Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spiral CT angiography of the renal arteries: should a scan delay based on a test bolus injection or a fixed scan delay be used to obtain maximum enhancement of the vessels?

PURPOSE The purpose of this work was to assess the optimal scan delay for spiral CT angiography (SCTA) of the renal arteries in achieving optimal vascular contrast enhancement and to compare the utility of a delay based on these bolus injection versus that of a fixed scan delay. METHOD Seventy patients underwent renal artery SCTA with a 140 ml bolus of contrast agent injected a 3 ml/s. In 35 patients (Group A), a fixed scan delay of 27 s was used; in the other 35 (Group B), the scan delay was based on the transit time (TTest) of a test bolus injection. The scan delays in this group were set at TTest + 5 s (n = 5), TTest + 10 s (n = 8), TTest + 15 s (n = 4), or TTest + 20 s (n = 18). For all 70 patients, the time intervals between TRA (time to scanning the renal arteries) and TMax (time to maximum aortic enhancement after 140 ml bolus injection) were calculated, after which it was determined in which group of patients TRA occurred closest to TMax. Linear regression and mean squared error (MSE) were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS For Group A, mean TRA and TMax were 38 and 50 s, respectively. Mean (TRA - TMax) was -12 s with MSE of 185.76. For Group B, mean TRA and Tmax were 45 and 52 s. Mean (TRA - TMax) values were -15, -12, -11, and -1 s for scan delays of TTEST + 5 s, TTEST + 10 s, TTest + 15 s, and TTEST + 20 s, respectively, with MSEs of 253.80, 158.00, 137.50, and 30.00. CONCLUSION SCTA of the renal arteries was best performed with a scan delay of TTEST + 20 s. However, analysis of our data showed that similar results could be expected with a delay of 44 s.
The CCL-Parallax Programmable Badge: Learning with Low-Cost, Communicative Wearable Computers

The rise of "Bring Your Own Device" programs, the emergence of wearables and interactive electronics, and the growing presence of the "Internet of Things" in the workplace, all present new challenges to members of the IT profession. To prepare students for this ever-changing landscape, we propose the use of low-cost, wearable badges to introduce learners to central IT concepts in an innovative, engaging, and social way. In this paper, we introduce the CCL-Parallax Programmable Badge -- an open-hardware communicative device that uniquely brings together various components of the IT curriculum. Along with introducing the badges and situating them within almost two decades of research on the use of similar devices in educational contexts, we present both theoretical and practical justifications for the use of programmable badges in IT classrooms. The badges highlight the collaborative, social aspects of IT while grounding the learning experience in authentic, motivating, and hands-on activities.
Thermodynamics of systems with internal adiabatic constraints: time evolution of the adiabatic piston

The equations for the time evolution of the controversial adiabatic piston problem are obtained using a very primitive model of the fluids. It thus shows that the first and second laws of thermodynamics lead to equations of motion which determine uniquely the final equilibrium state, while this state cannot be predicted using only the laws of thermostatics.
Load identification in nonintrusive load monitoring using steady-state and turn-on transient energy algorithms

Non-intrusive load monitoring (NILM) techniques are based on the analysis of load energy signatures. With characterizing associated transient energy signature, the reliability and accuracy of recognition results can be accurately understood or ascertained. In this study, the computer supported cooperative work techniques (CSCW), artificial neural networks (ANN), in combination with turn-on transient energy analysis, are used to identify loads and to improve recognition accuracy and computational speed of NILM results. The experimental results indicated that the incorporation of turn-on transient energy signature analysis into NILM revealed more information than traditional NILM methods, and the resulting recognition accuracy and computational speed were improved. In addition, in combination with computer supported cooperative work in electromagnetic transient program (EMTP) simulation, calculations of turn-on transient energy facilitated load identification that had significant effect on NILM results.
Downregulation of Caffeic Acid 3-O-Methyltransferase and Caffeoyl CoA 3-O-Methyltransferase in Transgenic Alfalfa: Impacts on Lignin Structure and Implications for the Biosynthesis of G and S Lignin

