Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Steam Heat Sterilization on the Accuracy of 3D Printed Surgical Guides.

INTRODUCTION Steam heat sterilization could be one of the factors that affects the dimensional accuracy of surgical guides, leading to an error during guided implant surgery. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of steam heat sterilization on the dimensional changes of surgical guides. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 27 surgical guides, which were made by either Formlabs printer (Formlabs Inc., Somerville, MA) or Simplant (DENTSPLY Implants NV, Hasselt, Belgium), were scanned using an intraoral scanner before and after sterilization. The dimensional changes at the center of the implant sleeves were analyzed using the computer-aided design interactive software for 65 implant sites before and after steam heat sterilization at 121°C for 20 minutes. RESULTS There was no significant difference between the mean x, y, and z axes of the center of the sleeves when measured before and after sterilization (P values were 0.37, 0.24, and 0.29, respectively). Nonparametric analysis showed no significant difference between the mean deviations of either surgical guide (P = 0.908). CONCLUSION Steam heat sterilization has a nonsignificant effect on the dimensional changes of the tested surgical guides.
Impacts of Responsive Loads and Energy Storage System on Frequency Response of a Multi-Machine Power System

In recent decades, the power grid’s configuration is shifting towards a smart grid where responsive loads and energy storage systems (ESS) are finding an increased role in the power system operation. In the presented work, a mathematical formulation for frequency response analysis of a multi-machine power system is developed, considering the individual and combined roles of ESS and responsive loads. The validity of the developed model is demonstrated with the help of multiple case studies, which consider the various configurations of the power system. Moreover, different combinations of capacities of generation units, ESS and responsive loads are also simulated. With the help of mathematical model and simulation results, it is demonstrated that ESS and responsive loads may improve the economy and performance of the power system even during the failure of a certain portion of generation capacity. Though the case studies consider non-reheat turbines only, the mathematical model and conclusions are equally valid for other types of turbines as well.
Is Additive Utility Function Always a Sufficient Method in the Project Prioritization Process? Bridge Management Perspective

The prioritization of maintenance activities in bridges has great importance in bridge asset management systems as they are mentioned in MAP-21. One of the most commonly used prioritization methodologies in bridge management systems is multi-attribute utility theory process. In this study, the problem is defined as using the additive functional form in this process without testing additive independence (AI) assumption, which is one of the properties of multi-attribute utility theory. This study aims to emphasize the strength of the use of multiplicative functional forms when the multiplicative form is proven to be more appropriate by AI assumption test. To demonstrate this vital point, mathematical expressions are derived for the feasible regions of indifference curves. Then, the optimum region for both additive and multiplicative approaches are calculated using these analytical expressions to demonstrate the difference between the two relation to maximizing utility. This comparison is aimed at preventing suboptimal decisions because of the use of the additive approach when the multiplicative approach is more representative of the actual decision-making process. The relevance of this claim is also demonstrated using a simple hypothetical scenario. Findings of the paper provide valuable insights to decision makers and policy makers about the importance of choosing the most appropriate functional form for utility functions employed in a prioritization. We hope that policy makers at state departments of transportation will use the comparative analysis of the effect of utility functions on the final project selection process presented in this paper as part of their routine decision-making process.
Age of initiation, years of practice, and competition are related to junior ranking of youth elite tennis players

Objective: Investigate the relationship between the initiation age and practice time, in training and competition, and the ranking position of youth elite tennis players. Method: Participated 130 youth elite tennis players with a Brazilian ranking (102 boys and 28 girls) aged 13–18 years, selected in two international competitions. A Binary logistic regression was performed. Results: The results showed that tennis players who started earlier have a 28% better chance of reaching the top 20 ranking, and that each additional year of training increases the chance of a tennis player to reach the top 20 by 1.43 times. Also, each year of experience in competitions increases the chance of tennis players to reach the top 20 ranking by 1.41 times, and that an earlier start each year in participating in competitions increases the chances of an athlete to reach the top 20 by 20%. Conclusion: The initiation age of training and the experience in competitions are important factors there are related to better ranking positions of youth elite tennis players.
Six months of dance intervention enhances postural, sensorimotor, and cognitive performance in elderly without affecting cardio-respiratory functions

