Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cytological Profile of Thyroid Lesions and it's Correlation with Clinical and Ultrasonography Findings

Background: Thyroid gland is the first endocrine gland to develop, largest of all endocrine glands. Superficial location of thyroid gland allows evaluation of thyroid lesions by FNAC (fine needle aspiration cytology). Aims and Objective: To study cytological profile of thyroid lesions and correlate the results with Ultrasonography findings and clinical features. Material and Methods: This prospective study was carried out on 138 patients who came to the department from period of May 2012 to December 2014. Out of these 138 patients USG was carried out in 115 patients. FNAC of patients was performed and results of FNAC were correlated with those of USG reports and clinical features of the patient. Results: Out of 138 cases 83 (60.1%) cases were benign, 18(13.0%) cases were inflammatory, 2 (1.4%) cases were malignant, 28 (20.3%) were categorised as indeterminate, and 7 (5.1%) cases were inadequate. All the 2 malignant cases were given as neoplastic on USG. Conclusion: FNAC is the main diagnostic modality of choice for thyroid lesions, along with Ultrasonography and clinical examination it helps to come to the proper diagnosis.
Presenting Features in 269 Patients With Clinically Nonfunctioning Pituitary Adenomas Enrolled in a Prospective Study

Abstract Context Clinically nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (CNFPAs) typically remain undetected until mass effect symptoms develop. However, currently, head imaging is performed commonly for many other indications, which may increase incidental discovery of CNFPAs. Since current presentation and outcome data are based on older, retrospective series, a prospective characterization of a contemporary CNFPA cohort was needed. Objective To determine the prevalence of incidental presentation and hypopituitarism and its predictors in a CNFPA cohort that spanned 6 to 9 mm micro- to macroadenoma included observational and surgical therapy. Methods At enrollment in a prospective, observational study, 269 patients with CNFPAs were studied by history, examination, blood sampling, and pituitary imaging analysis and categorized into incidental or symptoms presentation groups that were compared. Results Presentation was incidental in 48.7% of patients and due to tumor symptoms in 51.3%. In the symptoms and incidental groups, 58.7% and 27.4% of patients had hypopituitarism, respectively, and 25% of patients with microadenomas had hypopituitarism. Many had unappreciated signs and symptoms of pituitary disease. Most tumors were macroadenomas (87%) and were larger in the symptoms than incidental and hypopituitary groups than in the eupituitary groups. The patients in the incidental group were older, and males were older and had larger tumors in both the incidental and symptoms groups. Conclusions Patients with CNFPAs commonly present incidentally and with previously unrecognized hypopituitarism and symptoms that could have prompted earlier diagnosis. Our data support screening all large micro and macro-CNFPAs for hypopituitarism. Most patients with CNFPAs still have mass effect signs at presentation, suggesting the need for more awareness of pituitary disease. Our ongoing, prospective observation of this cohort will assess outcomes of these CNFPA groups.
Is cathodal prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation capable of affecting inhibitory control and sustained attention? A single-blind, crossover, sham-controlled study

Background Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS) has been shown to promote performance improvement of normal individuals in tests of executive function, including tasks that demand sustained attention and inhibitory control. The presumed mechanism is facilitation of prefrontal cortex activation, since a-tDCS is thought to increase cortical excitability. Only a few studies, however, have investigated the effects of inhibitory, cathodal tDCS (c-tDCS) on cognitive tasks, and reported results are often inconsistent. Studies about the effects of c-tDCS upon accuracy and reaction times are particularly scant. Objective/Hypothesis This study assessed the effects of inhibitory c-tDCS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (l-DLPFC) on the performance of neurologically intact young adults in Stroop and reaction time tests. Methods Seventeen healthy undergraduate students (ten women) performed Stroop and reaction time tasks after delivery of c-tDCS (1 mA, 20 min) over l-DLFPC or a sham session. All subjects underwent both real and sham sessions, which were separated by an interval of one week. We hypothesized that c-tDCS might lead to an impairment of inhibitory control and attention abilities. Results We found an interference effect on the Stroop task and also a ceiling effect on the reaction Time task. There were no statistically significant performance differences in any of the neuropsychological tests as a function of stimulation condition and/or subject gender. Conclusions C-tDCS over the l-DLPFC of neurologically intact young individuals did not affect performance in Stroop Test accuracy or in reaction times, irrespective of subject gender. These results raise the possibility that c-tDCS inhibitory effects, well documented for the primary motor area, do not necessarily apply to higher order associative areas. The assumption that c-tDCS has inhibitory effects upon any cortical area, common in clinical trials, should be made with caution.
Controllable and Stable Quantized Conductance States in a Pt/HfOx/ITO Memristor

