Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Experimental Evaluation of an Accelerating Lens on Spatial Field Structure and Frequency Spectrum

The results of experimental studies of the effect of an accelerating metal plate lens used to increase the signal level in the direction of the remote subscriber of the wireless access system on the frequency spectrum of the received signal, the field structure in the horizontal and vertical plane, and polarization are presented. An insignificant (up to 20 kHz) narrowing of the spectrum of the radio signal of the Wi-Fi system using a lens was revealed. The effect of the lens on the field distribution in the azimuthal plane is clarified. The angular parameters of the shading areas are estimated where the reception conditions worsen when the lens is located near the access point. In the vertical plane, the lens significantly narrows the angular sector of the radiation. The measurements were carried out under conditions typical of such systems. A brief description of the measuring complex developed for these studies is given.
The insignificant structural break in the relationship between improved observed hand hygiene on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection rates in Ireland: a data-driven re-analysis

© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press. This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons AttributionNonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is unaltered and is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work. The insignificant structural break in the relationship between improved observed hand hygiene on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection rates in Ireland: a data-driven re-analysis
Effect of ventilation opening levels on thermal comfort status of both animal and husbandman in a naturally ventilated rabbit occupied building

Three levels of ventilation openings (100, 30, and 50%) of inlet were considered in this study under a natural venti- lation method for rabbit production. The study was conducted using a model animal building. The external and internal tempera- ture and relative humidity were measured over the experimental period. The measure of thermal comfort within a locality was hence determined by temperature humidity index (THI) for both animal and husbandman while relative strain index (RSI) was also consi- dered for man. The results showed that the amount of ventilation opening and building orientation have significant effects on the thermal com- fort level of a building as indicated by the THI levels at 1% level of significance for both rabbit and man, which is also the same for the RSI for man. The larger the inlet opening and closer to perpendi- cular to the prevailing wind is the opening the higher is the thermal comfort level for both man and animal as seen in the values of THI for both rabbit and man and the RSI value for man in the case of 50% ventilation opening pens of the 90° orientation building. This may be attributed to the larger quantity of air passing through the building with increasing opening ratio. This affects the amount of heat and moisture that is removed from the building, hence the level of both temperature and relative humidity resulting in a more comfortable building internal environment for both animal and husbandman.
Donorsite defect of medial femoral condyle corticoperiostal flap in the treatment of lower limb infected nonunions

Abstract Backgrounds Chronic osteomyelitis is a major challenge in orthopaedic surgery; it is the result of open fracture, periprosthetic infection and septic arthritis. Osteomyelitis leads to fracture nonunion. The treatment of bone infection and infected nonunion consists primarily of the complete removal of infected and avascular bone and soft tissue from the surgical site, followed by local and systemic pathogen-specific antibiotic therapy and temporary stabilisation, but may lead to massive skeletal and soft tissue defects. The use of free or pedicled vascularised bone transfers and callus distraction techniques (bone transport) has been recommended for large bone defects. The aim of this study is to evaluate the results of patients affected by infected non-unions of the lower limbs, treated with a corticoperiosteal flap from the medial femoral condyle and to investigate the donor site morbidity of this flap. Materials and methods The patients were 11 males (average age of 45.6 years), who presented a nonunion of the tibial diaphysis in 7 cases and non-union of femoral diaphysis in 4 cases, treated with free or pedicled corticoperiosteal flap. In all patients, surgical debridement was performed before the flap of infected bone and soft tissues that would not contribute to wound healing. Clinical and radiographic evaluations of the recipient site were performed. Preoperative and postoperative X-ray and MRI scans after the 3-year follow-up of the donor site were performed, in order to observe possible bone restoration and any complications. Results The patients reported complete clinical and radiographic bone healing in 90.9 % of cases. As regards donor site, there were no differences between the medial femoral donor condyle compared to the contralateral site, due to complete regeneration of donor site bone. MRI investigation showed complete restoration of the donor site with vascularised bone in all patients. Conclusions Our results suggest that the use of bone flaps for the treatment of infected non-unions is an effective procedure, that must be performed after accurate debridement of the non-union site. The corticoperiosteal flap seems to have few morbidities on the donor site and a high percentage of successful bone healing.
Privacy-Preserving Content-Based Image Retrieval Using Compressible Encrypted Images