During aging, sensorimotor, cognitive and physical performance decline, but can improve by training and exercise indicating that age-related changes are treatable. Dancing is increasingly used as an intervention because it combines many diverse features making it a promising neuroplasticity-inducing tool. We here investigated the effects of a 6-month dance class (1 h/week) on a group of healthy elderly individuals compared to a matched control group (CG). We performed a broad assessment covering cognition, intelligence, attention, reaction time, motor, tactile, and postural performance, as well as subjective well-being and cardio-respiratory performance. After 6 months, in the CG no changes, or further degradation of performance was found. In the dance group, beneficial effects were found for dance-related parameters such as posture and reaction times, but also for cognitive, tactile, motor performance, and subjective well-being. These effects developed without alterations in the cardio-respiratory performance. Correlation of baseline performance with the improvement following intervention revealed that those individuals, who benefitted most from the intervention, were those who showed the lowest performance prior to the intervention. Our findings corroborate previous observations that dancing evokes widespread positive effects. The pre-post design used in the present study implies that the efficacy of dance is most likely not based on a selection bias of particularly gifted individuals. The lack of changes of cardio-respiratory fitness indicates that even moderate levels of physical activity can in combination with rich sensorimotor, cognitive, social, and emotional challenges act to ameliorate a wide spectrum of age-related decline.
Characterization of Microbiota in Endometrial Fluid and Vaginal Secretions in Infertile Women with Repeated Implantation Failure

Studies suggest that persisting intrauterine bacterial infectious conditions such as chronic endometritis potentially impair the embryo implantation process. The microbial environment in the female reproductive tract, however, remains largely undetermined in infertile patients with a history of repeated implantation failure (RIF). Using next-generation sequencing, we aimed to characterize the microbiota in the endometrial fluid (EF) and vaginal secretions (VS) in women with RIF. Twenty-eight infertile women with a history of RIF and eighteen infertile women undergoing the first in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer attempt (the control group) were enrolled in the study. On days 6-8 in the luteal phase of the natural, oocyte-pickup, or hormone replacement cycle, the paired EF and VS samples were obtained separately. Extracted genomic DNA was pyrosequenced for the V4 region of 16S ribosomal RNA using a next-generation sequencer. The EF microbiota had higher α-diversity and broader bacterial species than the VS microbiota both in the RIF and control groups. The analysis of the UniFrac distance matrices between EF and VS also revealed significantly different clustering. Additionally, the EF microbiota, but not the VS microbiota, showed significant variation in community composition between the RIF group and the control group. Burkholderia species were not detected in the EF microbiota of any samples in the control group but were detectable in a quarter of the RIF group. To our best knowledge, this is the first study investigating the microbiota in the paired EF and VS samples in infertile women with RIF.
Relay Selection in Network-Coded Cooperative MIMO Systems

Network-coded cooperation (NCC) has recently gained interest as it improves the network throughput in multi-source cooperative systems. NCC has been studied for single-antenna terminals only. Employing multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) techniques can significantly improve the performance of NCC systems. Furthermore, the existing relay selection (RS) strategies for NCC utilize the “max-min” end-to-end (E2E) criterion. This selection strategy (called Strategy <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal {A}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) is complicated even for a network with single-antenna terminals as it requires global channel state information (CSI). This requirement makes it hard to implement RS-based NCC. To counter this issue, we introduce a new RS strategy (Strategy <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal {B}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>), which utilizes only the local CSI (not global CSI), significantly reducing the signaling overhead without sacrificing the performance. The performance of MIMO-NCC under Strategies <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal {A}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal {B}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> is studied over independent and non-identically distributed (i.n.i.d.) Rayleigh fading channels. Relays and the destination are equipped with multiple antennas, whereas sources have a single antenna. The exact outage probability expressions of the system under consideration are derived. The asymptotic outage expressions are further provided to obtain valuable insights into the practical system-design parameters such as the diversity order and coding gain. Furthermore, numerical results are provided in support of the analytical results.
Is the Future Bright? The Potential of Lightboard Videos for Student Achievement and Engagement in Learning

