Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Semantic context‐aware attention UNET for lung cancer segmentation and classification

Lung cancer is a serious type of cancer, leading to increased mortality to death in both men and women as the symptoms are noticed only at later stages. Life span of individuals' may be extended if lung cancer is detected in its early stages. One of the imaging modalities used to diagnose lung cancer is computed tomography (CT). A nodule or mass is a small abnormal growth observed in a lung CT scan that, in most cases, may turn out to be benign. A computer‐aided system is essential to help physicians in precisely diagnosing the disease. The main objective of this work is to detect and classify the nodules in the lung CT scan images as benign or malignant. A context‐aware attention UNET architecture is proposed to segment the nodule from the lung CT scan image. Further, the segmented nodule is classified as benign or malignant using a Convolutional Neural Network architecture. The experiments are performed using the LUNA 16 and LIDC‐IDRI lung CT scan image datasets. From the results obtained, it is observed that the context‐aware attention UNET shows a noteworthy improvement in the following metrics: Dice Score, Sensitivity, Specificity, and F‐Measure. A significant improvement is obtained compared to the existing systems in detecting the lesion as a benign nodule or malignant nodule. Further, an ablation study is performed to validate the significance of each component in the architecture. The experimental results have reported 98.81% and 99.15% for specificity and sensitivity, respectively, and therefore the proposed system has potential clinical value in the detection of lung cancer.
An Activated Bismuth Layer Formed In Situ on a Solid Bismuth Microelectrode for Electrochemical Sensitive Determination of Ga(III)

In this paper, an activated bismuth layer formed in situ on a solid bismuth microelectrode, used as a working electrode for the electrochemical sensitive determination of Ga(III), based on anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) is discussed. The new electrode significantly enhances the sensitivity in the ASV determination of Ga(III) and exhibits superior performance in comparison to a bismuth film electrode prepared on a glassy carbon disc. The experimental variables, such as the potential and time of solid-bismuth-microelectrode activation, the composition of the supporting electrolyte, and the influence of possible interferences on the Ga(III) signal response, were tested. The most favorable values were selected (pH = 4.6; acetate buffer; activation potential/time: −1.8 V/6 s and −1.4 V/60 s). In the optimized conditions, the peak current was found to be proportional to the concentration of Ga(III) over the range from 2 × 10−8 to 2 × 10−6 mol L−1 with R = 0.993. The limit of detection (LOD) was 7 × 10−9 mol L−1. Finally, the proposed method was successfully applied for gallium determination in certified reference waters, such as surface water and waste water, as well as tap and river water samples. The water samples were analyzed without any pretreatment and recovery values from 92.4 to 105.5% were obtained.
CRITICAL STAR FORMATION RATES FOR REIONIZATION: FULL REIONIZATION OCCURS AT REDSHIFT z ≈ 7

We assess the probable redshift (zrei ≈ 7) for full reionization of the intergalactic medium (IGM) using a prescription for the comoving star formation rate (SFR) density () required to maintain photoionization against recombination. Our newly developed online reionization simulator allows users to assess the required SFR and ionization histories, using a variety of assumptions for galactic and stellar populations, IGM clumping factor and temperature, and Lyman continuum (LyC) escape fraction. The decline in high-redshift galaxy candidates and Lyα emitters at z = 6–8 suggests a rising neutral fraction, with reionization at z ≳ 7 increasingly difficult owing to increased recombination rates and constraints from the ionizing background and LyC mean free path. The required rate is scaled to fiducial values of clumping factor CH = 3, escape fraction fesc = 0.2, electron temperature Te = 104 K, and low-metallicity initial mass functions (IMFs) and stellar atmospheres. Our hydrodynamical + N-body simulations find a mean clumping factor CH ≈ (2.9)[(1 + z)/6]−1.1 in the photoionized, photoheated filaments at z = 5–9. The critical SFR could be reduced by increasing the minimum stellar mass, invoking a top-heavy IMF, or systematically increasing fesc at high z. The cosmic microwave background optical depth, τe = 0.088 ± 0.015, could be explained by full reionization, producing τe = 0.050 back to zrei ≈ 7, augmented by Δτe ≈ 0.01–0.04 in a partially ionized IGM at z > 7. In this scenario, the strongest 21 cm signal should occur at redshifted frequencies 124–167 MHz owing to IGM heating over an interval Δz ≈ 3 in the range z ≈ 7.5–10.5.
Association between Pre-Existing Long-Term β-Blocker Therapy and the Outcomes of Sepsis-Associated Coagulopathy: A Retrospective Study

