Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Random Neural Network Based Epileptic Seizure Episode Detection Exploiting Electroencephalogram Signals

Epileptic seizures are caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain that manifests itself in a variety of ways, including confusion and loss of awareness. Correct identification of epileptic seizures is critical in the treatment and management of patients with epileptic disorders. One in four patients present resistance against seizures episodes and are in dire need of detecting these critical events through continuous treatment in order to manage the specific disease. Epileptic seizures can be identified by reliably and accurately monitoring the patients’ neuro and muscle activities, cardiac activity, and oxygen saturation level using state-of-the-art sensing techniques including electroencephalograms (EEGs), electromyography (EMG), electrocardiograms (ECGs), and motion or audio/video recording that focuses on the human head and body. EEG analysis provides a prominent solution to distinguish between the signals associated with epileptic episodes and normal signals; therefore, this work aims to leverage on the latest EEG dataset using cutting-edge deep learning algorithms such as random neural network (RNN), convolutional neural network (CNN), extremely random tree (ERT), and residual neural network (ResNet) to classify multiple variants of epileptic seizures from non-seizures. The results obtained highlighted that RNN outperformed all other algorithms used and provided an overall accuracy of 97%, which was slightly improved after cross validation.
Evaluation of the results of the proximal femoral nail surgery for intertrochanteric femur fractures

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical, functional, and radiological results of the patients who underwent proximal femoral nail (PFN) surgery due to intertrochanteric femur fractures (IFF). A total of 195 patients who underwent PFN surgery due to IFF in January 2014 and January 2018 in our institute and with at least six months follow-up periods were included in the study. Demographic data, comorbidities, Evans-Jensen fracture classification, anesthesia risk scores, hospitalization duration, time to surgery, duration of surgery, amount of blood loss, whether additional traumas exist, quality of reduction, complication rates, Harris hip scores (HHS), Fogagnolo Reduction Quality criteria and possible correlations between these variables were evaluated retrospectively. In our study, the majority of the patients were found to be between the ages of 70-90. Hypertension was found to be the most common comorbid disease in the patients (50.2%). The fracture type of the majority of the patients was determined as type 4. The majority of patients were identified as ASA III and ASA IV group patients (38.4% and 35.9%, respectively). Successful HHS was found at a rate of 77.5%. As the fracture type worsened, the HHS score worsened (p<0.05). Reoperation rates were significantly lower in those with good reduction quality than those with poor reduction (p<0.05). A significant association was found between the overall complication rate and reduction quality (p<0.05). A significant and negative correlation was found between HHS scores and total complication rates (p<0.05). Intertrochanteric femur fractures are frequently encountered by orthopedists. These fractures, which require surgical intervention in almost all of them, are important because the population is old and prone to complications, and accurate and rapid surgical intervention is required. Our results suggest that PFN surgery is an appropriate choice for IFF.
Experimental evidence of symmetry-breaking supercritical transition in pipe flow of shear-thinning fluids

Experimental results reveal that the asymmetric flow of shear-thinning fluid through a cylindrical pipe, which was previously associated with the laminar-turbulent transition process, appears to have the characteristics of a nonhysteretic, supercritical instability of the laminar base state. Contrary to what was previously believed, classical transition is found to be responsible for returning symmetry to the flow. An absence of evidence of the instability in simulations (either linear or nonlinear) suggests that an element of physics is lacking in the commonly used rheological model for inelastic shear-thinning fluids. These unexpected discoveries raise new questions regarding the stability of these practically important fluids and how they can be successfully modeled.
Dual‐wideband dual‐polarized rhombic antenna array for base‐station applications

A compact dual‐wideband dual‐polarized antenna array with a narrow beam and low side‐lobe level for indoor base‐station applications is presented. Four higher‐band dipole elements are inserted inside four lower‐band rhombic‐arranged dipole elements. Dipole elements for each band are excited by two 1‐to‐4 power dividers with equal magnitude and phase. By using this scheme, stable narrow radiation patterns with low side‐lobe levels both in the horizontal and vertical planes are obtained over the dual‐frequency bands. For verification, a dual‐wideband rhombic antenna array with bandwidths of 49.3% (0.64–1.06 GHz) and 52.3% (1.61–2.75 GHz) for VSWR < 1.5 is designed. It has a stable radiation pattern with 3‐dB beamwidths of around 33° and low side‐lobe levels of less than −22 dB both in the horizontal and vertical planes.
Energy Drinks: Effects on Blood Pressure and Heart Rate in Children and Teenagers. A Randomized Trial

