Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development and characterization of ZnO piezoelectric thin film on polymeric substrates for tendon regeneration

Atualmente, as lesoes de tendoes, nomeadamente lesoes parciais ou ruturas totais, sao casos prevalentes e debilitantes que afetam a qualidade de vida de varios individuos entre a populacao adulta de todo o mundo. Assim, a alta prevalencia de lesoes nestes tecidos representa elevados custos para os sistemas de saude de varios paises.Os tendoes sao tecidos que apresentam uma reduzida capacidade de auto-regeneracao em caso de rutura, desta forma e necessario recorrer a uma forma de tratamento que permita recuperar o mais rapido possivel a sua estrutura e funcionalidade. Atualmente, existem diferentes abordagens de tratamento destas lesoes, como a cirurgia e os enxertos que se revelam frequentemente ineficazes. Assim, surge a necessidade de encontrar uma nova solucao de tratamento capaz de ultrapassar todas estas desvantagens. Consequentemente, nos ultimos anos, varios scaffolds fibrosos naturais ou sinteticos tem sido estudados para substituirem tendoes que sofreram rutura total. Alguns destes scaffolds, apesar de apresentarem propriedades mecânicas similares as dos tendoes, ainda assim falham no seu desempenho e integracao a longo prazo, apresentando falta de bioatividade.A piezoeletricidade desempenha um papel significativo em varios fenomenos fisiologicos.A utilizacao de materiais piezoeletricos em scaffolds tem vindo a crescer de interesse devido principalmente ao seu potencial em estimular eletricamente as celulas. Esta estimulacao promove a formacao de tecidos.Desta forma, o presente trabalho tem como objectivo desenvolver um revestimento piezoeletrico para ser aplicado num scaffold, recentemente desenvolvido pelo grupo de investigacao em que este trabalho se insere e que apresenta um bom desempenho mecânico mas possui baixa bioatividade.Pretende-se com este trabalho atingir os seguintes objectivos:- Desenvolver filmes finos de ZnO com capacidade piezoeletrica atraves de tecnicas de deposicao;- Realizar a caracterizacao fisica e quimica dos filmes finos desenvolvidos; - Aplicar o filme fino no scaffold desenvolvido pelo grupo.No âmbito da unidade curricular "Preparacao da Dissertacao", no 1o semestre do segundo ano, o aluno devera realizar uma pesquisa bibliografica com o objectivo de se enquadrar com a tematica em que ira trabalhar.No segundo ano, no âmbito da unidade curricular "Dissertacao", diferentes tarefas sao propostas:- Otimizar as condicoes de deposicao de forma a obter um filme piezoeletrico;- Caracterizar fisica e quimicamente os filmes obtidos;- Obter os coeficientes de piezoeletricidade dos filmes obtidos;- Realizar testes de adesao nos filmes obtidos;- Depositar os filmes piezoeletricos nas estruturas 3D desenvolvidas pelo grupo.Este projecto de dissertacao sera realizado nas instalacoes da FEUP e Universidade do Minho (Guimaraes). Co-orientador (nome e e_mail): Armando Ferreira; q9142@fisica.uminho. pt (UM)
Towards Theoretical Foundations of Clustering