In this article, we propose a novel content-based image-retrieval (CBIR) scheme using compressible encrypted images called “encryption-then-compression (EtC) images. ” The proposed scheme allows us not only to directly retrieve images from visually protected images but to also apply EtC images that can be compressed by using the JPEG standard for the first time. In addition, the sensitive management of secret keys is not required in our framework. The proposed retrieval scheme is carried out on the basis of weighted searching images with MPEG-7-powered localized descriptors (weighted SIMPLE descriptors) combining scalable color descriptor (SCD) or color and edge directivity descriptor (CEDD). Weighted SIMPLE descriptors are extended, and CEDD is also modified to avoid the influence of image encryption. In an experiment, the proposed scheme is demonstrated to have almost no degradation in retrieval performance compared with conventional content-based retrieval methods with plain images under the use of two datasets. In addition, the proposed scheme is shown to outperform conventional privacy-preserving CBIR schemes including state-of-the-art ones in terms of mean average precision (mAP) scores.
Does Thyroidectomy Impact Quality of Life: Retrospective Case–Control Study of Post-Thyroidectomy Patients and Matched Individuals from the General Population

Background and objectives: The study assesses quality of life (QoL) in patients who underwent thyroidectomy compared to the general population. Materials and Methods: QoL data from post-thyroidectomy patients and individuals with no subjective health concerns, who had attended a routine health screening visit, were evaluated. QoL was assessed using the modified version of Korean Short Form 12 questionnaire (SF-12). Patients and controls were matched using the propensity score approach and a ratio of 1:4. Results: Data from a total of 105 patients and 420 controls were analyzed. For five SF-12 items, lower QoL was found in patients (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that a follow-up duration of <1-year, female sex, and an age of >50 years were independent risk factors. No significant difference was found between controls and patients who were >1-year post-surgery. Conclusions: For specific SF-12 items, QoL was lower in post-thyroidectomy patients than in controls. No intergroup difference in QoL was found >1-year post-surgery.
Polymer electrolytes for dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract: Polymer electrolytes or gel-type polymer electrolytes are interesting alternatives to substitute liquid electrolytes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). The interest in this research field is growing, reflected in the increased number of papers published each year concerning these materials. This chapter presents a brief review of the history and development of polymer electrolytes aiming at the application in DSSC. Recent improvements achieved by modifications of the composition and by introduction of additives such as inorganic nanofillers, organic molecules and ionic liquids are described. The stability of DSSC assembled with these materials, and scaling-up of such devices are also discussed.
Vertical Integration and Physician Practice Labor Composition

With the growth of vertical integration among physician practices (i.e., hospital–physician integration), there have been many studies of its effects on health care treatments and spending. It is unknown if integration shapes provider configurations, especially against the backdrop of increasing employment of nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) across specialties. Using a longitudinal panel of 144,289 practices (2008-2015), we examined the association of vertical integration with NP and PA employment. We find positive associations between vertical integration and newly employing NPs and PAs within physician practices; however, the relationships differ by practice specialty type as well as timing of vertical integration. Supplementary analyses offer supporting evidence for coinciding enhancements to practice productivity, diversification, and provider task allocation. Our results suggest that vertical integration may promote interdisciplinary provider configurations, which has the potential to improve care delivery efficiency.
Sirtuins in female meiosis and in reproductive longevity

