Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Outcomes of Sphincter Pharyngoplasty in the Cleft Population

Introduction: Sphincter pharyngoplasty (SP) is becoming increasingly popular for correction of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) after cleft palate repair because of high success rate, low incidence of postoperative obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and ease of revision in case of failure. This study is a meta-analysis of SP outcomes, reasons for failure, and revision strategies. Methods: A comprehensive review of the literature on SP outcomes was conducted. Sphincter pharyngoplasty failure was defined as persistent hypernasality, incomplete velopharyngeal port (VP) closure on instrumental evaluation with concomitant VPI, or nonresolving hyponasality and/or OSA persisting >3 months after surgery. Two-tailed paired Student t test was used to compare outcomes between syndromic versus nonsyndromic patients and preoperative versus postoperative OSA rates. Results: Forty-four publications evaluating 2402 patients were included. Overall SP success rate was 78.4% (77.3% in nonsyndromic vs 84.8% in syndromic patients, P = 0.11). Overall primary revision rate was 17.8% (20% in nonsyndromic vs 15.4% in syndromic patients P = 0.97). Most failures (89.5%) manifested as persistent VPI with continued hypernasality requiring revision, whereas 10.5% of failures manifested as obstructive symptoms and/or severe hyponasality requiring revision. Causal factors of SP failure were the following: large central port (62.8%), dehiscence (15.5%), tight port (12.1%), and low-inset (9.7%). Primary revision success rate was 75.6%. Obstructive sleep apnea rates increased from 5.1% to 18.4% (P = 0.02). Conclusions: This study suggests that SP can resolve VPI in 78.4% of patients, which can be increased to 94.7% after one revision. Most failures are technique-dependent; therefore, there could be significant ground for improvement of outcomes.
A Hybrid Simplex Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm for Multi-Objective Optimization

This paper introduces a hybrid scheme for multi-objective optimization problems via utility of two established heuristic algorithms. The proposed hybrid scheme consists of two parts that include the Nelder-Mead simplex algorithm (SA) as well as the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA II). In this respect, subsequent to NSGA II sorting for the optimum points, the SA searches the optimum set to find the local optimal points and thus localize a promising area that is likely to contain the global minimum. This is especially helpful since SA is an efficient algorithm that can accurately and quickly exploit the promising area for the optimum point. The proposed hybrid scheme is applied to multi- objective optimization of some bench mark functions and its performance is compared against those of the classical NSGA II as well as the Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO). The numerical results show that the proposed hybrid scheme provides competitive results that outperform those of the existing algorithms.
Treatment outcomes of patients with primary squamous cell carcinoma of the retromolar trigone

Squamous cell carcinoma of the retromolar trigone (RMT SCC) is a relatively uncommon primary site for oral cavity malignancy. However, given its proximity to the mandible and buccal mucosa, RMT SCC typically exhibits early invasion and generally presents at an advanced stage. Large‐sample studies are needed to assess the epidemiology and clinical outcomes of this tumor. Our aim was to describe the determinants of survival in patients with RMT SCC.
Light Field Super-Resolution via LFBM5D Sparse Coding

In this paper, we propose a spatial super-resolution method for light fields, which combines the SR-BM3D single image super-resolution filter and the recently introduced LFBM5D light field denoising filter. The proposed algorithm iteratively alternates between an LFBM5D filtering step and a back-projection step. The LFBM5D filter creates disparity compensated 4D patches which are then stacked together with similar 4D patches along a 5th dimension. The 5D patches are then filtered in the 5D transform domain to enforce a sparse coding of the high-resolution light field, which is a powerful prior to solve the ill-posed super-resolution problem. The back-projection step then impose the consistency between the known low-resolution light field and the-high resolution estimate. We further improve this step by using image guided filtering to remove ringing artifacts. Results show that significant improvement can be achieved compared to state-of-the-art methods, for both light fields captured with a lenslet camera or a gantry.
EXIT Chart Aided Convergence Analysis of Recursive Soft  $m$-Sequence Initial Acquisition in Nakagami-m Fading Channels

A delay of less than one millisecond is required by low-latency 5G wireless communication systems for supporting the “tactile” Internet. Hence, conventional initial synchronisation cannot be readily employed because of its potentially excessive delay. In this paper, an extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) chart assisted approach is used for the convergence analysis of <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$m$</tex-math></inline-formula>-sequences using recursive soft sequence estimation (RSSE) in the context of Nakagami-m fading channels. Explicitly, the novelty of our work is based on employing a new type of EXIT charts operating without using interleavers. This is a challenge, because the original EXIT charts rely on the employment of long, high-delay interleavers for ensuring that the inputs to the decoders become uncorrelated. We then evaluate the performance of various classes of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$m$</tex-math></inline-formula>-sequences with the aid of the proposed EXIT charts and demonstrate that the <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$m$</tex-math></inline-formula>-sequences generated by the lower order polynomials maximize the mutual information more promptly with the aid of our RSSE scheme than those that belong to a higher order polynomial.
A classification based Parkinson detection system

