Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The ecology of restoration: historical links, emerging issues and unexplored realms

Restoration ecology is a young academic field, but one with enough history to judge it against past and current expectations of the science's potential. The practice of ecological restoration has been identified as providing ideal experimental settings for tests of ecological theory; restoration was to be the ‘acid test’ of our ecological understanding. Over the past decade, restoration science has gained a strong academic foothold, addressing problems faced by restoration practitioners, bringing new focus to existing ecological theory and fostering a handful of novel ecological ideas. In particular, recent advances in plant community ecology have been strongly linked with issues in ecological restoration. Evolving models of succession, assembly and state-transition are at the heart of both community ecology and ecological restoration. Recent research on seed and recruitment limitation, soil processes, and diversity–function relationships also share strong links to restoration. Further opportunities may lie ahead in the ecology of plant ontogeny, and on the effects of contingency, such as year effects and priority effects. Ecology may inform current restoration practice, but there is considerable room for greater integration between academic scientists and restoration practitioners.
Using Korotkoff Sounds to Detect the Degree of Vascular Compliance in Different Age Groups.

INTRODUCTION The principle behind the generation of the Korotkoff sounds is the turbulence of blood flowing through a partially occluded area in the artery. With increasing age, the vascular wall compliance is expected to decrease, which is due to the thickening of the vessel wall, due to which the amplitude of the transmitted Korotkoff sounds is decreased. There is also an accompanying rise in the systolic B.P. and pulse pressure. AIM To record and compare the amplitudes of the intermediate Korotkoff sounds and the blood pressures in individuals of the two age groups, and calculate the pulse pressure and determine whether they vary in relation to the amplitude of the intermediate Korotkoff sounds recorded. MATERIALS AND METHODS The cross-sectional study was conducted on 50 young subjects (15-25 years) and 50 older subjects (50-70 years). The mid arm circumference was measured using a tape. A phonoarteriogram was placed over the left brachial artery and the sphygmomanometer cuff was tied 2cm above the cubital fossa of the left arm. The blood pressure was recorded using the Lab Tutor software. The Korotkoff sounds picked up and transmitted by the phonoarteriogram are represented as distinct lines on the graphical recording. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Independent samples t-test to look for significant mean amplitude differences and for correlating mean amplitude and pulse pressure. Null hypothesis rejected at p<0.05. Data analysed using the SPSS software version 20.0 (SPSS Inc.). RESULTS There was a significant difference in the mean amplitudes of Korotkoff sounds among the different age groups (p=0.001) and subject categories (p=0.043 among males, p=0.037 among females). A significant difference in pulse pressures was also seen among different age groups and subject categories. The decrease in the amplitudes of Korotkoff sounds in the older age group accompanies the increase in pulse pressures seen in this group and the same was seen among the different age groups within each sex (r=-0.574, p=0.001 among males) and (r=-0.449, p=0.002 among females). CONCLUSION Measuring the amplitude of Korotkoff sounds can give us an idea of the nature of the arterial wall as shown by a decrease in amplitude in older individuals when compared to the younger individuals and of the volume of blood flowing through the artery as shown by the higher amplitudes observed in males when compared to females.
Importance of basal glucagon in maintaining hepatic glucose production during a prolonged fast in conscious dogs.

