Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Endocervical curettage after cryotherapy for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Two hundred forty-five patients were studied prospectively to determine the value of endocervical curettage (ECC) in the follow-up of patients having undergone cryotherapy for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Patients at high risk of treatment failure were divided into three groups: (I) CIN grade 3 lesions confined strictly to the ectocervix (86 patients), (II) CIN grade 1-3 lesions involving the endocervix to a depth of up to 5 mm and a negative ECC prior to cryotherapy (64 patients), and (III) CIN grade 1-3 lesions confined to the ectocervix or extending into the endocervix to a depth of up to 5 mm and a positive ECC (27 patients). A fourth group, 68 patients with CIN grade 1 and 2 lesions confined to the ectocervix, was considered to be at low risk of treatment failure and served as controls. All the patients had satisfactory colposcopy. ECC was performed at 6 and 12 months after cryotherapy. Recurrent or persistent CIN was diagnosed in 19 of 245 patients (8%) and was found in group I (6 of 86, or 8%), II (6 of 64, or 9%), III (3 of 27, or 11%) and IV (4 of 68, or 6%). The rates of treatment failure did not differ significantly between the various groups (p greater than 0.1). ECC was positive in 4 of 19 (21%) of the cryotherapy failures (group I, 1 of 6; II, 2 of 6; III, 1 of 3; IV, 0 of 4). In two cases of a positive follow-up ECC, cervical cytology was also positive. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Waterfilling power allocation applied in block-diagonalization Multi-User MIMO precoding technique

Next generation of mobile communications (5G) comes with high throughput demands (up to more than 10 Gbps). From a radio access point of view, this requires using spatial multiplexing techniques that allow reaching these rates and are suitable for cases where the transmitter has a large number of antennas. The challenges are even bigger when it comes to spatially multiplexing multiple mobile stations in the same time-frequency resource, a technique known as MU-MIMO (MultiUser MIMO). The Block Diagonalization technique shows a strong performance in MU-MIMO scenarios by eliminating the inter-user interference. This method also presents good flexibility in terms of intra-user and inter-user transmission energy allocation. This paper analyzes the performances - in terms of sum-capacity - of the downlink Block Diagonalization MU-MIMO technique when paired with the waterfilling power allocation mechanism. The use cases considered in the performed simulations are aligned to those considered in the 5G networks: up to 128 transmit antennas at the base station side, up to 64 mobile users spatially multiplexed and up to 16 antennas for each mobile station.
Looking Back at and Forward From: “Family Governance and Firm Performance: Agency, Stewardship, and Capabilities”

Looking back on a Family Business Review article we published in 2006, we discuss its origins, publication challenges, apparent influence, and how we might build on it today. Much of this reflection proposes how we may gain further insights into agency, stewardship, and resource perspectives by addressing promising underexplored areas relating to family enterprise. In the process we suggest topics that we hope may advance conceptualization about family firms by addressing relevant social and economic issues.
A 60 $\mu$W 60 nV/$\surd$Hz Readout Front-End for Portable Biopotential Acquisition Systems

There is a growing demand for low-power, small-size and ambulatory biopotential acquisition systems. A crucial and important block of this acquisition system is the analog readout front-end. We have implemented a low-power and low-noise readout front-end with configurable characteristics for Electroencephalogram (EEG), Electrocardiogram (ECG), and Electromyogram (EMG) signals. Key to its performance is the new AC-coupled chopped instrumentation amplifier (ACCIA), which uses a low power current feedback instrumentation amplifier (IA). Thus, while chopping filters the 1/f noise of CMOS transistors and increases the CMRR, AC coupling is capable of rejecting differential electrode offset (DEO) up to plusmn50 mV from conventional Ag/AgCl electrodes. The ACCIA achieves 120 dB CMRR and 57 nV/radicHz input-referred voltage noise density, while consuming 11.1 muA from a 3 V supply. The chopping spike filter (CSF) stage filters the chopping spikes generated by the input chopper of ACCIA and the digitally controllable variable gain stage is used to set the gain and the bandwidth of the front-end. The front-end is implemented in a 0.5 mum CMOS process. Total current consumption is 20 muA from 3V
Machine Learning for Wideband Localization

