Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
New Metrics for Spatial and Temporal 3D Urban Form Sustainability Assessment Using Time Series Lidar Point Clouds and Advanced GIS Techniques

Monitoring sustainability of urban form as a 3D phenomenon over time is crucial in the era of smart cities for better planning of the future, and for such a monitoring system, appropriate tools, metrics, methodologies and time series 3D data are required. While accurate time series 3D data are becoming available, a lack of 3D sustainable urban form (3D SUF) metrics, appropriate methodologies and technical problems of processing time series 3D data has resulted in few studies on the assessment of 3D SUF over time. In this chapter, we review volumetric building metrics currently under development and demonstrate the technical problems associated with their validation based on time series airborne lidar data. We propose new metrics for application in spatial and temporal 3D SUF assessment. We also suggest a new approach in processing time series airborne lidar to detect three-dimensional changes of urban form. Using this approach and the developed metrics, we detected a decreased volume of vegetation and new areas prepared for the construction of taller buildings. These 3D changes and the proposed metrics can be used to numerically measure and compare urban areas in terms of trends against or in favor of sustainability goals for caring for the environment.
The changing face of AIDS: implications for policy and practice.

Trends reported in the epidemiological and public health literature have obvious if often unexamined implications for clinical practice just as new developments in diagnosis and treatment of HIV have obvious if unrealized promise for millions now living with HIV. This chapter discusses the limitations of conventional epidemiological and clinical studies of AIDS including those relying on the concepts of "risk categories" and "risk groups" and provides a dynamic view of the rapidly changing global pandemic. (See Chapter 1 for a review of epidemic patterns according to HIV subtype.) We will also evaluate trends in the epidemiology of HIV-related opportunistic infections and explore implications of these trends for clinical practice and public health policy. (excerpt)
Degenerative Wirbelsäulenerkrankungen bei Pferd und Hund

Die Beurteilung und das Management von degenerativen Erkrankungen der Wirbelsäule ist aufgrund der geringen Korrelation zwischen radiologischen Befunden und klinischer Symptomatik sehr schwierig. Die Chiropraktik bietet diagnostische und therapeutische Möglichkeiten, die das Management dieser Patienten deutlich erleichtern können. Testen Sie Ihr Wissen mithilfe der Refresher-Fragen am Ende des Artikels.
Polarizable force field for molecular dynamics simulations of silver nanoparticles

Contact of silver metal surfaces with water, ions and organic ligands experiences induced charges, leading to attractive polarization. These forces play an important role at inorganic/organic interfaces and complement other non-bonded surface interactions. Despite the importance of these interactions, it, however, remains difficult to implement polarization effects to classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. In this contribution, we first present an overview of two popular polarizable models, such as Drude oscillator and the rigid rod model, which are utilized to mimic the polarizability of bulk metals. Second, we implemented the rigid rod model to the polarizable force field (FF) for a silver atom, which was further adapted for atomistic MD simulations of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) composed of 1397 atoms. In our model, induced charge polarization is represented by the displacement of a charge-carrying virtual site attached rigidly to an original Ag atom. To explore the role of polarization, we compared the performance of the classical nonpolarizable FF and the new polarizable model in the MD simulations of adsorption of water and ions onto quasi-spherical AgNP and the flat crystalline silver surface. The analysis of the radial distribution function of Ag-Ag atoms demonstrated that the introduction of the polarization effect had minor effects on face-centered cubic (fcc) packing of silver atoms of bare and water-solvated AgNPs. We found that the polarizable FF causes some increase in attractive interactions between the silver surface and water molecules and Na+ ions. As a crucial test of the developed polarizable model, the structure of adsorbed interfacial water molecules was analyzed. Our data suggest that the environment-induced polarization of the silver surface contributes significantly to the structure of adsorbed interfacial water layers and it also plays an important role in the adsorption of positive ions. However, it was also found out that the polarization effect has a rather short-range effect, so that a minor contribution of silver polarization was seen for adsorption of water molecules and ions from distant solvation shells.
Improving the reliability of the compressor unit using the wavelet transform method