Background and Objectives: Previous studies have suggested that long-term β-blocker therapy before sepsis is associated with reduced mortality. Sepsis-associated coagulopathy (SAC) remains a common complication in patients with sepsis and is associated with increased mortality. Adrenergic pathways are involved in the regulation of the coagulation system. Pre-existing long-term β-blocker therapy may have potentially beneficial effects on SAC and has yet to be well characterized. We aimed to assess the potential association between pre-existing long-term β-blocker therapy and the outcomes of patients with SAC. Materials and Methods: This study retrospectively screened the clinical data of adult patients with SAC admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and respiratory ICU between May 2020 and October 2022. Patients with SAC who took any β-blocker for at least one year were considered pre-existing long-term β-blocker therapy. All enrolled patients were followed up for 28 days or until death. Results: Among the 228 SAC patients, 48 received long-term β-blocker therapy before septic episodes. Pre-existing long-term β-blocker therapy was associated with reduced vasopressor requirements and a decreased 28-day mortality (log-rank test: p = 0.041). In particular, long-term β-blocker therapy was related to substantially lower D-dimer levels and a trend of improved activated partial thromboplastin time in patients with SAC during initial ICU admission. Multivariable regression analysis showed that long-term β-blocker therapy was significantly and independently associated with a 28-day mortality among patients with SAC (adjusted odds ratio, 0.55; 95% confidence interval, (0.32–0.94); p = 0.030). Conclusions: Pre-existing long-term β-blocker therapy might be associated with reduced vasopressor requirements and a decreased 28-day mortality among patients with SAC, providing evidence for the protective effect of β-blockers against SAC in managing sepsis.
Comparative analysis of tryptophan and downstream metabolites of the kynurenine and serotonin pathways in patients with arterial hypertension and coronary artery disease.

Aim To compare serum concentrations of tryptophane (Trp) and its metabolites in subjects with no cardiovascular disease (CVD) and patients with СVD, including arterial hypertension (AH) and ischemic heart disease (IHD). Material and methods This study included 131 participants; 58 participants (11 of them with documented peripheral atherosclerosis) were included into the AH group, 46 participants were included into the IHD group, and 27 participants with no signs of CVD were included into the control group. Plasma concentrations of Trp and its metabolites were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography in combination with a triple quadrupole analyzer.Results Comparison of the three study groups revealed significant differences in concentrations of Trp (р=0.029), kynurenine (p<0.001), kynurenine/Trp ratio (p<0.001), quinolinic acid (р=0.007), kynurenic acid (р=0.003), serotonin (p<0.001), and 5‑hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5‑HIAA) (р=0.011). When the AH group was subdivided into subgroups without and with documented peripheral atherosclerosis, the intergroup differences remained for concentrations of kynurenine, kynurenine/Trp ratio, quinolinic acid, kynurenic acid, serotonin, and 5‑HIAA. Also, correlations were found between concentrations of Trp metabolites and laboratory and instrumental data, primarily inflammatory markers. Conclusion Analysis of serum concentrations of Trp and its metabolites in CVD patients showed increases in kynurenine, kynurenine/Trp ratio, quinolinic acid, kynurenic acid, and 5‑HIAA along with decreases in concentrations of Trp and serotonin in the groups of AH, AH with documented peripheral atherosclerosis, and IHD.
A Steiner type formula for convex functions

