Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A method for spark rejection in ultraviolet flame detectors

A novel method is presented to render ultraviolet (UV) flame detectors insensitive to ignition spark radiation. The method involves isolating the signal due to the sparks from the UV sensor output and subtracting a DC signal proportional to it from the output of the flame detector sensor system. A practical demonstration of the method is given using a commercially available UV flame detector with the addition of an analog circuit to perform the necessary signal processing. A selectivity improvement to spark radiation of greater than 130 has been obtained. The method is robust in that it is independent of the distance between the light source and the flame detector and has been designed to work with different spark generators found on the market. The analog circuit is simple, requiring few components, thus ensuring rugged, fail-safe operation and low cost.
RELACIONAMENTO DE MICRO E PEQUENAS EMPRESAS COM O MARKETING E AS ESTRATÉGIAS UTILIZADAS PARA ATRAÇÃO DE CLIENTES

Small companies have great importance in the Brazilian scenario, contributing to the economy both locally and nationally. In this respect, they present differences in relation to their characteristics when compared to large organizations, such as marketing, which has its particularities of application and strategies, offering advantages and also disadvantages for smaller companies. Therefore, this article aimed to understand how the microenterprises and small businesses of the center of Presidente Prudente-SP relate to marketing and identify the strategies that are being used to attract customers. To do so, we used exploratory research and interviews were also conducted with some organizations that fit the study. With the results, it is expected that these can serve as a study object to outline strategies for establishments with similar characteristics. The findings revealed that in general, micro and small businesses have an informal relationship with marketing and apply it intuitively.
Implementation of wide range soil moisture profile probe by coplanar plate capacitor on film substrate

In this paper, we present a suitable electrode design for capacitive sensor for low-cost soil moisture profile probes. The probe can be implemented in quite low cost because it only requires single-side conductive patterns on PET film. Although inter-digital capacitor (IDC) is commonly used for coplanar capacitive sensor since it can sense wider area with sufficient accuracy, particularly for profile probe, narrower sensing area is preferred in order to observe capacitance on each depth. Coplanar plate capacitor (CPC) can focus on soil moisture on each profile level thanks to its single gap design so we conclude the CPC should be suitable for profile probes. We confirmed that CPC has almost identical or even better performance compared to IDC. In addition to that, CPC has an advantage that it has less sensitivity degradation with thick protective coating than IDC.
U.S. insurance industry perspectives on global climate change

Author(s): Mills, Evan | Abstract: The insurance industry stands to be impacted by global climate change, and also has considerable opportunity for participating in mitigation and adaptation. Weather-related events touch almost all types of insurance providers, although the degree of vulnerability varies substantially. U.S. insurers currently pay 60% of global losses from weather-related natural catastrophes, and these types of losses are expected to rise as a result of climate change. The effects of increased losses can lead to upward pressure on insurance reserves and prices, the sensitivity of insurers' stock prices to major weather-related events, and an increasing number of insolvencies. This study found that the U.S.insurance industry is particularly vulnerable to climate change, yet firms have assumed positions on all points of the public policy compass and a range of barriers serve to impede their involvement in the issue. The fact that insurers transfer such risks to consumers, the capital markets, and the government sector represents an important public policy issue if such risks rise in the future. The continued insurability of such risks is a central question, especially given that most experts project increases in extreme events going forward.
Apoptosis Imaging Probe Predicts Early Chemotherapy Response in Preclinical Models: A Comparative Study with 18F-FDG PET

