Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relationship between patients’ subjective involvement in postoperative rehabilitation and quality of life after arthroscopic treatment for osteoarthritic knee – cross-sectional study

Introduction and objective. Quality of life associated with health is regarded as an essential rating of health in many illnesses. In patients with chronic diseases, including arthritis, regular quality of life measurements should be made because the disease leads to functional deficits and pain as it progresses. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between patients’ subjective involvement in postoperative rehabilitation and their quality of life after arthroscopic treatment for osteoarthritic knee. Materials and method. The study included 95 patients after knee arthroscopy surgery in the course of osteoarthritis. The research tool consisted of 3 parts: the Mini-OAKHQoL, the authors’ questionnaire for assessing patients› involvement in rehabilitation, and a questionnaire for collecting sociodemographic characteristics. Results. Analysis showed that the respondents had the best function in the area of social support and the worst regarding physical activity. Higher patient involvement in postoperative rehabilitation increased the quality of life in the physical activity and social support domains, but decreased their professional activity. Using supportive devices decreased respondents’ quality of life in terms of social support, longterm planning, and going outside. Conclusions. To improve long-term treatment results and quality of life in many aspects, patients› involvement in rehabilitation, understanding supportive activities in rehabilitation, and using supporting devices are necessary. Professional educational activity should be continually implemented as an important aspect of the therapeutic process and for the improvement of treatment outcomes.
High-speed easily testable Galois-field inverter

Galois field (GF) computation is important in applications such as error-control coding, switching theory, and cryptography. In GF, division and inversion operations are much harder to implement in digital logic as compared with multiplication and addition operations so far as performance and hardware complexity is concerned. Although several VLSI structures for division or inversion have been proposed in the past, most of them have complex routing, nonmodular architectures, and low testability. Testability especially is an increasing concern in VLSI design. In this paper, C-testable bit-level systolic arrays for GF(2/sup m/) inversion are presented. We propose a counter-free extended Euclidean algorithm for GF inversion. Based on the algorithm, we obtain efficient systolic GF inverters, which are extendible to GF dividers. Both the bit-parallel and bit-serial inverters proposed are shown to be easily testable. For example, the bit-serial inverter requires only four test patterns regardless of the field size (or number of cells). High testability is a key advantage for the proposed GF inverters, especially in core-based VLSI system chips.
Organochlorine Contamination in Sediments of the Inner Thames Estuary

The saltmarsh at Two Tree Island, situated in the Thames estuary, has previously been identified as exhibiting a relatively enhanced degree of contamination with respect to organochlorine insecticides and polychlorinated biphenyls. This survey of sediment samples from mud flats on the north bank of the River Thames, creeks surrounding Canvey Island and from Two Tree Island, indicated that contamination with organochlorine and polychlorinated biphenyls was ubiquitous throughout the inner Thames estuary. Values observed were in agreement with those in other European estuaries, and the degree of contamination at Two Tree Island was considered to reflect the local background. The outfall from Benfleet sewage-treatment works was identified as a possible source of contaminants : however, no other point sources were located. Samples of annelids taken from mud flats by Two Tree Island had accumulated penta- and hexachlorinated biphenyls to a greater degree than lower chlorinated cogeners, and demonstrated signs of an ability to metabolize DDT.
Formulation of 36-noded piezoelectric spectral finite element scheme with active/passive layers coupled by Lagrange multipliers

A novel spectral finite element formulation scheme is presented for modeling a plate structure with surface-mounted piezoelectric transducers. Surface-mounted piezoelectric transducers may asymmetrically distribute the mass in the thickness direction of the plate/panel structure, resulting in a coupled mass matrix in spectral element formulation. A new procedure is developed by equating the layer-wise kinematics of the element using undetermined Lagrange multipliers to achieve the diagonal mass matrix. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the element formulation scheme, a two-dimensional piezoelectric spectral element is constructed with 36 nodes and five active/passive layers (layers: transducer/bond/plate/bond/transducer). The performance of the developed element is illustrated by (a) simulation of Lamb wave propagation and estimation of its velocity, and (b) simulation of the effect of transducer size, its dynamics and shear lag on sensor’s response. The results presented highlight the importance of modeling the dynamics of transducers and understanding the effects on sensor response. The presented technique has relevance in the field of structural health monitoring, wherein it can be used to model and simulate aircraft panels with surface-mounted piezoelectric transducers.
Managing product development resources through the use of product quality attribute mapping

