Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DAQ system for the readout of silicon pixel detectors based on VataGP7 front-end ASIC

High resistivity silicon is a competitive material for photon detectors. Its excellent spatial and energy resolution make them attractive to be used as second detector in medical physics applications. A stack of several detector layers would significantly improve the low stopping power of a single detector. This however, increases considerably the number of channels to be read-out. A Data acquisition system (DAQ) has been developed at IFIC - Valencia to cope with a stack of such detectors. The system is based on the 128 channels VATAGP7 application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) from Gamma Medica - Ideas. A dedicated electronic board (MADDAQ) is in charge of the ASIC control and the administration of the whole readout process. Collected data is processed and sent to a computer trough Ethernet connection. Several MADDAQ boards can work in parallel independently or in coincidence mode. Measurements with the system are presented and characterization of the system is described.
Development of respiratory structures in embryos and first and second instars of the bark scorpion, Centruroides gracilis (Scorpiones: Buthidae)

The SEM was used to study the development of respiratory structures in successive stages in relation to the overall changes occurring in the scorpions. Book lung development is a slow process, starting with spiracles and a sac‐like atrium in the early embryo and continuing lamellar formation to 150 or more in the adult. In the embryo, the primordial epithelial cells become aligned in a planar pattern as they secrete granules of material that aggregate spontaneously to form the cuticular walls of the lamellae. A blade‐like structure is formed consisting of cells sandwiched within the two cuticle walls they secreted. These cells are in the primordial air channel. The adjacent hemolymph channel is nearly devoid of cells, but cross‐bridges develop and help stabilize the cuticle walls and maintain the width of the channel. The cells in the primordial air channel undergo cytolysis, leaving it open for air except for cuticular cross‐bridges. Development continues in the newborn (first instars); the air channels of some lamellae still contain cells and are not yet functional for gas exchange. The first instars are weak and relatively inactive. They climb up on the mother's dorsum until the first molt (about 8 days). With the cuticular walls of the lamellae in place, cells adhering to the wall in the hemolymph channel produce a thin, new tissue layer (epithelium) on the lamellar wall facing the hemolymph channel. This layer has many discontinuities as though it is slowly developing. Formation of the tissue layer and cytolysis of the cells in the air channels continue through the first molt in which little book lung cuticle is shed as exuvium. The air channels of the second instars (foraging nymphs) are now cell free and open for air passage except for the cross‐bridges. The tissue layer is still incomplete and continues to be formed. It may provide the hypodermal primordium for cuticle replacement in later molts, but development was not studied beyond the second instar except for comparison with book lungs in the adult. The blade‐like lamellae in the adult are larger and more numerous than in the second instar, but in the anterior book lung the shape of the cuticle wall and cross‐bridges and the widths of the air and hemolymph channels are about the same as in the second instar. The air channels in the posterior part of the lamellae have distinctive, vein‐like space‐holders. The similarity of the adult anterior lamellae with those in the second instar suggests retention of this part through the 4–5 molts to maturation, and/or cell processes like those in the embryo are repeated, but this needs to be examined in further studies of cell and cuticle changes before and during the molts. J. Morphol. , 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Hospitalizations for bacterial endocarditis after renal transplantation in the United States.

PURPOSE The national rate of and risk factors for bacterial endocarditis in renal transplant recipients has not been reported. METHODS Retrospective registry study of 33,479 renal transplant recipients in the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) between 1 July 1994 and 30 June 1997. Hospitalizations for a primary diagnosis of bacterial endocarditis (ICD-9 codes 421.x) within three years after renal transplant were assessed. RESULTS Renal transplant recipients had an unadjusted incidence ratio for endocarditis of 7.84 (95% confidence interval 4.72-13.25) in 1996. In multivariate analysis, a history of hospitalization for valvular heart disease (adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 25.81, 95% confidence interval 11.28-59.07), graft loss (AOR, 2.81, 95% CI 1.34-5.09), and increased duration of dialysis prior to transplantation were independently associated with hospitalizations for bacterial endocarditis after transplantation. Hospitalization for endocarditis was associated with increased patient mortality in Cox Regression analysis, hazard ratio 4.79, 95% CI 2.97-6.76. CONCLUSIONS The overall incidence of bacterial endocarditis was much greater in renal transplant recipients than in the general population, although it is still relatively infrequent. Independent risk factors for bacterial endocarditis in the renal transplant recipients were identified, the most significant of which was valvular heart disease. Endocarditis substantially impacts renal transplant recipient survival.
Bayesian Analysis of Factorial Designs

