Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
HOLON: a Web-based framework for fostering guideline applications

HOLON is a research and development effort in extending middleware in the healthcare field to support application development, in general, and guideline applications, in particular. This framework makes use of open standards for architecture, software, guideline KBs, clinical repository models, information encodings, and intelligent system modules and agents. By pursuing the use of such standards in our middleware components, we hope eventually to maximize reusability of the HOLON framework by others who also adhere to these open standards. This research reflects lessons learned about the extensions needed in these standards if healthcare middleware frameworks are to transparently support application developers and their users over the web.
The Role of Public Disclosure in Regulatory Oversight: Evidence from SEC Comment Letters

The This paper examines the benefits and costs of disclosing regulatory oversight actions. Specifically, I analyze the capital-market consequences of the SEC’s decision to make firm reviews publicly available. Typically, following a review of a public company, the SEC creates a “comment letter” describing its concerns about the company’s financials. Comment letters were previously available only to the company itself, but the SEC started publishing them in 2005. Using a unique database of comment letters issued before 2005, my research design exploits the staggered disclosure of comment letters to show that the letters affect information asymmetry differently in the pre- and post-periods. While the comment letters exacerbate information asymmetry around earnings releases when they are private, they decrease it when public. This effect is stronger when the reviews are more timely. I also show that comment letters increase the information content of the associated earnings releases only when they are public. The effect is stronger for companies with higher levels of investor monitoring. However, I provide evidence that the SEC’s disclosure decision has enhanced managers’ ability to anticipate the content of the reviews, partially mitigating oversight efficacy. Despite this cost, my results suggest that the disclosure of SEC’s reviews helps to level the playing field among investors and improves the complementary oversight role played by the market.
Behavior-Based Collective Classification in Sparsely Labeled Networks

Classification in sparsely labeled networks is challenging to traditional neighborhood-based methods due to the lack of labeled neighbors. In this paper, we propose a novel behavior-based collective classification (BCC) method to improve the classification performance in sparsely labeled networks. In BCC, nodes’ behavior features are extracted and used to build latent relationships between labeled nodes and unknown ones. Since mining the latent links does not rely on the direct connection of nodes, decrease of labeled neighbors will have minor effect on classification results. In addition, the BCC method can also be applied to the analysis of networks with heterophily as the homophily assumption is no longer required. Experiments on various public data sets reveal that the proposed method can obtain competing performance in comparison with the other state-of-the-art methods either when the network is labeled sparsely or when homophily is low in the network.
Retrospective Data Quality Audits of the Harvard Six Cities and American Cancer Society Studies

The Harvard Six Cities (6-Cities) and American Cancer Society (ACS) studies are longitudinal cohort mortality studies of large populations that provided important information about the human health effects associated with long-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution. Possible changes to federal regulation of particulates prompted a review of data collection methods, analysis, and reported results from these two studies. This article describes the methodology used to conduct quality assurance audits of both studies and summarizes the audit findings. Statistically based, randomly selected samples of 250 health questionnaires and 250 death certificates from each study were audited against data from analysis files. In cases where study-specific data could not be located, validation was performed using information and data from other sources. Some errors were found in programming and data transformation in both studies, but none affected the results of the original investigations. Both audits confirmed that the published studies are an accurate representation of the collected data. The audits also underscored the importance of adequate attention to documentation and record-keeping practices during the conduct of all studies and proper archiving at their conclusion.
Sensitive troponin I assay in early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction

