Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
AUTOMATIC LUNG NODULE DETECTION BASED ON STATISTICAL REGION MERGING AND SUPPORT VECTOR MACHINES

Lung cancer is one of the most common diseases in the world that can be treated if the lung nodules are detected in their early stages of growth. This study develops a new framework for computer-aided detection of pulmonary nodules thorough a fully-automatic analysis of Computed Tomography (CT) images. In the present work, the multi-layer CT data is fed into a pre-processing step that exploits an adaptive diffusion-based smoothing algorithm in which the parameters are automatically tuned using an adaptation technique. After multiple levels of morphological filtering, the Regions of Interest (ROIs) are extracted from the smoothed images. The Statistical Region Merging (SRM) algorithm is applied to the ROIs in order to segment each layer of the CT data. Extracted segments in consecutive layers are then analyzed in such a way that if they intersect at more than a predefined number of pixels, they are labeled with a similar index. The boundaries of the segments in adjacent layers which have the same indices are then connected together to form three-dimensional objects as the nodule candidates. After extracting four spectral, one morphological, and one textural feature from all candidates, they are finally classified into nodules and non-nodules using the Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier. The proposed framework has been applied to two sets of lung CT images and its performance has been compared to that of nine other competing state-of-the-art methods. The considerable efficiency of the proposed approach has been proved quantitatively and validated by clinical experts as well.
Microfluidic chip based hematoanalyzer using polyelectrolytic gel electrodes

We reports on a novel microfluidic chip with polyelectrolytic gel electrodes (PGEs) used to rapidly count the number of red blood cells in diluted whole blood. The number and amplitude of dc impedance peaks provide the information about the number and size of red blood cells, respectively. This system features a low-voltage dc detection method and noncontact condition between cells and metal electrodes. The performance of this PGEs-based system was evaluated in three steps. First, in order to observe the size-only dependence of the impedance signal, three different sizes of fluorescent microbeads were used in the experiment. Second, the cell counting performance was evaluated by using 7.2 μm fluorescent microbeads, similar in size to red blood cells, in various concentrations and comparing the results with an animal hematoanalyzer. Finally, in human blood sample tests, intravenously collected whole blood was just diluted in a phosphate buffered saline without centrifuge or other pretreatments. The PGEs-based system produced almost identical numbers of red blood cells in over 800-fold diluted samples to the results from a commercialized human hematoanalyzer.
Relationship between maternal depression as a risk factor for childhood trauma and mood disorders in young adults

Background: Maternal depression may be a risk factor for childhood trauma (CT), with resultant offspring development of mood disorders (MD) in adult life. Objective: To verify the relationship between maternal depression (as a risk factor for childhood trauma) and mood disorders in young adults. Methods: The sample was composed of 164 young adults and their mothers. Maternal depression was identified through the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.). Mood Disorders in the young adults were confirmed with the Structured Interview for the DSM-IV (SCID), whereas the CT was evaluated using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Results: In the group of young adults with MD, individuals who had depressed mothers presented higher mean scores of CT in comparison to the ones who did not have mothers with Depression (p < 0.005). Childhood trauma was also associated with lower social classes (p < 0.005). In the group of young adults without MD, the only variable that was associated with CT was the young adult’s (not) current work (p < 0.005). Discussion: Maternal depression was considered to be a risk factor for CT and MD in young adults. Thus, preventing and treating maternal psychiatric disorders may diminish the risk of offspring childhood trauma, and, consequently, avoid negative effects in the offspring’s adult life. Barbosa LP, et al. / Rev Psiq Clin. 2014;41(3):72-6
Simulation Study on Collective Magnetic Properties and Magnetocaloric Effect of Magnetic Nanoparticles Assembled by Magnetic Field

Nanoparticles often play a role in the form of groups. The collective properties of magnetic nanoparticles will be changed as a result of the inter aggregation mode and the morphology of the particles. In this thesis, magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effects of one dimensional chain nanoparticles in magnetic field are mainly studied, which lays the foundation for further clinical applications.Through the simulation research on the multi physical coupling, the changes of collective magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effects of one dimensional structure nanoparticles assembled by magnetic field are expounded theoretically. Concretely, Comsol Multiphysics software is applied, and magnetic flux density images of one dimensional chain magnetic nanoparticles caused by alternating magnetic field are obtained with different direction. Furthermore, alternating magnetic fields are induced, magnetic flux density and electromagnetic heat images of one dimensional chain magnetic nanoparticles are obtained with different diameters and spaces, and the magnetic field distribution and the magnetic heat distribution are analyzed. Through multiple one dimensional chain nanoparticles images of different magnetic heat found that one dimensional chain nanoparticles mutual effects between adjacent particles, result in the simulation results obviously.
All‐Polystyrene 3D‐Printed Electrochemical Device with Embedded Carbon Nanofiber‐Graphite‐Polystyrene Composite Conductor

