Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Regional Left and Right Ventricular Function in Patients with Ostium-Secundum Atrial Septal Defect Using Speckle Tracking Echocardiography

The aim of this study was to provide evidence of abnormalities of right ventricular (RV) and left ventricular (LV) function using speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) in adults with ostium secundum-atrial septal defect (OS-ASD) and pulmonary hypertension (PH). Sixty-three adult patients with OS-ASD were enrolled. Control group (n=10) with mean pulmonary arterial pressure (MPAP) ≤25 mmHg. Three PH groups were divided based on pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP): mild (n=18), moderate (n=24) and severe (n=11). RV free wall strain (RVFWS) and LV global longitudinal strain (LVGLS) were measured. RVFWS and RV fractional area change were significantly lower in the severe PH group. No difference was found in LVGLS among groups. The moderate PH group had significantly higher right atrial (RA) volume and RV impaired relaxation. RVFWS had a positive correlation with PASP and MPAP. STE is a valuable non-invasive technique to assess RV and LV systolic function in patients with OS-ASD.
Activation of macrophages for enhanced release of superoxide anion and greater killing of Candida albicans by injection of muramyl dipeptide

The adjuvant muramyl dipeptide (MDP) has been shown to affect a number of macrophage functions in vitro. We studied the effect of subcutaneous injection of MDP into mice. Cultured peritoneal macrophages from treated mice displayed increased spreading, total cell protein, and specific activity of beta-glucosaminidase a constituent of macrophage lysosomes, and of lactate dehydrogenase. Generation of superoxide anion (O2-) by MDP-treated macrophages stimulated by contact with phorbol myristate acetate was enhanced by over fivefold to levels achieved by macrophages from bacillus Calmette-Guerin-infected mice. The enhancement in stimulated O2- release was noted by 1 h after injection of MDP, peaked by 3 h, and remained high for at least 48 h. Priming for enhancement of O2- release by MDP was similar in athymic nude mice and in normal littermates, suggesting that mature T lymphocytes are not involved in this MDP effect. Priming for enhanced stimulated O2- release, and morphologic and enzymic changes, were not achieved by injection of the D-D stereoisomer of MDP. Phagocytosis of Candida albicans was only slightly greater by macrophages from mice give MDP, but MDP-stimulated cells killed two times more C. albicans in vitro than did cells from untreated animals. When MDP was given 18 h before, simultaneously with, or 24 h after lethal infectious challenge with C. albicans, treated mice were protected compared with controls. These results suggest that injection of MDP effectively and rapidly activates macrophages in the recipient animal. This agent should serve as an important probe of macrophage physiology and, perhaps ultimately, as a means of enhancing host defense in humans.
A new endemic species of Epipactis (Orchidaceae) from north‐east Portugal

A new species, Epipactis duriensis Bernardos, D. Tyteca, Revuelta & Amich is described and illustrated from north-east Portugal. Notes on its distribution, ecology, karyology, micromorphology and taxonomic relationships are presented as well as molecular data based on ITS analysis. A list of diagnostic differences between E. duriensis and the closely related species E. lusitanica and E. tremolsii is provided. © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2004, 145, 239–249.
Sparse Chirp Stepped-frequency ISAR Super-resolution Imaging Method Based on 2D-FISTA Algorithm

The traditional Sparse Chirp Stepped-frequency ISAR imaging method has the problem of low imaging quality and large computational complexity. In view of the above problems, this paper studies a sparse Chirp Stepped-frequency ISAR imaging method based on two-dimensional fast iterative shrinkage threshold algorithm (2D-FISTA). Firstly, the two-dimensional echo model of Sparse Chirp Stepped-frequency signal is constructed. Based on this model, two-dimensional fast iterative shrinkage threshold algorithm is used to reconstruct the imaging result. This method can be reconstructed in the matrix domain directly, which avoids the computation of the vector processing method, and avoids the problem of the image quality loss of the decoupling method. The simulation results show that the proposed method is effective and has better imaging performance. Keywords-sparse chirp stepped-frequency signal; 2D-FISTA; compressive sensing; ISAR super-resolution imaging
COMPARATIVE DOSIMETRIC STUDY IN CHEST COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY USING PHANTOMS

