Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Accuracy and Reproducibility of Low-Dose Submillisievert Chest CT for the Diagnosis of COVID-19

Purpose To demonstrate the accuracy and reproducibility of low-dose submillisievert chest CT for the diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection in patients in the emergency department. Materials and Methods This was a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act–compliant, institutional review board–approved retrospective study. From March 14 to 24, 2020, 192 patients in the emergency department with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 infection were studied by using low-dose chest CT and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Image analysis included the likelihood of COVID-19 infection and the semiquantitative extent of lung involvement. CT images were analyzed by two radiologists blinded to the RT-PCR results. Reproducibility was assessed using the McNemar test and intraclass correlation coefficient. Time between CT acquisition and report was measured. Results When compared with RT-PCR, low-dose submillisievert chest CT demonstrated excellent sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy for diagnosis of COVID-19 (86.7%, 93.6%, 91.1%, 90.3%, and 90.2%, respectively), in particular in patients with clinical symptoms for more than 48 hours (95.6%, 93.2%, 91.5%, 96.5%, and 94.4%, respectively). In patients with a positive CT result, the likelihood of disease increased from 43.2% (pretest probability) to 91.1% or 91.4% (posttest probability), while in patients with a negative CT result, the likelihood of disease decreased to 9.6% or 3.7% for all patients or those with clinical symptoms for >48 hours. The prevalence of alternative diagnoses based on chest CT in patients without COVID-19 infection was 17.6%. The mean effective radiation dose was 0.56 mSv ± 0.25 (standard deviation). Median time between CT acquisition and report was 25 minutes (interquartile range: 13–49 minutes). Intra- and interreader reproducibility of CT was excellent (all intraclass correlation coefficients ≥ 0.95) without significant bias in the Bland-Altman analysis. Conclusion Low-dose submillisievert chest CT allows for rapid, accurate, and reproducible assessment of COVID-19 infection in patients in the emergency department, in particular in patients with symptoms lasting longer than 48 hours. Chest CT has the additional advantage of offering alternative diagnoses in a significant subset of patients. © RSNA, 2020
Componentes de produção e suas correlações em genótipos de feijão-caupi em cultivo de sequeiro e irrigado

Researches with caupi bean, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. , indicates the possibility to obtain stable genotypes with broad adaptation to climate and soil, on high productivity, especially with the use of irrigation. The aim of this was to evaluate the yield and its components in 20 genotypes of caupi bean. Seventeen lineages and three cultivars of caupi bean were evaluated in a rainfed cultivation and in an irrigated cultivation, in two experiments. At Teresina-Piaui, in the period of April to December in 2006, on the experimental field of the Middle-north Agricultural Research Center (CPAMN) of Embrapa (Brazilian Company of Agricultural Research) in the Middle-north region. It was used the randomized block design with four replications. The evaluated characters were: initial flowering (FI), length of the main branch (CRP), number of nodes in the main branch (NNRP), number of lateral branches (NRL), layering (ACAM) and productivity (PROD). The MNC99-541F-15, TE96290-12G, MNC99-547F-2, MNC99-510F-16 and TE97-304G-12 lineages and, the BRS-Marataoa and BR-17 Gurgueia cultivars showed the largest productivities in rainfed cultivation. From another standpoint, the MNC99-542F-5, TE96-290-12G, TE97-304G-12, MNC99-541F-18, TE97-309G-24, MNC99510F-16, TE97-304G-4, MNC99-547F-2, MNC99-510F-16 lineages and the BRS Paraguacu cultivar stood out in the irrigated cultivation. The lineages TE96-290-12G, MNC99-510F-16 and TE97-304G-4 showed good productive levels in both cultivation systems.
The importance of ground-based and satellite observations for monitoring and estimation of UV radiation in Novi Sad (Serbia)

Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a significant health hazard in the warm part of the year. In order to assess the level of hazard and the effects of UV radiation on the living world, long-term measured or estimated data are needed. In Novi Sad, the measurement of UV radiation has been performed since 2003, while ozone measurements have been made since 2007. However, those data sets are too short for assessing long-term biological effects. Therefore, several techniques for reconstruction of UV radiation doses have been developed. Reconstruction techniques are based on using available ground-based measurements of the meteorological data and satellite measurements of the total ozone column. It is shown that techniques that use ozone data show better performance than those that use only ground-based meteorological measurements. However, the difference between the performances of the methods is smaller when it comes to the monthly values, indicating that the techniques which use only ground-based meteorological measurements are roughly as good as the ozone-based techniques for assessing long-term changes in the surface UV radiation. The statistically significant increasing long term-trend of annual mean erythemal UV doses ( ERY ) and the decreasing trend in the total ozone column in Novi Sad since 1981 have been noticed. An increase in ERY has been noticed in all the seasons except in autumn and it is the highest in winter. The analysis showed that the increase in the ERY in the period 1981–1996 was mainly caused by the total ozone column, while the increase after 1996 is largely caused by cloudiness.
Technology symbolization: political mechanism of local e-government adoption and implementation