Carbon nanofibres (CNFs) and graphite flake microparticles were added to thermoplastic polystyrene polymer with the aim of making new conductive blends suitable for 3D-printing. Various polymer/carbon blends were evaluated for suitability as printable, electroactive material. An electrically conducting polystyrene composite was developed and used with commercially available polystyrene (HIPS) to manufacture electrodes suitable for electrochemical experiments. Electrodes were produced and evaluated for cyclic voltammetry of aqueous 1,1’-ferrocenedimethanol and differential pulse voltammetry detection of aqueous Pb2+ via anodic stripping. A polystyrene/CNF/graphite (80/10/10 wt%) composite provides good conductivity and a stable electrochemical interface with well-defined active geometric surface area. The printed electrodes form a stable interface to the polystyrene shell, give good signal to background voltammetric responses, and are reusable after polishing.
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Microalbuminuria in Hypertensive Patients of Tertiary Care Hospital

Background: Microalbuminuria in hypertension has been described as an early sign of kidney damage and a predictor for end stage renal disease and cardiovascular disease. More specifically it is seen amongst patients suffering from hypertension. Methods: This study was conducted at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India in the department of emergency medicine and 84 subjects were included in the evaluation in the age of more than 30 years. All patients were diagnosed by clinical examination, anthropometric measurement, blood pressure, urinary microalbumin, and urinary creatinine. Statistical analysis was done by using SPSS, version 16.0 p-values were calculated by chi-square test, ANOVA unpaired t-test. The p <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: It was found that microalbuminuria among hypertensive patients increased steadily with the advancing age and the duration of hypertension. The features of high urinary microalbumin 52.09±8.62 mg/24hr and the urinary creatinine 2.37±0.86mg/dl were prevalent in hypertensive patients and it increased in both male and female patients. Conclusions: The prevalence of microalbuminuria in hypertensive individuals is high, and it revealed strong association between microalbuminuria and hypertension. Our findings suggest that microalbuminuria could be a useful marker to assess risk stratification and management of cardiovascular disease and renal disease.
Subjective well-being of single, dating, cohabiting, married, divorced, and widowed people and its dependence on the normative climate in 45 European countries

Summary This study examines the relationship between relationship type and subjective well-being in 45 European countries by analyzing the European Values Study 2008. It was expected and empirically confirmed that married persons have most well-being, followed (in order) by cohabiting, dating, single, widowed, and divorced persons. In addition, this study examines to what extent the well-being gap depend on the normative climate. It was hypothesized that the advantageous position of married persons compared to cohabiting, divorced, and singles over the age of 35 would be larger in societies with traditional family values. Only for the marriage-divorce gap this was found to be the case. Moreover, it was expected that the gap between married and groups without a partner (divorced, widowed, and singles) would be smaller in societies that embrace a strong familialistic norm. This expectation was only confirmed for young singles. It is concluded that the weak dependence of wellbeing on the normative climate may point at high autonomy in private decisions like relations.
Iron(III) Azadiphenolate Compounds in a New Family of Spin Crossover Iron(II)–Iron(III) Mixed-Valent Complexes

A new family of mixed valent, double salt spin crossover compounds containing anionic FeIII and cationic FeII compounds i.e., [FeII{(pz)3CH}2][FeIII(azp)2]2·2H2O (4), [FeII(TPPZ)2][FeIII(azp)2]2]·H2O (5) and [FeII(TPPZ)2][FeIII(azp)2]2]·H2O·3MeCN (6) (where (pz)3CH = tris-pyrazolylmethane, TPPZ = 2,3,5,6, tetrapyridylpyrazine and azp2− = azadiphenolato) has been synthesized and characterised. This is the first time that the rare anionic spin crossover species, [FeIII(azp)2]−, has been used as an anionic component in double salts complexes. Single crystal structures and magnetic studies showed that compound 6 exhibits a spin transition relating to one of the FeIII centres of the constituent FeII and FeIII sites. Crystal structures of the anionic and cationic precursor complexes were also analysed and compared to the double salt products thus providing a clearer picture for future crystal design in double spin crossover materials. We discuss the effects that the solvent and counterion had on the crystal packing and spin crossover properties.
A Framework in Shadow Detection and Compensation of Images

Shadow detection and removal is a crucial and unavoidable task in computer vision algorithms. In this paper detection and reconstruction processes are employed separately on an image. In the detection process, the shadow and non-shadow parts of an image are detected separately using thresholding, histogram equalization and shadow masking. The reconstruction process can be split into two steps. The first step is the calculation of mean and standard deviation for the shadow and non-shadow parts and the second step is finding the difference between the shadow and non-shadow parts and applying these differences to the shadow part. The result is a quality image with non-shadow region.
Protection of Grapevine Pruning Wounds against Eutypa lata by Biological and Chemical Methods

