pinecone/core-2020-05-10-deduplication huggingface dataset:
Image quality in CT: From physical measurements to model observers.

Evaluation of image quality (IQ) in Computed Tomography (CT) is important to ensure that diagnostic questions are correctly answered, whilst keeping radiation dose to the patient as low as is reasonably possible. The assessment of individual aspects of IQ is already a key component of routine quality control of medical x-ray devices. These values together with standard dose indicators can be used to give rise to 'figures of merit' (FOM) to characterise the dose efficiency of the CT scanners operating in certain modes. The demand for clinically relevant IQ characterisation has naturally increased with the development of CT technology (detectors efficiency, image reconstruction and processing), resulting in the adaptation and evolution of assessment methods. The purpose of this review is to present the spectrum of various methods that have been used to characterise image quality in CT: from objective measurements of physical parameters to clinically task-based approaches (i.e. model observer (MO) approach) including pure human observer approach. When combined together with a dose indicator, a generalised dose efficiency index can be explored in a framework of system and patient dose optimisation. We will focus on the IQ methodologies that are required for dealing with standard reconstruction, but also for iterative reconstruction algorithms. With this concept the previously used FOM will be presented with a proposal to update them in order to make them relevant and up to date with technological progress. The MO that objectively assesses IQ for clinically relevant tasks represents the most promising method in terms of radiologist sensitivity performance and therefore of most relevance in the clinical environment
Pharmacological stimulation of Edar signaling in the adult enhances sebaceous gland size and function

Impaired ectodysplasin A (EDA) receptor (EDAR) signaling affects ectodermally derived structures including teeth, hair follicles, and cutaneous glands. The X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (XLHED), resulting from EDA deficiency, can be rescued with lifelong benefits in animal models by stimulation of ectodermal appendage development with EDAR agonists. Treatments initiated later in the developmental period restore progressively fewer of the affected structures. It is unknown whether EDAR stimulation in adults with XLHED might have beneficial effects. In adult Eda mutant mice treated for several weeks with agonist anti-EDAR antibodies, we find that sebaceous gland size and function can be restored to wild-type levels. This effect is maintained upon chronic treatment but reverses slowly upon cessation of treatment. Sebaceous glands in all skin regions respond to treatment, although to varying degrees, and this is accompanied in both Eda mutant and wild-type mice by sebum secretion to levels higher than those observed in untreated controls. Edar is expressed at the periphery of the glands, suggesting a direct homeostatic effect of Edar stimulation on the sebaceous gland. Sebaceous gland size and sebum production may serve as biomarkers for EDAR stimulation, and EDAR agonists may improve skin dryness and eczema frequently observed in XLHED.PostprintPeer reviewe
Search for strong production of supersymmetric particles in final states with missing transverse momentum and at least three b-jets at √s = 8 TeV proton-proton collisions with the ATLAS detector

This paper reports the results of a search for strong production of supersymmetric particles in 20.1 fb[superscript −1] of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The search is performed separately in events with either zero or at least one high-p[subscript T] lepton (electron or muon), large missing transverse momentum, high jet multiplicity and at least three jets identified as originated from the fragmentation of a b-quark. No excess is observed with respect to the Standard Model predictions. The results are interpreted in the context of several supersymmetric models involving gluinos and scalar top and bottom quarks, as well as a mSUGRA/CMSSM model. Gluino masses up to 1340 GeV are excluded, depending on the model, significantly extending the previous ATLAS limits.European Organization for Nuclear ResearchUnited States. Dept. of EnergyNational Science Foundation (U.S.)Brookhaven National Laborator
From controversy to precision on the sigma meson: A review on the status of the non-ordinary f(0)(500) resonance

TThe existence and properties of the sigma meson have been controversial for almost six decades, despite playing a central role in the spontaneous chiral symmetry of QCD or in the nucleonnucleon attraction. This controversy has also been fed by the strong indications that it is not an ordinary quark-antiquark meson. Here we review both the recent and old experimental data and the model independent dispersive formalisms which have provided precise determinations of its mass and width, finally settling the controversy and leading to its new name: f_0(500). We then provide a rather conservative average of the most recent and advanced dispersive determinations of its pole position √ sσ = 449^(+22)_ (−16)−i(275±12). In addition, after comprehensive introductions, we will review within the modern perspective of effective theories and dispersion theory, its relation to chiral symmetry, unitarization techniques, its quark mass dependence, popular models, as well as the recent strong evidence, obtained from the QCD 1/N_c expansion or Regge theory, for its non ordinary nature in terms of quarks and gluons
Theory and practice in the construction of professional identity in nursing students : a qualitative study.

