Integral Inequalities and their Applications to the Calculus of Variations on Time Scales

We discuss the use of inequalities to obtain the solution of certain variational problems on time scales.Comment: To appear in Mathematical Inequalities & Applications (http://mia.ele-math.com). Accepted: 14.01.201

The Usage of Data Augmentation Strategies on the Detection of Murmur Waves in a Pcg Signal

Cardiac auscultation is a key screening tool used for cardiovascular evaluation. When used properly, it speeds up treatment and thus improving the patient’s life quality. However, the analysis and interpretation of the heart sound signals is subjective and dependent of the physician’s experience and domain knowledge. A computer assistant decision (CAD) system that automatically analyse heart sound signals, can not only support physicians in their clinical decisions but also release human resources to other tasks. In this paper, and to the best of our knowledge, for the first time a SMOTE strategy is used to boost a Convolutional Neural Network performance on the detection of murmur waves. Using the SMOTE strategy, a CNN achieved an overall of 88.43%.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The pertinence of Jet Emitting Discs physics to Microquasars: Application to Cygnus X-1

The interpretation of the X-ray spectra of X-ray binaries during their hard states requires a hot, optically thin medium. There are several accretion disc models in the literature that account for this aspect. However, none is designed to simultaneously explain the presence of powerful jets detected during these states. A new quasi-keplerian hot accretion disc solution, a Jet Emitting disc (JED hereafter), which is part of a global disc-jet MHD structure producing stationary super-alfv\'enic ejection, is investigated here. Its radiative and energetic properties are then compared to the observational constraints found in Cygnus X-1. We solve the disc energy equation by balancing the local heating term with advection and cooling by synchrotron, bremsstrahlung and Comptonization processes. The heating term, disc density, accretion velocity and magnetic field amplitude were taken from published self-similar models of accretion-ejection structures. Both optically thin and thick regimes are considered in a one temperature gas supported disc. Three branches of solutions are found possible at a given radius but we investigate only the hot, optically thin and geometrically slim solutions. These solutions give simultaneously, and in a consistent way, the radiative and energetics properties of the disc-jet system. They are able to very well reproduce the accretion-ejection properties of Cygnus X-1, namely its X-ray spectral emission, jet power and jet velocity. About half of the released accretion power is used to produce two mildly relativistic (v/c~0.5) jets and for a luminosity of the order of 1\% of the Eddington luminosity, the JED temperature and optical depth are close to that observed in the hard state Cygnus X-1. The JEDs properties are in agreement with the observations of the prototypical black hole binary Cygnus X-1. and are likely to be relevant to the whole class of microquasars.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures. Accepted in Astronomy and Astrophysic

Left-sided infective endocarditis: analysis of in-hospital and medium-term outcome and predictors of mortality

Abstract Introduction: Despite diagnostic and therapeutic advances, infective endocarditis (IE) remains a challenging and potentially lethal disease. The prognosis of IE remains poor; in the last 30 years, its incidence and mortality have only been marginally reduced. Early identification of high-risk patients can change the course of the disease and improve outcomes. Objectives and methods: To describe and investigate predictors of mortality during hospital stay and in the six months after discharge in a cohort of left-sided IE patients in two tertiary centers. All patients diagnosed with IE (ICD9 code 133) were registered in a uniform database. Results: One hundred and forty-seven consecutive case patients with left-sided IE were included in this study. Thirty-five patients (23.8%) died during hospital stay. The variables significantly associated with increased mortality in univariate analysis were Charlson index ≥5, use of immunosuppressants, sepsis (severe sepsis and/or septic shock), cardiogenic shock and inappropriate use of antibiotic therapy. Conversely, surgical therapy and hospital length of stay ≥30 days were significantly associated with lower mortality. In multivariate analysis the most important predictors of in-hospital mortality were sepsis (severe and/or shock), use of immunosuppressants and inappropriate use of antibiotic therapy. There was a significant relation between the use of immunosuppressants and the occurrence of sepsis. The presence of significant valve disease after IE significantly increased the risk of heart failure. Conclusions: Our results may help to identify IE patients at increased risk for in-hospital mortality and medium-term disability. These findings can help to identify candidates for earlier and more aggressive management

Brevibacterium EB3 inoculation enhances rhizobacterial community interactions leading to improved growth of Salicornia europaea

Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) can revolutionize sustainable agriculture by improving crop yields and resilience in the face of climate change and soil degradation. However, one of the challenges of using PGPB is identifying strains that can colonize and establish beneficial relationships with plant hosts and microbiomes. This study examined the effects of single and co-inoculations with three PGPB strains (Brevibacterium casei EB3, Pseudomonas oryzihabitans RL18, and Bacillus aryabhattai SP20) on the rhizosphere microbiome of the halophyte crop Salicornia europaea. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was used to analyze the rhizosphere bacterial communities' diversity, structure, and composition. PGPB inoculations significantly changed the diversity and structure of the bacterial communities in the rhizosphere, accounting for 74 % of the total variability. The strain B. casei EB3 was the most effective at colonizing the rhizosphere and establishing interactions with other beneficial community members. Notably, the treatments associated with higher plant yield, consistently featured the presence of B. casei EB3 and higher connectivity between this strain and taxa known to promote growth and alleviate salt stress in plants such as Marinobacterium, Pseudomonas and Vibrio. These findings are consistent with bacterial inoculants' direct and indirect effect in boosting bacteria-plant cooperation within the rhizosphere, ultimately leading to a shift towards an optimized rhizosphere and beneficial traits for plants

Prebiotics : from concept to product : the BIOLIFE project

Nutrition has progressed from the discovery of essential nutrients and prevention of dietary deficiency to the promotion of a state of well-being and health and the reduction of the risk of disease. In this context the functional food concept emerges: a food or drink product that, when ingested, exerts particular benefits on some physiological functions. The gastrointestinal functions are associated with a balanced colonic microflora that plays a key role in individual health. This complex ecosystem can be modulated by the ingestion of dietary components that favour the growth and metabolism of beneficial indigenous species such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. These components of saccharidic nature are called prebiotics. The BIOLIFE project involves the development of novel biotechnological processes, enzymatic and fermentative, for the production of prebiotics, namely, galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) from food industry by-products. Produced oligosaccharides will be incorporated in liquid and solid food formulations in order to obtain functional foods targeted towards gut function.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)

Study of the magnetic disaccommodation in La doped YIG

The relaxation of the initial magnetic permeability of La doped yttrium iron garnet (YIG) samples with nominal composition Y3-xLaxFe5O12 (0< x <0.6) is analysed in this work. The results show a very different behaviour depending on the sintering atmosphere used for the fabrication of the samples. Concretely, for the samples sintered in air, it just have been detected the usual relaxation peak found in YIG at 130 K. However, a new relaxation peak appears around room temperature for the samples sintered in CO2 atmosphere when the La content is at least of 0.3. These results have been interpreted in terms of the formation of a secondary perovskite phase when the La solubility limit is reached. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim