Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Study of The Effect of Splinting on Pain during Tip Pinch for Osteoarthritis of the First Carpometacarpal Joint

The following research project focused on the effect of a prefabricated neoprene first carpometacarpal splint on osteoarthritis pain with tip-pinch, strength measurements of tip-pinch and functional performance. The following questions were explored throughout this study: 1. There will be a significant decrease in mean pain levels when the subject’s hand is splinted as compared to mean pain levels when the hand is not splinted. 2. There will be a significant decrease in mean pain levels for the second session as compared to the first. 3. There will be a significant increase in mean tip pinch strength measurements when the subject’s hand is splinted as compared to mean tip pinch strength measurements when the subject’s hand is not splinted. 4. There will be a significant increase in mean tip pinch strength measurements for the second session as compared to the first. 5. There will be a significant improvement in function as measured by a decrease in mean QuickDASH scores on the second session as compared to the first. Data for this study was collected using quantitative and qualitative data. Ten female participants over the age of 52 were enrolled in the study. Participants tip pinched a pinch gauge with and without the splint, recording pain levels with pinching and strength of pinch. The participants wore the splint for an average of two to eight weeks and then returned to perform the same tests and answer a qualitative question about their experience with the splint. Statistical analysis was performed using VAS pain scores and strength of tip-pinch scores. A functional measure, the QuickDASH was used to measure functional improvements. The researchers also asked participants a qualitative question about the splint’s comfort, convenience and effectiveness as well as asking for any suggestions. The results of the study supported the use of splinting for reducing pain when tip pinching at the first CMC joint (p<.001). Splinting also appeared to stabilize the first CMC joint, improving tip pinch measurements (p=.0015). Functional performance also improved between the first and second sessions (p=.031). In the qualitative section, participants seemed to appreciate the splint’s comfort and effectiveness and suggested that the splint would benefit from a more breathable, waterproof material, as it tended to become easily soiled and smelly. This study offers a supplement to previous evidence for the effectiveness of splinting in treating pain, instability, and functional deficits associated with osteoarthritis of the first CMC joint.
Design of compact dual-band patch antenna loaded with D-shaped complementary split ring resonator

ABSTRACT In this paper, an inset-fed dual-band patch antenna with truncated corners is presented. The ground plane of the antenna is loaded with D-shaped complementary split ring resonator (D-CSRR) structures to obtain dual-band resonance and size miniaturization. The overall electrical size of the antenna is 0. 29λ0 × 0. 25λ0 and patch size is 0. 14λ0 × 0. 13λ0, where λ0 is evaluated at the lowest resonating frequency. The proposed planar antenna is low profile and does not need a dual feed or any external feeding mechanism for obtaining circular polarization. A size reduction of 66% is achieved as compared to the conventional patch antenna. The newly designed D-CSRR results in better miniaturization factor making proposed antenna suitable for modern wireless applications. The prototype of the antenna is fabricated and experimental findings are compared with electromagnetic and analytical results.
Formulações e algoritmos em programação inteira para o problema do caixeiro viajante com coleta e entrega sobre carregamento lifo

Nesta dissertacao, abordamos o Problema do Caixeiro Viajante com Coleta e Entrega sobreCarregamento LIFO (PDTSPMS) e metodos para a obtencao de sua solucao exata. Oproblema consiste em determinar o trajeto de menor custo de um veiculo que deve atenderum conjunto de requisicoes de clientes. Cada requisicao e composta por uma localizacaode coleta, onde um determinado item e carregado no veiculo, e por uma localizacaode entrega, onde esse item e descarregado. Para realizar o processo de carregamentoe descarregamento dos items, o veiculo conta com um conjunto de pilhas com capacidadefinita. Um item quando carregado neste veiculo ocupa o topo de uma das pilhas eapenas itens que estao no topo das pilhas podem ser descarregados nas correspondenteslocalizacoes de entrega.Apresentamos um nova formulacao em Programacao Inteira para o problema epropomos um algoritmo branch-and-cut para obter a solucao otima dessa formulacao.Em particular, utilizamos um conjunto exponencial de desigualdades para modelar apolitica de carregamento do veiculo atraves da adicao de umnovo conjunto de variaveis.A partir da inclusao dessas novas variaveis, conseguimos identificar violacoes da politicade carregamento (seja na ordem ou na capacidade) para um dado trajeto atraves da resolucaode problemas polinomiais.Resultados computacionais mostram que nosso algoritmo e competitivo em relacaoao melhor algoritmo proposto na literatura, resolvendo algumas instâncias de testecom menor tempo computacional. Alem disso, o algoritmo foi capaz de determinar certificadosde otimalidade para duas instâncias nao solucionadas anteriormente.
Feature extraction to aid disease detection and assessment of disease progression in CT and MR colonography