Centrifugal compressors are an integral part of modern production in such industries as gas transmission, oil refining, metallurgical, machine-building, mining, as well as in electric and heat power engineering. Interruptions in the operation or failures of compressors lead to decrease in profit or large material loss. Conditions should be created for the safe (stable) operation of centrifugal compressors. Surge is global (complete) loss of stability, an unacceptable phenomenon for a centrifugal compressor. Compressor surge protection must function during operation. The algorithms used to protect centrifugal compressors against surge have some drawbacks, which makes it impossible to reliably prevent surges. There are many methods for analyzing rapidly changing processes in the flow part of a centrifugal compressor. The wavelet theory is the most accurate and modern method. The use of the wavelet transform method for signal processing allows us to solve the problems of analyzing non-stationary processes of a centrifugal compressor to expand the acceptable range of work and build reliable operation of the anti-surge diagnostic system. In the future, it is possible to use other basic wavelet functions, for comparison and selection of the most suitable one, for the analysis of unsteady signals in a centrifugal compressor.
Efficient Storage of Genomic Sequences in High Performance Computing Systems

In this dissertation, we address the challenges of genomic data storage in high performance computing systems. In particular, we focus on developing a referential compression approach for Next Generation Sequence data stored in FASTQ format files. The amount of genomic data available for researchers to process has increased exponentially, bringing enormous challenges for its efficient storage and transmission. General-purpose compressors can only offer limited performance for genomic data, thus the need for specialized compression solutions. Two trends have emerged as alternatives to harness the particular properties of genomic data: non-referential and referential compression. Non-referential compressors offer higher compression rations than general purpose compressors, but still below of what a referential compressor could theoretically achieve. However, the effectiveness of referential compression depends on selecting a good reference and on having enough computing resources available. This thesis presents one of the first referential compressors for FASTQ files. We first present a comprehensive analytical and experimental evaluation of the most relevant tools for genomic raw data compression, which led us to identify the main needs and opportunities in this field. As a consequence, we propose a novel compression workflow that aims at improving the usability of referential compressors. Subsequently, we discuss the implementation and performance evaluation for the core of the proposed workflow: a referential compressor for reads in FASTQ format that combines local read-to-reference alignments with a specialized binary-encoding strategy. The compression algorithm, named UdeACompress, achieved very competitive compression ratios when compared to the best compressors in the current state of the art, while showing reasonable execution times and memory use. In particular, UdeACompress outperformed all competitors when compressing long reads, typical of the newest sequencing technologies. Finally, we study the main aspects of the data-level parallelism in the Intel AVX-512 architecture, in order to develop a parallel version of the UdeACompress algorithms to reduce the runtime. Through the use of SIMD programming, we managed to significantly accelerate the main bottleneck found in UdeACompress, the Suffix Array Construction.
Protective Effects of a Polyherbal Formulation, Freemodex, Against Acute Models of Pain, Inflammation, Arthritis, and Immunosuppression

Aim: This study was designed to evaluate the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiarthritic and immunomodulatory activities of Freemodex. Materials and Methods: Acute models of pain – formalin-induced paw licking, inflammation – egg albumin induced paw edema, arthritis – turpentine-induced arthritis, and immunosuppression – carbon clearance test and cyclophosphamide-induced neutropenia were evaluated using rats and mice. The degree of protection was determined for antiarthritic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory activities by measuring the paw volume, percentage inhibition, the number of writhing movements, the duration of paw licking in the injected paw, paw linear circumference, and the joint diameter. The estimation of phagocytic index, the total leukocyte count, and the percentage reduction in the neutrophil count were indexed for the evaluation of immunosuppression. Freemodex was administered at 40 and 80 mg/kg to rats and 80 and 160 mg/kg to mice. Results: Dose-dependent reduction in paw licking was observed in the formalin model. Reduction in paw volume was seen in the animals treated with egg albumin and Freemodex. Arthritis was also found to be decreased on the basis of the synovial joint size and phagocytic index. Leukocytes and neutrophils were also normalized in mice. Conclusion: The study’s findings suggest a protective role for Freemodex.
The Additional Value of Esophageal Wall Evaluation and Secondary Findings in Emergency Patients Undergoing CT Pulmonary Angiography

