Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of an Augmented Reality Enhanced Tabletop System as a Collaborative Learning Tool: A Case Study on Mathematics at the Primary School

Tabletop systems provide a big multi-touch surface suitable for multiple users to gather around it that can interact with the information collaboratively in a face-to-face manner. This kind of device is well adapted to be exploited in education, combining the advantages of e-learning systems with collaborative learning environments, which are adequate in educational paradigms based on constructivism and knowledge building. This article presents the capabilities of our in house developed tabletop system as a collaborative learning tool, which has been enriched with Augmented Reality capabilities and designed to follow the principles of Ubiquitous Computing and Natural Interfaces. The evaluation of the system was performed in a real educational context. Experience was driven to compare the tabletop learning scenario to other standard learning approaches. The evaluation method was centered on three parameters: efﬁciency, usability/satisfaction and motivation. Results conclude that tabletops represent a promising technology that can be applied successfully in educational contexts.
Dynamic State Estimation in Power System by Applying the Extended Kalman Filter With Unknown Inputs to Phasor Measurements

Availability of the synchronous machine angle and speed variables give us an accurate picture of the overall condition of power networks leading therefore to an improved situational awareness by system operators. In addition, they would be essential in developing local and global control schemes aimed at enhancing system stability and reliability. In this paper, the extended Kalman filter (EKF) technique for dynamic state estimation of a synchronous machine using phasor measurement unit (PMU) quantities is developed. The simulation results of the EKF approach show the accuracy of the resulting state estimates. However, the traditional EKF method requires that all externally observed variables, including input signals, be measured or available, which may not always be the case. In synchronous machines, for example, the exciter output voltage Efd may not be available for measuring in all cases. As a result, the extended Kalman filter with unknown inputs, referred to as EKF-UI, is proposed for identifying and estimating the states and the unknown inputs of the synchronous machine simultaneously. Simulation results demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the EKF-UI method under noisy or fault conditions, compared to the classic EKF approach and confirms its great potential in cases where there is no access to the input signals of the system.
Glomerular filtration rate measurement and prediction equations

Abstract Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is defined as the presence of kidney damage or a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 for three or more months. Measurement of serum creatinine is the most commonly used method to evaluated kidney function, but it must be included in formulas to estimate GFR, adjusting for age, gender and ethnicity, such as the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) study equation. The performance of this equation is acceptable for patients with CKD but appears to under-estimate GFR in populations with unknown kidney status. A new formula has been developed recently. The Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation appears to perform better than the MDRD equation. Cystatin C has been widely evaluated as a marker for GFR and seems to be more sensitive than creatinine. The aim of this review is to discuss the recommendations for detecting CKD, emphasizing the characteristics and limitations of GFR estimating equations and pitfalls in the evaluation of urinary albumin excretion. Clin Chem Lab Med 2009;47:1023–32.
A 2 year old with fever and cough

A previously well, fully immunised 2 year old boy presented to his general practitioner with a five day history of cough and fever. He was initially prescribed oral amoxicillin, which did not improve his condition. On examination, the patient was febrile, tachycardic, and tachypnoeic; he was also in respiratory distress and had markedly reduced air entry on the right side of the chest with stony dullness on percussion. Cardiovascular and abdominal examinations were unremarkable. Inflammatory markers were raised (white cell count 28×109/l−1 and C reactive protein 340 mg/l−1). A chest radiograph was taken (fig 1). ⇓ Chest radiograph (posteroanterior view) ### Short answers
Continuous-Flow Peritoneal Dialysis

