Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Curvature measurement with photonic crystal fiber based Mach-Zehnder interferometer

A PCF-based MZI with regular and high-contrast fringe pattern is fabricated by splicing a section of PCF in between two SMFs with a commercial available fusion splicer. Its resonant wavelength is sensitive to external bending with a sensitivity of 3.046nm/m but independent on temperature. To that end, we also propose another kind of bending sensor with higher sensitivity of 5.129nm/m. This device is constructed by combining an LPG and an MZI with zero offset at the second splice. It is anticipated that the high sensitive structures will find applications in robot arms and artificial limbs.
Pain, fear of falling and stair climbing ability in patients with knee osteoarthritis before and after knee replacement: 6 month follow-up study.

OBJECTIVES (1) to evaluate the change in time of pain, stair climbing ability and fear of falling (FOF), (2) to determine the association between pain, stair climbing ability and FOF for patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) following the knee replacement over the course of six months, (3) and to compare the results with healthy controls in terms of stair climbing ability and FOF. METHODS Fifteen female healthy controls and 21 female consecutive subjects who were scheduled to undergo primary bilateral knee replacement for the treatment of knee OA were involved. Pain, stair climbing ability and FOF were assessed with a numerical pain rating scale, Going up and Down Scale (GUDS) and Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK) at pre-surgery and discharge. After discharge, patients were asked to answer the outcome measures at 2, 4, 8, 12 and 26 week by phone. RESULTS Patients had significantly improvement in the postoperative 26-week scores of pain (p< 0.001), stair ability (p< 0.001), and FOF (p=0.006) compared with the preoperative scores. There was also decreased pain at 4.week, improved stair ability at 8.week, and delayed improvement at FOF in patients. While patients had significantly worse stair ability than controls preoperatively (p< 0.001), the difference was not significant at postoperative 26-week (p=0.561). A positive significant correlation was found between the stair ability, FOF and pain scores (p< 0.001). CONCLUSION It would be reasonable to consider that FOF control is potentially useful for preventing severe functional limitation in stair climbing for subsequent knee OA before and early after the surgery.
The Effect of Unfocused Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy on Bone Defect Healing in Diabetics

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the unfocused extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on healing of mandible ramus defects in diabetic rats. Material and method: Forty male Wistar albino rats were used in the experiment. All animals were randomly divided into 2 main groups, nondiabetic and diabetic. Critical-sized defects were created on ramus in all rats. ESWT was performed to half of rats in each group at 3 sessions after surgery. Animals were euthanized at either fourth or eighth week. Stereological and radiologic examination was performed. Data were statistically analyzed by one-way variance analysis and Tukey post-hoc test. Results: Hounsfield Unit values were higher in D−E+ group than D−E− group in both 8-week and 4-week groups (P > 0.05). In both 4-week and 8-week diabetic groups, higher value was observed when compared with nondiabetic groups (P > 0.05). According to stereological results, in 4-week groups, there was a higher new bone, connective tissue, and neovascularization volume in D−E− group than D−E+ group and in D+E− group than D+E+ group. These results are similar for the 8-week groups except NV volume. Conclusion: It was found that ESWT application has no positive effect on the healing of critical-sized bone defects in nondiabetics whereas promising effects in diabetics were observed.
Acidophilic Microorganisms from Geothermal Copahue Volcano System. Assessment of Biotechnological Applications

This work presents an overview of the physicochemical and biological studies carried out along Rio Agrio and in different hot springs belonging to the geothermal Copahue volcano system, in Neuquén Argentina. This is an extreme environment characterized by wide ranges of temperature, pH (<1 to 8) and heavy metals concentration. In these extreme conditions chemolitho-autotrophic bacteria, archaea, heterotrophic bacteria, yeasts and filamentous fungi were detected. Members of Leptospirillum ferrooxidans, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and Acidianus spp. , among others, were successfully cultivated and physiological properties of different isolates were determined. Additionally, bioleaching and biooxidation of regional ores were carried out using mixed native cultures.
Secure cloud storage meets with secure network coding

This paper investigates the intrinsic relationship between secure cloud storage and secure network coding for the first time. Secure cloud storage was proposed only recently while secure network coding has been studied for more than ten years. We show in general how to construct a secure cloud storage protocol given any secure network coding protocol. Our construction suggests a systematic way to construct various secure cloud storage protocols. We also show that it is secure under a definition which captures the real world uses of the cloud storage. From our general construction, we propose a secure cloud storage protocol based on a recent secure network coding protocol. The protocol is the first publicly verifiable secure cloud storage protocol in the standard model, while the previous work is either not publicly verifiable, or security argument is only argued heuristically in the random oracle model. We also enhance the proposed protocol to support third-party public auditing, which has received considerable attention recently. Finally, we prototype the proposed protocol and evaluate its performance. Experimental results validate the effectiveness of the protocol.
Recent progress in understanding and manipulating haemoglobin switching for the haemoglobinopathies