Transmission of genetic material through high‐quality gametes to progeny requires accurate homologous chromosome recombination and segregation during meiosis. A failure to accomplish these processes can have major consequences in reproductive health, including infertility, and development disorders in offspring. Sirtuins, a family of NAD+‐dependent protein deacetylases and ADP‐ribosyltransferases, play key roles in genome maintenance, metabolism, and aging. In recent years, Sirtuins have emerged as regulators of several reproductive processes and interventions aiming to target Sirtuin activity are of great interest in the reproductive biology field. Sirtuins are pivotal to protect germ cells against oxidative stress, a major determinant influencing ovarian aging and the quality of gametes. Sirtuins also safeguard the integrity of the genome through epigenetic programs required for regulating gene repression, DNA repair, and chromosome segregation, among others. Although these functions are relatively well characterized in many somatic tissues, how they contribute to reproductive functions is not well understood. This review summarizes our current knowledge on the role of Sirtuins in female reproductive systems and discusses the underlying molecular pathways. In addition, we highlight the importance of Sirtuins as antiaging factors in the ovary and summarize current preclinical efforts to identify treatments to extend female reproductive longevity.
Modeling of Airgap Fluxes and Performance Analysis of Five Phase Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator for Wind Power Application

This paper proposes an Improved Magnetic Circuit (IMC) model for the optimal design and characteristics evaluation of the Five-Phase Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator (FP-PMSG) for wind power application. Along with the Finite Element Method (FEM), the IMC model is also preferred for its faster result generation capabilities. The proposed model is used for optimal designing and performance evaluation of FP-PMSG by considering parameters such as leakage fluxes, properties of core material for rotor and stator, properties of rotor permanent magnet sleeve material, effect of saturation and armature reaction. To compute the armature reaction flux, the winding function approach has been opted. Furthermore, extensive analysis is done with respect to different sleeve and core materials along with improvising various dimensional parameters like magnet height, Magnet to Magnet (M-M) gap and sleeve length for high quality performance of FP-PMSG. To validate the results obtained from IMC model and FEM, an experimental prototype is developed and the electromagnetic performances such as generated voltage, Percentage Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) of generated voltage, terminal voltage vs load current, generated Electromotive Force (EMF) vs speed, rectified Direct Current (DC) Voltage vs DC current, output DC Power vs load resistance and percentage (%) efficiency vs current are evaluated. Through fabrication of the prototype of FP-PMSG in the laboratory, a substantial amount of engineering values have been acquired.
ER-Localized PIN Carriers: Regulators of Intracellular Auxin Homeostasis

The proper distribution of the hormone auxin is essential for plant development. It is channeled by auxin efflux carriers of the PIN family, typically asymmetrically located on the plasma membrane (PM). Several studies demonstrated that some PIN transporters are also located at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). From the PM-PINs, they differ in a shorter internal hydrophilic loop, which carries the most important structural features required for their subcellular localization, but their biological role is otherwise relatively poorly known. We discuss how ER-PINs take part in maintaining intracellular auxin homeostasis, possibly by modulating the internal levels of IAA; it seems that the exact identity of the metabolites downstream of ER-PINs is not entirely clear as well. We further review the current knowledge about their predicted structure, evolution and localization. Finally, we also summarize their role in plant development.
Economic optima of sulphar fertilizer for soybean (Glycine max)

A field experiment was conducted during 1991-92 to study the effect of sulphur levels on growth, yield and quality of 2 rainted varieties of soybean [Glycine max L). Merr. ]. The application of sulphur was beneficial only up to 20 kg S/ha and beyond 40 kg S/ha a negative response of sulphur was recorded. Sulphur levels did not alter the oil content of soybean, while a slight increase in protein was observed up to 60 kg S/ha. 'PK 472' had an edge over 'MACS 58' soybean in the performance and response. The economic optimum sulphur doses were 10.37 and 21.85 kg S/ha, giving soybean yield 1 415.48 and 1 113.63 kg/ha for 'PK 472' and 'MACS 58' respectively. The maximum estimated yield of'PK 472' was 1 447.92 kg/ha at 26.73 kg S/ha and of'MACS 58' was 1 120.63 kg/ha at 56.13 kg/S/ha in the prevailing agro-climatic conditions.
Orthodontic Treatment and Healthcare Goals: Evaluation of Multibrackets Treatment Results Using PAR Index (Peer Assessment Rating)

