Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Pilot Study on the Effect of Outpatient Schroth Exercises on Thoracolumbar and Lumbar Curves in Adult Scoliosis Patients

Study design: This is a pilot prospective cohort study. Objectives: To investigate if outpatient Schroth exercises (SBP) affect thoracolumbar or lumbar curves in adult scoliosis patients. Background: Adult scoliosis tends to progress and is associated with an increased preva- lence of low back pain. The outcome of conservative treatment is not satisfactory, as treat ment is not directed towards spinal deformity. This study investigates if SBP influences the thoracolumbar and lumbar curves in patients with adult scoliosis. Materials and methods: Adult patients with thoracolumbar and lumbar curves ≥ 20 o were taught SBP exercises once weekly for 4 weeks. They then performed the exercises at home three times a week, for 9 months. Baseline measurements included Cobb angles, coro nal offset, sagittal vertical axis (SVA), T4-12 kyphosis, L1-S1 lordosis, sacral slope, pelvic incidence and pelvic tilt. They were compared to post-intervention measurements, using paired t tests. Results: SBP exercises statistically significantly decreased the Cobb angle (p = 0.0032), improved the ATR (p = 0.012), increased the sacral slope (p = 0.03), decreased the pelvic tilt (p = 0.0032) and the SVA (p = 0.032). Conclusion: The SBP exercises improved the Cobb angles and SVA in adult scoliosis patients with thoracolumbar and lumbar curves.
How Much Does Funding Matter? An Analysis of Elementary and Secondary School Performance in Missouri, 1990-2004.

The individual works of Eric Hanushek and the collaborative efforts of Hedges, Laine, and Greenwald in the 1980s and 1990s focused a substantial amount of attention on the relationship between education budget allocations and school performance. Using their opposing hypotheses as a theoretical framework, this study focuses on K-12 education in Missouri for the period from 1990 to 2004, taking into account the cuts in state aid to education that began in 2000. Utilizing four distinct measures of school performance, the results suggest funding levels have a significant impact on student achievement. Per-pupil expenditures alone, however, are not the most significant variable in the models. Other variables, such as rural/urban geographic location, the poverty level of a school district, and the demographic makeup of a district are also influential to school performance levels.
Diversity of macrobenthos in lowland streams: ecological determinants and taxonomic specificity

The present study contains the results of an investigation of the relationships between the environmental variables and the taxonomic diversity of common and important groups of benthic macrofauna: Chironomidae, Ephemeroptera, Odonata, Hirudinea and Gastropoda, collected from various types of bottom substrate in seven lowland streams of north-eastern Poland. Four metrics were used to express the diversity of the studied taxa in each sample as the examples of its four different aspects: species richness, rarity, Shannon-Weaver's diversity index and Pielou evenness index. The values of total species richness and Shannon-Weaver index were rarified by functional extrapolation with Michaelis-Menten asymptotic function chosen as a richness estimator. There are high differences in taxonomic diversity of benthic animals between the studied streams. The results of estimation of total species richness and total species diversity are mainly affected by the diversity of the taxon richest in species – larval Chironomidae and, to a lesser extent, Hirudinea. The total taxonomic diversity significantly correlates with the status of riparian vegetation and with the isolation of the sampling site, while the relationship with other environmental parameters, i.e. pollution and seasonality, is not significant. The diversity of Gastropoda and Hirudinea is significantly affected by pollution (positively), water depth and seasonality; whereas the diversity of Ephemeroptera and Chironomidae by the state of riparian vegetation, and that of Odonata by stream width and isolation of the site. The study presents and discusses reduced diversity of certain higher taxa as a result of a reduction in pollution loading to a stream with simultaneous unchanged values of the total diversity.
DSGE Models for Monetary Policy Analysis

Monetary DSGE models are widely used because they fit the data well and they can be used to address important monetary policy questions. We provide a selective review of these developments. Policy analysis with DSGE models requires using data to assign numerical values to model parameters. The chapter describes and implements Bayesian moment matching and impulse response matching procedures for this purpose.
Spherical Harmonic Atomic Norm and its Application to DOA Estimation

