Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A dosimetric study of electron beam therapy vs. high-dose-rate mould brachytherapy in adjuvant treatment of non-melanoma skin carcinomas of the head and neck region

Purpose Radiation for superficial tumours of the head and neck region can be given either by brachytherapy or electrons. Brachytherapy (BT), due to rapid dose fall-off and minor set-up errors, should be superior to external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for treatment of lesions in difficult locations such as the nose and earlobe. The present study is a dosimetric comparison of computed tomography (CT)-based mould brachytherapy treatment plans with 3D conformal electron beam therapy in the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC). Material and methods From December 2017 to November 2018 10 patients with NMSC of the head and neck region (forehead, nose, cheek) who underwent adjuvant radiation with HDR brachytherapy (BT) with a surface mould individual applicator were enrolled for analysis. We evaluated dose coverage by minimal dose to 90% of planning target volume (PTV, D90), volumes of PTV receiving 90-150% of prescribed dose (PD) (VPTV90-150), conformal index for 90% and 100% of PD (COIN90, COIN100), dose homogeneity index (DHI), dose nonuniformity ratio (DNR), and exposure of organs at risk (OARs) (eyes, lens, underlying bone and skin). Prospectively, we created CT-based treatment plans for electron beam therapy. We compared conformity (COIN90, COIN100), dose coverage of PTV (D90, VPTV90, VPTV100), volumes of body receiving 10-90% of PD (V10-V90), doses to OARs (D0.1cc and D2cc) of BT and electron plans. Results We obtained mean BT-DHI 0.81, BT-DNR 0.608, Electron-DHI 1.25. We observed no significant differences in VPTV90,100 and D90 between BT and electron beam. Mean BT-VPTV125,150 were significantly higher than Electron-VPTV100,125. COIN90 was superior for BT plans. Conclusions CT-based surface mould brachytherapy results in better conformity of superficial lesions on small, irregular surfaces such as the nose and inner canthus than electrons with a slightly higher skin dose.
Development and validation of a rheumatologist satisfaction with practice scale

Abstract There is a paucity of succinct measures of physician satisfaction. As part of a Performance Improvement Project, we developed and piloted a simple questionnaire to determine rheumatologists satisfaction. Thirty 5 rheumatologists in the academic or private setting were sent opened-ended questions to determine the factors that made them satisfied or dissatisfied with respect to their rheumatology practice. From the responses we formed 14 questions 1 to 10 scale centering on satisfaction and dissatisfaction that was piloted in 30 rheumatologists and subsequently validated in 173 rheumatologists within the US and Latin America. Our combined sample included 173 rheumatologists (55 English and 118 Spanish-speaking respondents). The mean satisfaction for the combined sample was 6.92 (standard deviation=1.1, range 4.08–9.62). The strongest contributors to physician satisfaction were “Seeing interesting and challenging cases” (8.6 ± 1.5) and “The ability to make a difference in patient's life” as well as “Establishing long term relationship with patients” (8.39 ± 1.5). The strongest contributors to physician dissatisfaction were “Getting inappropriate referrals not in the scope of practice” (4.3 ± 2.13) and “Time spent on documentation” (4.5 ± 2.59). The scale had good reliability, relatively normal distribution, and little or no redundancy among items. A simple and practical questionnaire to measure physician satisfaction, in particular rheumatologists satisfaction, was developed, piloted and successfully validated on a predominately academic sample of rheumatologists within the US and Latin America. This scale will serve as a means to identifying potential barriers to the implementation of performance improvement projects in the practice of Rheumatology.
The Genetic and Molecular Basis for Canine Models of Human Leukemia and Lymphoma

Emerging details of the gene expression and mutational features of canine lymphoma and leukemia demonstrate areas of similarities and differences between disease subsets in the humans and dogs. Many features of canine diffuse large B-cell lymphoma resemble the ABC form of human DLBCL, including constitutive activation of the NF-kB pathway, and almost universal presence of double expressing MYC/BCL2 lymphomas. Frequent TRAF3 mutations and absence of BCL6 expression are differences with the human disease that need further exploration. Canine peripheral T-cell lymphoma is more common in dogs than in people and behaves in a similarly aggressive manner. Common features of canine and human PTCL include activation of the PI3 kinase pathways, loss of PTEN, and the tumor suppressor CDKN2. There is insufficient data available yet to determine if canine PTCL exhibits the GATA3-TBX21 dichotomy seen in people. Common to all forms of canine lymphoproliferative disease are breed-specific predilections for subsets of disease. This is particularly striking in PTCL, with the Boxer breed being dramatically overrepresented. Breed-specific diseases provide an opportunity for uncovering genetic and environmental risk factors that can aid early diagnosis and prevention.
Osteoporosis Entwined with Cardiovascular Disease: The Implication of Osteoprotegerin and Example of Statins.

