Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Undiagnosed Dysglycemia in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Its Associated Factors

Objectives: The study objectives are to determine the proportion of RA patients with dysglycaemia based on oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and to determine the factors associated with dysglycaemia in patients with RA. Methods: This is a cross sectional study, conducted in a rheumatology centre, which included patients diagnosed with RA for at least 6 months, aged 30 years and above, who underwent OGTT. They were divided into two groups; dysglycaemia and normoglycaemia. Comparison of demographic factors, RA history, patients’ attributes and laboratory parameters were performed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: There were 35.5% (55 of 155) RA patients with dysglycaemia (40 impaired glucose tolerance, 11 type 2 diabetes mellitus, three impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance, and one impaired fasting glucose). There were significantly more patients who had ever smoke in the dysglycaemia group. Patients with dysglycaemia compared to normoglycaemia was heavier (65.5±12.3 vs. 60.7±10.6, p=0.01), had wider waist circumference (89.0±12.5 vs. 83.1±9.6, p<0.01), higher systolic (134.5±17.5 vs. 128.2±18.1, p=0.04) and diastolic blood pressure (79.7±8.7 vs. 76.3±10.5, p=0.04), lower HDL (1.4±0.3 vs. 1.5±0.4, p=0.02), higher triglyceride (1.3±0.5 vs. 1.1±0.5, p<0.01) and ICAM1 level (420±230 vs. 337±127, p=0.02). Based on our predictability model, factors found to be significantly associated with dysglycaemia ever smoke (OR 5.70, CI 1.27-25.7, p=0.02) and elevated triglycerides (OR 2.87, CI 1.33-6.22, p<0.01). Conclusions: OGTT is useful to detect IGT and elevated post-prandial glucose in RA patients. Patients with high triglycerides and had ever smoke should undergo OGTT despite having normal fasting glucose.
Chaotic Oscillations in a Third Order PLL in the Face of Two Co - Channel Signals and Its Control

A third order phase locked loop incorporating a resonant type second order filter is a conditionally stable system and shows complicated dynamics including chaotic oscillations for a range of loop parameters. In the face of two co-channel signals, an otherwise stable loop may be thrown into a chaotic state, depending on the relative strength and mutual frequency offset of the input signals. We have predicted the parameter zone for chaotic state of the loop through numerical studies and verified the prediction by hardware experiment. Then we modify the loop structure to incorporate an additional control signal which stabilizes the loop dynamics and removes the chaotic oscillations. The improved response of the loop is established numerically and experimentally.
Straight-Fiber-Type Artificial Muscle Deformation Under Pressurization

Currently, researchers are actively conducting studies and experiments on soft robots due to their increasing abilities to cooperate with humans. Particular attention is being paid to pneumatic artificial muscles because of their flexibility and relatively light weight as actuators. Among the multiple types of pneumatic artificial muscles, the straight-fiber-type has a structure, which is typically configured in a cylindrical rubber tube reinforced by fibers in the axial direction. The application of an internal pressure expands the tube in the radial direction, while it contracts in the axial direction. In this study, the deformation of such tubes was theoretically analyzed. First, the differential equation for the cylinder profile was derived, and the solution then obtained in the closed form, when the rubber is relatively soft enough compared to the fiber. Finally, for a large enough inner pressure, the profile of the reinforced rubber cylinder was derived from the incomplete elliptic integral. Moreover, the spring constant, the contraction ratio, and the maximum stress were obtained regarding the cylinder length. The spring constant linearly increased with the initial length of the cylinder. The contraction ratio also increased with the initial cylinder length up to 54.3%. The maximum stress was found to be related to the elastic modulus of the rubber but not to the inner pressure; when the cylinder length was three to five times larger than the initial diameter of the cylinder, the rubber exhibited small a maximum stress and large contraction ratio.
Aeroallergens in the Management of Atopic Dermatitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Cita Rosita Sigit Prakoeswa (  cita-rosita@fk.unair.ac.id ) Universitas Airlangga Fakultas Kedokteran Sylvia Anggraeni Universitas Airlangga Fakultas Kedokteran Damayanti Damayanti Universitas Airlangga Fakultas Kedokteran Menul Ayu Umborowati Universitas Airlangga Fakultas Kedokteran Cintya Dipta Riswanto Universitas Airlangga Fakultas Kedokteran Sholahuddin Rhatomy Gadjah Mada University Faculty of Medicine: Universitas Gadjah Mada Fakultas Kedokteran Kesehatan Masyarakat dan Keperawatan Hari Basuki Notobroto Universitas Airlangga Anang Endaryanto Universitas Airlangga Fakultas Kedokteran Isaak Effendy Bielefeld Central Hospital: Klinikum Bielefeld Mitte
Mortality of Cranes (Gruidae) Associated with Powerlines over a Major Roost on the Platte River, Nebraska

