Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The benefit of platelet-rich plasma injection over institution-based physical therapy program in adhesive capsulitis patients with diabetes mellitus: prospective observational cohort study

Background The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection with an institution-based physical therapy (PT) program for adhesive capsulitis (AC) of the shoulder in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods A total of seventy diabetic patients with AC of the shoulder for <6 months were assigned to two groups: PRP group and PT group. In the PRP group, 35 patients were administered a single shot of PRP (4 mL) into the glenohumeral joint. In the PT group, 35 patients were given institution-based PT that included 10 30-minute sessions of planned PT over a 2-week period. After the interventions, all patients were prospectively followed for 12 weeks. Intensity of shoulder pain, function, and range of motion were assessed at baseline and then at 3, 6, and 12 weeks. Results Thirty-three patients in the PRP group and 32 in the PT group completed the 12-week study. At 12 weeks, patients who received PRP injections showed greater improvement in shoulder pain (p<0.001) than those recruited to the PT group. In the range of motion and shoulder function activities, patients in the PRP group showed significant improvement compared with the institution-based PT group (p<0.001). No significant complications were reported from any groups. Conclusions In a diabetic population, PRP injections significantly improved shoulder pain and function compared with an institution-based PT program for shoulder AC. Additionally, it is a safe and well-tolerated method for AC management for diabetic patients.
The job satisfaction of UK architects and relationships with work‐life balance and turnover intentions

Purpose – There is evidence that those working within the construction industry are exposed to a number of stressors which potentially negatively impact well‐being, namely; long working hours, high workload, poor work‐life balance, low sense of professional worth and lack of job security. Additionally there is some evidence architects may also be vulnerable to an erosion of professional status, low pay and limited scope to use their creative skills. This paper aims to explore the job satisfaction of architects who are currently employed within the UK.Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire is used to elicit data from 110 practising architects on their occupational well‐being and work‐life balance.Findings – The results reveal that between 20 and 40 percent of respondents are dissatisfied with their rate of pay, practice management, promotion prospects, working hours and opportunity to use their abilities. Additionally the majority of respondents report some work‐life balance difficulties and approxi.
On the complexity of earthquake sequences: a historical seismology perspective based on the L'Aquila seismicity (Abruzzo, Central Italy), 1315-1915

Most damaging earthquakes come as complex sequences characterized by strong aftershocks, sometimes by foreshocks and often by multiple mainshocks. Complex earthquake sequences have enormous seismic hazard, engineering and societal implications as their impact on buildings and infrastructures may be much more severe at the end of the sequence than just after the mainshock. In this paper we examine whether historical sources can help characterizing the rare earthquake sequences of preinstrumental times in full, including fore-, mainand aftershocks. Thanks to the its huge documentary heritage Italy relies on one of the richest parametric earthquake catalogues worldwide. Unfortunately most current methods for assessing seismic hazard require that earthquake catalogues be declustered by removing all shocks that bear some dependency with those identified as mainshocks. We maintain that this requirement has forced historical seismologists to focus only on mainshocks rather than also on the foreand aftershocks. To shed light onto major earthquake sequences of the past, rather than onto individual mainshocks, we investigated 10 damaging earthquake sequences (Mw 4.7-7.0) that hit the L’Aquila area and central Abruzzo from the XIV to the XX century. We find that most of the results of historical research are crucial for modern seismology, yet their rendering by the current parametric catalogues causes most information to be lost, or not easily trasnferred to the potential users. For this reason we advocate a change in current strategies and the creation of a more flexible standard for storing and using all the information made available by historical seismology.
Conceptual framework for the assessment of subcontractors' eligibility and performance in the construction industry

Subcontractors handle a major portion—about 85%—of all construction projects in the building industry. The ability of the main contractor and consultants to deliver the project within time, quality and cost targets depends largely on the performance of the subcontractors. Selection of subcontractors on the basis of overall ability to perform is therefore crucial to successful project delivery. The key criteria for assessing subcontractors' eligibility for tender invitation and award, and subsequent performance at the construction stage, were investigated. Using the descriptive survey method, 243 contractors and 307 subcontractors registered with the Gauteng Master Builders Association of South Africa were surveyed. The multi‐attribute technique was used to analyse the data. Results showed that quality record is the most influential criterion for selecting high performing subcontractors at the pre‐qualification stage, and for assessing their performance at the construction stage. Tender price exerts the most significant influence in the subcontract award. A framework was developed for use by main contractors and consultants in the assessment of the suitability and performance of subcontractors. Application of the framework to a case study demonstrated its merit as a tool for ensuring that only high performing subcontractors are selected for subcontract jobs.
Effects of Teaching Work Load on Teacher Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Kitui County, Kenya

