Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anatomic predictors of intraocular pressure change after phacoemulsification: an AS-OCT study

Introduction: Phacoemulsification surgery is known to alter anterior segment structure parameters and also intraocular pressure (IOP). We set out in this study to investigate the relationship between the two parameters by using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT). Purpose: To evaluate anterior segment and lens parameters associated with IOP lowering after phacoemulsification. Study design: Prospective longitudinal single centre study. Materials and methods: All consented study participants underwent uneventful phacoemulsification with foldable intraocular lens implantation. IOP measurement, gonioscopy, and AS-OCT measurements were performed pre- and postoperatively at one month. Customised software (Zhongshan Angle Assesment Programme, ZAAP) was used to measure various anterior chamber parameters. A-scan biometry was used to measure axial length (AL), lens thickness (LT), and to calculate lens position (LP) and relative lens position (RLP). Results: Eighty-six eyes from 86 patients were included in this study. The mean IOP reduced significantly after phacoemulsification (from 16.2 ± 2.4 mmHg to 14.1 ± 2.6 mmHg at one week and 14.4 ± 2.3 mmHg at one month, P < 0.001). In the multivariate regression model, preoperative IOP and AL were the only significant parameters associated with percentage change in IOP (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Change in IOP post-phacoemulsification is dependent on preoperative IOP and AL. Greater percentage change in IOP is seen in eyes with shorter axial length.
Dynamic Behaviour of Spur Gears

In an earlier paper by one of the authors (9) a theoretical analysis suggested that, at certain speeds, large vibrations can occur in a pair of spur gears, without any manufacturing errors and without any external excitation, provided the damping is less than about 0·07 of critical. In this paper a summary is given of an extension to this theoretical analysis, but the main part is concerned with experimental observations on a back-to-back gear test rig. From these observations the maximum dynamic loads on the teeth have been deduced. It has been found that for all applied loads between zero and 1 1/4 times design load, the maximum dynamic load never exceeds twice the design load (the design load is the load which gives a constant transmission error at low speed). It should be noted that if the design load (for which the profile modification is specified) is appreciably greater than the applied load, the dynamic increment may be very large. Excessive profile modification should therefore be avoided. As the.
Application de la vélocimétrie par images de particules à la mesure simultanée de champs d'écoulements dans la roue et le diffuseur d'une pompe centrifuge

Particle Image Velocimetry (P.I.V.) has been used for the analysis of the flow velocities in the outlet part of the impeller and in the vaneless diffuser of a centrifugal pump. Tests have been made in air with the so-called S.H. F. impeller. A lot of experimental and numerical results have been already published for that impeller. 2D measurements have been performed using P.I. V. The results are analysed in various operating conditions.
In-Vitro Study of Antioxidant Activities from Ethanol Extracts of Akar Kuning (Arcangelisia flava)

This study aims to determine the antioxidant activity of akar kuning (Arcangelisia flava) stem extract from Central Kalimantan using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. This research includes extraction of simplicia and test of antioxidant activity by DPPH method. Based on the analysis of antioxidant activity on ethanol extract from yellow root plant stem IC50 values of 136.81 ppm were obtained. This IC50 value indicates the antioxidant strength of the yellow root plant stems including in the moderate category. Further research on antioxidant activity in the fraction of akar kuning stems needs to be done to determine the composition of the antioxidant compounds in each solvent.
Human Subject Kinematics and Electromyographic Activity During Low Speed Rear Impacts

This study enhances the existing database of human subject test exposures with an emphasis on electromyographic activity before, during, and after low speed rear impact. Ten nominal 16 km/h closing speed car-to-car impacts were conducted using instrumented male and female subjects aged 22-54 years, with struck vehicle velocity changes of up to 10 km/h. Two head restraint conditions were studied. One condition was a standard seat integrated head restraint. For the second condition the integrated head restraint was modified by adding 2 padding inches to the existing head restraint. No injuries were sustained by any occupant. In all cases, the subjects exhibited pre-impact muscle activity commensurate with that of a relaxed seated posture. Initial muscle activity typically occurred during the initial impact phase as the occupant's cervical spine was extending. Full muscle tension likely did not develop until the cervical spine was flexing. Initial muscle activity was consistent with being triggered by lumbar spine acceleration, and occurred approximately 90-120 milliseconds after onset of lumbar spine acceleration. No significant differences were noted between muscle response times for the two head restraint conditions. Decreases in rearward head displacement, cervical spine extension, and head acceleration were found for the modified head restraint. For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 891635.
Optimal Load Balancing and Capacitor Sizing and Siting of an Unbalanced Radial Distribution Network