Wireless localization has a great importance in a variety of areas including commercial, service, and military positioning and tracking systems. In harsh indoor environments, it is hard to localize an agent with high accuracy due to non-line-of-sight (NLOS) radio blockage or insufficient information from anchors. Therefore, NLOS identification and mitigation are highlighted as an effective way to improve the localization accuracy. In this paper, we develop a robust and efficient algorithm to enhance the accuracy for (ultrawide bandwidth) time-of-arrival localization through identifying and mitigating NLOS signals with relevance vector machine (RVM) techniques. We also propose a new localization algorithm, called the two-step iterative (TSI) algorithm, which converges fast with a finite number of iterations. To enhance the localization accuracy as well as expand the coverage of a localizable area, we continue to exploit the benefits of RVM in both classification and regression for cooperative localization by extending the TSI algorithm to a centralized cooperation case. For self-localization setting, we then develop a distributed cooperative algorithm based on variational Bayesian inference to simplify message representations on factor graphs and reduce communication overheads between agents. In particular, we build a refined version of Gaussian variational message passing to reduce the computational complexity while maintaining the localization accuracy. Finally, we introduce the notion of a stochastic localization network to verify proposed cooperative localization algorithms.
Stent-Grafts Improve Secondary Patency of Failing Hemodialysis Grafts

Purpose Failing hemodialysis grafts continue to pose a challenge in the care of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). We review our experience using percutaneous stent-grafts for the treatment of venous outflow stenosis and occlusion in order to assess their efficacy in nonautologous graft salvage. Methods This is a retrospective review of patients treated with percutaneous Viabahn® stent-grafts for failing hemodialysis arteriovenous grafts (AVGs), between 6/2006 and 12/2009. All stent-grafts were deployed across the venous anastomosis to address the outflow obstruction. Patency and re-intervention rates were estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Results Twenty patients had stent-grafts placed. Successful stent-grafting was defined as <30% residual stenosis and the ability to dialyze through the graft post-treatment. Technical success for stent-grafting was 100%. Median follow-up was 23 months (range 3 to 37 months). Stent-graft patency at 6 months: 94.7%, 12 months: 94.7%, 18 months: 82.1%, 24 months: 82.1%, 36 months: 82.1%. Freedom from re-intervention was 69% at 24 months and 50% at 36 months. Two AVGs failed and had to be removed without further interventions, because of complete occlusion and infection. Two patients (10%) required re-intervention for arterial inflow stenosis. One patient (5%) required balloon angioplasty and stenting of stenosis distal to the stent-graft. One patient (5%) developed in-stent stenosis and was treated with placement of a new stent. Graft salvage rate was 80% at 36 months. Conclusions Stent-grafts can be successfully used to improve freedom from re-intervention rates and overall patency rates of failing AVGs.
Impact of Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure on Economic Growth: An Empirical Assessment for the EU Countries

The accelerated development of information and communication technology (ICT) over the past two decades has encouraged an increasing number of researchers to examine and measure the impact of this technology on economic growth. Our study aims to identify and evaluate the effect of using ICT infrastructure on economic growth in European Union (EU) countries for a period of 18 years (2000–2017). Using panel-data estimation techniques, we investigate empirically how various indicators of ICT infrastructure affect economic growth, proxied in our study by GDP per capita. Within the estimates, we have included some macroeconomic control variables. Our results indicate a positive and strongly effect of using ICT infrastructure on economic growth in the EU member states, but the magnitude of the effect differs depending on the type of technology examined. Regarding the impact of macroeconomic factors, our estimates indicate that inflation rate, unemployment rate, the degree of trade openness, government expenditures, and foreign direct investments would significantly affect GDP per capita at EU level. The findings are broadly similar to the theoretical predictions, but also to the findings of some relevant empirical studies. Our research reveals that ICT infrastructure, along with other macroeconomic factors, is an important driver of economic growth in EU countries.
Medullary thyroid carcinoma - PET/CT imaging with 68Ga-labelled gastrin and somatostatin analogues.

