Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness and safety of decompression alone versus decompression plus fusion for lumbar spinal stenosis with degenerative spondylolisthesis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background There have been lingering controversies reported decompression and plus fusion. And the relative safety of fusion in addition to standard decompression remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of decompression alone or combined with fusion in lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) with degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS). Methods In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched the databases of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science for relevant literature from their inception to 28th December 2021. We identified the eligible studies based on the PICOS principles, populations (LSS with DS), interventions (decompression alone), controls (decompression combined with fusion), outcomes [overall reoperation rate, complications, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), operative time, the amount of blood lost, length of stay (LOS), and visual analog scales (VAS)], study design (cohort studies). Quality assessment for individual study was performed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Results In all, 12 articles involving a total of 14,693 patients were finally included in the study, the majority of patients underwent decompression alone (DA group: n=11,598) and the rest underwent decompression associated with fusion (FU group: n=3,095). The quality of most of the included studies was regarded as high quality. The results indicated that the FU group had a higher rate of complication [relative risk (RR): 1.770, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.485 to 2.110], longer operative time [weighted mean difference (WMD): 51.037, 95% CI: 13.743 to 88.330], and increased blood loss (WMD: 258.354, 95% CI: 150.468 to 366.239) than the DA group (all P<0.05), with no significant differences for overall reoperation rate (RR: 0.879, 95% CI: 0.432 to 1.786), ODI (WMD: −2.569, 95% CI: −6.548 to 1.409), LOS (WMD: 3.838, 95% CI: −2.172 to 9.848), and VAS found between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusions In patients with LSS + DS, the effectiveness and safety of decompression alone may be superior to decompression plus fusion in terms of complication rate, operative time, and the amount of bleeding. However, more high-quality literature is needed in the future to confirm the best treatment choice for patients with LSS + DS.
Children’s Health Literacy in Relation to Their BMI z-Score, Food Intake, and Physical Activity: A Cross-Sectional Study among 8–11-Year-Old Children in The Netherlands

Overweight and obesity in children are an increasing public health problem. Health literacy (HL) is a determinant of obesity and body mass index (BMI) rates in adults, but few studies have addressed the impact of children’s own HL on their weight and lifestyle. In this study, we aim to assess the impact of Dutch children’s HL on (1) their BMI z-score, (2) dietary behaviour, and (3) the amount of physical activity (PA) they engage in. A sample of 139 children (age 8–11 years) filled out a digital questionnaire, including an HL measurement instrument and questions regarding their food intake and PA. Furthermore, the height and weight of the children were measured, and background information was collected using a parental questionnaire. Multiple regression revealed a significant positive relation between children’s HL and their PA. No significant association between children’s HL and their BMI z-score or dietary behaviour was found. HL of children in primary school thus has an impact on some aspects of children’s lifestyle, although more research in a larger, more diverse sample is needed to further investigate this.
Balancing teacher educators’ researcherly and pedagogical dispositions – an example from Norway

ABSTRACT The role of research in teacher education is a widely discussed topic by policymakers as well as by researchers and practitioners. At the policy level, there seems to be a general claim that teacher education shall be research based (OECD, 2005; European Commission, 2013; Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, 2021; Norwegian Ministry of Knowledge, 2020). The claims are strong, however, the interpretation and the operationalisation of the role of research in teacher education is, to say it mildly, vague. In this paper, I will briefly present voices of some international researchers with the purpose of illuminating the complex roles research plays in teacher education. A major part of this paper will present an example of how Norway has attempted to operationalise the complexity of balancing between teacher educators’ researcherly and pedagogical dispositions by funding the National Research School in Teacher Education (NAFOL). The overall goal of the research school is to develop “researching teacher educators” with equal value of all the three words.
Biosensors for Klebsiella pneumoniae with Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP) Technique