Signal processing in the spherical harmonic (SH) domain has the advantages of analyzing a signal on the sphere with equal resolution in the whole space and of decomposite the frequency- and location-dependent components of the signal. Therefore, it finds recent applications in signal recovery and localization. In this paper, we consider the gridless sparse signal recovery problem in the SH domain with atomic norm minimization (ANM). Due to the absence of Vandermonde structure for spherical harmonics, the Vandermonde decomposition theorem, which is the mathematic foundation of conventional ANM approaches, is not applicable in the SH domain. To address this issue, a low-dimensional semidefinite programming (SDP) method to implement the spherical harmonic atomic norm minimization (SH-ANM) approach is proposed. This method does not rely on the Vandermonde decomposition and can recover the atomic decomposition in the SH domain directly. As an application, we develop the direction-of-arrival estimation approach based on the proposed SH-ANM method, and computer simulations demonstrate that its performance is superior to the state-of-the-art counterparts. Furthermore, we validate the results in real-life acoustics scenes for multiple speakers localization using measured data in LACATA challenge.
Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA): Structural Investigation of Galaxies via Model Analysis

We present single-Sersic two-dimensional (2D) model fits to 167 600 galaxies modelled independently in the ugrizYJHK bandpasses using reprocessed Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release Seven (SDSS DR7) and UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey Large Area Survey imaging data available from the Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) data base. In order to facilitate this study we developed Structural Investigation of Galaxies via Model Analysis (sigma), an r wrapper around several contemporary astronomy software packages including source extractor, psf extractor and galfit 3. sigma produces realistic 2D model fits to galaxies, employing automatic adaptive background subtraction and empirical point spread function measurements on the fly for each galaxy in GAMA. Using these results, we define a common coverage area across the three GAMA regions containing 138 269 galaxies. We provide Sersic magnitudes truncated at 10re which show good agreement with SDSS Petrosian and GAMA photometry for low Sersic index systems (n 4), recovering as much as Δm= 0.5 mag in the r band. We employ a K-band Sersic index/u−r colour relation to delineate the massive (n > ∼2) early-type galaxies (ETGs) from the late-type galaxies (LTGs). The mean Sersic index of these ETGs shows a smooth variation with wavelength, increasing by 30 per cent from g through K. LTGs exhibit a more extreme change in Sersic index, increasing by 52 per cent across the same range. In addition, ETGs and LTGs exhibit a 38 and 25 per cent decrease, respectively, in half-light radius from g through K. These trends are shown to arise due to the effects of dust attenuation and stellar population/metallicity gradients within galaxy populations.
Profile of Victims of Motorcycle Accidents Admitted in Emergency Room of a Public Hospital in Ceara , Brazil

Introduction: Economic growth and the increase of credit power in Brazil, especially in the Northeast region, allow the population to increase the acquisition of vehicles, mostly motorcycles. On the other hand, while facilitated this sale, little is invested in traffic enforcement measures, in an alarming increase of traffic accidents associated with causes that could be avoided, resulting in several members and head traumas or can lead to death.
Addressing the relationship between paratracheal air cyst and Paranchymal lung disease in thoracic CT-scan in patients referring to Golestan Hospital of Ahvaz

Background and Aims: Gas accumulation around the tracheamay is observed in neck and thoracic CT scans making the radiologist suspect whether these symptoms are associated with a pathologic process. This study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of partharesal cysts and their association with lung disease. Methods: The results of 400 patients evaluated for thoracic routine were analyzed for presence of paratracheal cysts. The location of cysts, size, shape and their relationship with the trachea were studied. The patients' results were compared with and without paratracheal cysts. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software version 22. Results: Paratracheal cysts were found in 30 patients (7.5%) including 12 males and 18 females (P = 0.07). The age range was between 3 to 78 years old and the mean ages in patients with and without paratracheal cysts were 54 and 38 years, respectively (P < 0.0001). More than 60% of patients had cysts associated with the trachea. The mean AP level in patients with paratracheal cysts was significantly higher (P = 0.04). In addition, it was observed that the incidence of paratracheal cysts in patients with lung disease and especially COPD patients was higher (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: In general, the results of this study showed that paratracheal cysts had a high prevalence and had a significant correlation with the presence of COPD. It was also observed that the incidence of these cysts increases in older people, which indicates that paratracheal cysts have an acquired mechanism.
Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its component traits among students in a Nigerian university