Eutypa dieback, caused by the fungus Eutypa lata, is a serious disease of grapevines that infects mainly through pruning wounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro efficacy of fungicides from various chemical groups against E. lata, as well as the in vivo efficacy of the most effective fungicides and selected bacterial and fungal antagonists of E. lata, in grapevine pruning wound protection trials. In vitro studies revealed that flusilazole, tebuconazole, benomyl, fenarimol and myclobutanil were the most effective fungicides to inhibit mycelial growth of E. lata. Two field trials were conducted, one subjected to artificial inoculation and the second to natural infection only. In the first, benomyl, flusilazole and commercially available Trichoderma harzianum-containing products and an experimental Bacillus subtilis strain were applied to fresh pruning wounds. Two Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards were pruned in August 2001 and 2002 and immediately treated and inoculated with a spore suspension of E. lata one day later. Isolations were made from the treated pruning wounds after 12 months to assess the effectiveness of the treatments. The fungicides benomyl and flusilazole were the most effective treatments, although the Trichoderma treatments T77 and Trichoseal spray caused a significant reduction in E. lata infection. In a second trial, pruning wounds of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon blanc, Red Globe and Bonheur were treated with the Trichoderma products Vinevax (= Trichoseal spray) and Eco77 (= T77) in August 2005 and 2006, subjected to natural infection only and evaluated after seven months. Vinevax and Eco77 not only reduced E. lata, but they also reduced the incidence of other grapevine trunk disease pathogens.
J an 2 01 8 Solution of the Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation with Defocusing Strength Nonlinearities Through the Laplace-Adomian Decomposition Method

In this work we apply the Adomian decomposition method combined with the Laplace transform (LADM) in order to solve the 1-dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger equation whose nonlinear term presents a nonlinear defocusing strength that varies in the spatial direction. The suggested iterative scheme (LADM) finds the solution without any discretization, linearization or restrictive assumptions. Finally, three numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the reliability and accuracy of the method.
Influence of Improved Roughage Quality and Period of Meal Termination on Digesta Load in the Digestive Organs of Goats

— Ruminants are known to relish roughage for productivity but the effect of its quality on digesta load in rumen, omasum, abomasum and other distal organs of the digestive tract is yet unknown. Reticulorumen fill is a strong indicator for long-term control of intake in ruminants. As such, the measurement and prediction of digesta load in these compartments may be crucial to productivity in the ruminant industry. The current study aimed at determining the effect of (a) diet quality on digesta load in digestive organs of goats, and (b) period of meal termination on the reticulorumen fill and digesta load in other distal compartments of the digestive tract of goats. Goats were fed with urea-treated hay (UTH), urea-sprayed hay (USH) and non-treated hay (NTH). At the end of eight weeks of a feeding trial period, upon termination of a meal in the morning, afternoon or evening, all goats were slaughtered in random groups of three per day to measure reticulorumen fill and digesta loads in other distal compartments of the digestive tract. Both diet quality and period affected (P < 0.05) the measure of reticulorumen fill. However, reticulorumen fill in the evening was larger (P < 0.05) than afternoon, while afternoon was similar (P > 0.05) to morning. Also, diet quality affected (P < 0.05) the wet omasal digesta load, wet abomasum, dry abomasum and dry caecum digesta loads but did not affect (P > 0.05) both wet and dry digesta loads in other compartments of the digestive tract. Period of measurement did not affect (P > 0.05) the wet omasal digesta load, and both wet and dry digesta loads in other compartments of the digestive tract except wet abomasum digesta load (P < 0.05) and dry caecum digesta load (P < 0.05). Both wet and dry reticulorumen fill were correlated (P < 0.05) with omasum (r = 0.623) and (r = 0.723), respectively. In conclusion, reticulorumen fill of goats decreased by improving the roughage quality; and the period of meal termination and measurement of the fill is a key factor to the quantity of digesta load.
Milk Production with a Particular Reference to Milk Essential Fatty Acids of Lactating Cows under Grazing and Indoor Feeding Conditions