Quantum‐level manipulation of atomic configuration offers a excellent platform for the construction of exotic nanostructures that exhibit unusual solid‐state physics and electronic properties. One particular example is the memristor, in which the elaborate evolution of atomic point contact via local ionic processes and consequent stepwise device conductance quantization enable bottom‐up design of in‐memory computing with greatly increased data storage density and more efficient multi‐value logic algorithm. In‐depth understanding on the physics of atomic reconfiguration is achieved through comprehensive consideration of the thermodynamics and kinetics of nanoionics in memristors, based on which a general protocol of constructing atomic point contact structure with desired quantized conductance is established. Through energy‐driven single‐atom level oxygen manipulation in the reset process of a Pt/HfOx/ITO structure, up to 32 consecutive quantized conductance states with an interval of half conductance quantum that can be sustained for over 7000 s and tuned 500 times are demonstrated for the first time, not only allowing the physical implementation of ternary logic‐in‐memory functions, but also providing a universal methodology for building next‐generation quantum electronic devices.
Attitude Evaluation on Using the Neuromarketing Approach in Social Media: Matching Company’s Purposes and Consumer’s Benefits for Sustainable Business Growth

The current era has brought about major changes in the way people connect to each other, and social media is a major pillar of this change. In this new communication and connecting environment, companies are under pressure to constantly adapt and become present on platforms where their customers are while being sustainable and profitable in the long run. On the other hand, traditional marketing research challenges have led to the expansion of new research approaches like neuromarketing as a means to gather the most accurate data ever from customers. When referring to how we can use neuromarketing research within the social media context, the current paper aims to fill a gap in the current literature: Using neuromarketing research in social media while taking into consideration both companies’ purposes and customers’ sought-after benefits. This aim is achieved through two pieces of research that shed light on a model where these purposes are matched with the corresponding benefits, showing the degree of acceptability of four major neuromarketing applications. This model is a stepping stone towards discovering how social media neuromarketing research can be a pillar of sustainable business communication as part of the broader perspective of sustainability in terms of business growth.
Antimicrobial Activity of Honey Samples from Ovia North East Local Government Areas in Edo State, Nigeria

Background: Honey is one of the oldest natural products in our environment used as natural alternatives for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. Objectives: This study was carried out to determine the antimicrobial activity of some honey samples collected from Ovia North-East local government area of Edo state Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Three honey samples were obtained in April 2017 from local commercial producers in Ovia North-East local government area of Edo state Nigeria. Bacteria strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Proteus spp, Klebsiella spp and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were obtained from the University of Benin Teaching Hospital Edo state Nigeria. The antimicrobial activity of the honey samples was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. The antimicrobial activity of Ciprofloxacin was also evaluated as a positive control. Results: All the honey samples had antimicrobial activities against the pathogens tested. Most of the strains showed the highest inhibition zone and hence better antimicrobial activity when the sample from Ogbese was tested against the strains. An increase in the honey concentration increased the activity of the sample and hence the zone of inhibition against the pathogens tested. Among the Bacteria strains tested Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most sensitive against all the honey samples. Conclusion: Our study shows the antimicrobial activity of honey samples from Ovia North east local government area in Edo state Nigeria. As bacterial resistance to antibiotics is on the increase, it is urgently required to discover alternative therapeutic agents.
How important is CRM toward customer’s loyalty to conventional and Islamic bank marketing strategy?

Purpose This paper aims to test the effect of customer relationship management (CRM) strategy on customer loyalty of bank customers. Design/methodology/approach The questionnaire derived from previous studies along with relevant literature was completed by 100 customers of conventional banks and 100 customers of Islamic banks. Structural equation modeling assessed the impact on customer loyalty on three key constructs of CRM programs (continuity marketing, one to one marketing and partnering). Findings Two out of three variables, which is continuity marketing and partnering, have significant effects on both banks. Continuity marketing is the dominant variable at conventional banks. Partnering is the dominant variable at Islamic banks. Research limitations/implications The effects of CRM programs on customer loyalty observed in this study required further research. The data used in this study were only gathered from the banking industry in Indonesia, and so more research studies are needed to support the conclusion. Practical implications It is reasonable to conclude that customer loyalty can be built, strengthened and retained by CRM programs, aimed at increasing security and building trust in each transaction, improving partnership, optimize another bank’s service product like internet banking and SMS banking and communicating with customers in a timely manner. Originality/value Advanced and specific knowledge relevant to CRM in banking service industries.
Dissimilarity between turbulent heat and momentum transfer induced by a streamwise travelling wave of wall blowing and suction