Background: The problem of nurses' professional identity continues to be seen in the disjunction between theoretical training and clinical placements. Moreover, it is not known how nursing students perceive these contradictions or how this discrepancy influences the construction of professional identity. Objective: To gain insight into nursing students' perception of their theoretical and practical training and how this training influences the process of constructing their professional identity. Design: Qualitative, ethnographic study. Participants/Settings: Third-year nursing students at the l'Escola Universitària d'Infermeria Vall d'Hebron de Barcelona. Methods: Participant observation was conducted in the hospital setting and primary care. Discussion groups were held. The constant comparative method was used for the analysis. The study adhered to the criteria of credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability. Results: Students believed that both theoretical and practical trainings were indispensable. Nevertheless, clinical placements were considered essential to confer sense to the theory and to shape their identity, as they helped student nurses to experience their future professional reality and to compare it with what they had been taught in theoretical and academic classes. The role of the clinical placement mentor was essential. With regard to theory, the skills developed in problem-based learning gave novice nurses' confidence to approach the problems of daily practice and new situations. Equally, this approach taught them to reflect on what they did and what they were taught and this ability was transferred to the clinical setting. Conclusions: For students, both strategies (theory and practice) are vital to nursing education and the construction of a professional identity, although pride of place is given to clinical placements and mentors. The skills developed with problem-based learning favor active and reflective learning and are transferred to learning in the clinical setting
QuadLab : a Project-Based Learning Toolkit for Automation and Robotics Engineering Education

It is frequently claimed that the students must have an active role in building and transforming their own knowledge, and the teacher's labor is to provide the students the necessary tools in order to reach specific learning objectives, included in a course program. This paper presents an aerial robotic system as a toolkit, and proposes a series of activities focused on the learning in automation and robotics. These proposed activities have been designed based upon the project-based learning methodology, and they facilitate the achievement of the learning objectives presented by Spanish automation committee(CEA) in conjunction with The International Society of Automation (ISA) to satisfy the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) standard. The toolkit and the activities are oriented to impulse the practical teaching, giving the student additional motivation and, in consequence, improving his or her active role. Besides, the toolkit and the activities give the teacher a tool in which it is possible to assess the students learning process.This work was supported by the Robotics
and Cybernetics Group at Technical University of Madrid
(Spain), and funded under the projects ROTOS: Multi-robot
system for outdoor infrastructures protection, sponsored by
SpainMinistry of Education and Science (DPI2010-17998), and
ROBOCITY 2030, sponsored by the Community of Madrid
(S-0505/DPI/000235)
Long-range angular correlations of π, K and p in p–Pb collisions at sqrt(sNN)=5.02 TeV

Angular correlations between unidentified charged trigger particles and various species of charged associated particles (unidentified particles, pions, kaons, protons and antiprotons) are measured by the ALICE detector in p–Pb collisions at a nucleon–nucleon centre-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV in the transverse-momentum range 0.3&lt;pT&lt;4 GeV/c. The correlations expressed as associated yield per trigger particle are obtained in the pseudorapidity range |ηlab|&lt;0.8. Fourier coefficients are extracted from the long-range correlations projected onto the azimuthal angle difference and studied as a function of pT and in intervals of event multiplicity. In high-multiplicity events, the second-order coefficient for protons, vp2, is observed to be smaller than that for pions, vπ2, up to about pT=2 GeV/c. To reduce correlations due to jets, the per-trigger yield measured in low-multiplicity events is subtracted from that in high-multiplicity events. A two-ridge structure is obtained for all particle species. The Fourier decomposition of this structure shows that the second-order coefficients for pions and kaons are similar. The vp2 is found to be smaller at low pT and larger at higher pT than vπ2, with a crossing occurring at about 2 GeV/c. This is qualitatively similar to the elliptic-flow pattern observed in heavy-ion collisions. A mass ordering effect at low transverse momenta is consistent with expectations from hydrodynamic model calculations assuming a collectively expanding system
The Process of Acetonitrile Synthesis over γ-Al[2]O[3] Promoted by Phosphoric Acid Catalysts

The influence of principal parameters (reaction temperature, ratio of acetic acid and ammonia, composition of reactionary mixture and promotion of catalysts) on the selectivity and yield of the desired product was studied in the reaction of catalytic acetonitrile synthesis by ammonolysis of acetic acid. The processing of [gamma]-Al[2]O[3] by phosphoric acid increases amount of the centers, on which carries out reaction of acetamide dehydration. The kinetic model of a limiting stage of reaction - the acetamide dehydration to acetonitrile was suggested. In the process of ammonolysis of acetic acid it was demonstrated that the use of catalysts promoted by phosphoric acid and ratio NH[3]:CH[3]COOH=(3-4):1 at temperatures of a reactor 360-390°С leads to the increase of acetonitrile productivity to 0.7-0.8 g/cm{3}·h and allows to minimize formation of by-products
A data-driven approach for qᵤ prediction of laboratory soil-cement mixtures

