Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CT differentiation of enlarged mediastinal lymph node due to anthracosis from metastatic lymphadenopathy: a comparative study proven by endobronchial US-guided transbronchial needle aspiration.

PURPOSE Anthracosis often results in mediastinal nodal enlargement. The aim of this comparative study was to evaluate if it is possible to differentiate endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) proven anthracotic lymph nodes from malignant lymph node enlargement by means of multislice computed tomography (MSCT). METHODS We compared the MSCT findings of 89 enlarged lymph nodes due to anthracosis with 54 malignant lymph nodes (non-small cell lung cancer 75.9%, small cell lung cancer 18.5%, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma 5.6%). The lymph nodes were assessed for density (calcification, fat, and necrosis), shape (oval, round), contrast enhancement, and contour (sharp, ill-defined). RESULTS Malignant lymph nodes showed significantly greater axis diameters (P < 0.001). Both anthracotic and malignant nodes were most often oval (86.5% of all malignant nodes vs. 81.5% of all anthracotic nodes, P = 0.420) and showed confluence in a remarkable percentage (28.1% vs. 42.6%, P = 0.075). Anthracotic nodes showed calcifications more often (18% vs. 0%, P < 0.001). Malignant lymph nodes showed a significantly greater short and long axis diameter (P < 0.001), and they had a higher frequency of ill-defined contours (27.8% vs. 2.2%, P < 0.001) and contrast enhancement (27.8% vs. 5.6%, P < 0.001). Nodal necrosis, which appeared in one third of the malignant nodes, was not observed in anthracosis (35.2% vs. 0%, P < 0.001). Confluence of enlarged lymph nodes was seen in malignant lymph nodes (42.6%), as well as in lymph node enlargement due to anthracosis (28.1%, P = 0.075). CONCLUSION Our results show that there are significant differences in MSCT findings of malignant enlarged lymph nodes and benign lymph node enlargement due to anthracosis.
Gender differences in the antecedents of trust in mobile social networking services

ABSTRACT With the development of mobile Internet technology and smartphone devices, mobile social networking services (mobile SNS) have become increasingly popular in recent years. However, research that systematically investigates the antecedents of trust, especially the gender differences therein, in the context of mobile SNS has been scarce. Building upon social role theory (SRT), this study extends existing literature by exploring the driving forces of trust in mobile SNS for different genders. Data are collected from WeChat users and analysed through multigroup analysis. Results have confirmed that trust in mobile SNS is associated with antecedents including perceived satisfaction, social ties, system quality, reputation and structural assurance. Particularly, social ties and reputation have dominant effects on trust of male users, whereas structural assurance has a greater effect on trust of female users. Implications for both researchers and practitioners are presented.
B‐type natriuretic peptide in the diagnosis of heart failure in the emergency department

B‐type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is increasingly being used as a diagnostic marker in the diagnosis of heart failure. Here we evaluate the evidence base for its utility in the ED. Clinical trials suggest that it is more accurate than clinical acumen especially when emergency physicians have diagnostic problems. BNP appears more accurate than any clinical findings or radiological signs. In conjunction with considered clinical judgement, knowledge of its limitations and variable cut‐off points, BNP can be of considerable utility to the emergency physician.
Identiﬁcation of (cid:2) B -Dependent Genes in Bacillus cereus by Proteome and In Vitro Transcription Analysis