Objectives: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with increased risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and all-cause mortality. This cross-sectional study examined the prevalence of MetS and its component traits among students in a Nigerian university in whom there are limited data. Methods: 173 students (109 females and 64 males) students aged 18 – 30 years with no prior diagnosis of any component trait of MetS participated in the study. We obtained anthropometry, blood pressure (BP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and complete lipid profile of the participants. MetS was defined using the modified National Cholesterol Education Program for Adult Treatment III Guidelines (NCEPATPIII), the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the Joint Interim Statement (JIS) criteria. Results: The prevalence rates of MetS according to the NCEP-ATP III, IDF and JIS criteria were 4.0, 3.5 and 5.8% respectively. Elevated BP, FPG, increased waist circumference (NCEP) and low high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were present in 13.3%, 15.0%, 4.6%, and 46.2% participants respectively. Seventy seven (44.5%) and 19 (11.0%) participants had 1 or 2 MetS traits (NCEPIII criteria). None of the participants had elevated triglyceride. The males had significantly higher mean FPG, and systolic BP while the females had significantly higher prevalence of low HDL-C. There was no statistically significant gender difference in the prevalence of MetS. Conclusions: Nigerian university students have and are at risk of MetS. Screening and identification of MetS in this population will help in targeted intervention to reduce the risk of CVDs. Key words: Metabolic syndrome, university students, Nigeria
A Comparison between Vanadyl, Vanadate, and Decavanadate Effects in Actin Structure and Function: Combination of Several Spectroscopic Studies

The studies about the interaction of actin with vanadium are seldom. In the present paper the effects of vanadyl, vanadate, and decavanadate in the actin structure and function were compared. Decavanadate clearly interacts with actin, as shown by 51 V-NMR spectroscopy. Decavanadate interaction with actin induces protein cysteine oxidation and vanadyl formation, being both prevented by the natural ligand of the protein, ATP. Monomeric actin (G-actin) titration with vanadyl, as analysed by EPR spectroscopy, indicates a 1 : 1 binding stoichiometry and a kd of 7.5 μM. Both decavanadate and vanadyl inhibited G-actin polymerization into actin filaments (F-actin), with a IC50 of 68 and 300 μM, respectively, as analysed by light-scattering assays. However, only vanadyl induces G-actin intrinsic fluorescence quenching, which suggests the presence of vanadyl high-affinity actin-binding sites. Decavanadate increases (2.6-fold) actin hydrophobic surface, evaluated using the ANSA probe, whereas vanadyl decreases it (15%). Finally, both vanadium species increased e-ATP exchange rate (k = 6.5 × 10 �3 and 4.47 × 10 �3 s �1 for decavanadate and vanadyl, resp.). Putting it all together, it is suggested that actin, which is involved in many cellular processes, might be a potential target not only for decavanadate but above all for vanadyl.
Analysis of Student Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT) Skills on Chemistry: A Study of Gender Differences

Abstract Critical and creative thinking skills are an essential attribute for success in the 21st century. This study aimed to determine the students’ critical and creative thinking skills in the Islamic senior high schools of Surakarta City so that teachers can pay attention to the strength and weakness of each student based on gender differences. This study used descriptive qualitative analysis. The subject of this study amounted to 180 students consisting of 80 male and 100 female students. The measurement of critical-thinking skills used a 6-essay-question instrument of the chemical material of electrolyte and non-electrolyte solutions that measures the aspects based on Facione theory, namely: analysis, inference, explanation, interpretation, evaluation, and self-regulation. Then, to measure creative-thinking skills, a 4-essay-question test instrument of the chemical material that includes 4 aspects according to Torrance, fluency, flexibility, original and elaboration, was used. The results showed that the creative-thinking skills of male students are better than those of female students and the critical-thinking skills of female students are better than those of male students.
An Exploratory Analysis of Increasing Self-Efficacy of Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder Through the Use of Multimedia Training Stimuli