Accessible online at: www.karger. com/journals/bpu The ideal peritoneal dialysis (PD) modality should have the following attributes: capability to provide optimal solute clearance and ultrafiltration, use physiologic and biocompatible solutions and materials, reduce or eliminate protein losses, reduce or eliminate infectious complications, limit procedural time for the convenience of the patient and have a cost compatible with current reimbursement. No such therapy exists at present, but the search for this ideal has revived interest in the continuous flow technique. Conventional PD modalities are based on the intermittent technique, characterized by the distinct flow phases of fluid infusion, dwell and full drainage of the solution. This is a simple and efficient process at low dialysate flow rates (DFR). However, as DFR increases, a point is reached when the fluid spends more time in transit into and out of the peritoneal cavity (nondialytic time) than in contact with the peritoneal membrane (fig. 1). At that point, the high DFR makes the technique ineffective and the clearances of small solutes begin to diminish. This observation was first reported by Boen [1], who found the optimal DFR at approximately 3 liters/h. The DFR at which clearances peak increases with higher peritoneal transport rates. Several investigators have studied this relation and reported optimal DFR in the range of 1.2–2.3 liters/h, depending on the patient’s peritoneal transport rate [2, 3]. Maximum dose enhancement requires high DFR using a continuous flow technique and two catheters for continuous maintenance of inflow and outflow of the solution. The mechanical principles of continuous-flow PD Fig. 1. Effect of dialysate flow rate (DFR) on dialytic efficiency with intermittent PD technique.
Hidden in plain sight: medical visit companions as a resource for vulnerable older adults.

BACKGROUND Sicker patients are less satisfied with the quality of health care they receive than their healthier counterparts. METHODS A sample of 12,018 community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries 65 years or older from the 2004 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey was studied. Multivariate regression was used to describe whether beneficiaries' self-reported satisfaction with their usual-care physician was related to the presence or functions assumed by visit companions. RESULTS Overall, 38.6% of beneficiaries reported being typically accompanied to routine medical visits. Accompanied beneficiaries were older, less educated, and in worse health than their unaccompanied counterparts. More than 60% of companions facilitated visit communication by recording physician instructions (44.1%), providing information regarding patients' medical conditions or needs (41.6%), asking questions (41.1%), or explaining physicians' instructions (29.7%). After controlling for sociodemographic and health differences, accompanied beneficiaries were more highly satisfied with their physician's technical skills (odds ratio [OR], 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.30), information giving (OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.05-1.35), and interpersonal skills (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.03-1.35) than unaccompanied beneficiaries. Accompanied beneficiaries whose visit companions were more actively engaged in communication rated physician information giving (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.14-1.77) and interpersonal skills (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.05-1.59) more favorably. This relationship was strongest among beneficiaries with the worst self-rated health. CONCLUSIONS Visit companions are commonly present in older adults' routine medical encounters, actively engaged in care processes, and influential to patients' satisfaction with physician care. More systematic recognition and integration of visit companions in health care processes may benefit quality of care for a particularly vulnerable patient population.
The Guam Cycad Toxin Methylazoxymethanol Damages Neuronal DNA and Modulates Tau mRNA Expression and Excitotoxicity

As in Alzheimer's disease, brains of Guam Chamorros with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinsonism-dementia complex (PDC) contain intraneuronal-paired helical filaments composed of accumulated phosphorylated tau protein. Tau mRNA expression in rat neuronal cultures-normally modulated by glutamate-increases after treatment with the aglycone of cycasin, a cycad-derived toxin whose concentration in Chamorro food varies with disease incidence. Elevated Tau gene expression in vitro is coincident with increased cycasin-related DNA adducts and reduced DNA repair. Cycasin and endogenous glutamate may together promote the accumulation of tau protein and neuronal degeneration in Western Pacific ALS/PDC.
EVOLUTIONARY ADAPTATION TO TEMPERATURE II. THERMAL NICHES OF EXPERIMENTAL LINES OF ESCHERICHIA COLI

Groups of replicated lines of the bacterium Escherichia coli were propagated for 2,000 generations at constant 32, 37, or 42°C, or in an environment that alternated between 32 and 42°C. Here, we examine the performance of each group across a temperature range of 12‐44°C measuring the temperatures over which each line can maintain itself in serial dilution culture (the thermal niche). Thermal niche was not affected by selection history: average lower and upper limits remained about 19 and 42°C for all groups. In addition, no significant differences among groups were observed in rate of extinction at more extreme temperatures. Within the thermal niche, we measured the mean fitness of the evolved groups relative to their common ancestor. Increases in mean fitness were temperature specific, with the largest increase for each group occurring near its selected temperature. Thus, the temperature at which mean fitness relative to the ancestor was greatest (the thermal optimum) diverged by about 10°C for the groups selected at constant 32°C versus constant 42°C. Tradeoffs in relative fitness (decrements relative to the ancestor elsewhere within the thermal niche) did not necessarily accompany fitness improvements, although tradeoffs were observed for a few of the lines. We conclude that adaptation in this system was quite temperature specific, but substantial divergence among groups in thermal optima had little effect on the limits of their thermal niches and did not necessarily involve tradeoffs in fitness at other temperatures.
A Python based Approach to Enhance Security using Secret Sharing Scheme