Previously, we reported a small-molecular-weight peptide, single amino acid chelae(99mTc)-conjugated phosphatidylserine-binding peptide (SAAC(99mTc)-PSBP-6), with high binding affinity to phosphatidylserine on the surface of apoptotic cells. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of SAAC(99mTc)-PSBP-6 in detecting apoptosis induced by chemotherapy. Methods: B16/F10 melanoma and 38C13 lymphoma tumor models were used in this study. For each type of tumor model, mice were divided into a group treated for imaging (treated group [TG]) and a control group that was not treated (nontreated group [N-TG]). In the TG, mice bearing murine B16/F10 melanoma received a single dose of intravenous polymeric paclitaxel (equivalent dose, 80 mg/kg), and mice bearing 38C13 xenografts received intraperitoneal cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg). Mice in the N-TG were given the same volume of saline. γ-imaging 4 h after intravenous injection of SAAC(99mTc)-PSBP-6 and small-animal PET 1 h after intravenous injection of 18F-FDG were performed before chemotherapy and at 1 d after chemotherapy. On day 1, immediately after the apoptosis imaging sessions, 3 mice each in the TGs and N-TGs were killed, and tumor tissues were excised for hematoxylin and eosin histology, autoradiography, and immunohistochemical staining using anti–active caspase 3 and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL). The tumor volumes in the remaining mice (n = 5/group) were measured every other day for 7 d. Results: In both tumor models, the uptake of SAAC(99mTc)-PSBP-6 increased significantly on day 1 after treatment, whereas 18F-FDG uptake decreased significantly during the same time. The mean tumor uptake values for SAAC(99mTc)-PSBP-6 increased 142.4% ± 36.9% and 112% ± 42.9% in 38C13 and B16/F10 tumors, respectively (both P < 0.05, pretreatment vs. day 1 after treatment). The mean tumor uptake value for 18F-FDG decreased 67.36% ± 17.52% and 62.82% ± 4.53% in 38C13 and B16/F10 tumors, respectively. The uptake of SAAC(99mTc)-PSBP-6 negatively correlated with 18F-FDG (r = –0.79, P < 0.05). Treated tumors had smaller volumes than untreated controls, treated tumors had significantly higher numbers of apoptotic cells, and tumor uptake of SAAC(99mTc)-PSBP-6 correlated with the number of TUNEL-positive cells. Conclusion: SAAC(99mTc)-PSBP-6 γ-imaging is useful for the early assessment of treatment-induced apoptosis and, thus, may be used as a substitute for 18F-FDG PET for assessing early treatment response.
Recommendations from the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS) regarding computed tomography screening for lung cancer in Europe

In order to provide recommendations regarding implementation of computed tomography (CT) screening in Europe the ESTS established a working group with eight experts in the field. On a background of the current situation regarding CT screening in Europe and the available evidence, ten recommendations have been prepared that cover the essential aspects to be taken into account when considering implementation of CT screening in Europe. These issues are: (i) Implementation of CT screening in Europe, (ii) Participation of thoracic surgeons in CT screening programs, (iii) Training and clinical profile for surgeons participating in screening programs, (iv) the use of minimally invasive thoracic surgery and other relevant surgical issues and (v) Associated elements of CT screening programs (i.e. smoking cessation programs, radiological interpretation, nodule evaluation algorithms and pathology reports). Thoracic Surgeons will play a key role in this process and therefore the ESTS is committed to providing guidance and facilitating this process for the benefit of patients and surgeons.
Quantitative approach of diffusion-weighted imaging apparent diffusion coefficient concerning characterization of benign cranial meningiomas

The objective of this paper is to report a quantitative assessment of the data obtained in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI) sequence in order to establish the specific values of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) for meningiomas. Furthermore, the study aims to identify the benign ADC spectrum of this brain tumor and to analyse the further benefits of DWI quantification usage in the follow-up protocol. The methods used to achieve those purposes included scanning a number of 44 meningiomas, post-processing of DWI and calculation of ADC values. Our results suggest that typical meningiomas' ADC numbers range between 0.636–1.034 × 10−3 mm/s2 (mean 0.838 × 10−3mm/s2). Also, as an incidental finding, this research concludes that age and gender prove to be important factors because only in patients over 40 years old this pathology was detected and female subjects were more prone to develop meningiomas.
Two-stage box connectivity algorithm for optical character recognition