CASE PRESENTATION a 75-year-old man with a 10-year history of nodular goitre was referred for clinical evaluation. The ultrasound scan revealed enlarged thyroid right lobe almost fully filled with a heterogeneous nodule with numerous calcifications. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy suggested medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). Before the surgery the patient was referred to the nuclear medicine department and somatostatin receptor imaging (SRS; 68Ga-DOTATATE) with PET/CT was performed. The scan demonstrated an increased uptake within the right thyroid mass. Subsequent PET/CT with 68Ga-gastrin analogue (MG48) revealed the same indications as the SRS: an increased alveolar uptake in the right thyroid mass without the signs of lymph node metastases. The patient underwent total thyroidectomy and central lymph nodes dissection. Histopathology examination confirmed the presence of MTC with vascular invasion, but without lymph node metastases (pT3NoMx according to the 7th edition of the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual). Immunohistochemical staining revealed positive reaction to calcitonin and CD56, whereas the reaction to thyroglobulin remained negative. The Ki-67 was 1%. Staining for SSTR2 and CCK2 showed high cytoplasmic expression in both cases. Knowledge of the presence of CCK2 receptor in MTC patients may be an important indication for the choice of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The presence of both the receptor types, cholecystokinin-2/gastrin and somatostatin, is possibly an interesting combination as far as the therapeutic target is concerned.
Development of a Highly Efficient Extraction Technique and Specific Multiplex Assay for Measuring Antiretroviral Drug Concentrations in Breast Milk

Understanding the pharmacology of drugs in breast milk is important for the health of both mother and baby. Current methods to measure drug concentrations in breast milk are not easily validated for precision or accuracy, primarily because of suboptimal sample clean-up. We report here an optimized clean-up method to remove both proteins and fat from milk, thereby enhancing the extraction efficiency of antiretroviral drugs. Recoveries were consistently above 91% for all drugs, demonstrating that this method successfully and reliably released drugs from fat globules. With use of 200 μL of human breast milk, an high-performance liquid chromatography/ultraviolet method for simultaneously detecting lamivudine, stavudine, zidovudine, and nevirapine was validated over the range of 20 to 20,000 ng/mL. Intra- and interday precision (average percent relative standard deviation) and accuracy (average percent deviation from nominal) was less than 3.6% and 7.5%, respectively. Intra- and interday accuracy (average percent deviation from nominal) was less than 0.25% and 1.3%, respectively. This novel method efficiently, reliably, and accurately measured antiretroviral drugs in breast milk and can be applied to any matrix containing fat and protein.
Food Versus Fuel: An Updated and Expanded Evidence

This paper replicates and extends the study of Zhang et al. (2010): “Food versus fuel: What do prices tell us? ” Energy Policy 38, pp. 445-451. We confirm the findings of the original paper that there was only a weak relationship between ethanol and food commodities in the period between March 1989 and July 2008. In addition, we extend that study and examine the cointegration relationship between biofuels and related commodities for a considerably enlarged dataset (3 vs. 1 market, 26 vs. 8 commodities, analysis up till 2017 vs. 2008, weekly vs. monthly data frequency). Focusing on the biofuel markets of Brazil, the EU and the USA in the three separate periods before, during, and after the food crisis of 2007 and 2008, we show that studying the time variation of the relationships plays an essential role in their proper understanding. Our results help to clarify the wide extensive discussion about the role of biofuels prices in food shortages manifested particularly during the food crises. In agreement with the original study, we confirm that price series data do not support strong statements about biofuels uniformly serving as main leading source of high food prices and consequently the food shortages.
The role of exploitative and exploratory innovation in export performance: an analysis of plastics industry SMEs