Two 69-kilovolt powerlines spanning the Platte River in south central Nebraska are suspected to cause substantial mortality to sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) and pose a threat to endangered whooping cranes (G. americana) that roost overnight on the river during spring and fall migrations. Most studies of crane collisions with powerlines in the region have focused on counts of carcasses away from night roosts on the river and none have accounted for potential biases in detecting carcasses. We found 61 carcasses of sandhill cranes below over-river segments of the two powerlines during 4 March to 7 April 2006 and 90 such carcasses between 5 March and 13 April 2007. In 2007 we estimated the number of carcasses undetected in our surveys due to removal by scavengers, loss to downstream flow, and observer oversight. We estimated between 165 and 219 sandhill cranes were killed by the two powerlines during spring 2007. These cnlculations exclude mortalities from individuals injured by powerline collisions and dying elsewhere, as well as those killed before or after our 5 March to 13 April survey period. We detected no evidence of mortality for whooping cranes during our surveys. Our results corroborate anecdotal evidence of signficant sandhill crane mortality each spring due to collisions with above-ground powerlines at this major night roost. Collisions by sandhill cranes will continue and collisions by Whooping cranes seem likely unless an effective means of averting birds from powerlines is implemented at this site.
On characters in the principal 2-block

Abstract Let k be a complex number and let u be an element of a finite group G. Suppose that u does not belong to O(G), the maximal normal subgroup of G of odd order. It is shown that G satisfies X(1) – X(u) = k for every complex nonprincipal irreducible character X in the principal 2-block of G if and only if G/O(G) is isomorphic either to C2, a cyclic group of order 2, or to PSL (2, 2n), n ≧ 2.
Anomalies in Asia Pacific Stock Markets: A Re-Examination of the Turn-of-the-Year Effect

This paper examines the turn-of-the-year (TOY) effect in fifteen Asia Pacific stock indices by using an updated dataset. The analysis utilizes the daily datasets spanning from 2000 to 2018. Applying the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) and the Exponential Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedastic (EGARCH) approach, the results of this paper suggest that the TOY effect becomes detectable again after the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) in developed markets with the tax year not ending in December. Furthermore, the magnitude of this anomaly diminishes in emerging markets after the GFC, which is consistent with the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH). The evidence of the leverage effect in the market volatility shows in negative shocks that it is considerably higher than that of positive shocks for all markets. This phenomenon is more evident in mature markets compared to emerging markets. The positive connection between the leverage effect and stock market volatility is seen with diminishing magnitude during the stable market condition after the GFC.
Characterization of Equine Chronic Tendon Lesions in Low- and High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging

In equine medicine, experience regarding MRI of chronic tendon lesions is limited, and evidence on the suitability of different sequences in 3 T high-field MRI is scarce. Therefore, macroscopically healthy and altered tendons were examined by histology and in 0.27 T low- and 3 T high-field MRI, focusing on T1-weighted (T1w) sequences to visualize chronic lesions. In high-field MRI, tendons were positioned parallel (horizontal) and perpendicular (vertical) to the magnetic field, acknowledging the possible impact of the magic angle effect. The images were evaluated qualitatively and signal intensities were measured for quantitative analysis. Qualitative evaluation was consistent with the quantitative results, yet there were differences in lesion detection between the sequences. The low-field T1w GRE sequence and high-field T1w FLASH sequence with vertically positioned tendons displayed all tendon lesions. However, the horizontally scanned high-field T1w SE sequence failed to detect chronic tendon lesions. The agreement regarding tendon signal intensities was higher between high-field sequences scanned in the same orientation (horizontal or vertical) than between the same types of sequence (SE or FLASH), demonstrating the impact of tendon positioning. Vertical scanning was superior for diagnosis of the tendon lesions, suggesting that the magic angle effect plays a major role in detecting chronic tendon disease.
A moment-matching based method for the analysis of manipulator’s repeatability of positioning with arbitrarily distributed joint clearances

The joint clearance can be the mainly concern factor in the analysis of repeatability of positioning for a manipulator. Traditionally, the joint clearance is empirically assumed to be uniform or normal variables. This hasty treatment may be not accurate enough when the precise statistic information of variables cannot be obtained. To handle the reliability evaluation problem with arbitrarily distributed joint clearances, a moment-matching based method is proposed. The highly nonlinear performance function is firstly established by the forward kinematics and then a second order Taylor expansion is performed on this function for the order reduction. Based on the maximum entropy principle, the Lagrange multipliers method is employed to derive a best-fit probability density function (PDF) with consideration of the first four moments-matching restrictions. This study shows that the prosed method can acquire a better accuracy and efficiency compared with the first order second moment method (FOSM), first order reliability method (FORM) and Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). A serial manipulator is applied as an example to demonstrate the new method.
A simplified constitutive model for a SEBS gel muscle simulant - Development and experimental validation for finite elements simulations of handgun and rifle ballistic impacts

An original simplified constitutive model is proposed to simulate the effects of ballistic impacts on blocks of synthetic muscle simulant based on mineral oil and styrene ethylene-butylene styrene polymers (SEBS) as a convenient substitute for Fackler ballistic gelatin. The model is based on a quasi-static elastic-plastic model associated with hydrodynamic properties regulated by a polynomial equation of state. The paper illustrates the development and experimental validation of the model to simulate 9x21mm FMJ round-nose, 7.62x39 mm FMJ, and 5.56x45 mm NATO bullets penetrating 145x145x400 mm gel blocks. All material parameters are provided to be implemented in built-in LS-Dyna keywords. The validation confirms the effectiveness of the model and suggests possible further developments. The work also confirms the tested synthetic gel as a valid and convenient substitute for Fackler 10% ballistic gelatin at 4 °C.
The effects of new Edea and Graf figure skating boots and used Graf boots on the kinetics and kinematics of landing after simulated on-ice jumps

Abstract An increase in training intensity and the number of active participants and competitors in figure skating has been accompanied by an increasing frequency of injuries. The aim of this study was to investigate whether different brands of skates as well as the usage of the skates modify the kinetics and kinematics of the landing impact from a jump. New Graf Edmonton (NG), old used Graf Edmonton (OG) and new Edea Concerto (NE) skates were compared. Twelve participants completed six jump trials from 30 cm and 50 cm high boxes, respectively in all three skates and landed on a section of artificial ice placed on a laboratory floor. Landing kinematics (Oqus4 system, Qualisys, Sweden) and kinetics (force plate: Kistler, Switzerland; insoles: Pedar, Novel, Germany) were examined. Each participant acted as their own control for statistical comparison between the skates. The results confirmed that the kinetics and kinematics of the landing are affected by wearing different skates. During landing impacts in NG, participants had significantly greater dorsiflexion at initial contact (IC) and peak dorsiflexion of the ankle, peak flexion of the knee and also greater in-skate plantar forces (PF) than in NE, which may increase the risk of injury. In OG, participants had significantly greater peak flexion of knee and longer time from IC to first peak dorsiflexion (TP) of the ankle than in NG. The differences observed may be due to the different construction designs, such as height of the heel, used materials, and stiffness of the skates, which may affect injury occurrence.
Effects of season and management on fatty acid profile, ACE-inhibitory activity and anti-oxidant properties of Italian Alpine cheeses

