Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of tibial fracture healing with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry: influence of metallic implants at the fracture site

Evaluation of the progress of fracture healing traditionally combines manual fracture manipulation with a visual radiographic assessment. This approach can lead to satisfactory healing, but trouble can ensue when the type of fixation compromises the healing assessment, and in fractures of long bones such as the tibia, where a high incidence of delayed union is still a problem. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) offers a safe, accurate, repeatable and non-invasive method of measuring bone mineral density (BMD), a quantity which is directly related to the mechanical properties of bone. DXA has been successfully used to monitor BMD changes around fractures treated by external fixation. Nine patients with fractures stabilized m this way have been scanned at monthly intervals, and two distinct patterns of healing have been identified. Before this technique could be extended to fractures treated by internal fixation, the effect of large areas of radio-dense material m scans had to be established. To judge the effect of steel implants on scanning and image analysis, tests were conducted on steel and aluminium phantoms in three geometries - parallel rectangular blocks, a square rod in a square case, and a circular rod m a circular case. A perspex base was used in all scans. ANOVA (analysis of variance) performed on the BMD data from scans with and without steel indicated that steel had no effect on scanning (5% significance level). These results implied that steel implants would not affect the reliability of DXA scanning, and that this method of monitoring healing could be used with fractures stabilized by internal fixation. On this basis several patients with nailed tibial shaft fractures have been scanned and their scan images analyzed.
Hoeing in the hills : stress and resilience in an upland farming system in Java

Overpopulation, poverty and land degradation are widespread phenomena in many upland areas in South and South East Asia. However, the literature dealing with these problems is characterized by unwarranted assumptions and a high level of generalization with respect to the nature and extent of degradation, the behaviour of farmers and the wider social, political and economic context in which farmers operate. This thesis inquires into the development of land use in a particular upland area, the Gunung Sewu, a in Java, in order to test how these notions and assumptions will stand in the face of empirical evidence. The Gunung Sewu is a limestone area which is widely believed to be poor and degraded. Immigration from the densely populated lowland areas resulted in rapid population growth which caused the expansion and intensification of agriculture in the area during the 19th century and the first four decades of this century. From the 1940s, throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the population was plunged into a long crisis concurrenUy with the adverse, political and social conditions in Java as a whole. The general economic situation greatly affected the area, already disadvantaged by its marginal environment, lack of infrastructure, social and economic backwardness, and deprived the population of the means required to cope with their large and growing numbers. During this period, the area suffered greatiy from droughts and rat pests, to which it had become extremely susceptible as a result of the expansion of agriculture onto marginal land and land degradation. Poverty and and malnutrition became rampant. From 1967 onwards, after the installation of the new order government, various opportunities presented themselves in the form of off-farm inputs, larger and more accessible markets for agricultural produce and more employment opportunities outside farming. These enabled the farmers to increase the productivity of their land and to strengthen their household economies. These new developments introduced new forms of land use, such as tree growing, and stimulated the farmers to maintain and improve land management practices, such as terracing, which had gradually developed under an increasing population pressure. As a result, crop cultivation has now become more sustainable than it was twenty years before. Increased diversification in farming and non-farming pursuits alike has equipped the population with means to cope with the disturbances affecting crop cultivation in the area, while constant out-migration has reduced population growth to a very low level. As a result, the general welfare situation improved. Lessons which can be drawn from this case study concern the relativity of land productivity and land degradation, the role of stability, the land manager's capacity for adaptation, and the strong connection that exists between the problems in upland areas, their regional position, and, general conditions in the wider economy and society.
Personalized strategies of neurostimulation: from static biomarkers to dynamic closed-loop assessment of neural function

Despite considerable advancement of first choice treatment (pharmacological, physical therapy, etc.) over many decades, neurological disorders still represent a major portion of the worldwide disease burden. Particularly concerning, the trend is that this scenario will worsen given an ever expanding and aging population. The many different methods of brain stimulation (electrical, magnetic, etc.) are, on the other hand, one of the most promising alternatives to mitigate the suffering of patients and families when conventional treatment fall short of delivering efficacious treatment. With applications in virtually all neurological conditions, neurostimulation has seen considerable success in providing relief of symptoms. On the other hand, a large variability of therapeutic outcomes has also been observed, particularly in the usage of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) modalities. Borrowing inspiration and concepts from its pharmacological counterpart and empowered by unprecedented neurotechnological advancement, the neurostimulation field has seen in recent years a widespread of methods aimed at the personalization of its parameters, based on biomarkers of the individuals being treated. The rationale is that, by taking into account important factors influencing the outcome, personalized stimulation can yield a much-improved therapy. Here, we review the literature to delineate the state-of-the-art of personalized stimulation, while also considering the important aspects of the type of informing parameter (anatomy, function, hybrid), invasiveness, and level of development (pre-clinical experimentation versus clinical trials). Moreover, by reviewing relevant literature on closed loop neuroengineering solutions in general and on activity dependent stimulation method in particular, we put forward the idea that improved personalization may be achieved when the method is able to track in real time brain dynamics and adjust its stimulation parameters accordingly. We conclude that such approaches have great potential of promoting the recovery of lost functions and enhance the quality of life for patients.
THE STRUCTURE OF NEARSHORE CURRENTS DRIVEN BY CHANGES IN METEO-MARINE FORCINGS

