Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of specialist care lower limb orthoses on personal goal attainment and walking ability in adults with neuromuscular disorders

Background Lower limb orthoses intend to improve walking in adults with neuromuscular disorders (NMD). Yet, reported group effects of lower limb orthoses on treatment outcomes have generally been small and heterogeneous. We propose that guideline-based orthotic care within a multidisciplinary expert setting may improve treatment outcomes. Aim To examine the effectiveness of specialist care orthoses compared to usual care orthoses on personal goal attainment and walking ability. Design Cohort study. Population Adults with NMD who experienced walking problems due to calf and/or quadriceps muscle weakness and were provided with a specialist care lower limb orthosis between October 2011 and January 2021. Methods Three months after provision, the specialist care orthosis was compared to the usual care orthosis worn at baseline in terms of personal goal attainment (Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS)), comfortable walking speed (m/s), net energy cost (J/kg/m) (both assessed during a 6-minute walk test), perceived walking ability and satisfaction. Results Sixty-four adults with NMD were eligible for analysis. The specialist care orthoses comprised 19 dorsiflexion-restricting ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs), 22 stance-control knee-ankle-foot orthoses (KAFOs) and 23 locked KAFOs. Overall, 61% of subjects showed a clinically relevant improvement in GAS score. Perceived safety, stability, intensity, fear of falling and satisfaction while walking all improved (p≤0.002), and subjects were satisfied with their specialist care orthosis and the services provided. Although no effects on walking speed or net energy cost were found in combined orthosis groups, specialist care AFOs significantly reduced net energy cost (by 9.5%) compared to usual care orthoses (from mean (SD) 3.81 (0.97) to 3.45 (0.80) J/kg/m, p = 0.004). Conclusion Guideline-based orthotic care within a multidisciplinary expertise setting could improve treatment outcomes in adults with NMD compared to usual orthotic care by improvements in goal attainment and walking ability. A randomized controlled trial is now warranted to confirm these results.
Domain Product Technique Solution for Scattering by Cylindrical Obstacle in Rectangular Waveguide

The canonical problem of scattering by a cylindrical obstacle in a rectangular waveguide is rigorously reexamined in the framework of the domain product technique. An accurate, rapidly converging algorithm is based on the efficient series representation of the field in a rectangular interaction region. It is shown that the fast convergence of the numerical approximation is stipulated by mathematical properties of the matrix operator arising from the boundary value formulation. The solution is also validated by comparison with the data of other authors. The approach proposed can be applied to the analysis of scattering by real metallic or dielectric posts placed parallel to the narrow or broad wall of the guide, in the theory of the circular-rectangular coaxial waveguide and the theory of other structures containing circular obstacles in the rectangular coupling region.
Matter transport in solids

This article reviews the transport of atoms through crystalline solids under the influence of external electric fields, chemical and isotopic concentration gradients and thermal gradients. The main emphasis is on the statistical and thermodynamic description of these phenomena via the theory of mobile lattice imperfections - vacancies and interstitial atoms. In discussing the various phenomena in detail (§ 5) extensive use is made of non-equilibrium thermodynamics as providing a convenient general formalism. Particular attention is given wherever possible to the physical interpretation of the descriptions provided by this formalism. An introductory survey of the properties of vacancies and interstitials in relation to diffusion phenomena is given in § 2. This includes a summary of the various defect models applicable to different solids - metals, ionic solids, semiconductors and insulators. Section 3 deals in greater detail with certain necessary aspects of the statistical thermodynamics of solids containing defects. Section 4 briefly summarizes the basic theory of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, oriented towards matter transport in crystalline solids; attention is drawn to several pitfalls in this approach. Finally, § 5 is the main object of the review; it applies the material developed in §§ 3 and 4. This section deals with (i) isothermal diffusion in metal alloys, including chemical diffusion, and isotopic tracer diffusion, particular attention being given to dilute systems, (ii) electrolytic conductivity, ionic mobility and both solute and solvent diffusion in ionic solids, special attention being given to the relation between these quantities and to a generalized form of the Nernst-Einstein relation, (iii) the Soret effect and thermal diffusion, especially in metals and dilute alloys, and (iv) thermoelectric phenomena in ionic solids. The article does not deal with grain boundary or surface diffusion and does not specifically discuss diffusion-controlled chemical reactions, sintering or creep. Discussions of these aspects of the subject are given in the works listed in the bibliography.
Nonlinear Analysis of MEMS Electrostatic Microactuators: Primary and Secondary Resonances of the First Mode*