The rapid and reliable diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction is a major unmet clinical need. We conducted a multicenter study to examine the diagnostic accuracy of new, sensitive cardiac troponin assays performed on blood samples obtained in the emergency department from 718 consecutive patients who presented with symptoms suggestive of acute myocardial infarction. Cardiac troponin concentrations were determined in a blinded fashion with the use of four sensitive assays (Abbott-Architect Troponin I, Roche High-Sensitive Troponin T, Roche Troponin I, and Siemens Troponin I Ultra) and a standard assay (Roche Troponin T). The final diagnosis was adjudicated by two independent cardiologists. Acute myocardial infarction was the adjudicated final diagnosis in 123 patients (17%). The diagnostic accuracy of measurements obtained at presentation, as quantified by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), was significantly greater with the four sensitive cardiac troponin assays than with the standard assay (AUC values: Abbott-Architect Troponin I, 0.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.94 to 0.98; Roche High-Sensitive Troponin T, 0.96, 95% CI 0.94 to 0.98; Roche Troponin I, 0.95, 95% CI 0.92 to 0.97; Siemens Troponin I Ultra, 0.96, 95% CI 0.94 to 0.98; standard assay, 0.90, 95% CI 0.86 to 0.94). Among patients who presented within 3 h after the onset of chest pain, the AUCs were 0.93 (95% CI 0.88 to 0.99), 0.92 (95% CI 0.87 to 0.97), 0.92 (95% CI 0.86 to 0.99), and 0.94 (95% CI 0.90 to 0.98) for the
Consumer acceptance and rejection of emerging agrifood technologies and their applications

Food insecurity represents a major global challenge. The development and application of agrifood technologies as routes to ‘sustainable intensification’ of agrifood production may improve local and national food security. This paper will consider societal responses to various agrifood technologies. Consumer non-acceptance of enabling agrifood technologies, and their products, is an important barrier to their commercialisation. Case studies (pesticides, genetic modification of plants and animals, nanotechnology in agriculture, nutrigenomics in nutrition security and synthetic biology) are considered along a temporal axis (from the 1950s to the present). Experts and regulators have increasingly recognised the importance of the role of risk and benefit perceptions. The normative assumption that consumers are ‘anti-agrifood technology’ is rejected.
Diagnosis and Management of Seminal Vesicle Cysts Associated with Ipsilateral Renal Agenesis: A Pooled Analysis of 52 Cases

Objective: Seminal vesicle cysts combined with ipsilateral renal agenesis represent a rare urological anomaly. We searched the literature to review the clinical presentation, diagnosis and therapeutic treatment options of this anomaly. Methods: A pooled analysis was performed of 52 cases of seminal vesicle cysts combined with ipsilateral renal agenesis, including our own observation. The evaluation included: patient age at diagnosis, race, laterality (R/L), presence of ureteral remnant in the cyst, presenting symptoms, diagnostic examinations, treatment and outcome. Results: The mean age at diagnosis was 30.2 years. The majority presented in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th decade of their lives. Only 2 patients (4%) were of African origin, all others were Caucasians. The distribution R:L was 2:1. Ureteral remnants were present in 14 patients (27%). The most common symptoms were: dysuria (37%), frequency (33%), perineal pain (29%), epididymitis (27%), pain following ejaculation (21%) and scrotal pain (13%). Infertility was found in 9 patients (17%). The cyst was palpable by digital rectal examination in 79%. All patients underwent intravenous urography, and 88% underwent cystoscopy. Other frequently performed investigations are: ultrasonography (27%), CT scanning (27%), vasovesiculography (46%) and urethrocystography (23%). The final treatment was open surgery in 74%, aspiration in 6%, transurethral deroofing of the cyst in 6% and spontaneous rupture in 4%. In 6% no treatment was given and in 4% the treatment is unknown. All patients were free of symptoms after open exploration. The success rates after transurethral deroofing and aspiration were 75 and 30% respectively. Conclusion: Seminal vesicle cysts combined with ipsilateral renal agenesis are a rare urological anomaly, occurring in men in the 2nd to 4th decade of their life. They present with symptoms of bladder irritation and obstruction and with pain in the perineum and scrotum. Epididymitis is frequently found. The diagnostic work-up consists of a digital rectal examination, transrectal and abdominal ultrasonography, CT scan and a cystoscopy. Open surgery and transurethral deroofing of the cyst give excellent results (100 and 75% cure respectively). Aspiration of the cyst should only be used for diagnostic purposes.
A test of the linear extrapolation of unfolding free energy changes over an extended denaturant concentration range.

Guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl) and thermally induced unfolding measurements on the oxidized form of Escherichia coli thioredoxin at pH 7 were combined for the purpose of assessing the functional dependence of unfolding free energy changes on denaturant concentration over an extended GdnHCl concentration range. Conventional analysis of GdnHCl unfolding exhibits a linear plot of unfolding delta G vs [GdnHCl] in the transition zone. In order to extend unfolding delta G measurements outside of that narrow concentration range, thermal unfolding measurements were performed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in the presence of low to moderate concentrations of GdnHCl. The unfolding delta G values from the DSC measurements were corrected to 25 degrees C using the Gibbs-Helmholtz equation and mapped onto the delta G vs [GdnHCl] plot. The dependence of unfolding delta G on [GdnHCl] was found to be linear over the full denaturant concentration range, provided that the chloride ion concentration was kept at a threshold of greater than or equal to 1.5 M. In the DSC experiments performed in the presence of GdnHCl, chloride concentrations were maintained at 1.5 M by addition of appropriate amounts of NaCl. The linear extrapolation method (LEM) gives an unfolding free energy change in the absence of denaturant (delta G degrees N-U) in excellent agreement with the delta G determined by DSC measurement in 1.5 M NaCl. The various methods give a consensus unfolding delta G value of 8.0 kcal/mol at 25 degrees C in the absence of denaturant. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
More than just a problem with faces: altered body perception in a group of congenital prosopagnosics

It has been estimated that one out of 40 people in the general population suffer from congenital prosopagnosia (CP), a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulty identifying people by their faces. CP involves impairment in recognizing faces, although the perception of non-face stimuli may also be impaired. Given that social interaction depends not only on face processing, but also on the processing of bodies, it is of theoretical importance to ascertain whether CP is also characterized by body perception impairments. Here, we tested 11 CPs and 11 matched control participants on the Body Identity Recognition Task (BIRT), a forced-choice match-to-sample task, using stimuli that require processing of body-specific, not clothing-specific, features. Results indicated that the group of CPs were as accurate as controls on the BIRT, which is in line with the lack of body perception complaints by CPs. However, the CPs were slower than controls, and when accuracy and response times were combined into inverse efficiency scores (IESs), the group of CPs were impaired, suggesting that the CPs could be using more effortful cognitive mechanisms to be as accurate as controls. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that CP may not generally be limited to face processing difficulties, but may also extend to body perception.
The role of public relations in ethnic advocacy and activism: A proposed research agenda

This essay proposes a research agenda for exploring public relations’ role in ethnic advocacy and activism, as a way to build the field’s knowledge of ethnic public relations. To highlight the potential contribution of public relations to ethnic organizations, and to describe the particular challenges that ethnic public relations faces in societies that sometimes marginalize ethnic groups and issues, this article describes two advocacy efforts by Latino-serving organizations, one in favor of immigration reform and the other in response to the offensive statements against Mexican immigrants stated by politician and entrepreneur Donald Trump. Additionally, the authors propose a research agenda for exploring how public relations is used by ethnic organizations to advance their goals.
MAKING IT HAPPEN: THE ONLINE COLLABORATIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY, FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE

