Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimizing acute stroke outcome prediction models: Comparison of generalized regression neural networks and logistic regressions

Background Generalized regression neural network (GRNN) and logistic regression (LR) are extensively used in the medical field; however, the better model for predicting stroke outcome has not been established. The primary goal of this study was to compare the accuracies of GRNN and LR models to identify the most optimal model for the prediction of acute stroke outcome, as well as explore useful biomarkers for predicting the prognosis of acute stroke patients. Method In a single-center study, 216 (80% for the training set and 20% for the test set) acute stroke patients admitted to the Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital between December 2019 to June 2021 were retrospectively recruited. The functional outcomes of the patients were measured using Barthel Index (BI) on discharge. A training set was used to optimize the GRNN and LR models. The test set was utilized to validate and compare the performances of GRNN and LR in predicting acute stroke outcome based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), accuracy, sensitivity, and the Kappa value. Result The LR analysis showed that age, the National Institute Health Stroke Scale score, BI index, hemoglobin, and albumin were independently associated with stroke outcome. After validating in test set using these variables, we found that the GRNN model showed a better performance based on AUROC (0.931 vs 0.702), sensitivity (0.933 vs 0.700), specificity (0.889 vs 0.722), accuracy (0.896 vs 0.729), and the Kappa value (0.775 vs 0.416) than the LR model. Conclusion Overall, the GRNN model demonstrated superior performance to the LR model in predicting the prognosis of acute stroke patients. In addition to its advantage in not affected by implicit interactions and complex relationship in the data. Thus, we suggested that GRNN could be served as the optimal statistical model for acute stroke outcome prediction. Simultaneously, prospective validation based on more variables of the GRNN model for the prediction is required in future studies.
The impact of COVID-19 on cancer care in a tertiary hospital in Korea: possible collateral damage to emergency care

OBJECTIVES We investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer care in a tertiary hospital in Korea without specific lockdown measures. METHODS A retrospective cohort of cancer patients from one of the largest tertiary hospitals in Korea was used to compare healthcare utilization in different settings (outpatient cancer clinic, the emergency department [ED], and admissions to the hematology/oncology ward) between January 1 and December 31, 2020 and the same time period in 2019. The percent changes in healthcare utilization between the 2 periods were calculated. RESULTS A total of 448,833 cases from the outpatient cohort, 26,781 cases from the ED cohort, and 14,513 cases from the admission cohort were reviewed for 2019 and 2020. The total number of ED visit cases significantly decreased from 2019 to 2020 by 18.04%, whereas the proportion of cancer patients remained stable. The reduction in ED visits was more prominent in patients with symptoms suspicious for COVID-19, high-acuity cases, and those who lived in non-capital city areas. There were no significant changes in the number of total visits, new cases in the outpatient clinic, or the total number of hospitalizations between the 2 periods. CONCLUSIONS During the pandemic, the number of ED visits significantly decreased, while the use of the outpatient clinic and hospitalizations were not affected. Cancer patients’ ED visits decreased after the COVID-19 outbreak, suggesting the potential for collateral damage outside the hospital if patients cannot reach the ED in a timely manner.
Construction project delivery cloud decision-support model

For construction clients, the presence of uncertain information inhibits their ability to choose correctly among project delivery methods because uncertainties maximise the risk associated with the choice. Also, the process of forming an opinion and making a decision contains uncertainty. Fuzzy uncertainties arise because of imprecision in the estimation of the relative importance of criteria and the weighting of each delivery method on any criterion by a decision maker. Random uncertainties stem from the variance of these imprecisions. Presently, the modelling of project delivery decisions accounts for fuzziness, but there is no account of randomness. Cloud theory, which is an infusion of fuzzy set theory with probability theory and which uses a ‘bell-shaped’ membership function, is used to order decision makers’ preferences while incorporating both fuzzy and random uncertainties in project delivery selection. An investigation of a student recreational facility and the sensitivity of criteria associated .
Omega-3 fatty acids: potential role in the management of early Alzheimer’s disease

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for brain growth and development. They play an important role throughout life, as critical modulators of neuronal function and regulation of oxidative stress mechanisms, in brain health and disease. Docosahexanoic acid (DHA), the major omega-3 fatty acid found in neurons, has taken on a central role as a target for therapeutic intervention in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A plethora of in vitro, animal model, and human data, gathered over the past decade, highlight the important role DHA may play in the development of a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders, including AD. Cross sectional and prospective cohort data have demonstrated that reduced dietary intake or low brain levels of DHA are associated with accelerated cognitive decline or the development of incipient dementia, including AD. Several clinical trials investigating the effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in AD have been completed and all failed to demonstrate its efficacy in the treatment of AD. However, these trials produced intriguing data suggesting that the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation may depend on the stage of disease, other dietary mediators, and apolipoprotein E status.
Nitrogen Fertilizer Effects on Growth, Yield and Chemical Composition of Hot Pepper (Rodo)