The dissemination of Computed Tomography (CT) scan has promoted a significant increase in the absorbed dose by patients due to the diagnosis. Therefore, it is indispensable to improve protocols, seeking smaller doses, without impairing the diagnostic quality of the image. The risks of stochastic effects are greater for children due to tissue radiosensitivity coupled with longer life expectancy. In this work, a cylindrical phantom made of polymethylmethacrylate was used representing an adult chest, and a second phantom made of the same material was designed in an oblong shape, including axillary region, based on the dimensions of an eight year old pediatric patient. A comparative study was performed between chest scans formulated in two CT scanners in different radiodiagnostic services. The central slice of the both phantoms was irradiated successively, using a pencil ionization chamber, for the measurements in five different points of each phantom. From the measurements, we obtain values of weighted and volumetric Dose Index (C K,PMMA,vol ). The scans were performed with the routine chest acquisition protocols of the radiodiagnostic services, both for a voltage of 120 kV X-ray tube supply voltage. This work allowed compare the absorbed dose between patients with variable chest volumes and the dose variation in patients between two equipments used for image generation with the same diagnostic objective.
Viral counterdefense on RNA silencing : analysis of RNA silencing suppressors from arthropod-borne negative strand RNA plant viruses

This thesis describes that RNA silencing suppressor (RSS) proteins encoded by negative-stranded RNA plant viruses are able to interfere with different RNA silencing pathways in a variety of organisms by interacting with double stranded (ds)RNA molecules. These RSS proteins are able to counteract the antiviral RNA silencing response in their plant host and insect vector, and even in mammalian cells, that are non-hosts for these viruses. Whereas Rice hoja blanca virus NS3 has been shown to bind size specific dsRNA, most tospovirus NSs proteins, in contrast, bind dsRNA size-independently and thus are able to interfere at two different stages in the RNA silencing pathway: RNA-induced silencing complex assembly and in Dicer cleavage. In addition to the interaction with the antiviral small interfering (si)RNA pathway both RSS proteins were able to interfere with the micro (mi)RNA pathway, which is important for host gene regulation. This is probably due to the structural similarities among the dsRNA molecules (siRNA and miRNA/miRNA* duplexes). Computer prediction supports the idea that the miRNA pathway (or at least certain miRNA/miRNA* duplexes) could potentially act as antiviral response in insects and plants, as recently reported for mammals. Furthermore, the ability of NS3 to trans-complement HIV-1 for the proposed HIV-1 RSS, the Tat protein, and restore virus production at wild type virus levels, supports the recent observation that at least certain mammalian-infecting viruses are restricted by small dsRNA molecules and highlights the use of well characterized plant RSS proteins as tool to study viral counter defense in a variety of eukaryotic systems.
Towards understanding learning challenges involving sign conventions in introductory level kinematics

Coming to appropriately appreciate the meaning of algebraic signs is an important aspect in introductory kinematics. However, in this educational context, the “disciplinary relevant aspects“ of algebraic signs across vector and scalar representations are extremely difficult to discern. Our study explores the “relevance structure“ that one-dimensional kinematics problems evoked for introductory level university physics students across two very different educational systems which have, in PER terms, progressive teaching environments: Sweden (n=60) and South Africa (n=24). The outcomes of two previous PER studies are used to provide the analytic basis for formulating categories of relevance structure. Aspects of a contemporary PER-developed social semiotics perspective (referred to here in terms of communication practices) are used to discuss implications for teaching in the given educational context of introductory kinematics.
Seed Dispersal by Adhesion

Seed dispersal by animals has received much recent attention (42, 44), with most of it focused on seed dispersal by frugivores (39, 41, 53, 70, 71), by ants (8, 21), and by scatterhoarding birds and mammals (19, 81, 85). Adhesive seed dispersal by means of animal fur and feathers has been largely neglected, although anecdotes about this dispersal mode abound (46, 62, 84). This review focuses on the evolutionary ecology of adhesive seed dispersal (epizoochory). The central question asked is: What circumstances favor the evolution of epizoochory? Using data from 10 regional floras and from the literature, I examine hypotheses about the habitat distribution, life history, growth form, seed dispersal patterns, and morphology of adhesive fruits. In addition, I survey the ways that fruits and plant parts are modified to adhere to animals. I also put forth new hypotheses predicting how morphological characteristics of adhesive fruits influence both the grooming behavior of dispersal agents and the fruit retention times. Experimental data are provided to support these hypotheses. Suggestions for tests of hypotheses and future work on adhesive-fruit dispersal are provided wherever possible. For convenience, all dispersal units are calledfruits. [A fruit is the matured gynoecium with or without other floral organs or parts of organs. A seed is either the embryo embedded in endosperm, or the embryo and digested endosperm within the megasporangium, surrounded by one or more integuments (42). ] Most adhesive fruits adhere to animals by barbs, hooks, or viscid outgrowths. In this review, fruits that adhere by barbs or hooks are called burrs. Fruits that adhere by viscid outgrowths are called viscidfruits. I
FEEDING RATE OF DAPHNIA MAGNA STRAUS IN DIFFERENT FOODS LABELED WITH RADIOACTIVE PHOSPHORUS1