Given a convex function u , defined in an open bounded convex subset Ω of ℝ n , we consider the set where η is a Borel subset of Ω,ρ is nonnegative, and ∂ u ( x ) denotes the subgradient (or subdifferential) of u at x . We prove that P p ( u ; η) is a Borel set and its n -dimensional measure is a polynomial of degree n with respect to ρ. The coefficients of this polynomial are nonnegative measures defined on the Borel subsets of Ω. We find an upper bound for the values attained by these measures on the sublevel sets of u. Such a bound depends on the quermassintegrals of the sublevel set and on the Lipschitz constant of u. Finally we prove that one of these measures coincides with the Lebesgue measure of the image under the subgradient map of u .
Somatization is associated with altered serum levels of vitamin D, serotonin, and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor in patients with predominant diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome

Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) often show psychological disorders, including somatization, usually driven by an altered gut–brain axis. These changes are also accompanied by modifications in the circulating levels of vitamin D (VD) and neurotransmitters such as serotonin (5‐HT) and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and circulating levels of VD, 5‐HT, and BDNF in IBS patients with diarrhea (IBS‐D) categorized according to somatization.
On the Virgo supercluster and the mean mass density of the universe.

Recent measurements of the anisotropy of the microwave background radiation of the local Hubble flow suggest that the local group of galaxies has a motion of 300--500 km s/sup -1/ directed toward Virgo. If this velocity is generated by the Virgo supercluster, it provides a powerful test of the cosmological parameter . cap omega. Using a catalog of redshift data complete to m/sub b/=14.0, we have computed the mean overdensity delta-bar toward the Virgo cluster to be approx.2. 0 +- 0.3. When this result is combined with a nonlinear spherically symmetric flow model around Virgo, we derive . cap omega. approx. = 0.4 +- 0.1. Thus the measured mass-to-light ratio of the universe continues to rise with increasing scale size of measurement.
On the queueing system

This paper considers an infinite server queue in discrete time in which arrivals are in batches of variable size X and service is provided in batches of fixed size R. We obtain analytical results for the number of busy servers and waiting customers at pre-arrival and arbitrary epochs. For the number of busy servers we obtain a recursive relation for the partial binomial moments and explicit expressions for the marginal binomial moments both in transient and steady states. Special cases are also considered
Sleep Endoscopy with Positive Airway Pressure: A Method for Better Compliance and Individualized Treatment of Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

In this study, we aimed to observe the effects of positive airway pressure (PAP) on individual levels of obstruction during drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) of the upper airways (UA), to evaluate at which pressures the obstruction disappeared or worsened, and to identify cases in which PAP was ineffective. This prospective study was conducted from June 2018 to June 2022. PAP testing was performed during DISE in patients with moderate and severe OSA. The pressure was gradually increased over the range from 6.0 to 18.0 hPa. Our findings were evaluated using the VOTE classification. The examination was performed in 56 patients, with a median apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) of 26.4. Complete obstruction of the soft palate was observed in 51/56 patients (91%), oropharyngeal obstruction in 15/56 patients (27%), tongue base obstruction in 23/56 patients (41%), and epiglottic collapse in 16/56 patients (29%). PAP was most effective in cases of complete oropharyngeal obstruction, and least effective in cases of epiglottic collapse, where it was ineffective in 11/16 patients. DISE with PAP is a simple diagnostic method that can be helpful for identifying anatomic and dynamic reasons for PAP intolerance. The main indication is ineffective PAP treatment.
Stem growth of multipurpose tree species: net effect of micrometeorological variability assessed by principal component regression

ABSTRACT In a typical year in the central Amazon, there is a mild dry season, but its effect on stem growth of multipurpose forest tree species is not yet well known. This study aimed to determine the individual effect of microclimatic parameters on stem growth after removing the influence of intercorrelation among microclimatic variables. Monthly stem diameter increment was measured in six species (46 trees) from January 2018 to December 2020. Microclimatic variables recorded were irradiance, air temperature, rainfall, and vapor pressure deficit. Principal component regression was used to assess the effect of micrometeorological variability on stem growth. On average, stem growth increased with an increase in rainfall and soil water content, but decreased with rise in maximum temperature and maximum vapor pressure deficit. These findings indicate that, when removing the effect of intercorrelation between microclimatic parameters, vapor pressure deficit may, in fact, affect stem growth. We demonstrate that the reduction in stem growth during the dry season can also be related to an increase in maximum temperature and maximum vapor pressure deficit, and not only to a decline in soil water content.
Magnetic and Electric Properties of Chalcopyrite

