Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Advanced diffusion MRI for microstructure imaging : theoretical developments

An accurate characterization of tissue features at microscopic level is essential for understanding the brain structure or staging a large variety of diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis or cancer. The aim of microstructure imaging is to provide information related to cellular structure from non-invasive imaging modali¬ties, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). This can be achieved by developing accurate tissue models and relating them to imaging data. Diffusion weighted MRI (DW-MRI) measures the displacement of the water molecules inside the tissue which is sensitive to the configuration of cellular membranes, therefore it provides relevant information for characterizing tissue microstructure. This PhD thesis presents my work on developing novel DW-MRI sequences and tissue models which provide improved sensitivity to cellular features such as pore size and shape. To model the DW-MRI signal, the tissue is regarded as a porous medium with cells described as fluid-filled pores separated by impermeable membranes. The first part of this thesis is concentrated on improving the estimation of intrinsic diffu¬sivity and pore size. Specifically, it analyses a promising class of diffusion sequences, namely oscillating gradients, which measure diffusion on a short time scale and give access to small structures, such as cell nuclei. Additionally, it emphasises the benefits of low-frequency oscillating waveforms over the standard acquisition for estimating axon diameter. The second part of my project focuses on estimating complex tissue features such as pore elongation and size distribution, and it demonstrates that these features are in¬trinsically linked and need to be explicitly modelled for accurate results. Moreover, it shows that pulse sequences with varying gradient orientation, such as double diffusion encoding, are able to separate these effects more effectively than standard sequences. The most recent study combines the benefits of both sequences in an innovative acqui¬sition with double oscillating gradients. This supports estimates of cell size distribution and eccentricity for a wider range of substrates.
Perceived changes in food security, finances and revenue of rural and urban households during COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria

ABSTRACT The Covid-19 pandemic has generated shocks that have affected the global economy. The study examined perceived changes in food security as well as finances and revenue of rural and urban households during Covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria. Data were sourced from the National Longitudinal Phone Survey executed between April and June 2020 by the National Bureau of Statistics in collaboration with the World Bank. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and the Chi-Square test. Findings revealed 83 percent of urban households and 78 percent in rural were food insecure. About 83 percent of rural households and 79 percent of Urban perceived Covid-19 pandemic as a threat to household finances. Household finances dropped for 29.3 percent of urban and 31.5 percent of rural households while 30.5 percent of urban and 20.0 percent of rural households who operate family business had no revenue at all. The study concluded that the pandemic has worsened the food security situation of both rural and urban households and has also adversely affected rural and urban household finances. Given a new surge in the epidemic, the government should take cognizance of the disparities in the context in which the pandemic affects the rural and urban households in Nigeria.
Analysis of Learning Obstacle on Circle Material at SMPS Nasional Amanah Bangsa

Tujuan penelitian ini untuk menganalisis learning obstacle yang dialami oleh siswa SMPS Nasional Amanah Bangsa pada materi lingkaran. Jenis learning obstacle yang diidentifikasi yaitu epistimological obstacle, ontogenic obstacle, dan didactic obstacle. Metode penelitian yang digunakan kualitatif deskriptif. Sampel penelitian yaitu 3 orang siswa kelas IX yang sudah mempelajari lingkaran dengan kategori kemampuan rendah, sedang, dan tinggi. Sampel penelitian dipilih berdasarkan pengkategorian kemampuan siswa berdasarkan hasil PAS dan rekomendasi guru mata pelajaran. Instrumen penelitian yaitu tes tertulis learning obstacle, wawancara siswa, wawancara guru, analisis bahan ajar, dan analisis RPP. Hasil penelitian diperoleh siswa mengalami epistimological obstacle, ontogenic obstacle, dan didactic obstacle pada materi lingkaran.
Understanding students' and teachers' approaches to tablet use in Turkish secondary schools : a model based approach

Rapidly developing and widely used mobile technologies have been changing the way we live and learn. Such devices were banned from schools not long ago, and now, they are becoming part of everyday practice in schools. Governments around the world have been increasingly investing in learning technologies with the belief that teachers and students will eventually benefit from them (Diemer, Fernandez & Streepay, 2012; Pedro, 2010). However, these investments do not always result as desired. Turkey, where this research took place, is one of the countries that has invested in ICT through a program called the “Movement of Enhancing Opportunities and Improving Technology”, known as the FATIH Project. With the Fatih project the government had aimed to revolutionise the education by ‘upgrading’ the classrooms with the latest technology smartboards and providing students and teachers with a personal tablet. It is one of the most expensive and extensive government supported ICT projects ever taken place (Tamim, Borokhovski, Pickup & Bernard, 2015), and it is important to understand the perceptions of the end users. In order to collect information on students’ and teachers’ attitudes towards tablets a qualitative study with teacher interviews, student focus group sessions and observations was conducted. Moreover, lately ‘technology acceptance models’ have taken their places in education research with the claim that they could help to foresee the acceptance behaviour before developing or introducing a new technology by providing measurable variables; therefore, avoiding unexpected user rejection (Jan & Contreras, 2011). In this regard, this research aims to test the applicability of an existing model the ‘Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2’ (UTAUT2), which has been commonly used by educational researchers, and is suggested to be more suitable to educational account. In that sense, this part of the research has a quantitative nature. Data were collected through questionnaires from secondary school students (n=266) and analysed in accordance with the qualitative data collected with this research and the previous literature. It is believed that theoretical findings of this research will help researchers to understand if a model approach is suitable for education, if so, will help to develop a model that corresponds to the requirements of educational research. Additionally, the findings of this study will help the Turkish government in understanding the expectations and perceptions of the students and teachers regarding the tablet use in education.
How and When to Use Lung Ultrasound in Patients with Heart Failure?

