Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Physical relationship between resonant frequency and structure parameters of a normal mode helix dipole antenna for an ultra-high frequency radio frequency identification tag thread

The thread-based ultra-high frequency radio frequency identification (UHF RFID) tag with a normal mode helix dipole antenna (NMHDA) shows great potential in anti-theft and implant wireless sensors; for the engineered and digitized design of the high-performance tag, it is necessary to know the physical relationship between the resonant frequency and structure parameters of the NMHDA. Previous work for the design of the NMHDA structure is based on the self-resonant principle, that is, zero port reactance, while the port impedance of the NMHDA in the UHF RFID tag thread at resonant frequency is ideally conjugate matching to the chip. Under the requirement of conjugate matching, this study built the physical relationship between the resonant frequency and structural parameters of the NMHDA (helical radius, helical pitch, and single arm length) by linking the chip impedance with the NMHDA impedance. Meanwhile, the reported equivalent impedance model of the NMHDA, consisted of a lumped inductor and a linear dipole antenna, was utilized and modified by considering the distributed capacitance deviation from the NMHDA geometry simplification as part of the lumped inductor. Finally, the physical relationship was put into practice for the design of an UHF RFID tag thread with expected resonant frequency, and the long reading range of the prototype (over 14 m) demonstrated the rationality of the modification. In addition, the discussion on the structure parameter of the NMHDA clarified the efficiency of our proposed method. Generally, the built physical relationship explicitly gives the physical effects of the structural parameters and provides a parametric method for the structure design of a NMHDA for the UHF RFID tag thread.
Adapting TAM to Understand Video Conferencing Apps Adoption for Learning Islamic Knowledge

Muslim wajib menuntut ilmu agama. Aplikasi konferensi video membantu umat Islam untuk menuntut ilmu agama. Penelitian ini berusaha memahami faktor-faktor yang memengaruhi keinginan untuk menggunakan aplikasi konferensi video untuk belajar ilmu agama dengan mengadaptasi Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Data dikumpulkan melalui kuesioner dari 85 responden. Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) digunakan untuk mengevaluasi model yang diusulkan. Penelitian ini memverifikasi persepsi kegunaan, persepsi kemudahan penggunaan dan religiositas memiliki pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap keinginan untuk menggunakan aplikasi konferensi video. Selanjutnya, religiositas secara signifikan memengaruhi persepsi kegunaan. Temuan juga menunjukkan kondisi fasilitas secara signifikan memengaruhi persepsi kegunaan dan persepsi kemudahan penggunaan.
Associations between cerebral blood flow and progression of white matter hyperintensity in community-dwelling adults: a longitudinal cohort study

