Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design, Development and Validation of a Knee Brace to Standardize the US Imaging Evaluation of Knee Osteoarthritis

Objective: A repeatable and reliable follow-up of knee injuries would be desirable to prevent delayed diagnosis and to monitor the efficacy of the applied treatment over time. Ultrasound (US) techniques are an attractive option to this purpose, since they are safe, low-cost and non-invasive. However, its use in the clinical practice is limited by the high dependency on the operator’s experience. Hence, the objective of this study is to provide a standardization of the US image acquisition process for knee osteoarthritis (OA) allowing an extended clinical use of US technologies in this domain. Methods: Clinical specifications were provided by expert musculoskeletal radiologists thus identifying the subject poses and the US probe positions needed to evaluate the cartilage structure, signs of synovitis and joint effusion. Such considerations were used to derive the technical requirements needed for the development of a wearable brace equipped with specific openings to guide the correct placement of the probe. The feasibility of the developed wearable brace was tested on three healthy volunteers, which were asked to acquire informative US images, similar to the reference images performed by the musculoskeletal radiologist. Results: Thanks to the knee brace, the untrained subjects were able to self-acquire informative B-mode images comparable to the corresponding images acquired by an expert clinician. Discussion/Conclusion: The use of a knee brace intended for knee OA US diagnosis demonstrated the possibility to standardize the acquisition protocol and make its application achievable also for untrained subjects, representing a key step toward tele-ultrasonography.
Characteristics and Outcomes of a Series of COVID-Associated Mucormycosis Patients in Two Different Settings in Egypt Through the Third Pandemic Wave

Purpose To report on the underlying risk factors, clinical characteristics, presentation, and survival of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) associated mucormycosis (CAM) cases referred for ophthalmological consultation in two different Egyptian settings during the third viral pandemic wave (April to August of 2021). Methods A multicentric, retrospective analysis involving one public and two private hospitals in metropolitan Cairo, and two university hospitals in upper Egypt (Aswan and Assuit). Cases that fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of mucormycosis, with a prior or concurrent COVID-19 infection, were included. Results Of the 26 patients included in the final analysis, 15 (57.7%) were from Cairo and 11 (42.3%) were from upper Egypt. Twenty-five patients (96.2%) had poorly controlled diabetes mellitus and 20 (76.9%) had received corticosteroid treatment for COVID-19, of which 30.8% had mild or moderate disease. The median duration from COVID-19 till the onset of CAM was 20.5 days. No visual function could be detected in the affected eye of 16 patients (61.6%) on presentation. The mortality rate was 46.2% despite surgical debridement in half of the cases that died. Conclusion CAM continues to be a concrete threat throughout Egypt, especially in patients with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus and those who inadvertently receive steroid therapy. It remains to be seen if increased vaccination coverage and early detection due to increased awareness would result in declining rates and adverse sequelae of CAM. A national registry would allow for better monitoring of the disease trends.
Transient and Long-Term Improvements in Cognitive Processes following Video Games: An Italian Cross-Sectional Study

The aim of the present study is to compare the short- and long-term effects of video-gaming by using the same measurements. More precisely, habitual and occasional video-gamers were compared so as to analyze the long-term effects. An ABABABA design was used to analyze the short-term effects. The first A refers to baseline measurements: Visual RT, Auditory RT, Aim trainer RT, Go/No-Go RT and N-Back RT. The first B refers to 30 min of gaming, the second A refers to the measurements used in the baseline, the second B refers to 60 min of a video game, the third A refers to the same measurements used in the baseline, the third B refers to a 30-min rest, and finally, the fourth A refers to the measurements used in the baseline. Seventy participants, twenty-nine habitual video-gamers and forty-one occasional video-gamers, participated in the study. The results showed a temporary improvement of cognitive functions (Visual RT, Auditory RT, Aim trainer RT, Go/No-Go RT and N-Back RT) in the short term and a strong enhancement of cognitive functions in the long term. The results are discussed in light of Flow Theory and the automatization process. Contribution of the study: The contribution of this research is to highlight that despite there being a transient enhancement of executive and cognitive functions through the use of mobile video games in the short-term period, with a decrease of performance after a 30-min rest, there is a strong increase of cognitive performance in the long-term period. Flow Theory and the automatization process together can explain this apparent inconsistency between the positive increase of long-term performance and the transient increase of short-term performance. One limitation of the present research is that it is not possible to distinguish whether the long-term enhancements can be attributed either to continued practice in the use of video games compared to non-gamers, or to the possibility that gamers are already predisposed to video game playing. Future research should address this issue.
Interpersonal Rejection and Social Motivation in Adolescence: Moderation by Narcissism and Gender

