156 research outputs found
Territory choice during the breeding tenure of male sedge warblers
A territorial male can shift the location of its territory from year to year in order to increase its quality. The male can base its decision on environmental cues or else on its breeding experiences (when territory shift is caused by breeding failure in previous seasons). We tested these possible mechanisms of territory choice in the sedge warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus), a territorial migrating passerine that occupies wetlands. This species bases its territory choices on an environmental cue: tall wetland vegetation cover. We found that the magnitude of territory quality improvement between seasons (measured as the area of tall wetland vegetation) increased throughout the early stages of a male's breeding career as a result of territory shifts dependent on the earliness of arrival. The distance the territory was shifted between seasons depended negatively on the previous year's territory quality and, less clearly, on the previous year's mating success. On the other hand, previous mating or nesting success had no influence on territory quality improvement between seasons as measured in terms of vegetation. The results imply that tall wetland vegetation is a long-term, effective environmental cue and that a preference for territories in which this type of landcover prevails has evolved into a rigid behavioral mechanism, supplemented by short-term individual experiences of breeding failure
Modelling of Parameterized Discrete Control Algorithms With Use of Finite State Machines in TIA Portal Environment
Abstract— There exist numerous modelling techniques and representation methods for digital control algorithms, aimed to achieve required system or process parameters, e.g. precision of process modelling, control quality, fulfilling the time constrains, optimisation of consumption of system resources, or achieving a trade-off between number of parameters.This work illustrates usage of Finite State Machines (FSM) modelling technique to solve a control problem with parameterized external variables. The structure of this work comprises six elements. The FSM is presented in brief and discrete control algorithm modelling is discussed. The modelled object and control problem is described and variables are identified. The FSM model is presented and control algorithm is described. The parameterization problem is identified and addressed, and the implementation in PLC programming LAD language is presented. Finally, the conclusion is given and future work areas are identified
Usefulness of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of hematoma after primary hip arthroplasty
Introduction: To date, suction drainage has been routinely used after hip joint replacement. Currently, the validity of this practice is questioned in the literature. Hematoma is a risk facÂtor of periprosthetic infection. Post-operative ultrasonography enables precise assessment of hip joint hematoma. Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of hip joint ultrasonography with respect to the validity of using suction drainage after primary hip arthroplasty. Material: Inclusion criteria: coxarthrosis. Exclusion criteria: primary and secondary coagulopathy, renal or hepatic failure and history of venous or arterial thromboÂsis. In total, 90 patients were enrolled. Methods: The study was prospective. The patients were assigned into groups in accordance with simple randomization. On the third day post-surgery, an ultrasound examination was conducted in all patients. Results: Deep infection was found in two patients with suction drainage. Hematoma was almost twice bigger in the drainage group. There were no statistically significant differences in the Harris Hip Score between the groups. No statistically significant differences were found between the groups in: complete blood count parameters and C-reactive protein values in the first and third day after surgery, the amount of transfused packed red blood cells, duration of hospital stay, cost of hospital stay and the relationship between osteophyte removal and hematoma size. Conclusions: Ultrasonography performed after hip replacement surgeries is useful in the assessment of hematoma. The randomized study did not reveal statistically significant differÂences between the group with and without drainage, thus suggesting that this practice can be abandoned, except for selected cases. Due to a short hospital stay, it is recommended to conduct an ultrasound scan in addition to routine radiography and laboratory tests in order to reduce the risk of complications
NeRFlame: FLAME-based conditioning of NeRF for 3D face rendering
Traditional 3D face models are based on mesh representations with texture.
