Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Surgical Management of Pre-Chiasmatic Intraorbital Optic Nerve Gliomas in Children after Loss of Visual Function—Resection from Bulbus to Chiasm

Optic pathway gliomas in children carry significant morbidity and therapeutic challenges. For the subgroup of pre-chiasmatic gliomas, intraorbital and intradural resection is a curative option after blindness. We present a two-center cohort using different surgical approaches. A retrospective analysis was performed, including 10 children. Mean age at surgery was 6.8 years. Interval between diagnosis and surgery was 1–74 (mean 24 ± 5.5, median 10) months. Indications for surgery were exophthalmos, pain, tumor progression, or a combination. Eight patients underwent an extradural trans-orbital-roof approach to resect the intra-orbital tumor, including the optic canal part plus intradural pre-chiasmatic resection. Gross total resection was achieved in 7/8, and none had a recurrence. One residual behind the bulbus showed progression, treated by chemotherapy. In two patients, a combined supra-orbital mini-craniotomy plus orbital frame osteotomy was used for intraorbital tumor resection + intradural pre-chiasmatic dissection. In these two patients, remnants of the optic nerve within the optic canal remained stable. No patient had a chiasmatic functional affection nor permanent oculomotor deficits. In selected patients, a surgical resection from bulb to chiasm ± removal of optic canal tumor was safe without long-term sequela and with an excellent cosmetic result. Surgery normalizes exophthalmos and provides an effective tumor control.
Biodegradable Microparticles for Regenerative Medicine: A State of the Art and Trends to Clinical Application

Tissue engineering and cell therapy are very attractive in terms of potential applications but remain quite challenging regarding the clinical aspects. Amongst the different strategies proposed to facilitate their implementation in clinical practices, biodegradable microparticles have shown promising outcomes with several advantages and potentialities. This critical review aims to establish a survey of the most relevant materials and processing techniques to prepare these micro vehicles. Special attention will be paid to their main potential applications, considering the regulatory constraints and the relative easiness to implement their production at an industrial level to better evaluate their application in clinical practices.
A Micro-Oven-Controlled Dual-Mode Piezoelectric MEMS Resonator With ±400 PPB Stability Over −40 to 80 °C Temperature Range

In this article, the design, implementation, and characterization of a micro-oven-controlled dual-mode piezoelectric microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonator are presented. The designed MEMS resonator simultaneously operates in the width extensional (WE) mode and length shear (LS) mode. Both modes show high quality factor (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${Q}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>). The measured <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${Q}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> is 15672 for the WE mode and 17781 for the LS mode. Taking advantage of the significant difference in frequency–temperature characteristics between the two modes, accurate temperature sensing and precisely closed-loop micro-oven control are implemented by phase locking the MEMS resonator at an oven-set temperature. In-plane micro-oven is composed of four folded beams and an isolation frame, which maintains an extremely uniform temperature distribution on the resonating element. The micro-oven structure requires less than 7.8 mW to maintain the resonator’s temperature at the preset temperature over variations in the external temperature range of −40 °C to 80 °C. Measured real-time frequency stability of the reported micro-oven-controlled MEMS resonator is less than ±400 ppb over a wide temperature range from −40 °C to 80 °C.
High-Force Soft Printable Pneumatics for Soft Robotic Applications

Abstract This work presents a novel technique for direct 3D printing of soft pneumatic actuators using 3D printers based on fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology. Existing fabrication techniques for soft pneumatic actuators with complex inner geometry are normally time-consuming and involve multistep processes. A low-cost open-source consumer 3D printer and a commercially available printing material were identified for printing soft pneumatic actuators with complex inner geometry and high degree of freedom. We investigated the material properties of the printing material, simulated the mechanical behavior of the printed actuators, characterized the performances of the actuators in terms of their bending capability, output forces, as well as durability, and demonstrated the potential soft robotic applications of the 3D printed actuators. Using the 3D printed actuators, we developed a soft gripper that was able to grasp and lift heavy objects with high pay–-to-weight ratio, which demonstrated that the .
Relationship Between Greyscale Ultrasound Grading of Hepatic Steatosis and Attenuation Imaging

Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been rising worldwide due to the rising public health threat of metabolic syndrome. Because non-alcoholic steatohepatitis can proceed to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, early identification and monitoring are critical for management. For the examination of NAFLD, greyscale ultrasound has been frequently employed. A relatively new technique, attenuation imaging (ATI), can quantitatively evaluate and compute the attenuation coefficient (AC). Our goal was to evaluate the performance and cutoff values of attenuation imaging to identify hepatic steatosis. As a reference standard, greyscale ultrasound was employed. Method A total of 207 patients were assessed from June to November 2021 after getting informed consent. The association between ATI values and greyscale grading to diagnose hepatic steatosis was investigated, and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) was used to analyze the data. In the analysis, the Spearman correlation and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) tests were performed. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was also used to assess ATI’s diagnostic capability and cutoff values. Result The correlation between ATI values and hepatic steatosis grades on greyscale was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Greyscale grading and ATI levels have a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.85, indicating a strong association. Steatosis grades 1, 2, and 3 had threshold ATI values of 0.65, 0.73, and 0.96 dB/cm/MHz, respectively. According to greyscale, the diagnostic ability of ATI for steatosis grades 1, 2, and 3 were 0.948 (95% CI: 0.917-0.979), 0.978 (95% CI: 0.961-0.995), and 1.000 (95% CI: 1.000-1.000), respectively. Conclusions Attenuation imaging is a reliable method for identifying liver steatosis, with great performance and a strong association with the greyscale ultrasound.
Application of Machine Learning Solutions to Optimize Parameter Prediction to Enhance Automatic NMR Metabolite Profiling

The quality of automatic metabolite profiling in NMR datasets from complex matrices can be affected by the numerous sources of variability. These sources, as well as the presence of multiple low-intensity signals, cause uncertainty in the metabolite signal parameters. Lineshape fitting approaches often produce suboptimal resolutions to adapt them in a complex spectrum lineshape. As a result, the use of software tools for automatic profiling tends to be restricted to specific biological matrices and/or sample preparation protocols to obtain reliable results. However, the analysis and modelling of the signal parameters collected during initial iteration can be further optimized to reduce uncertainty by generating narrow and accurate predictions of the expected signal parameters. In this study, we show that, thanks to the predictions generated, better profiling quality indicators can be outputted, and the performance of automatic profiling can be maximized. Our proposed workflow can learn and model the sample properties; therefore, restrictions in the biological matrix, or sample preparation protocol, and limitations of lineshape fitting approaches can be overcome.
How to take variability into account when planning the capacity for a new hospital unit

Providing the appropriate level of capacity for post-operative care to cater for the activity planned in operating theatres is an important planning issue affecting staffing levels as well as the provision of physical bed capacity and ward space. Over-provision of post-operative capacity is wasteful of resources while underprovision can cause operations to be cancelled and expensive operating theatre time to be wasted.This chapter addresses the problem faced by the planner who wishes to take account of unpredictable variability in post-operative length of stay. This planning problem is discussed with specific reference to planning capacity requirements for post-operative recovery within one of the new generation of health care centres being introduced within the UK NHS.
Research into increasing resilience in children with autism through music therapy: Statistical analysis of video data

ABSTRACT Introduction This article describes a retrospective research evaluation of data generated within the international music therapy trial TIME-A. In this retrospective evaluation, the main objective was to investigate the effects of individual music therapy sessions on resilience in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Method Video excerpts of individual music therapy sessions over a period of five months with 13 children between the ages of four and six with ASD were analysed. Six children received weekly music therapy sessions and seven children received music therapy sessions three times a week. An improvisational music therapy model was used. Short sections of music therapy session videos were selected for microanalysis. A five-second time sampling method was used. For every five-second interval, observed behaviour indicative of resilience was documented using video annotation software. Generalised Linear Mixed Models (GLMM) were chosen for the statistical analysis. Results Out of the 11 response variables, seven yielded a significant p-value in the full-null model comparison. Intrapersonal protective resilience factors, such as the ability to express emotions, awareness of others and goal-directed behaviour were strengthened by music therapy. In addition, treatment intensity had a significant effect on one variable and verbal ability a significant effect on four variables. Discussion Results suggest that music therapy enhances the likelihood of resilience in young children with ASD. The importance of increasing resilience for children with ASD rather than reducing symptoms is emphasised. GLMM models of statistical analysis are recommended for future music therapy research.
Does Shoot Age Influence Biological and Chemical Properties in Black Currant (Ribes nigrum L.) Cultivars?

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of shoot age on the biological and chemical properties of 13 black currant cultivars with different origins and ripening times. Phenological observations together with examined pomological and chemical characteristics were studied in two consecutive years at the experimental field near Belgrade, Serbia. The total content of phenols was estimated spectrophotometrically by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, while quantitative analysis of anthocyanin and flavonols aglycones was performed using a high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method. Principal component analysis was performed to establish differences in biological and chemical properties of black currants. Three-year-old shoots had an earlier start of all examined phenological stages, better generative potential, higher yields, while clusters and berries from 2-year-old shoots had significantly higher values for physical properties, total phenols, anthocyanin and flavanols aglycones and antiradical capacity. Late ripening cultivars had higher contents of all chemical compounds. The berries on 2-year-old shoots had total phenolics that ranged between 123.0 (‘Titania’) and 298.3 mg/100 g fresh weight (FW) (‘Ometa’), while total anthocyanins ranged between 398.5 (’Ojebyn’) and 1160.8 mg/kg FW (’Ometa’). According to the obtained results, cultivars ‘Ometa’, ‘Ben Lomond’, ‘Tsema’ and ‘Malling Juel’ can be recommended as the most promising for growing in the continental climate because they stood out with higher generative potential and yield, physical traits of cluster and berry, higher level of primary and secondary metabolites and DPPH activity in their berries.
TGF-β/SMAD Pathway Is Modulated by miR-26b-5p: Another Piece in the Puzzle of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Progression