In this paper a new data-driven approach is proposed for uniaxial compressive strength (qu) prediction
of laboratory soil-cement mixtures. The proposed model is able to predict qu over time under different
conditions, e.g. different cement contents or soil types, and can be applied at the pre-design stage. This
means that the model can be applied previously to the preparation of any laboratory formulation. The
designer only needs to collect information about the main geotechnical soil properties (grain size,
organic matter content, among other) and select the binder composition to prepare the mixture.
Based on a sensitivity analysis, the key model variables were identified and its effect quantified. Thus,
it was caught by the model the most relevant variables in qu prediction over time and very high
prediction capacity with an overall regression coefficient higher than 0.95.The authors would like to express their thanks to CIMPOR, SIKA Portugal and CALCIDRATA for supplying the binders used in the work and to the institutions that supported the research financially: Universities of Minho and Coimbra, ISISE, CIEPQPF and ACIV
The genome sequence of the orchid Phalaenopsis equestris

Orchidaceae, renowned for its spectacular flowers and other reproductive and ecological adaptations, is one of the most diverse
plant families. Here we present the genome sequence of the tropical epiphytic orchid Phalaenopsis equestris, a frequently used
parent species for orchid breeding. P. equestris is the first plant with crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) for which the genome
has been sequenced. Our assembled genome contains 29,431 predicted protein-coding genes. We find that contigs likely to be
underassembled, owing to heterozygosity, are enriched for genes that might be involved in self-incompatibility pathways. We find
evidence for an orchid-specific paleopolyploidy event that preceded the radiation of most orchid clades, and our results suggest
that gene duplication might have contributed to the evolution of CAM photosynthesis in P. equestris. Finally, we find expanded
and diversified families of MADS-box C/D-class, B-class AP3 and AGL6-class genes, which might contribute to the highly
specialized morphology of orchid flowers.http://www.nature.com/nghb201
Recruitment of Cdc42 through the GAP domain of RLIP participates in remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton and is involved in Xenopus gastrulation

AbstractThe transduction pathways that branch out of fibroblast growth factor signaling are essential for the induction of the mesoderm and the specification of the vertebrate body plan. One of these pathways is thought to control remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton through the Ral binding protein (RLIP also known as RalBP1), an effector of the small G protein Ral. RLIP contains a region of homology with the GTPase-activating protein (GAP) domain involved in the regulation of GTPases of the Rho family. We demonstrate here that the GAP domain of RLIP is responsible for the stability of the actin cytoskeleton in Xenopus laevis embryos. We also demonstrate that the complete N-terminal domain of RLIP containing the μ2 binding domain (μ2BD) and the GAP domain induces disruption of the actin cytoskeleton when targeted to the plasma membrane. Neither domain, however, has any effect on the actin cytoskeleton when individually targeted to the plasma membrane. We also determined that Cdc42-GDP, but neither Rac-GDP nor Rho-GDP, rescues the effect of expression of the membrane-localized Xenopus RLIP on the actin cytoskeleton. We show that the GAP domain of RLIP interacts in vivo with Cdc42-GTP and Cdc42-GDP. Finally, a single mutation (K244A) in the GAP sequence prevented embryos from gastrulating. These results demonstrate that to participate in the control of the actin cytoskeleton, RLIP needs its complete N-terminal region coding for the μ2BD and the GAP domain. We suggest that RLIP, by coordinating two complementary mechanisms, the endocytosis of clathrin-coated pits and the remodeling of cortical actin, participates in the gastrulation process
Relationships, Expertise, Incentives, and Governance: Supporting Care Home Residents' Access to Health Care. An Interview Study From England

AbstractObjectivesTo explore what commissioners of care, regulators, providers, and care home residents in England identify as the key mechanisms or components of different service delivery models that support the provision of National Health Service (NHS) provision to independent care homes.MethodsQualitative, semistructured interviews with a purposive sample of people with direct experience of commissioning, providing, and regulating health care provision in care homes and care home residents. Data from interviews were augmented by a secondary analysis of previous interviews with care home residents on their personal experience of and priorities for access to health care. Analysis was framed by the assumptions of realist evaluation and drew on the constant comparative method to identify key themes about what is required to achieve quality health care provision to care homes and resident health.ResultsParticipants identified 3 overlapping approaches to the provision of NHS that they believed supported access to health care for older people in care homes: (1) Investment in relational working that fostered continuity and shared learning between visiting NHS staff and care home staff, (2) the provision of age-appropriate clinical services, and (3) governance arrangements that used contractual and financial incentives to specify a minimum service that care homes should receive.ConclusionThe 3 approaches, and how they were typified as working, provide a rich picture of the stakeholder perspectives and the underlying assumptions about how service delivery models should work with care homes. The findings inform how evidence on effective working in care homes will be interrogated to identify how different approaches, or specifically key elements of those approaches, achieve different health-related outcomes in different situations for residents and associated health and social care organizations
The Digital Competence as a Cross-cutting Axis of Higher Education Teachers’ Pedagogical Competences in the European Higher Education Area