While some evidence-based vocational studies exist for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), most focus on social interaction. This mixed methods exploratory study investigated a multimedia approach to training ASD adults as a strategy for increasing self-efficacy and producing positive training outcomes during the anticipatory socialization and encounter phases of organizational assimilation. Ten ASD adults, seven men and three women, 19 to 42 years of age, participated in the study, which utilized video and virtual reality to instruct participants on how to wire an electrical socket. Significant increases in the participant's self-efficacy were found using a modified version of the New General Self-Efficacy (NGSE) scale. In addition, a thematic analysis of post-training comments showed that participants, overall, were engaged and had fun during the training. These findings suggest that a multimedia approach may be an effective strategy for achieving positive outcomes by increasing self-efficacy and engagement when training newly hired employees diagnosed with ASD to perform vocational tasks.
ON THE UNIFORMITY OF THE IITAKA FIBRATION

We study pluricanonical systems on smooth projective varieties of positive Kodaira dimension, following the approach of Hacon-McKernan, Takayama and Tsuji succesfully used in the case of varieties of general type. We prove a uniformity result for the Iitaka fibration X 99K Iitaka(X) of smooth projective varieties of positive Kodaira dimension, provided that Iitaka(X) is not uniruled, the variation of the fibration is maximal, and the generic fiber has a good minimal model.
International Conference « Responsible Research and Innovation » SOCIO-CULTURAL INTEGRATION OF NORTH AMERICAN KOREANS AS FACTOR OF SOCIAL WELL-BEING

The processes of migration and Korean Diaspora formation in North America as factors affecting the improvement of social sustainability are analyzed by the authors. The ethno-cultural characteristic of Korean Diaspora in the USA and Canada is given in this regard. Common and specific features and factors of socio-cultural adaptation of Koreans in the USA and Canada are defined. This analysis proves that Korean Diaspora in the USA and Canada has specific features of different periods and history of formation in recipient countries. It also provides a migration background. Young Korean Diaspora in Canada has not adapted to local living conditions yet and it will be transformed in the future. American Koreans managed to integrate and occupy a niche in the USA. However, ethnic Koreans in both countries have common characteristics. The first characteristic is close relations with representatives of their motherland (friends and relatives on the Korean Peninsula). Korea towns (where people speak only Korean) play the important role for ethnic self-identification and unification of North American Koreans. Religion is another crucial factor of Korean reunification in the USA and Canada. Protestant and Catholic churches are also significant for North American Koreans. Apart from religious functions, churches provide different social and cultural services for better adaptation and integration of Koreans. All these factors help Koreans to become an essential part in the North American society. © 2017 Published by Future Academy www.FutureAcademy. org.uk
Vygotsky from ZPD to ZCD in moral education: reshaping Western theory and practices in local context

This article explores Vygotsky’s concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) in the Malaysian context to support local reform of the Moral Education (ME) classroom. Small groups of students in three different types of school were involved in a participant action research (PAR) project. Such classrooms in Malaysia bring together students from various ethnicities aligned with Hindu, Confucian and Christian beliefs and understandings. Using the Malaysian multicultural ME classroom as a case study, we offer some examples of group conversations around moral dilemmas that illustrate ways that collaborative processes beyond the individual might expand an individual student’s ZPD and the consensual as well as divergent views of each group as a whole. This suggests possibilities for an extension of the ZPD into a zone of collaborative development (ZCD).
Acute effect of a cod protein hydrolysate on postprandial acylated ghrelin concentration and sensations associated with appetite in healthy subjects: a double-blind crossover trial