The alternative sigma factor (cid:1) B of the food pathogen Bacillus cereus is activated upon stress exposure and plays a role in the adaptive response of vegetative cells. This study describes the identiﬁcation of (cid:1) B -dependent genes in B. cereus . Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was performed with protein extracts from a (cid:1) B overproducing B. cereus strain. Nine protein spots, which were absent from the negative control, were identiﬁed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of ﬂight mass spectrometry or N-terminal sequencing. The (cid:1) B -dependent expression of the corresponding genes was conﬁrmed by Northern blot analysis with RNA isolated from B. cereus ATCC 14579 and its sigB null mutant. Northern blot analysis also revealed that six other genes were part of (cid:1) B -dependent operons. The proteins that are predicted to be encoded by the (cid:1) B -dependent genes include an intracellular protease, a Mg 2 (cid:2) transporter, and a thiamine biosynthesis protein (ThiG). Highly conserved promoter sites were found to precede all (cid:1) B -dependent genes, with the exception of thiG . By searching the B. cereus genome for this conserved promoter sequence, ﬁve more candidate (cid:1) B -dependent genes were identiﬁed. Northern blot analysis and in vitro transcription experiments with a reconstituted B. cereus (cid:1) B -RNA polymerase holoenzyme conﬁrmed the (cid:1) B dependency of two of these genes and strongly suggested that two other genes, encoding an oligopeptide-binding OppA-like protein and subunit II of the cytochrome d ubiquinol oxidase, are also (cid:1) B dependent. In conclusion, (cid:1) B of B. cereus not only regulates genes directly involved in the stress response but also control speciﬁc metabolic rearrangements. P-labeled Fermentas St. Leon-Rot, Germany).
2D and 3D TCAD simulation of III-V channel FETs at the end of scaling

Quantum drift diffusion corrections and a simple ballistic mobility model are used to simulate IdVgs-characteristics of scaled 2D and 3D III-V channel FETs. The sub-threshold swing of double-gate ultra-thin-body geometries is extracted for different gate lengths, and the semi-classical results are compared with those from the quantum transport simulator QTx. The ballistic mobility recovers the QTx transfer curves of the gate-all-around nanowire FETs, except the on-currents in the linear regime. It is shown that source-to-drain tunneling sets a limit to scaling at a gate length of about 10 nm.
Sustained Virological Response following HCV Therapy is Associated with Non-Progression of Liver Fibrosis in HCV/HIV-Coinfected Patients

Background Chronic hepatitis C leads to progressive liver fibrosis, which is accelerated in HIV-coinfected patients. Unfortunately, hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy provides sustained virological response (SVR) to only 40% of coinfected patients. Little is known about the regression of hepatic fibrosis in treated patients. Methods All coinfected patients who had completed a full course of HCV therapy at our institution were identified. Liver fibrosis staging was estimated using non-invasive procedures at the time of initiating HCV therapy and reassessed at the last patient's follow-up using elastometry (FibroScan®). Results A total of 103 coinfected patients were identified. HCV genotype distribution was 1 (63%), 3 (29%) and 4 (8%). SVR had been attained by 34 individuals, while the remaining 69 were non-responders and/or relapsers. The mean lag time between the end of HCV therapy and the current assessment of liver fibrosis was 40 months, without differences between groups. Metavir score estimates were comparable before initiating HCV therapy in SVR and non-SVR patients. By contrast, current Metavir scores were lower in SVR than in non-SVR patients; for instance, F3-F4 estimates were 12% versus 54%, respectively (P<0.001). Moreover, the longer the time elapsed after HCV therapy, the lower the liver fibrosis in SVR patients (ρ=-0.39; P=0.02). Conversely, liver fibrosis staging directly correlated with the lag following HCV therapy in non-SVR patients (ρ=0.25; P=0.03). Conclusions SVR after HCV therapy is associated with non-progression of liver fibrosis in HCV/HIV-coinfected patients, although this benefit may not be universal and improvement only been recognizable after several years of follow-up.
Simultaneous Determination of Seven Bioactive Compounds in Wuji Pill by HPLC

A high performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode-array detection method was developed for simultaneous determination of gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, paeoniflorin, jatrorrhizine hydrochloride, dehydroevodiamine, palmatine chloride and berberine hydrochloride in the Chinese proprietary medicine “Wuji Pill” (WJP). The analysis was performed by reversed phase gradient elution, using an aqueous mobile phase (containing 0.05 mol/L monopotassium phosphate and 0.1% aqueous phosphosnic acid) modified by acetonitrile and detection made at 340 nm. The method was validated for limits of detection and quantification, precision, repeatability, stability, accuracy and robustness. Five batches of self-manufactured WJP were analyzed and found to contain different amounts of the seven bioactive markers. The method could be used for quality assessment of this Chinese materia medica preparation.
Electromigration failure rate of redundant via