Transgenic alfalfa plants were generated harboring caffeic acid 3-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and caffeoyl CoA 3-O-methyltransferase (CCOMT) cDNA sequences under control of the bean phenylalanine ammonia-lyase PAL2 promoter. Strong downregulation of COMT resulted in decreased lignin content, a reduction in total guaiacyl (G) lignin units, a near total loss of syringyl (S) units in monomeric and dimeric lignin degradation products, and appearance of low levels of 5-hydroxy guaiacyl units and a novel dimer. No soluble monolignol precursors accumulated. In contrast, strong downregulation of CCOMT led to reduced lignin levels, a reduction in G units without reduction in S units, and increases in β-5 linked dimers of G units. Accumulation of soluble caffeic acid β-d-glucoside occurred only in CCOMT downregulated plants. The results suggest that CCOMT does not significantly contribute to the 3-O-methylation step in S lignin biosynthesis in alfalfa and that there is redundancy with respect to the 3-O-methylation reaction of G lignin biosynthesis. COMT is unlikely to catalyze the in vivo methylation of caffeic acid during lignin biosynthesis.
The Sites of Evaporation within Leaves1[OPEN]

Vapor transport within leaves influences tissue water potentials, requiring the reassessment of hypotheses related to the sites of evaporation, including that measured hydraulic and stomatal conductances are directly influenced by where evaporation occurs. The sites of evaporation within leaves are unknown, but they have drawn attention for decades due to their perceived implications for many factors, including patterns of leaf isotopic enrichment, the maintenance of mesophyll water status, stomatal regulation, and the interpretation of measured stomatal and leaf hydraulic conductances. We used a spatially explicit model of coupled water and heat transport outside the xylem, MOFLO 2.0, to map the distribution of net evaporation across leaf tissues in relation to anatomy and environmental parameters. Our results corroborate earlier predictions that most evaporation occurs from the epidermis at low light and moderate humidity but that the mesophyll contributes substantially when the leaf center is warmed by light absorption, and more so under high humidity. We also found that the bundle sheath provides a significant minority of evaporation (15% in darkness and 18% in high light), that the vertical center of amphistomatous leaves supports net condensation, and that vertical temperature gradients caused by light absorption vary over 10-fold across species, reaching 0.3°C. We show that several hypotheses that depend on the evaporating sites require revision in light of our findings, including that experimental measurements of stomatal and hydraulic conductances should be affected directly by changes in the location of the evaporating sites. We propose a new conceptual model that accounts for mixed-phase water transport outside the xylem. These conclusions have far-reaching implications for inferences in leaf hydraulics, gas exchange, water use, and isotope physiology.
Culturable Heavy Metal-Resistant and Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria in V-Ti Magnetite Mine Tailing Soil from Panzhihua, China

To provide a basis for using indigenous bacteria for bioremediation of heavy metal contaminated soil, the heavy metal resistance and plant growth-promoting activity of 136 isolates from V-Ti magnetite mine tailing soil were systematically analyzed. Among the 13 identified bacterial genera, the most abundant genus was Bacillus (79 isolates) out of which 32 represented B. subtilis and 14 B. pumilus, followed by Rhizobium sp. (29 isolates) and Ochrobactrum intermedium (13 isolates). Altogether 93 isolates tolerated the highest concentration (1000 mg kg−1) of at least one of the six tested heavy metals. Five strains were tolerant against all the tested heavy metals, 71 strains tolerated 1,000 mg kg−1 cadmium whereas only one strain tolerated 1,000 mg kg−1 cobalt. Altogether 67% of the bacteria produced indoleacetic acid (IAA), a plant growth-promoting phytohormone. The concentration of IAA produced by 53 isolates was higher than 20 µg ml−1. In total 21% of the bacteria produced siderophore (5.50–167.67 µg ml−1) with two Bacillus sp. producing more than 100 µg ml−1. Eighteen isolates produced both IAA and siderophore. The results suggested that the indigenous bacteria in the soil have beneficial characteristics for remediating the contaminated mine tailing soil.
Meet Sarah—a vignette of autoimmune hepatitis and pregnancy