A series of direct numerical simulations of a fully developed turbulent channel flow is conducted in order to clarify the effects of travelling wave-like wall blowing and suction on dissimilar heat transfer enhancement. While the wave form is kept sinusoidal and its amplitude is set to be 5 % of the bulk mean velocity, the wavelength and phase speed of the travelling wave are systematically changed in a wide parameter space. As a result, the global optimum of the parameter set for maximizing the analogy factor, which is defined as the ratio between the Stanton number and the skin-friction coefficient, is identified. Interestingly, the obtained globally optimal mode agrees well with that predicted from the optimal control theory taking into account the future dynamics within a limited time horizon by Yamamoto et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 733, 2013, pp. 189–220). The instantaneous velocity and thermal fields are decomposed into coherent and random components in order to evaluate the contribution from each component to dissimilar heat transfer enhancement. The detailed mechanisms of dissimilarity are explained by the budget analyses of the coherent and random contributions. Also, their relationships with the near-wall turbulent structures modified by the applied control are discussed through flow visualization. It is found that the random component makes a dominant contribution to dissimilarity, and this can be explained by an indirect effect through the modification of the coherent field by the applied control. Based on the above mechanisms, we propose a simple unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) approach, where the phase-averaged velocity and thermal fields are solved directly whereas the effects of the random component are modelled by the Boussinesq eddy viscosity and diffusivity hypothesis. It is shown that the present URANS can capture the overall trend of dissimilar heat transfer enhancement in a wide parameter range. The present results also explain why the optimal control theory with a limited time horizon succeeds in predicting the globally optimal control mode.
The Prevalence of Brucella Biotypes Isolated From Sterile Body Fluids of Patients With Brucellosis in Kashan, Iran in 2013

Background: Brucella species are classified based on their pathogenic and genetic properties and hosts. Considering the signifi- cance of identifying dierent biotypes of Brucella from the epidemiological point of view and lack of such information in the city of Kashan, Iran. Objectives: This study was designed to determine the biotypes and strains of Brucella isolated from patients with brucellosis. Methods: This was a descriptive study of 206 samples obtained from patients with suspected brucellosis in 2013 in Kashan. BACTEC 9050 culture media was employed to test the samples. Suspected colonies of Brucella were identified through morphology, stain- ing, and biochemical tests. The biotypes were identified by the Razi Research Institute. Lysis tests with the Tbilisi (Tb) phage were performed, the need for CO2, SH2 production, sensitivity to basic fuchsin and thionin stains, and the reaction of all the samples to specific antiserum A and M (monospecific) were tested. Results: Fifty (24.3%) of the 206 samples were culture positive. SH3 production was not detected in any of the isolates, and none of the isolated strains required CO2. The results of the sensitivity test to basic fuchsin and thionin staining and specific agglutination and phage lysis (phage typing) tests indicated that all the isolated strains were biotype 1 B. melitansis. Conclusions: The cause of human brucellosis in Kashan and its suburbs was biotype 1 B. melitensis. The identification of various biotypes of Brucella is important. Similar studies should be performed to detect the presence of new biotypes originating from neighboring countries.
Profile of unnatural deaths in a teaching hospital of West Bengal, India

Chamber’s twentieth century dictionary defines death as ‘the extinction of life’. Medico-legally death is an inevitable permanent and irreversible cessation of physiological functions of the most vital and interdependable organs of the body, like as heart, lungs and brain. People die naturally at the end of life either due to old age and/or because of disease or infirmity. Apart from these, there remains a wide spectrum of death, which because of their sudden, suspicious and unexplained nature, are called as “unnatural death”. These entail suicidal, homicidal and accidental deaths.
Investigation of the extent and role of N-linked glycosylation in the human scavenger receptor CD36