Privacy of the information is one of the major issues in digital world. However it is responsibility of the owner of the information to secure it from disclosure and unauthorized access. The main motivation behind this protocol is to ensures individual privacy along with integrity of the information. To achieve such security requirements a sharing scheme formally known as secret sharing scheme is proposed. According to this well-known (k, n) threshold scheme at-least k shareholders must gather to regenerate the secret [2]. The Lagrange interpolation polynomial used to construct the shares for participants [3] in this proposed concept. Secret sharing is a method for distributing a piece of secrets amongst a group of individuals, each of which is allotted some share related to the secret. The secret can only be reconstructed according to its threshold value. Python is used to implement the concept of secret sharing scheme because of its ease of use and huge collection of functions, libraries and modules. It is easy to generate and use polynomials using python.
Global Mental Health

Mental health problems are the major cause of disability in the world and some 450 million people worldwide currently suffer from some form of mental disease or brain condition. On the other hand, almost half the countries in the world have no explicit mental health policy and nearly one-third have no program for coping with the rising tide of brain-related disabilities. There is also a severe lack of mental health personnel and facilities throughout the developing world. This book is a compilation of six articles and one report on mental health interventions in six developing countries on four different continents. The articles were published or accepted for publication in different peer-reviewed journals. In comparison to many theoretical and fancy academic reports and/or studies on global mental health, this book offers first a hand experiences on implementation of mental health projects around the world and is a useful resource for any organization and / or individual interested in global mental health issues.
A role for Q type Ca2+ channels in neurotransmission in the rat urinary bladder

1 In isolated bladder strips of the rat, a substantial component (46%) of the Ca2+‐dependent contractile response to electrical field stimulation (5 Hz) was resistant to combined block of both N and P type Ca2+ channels by ω‐conotoxin‐GVIA (300 nM) and ω‐agatoxin‐IVA (100 nM) respectively. 2 The resistant portion (non‐N, non‐P) was sensitive to ω‐conotoxin‐MVIIC (3 μM), which in addition to N and P also blocks Q type channels at this concentration. ω‐Conotoxin‐MVIIC administered alone, inhibited the neurogenic response to the same degree as that observed in the combined presence of ω‐agatoxin‐IVA, ωconotoxin‐GVIA and ω‐conotoxin‐MVIIC. 3 ω‐Agatoxin‐IVA (100 nM), a concentration that fully inhibits P type channels, had a negligible effect on the neurogenic response. Following blockade of N type Ca2+ channels with ω‐conotoxin‐GVIA (300 μM), ω‐agatoxin‐IVA (3 μM) (a concentration well above that used to block P channels, inhibits Q type channels, but spares N type channels), inhibited the residual response to the same degree as ω‐conotoxin‐MVIIC alone. 4 Results suggest that neurotransmission in rat urinary bladder is supported by both N and Q type Ca2+ channels.
Divergence in Cultural Practices: Tastes as Signals of Identity

Divergence is a fact of social life; people select different tastes to distinguish themselves from others and they abandon tastes when others adopt them. But while we know a great deal about conformity, it predicts convergence, and thus is less equipped to explain why people diverge. We suggest people diverge to maintain clear signals of identity. Our approach emphasizes that the meaning of signals is set at a social rather than individual level. Tastes gain signal value through association with groups or types or individuals, but become diluted when members of more than one type hold them. Thus different types of people will diverge in the tastes they select, and they will abandon tastes they previously liked when they are adopted by members of other social types.
Relevâncias da Experiência e Critérios de Potabilidade: conflito de interpretações sobre a água “boa” em uma localidade do Cariri