We derived two methods of getting Electromigration (EM) Failure Rate of redundant via (RV) by Monte Carlo (MC) method and analytic formulation and showed the results are identical. These methods are applied to get a new lognormal distribution for RV, which can be used to predict EM Failure Rate of various RV cases.
Approximation Approaches for Inventory Systems with General Production/Ordering Cost Structures

The production/ordering cost structure is fundamental to determining an optimal inventory control policy. For example, it is well known that a base‐stock policy is optimal for inventory systems with linear production costs, whereas an (s, S) policy is optimal if both linear and fixed costs exist. However, many of the cost structures that have arisen from the practice are quite complex and make the optimal policies too complicated for managers to implement. In this study, we propose several easy‐to‐implement and efficient heuristic policies for inventory systems with general production costs, which include multiple linear pieces and fixed costs, suggesting a wide application to many practical problems that were previously difficult to solve. We establish the worst‐case performance bounds on the proposed heuristic policies by using the concept of K‐approximate convexity. Our extensive numerical studies, which are designed to reflect practical inventory control applications, evaluate the performance of the heuristic policies and show that the best heuristic policy we propose performs extremely well. We also try to provide explanations for the performance of different heuristic policies.
Accepting from the best donor; analysis of long-lifetime donor fluorescent protein pairings to optimise dynamic FLIM-based FRET experiments

FRET biosensors have proven very useful tools for studying the activation of specific signalling pathways in living cells. Most biosensors designed to date have been predicated on fluorescent protein pairs that were identified by, and for use in, intensity based measurements, however fluorescence lifetime provides a more reliable measurement of FRET. Both the technology and fluorescent proteins available for FRET have moved on dramatically in the last decade. Lifetime imaging systems have become increasingly accessible and user-friendly, and there is an entire field of biology dedicated to refining and adapting different characteristics of existing and novel fluorescent proteins. This growing pool of fluorescent proteins includes the long-lifetime green and cyan fluorescent proteins Clover and mTurquoise2, the red variant mRuby2, and the dark acceptor sREACh. Here, we have tested these donors and acceptors in appropriate combinations against the standard or recommended norms (EGFP and mTFP as donors, mCherry and either Ypet or Venus as acceptors) to determine if they could provide more reliable, reproducible and quantifiable FLIM-FRET data to improve on the dynamic range compared to other donors and breadth of application of biosensor technologies. These tests were performed for comparison on both a wide-field, frequency domain system and a multiphoton, TCSPC time domain FLIM system. Clover proved to be an excellent donor with extended dynamic range in combination with mCherry on both platforms, while mRuby2 showed a high degree of variability and poor FRET efficiencies in all cases. mTFP-Venus was the most consistent cyan-yellow pair between the two FLIM methodologies, but mTurquoise2 has better dynamic range and transfers energy consistently over time to the dark acceptor sRCh. Combination of mTFP-sRCh with Clover-mCherry would allow the simultaneous use of two FLIM-FRET biosensors within one sample by eliminating the crosstalk between the yellow acceptor and green donor emissions.
Repeated treatment with the α2-adrenoceptor agonist UK-14304 improves cognitive performance in middle-age rats: Role of hippocampal Fas-associated death domain