Beyond being epiphenomenon of shared epidemiological factors, the integration of osteoporosis (OP) with cardiovascular disease (CVD)- termed "calcification paradox"- reflects a continuum of aberrant cardiometabolic status. The present review provides background knowledge on "calcification paradox", focusing on the endocrine aspect of vasculature orchestrated by the osteoblastic molecular fingerprint of vascular cells, acquired via imbalance among established modulators of mineralization. Osteoprotegerin (OPG)-the well-established osteoprotective cytokine-has recently been shown to exert a vessel-modifying role. Prompted by this notion, the present review interrogates OPG as the potential missing link between OP and CVD. However, so far, the confirmation of this hypothesis is hindered by the equivocal role of OPG in CVD, being both proatherosclerotic and antiatherosclerotic. Further research is needed to illuminate whether OPG could be biomarker of the "calcification paradox". Moreover, the present review brings into prominence the dual role of statins-cardioprotective and osteoprotective- as potential illustration of the integration of CVD with OP. Considering that the statins-induced modulation of OPG is central to the statins-driven osteoprotective signalling, statins could be suggested as illustration of the role of OPG in the bone/vessels crosstalk, if further studies consolidate the contribution of OPG to the cardioprotective role of statins. Another outstanding issue that merits further evaluation is the inconsistency of the osteoprotective role of statins. Further understanding of the varying bone-modifying role of statins, likely attributed to the unique profile of different classes of statins defined by distinct physicochemical characteristics, may yield tangible benefits for treating simultaneously OP and CVD.
Paraventricular Thalamus Activity during Motivational Conflict Highlights the Nucleus as a Potential Constituent in the Neurocircuitry of Addiction

The paraventricular thalamus (PVT) is associated with reward-related behaviors, including learning cue–reward associations, attributing incentive salience to stimuli, and performing goal-motivated behaviors ([Haight and Flagel, 2014][1]; [Hsu et al., 2014][2]). Such behavioral associations are
Clinical Significance and Potential Regulatory Mechanisms of Serum Response Factor in 1118 Cases of Thyroid Cancer Based on Gene Chip and RNA-Sequencing Data

Background Thyroid cancer (TC) is one of the most prevalent endocrine malignancies and there may be many unclarified molecular events and gene types involved in TC. The objective of this study was to assess the clinical implications and potential mechanisms of serum response factor (SRF) in TC. Material/Methods RNA-sequencing and gene chip data with TC expression were collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas/Genotype-Tissue Expression, Gene Expression Omnibus, ArrayExpress, Sequence Read Archive, and Oncomine. SRF expression of all TC and adjacent non-cancerous tissue were calculated using the t test, STATA, and Meta-DiSc. The related pathways of the potential SRF target genes and target miRNAs were explored. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to validate the association between SRF and its putative miRNA. Results One RNA-sequencing and 15 gene chips were collected, and the pooled standardized mean difference of SRF was −1.00. Furthermore, the area under the curve of sROC of SRF in TC was 0.8251, indicating a dramatic decreased expression of SRF in TC tissues based on 1118 cases. The intersection of differentially expressed genes in TC, SRF co-expressed genes, and SRF potential target genes achieved from Cistrome Cancer led to 169 overlapped genes. miR-330-5p was predicted to target SRF, which was further confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Conclusions The reduction of SRF appears to play a crucial role in the origin of TC. These properties are accomplished by the target genes of SRF, as a transcription factor, or by the axes with the associated miRNAs.
The Stroop Negative Priming Matching Task: A New Task for the Direct Comparison of Interference Control and Inhibition

Inhibition processing is an inherent part of cognitive and behavioral control. The aim of the present study was to develop and investigate psychometric criteria of an experimental paradigm that combines Stroop interference and negative priming, both of which involve inhibitory processes. We adopted a Stroop matching paradigm assessing interference control and implemented a negative priming condition. A nonclinical community sample of 94 volunteers performed this Stroop Negative Priming Matching paradigm. Since timing plays a role in priming, the interval between the prime and the probe has been varied in length (500 ms, 800 ms, and 3000 ms). The main results showed both, effects of Stroop interference and negative priming, as indicated by reaction times and incorrect responses. Reduced time pressure showed an effect on response speed and accuracy, but no interaction with interference and priming effects occurred. Reliability computed as internal consistency was generally high and did not differ between Stroop interference and negative priming scales. Retest-reliability was best for the prime–probe interval of 3000 ms. Concluding, the Stroop negative priming matching task provides reliable and directly comparable assessment of Stroop interference and negative priming effects.
What Is the Impact of Diet on Nutritional Diarrhea Associated with Gut Microbiota in Weaning Piglets: A System Review

