Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic Delay of Pulmonary Embolism in COVID-19 Patients

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a frequent, life-threatening COVID-19 complication, whose diagnosis can be challenging because of its non-specific symptoms. There are no studies assessing the impact of diagnostic delay on COVID-19 related PE. The aim of our exploratory study was to assess the diagnostic delay of PE in COVID-19 patients, and to identify potential associations between patient- or physician-related variables and the delay. This is a single-center observational retrospective study that included 29 consecutive COVID-19 patients admitted to the San Matteo Hospital Foundation between February and May 2020, with a diagnosis of PE, and a control population of 23 non-COVID-19 patients admitted at our hospital during the same time lapse in 2019. We calculated the patient-related delay (i.e., the time between the onset of the symptoms and the first medical examination), and the physician-related delay (i.e., the time between the first medical examination and the diagnosis of PE). The overall diagnostic delay significantly correlated with the physician-related delay (p < 0.0001), with the tendency to a worse outcome in long physician-related diagnostic delay (p = 0.04). The delay was related to the presence of fever, respiratory symptoms and high levels of lactate dehydrogenase. It is important to rule out PE as soon as possible, in order to start the right therapy, to improve patient's outcome and to shorten the hospitalization.
Total Scanning Fluorescence Characteristics and Implications of Shale Oil in the Lucaogou Formation, Jimsar Sag, Junggar Basin, NW China

The Lucaogou Formation in the Jimsar Sag is a typical lacustrine shale oil development area where the first large-scale shale oil field in China was discovered, and a large number of studies have been conducted on the genesis and distribution of the shale oil in this formation. However, few detailed studies have been conducted on the comparison between the characteristics of the hydrocarbons in the shale and the adjacent tight reservoirs in the same shale sequence package. In this study, the total scanning fluorescence (TSF) quantitative fluorescence technique, which has been rarely applied to and studied in the Lucaogou Formation in the Jimsar Sag, was used to conduct systematic quantitative fluorescence analysis of the shale, tight reservoirs, and crude oils in the Lucaogou Formation. The geochemical analysis was also carried out for all samples. The results revealed that the shale, tight reservoirs, and oils have similar single-peak TSF spectrograms, and different values of the TSF parameters in the Lucaogou Formation. The TSF parameters R1 and R2 values of the blocky shale, fractured shale, tight reservoirs, and produced oils are decreased successively. The TSF parameters can be used as indicators of hydrocarbon composition, physical properties, thermal maturity, migration, and oil-producing layers. The values of TSF parameters R1 and R2 are generally smaller in the upper section of the Lucaogou Formation (P2l2) than in the lower section (P2l1), indicating that the hydrocarbons in the upper section have better physical properties and higher thermal maturity. The distribution of TSF parameters R1 and R2 in the upper section of the Lucaogou Formation is relatively scattered, indicating that the hydrocarbons have undergone obvious lateral migration. Based on the TSF parameter comparison of core and oil samples, it was preliminarily determined that the shale oil in the upper and lower sections of the Lucaogou Formation was mainly produced from the tight reservoirs in the shale sequence. The results of this study provide new data and ideas for fine studies of the shale oil in the Lucaogou Formation in the Jimsar Sag.
Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke With a New Device-Skyflow: Study Protocol for a Prospective, Multicenter, Stratified Randomized, Single-Blinded, Parallel, Positive Controlled, Non-inferiority Clinical Trial