The box connectivity approach (BCA) uses a regular grid to partition the character bitmap into n /spl times/ n boxes. The bitmap is then represented by a graph whose vertices and edges correspond to the boxes and their connectivity. The adjacency matrices of the graphs are represented by two binary matrices of lower size: one for the vertical and one for the horizontal connections. A third binary matrix is used to represent pixel densities in each of the boxes. Hamming distances are used for multicriterion classification of the corresponding binary vectors: only noninferior (Pareto optimal) vectors are retained. Size of the character image and first order Markov chain model of the adjacent characters are used to disambiguate noninferior characters in the second stage of the algorithm. <<ETX>>
Using distraction to reduce venepuncture pain and distress in school aged children : the role of the parents', nurses' and the child's voice: a review of the literature.

ii Dedication . iii Acknowledgements . iv Chapter One . 1 Personal Interest . 1 Purpose of this Literature Review . 2 Research Strategy . 2 Chapter Two . 5 Background . 5 Distraction . 10 Chapter Three . 13 Passive Distraction . 13 Active Distraction . 17 Chapter Four . 27 Parent’s Wishes . 27 The Parents’ Role . 28 The Nurses’ Role . 31 Factors that Influence or Hinder Nurses’ Use of Distraction . 31 Nursing knowledge. 31 Clinical experience. 33 Time. 33 Chapter Five . 35 Child’s Voice . 36 The Value of Participation . 37 Children’s Rights to Participate . 37 Decision-Making . 38 Barriers in Decision-Making . 40 Recommendations Going Forward . 40 Conclusion . 41 References . 43
Fast Whole-Body Assessment of Metastatic Disease Using a Novel Magnetic Resonance Imaging System: Initial Experiences

Objective:The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical use of a novel whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system for comprehensive assessment of tumor spread in clinical routine. Material and Methods:Sixty-five patients with different tumors with known metastatic disease and 6 healthy volunteers were included. High-resolution MRI from head to toe was performed using multiple phased-array surface coil elements, 24 independent receiver channels, and an integrated parallel acquisition technique (iPAT). A total room time of less than 60 minutes was required. Whole-body MRI and conventional spiral computed tomography (CT) were independently evaluated and compared in terms of feasibility, location/number of detected metastases, and therapeutic relevance. Results:Whole-body MRI was successfully performed in 68 of 71 subjects. Compared with CT, more metastases were detected by MRI in 11 of 63 patients (17%), particularly in brain, liver, spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow, muscle, and subcutaneous fat tissue. According to these findings, therapy had to be modified in 6 of 63 patients (10%). Conclusions:High-resolution whole-body MRI is feasible in clinical routine within 1 single examination and offers great potential for fast assessment of individual tumor spread and total tumor burden.
A Game-Theoretic Based QoS-Aware Capacity Management for Real-Time EdgeIoT Applications

More and more real-time IoT applications such as smart cities or autonomous vehicles require big data analytics with reduced latencies. However, data streams produced from distributed sensing devices may not suffice to be processed traditionally in the remote cloud due to: (i) longer Wide Area Network (WAN) latencies and (ii) limited resources held by a single Cloud. To solve this problem, a novel Software-Defined Network (SDN) based InterCloud architecture is presented for mobile edge computing environments, known as EdgeIoT. An adaptive resource capacity management approach is proposed to employ a policy-based QoS control framework using principles in coalition games with externalities. To optimise resource capacity policy, the proposed QoS management technique solves, adaptively, a lexicographic ordering bi-criteria Coalition Structure Generation (CSG) problem. It is an onerous task to guarantee in a deterministic way that a real-time EdgeIoT application satisfies low latency requirement specified in Service Level Agreements (SLA). CloudSim 4.0 toolkit is used to simulate an SDN-based InterCloud scenario, and the empirical results suggest that the proposed approach can adapt, from an operational perspective, to ensure low latency QoS for real-time EdgeIoT application instances.
Number 10 / 51 STOCHSIMGPU Parallel stochastic simulation for the Systems Biology Toolbox 2 for MATLAB by