Clustering is a central unsupervised learning task with a wide variety of applications. Unlike in supervised learning, different clustering algorithms may yield dramatically different outputs for the same input sets. As such, the choice of algorithm is crucial. When selecting a clustering algorithm, users tend to focus on cost-related considerations, such as running times, software purchasing costs, etc. Yet differences concerning the output of the algorithms are a more primal consideration. We propose an approach for selecting clustering algorithms based on differences in their input-output behaviour. This approach relies on identifying significant properties of clustering algorithms and classifying algorithms based on the properties that they satisfy. We begin with Kleinberg’s impossibility result, which relies on concise abstract properties that are well-suited for our approach. Kleinberg showed that three specific properties cannot be satisfied by the same algorithm. We illustrate that the impossibility result is a consequence of the formalism used, proving that these properties can be formulated without leading to inconsistency in the context of clustering quality measures or algorithms whose input requires the number of clusters. Combining Kleinberg’s properties with newly proposed ones, we provide an extensive propertybase classification of common clustering paradigms. We use some of these properties to provide a novel characterization of the class of linkage-based algorithms. That is, we distil a small set of properties that uniquely identify this family of algorithms. Lastly, we investigate how the output of algorithms is affected by the addition of small, potentially adversarial, sets of points. We prove that given clusterable input, the output of k-means is robust to the addition of a small number of data points. On the other hand, clusterings produced by many well-known methods, including linkage-based techniques, can be changed radically by adding a small number of elements.
Antidepressant augmentation: conclusions and recommendations.

From the Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York (Dr. Sussman), and the Department of Psychiatry, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario (Dr. Joffe). Presented at the symposium “Augmentation of Antidepressant Medication,” February 6, 1997, New York, N.Y. , which was supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Bristol-Myers Squibb. Reprint requests to: Norman Sussman, M.D., New York University School of Medicine, 20 East 68th Street, Suite 204, New York, NY 10021. A long history of use or have recently become more widely cited in the literature and are used increasingly in clinical practice. These strategies to augment inadequate antidepressant response include the adjunct use of lithium, thyroid, anxiolytics, pindolol, anticonvulsants, dopamine agonists, stimulants, and supplemental antidepressants. In their articles, the authors conclude that each of the strategies they reviewed has been shown to enhance the response to antidepressant drugs. There is, however, no basis to conclude that any one strategy is more often effective than the others. As Joffe (this supplement) points out in his discussion, “there is no evidence to guide the decision about which augmentation strategy is preferable at which stage of treatment or which may be particularly useful in a particular patient group or subtype of depression. ” The absence of controlled trials that directly compare the treatments makes it difficult to rank the options in an algorithmic fashion. Based on the literature, all interventions might be effective in up to about 60% of cases, or be no more effective than placebo. This is evident for the beststudied add-on agents, lithium and thyroid. In the nine placebo-controlled studies of lithium augmentation reviewed by Rouillon and Gorwood in this supplement, three were inconclusive. A review of open studies of T3 response rates by Joffe shows that the results have varied from as low as 25% to almost 100%. A critical review of lithium and thyroid augmentation concluded that efficacy was not supported by the clinical trials, mainly due to methodological considerations. There are, nevertheless, differences in each approach with respect to safety and tolerability. In the absence of a well-established augmentation algorithm based on efficacy, the significance of other factors becomes more prominent. Decisions about potential interventions need to be made with regard to the patient’s clinical status and the benefits and risks associated with each add-on agent. Thus, to provide some basis for selecting one strategy, certain factors need to be considered. These include:
A Body Shape Index Versus Body Mass Index in the Assessment of Nutritional Status Among Egyptian Primary School Children Infected with Intestinal Helminthiasis

Background: School-age children are more predisposed and vulnerable to helminths infections which adversely affect their nutritional status. The A Body Shape Index (ABSI) has been developed as possible improved alternatives to BMI and WC in the assessment of nutritional status. Objectives: To detect the prevalence of helminths infections among school children and to assess nutritional status using ABSI and BMI parameters for them. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out. A total of 500 primary school children (age: 6-12 years) from two randomly selected rural and urban schools were enrolled in the study. One fecal sample was collected from each participant after their exposure to interview and anthropometric measurement. The coprological diagnosis was performed by three different methods; direct simple smear, simple precipitation and Kat-Katz techniques. Results: The overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 25.8%. Enterobius vermicularis, Hymenolepis nana then hookworm infection (39.5%, 38% then 22.5%) Infection was significantly associated with lower age, females, rural schools and among low social classes than others. There was a significant impairment of the anthropometric measures, especially weight, height and body mass index among infected children. ABSI showed higher AUC than BMI. Conclusions: School health programs should provide regular inspection, supervised school meals and health education.
MULTISPECTRAL IMAGING IN CULTURAL HERITAGE CONSERVATION

