Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Indoor UAV scheduling with Restful Task Assignment Algorithm

Research in UAV scheduling has obtained an emerging interest from scientists in the optimization field. When the scheduling itself has established a strong root since the 19th century, works on UAV scheduling in indoor environment has come forth in the latest decade. Several works on scheduling UAV operations in indoor (two and three dimensional) and outdoor environments are reported. In this paper, a further study on UAV scheduling in three dimensional indoor environment is investigated. Dealing with indoor environment\textemdash where humans, UAVs, and other elements or infrastructures are likely to coexist in the same space\textemdash draws attention towards the safety of the operations. In relation to the battery level, a preserved battery level leads to safer operations, promoting the UAV to have a decent remaining power level. A methodology which consists of a heuristic approach based on Restful Task Assignment Algorithm, incorporated with Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm, is proposed. The motivation is to preserve the battery level throughout the operations, which promotes less possibility in having failed UAVs on duty. This methodology is tested with 54 benchmark datasets stressing on 4 different aspects: geographical distance, number of tasks, number of predecessors, and slack time. The test results and their characteristics in regard to the proposed methodology are discussed and presented.
Vertebral body corner oedema vs gadolinium enhancement as biomarkers of active spinal inflammation in ankylosing spondylitis.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relative performance of T(2) weighted short tau inversion-recovery (STIR) and fat-suppressed T(1) weighted gadolinium contrast-enhanced sequences in depicting active inflammatory lesions in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). METHODS Whole-spine MRI was performed on 32 patients with AS, who participated in a clinical trial of infliximab treatment, by STIR and contrast-enhanced sequences at baseline and after 30 weeks. The AS spine MRI-activity (ASspiMRI-a) scoring method was used. The images from these two imaging techniques were evaluated separately by two independent readers. RESULTS For the pre-treatment lesion status, the intraclass correlation coefficients comparing STIR readings and contrast-enhanced readings were 0.69±0.23 for Reader 1 and 0.65±0.21 for Reader 2. At baseline, the mean ASspiMRI-a score was 15.4% and 17.7% higher for contrast-enhanced images than for STIR images for Reader 1 and Reader 2, respectively. After infliximab treatment, Reader 1 rated an ASspiMRI-a score reduction of 50.8±33.6% and 25.3±35.3% for STIR images and contrast-enhanced images, respectively, whereas Reader 2 rated an ASspiMRI-a score reduction of 42.4±50.4% and 32.9±35.6% for STIR images and contrast-enhanced images, respectively. CONCLUSION While both contrast-enhanced and STIR sequences showed sensitivity to change over a short period of time after infliximab treatment, these two sequences may reflect different disease mechanisms.
One-Step Assembly of Coordination Complexes for Versatile Film and Particle Engineering

One-Step Coverage Controllable formation of thin films often requires slow deposition conditions or multiple rounds of coating. Ejima et al. (p. 154; see the Perspective by Bentley and Payne) report a simple and versatile method for coating surfaces with thin biocompatible films made from the condensation of Fe3+ ions and a natural polyphenol, tannic acid, from aqueous solutions. Flat surfaces, colloidal particles, and even bacterial cells could be coated, and the coats could subsequently be degraded by changing the pH. Thin adherent films formed from ferric ions and a natural polyphenol, tannic acid, can coat a wide variety of surfaces. [Also see Perspective by Bentley and Payne] The development of facile and versatile strategies for thin-film and particle engineering is of immense scientific interest. However, few methods can conformally coat substrates of different composition, size, shape, and structure. We report the one-step coating of various interfaces using coordination complexes of natural polyphenols and Fe(III) ions. Film formation is initiated by the adsorption of the polyphenol and directed by pH-dependent, multivalent coordination bonding. Aqueous deposition is performed on a range of planar as well as inorganic, organic, and biological particle templates, demonstrating an extremely rapid technique for producing structurally diverse, thin films and capsules that can disassemble. The ease, low cost, and scalability of the assembly process, combined with pH responsiveness and negligible cytotoxicity, makes these films potential candidates for biomedical and environmental applications.
Studies of Integrated Fabry-Perot Sensor Based on Bragg Grating Mirrors