Abstract Mountain dairy products are recognised as high-quality food but there are still few studies concerning the effects of seasonality and herd management on the profile of bioactive compounds in cheeses. This study was planned to assess the effect of season (summer versus winter) and feeding management (pasture versus integration) on fatty acids (FAs) profile, anti-hypertensive (ACE-IA) and anti-oxidant properties (ABTS-SA, FRAP), total thiol (SH) and phenolic (TP) contents of cheeses from two dairy cow farms (Farm A and Farm B) located in Piedmontese Alps (Italy). Cheese samples collected in the farms were submitted to an integrated analytical approach and the results were processed by full factorial ANOVA and PCA. The trends observed from the FAs profile confirmed the beneficial influence of supplying fresh forage to lactating cows. The ACE-IA was higher in summer than in winter cheese but depended upon the farm factor. Among the indicators of antioxidant activity, only the ABTS-SA was affected by the season, even though with significant differences between the farms. The TP content did not show any clear pattern, but it was higher than the values described in the literature. The PCA of all the data showed that several FAs and the ABTS-SA gave relevant contributions to clearly group the cheese samples according to the production season or farm. In conclusion, alpine cheese exhibited high nutritional quality under the consumers’ health standpoint, and the identification of the healthier summer cheeses for traceability or labelling purposes, can be obtained. Highlights Seasonality and herd management practices affected the nutritional quality of cheese produced in two dairy farms in Piedemontese Alps. Lipid quality was affected by the feeding strategy, with the greater improvements obtained by pasture grazing or fresh grass consumption in the barn. ACE-inhibitory activity and anti-oxidant properties were influenced by both seasonality and farm of origin, with the best values measured in summer cheese.
Assessment of an Improved Finite Control Set Model Predictive Current Controller for Automotive Propulsion Applications

This paper presents an investigation on finite control set model predictive current control, validated experimentally with a rear axle electrical drive unit used in automotive applications. An improved problem formulation is suggested which lowers the computational turnaround time of the solver with approximately <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{40}\%$</tex-math></inline-formula> for an horizon length of <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$N=4$</tex-math></inline-formula>. Apart from the computational requirement aspects, the assessment focuses on inverter efficiency, phase current total demand distortion, and acoustic performance. The proposed solution is evaluated against a standard double proportional and integrator (PI) field-oriented current controller with pulsewidth modulation. It is shown that the proposed solution is feasible, the associated optimization problem at hand can be solved in real time, while exploiting the attractiveness of the proposed improvements. In summary, it is concluded that the inverter efficiency can be improved without deteriorating neither the phase current harmonics nor the acoustic performance.
Assessment of Job Satisfaction among Teachers and Its Relationship with Demographic Variables.

: Ministries or organisations should assess their employees‘ satisfaction to enhance their performance. The purposes of the current study were to assess teachers‘ satisfaction in Kuwait and to determine the amount of variance in teachers‘ satisfaction explained by the selected demographic variables. The questionnaire designed for this study was shown to be reliable and valid. The sample in this study comprised 1017 teachers from three districts. The findings indicated that supervision styles, cooperation with colleagues, the work itself, and recognition and promotion had positive moderate effects on the level of satisfaction. This study also found that different types of scholarships along with a good salary, laws to protect teachers from incidents involving students and/or parents, and clear school policies as well as their application could have positive effects on teachers‘ satisfactions.
International Determinants of Comprehensive Income Reporting by Groups – An Analytical and Comparative Study of Poland and Germany