Abstract A technique using product quality attribute mapping to assist product resourcing decisions is described. Primary data from respondents via quantitative questionnaire surveys of four different industrial manufacturing companies were collected and analysed. Care was taken with the data source and type of scales employed to ensure meaningful comparisons could be made. The first objective of the data analysis was to determine the importance of each of the companies' customers. This was followed by determining the importance of the product attributes to each customer. An overall perception of product attribute importance was obtained by combining the customer importance with the importance of product attributes. The respondents' perceptions of the competitive situation was then combined with the overall perception of product attribute importance to give a quality index for each product attribute. The derived picture product attributes relative to one another are shown by bubble maps indicating the position of the competitive index against attribute importance, with the quality index represented by the bubble size. The significance of these bubble maps, particularly in relation to resourcing decisions for the companies, is discussed. It is concluded that companies can use data in this form to guide product development in a quantifiable manner.
Cardiac-Related Lesions in Newly Diagnosed Patients With Acute Leukemia: A Chinese Population-Based Real-World Study

The relationship between newly diagnosed acute leukemia (AL) and heart-related lesions remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate baseline cardiac function and risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in patients with new-onset AL, and provide data on cardiac management strategies for patients with AL. We retrospectively collected data on baseline characteristics, echocardiography, and biochemical blood indicators (e.g., myocardial enzymes) from 408 patients, 200 with newly diagnosed AL, 103 with coronary artery disease (CAD), and 105 controls from January 1, 2015 to August 31, 2019. The creatine kinase isoenzyme myocardial band, lactate dehydrogenase, highly sensitive troponin-I, and B-type natriuretic peptide levels and left ventricular internal diameter (LVID) were significantly higher in patients with newly diagnosed AL than in the control group. The degree of cardiac damage was lower in newly diagnosed AL patients than in CAD patients. The best predictor of heart damage was LVID (AUC [area under the curve] = 0.709; 95% CI [confidence interval]: 0.637–0.781; p < 0.001), and independent prognostic risk factors were age and ejection fraction (HR [hazard ratio] = 1.636; 95% CI: 1.039–2.575; p = 0.033). The ratio of leukemia blasts among patients with AL was positively correlated with cardiac damage. Our data indicated that newly diagnosed AL patients had certain myocardial damage before treatment. Clinicians need to pay attention to these manifestations, which may be related to the prognosis.
Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Corn in Response to LEPA Irrigation

Center-pivot sprinklers are rapidly expanding on the Southern High Plains, and LEPA (low energy precision application) application methods are widely used in this region to reduce water application losses, to use the relatively low well yields, and to reduce energy requirements for pressurization. This study was conducted to evaluate LEPA irrigation response of corn (Zea mays L.) on slowly permeable Pullman clay loam (fine, mixed, thermic Torrertic Paleustoll). The effects of irrigation amount were investigated in a field study during the 1992 and 1993 cropping seasons at Bushland, Texas. In 1992, a wetter than normal season, grain yields varied from 0.6 to 1.2 kg/m2 while in 1993, which was a season with slightly less than normal rain, grain yields varied from 0.4 to over 1.5 kg/m2 as irrigations increased from no-post plant irrigations to fully meeting the crop water use. Irrigation amounts for the full irrigation varied from only 279 mm for the wet year to over 640 mm for the more normal year. A significant relationship was found between grain yield and water use for the two years described as GY (kg/m2) = 0.00169 [WU (mm) – 147] with an r2 of 0.882 and a Sy/x of 0.10 kg/m2. Deficit irrigation of corn, even with LEPA, reduced yields by affecting both seed mass and kernels per ear. Generally, the grain yield was in proportion to dry matter yield. LEPA irrigation was shown to be efficient in terms of partitioning the applied water into crop water use. Irrigation amounts should not exceed 25 mm for alternate furrows (0.76-m rows) LEPA on the Pullman-type soils with furrow dike basins.
Describing collaborative forms: a profile of the team-writing process

The paper examines collaborative writing practices students in the Air Force Institute of Technology's Graduate School of Logistics and Acquisition Management use to produce team-authored theses. In analyzing how student writing teams plan, execute, and assess writing activities, the researchers identify and describe some of the forms that collaboration takes, thereby successfully connecting their work within a broader research continuum concerning collaborative writing, particularly when applied in academic settings. >
Interleukin-17A serum levels in young patients with atopic dermatitis and food allergy