In this work the results of the theoretical studies of photonic integrated circuit refractive index sensor based on quasi1D Bragg grating configurations which act as a Fabry-Perot interferometers are presented. The variation of the medium refractive index is detected by monitoring the shift of the spectral maxima of the Fabry-Perot cavity. The sensor has been designed using the analytical expressions of the Fabry-Perot interferometer and the sensor response has been simulated with CAMFR software. The theoretical sensitivity and the detection limit are calculated and the influence of the fabrication errors on the sensor response is evaluated.
Association of Borrelia afzelii with rodents in Europe

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) is maintained in nature by complex zoonotic transmission cycles, involving a large variety of vertebrates as hosts and hard ticks of the genus Ixodes as vectors. Recent studies suggest that the genospecies of B. burgdorferi s.l. and sometimes their subtypes are propagated by different spectra of hosts, mainly birds and rodents. In order to test the concept of host-association, we analysed the relationships between Borrelia genospecies, rodent hosts and I. ricinus ticks in an endemic focus of Lyme borreliosis in western Slovakia. Rodents and questing ticks were collected at a forested lowland locality near Bratislava. Tick infestation levels on rodents were determined, and spirochaete infections in ticks and in ear punch biopsies were analysed by PCR followed by genotyping. Mice were more heavily infested with ticks than bank voles, and a higher proportion of mice was infected with spirochaetes than voles. However, the infectivity of voles was much higher than that of mice. The vast majority of infections detected in the skin and in ticks feeding on the rodents represented B. afzelii. In contrast, more than half of all infections in questing ticks collected in the same region of Slovakia were identified as B. valaisiana and B. garinii. In conclusion, whilst the study reveals that mice and voles play different quantitative roles in the ecology of Lyme borreliosis, it demonstrates that B. afzelii is specifically maintained by European rodents, validating the concept of host-association of B. burgdorferi s.l.
The recA gene of Streptococcus pneumoniae is part of a competence‐induced operon and controls lysogenic induction

The recently identified recA gene of the naturally transformable bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae has been further characterized by constructing a recA null mutation and by investigating its regulation. The recA mutation has been shown to confer both DNA repair (as judged from sensitivity to u.v. and methyl methane sulphonate) and recombination deficiencies. Plasmid transformation into the recA mutant was also drastically reduced. Western blotting established that recA gene expression is increased several fold at the onset of competence for genetic transformation, increased expression was associated with the appearance of a recA‐specific transcript, approximately 5.7 kb long. This transcript indicated that recA is part of a competence‐inducible (cin) operon. The major (about 4.3 kb) transcript detected from non‐competent cells did not include cinA, the first gene in the operon, suggesting that this gene could be specifically required at some stage in the transformation process. Detection of small amounts of the 5.7 kb polycistronic mRNA in cells treated with mitomycin C suggested that the operon could also be damage inducible. In addition, mitomycin C treatment of a recA lysogenic strain did not lead to prophage induction and cell lysis. This is unlike the situation of a recA+ lysogen. Together these results demonstrate that RecA controls lysogenic induction and suggest the existence of a SOS repair system in S. pneumoniae.
Measuring the safety culture in a hospital setting: a concept whose time has come?

AIM Getting the right 'patient safety culture' is thought to be an important component in improving patient safety in hospitals, however there is a lack of clarity in how best to measure and improve it, and whether such improvement actually translates to better patient outcomes. This paper reflects on the Counties Manukau District Health Board (CMDHB) experience with a patient safety survey and attempts to answer questions other organisations may ask when deciding whether to invest in such survey. METHODS A literature search was undertaken to identify valid and reliable patient safety culture survey tools. These were reviewed with respect to how best to interpret and use the results. RESULTS If hospitals decide to undertake a patient safety culture survey, the recommended survey tools are the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) and the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety (HSOPS). Both have been widely used and have sound and comprehensive psychometrics. Only the SAQ has established links with patient safety outcomes such as reduced healthcare associated infections. CONCLUSION Surveys can provide some insights into the patient safety culture within an organisation, but the opportunity costs of undertaking a survey should be carefully considered. Much of their value lies in raising the profile of patient safety and promoting conversations; making patient safety 'the way we do business around here'.
Preferred Features of E-Mental Health Programs for Prevention of Major Depression in Male Workers: Results From a Canadian National Survey