Human CD36 is a class B scavenger receptor expressed in a variety of cell types such as macrophage and adipocytes. This plasma membrane glycoprotein has a wide range of ligands including oxidised low density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and long chain fatty acids which involves the receptor in diseases such as atherosclerosis and insulin resistance. CD36 is heavily modified post-translationally by N-linked glycosylation and ten putative N-linked glycosylation sites situated in the large extracellular loop of the protein have been identified, however their utilisation and role in the folding and function of the protein have not been characterised. Using mass spectrometry on purified and PNGaseF-deglycosylated CD36, and also by comparing the electrophoretic mobility of different glycosylation-site mutants, this study determined that nine of the ten sites can be modified by glycosylation. Flow cytometric analysis of the different glycosylation mutants expressed in mammalian cells, established that glycosylation is necessary for trafficking to the plasma membrane. Minimally-glycosylated mutants that supported trafficking were identified and indicated the importance of carboxyterminal sites N247, N321 and N417 and amino-terminal sites N102 and N205. However, unlike the related mouse scavenger receptor SR-BI, no individual site was found to be essential for proper trafficking of CD36. Surprisingly, these minimally-glycosylated mutants appear to be predominantly core glycosylated indicating that mature glycosylation is not necessary for surface expression in mammalian cells. The data also show that neither the nature nor the pattern of glycosylation is relevant to binding of modified LDL.
Determination of nucleation assay for anti-urolithiasis activity from bagasse Musa acuminate x balbisiana Colla cv. Pisang Awak Legor methanolic extracts using uv-spectrometer and size measurement.

Determination of inhibition of calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystallisation in vitro by nucleation assay is based on the rates of nucleation by comparing the slope of the turbidity of a control system with that of one exposed to the extract, which was found to be inaccurate when the CaOx crystals were formed and precipitated. A need exists for improved methods to determine the inhibition activity in nucleation assay for the study of anti-urolithiasis activity. In this study, the size reduction of CaOx crystals after treated with methanolic extract of Musa acuminate x balbisiana Colla cv. Pisang Awak Legor bagasse was measured under light microscopy and correlated to the turbidity and percentage of inhibition. Different concentrations of bagasse extract (2, 10, 30, 50 and 100 mg/ml) were investigated and the result shows that high concentration of extract would promote reduction in CaOx’s stone size, but it increased the amount of sediment crystals, resulting high turbidity. The stone size was reduced up to 93.76±0.19% in the presence of 100 mg/mL extract while the inhibition percentage was negative (-102.17±0.04%) as the optical density (OD) of the extract was higher than control in the turbidity calculation. The results of this study are expected to provide an understanding on the way of calculating the activity in nucleation assay.
Aid Effectiveness in Fragile States

Fragile states are highly dependent on foreign aid and are characterized by several features that impair their economic and social performance. After reviewing the literature on aid effectiveness, the chapter presents several stylized facts on aid flows to fragile states, and exploits detailed project-level data to provide novel evidence on aid effectiveness in fragile states. Comparing project success rate across fragile and other developing countries confirms that aid given to fragile states is less likely to be effective than elsewhere. Focusing on the conflict dimension of fragility, we can extend our analysis at the subnational level to strengthen the identification of the effect of fragility on project success. Our results indicate that a project implemented in a fragile state is up to 8 percentage points less likely to be successful than a similar project financed in another developing country. Our analysis does not imply that aid to fragile states should be reduced across the board, but points to several factors that could hamper the growth dividend of aid.
Health Systems and Health Care in Fragile Settings

The debate on the integration of indigenous medicine and biomedicine in Sub-Saharan Africa has so far mostly concentrated in contexts characterised by relative economic and political stability. This study contributes to such debate by exploring the use and practice of indigenous medicine in the so far rarely documented case of post-conflict Burundi. We adopt a mixed-methods approach involving a survey of 6,690 individuals, and interviews and focus groups with 121 indigenous healers, biomedical staff, and patients, conducted in 2013-2014. The findings reveal pluralistic patterns of health care seeking behaviour, which are not primarily based on economic convenience and partly reflect the conceptualisation of illness and danger induced by the recent conflict. Traditional healers’ diagnosis and practice are shown to both revolve around the concept of ‘enemy’ and the need of protection against it. Finally, biomedical staff display ambivalent attitudes towards healers, and informal crossreferrals were found to occasionally take place between healers and health-centres. These findings are interpreted in light of the debate on health systems integration in SubSaharan Africa. In particular, we discuss healers’ engagement in helping communities deal with trauma, as well as healers’ accreditation and training policy options. We argue that the experience of conflict in Burundi and the resulting conceptualisations of illness and healing need to be taken into account when devising appropriate public or international health policy responses.