Lung Ultrasound Score for Prediction of Surfactant Administration in Preterm Infants with Respiratory Failure.

Objective: We investigated the predictive value of a lung ultrasound score (LUS) for surfactant administration in a United States Level 4 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Study Design: Thirty infants born at <37 weeks gestational age with respiratory distress syndrome associated respiratory failure requiring continuous positive airway pressure were included. A LUS was obtained within six hours of life.

Frequency Instability Impact of Low-Cost SDRs on Doppler-Based Localization Accuracy.

In this paper, we explore several widely available software-defined radio (SDR) platforms that could be used for locating with the signal Doppler frequency (SDF) method. In the SDF, location error is closely related to the accuracy of determining the Doppler frequency shift. Therefore, ensuring high frequency stability of the SDR, which is utilized in the location sensor, plays a crucial role.

Modification of Simple Antenna Pattern Models for Inter-Beam Interference Assessment in Massive Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output Systems.

The occurrence of cross-beam interference in the received signal is one of the main problems that limit the possibilities of massive multiple-input-multiple-output technology (massive-MIMO) in fifth-generation (5G) systems. Thus, the evaluation of the level of this interference is one of the most important procedures in the spatial planning of currently wireless networks. We propose a novel modification of simple antenna pattern models, which is based only on changing the directivity of real antenna system patterns.

Predicting congenital syphilis cases: A performance evaluation of different machine learning models.

Background: Communicable diseases represent a huge economic burden for healthcare systems and for society. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a concerning issue, especially in developing and underdeveloped countries, in which environmental factors and other determinants of health play a role in contributing to its fast spread. In light of this situation, machine learning techniques have been explored to assess the incidence of syphilis and contribute to the epidemiological surveillance in this scenario.

Propagation Attenuation Maps Based on Parabolic Equation Method.

Modern wireless communication systems use various technological solutions to increase the efficiency of created radio networks. This efficiency also applies to radio resources. Currently, the utilization of a radio environment map (REM) is one of the directions allowing to improve radio resource management.

Comparing Social Robot Embodiment for Child Musical Education.

The present research focuses in the comparison of two social robot models running the same Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) applications targeting the context of music education for children aged 9-11, with the objective of underlying the design choices favored by the target audience on the running tasks. The Guitar Tuner consists of two main functionalities: tuning process and performance evaluation, which we implemented using the NAO and Zenbo robots. User evaluation included 20 children and assessed their perceived robot embodiment preferences (e.

Syphilis Trigram: a domain-specific visualisation to combat syphilis epidemic and improve the quality of maternal and child health in Brazil.

Background: The Brazilian healthcare system is a large and complex system, specially considering its mixed public and private funding. The incidence of syphilis has increased in the last four years, in spite of the presence of an effective and available treatment. Furthermore, syphilis takes part in a group of disorders of compulsory notification to the public health surveillance.

Radio Channel Capacity with Directivity Control of Antenna Beams in Multipath Propagation Environment.

The basic technology that will determine the expansion of the technical capabilities of fifth generation cellular systems is a massive multiple-input-multiple-output. Therefore, assessing the influence of the antenna beam orientations on the radio channel capacity is very significant. In this case, the effects of mismatching the antenna beam directions are crucial.

Malaria Trigram: improving the visualization of recurrence data for malaria elimination.

Background: Although considerable success in reducing the incidence of malaria has been achieved in Brazil in recent years, an increase in the proportion of cases caused by the harder-to-eliminate Plasmodium vivax parasite can be noted. Recurrences in P. vivax malaria cases are due to new mosquito-bite infections, drug resistance or especially from relapses arising from hypnozoites.

Inter-Beam Co-Channel Downlink and Uplink Interference for 5G New Radio in mm-Wave Bands.

This paper presents a methodology for assessing co-channel interference that arises in multi-beam transmitting and receiving antennas used in fifth-generation (5G) systems. This evaluation is essential for minimizing spectral resources, which allows for using the same frequency bands in angularly separated antenna beams of a 5G-based station (gNodeB). In the developed methodology, a multi-ellipsoidal propagation model (MPM) provides a mapping of the multipath propagation phenomenon and considers the directivity of antenna beams.

Modeling of Downlink Interference in Massive MIMO 5G Macro-Cell.

Multi-beam antenna systems are the basic technology used in developing fifth-generation (5G) mobile communication systems. In practical implementations of 5G networks, different approaches are used to enable a massive multiple-input-multiple-output (mMIMO) technique, including a grid of beams, zero-forcing, or eigen-based beamforming. All of these methods aim to ensure sufficient angular separation between multiple beams that serve different users.

Effectiveness of Mobile Emitter Location by Cooperative Swarm of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Various Environmental Conditions.

This paper focused on assessing the effectiveness of the signal Doppler frequency (SDF) method to locate a mobile emitter using a swarm of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Based on simulation results, we showed the impact of various factors such as the number of UAVs, the movement parameters of the emitter and the sensors on location effectiveness. The study results also showed the dependence of the accuracy and continuity of the emitter coordinate estimation on the type of propagation environment, which was determined by line-of-sight (LOS) or non-LOS (NLOS) conditions.

Impact of Within-Tree Organ Distances on Floral Induction and Fruit Growth in Apple Tree: Implication of Carbohydrate and Gibberellin Organ Contents.