Innovation capabilities are important for firms to compete in the market. However, the literature has rarely examined how exploitative and exploratory innovation influences the export performance of small and medium-sized firms (SMEs). As exploitative and exploratory innovation plays different roles in sustaining SMEs' competitive advantages, this article presents an analysis of how four specific firms' innovation capabilities (i.e. marketing, strategy, research and development and manufacturing capabilities) impact these SMEs' export performance. Moreover, this study analysed how exploitative and exploratory innovation capabilities mediate the relationship of the four firms' internal innovation capabilities and export performance. The results indicate that exploitative innovation positively influences SMEs' export performance, but exploratory innovation does not. Another interesting finding is that strategy and manufacturing capabilities are important antecedents of both exploratory and exploitative innovation. Furthermore, the results reveal that only manufacturing capabilities have a direct impact on export performance, whereas strategy and manufacturing capabilities are the antecedents that most influence exploitative innovation and export performance.
Differentiated adipose-derived stem cells for bladder bioengineering

Abstract Objective. The aim of this study was to characterize and differentiate adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) to functional smooth muscle cells (SMCs) as an alternative cell source for bladder engineering. Materials and methods. Rat ADSCs were differentiated into SMCs for 1-6 weeks using induction medium. The changes in contractile genes and protein expression were investigated by real-time polymerase chain reaction, fluorescence-activated cell sorting and Western blot at different time-points. Spontaneous and carbachol-induced contractions of engineered SMC tissue at different stages were investigated to define the optimal duration of induction. Results. ADSCs differentiated into SMCs lost their capacity for expansion and their contractile phenotype, changing to a synthetic phenotype over time. Highest levels of calponin, smoothelin and MyH11 expression were observed in ADSCs induced for 3 weeks. Cells acquired typical SMC morphology when contractile proteins were expressed. However, SMC morphology was lost with reduction of contractile proteins, especially smoothelin and MyH11. The maximal spontaneous and carbachol-induced contraction of differentiated ADSCs was after 3 weeks. Conclusions. This study demonstrates that ADCSs are a suitable cell source for engineering tissues that require functional and contractile SMCs. An induction time of 3 weeks appears to be sufficient for ADSC differentiation to contractile SMCs suitable for urological tissue engineering.
Is labour market policy heading for social investment in European countries?

Abstract From a perspective of social investment, this article analyses monetary efforts made by European countries in terms of active and passive labour market policy (LMP) between 2006 and 2015. How did spending evolve under the double impression of the social investment discourse and the crisis after 2008? How does LMP now differ from what it was before the crisis? We find that there is no real trend towards social investment in the field of LMP in recent years. This shows both in the relationship between passive and active spending and in the composition of active spending. In particular, training – crucial to a social investment approach – is further weakened in most countries’ policy arrangements. Concerning levels of spending, it is shown that labour market policy gets fiscally more demanding on aggregate, while the amount of resources made available to the average individual job seeker shrinks. Spending on LMP also remains very unequal between European countries.
Distance-based agglomeration externalities and neighbouring firms’ characteristics

ABSTRACT This paper tests the hypothesis that firms with different characteristics can differ in their capability to produce local externalities by investigating the relationship between firm-specific distance-based weighted agglomeration measures and firms’ short-run productivity growth in the Italian manufacturing industry. The results suggest that positive localization economies increase with distance when neighbouring firms’ characteristics are accounted for. Diversification-type forces have negative effects on productivity growth at short distances, while there are positive effects at longer distances regardless of the weighting scheme considered. Moreover, the negative effect of inter-industry externalities seems to persist over distance when neighbouring firms’ characteristics are accounted for.
Normal Somatic Hypermutation of Ig Genes in the Absence of 8-Hydroxyguanine-DNA Glycosylase