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common skin disorder accompanied by skin barrier disruption. Patients with AD are commonly affected by food allergy. The present case-control study aimed to assess interleukin-17A (IL-17A) serum levels in children with AD and food allergies and to determine whether increased serum levels of this inflammatory cytokine correlate with disease severity. Healthy control subjects and patients were tested for food allergen reactivity by skin prick test and specific, as well as total, immunoglobulin E (IgE) analysis. IL-17A serum levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. Patients with AD had significantly higher median (interquartile range) serum IL-17A (27 pg/mL [20–35] vs. 7 pg/mL [4.875–15.25]; P < 0.001) and total IgE levels (190 IU/mL [127–279] vs. 26.5 IU/mL [18.75–43.25]; P < 0.001) than controls and 44.6% (37/83) had a positive family history of allergy. Most patients with AD were reactive to two or three food allergens, with milk, eggs and nuts being the most common. No significant correlations were found between IL-17A levels and age and sex of patients, total IgE levels, the number and type of reactive food allergens and disease severity. In the receiver-operating characteristic analysis, the discriminating power of IL-17A and total IgE for AD severity was deficient when used alone but enhanced in combination. Serum IL-17A levels cannot be considered as a reliable AD severity measure and should be combined with other markers in a multimarker technique to enhance its predictive value.
Performance Impacts of Operating Subsidies in the Paratransit Sector

A multitude of studies in recent years have concluded that there are clear links between the amount of government subsidies and subsequent levels of transit performance and productivity. These studies have used data from fixed-schedule/fixed-route transit systems, largely ignoring the possibility of a different reaction of paratransit systems to the provision of operating subsidies. The effect of operating subsidies on the performance of paratransit systems is examined. The results indicate that subsidies from different sources (federal or state and local) have different directions and magnitudes of effects on the performance of different types of paratransit systems. Privately operated systems have been able to absorb and utilize subsidies in such a manner that has increased their performance, but the performance of publicly operated systems has generally decreased with the provision of subsidies. Finally, a drastic reduction in the levels of federal operating subsidies, a direction toward which the government is heading, will significantly and negatively affect the performance of paratransit systems.
Non-Melt Ultrasonic Bonding Method for Polymer MEMS Devices

Based on the theoretical study in our previous work, a novel thermal assisted ultrasonic bonding method for polymer Micro/nanoElectro-Mechanical Systems (M/NEMS) has been demonstrated. Bonding experiments of PMMA microfluidic chips with micro-channel of 80 μm in depth and width were conducted. The result shows numerous superiorities of this method including high bonding strength (0.95 MPa), low dimension loss (0.8% in depth and 0.3% in width, respectively) and short bonding duration.
Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty Humeral Lateralisation: A Systematic Review

Different studies on reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) have proposed changes to the humeral design to lateralise the humeral centre of rotation (COR), with humeral inclination to 135 or 145 from 155 degrees or to switch to onlay humeral trays from inlay design; with both having also been used in combination. There have been many studies and systematic reviews to show the difference in outcomes and complications to the variations in glenoid design but to date, there have been no systematic studies to compare different humeral inclinations for RSA implants. Searches using keywords were used in common medical search engines in a systematic fashion. The article was reviewed for the class of evidence and bias, summarised and compared in meta-analysis. Inclusion criteria included studies on adults with RSA that compared lateralised humeral implants to medialised. The search produced 349 articles; of these, we identified nine studies that met the inclusion criteria. Our review identified a total of 562 patients who had been included in studies directly comparing lateralised humerus to a more medial design. Meta-analysis showed a significantly reduced risk of scapular notching in lateralised humerus compared to the standard medialised component. The external rotation range of motion in the lateralised group was statistically significant. The improvement in scapular notching and gain in the range of motion without any apparent downside in the form of reduced patient-reported outcome measures or complications suggest a lateralised humeral component is superior to the more medialised design in RSA. A large RCT with a longer-term follow-up is needed to confirm whether there is clinically significant benefit from the lateralisation of the humerus.
The effect of vegetation on indoor and outdoor thermal comfort conditions: Evidence from a microscale study of two similar urban buildings in Akure, Nigeria

This study assessed thermal conditions in and around two typical buildings on a university campus in Akure, Nigeria. One of the buildings was shaded by trees, while the other was unshaded. The aim is to evaluate the effect of vegetation (tree shading) on indoor and outdoor thermal comfort. Air temperature and relative humidity were measured simultaneously inside and outside both buildings for six months (September 2010 to February 2011). Results show that the unshaded building is generally less comfortable in comparison with the tree-shaded one, especially during the daytime. The unshaded building becomes less comfortable as early as 10:00 h during the dry season, and that can even extend till around 18:00 h during the wet season. Also, the outdoor area around the tree-shaded building is more thermally comfortable than around the unshaded one, irrespective of the season. A strong relationship between outdoor and indoor comfort conditions, irrespective of seasonal or diurnal variations and thermal comfort index, also emerged. While the positive role of tree shading in thermal comfort is not new, this study contributes additional evidence from an understudied sub-Saharan African region like Nigeria. It points to the need for tree planting (greening) as a means to improve thermal comfort in Nigerian cities.
Recent Trends in Leather Making: Processes, Problems, and Pathways