Why did some local e-government projects start off with a bang but end with a whimper? Using the case study of an online administrative approval system in Jiangmen, China, this study explores the political mechanism behind the adoption and implementation of local e-government projects. We propose a framework for analyzing the adoption and implementation of e-government projects that encompasses three aspects: environment (political institutions); process (perceptions of information technology, power relations, and strategic interaction); and performance. The political environment shapes people’s perceptions of information technology and provides motivations and constraints for relevant stakeholders. Stakeholders choose different strategies and actions based on their positions in the power structure, which finally influences the performance of the project. In this study, due to local government leaders’ motivation to seek political achievement and subordinate agencies’ strategic responses in the Chinese political system, the online system finally turned into a symbolic tool that did very little to improve government performance. Points for practitioners • A framework is proposed for analyzing the adoption and implementation of e-government projects that encompasses three aspects: environment (political institutions); process (perceptions of information technology, power relations, and strategic interaction); and performance. • A concept—technology symbolization—is emphasized by exploring the ways in which e-government can be used as a promotion tool for local officials. • With the advent of the new generations of information technology, e-government practitioners cannot ignore the political environment and the impact of political institutions on information technology implementation.
Photoperiod affects compensating developmental rate across latitudes in the damselfly Lestes sponsa

1. Although there is a great deal of theoretical and empirical data about the life history responses of time constraints in organisms, little is known about the latitude‐compensating mechanism that enables northern populations' developmental rates to compensate for latitude. To investigate the importance of photoperiod on development, offspring of the obligatory univoltine damselfly Lestes sponsa from two populations at different latitudes (53°N and 63°N) were raised in a common laboratory environment at both northern and southern photoperiods that corresponded to the sites of collection.
Management in congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction – guidelines of the Polish Ophthalmological Society

Congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO) is the most common cause of persistent lacrimation with secretion in the eye, in children. Symptoms appear in approx. 5% of neonates and infants. Most often it is caused by presence of an abnormal membrane in the distal segment of the nasolacrimal duct (Hasner’s valve), hence usually we are dealing with congenital obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct. Much less often, difficulties in the outflow of tears in children is caused by stenosis of the nasolacrimal duct or, for example, absence of lacrimal points and ducts. An increased risk of tear duct obstruction occurs in children with Down syndrome, hemifacial hypoplasia, midfacial anomalies, craniosynostoses, Goldenhar syndrome, and cleft syndromes. Obstruction of the lacrimal duct and the associated blockage in the outflow of tears causes several symptoms, including retention of tears, wet and clustered eyelashes, presence of secretion in the conjunctival sac (initially mucous, then mucopurulent or purulent) accumulating on the edges of eyelids and on eyelashes, and retention of pathological content in the lacrimal sac. Those symptoms develop in the first month of life. In 30% of children with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction, problems with outflow of tears occur bilaterally. In these cases, complex obstruction in the upper part of the nasolacrimal ducts (lacrimal ducts, lacrimal sac, upper part of the nasolacrimal duct) is more common, rather than obstruction at Hasner’s valve level. Main complications of CNLDO are: dacryocystitis, inflammation of orbital soft tissue, upper respiratory tract infection, more frequent anisometropia and amblyopia on the side of obstructed lacrimal ducts. The diagnosis of CNLDO is based mostly on characteristic clinical symptoms. In case of doubts, the fluorescein appearABSTRACT Authors present the etiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO). The problem of immediate and deferred probing for CNLDO is discussed. The paper presents also guidelines of the Polish Ophthalmological Society in CNLDO management.
Economic Growth in Indonesian New Outonomous: Social-Economic Perspective

This study explores the Indonesian economic growth in the new autonomous regions using social - economy perspective. More specifically, social - economic issues are proxied on population, poverty rates, education levels, local tax revenues, and distribution of local government social assistance. Meanwhile, community economic growth is proxied by GRDP per capita (PE). The Indonesian economic growth and social-economy issues are measured using Ordinary Least Square (OLS). This study uses new autonomous regions data in Indonesia formed in 2003 – 2008. Employing multiple linear regression, the test results revealed that variable of local tax revenue (PD) was consistently able to explain PE. The same results are shown in the robustness test, where researchers predict the economic growth of the community with the Human Development Index (HDI). In the discussion section, community economic growth represented by PE continues to increase along with the increase in PD and HDI. The conclusion in this study is community economic growth increased since 2009, marked by an increase in PD along with HDI. As an implication, researchers suggest that practitioners and academics use local taxes to measure the community economy in new autonomous regions in Indonesia.
Ecomorphological relationships in hoverflies (Diptera, Syrphidae)