Abstract. This paper sums up the main contribution derived from the thesis entitled "Multispectral imaging for the analysis of materials and pathologies in civil engineering, constructions and natural spaces" awarded by CIPA-ICOMOS for its connection with the preservation of Cultural Heritage. This thesis is framed within close-range remote sensing approaches by the fusion of sensors operating in the optical domain (visible to shortwave infrared spectrum). In the field of heritage preservation, multispectral imaging is a suitable technique due to its non-destructive nature and its versatility. It combines imaging and spectroscopy to analyse materials and land covers and enables the use of a variety of different geomatic sensors for this purpose. These sensors collect both spatial and spectral information for a given scenario and a specific spectral range, so that, their smaller storage units save the spectral properties of the radiation reflected by the surface of interest. The main goal of this research work is to characterise different construction materials as well as the main pathologies of Cultural Heritage elements by combining active and passive sensors recording data in different ranges. Conclusions about the suitability of each type of sensor and spectral range are drawn in relation to each particular case study and damage. It should be emphasised that results are not limited to images, since 3D intensity data from laser scanners can be integrated with 2D data from passive sensors obtaining high quality products due to the added value that metric brings to multispectral images.
Electricity Tariff Design and Implementation for the Smart Grid

The electric power system is one of the largest complex adaptive systems, yet its centralized electromechanical operation remains unaltered since its invention in the last century. This model used to be adequate for the previous decades. However, energy demand continuously increases and we will soon be unable to satisfy it with current technology. Additionally, there is a need for reduction in CO2 emissions. More specifically, in the U.K., the 2008 Climate Change Act mandates an 80% CO2 emission reduction by 2050. These facts will inevitably lead to the mainstream usage of renewable energy systems during the following years. Moreover, today's power system lacks transparency as customers have no way of monitoring and controlling their energy usage besides reading their monthly bills, communication is one-way, and there is no real supervision of the distribution system. All these factors led researchers to the quest for a new power system model, which was named the Smart Grid. This model is influenced by the World Wide Web, operating in a decentralized manner, with many producers and consumers of various generation capabilities and consumption patterns. Consumers are able to obtain real-time information on their energy and carbon footprints with the use of smart-metering devices but, most important, are capable of responding appropriately to signals they receive from the Grid. Along with the technical issues, a transformation of current business models is essential. Although electricity market deregulation has decreased wholesale prices, this change has not been perceived by final customers. This is due to the fact that most of electricity trading is performed through long-term contracts between generators and suppliers via risk management instruments so that customers can pay fixed prices no matter what is the true cost of delivery on behalf of the utilities. In this project we have made an effort to study customer bill savings for a variety of electricity tariffs on real data from a U.K. neighbourhood. New types of tariffs that have been previously applied to large industrial and commercial clients have been tested on a population of residential customer agents. To our knowledge, this is the first time that an agent-based simulation for this type of tariffs has been performed in the U.K. based on a realistic wholesale market setting. Our results show that both customers and suppliers could benefit from real-time pricing rates in terms of profit attained as well as corresponding risk.
Induction of thermotolerance through heat acclimation and salicylic acid in Brassica species