Agronomic practices developed for sweet pepper being adopted to produce hot pepper, especially 'atarodo' ('rodo') variety, have not given the desired yields because these plants differ in growth habits and fruiting characteristics. A field study was carried out in the Teaching and Research Farm, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, to evaluate the growth and yield responses of 'rodo' to nitrogen (N) fertilizer applied at 0, 25, 50 and 75 kg.ha -1 in 2010 and 2011. N application significantly increased plant height, number of branches, number of leaves and leaf area.plant -1 , leaf, stem and root dry weights and ripe fruit yield (number and weight) up till 75 kg N.ha -1 in both years. N application significantly increased the fat, protein, carbohydrate, and crude fibre and ash contents; and vitamin C and mineral nutrients of the fruits. The higher moisture content with N application emphasizes the need for proper post-harvest handling and prompt marketing and use of the fruits to enable farmers derive economic benefits from the higher yields.
Memory CD8 T Cells Generation and Maintenance of Primary Diet-Induced Obesity Does Not Impact the

The extent to which obesity compromises the differentiation and maintenance of protective memory CD8 T cell responses and renders obese individuals susceptible to infection remains unknown. In this study, we show that diet-induced obesity did not impact the maintenance of pre-existing memory CD8 T cells, including acquisition of a long-term memory phenotype (i.e., CD27 hi , CD62L hi , KLRG1 lo ) and function (i.e., cytokine production, secondary expansion, and memory CD8 T cell–mediated protection). Addi-tionally, obesity did not inﬂuence the differentiation and maintenance of newly evoked memory CD8 T cell responses in inbred and outbred hosts generated in response to different types of systemic (LCMV, L. monocytogenes ) and/or localized (inﬂuenza virus) infections. Interestingly, the rate of naive-to-memory CD8 T cell differentiation after a peptide-coated dendritic cell immunization was similar in lean and obese hosts, suggesting that obesity-associated inﬂammation, unlike pathogen- or adjuvant-induced inﬂammation, did not inﬂuence the development of endogenous memory CD8 T cell responses. Therefore, our studies reveal that the obese environment does not inﬂuence the development or maintenance of memory CD8 T cell responses that are either primed before or after obesity is established, a surprising notion with important implications for future studies aiming to elucidate the role obesity plays in host susceptibility to infections. The Journal of Immunology , 2014, 193: 000–000.
Physicochemical properties of biochar derived from wood of Gliricidia sepium based on the pyrolysis temperature and its applications

Biochar (BC) represents biomass such as wood, grass, and manure, decomposed by pyrolysis typically produced under conditions of limited oxygen (O2) and low to moderate temperatures (<600°C). The application of BC to improve physicochemical properties of soil and boost plant growth is increasingly gaining attention. Most studies reporting the underlying mechanisms of BC-based soil improvement describe changes in water holding capacity based on the difference in the type of soil and intrinsic properties of the BCs. The physical and chemical properties of BC itself depend considerably on the pyrolysis temperature and the feedstock used for its production. Previous studies that investigated changes in soil physical properties due to pyrolysis at temperatures ranging between 200°C and 300°C described changes in soil water retention. In this study, we used Gliricidia sepium, a fast growth legume tree, as the feedstock for producing BC. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a wide range of pyrolysis temperatures (300°C to 800°C) on the physicochemical properties of BC derived from G. sepium wood, and thereafter evaluate the effect on soil physical properties in a pot incubation test with BC produced at 400°C and 800°C in sandy soil. The physicochemical properties of BCs generated from G. sepium wood changed considerably as the pyrolysis temperature increased. A significant increase in the carbon (C)/nitrogen (N) ratio and pH of the BC was observed at elevated pyrolysis temperatures, which may be attributed to the high total C content of the generated ash. Biochar produced at 400°C showed the most promising results by enhancing the soil fertility based on its low bulk density and high cation exchange capacity. The water holding index is significantly negatively correlated to soil bulk density so the low bulk density of produced at 400°C helps improve the water holding capacity of sandy soil in this study. Consequently, BC produced at 400°C is the most promising soil conditioner for elevating soil fertility and the water holding index. Hence, it is suggested that BC produced at 400°C can improve agricultural production and can contribute energy biomass production on oligotrophic lands consequently reducing the chances of land degradation.
Influence of poultry litter on nutrient availability and fate in plant-soil systems: A meta-analysis