Background: The evaluation of orthodontic treatment outcomes using an objective method is important in order to maintain high treatment quality and final healthcare of patients. It allows professionals and university students to raise the level of the therapy. The aim of this study was to assess the orthodontic treatment outcomes in an Italian postgraduate School of Orthodontics using Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) Index. Methods: A sample of 50 patients treated in a postgraduate program was randomly selected. PAR index was used to assess pre-treatment and post-treatment study casts by two different examiners. The influence of different variables such as gender, treatment method, and need for extraction was statistically analyzed. Results: The average numerical reduction of PAR between the beginning and the end of the treatment was 18.74 (CI 95% 16.53–20.95), while the percentage reduction was 94.8% (CI 95% 91.91–97.68). All cases improved: 8% of patients resulted in the improved category, while 92% of them were in the greatly improved group. Conclusions: According to PAR index, the results showed that patients received a high-standard therapy. None of the factors studied influenced significantly the treatment outcomes.
Physico-Chemical and Phytochemical Characterization of Moroccan Wild Jujube “Zizyphus lotus (L.)” Fruit Crude Extract and Fractions

Wild jujube “Ziziphus lotus (L.) Desf. ” belongs to the Rhamnaceae family and is a traditionally herbaceous medicinal plant. It is very common in arid and semi-arid regions and is currently used for its antidiabetic, sedative, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic activities. The aim of the present work was to characterize the physico-chemical properties and the phytochemical profile of wild jujube sample collected from the Guercif region, in order to determine the polyphenolic compounds and the antioxidant ability Analyses were carried out directly after the harvest for the determination of pH, refractive index, total soluble solid (°Brix), dry matter, sugar/acidity, total sugars, reducing sugars, as well as lipid and protein content. Results showed that the investigated fruit is acidic (pH 4.9 ± 0.23) and rich in sugars (80.2 g/100 g ± 3.81). The GC-MS analysis of the fruit revealed a number of volatile compounds, as many as 97, belonging to different chemical classes. The HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS analysis showed the presence of a total of 20 polyphenolic compounds in both EtOAc and MeOH-water extracts. Among them, p-Hydroxybenzoic acid was the most abundant in the EtOAc extract (185.68 µg/100 mg ± 0.5) whereas Quercetin 3-O-rhamnoside-7-O-glucoside was found in higher amounts in the MeOH-water extract (25.40 µg/100 mg ± 0.5). These components have medical interest, notably for human nutrition, as well as health benefits and therapeutic effects. Therefore, Moroccan jujube “Zizyphus lotus (L.)” fruit may have potential industrial applications for food formulations.
The Characteristics of Swelling Pressure for Superabsorbent Polymer and Soil Mixtures

Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are used in agriculture and environmental engineering to increase soil water retention. Under such conditions, the swelling pressure of the SAP in soil affects water absorption by SAP, and soil structure. The paper presents the results of swelling pressure of three cross-linked copolymers of acrylamide and potassium acrylate mixed at the ratios of 0.3%, 0.5% and 1.0% with coarse sand and loamy sand. The highest values of swelling pressure were obtained for the 1% proportion, for coarse sand (79.53 kPa) and loamy sand (78.23 kPa). The time required to reach 90% of swelling pressure for each type of SAP differs. Samples of coarse sand mixed with SAP K2 in all concentrations reached 90% of total swelling pressure in 100 min, while the loamy sand mixtures needed only about 60 min. The results were the basis for developing a model for swelling pressure of the superabsorbent and soil mixtures, which is a fully stochastic model. The conducted research demonstrated that the course of pressure increase depends on the available pore capacity and the grain size distribution of SAPs. The obtained results and the proposed model may be applied everywhere where mixtures of SAPs and soils are used to improve plant vegetation conditions.
Will coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have an impact on antimicrobial resistance?