Nosocomial infection is one of the most important problems that occurs in hospitals, as it directly affects susceptible patients or patients with immune deficiency. Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) is the most common cause of nosocomial infections in hospitals. K. pneumoniae can cause various diseases such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections, septicemias, and soft tissue infections, and it has also become highly resistant to antibiotics. The principal routes for the transmission of K. pneumoniae are via the gastrointestinal tract and the hands of hospital personnel via healthcare workers, patients, hospital equipment, and interventional procedures. These bacteria can spread rapidly in the hospital environment and tend to cause nosocomial outbreaks. In this research, we developed a MIP-based electrochemical biosensor to detect K. pneumoniae. Quantitative detection was performed using an electrochemical technique to measure the changes in electrical signals in different concentrations of K. pneumoniae ranging from 10 to 105 CFU/mL. Our MIP-based K. pneumoniae sensor was found to achieve a high linear response, with an R2 value of 0.9919. A sensitivity test was also performed on bacteria with a similar structure to that of K. pneumoniae. The sensitivity results show that the MIP-based K. pneumoniae biosensor with a gold electrode was the most sensitive, with a 7.51 (% relative current/log concentration) when compared with the MIP sensor applied with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis, where the sensitivity was 2.634 and 2.226, respectively. Our sensor was also able to achieve a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.012 CFU/mL and limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 1.61 CFU/mL.
PRC2, Chromatin Regulation, and Human Disease: Insights From Molecular Structure and Function

Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is a multisubunit histone-modifying enzyme complex that mediates methylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27). Trimethylated H3K27 (H3K27me3) is an epigenetic hallmark of gene silencing. PRC2 plays a crucial role in a plethora of fundamental biological processes, and PRC2 dysregulation has been repeatedly implicated in cancers and developmental disorders. Here, we review the current knowledge on mechanisms of cellular regulation of PRC2 function, particularly regarding H3K27 methylation and chromatin targeting. PRC2-related disease mechanisms are also discussed. The mode of action of PRC2 in gene regulation is summarized, which includes competition between H3K27 methylation and acetylation, crosstalk with transcription machinery, and formation of high-order chromatin structure. Recent progress in the structural biology of PRC2 is highlighted from the aspects of complex assembly, enzyme catalysis, and chromatin recruitment, which together provide valuable insights into PRC2 function in close-to-atomic detail. Future studies on the molecular function and structure of PRC2 in the context of native chromatin and in the presence of other regulators like RNAs will continue to deepen our understanding of the stability and plasticity of developmental transcriptional programs broadly impacted by PRC2.
Case of misdiagnosed melioidosis from Hue city, Vietnam

Melioidosis is an emerging infection, a potentially fatal tropical disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei in humans and animals, endemic in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. Diagnosis remains problematic due to its similarity to many other infections. The lack of clinical awareness and correct microbiological diagnosis contributes to the misidentification of melioidosis. We present a melioidosis case, which was misdiagnosed with pneumonia and septicemia due to Aeromonas salmonicida, leading to ineffective prolonged-course antibiotic treatment for the patient.
You Should Try These Together: Combinatory Recommendations Signal Expertise and Improve Product Attitudes

This work introduces a novel cue that consumption advisers, like stylists and interior designers, can use to signal expertise: combinatory recommendations. In a combinatory recommendation, a person offers an opinion about compatibility among multiple products intended for joint usage. Across nine studies conducted in the lab and field, the authors find that offering a combinatory recommendation signals greater expertise (Study 1a, Study 2a) and, specifically, greater depth of knowledge (Study 1b), compared with other types of recommendations involving the same number of products. This effect does not depend on the helpfulness of the adviser (Study 2b) but is qualified by features of the recommendation itself (Study 3a) as well as the type of combination recommended (Study 3b). Importantly, the authors find this effect to have important downstream consequences, as the increased perceptions of expertise that follow a combinatory recommendation improve consumers’ attitudes both toward products included in the recommendation and toward subsequent recommendations made by the adviser (Study 4, Study 5). The real-world persuasive value of combinatory recommendations is also tested in a field study (Study 6) that explores the effect of combinatory recommendations on click-through rates of Instagram advertisements.
Psychosis in Parkinson’s Disease: A Lesson from Genetics