Background: A signiﬁcant proportion of patients with chest discomfort suﬀer from esophageal pathology and other conditions unrelated to pulmonary embolism. Objectives: Todeterminetheproportionof emergencypatientsundergoingCTpulmonaryangiography,whereesophagealpathol-ogy suspected from CT and other secondary ﬁndings would contribute to the explanation of their symptoms. Patients and Methods: CT scans of 434 patients who were referred from the emergency department for CT pulmonary angiography were evaluated for esophageal wall thickness and distention, the presence of pulmonary embolism and other ﬁndings that might explain acute symptoms. Esophageal pathology was considered when the distal esophageal wall was at least 5 mm thick, as previously reported. Results: Pulmonaryembolismwasconﬁrmedin27% patients. Thedistalesophagealwallwasthickenedin87(20%)patients. Inthis group, pulmonary embolism was present in 11 patients (13%) compared to 104 (30%) in patients without esophageal wall thickening (P = 0.007). From 76 patients with excluded pulmonary embolism, in 43 (56%), a suspected esophageal pathology was consistent with their symptoms. Gastroscopy conﬁrmed CT ﬁndings in 34 of 42 patients (P = 0.0001). Conclusion: Esophageal wall thickening is common in emergency patients with excluded pulmonary embolism and this ﬁnding may help to direct the patients appropriately.
Neuroimaging Cerebrovascular Function and Diffuse Axonal Injury after Traumatic Brain Injury and Response to Sildenafil Treatment

Abstract : Damage to the cerebral microvasculature and diffuse axonal injury (DAI) are two well recognized end ophenotypes of traumatic brain injury (TBI) which significantly contribute to neuropsychological sequelae (40; 61; 110). Patients who have suffered mild TBI show acute disruptions in cerebrovascular reactivity (73) and chronic regional deficits in cerebral blood flow (CBF) that are concordant with neuropsychiatric localization (18). Furthermore, compelling evidence indicates that enhancing angiogenesis may attenuate secondary injury and improve functional recovery (21; 77; 121; 122; 136). Although diffuse axonal injury has similarly been linked to neurologic outcome (70), the relationship of microvascular disease and axonal injury after TBI remains unknown. The present study establishes a method to efficiently and non-invasively quantify traumatic cerebral microvascular injury after TBI and response to therapeutic intervention, using sildenafil as a model. Young adult male rats were assessed over a 30-day period following moderate fluid percussion injury through multimodal magnetic resonance imaging. Cerebrovascular reactivity to hypercapnia was measured using arterial spin labeling. Diffusion tensor imaging was employed to assess microstructural alterations, including axonal injury. Neurobehavioral outcome was assessed by the Neurological Severity Score, Morris Water Maze, Rotarod, and Open Field Test. Animals were euthanized 30 days after injury for histological measures of astrogliosis (GFAP), microgliosis (Iba-1) and vascular recovery (RECA-1). The effectiveness of sildenafil (Viagra, Revatio) as a cytoprotective treatment was also evaluated using these methods. Regional deficits in cerebrovascular function were concordant with regions of increased astrogliosis and microglial activation (GFAP and Iba-1 increased in auditory cortex, each p0.001).
Initial Development of Corn Seedlings after Seed Priming with Nanoscale Synthetic Zinc Oxide

