

BACKGROUND/AIMS A few studies have documented the prognosis of liver metastases from colorectal cancer by major hepatectomy after portal vein embolization (PE). Our objective was to decide whether PE improved the outcome and contributed to the patients with colorectal metastases. METHODOLOGY Thirty patients with liver metastases, who had undergone right-sided major hepatectomy were classified into the two groups, PE group (15 patients) and non-PE group (15 patients). The two groups were comparable in terms of survival rate. RESULTS The patients in the PE group had no advantage of the prognostic factors of colorectal metastases. The respective figures of the actual survival rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 78%, 70% and 53% in the PE group and 87%, 45% and 27% in the non-PE group. There were no significant differences between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS PE appears to improve the outcome of patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer by consecutive hepatectomy.