Pulmonary congestion is a critical finding in patients with heart failure (HF) that can be quantified by lung ultrasound (LUS) through Bline quantification, the latter of which can be easily measured by all commercially-available probes/ultrasound equipment. As such, LUS represents a useful tool for the assessment of patients with both acute and chronic HF. Several imaging protocols have been described in the literature according to different clinical settings. While most studies have been performed with either the 8 or 28 chest zone protocol, the 28-zone protocol is more time-consuming while the 8-zone protocol offers the best trade-off with no sizeable loss of information. In the acute setting, LUS has excellent value in diagnosing acute HF, which is superior to physical examination and chest X-ray, particularly in instances of diagnostic uncertainty. In addition to its diagnostic value, accumulating evidence over the last decade (mainly derived from ambulatory settings or at discharge from an acute HF hospitalisation) suggests that LUS can also represent a useful prognostic tool for predicting adverse outcome in both HF with reduced (HFrEF) and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). It also allows realtime monitoring of pulmonary decongestion during treatment of acute HF. Additionally, LUS-guided therapy, when compared with usual care, has been shown to reduce the risk of HF hospitalisations at shortand mid-term follow-up. In addition, studies have shown good correlation between B-lines during exercise stress echocardiography and invasive, bio-humoral and echocardiographic indices of haemodynamic congestion; B-lines during exercise are also associated with worse prognosis in both HFrEF and HFpEF. Altogether, LUS represents a reliable and useful tool in the assessment of pulmonary congestion and risk stratification of HF patients throughout their entire journey (i.e., emergency department/acute settings, in-hospital management, discharge from acute HF hospitalisation, monitoring in the outpatient setting), with considerable diagnostic and prognostic implications.
Monitoring Raptor Movements with Satellite Telemetry and Avian Radar Systems: An Evaluation for Synchronicity

Avian radar technologies have the potential to serve an important role in the quantification of bird movements and determining patterns of bird use in areas where human–wildlife conflicts might occur (e.g., airports, wind energy facilities). Ground-truthing studies are needed to help wildlife managers understand the biological meaning of radar information, as the capabilities and limitations of these technologies are relatively unknown. We conducted a study to evaluate the efficacy of three X-band marine radar sensors for tracking red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) on or near the airfield at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport from September 2010 to May 2014. Specific information regarding red-tailed hawk locations derived from satellite telemetry was used to determine how frequently the three radar sensors provided corresponding tracks of these avian targets (i.e., synchronized monitoring). We examined various factors (e.g., bird altitude and distance to the radar) to determine if they had any influence on the frequency of synchronicity between satellite telemetry locations and radar tracks. We found evidence that as the distance between a hawk and the radars increased, the radars’ ability to detect and track known avian targets decreased. Overall, the frequency of synchronization events for red-tailed hawks was low. Of the 1977 red-tailed hawk locations that should have been visible to the radar sensors, 51 of these bird movements were tracked by at least one of the radar sensors (2.6%). This study provides a new methodology for evaluating the performance of radar systems for tracking birds and determining what factors might influence overall performance.
Is Early Preventive Caffeine Safe and Effective in Premature Neonates? A Clinical Trial