Nanofertilizers are increasingly explored for sustainable micronutrient delivery in agriculture. Pre-treating seeds with nanofertilizers prior to planting (i.e., seed priming) reduces concerns about nanoparticle (NP) fertilizer non-target dispersion; however, priming formulations and concentrations must be carefully selected to avoid germination inhibition and toxicity. Here we investigate changes in corn seed germination and seedling development after seed priming with ZnO NPs, ZnO bulk and ZnCl2. To evaluate the effects sterile seeds were immersed in priming solutions of 0, 20, 40, 80, 160 mg L−1 Zn for the three Zn sources. Following an 8 h priming the seeds were evaluated for germination and vigor for 5 days on germination paper. Root and shoot lengths were measured as well as fresh and dry biomass. Compared to the control, the ZnO NP and ZnCl2 seed priming promoted beneficial effects. ZnO NP seed-priming exhibited a concentration dependent profile in improving seedling growth, with greatest benefit around 80 mg L−1, providing 17%, 25% and 12% higher values than control for germination, root length, and dry biomass production, respectively. In contrast, seeds primed with bulk ZnO did not differ from the control. These findings support NP-seed priming as an alternative to delivery of essential micronutrients, such as zinc, to corn seedlings.
Magnetic and Quantum Dot Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery and Diagnostic Systems

Nanoparticles are being used tremendously in biomedical sciences due to their promising chemical and physical properties. Magnetic nanoparticles and quantum dot nanocrystals are two of the main nanoparticle types used in the biomedical industry. The surface of these nanoparticles is further modified in order to obtain biocompatibility and surface functionalization. Magnetic properties, fluorescence, nanometer size, and availability of sites to modify its surface for bioconjugation provide greater potential to use these nanoparticles in targeted drug delivery technique and diagnostics. As a result, these nanoparticles create massive developments in the industrial operations. In this chapter, an overview of the nanoparticles used in drug delivery and diagnostic systems will be discussed. In addition, advantages in encapsulation of magnetic and quantum dot nanoparticles for bioconjugation and different methods of drug delivery will be addressed.
Cognitive complaints in breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy: a reality?

Memory and attention dysfunction is a common complaint among cancer survivors, named “chemobrain”, which can be reported during and even several years after treatment. These disorders have a negative impact on patients’ quality of life (1) and can disturb ability to work (2). Recent studies assessed self-reported cognitive function in cancer patient cohorts, mainly in breast cancer women, and showed that 46% to 60% of survivors had cognitive complaints (3-5). However, these studies did not use a validated questionnaire specifically constructed to assess cognitive complaints.
Production of a novel bio-based structural adhesive and characterization of mechanical properties

ABSTRACT Herein, a novel bio-based structural adhesive is produced, and its mechanical properties are characterized. The bio-based adhesive is a mixture of three parts: the bio-based epoxy resin, the environmentally friendly hardener and a reactive diluent. The bio-based epoxy resin is produced from epichlorohydrin, which is based on glycerin, while the environmentally friendly hardener and the epoxy diluent are based on cardanol. The epoxy resin and the diluent are mixed in vacuum and afterwards the hardener is added into the mixture, also in vacuum. All products are in a proper stoichiometric ratio. Once mixed thoroughly and degassed completely the adhesive is ready to be applied on the molds to produce specimens for tests. The samples were cured at 80°C for 6 h and post-cured at 140°C for 8 h. The thermomechanical behavior of the bio-adhesive was characterized by dynamical mechanical analysis and the mechanical behavior by means of tension tests and fracture toughness tests on bulk specimens and single-lap shear tests on composite bonded joints. The results from the tests reveal a high processing quality and mechanical performance of the epichlorohydrin/cardanol bio-based adhesive compared to commercial oil-based structural adhesives, which makes the bio-adhesive a strong candidate for use in structural applications.
Group trip planning and information seeking behaviours by mobile social media users: A study of tourists in Australia, Bangladesh and China