Parkinson disease is a nervous disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Most of the cases go undetected due to lack of standard detection methods. The aim of this research is to propose a system that can detect this disease using data mining and machine learning. This system provides a simple yet efficient interface to upload Parkinson data, create models based on it and generate reports based on the corresponding models. Finally, the system can be used to make predictions that a person is suffering from Parkinson or not.
Multiparametric Linear Complementarity Problems

The linear complementarity problem (LCP) is a general problem that unifies linear and quadratic programs and bimatrix games. In this paper, we present an efficient algorithm for the solution to multiparametric linear complementarity problems (pLCPs) that are defined by positive semi-definite matrices. This class of problems includes the multiparametric linear (pLP) and semi-definite quadratic programs (pQP), where parameters are allowed to appear linearly in the cost and the right hand side of the constraints. We demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is equal in efficiency to the best of current pLP and pQP solvers for all problems that they can solve, and yet extends to a much larger class
Dielectric screening by 2D substrates

Two-dimensional (2D) materials are increasingly being used as active components in nanoscale devices. Many interesting properties of 2D materials stem from the reduced and highly non-local electronic screening in two dimensions. While electronic screening within 2D materials has been studied extensively, the question still remains of how 2D substrates screen charge perturbations or electronic excitations adjacent to them. Thickness-dependent dielectric screening properties have recently been studied using electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) experiments. However, it was suggested that some of the thickness-dependent trends were due to extrinsic effects. Similarly, Kelvin probe measurements (KPM) indicate that charge fluctuations are reduced when BN slabs are placed on SiO2, but it is unclear if this effect is due to intrinsic screening from BN. In this work, we use first principles calculations to study the fully non-local dielectric screening properties of 2D material substrates. Our simulations give results in good qualitative agreement with those from EFM experiments, for hexagonal boron nitride (BN), graphene and MoS2, indicating that the experimentally observed thickness-dependent screening effects are intrinsic to the 2D materials. We further investigate explicitly the role of BN in lowering charge potential fluctuations arising from charge impurities on an underlying SiO2 substrate, as observed in the KPM experiments. 2D material substrates can also dramatically change the HOMO-LUMO gaps of adsorbates, especially for small molecules, such as benzene. We propose a reliable and very quick method to predict the HOMO-LUMO gaps of small physisorbed molecules on 2D and 3D substrates, using only the band gap of the substrate and the gas phase gap of the molecule.
Current prescribing trends of antibiotics by dentists in Australia from 2013 to 2016. Part 1.

BACKGROUND Literature has shown dentists tend to overprescribe antibiotics and do not always prescribe in accordance with recommended guidelines. Unnecessary prescribing is one major factor that contributes to the development of antibiotic resistance. The aim of the present study was to assess the antibacterial prescribing patterns of dentists in Australia from 2013 to 2016. METHODS Data on dental antibacterial prescriptions dispensed under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from 2013 to 2016 was accessed and prescribing trends analysed. The prescribing rates were standardized to the dose and population. RESULTS There was a slight decrease in the dispensed use of most antibacterials from 2013 to 2016, but there was a significant increase in the dispensed use of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid of 11.2%. Amoxicillin was the most commonly dispensed antibiotic, accounting for approximately 65% of all antibacterials from 2013 to 2016, while phenoxymethylpenicillin accounted for only 1.4% of prescriptions in 2016. There were low but significant quantities of dispensed antibiotic prescriptions that do not fit with current guidelines. CONCLUSIONS The data suggest that dentists in Australia are prescribing some antibiotics inappropriately and there is a preference for moderate- to broad-spectrum agents. The current PBS dental schedule is inconsistent with prescribing guidelines and may contribute to inappropriate prescribing.
Threat to the Group’s Image Can Motivate High Identifiers to Take Action Against In-group Transgressions

When transgressions are committed by a group, those highly identified with the group are often least likely to recognize the transgressions, feel collective guilt, and engage in action to address them. We hypothesized that especially among high identifiers, demonstrating that in-group transgressions threaten the group’s image can induce normative conflict and thus collective guilt and action. In the first study, we demonstrate that high (vs. low) image threat increases normative conflict among high identifiers. In Study 2, we show that inducing normative conflict through image threat leads to increased collective guilt and collective action among high identifiers. In Study 3, we replicate this effect with the addition of a control condition to demonstrate increased normative conflict and collective guilt relative to both a low threat and baseline conditions. In Study 4, we again replicate these effects with a modified manipulation that more precisely manipulated image threat. Together, these studies indicate that image threat can be an effective motivator for high identifiers to address in-group transgressions.
Nephrotic syndrome in a patient with visceral leishmaniasis: a case report