Piglets experience severe growth challenges and diarrhea after weaning due to nutritional, social, psychological, environmental, and physiological changes. Among these changes, the nutritional factor plays a key role in postweaning health. Dietary protein, fibre, starch, and electrolyte levels are highly associated with postweaning nutrition diarrhea (PWND). In this review, we mainly discuss the high protein, fibre, resistant starch, and electrolyte imbalance in diets that induce PWND, with a focus on potential mechanisms in weaned piglets.
An Ensemble Method with Cost Function on Churn Prediction

Accurate customer churn classification is vital in any business organisation due to the higher cost involved in getting new customers. In telecommunication businesses, companies have used various types of single classifiers to classify customer churn, but the classification accuracy is still relatively low. However, the classification accuracy can be improved by integrating decisions from multiple classifiers through an ensemble method. Despite having the ability to produce higher classification accuracy, the ensemble method tends to produce similar or redundant classifiers. Therefore, this paper aims to achieve higher classification accuracy and at the same time, minimising ensemble classifiers by constructing a new ensemble method based on dimensionality reduction in soft set theory. The combination of ensemble classifier is calculated based on the simple majority voting algorithm. The performance measure used in determining the optimal subset of classifiers is the combination of Accuracy (ACC), True Negative Rate (TNR) and True Positive Rate (TPR). The proposed soft set ensemble methods (SSPN and SSSC) are systematically evaluated using customer churn data set taken from one of the local Telco companies in Malaysia. The selection and combination algorithm (SSSC) has proven its supremacy by producing accuracy (ACC) of 87.0% for local Telco data set and 94.0% for UCI data set, which is better than any other single classifier. This work proved that the proposed soft ensemble method could search for the minimum number of classifiers in the ensemble repository while at the same time improving the classification performance. In conclusion, the proposed soft ensemble method not only reduces the number of members of the ensemble but is also able to produce the highest classification accuracy.
An Automated Lung Nodule Segmentation Method Based On Nodule Detection Network and Region Growing

Segmentation of a specific organ or tissue plays an important role in medical image analysis with the rapid development of clinical decision support systems. With medical imaging equipments, segmenting the lung nodules in the images is able to help physicians diagnose lung cancer diseases and formulate proper schemes. Therefore the research of lung nodule segmentation has attracted a lot of attention these years. However, this task faces some challenges, including the intensity similarity between lung nodules and vessel, inaccurate boundaries and presence of noise in most of the images. In this paper, an automated segmentation method is proposed for lung nodules in CT images. At the first stage, a nodule detection network is used to generate region proposals and locate the bounding boxes of nodules, which are employed as the initial input for the following segmentation. Then the nodules are segmented in the bounding boxes at the second stage. Since the image scale for region growing is reduced by locating the nodule in advance, the efficiency of segmentation can be improved. And due to the localization of nodule before segmentation, some tissues with similar intensity can be excluded from the object region. The proposed method is evaluated on a public lung nodule dataset, and the experimental results indicate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method.
Liquidity and Stock Returns : Evidence from the Chinese Stock Market *

We investigate the role of liquidity in explaining stock returns in China’s stock market. We construct a new liquidity measure by capturing four liquidity dimensions. Our results show that liquidity is an important factor in pricing returns in China, after taking other well-documented asset-pricing factors into consideration. We compare alternative factor models and find that the model including the factors of market, size, value, and liquidity outperforms the other factor models in explaining stock returns in China. Our results are validated in both time-series and cross-sectional tests. They are also robust to adding portfolio residuals, higher moments, monthly seasonality, and conditional-market tests.
Spatial organization of palmitoyl acyl transferases governs substrate localization and function

Abstract Protein palmitoylation is a critical posttranslational modification that regulates protein trafficking, localization, stability, sorting and function. In mammals, addition of this lipid modification onto proteins is mediated by a family of 23 palmitoyl acyl transferases (PATs). PATs often palmitoylate substrates in a promiscuous manner, precluding our understanding of how these enzymes achieve specificity for their substrates. Despite generous efforts to identify consensus motifs defining PAT-substrate specificity, it remains to be determined whether additional factors beyond interaction motifs, such as local palmitoylation, participate in PAT-substrate selection. In this review, we emphasize the role of local palmitoylation, in which substrates are palmitoylated and trapped in the same subcellular compartments as their PATs, as a mechanism of enzyme-substrate specificity. We focus here on non-Golgi-localized PATs, as physical proximity to their substrates enables them to engage in local palmitoylation, compared to Golgi PATs, which often direct trafficking of their substrates elsewhere. PAT subcellular localization may be an under-recognized, yet important determinant of PAT-substrate specificity that may work in conjunction or completely independently of interaction motifs. We also discuss some current hypotheses about protein motifs that contribute to localization of non-Golgi-localized PATs, important for the downstream targeting of their substrates.
Use of Rapid Diagnostics To Manage Pediatric Bloodstream Infections? You Bet Your ASP!