Hoverflies spend most of their feeding time either taking nectar or pollen, in varying proportions according to species. Xylota species feed on pollen, but have a specialized method of collecting it from the surface of leaves. Multivariate morphometric data and activity data (in the form of time-budgets) are associated by using canonical correlation analysis. The main feature of the two data sets lies in the correlation between proboscis shape and the proportion of time devoted to feeding on nectar and on pollen. Additionally, increased body size is correlated with more time feeding on nectar. The second canonical correlation documents the decrease in the proportion of time spent in flight with increasing body size. Morphological similarity (distance apart in multivariate space) and ecological similarity (foraging niche overlap) are correlated. Species with similar size and shape feed on similar types of flowers and take similar foods (nectar or pollen). Reproductive and energy requirements alter with body size, and these are sufficient to explain the observed differences.
Willow grouse bag size is more sensitive to variation in hunter effort than to variation in willow grouse density

Annual variation in harvested animals (hereafter bag size) is often used as an index of population abundance when investigating population dynamics. Few studies have evaluated how well bag size tracks population change despite its widespread use. Two recent studies on grouse harvest statistics have reached contrasting conclusions. Th ere is limited information about the functional response of hunters in relation to varying game densities, and effort is seldom recorded. We investigated how much of the variation in bag size (total number of harvested grouse km−2) is explained by variation in willow grouse Lagopus lagopus density (adult and young grouse km−2) and hunting eff ort (total number of hunting days km−2). We also evaluated catch per unit effort (CPUE) as an index of grouse abundance, and estimated the response in harvest rate (total bag size in relation to total grouse density) to varying hunting effort. We used data from the 88 management areas on state land in Jamtland county, Sweden (1996–2007), where hunting days and bag size are recorded in detail. Willow grouse density was estimated in four of these management areas in August using line transects and distance sampling. The hunting effort and total grouse density explained most of the variation in bag size (R2= 0.89). Bag size was twice as sensitive to changes in hunting effort compared to changes in grouse density. More than a ten times change in the grouse population density was required to one unit change in bag size. The use of CPUE did not provide a better alternative index of grouse density, and variation in density only explained 23% of the variation in CPUE. Harvest rate showed a strong relationship with hunting effort, and we suggest that an upper limit in hunting effort can be used to reduce the risk of high harvest rates. Hunters became more efficient at low densities and controlling hunting effort is most important when there are indications of population lows and/or poor breeding. CPUE may be less sensitive to changes in game abundance than previously assumed, and bag size as a proxy for population density would then depend on the ability of hunters to adjust their effort according to population change. We speculate that this ability will depend on whether or not hunters have long-term experience of a hunting area where they can return to hunt throughout the hunting season. We propose that recording hunting eff ort should be encouraged and possible correlations with game abundance and other factors such as weather should be investigated for game species.
A semi-parametric joint latent class model with longitudinal and survival data

In many longitudinal studies, we are interested in both repeated measures of a biomarker and time to an event. When there exist heterogeneous patterns of the longitudinal and survival profiles, we propose a latent class joint model to identify subgroups of subjects and study the association between longitudinal and survival outcomes. The model is estimated by maximizing the full likelihood function. We use B-splines to approximate the baseline hazard function which involves a diverging number of parameters. Asymptotic properties of the estimator for the joint latent class model are investigated. We conduct simulation studies to assess the performance of the developed method. A real data example, Mayo Clinic Primary Biliary Cirrhosis Data, is analyzed using the joint modeling approach.
The effect of GABA, salt and hydrocortisone on possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) ion homeostasis—a potential marsupial-specific toxin?

Abstract It has been observed that the γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) receptor in possums reacts differently from that of placental mammals, in that GABA coupled with high salt intake leads to severe calcium imbalance and death. Thus, the potential of a marsupial-specific toxin (MST) was trialled on wild, captive possums. Seven groups of possums (n=13–15) were tested with mixtures containing 20% GABA and 2, 5 or 8% salt, with or without a chemical stressor, hydrocortisone, plus an untreated control group. Blood analyte data showed that plasma glucose concentration, measured by glucose oxidase method, increased in the control and hydrocortisone-treated possums. Ion homeostasis (potassium and sodium chloride, measured by ion-selective electrodes, and phosphate measured by phosphorus-colourimetric assay) was moderately affected in the MST-treated groups at higher salt concentrations. Calcium was affected in all but two of the treatment groups (2% and 8% plus hydrocortisone). Despite this disruption of ion homeostasis, there was no mortality due to the effect of the MST. This was possibly due to an aversion to the feed. Thus the development of an MST was unsuccessful.
Research on Antibiotic Screening in Japan over the Last Decade: A Producing Microorganism Approach