The feeding rate of Daphnia magna was studied by measuring the radioactivity of animals fed on pure cultures of Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Chlorella vulgaris, and Tetrahymena pyriformis labeled with radioactive phosphorus. Below a certain concentration of each food, the feeding rate is proportional to concentration of food. Above that concentration, feeding rate is independent of concentration. Starved animals, when placed in a nonlimiting concentration of food, behave temporarily as if it were limiting and for a few minutes filter at the maximum rate. Although the maximum volume of the various foods eaten in unit time is not the same, it is probably determined more by digestibility than by size of the food cells. Filtering efficiency of Daphnia magna is independent of the size of food cells between 0. 9µ3 and 1.8×104µ3. Log-phase Chlorella vulgaris was not observed to inhibit feeding, but senescent cells caused Daphnia magna to decrease the filtering rate and its maximum feeding rate.
Real-time High-speed Visual Tracking based on Deep Convolutional Neural Network

: Aiming at the problem of real-time high-speed visual tracking and how to improve the success rate and accuracy of visual tracking without significantly increasing the computing performance requirements is the key to solving such problems. Also aiming at the problem that historical information of traditional visual tracking algorithms is easy to lose; this paper proposes an algorithm that uses tree structure and multi-convolutional neural network to jointly estimate the target state and dynamically updates the model. After experiments, the performance and efficiency of the algorithm are higher than traditional algorithms, and it can help to deal with high-speed visual tracking problems.
A Measurement Study of Bandwidth Predictability in Mobile Communication Networks

While bandwidth predictability has been well studied in static environments, it remains largely unexplored in the context of mobile computing. To gain a deeper understanding of this important issue in the mobile environment, we conducted an eight-month measurement study consisting of 71 repeated trips along a 23Km route in Sydney under typical driving conditions. To account for the network diversity, we measure bandwidth from two independent cellular providers implementing the popular High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) technology in two diﬀerent peak access rates (1.8 and 3.6 Mbps). Interestingly, we observe no signiﬁcant correlation between the bandwidth signals at diﬀerent points in time within a given trip. This observation eventually leads to the revelation that the popular time series models, e.g. the Autoregressive and Moving Average, typically used to predict network traﬃc in static environments are not as eﬀec-tive in capturing the regularity in mobile bandwidth. Although the bandwidth signal in a given trip appears as a random white noise, we are able to detect the existence of patterns by analyzing the distribution of the bandwidth observed during the repeated trips. We quantify the bandwidth predictability reﬂected by these patterns using tools from information theory, entropy in particular. The entropy analysis reveals that the bandwidth uncertainty may reduce by as much as 46% when observations from past trips are accounted for. We further demonstrate that the bandwidth in mobile computing appears more predictable when location is used as a context. All these observations are consistent across multiple independent providers oﬀering diﬀerent data transfer rates using possibly diﬀerent networking hardware.
Tractable models for testing theories about natural strategies: foraging behaviour and habitat selection of free‐ranging sharks

Marine and terrestrial environments differ fundamentally in space-time scales of both physical and ecological processes. These differences will have an impact on the animals inhabiting each domain, particularly with respect to their spatial ecology. The behavioural strategies that underpin observed distributions of marine species are therefore important to consider. Comparatively little is known, however, about how wild fishes actually respond to gradients in food supply and temperature, and to potential mates. This paper describes how behavioural theory is being used to elucidate the strategies and tactics of free-ranging sharks in three specific areas of study, namely, foraging on zooplankton, behavioural energetics and sexual segregation. The studies discussed are novel because shark movements were tracked in the wild using electronic tags in relation to simultaneous measurements of prey densities and thermal resources. The results show that filter-feeding (basking shark, Cetorhinus maximus) and predatory (dogfish, Scvliorhinus canicula) sharks have relatively complex behaviour patterns integrally linked to maximizing surplus power, often through making short and longer term 'trade-off' decisions between optimal foraging and thermal habitats. Interestingly, female S. canicula exhibit alternative behavioural strategies compared to males, a difference resulting in spatial segregation by habitat. Sexual segregation in this species occurs primarily as a consequence of male avoidance by females. Studies on free-ranging sharks provide a useful model system for examining how a predator's strategy is shaped by its environment. More theory-based studies of the behavioural processes of sharks are required however, before critical comparisons with other vertebrate predators are possible. Suggestions for further research to address this knowledge gap are given.
An Algorithm Research on Potential Problem Reactor in Medical Online Question Answering Community

Objective: Based on the online question-and-answer community of Internet medicine, a weighted user-personal model is proposed in viewof the pain point of the users' queries in the medical question-and-answer community which can not be effectively answered in time. Predictswhether the recommended user can respond timely and effectively to the problem to improve the accuracy of the proposed results. Methods: Using the user's historical activity data in the community, a model of user's personal domain was proposed based on query-likelanguage model to describe the degree of user's concern in different field.Results: In the experiment based on Baidu medical question-answering system data, compared with the existing algorithms, the potentialproblem respondents in this paper have better recommendation effect.
THE FOOD HABITS OF EURASIAN EAGLE-OWLS IN SOUTHERN PORTUGAL