Motivation: The importance of stochasticity in biological systems is becoming increasingly recognised and the computational cost of biologically realistic stochastic simulations urgently requires development of efficient software. We present a new software tool STOCHSIMGPU which exploits graphics processing units (GPUs) for parallel stochastic simulations of biological/chemical reaction systems and show that significant gains in efficiency can be made. It is integrated into MATLAB and works with the Systems Biology Toolbox 2 (SBTOOLBOX2) for MATLAB. Results: The GPU-based parallel implementation of the Gillespie stochastic simulation algorithm (SSA), the logarithmic direct method (LDM), and the next reaction method (NRM) is approximately 85 times faster than the sequential implementation of the NRM on a central processing unit (CPU). Using our software does not require any changes to the user’s models, since it acts as a direct replacement of the stochastic simulation software of the SBTOOLBOX2. Availability: The software is open source under the GPL v3 and available at http://people.maths.ox.ac.uk/̃ klingbeil/STOCHSIMGPU. The website also contains supplementary information. Contact: klingbeil@maths.ox.ac.uk
Kinetics and mechanisms of recombinant human interleukin 1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced changes in circulating numbers of neutrophils and lymphocytes.

Human recombinant interleukins 1 alpha and 1 beta (rIL-1 alpha and -1 beta) both induced monophasic peripheral neutrophilia and lymphopenia in Lewis rats 1.5 hr after i.v. injection. The kinetics of rIL-1 alpha- and -1 beta-induced neutrophilia were similar to those induced by human monocyte-derived IL-1, IL-1 alpha, and IL-1 beta, and the peripheral neutrophilia was accompanied by a marked decrease in marrow neutrophils. Arachidonic acid metabolites are implicated as biochemical intermediates in the production of the neutrophilia but not lymphopenia, since indomethacin and dexamethasone both completely abrogated IL-1-induced neutrophilia but did not affect the IL-1-induced lymphopenia. Acetylsalicylic acid, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, did not inhibit IL-1-induced neutrophilia, suggesting that products of the lipoxygenase rather than the cyclooxygenase pathway of arachidonate metabolism may contribute to the neutrophilia. Human recombinant tumor necrosis factor-alpha (rTNF) administered i.v. to Lewis rats induced peripheral neutropenia, two peaks of neutrophilia, and lymphopenia. A wide range of doses of rTNF resulted in an initial neutropenia at 0.5 hr after injection followed by a first peak of neutrophilia at 1.5 hr and a second peak of neutrophilia at 6 hr. The initial neutropenia and the first peak of neutrophilia were not inhibited by pretreatment of rats with dexamethasone, indomethacin, or aspirin. The second peak of neutrophilia was inhibited by both dexamethasone and indomethacin, but was not at all inhibited by aspirin, suggesting that the second peak of neutrophilia is mediated by the release of endogenous cytokines, especially by IL-1, since exogenous IL-1-induced neutrophilia is also completely inhibited by dexamethasone and indomethacin but not by aspirin. The TNF-induced peripheral neutrophilia is also accompanied by a significant depletion of bone marrow neutrophils, indicating that the source of increased circulating neutrophils is, at least in part, via recruitment of marrow neutrophils. Systemic blood pressure was not affected by IL-1 or rTNF at the dosages employed, showing that the changes in circulating leukocyte subsets were not attributable to hemodynamic changes nor to the hemodynamic change-related release of adrenal hormones. Adrenalectomy did not alter the IL-1- or rTNF-induced neutrophilia or lymphopenia, also demonstrating that neither monokine mediates its hematologic effects on peripheral blood leukocytes via the release of adrenal hormones. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
On Frank-Wolfe and Equilibrium Computation ( Supplementary )

The celebrated minimax theorem for zero-sum games, first discovered by John von Neumann in the 1920s [14, 10], is certainly a foundational result in the theory of games. It states that two players, playing a game with zero-sum payoffs, each have an optimal randomized strategy that can be played obliviously – that is, even announcing their strategy in advance to an optimal opponent would not damage their own respective payoff, in expectation. Or, if you are not fond of game theory, the statement can be stated quite simply in terms of the order of operations of a particular two-stage optimization problem: letting ∆n and ∆m be the n− and m−probability simplex, respectively, and let M ∈ Rn×m be any real-valued matrix, then we have
15 MHz single element ultrasound needle transducers for neurosurgical applications