: School climate and teacher performance are critical factors in any learning institution that seeks to have competitive edge. Teachers from Kitui County have raised concern over unfavourable school climate that affects their performance. Despite the fact that some studies on school climate have been carried out in Kenya none of them has explored exhaustively on poor teacher performance. Hence there was need to carry out this study. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of effects of teaching work load on teacher performance in public secondary schools in Kitui county. This study employed mixed methods approach and descriptive survey research design to reveal and measure the opinion of teachers and the indicators of school climate and was anchored on three motivational theories namely: McGregor theory x and Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs and Hertzberg’s two factor theory. The study targeted 400 public secondary schools and 2417 teachers from Kitui county. Purposive and random sampling was used to select 40 principals and 488 teachers. Fractional method was used to sample 40 teachers from the 400-public secondary schools.20% of 2417 teachers were randomly selected from each sub- county. Sample size for this study was calculated using hypergeometric formulae where 76 principals and 352 teachers were selected giving a total of 428 respondents. Data was collected using Questionnaires for teachers, interview schedules for principals and document analysis. Validity of the instrument was achieved by reading other research works, books and journals. Split half reliability was used to test teacher’s questionnaire and principal’s checklist. Research instruments were appraised through a pilot study on 25 teachers and 5 principals from Katulani sub-county. Data was analysed qualitatively and quantitatively using Pearson correlation moment to test the questionnaire, Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple regression. Descriptive statistics and inferential statics were used. Descriptive statistics aided by statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 21.0 was used. Quantitative data was presented in percentages, t-test, frequencies and tables while qualitative data was organized into thematic categories according to the objectives of the study. The study established that there is statistical significant relationship between teaching workload and teacher performance p-value=0.001<0.05 level of significant.The study concluded that teachers felt they had a high teaching workload hence lacking ample time for lesson preparation and this made them feel they had prepared their students for assessment. The study recommended the need for school principals to balance teacher’s workload for them to become productive by getting enough time for lesson preparation.
Influence of the Phase-Locked Loop on the Design of Microgrids Formed by Diesel Generators and Grid-Forming Converters

In recent years, microgrids (MGs) with renewable energy sources, diesel gen-sets, and droop-controlled converters have been increasingly used to guarantee the continuity of power supply in remote areas. Renewable energy sources have been typically connected to MGs by using an electronic converter that features the two controllers: a current-control loop and a phase-locked loop (PLL). Stability issues related to the PLLs application in electrical grids have already been addressed in the literature; however, dynamic interactions in MGs caused by PLLs have not been sufficiently explored. In this article, an MG that includes a grid-feeding voltage source converter and a grid-forming device (diesel gen-set or converter) is studied. All network elements are modeled analytically and the eigenvalue and participation-factor analyses are used to analyze the interactions between the devices. It is demonstrated that MGs formed by diesel gen-sets have reduced stability limits. Also, it is shown that stability margins of MGs formed by droop-controlled converters can be improved by changing the control parameters (e.g., PLL and internal controllers bandwidths). The main findings and conclusions are summarized and presented as a practical MG design guide. Theoretical results are validated in a lab environment comprising two 15 kW converters and one 75 kW grid emulator.
Near field diffraction of phase-shifted phase grating for side-writing fiber Bragg gratings

The fiber Bragg grating (FBG) with a very high count, up to N=80, identical channels for dispersion compensators has been commercialized. The design utilizes the phase-only sampling, which requires η / N time higher refractive index modulation than the N times required by the amplitude sampling design. The phase sampling is implemented by inserting phase shifts in the FBG. Hence, the positive valued coupling coefficients of the FBG become complex-valued, which greatly increase the functionality and spectral performance of the FBG. In the fabrication of the phase-shifted FBG we find that the phase shifts in the phase mask for writing the FBG are not replicated into the FBG, as believed by many people, but are split into two half-magnitude phase-shifts due to the near field diffraction. We show the split of the phase shift by using the Finite Difference in Time Domain (FDTD) analysis and we show that this split of the phase shifts results in the FBG spectral asymmetry by a physical model of the phase-only sampling function distortion and by the FBG experiments. The new pre-compensating phase mask technique is introduced to remove the errors and therefore ensure the success of the high count multiple channel FBGs.
Collagenase and sodium iodoacetate-induced experimental osteoarthritis model in Sprague Dawley rats.