High temperature stress is the second most important stress, which can strike crop plants at any time and impose severe limitations on crop growth and development. Developing crop plants with improved thermotolerance can mitigate the adverse effects of heat stress. However, a thorough understanding of physiological responses of plants to high temperature and mechanisms involved for thermotolerance is imperative. Brassica is an important oilseed crop and its early sowing implies many important advantages. However, the crop sown early encounters high temperature stress, which causes a great yield lost. Many putative signaling molecules like SA, ABA, H2O2 and CaCl2 and heat acclimation have been found to be involved in inducing thermotolerance as well as in initiating the underlying signal transduction pathway for upregulating various genes involved in thermotolerace. In the present investigation, we observed the effects of heat shock, heat acclimation and SA in four genotypes of Brassica; TL15, PBT37, RL1359 and PBR210. Heat acclimation for 3 h at sublethal temperature and SA pretreatments at 10 and 20 iM for 2 h prior to heat shock were found to be effective in imparting thermoprotection at seedling stage, which is the crucial stage of plant establishment. These pretreatments helped seedlings to recover from heat stress by increasing seedling length, reduced electrolyte leakage and conferring membrane protection. Increased level of total soluble sugars, fresh/dry weight, and also increase in enzymatic activities of invertase, CAT, POX conferred thermotolerance. Further, enhanced expression of some new proteins including heat shock proteins (HSPs) was observed by both of the pretreatments through SDS-PAGE. We assume that heat acclimation and SA pretreatments induced thermotolerance and definitely play a role in initiating various mechanisms involved in overcoming high temperature limitations.
Multimedia Design and Production for Students and Teachers

Preface. 1. Freed from the Boundaries of Time and Space: Working with Multimedia Technologies. Alternative Aspects of Instructional Technology. Who this Book Is For. Multimedia Goes to School: Some Assumptions. Using This Book. Thought Provokers. 2. Creating Fresh Perceptions of the World: A Brief History of Multimedia. Multimedia: A Framework. Explaining the World: The Power of the Documentary. Animation from Z to A: Zoetropes to Anime. Audiovisual Tools Enter the Schools. From Gertie to Gigabytes. Thought Provokers. Feature I: Sources of Hard-to-Find Titles. Feature II: The Continuing Power of the Documentary. 3. A Multimedia Starter Kit: Motivation, Tools, Skills. The Multiples in Media: Some Things to Think About Before Starting. Planning. Fair Use Guidelines. Multimedia, Multiple Mediums: Software "War Horses. " Basic Design 101. Thought Provokers. 4. Digital Stills: Revealing the World With a Digital Gallery. A Photographic History and Esthetic. Making an Online Gallery. 5. The Mechanical Eye Becomes the Digital Eye: Revealing the World with Video. The Classic Steps: Pre-Production, Production, Post-Production. Making Digital Movies: Skills and Concepts. Digital Video Exercises. Movie-Making Reflections and Tips. A Culminating Video Project: Doing the Humanities with Digital Video. Thought Provoker. Feature: Using Video to Create Portraits: Team Building with Special Needs Children. 6. Living Pixels: Digital Animation. Theories and Methods of Animated Motion: How It Works and How to Make It Work. Drawing on the Computer. Animation Exercises and Projects. Information Sources and Ideas for Learning About Animation. Thought Provokers. Feature: Neighborhood Stories: A Claymation Project. 7. A Final Project and Vertov Revisited. Constructing Multimedia Mountains. Vertov Revisited. Thought and Project Provokers: Multimedia Ideas.
Methodology in Language Teaching: Listening in Language Learning

INTRODUCTION Listening is the Cinderella skill in second language learning. All too often, it has been overlooked by its elder sister: speaking. For most people, being able to claim knowledge of a second language means being able to speak and write in that language. Listening and reading are therefore secondary skills – means to other ends, rather than ends in themselves. Every so often, however, listening comes into fashion. In the 1960s, the emphasis on oral language skills gave it a boost. It became fashionable again in the 1980s, when Krashen's (1982) ideas about comprehensible input gained prominence. A short time later, it was reinforced by James Asher's (1988) Total Physical Response, a methodology drawing sustenance from Krashen's work, and based on the belief that a second language is learned most effectively in the early stages if the pressure for production is taken off the learners. During the 1980s, proponents of listening in a second language were also encouraged by work in the first language field. Here, people such as Gillian Brown (see, for example, Brown, 1990) were able to demonstrate the importance of developing oracy (the ability to listen and speak) as well as literacy, in school. Prior to this, it was taken for granted that first language speakers needed instruction in how to read and write, but not how to listen and speak because these skills were automatically bequeathed to them as native speakers.
Query Optimization for On-Demand Information Extraction Tasks over Text Databases