Since the beginning of 2020, the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in the deaths of more than 250,000 patients in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) and the United Kingdom alone [1]. By the end of 2020, as every year, bacterial infections with antimicrobial resistance (AMR) will have caused the deaths of more than 30,000 Europeans [2]. AMR is another ongoing pandemic that often goes unnoticed by a majority of Europeans. Larry Kerr, co-chair of the Transatlantic Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance, recently compared the AMR pandemic to a multitude of small fires that are much less visible than the single massive firestorm that is the COVID-19 pandemic.
Characteristics and outcomes of critically ill patients with covid-19 in Sakarya, Turkey: a single centre cohort study

Background/aim Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first reported in Turkey on March 10, 2020 and the number of the patients are increasing day by day. Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) has high mortality rates in intensive care units (ICUs). We aimed to describe the demographic characteristics, comorbidities, treatment protocols, and clinical outcomes among the critically ill patients admitted to the ICU of our hospital. Materials and methods This cohort study included 103 consecutive patients who had laboratory confirmed Covid-19 and admitted to ICU of Sakarya University Training and Research Hospital between March 19 and April 13, 2020. The final date of the follow-up was April 18. Results The mean age of the patients was 69.6 ± 14.1 years. Most of the patients had increased CRP (99%), serum ferritin (73.8%), d-dimer (82.5%), and hs-troponin levels (38.8%). 34 patients (33%) had lymphocytopenia, 24 patients (23.3%) had thrombocytopenia. 63 patients (61.2%) developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), 31 patients (30.1%) had acute kidney injury, and 52 patients (50.5%) had multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) during follow-up. Sixty-two patients (60.2%) received mechanical ventilation. As of April 18, of the 103 patients, 52 (50.5%) had died, 30 (29.1%) had been discharged from the ICU, 21 (20.4%) were still in the ICU. Conclusions Covid-19 has high mortality rates in ICU. Patients with elevated procalcitonin, hs-troponin, d-dimer, and CRP levels and lower platelet count at admission have higher mortality.
Comparison between three protocols of corneal collagen crosslinking in adults with progressive keratoconus: Standard versus accelerated CXL for keratoconus

Objective: The study aimed to compare eye outcomes between the standard and accelerated corneal cross-linking (CXL) protocols over a 1-year follow-up, and assess whether the accelerated protocols are non-inferior to the standard. Methods: A retrospective cohort study including patients older than 18 years diagnosed with progressive keratoconus who underwent a CXL procedure. The primary outcome was defined as an increase of more than 1.5 diopter (D) in Kmax. The analysis included intra- and inter-group comparisons assessing differences in eye characteristics before and 12 months after the procedure. Furthermore, we assessed whether the accelerated procedures were non-inferior to the standard regarding Kmax change after 12 months. Results: Eighty-four patients included in the study of which 23, 37 and 23 underwent the standard CXL (group I), 10-min. (group II) and the 3-min. (group III) accelerated procedures, respectively. Intra-group comparison before and after 12 months of mean Ksteep and anterior corneal astigmatism showed significant improvement only for group I (–0.3D decrease for both). Inter-group comparison showed better results after 12 months for group I (–0.9 ± 1.2) compared to group III (0.1 ± 0.8) in Ksteep, Kmean (–0.5+1. vs 0.1+0.7, respectively) and anterior astigmatism (–0.5 + 0.9 vs 0.3+1.1, respectively). We could not declare that the accelerated CXLs are non-inferior to the standard (p-value = 0.11 and 0.15). Conclusion: The standard CXL showed better results for keratometry and astigmatism in comparison with the accelerated. Therefore, the wide use of the accelerated CXL should be considered and reviewed for longer follow-up time and larger sample size in focus on the visual acuity parameters.