Background Advantages of caffeine for the treatment of apnea of prematurity (AOP) have prompted clinicians to use it as a preventive drug even before the occurrence of apnea. Objective To compare the effect of early preventive caffeine therapy with routine late preventive caffeine on the occurrence rate of apnea of prematurity, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and related radiographic changes, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), the need for mechanical ventilation, the length of mechanical ventilation, and the length of hospitalization. Materials and Methods In this open randomized clinical trial study, 90 preterm neonates with the gestational age of 25-35 weeks were divided into 2 groups: group A received caffeine during the first two days of life (early preventive caffeine), while group B received caffeine during the third to the tenth day of life (late preventive caffeine). The occurrence rate of AOP and other outcomes were the primary outcomes. The adverse effects of caffeine in each group were the secondary outcomes. Results The total occurrence rate of AOP was significantly higher (32.6%) in the late group versus (6.8%) in the early group (p = 0.002). The total occurrence rate of BPD was also significantly higher (37%) in the late group versus (18.2%) in the early group (p = 0.047). On the other hand, we found a lower need for mechanical ventilation, shorter length of mechanical ventilation, shorter length of hospitalization, and a lower occurrence rate of PDA, NEC, and IVH in the early group that was not significant. No adverse effect of caffeine was observed in each group. Conclusions Early preventive caffeine administration was associated with a significantly lower occurrence rate of AOP, BPD, and BPD radiologic changes. As other outcomes occurred lesser in the early group that were not significant, future studies with more participants are recommended. This study has been registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20160827029535N8).
Are group identity and sense of belonging relevant for group pain management programmes? An exploratory pilot study

Introduction Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)–based programmes for chronic pain are often conducted in groups, most likely for time and cost efficiencies. However, there has been very little investigation of the role that the group itself, and particularly the processes occurring within the group, may play in individual outcomes. The objective of this study was to explore whether social group processes were relevant to key treatment outcomes of group CBT for chronic pain. Method Data were collected from 15 groups (N = 118) undertaking a pain management programme in a tertiary setting. Intraclass correlations were computed to determine any clustering of outcomes in groups, and linear mixed modelling analysis explored pre-registered hypotheses of associations between treatment outcomes and the social group processes of Group Identification and Sense of Belonging. Results A weak association between early identification with the group and changes in pain-related disability was shown. In addition, an enhanced global Sense of Belonging was associated with increased pain self-efficacy. Conclusion These associations, in a programme that had not been designed to address group processes, suggest that their relevance is worth further investigation, particularly in group programmes that do focus on the social consequences of chronic pain. Future studies should investigate whether manipulation of social group processes within a CBT-based pain programme enhances pain-related outcomes and improves the overall well-being of people with chronic pain.
The Relationship between Argumentation Skills and Cognitive Flexibility of Pre-Service Science Teachers

The present study aims to investigate the relationship between pre-service science teachers' argumentation skills and cognitive flexibility levels. Within the scope of the study, an argumentation-based science laboratory application was applied to first year science teaching students for 4 weeks. The arguments were assessed by eight faculty members and doctoral students. The Argumentation Assessment Rubric (Choi, 2008) was used to assess the quality of the written arguments. The quality of the arguments and descriptions used by the students in the reports were evaluated as total writing scores. The “Cognitive Flexibility Inventory” developed by Dennis and Vander Wal (2010) was employed to assess the cognitive flexibility levels of pre-service teachers. Simple Correlation analysis and Simple Linear Regression analysis methods were used to determine the relationship between the sub-dimensions of cognitive flexibility inventory and argumentation skills of pre-service science teachers and the effect of cognitive flexibility levels on argumentation skills. The results showed that there was a significant relationship between pre-service teachers’ cognitive flexibility levels and argumentation skills.
Low-level Laser Therapy in the Oral Cavity: A Retrospection in the Future

Eirini Papamanoli1, Kyriaki Kyriakidou2, Ioannis K Karoussis3* 1DDS, MS Molecular Physiology, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece 2Biologist, PhD, University of Ancona Italy, Post-doctoral researcher, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece 3Associate Professor, Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece *Correspondence should be addressed to Ioannis K Karoussis, ikaroussis@dent.uoa. gr
Strategic Management Accounting Information and Performance: Mediating Effect of Knowledge Management

Research Aims: The objective of this study is to examine the relationship ‎between Strategic Management Accounting (SMA) information, Knowledge Management (KM), and the performance of ‎Malaysian hospitals. Design/methodology/approach: A survey is employed, and data is collected using self- administered questionnaires. Responses from 95 Malaysian private hospitals were ‎analysed using Partial Least Squares (PLS) 3.0. Research Findings: The findings indicate that SMA ‎information positively affects ‎performance, and KM mediates the ‎relationship between SMA information and interpretation. Theoretical Contribution/Originality: This study utilised the Resource-Based View (RBV) theory to explain SMA information as a resource and KM as a capability that impacts the competitive advantage of organisations. This study ‎contributes to the line of literature on SMA information and ‎KM in the healthcare sector. Managerial Implication in the South East Asian Context: Findings of this study can be used by managers to improve SMA ‎information and KM in their organisations. Research limitation & Implications: Firstly, the data were collected from a single sector, the healthcare sector, in a developing economy and focused on hospitals. It ‎may be inappropriate for the results of this study to be used for other sectors, such as industrial sectors or in other countries. ‎Secondly, the results from path analysis do not explain for sure how ‎these independent variables influence the dependent variables. ‎Although the path analysis can reveal the significant relationships between the independent and dependent variables, it is insufficient to provide subjective information that may need to ‎be addressed using a qualitative method. Keywords: strategic management accounting, information, knowledge management, healthcare, hospital
Human vs. Automation: Which One Will You Trust More If You Are About to Lose Money?