The torque of a natural single crystal of chalcopyrite in a uniform magnetic field is measured. At room temperature and liquid nitrogen temperature the torque of a disc parallel to (110)-plane shows two-fold symmetry and the easy direction is [1\bar10]. The temperature dependence of the torque is also measured. The torque vanishes at 550°C. Two principal susceptibilities parallel and perpendicular to c-axis, χ // and χ ⊥ , are calculated from the torque and the powder susceptibility. The conductivity, the Hall coefficient and their temperature dependences and the thermoelectric power are also measured. Their behaviours are those of typical semiconductors. Hall mobility and thermoelectric power are rather large, although chalcopyrite contains transition element, Fe, in its chemical foumula. The crystal structure, the electronic states of constituent elements, magnetic and electric properties are considered together, and it is concluded that the 3d-shell in this material is independent of the valence bond w.
Fast donor-based electron spin quantum computing

We propose a scheme for electron spin quantum computing based on electron spin in semiconductors. This scheme shares many similarities with the existing Kane nuclear spin proposal. We show how quantum computation may be carried out in this proposal, including single qubit rotations and CNOT gate. We show how this control can potentially lead to gate speeds 100-1000 times faster than the existing nuclear spin proposal, and up to 106 times faster than a typical electron spin dephasing time, T2(e).
Thickness dependence of surface plasmon damping and dispersion in ultrathin Ag films

The thickness dependence of the surface plasmon damping and dispersion of atomically flat and ultrathin silver films deposited on the Si(111)-(7x7) surface was investigated by a combined high-resolution electron-energy-loss spectroscopy (HREELS) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) system. We found stronger plasmon energy dispersion with the momentum parallel to the surface (q(parallel to)) in thicker films, and a significant dependence of the damping edge on the film thickness. Both of them can be associated with the presence of quantum well states (QWS) in the direction perpendicular to the film surface, which influences the interband transitions between the lower and upper 5sp bands of silver.
STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF CANNABIS USE ON PERCEPTUAL AND MEMORY PROCESSES AS WELL AS ON
POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS IN PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

Cannabis, as the most widely used illicit substance in the world, also remains among the most frequently used psychoactive substances by patients with schizophrenia. It is well known that cannabis use in schizophrenia patients favors relapse, resistance to antipsychotic treatments and therefore more frequent hospitalizations. However, many studies report considerable improvement in cognitive performance in substance users, while others show the opposite. Hence, the aim of our study is to examine the relationship between schizophrenia and cannabis use in clinical and socio-de- mographic aspects. This is a cross-sectional study of patients with schizophrenia hospitalized for relapse at the Ar-Razi psychiatric hospital in Salé, Morocco. A questionnaire was established in order to search for socio- demographic data, evolutionary and prognostic criteria of the disease. Cannabis use was assessed using the Cannabis Abuse Screening Test (CAST), for the severity of schizophrenia symptoms we used the Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and for perceptual and memory abilities we used the numerical version of the Rey's Complex Figure-A (RCF-A). It was found that in a sample of 115 schizophrenic patients, 47.82% (n=55) were cannabis users. The mean PANSS (negative) and (general psychopathology) scores of non-cannabis users were significantly higher than those of cannabis users with P values of (P<0.001) and (P<0.005) respectively. For the numerical assessment scores of the RCF-A, cannabis users had a significantly higher mean score than non-cannabis users (copy phase (P<0.016) and memory (P<0.001) As one of the leading risk factors for the emergence of schizophre- nia, chronic cannabis use also has a negative influence on the prognosis of patients already suffering from schizophrenia. Nevertheless, the results of our study show that cannabis-using schizophrenic patients had fewer negative symptoms according to the PANSS and an improved cognitive performance compared to non- cannabis-using patients.
The Role of Product and Service Quality in A Competitive Position: Depositors’ Satisfaction