Background Major depression is a prevalent mental disorder and imposes considerable burden on health and productivity. Men are not immune to major depression, yet they often delay seeking help because of perceived stigma and gender norms. E-mental health programs hold potential for early prevention of major depression. However, we have little knowledge about men’s preferences for design features of e-mental health programs. Objectives The objective of this study was to (1) estimate and compare the proportions of Internet use for medical information, preferred design features, and likely use of e-mental health programs; (2) examine factors associated with the likely use of e-mental health programs; and (3) understand potential barriers to the use of e-mental health programs among Canadian working men, who were at high risk of a major depressive episode (MDE). Methods A cross-sectional survey in 10 Canadian provinces was conducted between March and December 2015. Random digit dialing method was used through household landlines and cell phones to collect data from 511 working men who were at high risk of having an MDE and 330 working men who were at low risk of having an MDE. Results High-risk men were more likely to endorse the importance of accessing health resources on the Internet than low-risk men (83.4% vs 75.0%, respectively; P=.01). Of the 17 different features assessed, the top three features most likely to be used by high-risk men were: “information about improving sleep hygiene” (61.3%), “practice and exercise to help reduce symptoms of stress and depression” (59.5%), and “having access to quality information and resources about work stress issues” (57.8%). Compared with men at low risk for MDE, men at high risk for MDE were much more likely to consider using almost every one of the different design features. Differences in preferences for the design features by age among men at high risk of MDE were found only for 3 of 17 features. Differences in preferences for design features between English- and French-speaking participants were found only for 4 out of the 17 features. Analysis of qualitative data revealed that privacy issues, perceived stigma, ease of navigation, personal relevance, and lack of personal interaction, time, and knowledge were identified as barriers to the use of e-mental health programs in working men who were at high risk of MDE. Conclusion E-mental health programs may be a promising strategy for prevention of depression in working men. Development of e-mental health programs should consider men’s preferences and perceived barriers to enhance the acceptability of this approach.
The effect of genetically engineered glucagon on glucose recovery after hypoglycaemia in man.

To compare the effect on glucose recovery after insulin-induced hypoglycaemia of intramuscular genetically engineered glucagon, intramuscular glucagon from pancreatic extraction and intravenous glucose, we examined 10 healthy subjects during blockage of glucose counterregulation with somatostatin, propranolol and phentolamine. Each subject was studied on three separate occasions. Thirty min after a bolus injection of 0.075 iu soluble insulin per kilogram body weight the subjects received one of the following treatments: 1 mg glucagon from pancreatic extraction intramuscularly; 1 mg genetically engineered glucagon intramuscularly; and 25 g glucose intravenously, respectively. The two glucagon preparations induced an equally rapid increase in plasma glucose. This was due to an abrupt (within 4 min) and equal increase in glucose appearance rate. The increases in both plasma glucose and in glucose appearance rate were far more protracted after i.m. glucagon than after i.v. glucose. These results suggest that genetically engineered glucagon and glucagon from pancreatic extraction have a similar effect on hepatic glucose production rate. Due to the protracted effect of intramuscular glucagon, a combined treatment consisting of both intravenous glucose and intramuscular glucagon may be more effective in the treatment of hypoglycaemia than any of these given alone.
Long‐term comparative trial of two different physiotherapy techniques; postural drainage with percussion and autogenic drainage, in the treatment of cystic fibrosis

In N. America, over the past decade, various airway clearance techniques (ACT) have been introduced for the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF). We hypothesized that autogenic drainage (AD), an ACT developed in Belgium would be as effective as postural drainage with percussion (PD) in treating patients with CF.
Bonding-Induced Strain Effects in InP DFB Components Soldered p-Side-Up on AlN Substrates