This article provides a Bayes factor approach to multiway analysis of variance (ANOVA) that allows researchers to state graded evidence for effects or invariances as determined by the data. ANOVA is conceptualized as a hierarchical model where levels are clustered within factors. The development is comprehensive in that it includes Bayes factors for fixed and random effects and for within-subjects, between-subjects, and mixed designs. Different model construction and comparison strategies are discussed, and an example is provided. We show how Bayes factors may be computed with BayesFactor package in R and with the JASP statistical package.
Home Range, Body Condition, and Survival of Rehabilitated Raccoons (Procyon lotor) During Their First Winter

The effects of raccoon (Procyon lotor) rehabilitation on postrelease survivorship are unknown. Raccoon rehabilitation success was measured as differences in prewinter body condition, home range size, distance to manmade structures, and during-winter survival between raccoons in the wild and those who have been rehabilitated. Prewinter body condition did not differ between wild and rehabilitated raccoons, but there was a trend for rehabilitated raccoons to have better body conditions. There was no difference between wild and rehabilitated raccoon adaptive kernel (AK) home range for 95% and 90% AK home ranges, or for core (50% AK) use areas. There was no sex difference in distance traveled from the release site within rehabilitated raccoons. However, rehabilitated raccoons were found significantly closer (49.4 ± 4.7 m) to manmade structures than wild raccoons (92.2 ± 14.4 m), and female raccoons were found significantly closer (64.8 ± 4.5 m) to manmade structures than male raccoons (72.3 ± 17.6 m). The results of this study indicate that raccoons can be successfully rehabilitated, but they may occupy habitat closer to manmade structures than wild raccoons.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Protease Genotypes and In Vitro Protease Inhibitor Susceptibilities of Isolates from Individuals Who Were Switched to Other Protease Inhibitors after Long-Term Saquinavir Treatment

ABSTRACT An understanding of the mechanisms of virologic cross-resistance between human immunodeficiency virus type 1 protease inhibitors is important for the establishment of effective treatment strategies for patients who no longer respond to their initial protease inhibitor. Protease gene sequencing results from patients treated with saquinavir showed significant increases in the frequency of the G48V protease mutation in patients receiving higher doses of the drug. In addition, all six patients who developed the G48V mutation during saquinavir therapy developed the V82A mutation either on continued saquinavir or after a switch to nelfinavir or indinavir. In vitro susceptibility assays showed that all 13 isolates with reduced susceptibilities to two or more protease inhibitors had either the G48V or L90M mutation, along with an average of six other protease mutations. Reduced susceptibility to nelfinavir was found in 14 isolates, but only 1 possessed the D30N mutation. These results suggest that mutations selected in vivo by initial saquinavir therapy may provide more cross-resistance to the other protease inhibitors than has been previously reported.
Metapopulation Persistence with Age-Dependent Disturbance or Succession

Simple metapopulation models with random disturbances are used in species conservation or management, relying on the condition for persistence that the per-patch colonization rate be greater than the per-patch extinction rate. For a general model incorporating the role of succession or patch age–dependent extinction, I show that persistence requires the per-patch colonization rate to be greater than the inverse of mean patch age, where age is the time since the patch became available for colonization. Because mean patch age can be arbitrarily large relative to the extinction rate, currently persisting metapopulations may be persisting despite small colonization rates, and management approaches that do not consider the role of mean patch age may unnecessarily doom populations to extinction.
The perception of the English alveolar-velar nasal coda contrast by monolingual versus bilingual Chinese speakers

Relatively little research has addressed the role of LI in the perception of English speech contrasts by Chinese learners of English as L3. The present study investigates the role of LI in the perception of the English alveolar-velar nasal coda contrast (/n/ vs. /η/) after the vowels /i Λ æ/ by bilingual Changsha Chinese speakers, whose LI is Changsha Chinese and L2 is Standard Mandarin. Changsha Chinese only permits an alveolar nasal coda /n/, while Standard Mandarin permits both final /n/ and /η/. We examined whether or not monolingual Standard Mandarin speakers and bilingual Changsha Chinese speakers perceived the English nasal coda contrast equally well. To investigate this, 15 bilingual Changsha Chinese speakers were tested, as well as 15 monolingual Standard Mandarin speakers as a control group. The Standard Mandarin speakers outperformed the bilingual Changsha Chinese speakers, suggesting that the L1 of the Changsha speakers interfered with their perception of the English nasal coda contrast. Besides, it was revealed that the preceding vowel affected the discrimination of the English nasal coda contrast, and that the perception of target nasal codas (/n/ or /η/) was influenced by specific vowels.
Single-incision Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Versus Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Prospective Randomized Study