I first met Sarah 10 yr ago. She is now 38, the proud mother of two, an 18-yr-old girl and a 10-yr-old boy. She developed jaundice about a month or so after the delivery of her first child. She was negative for the usual viral serologies, was given a diagnosis of hepatitis, and her jaundice resolved. Her periods were a bit irregular, and the second pregnancy was slow in coming. I was called in to see her after the termination of her second pregnancy, when she again became jaundiced, developed ascites, and soon thereafter, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. Her clinical picture was that of autoimmune hepatitis with cirrhosis, confirmed on liver biopsy. She responded promptly to immunosuppressive therapy with prednisone and azathioprine, but all attempts to lower her prednisone dose below 20 mg have been met with a flare of her hepatitis. Her portal hypertension has been unremittant. She now has massive splenomegaly with recurrent bouts of sepsis and is awaiting liver transplantation.
Lexical and child-related factors in word variability and accuracy in infants

The present study investigated the effects of lexical age of acquisition (AoA), phonological complexity, age and expressive vocabulary on spoken word variability and accuracy in typically developing infants, aged 1;9–3;1. It was hypothesized that later-acquired words and those with more complex speech sounds would be produced more variably and less accurately than earlier-acquired words and those with less complex speech sounds. It was also hypothesized that word variability would decrease and word accuracy would increase with increasing age and vocabulary knowledge. Participants' productions of 20 target words, experimentally controlled for AoA and phonological complexity, were audio-recorded during a play session. Results revealed a nonsignificant effect of AoA on variability and accuracy, a significant effect of phonological complexity on variability and accuracy, a significant effect of age on variability and accuracy and a significant effect of vocabulary on variability. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.
VANET Based Adaptive Traffic Signal Control

In urban scenarios traffic signal controls are the main mechanism to control vehicular flow at the intersections. However, traditional systems fail to adjust the timing pattern in accordance to the time variability. An alternative to such systems is to develop dynamic systems which will alter the timing patterns according to the traffic demand. In this paper, an adaptive traffic signal control system based on car-to-car communication is designed and developed. This system reduces the waiting time of the vehicles at the intersection along with the reduction in queue length. It's also verified that the proposed solution is collision free at the intersections. The proposed system is compared with a classical pre-timed system. The simulations also show that the data convergence time and the communication delay between vehicle and traffic signal do not compromise the efficiency of the system.
Barriers to Follow-Up and Strategies to Improve Adherence to Appointments for Care of Chronic Eye Diseases.

PURPOSE To understand factors associated with poor attendance of follow-up appointments for care of glaucoma (GL), AMD, and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in a tertiary referral center, and to identify strategies to improve adherence. METHODS Cross-sectional study of 240 adults attending follow-up appointments for GL, AMD, or DR. Cases (N = 102) were patients with poor follow-up who missed and failed to reschedule an appointment within 1 month of the recommended follow-up date during the preceding year. Controls (N = 138) were patients who completed the assigned follow-up. Data regarding the factors impacting adherence to appointments were collected via an orally administered questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine factors associated with poor follow-up. RESULTS In a multivariate logistic regression model, independent factors significantly associated with poor follow-up included incorrectly answering more than 50% of questions about eye disease (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 3.24, P = 0.001), legal blindness (adjusted OR 2.64, P = 0.013), the presence of glaucomatous versus retinal disease (adjusted OR 2.06, P = 0.013), and difficulty for the study subject and/or escort taking time away from work for the appointments (adjusted OR 1.80, P = 0.049). Subjects identified the following strategies to improve follow-up: contact with others having the same eye condition (41.3%), greater education regarding eye disease (40.8%), and improved transportation services to the clinic (44.6%). CONCLUSIONS Low disease knowledge scores, legal blindness, and difficulty getting time away from work for appointments adversely impacted follow-up independent of eye disease diagnosis. Improvements in patient education, transportation services, and clinic efficiency may increase adherence to recommended appointment intervals.
Biogeography of worm lizards (Amphisbaenia) driven by end-Cretaceous mass extinction