Background The consumption of Energy Drinks (ED) is very popular among children and teenagers. While potential cardiovascular side effects of these beverages are suggested, the acute impact of ED consumption on the pediatric cardiovascular system has not been systematically examined yet. The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effects of ED consumption on blood pressure and heart rate in healthy children and teenagers. Methods This study was a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical trial. On two consecutive days, the study participants were asked to consume a weight-adjusted amount of an ED (3 mg caffeine per kg of body weight) or a placebo containing a similar amount of sugar but without conventional ED ingredients. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and heart rate were measured at the following time points: baseline as well as 30, 60, 120 and 240 min after beverage consumption. Results In total, 27 healthy children and adolescents (mean age 14.53 ± 2.40 years, 14 male) were included in the present study. Compared to placebo intake, mean SBP was demonstrated to be up to 5.23 mmHg (p < 0.0001) and mean DBP up to 3.29 mmHg (p < 0.001) increased after ED consumption. Prevalence of elevated blood pressure, stage 1 and stage 2 hypertension was higher after ED consumption. Heart rate tended to be lower after ED consumption. Conclusions The acute ED consumption is associated with a significantly increased SBP and DBP in healthy children and teenagers. Minors, particularly those with pre-existing health conditions, should be discouraged from drinking EDs. Clinical Trial Registration https://www.drks. de/drks_web/, identifier: DRKS00027580.
Guided Inquiry Learning With Sea Water Battery Project

Science learning process is expected to produce valuable product, innovative and real learning environment, and provide memorable learning experience. That orientation can be contained in Inquiry Based Learning. SMP N 4 Juwana is located close to the beach. That’s why, Sea Water Battery Project is very suitable to be applied in learning activity as an effort to fulfill the renewable energy based on local wisdom. This study aims to increase interest, activity and achievement of students. Learning implementation stage, namely : Constructing Sea Water Battery project, observation, group presentations, and feedback. Sea Water Battery is renewable energy battery from materials easily found around the learner. The materials used are copper plate as the anode, zinc plate as the cathode and sea water as the electrolyte. Average score of students Interest on the first cycle 76, while on the second cycle 85. Average score of students Activity on the first cycle 76 and on the second cycle 86. Average score of students achievement on the first cycle 75, while on the second cycle 84. This learning process gave nurturant effect for students to keep innovating and construct engineering technology for the future.
Questioning and Disputing Vaccination Policies. Scientists and Experts in the Italian Public Debate

Most literature about vaccine hesitancy has been focused on parental attitudes. Less attention has been devoted to both scientists and experts (general practitioners, pediatricians, health care professionals and science journalists) who raise criticism about immunization policies and intervene in the public debate. This consideration aims to balance the current emphasis in the literature on parents’ attitudes about vaccination, offering a complementary angle to reframe and widen the controversy. Focusing on scientists and experts (who can shape and feed parents and people's attitude), an unattended complex picture of multiple attitudes towards vaccines and vaccinations has been discovered through a qualitative content analysis (QCA) of texts (appeared in the Italian press, TV and pop-science books) related to the harsh public debate, held between March 2017 and November 2018, triggered by the legislative proposal of making ten vaccinations mandatory for children. Unlike oversemplications that misleading dichotomies (such as orthodox and heterodox positions, Western science / Western medicine versus alternative medicine) reproduce, the analysis reveals nine different positions along the continuum of immunisation attitudes, ranging from radical acceptance of vaccinations (both compulsory and recommended) to radical rejection, which constitute a fuzzy set. Consequently, a twofold reality emerges: on the surface, the conflict seems between pro-vaxxers versus hesitant, pro-choice and anti-vaxxers; beneath it is amid standardized versus a varieties of contextual and personalised approaches to health.
Surface acting is related to emotional exhaustion among staff members working in high secure forensic psychiatric care

ABSTRACT The concept of ‘emotional labour’ has been suggested as a useful framework for studying the relationship between emotionally demanding work and well being of health-care staff. The framework distinguishes ‘surface acting’ from ‘deep acting’ and suggests a predominant reliance on surface acting as a risk for emotional exhaustion. The relationship between emotional demands and emotional exhaustion among staff members working in high secure forensic psychiatric care (n = 131) was studied using the framework of emotional labour. Surface acting was found to partly mediate the relationship between emotional demands and emotional exhaustion. Experiencing the relationship with the manager as supportive contributed negatively to the prediction of emotional exhaustion. Workplace support did not moderate the relationship between emotional labour and emotional exhaustion. Although staff members working on wards in the direct care of forensic psychiatric patients tend to use both deep and surface acting during their work, our study results also show that deep acting and surface acting are differently related to emotional exhaustion. The framework of emotional labour indeed showed to be a useful paradigm within this population. Therefore, suggestions are made to pay attention to emotional labour strategies in future research and practice.
Mechanical Properties, Crack Width, and Propagation of Waste Ceramic Concrete Subjected to Elevated Temperatures: A Comprehensive Study

