Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Web Platform to Support the Portuguese National Registry of Haemophilia and Other Inherited Blood Disorders

Patient registries are essential tools for identifying and tracking people with a particular disease and for collecting epidemiological information, having a special role in rare and chronic diseases, where haemophilia and other inherited blood disorders HoIBD are classified. Web-based technologies represent an excellent solution to support different types of registries, due to the benefits that they can promote in the management of disease data. This work presents the web platform developed in a joint initiative between the Portuguese Association of Congenital Coagulopathies PACC and the University of Aveiro UA, with the purpose of creating the first National Patients Registry NPR with HoIBD in Portugal. This application is hosted in the data centre of the UA, and at this moment it is already used by clinicians of the different Haemophilia Treatment Centres HTC located in Portugal, with the next challenge being the increase in the number of users.
Indication and Practice of Reverse Flow Extensor Digitorum Brevis Muscle Flap Transfer

Although the pedicled extensor digitorum brevis (EDB) muscle flap is a versatile flap, there are not many reports about it. Furthermore, there are few reports about the reverse vascular flow EDB muscle flap. The lateral tarsal artery coming from the dorsalis pedis artery nourishes the EDB muscle flap. Cutting the dorsalis pedis artery proximal to the flap can elevate this flap with reverse vascular flow. The authors treated eight patients with a reverse vascular flow EDB muscle flap. All flaps survived, with minor repair in two cases. The follow-up period ranged from 4 months to 1 year. This flap has two pivot points for creating a reverse vascular flow pedicled flap and a large arc of rotation for coverage of the dorsal foot. The authors confirmed that this flap is very versatile for soft-tissue reconstruction of the distal dorsum of the foot. The blood supply is reliable and the operative procedure is not complicated and can be performed under regional anesthesia. With this flap, a well-vascularized bed can be prepared for coverage with a skin graft. The major disadvantage is numbness in the first web of the foot, but this does not cause problems in daily life.
Semantic Feature Structure Extraction From Documents Based on Extended Lexical Chains

The meaning of a sentence in a document is more easily determined if its constituent words exhibit cohesion with respect to their individual semantics. This paper explores the degree of cohesion among a document’s words using lexical chains as a semantic representation of its meaning. Using a combination of diverse types of lexical chains, we develop a text document representation that can be used for semantic document retrieval. For our approach, we develop two kinds of lexical chains: (i) a multilevel flexible chain representation of the extracted semantic values, which is used to construct a fixed segmentation of these chains and constituent words in the text; and (ii) a fixed lexical chain obtained directly from the initial semantic representation from a document. The extraction and processing of concepts is performed using WordNet as a lexical database. The segmentation then uses these lexical chains to model the dispersion of concepts in the document. Representing each document as a high-dimensional vector, we use spherical k-means clustering to demonstrate that our approach performs better than previous techniques.
The Relationship between Symbolic Play and Executive Function in Young Children

THE ROLE OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, specifically inhibitory control and generativity, in symbolic play was investigated in 20 children aged 48–89 months. Assessment of inhibitory control was via the Sun-Moon Stroop task, and generativity was assessed with the Semantic Fluency task, as well as a new object substitution task which required children to generate as many uses of toys as possible. Symbolic play ability was assessed under both structured conditions, using the Test of Pretend Play (Lewis & Boucher, 1997), and during free play. The results indicated that the ability to inhibit prepotent responses was associated with children's symbolic play skills, even after controlling for mental age. In contrast, generativity scores on both tasks were not correlated with symbolic play, indicating that only some aspects of executive function are implicated in symbolic play. The validity of the tasks used to measure executive function is discussed.
Modelo discreto estocástico de dinámica mutualista

Las redes mutualistas son una clase de ecosistemas de gran interes en las que todas las interacciones entre especies son beneficiosas. Pueden modelarse como redes bipartitas con un nucleo de especies muy conectadas, una propiedad llamada anidamiento. Son muy resistentes y estables. La descripcion matematica de las redes mutualistas esta cimentada en modelos clasicos de poblacion como los de Verhulst y Lotka-Volterra. En este trabajo proponemos una modificacion de la formulacion tradicional del mutualismo de May, incluyendo un factor de limitacion del crecimiento que se basa en la conocida idea de la ecuacion logistica. Hemos construido una herramienta de simulacion (SIGMUND) que permite experimentar con el modelo de forma simple y sencilla. Los resultados pueden ayudar a avanzar la investigacion sobre el mutualismo, un campo activo de la ecologia y la ciencia de redes.
Oxidation of Gaseous and Volatile Hydrocarbons by Selected Alkene-Utilizing Bacteria