The cell fate regulator Fas-associated death domain (FADD) balances cell death with non-apoptotic actions via its phosphorylated form. A recent study associated loss of cortical FADD with cognitive decline and increased risk of clinical dementia. Since the activation of cortical α2A-adrenoceptors improved memory deficits in various animal models of working memory loss, the present study evaluated whether UK-14304, an α2-adrenoceptor agonist known to acutely regulate brain FADD forms, would improve cognitive function in middle-aged rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with UK-14304 (0.3 or 1 mg/kg) or saline (1 mL/kg) for seven days. Cognitive performance was evaluated in the eight-arm radial maze. FADD protein content was measured in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus by Western blot analysis. The results showed that UK-14304 (1 mg/kg) improved cognitive performance (less time: –310±45 s, p=0.025 and fewer errors: –2.75±1.06, p=0.043 to complete the maze) and increased FADD selectively in the hippocampus (+35±11%, p=0.029). Interestingly, hippocampal FADD content negatively correlated with the time (r=−0.651, p<0.01) needed to complete the maze. Thus, better cognitive scores were associated with higher FADD hippocampal content. These results support a role for α2-adrenoceptors in ameliorating cognition and suggest FADD protein content as a possible correlate for cognitive performance.
Carboplatin and programmed death‐ligand 1 blockade synergistically produce a similar antitumor effect to carboplatin alone in murine ID8 ovarian cancer model

In advanced, platinum resistant or refractory ovarian cancer (OC), the therapeutic efficacy of carboplatin is controversial. Although anti‐programmed death‐1/programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐1/PD‐L1) pathway blockages show great potential in cancer treatment, the antitumor effect of single anti‐PD‐L1 pathway monoclonal antibody (mAb) is not obvious in advanced or some poorly immunogenic tumors, including OC. We compared the effects of single or combined carboplatin and anti‐PD‐L1 mAb treatments and explored the possible antitumor mechanisms in a murine ID8 OC model.
The influence of aspect ratio and stroke pattern on force generation of a bat-inspired membrane wing

Aspect ratio (AR) is one parameter used to predict the flight performance of a bat species based on wing shape. Bats with high AR wings are thought to have superior lift-to-drag ratios and are therefore predicted to be able to fly faster or to sustain longer flights. By contrast, bats with lower AR wings are usually thought to exhibit higher manoeuvrability. However, the half-span ARs of most bat wings fall into a narrow range of about 2.5–4.5. Furthermore, these predictions do not take into account the wide variation in flapping motion observed in bats. To examine the influence of different stroke patterns, we measured lift and drag of highly compliant membrane wings with different bat-relevant ARs. A two degrees of freedom shoulder joint allowed for independent control of flapping amplitude and wing sweep. We tested five models with the same variations of stroke patterns, flapping frequencies and wind speed velocities. Our results suggest that within the relatively small AR range of bat wings, AR has no clear effect on force generation. Instead, the generation of lift by our simple model mostly depends on wingbeat frequency, flapping amplitude and freestream velocity; drag is mostly affected by the flapping amplitude.
Peculiarities of anonymous comments’ management: a case study of Lithuanian news portals

In the world of today's information technologies, data may spread through cyber space at the speed of lightning. News portals constantly update the information available at their disposal by posting new articles. In order to attract new readers and to retain existing ones, in addition to focussing on publishing quality content, portal managers work on continuously improving their sites. These websites may have various interactive features, among them the opportunity to comment on an article. In some news portals, the number of anonymous comments is particularly high. The activities of online commenters and the issues related to their anonymity have always generated heated discussion owing to a number of reasons, including the content of the comments, the right of the commenters to remain anonymous and the extent to which the portal manager could be held liable. News portals equipped with an anonymous commenting function give rise to a culture of online bullying and hate-mongering where the cyber-criminals feel immune from punishment and existing control measures are insufficient for addressing the problem. The advocates of anonymous commenting argue that it promotes freedom of expression and portal administrators claim they can control defamatory and offensive anonymous comments by deleting them. The article discusses the theoretical aspects of anonymity, anonymous commenting and anonymous comments. Based on a case study of the most popular news portals in Lithuania, and, in particular, on a comparative analysis of the privacy policy and the environment for commenting in three of them, the authors offer empirical data on the ratio between the number of comments and that of the commenters. The main purpose of the article is to reveal the peculiarities of anonymous comments' management of the news portals that enjoy the greatest popularity in Lithuania.
A Set of Motives to Unite Them All? Revisiting the Principles and Typology of MNE Motives