We use a discretization technique that combines the differential quadrature method (DQM) and the finite difference method (FDM) for the space and time, respectively, to study the dynamic behavior of a microbeam-based electrostatic microactuator. The adopted mathematical model based on the Euler— Bernoulli beam theory accounts for the system nonlinearities due to mid-plane stretching and electrostatic force. The nonlinear algebraic system obtained by the DQM—FDM is used to investigate the limit-cycle solutions of the microactuator. The stability of these solutions is ascertained using Floquet theory and/or long-time integration. The method is applied for large excitation amplitudes and large quality factors for primary and secondary resonances of the first mode in case of hardening-type and softening-type behaviors. We show that the combined DQM—FDM technique improves convergence of the dynamic solutions. We identify primary, subharmonic, and superharmonic resonances of the microactuator. We observe the occurrence of dynamic pull-in due to subharmonic and superharmonic resonances as the excitation amplitude is increased. Simultaneous resonances of the first and higher modes are identified for large orbits in both primary and secondary resonances.
Online Service-Learning in Application Development Course: The Challenges during the COVID-19 Post-Pandemic Period

The approaches in teaching and learning at schools and universities around the world have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic occurred in December 2019. It was serious in Malaysia in middle of March 2020 when the government announced the movement restrictions. After almost two years, Malaysia declared the status as towards the endemic phase in April 2022. However, many universities in Malaysia still practiced online teaching and learning with some courses were selected to be conducted in hybrid mode until mid of 2022. This paper reports the challenges in applying service-learning to the Application Development course at a university during COVID-19 post-pandemic in Malaysia from October 2021 to January 2022 that was before Malaysia declared the status of towards endemic in April 2022. The course was one of the core courses for third year students of Bachelor of Computer Science program. A total of 70 students from three sections participated in this study. The findings reflect that both the students and the selected communities managed to benefit from the online service learning integrated in the course despite the challenges during the post-pandemic period. © 2022 Copyright for this paper by its authors.
Accounting information quality and tax avoidance effect on investment opportunities evidence from Gulf Cooperation Council GCC

Abstract The motivation of this research is to investigate the important factors that affect Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies and increase the investment opportunities to avoid the threats of limited oil resources in the future. This study examines the relationship between tax avoidance, accounting information quality, and other control variables on investment opportunities in six Arabian GCC countries, namely Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Moreover, this research investigates whether the accounting information quality affects the tax avoidance investment opportunities relationship. The data sample of the study includes 191 companies over the period of 2011 to 2017 (1337 company-year observations). This study used ordinary least squares (OLS) and moderated multiple regression (MMR) models for direct and moderation effects of accounting information quality, respectively. This study demonstrates that tax avoidance has a significant negative effect on investment opportunities, while the accounting information quality has a significant positive effect on investment opportunities. In line with the agency theory perspective, the high accounting information quality mechanism leads to the control of the managers’ opportunist behaviour, mitigates information asymmetry in managers and increases investment opportunities. Moreover, further analysis found that accounting information quality positively moderates the relationship between the tax avoidance and investment opportunities. Thus, higher quality of accounting information is strongly recommended to companies and policymakers, where tax planning is used as an alternative source of cash to achieve higher investment opportunities in GCC countries.
Availability and Use of Digitised Library Information Resources by Lecturers in Federal University Libraries in Southern Nigeria

Abstract Effective use of information resources by lecturers is one of the determinants of university education outcomes. To function optimally, lecturers utilise digitised information resources in their duties. University libraries are saddled with the responsibility of organising and providing lecturers’ needed information resources. This study, therefore, investigated the influence of digitised library information resources availability on the use of information resources by lecturers in six federal universities in Southern Nigeria. Instruments used for data collection were the DLIRA (r = 0.73) and UIR (r = 0.64) scales. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, the Pearson product moment correlation, and multiple regressions at . 05 level of significance. The results showed that digitised library information resources availability on the use of information resources influenced the use of information resources by lecturers in the federal universities in Southern Nigeria. Thus, there is a need for the management of university libraries to intensify efforts at converting most of the paper-based resources to digitised formats for increased use of library resources by lecturers.
The role of the boards’ financial expertise in the investment dynamics of businesses in emerging markets