Visceral leishmaniasisis caused by the intramacropahage protozoa Leishmania. Since the first locally acquired case in 2007 a limited number of cases of visceral leishmaniasis have been diagnosed in comparison to the large number of cutaneous leishmaniasis cases in Sri Lanka [1]. Following an incubation period of 2-6 months patients have an insidious onset of clinical features with fever, weight loss, anaemia, organomegaly (hepatosplenomegaly) and oedema with renal involvement. It is newly identified as an AIDS related opportunistic infection. Common differential diagnosis of fever with nephrotic syndrome include systemic lupus erythematosis, lymphoma, leukaemia, renal, colonic or lung carcinoma, tuberculosis, syphilis, HIV and hepatitis B and C.
Chitosan Imparts Better Biological Properties for Poly(ε-caprolactone) Electrospun Membranes than Dexamethasone

Adhesion and proliferation assay The ADSC cell response on the membrane surfaces was investigated after 1 and 7 days of culture in growth media. Cell adhesion and proliferation tests were evaluated by staining the cells with 5-chloromethyl fluorescein diacetate (CMFDA; Life Technologies), rhodamine phalloidin, and 4’,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI; Invitrogen) to visualize cytoplasm, cytoskeleton, and nucleus, respectively, using a fluorescence microscope (Zeiss). Before staining, unadhered cells were aspirated and the substrates were gently rinsed (twice) with phosphatebuffered saline (PBS) before being transferred to a new 48-well plate. The samples were incubated (37 °C in 5% CO2) with a 10 μmol L -1 solution of CMFDA in PBS for 45 min. Following incubation, the solution was aspirated and the substrates incubated in growth media at 37 °C under 5% CO2 for 30 min. The media was aspirated and the
Quality Evaluation of Pearl Millet Based Pasta as Affected by Depigmentation

The effect of depigmentation on colour, nutritional, anti-nutritional, cooking and textural qualities of pasta prepared from pearl millet was studied. Depigmentation was achieved by soaking pearl millet grains in hydrochloric acid of 0.2 N for 18 h at 28–32°C fol1owed by washing, blanching (98°C for 30 sec) and tray drying (50°C). Pasta prepared from 100% wheat semolina (WS), 100% native pearl millet flour (PMF) and blend (50 : 50) of wheat semolina and native pearl millet flour (WS : PMF) were compared with pasta prepared from blend (50 : 50) of wheat semolina and depigmented pearl millet flour (WS : DPMF). It was observed that depigmentation significantly improved the colour of pasta and was very close to 100% wheat semolina pasta. Results also demonstrated that the contents of fat, protein and ash of pasta made from PMF (100%), WS : PMF (50 : 50) and WS : DPMF (50 : 50) were higher than that of pasta prepared using WS (100%). Reduction in phytic acid (5.56%) and trypsin inhibitor activity (5.27%) was observed with depigmentation in the WS : DPMF (50 : 50) pasta compared to WS : PMF (50 : 50) pasta. However, cooking and textural properties of pasta were not affected by depigmentation. Overall results of the study suggested that depigmentation technique was effective for formulation of acceptable pearl millet products.
The Role of Political Efficacy on Public Opinion in the European Union

Recent developments in EU (European Union) support literature confirm that citizen attitudes towards the EU are shaped by both input‐oriented factors relating to the procedural fairness of the system (e.g. political representation and identity) and output‐oriented factors based on the EU's capacity to yield economic benefits. This article builds on these models by suggesting a theoretical framework of support that is driven by both perceptions of the economy and political efficacy. Using data from the 2013 Eurobarometer 80.1, I find that political efficacy is a key predictor of public opinion towards the EU and that citizens who feel their voice is represented in the EU are more likely to maintain support for the EU even when their perceptions of the economy are poor. The findings in this article have particular significance to the puzzle of declining support for the EU following the onset of the ‘great recession’ in 2008.
Massive pleural and pericardial effusion due to hypothyroidism in a patient with a surgically treated thyroid-stimulating hormone-producing pituitary adenoma

Abstract Hypothyroidism is relatively rare etiology of serositis with effusion, but massive pleural effusion is very unusual. This is a report of massive pleural effusion in patient taking methimazole after surgical resection of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)-producing pituitary adenoma (TSHoma). The patient was clinically and biochemically hypothyroid and responded well to discontinuation of methimazole and thyroid hormone replacement therapy. When assessing patients with pleural effusion, we should not rely on laboratory test results alone, as a detailed medical history and thorough physical examination could be more useful.
The Effects of Useful Field of View Training on Brain Activity and Connectivity.