Background White matter hyperintensity (WMH) is prevalent in elderly populations. Ischemia is characterized by a decline in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and may play a key role in the pathogenesis of WMH. However, the association between CBF reduction and WMH progression remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate the association between CBF and the progression of WMH at a 2-year follow-up of community-based, asymptomatic adults in a longitudinal cohort study across the lifespan. Methods Asymptomatic adults who participated in a community-based study were recruited and underwent brain structural and perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at baseline and at a 2-year follow-up visit. The CBF was measured on pseudo-continuous arterial spin-labeling (pCASL) MRI. The WMH was evaluated on T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (T2-FLAIR) images. Tissue segmentation was conducted on T1-weighted (T1W) images to derive binary masks of gray matter and normal-appearing white matter. Linear mixed effect models were conducted to analyze the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between CBF and WMH. Results A total of 229 adults (mean age 57.3±12.6 years; 94 males) were enrolled at baseline, among whom 84 participants (mean age 54.1±11.9 years; 41 males) completed a follow-up visit with a mean time interval of 2.77±0.44 years. At baseline, there was a decreasing trend in gray matter (GM) CBF with an increase of WMH burden (P=0.063), but this association was attenuated after adjusting for age (P=0.362). In the longitudinal analysis, baseline WMH volume was significantly associated with the reduction of perfusion in GM [coefficient =−1.96, 95% confidence interval (CI): −3.25 to −0.67; P=0.004] and normal appearing white matter (coefficient =−0.99, 95% CI: −1.66 to −0.31; P=0.005) during follow-up. On the contrary, neither baseline CBF in GM (P=0.888) nor normal appearing white matter (P=0.850) was associated with WMH progression. In addition, CBF changes within WMH were significantly associated with both baseline (coefficient =−0.014, 95% CI: −0.025 to −0.003; P=0.017) and progression (coefficient =−1.01, 95% CI: −1.81 to −0.20; P=0.015) of WMH volume. Conclusions A WMH burden was not found to be directly associated with cortex perfusion at baseline due to the effects of age on both CBF and WMH. However, baseline WMH volume could predict the reduction of perfusion.
Mindfulness Training Intervention With the Persian Version of the Mindfulness Training Mobile App for Premenstrual Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a common problem for women of reproductive age, affecting various aspects of their lives. While various in-person psychotherapeutic interventions, including Mindfulness therapy, have yielded promising results in reducing PMS symptoms, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, psychotherapists are providing their services via online methods. Therefore, the present study is the first one worldwide to examine whether smartphone-based Mindfulness training can reduce symptoms of PMS and improve the quality of life in women with PMS. We recruited 80 Iranian women (aged 25–45) with PMS through online advertising who were randomly allocated into two groups of 40. The intervention group underwent two online introductory group sessions followed by 8 weeks of Mindfulness practice, while the control group received no intervention. Before and after the intervention, participants completed the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey and the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening (PSST) questionnaires. Data were analyzed using the Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Following the intervention, the mean scores of PMS symptoms were significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group (p < 0.001; η2 = 0.18). Likewise, the quality of life score was significantly higher in the intervention group (p < 0.001; η2 = 0.14). Our results indicated that the smartphone-based Mindfulness training intervention could be an effective treatment modality for women with PMS symptoms, especially during the COVID-19 Pandemic, which has posed limitations for in-person therapies. Clinical Trial Registration https://fa.irct. ir/trial/59924, identifier: IRCT20180607040000N2.
On the Dynamics of Flexible Plates under Rotational Motions

The reconfiguration of low-aspect-ratio flexible plates, required power and induced flow under pure rotation were experimentally inspected for various plate stiffness and angular velocities ω. Particle tracking velocimetry (PTV) and particle image velocimetry (PIV) were used to characterize the plate deformation along their span as well as the flow and turbulence statistics in the vicinity of the structures. Results show the characteristic role of stiffness and ω in modulating the structure reconfiguration, power required and induced flow. The inspected configurations allowed inspecting various plate deformations ranging from minor to extreme bending over 90∘ between the tangents of the two tips. Regardless of the case, the plates did not undergo noticeable deformation in the last ∼30% of the span. Location of the maximum deformation along the plate followed a trend s m ∝ l o g ( C a ) , where C a is the Cauchy number, which indicated that s m is roughly fixed at sufficiently large C a. The angle (α) between the plate in the vicinity of the tip and the tangential vector of the motions exhibited two distinctive, nearly-linear trends as a function of C a , within C a ∈ ( 0 , 15 ) and C a ∈ ( 20 , 70 ), with a matching within these C a at C a > 70, α ≈ 45 ∘. Induced flow revealed a local maximum of the turbulence levels at around 60% of the span of the plate; however, the largest turbulence enhancement occurred near the tip. Flexibility of the plate strongly modulated the spatial distribution of small-scale vortical structures; they were located along the plate wake in the stiffer plate and relatively concentrated near the tip in the low-stiffness plate. Due to relatively large deformation, rotational and wake effects, a simple formulation for predicting the mean reconfiguration showed offset; however, a bulk, constant factor on ω accounted for the offset between predictions and measurements at deformation reaching ∼ 60 ∘ between the tips.
ELASTIC IMAGE REGISTRATION USING PARAMETRIC DEFORMATION MODELS