Several studies on the improvement of distribution system technologies have surfaced over the past decades. Simple and inexpensive system-based methods to improve voltage profile and minimize losses include balancing, reconfiguration, and equipment penetration. However, improper re-phasing and placement may even worsen system operations. In this paper, optimal phase reconfiguration and capacitor placement is implemented. With the component object model (COM) interface, genetic algorithm (GA) through MATLAB toolbox was used simultaneously with an open-source load flow analyzer, OpenDSS, to gather optimal outcomes. Different treatments were applied to the highly unbalanced IEEE 13-bus test radial distribution system. Results showed that each treatment yielded a significantly lower system loss than the original network. Individually, the load re-phasing approach arrived at a more efficient system than the capacitor placement approach. Still, the combination of both methods yielded the best results out of all the cases. The optimal case was further applied to the IEEE 37-bus network.
Evaluation of functional and morphological parameters in eyes with primary congenital glaucoma after trabeculectomy in the long-term follow-up

Aim: Primary congenital glaucoma is the most prevalent type of primary paediatric glaucoma. The aim of the study was to estimate functional and morphological parameters in eyes with primary congenital glaucoma, with and without Haab’s striae, after classic trabeculectomy in the long-term follow-up. Material and methods: 41 eyes of 27 children aged 7 days to 12 months at primary trabeculectomy with (group I) and without Haab’s striae (group II) were reviewed. The best corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, central corneal thickness, axial biometry, corneal horizontal diameter, refraction, central endothelial cell density, cup-to-disc ratio, and perimetric mean deviation were analysed. Results: The mean follow-up was 11.4 years. The mean age of operated infants was 5.65 months (group I) and 4.41 months (group II). The mean intraocular pressure before trabeculectomy was significantly higher and endothelial cell density was significantly lower in group I than in group II. The mean myopic refractive error was significantly higher in group I than in group II. There was no difference in best corrected visual acuity, central corneal thickness, axial biometry, corneal horizontal diameter, and perimetric mean deviation between the two groups. Conclusions: The visual function in patients with primary congenital glaucoma after successful trabeculectomy performed in infancy is satisfactory, despite the presence of Haab’s striae, impaired corneal structure and decreased endothelial cell density. High intraocular pressure before treatment is an important risk factor for the development of Haab’s striae. Classic trabeculectomy is a good first-line surgical procedure in the treatment of primary congenital glaucoma with and without Haab’s striae.
Piston ring pack design effects on production spark ignition engine oil consumption : a simulation analysis

One of the most significant contributors to an engine's total oil consumption is the pistonring-pack. As a result, optimization of the ring pack is becoming more important for engine manufacturers and lubricant suppliers. This leads to current efforts to control the oil transport and flow through the ring pack. Decreasing the amount of oil needed for proper lubrication while minimizing frictional losses are the goals of such research. The hope is to fully understand the mechanisms that govern oil's flow, and then control it. Analytical tools and computer simulation models have been created to assist in predicting the performance of a given ring pack. This study intended to be an experimental look at the effects of piston-ring-pack design changes on the steady-state and transient oil consumption of a spark ignition engine. Namely, the effects of a V-Cut on the 2"d land, a chamfer on the 3rd land, OCR groove drain holes, and the OCR design were to be examined. However, after some minor measurements, the engine experienced a major malfunction that caused it to cease operation. The focus of the study shifted to a more theoretical, computer simulated concentration of the aforementioned design changes. Different speeds and loads were analyzed along with the notation of some general observations. In the end, the effects of the design modifications on ring dynamics and gas flow were qualified. The presence of a V-Cut on the 2"d land of the piston had beneficial and adverse effects on the general performance of the ring pack. The added volume decreased the 2"d land pressure enough to avoid 2nd ring radial collapse, but it also caused reverse flutter to occur at lower loads. Using a chamfer on the upper portion of the 3rd land also had mixed results. Stability of the 2"d ring was greatly improved with less radial collapse and an increase in average blowby flow. The performance of the OCR design was primarily dependent on the gap area of the ring and the variation of groove clearances. The OCR groove drain holes were also deemed a necessity. This research, though theoretical in nature, brings together many ideas that offer solutions to common problems. Radial collapse, reverse flutter, OCR cost, and the use of drainage holes all are part of the attempts to improve the piston-ring-pack performance while driving down cost of production. Future experiments will put the theoretical conclusions to the test with the continuation of the pistons not installed in the engine due to the events previously explained.
A combined treatment of curcumin, piperine, and taurine alters the circulating levels of IL-10 and miR-21 in hepatocellular carcinoma patients: a pilot study.