Waste ceramic concrete (WOC) made from waste ceramic floor tiles has several economic and environmental benefits. Fire is one of the most common disasters in buildings, and WOC is a brittle construction material; therefore, the mechanical properties of WOC structures under high temperatures should be considered. According to previous studies, hybrid fiber can further reduce damage to concrete under high temperatures. Meanwhile, crack width and propagation are among the key characteristics of concrete materials that need to be considered, but few studies have focused on their behavior when subjected to elevated temperatures. The new concrete materials proposed by the authors are WOC and WOC-Hybrid. WOC was prepared with Natural Coarse Aggregates (NCA), Natural Fine Aggregate (NFA), Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC 43 grade), and ceramic waste tiles with 20% replacements for coarse aggregates, 10% replacements for fine aggregates, and 10% replacement for cement. In contrast, WOC-Hybrid was prepared with the addition of hybrid fiber (1% crimped steel fiber and 1% polyvinyl alcohol fiber) in WOC. The specimens were exposed to temperatures of 100–300 °C, and then the specimens were tested for tensile and compressive strength. The present study aims to find a new method to improve concrete resistance to elevated temperatures at the lowest costs by experimental and computational analysis via machine learning models. The application of machine learning models such as artificial neural networks (ANN) and multiple linear regression (MLR) was employed in this study to predict the compressive and tensile strength of concrete. The linear coefficient correlation (R2) and mean square error (MSE) were evaluated to investigate the performance of the models. Based on the experimental analysis, the results show that the effect of hybrid fiber on the crack width and propagation is greater than that on the crack width and propagation of WOC and PC after exposure to high temperatures. However, the enhanced effect of hybrid fiber on the mechanical properties, rack width, and propagation decreases after subjecting it to a high-temperature treatment, owing to the melting and ignition of hybrid fibers at high temperatures. Regarding the computational analysis, it was found that the developed MLR model shows higher efficiency than ANN in predicting the compressive and tensile strength of PC, WOC, and WOC-Hybrid concrete.
Troubled Relationships: A Retrospective Study of How Couples with Histories of Trauma Experience Therapy

Abstract In the present study we aim to increase our knowledge of the relationship between childhood trauma and outcome in couple therapy. We sampled participants based on their suboptimal responses to treatment as well as one member of the dyad having reported experiences of childhood trauma. Six participants constituting three couples were included. All data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Our main finding was that when couples are not able to agree on the goal of their therapy and this is not handled adequately by the therapist, the alliance tends to split. The therapy thus becomes more individually focused at the expense of the couple relationship. Generally, participants did not themselves assess their past traumas as having negatively impacted therapy giving instead credence as to how it has impacted their self-knowledge. In the future, longitudinal studies should be conducted to explore if there is an association across treatment between trauma and the therapeutic relationship, and the influence it might have on outcome. The findings of this study further support the already existing literature on the importance of alliance and elaborates upon how split alliances occur, develops, and constrains therapy. Supplemental data for this article is available online at http://dx.doi. org/10.1080/15332691.2022. 2053262
A Multimodal Approach for Real Time Recognition of Engagement towards Adaptive Serious Games for Health

In this article, an unobtrusive and affordable sensor-based multimodal approach for real time recognition of engagement in serious games (SGs) for health is presented. This approach aims to achieve individualization in SGs that promote self-health management. The feasibility of the proposed approach was investigated by designing and implementing an experimental process focusing on real time recognition of engagement. Twenty-six participants were recruited and engaged in sessions with a SG that promotes food and nutrition literacy. Data were collected during play from a heart rate sensor, a smart chair, and in-game metrics. Perceived engagement, as an approximation to the ground truth, was annotated continuously by participants. An additional group of six participants were recruited for smart chair calibration purposes. The analysis was conducted in two directions, firstly investigating associations between identified sitting postures and perceived engagement, and secondly evaluating the predictive capacity of features extracted from the multitude of sources towards the ground truth. The results demonstrate significant associations and predictive capacity from all investigated sources, with a multimodal feature combination displaying superiority over unimodal features. These results advocate for the feasibility of real time recognition of engagement in adaptive serious games for health by using the presented approach.
Exploring Psychoneurological Symptom Clusters in Acute Stroke Patients: A Latent Class Analysis