The main topic of this thesis is elastic image registration for biomedical applications. We start with an overview and classification of existing registration techniques. We revisit the landmark interpolation which appears in the landmark-based registration techniques and add some generalizations. We develop a general elastic image registration algorithm. It uses a grid of uniform B-splines to describe the deformation. It also uses B-splines for image interpolation. Multiresolution in both image and deformation model spaces yields robustness and speed. First we describe a version of this algorithm targeted at finding unidirectional deformation in EPI magnetic resonance images. Then we present the enhanced and generalized version of this algorithm which is significantly faster and capable of treating multidimensional deformations. We apply this algorithm to the registration of SPECT data and to the motion estimation in ultrasound image sequences. A semi-automatic version of the registration algorithm is capable of accepting expert hints in the form of soft landmark constraints. Much fewer landmarks are needed and the results are far superior compared to pure landmark registration. In the second part of this thesis, we deal with the problem of generalized sampling and variational reconstruction. We explain how to reconstruct an object starting from several measurements using arbitrary linear operators. This comprises the case of traditional as well as generalized sampling. Among all possible reconstructions, we choose the one minimizing an a priori given quadratic variational criterion. We give an overview of the method and present several examples of applications. We also provide the mathematical details of the theory and discuss the choice of the variational criterion to be used.
Sublingual Atropine Administration as a Tool to Decrease Salivary Glands’ PSMA-Ligand Uptake: A Preclinical Proof of Concept Study Using [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11

Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA)-directed radionuclide therapy has gained an important role in the management of advanced castration-resistant prostate cancer. Although extremely promising, the prolongation in survival and amelioration of disease-related symptoms must be balanced against the direct toxicities of the treatment. Xerostomia is amongst the most common and debilitating of these, particularly when using an alpha emitter. It is therefore of main importance to develop new preventive strategies. This preclinical study has evaluated the effect of α-adrenergic and anticholinergic drugs on [99mTc]TcO4− Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography/Computed Tomography (SPECT/CT) and [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 Positron Emission Tomography (PET/CT). Methods: The effects of phenylephrine, scopolamine, atropine, and ipratropium on salivary glands uptake were evaluated in non-tumor-bearing mice by [99mTc]TcO4− microSPECT/CT. The most efficient identified strategy was evaluated in non-tumor-bearing and xenografted mice by [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT. Results: Scopolamine and atropine showed a significant decrease in the parotid glands’ uptake on SPECT/CT whereas phenylephrine and ipratropium failed. Atropine premedication (sublingual route), which was the most effective strategy, also showed a drastic decrease of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 salivary glands’ uptake in both non-tumor-bearing mice (−51.6% for the parotids, p < 0.0001) and human prostate adenocarcinoma xenografted mice (−26.8% for the parotids, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Premedication with a local administration of atropine could represent a simple, safe, and efficient approach for reducing salivary glands’ uptake.
Corporate environmental responsibility and financial performance: The moderating role of ownership structure and listing status of Vietnam banks

Abstract The study aims to provide empirical evidence for a one-way relationship between corporate environmental responsibility (CER) and financial performance (FP) in the banking industry, with special consideration into the moderating role of legal regulations and ownership structures. Net interest margin (NIM), return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE) are selected to measure FP while the content analysis method is adopted to examine CER. The study used regression analysis with the two-step system generalised method of moments (Sys-GMM) on a sample of 29 Vietnamese commercial banks from 2012 to 2019, and the positive impacts of CER on banks’ FP were identified. Analysis of these data revealed that listed banks have a higher level of information disclosure than unlisted banks, but the positive relationship between CER and FP is weaker in listed banks. Similarly, while state-owned banks have a higher degree of disclosure than privately-controlled banks, the relationship between their CER and FP is weaker. The paper also provides some recommendations and suggests future research implications.
Cell Death-Related Ubiquitin Modifications in Inflammatory Syndromes: From Mice to Men

