Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Masked Spectral–Spatial Feature Prediction for Hyperspectral Image Classification

Transformer has emerged as a preferred method for hyperspectral (HS) image classification due to its ability to model long-range dependency. Whereas the transformer contains numerous parameters and further available labeled HS data is limited, which makes it difficult to get a well-trained transformer. Accordingly, we propose a novel HS image classification method called masked spectral–spatial feature prediction (MSSFP). It aims at helping the transformer understand the complicated spectral–spatial structures without labeled HS data, further improving the classification performance. Specifically, the input HS cube is first divided into two sequences along spectral and spatial dimensions, respectively. Then, a portion of these two sequences are masked out and we train a transformer-based encoder–decoder network to predict the hand-crafted features of masked regions. After pretraining, the encoder is fine-tuned to derive two classification results from input spectral and spatial sequences. Finally, spectral and spatial results are aggregated adaptively based on uncertainty comparison. In comparison experiments, MSSFP outperforms several state-of-the-art HS image classification methods on three benchmark datasets including Indian Pines (IP), Houston (HU), and Pavia University (PUS).
Causes of death and reasons for euthanasia in necropsied dogs and their relationship with sex, age group and breed: a retrospective study

The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence of disease groups leading to death or euthanasia in dogs, as well as their dependence on factors such as sex, age group, and breed. The necropsy records from the Animal Pathology Department of the Federal University of Espírito Santo were reviewed from January 2016 to December 2020, resulting in 315 protocols. The groups of cause their death were based on the primary pathological process. The sex, age group, and breed of the dogs were associated with the groups of causes of death. As a result, the most frequent causes of death were: inconclusive (25,7%), infectious and parasitic diseases (22.2%), degenerative diseases (17.5%), neoplasms (15.9%), disorders caused by physical agents (8.9%) and other groups (9,8%). Only age group had an influence on death classifications (p < 0.0001), with puppies being positively associated with infectious and parasitic diseases and negatively associated with neoplasms and degenerative diseases. Elderly dogs had a negative association with infectious and parasitic diseases and a positive association with neoplasms. In conclusion, the deaths in this study occurred prematurely, especially those related to infectious and parasitic diseases.
Coronary artery bypass grafting using the radial artery: influence of proximal anastomosis site in mid-term and long-term graft patency

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the proximal anastomosis interferes or not in mid- and long-term patency of these grafts. METHODS: One hundred twenty-three out of 481 patients who had undergone surgery using radial artery (RA) were restudied. The mean age was 58.8 + 10.4 years. In 96 (78.05%) patients the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was used. Considering all surgical grafts, 382 coronary branches were grafted (mean, 3.1 + 0.8 arteries per patient). 150 of them used radial artery (RA), and the left marginal branches (LOM) were the most prevalent (48.67%). The proximal anastomosis was performed in the aorta in 50 (40.65%) patients and as an artificial "Y" composite graft with the left or right internal thoracic artery (LIMA/RITA) in 73 (59.35%). Postoperatively, coronary angiography studies were performed within a mean period of 5.36 + 3.21 years. The obtained data was divided into two categories: proximal anastomosis (aorta/composite) and patency (occluded/patent). A chi-square test was used to compare both proportions, within a 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: From the 50 aorta-anastomosed grafts, 42 (84%) were patent and eight (16%) occluded. Regarding the 73 "Y" composite grafts, 59 (80.82%) were patent and 14 (19.18%) occluded. Comparing these proportions in both techniques, there was no statistically significant difference between them (P=0.651, CI=95%). CONCLUSION: The site of proximal anastomosis of the RA coronary grafts does not interfere in mid- and long-term graft occlusion and patency.
Design of a HTS 2 MW Electric Motor for Single-Aisle Regional Aircraft