Abstract This study examines the impact of the financial expertise of the board of directors (BOD’s) on the investment decisions of firms by integrating Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) regulations. The study has taken into account two emerging markets China and Pakistan from 2009-2020 with 8000 and 1120 firm-year observations respectively. The study has used fixed effect, random effect, and generalized method of moments (GMM) estimation techniques. The findings of the study are twofold. Firstly, BFE is positively related to firm investment and shows that financial experts on the board help firms to access financial resources for the firms. Secondly, the sub-sample results show the impact of BFE on investment is more profound for the firms that are large, financially unconstrained, with a strong balance sheet position, and faceless competition. This study introduces BFE as a contributing factor in the investment decisions of the firm. To the researchers’ best knowledge, no previous study has focused on BFE as a contributing factor in firms’ investment. The findings of the study are following the resource-based view.
Art Therapy Approaches in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Systematic Review

ABSTRACT Art therapy (AT) has been adopted in recent years as a possible non-pharmacological approach in older persons living with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) to improve both cognitive and behavioral and psychological symptoms that accompany the disease. Our main aim was to conduct a systematic review of the methodological and practical effectiveness of different approaches using AT in older people living with AD. The systematic analysis of the studies finally selected (n = 12) suggests that the measures applied to evaluate the effectiveness of AT may not always be the most appropriate to assess the impact of this approach in this type of population, in many cases not being sufficiently sensitive to adequately capture all the significant changes produced by the intervention. Neurologically informed AT, as well as the use of biomarkers, could better identify and capture intervention-induced changes, being a step toward evidence-based practice in the application of this type of approach.
The Discovery of Circumstellar Arcs around Two Bipolar Proto-planetary Nebulae

Circumstellar arcs have been discovered using the Hubble Space Telescope in two proto–planetary nebulae (PPNs), IRAS 16594-4656, and IRAS 20028+3910. This raises to five the number of PPNs in which such arcs have been detected and suggests that they are not rare and may even be common features. All five of these PPNs display a bipolar morphology, but this correlation may be the result of a selection effect in which deeper images are taken of bipolar PPNs in which the central star is obscured. Two pairs of oppositely directed "searchlight beams" are seen in IRAS 20028+3910, similar to those seen in AFGL 2688 and IRAS 17150-3224. The presence of circular arcs and rings in PPNs and planetary nebulae with a variety of viewing orientations implies that they are illuminated portions of spherical shells viewed in scattered light. This suggests that the mass-loss process is spherically symmetric over most of the lifetime of the progenitor asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star, and the transition to a bipolar morphology occurs over a short period at the end of the AGB evolution.
Analysis of the accuracy of using ERA5 reanalysis data for diagnosis of evaporation ducts in the East China Sea