Psychosis in Parkinson’s disease (PDP) represents a common and debilitating condition that complicates Parkinson’s disease (PD), mainly in the later stages. The spectrum of psychotic symptoms are heterogeneous, ranging from minor phenomena of mild illusions, passage hallucinations and sense of presence to severe psychosis consisting of visual hallucinations (and rarely, auditory and tactile or gustatory) and paranoid delusions. PDP is associated with increased caregiver stress, poorer quality of life for patients and carers, reduced survival and risk of institutionalization with a significant burden on the healthcare system. Although several risk factors for PDP development have been identified, such as aging, sleep disturbances, long history of PD, cognitive impairment, depression and visual disorders, the pathophysiology of psychosis in PD is complex and still insufficiently clarified. Additionally, several drugs used to treat PD can aggravate or even precipitate PDP. Herein, we reviewed and critically analyzed recent studies exploring the genetic architecture of psychosis in PD in order to further understand the pathophysiology of PDP, the risk factors as well as the most suitable therapeutic strategies.
Swept source OCT with air puff chamber for corneal dynamics measurements

None of currently used tonometers produce estimated IOP values that are free of errors. Measurement incredibility arises from indirect measurement of corneal deformation and the fact that pressure calculations are based on population averaged parameters of anterior segment. Reliable IOP values are crucial for understanding and monitoring of number of eye pathologies e.g. glaucoma. We have combined high speed swept source OCT with air-puff chamber. System provides direct measurement of deformation of cornea and anterior surface of the lens. This paper describes in details the performance of air-puff ssOCT instrument. We present different approaches of data presentation and analysis. Changes in deformation amplitude appears to be good indicator of IOP changes. However, it seems that in order to provide accurate intraocular pressure values an additional information on corneal biomechanics is necessary. We believe that such information could be extracted from data provided by air-puff ssOCT.
Prognosis of shoulder pain in those with and without a psychological disorder: A prospective cohort study with a six-month follow-up

BACKGROUND: Because shoulder pain can have an unfavorable prognosis, it is important to have a better understanding of factors that may influence recovery. OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between recovery from shoulder pain and the presence of depression, anxiety, and pain catastrophizing. METHODS: In a prospective cohort study with a six months follow-up, we included patients visiting an orthopaedic department with shoulder pain. Primary outcome was recovery from shoulder pain measured with the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index at three and six months. Information about depression and anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), pain catastrophizing (Pain Catastrophizing Scale), and demographic and clinical factors were collected at baseline. A linear mixed model was used to estimate the effects of depression, anxiety, pain catastrophizing, and underlying shoulder disorders on recovery. RESULTS: We included 190 patients. There were no statistically significant associations between the presence of depression, anxiety, and pain catastrophizing, and three- and six-month recovery. Also between the underlying shoulder disorders and recovery at three and six months, there were no statistically significant associations. CONCLUSIONS : We could not prove that depression, anxiety, and pain catastrophizing, as well as underlying shoulder disorders, were associated with recovery of shoulder pain at six months.
Static Placement and Dynamic Assignment of SDN Controllers in LEO Satellite Networks