This paper presents the design of a 2 MW superconducting electric machine capable of replacing a conventional regional aircraft turbine. The main objective of this work is to advance in the path towards the more-electric aircraft, by incorporating and assessing in the same design technologies such as a superconducting rotor and its cooling by means of helium at cryogenic temperatures, the skewed armature winding or the oil-flooded cooling of the stator, to obtain high specific power density and efficiency values. Although the use of these technologies is well known in the literature, no work is found to implement all of them simultaneously, which poses great challenges both for their subsequent manufacture and later performance. After showing and justifying each element of the design of the electric machine, the electromagnetic performance of the motor and of the superconducting coils is assessed, it is thermally evaluated so that it does not exceed the strict temperature limits and a mechanical analysis of the elements of the motor is also carried out. The main finding of this work is the validation of the proposed model, and that, even though the designed engine is feasible at the proposed power level, the specific power density and efficiency values would improve in the case of upscaling the engine for implementation in larger aircraft.
Diet, food availability and foraging behaviour of badgers (Meles meles L.) in southern England

Le regime alimentaire, la disponibilite en nourriture et le comportement d'approvisionnement ont ete etudies chez Meles meles suivi par radiotracking dans des zones de cultures cerealieres intensives dans le sud de l'Angleterre. La frequence et la biomasse des vers de terre, tres frequent dans son alimentation, sont examines
Human umbilical cord-mesenchymal stem cells conditioned medium attenuates CCl4 induced chronic liver fibrosis

Abstract Although the efficacy of MSCs on the liver fibrosis is investigated, it is not exactly clear whether released molecules by MSCs are sufficient to mediate the anti-fibrotic effects or not. In this study, the possible hepatoprotective effects of human umbilical cord MSCs derived conditioned medium (UC-CM) was investigated. 30 male rats were divided into 3 groups (n = 10): C: control; F: fibrosis were intraperitoneally injected with CCl4 (1 ml/kg, i.p); F/UC-CM: fibrosis rats that received UC-CM (100 µg/kg, i.v). At the end of the 12th week, serum and liver samples were collected to analyze biochemical, molecular, and histopathological parameters. In comparison with CCl4 intoxicated animals, the results showed a significant amelioration of weight loss, histological changes as well as attenuation of serum activity of ALT, AST, and ALP in F/UC-CM. The liver hydroxyproline content was significantly reduced by UC-CM treatment. Accordingly, improvement in oxidative parameters such as MDA, TAC, and TOS was also observed in the F/UC-CM group. UC-CM administration down-regulated gene expression of TGF-β1, TNF-α, TβRII, MMP-2, and MMP-9 as well as the protein level in TGF-β1 and TNF-α. Immunohistochemical analysis showed a notable lower hepatic α-SMA expression in the F/UC-CM group. In conclusion, these findings revealed that the remarkable hepatoprotective property of UC-CM could lend support to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidative and anti-fibrotic effects.
Radiative characteristics of clouds embedded in smoke derived from airborne multiangular measurements

Clouds in the presence of absorbing aerosols result in their apparent darkening, observed at the top of atmosphere (TOA), which is associated with the radiative effects of aerosol absorption. Owing to the large radiative effect and potential impacts on regional climate, above‐cloud aerosols have recently been characterized in multiple satellite‐based studies. While satellite data are particularly useful in showing the radiative impact of above‐cloud aerosols at the TOA, recent literature indicates large uncertainties in satellite retrievals of above‐cloud aerosol optical depth (AOD) and single scattering albedo (SSA), which are among the most important parameters in the assessment of associated radiative effects. In this study, we analyze radiative characteristics of clouds in the presence of wildfire smoke using airborne data primarily from NASA's Cloud Absorption Radiometer, collected during the Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites campaign in Canada during the 2008 summer season. We found a strong positive reflectance (R) gradient in the UV‐visible (VIS)‐near infrared (NIR) spectrum for clouds embedded in dense smoke, as opposed to an (expected) negative gradient for cloud‐free smoke and a flat spectrum for smoke‐free cloud cover. Several cases of clouds embedded in thick smoke were found, when the aircraft made circular/spiral measurements, which not only allowed the complete characterization of angular distribution of smoke scattering but also provided the vertical distribution of smoke and clouds (within 0.5–5 km). Specifically, the largest darkening by smoke was found in the UV/VIS, with R0. 34μm reducing to 0.2 (or 20%), in contrast to 0.8 at NIR wavelengths (e.g., 1.27 µm). The observed darkening is associated with large AODs (0.5–3.0) and moderately low SSA (0.85–0.93 at 0.53 µm), resulting in a significantly large instantaneous aerosol forcing efficiency of 254 ± 47 W m−2 τ−1. Our observations of smoke‐cloud radiative interactions were found to be physically consistent with theoretical plane‐parallel 1‐D and Monte Carlo 3‐D radiative transfer calculations, capturing the observed gradient across UV‐VIS‐NIR. Results from this study offer insights into aerosol‐cloud radiative interactions and may help in better constraining satellite retrieval algorithms.
Paleomagnetism of Basaltic Rocks Cored at ODP Site 1179: Implications for Mid-Cretaceous Pacific Plate Paleolatitude and Paleomagnetic Pole