HABITOS ALIMENTICIOS DE BUBO BUBO EN EL SUR DE PORTUGAL El principal objetivo del presente estudio consistio en llevar a cabo una descripcion de la dieta de 23 territorios de Bubo bubo en el sur de Portugal. Fueron analizadas 2666 presas, que representaron un total de 64 especies. Las presas principales fueron aquellas pertenecientes al grupo de los lagomorfos, destacando entre ellos el conejo Oryctolagus cuniculus. La frecuencia de rapaces nocturnas encontrada parece indicar niveles relativamente elevados de depredacion de miembros del mismo gremio. Se llevo a cabo un analisis de componentes principales para ver las posibles diferencias entre los territorios, situandolos en un gradiente que va desde aquellos en los que la dieta se basa en lagomorfos hasta otros en los que las presas como aves y pequenos mamiferos representan un porcentaje importante. Los resultados apuntan a que la dieta de Bubo bubo esta mas influenciada por las caracteristicas del habitat que por las propias variaciones geograficas. [T.
Food vs. fuel: the use of land for lignocellulosic ‘next generation’ energy crops that minimize competition with primary food production

This review addresses the main issues concerning anticipated demands for the use of land for food and for bioenergy. It should be possible to meet increasing demands for food using existing and new technologies although this may not be easily or cheaply accomplished. The alleviation of hunger depends on food accessibility as well as food availability. Modern civilizations also require energy. This article presents the vision for bioenergy in terms of four major gains for society: a reduction in C emissions from the substitution of fossil fuels with appropriate energy crops; a significant contribution to energy security by reductions in fossil fuel dependence, for example, to meet government targets; new options that stimulate rural and urban economic development, and reduced dependence of global agriculture on fossil fuels. This vision is likely to be best fulfilled by the use of dedicated perennial bioenergy crops. We outline a number of factors that need to be taken into account in estimating the land area available for bioenergy. In terms of provisioning services, the value of biofuels is estimated at $54.7‒$330 bn per year at a crude oil price of $100 per barrel. In terms of regulatory services, the value of carbon emissions saved is estimated at $56‒$218 bn at a carbon price of $40 per tonne. Although global government subsidies for biofuels have been estimated at $20 bn (IEA, 2010b), these are dwarfed by subsidies for fossil fuel consumption ($312 bn; IEA, 2010b) and by total agricultural support for food and commodity crops ($383.7 bn in 2009; OECD, 2010).
Reaction of ninhydrin in acid solution with straight-chain amino acids containing two amino groups and its application to the estimation of α∈-diaminopimelic acid

of the cations. The effect of some thiol reagents is diminished by activators (K+ and Rb+ ions) and increased by inhibitors (Na+ and Li+ ions). There is no general correlation between the effect of ions on the enzyme activity and the reactivity of the thiol groups. Cations which activate the TPN-specific enzyme do not affect significantly the enzyme inhibition by thiol reagents. 6. Some convenient modifications have been introduced in the preparation of both yeast aldehyde dehydrogenases.
Mobility and Trafﬁc Adaptive Position Update for Geographic Routing

In geographic routing, nodes need to maintain up-to-date positions of their immediate neighbors for making effective forwarding decisions. Periodic broadcasting of beacon packets that contain the geographic location coordinates of the nodes is a popular method used by most geographic routing protocols to maintain neighbor positions. We contend and demonstrate that periodic beaconing regardless of the node mobility and trafﬁc patterns in the network is not attractive from both update cost and routing performance points of view. We propose the A daptive Position Update (APU) strategy for geographic routing, which dynamically adjusts the frequency of position updates based on the mobility dynamics of the nodes and the forwarding patterns in the network. APU is based on two simple principles: (i) nodes whose movements are harder to predict update their positions more frequently (and vice versa), and (ii) nodes closer to forwarding paths update their positions more frequently (and vice versa). Our theoretical analysis, which is validated by NS2 simulations of a well known geographic routing protocol, Greedy Perimeter Stateless Routing Protocol (GPSR), shows that APU can signiﬁcantly reduce the update cost and improve the routing performance in terms of packet delivery ratio and average end-to-end delay in comparison with periodic beaconing and other recently proposed updating schemes. The beneﬁts of APU are further conﬁrmed by undertaking evaluations in realistic network scenarios, which account for localization error, realistic radio propagation and a practical vehicular ad-hoc network that exhibits realistic movement patterns of public transport buses in a metropolitan city.