Lightboard technology has only been around since 2013, but has already shown up on numerous campuses worldwide. There is a dearth of research related to lightboard videos, so there is a need to systematically explore its potential and best practices. This paper explores the pedagogical potential of lightboards for higher education through theoretical analysis and relevant literature evidence. Using relevant theoretical frameworks, including Cognitive Load Theory, Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, and Social Learning Theory, we argue that the lightboard technology may improve student achievement and learning engagement, since it displays an onscreen instructor, who has the possibility to utilize gestures. Papers that compared videos with and without onscreen instructors, as well as gesturing and no gesturing cases, are reviewed in terms of the impact on learning outcomes, cognitive load, and engagement and/or social aspects. The relevant literature did not, however, provide clear insight about the benefits that a lightboard video would provide. Therefore, we advocate for further empirical research directly studying lightboard videos. Relevant questions and directions for future research are identified.
Geochemical Behavior of Trace- and Rare-Earth Elements in the Hydrothermal Alteration Facies of the Cijulang Area, West Java, Indonesia

This study examines the behavior of trace- and rare-earth elements (REE) in different hydrothermal alteration facies (silicic, advanced argillic and argillic) of Cijulang high-sulfidation epithermal gold deposit, West Java, Indonesia. The results of the study indicate that remarkable differences in the behavior of trace elements and REE are observed in the studied alteration facies. All REE in the silicic facies are strongly depleted. In advanced argillic facies, Heavy rare-earth elements (HREE) are strongly depleted whereas light rare earth elements (LREE) are quite enriched. REE concentrations in the argillic facies show little or no variation with respect to fresh rock counterparts. A strong depletion of REE in the silicic facies is likely to be favored by the highly acidic nature of the hydrothermal fluids, the abundance of complexing ions such as Cl ˉ, F ˉ, and in the hydrothermal solutions and the absence of the secondary minerals that can fix the REE in their crystal structures. An apparent immobility of LREE in advanced argillic facies is possibly due to the presence of alunite. The immobility of REE in the argillic facies suggests the higher pH of the fluids, the lower water/rock ratios and the presence of the phyllosilicates minerals. -
Development of a formation control algorithm to coordinate multiple biomimetic AUVs in the presence of realistic environmental constraints

Biomimetic Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (BAUVs) are a class of Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (UUV) that mimic the propulsive and steering mechanisms of real fish. However, as with all UUVs, the range and endurance of these vehicles remains limited by the finite energy source housed on board the vehicle. Unsurprisingly, a consequence of this finite energy source is that BAUVs/UUVs are incapable of completing the large-scale oceanographic sampling missions required to drastically improve our understanding of the Earth’s oceans and its processes. To overcome this limitation, this thesis aims to investigate the feasibility of deploying a self-coordinating group of BAUVs capable of completing the aforementioned oceanic surveying missions despite the constraints of the local operating environment. To achieve this, the work presented in this thesis can be separated into four distinct parts. The first of which is the development of a suitable mathematical model that accurately models the dynamics of the RoboSalmon BAUV designed and built at the University of Glasgow. As well as ensuring the models validity, its ability to efficiently simulate multiple vehicles simultaneously is also demonstrated. The design and implementation of the formation control algorithm used to coordinate the vehicles is then presented. This process describes the alterations made to a biologically-inspired algorithm to ensure the required parallel line formation required for efficient oceanic sampling can be generated. Thereafter, the implementation of a realistic representation of the underwater communication channel and its debilitating effect on the algorithms ability to coordinate the vehicles as required is presented. The thesis then describes the incorporation of two methodologies designed specifically to overcome the limitations associated with the underwater communication channel. The first of which involves the implementation of tracking/predictive functionality while the second is a consensus based algorithm that aims to reduce the algorithms reliance on the communication channel. The robustness of these two methodologies to overcoming not only the problematic communication channel but also the inclusion of additional external disturbances is then presented. The results demonstrate that while the tracking/predictive functionality can overcome the problems associated with the communication channel, its efficiency significantly reduces when the external disturbances are taken into consideration. The consensus based methodology meanwhile generates the required formation regardless of the constraints imposed by both the communication channel and the additional external disturbances and therefore provides the more robust solution.
The Intention to Adopt Green IT Products in Pakistan: Driven by the Modified Theory of Consumption Values