Evaporation ducts are a phenomenon that occurs with extremely high frequency at the boundary between the atmosphere and the ocean. Because they directly affect the propagation of electromagnetic waves, it is necessary to study their various characteristics. Since it is difficult to conduct large-scale observations at sea, many researchers use reanalysis data for this task instead of observation data. However, there have been no studies verifying accuracy of this analysis method for the diagnosis of evaporation ducts. Therefore, in this work, observations of the low-altitude atmospheric refractivity profile were carried out over the East China Sea on board the research vessel Xiangyanghong 18 in April 2021. First, the differences between different evaporation duct models were examined based on the meteorological and hydrological data obtained at different heights. It was concluded that the diagnostic accuracy of the evaporation duct model is low in stable conditions and a low-wind-speed environment. Under the same conditions, the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) model showed high diagnostic accuracy when compared with other models. Second, Taylor plots were used to verify the accuracy of the reanalysis data and the observation data. It was concluded that the single-parameter precision of the reanalysis data is relatively high, and there were strong correlations with the observation data. Finally, the observation and reanalysis data were used to compare and analyze the false-report rate, the missing-report rate, and the accuracy of the diagnosed evaporation duct height using the NPS model. The false-report rate and missing-report rate were found to be 1.93% and 1.52%, respectively. The average diagnosis deviation was 3.34 m. The Pearson correlation coefficient was found to be close to 1. The results indicate that it is basically feasible to analyze the characteristics of evaporation ducts based on the NPS model using reanalysis data.
High-expression of the innate-immune related gene UNC93B1 predicts inferior outcomes in acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous hematological malignancy with dismal prognosis. Identification of better biomarkers remained a priority to improve established stratification and guide therapeutic decisions. Therefore, we extracted the RNA sequence data and clinical characteristics of AML from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression database (GTEx) to identify the key factors for prognosis. We found UNC93B1 was highly expressed in AML patients and significantly linked to poor clinical features (p < 0.05). We further validated the high expression of UNC93B1 in another independent AML cohort from GEO datasets (p < 0.001) and performed quantitative PCR of patient samples to confirm the overexpression of UNC93B1 in AML (p < 0.005). Moreover, we discovered high level of UNC93B1 was an independent prognostic factor for poorer outcome both in univariate analysis and multivariate regression (p < 0.001). Then we built a nomogram model based on UNC93B1 expression, age, FAB subtype and cytogenetic risk, the concordance index of which for predicting overall survival was 0.729 (p < 0.001). Time-dependent ROC analysis for predicting survival outcome at different time points by UNC93B1 showed the cumulative 2-year survival rate was 43.7%, and 5-year survival rate was 21.9%. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between two groups divided by UNC93B1 expression level were enriched in innate immune signaling and metabolic process pathway. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) network indicated four hub genes (S100A9, CCR1, MRC1 and CD1C) interacted with UNC93B1, three of which were also significantly linked to inferior outcome. Furthermore, we discovered high UNC93B1 tended to be infiltrated by innate immune cells, including Macrophages, Dendritic cells, Neutrophils, Eosinophils, and NK CD56dim cells. We also found UNC93B1 had a significantly positive correlation with CD14, CD68 and almost all Toll-like receptors. Finally, we revealed negatively correlated expression of UNC93B1 and BCL2 in AML and conjectured that high-UNC93B1 monocytic AML is more resistant to venetoclax. And we found high MCL-1 expression compensated for BCL-2 loss, thus, we proposed MCL-1 inhibitor might overcome the resistance of venetoclax in AML. Altogether, our findings demonstrated the utility of UNC93B1 as a powerful poor prognostic predictor and alternative therapeutic target.
Pride and guilt as place-based affective antecedents to pro-environmental behavior

The interrelated concepts of place attachment and place meaning are antecedents to pro-environmental behavior and essential for supporting decisions that foster relationships between people and places. Previous research has argued that affect is instrumental in conceptualizing place-related phenomena but has not yet been considered in terms of discrete emotions. We disentangled the empirical relationships between concepts of place and the emotions of pride and guilt to understand how they collectively contributed to individuals’ decisions about environmental sustainability. Specifically, we conducted an online survey of residents living in the Midwestern US and asked questions about their attachments to places and their place-related behavior. We then tested a latent variable path model with first- and second-order factors that shaped the behavioral intentions of survey respondents, as well as evaluated the psychometric properties of a place meaning scale, to uncover the range of reasons why human-nature relationships were formed. Our findings show that multiple place meanings predicted place attachment, which in turn predicted the discrete emotions of pride and guilt. Place attachment, pride, and guilt positively correlated with pro-environmental behavior. We also observed that the relationships between multi-dimensional conceptualizations of place attachment and behavioral intentions were partially mediated by pride but not guilt, as hypothesized in response to the broaden and build theory of positive emotions. This study develops theoretical insights to clarify how cognitive-emotional bonding can lead people to behave in more environmentally friendly ways.
Influence of motivation on the perception of mathematics by secondary school students

Motivation, the teacher–student relationship, the use of resources, and the time spent studying, in addition to the family economic and social context, are some of the factors that affect academic performance and directly influence student failure. This paper evaluates the motivation in mathematics students’ performances by analyzing indicators of the mathematics learning dimensions. A total of 2,018 secondary students were evaluated in this cross-sectional study. Motivation, teaching, resources, and study time were analyzed with a validated 20-item questionnaire. Statistical analysis revealed that student motivation appears to be significantly related to perceptions of teaching practices and the use of resources for study. Students with high motivation have positive perceptions of teaching practices. Gender differences were not observed. In addition, the motivation indicator allowed for grouping students into various motivational profiles.