One of the most important models is FLAME (Faces Learned with an Articulated
Model and Expressions), which produces meshes of human faces that are fully
controllable. Unfortunately, such models have problems with capturing geometric
and appearance details. In contrast to mesh representation, the neural radiance
field (NeRF) produces extremely sharp renders. But implicit methods are hard to
animate and do not generalize well to unseen expressions. It is not trivial to
effectively control NeRF models to obtain face manipulation. The present paper
proposes a novel approach, named NeRFlame, which combines the strengths of both
NeRF and FLAME methods. Our method enables high-quality rendering capabilities
of NeRF while also offering complete control over the visual appearance,
similar to FLAME. Unlike conventional NeRF-based architectures that utilize
neural networks to model RGB colors and volume density, NeRFlame employs FLAME
mesh as an explicit density volume. As a result, color values are non-zero only
in the proximity of the FLAME mesh. This FLAME backbone is then integrated into
the NeRF architecture to predict RGB colors, allowing NeRFlame to explicitly
model volume density and implicitly model RGB colors
Prostate cancer in patients from rural and suburban areas : PSA value, Gleason score and presence of metastases in bone scan
Introduction. Prostate cancer is the second most common neoplasm among men both worldwide and in Poland.
In prostate cancer, bone metastasis is related to a poorer prognosis. A diagnosis of metastatic bone disease is important in
prostate cancer patients prior to therapy. Prostate specific antigen (PSA) serum value is used both as a screening tool and
for staging of prostate cancer.
Aim. To evaluate whether there is a link between symptoms presented by patients, pain in particular, and the presence,
number and location of bone metastases as assessed by bone scan scintigraphy in concordance with PSA values and Gleason
scores.
Material. A group of 186 patients (aged: 68.38±6.16) diagnosed with prostate cancer, from rural and suburban areas of
Małopolska province, that was directed for bone scan scintigraphy to the Nuclear Medicine Dept, John Paul II Hospital in
Kraków.
Methods. Analysis of all laboratory findings (including PSA value) and a biopsy were performed. Then, bone scan scintigraphy
was done with the use of methylene disphosphonate (MDP) labeled with Tc-99m.
Results. In patients with a Gleason value ≤7 and a PSA value ≤20 ng/ml, the cutoff value for a negative bone scan with a
confidence interval of 0.95 was established at a PSA value below 10 ng/ml (p<0.01). Correlations were established between
PSA value and presence of metastases in bone scan (r=0.45, p=0.05), the number of metastases (r=0.66, p<0.01), and their
presence in particular body regions.
Conclusions. The correlation between PSA value and both presence and number of metastases confirms the usefulness of
bone scan scintigraphy in prostate cancer staging. The cutoff value for negative bone scan with a 95% confidence interval
was established at PSA = 10 ng/ml
Cardiac rehabilitation : a good measure to improve quality of life in peri- and postmenopausal women with microvascular angina
Cardiac Syndrome X (CSX) was considered a stable coronary syndrome, yet due to its nature, CSX symptoms often have a great impact on patients’ Quality of Life (QoL). According to ESC 2013 stable coronary artery disease criteria, CSX was replaced by Microvascular Angina (MA).Unfortunately, most CSX or MA patients, after classical angina (involving main coronary vessels) has been ruled out, often do not receive proper treatment. Indications for pharmacological treatment of MA patients were introduced only recently. Another problematic issue is that scientists describing the pathophysiology of both CSX and MA stress a lack of a deeper insight into the multifactorial etiology of the source of pain associated with this disease. In the presented article we have attempted to study the influence of cardiac rehabilitation (3 months programme) on the QoL of patients recognized as suffering from MA, as well as to check if changes in myocardial perfusion in these patients at baseline and after completion of cardiac rehabilitation match changes in their QoL. Therefore, after screening 436 women for MA, we studied 55 of them who were confirmed as having MA and who agreed to participate in the study. Exercise tests, Myocardial Perfusion Imaging, and QoL questionnaires were studied at baseline and after completing 3 months period of cardiac rehabilitation. Results were subsequently compared, which showed a link between improved perfusion score in SPECT study and improved overall physical capacity, on one hand, and improved QoL score on the other. These results confirm that cardiac rehabilitation is a very useful treatment option for MA patients. It seems that training during cardiac rehabilitation is a very important factor (improved physical efficiency –&amp;gt; increase in self-belief), and that taking into consideration the multifactor pathophysiology of pain, it is connected with a better quality of life for MA patients
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