The mainstream theoretical and empirical research presented in the study is a comparative analysis of comprehensive income reporting by groups listed in the Polish and German capital markets. The theoretical part of the article is dedicated to a scientific discussion on the determinants of the capital market and corporate governance in continental Europe and the so‑called ‘new governance’, related to the convergence of financial reporting standards, including IFRSs, that oblige groups of entities to prepare consolidated statements of comprehensive income. It also assesses the relevance of comprehensive income to capital market players. The empirical part contains the results of comparative research on the format and structure of consolidated statements and the nomenclature of their components, as well as the findings from studies of the value relevance of comprehensive income for the WIG30 and DAX groups in 2009–2019.
Case Report: Late-Onset Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome Treated With Stereotactic Electroencephalography-Guided Radiofrequency Thermocoagulation Before Craniotomy

The onset of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), a severe epilepsy syndrome, is typically before 8 years of age. Late-onset LGS (with onset in adolescence and adulthood) is relatively rare clinically and has some differences from classical LGS. Herein, we describe the case of a patient with late-onset LGS and provide a literature review of such cases. The patient had focal epilepsy onset at 8 years of age. After a 9-year evolution, he suffered seizures of different types and had a diagnosis of late-onset LGS. Drug treatment was ineffective. Nothing was found on stereotactic electroencephalography (SEEG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during the course of the disease. After the second presurgical evaluation, we found a suspicious focus on high-resolution structural MRI which was verified by SEEG at last. After SEEG-guided radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFTC), his seizures were controlled, and his cognitive function and quality of living clearly improved. However, his seizures recurred 2 years later, and he underwent left occipital resection. Thereafter, his seizures have been controlled until now. This case emphasizes the importance of high-resolution structural MRI in the treatment of LGS. Furthermore, it suggests that late-onset LGS may be caused by focal lesions and evolve from focal epilepsy. Thus, characterizing the clinical symptoms and performing individualized electroencephalographic follow-up are both very important. Additionally, the clinical outcome in this case implies the value and limitations of RFTC in patients with epilepsy and a clear focal lesion. Moreover, this case further supports differences between late-onset and classical LGS in terms of clinical manifestation, cognitive changes, prognosis, and treatment.
Impact of Obesity on Vaccination to SARS-CoV-2

To combat the immense toll on global public health induced by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), new vaccines were developed. While these vaccines have protected the populations who received them from severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, the effectiveness and durability of these vaccines in individuals with obesity are not fully understood. Our uncertainty of the ability of these novel vaccines to induce protective immunity in humans with obesity stems from historical data that revealed obesity-associated immune defects to influenza vaccines. This review analyzes the efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in humans with obesity. According to the vaccine safety and efficacy information for the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson formulations, these vaccines showed a similar efficacy in both individuals with and without obesity. However, clinical trials that assess BMI and central obesity showed that induced antibody titers are lower in individuals with obesity when compared to healthy weight subjects, highlighting a potential early waning of vaccine-induced antibodies linked to obesity rates. Thus, the desired protective effects of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination were potentially diminished in humans with obesity when compared to the healthy weight population, but further studies outlining functional implications of the link between obesity and lower antibody titers need to be conducted to understand the full impact of this immune phenomenon. Further, additional research must be completed to truly understand the immune responses mounted against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with obesity, and whether these responses differ from those elicited by previously studied influenza viruses.
The Impact of Authentic Leadership on Organizational Commitment in Egyptian Travel companies

Researchers in organizational behavior have been long interested in exploring how employees' perceptions of their leaders influence their thoughts and behaviors related to work. The present study examines the effect of authentic leadership style on organizational commitment in travel agents and the relationship between them. The study data is collected using questionnaires distributed among by 436 employees working in travel agents. The questionnaires have been designed to measure authentic leadership behavior and organizational commitment. To analyze the study data and test hypothesis, the researcher used statistical programs, namely SPSS V. 24, AMOS V.21. The results of this study indicate that authentic leadership is positively related to organizational commitment. Finally, this study discusses managerial implications of results, introduces recommendations, and presents suggestions for future research.