Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Review of surgical experience in 188 infants and young children with Ebstein anomaly

Abstract OBJECTIVES This study sought to review our single-institutional surgical experience in paediatric Ebstein anomaly (EA). METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the paediatric patients with EA undergoing operation between 2004 and 2020. The time-to-event analysis was studied using Kaplan–Meier estimates. Cox regression model was used to identify risk factors for recurrent moderate–severe or greater tricuspid regurgitation (TR). RESULTS A total of 188 patients at a median age of 3.0 [interquartile range (IQR), 1.6–5.6] years were included, among whom 108 (57.4%) underwent cone reconstruction (CR). Bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt was required in 53 patients (28.2%). There were no in-hospital deaths. The median follow-up time was 5.6 (IQR, 2.9–8.9) years. Twenty-three (12.2%) developed recurrent moderate–severe or greater TR, among whom 9 required reoperation and 1 had late death. There was a lower incidence of recurrent TR (P = 0.006) and reoperation for TR (P = 0.037) in the CR group compared with the non-CR group. There was no difference in the incidence of recurrent TR (P = 0.61), reoperation (P = 0.9) and death (P = 0.48) among patients aged <1, 1–4 and 4–18 years. CONCLUSIONS Acceptable outcomes can be anticipated in paediatric EA undergoing CR in terms of freedom from TR of > moderate degree at a mid-term follow-up.
Singular Modes and Low-Frequency Atmospheric Variability

Abstract Recently, it has been shown that the EOFs (empirical orthogonal functions) of the solutions of a stationary linear model to an ensemble of white noise forcing fields are the Schmidt modes (singular modes) of the model' linear operator. If the forcing is not pure white noise, this exact association breaks down. In this paper, the role of these singular modes for the recurring modes of the solutions in the latter case is investigated. First, a steady-state barotropic model, linearized about a wavy 300-mb basic state, is forced by a large sample of quasi-stationary vorticity forcings where the basic state and the forcing are both derived from a climate control run of the Hamburg ECHAM2 GCM. The EOFs of this sample of solutions are explicitly calculated and the leading EOF obtained turns out to be very similar to the leading singular mode of the model. The primary energy source of this mode is the conversion of the kinetic energy of the zonally asymmetric components of the basic state to the mode. On.
Bilingual toddlers show increased attention capture by static faces compared to monolinguals

Bilingual infants rely differently than monolinguals on facial information, such as lip patterns, to differentiate their native languages. This may explain, at least in part, why young monolinguals and bilinguals show differences in social attention. For example, in the first year, bilinguals attend faster and more often to static faces over non-faces than do monolinguals (Mercure et al., 2018). However, the developmental trajectories of these differences are unknown. In this pre-registered study, data were collected from 15- to 18-month-old monolinguals (English) and bilinguals (English and another language) to test whether group differences in face-looking behaviour persist into the second year. We predicted that bilinguals would orient more rapidly and more often to static faces than monolinguals. Results supported the first but not the second hypothesis. This suggests that, even into the second year of life, toddlers’ rapid visual orientation to static social stimuli is sensitive to early language experience.
Identification and Optimization of Ecological Network in Arid Inland River Basin Using MSPA and Spatial Syntax: A Case Study of Shule River Basin, NW China

