Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical efficacy of percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic TESSYS technique in the treatment of senile lumbar spinal stenosis.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical efficacy percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic TESSYS technique in the treatment of senile lumbar spinal stenosis. METHODS 157 senile with lumbar spinal stenosis were prospectively recruited at this study. The subjects in the experimental group received TESSYS operation, and the control group received traditional open surgery for posterior lumbar interbody fusion. The clinical pain relief, indexes of perioperative period, dysfunction of the lumbar spine and clinical effect of the two groups were measured. RESULTS The operation time of experimental group was (53.32±10.27) min, average blood loss in operation was (50.01±5.74) ml, and length of hospitalization was (6.73±3.21) d, which were all better than the control group (97.46±13.47) min, (172.23±8.61) ml, (13.94±2.15) d, with statistical significance (P < 0.05). The VAS scores at one day, one week, 1 month and 3 months were significantly lower than those before operation (P < 0.05). The VAS scores of the two groups were significantly lower than those of the open surgery group (P < 0.05). ODI scores of patients were significantly lower than those before operation (P < 0.05). The MACNAB scores of the two groups were significantly lower than those of the open surgery group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Percutaneous transforaminal TESSYS technique is a safe and minimally invasive technique for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis in the elderly. Compared with traditional open surgery for posterior lumbar interbody fusion, percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic TESSYS technique has less trauma and does not damage the stability of the spine. It can significantly shorten the hospitalization and operation time, reduce intraoperative fluoroscopy and blood loss, reduce the degree of pain and postoperative complications, and quickly restore daily life function. and thus an effective and more advantageous scheme for the treatment of elderly lumbar spinal stenosis.
Representing suicide: Giving voice to a desire to die?

Drawing on interview and online ethnographic data from a study of suicide on the railways, this paper describes the ways in which many of the concepts, assumptions and practices of mainstream suicide prevention are challenged in the accounts of those who are planning, or have enacted, a suicide attempt. We reflect on the ethical dilemmas which can arise for researchers (and practitioners) when lived experience accounts diverge – theoretically, morally and in terms of practical implications – from present-day expert ones. In online, ‘pro-choice’ suicide discussions, people describe beliefs, attitudes, ways of thinking and acting which stand in contrast to existing professional and clinical descriptions of suicide and suicidal behaviour. Most obviously, there is often a rejection of ‘pro-life’ positions, which are framed as ideological, oppressive and naïve. For researchers engaging in online ethnography of ‘pro-choice’ spaces, dilemmas can arise in relation to the representation of perspectives which fundamentally challenge not only prevailing norms within suicide research and prevention practice but socio-cultural norms more widely. Similar issues can arise when considering how best to represent research participants when their accounts diverge from accepted ‘expert’ knowledge and beliefs. In-depth qualitative interviews with those who have thought about or attempted to take their own life indicate that existing theories and models of suicide which start from assumptions of deficit and pathology underestimate the extent to which suicide, as the end result of an often-complex series of actions, requires a person to engage in logistical processes of planning, decision-making, imagination and adaptation. The accounts described here, gathered using two different methodological approaches, highlight the ethical issues which can surface when there are competing claims to (expert) knowledge, as well as differences in beliefs, attitudes and moral stance towards life and death. We argue that researchers need to reflect on their own ethical-moral position in relation to suicide, and on the practical consequences of their privileging of some voices at the expense of other, less well represented, ones.
In vitro Maturation of Oocytes with Consecutive Clinical Pregnancy after Accidental Premature Ovulation Induction-A Rescue Strategy in Art.