Aberrant cell death can cause inflammation and inflammation-related diseases. While the link between cell death and inflammation has been widely established in mouse models, evidence supporting a role for cell death in the onset of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in patients is still missing. In this review, we discuss how the lessons learnt from mouse models can help shed new light on the initiating or contributing events leading to immune-mediated disorders. In addition, we discuss how multiomic approaches can provide new insight on the soluble factors released by dying cells that might contribute to the development of such diseases.
Development of a Citric-Acid-Modified Cellulose Adsorbent Derived from Moringa peregrina Leaf for Adsorptive Removal of Citalopram HBr in Aqueous Solutions

A citric-acid-modified Moringa peregrina leaf substrate was prepared and studied as an effective adsorbent for the adsorptive removal of citalopram HBr (CTM). FTIR spectra were utilized to characterize the prepared solid. The effects of experimental variables on the percentage removal of citalopram HBr were investigated using response surface methodology. The optimum conditions selected for removal of CTM were 7 and 4 min, 0.17 g per 50 mL and 35 mg·L−1 for pH, contact time, adsorbent dose and initial concentration of CTM, respectively. Under the optimized experimental conditions, 82.59% CTM (35 mg·L−1) was removed. The Langmuir isotherm, Freundlich isotherm, pseudo second-order kinetic model and diffusion-chemisorption model explained the adsorption data successfully. The maximum adsorption capacity at 298 K was 8.58 mg·g−1. A thermodynamic study illustrated that CTM adsorption was spontaneous and endothermic in nature.
SNP Detection in Pinus pinaster Transcriptome and Association with Resistance to Pinewood Nematode

Pinewood nematode (PWN, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) is the causal agent of pine wilt disease (PWD), which severely affects Pinus pinaster stands in southwestern Europe. Despite the high susceptibility of P. pinaster, individuals of selected half-sib families have shown genetic variability in survival after PWN inoculation, indicating that breeding for resistance can be a valuable strategy to control PWD. In this work, RNA-seq data from susceptible and resistant plants inoculated with PWN were used for SNP discovery and analysis. A total of 186,506 SNPs were identified, of which 31 were highly differentiated between resistant and susceptible plants, including SNPs in genes involved in cell wall lignification, a process previously linked to PWN resistance. Fifteen of these SNPs were selected for validation through Sanger sequencing and 14 were validated. To evaluate SNP-phenotype associations, 40 half-sib plants were genotyped for six validated SNPs. Associations with phenotype after PWN inoculation were found for two SNPs in two different genes (MEE12 and PCMP-E91), as well as two haplotypes of HIPP41, although significance was not maintained following Bonferroni correction. SNPs here detected may be useful for the development of molecular markers for PWD resistance and should be further investigated in future association studies.
BIRC7 is Beneficial for Melanoma Progression and Hypoxic Response

Background Cutaneous melanoma (CM) accounts for about 90% of all melanoma cases. HIF-1α overexpression is associated with poor prognosis in many cancers including CM. Hence, we characterized differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the response of CM cells to normoxia and hypoxia. Methods We first successfully constructed cell hypoxia model and then performed RNA-seq to explore the changes of gene transcription in CM cells during hypoxia. The highest expression of the six genes was detected using qRT-PCR and Western blot assays. The binding sites between BIRC7 promoter and HIF-1α was explored by luciferase assay. Cellular function assays were used to observe the role of BIRC7 in the effect of hypoxia on tumor progression. Results Compared with the transcriptome data of the control group, a total of 2601 DEGs were identified in the hypoxic group. There were 1517 genes with significantly higher expression and 1084 genes with lower expression in the hypoxic group. Among them, OSCAR, BIRC7, HBA1, SFN, GOLT1A, and BEX2 were significantly up-regulated in the hypoxic group. BIRC7 expression was most significantly up-regulated and a downstream factor of HIF-1α. We highlighted that knockdown of BIRC7 reversed the positive effects of HIF-1α on A875 and M14 cells. Conclusion Our findings demonstrated that BIRC7 was a downstream factor of HIF-1α and reversed the effect of hypoxia on promoting tumor progression of CM cells.
Understanding Society Innovation Panel Wave 9: results from methodological experiments