Habitat fragmentation has become an important factor in the reduction of biodiversity. Identifying and optimizing ecological network (EN) can help alleviate the negative impact of habitat fragmentation and improve regional biodiversity. TaoLai River basin is an inland river basin in Northwest China. Due to the impact of climate change and human activities, there are many ecological problems such as grassland degradation and shortage of water resources. It is urgent to identify and optimize the EN. This study comprehensively uses Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA), Minimum Cumulative Resistance Model (MCR) and Circuit Theory to identify ENs, evaluates ENs based on Spatial Syntax and determines the protection priority of ENs, then diagnoses ecological “pinch points” and ecological obstacles by combining remote sensing and GIS spatial analysis methods. The results show that: (1) the ecological source area of the basin is 3061.63 km2, with uneven spatial distribution, mainly distributed in the Qilian Mountains in the south of the basin; (2) There are 106 ecological corridors in the basin, with a total length of 2267.30 km and an average length of 21.38 km, which is not conducive to species migration; (3) The optimum widths of ecological corridors in the south, middle and north of the basin are 100 m, 60 m and 300 m respectively; (4) The key areas of watershed ecological restoration include the “pinch area” between the southern core area and the central core area and 108 ecological barrier points; (5) Combined with the spatial characteristics of various key areas of ecological protection and restoration, the spatial pattern of “one core-four rings-five belts” of watershed EN construction is obtained.
Isolation and identification of microorganisms associated with Jollof rice sold at Bukateria in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile -Ife, Osun State, Nigeria

This study assessed the microbiological quality of Jollof rice by isolating, identifying and characterizing the microorganisms associated with jollof rice. Six replicate samples were collected from different locations in Obafemi Awolowo University campus, Ile-Ife, Osun-State, Nigeria. Maconkey, Nutrient and Potatoes Dextrose agars were used for the isolation and determination of microbial load. Standard morphological and biochemical tests were carried out for the identification and characterization of isolates. A total of 10 bacteria and 10 fungal species were isolated. The total bacterial count ranged from 3.6×103cfu/g to 1.54×105cfu/g, while the total fungal count ranged from 1.04×104sfu/g to 3.0×105sfu/g. The organisms presumptively identified with the percentage occurrence include; Staphylococcus saprophiticus (20%), Proteus vulgaris (10%), Bacillus subtlis (10%), Proteus mirabilis (10%), Micrococcus varians (10%), Bacillus licheniformis (10%), Bacillus cereus (10%), Bacillus polymyxa (10%), Micrococcus luteus (10%) for bacteria isolates and Aspergillus niger (30%), Aspergillus oryzae (30%) and Aspergillus candidus (40%) for fungi isolates. Good personal hygiene, proper sanitation practice and the use of clean utensils during food preparation are recommended to avoid food poisoning and spoilage.
The wide-field infrared survey explorer properties of complete samples of radio-loud active galactic nucleus

We present an analysis of four complete samples of radio-loud AGN (3CRR, 2Jy, 6CE and 7CE) using near- and mid-IR data taken by the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). The combined sample consists of 79 quasars and 273 radio galaxies, and covers a redshift range 0.003 < z < 3.395. The dichotomy in the mid-IR properties of low- and highexcitation radio galaxies (LERGs - HERGs) is analysed for the first time using large complete samples. Our results demonstrate that a division in th e accretion modes of LERGs and HERGs clearly stands out in the mid-IR radio plane (L22µm=5×10 43 erg s 1 ). This means that WISE data can be effectively used to diagnose accretion modes in radio-loud AGN. The mid-IR properties of all objects were analysed to test the unification between quasars and radio galaxies, consistent with earlier work and we argue that smooth torus models best reproduce the observation. Quasars are found to have higher mid-IR luminosities than radio galaxies. We also studied all the sources in the near-IR to gain insights into evolution of AGN host galaxies. A relation found between the near-IR luminosity and redshift, well-known in the near-IR, is apparent in the two near-IR WISE bands, supporting the idea that radio sources are hosted by massive elliptical galaxies that formed their stars at high redshifts and evolved passively thereafter. Evaluation of the positions of the sa mple objects in WISE colour-colour diagrams shows that widely used WISE colour cuts are not completely reliable in selecting AGN.
Cochlear Implantation: The Volumetric Measurement of Vestibular Aqueduct and Gusher Prediction