Purpose To identify latent classes of acute stroke patients with distinct experiences with the symptom clusters of depression, anxiety, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and pain symptoms and assess, if the selected variables determine a symptom-cluster experience in acute stroke patients. Participants and Methods A sample of 690 participants were collected from July 2020 to December 2020 in a cross-sectional descriptive study. Latent class analysis was conducted to distinguish different clusters of acute stroke participants who experienced five patient-reported symptoms. Furthermore, multinomial logistic regression was selected to verify the influencing indicators of each subgroup, with selected socio-demographic variables, clinical characteristics, self-efficacy, and perceived social support as independent variables and the different latent classes as the dependent variable. Results Three latent classes, named “all high symptom,” “high psychological disorder,” and “all low symptom,” were identified, accounting for 9.6%, 26.3%, and 64.1% of symptom clusters, respectively. Patients in the “all high symptom” and “high psychological disorder” classes reported significantly lower quality of life (F=40.21, p <0.05). Female gender, younger age, higher National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores, and lower self-efficacy and perceived social support were risk factors associated with the “high psychological disorder” class. Younger patients with lower self-efficacy and perceived social support were more likely to be in the “all high symptom” class. Conclusion This study identified latent classes of acute stroke patients that can be used in predicting symptom-cluster experiences following a stroke. Also, the ability to characterize subgroups of patients with distinct symptom experiences helps identify high-risk patients. Focusing on symptom clusters in clinical practice can inspire us to create effective targeted interventions for subgroups of stroke patients suffering from the same symptom cluster.
Torsion Test vs. Other Methods to Obtain the Shear Strength of Elastic-Plastic Adhesives

Nowadays adhesive joints are more and more used; therefore, a precise and reliable shear strength measurement of these joints is necessary to design and predict a final components’ performance. This work aimed to assess the shear strength value of adhesively joined ceramics (SiC, Si3N4) and steel in the case of an elasto-plastic (ductile) joining material (Loctite EA 9321 AERO) by an experimental campaign and associated analytical modelling. The joined samples were tested using a single lap offset test in compression (SLO), an asymmetrical 4-point bending test (A4PB, ASTM C1469), and by torsion on fully joined hourglass shaped samples (THG). A simple model based on the elastic-plastic response in shear was proposed to fit the torque-rotation curve measured in the torsion tests. The results showed that, with the adopted test methods and conditions, and by using the model, consistent values of shear strength could be obtained by torsion tests.
Modeling Streamflow at the Iberian Peninsula Scale Using MOHID-Land: Challenges from a Coarse Scale Approach

Hydrological modeling is nowadays critical for evaluating the status, past trends, and future perspectives of water availability at the global, regional, and local scales. The Iberian Peninsula is registering more frequent and severe droughts and water scarcity caused not only by extreme meteorological events, but also by increased demand for water for urban, industrial, and agricultural supplies. Better simulation models are thus needed for accurately quantifying the availability of local water resources. In this study, the natural flow regime in different watersheds of the Iberian Peninsula was simulated using the process-based, fully distributed, MOHID-Land model from 1979 to 2013. Streamflow results were compared with measurements at 73 hydrometric stations not influenced by reservoirs, and with the data available in the management plans of each hydrographic region. The results showed a high dispersion of the goodness-of-fit indicators, with the coefficient of determination (R2) ranging between 0 and 0.91, and the modeling efficiency (NSE) being higher than 0.35 at only 22 (calibration) and 28 (validation) hydrometric stations. Considering the scale of application, results were acceptable but evidenced the difficulties in simulating streamflow in watersheds using a coarse resolution. As such, this paper further deals with the difficulties and challenges of the adopted modeling approach. Nevertheless, this study constitutes a further step towards the more accurate assessment of water resources availability at the Iberian Peninsula scale using process-based modeling.
Eliciting neural mechanisms of music medicine for epilepsy

Prior research involving persons with drug-resistant epilepsy has demonstrated that listening to some music decreases the probability of clinical seizures and their related comorbidities. This article reviews recent research designed to elicit the neural mechanisms behind positive outcomes on biomarkers of the disease. Using novel music analytical and neurophysiological experimental methods, our results showed positive effects on epilepsy using 15-second gamma-band (40-Hz) complex tones as well as Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major (K448). We also observed greater effects with increased stimulus duration. Further analysis elicited effects localized to bilateral frontal brain regions due to transitions between musical phrases. Finally, music matched for patient preference from a range of musical styles was not as effective as 40-Hz tones or Mozart's K448. Understanding these results required expertise in both music and neuroscience, and could yield reliable music-based interventions for epilepsy that may also be transferable to other brain disorders.
Use of Antivirals in SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Critical Review of the Role of Remdesivir

Abstract The aim of this report is to review the literature and shed light on the uncertainties surrounding the use of antiviral agents in general and remdesivir in COVID-19 patients. This review evaluated a battery of antiviral compounds and their effectiveness in the treatment of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. Remdesivir is the only antiviral approved by the EMA and FDA for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This work extensively reviews remdesivir data generated from clinical trials and observational studies, paying attention to the most recent data, and focusing on outcomes to give readers a more comprehensive understanding of the results. This review also discusses the recommendations issued by official bodies during the pandemic in the light of the current knowledge. The use of remdesivir in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection is justified because a virus is the causative agent that triggers the inflammatory responses and its consequences. More trials are needed to improve the management of this disease.