As with every decade, the 2010-2020’s are not without their buzzwords and the one making the most noise at this time is the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” [1]. So much noise in fact, that it has come to the attention of those involved in higher education. Already under pressure to embrace a paradigm change which sees education going from a more content-centred to a learner-centred position [2], educators are now being asked to take into account their other major stakeholder – industry and develop competencies on top of core subject knowledge in their students. The research presented here examines how a virtual community and can be used for collaborative learning, with a specific focus on how educators can make the leap from theory to practice successfully [3]. The methodology used was action research which, as per Dick [4], is a three-step process that can go through several iterations. These steps: intention, action, and review, were acted upon, in three iterations, over a three-year period. The sample comprised adult further education students (n=95) enrolled in a certificate course in management also doubling as a prerequisite to entry into an Executive MBA programme. The results, based on the analysis of the ensuing communities and that of a self-report questionnaire, provide insight into the student use of a virtual space for the development of a collaborative learning community and their perception of such a tool for collaboration. The changes made from one iteration to the next allow for a better understanding of what is needed to encourage students to embrace what, for them too, are changes in the learning experience. The paper closes with a discussion of the development of such a community and practical suggestions of how to make it work.
Adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer: effects on cerebral white matter seen in diffusion tensor imaging.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy on normal-appearing white matter in women with breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS Ten patients with early-stage breast cancer who were treated with adjuvant chemotherapy and 9 age-, education-, and IQ-matched healthy controls were studied with magnetic resonance imaging. Diffusion tensor imaging was used to calculate fractional anisotropy (FA), a measure of white matter integrity. Measurements were made in the genu and splenium of the corpus callosum. Participants also completed measures of processing speed, depression, and anxiety. RESULTS Relative to controls, patients had slower processing speed and lower FA in the genu. Processing speed was positively correlated with FA in the genu. CONCLUSION The results of this pilot study suggest that adjuvant chemotherapy affects normal-appearing white matter in the genu of the corpus callosum and that this is related to the cognitive deficits experienced by patients.
The EphB2 tumor suppressor induces autophagic cell death via concomitant activation of the ERK1/2 and PI3K pathways

EphB2 is a tyrosine kinase receptor that has been shown to be a tumor suppressor gene in various cancers. However the mechanisms of this function are unknown. We report that EphB2 induces a form of cell death that does not involve the formation of apoptotic bodies or nuclear fragmentation and is instead accompanied by extensive vacuolization. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrates cytoplasmic vacuoles in EphB2-overexpressing cells that resembled autophagosomes. Using an EYFP-LC3 fusion protein and immunoblotting, we detected LC3 aggregation and conversion from form I to form II, both hallmarks of autophagy, in EphB2-transfected cells. Silencing of the autophagy regulating genes ATG5 or ATG7 using shRNAs, strongly prevented EphB2-induced cell death, further confirming its autophagic nature. EphB2 expression results in mitochondrial depolarization and translocation of cytochrome c from the mitochondria to the cytosol. Mapping of signaling pathways revealed novel information about the mechanisms of action of EphB2. We demonstrated that the MAPK pathway is important in the pro-death action of EphB2, through ERK1/2 phosphorylation and inhibition of this pathway using PD98059 counters EphB2-driven cell death. In addition, we found that inhibition of class III PI3K pathway, using the autophagy inhibitor 3MA, but not class I PI3K inhibition using LY294002, also effectively blocks EphB2-induced cell death. Finally, EphB2 expression inactivates Akt, which is a known inhibitor of autophagy. In conclusion, the EphB2 receptor induces an autophagic cell death that is mediated through the ERK1/2 and PI3K/Akt pathways.
The Comparative Statics of Effective Demand

ABSTRACT Keynes introduces the term ‘effective demand’ in Chapter 3 of the General Theory as designating the point of intersection of two functions: the ‘aggregate demand function’ (D) and the ‘aggregate supply function’ (Z). For the first time in the literature, I here use specific functional forms for the D and Z functions and run numerical simulations which allow study of the comparative statics of the model in the face of various ‘shocks’. The demonstration of how the D/Z model actually works will hopefully prove useful for future students of the economics of Keynes.
In vivo detection of Hirschsprung's disease by optical coherence tomography in rats

Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR) is a developmental intestinal obstruction, which is often diagnosed with a repeated biopsy. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a noninvasive, real-time imaging modality. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of diagnosis of HSCR, the targeted biopsies of suspicious tissues and the location of operative treatment using OCT. An HSCR Sprague–Dawley (SD) rat model (benzalkonium chloride-treated (BAC-treated)) was used. Colon tissues with BAC-treated and without BAC-treated were imaged using OCT. To establish OCT criteria for identification of HSCR, OCT images were compared with corresponding histology images and muscle layer thickness was measured. Furthermore, attenuation coefficients of OCT signals were calculated to illustrate the differences between tissues with BAC-treated and without BAC-treated. Our results show that OCT images of colon tissues with HSCR are well correlated with histology images. In comparison with a muscle layer without HSCR, the thickness of muscle layer with HSCR is increased significantly. The muscle layer in colon tissues with HSCR for 6 weeks had a higher attenuation coefficient than those without HSCR. However, the attenuation coefficient of those with HSCR for 3 weeks had no obvious change. In conclusion, the study demonstrates for the first time that OCT has the potential for diagnosis, biopsy and location of HSCR in vivo.
Assessing Resistance to the Echinocandin Antifungal Drug Caspofungin in Candida albicans by Profiling Mutations in FKS1

ABSTRACT Resistance of clinical isolates of Candida albicans to the echinocandin drug caspofungin is slowly emerging and is linked to mutations in short conserved regions in the FKS1 gene. The most prominent changes occurred at the serine 645 position in Fks1p with substitutions of proline, tyrosine, and phenylalanine. An allele-specific real-time PCR molecular-beacon assay was developed for rapid identification of drug resistance by targeting FKS1 mutations. Mutations altering serine 645 were reliably identified in both heterozygous and homozygous states. The molecular-beacon assay was used to evaluate two large collections of spontaneous mutants from separate strains of C. albicans with resistance (MICs, >16 μg/ml) to caspofungin with the goal of understanding the relationship between FKS1 mutations and echinocandin resistance. Of 85 resistant isolates recovered, all were identified with mutations in FKS1; 93% showed changes at Ser645, with 62% displaying a characteristic S645P substitution expressed as either a homozygous or a heterozygous mutation in FKS1. Two other prominent amino acid substitutions, S645Y and S645F, were found at frequencies of 22% and 8%, respectively. Three new mutations were also identified: T1922C, G1932T, and C1934G, encoding F641S, L644F, and S645C substitutions, respectively. One strain had the double amino acid substitution L644F and S645C. Allele-specific probes were combined in a multiplex assay for reliable screening of known FKS1 mutations. These data support the importance of FKS1p substitutions in echinocandin resistance and demonstrate the feasibility of applying molecular screening for routine resistance assessment.
Exploring Biological Motion Regularities of Human Actions

The ability to detect potentially interacting agents in the surrounding environment is acknowledged to be one of the first perceptual tasks developed by humans, supported by the ability to recognise biological motion. The precocity of this ability suggests that it might be based on rather simple motion properties, and it can be interpreted as an atomic building block of more complex perception tasks typical of interacting scenarios, as the understanding of non-verbal communication cues based on motion or the anticipation of others’ action goals. In this article, we propose a novel perspective for video analysis, bridging cognitive science and machine vision, which leverages the use of computational models of the perceptual primitives that are at the basis of biological motion perception in humans. Our work offers different contributions. In a first part, we propose an empirical formulation for the Two-Thirds Power Law, a well-known invariant law of human movement, and thoroughly discuss its readability in experimental settings of increasing complexity. In particular, we consider unconstrained video analysis scenarios, where, to the best of our knowledge, the invariant law has not found application so far. The achievements of this analysis pave the way for the second part of the work, in which we propose and evaluate a general representation scheme for biological motion characterisation to discriminate biological movements with respect to non-biological dynamic events in video sequences. The method is proposed as the first layer of a more complex architecture for behaviour analysis and human-machine interaction, providing in particular a new way to approach the problem of human action understanding.