The objective of this study was to apply and compare two different experimental osteoarthritis (OA) methods in the rat, namely: Collagenase induced OA (CO) and Monosodium iodoacetate induced OA (MIA) models. The assessment of OA development and progression were performed through three different periods (2, 4 and 6 weeks). Intra-articular injection of either 4 mg joint-1 CO type II or 3 mg joint-1 MIA, were administered to the adult male Sprague Dawley rats, into their right knee joints. Evaluation of OA changes in the knees was achieved with both histopathology score system and radiography approach. Gross results revealed earliest changes such as swelling and redness of the right knee joints of all rats injected with either CO or MIA. Joint dissection revealed distinct thickening of the joint capsule in MIA-injected rats than in CO group. Present finding revealed early development of radiographical as well as histopathological changes in MIA injected group. However, both OA injected groups resulted in a chronic joint degeneration, measured by cellular changes, matrix degradation, subchondral changes and marginal osteophyte formation. Present findings showed significantly higher histopathological score in MIA injected group than those of CO in each of the three selected periods for OA induction. In conclusion, present results demonstrated that MIA can induce OA changes in a shorter period of time than CO in the Sprague Dawley rat. Radiography approach could be a useful tool to evaluate osteoarthritic changes in the knee joints.
Further opportunities for development of the method for fire origin prognosis

Abstract After fire in buildings investigators start research. The purpose of it is to find the reason of fire, but this thing can be reliably determined only if the fire origin is fixed. The instrumental fire prognosis for wooden structures is currently the most widely applied method in Lithuania. But the analysis of charring of natural wood specimens and the completed tests have revealed some drawbacks of this method, because the method fails to fully estimate the properties of wood and its protection by fireproofing compounds, the impact of the fire load, etc. The obtained test results will help further resolve the problems of reliability of the above‐mentioned method.
Analysis of the Perception of Extreme Heat Watch Warning and Usefulness of Special Weather Reports ; Focus on the Perception of University Students

This paper aims to analyze the perception of university students for the extreme heat watch warning and suggest the usefulness of special weather reports. For this, we have made up a descriptive questionnaires including the perception, mass media, usefulness and satisfaction of special weather report. Using the SPSS 17.0 program, descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA and Scheffe test were used to analyze the collected data. The result are as follows; The perception of extreme heat watch warning was some low as 59.1 percentile, we think it needs education and public relations about the extreme heat watch warning. The usefulness of special weather report was 66.6 percentile and of girl students of university that was educated about health care was higher than one of boy students of university, it needs continuous education of these students in order to upgrade satisfaction of special report and mitigate the hazard of extreme heat according to climate change. The main media to get the meteorological information of university undergraduate students were TV and Internet, it needed education and development of new contents. From these findings, suggestions are presented to help improve the extreme heat watch warning.
The technology of the Global HIV Vaccine Research Cryorepository

This paper gives an overview of our developments in the fields of cryotechnology and cryoelectronics for managing biological samples stored over liquid nitrogen, fields that are essential to a central cryostorage facility for AIDS related material used in worldwide collaborative research. As a fundamental part of this project we have developed new electronic cryovials and carrier plates attached to Flash memory chips, so that a redundant and portable set of data is present with each sample. The recovery of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) after cryopreservation in the new cryosubstrates showed, especially for small sample volumes (0.1 ml), an increased viability in comparison to the preservation in standard cryovials. The electronic cryosubstrates interface with a dedicated laboratory workflow management system for reproducible and standardized sample processing. This system can read standard operating procedures (SOPs) stored on each sample's memory chip. Finally, we have developed a polymorphic cryoelectronic infrastructure for sample storage tanks. This cryoelectronic system has been integrated in a hermetic storage and semiautomatic handling environment. The new technologies provide state‐of‐the‐art sample identification, documentation and tracking that brings added value to each sample. The first application of these technologies is in a worldwide collaborative research towards the production of an AIDS vaccine. The functionality and versatility of the technologies will lead to an essential optimization of sample and data exchange for global clinical studies by ensuring a high degree of standardization between laboratories.
Reintegration experiences in a sample of Israeli parolees on completion of their term of supervision: A qualitative study

For many released prisoners, the period following release is characterized by extreme challenges. The ability to overcome such challenges depends on the services, level of supervision, and type of support available. One type of support offered by the Israeli Prisoners’ Rehabilitation Authority provides a supervisory and rehabilitative framework for reintegration after release from imprisonment, with an emphasis on employment. The present study examines the subjective experiences of ex-prisoners on their journey from incarceration through reentry and reintegration while participating in supervision, treatment, and employment intervention operated by the Israeli Prisoners’ Rehabilitation Authority. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of released prisoners who successfully completed Israeli Prisoners’ Rehabilitation Authority supervision between 2014 and 2019. The interviews reveal four main themes that in turn identify pathways to “better lives” through the reintegration process.
Fascicles split or merge every ∼560 microns within the human cervical vagus nerve