We reflect on the background and evolution of the internationalization motives over the last few decades, and provide suggestions for how to use the motives for future analyses. We also reflect on the contributions to the debate of the accompanying articles of the forum. There continue to be new developments in the way in which firms organize themselves as MNEs and this implies that the ‘classic’ motives originally introduced by Dunning in 1993 need to be revisited. Dunning’s motives and arguments were deductive and atheoretical, and were intended to be used as a toolkit, used in conjunction with other theories and frameworks. They are not an alternative to a classification of possible MNE strategies. This paper provides a deeper and nuanced understanding on internationalization motives for future research to build on.
Relevance of Declining Agriculture in Economic Development of South Asian Countries: An Empirical Analysis

Role of agriculture has been a matter of debate among development economist. Agriculture has been a major contributor in national income and employment in South Asian economies but its share in the national GDP has been declining over time. This study examines the relevance of declining agriculture due to structural transformation in economic growth of four South Asian countries namely India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. To analyze the long-run relationship between agriculture and economic growth, an empirical model based on Augmented Neoclassical Solow-Swan model is developed. Johansen and Juselius (1990) maximum likelihood technique based on VAR model and Granger causality test has been employed to analyze long run and short run causal relations between agriculture and economic growth respectively. Results show that in all four South Asian countries, agriculture has long-run association with economic growth and it is an important driver of economic growth. Short-run analysis indicates that agriculture stimulates economic growth in all South Asian countries except Bangladesh. Neglect of agriculture and excessive focus on industrialization may retard growth both in short and long run.
Does three‐dimensional power Doppler ultrasound improve the diagnostic accuracy for the prediction of adnexal malignancy?

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of three‐dimensional power Doppler ultrasound (3DPD) in the differentiation between benign and malignant adnexal masses and evaluate 3DPD for assessing malignancy in comparison with two‐dimensional transvaginal gray‐scale sonography (2DTVS), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET).
Trade Cost Reduction and Foreign Direct Investment in a Vertical Structure

Although empirical evidence shows that a lower trade cost and higher FDI may go hand in hand, the well-known “proximity-concentration” hypothesis does not support this view. We provide a simple explanation for this phenomenon. We show that a lower trade cost on the intermediate goods (with or without a trade cost reduction on the final goods) increases the incentive for FDI in the final goods market. In this respect, we show the roles played by the production technologies of the firms.
Injury characteristics in the German professional male soccer leagues after a shortened winter break.

CONTEXT The winter break in the top 2 German professional soccer leagues was shortened from 6.5 to 3.5 weeks in the 2009-2010 season. OBJECTIVE To investigate whether this change affected injury characteristics by comparing the second half of the 2008-2009 (long winter break) with the equivalent period in the 2009-2010 season (short winter break). DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING German male professional soccer leagues. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS Seven professional German male soccer teams (184 players in the 2008-2009 season, 188 players in the 2009-2010 season). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Injury incidences and injury characteristics (cause of injury, location, severity, type, diagnosis), including their monthly distribution, were recorded. RESULTS A total of 300 time-loss injuries (2008-2009 n = 151, 2009-2010 n = 149) occurred. The overall injury incidence per 1000 soccer hours was 5.90 (95% confidence interval = 5.03, 6.82) in 2008-2009 and 6.55 (5.58, 7.69) in 2009-2010. Match injuries per 1000 hours were 31.5 (25.0, 38.0) in the first season and 26.5 (20.2, 32.7) in the second season; the corresponding training values were 2.67 (2.08-3.44) and 3.98 (3.19-4.95), respectively. The training injury incidence (incidence rate ratio = 1.49 [95% confidence interval = 1.07, 2.08], P = .02) and the risk of sustaining a knee injury (incidence rate ratio = 1.66 [1.00, 2.76], P = .049) were higher in 2009-2010 after the short winter break; the incidence of moderate and severe injuries (time loss >7 days) trended higher (incidence rate ratio = 1.34 [0.96, 1.86], P = .09). CONCLUSIONS Shortening the winter break from 6.5 to 3.5 weeks did not change the overall injury incidence; however, a higher number of training, knee, and possibly more severe injuries (time loss >7 days) occurred.