The hypermutation cascade in Ig V genes can be initiated by deamination of cytosine in DNA to uracil by activation-induced cytosine deaminase and its removal by uracil-DNA glycosylase. To determine whether damage to guanine also contributes to hypermutation, we examined the glycosylase that removes oxidized guanine from DNA, 8-hydroxyguanine-DNA glycosylase (OGG1). OGG1 has been reported to be overexpressed in human B cells from germinal centers, where mutation occurs, and could be involved in initiating Ab diversity by removing modified guanines. In this study, mice deficient in Ogg1 were immunized, and V genes from the H and κ L chain loci were sequenced. Both the frequency of mutation and the spectra of nucleotide substitutions were similar in ogg1−/− and Ogg1+/+ clones. More importantly, there was no significant increase in G:C to T:A transversions in the ogg1−/− clones, which would be expected if 8-hydroxyguanine remained in the DNA. Furthermore, Ogg1 was not up-regulated in murine B cells from germinal centers. These findings show that hypermutation is unaffected in the absence of Ogg1 activity and indicate that 8-hydroxyguanine lesions most likely do not cause V gene mutations.
A New Modulation Method for the Three-Level-Output-Stage Matrix Converter

Variable voltage and variable frequency AC drives are widely used in commercial applications in order to control motion, improve efficiency of an electromechanical conversion chain etc. The major disadvantage of traditional AC-DC-AC power converter is the need for a bulky and limited lifetime energy storage electrolytic capacitor in the DC link. Alternatively, a matrix converter can be used, which is a forced-commutated AC-AC power converter topology that directly converts energy from an AC source to an AC load without the usage of an energy storage element. The most performant topology from this family is the three-level-output-stage matrix converter topology that can synthesize three-level voltage to improve the output performance in terms of reduced harmonic contents. This paper proposes a new modulation scheme for this topology. Realistic simulation results prove the ability of this converter topology to produce better output voltages when compared to a conventional matrix converter and also to maintain a sinusoidal input current.
Discovery and validation of urinary biomarkers for prostate cancer

Only 30% of patients with elevated serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels who undergo prostate biopsy are diagnosed with prostate cancer (PCa). Novel methods are needed to reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies. We report on the identification and validation of a panel of 12 novel biomarkers for prostate cancer (PCaP), using CE coupled MS. The biomarkers could be defined by comparing first void urine of 51 men with PCa and 35 with negative prostate biopsy. In contrast, midstream urine samples did not allow the identification of discriminatory molecules, suggesting that prostatic fluids may be the source of the defined biomarkers. Consequently, first void urine samples were tested for sufficient amounts of prostatic fluid, using a prostatic fluid indicative panel (“informative” polypeptide panel; IPP). A combination of IPP and PCaP to predict positive prostate biopsy was evaluated in a blinded prospective study. Two hundred thirteen of 264 samples matched the IPP criterion. PCa was detected with 89% sensitivity, 51% specificity. Including age and percent free PSA to the proteomic signatures resulted in 91% sensitivity, 69% specificity.
Performance Enhancement in High-Speed Contact-Mode Atomic Force Microscopy

Atomic force microscopy is having a substantial impact on nanosciences and technologies. However, the low atomic- force-microscope (AFM) scanning speed continues to be a major obstacle that impedes the widespread adoption of AFM-based systems. This paper presents a controller design approach for constant-force contact-mode AFM operation to enhance the AFM system performance with respect to the scanning speed and the image accuracy. The purpose of the controller is to maintain a constant force between the cantilever tip and the sample surface through suitable displacement of the base end of the cantilever. Given that the sample surface profile is unknown, the difficulty in the controller design lies in attempting to regulate the contact force against an unknown and time-varying signal. To overcome this problem, it is proposed in this paper to use a two-step adaptive regulator design approach. The first step involves the use of the Q parameterization of stabilizing controllers to construct a set of parameterized stabilizing controllers. The second step involves tuning the Q parameter in the expression of stabilizing controllers so that the tuned controller converges to the desired controller needed to achieve regulation. The proposed strategy makes it possible to use small contact forces and high scanning speeds, hence improving the performance of contact-mode AFM systems.