Simple Summary TGF-β is a key immunoregulatory pathway that can limit the proliferation of B-lymphocytes. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has been historically conceptualized as a neoplasm characterized by accumulation of mature B cells escaping programmed cell death and undergoing cell-cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase. However, new evidence indicates that tumor expansion is in fact a dynamic process in which cell proliferation also plays an important role. In general, cancers progress by the emergence of subclones with genomic aberrations distinct from the initial tumor. Often, these subclones are selected for advantages in cell survival and/or growth. Here, we provide novel evidence to explain, at least in part, the origins of CLL progression in a subgroup of patients with a poor clinical outcome. In this cohort, the immunoregulatory pathway TGF-β/SMAD is modulated by miR-26b-5p and the impairment of this axis bypasses cell cycle arrest in CLL cells facilitating disease progression. Abstract Clinical and molecular heterogeneity are hallmarks of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a neoplasm characterized by accumulation of mature and clonal long-lived CD5 + B-lymphocytes. Mutational status of the IgHV gene of leukemic clones is a powerful prognostic tool in CLL, and it is well established that unmutated CLLs (U-CLLs) have worse evolution than mutated cases. Nevertheless, progression and treatment requirement of patients can evolve independently from the mutational status. Microenvironment signaling or epigenetic changes partially explain this different behavior. Thus, we think that detailed characterization of the miRNAs landscape from patients with different clinical evolution could facilitate the understanding of this heterogeneity. Since miRNAs are key players in leukemia pathogenesis and evolution, we aim to better characterize different CLL behaviors by comparing the miRNome of clinically progressive U-CLLs vs. stable U-CLLs. Our data show up-regulation of miR-26b-5p, miR-106b-5p, and miR-142-5p in progressive cases and indicate a key role for miR-26b-5p during CLL progression. Specifically, up-regulation of miR-26b-5p in CLL cells blocks TGF-β/SMAD pathway by down-modulation of SMAD-4, resulting in lower expression of p21−Cip1 kinase inhibitor and higher expression of c-Myc oncogene. This work describes a new molecular mechanism linking CLL progression with TGF-β modulation and proposes an alternative strategy to explore in CLL therapy.
Transcriptomic and Physiological Responses of Chlorella pyrenoidosa during Exposure to 17α-Ethinylestradiol

17α-ethinylestradiol (17α-EE2) is frequently detected in water bodies due to its use being widespread in the treatment of prostate and breast cancer and in the control of alopecia, posing a threat to humans and aquatic organisms. However, studies on its toxicity to Chlorella pyrenoidosa have been limited to date. This study investigated the effects of 17α-EE2 on the growth, photosynthetic activity, and antioxidant system of C. pyrenoidosa and revealed related molecular changes using transcriptomic analysis. The cell density of algae was inhibited in the presence of 17α-EE2, and cell morphology was also altered. Photosynthetics were damaged, while reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) content increased. Further transcriptomic analysis revealed that the pathways of photosynthesis and DNA replication were affected at three concentrations of 17α-EE2, but several specific pathways exhibited various behaviors at different concentrations. Significant changes in differentially expressed genes and their enrichment pathways showed that the low-concentration group was predominantly impaired in photosynthesis, while the higher-concentration groups were biased towards oxidative and DNA damage. This study provides a better understanding of the cellular and molecular variations of microalgae under 17α-EE2 exposure, contributing to the environmental risk assessment of such hazardous pollutants on aquatic organisms.
Pneumatosis Intestinalis Induced by Anticancer Treatment: A Systematic Review