This work aims to better understand the physical processes governing the wave propagation in a vertically sheared current and the resulting nearshore circulation patterns. It is based on a high resolution hydro-morphodynamic field campaign, ROUSTY2014, collecting a comprehensive hydro-morphodynamical dataset during a full winter season. The overall analysis highlights three main circulation patterns, largely controled by the bathymetric features and by co-working or competing wind and waves forcings. Regarding the vertical structuration of the circulation, most of field observations shown seaward directed circulation with onshore component close to the air/sea surface whose intensity varies according to incoming wave conditions. Forth, vertical shear increase when breaking happen close to sensor location and orientation of mean circulation depend on wind direction.
Sensationalism as an Ethical Issue in Citizen Journalism among Undergraduates of Select Universities in Ogun State, Nigeria

The increasing penetration of the internet and new media technologies has created more avenues for the participation of people, formerly known as media audiences, in the news production process through a practice termed citizen journalism. News about events, people and places break on-the-go as reported by individuals with smartphones, internet connection and social media accounts. However, citizen journalism has promoted sensationalism because sharing of emotion-provoking content is fast becoming a popular culture on social media, thereby posing ethical challenges that call for regulation. This study investigated sensationalism as an ethical issue in citizen journalism among undergraduates in selected universities in Ogun State, Nigeria. It was anchored in social responsibility media theory. The population of this study comprised 53,749 full-time undergraduates of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta; Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun; and Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo all in Ogun State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was adopted to select 381 respondents studied using a self-structured questionnaire. Results revealed that a majority of the undergraduates participated in citizen journalism; they mostly shared entertainment content; they were motivated by entertainment, appeal, and controversies in sharing sensational content; but they perceived sensationalism to be ethically wrong. The study recommended media literacy and fact-checking as antidotes to sensationalism in digital media.
A novel type-2 innate lymphoid cell-based immunotherapy for cancer

Cell-based cancer immunotherapy has achieved significant advancements, providing a source of hope for cancer patients. Notwithstanding the considerable progress in cell-based immunotherapy, the persistently low response rates and the exorbitant costs associated with their implementation still present a formidable challenge in clinical settings. In the landscape of cell-based cancer immunotherapies, an uncharted territory involves Type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) and interleukin-33 (IL-33) which promotes ILC2 functionality, recognized for their inherent ability to enhance immune responses. Recent discoveries regarding their role in actuating cytolytic T lymphocyte responses, including curbing tumor growth rates and hindering metastasis, have added a new dimension to our understanding of the IL-33/ILC2 axis. These recent insights may hold significant promise for ILC2 cell-based immunotherapy. Nevertheless, the prospect of adoptively transferring ILC2s to confer immune protection against tumors has yet to be investigated. The present study addresses this hypothesis, revealing that ILC2s isolated from the lungs of tumor-bearing mice, and tumor infiltrating ILC2s when adoptively transferred after tumor establishment at a ratio of one ILC2 per sixty tumor cells, leads to an influx of tumor infiltrating CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes as well as tumor infiltrating eosinophils resulting in a remarkable reduction in tumor growth. Moreover, we find that post-adoptive transfer of ILC2s, the number of tumor infiltrating ILC2s is inversely proportional to tumor size. Finally, we find corollaries of the IL-33/ILC2 axis enhancing the infiltration of eosinophils in human prostate carcinomas patients' expressing high levels of IL-33 versus those expressing low levels of IL-33. Our results underscore the heightened efficacy of adoptively transferred ILC2s compared to alternative approaches, revealing an approximately one hundred fifty-fold superiority on a cell-per-cell basis over CAR T-cells in the specific targeting and elimination of tumors within the same experimental model. Overall, this study demonstrates the functional significance of ILC2s in cancer immunosurveillance and provides the proof of concept of the potential utility of ILC2 cell-based cancer immunotherapies.
From wars to waves: geopolitical risks and environmental investment behaviour