Background: Stent retriever thrombectomy is the standard treatment for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with large vessel occlusion (LVO) in anterior circulation. The aim of the trial is to evaluate whether the new thrombectomy device-Skyflow can achieve the same safety and efficacy as Solitaire FR in the treatment. Method: This study is a prospective, multicenter, stratified randomized, single blind, paralleled, positive controlled, non-inferiority clinical trial. The safety and efficacy of vascular recanalization in AIS patients who are treated with either a new thrombectomy device-Skyflow or with Solitaire FR and within 8 h of symptom onset will be compared. A total of 192 patients will be enrolled, each group with 96 patients. The primary endpoint is successful recanalization rate after the operation. The secondary efficacy endpoints are the time from artery puncture to successful recanalization (mTICI 2b-3), NIHSS scores of 24 h (18–36 h), and 7 ± 2 days after the operation, mRS scores, and the rate of patients with mRS 0–2 scores 90 ± 14 days after the operation, and the success rate of instrument operation. The safety endpoints are the rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) and subarachnoid hemorrhage at 24 h (18–36 h) post-operation, incidence of adverse events (AE) and serious adverse events (SAE), all-cause mortality, and incidence of device defects. Discussion: This trial will provide information on the safety and efficacy of Sky-flow stent retriever in the treatment of AIS patients with anterior circulation LVO. The success of this trial will be the basis for the product to be finally officially listed and applied in China. Trial registration: Registered on 11 March 2018 with Chinese clinical trial registry. Registration number is ChiCTR1800015166.
Contrasting Electroencephalography-Derived Entropy and Neural Oscillations With Highly Skilled Meditators

Meditation is an umbrella term for a number of mental training practices designed to improve the monitoring and regulation of attention and emotion. Some forms of meditation are now being used for clinical intervention. To accompany the increased clinical interest in meditation, research investigating the neural basis of these practices is needed. A central hypothesis of contemplative neuroscience is that meditative states, which are unique on a phenomenological level, differ on a neurophysiological level. To identify the electrophysiological correlates of meditation practice, the electrical brain activity of highly skilled meditators engaging in one of six meditation styles (shamatha, vipassana, zazen, dzogchen, tonglen, and visualization) was recorded. A mind-wandering task served as a control. Lempel–Ziv complexity showed differences in nonlinear brain dynamics (entropy) during meditation compared with mind wandering, suggesting that meditation, regardless of practice, affects neural complexity. In contrast, there were no differences in power spectra at six different frequency bands, likely due to the fact that participants engaged in different meditation practices. Finally, exploratory analyses suggest neurological differences among meditation practices. These findings highlight the importance of studying the electroencephalography (EEG) correlates of different meditative practices.
A Single Mutation in the Outer Lipid-Facing Helix of a Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Affects Channel Function Through a Radially-Propagating Mechanism

Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) mediate fast synaptic transmission and are crucial drug targets. Their gating mechanism is triggered by ligand binding in the extracellular domain that culminates in the opening of a hydrophobic gate in the transmembrane domain. This domain is made of four α-helices (M1 to M4). Recently the outer lipid-facing helix (M4) has been shown to be key to receptor function, however its role in channel opening is still poorly understood. It could act through its neighboring helices (M1/M3), or via the M4 tip interacting with the pivotal Cys-loop in the extracellular domain. Mutation of a single M4 tyrosine (Y441) to alanine renders one pLGIC—the 5-HT3A receptor—unable to function despite robust ligand binding. Using Y441A as a proxy for M4 function, we here predict likely paths of Y441 action using molecular dynamics, and test these predictions with functional assays of mutant receptors in HEK cells and Xenopus oocytes using fluorescent membrane potential sensitive dye and two-electrode voltage clamp respectively. We show that Y441 does not act via the M4 tip or Cys-loop, but instead connects radially through M1 to a residue near the ion channel hydrophobic gate on the pore-lining helix M2. This demonstrates the active role of the M4 helix in channel opening.
Buffering and prioritization in switches for fast processing table‐miss packets in software‐defined networks