AbstractThe European Higher Education Area (EHEA) establishes a new educational paradigm centered on student and learning. It involves fundamental changes in university professor's professional tasks, therefore, they should adapt their professional profile according to the new context demands, specially those derived from the impact of ICT over it. Fruit of the convergence of two research projects that combined diverse research tools and techniques in real HE contexts, we have reflected on our findings and conclusions to build a pedagogical competences profile for HE teachers, more adequate to the current context and new training scenarios, incorporating a set of digital competences that we found as cross-cutting axis, not only for the teaching role, but for the rest of the professional roles that rise up as relevant in the recent educational context drawn by the EHEA and the Knowledge Society (KS)
An EWS-FLI1-Induced Osteosarcoma Model Unveiled a Crucial Role of Impaired Osteogenic Differentiation on Osteosarcoma Development

SummaryEWS-FLI1, a multi-functional fusion oncogene, is exclusively detected in Ewing sarcomas. However, previous studies reported that rare varieties of osteosarcomas also harbor EWS-ETS family fusion. Here, using the doxycycline-inducible EWS-FLI1 system, we established an EWS-FLI1-dependent osteosarcoma model from murine bone marrow stromal cells. We revealed that the withdrawal of EWS-FLI1 expression enhances the osteogenic differentiation of sarcoma cells, leading to mature bone formation. Taking advantage of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology, we also show that sarcoma-derived iPSCs with cancer-related genetic abnormalities exhibited an impaired differentiation program of osteogenic lineage irrespective of the EWS-FLI1 expression. Finally, we demonstrate that EWS-FLI1 contributed to secondary sarcoma development from the sarcoma iPSCs after osteogenic differentiation. These findings demonstrate that modulating cellular differentiation is a fundamental principle of EWS-FLI1-induced osteosarcoma development. This in vitro cancer model using sarcoma iPSCs should provide a unique platform for dissecting relationships between the cancer genome and cellular differentiation
Revisiting leptogenesis in a SUSY SU(5)×T′ model of flavour

AbstractWe investigate the generation of the baryon asymmetry of the Universe within a SUSY SU(5)×T′ model of flavour, which gives rise to realistic masses and mixing patterns for quarks and leptons. The model employs the see-saw mechanism for generation of the light neutrino masses and the baryon asymmetry is produced via leptogenesis. We perform detailed calculations of both the CP violating lepton asymmetries, originating from the decays of the heavy Majorana neutrinos operative in the see-saw mechanism, and of the efficiency factors which account for the lepton asymmetry wash-out processes in the Early Universe. The latter are calculated by solving numerically the system of Boltzmann equations describing the generation and the evolution of the lepton asymmetries. The baryon asymmetry in the model considered is proportional to the JCP factor, which determines the magnitude of CP violation effects in the oscillations of flavour neutrinos. The leptogenesis scale can be sufficiently low, allowing to avoid the potential gravitino problem
Constraints on the I=1 hadronic τ decay and e+e−→hadrons data sets and implications for (g−2)μ

AbstractSum rule tests are performed on the spectral data for (i) flavor ud vector-current-induced hadronic τ decays and (ii) e+e− hadroproduction, in the region below s∼3–4 GeV2, where discrepancies exist between the isospin-breaking-corrected charged and neutral current I=1 spectral functions. The τ data is found to be compatible with expectations based on high-scale αs(MZ) determinations, while the electroproduction data displays two problems. The results favor determinations of the leading order hadronic contribution to (g−2)μ which incorporate hadronic τ decay data over those employing electroproduction data only, and hence a reduced discrepancy between experiment and the Standard Model prediction for (g−2)μ
A preconditioning approach to the pagerank computation problem

AbstractSome spectral properties of the transition matrix of an oriented graph indicate the preconditioning of Euler–Richardson (ER) iterative scheme as a good way to compute efficiently the vertexrank vector associated with such graph. We choose the preconditioner from an algebra U of matrices, thereby obtaining an ERU method, and we observe that ERU can outperform ER in terms of rate of convergence. The proposed preconditioner can be updated at a very low cost whenever the graph changes, as is the case when it represents a generic set of information. The particular U utilized requires a surplus of operations per step and memory allocations, which make ERU superior to ER for not too wide graphs. However, the observed high improvement in convergence rate obtained by preconditioning and the general theory developed, are a reason for investigating different choices of U, more efficient for huge graphs