Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
New Scopes, New Accessories, New Stents for Interventional Endoscopic Ultrasound

Technological advances have rapidly expanded the therapeutic potential of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). Innovations in stent technology; directed adjunctive therapy for pancreatic tumors, including radiofrequency ablation and fiducial marker placement; advanced imaging modalities, including needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy; and new echoendoscopes, such as the forward-viewing linear echoendoscope, are emerging as safe and effective tools and devices for providing a broad range of treatments and therapies previously not thought possible. In this review, we summarize and discuss the new echoendoscopes, accessories, and stents for interventional EUS and highlight the recent literature on technical and therapeutic efficacy. The therapeutic role and indications for EUS are rapidly evolving well beyond its current limits as new EUS-specific designed tools are designed, and ultimately, should help achieve the goal of improving patient outcomes.
Measuring the importance of ethical behavior criteria

ue to the sensitive nature of and value associated with the different types of information required by today’s managers, organizations must insist the accuracy of the information provided by their computer-based systems is above reproach. Unfortunately, recent cases involving software piracy, data theft, system espionage and employee monitoring have emphasized the unethical behavior that can accompany the use of information technology. Anecdotal experiences and past studies have indicated that two of the more common causes of the misapplication of information technology are: 1) the organization’s computer system is not secure from unauthorized outside agencies and 2) the inside keepers of the information system(s) are not able/willing to operate in an ethical manner. As organizations become more reliant on IT, it is obvious that the actions of the information systems professionals can have a tremendous impact on the success or failure of their organizations. If the IS professional is to fill this strategic role, it is critical that individuals within this profession act in an ethical and responsible manner. Currently three major professional IS associations have proposed ethical standards for the IS profession: the Data Processing Management Association (DPMA), the Institute for Certification of Computer Professionals (ICCP), and the ACM. A recent review of these codes found that, while these codes of conduct have many differing and conflicting principles, they also have several behavioral principles in common [2, 4]. These include statements about obligations to society; obligations to employer; obligations to clients; obligations to colleagues; obligations to professional organizations; and obligations to profession. Oz concluded these principles represent criteria that should be present within any comprehensive professional code of ethics and that the IS profession must aspire to one coherent code of professional conduct if its members are to be recognized as professionals [5]. This study examined three issues related to the IS professional’s evaluation of ethical behavior: 1) the impact of individual characteristics on the IS professional’s ability to identify the role of certain decision criteria in his/her ethical evaluations; 2) to which set of ethical standards the IS professional is most likely to adhere (i.e., a professional code of ethics or a code of ethics set forth by the organization); and 3) the IS professional’s ability and/or willingness to conduct himself/herself in an ethical manner. This study found that gender, whether the IS professional believed a code of ethics was needed, and/or whether the organization considered itself an ethical leader had no impact on the IS member’s ability or inability to identify between the different ethical criteria tested in this study. However, age of the respondent and the respondent’s position within the organization did significantly impact the respondent’s
Real-time Simulation of a Set Machine on a Ram

Program analysis for typings, for set inclusion and membership relationships, and for universal sets to support data structure selection was a major goal of the SETL project and involved perhaps 50 person-years of design and implementation. Because that approach was so comprehensive, its data structure algorithms used heuristics leading only to expected improvements in performance. Despite serious pragmatic intentions, the optimizer that was eventually implemented was too large essentially 20,000 lines of SETL source code and was never fully operational. We believe that the results of that project fell short of expectations, because the necessary program analysis of a weakly typed, unstructured, and potentially low-level language such as SETL required inferences that were too difficult to obtain in any practical way. This paper describes a top-down approach to data structure selection in which typings and universal sets are easily inferred in a high level, declaration free, strongly typed, functional problem specification language. All remaining analysis to facilitate data structure choice is obtained by a simple deductive process carried out by program transformations that compile these high level specifications into efficient RAM code. A specific transformation to Ada is presented and illustrated using the example of database attribute closure. Our approach is somewhat more restricted than that of SETL, but it rests on formal foundations with data structure selection algorithms that simulate a set machine on a RAM in real-time.
A Magnetic Nanoparticle-Based Multiple-Gene Delivery System for Transfection of Porcine Kidney Cells