The major β‐haemoglobinopathies, sickle cell disease and β‐thalassaemia, represent the most common monogenic disorders worldwide and a steadily increasing global disease burden. Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the only curative therapy, is only applied to a small minority of patients. Common clinical management strategies act mainly downstream of the root causes of disease. The observation that elevated fetal haemoglobin expression ameliorates these disorders has motivated longstanding investigations into the mechanisms of haemoglobin switching. Landmark studies over the last decade have led to the identification of two potent transcriptional repressors of γ‐globin, BCL11A and ZBTB7A. These regulators act with additional trans‐acting epigenetic repressive complexes, lineage‐defining factors and developmental programs to silence fetal haemoglobin by working on cis‐acting sequences at the globin gene loci. Rapidly advancing genetic technology is enabling researchers to probe deeply the interplay between the molecular players required for γ‐globin (HBG1/HBG2) silencing. Gene therapies may enable permanent cures with autologous modified haematopoietic stem cells that generate persistent fetal haemoglobin expression. Ultimately rational small molecule pharmacotherapies to reactivate HbF could extend benefits widely to patients.
Consistent condom use among men with non-marital partners in four sub-Saharan African countries

Abstract Data from the Demographic and Health Surveys for Namibia, Swaziland, and Zambia and the AIDS Indicator Survey from Tanzania were used to examine the influence of marital status and number of partners on consistent condom use among men with casual sexual partnerships in four generalized HIV epidemic settings. We restrict the sample to the 26% (Zambia), 29% (Tanzania), 35% (Swaziland), and 42% (Namibia) of men, who, in the last 12 months before the survey, had any non-marital/non-cohabiting (i.e., casual) sexual partners. We use “condom always used with any partner in the last 12 months” as a dichotomous-dependent measure of consistent condom use. Analyses were stratified by country. Of men with casual partners, 41% (Zambia) to 70% (Namibia) used a condom every time with at least one partner. The majority of men were unmarried/non-cohabiting with one casual partner in the last year. In Swaziland and Zambia, multivariate results suggest that unmarried/non-cohabiting men with one casual partner had significantly lower odds than married/cohabiting men with casual partners to use condoms consistently (odds ratio [OR]=0.56, p=0.01 and OR=0.41, p<0.001, respectively.). In Namibia, unmarried/non-cohabiting men with two or more casual partners had significantly greater odds than married/cohabiting men with casual partners to use condoms consistently (OR=2.80, p<0.01). With some exceptions by country, higher education, religious group, wealth, having no children, knowing HIV results, having an STI, having one lifetime partner, and positive condom knowledge and beliefs also were significantly associated with using a condom every time with any partner. We conclude that consistent condom use remains an elusive goal even among men with casual sexual relationships. Condom use messages should be refined and targeted to men based on their number and types of relationships and combined with other messages to decrease concurrent relationships.
Anomalous Origin of Left Circumflex Artery

Introduction: The coronary anatomic variation of the left circumflex artery (LCx) is considered as the most common anatomic variation with a separate ostium from the right sinus, and very unusual variation as a proximal branch of right coronary artery (RCA). Case report: We report two cases, the first case is a 64-year-old man with chest pain and with history of hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia and current smoker, and the second case is a 67-year-old who presented to the emergency department with chest pain and with a past medical history of arterial hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus. In the coronarography of the first case is detected an ectopic left circumflex coronary artery from the right coronary sinus with stenotic changes in RCA and LCx. The second case in the coronary angiography revealed an ectopic left circumflex coronary artery from the proximal part of the right coronary artery with stenotic changes in LAD, RCA and LCx. Based on guidelines for revascularization our patients successfully underwent treatment procedures. We present two cases that because of the atherosclerotic coronary artery disease leads to the need of coronarography find out the presence of coronary artery anomalies. Conclusion: During the coronarography we should think about coronary artery anomaly or missing artery knowing that type of these anomalies, considering that may be a contributing factor in the development of the atherosclerosis determines the method of the treatment.
Identification of pharmacogenomic markers of clinical efficacy in a dose-dense therapy regimen (R-CHOP14) in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Abstract About 60% of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) may be cured by primary chemotherapy with an R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) regimen. Most of the rest will die of the disease, mainly due to the occurrence of tumor drug resistance. Many efforts have been made to explain the molecular mechanisms of drug resistance in patients with cancer, including those with DLBCL. This exploratory study was designed to correlate the mRNA expression levels of candidate genes mainly involved in the doxorubicin pathway (ABCB1, GSTP1, TOPO2α, BCL2, PKCβII) with the outcome of 54 patients with DLBCL undergoing a dose-dense R-CHOP regimen. After multivariate analysis, high GSTP1 (p = 0.003) and TOPO2α (p = 0.02) gene expressions were associated with shorter overall survival and progression-free survival, respectively, suggesting that these genes may represent an unfavorable prognostic factor in the case of R-CHOP treatment. These biomarkers may be useful for selecting patients eligible for personalized chemotherapy after validation in an independent set.
Age groups related glioblastoma study based on radiomics approach