Simple Summary Anticancer treatments commonly cause adverse events (AE). Among others, pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) is reported to be infrequent, though it can lead to severe consequences. The aim of our systematic review was to investigate the concurrency of PI and oncological therapy exposure; moreover, we defined the characteristics of patients and the primarily involved tumor types. We analyzed 88 different episodes of PI. The median time of onset was 6 weeks and oncological patients with respiratory system cancers and those treated with targeted therapies appeared be at higher risk. Symptoms were frequently mild to absent; nevertheless, life-threatening complications were reported. Therefore, this AE, although uncommon, should be considered in the case of specific symptoms. Potential pharmacological mechanisms of anticancer drugs in inducing PI are also discussed. Abstract Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) is a rare condition due to the presence of gas within the bowel wall; it is mainly caused by endoscopic procedures, infections and other gastrointestinal diseases. Oncological therapies have been reported to be a cause of PI as well, but their role is not clearly defined. This systematic review investigates the concurrency of PI and antitumor therapy in cancer patients, considering both solid tumors and onco-hematological ones. We performed a literature review of PubMed, Embase and the Web of Science up to September 2021 according to the PRISMA guidelines. A total of 62 papers reporting 88 different episodes were included. PI was mainly reported with targeted therapies (sunitinib and bevacizumab above all) within the first 12 weeks of treatment. This adverse event mostly occurred in the metastatic setting, but in 10 cases, it also occurred also in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant setting. PI was mostly localized in the large intestine, being fatal in 11 cases, while in the remaining cases, symptoms were usually mild, or even absent. A significant risk of PI reoccurrence after drug reintroduction was also reported (6/18 patients), with no fatal outcomes. Potential pharmacological mechanisms underlying PI pathogenesis are also discussed. In conclusion, although uncommonly, PI can occur during oncological therapies and may lead to life-threatening complications; therefore, consideration of its occurrence among other adverse events is warranted in the presence of clinical suspicion.
A compact tri‐band antenna at GPS and WLAN a/b/g for tablet computer with full metal housing

A very small antenna for full metal housing (FMH) tablet that can provide GPS and WLAN 2.4/5.2/5.8 GHz operations is presented. This miniaturized antenna is formed by a loop strip of about 41 mm with its end terminal connected to the ground via an inductor, and its front section capacitively coupled to a feed strip. Except for the antenna self‐resonant modes (loop modes); two cavity modes are also involved to realize multi‐bands operation, which is a novel technique for antenna design in FMH devices. Here, the three loop modes are at 1.575 GHz, 5.2 GHz, 6 GHz, and the two cavity modes are at 2.45 GHz and 5.4 GHz. The measured efficiencies at 1.575, 2.45, and 5.5 GHz were 36%, 79%, and 78%, respectively. Because the loop strip is only 0. 18λ and in meander line shape at GPS frequency, the planar dimension of proposed antenna can be reduced to 10 × 8 mm2. Therefore, the proposed antenna has very competitive size for applications in this operation environment. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 26:739–746, 2016.
Gain Design of an Adaptive Full-order Observer Using a Pole Placement Technique for Speed Sensorless Induction Motor Drives

This paper proposes a design guideline for the feedback gain of the adaptive full-order observer in the speed sensorless control of induction machines. The performance of the adaptive full-order observer is dependent on its feedback gain. This paper presents a pole placement method for the observer feedback gain design to improve the estimation performance of the speed adaptive observer. In the proposed method, the observer poles can be chosen independently of the induction motor poles. Instead, they can be positioned according to the operating speed. An analysis and experimental results obtained with the proposed method reveals better performances under general operating conditions.
An exploration of charity sport event donor perceptions of online peer-to-peer fundraising mechanisms

ABSTRACT The employment of online peer-to-peer fundraising has become a critical aspect of the charity sport event experience. Charity sport event participants are encouraged and often requiredto fundraise as part of their involvement. Within this fundraising, participants increasingly use online peer-to-peer fundraising to solicit donations. The current research examines online peer-to-peer fundraising from the perspective of charity sport event donors. Guided by the diffusion of innovation theory and sociological approaches to technology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals who had made an online donation in support of a charity sport event participant in the previous 12 months (N= 24). Four themes emerged from the interviews: technological detachment, technology eases pressure, saturated market, and cause integrity. These themes highlight concerns with the relative advantage inherent to online peer-to-peer fundraising as well as the importance of addressing technological adoption as a social process between users and technologies. The findings provide implications for event managers and charity managers to empower fundraisers to engage further with prospective donors through both online and in-person communication. HIGHLIGHTS Online peer-to-peer fundraising within charity sport events is investigated. Charity sport event donor perspectives are solicited through semi-structured interviews. Four themes emerged from the data suggesting some receptivity along with apprehensions towards the number of solicitations and causes. Charity sport event managers should empower and educate fundraisers and donors.
Disciplinary Literacies in an Engineering Club

This conceptual article addresses the question: What are the disciplinary literacy practices surrounding the Engineering Design Process (EDP) at the elementary level? Recent attention has focused on developing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills for U.S. students. In the United States, the Next Generation Science Standards and reforms such as Common Core State Standards have drawn increased attention to relationships between language, literacy, and subject matter content often referred to as disciplinary literacy. In this conceptual article, we argue that literacy educators can make a substantial contribution to the study of engineering education, particularly for underrepresented minorities and girls. We first provide a brief overview of disciplinary literacies. Then, using examples from a research-based after-school club, we explore how disciplinary literacies might contribute to the study of engineering and EDP in elementary settings particularly in relation to: (a) productive communication, (b) vocabulary development, and (c) identity.