Computed tomographic colonography (CTC) is a technique employed to examine the whole colon for cancers and premalignant adenomas (polyps). Oral preparation is taken to fully cleanse the colon, and gas insufflation maximises the attenuation contrast between the enoluminal colon surface and the lumen. The procedure is performed routinely with the patient both prone and supine to redistribute gas and residue. This helps to differentiate fixed colonic pathology from mobile faecal residue and also helps discover pathology occluded by retained fluid or luminal collapse. Matching corresponding endoluminal surface locations with the patient in the prone and supine positions is therefore an essential aspect of interpretation by radiologists; however, interpretation can be difficult and time consuming due to the considerable colonic deformations that occur during repositioning. Hence, a method for automated registration has the potential to improve efficiency and diagnostic accuracy. I propose a novel method to establish correspondence between prone and supine CT colonography acquisitions automatically. The problem is first simplified by detecting haustral folds which are elongated ridgelike endoluminal structures and can be identified by curvature based measurements. These are subsequently matched using appearance based features, and their relative geometric relationships. It is shown that these matches can be used to find correspondence along the full length of the colon, but may also be used in conjunction with other registration methods to achieve a more robust and accurate result, explicitly addressing the problem of colonic collapse. The potential clinical value of this method has been assessed in an external clinical validation, and the application to follow-up CTC surveillance has been investigated. MRI has recently been applied as a tool to quantitatively evaluate the therapeutic response to therapy in patients with Crohn's disease, and is the preferred choice for repeated imaging. A primary biomarker for this evaluation is the measurement of variations of bowel wall thickness on changing from the active phase of the disease to remission; however, a poor level of interobserver agreement of measured thickness is reported and therefore a system for accurate, robust and reproducible measurements is desirable. I propose a novel method which will automatically track sections of colon, by estimating the positions of elliptical cross sections. Subsequently, estimation of the positions of the inner and outer bowel walls are made based on image gradient information and therefore a thickness measurement value can be extracted.
Mothers’ experience of therapeutic processes in a reflective parenting programme

This thesis focuses on early parenting interventions that aim to promote secure parent-child attachment relationships. Part 1 is a literature review that critically evaluates the evidence for the effectiveness of early parenting interventions in improving the maternal sensitivity of mothers with clinical problems. Twelve studies met the criteria for inclusion; the methodological quality of the studies was high. Mixed evidence was found for the effectiveness of these interventions on maternal sensitivity, particularly in depressed mothers. Further research examining the long-term impact of these interventions on maternal sensitivity in clinical populations and their effectiveness with different types of psychological difficulties is needed. Part 2 is a qualitative study exploring parents’ experiences of engagement and change in Minding the Baby (MTB), a parenting programme aimed at facilitating improvements in the reflective functioning of disadvantaged mothers. The study is part of a larger UK pilot study of the MTB programme and it was conducted in collaboration with another UCL Clinical Psychology Doctorate student (Grayton, 2014). In the study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 mothers and three fathers currently participating in MTB. Parents described changes in their parenting skills, their confidence and their wellbeing. They valued the flexible, individualised and collaborative nature of the programme and the strong therapeutic relationships they had with their MTB practitioners. The findings suggest that tailoring parenting programmes to meet the specific needs of parents experiencing social adversity is particularly important in facilitating their engagement and change. Part 3 reflects on challenges in designing and conducting the qualitative study, and the ways in which these were addressed.
Chemical and isotopic signature of groundwater in the Santa Ninfa karst system and possible inferences on neotectonics

The Santa Ninfa karst system is an area strongly controlled by tectonics, whose intense fracturing gave rise to the formation of a large number of cavities that foster the drainage of water. The hydrogeochemical characters of groundwater circulating in this aquifer, together with its isotopic signature, were investigated in detail. The chemistry of groundwater reflects the nature of the rocks hosting the aquifers, constituted by primary and diagenetic selenitic gypsum, salts, and gypsum- arenite, whose dissolution is responsible of the geochemical fingerprint of the quasi-totality of the samples. A single site (CAM) is characterised by a different chemical composition, indicating a mixing between Ca-sulphate, Ca-bicarbonate and a NaCl-rich water. From the chemical point of view, no evidence of interaction between shallow groundwater and deep fluids has been detected. Conversely, isotopic fluctuations highlight mixing processes between surficial (evaporated) runoff and groundwater. Different mixing proportion among these endmembers can be reflected in variations of the chemical character of the sampled springs. Changes in mixing proportions can be the effect of differential permeability variations, in turn produced by local stress field changes during seismogenic processes. In this scenario the geochemical monitoring of the Santa Ninfa karst aquifer could be of relevant interest in the study of seismogenic processes in this area, with particular reference to the relationship between seismic and geochemical transients.
The role of social cognition and neurocognition in functional outcomes in individuals with first episode psychosis