Eleven strains of alkene-utilizing bacteria belonging to the genera Mycobacterium, Nocardia, and Xanthobacter were tested for their ability to grow with C1 to C6 alkanes, C2 to C6 alkenes, alkadienes, and monoterpenes furnished individually as sole sources of carbon and energy in a mineral salts medium. A limited number of alkenes and alkanes supported growth of the bacteria; some bacteria were unable to grow on any of the saturated hydrocarbons tested. Monoterpenes were frequently used as carbon and energy sources by alkene-utilizing bacteria belonging to the genera Mycobacterium and Nocardia. Washed cell suspensions of alkene-grown bacteria attacked the whole range of alkenes tested, whereas only three strains were able to oxidize alkanes as well. The alkenes tested were oxidized either to water and carbon dioxide or to epoxyalkanes. Few epoxides accumulated in stoichiometric amounts from the corresponding alkenes, because most epoxides formed were further converted to other compounds like alkanediols.
A Graphical User Interface for Configuring a Virtual Computer Master’s Thesis

This master’s project has consisted of designing, implementing, and evaluating a graphical user interface used to configure a simulated computer system. The project has resulted in two different prototypes: a free layout, where the user is responsible for the layout and a controlled layout, where the layout is created by the application. The prototypes have been evaluated using heuristic evaluation and user tests. The evaluation has shown that the controlled layout is preferable as users are shown to work faster and perform fewer errors with this prototype. The evaluation has also led to a set of design criteria to consider when further developing the application. Grafiskt användargränssnitt för att konfigurera en virtuell dator
Two Gα i1 Rate-Modifying Mutations Act in Concert to Allow Receptor-Independent, Steady-State Measurements of RGS Protein Activity

RGS proteins are critical modulators of G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling given their ability to deactivate Gα subunits via GTPase-accelerating protein (GAP) activity. Their selectivity for specific GPCRs makes them attractive therapeutic targets. However, measuring GAP activity is complicated by slow guanosine diphosphate (GDP) release from Gα and lack of solution phase assays for detecting free GDP in the presence of excess guanosine triphosphate (GTP). To overcome these hurdles, the authors developed a Gαi1 mutant with increased GDP dissociation and decreased GTP hydrolysis rates, enabling detection of GAP activity using steady-state GTP hydrolysis. Gαi1(R178M/A326S) GTPase activity was stimulated 6- to 12-fold by RGS proteins known to act on Gαi subunits and not affected by those unable to act on Gαi, demonstrating that the Gα/RGS domain interaction selectivity was not altered by mutation. The selectivity and affinity of Gα i1(R178M/A326S) interaction with RGS proteins was confirmed by molecular binding studies. To enable nonradioactive, homogeneous detection of RGS protein effects on Gαi1(R178M/A326S), the authors developed a Transcreener ® fluorescence polarization immunoassay based on a monoclonal antibody that recognizes GDP with greater than 100-fold selectivity over GTP. Combining Gαi1(R178M/A326S) with a homogeneous, fluorescence-based GDP detection assay provides a facile means to explore the targeting of RGS proteins as a new approach for selective modulation of GPCR signaling.
Validity of self-reported diabetes in health interview surveys for measuring social inequalities in the prevalence of diabetes

Background To analyse the validity of diabetes declarations in a health interview survey in order to evaluate the appropriateness of using health interview surveys to understand the relationship between diabetes and social groups. Methods People with self-reported diabetes are those who report to have diabetes in the health survey. People with diabetes (gold standard) are those who were identified with fasting blood glucose level ≥126 mg/dl or those who were treated with oral antidiabetic drugs or insulin. Independent variables were educational level, social class and gender. The authors calculated sensitivity, specificity and κ coefficient. Results The majority of indicators for evaluating the adequacy of using health interviews surveys to analyse inequalities in self-reported diabetes by social groups are good. The worst indicator was sensitivity, although it did not vary according to social groups. Conclusion Health surveys are a good instrument to evaluate the social inequalities in the prevalence of diabetes.
Parallel Suffix-Prefix-Matching Algorithm and Applications

Our main result in this paper is a parallel algorithm for suffix--prefix- (s--p-) matching that has optimal speedup on a concurrent-read/concurrent-write parallel random-access machine (CRCW PRAM). Given a string of length $m$, the algorithm runs in time $O(\log m)$ using $m/ \log m$ processors. This algorithm is important because we utilize s--p matching as a fundamental building block to solve several pattern- and string-matching problems, such as the following: {1. string matching; 2. multitext/multipattern string matching; 3. multidimensional pattern matching; 4. pattern-occurrence detection; 5. on-line string matching. } In particular, our techniques and algorithms are the first to preserve optimal speedup in the context of pattern matching in higher dimensions and are the only known ones to do so for dimensions $d > 2$.
Optimizing the Rearrangement Process in a Dedicated Warehouse