Background Investigating and evaluating possible alternative therapeutic strategies to control hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a critical need because of its high prevalence and being one of the most lethal cancers. Curcumin and taurine showed potent anti-tumor activities in pre-clinical and clinical studies by targeting multiple pathways. Thus, this study was designed to assess the effect of a combined treatment consisted of curcumin, piperine, and taurine on circulating levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10), and microRNAs miR-141 and miR-21. Methods Twenty eligible HCC patients administrated an oral dose of 4 g curcumin, 40 mg piperine, and 500 mg taurine daily for three successive treatment cycles, each was a 30-day. The level of IL-10 along with the expression levels of miR-141, and miR-21 were monitored in serum before starting the treatment and after each cycle. Patients were followed-up for a period of 24 months. Results The combined treatment was able to produce a significant decrease in the levels of serum IL-10, and miR-21 while it resulted in a non-significant up-regulation of serum miR-141 expression level. At the end of the follow-up period, the median overall survival (OS) rate was found to be 17.00 months with a worse OS in patients with high baseline levels of circulating IL-10 and miR-21 compared to those with low levels. In contrast, a low baseline level of circulating miR-141 was associated with poor prognosis. Conclusions The combined treatment may be able to increase the OS rate by altering the circulating level of IL-10 and miR-21.
Educating moral sensitivity in business: An experimental study to evaluate the effectiveness of a serious moral game

: Serious games have emerged as a promising new form of education and training. Even though the benefits of serious games for education are undisputed, there is still a further need for research on the eﬀicacy of such games. The main goal of our research is to examine the effectiveness of a serious moral game—uFin: The Challenge—that was designed to promote moral sensitivity in business, a precondition of ethical decision-making and behavior and a core moral competency of moral intelligence. A second goal is to examine the role of metacognitive prompting and prosocial nudging in influencing learning effectiveness. Participants (N = 345) took part in an experimental game-based intervention study and completed a pre- and post-test questionnaire assessing moral sensitivity. The analyses of both questionnaire and game data suggest that merely playing this game is effective in promoting moral sensitivity. Neither self-reflection nor exposure to prosocial nudges, however, were determined to be factors that improve learning effectiveness. In contrast, those interventions even decreased the learning outcome in some cases. Overall, findings demonstrate the potential for game-based learning in the moral domain. An important avenue for future research is to examine others ways of increasing the effectiveness of the game. Serious games have emerged as a promising new form of education and training. Even though the benefits of serious games for education are undisputed, there is still a further need for research on the efficacy of such games. The main goal of our research is to examine the effectiveness of a serious moral game — uFin: The Challenge — that was designed to promote moral sensitivity in business, a precondition of ethical decision-making and behavior and a core moral competency of moral intelligence. A second goal is to examine the role of metacognitive prompting and prosocial nudging in influencing learning effectiveness. Participants ( N = 345) took part in an experimental game-based intervention study and completed a pre- and post-test questionnaire assessing moral sensitivity. The analyses of both questionnaire and game data suggest that merely playing this game is effective in promoting moral sensitivity. Neither self-reflection nor exposure to prosocial nudges, however, were determined to be factors that improve learning effectiveness. In contrast, those interventions even decreased the learning outcome in some cases. Overall, findings demonstrate the potential for game-based learning in the moral domain. An important avenue for future research is to examine others ways of increasing the effectiveness of the game.
3D microenvironment stiffness regulates tumor spheroid growth and mechanics via p21 and ROCK

Mechanical properties of cancer cells and their microenvironment contribute to breast cancer progression. While mechanosensing has been extensively studied using two-dimensional (2D) substrates, much less is known about it in a physiologically more relevant 3D context. Here we demonstrate that breast cancer tumor spheroids, growing in 3D polyethylene glycol-heparin hydrogels, are sensitive to their environment stiffness. During tumor spheroid growth, compressive stresses of up to 2 kPa built up, as quantitated using elastic polymer beads as stress sensors. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed that tumor spheroid stiffness increased with hydrogel stiffness. Also, constituent cell stiffness increased in a ROCK- and F-actin-dependent manner. Increased hydrogel stiffness correlated with attenuated tumor spheroid growth, a higher proportion of cells in G0/G1 phase and elevated levels of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21. Drug-mediated ROCK inhibition reversed not only cell stiffening upon culture in stiff hydrogels but also increased tumor spheroid growth. Taken together, we reveal here a mechanism by which the growth of a tumor spheroid can be regulated via cytoskeleton rearrangements in response to its mechanoenvironment. Thus, our findings contribute to a better understanding of how cancer cells react to compressive stress when growing under confinement in stiff environments and provide the basis for a more in-depth exploration of the underlying mechanosensory response.
A Filter-Based Method to Calculate Heart Rate from Near Infrared Video