We undertook studies in conscious dogs to assess the role of basal glucagon in stimulating glucose production after a 7-day fast. Two protocols consisting of a 40-min basal period (-40 to 0 min), and a 180-min test period (0-180 min) were used. During the test period of the first protocol (hormone replacement; n = 4), somatostatin was infused (0.8 micrograms.kg-1.min-1) along with basal intraportal replacement amounts of insulin and glucagon, whereas in the second protocol (glucagon deficiency; n = 5), somatostatin plus insulin alone were infused. Glucose production and gluconeogenesis were measured using tracer and arteriovenous difference techniques. Plasma insulin levels were similar during the test period in both protocols (6 +/- 1 microU/ml). The plasma immunoreactive glucagon level in the control protocol averaged 50 +/- 8 pg/ml, whereas in the glucagon-deficiency protocol the level fell from 50 +/- 8 to 29 +/- 8 pg/ml (P less than 0.05). The plasma glucose level and the rate of glucose production were unchanged during bihormonal replacement. During glucagon deficiency the plasma glucose level was held constant at 100 +/- 4 mg/dl by glucose infusion. Tracer-determined endogenous glucose production fell from 1.8 +/- 0.1 to 1.0 +/- 0.1 mg.kg-1.min-1 by 30 min (P less than 0.05). After 3 h of glucagon deficiency, gluconeogenic conversion of alanine to glucagon was reduced 40% and the hepatic fractional extraction of alanine was reduced by 45%. The efficiency of the gluconeogenic process within the liver was not altered by glucagon deficiency. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Comparison of Three Greedy Routing Algorithms for Efficient Packet Forwarding in VANET

VANETs (Vehicular Ad hoc Networks) are highly mobile wireless ad hoc networks and will play an important role in public safety communications and commercial applications. In VANET, nodes which are vehicles can move safety with high speed and must communicate quickly and reliably. When an accident occurs in a road or highway, alarm messages must be circulated to inform all other vehicles. Vehicular ad hoc network architecture and cellular technology is used to achieve intelligent communication and improve road traffic safety and efficiency. VANET can perform effective communication by utilizing routing information. In this paper, we have discussed about three rapacious routing algorithms, and have compared to show which one is efficient in delivering packets in terms of mobility, nodes and transmission range.
Endoscopic dilatation for benign oesophageal strictures in infants and toddlers: experience of an expectant protocol from North African tertiary centre.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to present the safety and effectiveness of an expectant protocol employing Savary-Gilliard dilatation in benign oesophageal stricture in infants and toddlers along a decade of experience. PATIENTS AND METHODS Thirty eight infants and toddlers with benign oesophageal stricture with age ranged between 5 and 22 months were treated by modified dilatation protocol. Complications and outcomes of the dilatation protocol were reported during a follow-up period of 12 to 100 months. RESULTS We have 25 cases of corrosive stricture, 4 congenital, 4 post-reflux and 5 post-anastomotic strictures. A total of 654 dilatations in 265 sessions were done. The corrosive subgroup has a mean dysphagia score of 2.6 pre-dilatation that improved at 6 months after end of dilatation to a mean of 0.3. In the non-corrosive subgroup, significant lower number of dilatation and sessions were reported. We have three failures that need surgery. Thirty five cases reach acceptable oesophageal caliber. Mucosal tear and small perforation each reported once. Small diverticulum reported twice. CONCLUSIONS The expectant dilatation protocol is feasible in managing benign oesophageal stricture in infants and toddlers without increasing the morbidity. It is effective even in long segment or multiple corrosive strictures.
An Integrated 20-kW Motor Drive and Isolated Battery Charger for Plug-In Vehicles

For vehicles using grid power to charge the battery, traction circuit components are not normally engaged during the charging time, so there is a possibility to use them in the charger circuit to have an on-board integrated motor drive and battery charger. An isolated high-power three-phase integrated motor drive and charger based on a split-phase permanent magnet motor is presented in this paper. The motor winding connections are reversible by a relay-based switching device for traction and battery charging. In traction mode, the motor is a classical three-phase motor, but in charging mode it is a rotating isolating transformer providing a three-phase voltage source for the inverter to charge the battery. A mathematical model of the motor with six stator windings is presented for an arbitrary phase shift in windings. For the charging mode, the split-phase motor grid synchronization process and charge control are explained including the developed controller. A 20 -kW system is designed and implemented to verify the proper operation of the proposed system. Simulation and practical results are provided to show the system performance in terms of functionality, dynamic response, and efficiency. Moreover, some discussions, recommendations, and limitations are provided to give more practical insights.
Real-time simulation on wind power system dynamics incorporating STATCOM