Abstract Research on interpersonal rejection is voluminous, but less is known about perceived rejection in relation to social goals among peers during adolescence, especially while also considering factors that may moderate these associations. In a correlational design, we surveyed a diverse sample of middle school students to examine concurrent (Study 1; N = 269) and short-term longitudinal (Study 2; N = 321) links between rejection and adolescent communal (affiliation, closeness) and agentic (status, influence) goals, and narcissism and gender as moderators in the associations between rejection and social goals. Rejection was negatively related to (Study 1) and predicted decreases in (Study 2) communal goals. Narcissism was positively related to and predicted increases in agentic goals, and moderated the association between rejection and agentic goals (in both studies). One moderated effect of gender was found: perceived rejection predicted decreases in agentic goals for girls, but increases in agentic goals for boys. Our findings mostly align with existing research on interpersonal rejection in youth, and extend this literature by demonstrating that perceived rejection is meaningfully related to changes in trait-like social goals among peers, suggesting it may alter not only situation-specific cognitions, but also globalized goals, or motivations for peer interaction. The findings also call for further research on individual differences in associations between rejection and social goals, along with other outcomes.
Failure of ureteral access sheath insertion in primary flexible ureteroscopy for renal stones: is there any relation with inflammation?

Abstract Purpose To investigate the relationship between failure to insert a ureteral access sheath (UAS) with inflammation and other clinical parameters in patients treated with flexible ureteroscopy for renal stones. Methods This study included patients who underwent flexible ureteroscopy for the treatment of renal stones in our centre between 2015 and 2020. Patients who underwent any surgical procedure on the ipsilateral ureter and had a history of spontaneous stone passage were excluded. Patients were divided into two groups based on UAS insertion success (group 1) or failure (group 2). Both groups were compared with a view to clinical characteristics, preoperative neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte and platelet counts and ratios of these counts, all being considered inflammatory markers. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the independent variables affecting UAS insertion success. Results There were 113 (59.1%) patients in group 1, while group 2 consisted of 78 (40.9%) patients. The rates of male gender, coronary artery disease and preoperative ipsilateral hydronephrosis were significantly higher in group 2, while platelet counts and platelet-lymphocyte ratios were significantly lower. Our analysis revealed four independent predictors for UAS insertion failure: female gender (odds ratio [OR]=2.1) increased the rate of UAS insertion success, while hydronephrosis (OR=1.6), low platelet counts and PLR increased the rate of UAS insertion failure (OR=0.99, OR=0.98, respectively). Conclusion Our results suggest that male gender and ipsilateral hydronephrosis are associated with increased UAS insertion failure. Although we found a relationship between relatively low platelet levels and UAS insertion failure, we think that further studies are needed to investigate this matter.
High performance control of the series-parallel resonant converter

The authors describe the operation, characteristics and design of a two-loop control technique for a MHz-switching series-parallel resonant power converter. A resonant current feedback loop is used to determine the transistor switching instants resulting in the fourth-order power converter characteristics becoming third order and, furthermore, being insensitive to operating conditions. The technique exploits the inherent delays in MHz-switching power converter systems to provide well-damped dynamics. An output voltage control loop bandwidth of 100 kHz is achieved.
An Evaluation of the Safety, Utility, and Reliability of Three-Dimensional Alarm Systems for Automotive Use

As roadways become more congested, automobile manufacturers are designing collision avoidance warning systems to increase safety; yet, there has been little investigation of alarm reliability and spatial signal location. This study focused on measuring driving and alarm reaction performances to spatial and console emitted alarms of various reliability levels. Seventy participants operated a driving simulator while being presented with alarms. From previous research (Breznitz 1983; Bliss 1993), it was expected that drivers would perform better following reliable alarms than unreliable alarms. It was also expected that drivers would perform better following spatial alarms than central alarms. Results indicated that drivers avoided collisions better following spatial alarms, but made more appropriate driving reactions following console-generated alarms. Alarm response frequency and driving reaction appropriateness was higher for reliable alarms. These results suggest that alarm designers should strive to maximize alarm reliability, and that spatial alarms may potentially reduce collision rates.
Power harvesting for railroad track health monitoring using piezoelectric and inductive devices

One of the most limiting factors for distributed sensor networks used for railroad track health monitoring applications is the lack of a long-term, low-maintenance power supply. Most existing systems still require a change of battery, and remoteness of location and low frequency of maintenance can limit their practical deployment. In this paper we describe an investigation of two principal methods for harvesting mechanical power from passing railcars in order to supply electrical power to remote networks of sensors. We first considered an inductive voice coil device directly driven by vertical rail displacement. We then considered a piezoelectric device that is attached to the bottom of the rail and is driven by the longitudinal strain produced by rail bending due to passing railcars. Theoretical models of the behavior of these devices were integrated with an analytical model of rail track deflection to perform numerical simulations of both of these power scavenging techniques. Lab and field tests were also performed to validate the simulation results. Resulting values of average power production show promise for scavenging near the targeted level of 1 mW, and the field data matched well with the simulations.
The World is not Enough: Trust in Cognitive Agents