Este artigo apresenta uma analise dos usos e das percepcoes da agua em Granjeiro (CE), localidade que conta com uma interessante pluralidade de ofertas de aguas. Tal pluralidade permitiu que os granjeirences formulassem estrategias diversificadas para a sua utilizacao, dependendo da fonte, da localidade no municipio e da estacao do ano, ou ainda das experiencias sensoriais advindas do manejo das aguas e que levavam a atribuicao de adjetivos para cada tipo de agua e findaram por determinar seus usos. Estas variaveis sensoriais, no entanto, nao sao reconhecidas pelo servico tecnico de saneamento do estado, o que gerou desentendimentos. Para dar conta do descompasso entre moradores e responsaveis tecnicos pelas aguas, este artigo lanca mao de uma perspectiva fenomenologica que permite perceber como a proximidade com o manejo cotidiano das aguas ou o distanciamento dele define o tipo de verdade acionada pelos diferentes atores, ja que torna possivel compreender as praticas sociais em seu poder de constituicao de sentidos, que se processa no ir e vir entre acoes no mundo, percepcoes do mundo e verificacao de conhecimentos sobre o mundo. Viver em Granjeiro e lidar com as diferentes aguas produziram, esta e a nossa aposta interpretativa, antecipacoes proprias sobre suas qualidades e usos apropriados.
Food-Web and Ecosystem Structure of the Open-Ocean and Deep-Sea Environments of the Azores, NE Atlantic

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive intends to adopt ecosystem-based management for resources, biodiversity and habitats that puts emphasis on maintaining the health of the ecosystem alongside appropriate human use of the marine environment, for the benefit of current and future generations. Within the overall framework of ecosystem-based management, ecosystem models are tools to evaluate and gain insights in ecosystem properties. The low data availability and complexity of modelling deep-water ecosystems has limited the application of ecosystem models to few deep-water ecosystems. Here, we aim to develop an ecosystem model for the deep-sea and open ocean in the Azores exclusive economic zone with the overarching objective of characterising the food-web and ecosystem structure of the ecosystem. An ecosystem model with 45 functional groups, including a detritus group, two primary producer groups, eight invertebrate groups, 29 fish groups, three marine mammal groups, a turtle and a seabird group was built. Overall data quality measured by the pedigree index was estimated to be higher than the mean value of all published models. Therefore, the model was built with source data of an overall reasonable quality, especially considering the normally low data availability for deep-sea ecosystems. The total biomass (excluding detritus) of the modelled ecosystem for the whole area was calculated as 24.7 t km-². The mean trophic level for the total marine catch of the Azores was estimated to be 3.95, similar to the trophic level of the bathypelagic and medium-size pelagic fish. Trophic levels for the different functional groups were estimated to be similar to those obtained with stable isotopes and stomach contents analyses, with some exceptions on both ends of the trophic spectra. Omnivory indices were in general low, indicating prey speciation for the majority of the groups. Cephalopods, pelagic sharks and toothed whales were identified as groups with key ecological roles in the ecosystem. Due to concerns on the use of ecosystem models with low confidence in exploring management decisions and ecological theories, the current version of this model should only be use with caution until biomass estimates are validated with survey data or the model is fitted to time
Evaluation of drug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in retail poultry and beef.