Based on an advanced distributed real-time platform named Real-Time Laboratory (RT-LAB), the impacts of the static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) on wind power system dynamics is studied in this paper. Firstly, a small-scale wind farm model based on squirrel-cage induction generator (SCIG) is built in MATLABTM/Simulink environment. This model is then rebuilt to be suitable for the real-time operation mode in RT-LAB environment in terms of the operating requirements of RT-LAB. The corresponding comparisons of simulation results carried out in RT-LAB and MATLABTM/Simulink environments respectively demonstrate that it is applicable for wind power system to implement real-time simulation in RT-LAB environment. Finally, the STATCOM device is connected to the power grid. And the comparisons of real-time simulation results of the wind power system with and without STATCOM connected illustrate that the integration of STATCOM can improve the voltage stability of the system.
Uncertainty in population projections: the state of the art

In this paper I critically review the state of the art in population projections, focusing on how uncertainty is handled in three approaches: the classical cohort-component, the frequentist probabilistic model and the Bayesian paradigm. Next, I focus on recent developments on mortality, fertility and migration projections under the Bayesian setting, which have been clearly at the frontier of knowledge in demography. By evaluating the merits and limitations of each framework, I conclude that in the near future the Bayesian paradigm will offer the most promising approach to population projections, since it combines expert opinion, information that demographers have readily available from their empirical analyses and sophisticated statistical and computational methods to deal with uncertainty. Hence, the availability of population forecasts that take uncertainty carefully into account may enhance communication among demographers by allowing for greater flexibility in reflecting demographic beliefs.
Delayed neurotoxicity in primary central nervous system lymphoma.

BACKGROUND Treatment for primary central nervous lymphoma (PCNSL) with chemotherapy and radiotherapy has resulted in improved survival, but some patients develop neurologic deterioration that represents a treatment-related toxic effect. This delayed neurotoxicity has been poorly defined in the literature, and the underlying mechanisms are unknown. OBJECTIVE To describe the clinical findings, time course, and pathophysiologic mechanisms associated with neurotoxicity in an attempt to generate hypotheses for future studies that address prevention and treatment of this complication of successful PCNSL therapy. DESIGN Retrospective review. SETTING Department of Neurology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. PATIENTS One hundred eighty-five patients treated for PCNSL, including 43 who developed neurotoxicity. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Potential risk factors, clinical course, and neuropsychological, neuroimaging, and histologic findings. RESULTS The 5-year cumulative incidence of neurotoxicity was 24%; this incidence increases over time. Neurotoxicity presented as a rapidly progressive subcortical dementia characterized by psychomotor slowing, executive and memory dysfunction, behavioral changes, gait ataxia, and incontinence. Imaging findings revealed diffuse white matter disease and cortical-subcortical atrophy. Available autopsy data showed white matter damage with gliosis, thickening of small vessels, and demyelination. Statistical analyses were performed, accounting for death as a competing risk. Older age (P = .01), mental status changes at diagnosis (P = .04), female sex (P = .05), and radiotherapy (P<.001) predicted neurotoxicity on univariate analysis, but only radiotherapy remained significant in the multivariate setting. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that the core pathophysiologic mechanism is the interruption of frontal-subcortical circuits mediated by radiation damage, possibly caused by progressive microvascular alterations, loss of oligodendrocyte progenitors, or oxidative stress.
Effects of Steroid Hormones on the Serotonergic System