Determining the optimal storage assignment for products in a dedicated warehouse has been addressed extensively in the Facility Logistics literature. However, the process of implementing a particular storage assignment given the current location of products has not received much attention in the existing literature. Typically, warehouses use downtime or overtime to remove products from their current location and move them to the suggested location. This work presents the Rearrange-While-Working (RWW) policy to optimize the process of rearranging a dedicated warehouse. The RWW policy seeks to relocate products in a warehouse from the initial arrangement to the optimal arrangement while serving a list of storages and retrievals. This study considers three scenarios: (1) when there is only one empty location in the warehouse and the material handling equipment (MHE) is idle (i.e. reshuffling policy); (2) when there is only one empty location in the warehouse under the RWW policy; (3) when there are multiple empty locations in the warehouse under the RWW policy. In the first case, the MHE can make any movement desired as it is idle. In the other cases, the movements correspond to a list of storages and retrievals that need to be served. In these cases it is assumed that products can only be moved when they are requested. After being used, they are returned to the warehouse. Several heuristics are presented for each scenario. The proposed heuristics are shown to perform satisfactorily in terms of solution quality and computational time.
Twelve tips for using podcasts in medical education

There is increasing use of podcasts by young people, including medical students. Podcasts offer small packages of educational material that allow selective replay to consolidate learning, especially for exam revision. Podcasts can be provided in a variety of formats and played on a range of devices, both static and mobile. Maximum educational impact requires careful attention to production and editing.
“Semi‐open” muscle biopsy technique A SIMPLE OUTPATIENT PROCEDURE

An easy and safe method for muscle biopsy is described. The biopsy instrument is an alligator forceps (Weil‐Blakesley's conchotome). With this method an adequate amount of muscle tissue can be obtained for both chemical and morphological studies. The method combines the advantage of the “open‐surgical” method‐sufficient quantity of material‐with the advantages of the needle methods‐easy to perform, not incapacitating and only slightly uncomfortable for the patient. Out of 959 consecutive biopsies with this method only 19 were impossible to evaluate because of too much artefact or too little tissue.
he impact of public basic research on industrial innovation : vidence from the pharmaceutical industry

While most economists believe that public scientific research fuels industry innovation and economic growth, systematic evidence supporting this relationship is surprisingly limited. In a recent study, Acemoglu and Linn (2004) identified market size as a significant driver of drug innovation in the pharmaceutical industry, but they did not find any evidence supporting science-driven innovation from publicly funded research. This paper uses new data on biomedical research investments by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) to examine the contribution of public research to pharmaceutical innovation. The empirical analysis finds that both market size and NIH funded basic research have economically and statistically significant effects on the entry of new drugs with the contribution of public basic research coming in the earliest stage of pharmaceutical drug discovery. The analysis also finds a positive return to public investment in basic biomedical research. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Ontogeny of the neurotensin‐containing neuron system of the rat: Immunohistochemical analysis. I. Forebrain and diencephalon

The ontogeny of the neurotensin (NT) neuron system in the forebrain and diencephalon of the rat was investigated by means of indirect immunofluorescence. NT‐positive structures first appear in the primordium of the olfactory bulb, anterior amygdaloid area, piriform cortex, amygdaloid complex, nucleus tractus diagonalis, lateral preoptic area, and lateral hypothalamus, etc., of the fetus of gestational day 16. From this day, NT‐positive structures appear gradually in various areas of the forebrain and diencephalon and reach their maximum content on postnatal day 7. In contrast, NT‐positive structures decrease slightly in number as the rat grows. However, even in adult rats, numerous NT‐positive structures are still identifiable in various areas of the forebrain and diencephalon.
Chain-based evaluation-a bridge linking recursive and nonrecursive query evaluation

Many recursive query analysis techniques are qualitative in nature. This contracts sharply with relational query optimization which relies heavily on quantitative analysis. This paper shows that chain-based evaluation facilitates quantitative analysis of recursive queries based on the available chain information, database statistics and other quantitative measurements. Chain-based evaluation not only facilitates binding propagation, constraint pushing and the selection of recursive query evaluation algorithms but also provides precise compile chain forms in relational expressions. Since most recursions in database applications can be compiled into highly regular chain forms, chain-based evaluation is promising at bridging recursive and nonrecursive database query evaluation. <<ETX>>
Motion-compensating prediction with fractional-pel accuracy