There has been increasing concern on the emergence of multidrug-resistant foodborne pathogens from foods of animal origin, including poultry. The current study aimed to evaluate antibiotic-resistant Enterobacteriaceae from raw retail chicken/turkey parts (thigh, wings, breast, and ground) and beef meat (ground and chunks) in Middle Tennessee. Resistance of the collected Enterobacteriaceae to a panel of antibiotics was determined by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion test. Retail meats were also assayed for the presence of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli O157:H7. Two hundred thirty-seven samples representing 95.2% of the total of 249 samples tested were positive for Enterobacteriaceae. The level of contamination with Enterobacteriaceae in raw meats ranged from 3.26 log10 cfu/g to 4.94 log10 cfu/g with significant differences in counts among meat types (P < 0.05). Contamination was significantly greater (P < 0.05) in ground beef, beef chucks, ground chicken, chicken breast, and turkey wings (4.92, 4.58, 4.94, 4.75, 4.13 log10 cfu/g, respectively) than ground turkey and chicken wings (3.26 and 3.26 log10 cfu/g, respectively). Klebsiella oxytoca, Serratia spp. , E. coli, and Haffnia alvei were most prevalent contaminants at 27.4, 14.3, 12.1, and 11.4%, respectively. Resistance of the Enterobacteriaceae to antimicrobials was most frequent with erythromycin, penicillin, and ampicillin at 100, 89, and 65.8%, respectively. Few (2.7%) of the Enterobacteriaceae were resistant to chloramphenicol. Salmonella spp. , E. coli O157:H7, Morganella morganii, Yersinia enterocolitica, and Vibrio parahemolyticus exhibited multiple drug resistance. This investigation demonstrates that raw poultry and beef are potential reservoirs of antibiotic-resistant Enterobacteriaceae.
O incidente de resolução de demandas repetitivas no projeto do novo código de processo civil

O incidente de resolucao de demandas repetitivas consiste numa inovacao trazida no anteprojeto do novo codigo de processo civil. Segundo previsao legal, o novel instituto objetiva identificar demandas de massa com identica questao de direito que possam repetir-se ilimitadamente perante os tribunais patrios. Identificadas tais causas, fugindo da tradicao individual de cada uma ser submetida a um procedimento individual de julgamento, a solucao sera apresentada de forma coletivizada onde a decisao prolatada pelo orgao jurisdicional sera aplicada para todas as demais demandas repetitivas. Atraves de um procedimento instaurado diretamente no segundo grau, os legitimados ou o magistrado de oficio, requererao a afetacao do processo ao procedimento de julgamento repetitivo cuja competencia pertencera a um orgao especial do Tribunal, e, uma vez admitindo o procedimento, os demais processos identicos, serao suspensos ate o julgamento, pelo Tribunal, da materia de direito objeto da controversia. Pronunciando-se o Tribunal, a decisao dada naquele caso em concreto servira para todos os demais casos com a mesma controversia juridica. A decisao dada pelo Tribunal vinculara todos os magistrados monocraticos que decidirao no mesmo sentido para todos os processos ate entao suspensos, bem como, toda vez que a questao se repetir no judiciario. Tal procedimento objetiva minimizar o enorme quantitativo de processos repetitivos, julgados caso a caso em todo o judiciario, possibilitando uma maior economia de tempo aos magistrados para debrucarem-se sobre questoes especificas ou de grande complexidade merecedoras de tratamento individual. O estudo a ser desenvolvido no presente trabalho pretende identificar o fenomeno da litigiosidade de massa e verificar a insuficiencia do processo individual e coletivo para enfrenta-lo. Posteriormente sera feito um estudo sobre uma nova visao do devido processo legal no fenomeno das demandas de massa e a aplicacao do precedente jurisprudencial no direito brasileiro devido a proximidade do nosso sistema com o common law. Por fim, sera analisado o novel incidente e as tecnicas de julgamento em grupo por ele introduzidas.
Occurrence of novel groups of the domain Bacteria as revealed by analysis of genetic material isolated from an Australian terrestrial environment

A molecular ecological study was performed on an Australian soil sample to unravel a substantial portion of the bacterial diversity. A large fragment of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified, using DNA isolated by lysing the microorganisms directly within the soil matrix, and a clone library was generated. Comparative sequence analysis of 30 clones and dot blot hybridization of 83 additional clones with defined oligonucleotide probes revealed the presence of three major groups of prokaryotes of the domain Bacteria. The first one comprises 57 clones that indicate relatives of nitrogen-fixing bacteria of the alpha-2 subclass of the class Proteobacteria; the second group of 7 clones originates from members of the order Planctomycetales that, however, reveal no close relationship to any of the described Planctomycetales species; 22 clones of the third group are indicative of members of a novel main line of descent, sharing a common ancestry with members of planctomycetes and chlamydiae.