Researchers have assumed a dichotomy between human-human trust (HHT) and human-automation trust (HAT). With the advent of cognitive agents, entities that are neither machine nor human, it is important to revisit this theory. Some claim that HHT and HAT are the same concept and propose that people respond socially to more human automation. Others say that HHT and HAT are fundamentally different and propose models that indicate differences in initial perception, automation monitoring performance, and judgments that lead to differences in trust. In this study, we varied humanness on a cognitive spectrum and investigated trust and performance with these different types of cognitive agents. Results showed that increasing the humanness of the automation increased trust calibration and appropriate compliance with an automated aid leading to better overall performance and trust, especially during unreliable conditions. Automated aids that exhibit human characteristics may be more resilient to human disuse in the face of sub-optimal machine performance.
Adjunctive Effect of Systemic Antibiotics in Regenerative/Reconstructive Periodontal Surgery—A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

Background and Objective: Systemic antibiotics (AB) are often used in conjunction with regenerative/reconstructive periodontal surgery of intrabony defects and furcations; however, their potential benefits have not been systematically assessed. Materials and Methods: Data were retrieved from two recent systematic reviews (a total of 105 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on clinical and radiographic outcomes in intrabony defects (ID) and molars with furcation involvement (FI) treated by surgical access with regenerative techniques. Pair-wise meta-analysis of RCTs with and without AB was performed. Meta-regressions from single-arm (subgroup) RCTs including study arms with or without adjunctive AB were also conducted. Results: No statistically significant benefits of systemic AB with regard to PPD, CAL and bone gain were detected in ID by pair-wise meta-analysis. Meta-regression revealed increased PPD reduction (−0.91 mm, 95% CI = −1.30; −0.51, p < 0.001), CAL gain (−0.92 mm, 95% CI = −1.32; −0.52, p < 0.001) and bone gain (−1.08 mm, 95% CI = −1.63; −0.53, p < 0.001) in ID but not in any of the outcomes in FI for arms treated with AB vs. study arms treated with no AB. No clear differences in adverse events were detected between AB and non-AB groups. Conclusion: There is only weak indirect evidence that AB may provide additional benefits in terms of clinical improvements in the regenerative/reconstructive periodontal surgery of intrabony defects and no evidence for a benefit in furcations. Until new data are gained and in the context of antibiotic stewardship, it may be questionable to justify the adjunctive use of systemic antibiotics.
Beam Steering Investigation on Multiple Antenna System using Radiation Pattern Reconfigurable Array

In this research, a radiation pattern reconfigurable (RPR) based multiple antenna was designed using a compact combination of a driven element and parasitic elements that operates at 3.5 GHz. The proposed antenna has the ability to change the radiation behavior to serve the user with better performance. The radiation characteristic of the antenna, especially the tilt angle could be reconfigured with the use of RF switches. The multiple antenna was designed on 94.4 mm x 110 mm Rogers substrate. First, an RPR antenna that uses parasitic patch array antenna was designed as a single element. Then this RPR was deployed as 2 x 1 RPR MIMO antenna using two types of configurations. Finally, the analysis showed that the multiple antenna arrangement using configuration II provides better results in terms of steering angle and gain.
A Software Product Line Approach to Ontology-based Recommendations in E-Tourism Systems

This study tackles two concerns of developers of Tourism Information Systems (TIS). First is the need for more dependable recommendation services due to the intangible nature of the tourism product where it is impossible for customers to physically evaluate the services on offer prior to practical experience. Second is the need to manage dynamic user requirements in tourism due to the advent of new technologies such as the semantic web and mobile computing such that etourism systems (TIS) can evolve proactively with emerging user needs at minimal time and development cost without performance tradeoffs. However, TIS have very predictable characteristics and are functionally identical in most cases with minimal variations which make them attractive for software product line development. The Software Product Line Engineering (SPLE) paradigm enables the strategic and systematic reuse of common core assets in the development of a family of software products that share some degree of commonality in order to realise a significant improvement in the cost and time of development. Hence, this thesis introduces a novel and systematic approach, called Product Line for Ontology-based Tourism Recommendation (PLONTOREC), a special approach focusing on the creation of variants of TIS products within a product line. PLONTOREC tackles the aforementioned problems in an engineering-like way by hybridizing concepts from ontology engineering and software product line engineering. The approach is a systematic process model consisting of product line management, ontology engineering, domain engineering, and application engineering. The unique feature of PLONTOREC is that it allows common TIS product requirements to be defined, commonalities and differences of content in TIS product variants to be planned and limited in advance using a conceptual model, and variant TIS products to be created according to a construction specification. We demonstrated the novelty in this approach using a case study of product line development of e-tourism systems for three countries in the West-African Region of Africa.
Asymptomatic Patients with Airflow Limitation are at Higher Risk of Postoperative Pulmonary Complications After Lung Surgeries: An Ambispective Cohort Study