This study investigates the impact of geopolitical risk (GPR) on sustainable investments, focusing on five global environmental indices and two global GPR indices. Using Corrected Dynamic Conditional Correlation Generalised Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (cDCC-GARCH) model and Diebold and Yilmaz’s spillover analysis, we use daily data from January 2009 to October 2022, covering various market phases, including the European sovereign debt crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine. Results from the cDCC-GARCH model reveal high dynamic conditional correlations. During periods of high volatility, environmental indices displayed simultaneous and more intense responses, limiting investment diversification alternatives when considering only the environmental side. Diebold and Yilmaz’s static analysis demonstrates that environmental segments are more influenced by systemic shocks than specific causes, with GPR’s influence proving relatively weak. In the dynamic analysis, the spillover effects of GPR in environmental segments intensified during the pandemic crisis and the invasion of Ukraine, affecting market conditions.
Mendelian randomization study shows no causal relationship between psychiatric disorders and glaucoma in European and East Asian populations

Background: Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness strongly associated with psychiatric disorders, but the causal association between glaucoma and psychiatric disorders remains uncertain because of the susceptibility of observational studies to confounding and reverse causation. This study aims to explore the potential causal association between glaucoma and three highly related psychiatric disorders (Depression, Insomnia, and Schizophrenia) in the European and East Asian populations using a two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis. Methods: Instrumental variables (IVs) of depression, insomnia, and schizophrenia in the European population were obtained after strict filtering. Summary-level data for glaucoma and glaucoma subtypes (primary open-angle glaucoma and primary closed-angle glaucoma) were obtained as outcomes. The inverse variance weighting (IVW) method was used as the primary method. Additionally, the causal effect was evaluated in the East Asian population using the same methods to validate analysis results. The robustness of these results was confirmed using heterogeneity, pleiotropy, and Steiger directionality test. Results: The primary MR results indicated that genetically driven psychiatric disorders were not causally associated with glaucoma (Depression: odds ratio (OR): 1.15, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.93–1.42, p = 0.20; Insomnia: OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 0.63–2.05, p = 0.66; Schizophrenia: OR: 1.00, 95% CI: 0.93–1.08, p = 0.95), either with the risk of glaucoma subtypes in the European population. Meanwhile, results in the East Asian population were consistent with the results among the European population (Depression: OR = 1.38, CI 0.75–2.53, p = 0.30; Insomnia: OR = 0.99, CI 0.83–1.18, p = 0.93; Schizophrenia: OR = 1.06, CI 0.94–1.20, p = 0.34) with similar causal estimates in direction. Consistency was obtained by corroborating with other supporting methods. Besides, the robustness of the results was proved and the directionality test confirmed our estimation of potential causal direction (p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study found a non-causal association between psychiatric disorders and the risk of glaucoma in the European and East Asian populations, which contradicts many existing observational reports, indicating that increased psychiatric disorders in glaucoma patients were more likely modifiable rather not inheritable.
TIMI score as a predictor of severity of coronary artery disease in patients with STEMI.

Objective: To investigate the TIMI (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction) score as a predictive tool for assessing the severity of coronary artery disease in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Study Design: Prospective, Observational Cohort study. Setting: Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar. Period: January 2021 to June 2022. Material & Methods: Consecutive patients presenting with STEMI to the emergency department of the participating hospital was considered for inclusion. Inclusion criteria were including patients aged 21 years or older, with symptoms consistent with STEMI and ST-segment elevation of at least 1 mm in two or more contiguous leads on the electrocardiogram (ECG). Patients with a known history of coronary artery disease or previous myocardial infarction were excluded from the study. Results: The age of the patients ranged widely, with a mean±SD age of 60.18±15.38 years. Gender distribution showed a predominance of males, constituting 67.79% of the sample, while females accounted for 32.20%. In terms of comorbidities, 22.03% of patients were obese, 52.54% had diabetes mellitus, 18.64% had hypertension, 25.42% had hyperlipidemia, 11.86% had a family history of myocardial infarction, and 47.45% were smokers. Moderate risk group shows a lower incidence at 71.11%, and the High risk group has the lowest incidence at 50%. The p-value for this comparison is highly significant at 0.0001, indicating that there is a substantial difference in the occurrence of LV dysfunction among these risk groups. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates a strong association between TIMI risk groups and the occurrence of post-myocardial infarction complications, including LV dysfunction, arrhythmias, cardiogenic shock, and death.
Promoting Post-Traumatic Growth in Colorectal Cancer Patients: Exploring the Role of Social Support through a Chain Mediation Model