Background Fish protein hydrolysates are suggested to contain bioactive sequences capable of affecting metabolic pathways involved in the regulation of glucose metabolism and body weight when consumed in low doses. Modulation of the appetite-regulating hormone ghrelin may explain suppression of insulin secretion and weight loss observed in previous studies with fish protein hydrolysates. Objective This study aimed to assess the effect of a single, low dose of cod protein hydrolysate (CPH) before a breakfast meal on postprandial acylated ghrelin concentration and sensations associated with appetite in healthy subjects. Design In this explorative trial with a crossover design, 41 healthy individuals (15 males and 26 females, age 51 ± 6 years) completed 2 study days separated by 4–7 days of washout. On both study days, a test drink containing 20 mg CPH or casein (control) per kg body weight was given immediately before a standardized breakfast meal. Acylated ghrelin concentrations were measured before test drink/breakfast (baseline) and at time 0, 20, 40, 80, and 180 min postprandially. Sensations associated with appetite were measured by a Visual Analog Scale (100 mm) at baseline and 0, 20, 40, and 180 min postprandially. Results Statistically, no difference was observed between CPH and control for postprandial acylated ghrelin concentrations (mean difference geometric mean: 1.05 pg/mL, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.97–1.13, P = 0.266), or between the total area under the curve (tAUC) for acylated ghrelin after CPH (tAUC = 17518 pg/mL × min, 95% CI: 0–47941) and control (tAUC = 17272 pg/mL × min, 95% CI: 0–48048, P = 0.991). No differences were found between CPH and control for sensation of appetite, according to tAUC of postprandial scores for satiety (P = 0.794) and the feeling of fullness (P = 0.996). Conclusion We did not find an effect of a single dose of CPH on postprandial concentrations of acylated ghrelin or sensations related to feeling of hunger, compared to control. Further studies should aim to evaluate the effect of a supplement with CPH given daily over a period of time.
Mechanical Properties, Biodegradation, and Biocompatibility of Ultrafine Grained Magnesium Alloy WE43

In this work, the effect of an ultrafine-grained (UFG) structure obtained by multiaxial deformation (MAD) on the mechanical properties, fatigue strength, biodegradation, and biocompatibility in vivo of the magnesium alloy WE43 was studied. The grain refinement down to 0.93 ± 0.29 µm and the formation of Mg41Nd5 phase particles with an average size of 0.34 ± 0.21 µm were shown to raise the ultimate tensile strength to 300 MPa. Besides, MAD improved the ductility of the alloy, boosting the total elongation from 9% to 17.2%. An additional positive effect of MAD was an increase in the fatigue strength of the alloy from 90 to 165 MPa. The formation of the UFG structure also reduced the biodegradation rate of the alloy under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. The relative mass loss after six weeks of experiment was 83% and 19% in vitro and 46% and 7% in vivo for the initial and the deformed alloy, respectively. Accumulation of hydrogen and the formation of necrotic masses were observed after implantation of alloy specimens in both conditions. Despite these detrimental phenomena, the desired replacement of the implant and the surrounding cavity with new connective tissue was observed in the areas of implantation.
Impact of Network Competence on Firm's Performances among Chinese and Indian Entrepreneurs: A Multigroup Analysis

The aim of the current study was to analyse and compare the impact of network competence on four types of firms’ performances-perceived financial performance, perceived non-financial performance, perceived business growth and perceived performance relative to competitors-among Malaysian Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) run by Chinese and Indian entrepreneurs. A total of 200 retailers and wholesale owners in Klang Valley, Malaysia participated in a face-to-face survey. The collected data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) and multigroup analysis was performed to test the hypotheses developed. Findings revealed network competence to have a positive impact on all four types of firms’ performances among Chinese entrepreneurs. However, for Indian entrepreneurs, network competence was found to have a positive impact only on perceived financial performance and perceived performance relative to competitors. A significant difference was also found between Chinese and Indian entrepreneurs regarding the impact of network competence on perceived business growth.