An experiment was conducted to study the milk quality of dairy cattle under conditions of group grazing and loose housing on high quality forage intake. Eight crossbred cows (93% Holstein and 7% Bos indicus) all in their second to fourth lactation and at 100–120 d in the mid-late period of lactation were divided equally into two groups of four cows each under a pair comparison design. The first group was allowed free grazing on pasture consisting mainly of Guinea grass using a rotational grazing procedure. The second group was kept in a shaded cow shed and fed cut-and-carried pasture from an equal-sized area of the same pasture grazed by the first group. Both groups were supplemented with Leucaena leucocephala at 3%, based on the intake requirement for body weight maintenance and milk production for the 45 d experiment. The daily milk yield was recorded throughout the experiment and weekly milk sampling was evaluated for composition. A composite sample of morning and evening milk was analyzed for the percentages of milk fat, protein and lactose, solid not fat (SNF) and essential milk fatty acids—linoleic acid (C18:2n-6; Omega 6), linolenic acid (C18:3n-3; Omega 3) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) contents (grams per 100 g of fat) were also analyzed. The results showed that the milk yields, the percentages of milk fat, protein and SNF, and the contents of linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3) and CLA were not significantly different between treatments. However, the lactose percentage and the content of linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6) were significantly different (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). The outdoor grazing system significantly increased the higher milk content of linoleic acid.
The Effect of European Union Membership on Welfare

We study the impact of EU membership on the per capita income, longevity and welfare of the member states. We utilize the concept of full income developed by Becker, Philipson and Soares (2005) which takes into consideration not only in the income level but also increase in the expected lifetime. Our results indicate that there is convergence among EU countries in per capita income, expected lifetime and welfare. Convergence speed is the highest in the per capita income whereas the slowest in the welfare. Moreover our estimations indicate that EU membership positively affects income, longevity, and welfare growth rates.
The Use of Reputation in Electronic Commerce: An Empirical Investigation

Reputation is a key factor in successful commerce. In the absence of direct product and company knowledge, buyers often rely on a variety of reputation mechanisms associated with the seller to allay fears of risk and product quality. The following paper examines the effectiveness of reputation mechanisms (third-party seal, brand name, seller guarantee) on potential consumers' perceptions of a web-based business's reputation. Preliminary results of a small pilot study indicate that brand name may have the most impact on positively enhancing a web-sites reputation.
CAN WE USE TWITTER FOR EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Twitter is the most popular microblogging application, with almost one million users called twitterers, who can send and receive messages via the web, SMS, instant messaging clients, and by third party applications. Posts are limited to 140 text characters in length. With a solid experience in using Web2.0 technologies in education, the authors are trying to provide arguments for using Twitter as microblogging platform / social network in education, underlining its advantages, but also possible bad points. The article presents too an application related to the Romanian Twitosphere and a Romanian microblogging platform, already used in education.
Discovery of alien water frogs (gen. Pelophylax) in Umbria, with first report of P. shqipericus for Italy

Allochthonous water frogs (gen. Pelophylax ) have been repeatedly introduced in several European coun- tries, causing dramatic consequences for the conservation of indigenous taxa. In Italy, invasive populations are known for northern regions, where they were introduced mainly for edible and scientific purposes. Here, we report the first detection of an alien population of water frogs in Central Italy, along the Resina valley (Umbria). Genetic analysis of the mitochondrial ND3 gene polymorphism assigned some specimens to two different Pelophylax ridibundus clad - es widespread in Central and Eastern Europe. By contrast, two samples matched the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence of Pelophylax lessonae bergeri, an autochthonous taxon widespread in Central Italy, suggesting possible hybridization between alien and indigenous frogs. Finally, the specific haplotype of Pelophylax shqipericus, the Alba - nian Pool Frog, was also identified according to mtDNA polymorphism. This record, firstly reported for Italy, poses concerns for the conservation of this cryptic taxon, suggesting that international water frog trade may involve also particularly endangered species.
Effects of operating pressure and stand-off distance on coal comminution by waterjet

Comminution of coal to ultrafine sizes by high-pressure waterjet coupled with cavitation cell provides a novel method for preparation of coal-water fuels for next generation, near-zero emission electric power generation. To establish the fundamental performance of the waterjet mill, the effects of the operating pressure and stand-off distance were comprehensively investigated using a high ash bituminous coal. The comminution products were evaluated in terms of the particle size, particle size distribution, and surface area change. The experimental results indicated that the waterjet-mediated comminution of coal was strongly affected by all these operating parameters. Higher operating pressure led to finer products, while the efficiency of the waterjet mill in terms of particle size strongly depended on the stand-off distance. This research provides a deeper insight into the high-pressure waterjet for coal comminution and a basis for process parameter optimization.
Characterization of Hydrophobic Microporous Membranes from Water Permeation

This paper deals with the characterization of four hydrophobic microfiltration membranes from water permeation measurements. A method proposed by McGuire et al. is used. The method uses a mathematical technique of smoothing spline fit in order to obtain a smooth pore distribution function without the need of a priori assumptions about the nature or shape of the distribution. Good agreement between the discrete distribution determined by a classical method and the continuous distribution determined from the McGuire method was obtained.