Software-defined networking (SDN) logically separates the control and data planes, thus opening the way to more flexible configurations and management of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks. Since one or, more generally, multiple distributed controllers are needed, a significant challenge in SDN is the controller placement problem (CPP). Due to characteristics such as the dynamic network topology, limited bandwidth and traffic variations, the CPP is quite complex in SDN-based satellite networks. In this paper, we propose solving the CPP by means of a static placement with dynamic assignment (SPDA) method for LEO satellite networks. The SPDA method has two parts: the first is to incorporate SDN controllers into some fixed satellites by formulating a mixed integer programming model; the second is to dynamically assign switches to existing controllers according to the switch-controller latency and the traffic load of controllers. The SPDA method takes the topological dynamics into account by effectively dividing time snapshots, and it has a lower bandwidth consumption compared with methods involving controller migrations. Real satellite constellations are used to evaluate the performance of our controller placement solution. The results show that SPDA outperforms existing methods in terms of reducing the switch-controller latency, and it also has good load balancing performance.
Quantum Dots: A New Hope for the Pharmaceutical Field

Quantum dots (QDs) are nanoparticles that have been developed for a number of biological and biomedical applications, such as drug delivery and simultaneous imaging of several cells. As a result of their unique physicochemical features, QDs have shown remarkable potential in receptor-based targeting. Functionalized QDs (f-QDs) are nano-sized smart systems that can deliver a wide spectrum of bioactive. Surface modified fluorescent carbon QDs has received interest as a targeting ligand for achieving cellular targeting with increased specificity. Several surface-designed and conjugated fluorescent carbon QDs are currently being investigated for cancer treatment, and the results are awaited with bated breath. This review emphasizes different synthesis methods, their characterizations, and different applications of QDs in cancer therapies. Keywords: Quantum dots, Synthesis, Medical applications.
Implementation and Feedback Control Tuning of an Analog Izhikevich Neuron Circuit

Analog circuits have proven to be a reliable medium for neuromorphic architectures in silicon, capable of emulating parts of the brain’s computational processes. Information in the brain is shared between neurons in the form of spikes, where a neuron’s soma emits a voltage signal after integrating multiple synaptic input currents. To preserve the quality of this information in a rate-based protocol, it is important that a post-synaptic neuron is able to adapt its firing rate to some desired or expected rate, especially in a noisy environment. This paper presents an analog Izhikevich neuron circuit and a proof-of-concept tuning algorithm that adjusts the neuron’s spike rate using proportional feedback control. The neuron circuit is implemented using discrete surface-mount components on a custom printed circuit board, and its output spike pattern is modified by adjusting one of the neuron’s four voltage parameters. Adjusting the voltage parameters gives a neuromorphic system designer the ability to calibrate these silicon neurons in the presence of noise or component imperfections, ensuring a baseline configuration where all neurons exhibit the same, expected spike response given the same input.
Factors influencing faculty’s online teaching decisions

Abstract The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate the contributing factors that influence online instructors’ decisions on course design and delivery strategies in higher education institutions. We conducted a principal component analysis with 81 online instructors across the United States of America to validate a conceptual framework that could potentially help instructional design departments to prepare faculty for teaching online. The finalized online teaching preference construct consists of three dimensions: general teaching beliefs, knowledge of online pedagogy, and institutional support. The online instructors’ teaching fields, preferred instructional modality, and online teaching experiences influenced their preferences in these three dimensions. In addition, the instructors with only remote teaching experience in response to the COVID-19 crisis did not like teaching online. The implications of our findings are discussed in this paper.
Prediction of environmental indices of Iran wheat production using artificial neural networks

This study was carried out in the province of Esfahan in Iran in order to model field emissions of wheat production, using artificial neural networks (ANNs). Data were collected from 260 wheat farms in Fereydonshahr city with face to face questionnaire method. Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology was developed to assess all the environmental impacts associated with wheat cultivation in the studied region. Global warming potential (GWP), eutrophication potential (EP), human toxicity potential (HTP), terrestrial ecotoxicity potential (TEP), oxidant formation potential (OFP) and acidification potential (AP) were chosen as target outputs. System boundary and functional unite were selected farm gate and one ton of wheat grain. All input energies and farm size were selected as inputs and six impact categories were chosen as outputs of the model. To find the best topology, several ANN models with different number of hidden layers and neurons in each layer were developed. Subsequently, we applied different activation functions in each hidden layer to assess the best performance with highest coefficient of determination (R 2 ), lowest root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE). Accordingly, ANN model with 12-6-6-6 structure showed the best performance. RMSE for GWP, HTP, EP, OFP, AP and TEP were 45.82, 6.22, 7.47, 0.96, 0.28 and 0.09, respectively. Also, MAEs for this model were 14.9, 0.77, 1.5, 0.02, 0.14 and 0.02 for GWP, HTP, EP, OFP, AP and TEP. Copyright © 2013 International Energy and Environment Foundation - All rights reserved.
Explicit Message-Passing Heterogeneous Graph Neural Network