Background The implementation of assisted reproductive techniques (ART) is a complex treatment requiring both a good cooperation between various professional groups in the fertility centre, and the patient's and her partner's cooperation. Accordingly, there are many sources of failure, such as using the wrong medication or not considering optimal times. If there is an artificial application of the ovulation induction injection, the success of the treatment is endangered and in some cases the cycle is discontinued, if the patient failed to administer the drug correctly. An alternative to cycle cancellation might be the maturation of the oocytes in vitro. We report on a 31-year-old patient in whom we performed an oocyte retrieval procedure 24 hours after triggering ovulation followed by in vitro maturation of the immature oocytes over a period of more than 12 h. The treatment resulted in a healthy, ongoing pregnancy.
Diverse inhibitory projections from the cerebellar interposed nucleus

The cerebellum consists of parallel circuit modules that contribute to diverse behaviors, spanning motor to cognitive. Recent work employing cell-type-specific tracing has identified circumscribed output channels of the cerebellar nuclei (CbN) that could confer tight functional specificity. These studies have largely focused on excitatory projections of the CbN, however, leaving open the question of whether inhibitory neurons also constitute multiple output modules. We mapped output and input patterns to intersectionally restricted cell types of the interposed and adjacent interstitial nuclei in mice. In contrast to the widespread assumption of primarily excitatory outputs and restricted inferior olive-targeting inhibitory output, we found that inhibitory neurons from this region ramified widely within the brainstem, targeting both motor- and sensory-related nuclei, distinct from excitatory output targets. Despite differences in output targeting, monosynaptic rabies tracing revealed largely shared afferents to both cell classes. We discuss the potential novel functional roles for inhibitory outputs in the context of cerebellar theory.
Penalized variable selection for cause‐specific hazard frailty models with clustered competing‐risks data

Competing risks data usually arise when an occurrence of an event precludes other types of events from being observed. Such data are often encountered in a clustered clinical study such as a multi‐center clinical trial. For the clustered competing‐risks data which are correlated within a cluster, competing‐risks models allowing for frailty terms have been recently studied. To the best of our knowledge, however, there is no literature on variable selection methods for cause‐specific hazard frailty models. In this article, we propose a variable selection procedure for fixed effects in cause‐specific competing risks frailty models using a penalized h‐likelihood (HL). Here, we study three penalty functions, LASSO, SCAD, and HL. Simulation studies demonstrate that the proposed procedure using the HL penalty works well, providing a higher probability of choosing the true model than LASSO and SCAD methods without losing prediction accuracy. The proposed method is illustrated by using two kinds of clustered competing‐risks cancer data sets.
Theorizing “Wicked Concept” and Reconceptualizing Wisdom as Wicked

The emergent conceptual framework of wicked problems has garnered much attention in academic discourse, including geography. By refining and drawing insights from tenets of the wicked problem concept, this article posits a “wicked concept” usefully defined through five propositions: Wicked concepts are difficult to define and have no universal meaning; there is an unending quest for a universal definition of wicked concepts; definitions and conceptualizations of wicked concepts are neither true nor false; all wicked concepts’ components are fundamentally unique; and wicked concepts are multidimensional. Although not exhaustive, our list of propositions aims to generate intellectual discourse on the usefulness of the wicked concept as a conceptual framework with which to analyze concepts marked with such ambiguities. Using the concept of wisdom as a reference point, we argue that academic knowledge production—particularly as it relates to wisdom—would benefit significantly from being reconceptualized as wicked.
A study on tourists’ perceived risks from COVID-19 using Q-methodology

ABSTRACT Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to constraints on tourism-related activities and a slowdown in the tourism industry. This study’s main purpose is to identify tourists’ perceived risks regarding COVID-19 to establish a strategy for the tourism industry to rebound when the pandemic stabilizes or dissipates. To better understand this, Q-methodology, an exploratory research methodology, was used. According to our results, the types of tourist constraints caused by COVID-19 can be divided into four categories: “worrying about health”; “worrying about potential problems”; “worrying about tourism itself”; and “worrying about issues” The implications from these will be discussed.
Learning style preferences of internal medicine residents and in-training examination scores: is there a correlation?