Heart rate is the primary indicator of a person's physical condition. The conventional method requires wearable sensors to obtain heart rate which are not comfortable for persons. Based on the theory of cardiovascular system of human body, different cameras are used to estimate heart rate in differ-ent conditions of illumination but the existing methods are com-putationally complex. A simple filter based method to calculate heart rate in dark environment using near infrared camera is proposed in this paper. The correlation between the calculated result and reference was found 0.98.
An automated matching algorithm for dual orthogonal fluoroscopy

The current method of studying in vivo kinematics of human joints is a tedious and time consuming task. Current techniques require the segmentation of hundreds of raster images, often by hand, and registration of three-dimensional models with two-dimensional contours. Automation of these processes would greatly accelerate research in this field. This research presents an automated method for recovering the pose of a three dimensional model from planar contours. Validation of the algorithm and discussion of its performance and applicability are detailed herein. Thesis Supervisor: Guoan Li Title: Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery Harvard Medical School Thesis Supervisor: Derek Rowell Title: Professor of Mechanical Engineering
EFFECTS OF VIRTUAL REALITY-BASED NECK-SPECIFIC SENSORIMOTORTRAINING IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC NECK PAIN: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED PILOT TRIAL

Objective To evaluate the effects of neck-specific sensorimotor training using a virtual reality device compared with 2 standard rehabilitation programmes: with, and without general sensorimotor training, in patients with non-traumatic chronic neck pain. Design Pilot randomized control study. Patients and methods A total of 51 participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: 1: control group; 2: sensorimotor group; 3: virtual reality group. All 3 groups received the clinic’s standard rehabilitation programme. Group 2 also received “general sensorimotor training” in the form of group therapy, for a total of 120 min. Group 3 received additional virtual reality-based “neck-specific sensorimotor training” for a total of 120 min. Participants’ neck pain, headaches, active cervical range of motion, and Neck Disability Index were determined before and after 3 weeks of intervention. Results Compared with the control group, the virtual reality group showed significant (p < 0.05) advantages in relief of headaches, and active cervical range of motion in flexion and extension. Compared with the sensorimotor group, the virtual reality group showed significant improvements in cervical extension. Conclusion Virtual reality-based sensorimotor training may increase the effects of a standard rehabilitation programme for patients with non-traumatic chronic neck pain, especially active cervical range of motion in extension. LAY ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of neck-specific coordination training using a virtual reality device, in comparison with general coordination training and a standard exercise programme as part of inpatient rehabilitation for patients with chronic neck pain. Pain, disability and mobility of the neck were determined before and after 3 weeks of training intervention in 51 patients. The virtual reality training group exhibited greater effects in relief of headaches, and bending the neck forwards and backwards compared with the standard exercise group, and an increased ability to bend the neck backwards compared with the coordination training group. The results suggest that neck-specific coordination training using a virtual reality device increases the benefits of standard inpatient rehabilitation in patients with chronic neck pain, particularly in bending the neck backwards.
Parallel DEPSO-Scout: Data Parallelism

DEPSO-Scout is a hybrid optimization algorithm combining Differential Evolution (DE), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Artificial Bee Colony (ABC). The solution convergence is balanced between exploration of PSO and exploitation from DE. The suboptimal solution has reduced by the scout bee property of ABC. DEPSO-Scout outperforms traditional DE, PSO, and ABC. However, in a higher dimension of search space, the accuracy of DEPSO-Scout is maintained while the search speed is significantly decreased. From the experiment, the computational time varies depending on the complexity of the problem. To improve the time-performance of DEPSO-Scout, the parallelization techniques becomes an interest. By modifying the DEPSO-Scout algorithm with the parallel approach, the speed of algorithm significantly improved while the correctness of solutions is maintained. The experiment and analysis of speedup and algorithm efficiency are discussed. The improvement opportunity of Parallel DEPSO-Scout is also discussed in the last section.
Designing Fitness Functions for Evolutionary Optimization of the System Inspired by Pattern Formation in Morphogenesis

The morphogenetic engineering that learns biological morphogenesis has attracted our attention recently. In the paper, we first propose a new system that models pattern formation in biological morphogenesis. The system is theoretically able to produce a variety of shapes similar to desired one. However, to realize that, it is necessary to optimize parameters of the system. So, we assume the use of an evolutionary algorithm for the optimization and examine a suitable fitness function for the optimization through simulations. The simulation results reveal that the suitable fitness function enables the evolutionary algorithm to find parameters that produce a variety of rough shapes including the desired one at the top priority and then to conduct fine-tuning of parameters for obtaining closer shapes to the desired one.