Leather processing has emerged as an important economic activity in several developing countries. Awareness of environmental problems has increased considerably and during recent years protecting environment has become a global issue. Currently the leather processing industry is going through a phase change due to global environmental regulations. The article summarizes the current leather processing methods with their rationale and environmental problems. It has been revealed that pretanning and tanning processes contribute 80–90% of the total pollution load (BOD, COD, TS, TDS, Cr, S2−, sludge, etc.). Further, toxic gases like ammonia and hydrogen sulfide are also emitted. Volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, and carcinogenic arylamines from posttanning and finishing operations are also creating severe concern. Apart from this, a great deal of solid wastes like lime sludge from tannery and chrome sludge from effluent treatment plants are being generated. Advanced processing techniques as well as effluent treatment strategies for combating environmental and human health risks are reviewed in detail. The leather processing industry in various countries, however, is facing a serious challenge from the public and government. This is in spite of the implementation of several advanced processing techniques and treatment systems. Hence, there is a need to revamp leather processing methods anew for the sustainability of leather industry. Some of the novel concepts in leather processing are briefly mentioned and discussed.
Melanoma Targeted Therapies beyond BRAF-Mutant Melanoma: Potential Druggable Mutations and Novel Treatment Approaches

Simple Summary The management of unresectable and metastatic cutaneous melanoma has substantially improved with the introduction of molecular targeted therapy (BRAF and MEK inhibitors) and immunotherapy (Immune checkpoint inhibitors). The avenue of precision oncology holds promise in melanomas due to the high rate of somatic mutations that contribute to tumor progression. In this review article, we discuss common mutations and altered pathways that are implicated in melanomagenesis including oncogenic driver mutations, tumor suppressor gene alterations, fusion oncogenes, epigenetic regulators and alterations in the DNA-damage response pathway. We also provide a comprehensive review of promising individualized novel treatment approaches in non-BRAF mutant melanoma. Abstract Melanomas exhibit the highest rate of somatic mutations among all different types of cancers (with the exception of BCC and SCC). The accumulation of a multimode of mutations in the driver oncogenes are responsible for the proliferative, invasive, and aggressive nature of melanomas. High-resolution and high-throughput technology has led to the identification of distinct mutational signatures and their downstream alterations in several key pathways that contribute to melanomagenesis. This has enabled the development of individualized treatments by targeting specific molecular alterations that are vital for cancer cell survival, which has resulted in improved outcomes in several cancers, including melanomas. To date, BRAF and MEK inhibitors remain the only approved targeted therapy with a high level of evidence in BRAFV600E/K mutant melanomas. The lack of approved precision drugs in melanomas, relative to other cancers, despite harboring one of the highest rates of somatic mutations, advocates for further research to unveil effective therapeutics. In this review, we will discuss potential druggable mutations and the ongoing research of novel individualized treatment approaches targeting non-BRAF mutations in melanomas.
Motivation Under Gamification: An Empirical Study of Developers’ Motivations and Contributions in Stack Overflow

To encourage developers’ volunteer contributions, modern programming question and answer (Q&A) sites like Stack Overflow (SO) employ gamified incentive mechanisms such as reputation and badges. Understanding developers’ motivations in the presence of gamification and the relationship between their motivations and behavioral outcomes is crucial for community building and designing good incentive mechanisms. Grounded on self-determination theory, we conducted a survey with 938 developers who participate in SO to understand their participation motivations and incentive perceptions. By connecting the survey responses with the SO data, we quantitatively analyzed how the developers’ motivations and satisfaction of needs relate to their effort and contribution quality. Our main findings are as follows: (1) despite the presence of gamified incentive mechanisms, developers are mainly motivated by intrinsic motivation to participate in SO; (2) developers who have strong motivations to gain gamification rewards are associated with higher intrinsic and integrated motivations, while developers with more development experiences are less motivated by the gamified incentives; (3) both extrinsic motivations (in terms of career prospects) and intrinsic motivations (regarding self-improvement and helping others) can motivate developers to make high-quantity and high-quality contributions; and (4) high-level satisfaction of needs for competency and autonomy has a positive effect on developers making high-quantity and high-quality contributions and addressing difficult problems. Based on these findings, we discuss implications for developer motivation and gamification in the crowdsourcing context and for the mechanism design of gamified crowdsourced platforms.