Over the last decades, prompt economic growth and the resulting overconsumption has deteriorated the environment in an accelerated way. This environmental deterioration has prompted academicians and practitioners to study ecological consumption behavior. E-waste and energy consumption play a major part in this environmental deterioration, which makes consumer conscious regarding their consumption pattern. In this regard, the emergence of green Information Technology (IT) enables individuals to become involved in environmental protection and sustainability programs to reduce the negative impact of IT products on the environment. This study aims to investigate individual intentions to adopt green IT products in Pakistan by the theoretical foundation of the theory of consumption values (functional value, social value, epistemic value, emotional value, and conditional value). Whereas, an additional value, i.e., the religious value, is included in the model, due to its significant impact in green consumption behavior of individuals. Cross-sectional data is used to obtain a total of 536 valid questionnaires to test the hypothesis. The Partial Least Square Modeling approach is used to test the proposed model (variance-based SEM). The results infer that functional value, social value, epistemic value, emotional value, conditional value, and religious value have significant positive impact on the consumer intention to adopt green IT products. The reasons for the results and implications for the practitioners are discussed. Furthermore, directions for future research have also been suggested.
Using the Health Belief Model to Understand Farmers’ Intentions to Engage in the On-Farm Food Safety Practices in Iran

In the present research, the health belief model was used as a framework for understanding the factors affecting farmers’ intentions to engage in the on-farm food safety practices in Iran. The suggested model was empirically tested using the data collected from a survey of 230 lettuce producers of Alborz Province in northern Iran. The structural equation modeling technique was utilized to test the hypothesized relationships in the research model and confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the validity and reliability of the measurement model. The results revealed that the perceived barrier was the most reliable predictor of the farmers’ intentions to engage in the on-farm food safety practices. Further, the variables including perceived benefit, self-efficacy, and cues to action were among the main predictors of the intention. Most notably, the threat perception variables, i.e. perceived susceptibility and severity, had no significant effects on the farmers’ intentions to engage in the on-farm food safety practices. Overall, the main components of the health belief model explained about 45.6% of the variance of intention. The findings gave preliminary support for the health belief model as a powerful framework for scrutinizing the intention to engage in food safety behaviors, offering a reasonable explanation for the farmers’ engagement intention in on-farm food safety practices, and providing practical information that can be incorporated into the development of more effective on-farm food safety interventions in Iran.
Does Attitude Associate, Correlate, Or Cause Behaviour? An Assessment Of Attitude Towards Health Behaviour Under One Health Approach In Morogoro, Tanzania

Literature doesn‘t empirically posit it very clear whether attitude associates to, correlates or cause certain health behaviours. Yet; little that is known is limited to associating attitudes with health behaviour in the context which did not take into account the interaction of humans, animals and the environment. A cross sectional study was conducted in Morogoro urban and Mvomero districts in Tanzania , aiming at:(i)assessing attitudes over health behaviour under the interface of humans, animals and the environment; and, (ii) analyzing associations, correlations and causality existing between attitudes on health behaviour and health impairing habits/practices under One Health Approach. The sample comprised of 240 respondents obtained through a multistage sampling procedure. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire using a Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) electronic platform. Associations between attitude and health behavior were modest at p value=<0.001, correlation coefficient was significant with r = . 235 and p-value = <0.01, and no evidence of having attitudes directly causing certain behaviours was established. In logit regression analysis, health literacy was found to predict health behaviours too. Individual behaviors performed in a particular context tend to be influenced not only by general attitudes but by a wide range of additional factors.
Analysis of Zeroth-Mode Slot Frequency Vibration of Integer Slot Permanent-Magnet Synchronous Motors

For the integer slot permanent-magnet (PM) driving synchronous motor, the zeroth-mode slot frequency vibration and noise play a significant vibroacoustic role in the low-frequency domain. For conventional analysis in literature, it is usually assumed that the zeroth-mode vibration is caused by the zeroth-order radial force harmonic. But in this paper, the genuine reason for zeroth-mode vibration is proposed and discussed in detail, which is different from the conventional analysis. The teeth chopping effect is proposed and demonstrates that the slot number order radial force is the root of the zeroth-mode vibration of the motor. After the analysis of the zeroth-mode vibration in existing research work is presented, the teeth chopping effect is introduced and described. The amplitudes of the zeroth-order and slot number order forces are compared with an analytical method, while their amplitudes and caused deformations of these forces are calculated with the finite-element method (FEM). Finally, to validate the analytical and FEM results, a 6-pole 36-slot PM driving motor is manufactured and tested, and the results are in good agreement with those of the FEM results.