ABSTRACT The internal medicine in-training examination (IM-ITE) has been traditionally used as a measuring tool to evaluate the base of knowledge of the residents in internal medicine residency programs across the US. Multiple interventions has been applied and studied to increase the first-time passing rate of ABIM, as it is an indicator of each residency program’s performance and ranking. Additionally, studies have demonstrated that different learning styles and preferences are a predictor of exam results; however, it is not well known whether certain preferred learning styles are correlated with certain IM-ITE results. Primary objective of our study was to find a correlation between residents’ preferred learning style, based on Kolb learning style inventory, and their PGY1 and PGY2 IM-ITE performance score difference. Secondary objective was to find the correlation between PGY2s’ IM-ITE score and their preferred learning styles based on the Kolb learning style inventory. Mean scores of PGY1 and PGY2 IM-ITE were compared in each learning style group. Additionally, the mean difference between the PGY1 and PGY2 IM-ITE scores for each learning group was compared as well. The analysis of the mean IM-ITE score from PGY1 to PGY2 between groups revealed a statistically significant improvement in IM-ITE score from PGY1 to PGY2 in all groups, however, with a larger difference in one of the groups.
Face Masking Violations, Policing, and COVID-19 Death Rates: A Spatial Analysis in New York City ZIP Codes

The use of face masks during a pandemic and compliance with state and local mandates has been a divisive issue in the United States. We document variation in face masking violation rates involving police enforcement in New York City and examine the association between police-enforced face masking violations and COVID-19-related death rates. We assemble a Zone Improvement Plan (ZIP) code–level data set from the New York City Open Data, Department of Health, and the American Community Survey (2014–2018). We use maps to demonstrate the spatial patterning of police-enforced face masking violation rates and COVID-19-related death rates. Using a Bayesian spatial analysis approach to model police-enforced face masking violations, we find considerable variation in police-enforced face masking violation rates and COVID-19-related death rates across New York City and similarities in their spatial distribution, with higher rates for both measures found in Brooklyn and the Bronx. The positive association between police-enforced face masking violation rates and COVID-19-related death rates holds after including other covariates. The percentage of non-Hispanic Blacks, Hispanics, and households with limited English proficiency are positively associated with police-enforced face masking violations. This study extends the COVID-19 literature by reporting more aggressive enforcement of face masking rules in minority and limited-English-proficiency communities.
Development and Validation of UV-Vis Spectrophotometric Method for Estimation of Black Seeds and Peppermint Oil in Emulsion