The effect of fractional-pel accuracy on the efficiency of motion-compensating predictors is studied using various spatial prediction/interpolation filters. In model calculations, the power spectral density of the prediction error is related to the probability density function of the displacement error. Prediction can be improved both by higher accuracy of motion-compensation and by spatial Wiener filtering in the predictor. Beyond a critical accuracy, the possibility of further improving prediction by more accurate motion-compensation is small. Experiments with videophone signals and with broadcast TV signals confirm these model calculations. Sinc-interpolation, bilinear interpolation, and Wiener filtering are compared at integer-pel, 1/2-pel, 1/4-pel, and 1/8-pel accuracies. A three-state technique for reliable displacement estimation with fractional-pel accuracy is introduced. It is based on phase correlation. For motion-compensation with block size of 16 pels*16 pels, 1/4-pel accuracy appears to be sufficient for broadcast TV signals, whereas for videophone signals, 1/2-pel accuracy is desirable. >
A novel hybrid approach for image fusion using DCT and SML

Image fusion synthesizes two or more source images having same view into a single fused image, which contains all significant details of the scene. This chapter proposes a new image fusion approach based on discrete cosine transform (DCT) and sum-modified-laplacian (SML) in stationary wavelet transform (SWT) domain. Here, two source images of less information are fused to produce a more informative and better visual quality image. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated on various categories of multi-focus images and compared with some existing fusion methods. The simulation results exhibit the better performance of the proposed methods in both quantitative and qualitative measurements.
Complete transvaginal NOTES nephrectomy using magnetically anchored instrumentation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Evolution of minimally invasive techniques has prompted interest in natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES). Challenges for NOTES include loss of instrument rigidity, reduction in working envelopes, and collision of instrumentation. Magnetic anchoring and guidance system (MAGS) is one surgical innovation developed at our institution whereby instruments that are deployed intra-abdominally are maneuvered by the use of an external magnet. We present our initial animal experience with complete transvaginal NOTES nephrectomy using MAGS technology. MATERIALS AND METHODS Transvaginal NOTES nephrectomy was performed in two female pigs through a vaginotomy, using a 40-cm dual-lumen rigid access port inserted into the peritoneal cavity. A MAGS camera and cauterizer were deployed through the port and manipulated across the peritoneal surface by way of magnetic coupling via an external magnet. A prototype 70-cm articulating laparoscopic grasper introduced through the vaginal access port facilitated dissection after deployment of the MAGS instruments. The renal artery and vein were stapled en-bloc using an extra-long articulating endovascular stapler. RESULTS NOTES nephrectomies were successfully completed in both pigs without complications using MAGS instrumentation. The MAGS camera provided a conventional umbilical perspective of the kidney; the cauterizer, transvaginal grasper, and stapler preserved triangulation while avoiding instrument collisions. Operative duration for the two cases was 155 and 125 minutes, and blood loss was minimal. CONCLUSIONS NOTES nephrectomy using MAGS instrumentation is feasible. We believe this approach improves shortcomings of previously reported NOTES nephrectomies in that triangulation, instrument fidelity, and visualization are preserved while hilar ligation is performed using a conventional stapler without need for additional transabdominal trocars.
miRNAs give worms the time of their lives: Small RNAs and temporal control in Caenorhabditis elegans

Alteration in the timing of particular developmental events can lead to major morphological changes that have profound effects on the life history of an organism. Insights into developmental timing mechanisms have been revealed in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, in which a regulatory network of heterochronic genes times events during larval development, ensuring that stage‐specific programs occur in the appropriate sequence and on schedule. Developmental timing studies in C. elegans led to the landmark discovery of miRNAs and continue to enhance our understanding of the regulation and activity of these small regulatory molecules. Current views of the heterochronic gene pathway are summarized here, with a focus on the ways in which miRNAs contribute to temporal control and how miRNAs themselves are regulated. Finally, the conservation of heterochronic genes and their functions in timing, as well as their related roles in stem cells and cancer, are highlighted. Developmental Dynamics 239:1477–1489, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effect of Exercise Training on Walking Mobility in Multiple Sclerosis: A Meta-Analysis

Objective. The study used meta-analytic procedures to examine the overall effect of exercise training interventions on walking mobility among individuals with multiple sclerosis. Methods. A search was conducted for published exercise training studies from 1960 to November 2007 using MEDLINE, PsychINFO, CINAHL, and Current Contents Plus. Studies were selected if they measured walking mobility, using instruments identified as acceptable walking mobility constructs and outcome measures for individuals with neurologic disorders, before and after an intervention that included exercise training. Results. Forty-two published articles were located and reviewed, and 22 provided enough data to compute effect sizes expressed as Cohen's d. Sixty-six effect sizes were retrieved from the 22 publications with 600 multiple sclerosis participants and yielded a weighted mean effect size of g = 0.19 (95% confidence interval, 0.09-0.28). There were larger effects associated with supervised exercise training ( g = 0.32), exercise programs that were less than 3 months in duration (g = 0.28), and mixed samples of relapsing-remitting and progressive multiple sclerosis (g = 0.52). Conclusions. The cumulative evidence supports that exercise training is associated with a small improvement in walking mobility among individuals with multiple sclerosis.