In software‐defined networks, the switch forwards incoming packets according to forwarding rules recorded in the flow entries. When a switch receives a table‐miss packet, meaning no match with any flow entry, it sends this packet as a Packet‐In message to the controller for its further processing. Many Packet‐In messages will cause large overhead and long packet delay. This paper proposes a novel method, Packet‐In Buffering and Prioritization (PIBP), which buffers Packet‐In messages and prioritizes these messages to reduce the number of Packet‐In messages and accelerate their processing, respectively. The concept of PIBP is sending only the first table‐miss packet of each flow to the controller. The other table‐miss packets belonging to the same flow are temporarily stored in the switch. Moreover, these messages have a higher priority. That is, after the packet sent from the controller has been forwarded from the switch, the buffered packets belonging to the same flow are also immediately forwarded. We formally analyze the performance of PIBP with queuing theory. The analytical and simulation results show that PIBP can decrease the average delay of table‐miss packets compared with two typical methods, Priority Queue and Mismatched Packets Table.
Time to get serious about the detection and monitoring of early lung disease in cystic fibrosis

Structural and functional defects within the lungs of children with cystic fibrosis (CF) are detectable soon after birth and progress throughout preschool years often without overt clinical signs or symptoms. By school age, most children have structural changes such as bronchiectasis or gas trapping/hypoperfusion and lung function abnormalities that persist into later life. Despite improved survival, gains in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) achieved across successive birth cohorts during childhood have plateaued, and rates of FEV1 decline in adolescence and adulthood have not slowed. This suggests that interventions aimed at preventing lung disease should be targeted to mild disease and commence in early life. Spirometry-based classifications of ‘normal’ (FEV1≥90% predicted) and ‘mild lung disease’ (FEV1 70%–89% predicted) are inappropriate, given the failure of spirometry to detect significant structural or functional abnormalities shown by more sensitive imaging and lung function techniques. The state and readiness of two imaging (CT and MRI) and two functional (multiple breath washout and oscillometry) tools for the detection and monitoring of early lung disease in children and adults with CF are discussed in this article. Prospective research programmes and technological advances in these techniques mean that well-designed interventional trials in early lung disease, particularly in young children and infants, are possible. Age appropriate, randomised controlled trials are critical to determine the safety, efficacy and best use of new therapies in young children. Regulatory bodies continue to approve medications in young children based on safety data alone and extrapolation of efficacy results from older age groups. Harnessing the complementary information from structural and functional tools, with measures of inflammation and infection, will significantly advance our understanding of early CF lung disease pathophysiology and responses to therapy. Defining clinical utility for these novel techniques will require effective collaboration across multiple disciplines to address important remaining research questions. Future impact on existing management burden for patients with CF and their family must be considered, assessed and minimised. To address the possible role of these techniques in early lung disease, a meeting of international leaders and experts in the field was convened in August 2019 at the Australiasian Cystic Fibrosis Conference. The meeting entitiled ‘Shaping imaging and functional testing for early disease detection of lung disease in Cystic Fibrosis’, was attended by representatives across the range of disciplines involved in modern CF care. This document summarises the proceedings, key priorities and important research questions highlighted.
Experimental Analysis of Algebraic Modelling Languages for Mathematical Optimization

In this work, we perform an extensive theoretical and experimental analysis of the characteristics of five of the most prominent algebraic modelling languages (AMPL, AIMMS, GAMS, JuMP, and Pyomo) and modelling systems supporting them. In our theoretical comparison, we evaluate how the reviewed modern algebraic modelling languages match the current requirements. In the experimental analysis, we use a purpose-built test model library to perform extensive benchmarks. We provide insights on which algebraic modelling languages performed the best and the features that we deem essential in the current mathematical optimization landscape. Finally, we highlight possible future research directions for this work.
Deep Attention on Measurable and Behavioral-driven Complete Service Composition Design Process