Abstract The purpose of the study was to develop and validate UV-Vis spectrophotometric method for estimation of black seed oil (BSO) and peppermint oil (PO). Emulsions were prepared using alginate (2.0 %) w/v as water phase and lecithin (3.0 %) w/v by incorporating BSO and PO oil separately. A good linearity result was recorded with R2 value at 0.9990 within the concentration range of 5.0-50.0 mg/ml for both oils. Moreover, the recovery percentage of accuracy for BSO was from 102.03 ± 0.16 % to 99.67 ± 1.53 % and 101.29 ± 1.94 % to 98.73 ± 1.19 % for PO, which suggests that the method was accurate and precise. The method was precise, as the largest % Relative Standard Deviation ( % RSD) value was 1.77 in intraday and 1.99 in interday for BSO, whereas 1.94 in intraday and 1.96 in interday for PO. The Detection Limit (DL) (0.469 mg/ml) and Quantification Limit (QL) (1.408 mg/ml) for BSO, and DL (0.709 mg/ml) and QL (2.127 mg/ml) for PO were measured. Based on this developed method, the % Encapsulation Efficiency (EE %) of optimized formulation was obtained 89.06 ± 0.39 % (n=3). This protocol may be used for estimation of EE % analysis of new drug formulation in pharmaceutical research and development and quality control analysis. Abbreviations: BSO: Black Seeds Oil; TQ: Thymoquinone; PO: Peppermint Oil; PBS: Phosphate Buffer Saline; N. sativa: Nigella sativa; Neem Seed Oil: NSO; DL: Detection Limit; QL: Quantification Limit; RSD: Relative Standard Deviation; SD: Standard Deviation; ICH: The International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use; HPLC: High-Performance liquid Chromatography; GC-MS: Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; EE: Encapsulation Efficiency; PBS: Phosphate Buffer Saline; EDTA: Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid; w/v: Weight/Volume; T80: Tween 80. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Blood biochemical parameters as predictors of disease severity and mortality in COVID-19 patients- an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been rapidly spreading across the globe and poses a great risk to human health. Patients with abnormalities in laboratory parameters are more susceptible to COVID-19. Therefore, we explored the association of blood biochemical parameters with severity and mortality of COVID-19 amongst 3695 patients across seventeen studies. Methods: We searched PubMed, Cochrane library and LitCOVID database until February 28, 2021. Seventeen studies were included in the meta-analysis with 3695 COVID-19 patients. Results: The pooled analysis showed that compared to non-severe group, severe group was characterised by significantly elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (standardised mean difference [SMD]: 0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.23 to 1.06; p<0.001, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (SMD: 0.55, 95%CI: 0.02 to 1.07 p=0.004) and lymphopenia (SMD: -1.22, 95% CI: -2.15 to -0.30; p<0.01), decreased serum albumin (SMD: -1.60, 95% CI: -2.96 to -0.22 ; p<0.001), creatinine (SMD: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.17 to 0.90; p<0.001), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)(SMD: -1.54, 95% CI: -2.27 to -0.80; p=0.002) and haemoglobin (SMD:-0.89, 95% CI: ; p<0.001). Additionally, in the non-survivor group, elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (SMD: 1.54 95% CI: -2.27 to 0.80; p=0.002), decreased serum albumin (SMD: 1.08, 95% CI: 0.75 to 1.42; p<0.001) were reported. There was no comorbidity which was found to be significant in the severe group. Conclusion: Serum albumin, ALT, ESR, lymphopenia, haemoglobin, and leucocytosis can reflect the severity of COVID-19, while the LDH, leucocytosis and albumin can be considered as risk factor to higher mortality. Keywords: COVID-19, laboratory parameters, SARS-CoV-2, disease severity, mortality
A solar hybrid thermoelectric generator and distillation system

ABSTRACT A solar still of a single basin-slope coupled with a finned condensing chamber and installed thermoelectric modules at the bottom of the water basin has been presented in this paper. A mathematical model under steady state conditions has been introduced and improved to investigate the system performance. An increase of solar radiation and ambient temperature or a decrease in wind velocity affect positively the distillation rate, the still efficiency, and the system efficiency. Integrating a condenser and finned condenser increases the distillation rate of the proposed system. The results of the simulation have been verified by comparing them with published theoretical and experimental results, and the comparison shows very good agreement.
RePlay: Touchscreen Interaction Substitution Method for Accessible Gaming

We present RePlay, an interaction substitution method designed to support people with upper extremity motor impairments while interacting with mobile apps. RePlay overcomes key limitations of existing approaches, allowing users to quickly access all app interface elements, even those not visible to the OS (a common situation especially with games). This is achieved through personalized mapping of interface elements to alternative inputs, such as external switches or non-verbal vocal sounds, hence adapting to users with diverse abilities. RePlay was implemented as an Android Accessibility Service, running without any changes at OS level. An evaluation conducted with ten participants with upper extremity motor impairments shows that RePlay can provide access to mobile games that would otherwise be inaccessible. Still, reaction time using RePlay is slower than direct touchscreen interaction by users without motor impairments, and therefore speed compensation might be needed. Both external switches and non-verbal voice input achieve comparable reaction times, while their combination is slower and more cognitively demanding. Prolonged voice input may also cause fatigue and should be used parsimoniously.
After You! Design and Evaluation of a Human Machine Interface for Cooperative Truck Overtaking Maneuvers on Freeways