In plants, organs are inter-dependent for growth and development. Here, we aimed to investigate the distance at which interaction between organs operates and the relative contribution of within-tree variation in carbohydrate and hormonal contents on floral induction and fruit growth, in a fruit tree case study. Manipulations of leaf and fruit numbers were performed in two years on "Golden delicious" apple trees, at the shoot or branch scale or one side of Y-shape trees.

Crucial role for pathology residents in laboratory self-inspection, a single Institute's experience.

Background: Training in patient safety, quality, and management is a key component of Graduate Medical Education (GME) training in all specialties. However, residency programs, especially Pathology programs, often find it challenging to create strong learning opportunities in these areas.

Objectives: Focused quality assurance (QA) projects are one approach to teach and engage trainees in these key areas.

Growth and carbon balance are differently regulated by tree and shoot fruiting contexts: an integrative study on apple genotypes with contrasted bearing patterns.

In plants, carbon source-sink relationships are assumed to affect their reproductive effort. In fruit trees, carbon source-sink relationships are likely to be involved in their fruiting behavior. In apple, a large variability in fruiting behaviors exists, from regular to biennial, which has been related to the within-tree synchronization vs desynchronization of floral induction in buds.

Different flowering response to various fruit loads in apple cultivars correlates with degree of transcript reaccumulation of a TFL1-encoding gene.

In many perennial fruit trees, flowering in the year following a year with heavy fruit load can be quite limited. This biennial cycle of fruiting, termed alternate bearing, was described 170 years ago in apple (Malus domestica). Apple inflorescences are mainly found on short branches (spurs).

Detecting QTLs and putative candidate genes involved in budbreak and flowering time in an apple multiparental population.

In temperate trees, growth resumption in spring time results from chilling and heat requirements, and is an adaptive trait under global warming. Here, the genetic determinism of budbreak and flowering time was deciphered using five related full-sib apple families. Both traits were observed over 3 years and two sites and expressed in calendar and degree-days.

Analysis of transcripts differentially expressed between fruited and deflowered 'Gala' adult trees: a contribution to biennial bearing understanding in apple.

Background: The transition from vegetative to floral state in shoot apical meristems (SAM) is a key event in plant development and is of crucial importance for reproductive success. In perennial plants, this event is recurrent during tree life and subject to both within-tree and between-years heterogeneity. In the present study, our goal was to identify candidate processes involved in the repression or induction of flowering in apical buds of adult apple trees.

Multispectral airborne imagery in the field reveals genetic determinisms of morphological and transpiration traits of an apple tree hybrid population in response to water deficit.

Genetic studies of response to water deficit in adult trees are limited by low throughput of the usual phenotyping methods in the field. Here, we aimed at overcoming this bottleneck, applying a new methodology using airborne multispectral imagery and in planta measurements to compare a high number of individuals.An apple tree population, grafted on the same rootstock, was submitted to contrasting summer water regimes over two years.

Fruit self-thinning: a trait to consider for genetic improvement of apple tree.

In apple (Malus×domestica Borkh), as in many fruiting crops, fruit maintenance vs abscission is a major criteria for production profitability. Growers routinely make use of chemical thinning agents to control total fruit load. However, serious threats for the environment lead to the demand for new apple cultivars with self-thinning properties.

Genetic control of biennial bearing in apple.

Although flowering in mature fruit trees is recurrent, floral induction can be strongly inhibited by concurrent fruiting, leading to a pattern of irregular fruiting across consecutive years referred to as biennial bearing. The genetic determinants of biennial bearing in apple were investigated using the 114 flowering individuals from an F(1) population of 122 genotypes, from a 'Starkrimson' (strong biennial bearer)×'Granny Smith' (regular bearer) cross. The number of inflorescences, and the number and the mass of harvested fruit were recorded over 6 years and used to calculate 26 variables and indices quantifying yield, precocity of production, and biennial bearing.

Insights into secondary growth in perennial plants: its unequal spatial and temporal dynamics in the apple (Malus domestica) is driven by architectural position and fruit load.

Background And Aims: Secondary growth is a main physiological sink. However, the hierarchy between the processes which compete with secondary growth is still a matter of debate, especially on fruit trees where fruit weight dramatically increases with time. It was hypothesized that tree architecture, here mediated by branch age, is likely to have a major effect on the dynamics of secondary growth within a growing season.

Large-scale identification of genetic design strategies using local search.

In the past decade, computational methods have been shown to be well suited to unraveling the complex web of metabolic reactions in biological systems. Methods based on flux-balance analysis (FBA) and bi-level optimization have been used to great effect in aiding metabolic engineering. These methods predict the result of genetic manipulations and allow for the best set of manipulations to be found computationally.

Exploring within-tree architectural development of two apple tree cultivars over 6 years.

The present study addresses the prediction of apple tree development, taking into account both the number and within-tree position of tree components. The architectural development of two trees per scion cultivar, 'Fuji' and 'Braeburn', was studied by describing all shoots over 6 years. Flowering and fruiting were observed over 3 years.

User satisfaction through empathy and orientation in three-dimensional worlds.

This paper describes a methodology for navigation and exploration assistance intended to enhance user satisfaction when exploring three-dimensional virtual environments. The complexity of such environments often makes navigation and information retrieval difficult, making it necessary to add assistance components to the world in order to turn it easier to manipulate. This methodology uses three-dimensional "intelligent" avatars as interactive guides, along with information-based navigation strategies.