The web service technology has still proved its effectiveness in the digital revolution we are facing. This success unfortunately raises more and more complex obstacles, particularly related to the service composition. The integration of Non-Functional Requirements (NFRs) in each step of service composition process, starting with abstract service composition specification to the generation of the verified and concrete composed services, represents one of them. Furthermore, this complexity remains more difficult when NFRs are addressed in both quantifiable (i.e. Quality of Service) and behavioral aspects. Despite the relevant contributions present in the literature, this challenge still remains an open issue when considering NFRs modeling, publishing, integrating with each other, and handling conflicts and dependencies in the whole composition’s lifecycle. As a consequence, we suggest this contribution that aims to propose an approach showing how to weave efficiently required NFRs with functional requirements in a complete lifecycle composition supporting specification, formalization, model checking verification and integration steps of desired concrete composite service. Patient Health Records in Regional and University Health Centers in Morocco is used as a case study to experiment our approach.
Challenges and Coping Strategies in the Uptake of the System of Rice Intensification Practices in Oluch Irrigation Scheme, Homa-Bay County, Kenya

System of rice intensification (SRI) is a novel technological approach aimed at improving rice productivity using environmental-friendly and cost-effective agronomic practices. Although its utility has been demonstrated in several settings in sub-Saharan Africa, its implementation is still considerably low. This study explored the challenges faced and coping strategies used by Kenyan smallholder farmers who contribute substantially to domestic rice production, in the uptake of SRI practices in rural setting in the western part of the country where it was previously been introduced. The study involved a survey of 101 smallholder rice farmers in Oluch Irrigation Scheme in Homabay County, to understand the challenges and coping strategies to the uptake of the system of rice intensification practices. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was done to guide in summarising the results using the SPSS package. The findings revealed that a host of challenges impede the acceptance of SRI in Oluch irrigation scheme, mainly insufficient knowledge, shortage Original Research Article Ouma et al.; JEAI, 42(12): 13-25, 2020; Article no.JEAI. 65581 14 and high costs of labour, weak stakeholder networks in the rice value chain; pests and diseases; and high cost of agricultural inputs to facilitate SRI. Notably, none of these challenges were overwhelmingly prevalent across majority of farmers, but that they were accosted by multiple complex and competing challenges limiting their opportunities for uptake of different SRI practices. It was observed that the nature and manifestation of these challenges necessitated the involvement of multiple actors in the rice value chain to address them. This formed the basis for a multi-stakeholder approach to address challenges that limited the implementation of new agricultural technologies, especially the utility of innovative approaches such as innovation platform to promote the uptake of SRI.
Continuity forest or second-generation forest? Historic aerial photos provide evidence of early clear-cutting in northern Sweden

Modern forestry, which mainly consists of clear-cutting, is one of the most important factors influencing today’s boreal forests. In Sweden, the breaking point for modern forestry is generally considered to be around 1950. Recently, our common knowledge of the implementation of clear-cutting in Sweden has increased, and new research indicates that clear-cutting systems were already applied before the 1950s. In this case study, we used aerial photographs from the 1940s to analyze the extent of contemporaneous clear-cuts and even-aged young forests in an area in northern Sweden. Our results show that almost 40% of the study area had already been clear-cut by the end of the 1940s, but also that clear-cutting had been applied to 10% of the forest land in the early 1900s. This implies that the historical development of forestry in northern Sweden is more complex than previously thought, and that certain proportions of the forest land were already second-generation forests in the 1950s. Our results have implications for the use of concepts such as “continuity forest”, suggesting that this concept should employ a time frame of at least 100 years.
The Economic and Environmental Benefits of Container Shipping in the Northern Sea route