Image-guided surgery is today considered to be of significant importance in neurosurgical applications. However, one of its major shortcomings is its reliance on preoperative image data, which does not account for the intraoperative brain deformations and displacements that occur during surgery. In this work, we propose to tackle this issue with the incorporation of an ultrasound device within a biopsy needle that is commonly used as an interventional tool so as to provide immediate feedback to neurosurgeons during surgical procedures. In order to identify the most appropriate path to access a targeted tissue site, needle single element transducers that look both forwards and sideways have been designed and fabricated. Monolithic PZT plates and micro-moulded 1-3 piezocomposites have been adopted as the active materials for feasibility tests. Impedance analysis and pulse-echo testing have been carried out, demonstrating the functionality of the transducers at frequencies of ~15 MHz. The imaging capabilities of these transducers have been studied by wire phantom scans. Variations in the transducer properties as a result of the use of different active materials are discussed.
The enzymatic defect in essential pentosuria.

Abstract The enzyme defect in pentosuria has been assumed to be NADP-linked xylitol dehydrogenase, a specific enzyme found in mammalian livers. In the red blood cells of three homozygous pentosuric subjects, the activity of NADP-linked xylitol dehydrogenase was found to be subnormal. The enzyme has a Michaelis-constant value for NADP that is 10 to 20 times higher than that found in normal persons. In a heterozygous subject, two activities, one normal, one abnormal, appeared to exist. This study confirms by direct biochemical means the site of the metabolic defect in pentosuria.
Synthesis and function of ribonucleic acid polymerase and ribosomes in Escherichia coli B/r after a nutritional shift-up

The syntheses of stable ribosomal ribonucleic acid (RNA) and transfer RNA in bacteria depend on the concentration and activity of RNA polymerase and on the fraction of active RNA polymerase synthesizing stable RNA. These parameters were measured in Escherichia coli B/r after a nutritional shift-up from succinate-minimal to glucose-amino acids medium and were found to change in complex patterns during a 1- to 2-h period after the shift-up before reaching a final steady-state level characteristic for the postshift growth medium. The combined effect of these changes was an immediate, one-step increase in the exponential rate of stable RNA synthesis and thus of ribosome synthesis. This suggests that the distribution of transcribing RNA polymerase over ribosomal and nonribosomal genes and the polymerase activity are continuously adjusted during postshift growth to some growth-limiting reaction whose rate increases exponentially. It is proposed that this reaction is the production of amino-acylated transfer RNA and that is exponentially increasing rate results in part from a gradually increasing concentration of aminoacyl transfer RNA synthetases after a shift-up. This idea was tested and is supported by a computer simulation of a nutritional shift-up.
Expanding the Generation and Use of Economic and Financial Data to Improve HIV Program Planning and Efficiency: A Global Perspective

Cost information is needed at multiple levels of health care systems to inform the public health response to HIV. To date, most attention has been paid to identifying the cost drivers of providing antiretroviral treatment, and these data have driven interventions that have been successful in reducing drug and human resource costs. The need for further cost information, especially for less well-studied areas such as HIV prevention, is particularly acute given global budget constraints and ongoing efforts to extract the greatest possible value from money spent on the response. Cost information can be collected from multiple perspectives and levels of the health care system (site, program, and national levels), and it is critical to choose the appropriate methodology in order to generate the appropriate information for decision-making. Organizations such as United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, and other organizations are working together to bridge the divide between the fields of economics and HIV program implementation by accelerating the collection of cost data and building further local demand and capacity for their use.
In situ formation of protein-polymer conjugates through reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization.

(Figure Presented) A good place for rafting: Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was site-specifically modified with a reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agent and used in γ-radiation-initiated polymerization of oligo(ethylene glycol) acrylate. Well-defined polymer chains were formed at the RAFT agent conjugation site of BSA leading to the generation of BSA-polymer conjugates in situ. © 2007 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.