Social media plays an increasingly important role in travel information seeking and decision-making. However, there is limited understanding of how a group of tourists use social media to plan trips collaboratively and the different practices between countries. In this study, we investigated the collaborative information seeking (CIS) and sharing behaviours of mobile social media users from Australia, Bangladesh and China. Specifically, we surveyed a total of 219 participants to explore the differences in CIS behaviours when people were planning a group trip. The findings suggest significant differences among three countries in terms of the motivations of using social media, CIS activities and social interactions outside the group. Key findings include Bangladeshi and Chinese travellers preferred known contacts on social media, while Australian tourists intended to use both known contacts and user-generated contents for seeking information. The findings also show that social interactions employed by individuals are considered as an important complement of and are interwoven with in-group CIS; both contribute to tourism information seeking. Finally, we propose a framework for CIS research in the tourism domain.
An Immigrant Family’s Story. A Shared Care Plan for Early Childhood Development: A Partnership Experience between Families, Early Childhood Services

From the beginning of the Twentieth Century, thanks to having adopted an experimental method, the essays on several theoretical perspectives, above all dealing with psychology and pedagogy, significantly contributed to gaining knowledge regarding child development. Together with the gradual specialization of the various disciplines, clear distinctions and hierarchies between the different fields of knowledge and of their pertaining professionalism on interventions during childhood simultaneously arose, in especial connection to the relationship between areas regarding health or education support. More recently, specifically because of the systemic perspective, psychological, social and educational studies have theorized on the importance of integration of the different dimensions of child development, so as not to disperse the “hundred languages of children” (Edwards, Gandini, Forman, 1999). The bio-ecological approach of human development conceptualized by Bronfenbrenner (1986, 2010) has moreover, asserted how a peaceful and comprehensive development of the children is supported by the cooperation of the “mesosystem” between all the adults involved in the care of the selfsame children. This theoretical framework which pays major attention to the variables of background has brought into being a relational concept of child development which one must consider when working on the child’s education and especially in the case of protection by the welfaresocial and educational services because of negligence or child abuse. The ecologicalrelational perspective does not only take on the protection of the child but the “whole world of the child” made up of his/her emotional bonds and by the links which are established between each other (Serbati, Milani, 2013).
The Longitudinal Outcomes of Children with Hearing Impairment (LOCHI) study: A brief overview of interim findings

ACQ Volume 13, Number 1 2011 51 syndrome: What’s happening at home? Down Syndrome Research and Practice, 12(2), 98–102. van Bysterveldt, A. K. , Westerveld, M. F. , Gillon, G. , & Foster-Cohen, S. (2010, August). The personal narrative skills of school-aged children with Down syndrome. Poster presented at the 28th World Congress of the International Association of Logopedics and Phonetics, Athens, Greece. References Miller, J. F. , & Leddy, M. (1998). Down syndrome: The impact of speech production on language production. In R. Paul (Ed.), Communication and language intervention series: Exploring the speech-language connection (pp. 163–178). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. van Bysterveldt, A. K. , Gillon, G. , & Foster-Cohen, S. (2008a). Intervention effectiveness for children with Down syndrome: A follow-up. Paper presented at the The American Speech-Language Hearing Association Annual Convention, Chicago, Ilinois, 20–22 November. van Bysterveldt, A. K. , Gillon, G. , & Foster-Cohen, S. (2008b). Phonological awareness and decoding skills of children with Down syndrome. Paper presented at the The American Speech-Language Hearing Association Annual Convention, Chicago, Illinois, 20–22 November. van Bysterveldt, A. K. , Gillon, G. , & Foster-Cohen, S. (2010a). Integrated speech and phonological awareness intervention for pre-school children with Down syndrome. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 4(3), 320–335. van Bysterveldt, A. K. , Gillon, G. , & Foster-Cohen, S. (2010b). Literacy environments for children with Down Dr van Bysterveldt is a lecturer in the Health Sciences Centre at the University of Canterbury. She is also an adjunct staff member of the Champion Centre, a specialist early intervention centre for children with developmental disabilities. Her research focuses on speech, language, and reading development in young children with Down syndrome.