We surveyed the research activity on antibiotic screening over the last 10 years using data published in the Journal of Antibiotics (1984∼1993) and the Japan Kokai Patent (1983∼1992). Research on new antibiotic screening is very active in Japan, and we considered a survey of these data to be helpful in grasping domestic and international research trends in this field. In this report, we use the term “antibiotics” not in the narrow sense of antimicrobial antibiotics, but rather to mean bioactive microbial products.
Development and Application of Rapid Antibiotic Resistance Analysis for Microbial Source Tracking in the Black River Watershed, Michigan

Abstract Microbial source tracking (MST) is often a desirable component of water quality monitoring. To enable local health departments to utilize MST regularly, rapid methods need to be developed that can be performed without costly equipment, increased laboratory space, or advanced technical requirements. This paper describes the development, validation, and application of a rapid, small-scale MST method based on antibiotic resistance analysis. An automated plate reader allows for earlier and repeated measurements and can distinguish treatment effects after only six hours of incubation, compared with the overnight incubation for the conventional assay. Using this rapid MST assay, a known-source Escherichia coli (E. coli) antibiotic resistance pattern database was constructed for the Black River watershed in southeastern Michigan. The average rate of correct classification for the known-source database was 70.4% when comparing each of seven specific animal sources, 72.5% when comparing three generic animal groups (human, waterfowl, and livestock), and 88.9% when comparing human to non-human animal sources. The rapid assay and database were then used to identify the sources of E. coli at a public recreational beach as human (34%), goose (34%), and cattle (20%).
Peripheral nerve demyelination and a leptin receptor mutation: The obese Zucker rat sciatic nerve demyelination occurs with a centripetal pattern defect

Young male Zucker rats with a leptin receptor mutation are obese, have a non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), and other endocrinopathies. Fine structure aspects of the tibial branches of the sciatic nerve of lean (Fa/? ) and obese (fa/fa) perfused rats were compared and revealed a progressive demyelination caused by Schwann cells (SCs). There, stacked myelin layers membranes and other adhering junctions were defective in many nerve fibers of the obese rats, including of the mesaxons of the smallest fibers. Additionally, the progressive myelin alterations caused by metabolomic alterations in membrane components sorted by the SCs may also have revealed a peculiar, centripetal mode of sorting and trafficking maintenance of the peripheral nerve myelin. *Correspondence to: Jacques Gilloteaux, Department of Anatomical Sciences, St George’s University School of Medicine, UNN School of Health and Life Sciences, Drill Hall 013, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK; and URPHyMNarilis, Départment de Médecine, Université de Namur, Rue de Bruxelles 61, Namur 5000, Belgium, E-mail: jgilloteaux@sgu.edu; jacques.gilloteaux@ unamur.be
Effect of early age heat stress on growth performance and some blood parameters of two strains of rabbits

The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of short term Heat Stress on productive performance and some blood parameters in two strains of growing rabbits. A total number of 60 weaned unsexed rabbits (6 weeks of age) were used in this study (30 from each of New Zealand White, NZW, and Local Baladi Black, BB rabbits). They were randomly divided into two experimental groups: a control group and heat stressed one. The latter group was exposed to four hours of heat stress at 36 ± 1 ⁰C and 55 – 60% RH for three consecutive days at 42 days of age. The same manner was applied after six weeks of age (at marketing). After HS exposure, three rabbits from each treatment were used to determine some blood parameters, heat shock protein (HSP 70, 90); Growth performance data were also recorded. Results showed that daily weight gain was significantly increased in heat stressed rabbits than control, while feed consumption was significantly reduced in NZW rabbits, resulting in an improvement in FCR of NZW rabbits than BB. Heat stress (p≤0.05) increased plasma total protein, albumin and Globulin than control group, while A/G ratio was not influenced. Baladi Black rabbits had significantly lower IGF and Corticosterone level compared by NZW rabbits, while T3 hormone level was not significantly affected. HS increased (p ≤ 0.05) IGF and Corticosterone levels. A significant interaction effect between HS and breed was recorded for all studied hormones. Heat shock protein were significantly increased in local BB rabbits compared to NZW ones. It is concluded that it is concluded that early age heat exposure of weaning rabbits could be used as an alternative tool to alleviate the negative impact of heat stress at older age. We chose two strains of rabbits (BB NZW) because they the most common types in our country.