Truck overtaking maneuvers on freeways are inefficient, risky and promote high potential for conflict between road users. Collective perception based on V2X communication allow coordination with all parties to reduce the negative impact and could be installed in a timely manner compared to automation. However, the prerequisite for the success of this system is a human-machine interface that the driver can easily operate, trusts and accepts. In this approach, a user-centered conception and design of a human-machine interface for cooperative truck overtaking maneuver on freeways is presented. The development process is separated in two steps: After a prototype is build based on task analysis it is initially evaluated and improved iteratively with a heuristic evaluation by experts. The final prototype is tested in a simulator study with 30 truck drivers. The study provides initial feedback regarding the drivers' attitudes towards such a system and how it can be further improved.
Enhancing Interactions for In-Car Voice User Interface with Gestural Input on the Steering Wheel

Voice user interfaces (VUI) are becoming indispensable in car for offering drivers the opportunity to make distraction-free inputs and conduct complex tasks. However, the usability and control efficiency of today’s VUI remain to be enhanced due to its sequential nature. In this work, we explored gestural input on the steering wheel to improve the interaction efficiency of VUI. Based on limitations in VUI, we designed novel gestural commands on the steering wheel to augment them. We also elicited corresponding user-defined gestures by exploring drivers’ touch behavior. Then, we implemented a prototype attached to the steering wheel for recognizing gestures. Finally, we evaluated our system’s usability regarding driving performance, interaction efficiency, cognitive workload and user feedback. Results revealed that our system improved the control efficiency of VUI and reduced workload without a significant reduction in driving distraction than just using VUI.
StressShoe: A DIY Toolkit for just-in-time Personalised Stress Interventions for Office Workers Performing Sedentary Tasks

Self-Tracking stress at work is an important aspect of stress management and is often the first step to improving mental health and personal well-being. We introduce StressShoe, a DIY toolkit for self-tracking stress and just-in-time stress interventions for office workers performing sedentary tasks. Informed by a focus group study and a pilot study, we designed and tested a toolkit that consists of a single, off-the-shelf, shoe-mounted inertial measurement unit (IMU), a machine learning model that estimates acute stress, and a companion mobile app. The mobile app allows for user-defined just-in-time interventions on the estimated stress level. To demonstrate the benefits of our system we evaluated StressShoe with 10 users over 4 weeks. We identified several effective just-in-time personalised intervention users created and found that StressShoe is easy to use and helped them reflect on their daily stressful experiences.
Mobile Screen-based User Interface Design Guideline for Panoramic VR in Shopping Scene

The pandemic has shifted people’s shopping behavior towards online resources. Mobile screen-based panoramic virtual reality (VR) appears to be a promising form for future online shopping. However, the existing user interface (UI) design of panoramic VR shopping needs more natural interactions based on a rational standard design guideline. In this article, we first conducted a heuristic study to compare six representative virtual store apps. This revealed a gap between users’ requirements and the current design attempts. Thus, a UI design guideline for panoramic VR in the shopping scene was presented. Then, we conducted a verification study with a demo optimized according to our design guideline. Both user experience and interactive efficiency improved as a result of the design guideline. Our design guidelines and discoveries derived from user studies provided references for the design, development, and potential use of dynamic panoramic VR in shopping scene.
OM: A Comprehensive Tool to Elicit Subjective Vibrotactile Expressions Associated with Contextualised Meaning in Our Everyday Lives

The sense of touch offers interesting possibilities as a robust and ubiquitous communication channel. In this paper, we present OM, a tool that enables users to design subjective vibrotactile expressions associated with contextualised information relevant to them. OM consists of a pair of wrist-worn devices that can reproduce complex vibrotactile symbols and a companion editor smartphone app that allows users to create, customise and store personalised expressions. We studied OM in real-world contexts by allowing 13 participants to explore the functionalities of OM throughout their daily interactions with complete autonomy. We highlight relevant scenarios, design considerations, and future directions towards a tool that can help people unveil an alternative, ubiquitous and private communication system accessible to all.