Worm lizards (Amphisbaenia) are burrowing squamates that live as subterranean predators. Their underground existence should limit dispersal, yet they are widespread throughout the Americas, Europe and Africa. This pattern was traditionally explained by continental drift, but molecular clocks suggest a Cenozoic diversification, long after the break-up of Pangaea, implying dispersal. Here, we describe primitive amphisbaenians from the North American Palaeocene, including the oldest known amphisbaenian, and provide new and older molecular divergence estimates for the clade, showing that worm lizards originated in North America, then radiated and dispersed in the Palaeogene following the Cretaceous-Palaeogene (K-Pg) extinction. This scenario implies at least three trans-oceanic dispersals: from North America to Europe, from North America to Africa and from Africa to South America. Amphisbaenians provide a striking case study in biogeography, suggesting that the role of continental drift in biogeography may be overstated. Instead, these patterns support Darwin and Wallace's hypothesis that the geographical ranges of modern clades result from dispersal, including oceanic rafting. Mass extinctions may facilitate dispersal events by eliminating competitors and predators that would otherwise hinder establishment of dispersing populations, removing biotic barriers to dispersal.
The Contribution of Accessory Toxins of Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor to the Proinflammatory Response in a Murine Pulmonary Cholera Model

The contribution of accessory toxins to the acute inflammatory response to Vibrio cholerae was assessed in a murine pulmonary model. Intranasal administration of an El Tor O1 V. cholerae strain deleted of cholera toxin genes (ctxAB) caused diffuse pneumonia characterized by infiltration of PMNs, tissue damage, and hemorrhage. By contrast, the ctxAB mutant with an additional deletion in the actin-cross-linking repeats-in-toxin (RTX) toxin gene (rtxA) caused a less severe pathology and decreased serum levels of proinflammatory molecules interleukin (IL)-6 and murine macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2. These data suggest that the RTX toxin contributes to the severity of acute inflammatory responses. Deletions within the genes for either hemagglutinin/protease (hapA) or hemolysin (hlyA) did not significantly affect virulence in this model. Compound deletion of ctxAB, hlyA, hapA, and rtxA created strain KFV101, which colonized the lung but induced pulmonary disease with limited inflammation and significantly reduced serum titers of IL-6 and MIP-2. 100% of mice inoculated with KFV101 survive, compared with 20% of mice inoculated with the ctxAB mutant. Thus, the reduced virulence of KFV101 makes it a prototype for multi-toxin deleted vaccine strains that could be used for protection against V. cholerae without the adverse effects of the accessory cholera toxins.
Ebola Virus Disease: Preparedness in Japan

ABSTRACT The current outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) is due to a lack of resources, untrained medical personnel, and the specific contact-mediated type of infection of this virus. In Japan’s history, education and mass vaccination of the native Ainu people successfully eradicated epidemics of smallpox. Even though a zoonotic virus is hard to control, appropriate precautions and personal protection, as well as anti-symptomatic treatment, will control the outbreak of EVD. Ebola virus utilizes the antibody-dependent enhancement of infection to seed the cells of various organs. The pathogenesis of EVD is due to the cytokine storm of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the lack of antiviral interferon-α2. Matricellular proteins of galectin-9 and osteopontin might also be involved in the edema and abnormality of the coagulation system in EVD. Anti-fibrinolytic treatment will be effective. In the era of globalization, interviews of travelers with fever within 3 weeks of departure from the affected areas will be necessary. Not only the hospitals designated for specific biohazards but every hospital should be aware of the biology of biohazards and establish measures to protect both patients and the community. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1-5)
A component-based approach for MPSoC SW design: experience with OS customization for H.264 decoder