During Ocean Drilling Program Leg 191, ~100 m of mid-Cretaceous igneous crust was cored at Site 1179 (41.08°N, 159.96°E), located within magnetic Anomaly M8 on the abyssal plain of the northwest Pacific Ocean near Shatsky Rise. Paleomagnetic data from this section are significant because they can constrain the mid-Cretaceous Pacific plate paleolatitude and paleomagnetic pole, both of which can be used to infer tectonic drift and other geodynamic processes. In this study, we analyzed the paleomagnetism of 122 samples from 40 flows in the Site 1179 basalt section. Comparison of inclination data among flows implies 13 independent measurements of the paleomagnetic field. Assuming a reversed magnetic polarity because of the site location within Anomaly M8, the data give a mean paleocolatitude of 88.1° ± 6.8° (corresponding to a paleolatitude of 1.9°N). The paleocolatitude is consistent with other mid-Cretaceous Pacific paleomagnetic data that indicate ~39° northward drift of the western Pacific plate since midCretaceous time. Comparison of observed between-flow colatitude variance with that expected from secular variation data suggests that secular variation may not have been completely averaged with the 13 independent groups sampled at Site 1179. Colatitude scatter in the section is markedly less in the deepest 33 m of the hole, indicating a shift 1Sager, W.W. , and Horner-Johnson, B.C., 2004. Paleomagnetism of basaltic rocks cored at ODP Site 1179: implications for mid-Cretaceous Pacific plate paleolatitude and paleomagnetic pole. In Sager, W.W. , Kanazawa, T. , and Escutia, C. (Eds.), Proc. ODP, Sci. Results, 191, 1–20 [Online]. Available from World Wide Web: . [Cited YYYYMM-DD] 2Department of Oceanography, Texas A&M University, 317A Eller Building, College Station TX 77843-3146, USA. wsager@ocean.tamu. edu 3Department of Earth Science, Rice University, 6100 South Main Street, Houston TX 77005, USA. Initial receipt: 23 July 2003 Acceptance: 19 August 2003 Web publication: 9 March 2004 Ms 191SR-002 W.W. SAGER AND B.C. HORNER-JOHNSON PALEOMAGNETISM OF BASALTIC ROCKS 2 from rapidly erupted flows in the bottom ~33 m of the section to more slowly emplaced flows above.
Relationship between Pharmacological Treatment Strategy and Cognitive Function in Geriatric Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