Rapid diagnostic testing (RDT) can facilitate earlier optimization of the treatment of bloodstream infections, particularly in conjunction with an effective antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP). However, the effective implementation and workflow of RDTs are still a matter of debate, particularly in a pediatric setting. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, L. J. Juttukonda, S. Katz, J. Gillon, J. Schmitz, and R. Banerjee (J Clin Microbiol 58:e01400-19, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.01400-19) investigate the impact of a multiplex, molecular RDT on changes to antimicrobial therapy in an academic children’s hospital. ABSTRACT Rapid diagnostic testing (RDT) can facilitate earlier optimization of the treatment of bloodstream infections, particularly in conjunction with an effective antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP). However, the effective implementation and workflow of RDTs are still a matter of debate, particularly in a pediatric setting. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, L. J. Juttukonda, S. Katz, J. Gillon, J. Schmitz, and R. Banerjee (J Clin Microbiol 58:e01400-19, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.01400-19) investigate the impact of a multiplex, molecular RDT on changes to antimicrobial therapy in an academic children’s hospital. These data reveal several factors that clinical laboratories should consider prior to the implementation of RDTs for positive blood cultures.
Emotion specific body movements: Studying humans to augment robots' bodily expressions

Robots are starting to share our social space and will continue to do so in the future. These interactive devices have the capability of facilitating various interaction modalities which could go beyond voice and screen based interactions. When developing interaction technologies, theories such as psychobiological and media compensation suggest to replicate natural ways of human interactions such as face to face. As a result, it is vital to study how people interpret robot's physical appearance and actions. According to previous studies, designing acceptable humanoid robots is far more challenging than designing robots with less human qualities. This paper emphasizes the importance of human non-verbal communication in emotional interactions and analyzes how people use full body expression to communicate basic emotions, in particular happiness, surprise, and anger. Furthermore, this paper presents a list of emotion specific movement behaviors that can be used and applied to better design forms and movements for both humanoid or non-humanoid robots.
Assessment of mental health among adolescents studying in Government Schools of Patna District

Background: Adolescence is a period of physical, psychological, emotional and personality change, which can be affected by stress, and emotional and behavioral problems. Hence this study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of mental health problem among adolescent studying in secondary school of district Patna by using of SDQ Questionnaire. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted on the assessment of mental health status of children of 12-16 years. This study was conducted at 15 schools in the rural area and 20 schools in urban area of Patna district from August 2013 to January 2015 using of SDQ Questionnaire. Result: Conduct problems as well as peer problem were the highest (10.3%) with mean score of 5.59±0.84 and 6.40±0.67 respectively, followed by emotional problem (7.6%) with mean score7.88±1.00. The Conduct problems were significantly higher in males than females (p=0.025). The abnormal score of all domain of the mental problem were more common in the children of urban area except prosocial problem. 20.4% children had definite difficulties in daily life and 11.4% had severe difficulties in daily life. The difficulties had interfered in 64.6% of children by different impact factor. Conclusion: Mental health problems are common among the general adolescent population in India. Early detection and effective intervention will result in better development of the futures citizens of our country
Antiinflammatory and analgesic effects of higenamine, a component of aconiti tuber

The antiinflammatory and analgesic activities of higenamine were evaluated by measuring edema volume and pain threshold in adjuvant arthritic rats and acetic acid-induced writhing test in mice. Higenamine, with consecutive oral administrations at doses of 10 and 50 mg/kg/day, showed significant antiedemic effect and elevation of pain threshold during the secondary lesion of adjuvant arthritis. Higenamine also showed a significant inhibition of acetic acid-induced writhing syndrome with a single oral administration (200 mg/kg). From these results, it is postulated that higenamine might possess both of centrally and peripherally mediated analgesic properties.
Intermediate filaments in developing neurons: Beyond structure

Neuronal development relies on a highly choreographed progression of dynamic cellular processes by which newborn neurons migrate, extend axons and dendrites, innervate their targets, and make functional synapses. Many of these dynamic processes require coordinated changes in morphology, powered by the cell's cytoskeleton. Intermediate filaments (IFs) are the third major cytoskeletal elements in vertebrate cells, but are rarely considered when it comes to understanding axon and dendrite growth, pathfinding and synapse formation. In this review, we first introduce the many new and exciting concepts of IF function, discovered mostly in non‐neuronal cells. These roles include dynamic rearrangements, crosstalk with microtubules and actin filaments, mechano‐sensing and ‐transduction, and regulation of signaling cascades. We then discuss the understudied roles of neuronally expressed IFs, with a particular focus on IFs expressed during development, such as nestin, vimentin and α‐internexin. Lastly, we illustrate how signaling modulation by the unconventional IF nestin shapes neuronal morphogenesis in unexpected and novel ways. Even though the first IF knockout mice were made over 20 years ago, the study of the cell biological functions of IFs in the brain still has much room for exciting new discoveries.