Bonding-induced strain is shown to have significant impact on the performance of distributed feedback (DFB) lasers mounted p-side up on AlN carriers using AuSn solder. Degree of polarization (DOP) of photoluminescence was used to estimate top-side longitudinal strain profiles in InP chips soldered to AlN carriers. Asymmetric strain profiles were revealed, the orientation of which are shown to be dependent on bonding tool coplanarity. Solder profiles measured on the same chips by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were found to be nonuniform. Finite-element method (FEM) simulations were used to confirm that the asymmetric strain profiles resulted from solder nonuniformity caused by the bonding process. The FEM simulations were extended to analyze the effects of various bonding parameters on the top-side longitudinal strain profiles in InP chips, and suggestions are made for minimizing strain variations. The measured strains were included in a DFB laser model, and are shown to cause changes in slope efficiency and threshold current. These changes in slope efficiency and threshold current with bonding compare well with data collected from a large ensemble of DFB laser devices measured before and after the mounting process.
IMWBF decoding algorithm with dynamic magnitude update for LDPC codes

This paper proposes a modified IMWBF decoding algorithm for low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes. In the proposed modification, the magnitude of the received signal is updated when the number of the unsatisfied parity-check equations participated by this received signal is larger than a predetermined threshold. Through this modification, the outlier, defined as the undesired large-magnitude received signal, can achieve a larger probability to be flipped, compared with the conventional IMWBF. Simulation results show that the proposed method has better performance than the conventional IMWBF, especially for the LDPC code with low column-degree distribution.
A scanning electron microscopy study of idiopathic external tooth resorption in the cat.

BACKGROUND Multiple idiopathic root resorption (MIRR) is a rare condition in man characterized by cervical resorption leading to significant tooth loss. A similar condition, feline osteoclastic resorptive lesions (FORL), affects up to 70% of domestic cats and thus provides a valuable model for investigating the etiopathogenesis of MIRR. The aim of the present study was to establish changes in the surface microanatomy of the tooth in late stage FORL and to identify whether its location has a surface bias. METHODS Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze the surface features of enamel and cementum of feline teeth affected with advanced FORL. RESULTS Resorption involved the coronal root at the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) in 95% of teeth and focal resorption of intact enamel was observed in 14% of teeth. In 55% of teeth, the main lesion was on the buccal surface and a distinct circumferential resorption "front" was present at the apical margin of resorption. The root surfaces of most affected teeth either lacked extrinsic fibers or cellular lacunae or featured evidence of cementum remodeling. Woven bone-like tissue was found within lesions, on resorbed dentin, or on the root surface in 27% of teeth. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that most FORL involve the CEJ, and the presence of focal lesions at this site suggests that this is where resorption is initiated. This implies that local factors in the oral microenvironment play a role in the etiopathogenesis of this condition. The study also shows that FORL are more likely to occur on buccal surfaces and are associated with changes in the microarchitecture of the root surface consistent with destruction of the normal periodontal attachment and stimulation of a reparative response. These findings may be relevant to understanding the etiopathogenesis of multiple idiopathic resorption areas in man.
Physical properties of short- and long-O-antigen-containing fractions of lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli 0111:B4

Aggregates of short- and long-chain O-antigen-containing fractions of lipopolysaccharide were analyzed by electron spin resonance probing to reveal differences in their physical properties. The fluidities of the lipid regions of the two fractions were quite similar, although the long-chain lipopolysaccharide aggregates appeared to be more hydrated as reflected by the polarity determined with a lipid probe. In contrast, the head-group region of the long-chain fraction was dramatically more mobile than that of the short-chain sample. The binding of polycations (e.g., polymyxin B, spermine) to lipopolysaccharide aggregates was measured by the partitioning of a cationic spin probe. Less probe was displaced from the long-chain fraction and unseparated lipopolysaccharide than from the short-chain fraction by the addition of cations, suggesting that the long O-antigen masks anionic sites on lipopolysaccharide. These results indicate that the aggregate shape and reactivity of lipopolysaccharide are affected by O-antigen length. Thus, the biological activity of lipopolysaccharide may be modulated directly by the presence of O-antigen and indirectly by the effects of O-antigen on the lipopolysaccharide aggregate structure.
Effects of Mediterranean diets on kidney function: a report from the PREDIMED trial.