Interest in using poultry litter (PL) as a nutrient source for crop production has increased in recent years. Utilization of PL can increase soil residual nutrients, thereby potentially increasing soil fertility and crop nutrient uptake. Conversely, PL addition may increase the transport of nutrients to the environment. This study aimed to elucidate the influence of PL on plant nutrient uptake, soil fertility, and environmental issues as compared to commercial fertilizer (CF) using a meta-analytic assessment. The synthesis was based on 134 studies (3,362 comparisons). Positive effects on soil fertility were observed, with PL significantly increasing cation exchange capacity (CEC), pH and soil carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) concentrations compared to CF. Effects of PL on plant macro- and micronutrients varied depending on the plant tissue parts evaluated when compared to CF, with the leaves and stems generally having lower nutrient concentrations than the reproductive parts. Poultry litter influenced plant nutrient uptake, with a slightly negative effect being observed for N but significant positive effects for P and K. In addition, our results showed that litter application significantly increased carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes, but decreased nitric oxide (NO) emission. Subsurface-banding application of PL significantly decreased N and P loss in runoff. Overall, this meta-analysis validates the positive effects of PL on plant nutrient uptake and soil fertility and demonstrates that PL can be an effective alternative nutrient source to CF for crop production.
School Counselors and Multicultural Counseling Competencies: Are We as Competent as We Think We Are?

We investigated the relationship between self-reported multicultural competence and social issues awareness among school counselors and raters’ assessment of multicultural orientation skills (cultural humility and cultural comfort) using a recorded mock counseling session. Results revealed a positive correlation between multicultural competence and cultural comfort. However, findings demonstrated overestimated self-reports of multicultural competence compared to raters’ assessment of cultural humility. We discuss overreliance on self-report of multicultural competence and address implications for further research.
Reconfigurable Wideband Linear-Polarized and Dual Left/Right-Hand Circularly-Polarized Waveguide Antennas for Beamforming Antenna array

In this article, a reconfigurable waveguide antenna design with linear-polarized/Left-handed/right-hand circularly-polarized (LHCP/RHCP) modes in K/Ka-Band for a massive MIMO beamforming system based on active phased array is presented. Both the linear-polarized and dual LH/RH CP waveguide antennas provide wideband operation performance for K/Ka-Band, which are applicable for the antenna array in a beamforming system for different purposes and requirements in satellite communication applications. Both simulated results and some preliminary experimental results are presented for the demonstration.
Applying machine learning techniques to compute vertical refractivity profiles in maritime environments

Within the Marine Surface Boundary Layer, evaporation ducting greatly affects the radar performances. The vertical refractivity profiles are classically computed by bulk models and these profiles can be fitted, with a very good accuracy, by analytical expressions involving four parameters to be determined. With machine learning techniques and particularly a decision tree regressor, we directly obtained these parameters from the physical bulk inputs. The resulting refractivity profiles are generally very close to the original ones and in terms of propagation results, we obtained mean errors around 1 dB by computing the propagation factor for classical radar scenarios.
Investigation of Eavesdropping Opportunities in a Meeting Room Scenario for THz Communications

Due to the large available bandwidth, wireless communications in the THz range are foreseen to provide high data-rate transmissions. Compared to transmissions at lower frequency ranges, wireless communications in the THz range are inherently more robust against eavesdropping attacks due to their propagation characteristics such as a high free space path loss. It does not connote, however, that eavesdropping is not possible. In this paper, ray-optical methods and confirming channel sounder measurements at 300 GHz are used to show that even common, ordinary features such as door frames or a TV screen in the selected meeting room scenario can have a significant influence on the wave propagation at 300 GHz. Thus, such objects can provide opportunities for eavesdropping signals even at unexpected locations outside of the main lope of the antenna diagram and behind the transmitter and cannot be neglected.
Gamit! Interactive platform for gamification

Gamit! is a software platform that enables instructors to use gamification concepts and techniques in their classrooms. Currently, the platform allows instructors to create leaderboards and use badges to incentivize students in the pursuit of learning. The results during a user experience testing phase (one university academic term) using the System Usability Scale, showed that the platform is easy to use, and the functionalities work correctly.
Wireless Capsule Video Endoscopy For Population-Based Colon Cancer Screening Using 5G network

We develop a battery-free communication system for a wireless video capsule endoscope with potential video streaming of a rate of up to 15 Mbps. We apply our innovative approach using backscatter for implants, a RADAR approach that remotely reads the information from the deep implants, such as the video capsule endoscope. We use the 5G deployed network with edge computing and slicing to transmit the video data from the capsule to a high-performance computing platform in a secure way with guaranteed end-to-end latency to perform polyp detection and localization. This way, the energy-intensive inference using deep learning neural networks for polyp detection and localization can be completed in the edge where control signals are sent back to the pill to increase the spatial and temporal resolution of the video, to obtain high-quality images for further analysis. The paper provides a system-level description, demonstrating the capsule data streaming to the network.
Examination of Antenna Calibration Methodologies in an Extrapolation Range