Superparamagnetic nanoparticles are promising candidates for gene delivery into mammalian somatic cells and may be useful for reproductive cloning using the somatic cell nuclear transfer technique. However, limited investigations of their potential applications in animal genetics and breeding, particularly multiple-gene delivery by magnetofection, have been performed. Here, we developed a stable, targetable and convenient system for delivering multiple genes into the nuclei of porcine somatic cells using magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles as gene carriers. After surface modification by polyethylenimine, the spherical magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles showed strong binding affinity for DNA plasmids expressing the genes encoding a green (DNAGFP) or red (DNADsRed) fluorescent protein. At weight ratios of DNAGFP or DNADsRed to magnetic nanoparticles lower than or equal to 10∶1 or 5∶1, respectively, the DNA molecules were completely bound by the magnetic nanoparticles. Atomic force microscopy analyses confirmed binding of the spherical magnetic nanoparticles to stretched DNA strands up to several hundred nanometers in length. As a result, stable and efficient co-expression of GFP and DsRed in porcine kidney PK-15 cells was achieved by magnetofection. The results presented here demonstrate the potential application of magnetic nanoparticles as an attractive delivery system for animal genetics and breeding studies.
Managing the Power of Curiosity for Effective Web Advertising Strategies

Abstract This research investigates the effect of curiosity on the effectiveness of Internet advertising. In particular, we identify processes that underlie curiosity resolution and study its impact on consumer motivation and learning. The dataset from our simulated Internet experiment includes process tracking variables (i.e., clickstream data from ad-embedded links), traditional attitude and behavioral intention measures, and open-ended protocols. We find that a curiosity-generating advertising strategy increases interest and learning relative to a strategy that provides detailed product information. Furthermore, though curiosity does not dramatically increase the observed quantity of search in our study, it seems to improve the quality of search substantially (i.e., time spent and attention devoted to specific information), resulting in better and more focused memory and comprehension of new product information. To enhance the effectiveness of Internet advertising of new products, we recommend a curiosity advertising strategy based on four elements: (1) curiosity generation by highlighting a gap in extant knowledge, (2) the presence of a hint to guide elaboration for curiosity resolution, (3) sufficient time to try and resolve curiosity as well as the assurance of curiosity-resolving information, and (4) the use of measures of consumer elaboration and learning to gauge advertising effectiveness.
Edge DetectionAlgorithm Inspired by Pattern Formation Processes of Reaction-Diffusion Systems

This paper presents a quick review of reactiondiffusion systems and the application of a discretized version of a reaction-diffusion system to edge detection in image processing. A reaction-diffusion system refers to a system consisting of diffusion processes coupled with reaction processes. Several reaction-diffusion systems exhibit pattern formation processes, in which the systems self-organize spatio-temporal patterns of target and spiral waves propagating in two-dimensional space. In addition, some of the systems having strong inhibitory diffusion self-organize stationary patterns; the Turing pattern is one of the typical examples of the stationary patterns observed in reaction-diffusion systems under strong inhibitory diffusion. We have previously found that the discretized version with strong inhibition has a mechanism detecting edges from an image intensity distribution. The mechanism divides an image intensity distribution into brighter or darker intensity areas with a threshold level, and organizes pulses along edges of the divided areas. By searching an output distribution of the version for pulses, we can achieve edge detection. However, since the threshold level is usually fixed at a constant value in the version, the mechanism is not applicable to gray level images. Thus, this paper furthermore proposes an edge detection algorithm consisting of two pairs of the version with a variable threshold level. We apply the edge detection algorithm and a representative algorithm proposed by Canny to several artificial and real images in order to confirm their performance.
Using an Interdisciplinary Approach to Teach Undergraduates Communication and Information Literacy Skills

For successful and productive careers, undergraduate students need effective communication and critical thinking skills; information literacy is a substantial component in the development of these skills. Students often perceive communication courses as distinct and separate from their chosen discipline. Faculty from the Departments of English and Horticulture and the library at Iowa State University collaborated in a foundation communication course (English 250). The course incorporates five components—finding information sources; evaluating information sources; and preparing an annotated bibliography, a research paper, and a research poster—all within the context of horticulture. The objective of the collaboration was to integrate commu- nication and information literacy concepts into English 250 and relate these concepts to the students' discipline of horticulture. Assessment data and focus group discussions strongly validate students' appreciation for an interdisciplinary approach to teaching communication and information literacy skills within the discipline.
Cardiac Overexpression of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 Protects the Heart From Ischemia-Induced Pathophysiology

Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) has been linked to cardiac dysfunction and hypertension-induced cardiac pathophysiology. In this study, we used a gene overexpression approach to investigate the role of ACE2 in cardiac function and remodeling after myocardial infarction. Rats received an intracardiac injection of 4.5×108 lentivirus containing ACE2 cDNA, followed by permanent coronary artery ligation (CAL) of the left anterior descending artery. At 24 hours and 6 weeks after surgery, cardiac functions, viability, and pathophysiology were assessed by MRI) and by histological analysis. At 24 hours post-CAL, left ventricular (LV) anterior wall motion was stunted to the same extent in control CAL and lenti-ACE2–treated CAL rats. However lenti-ACE2–treated CAL rats showed a 60% reduction in delayed contrast-enhanced LV volume after gadodiamide injection, indicating early ischemic protection of myocardium by ACE2. At 6 weeks after CAL, lenti-ACE2 rats demonstrated a complete rescue of cardiac output, a 41% rescue of ejection fraction, a 44% rescue in contractility, a 37% rescue in motion, and a 53% rescue in LV anterior (infracted) wall thinning compared with control CAL rats. No changes were observed in the LV posterior (noninfarcted) wall other than an 81% rescue in motion produced by ACE2 in CAL rats. Finally, infarct size measured by 2,3,5-triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride staining was not significantly different between the ligated groups. These observations demonstrate that cardiac overexpression of ACE2 exerts protective influence on the heart during myocardial infarction by preserving cardiac functions, LV wall motion and contractility, and by attenuating LV wall thinning.
Practical logarithmic rasterization for low-error shadow maps

Logarithmic shadow maps can deliver the same quality as competing shadow map algorithms with substantially less storage and bandwidth. We show how current GPU architectures can be modified incrementally to support rendering of logarithmic shadow maps at current GPU fill rates. Specifically, we modify the rasterizer to support rendering to a nonuniform grid with the same watertight rasterization properties as current rasterizers. We also describe a depth compression scheme to handle the nonlinear primitives produced by logarithmic rasterization. Our proposed architecture enhancements align with current trends of decreasing cost for on-chip computation relative to off-chip bandwidth and storage. For a modest increase in computation, logarithmic rasterization can greatly reduce shadow map bandwidth and storage costs.
Reduction of miR-29c enhances pancreatic cancer cell migration and stem cell-like phenotype

The hallmarks of pancreatic cancer are limitless replicative potential as well as tissue invasion and metastasis, leading to an extremely aggressive disease with shockingly high lethality. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these characteristics remain largely unclear. Herein, we report the results of a differential miRNA expression screen that compared pancreatic cancer tissues and normal pancreatic tissues, where the pancreatic cancer tissues had highly downregulated miR-29c with relative Wnt cascade hyperactivation. MiR-29c directly suppressed the following Wnt upstream regulators: frequently rearranged in advanced T-cell lymphomas 2 (FRAT2), low-density lipoprotein receptor–related protein 6 (LRP6), Frizzled-4 (FZD4) and Frizzled-5 (FZD5). Furthermore, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) inhibited miR-29c expression, leading to Wnt activation. Significantly, our results were consistent with an important correlation between miR-29c levels and TGF-β hyperactivation and the activated Wnt cascade in human pancreatic cancer specimens. These findings reveal a novel mechanism for Wnt hyperactivation in pancreatic cancer and may suggest a new target for clinical intervention in pancreatic cancer.
Reconstructing Pompeian Households

A database of objects discovered in houses in the Roman city of Pompeii provides a unique view of ordinary life in an ancient city. Experts have used this collection to study the structure of Roman households, exploring the distribution and variability of tasks in architectural spaces, but such approaches are necessarily affected by modern cultural assumptions. In this study we present a data-driven approach to household archeology, treating it as an unsupervised labeling problem. This approach scales to large data sets and provides a more objective complement to human interpretation.
Degrees of freedom per communication node

The classical definition of degrees of freedom (DoF) deals with the degrees of a communication channel or multiple communication channels in the limit of high SNR. This can be interpreted as the number of independent streams that can be sent in each communication channel in the high SNR regime. We introduce the concept of DoF per communication node where at a transmitting node the DoF is the number of independent dimensions that can be used for transmission and at each receiver node the DoF is the number of independent dimensions that can be used for receiving data signals. In general the communication channels or links in a network can be divided into two sets: the interfering channels and the intended channels; hence, the network may be considered as an overlay of two networks, respectively: the interfering network and data-intended network. In the classical form, DoF is defined for channels in the data-intended network. We illustrate a new interpretation of DoF that depends only on the interfering network and can be formalized in full generality based on degrees of freedom per node in the network. While the classical DoF has been studied generally in the context of interference and X-channels, the per node DoF concept generalizes the idea to other possible networks. Using this generalized notion of DoF, this paper provides new results on DoF for different networks and also makes a connection to the classical definition of DoF defined in interference and X-channels.
Expression Independent of Human Papilloma Virus in Egyptian Patients with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma : A Retrospective Study