BACKGROUND Epidemiologic observations have linked healthy dietary patterns to improved kidney function. STUDY DESIGN We assessed the effects of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) on kidney function in both a cross-sectional assessment and after a 1-year intervention in a cohort of the PREDIMED (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea) Study, a multicenter 3-arm randomized clinical trial to determine the efficacy of the MedDiet on primary cardiovascular prevention. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS Community-dwelling men aged 55-80 years and women aged 60-80 years at high risk of cardiovascular disease from Reus, Spain. INTERVENTION Participants were randomly assigned to 3 ad libitum diets: a MedDiet supplemented with virgin olive oil (MedDiet + olive oil), a MedDiet supplemented with mixed nuts (MedDiet + nuts), or a control low-fat diet. OUTCOMES Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR). MEASUREMENTS Nutrient intake, adherence to the MedDiet, lifestyle variables, cardiovascular risk factors, serum urea and creatinine concentrations, eGFR, and urinary ACR were evaluated at baseline and after intervention for 1 year. RESULTS Baseline kidney function markers were similar across quartiles of adherence to the MedDiet in 785 participants (55% women; mean age, 67 years). After a 1-year intervention in 665 participants, the 3 dietary approaches were associated with improved kidney function, with similar average increases in eGFR (4.7 [95% CI, 3.2-6.2], 3.5 [95% CI, 1.9-5.0], and 4.1 [95% CI, 2.8-5.5] mL/min/1.73 m(2) for the MedDiet + olive oil, MedDiet + nuts, and control groups, respectively [P < 0.001 vs baseline for each; P = 0.9 for differences among groups]), but no changes in ACRs after adjustment for various confounders. LIMITATIONS Generalization of results to other age groups or ethnicities. GFR was not directly measured. CONCLUSIONS The results do not support the notion that the MedDiet has a beneficial effect on kidney function over and above that of advice for a low-fat diet in elderly individuals at high cardiovascular risk.
FPT Algorithms for Embedding into Low-Complexity Graphic Metrics

Given metric spaces (X, DX) and (Y, DY), an embedding F: X → Y is an injective mapping from X to Y. Expansion eF and contraction cF of an embedding F: X → Y are defined as eF = maxx;1, x2 (≠ x1) ∈ X DY(F(x1), F(x2))/ DX(x1, x2) and cF = maxx1, x2 (≠ x1) ∈ X DX(x1, x2)/DY(F(x1), F(x2)), respectively, and distortion dF is defined as dF= eF ⋅ cF. Observe that dF ≥ 1. An embedding F : X → Y is noncontracting if cF ≤ 1. When d=1, then F is isometry. The Metric Embedding problem takes as input two metric spaces (X,DX) and (Y,DY), and a positive integer d. The objective is to determine whether there is an embedding F: X → Y such that dF ≤ d. Such an embedding is called a distortion d embedding. The bijective Metric Embedding problem is a special case of the Metric Embedding problem where ∣X∣ = ∣Y∣. In parameterized complexity, the Metric Embedding problem, in full generality, is known to be W-hard and, therefore, not expected to have an FPT algorithm. In this article, we consider the Gen-Graph Metric Embedding problem, where the two metric spaces are graph metrics. We explore the extent of tractability of the problem in the parameterized complexity setting. We determine whether an unweighted graph metric (G,DG) can be embedded, or bijectively embedded, into another unweighted graph metric (H,DH), where the graph H has low structural complexity. For example, H is a cycle, or H has bounded treewidth or bounded connected treewidth. The parameters for the algorithms are chosen from the upper bound d on distortion, bound Δ on the maximum degree of H, treewidth α of H, and connected treewidth αc of H. Our general approach to these problems can be summarized as trying to understand the behavior of the shortest paths in G under a low-distortion embedding into H, and the structural relation the mapping of these paths has to shortest paths in H.