Impaired cognition and poor functioning are closely linked in psychosis; findings from studies of individuals with first episode psychosis (FEP), where intervention may be most effective, are less conclusive. This thesis sought to clarify the contributing role of social cognition (SC) and neurocognition (NC), relative to symptoms, in understanding functional outcome in FEP. Results showed that whilst individuals with poor functioning in FEP have greater SC and NC impairments, negative symptoms is the most robust predictor of later social and role outcomes, with SC and NC having a subordinate role. Exploratory analyses suggest that cognition directly impacts on negative symptoms which in turn may influence functional outcome, highlighting the importance of delineating this relationship. When examining the predictors of treatment response (i.e. improved functioning) following a psychosocial intervention targeting social disability, individuals with 'good' SC were more likely to respond to the intervention. Functional magnetic resonance imaging also provided preliminary evidence of an underlying SC neural network that might be implicated in improved functioning following the intervention. Overall findings show that cognition plays a key role in functional outcomes in FEP. Targeting impaired SC could improve the reach and impact of intervention, to reduce the chances of social disability becoming entrenched.
Effects of Hexagonal Boron Nitride Sheets on the Optothermal Performances of Quantum Dots-Converted White LEDs

Recently, quantum dots-converted white light-emitting diodes (QDs-WLEDs) are attracting numerous attention due to their high luminous efficiency and excellent color quality. As for color conversion material, the quantum dots (QDs) are commonly embedded into a low-thermal-conductivity polymer matrix. In this case, their generated heat during the photoluminescence process can hardly be dissipated into the heat sink, leading to a high working temperature and reduced lifetime. Adding particles with high thermal conductivity to the QDs layer can enhance its thermal conductivity, and thus reduce QDs’ working temperature. At the same time, these particles may affect the optical properties of QDs. However, this problem has still not been deeply studied. In this article, we systematically investigated the effects of the highly thermal-conductive hexagonal boron nitride sheets (hBNSs) on the optothermal performances of QDs/phosphor film in white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs). The thermal conductivity of QDs/phosphor film was significantly increased by 24% after adding 5wt% of 45-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-diameter hBNS. As for the optical performance, the transparency of the silicone gel film with 45-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-diameter hBNS was much better than that with 6–9-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-diameter hBNS under the same weight fraction. Furthermore, the scattering effect of hBNS plays a more important role in enhancing the light conversion performance of QDs than that of phosphor. At last, a color stability test showed the increasing rate of correlated color temperature (IRCCT) of hBNS-added WLEDs are 21% smaller than that of common WLEDs after working 153 h, meaning a better QDs stability in hBNS-added WLEDs.
Perceived Social Support and University Adjustment among Spanish College Students

Previous studies have confirmed that perceived social support facilitates university adjustment during emerging adulthood. Less is known, however, about the specific dimensions of social support that foster successful transition to university. This research represents the first attempt to examine the combined effects of social provisions, sense of support and perceived acceptance on each facet of adaptation to higher education. The sample consisted of 198 women and 102 men, of average age 18.03 years (SD = 0.52), enrolled in the first year of different degree courses at a public university. Three measures were used to assess various dimensions of perceived social support: the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ6), the Perceived Acceptance Scale (PAS) and Social Provisions Scale (SPS). The measures of the various facets of university adjustment were obtained from the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ). Regression analysis indicated that reassurance of worth and perceived acceptance by friends were the dimensions that best predicted all facets of university adjustment. The findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of how perception of social support could be used to develop effective intervention strategies and programmes to prevent failure at university.
The Devil is in the Details: Risk Preferences, Choice List Design, and Measurement Error

We use a field experiment to estimate the risk preferences of 945 youth and young adult members of 116 rural business groups organized as primary cooperatives in a semi-arid risky environment in northern Ethiopia. Multiple Choice Lists with binary choices between risky prospects and varying safe amounts are used to identify the certainty equivalent for each risky prospect. Rank Dependent Utility Models with alternatively Wilcox’ (2011) Contextual Utility or Busemeyer and Townsend (1992, 1993) Decision Field Theory heteroskedastic error specifications are used to estimate risk preference parameters and parametrized model noise. The study aims to a) assess potential biases associated with Choice List design; b) assess a time-saving elicitation method; c) inspect the predictive power of the predicted risk preference parameters for respondents’ investment, income and endowment variables; d) assess how the predictive power is associated with model noise and the addition of two low probability high outcome risky prospects that may help to capture utility curvature more accurately. Substantial risk parameter sensitivity to Choice List design was detected. The rapid elicitation method appears attractive as it facilitates use of a larger number of Choice Lists with variable attributes although it is sensitive to bias due to random error associated with randomized starting points. The addition of the two Choice Lists with low probability high outcomes substantially enhanced the explanatory power of the predicted risk preference parameters and resulted in substantially higher estimates of the utility curvature parameter.
On the Effectiveness of Using Elitist Genetic Algorithm in Mutation Testing