Vis-a-vis the growing application complexity, embedded software developers are in search of novel design methodologies. Component-based software engineering seems to be a good candidate to respond to this need. We are developing Think, a light-weight implementation of Fractal components that is specially designed for embedded software systems. In this paper, we explain over an H.264 decoder case study how component-based design increases the software reuse, enables the specialization of the underlying system software and unifies the implementation with architectural design while ensuring high performance.
In Sync with the Family: Children and Partners Influence the Sleep‐Wake Circadian Rhythm and Social Habits of Women

Different factors have been proposed to influence morningness‐eveningness, biological rhythms, and sleep‐wake cycles, but few studies focused on the influence of social habits. Here, we focus on the influence of children and partners on the social habits of women at different stages of their lives and on synchronization within the family. One hundred and seventy‐nine women participated in the study and were allocated into four groups: women without children, pregnant women without children, pregnant women with children, and non‐pregnant mothers. Morningness was predicted by the presence of children, and earlier chronotype was predicted by the presence of children, pregnancy, and age. Average sleep duration was longest in pregnant women. The presence of children was responsible for a difference in rise times of approximately 1.5 h on the weekend. Subjective sleep‐onset latencies were shortest in women with children. The synchrony between partners (husband/wife) was 0.46 in women without children, 0.79 in pregnant women, 0.40 in women with children, and 0.56 between mother and child. Partners’ chronotypes were highly correlated, as were those of mother and child. This study suggests children have a strong influence on their mother's lifestyle and sleep‐wake rhythm, far beyond the first months of life, and that children are a more important social factor than the male partner.
Quasi-invariants and quantum integrals of the deformed Calogero-Moser systems

The rings of quantum integrals of the generalized Calogero-Moser systems related to the deformed root systems An(m) and Cn(m, l) with integer multiplicities and corresponding algebras of quasi-invariants are investigated. In particular, it is shown that these algebras are finitely generated and free as the modules over certain polynomial subalgebras (Cohen-Macaulay property). The proof follows the scheme proposed by Etingof and Ginzburg in the Coxeter case. For two-dimensional systems the corresponding Poincare series and the deformed m-harmonic polynomials are explicitly computed.
Sirtuin 3: A Molecular Pathway Linking Sleep Deprivation to Neurological Diseases

Insufficient sleep causes a multitude of devastating health problems and has severe societal consequences ([Wade, 2010][1]; [Palma et al., 2013][2]). Current estimates suggest that more than one-third of all adults receive less than 7 h of sleep per day ([Perry et al., 2013][3]). This troubling
Directed In Vitro Myogenesis of Human Embryonic Stem Cells and Their In Vivo Engraftment

Development of human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-based therapy requires derivation of in vitro expandable cell populations that can readily differentiate to specified cell types and engraft upon transplantation. Here, we report that hESCs can differentiate into skeletal muscle cells without genetic manipulation. This is achieved through the isolation of cells expressing a mesodermal marker, platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α (PDGFRA), following embryoid body (EB) formation. The ESC-derived cells differentiated into myoblasts in vitro as evident by upregulation of various myogenic genes, irrespective of the presence of serum in the medium. This result is further corroborated by the presence of sarcomeric myosin and desmin, markers for terminally differentiated cells. When transplanted in vivo, these pre-myogenically committed cells were viable in tibialis anterior muscles 14 days post-implantation. These hESC-derived cells, which readily undergo myogenic differentiation in culture medium containing serum, could be a viable cell source for skeletal muscle repair and tissue engineering to ameliorate various muscle wasting diseases.
Strong domain variation and treebank-induced LFG resources

In this paper we present a number of experiments to test the portability of existing treebank induced LFG resources. We test the LFG parsing resources of Cahill et al. (2004) on the ATIS corpus which represents a considerably different domain to the Penn-II Treebank Wall Street Journal sections, from which the resources were induced. This testing shows an under-performance at both c- and f-structure level as a result of the domain variation. We show that in order to adapt the LFG resources of Cahill et al. (2004) to this new domain, all that is necessary is to retrain the c-structure parser on data from the new domain.