Background and question: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in the total population. The aim of this study is to determine how geriatric patients with AF are treated in terms of rhythm or rate control and whether a relationship between the type of treatment and Mini Mental Status (MMS) can be identified. Methods: In this monocentric, prospective, observational study, data including chronic medication as well as demographic parameters were collected from all patients in a geriatric department between April 2021 and April 2022. A 12-lead ECG as well as the Mini Mental Status were recorded for all patients as part of the admission routine, and a 24 h ECG was performed in selected patients on the basis of clinical indication. Results: At baseline, 715 out of 1914 patients (37.4%) had a known history of AF. Of these patients, 43 patients (6%) were on rhythm control therapy (RHY) and 672 (94%) were on rate control therapy (RATE). No difference in respect to MMS could be detected between RHY and RATE. However, linear regression analyses showed that age, HASBLED score, creatinine serum level, and an existing antiplatelet medication were associated with a negative influence on MMS, whereas oral anticoagulation (OAC) was associated with improved MMS, respectively (p < 0.05 for all). Conclusion: The vast majority of geriatric patients with AF are treated with a rate control strategy. Oral anticoagulation is associated with better results in MMS, whereas patients who are treated with antiplatelet medication show worse results in MMS instead.
Experience in the perioperative management of patients with hip fracture in southwestern Colombia. Retrospective cohort study

Introduction: Hip fracture is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality among the elderly population. In Colombia there is a shortage of scientific literature on the perioperative management of this population of patients. Objective: To describe the perioperative management of hip fracture patients at a tertiary university hospital in Cali, Colombia. Methods: An observational study was conducted with relational scope of a historical cohort of patients with hip fracture who underwent surgical management between January 2018 and June 2022. A non-probability sampling method was used and contingency tables were designed aimed at describing the relationship between the patients’ characteristics and the postoperative outcomes. Results: 235 patients were included, of which 57 % were males. The mean age was 79 years and 49.8 % were classified as ASA III or higher. Spinal anesthesia was the most commonly used technique in 63.4 % of the cases. The most frequent outcomes were delirium in 17.9 %, and acute kidney failure in 6.8 %. 83.4 % of the patients underwent surgery within 48 hours of admission to the emergency department and intra-hospital mortality was 2.6 %. Conclusion: The results of this study provide relevant information to identify opportunities for improvement and their implementation, such as the reduction in the time elapsed until surgical management and the development of care protocols in the region.
Relationship of Complete Blood Count Derived Biomarkers With Methotrexate Resistance

Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation and joint damage. Among the therapeutic agents, methotrexate remains a cornerstone of initial treatment. Complete blood count (CBC)-derived biomarkers such as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), and systemic immune response index (SIRI) have been extensively studied in various diseases. Still, their specific role in RA patients undergoing methotrexate treatment has not been investigated. Objective This study aimed to investigate the relationship of CBC-derived biomarkers with methotrexate resistance in newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis patients. Methods We performed a comprehensive analysis of 54 RA patients, divided into methotrexate-resistant (MTXR) and methotrexate-sensitive (MTXS) groups. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess differences in hematological biomarkers between groups. Standard t-tests were used to compare specific biomarkers between the MTXR and MTXS groups. The chi-squared test was used to compare categorical variables between groups. Pearson's correlation test was also used to examine correlations between these biomarkers and Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28) in both groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed for each biomarker to determine predictive ability. Results A statistically increased PLR ratio was observed in the MTXR group compared to the MTXS group. Significant correlations between DAS28 and NLR, PLR, SII, and SIRI were observed in the MTXR group. In contrast, these correlations were absent in the MTXS group. In addition to PLR, DAS28 and ESR were significantly higher in the MTXR group than in the MTXS group. None of these biomarkers showed prognostic value for methotrexate treatment outcomes. Conclusion PLR could be used as a biomarker for resistance to methotrexate treatment in a specific RA patient population. Increased PLR and ESR, together with higher DAS28, might be associated with a more pronounced inflammatory state in MTXR patients.
First genetic survey on the invasive rayed pearl oyster Pinctada radiata (Leach, 1814) populations of the Balearic Islands (Western Mediterranean)