This study aimed to validate the role of 3D segmentation in measuring the volume of the vestibular aqueduct (VAD), and the inner ear, and to study the correlation between VAD volume and VAD linear measurements at the midpoint and operculum. The correlation with other cochlear metrics was also studied. We retrospectively recruited 21 children (42 ears) diagnosed with Mondini dysplasia (MD) plus enlarged vestibular aqueduct (EVA) from 2009 to 2021 and who underwent cochlear implantation (CI). Patients’ sociodemographic data were collected, and linear cochlear metrics were measured using Otoplan. Vestibular aqueduct width and vestibular aqueduct and inner ear volumes were measured by two independent neuro-otologists using 3D segmentation software (version 4.11.20210226) and high-resolution CT. We also conducted a regression analysis to determine the association between these variables and CT VAD and inner ear volumes. Among the 33 cochlear implanted ears, 13 ears had a gusher (39.4%). Regarding CT inner ear volume, we found that gender, age, A-value, and VAD at the operculum were statistically significant (p-Value = 0.003, <0.001, 0.031, and 0.027, respectively) by regression analysis. Moreover, we found that Age, H value, VAD at the midpoint, and VAD at the operculum were significant predictors of CT VAD volume (p-Value < 0.04). Finally, gender (OR: 0.092; 95%CI: 0.009–0.982; p-Value = 0.048) and VAD at the midpoint (OR: 0.106; 95%CI: 0.015–0.735; p-Value = 0.023) were significant predictors of gusher risk. Patients’ gusher risk was significantly differentiated by gender and VAD width at the midpoint.
Supercritical Marine-Layer Flow along a Smoothly Varying Coastline

Abstract A model for hydraulically supercritical atmospheric marine-layer flow along a smoothly varying coastline is formulated and solved numerically. The model is motivated by a recent comparison of CODE observations to a simple hydraulic theory, which suggested the presence of an expansion fan and a compression jump downstream of topographic features. The marine layer is modeled as a homogeneous rotating fluid layer decelerated by surface friction and forced by imposed upper-level pressure gradients. The equations are solved by a characteristic-based gridpoint scheme. The results indicate that the expansion fan is a robust feature that persists under most conditions in the present more realistic model, but is dramatically altered in structure by the presence of friction, while the jump may weaken rapidly offshore due mainly to offshore variations of the layer height upstream of the jump. The agreement between observations and model predictions is good enough to suggest that a first-order description of.
Unique Continuation for Parabolic Operators. II

Abstract It is shown that if a function u(x,t) satisfies a backward parabolic inequality in an open set , (x 0,t 0) is a point in Ω and u(x,t 0) vanishes to infinite order at x = x 0, then u(x,t 0) = 0 for all x in the connected component of x 0 in .
Finite element implementation of a macromolecular viscoplastic polymer model

This paper presents a time‐integration method for a viscoplastic physics‐based polymer model at finite strains. The macromolecular character of the model resides in (i) the viscoplastic law based on a double‐kink molecular mechanism, and (ii) a full chain network model inspired by rubber elasticity to describe the large‐strain orientation hardening. A back stress enters the constitutive model formulation. Essential aspects of a three‐dimensional finite‐element implementation are outlined, the main novelty being in the back stress formulation. The computational efficiency and accuracy of the algorithm are examined in a series of parameter studies. In addition, because a co‐rotational formulation of the constitutive equations is employed using the Jaumann rate in the hypoelastic equation and the back stress evolution equation a detailed analysis of stress oscillations is carried out up to very large strains in simple shear. Subsequently, three‐dimensional FE analyses of compression with friction and instability propagation in tension are used as a means to demonstrate the robustness of the implementation and the potential occurrence of stress oscillations and shear bands in large‐strain analyses. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Robustness to Format Effects of IRT Linking Methods for Mixed-Format Tests