Purpose With the use of pulmonary function tests (PFTs) as a preoperative examination, it is not rare to screen out airflow limitation (AFL) in asymptomatic patients undergoing lung surgeries. This study aims to elucidate whether there is a difference in the prevalence and prognosis of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) between asymptomatic patients with newly diagnosed AFL and the normal population undergoing lung surgeries. Patients and Methods The medical records of asymptomatic patients undergoing lung surgeries who were spirometrically diagnosed with AFL between January and October 2017 were collected in Qilu hospital. These patients were subsequently followed up until February 2021. The diagnosis of PPCs was based on a recommended consensus definition. The incidence of PPCs between the newly diagnosed AFL group and the normal group was compared and a propensity score-matched analysis (PSM) was performed. The survival analysis was performed to investigate the long-term prognosis of the two groups. Results Overall, 535 asymptomatic subjects were recruited and 126 subjects (11.4%) were spirometrically diagnosed as AFL. The incidence of PPCs was significantly higher in the newly diagnosed AFL group than in the normal population (28.6%VS 14.4%, P < 0.001), especially in the FEV1/FVC≤65% group (P < 0.001), which were all confirmed by PSM analysis. Furthermore, these patients were at a higher risk of ICU admissions (P < 0.001) and 90-day hospital readmissions secondary to PPCs (P < 0.001). No significant differences were found in the overall, in-hospital and 90-day mortality between the AFL group and the normal group (P values >0.05). Conclusion Asymptomatic patients with AFL are at higher risk of PPCs than the general population after lung surgeries, along with an increase in ICU admissions and 90-day hospital readmissions secondary to PPCs. Although these patients tended to report worse current conditions, they were similar in the in-hospital, 90-day and overall mortality during the follow-up.
A comparative study of advanced MOSFET concepts

Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) has been the major device for integrated circuits over the past two decades. With technology advancement, there have been numerous MOSFET structures for channel length of 0.1 /spl mu/m and below reported in industrial research. A side-by-side comparison of these advanced device structures can provide useful understanding in device physics and the design tradeoffs among MOSFET's parameters. In this work we employ experimental data, device simulation, and analytical modeling for device comparison. The devices were developed at several different research laboratories. Guided by experimental data and simulations, analytical models for topics such as threshold voltage, short-channel effect, and saturation current for these different MOSFET structures are developed. These analytical models are then used for optimizing each device structure and comparing the devices under the same set of constraints for a fair comparison. The key design parameters are highlighted and the strength and weakness of each device structure in various performance categories are discussed.
Relationship Between Gender and Clinician’s Subjective Experience during the Interaction with Psychiatric Patients

Introduction: The clinician’s subjective experience can be a valuable element for diagnosis and treatment. A few factors have been recognized that affect it, such as the patient’s personality, the severity of psychopathology, and diagnosis. Other factors, such as patient’s and clinician’s gender, have not been specifically investigated. The aim of this study is to explore the impact of gender differences on the clinician’s subjective experience in a large sample of psychiatric patients. Methods: The study involved 61 psychiatrists and 960 patients attending several inpatient and outpatient psychiatric settings. The clinicians completed the Assessment of Clinician's Subjective Experience (ACSE) questionnaire after observing each patient for the first time. Results: In multivariate analysis, higher scores on the Difficulty in Attunement (p < 0.001), Engagement (p<0.05), and Impotence (p<0.01) scales were significantly associated with female clinician gender, whereas higher scores on the Tension and Disconfirmation scales were significantly associated with male clinician gender. The scores on all ACSE dimensions were also associated with the severity of psychopathology. Conclusion: The findings suggest that clinician’s gender might affect a clinician’s emotional response toward patients. Specific attention to this issue might be useful in clinical situations, not only in terms of promoting gender-balanced teams but also in terms of enhancing self-observation in clinicians evaluating patients for the first time.
On the time‐domain response of microstrip dipoles embedded in a low‐loss grounded dielectric slab

A space-time analysis of the field radiated from microstrip dipoles embedded in a low-loss grounded dielectric slab is proposed. The analysis is based on the dyadic Green's function method. The radiation mechanism as well as the structure electrical and geometrical parameters influencing the radiation phenomenon are analyzed. Design guidelines to reduce the amplitude of the radiated field, or its distortion, are suggested. © 1993 John Wiley & sons, Inc.