A survey of the invasive pearl oyster Pinctada radiata along the Balearic Archipelago was conducted based on the COI mitochondrial marker. Results confirmed the identity of the specimens as P. radiata. The Balearic populations are certainly of Indo-Pacific origin but not from the Persian Gulf nor from other introduced populations in the eastern or central Mediterranean, therefore the precise origin remains to be discovered. Despite the small number of samples from the Persian Gulf compared to the Mediterranean, the haplotype diversity is higher in the native populations compared to the non-native.
British Museum Natural Radiocarbon Measurements X

The following list consists entirely of dates for archaeologic samples from the prehistoric flint mining site of Grime's Graves, Weeting, Thetford, Norfolk, England (52° 30' N, 0° 40' E, Natl Grid Ref TL 816898), measured over the period from August 1973 to December 1977,* all the samples having been excavated between 1972 and 1976. The dates were obtained by liquid scintillation counting of benzene using a Model 3315 Packard Tricarb Liquid Scintillation Spectrometer linked to a Hewlett Packard 2100A computer system for on-line processing of counting data (Hall & Hewson, 1977). The laboratory procedures used were those outlined in the two previous lists (R, 1976, v 18, p 16; 1977, v 19, p 143).
A Comprehensive Review of the Potential Role of Liquid Biopsy as a Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Predictive Biomarker in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the most lethal malignant diseases, with a mortality rate being close to incidence. Due to its heterogeneity and plasticity, as well as the lack of distinct symptoms in the early phases, it is very often diagnosed at an advanced stage, resulting in poor prognosis. Traditional tissue biopsies remain the gold standard for making a diagnosis, but have an obvious disadvantage in their inapplicability for frequent sampling. Blood-based biopsies represent a non-invasive method which potentially offers easy and repeated sampling, leading to the early detection and real-time monitoring of the disease and hopefully an accurate prognosis. Given the urgent need for a reliable biomarker that can estimate a patient’s condition and response to an assigned treatment, blood-based biopsies are emerging as a potential new tool for improving patients’ survival and surveillance. In this article, we discuss the current advances and challenges in using liquid biopsies for pancreatic cancer, focusing on circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA), extracellular vesicles (EVs), and circulating tumour cells (CTCs), and compare the performance and reliability of different biomarkers and combinations of biomarkers.
Differences between international medical graduates and Canadian medical graduates in a medical learning environment: From matching to residency and beyond

Objective: To determine the differences between international medical graduates (IMG) and canadian medical graduates (CMG) in the medical learning environment (MLE) as there is progression from matching to residency and beyond. Method: A narrative literature review was done using the search engines pubmed, medline and embase on publications from 2000 to 2021 comparing IMG to CMG and those that compared IMG to non IMG in international publications were also considered. Results: The IMGs are offered less residency program positions compared to CMGs during the CaRMS selection process and specifically less in specialty programs. Amongst the article, 66% of IMGs compared to 90% of CMG were successful in the certification examination of the college of family physicians of Canada. A US article on the other hand found similarities in performance of USMGs and IMGs in a surgical residency program. Conclusion: A lot of IMG face several challenges including perceived systemic and individual discrimination, lack of mentorship and poor ability to navigate after immigration even after they are matched into a Canadian residency program. These are significant issues that should be dealt with to enable increase success and survival of IMGs in the MLE.
Antiscarring agents in glaucoma surgery: a literature review

Glaucoma filtering surgery has been gaining popularity as an early surgical intervention in glaucoma management. A thorough review of the literature revealed that the incidence of failure in glaucoma filtering surgery may be reduced with the use of antiscarring agents. Based on the published research, we hereby discuss the available types of antiscarring agents, their regimes, and their complications. Among the drugs used, mitomycin C and 5-fluorouracil are the most prominent. We discuss the indications for their use, mode of action, dosage, techniques, and duration of usage as well as complications. Although these agents have proven efficacy, they also increase the risk of complications. While newer agents have shown promising results, the long-term complications of these drugs are still inconclusive. We also explain the new agents and methods under investigation to control wound healing after filtration surgery. This is a crucial area to explore, as most of these agents are not tissue-selective and therefore their benefits must be weighed against their possible risks.