Objectives Useful Field of View training (UFOVt) is an adaptive computerized cognitive intervention that improves visual attention and transfers to maintained health and everyday functioning in older adults. Although its efficacy is well established, the neural mechanisms underlying this intervention are unknown. This pilot study used functional MRI (fMRI) to explore neural changes following UFOVt. Method Task-driven and resting-state fMRI were used to examine changes in brain activity and connectivity in healthy older adults randomized to 10 hr of UFOVt (n = 13), 10 hr of cognitively stimulating activities (CSA; n = 11), or a no-contact control (NC; n = 10). Results UFOVt resulted in reduced task-driven activity in the majority of regions of interest (ROIs) associated with task performance, CSA resulted in reduced activity in one ROI, and there were no changes within the NC group. Relative to NC, UFOVt reduced activity in ROIs involved in effortful information processing. There were no other significant between-group task-based differences. Resting-state functional connectivity between ROIs involved in executive function and visual attention was strengthened following UFOVt compared with CSA and NC. Discussion UFOVt enhances connections needed for visual attention. Together with prior work, this study provides evidence that improvement of the brain's visual attention efficiency is one mechanism underlying UFOVt.
Kinetic Model for NS 1643 Drug Activation of WT and L 529 I Variants of Kv 11 . 1 ( hERG 1 ) Potassium Channel

Congenital and acquired (drug-induced) forms of the human long-QT syndrome are associated with alterations in Kv11.1 (hERG) channel-controlled repolarizing IKr currents of cardiac action potentials. A mandatory drug screen implemented by many countries led to a discovery of a large group of small molecules that can activate hERG currents and thus may act as potent antiarrhythmic agents. Despite significant progress in identification of channel activators, little is known about their mechanism of action. A combination of electrophysiological studies with molecular and kinetic modeling was used to examine the mechanism of a model activator (NS1643) action on the hERG channel and its L529I mutant. The L529I mutant has gating dynamics similar to that of wild-type while its response to application of NS1643 is markedly different. We propose a mechanism compatible with experiments in which the model activator binds to the closed (C3) and open states (O). We suggest that NS1643 is affecting early gating transitions, probably during movements of the voltage sensor that precede the opening of the activation gate.
Good Governance in the Human Resource Management at the Level of Local Government: The Empirical Study of Southern Part of Thailand

The purposes of the study were to indicate the level of good governance in human resources management of local government organizations in Southern part of Thailand and to examine if the good governance in human resource management differed significantly across the basic factors of local government organizations (which were sizes, age of establish, and groups of provinces) . Practical data were collected from 387 organizations. Stratified random sampling was used for the research method; mean, percentage, one-way ANOVA and qualitative analysis were employed for data analysis. The result showed that the means of Good Governance level were high ( X = 3.72) and the highest level was the dimension in Rule of Law ( X = 4.10), while the dimension in Rule of value for money were least if compare with other dimensions ( X =3.55) For comparison in provinces, Songkhla showed the highest level in Good Governance as a whole ( X = 3.87). For comparison in size of local organization large size of local organizations showed the highest level in Good Governance as a whole ( X = 3.89). For comparison of organization established year, the results indicated between 7-9 years of established had the highest level of Good Governance as a whole ( X =3.77). The result of one-way ANOVA showed that Rule of Merit (F = 6.89, p <.001), Rule Transparency (F = 4.01, p <.001), Rule of Accountability (F = 4.14, p < .001), Rule of value for money(F = 5.02, p < .001) and Good Governance in total (F = 4.50, p < .001) differed significantly at the level of 0.001across the sizes of provinces; and Rule of Law (F = 3.86, p < .01), Rule Transparency (F = 2.83, p < .01), Rule of Participation (F = 2.36, p < .05) differed significantly at the level of 0.05across the established age.
In situ investigations of the phase change behaviour of tungsten oxide nanostructures

This study uses two in situ techniques to investigate the geometry and phase change behaviour of bundled ultrathin W18O49 nanowires and WO3 nanoparticles. The in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) results have shown that the phase transition of WO3 nanoparticles occurs in sequence from monoclinic (room temperature) → orthorhombic (350°C) → tetragonal (800°C), akin to bulk WO3; however, W18O49 nanowires remain stable as the monoclinic phase up to 500°C, after which a complete oxidation to WO3 and transformation to the orthorhombic β-phase at 550°C is observed. The in situ Raman spectroscopy investigations have revealed the Raman peak downshifts as the temperature increases, and have identified the 187.6 cm−1 as the fingerprint band for the phase transition from γ- to β-phase of the WO3 nanoparticle. Furthermore, WO3 nanoparticles exhibit the γ- to β-phase conversion at 275°C, which is about 75°C lower than the relaxation temperature of 350°C for the monoclinic γ-W18O49 nanowires. These new fundamental understandings on the phase transition behaviour offer important guidance for the design and development of tungsten oxide-based nanodevices by defining their allowed operating conditions.