Many modern applications involve analyzing large amounts of data that comes from unstructured text documents. In its original format, data contains information that, if extracted, can give more insight and help in the decision-making process. The ability to answer structured SQL queries over unstructured data allows for more complex data analysis. Querying unstructured data can be accomplished with the help of information extraction (IE) techniques. The traditional way is by using the Extract-Transform-Load (ETL) approach, which performs all possible extractions over the document corpus and stores the extracted relational results in a data warehouse. Then, the extracted data is queried. The ETL approach produces results that are out of date and causes an explosion in the number of possible relations and attributes to extract. Therefore, new approaches to perform extraction on-the-fly were developed; however, previous efforts relied on specialized extraction operators, or particular IE algorithms, which limited the optimization opportunities of such queries. In this work, we propose an on-line approach that integrates the engine of the database management system with IE systems using a new type of view called extraction views. Queries on text documents are evaluated using these extraction views, which get populated at query-time with newly extracted data. Our approach enables the optimizer to apply all well-defined optimization techniques. The optimizer selects the best execution plan using a defined cost model that considers a user-defined balance between the cost and quality of extraction, and we explain the trade-off between the two factors. The main contribution is the ability to run on-demand information extraction to consider latest changes in the data, while avoiding unnecessary extraction from irrelevant text documents.
Evapotranspiration Estimation with UAVs in Agriculture: A Review

Estimating evapotranspiration (ET) has been one of the most important research in agriculture recently because of water scarcity, growing population, and climate change. ET is the sum of evaporation from the soil and transpiration from the crops to the atmosphere. The accurate estimation and mapping of ET are necessary for crop water management. Traditionally, people use weighing lysimeters, Bowen ratio, eddy covariance and many other methods to estimate ET. However, these ET methods are points or location-specific measurements and cannot be extended to a large scale of ET estimation. With the advent of satellites technology, remote sensing images can provide spatially distributed measurements. The satellites multispectral images spatial resolution, however, is in the range of meters, which is often not enough for crops with clumped canopy structure such as trees and vines. And, the timing or frequency of satellites overpass is not always enough to meet the research or water management needs. The Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly referred to as drones, can help solve these spatial and temporal challenges. Lightweight cameras and sensors can be mounted on drones and take high-resolution images on a large scale of field. Compared with satellites images, the spatial resolution of UAVs’ images can be as high as 1 cm per pixel. And, people can fly a drone at any time if the weather condition is good. Cloud cover is less of a concern than satellite remote sensing. Both temporal and spatial resolution is highly improved by drones. In this paper, a review of different UAVs based approaches of ET estimations are presented. Different modified models used by UAVs, such as Mapping Evapotranspiration at high Resolution with Internalized Calibration (METRIC), Two-source energy balance (TSEB) model, etc, are also discussed.
IN SILICO MOLECULAR DOCKING AND ADME/T STUDIES OF SELECTED COMPOUNDS OF SWERTIA CHIRATA (GENTIANACEAE) AGAINST TWO RECEPTORS OF TYPE 2 DIABETES.

Md. Nazmul Hasan 1 , Arkajyoti Paul 2,3 , Ramiz Ahmed Sultan 1 , Md. Tanveer Ahsan 1 And Mohammed Kamrul Hossain 1 . 1. Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Chittagong, Chittagong-4331, Bangladesh. 2. Department of Pharmacy, Atish Dipankar University of Science and Technology, Dhaka-1230, Bangladesh. 3. Drug Discovery, GUSTO A Research Group, Chittagong, Bangladesh. Manuscript Info Abstract . Manuscript History Received: 12 April 2019 Final Accepted: 14 May 2019 Published: June 2019