Manual test case generation is an exhaustive and time-consuming process. However, automated test data generation may reduce the efforts and assist in creating an adequate test suite embracing predefined goals. The quality of a test suite depends on its fault-finding behavior. Mutants have been widely accepted for simulating the artificial faults that behave similarly to realistic ones for test data generation. In prior studies, the use of search-based techniques has been extensively reported to enhance the quality of test suites. Symmetry, however, can have a detrimental impact on the dynamics of a search-based algorithm, whose performance strongly depends on breaking the “symmetry” of search space by the evolving population. This study implements an elitist Genetic Algorithm (GA) with an improved fitness function to expose maximum faults while also minimizing the cost of testing by generating less complex and asymmetric test cases. It uses the selective mutation strategy to create low-cost artificial faults that result in a lesser number of redundant and equivalent mutants. For evolution, reproduction operator selection is repeatedly guided by the traces of test execution and mutant detection that decides whether to diversify or intensify the previous population of test cases. An iterative elimination of redundant test cases further minimizes the size of the test suite. This study uses 14 Java programs of significant sizes to validate the efficacy of the proposed approach in comparison to Initial Random tests and a widely used evolutionary framework in academia, namely Evosuite. Empirically, our approach is found to be more stable with significant improvement in the test case efficiency of the optimized test suite.
Methods for Sample Collection, Storage, and Analysis of Freshwater Phosphorus

Although phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for biological productivity, it can cause freshwater degradation when present at fairly low concentrations. Monitoring studies using continuous sampling is crucial for documenting P dynamics in freshwater ecosystems and to reduce the risk of eutrophication. Despite literature updates of developments of the analytical methods for measurement of P species in natural waters, there has been no comprehensive review addressing freshwater sample collection, sample preparation, and sample treatment to fractionate and characterize different forms of P. Therefore, this paper aims to elaborate the different techniques for freshwater sampling and to introduce alternative laboratory methods for sample preservation and P fractionation. The advantages and disadvantages of various sampling techniques, including the traditional manual and the recently developed automatic and passive methods, are presented to highlight the importance of collecting representative freshwater samples. Furthermore, we provide suggestions for sample pretreatment, including filtration, transportation, and storage steps to minimize microbial activity and to maximize the accuracy of measurement of various P fractions. Finally, the most common laboratory methods to measure dissolved and particulate as well as the organic and inorganic freshwater P fractions are efficiently provided. Using this guide, a comprehensive monitoring program of P dynamics in freshwater ecosystems can be developed and applied to improve water quality, particularly of P-rich freshwaters.
Mechanisms, Upscaling, and Prediction of Anomalous Dispersion in Heterogeneous Porous Media

We study the upscaling and prediction of large‐scale solute dispersion in heterogeneous porous media with focus on preasymptotic or anomalous features such as tailing in breakthrough curves and spatial concentration profiles as well as nonlinear evolution of the spatial variance of the concentration distribution. Spatial heterogeneity in the hydraulic medium properties is represented in a stochastic modeling approach. Direct numerical Monte Carlo simulations of flow and advective particle motion combined with a Markov model for streamwise particle velocities give insight in the mechanisms of preasymptotic and asymptotic solute transport in terms of the statistical signatures of the medium and flow heterogeneity. Based on the representation of equidistantly sampled particle velocities as a Markov process, we derive an upscaled continuous time random walk approach that can be conditioned on the flow velocities and thus hydraulic conductivity in the injection region. In this modeling framework, we identify the Eulerian velocity distribution, advective tortuosity, and the correlation length of particle velocities as the key quantities for large‐scale transport prediction. Thus, the upscaled model predicts the spatial concentration profiles, their first and second centered moments, and the breakthrough curves obtained from direct numerical Monte Carlo simulations in spatially heterogeneous conductivity fields. The presented approach allows to relate the medium and flow properties to large‐scale preasymptotic and asymptotic solute dispersion.
34Improving the security of visual challenges

This article proposes new tools to detect the tampering of video feeds from surveillance cameras. Our proposal illustrates the unique cyber-physical properties that sensor devices can leverage for their cyber-security. While traditional attestation algorithms exchange digital challenges between devices authenticating each other, our work instead proposes challenges that manifest physically in the field of view of the camera (e