Background: the prognostic role of human papillomavirus (HPV) associated p16 expression in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is well established; however data are less on the prognostic significance of p16 expression independent of HPV status in non-oropharyngeal SCC (non-OPSCC). We evaluated the expression of p16 in different sites of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in Egyptian patients in correlation to the relevant clinical characteristics and treatment outcome. Methods: Fortytwo paraffin blocks of HNSCC were collected and immunostained for p16. Clinical data were extracted from the charts from 2011-2016, at the Clinical Oncology DepartmentAin-Shams University, and analyzed for the p16 status. P16 positive case was diagnosed when there was positive diffuse nuclear and cytoplasmic staining of the majority (70 %) of tumor cells. Results: Twenty-five (59.5%) out of 42 patients were positive for p 16, while 17 were negative (40.5%). P16 + and p16 – patients had no differences in age, smoking, tumor site, tumor grade, and stage. Expression of p16 was higher in patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance 1 and 2 (p 0.045). No correlation was observed between p16 status and type of treatment or recurrence. P16+ patients tended to have higher incidence of metastases (p 0.062). The p16 status did not affect the disease free survival (DFS) or the overall survival (ORS). Conclusion: Most of our patients had positive p16 expression. We could not show significant correlation between p16 status and clinical characteristics, and outcome. Large studies are needed to further investigate the prognostic role of p16 as a marker of HPV infection in non-OPSCC.
Exploiting Morphological Regularities in Distributional Word Representations

We present an unsupervised, language agnostic approach for exploiting morphological regularities present in high dimensional vector spaces. We propose a novel method for generating embeddings of words from their morphological variants using morphological transformation operators. We evaluate this approach on MSR word analogy test set with an accuracy of 85% which is 12% higher than the previous best known system.
Design and Implementation of a Takagi–Sugeno-Type Fuzzy Logic Controller on a Two-Wheeled Mobile Robot

This paper presents a novel implementation of a Takagi-Sugeno-type fuzzy logic controller (FLC) on a two-wheeled mobile robot (2WMR), which consists of two wheels in parallel and an inverse pendulum. The control objective of the 2WMR is to achieve position control of the wheels while keeping the pendulum around the upright position that is an unstable equilibrium. The novelties of this work lie in three aspects. First, the FLC is a synthesized design which utilizes both heuristic knowledge and model information of the 2WMR system. The FLC structure, including the fuzzy labels, membership functions, and inference, is chosen based on heuristic knowledge about the 2WMR. The output parameters of the FLC are determined by comparing the output of the FLC with that of a linear controller at certain operating points, which avoids the difficulty and tediousness in manual tuning. The linear controller is designed based on a linearized model of the 2WMR system. Second, the proposed FLC is a simple and realizable design for real implementation. Only two fuzzy labels are adopted for each fuzzy variable. Sixteen fuzzy rules are used with eight output parameters and four range parameters for the membership functions to be determined. Third, the proposed FLC is successfully implemented on a real-time 2WMR for regulation and setpoint control tasks. Satisfactory responses are achieved when the 2WMR travels not only on a flat surface but also on an inclined surface. Through comprehensive experiment-based investigations, the effectiveness of the proposed FLC is validated, and the FLC shows superior performance than the existing methods.
Data credibility: A perspective from systematic reviews in environmental management

To use environmental program evaluation to increase effectiveness, predictive power, and resource allocation efficiency, evaluators need good data. Data require sufficient credibility in terms of fitness for purpose and quality to develop the necessary evidence base. The authors examine elements of data credibility using experience from critical appraisal of studies on environmental interventions employing systematic review methodology. They argue that critical appraisal of methodological quality is a key skill to improve both retrospective evaluation and prospective planning of monitoring of environmental programs. Greater transparency and data sharing among evaluators could facilitate rapid development in approaches to environmental evaluation that improve data credibility. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Psychological Skills in Basketball: Preliminary Study for Development of a Greek Form of the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28

The purpose of this preliminary study was to examine for a sample of 126 basketball players the psychometric properties of a Greek version of the 1995 Athletic Coping Skills Inventory–28 by Smith, Schutz, Smoll, and Ptacek. A confirmatory factor analysis supported the structural validity of the translated inventory. Moreover, six of the seven subscales showed adequate internal consistency. The discriminant validity of the scores on the inventory was supported by examining mean differences between experienced and inexperienced athletes as well as between athletes of different levels of competition. Further steps for the validation of the inventory in Greek are discussed.