Graph neural network (GNN) has shown its prominent performance in representation learning of graphs but it has not been fully considered for heterogeneous graphs which contain more complex structures and rich semantics. The rich semantic information of heterogeneous graph can be usually revealed by meta-paths. Therefore, most of the existing GNN models designed for heterogeneous graphs utilize the meta-path based neighborhood sampler to divide a heterogeneous graph into multiple homogeneous subgraphs according to various meta-paths so that the homogeneous GNN can be applied to investigate heterogeneous graphs. Nevertheless, the way of embedding semantic information of meta-paths into multiple homogeneous graphs is implicit and ineffective, which cannot accurately capture the semantics of heterogeneous graphs. In this paper, we propose a novel semi-supervised GNN model named Explicit Message-Passing Heterogeneous Graph Neural Network (EMP), which executes the process of explicit message-passing along the meta-paths. Besides, we also propose a split method for meta-paths and consider mutual effect between various meta-paths in advance in the proposed model, so that the semantic information of the whole set of meta-paths can be captured accurately. Extensive experiments conducted on three real-world datasets demonstrate the superiority of the proposed model.
Index of Cardiac Electrophysiological Balance in Electrocardiography of Children with Acute Rheumatic Carditis

Amaç: Çalışmamızda akut romatizmal karditli çocukların elektrokardiyografilerinde kardiyak elektrofizyolojik denge indeksi (iCEB), ve kardiyak aritmi için diğer risk belirteçlerinin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Hastalar ve Yöntem: Ocak 2016-Ağustos 2018 tarihleri arasında, akut romatizmal kardit tanılı 40 çocuk hasta ile yaş ve cinsiyet olarak benzer 40 sağlıklı çocuk retrospektif olarak çalışmaya alındı. Tüm vakaların demografik özellikleri kayıtlardan elde edildi. Elektrokardiyografide; P dalga dispersiyonu (Pd), QT dispersiyonu (QTd) ve düzeltimiş QTd (QTcd) süreleri, Tp-e intervali (Tp-e), Tp-e/QT ve Tp-e/QTc oranları, ve iCEB ve düzeltilmiş iCEB (iCEBc) ölçüm değerleri gruplar arasında karşılaştırıldı. İstatistiksel olarak p <0,05 olması anlamlı kabul edildi. Bulgular: Hasta ve kontrol gruplarının yaş ortalaması sırasıyla; 11,40±3,48 yıl ve 11,41±3,31 yıldı. Her iki grupta 16 kız (%40) ve 24 erkek (%60) çocuk vardı. Hasta grupta, kalp hızı, PR intervali, Pd, QTd, QTcd, Tp-e, Tp-e/QT oranı ve iCEBc ölçümleri anlamlı derecede yüksek saptandı. iCEB düzeyi hasta grubunda sağlıklı kontrollere daha yüksek olmasına rağmen istatistiksel anlamlı bir fark yoktu. Sonuç: Akut romatizmal karditli çocuklarda, repolarizasyon-depolarizasyon dengesi bozulmuş olabilir. Bu nedenle aritmi için diğer elektrokardiyografik risk parametrelerine ilave olarak iCEB(c) kullanımı da yararlı olabilir. Ancak, bu konuda daha ileri çalışmalara ihtiyaç vardır.