Serotonin is implicated in a variety of physiological and behavioral functions, some of which, e.g., ovulation,’ sexual behavior,’ and the response to stress’ are tightly linked to steroid hormones in experimental animals. Thus serotonin is a good candidate for the role of a mediator of various central actions of gonadal and adrenocortical steroids. This being the case, one would expect to encounter steroid hormone modulation of a t least some aspects of serotonergic activity. The evidence reviewed in the following pages does indeed suggest that almost every component of the serotonin neurotransmission chain is modulated by some steroid hormone in some brain region. Theoretically, various mechanisms could be responsible for steroid hormone effects on the serotonergic system. Steroids penetrate the blood brain barrier easily and interact with intracellular receptors concentrated in specific brain region^. ^-^ The hormone-receptor complexes may then interact directly with the genome to produce changes in the expression of specific messages, possibly including neurotransmissions related molecules such as snythetic and metabolic enzymes, postsynaptic receptors, etc. Steroids may also alter serotonergic transmission indirectly by altering neural activity in a related system and causing adaptive changes, or directly by acting on neuronal membranes to change the binding properties of neural receptors. Again, we have evidence that all of the above mechanisms may be operational in the brain at some point in the animal’s life cycle. The relevance of the animal findings to human beings and clinical situations can be indirectly evaluated by studies of sex differences and hormonal cycle linked changes in serotonergic parameters in the human brain post mortem or in peripheral models of central serotonergic activity, and a short review of this kind of studies concludes the present paper.
Impact of Mental Health Comorbidities on the Community-Based Pediatric Treatment and Outcomes of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective: Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often exhibit psychiatric comorbidities, which may impact illness presentation, diagnosis, and treatment outcomes. Guidelines exist for dealing with these complex cases but little is known about how comorbidities are being handled in community pediatric settings. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how mental health comorbidities affect community physicians' ADHD care practices and patients' symptom trajectories. Method: Medical charts of 319 children presenting at primary care clinics for ADHD-related concerns were reviewed. Physician assessment and treatment behaviors were extracted and parents rated ADHD symptoms at the time of diagnosis and at 3, 6, and 12 months. Baseline ratings were used to group children, as no comorbid mental health condition, internalizing, or externalizing comorbid condition. Multilevel analyses compared community physician care behaviors and ADHD symptom trajectories across groups. Results: Approximately, 50 percent of the sample met screening criteria for a comorbid mental health condition. For children diagnosed with ADHD and treated with medication, community physician care largely did not differ across groups, but children with internalizing comorbidities made significantly smaller improvements in inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms compared with children with no comorbidities. Conclusion: Children with ADHD and mental health comorbidities, particularly internalizing disorders, exhibit less robust response to ADHD medication and may require additional testing before starting medication and/or alternative treatment approaches. Potential barriers to conducting comprehensive assessments and to providing multi-modal treatment are discussed.
Incidence of Demodex folliculorum on the eyelash follicle in normal people and in blepharitis patients.

Le demodex est trouve chez 25% des sujets normaux et chez 51% des sujets atteints de blepharite. Les deux sexes sont egalement touches chez les normaux mais les femmes sont un peu plus atteintes en cas de blephanite. La frequence augmente avec l'âge dans les deux groupes. Les resultats ne sont pas en faveur de la these d'apres laquelle le demodex serait une cause de blepharite
Treatment of Dually Diagnosed Clients

Abstract Up to 80% of people with mental and emotional disorders have abused or will abuse street drugs or alcohol at some point in their lives. Similarly, over half of people with substance use disorders are also diagnosed with a mental disorder at some point. In clinical populations and institutional settings, the numbers are far higher. The term dual diagnosis (coexisting mental and substance use disorders) refers to a large and complex group of people. This article addresses general issues regarding the complexities of dual diagnosis—differential diagnosis, the difficulty of achieving abstinence for people who perceive significant benefits from drug use, and the problems due to the historical split between the mental health and substance abuse treatment systems. Harm reduction, an approach to treating drug-using clients that focuses on the damage done by drugs and alcohol without insisting on abstinence from all psychoactive substances, can offer a useful way of conceptualizing treatment of dual diagnosis. A treatment group specifically designed for dually diagnosed clients is described. This group, inspired by the idea that changes in addictive behavior occur in a series of stages and that motivation can be influenced by the quality of the relationship with the treatment provider, uses a drop-in structure to provide low-threshold access to supportive treatment, to meet clients “where they are. ”
A Psychometric Approach to Edge Detector Calibration in Grey-scale Images