This prospective randomized study compared single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) and laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) with respect to estimated blood loss, operative time, postoperative pain levels, and complications. Thirty-four study patients were divided into 2 groups: 17 patients underwent SILC and 17 underwent LC. Operative time was longer for SILC than for LC, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the relationship of body mass index with operative time between SILC and LC (P=0.613, P=0.983, respectively). The 2 groups had no statistically significant differences with respect to visual analog scale scores, estimated blood loss, shoulder pain, or complications (P>0.05). SILC can be the treatment of choice for gallbladder disease. Although the surgeon’s first several attempts at SILC require a longer operative time compared with LC, there are no differences in hospital length of stay, blood loss, complication rates, or pain scores between SILC and LC.
Assessment of uncertainty and confidence in building design exploration

Abstract Performance assessment at early stages of buildings design is complicated by an inherent lack of information on the design and the uncertainty in how a building design may evolve to a final design. This pilot study reports on an initial quantification of such uncertainty associated with building energy performance and develops a method for informing decision makers of the risks in early design decisions under this uncertainty. Two case studies of building design decision situations under this uncertainty are explored along with using two different energy modeling tools: a reduced-order model and a high-order model. The intended contribution is to identify if a decision can be made with confidence in early design given a high level of uncertainty in the evolution of a design and what models can support decisions of this sort. Integration of the proposed decision support approach with a computer-aided design model is shown as well.
Influence of level and source of dietary fat on its comparative feeding value in finishing diets for steers: feedlot cattle growth and performance.

Two hundred twenty-eight crossbred steers (304 kg) were used in a 125-d comparative slaughter trial to evaluate the influence of level and source of supplemental fats on their feeding value for feedlot cattle. Dietary treatments consisted of a steam-rolled, barley-based finishing diet containing 1) no supplemental fat; 2) 4% yellow grease (YG); 3) 4% blended animal-vegetable fat (BVF); 4) 8% YG; 5) 8% BVF or 6) 6% BVF and 2% crude soybean lecithin. Increasing level of supplemental fat in the diet resulted in linear improvements (P less than .01) in weight gain, feed conversion and NE value of the diet. Estimated NE values of YG and BVF were similar and did not appear to be influenced by level of supplementation, averaging 5.78 and 4.61 Mcal/kg for maintenance and gain, respectively. Fat supplementation resulted in linear increases in empty body fat (P less than .01), kidney, pelvic and heart fat (P less than .01) and marbling score (P less than .05). Partially replacing BVF with lecithin did not influence (P greater than .10) steer performance, carcass merit or estimated NE value of the diet. The comparative feeding value (in terms of both diet acceptability and NE value) of the supplemental fats tested was similar and was apparently not influenced by level of supplementation up to 8% of diet DM.
Terlipressin in brain‐death donors

Metabolic management of brain‐death organ donors includes correction of the hormonal perturbations that occur after cerebral death and impair circulatory function. Vasopressin is a hormone secreted by the posterior pituitary gland, which contributes to maintain systemic blood pressure by regulating urine secretion and small arteriole tonus. During brain death, the pituitary gland is damaged and hormone secretion rapidly ceases. Low‐dose vasopressin increases systemic blood pressure and decreases the need for catecholamines in brain‐dead organ donors but it is not available in many countries. Terlipressin is a synthetic analog of vasopressin characterized by greater selectivity for the V1 receptor than vasopressin. To date, the efficacy of terlipressin as a pressor agent in humans has been reported in a few studies.
Intubation under induction doses of propofol

Twenty patients, ASA grades 1 and 2, aged 18–65 years were admitted to an open study to investigate the ease of tracheal intubation after induction of anaesthesia with propofol without the use of muscle relaxants after the chance observation that propofol 2.5 mg/kg allowed easy laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation. Satisfactory intubation conditions were achieved in 19 patients.
Distinct in vivo target occupancy by bivalent‐ and induced‐fit‐like binding drugs

Optimal drug therapy often requires long‐lasting target occupancy While this attribute was usually linked to the drug's pharmacokinetic properties, the dissociation rate is now increasingly recognized to contribute as well. Nearly all the earlier pharmacokinetic‐pharmacodynamic (PK‐PD) simulations encompassed single‐step binding drugs and focused on koff. However, ‘micro’‐PK mechanisms and more complex binding mechanisms like bivalent‐ and induced‐fit binding may contribute as well. Corresponding binding models are presently explored.
Citrus tristeza virus indexing and elimination from Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.) cv. Kuno

The main grown citrus crop in Croatia is Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.). The preliminary surveys have shown widespread occurrence of the most devastating citrus pathogen, Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) in Croatia. In this research four Satsuma mandarin cultivars: Chahara, Ichimaru, Kuno and Zorica Rana were biologically tested for the presence of CTV on Mexican lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) bioindicator. Displayed symptoms strongly suggest the existence of mild CTV strains in four tested mandarin cultivars. Laboratory diagnostic methods (DTBIA, DAS-ELISA, IC/RT-PCR) confirmed these findings. Plants of cv. Kuno mandarin underwent sanitation treatments which consisted of thermotherapy and shoot-tip grafting (STG; micrografting) on in vitro germinated Troyer citrange [Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf. x Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck)] rootstock. Tristeza-virus was eliminated from 42% of infected ’Kuno’ mandarins (confirmed by DTBIA). Completion of the above mentioned procedures will help development and implementation of citrus certification program in Croatia which would ensure the production of high-quality citrus propagating material in both sanitary and pomological aspects.
Electroretinography of central retinal vein occlusion under scotopic and photopic conditions: what to measure?