Antenna measurements using an extrapolation range have been used for accurate far-field gain calibrations since the 1970s. It is still considered one of the most accurate methods for obtaining the absolute far-field gain of an antenna. The method is based on curve fitting the scalar antenna responses as a function of separation distance to the generalized transmission equation, which is in the form of a polynomial equation. It is much more common today to use vector network analyzers in an extrapolation range. The vector data provides experimentalists additional processing tools to further improve measurement accuracy and reduce effects from extraneous reflections in the chamber. In this paper, we explore the use of angular spectrum filtering for removing chamber multipath effects from the response data. Specifically, we demonstrate the benefits by applying the technique on a set of measurement data obtained in a $30^{\prime} \mathrm{x}30^{\prime} \mathrm{x}70$ ‘ fully anechoic extrapolation range.
Effective Permittivity Measurement of 3D-Printed Dielectric Crystals

Additive manufacturing offers new possibilities in innovative antennas and microwave components. In order to fully exploit its potential, it is necessary to exploit the capabilities offered by the 3D printing technology fully. 3D-printed structured dielectrics are currently receiving much interest in this respect. However, the characterization of the dielectric properties of such crystal structures is not easy, and assumptions on such properties need to be made often. This paper shows a characterization of additively manufactured structured dielectrics in terms of their permittivity and loss tangent in a simple cubic (SC) and face-centered cubic (FCC) crystal geometry with different fill fractions. Measurement results are compared to values predicted by the Maxwell-Garnett effective media approximation and the effective refractive index extracted from a three-dimensional plane wave expansion method (PWEM) in the long-wavelength limit.
STATIC AND DYNAMIC RESPONSE OF MONOPILES FOR OFFSHORE WIND TURBINES

Current design recommendations for monopile foundations for offshore wind turbines were designed and tested for offshore oil and gas structures. Large-diameter (3.5 to 7 m) monopiles, like the ones used for offshore wind turbines do not follow the same elastic deformation relationships as those developed for small-diameter (0.5 to 1.5 m) monopiles, like the ones used for offshore oil and gas industry. Design recommendations and other publications differ by up to 90% in the prediction of displacement and rotation influence factors used in the design of rigid monopiles. Furthermore, offshore wind turbine structures are sensitive to rotations and dynamic changes in the pile-soil system. Accurate prediction of rotation is a major design problem. A numerical analysis is presented for the study of static loading of monopiles for offshore wind turbines. Different foundation geometries and loading conditions were studied and used to develop a functional form of design equations. Studied variables include (i) pile diameter, (ii) pile length to diameter ratio, (iii) load eccentricity to pile diameter ratio, and (iv) soil stiffness distribution profile. An experimental study of the dynamic response of model offshore wind turbines founded on monopiles is presented. These dynamic experiments were analyzed by comparing the physical model test results of natural frequency to an analytical solution, and two methods were compared for the damping calculation. Studied parameters include (i) soil condition, (ii) pile foundation material, (iii) rotor and nacelle mass, and (iv) loading ii condition. The response to free vibration and its decay was monitored using a vertical array of MEMS accelerometers, and the collected data were processed using auto-power spectra to assess the natural frequency of the structures. Physical model results were compared to closed-form approximations using Rayleigh’s energy method. Good prediction of natural frequency was achieved for turbines founded in rock and stiff sandy soil conditions, however, the natural frequency of turbines founded in soft clay was overpredicted by up to 40%. Damping results were achieved in all cases using the logarithmic decrement method. Relative pile-soil stiffness effect on damping was also studied. For a given impulse loading, damping ratios slightly increase as the pile becomes more rigid. These results highlight the importance of structure-sediment interaction in the evaluation of the dynamic performance of offshore wind turbines.
Modeling of Large Scale Granular Systems using the Discrete Element Method and the Non-Smooth Contact Dynamics Method: A Comparison

In this contribution, the well established Discrete Element Method (DEM) for the simulation of granular materials is compared to the Non-Smooth Contact Dynamics Method (NSCD) for the case of large granular systems. Both methods are briefly introduced and their differences are discussed. As a benchmark, a rectangular blade is moved through a sample of granular material. The methods are analyzed regarding their numerical effort, stability and quality of the results. The NSCD is by its formulation an unconditionally stable method, regardless of the time step size. As long as the particle dynamics is considered only, the method allows much faster simulations than the DEM. The latter is limited in the time step size due to stability issues, but it naturally allows to output forces during the simulation. In the NSCD, the forces have to be calculated in a post-processing step. To get comparable accuracy in forces and particle dynamics, the iterative solvers used within the NSCD must fulfill stricter accuracy requirements or smaller time step sizes must be chosen to compensate for slow convergence. In either case, simulations will take longer.