An edge detection algorithm is a filter which significantly reduces the amount of information present in an image such that only high frequency changes in either range or intensity are visible in the resulting image. In order to perform effective edge detection the user must have a clear idea of the frequency above which an edge will be identified. In grey-scale images, edges represent sudden or high-frequency changes in the grey-scale, also referred to as intensity or luminence, level of an image. In practice, what is considered a "high-frequency change" is dependent upon the purpose for which the edge detector has been selected. In this paper it is proposed that to determine the minimum grey-level threshold and per-pixel intensity change at which the user deems a "true" step edge exists, psychometric testing is required. This information is then used to calibrate common edge detection methods which are subsequently used to filter a series of common grey-scale images
An assessment of the applicability of embedded resistor trimming and rework

The successful use of embedded resistors in many applications will require that the fabricated resistors be trimmed prior to lamination into printed circuit boards to attain required design tolerances. Depending on the application, the economic value of the board being fabricated, and the process used to create the embedded resistors, it may also be prudent to consider reworking resistors that are incorrectly trimmed or with initial values that are too large (untrimmable resistors). This paper uses a model of the resistor/board yield coupled with a cost model of the trim and rework processes to identify conditions under which applications should neither trim nor rework, trim but not rework, or perform both trimming and rework of embedded resistors, as a function of the design tolerance for the resistors and the accuracy with which the embedded resistors can be fabricated. Example results are presented for several applications ranging from small boards with a high density of embedded resistors to large boards with a low density of embedded resistors. Distinct regions of trimming and rework applicability that are nearly application independent can be identified as a function of design tolerance, printing/plating/etching variation, and the characteristics of the trimming process.
Dendritic Cell Motility and T Cell Activation Requires Regulation of Rho-Cofilin Signaling by the Rho-GTPase Activating Protein Myosin IXb

Directed migration of stimulated dendritic cells (DCs) to secondary lymphoid organs and their interaction with Ag-specific T cells is a prerequisite for the induction of primary immune responses. In this article, we show that murine DCs that lack myosin IXB (Myo9b), a motorized negative regulator of RhoA signaling, exhibit increased Rho signaling activity and downstream acto-myosin contractility, and inactivation of the Rho target protein cofilin, an actin-depolymerizing factor. On a functional level, Myo9b−/− DCs showed impaired directed migratory activity both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, despite unaltered Ag presentation and costimulatory capabilities, Myo9b−/− DCs were poor T cell stimulators in vitro in a three-dimensional collagen matrix and in vivo, associated with altered DC–T cell contact dynamics and T cell polarization. Accordingly, Myo9b−/− mice showed an attenuated ear-swelling response in a model of contact hypersensitivity. The impaired migratory and T cell stimulatory capacity of Myo9b−/− DCs was restored in large part by pharmacological activation of cofilin. Taken together, these results identify Myo9b as a negative key regulator of the Rho/RhoA effector Rho-kinase [Rho-associated coiled-coil–forming kinase (ROCK)]/LIM domain kinase signaling pathway in DCs, which controls cofilin inactivation and myosin II activation and, therefore may control, in part, the induction of adaptive immune responses.
Quantitative study of the influence of switching period on brushless DC motor operation

The existence of Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) switching period of a brushless dc motor (BLDCM) drive may cause commutation delay problem, especially when there are few switching periods (Tu) within one step. In this paper, this commutation delay problem was analyzed and calculated, the relationship between the number of Tu in one step and the instantaneous fluctuation magnitude of stator current was deduced. The simulation and experiment results verified the accuracy of the analysis. The results in this paper are useful for further understanding of BLDCM operating process and quantitatively choosing the optimal switching period of some BLDCM drive.