INTRODUCTION In the management of cases of central retinal vein occlusion it is important to identify those patients who will develop the complication of iris neovascularisation. Electroretinography is of proven use in this role but there is some confusion about which parameters to measure and at what stimulus intensities. METHODS A variety of ERG parameters in scotopic and photopic conditions were tested by ROC analysis for the prediction of the development of this complication in 39 patients with CRVO. RESULTS The results indicated that a single flash and measurement of the b/a ratio under photopic conditions is as effective in this aim as measuring multiple parameters. CONCLUSION A simplified and shortened protocol could be used in the examination of this condition thereby making the application of ERG more practical in the clinical setting.
Crystallization under an External Electric Field: A Case Study of Glucose Isomerase

Electric fields have been employed to promote macromolecular crystallization for several decades. Although crystals grown in electric fields seem to present higher diffraction quality, these methods are not widespread. For most configurations, electrodes are in direct contact with the protein solution. Here, we propose a configuration that can be easily extended to standard crystallization methods for which the electrodes are not in direct contact with the protein solution. Furthermore, the proposed electrode configuration supplies an external DC electric field. Glucose Isomerase from Streptomyces rubiginosus crystals were grown at room temperature using the microbatch method in the presence of 1, 2, 4, and 6 kV. Several crystallization trials were carried out for reproducibility and statistical analysis purposes. The comparison with crystals grown in the absence of electric fields showed that crystallization in the presence of electric fields increases the size of crystals, while decreasing the number of nucleations. X-ray diffraction analysis of the crystals showed that those grown in the presence of electric fields are of higher crystal quality.
The Corollary Discharge in Humans Is Related to Synchronous Neural Oscillations

How do animals distinguish between sensations coming from external sources and those resulting from their own actions? A corollary discharge system has evolved that involves the transmission of a copy of motor commands to sensory cortex, where the expected sensation is generated. Through this mechanism, sensations are tagged as coming from self, and responsiveness to them is minimized. The present study investigated whether neural phase synchrony between motor command and auditory cortical areas is related to the suppression of the auditory cortical response. We recorded electrocorticograms from the human brain during a vocalizing/listening task. Neural phase synchrony between Broca's area and auditory cortex in the gamma band (35 to ∼50 Hz) in the 50-msec time window preceding speech onset was greater during vocalizing than during listening to a playback of the same spoken sounds. Because prespeech neural synchrony was correlated (r = −.83, p = .006), with the subsequent suppression of the auditory cortical response to the spoken sound, we hypothesize that phase synchrony in the gamma band between Broca's area and auditory cortex is the neural instantiation of the transmission of a copy of motor commands. We suggest that neural phase synchrony of gamma frequencies may contribute to transmission of corollary discharges in humans.
Effects of 4-wk training using Vmax/Tmax on VO2max and performance in athletes.

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a 4-wk individualized training program using Vmax as the exercise intensity and utilizing between 60 and 75% of a subject's Tmax as the exercise duration. METHODS Five male, middle-distance, trained subjects with the following characteristics (mean +/- SD): age, 22.8 +/- 4.5 yr; height, 181 +/- 4.7 cm; weight, 74.1 +/- 3.2 kg; skinfolds based on five areas, 35.9 +/- 3.9; and VO2max, 61.5 +/- 6.1 mL O2 x kg min(-1) volunteered to participate in this study. Before the training program, the subjects completed a 3000-m time trial, and three each of VO2max/Vmax and Tmax tests. Subjects then completed a 4-wk training program on the treadmill and were then retested on the VO2max/Vmax and Tmax tests. RESULTS Pretraining versus posttraining results showed significant (P < 0.05) increases in average Vmax (20.5 km x h(-1) vs 21.3 km x h(-1) posttraining), Tmax (225.5 s vs 300.9 s posttraining), and VO2max (61.5 mL O2 x kg x min(-1) vs 64.5 mL O2 x kg x min(-1)). The 3000-m time trial decreased significantly from a pretraining value of 616.6 s to a posttraining value of 599.6 s (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study indicate that by utilizing between 60 and 75% of Tmax as an exercise duration and using Vmax as an exercise intensity that these two parameters can be extremely valuable in the prescription of exercise programs for athletes.