Colorectal cancer (CRC) poses signi ﬁ cant physical and psychological challenges that necessitate an exploration of factors in ﬂ uencing post-traumatic growth (PTG) for patient well-being. This study aims to investigate the effects of positive psychological capital (PsyCap) and perceived stress on mediating the social support-PTG relation among 673 CRC patients. Social support, positive PsyCap, perceived stress, and PTG were assessed through questionnaires. The results indicated a direct prediction effect of social support on PTG (LICI = 0.481, ULCI = 0.644), with the direct effect being 59.5%. Both positive PsyCap and perceived stress exerted a mediating role in the correlation between social support and PTG, with the mediating effects occupying 29.4% (LICI = 0.217, ULCI = 0.343) and 5.7% (LICI = 0.030, ULCI = 0.082), respectively. Positive PsyCap further had a chain mediating effect on perceived stress (LICI = 0.031, ULCI = 0.074)), with the chain effect accounting for 5.4%. The total impact of social support on PTG was 100% (LICI = 0.882, ULCI = 1.008). This model underscores the pivotal role of social support in promoting PTG in CRC patients. Positive PsyCap serves as a crucial mediator in the social support-PTG link, with perceived stress playing a sequential mediating role. These ﬁ ndings suggest that strengthening social support networks and cultivating positive PsyCap may reduce perceived stress and promote the development of PTG in CRC patients. Consequently, intervention programs are recommended to improve the psychosocial well-being of CRC patients.
Rondotia melanoleuca sp. nov., a new wild-mulberry silkworm from China (Lepidoptera, Bombycidae)

Several yellow larvae with black spots were discovered in the wild of Chinese Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, and were further raised in captivity. Reared adults exhibit a striking black and white wing pattern, and they represent unequivocally a new species, here described as Rondotia melanoleucasp. nov. Molecular analyses suggest that this species could be sister to all previously known species of Rondotia.
Immigration and Crime: Assessing a Contentious Issue

Are immigration and crime related? This review addresses this question in order to build a deeper understanding of the immigration-crime relationship. We synthesize the recent generation (1994 to 2014) of immigration-crime research focused on macrosocial (i.e., geospatial) units using a two-pronged approach that combines the qualitative method of narrative review with the quantitative strategy of systematic meta-analysis. After briefly reviewing contradictory theoretical arguments that scholars have invoked in efforts to explain the immigration-crime relationship, we present findings from our analysis, which (a) determined the average effect of immigration on crime rates across the body of literature and (b) assessed how variations in key aspects of research design have impacted results obtained in prior studies. Findings indicate that, overall, the immigration-crime association is negative—but very weak. At the same time, there is significant variation in findings across studies. Study design features, i.
Three-Dimensional Printing of Drug-Eluting Implantable PLGA Scaffolds for Bone Regeneration

Despite rapid progress in tissue engineering, the repair and regeneration of bone defects remains challenging, especially for non-homogenous and complicated defects. We have developed and characterized biodegradable drug-eluting scaffolds for bone regeneration utilizing direct powder extrusion-based three-dimensional (3D) printing techniques. The PLGA scaffolds were fabricated using poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) with inherent viscosities of 0.2 dl/g and 0.4 dl/g and ketoprofen. The effect of parameters such as the infill, geometry, and wall thickness of the drug carrier on the release kinetics of ketoprofen was studied. The release studies revealed that infill density significantly impacts the release performance, where 10% infill showed faster and almost complete release of the drug, whereas 50% infill demonstrated a sustained release. The Korsmeyer–Peppas model showed the best fit for release data irrespective of the PLGA molecular weight and infill density. It was demonstrated that printing parameters such as infill density, scaffold wall thickness, and geometry played an important role in controlling the release and, therefore, in designing customized drug-eluting scaffolds for bone regeneration.
Effectiveness of Building Performance Optimization in a Design Experiment

As buildings are among the most effective sectors in reducing energy consumption, academics are striving to optimize building performance. However, applying building performance optimization (BPO) in real scenarios is rather limited, resulting in its effectiveness being doubtful. In response, this paper explores the effectiveness of BPO and its impact on the design process in real scenarios through a design experiment. Results show that after BPO, the energy efficiency of the design outcomes improved significantly, with the mean energy use intensity dropping by 8.48%. Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) is used to generate solution spaces for BPO, revealing that form type is highly correlated but least selected by designers, while shading is lowly correlated but most selected. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of BPO in real-life scenarios and highlight the importance of BPO in the pre-design stage, providing insights into how designers can make informed decisions to optimize building performance.