Four item response theory linking methods (2 moment methods and 2 characteristic curve methods) were compared to concurrent (CO) calibration with the focus on the degree of robustness to format effects (FEs) when applying the methods to multidimensional data that reflected the FEs associated with mixed-format tests. Based on the quantification of FEs as the correlation between 2 dominant constructs measured by multiple-choice items and constructed-response items, a hypothetical yet possibly practical situation was assumed where FEs occurred in such a way that a mixed-format test had dimensions aligned with item format. Among linking methods, the characteristic curve methods outperformed the moment methods, regardless of the presence of FEs. In general, CO calibration outperformed the 4 linking methods in linking accuracy and robustness to FEs. However, the performance of CO calibration was only slightly better than that of the characteristic curve methods. Although CO calibration and the characteristic curve methods showed some evidence of being robust to severe FEs (correlation of 0.5), the evidence did not seem to be consistent across test types.
The complexity of constructing empowerment measuring instruments: a delphi study*

ABSTRACT The value of empowerment as a central concept for social work implies the potential benefits of measurement to understand how this value is materialised in social work. The way in which instruments are developed and constructed impact their quality. With regard to the complexity of measuring empowerment, this article aims to provide insights in experts’ views on the theoretical requirements to measuring empowerment in social work. A Delphi study of 3 rounds was conducted to achieve consensus into the appropriate method of instrument development for empowerment. By retrieving, organising, exchanging and combining opinions and arguments from different experts, this study provides insights into their views on requirements when developing measuring instruments for empowerment. The results show elaborations on substantive requirements and considerations that should be taken into account when developing empowerment measures in social work and that have led to the development of new guidelines. These provide social work and its researchers the opportunity to construct instruments that align with methodological standards, theoretical requirements, and ethical principles.
On the Adoption of Modern Technologies to Fight the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Technical Synthesis of Latest Developments

In the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, digital technologies have played a vital role to minimize the spread of COVID-19, and to control its pitfalls for the general public. Without such technologies, bringing the pandemic under control would have been tricky and slow. Consequently, exploration of pandemic status, and devising appropriate mitigation strategies would also be difficult. In this paper, we present a comprehensive analysis of community-beneficial digital technologies that were employed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, we demonstrate the practical applications of ten major digital technologies that have effectively served mankind in different ways during the pandemic crisis. We have chosen these technologies based on their technical significance and large-scale adoption in the COVID-19 arena. The selected technologies are the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence(AI), natural language processing(NLP), computer vision (CV), blockchain (BC), federated learning (FL), robotics, tiny machine learning (TinyML), edge computing (EC), and synthetic data (SD). For each technology, we demonstrate the working mechanism, technical applications in the context of COVID-19, and major challenges from the perspective of COVID-19. Our analysis can pave the way to understanding the roles of these digital COVID-19-fighting technologies that can be used to fight future infectious diseases to prevent global crises. Moreover, we discuss heterogeneous data that have significantly contributed to addressing multiple aspects of the ongoing pandemic when fed to the aforementioned technologies. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is a pioneering work on community-beneficial and transformative technologies in the context of COVID-19 with broader coverage of studies and applications.
Evaluation of Ultrasonic Nonlinear Characteristics in Heat-Treated Aluminum Alloy (Al-Mg-Si-Cu)

The nonlinear ultrasonic technique has been known to be more sensitive to minute variation of elastic properties in material than the conventional linear ultrasonic method. In this study, the ultrasonic nonlinear characteristics in the heat-treated aluminum alloy (Al-Mg-Si-Cu) have been evaluated. For this, the specimens were heat treated for various heating period up to 50 hours at three different heating temperatures: 250°C, 300°C, and 350°C. The ultrasonic nonlinear characteristics of each specimen were evaluated by measuring the ultrasonic nonlinear parameter β from the amplitudes of fundamental and second harmonic frequency components in the transmitted ultrasonic wave. After the ultrasonic test, tensile strengths and elongations were obtained by the tensile test to compare with the parameter β. The heating time showing a peak in the parameter β was identical to that showing critical change in the tensile strength and elongation, and such peak appeared at the earlier heating time in the higher heating temperature. These results suggest that the ultrasonic nonlinear parameter β can be used for monitoring the variations in elastic properties of aluminum alloys according to the heat treatment.
The magnetic network location of explosive events observed in the solar transition region