AbstractThe study seeks how the Regional Development Banks operating in South and West Sulawesi maintain and attract depositors by evaluating the deposit products and banking service quality that have an impact on depositors' satisfaction. The study collected data using questionnaires distributed to 100 depositors owned by three Regional Development Banks. The data collected is then used to analyze the constructs of savings products, quality of banking services, and satisfaction using factor analysis to ensure that the five indicators proposed for each construct are eligible to be analyzed using the Structural Equation Model (SEM) method. The study found that the construction of deposit products and service quality have a positive impact on depositors' satisfaction with a dominant impact on deposit products. Banking service quality delivered by RDBs can attract deposit consumers as they have already convenience with the products and service quality Keywords:Product Quality, Product Features, Service Quality, Depositors’ Satisfaction Peran Produk dan Kualitas Layanan dalam Daya Saing: Studi Kasus tentang Kepuasan Nasabah AbstrakPenelitian ini mengumpulkan data 100 simpanan pada tiga Bank Pembangunan Daerah. Data yang terkumpul kemudian digunakan untuk menganalisis konstruk produk tabungan, kualitas layanan perbankan, dan kepuasan menggunakan analisis faktor untuk memastikan bahwa kelima indikator yang diajukan untuk setiap konstruk memenuhi syarat untuk dianalisis menggunakan metode Structural Equation Model (SEM). Temuan menunjukkan bahwa, kecuali daya tanggap untuk konstruk kualitas layanan perbankan, semua variabel terukur dikatakan dapat mendefinisikan konstruknya. Lebih lanjut, konstruksi produk simpanan dan kualitas layanan berpengaruh positif terhadap kepuasan nasabah dengan dampak dominan terhadap produk simpanan. Artinya, fitur-fitur yang ditawarkan dan kualitas layanan perbankan yang diberikan oleh BPD dapat menarik minat nasabah simpanan karena sudah memiliki kemudahan dengan kualitas produk dan layanan. Kata kunci: Kualitas produk, fitur produk, kualitas pelayanan, kepuasan nasabah.
Smartphone use and social media addiction in undergraduate students

Background: Children’s use of social media has increased significantly over the past decade. As a result, they are susceptible to smartphone addiction. In particular, parents' and children's well-being and behaviors are negatively affected by smartphone addiction. Such addiction likely affects both physical performance and lifestyle. Adolescents utilize their smartphones while performing other tasks. The secondary task might divert attention away from the primary task. Reaction time is the combination of brain processing and muscular movement. Texting or communicating on a smartphone while performing another task may affect reaction time. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the influence of smartphone use on reaction time in undergraduate students who were addicted to smartphones. Methods: The Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV) was used to assign 64 undergraduate students to the smartphone addiction group (n = 32) and the control group (n = 32). The reaction time (RT) of an organism is used to determine how rapidly it responds to stimuli. All participants were examined on the RT test under three conditions: no smartphone use (control), texting, and chatting on a smartphone. Participants were questioned by smartphone through text message or chat with the support of a researcher during the texting and conversation conditions. While responding to the questions, the participant was administered an RT test. Results: The results showed that smartphone addiction tends to have a reduced influence on reaction time when compared to the control group. Also, texting or conversing on a smartphone while doing other work had a substantial impact on reaction time in the undergraduates. Conclusions: Combining smartphone use with other activities tends to reduce undergraduate students' reaction time.
A Brief Overview of Synchrotron Radiation

The generation of synchrotron radiation from a storage ring is described with emphasis placed on aspects relevant to synchrotron radiation users. Topics include the history of synchrotron radiation, the machinery that makes a storage ring work, the dipole and the insertion device sources, the importance of storage ring energy, current and emittance, the properties of synchrotron radiation and their relevance to the study of the interaction of light with matter.