Abstract In the context of teamwork, prior efforts noted that trust degradation due to failures is slower in the case of human partners compared to automated agents. In our work, we wanted to investigate whether this holds true when the cost of mistakes (i.e., risk) is high. Toward that, we designed a 2 (partner: automation/human) × 2 (risk: low/high) × 2 (reliability: low/high) between-group study where participants completed five rounds of a target identification task with a partner (either automation or human). The findings suggest that users’ perceived trustworthiness of the partner is affected by reliability groups appropriately, irrespective of risk groups. However, with human partners, although participants fail to calibrate dependence appropriately in low-risk groups, dependence is appropriate in high-risk groups. The finding suggests that the effect of human-like characteristics on trust should not be considered independent of risk. The implications of our findings are discussed in the paper.
Rice Colour Measurement for Various Milling Fractions

Degree of milling is an important quality parameter for rice. The degree of milling is measured by different methods. In the current investigation, 3 varieties of rice were milled for 15 to 180 seconds at every 15 seconds intervals by a laboratory abrasive polis her. The colour values of the rice milled to different degrees were measured using Hunter lab colouri meter and Satake milling meter. Satake transparency and whiteness values increased with degree of milling as bran containing pigments were removed during progressive milling. As the degree of millin g progressed the hunter L-values increased from 51.22 to 68.74, 41.01 to 67 . 87 and 52.88 to 69.5, the a-value decreased from 2.99 to -0.9, 5.38 to 0. 49 and 3.28 to -0.95 for Swarna, ADT 37 and Pusa Basmati, respectively. The b-value decreased 16.18 to 14.01 and 16.99 to 14.22 Swarna and Pusa Basmati, respectively, however the values increased from 12.26 to 13.26 fo r ADT 37. All colour values exhibited polynomial relationship with degre e of milling. Satake Degree of Milling (SDOM) was correlated to Hunter L value linearly, except for the red grain ADT 37, whose initial SDOM values were influenced by the red pigment in the bran.
Employee Silence and Entrepreneurial Orientation in Small and Medium-Sized Family Firms

This paper aims to assess differences between employees of family and non-family firms regarding their levels of employee silence and their perceptions of the company’s entrepreneurial orientation. Moreover, focusing on family firms, we assess the relationship between the levels of employees’ silence and their perceptions of the firm’s entrepreneurial orientation. The empirical evidence is provided by a sample of 245 Portuguese employees, 117 employees of family firms, and 128 of non-family firms, who responded to a questionnaire that included employee silence and entrepreneurial orientation measures. Results reveal that family firms’ employees show higher levels of employee silence but perceive their companies as less entrepreneurially oriented than employees of non-family companies. In addition, our results do not support the idea that there is a relationship between the levels of employee silence and the employee’s perception of the company’s entrepreneurial orientation. This paper offers initial insights into the debate on the relationship between the levels of employee silence and the employee’s perception of the company’s entrepreneurial orientation in family firms.
Risk Factors Affecting Alternate Segregation in Blastocysts From Preimplantation Genetic Testing Cycles of Autosomal Reciprocal Translocations

Reciprocal translocations are the most common structural chromosome rearrangements and may be associated with reproductive problems. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze factors that can influence meiotic segregation patterns in blastocysts for reciprocal translocation carriers. Segregation patterns of quadrivalents in 10,846 blastocysts from 2,871 preimplantation genetic testing cycles of reciprocal translocation carriers were analyzed. The percentage of normal/balanced blastocysts was 34.3%, and 2:2 segregation was observed in 90.0% of the blastocysts. Increased TAR1 (ratio of translocated segment 1 over the chromosome arm) emerged as an independent protective factor associated with an increase in alternate segregation (p = 0.004). Female sex and involvement of an acrocentric chromosome (Acr-ch) were independent risk factors that reduced alternate segregation proportions (p < 0.001). Notably, a higher TAR1 reduced the proportion of adjacent-1 segregation (p < 0.001); a longer translocated segment and female sex increased the risk of adjacent-2 segregation (p = 0.009 and p < 0.001, respectively). Female sex and involvement of an Acr-ch enhanced the ratio of 3:1 segregation (p < 0.001 and p = 0.012, respectively). In conclusion, autosomal reciprocal translocation carriers have reduced proportions of alternate segregation in blastocysts upon the involvement of an Acr-ch, female sex, and lower TAR1. These results may facilitate more appropriate genetic counseling for couples with autosomal reciprocal translocation regarding their chances of producing normal/balanced blastocysts.