Compact short-lived explosive events have been observed in solar transition region lines with the High-Resolution Telescope and Spectrograph (HRTS) flown by the Naval Research Laboratory on a series of rockets and on Spacelab 2. Data from Spacelab 2 are coaligned with a simultaneous magnetogram and near-simultaneous He I 10,380 -A spectroheliogram obtained at the National Solar Observatory at Kitt Peak. The comparison shows that the explosive events occur in the solar magnetic network lanes at the boundaries of supergranular convective cells. However, the events occur away from the larger concentrations of magnetic flux in the network, in contradiction to the observed tendency of the more energetic solar phenomena to be associated with the stronger magnetic fields. 22 refs.
Numerical Study on Self-Field Two-Dimensional Straight Anode MPD Thruster

A two-dimensional, compressible, finite volume, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) solver for simulating inviscid and fully ionized plasma flow is developed to compute the flow field in Magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thrusters. Unsteady Euler's equations with body forces and Joule heating as momentum and energy sources are solved along with the solution of unsteady magnetic flux density equation derived from Maxwell's equation. The flow solver is validated against some benchmark gas dynamic problems. The MHD part of the solver is validated by computing a flared anode 2D MPD thruster flow. The effect of geometric configuration on the thruster performance is a studied by varying the length of cathode in a straight anode MPD thruster. A study on the effect of inlet mass flow rate is also performed for short (13 mm) and long (41 mm) cathode cases. The results are analyzed to understand the flow physics and to identify the configuration that yields better performance characteristics.
Thermal convection in a rotating fluid annulus blocked by a radial barrier

Abstract There have been extensive previous laboratory studies of thermal convection in a vertical cylindrical annulus of fluid that rotates about its axis with angular velocity Ω (say) with respect to an inertial frame and is subject to an axisymmetric horizontal temperature gradient, as well as associated theoretical and numerical work. The relative flow produced by concomitant buoyancy forces is strongly influenced by Coriolis forces, which give rise to azimuthal circulations and promote, through the process of “baroclinic instability”, regimes of non-axisymmetric sloping convection which can be spatially and temporally regular or irregular (“chaotic geostrophic turbulence”). It is also known from previous work that such flows are changed dramatically by the presence of a thin rigid impermeable radial barrier blocking the cross-section of the annulus, and capable of supporting a net azimuthal pressure gradient and associated net azimuthal temperature gradient within the fluid. The presence of the barri.
Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the workplace: Key findings from a rapid review of the literature

Abstract At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the primary route of transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus was not well understood. Research gathered from other respiratory infectious diseases, including other coronaviruses, was the basis for the initial perceptions for transmission of SARS-CoV-2. To better understand transmission of SARS-CoV-2, a rapid literature review was conducted from literature generated 19 March 2020, through 23 September 2021. 18,616 unique results were identified from literature databases and screened. Of these, 279 key articles were reviewed and abstracted covering critical topics such as environmental/workplace monitoring, sampling and analytical method evaluation, and the ability of the virus to remain intact and infectious during sampling. This paper describes the results of the rapid literature review, which evaluated pathways that contribute to transmission as well as the strengths and limitations of current sampling approaches. This review also evaluates how different factors, including environmental conditions and surface characteristics, could impact the transmission potential of SARS-CoV-2. A continual rapid review in the midst of a pandemic proved particularly useful for quickly understanding the transmission parameters of the virus and enabled us to comprehensively assess literature, respond to workplace questions, and evaluate our understanding as the science evolved. Air and surface sampling with the accompanying analytical methods were not generally effective in recovering SARS-CoV-2 viable virus or RNA in many likely contaminated environments. In light of these findings, the development of validated sampling and analysis methods is critical for determining worker exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and to assess the impact of mitigation efforts. Copyright © 2023 American Association for Aerosol Research