ii Chapter 1: Introduction . 1 1.1 Background . 1 1.2 Research question and objectives . 3 1.3 Thesis Structure . 3 1.4 Problem and significance . 4 Chapter 2: Literature Review . 5 2.1 Shipping in the Arctic Circle . 5 2.1.1 Geography of the NSR . 5 2.1.3 Development of the NSR in the 21st Century . 6 2.2 Container shipping in the Arctic . 9 2.3 Container Shipping . 10 2.3.1 Economic benefactor . 11 2.4 The Demand for ocean liner transport . 12 2.5 Liner Strategies . 14 2.6 Liner costs . 15 2.5 The impact of ice thickness . 17 2.5. 1 Fuel costs, Emissions and Ice . 19 2.6 Ice the deciding factor . 21 2.6. 1 Creation of a loop based on ice conditions . 22 2.6. 2 Fuel Choice . 23 2.7 Theoretical Framework . 24 2.7. 1 VOYEX . 25 2.7. 2 Other costs . 25 2.7. 3 The Rationale for Scenarios . 26 2.7. 4 Concluding figure . 27 Chapter 3: Methodology . 28 3.1 Research Design . 29 3.2 The Data . 30 3.3 Data Analysis . 31 3.4 The models . 32 Chapter 4: Scenario development and Calculations . 34 4.1 Scenario 2020 . 34 4.1.1 Political . 34 4.1.2 Economic and Social . 34 4.1.3 Technological . 35 4.1.4 Environmental . 35 4.1. 5 Legal . 35 4.1. 6 Calculations Royal Road . 36
Marigold Blooming Maturity Levels Classification Using Machine Learning Algorithms

Image processing is swiftly progressive in the area of computer science and engineering. Image classification is a fascinating task in image processing. In this study, we have classified the marigold blooming maturity levels like a marigold bud, partial blooming marigold, and fully blooming marigold. To classify the marigold blooming maturity levels are a tough and time-consuming task for human beings. Hence, an automatic marigold maturity levels classification tool is very adjuvant even for experience humans to classify the huge number of marigolds. For the sake of that, we have deliberated a novel system to classify automatically marigold blooming maturity levels image data by using machine learning algorithms. There are three types of machine learning models namely Artificial Neural Network(ANN), Convolutional Neural Network(CNN), and Support Vector Machine(SVM) that are used to automatically classify marigold maturity levels. Hence, we have preprocessed the image at first. Then we extract the various features from the marigold images. After that, these features have fed into Machine Learning(ML) models and classify these images into the category. From the experiment, we observed that the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model provides a high accuracy compared to other Artificial Neural Network(ANN) and Support Vector Machine(SVM) algorithms. The Convolutional Neural Network(CNN) models performed the best among all two classifiers with an overall accuracy of 93.9%. Our proposed system is efficiently classifying marigold maturity levels
Modelling of two-phase flow in porous media including non-equilibrium capillary pressure effects

Two-phase flow models commonly use equilibrium capillary-pressure relations. However, in core-flow experiments the time needed to reach capillary equilibrium is already in the order of days. Some recently developed theories [1],[2] account for non-equilibrium capillary pressure at the (upscaled) macro-scale, by proposing that capillary pressure is a function of saturation rate. There is plenty of experimental evidence on the significance of non-equilibrium effects in unsaturated media. However, there are very few experiments dealing with two-phase flow. Recently we have carried out a number of two-phase flow experiments consisting both drainage and imbibition in a small column set-up. The experimental data clearly indicates the existence of a local non-equilibrium effect. In this study, we investigated the necessity to account for non-equilibrium capillary pressure effects at the local scale. Moreover, we tried to obtain qualitative agreement between our experimental data and the non-equilibrium model proposed by [2]. We first developed a numerical code in which we simultaneously solve for the wetting phase saturation, wetting phase pressure and non-wetting phase pressure by solving the wetting phase mass balances and the non-equilibrium capillary pressure relation. Next the numerical model is compared to the data of the non-equilibrium two-phase capillary pressure experiments. Qualitative agreement between the numerical model and the physical experiments is obtained, which appears not to be possible without the addition of the local non-equilibrium capillary pressure term. [1] Barenblatt, G.I. and A.A. Gil’man (1987), “Non equilibrium counterflow capillary impregnation”, Journal of Engineering physics, Vol 52, p.335ff [2] Hassanizadeh, S. M. and W. G. Gray (1993) “Thermodynamic basis of capillary pressure in porous media”. Water Resources Research, V29, No.10, 3389–3405.