Objective. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is Food and Drug Administration-approved for epilepsy, depression, and obesity, and stroke rehabilitation; however, the morphological anatomy of the vagus nerve targeted by stimulatation is poorly understood. Here, we used microCT to quantify the fascicular structure and neuroanatomy of human cervical vagus nerves (cVNs). Approach. We collected eight mid-cVN specimens from five fixed cadavers (three left nerves, five right nerves). Analysis focused on the ‘surgical window’: 5 cm of length, centered around the VNS implant location. Tissue was stained with osmium tetroxide, embedded in paraffin, and imaged on a microCT scanner. We visualized and quantified the merging and splitting of fascicles, and report a morphometric analysis of fascicles: count, diameter, and area. Main results. In our sample of human cVNs, a fascicle split or merge event was observed every ∼560 µm (17.8 ± 6.1 events cm−1). Mean morphological outcomes included: fascicle count (6.6 ± 2.8 fascicles; range 1–15), fascicle diameter (514 ± 142 µm; range 147–1360 µm), and total cross-sectional fascicular area (1.32 ± 0.41 mm2; range 0.58–2.27 mm). Significance. The high degree of fascicular splitting and merging, along with wide range in key fascicular morphological parameters across humans may help to explain the clinical heterogeneity in patient responses to VNS. These data will enable modeling and experimental efforts to determine the clinical effect size of such variation. These data will also enable efforts to design improved VNS electrodes.
Warm Phase of AMV Damps ENSO Through Weakened Thermocline Feedback

Interactions between ocean basins affect El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), altering its impacts on society. Here, we explore the effect of Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (AMV) on ENSO behavior using idealized experiments performed with the NCAR‐CESM1 model. Comparing warm (AMV+) to cold (AMV−) AMV conditions, we find that ENSO sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies are reduced by ∼10% and ENSO precipitation anomalies are shifted to the west during El Niño and east during La Niña. Using the Bjerknes stability index, we attribute the reduction in ENSO variability to a weakened thermocline feedback in boreal autumn. In AMV+, the Walker circulation and trade winds strengthen over the tropical Pacific, increasing the background zonal SST gradient. The background changes shift ENSO anomalies westwards, with wind stress anomalies more confined to the west. We suggest the changes in ENSO‐wind stress decrease the strength of the thermocline feedback in the east, eventually reducing ENSO growth rate.
Closure to discussions of "Electric arcing burn hazards"

For original article and discussions see ibid., vol.42, no.1, p.134-45, Jan./Feb. 2006. The authors respond to discussion comments by C.M. Wellman (p.142), P.S. Hamer (p.143-4) and T.E. Neal (p.145).
Post-Traumatic Stress and Autobiographical Memory Accuracy in Young Children: Traumatic Events versus Stressful and Pleasant Events

ABSTRACT This study examined the influence of trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress (PTS) severity on accuracy of recall of autobiographical memory of traumatic events and pleasant events in very young children. Two hundred sixteen 3–6 year-old children with trauma exposure were interviewed with standardized interviews. Forty-one non-trauma-exposed controls were interviewed about stressful events for comparison. Accuracy of recall for both traumatic and pleasant events was not associated with severity of PTS. Trauma-exposed children showed significantly less accurate recall of trauma events compared to pleasant events. This difference was limited to children who experienced repeated trauma or Hurricane Katrina-related trauma experiences as opposed to single-blow types of trauma experiences. There was no difference in accuracy of recall of trauma events in the trauma-exposed group versus stressful events in the control group. There was also no difference in accuracy of recall of pleasant events between the trauma-exposed and the control groups. These findings do not support traditional theories that autobiographical recall is impaired in those with posttraumatic stress disorder or with trauma exposure. These findings demonstrate that very young children have access to and can verbalize accurate autobiographical recall of trauma events, which is important for clinical assessment and treatment.
Analysis of equivalent 10 Hz voltage flicker in power systems

A new method for analysing the effect of voltage flicker on bus voltages is presented in this paper. The Y-matrix and the stochastic theory are used for obtaining an equivalent 10 Hz voltage fluctuation (ΔV10) at each bus in the distribution systems. The computation of the proposed method is achieved in MATLAB using the sparse command. The simulation results show that the proposed method is able to estimate all ΔV10 quickly, but accurately, in the system. The impact of the voltage flicker sources incorporated with linear loads and compensators on the system voltages is also discussed using the simulation results.