This paper presents some preliminary findings from Wave 9 of the Innovation Panel (IP9) of Understanding Society: The UK Household Longitudinal Study. Understanding Society is a major panel survey in the UK. IP9 included experiments on the use mixed mode data collection, the value of respondent incentives, targeted timing of email invitations, measurement of household finances, subjective expectations about returns to schooling, peopleâ€™s assessment of what constitutes â€œsuccessful ageingâ€ , format of response options, use of multiple measurements to improve measurement of attitudes, and measurement of sensitive topics. This paper describes the design of IP9, the experiments carried and the preliminary findings from early analysis of the data.
How did consumers react to the COVID‐19 pandemic over time?

Non‐pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) have been the key policy instrument utilized to contain the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic. This paper disentangles the effects of NPIs from that of the virus and looks at the specific channels through which the virus impacts consumption. Using geo‐located transaction data, we find that consumers' behaviour towards the virus has explanatory power for the drop in consumption in the early stages of the pandemic. This effect disappears in the later stages of the pandemic, suggesting that consumers have adapted their behaviour. As the COVID‐19 pandemic progressed, consumers tended to make ‘safer’ consumption decisions, by avoiding crowded places.
Walking Turn Prediction from Upper Body Kinematics: A Systematic Review with Implications for Human-Robot Interaction

Prediction of walking turns allows to improve human factors such as comfort and perceived safety in human-robot interaction. The current state-of-the-art suggests that upper body kinematics can be used for that purpose and contains evidence about the reliability and the quantitative anticipation that can be expected from different variables. However, the experimental methodology has not been consistent throughout the different works and the related data has not always been given in an explicit form, with different studies containing partial, complementary or even contradictory results. In this paper, with the purpose of providing a uniform view of the topic that can trigger new developments in the field, we performed a systematic review of the relevant literature addressing three main questions: (i) Which upper body kinematic variables permit to anticipate a walking turn? (ii) How long in advance can we anticipate the turn from them? (iii) What is the expected contribution of walking turn prediction systems from upper body kinematics for human-robot interaction? We have found that head yaw was the most reliable kinematical variable from the upper body to predict walking turns about 200ms. Trunk roll anticipates walking turns by a similar amount of time, but with less reliability. Both approaches may benefit human-robot interaction in close proximity, helping the robot to exhibit appropriate proxemic behavior interacting at intimate, personal or social distances. From the point of view of safety, they have to be considered with caution. Trunk yaw is not valid to anticipate turns. Gaze Yaw seems to be the earliest predictor, although existing evidence is still inconclusive.
Determinants of Prolonged Length of Hospital Stay in Patients with Severe Acute Ischemic Stroke

Objective: Long hospitalizations are associated with a high comorbidity and considerable hospital cost. Admissions of severe acute ischemic stroke are prone to longer hospitalizations. We aimed to explore the issue and method for improving the length of stay. Methods: From the prospective Stroke Registry between January 2019 and June 2020, acute ischemic strokes with an admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale ≥ 15 were identified. Prolonged length-of-stay was defined as in-hospital-stay ≥ 30 days. All clinical characteristics were collected, and all do-not-resuscitate documentations were categorized if the order had been written within 7 days of onset. Results: A total of 212 patients were eligible for severe stroke. Of these, 42 (19.8%) had prolonged length-of-stay and 170 had non-prolonged length-of-stay (median 43 vs. 13 days). The prolonged group was younger, mostly men, and was more likely to be in an independent state and more likely to receive reperfusion therapy, and there was a higher frequency of late do-not-resuscitate orders if signed. Although there was a lower in-hospital mortality rate in the prolonged group (12% vs. 23%), there was a higher proportion with a severe functional state (Modified Rankin Scale = 4–5) among the survivors (97% vs. 87%). Conclusions: Severe acute ischemic stroke patients with a prolonged length-of-stay were younger, mostly male, more likely to receive reperfusion therapy, less likely to have an early do-not-resuscitate order if signed, and more likely to have poor functional status at discharge, although there was a lower rate of in-hospital mortality.