Abstract Glioblastoma is the most aggressive malignant brain tumor with poor prognosis. Radiomics is a newly emerging and promising technique to reveal the complex relationships between high-throughput medical image features and deep information of disease including pathology, biomarkers and genomics. An approach was developed to investigate the internal relationship between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features and the age-related origins of glioblastomas based on a quantitative radiomics method. A fully automatic image segmentation method was applied to segment the tumor regions from three dimensional MRI images. 555 features were then extracted from the image data. By analyzing large numbers of quantitative image features, some predictive and prognostic information could be obtained by the radiomics approach. 96 patients diagnosed with glioblastoma pathologically have been divided into two age groups (<45 and ≥45 years old). As expected, there are 101 features showing the consistency with the age groups (T test, p < .05), and unsupervised clustering results of those features also show coherence with the age difference (T test, p= .006). In conclusion, glioblastoma in different age groups present different radiomics-feature patterns with statistical significance, which indicates that glioblastoma in different age groups should have different pathologic, protein, or genic origins.
The electromyographic and cephalometric analyses after maxillary expansion

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the masseter and temporalis muscles and the skeletal and dental behavior of children having slow maxillary expansion with a quadhelix appliance. The study sample consisted of 30 children (mean age = 7 years 4 months; 17 girls/13 boys) diagnosed with a unilateral posterior crossbite. Lateral cephalometric tracing and EMG analyses were carried out before orthodontic treatment (T1) and 1 month after removal of the appliance (T2). The EMG activity of the masseter and temporalis muscles was analyzed in two clinical situations: at muscular rest and during habitual chewing. Differences in the measurements were evaluated by using paired t tests. Maxillary expansion with the quadhelix appliance did not promote significant anteroposterior and vertical skeletal alterations. Among the cephalometric variables related to dental pattern, only 1-ANS-PNS values presented a significant increase at T2. At muscular rest, EMG analysis indicated a significant increase in the activity of the temporalis muscle. During habitual chewing, EMG activity decreased significantly for both evaluated muscles after removal of the quadhelix appliance. These alterations suggest an adaptation and reprogramming of the musculature to the new occlusal condition.
Adaptive consensus control of coopetition networks with high-order agent dynamics

In this paper, we consider consensus control of high-order multi-agent systems with antagonistic interactions and unknown disturbances. The interaction topology associated with the multi-agent system is described by a coopetition network. Linearly parameterized approaches are used to model the unknown disturbances. Some novel transformations are presented to design the distributed adaptive controllers, which guarantees that a bipartite consensus can be achieved for all the agents. At the same time, convergence of the bipartite consensus error is analyzed with the help of signed graph theory and the Barbalat's Lemma. Some simulation results are also provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed adaptive control strategy.
The Interaction between Micrometer-size Particles and Flat Substrates: A Quantitative Study of Jump-to-Contact

Abstract The interaction force acting on an individual micrometer-size polystyrene particle near a flat, electrically conducting substrate has been measured by attaching the particle to an atomic force microscope cantilever. From the spatial dependence of the interaction force, the equations of motion governing a particle near the substrate can be determined. These considerations allow a prediction of the jump-to-contact distance of the particle as it approaches the substrate. This distance is measured as a function of particle radius and compared with predictions based on the relevant interaction force models.
Physical metallurgy of high strength low alloy strip steel production using compact strip processing

Abstract The physical metallurgy of high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel production by compact strip processing or direct slab casting is reviewed. Specimens were extracted from 50 mm thickness cast Nb + Ti(+ V)HSLA slabs and quenched to room temperature, before and after the slab was heat treated in a tunnel furnace at 1150°C. These specimens were analysed to track changes in composition and microstructure during processing, in particular the formation of complex (Nb,Ti)(C,N) precipitates during solidification and subsequent heat treatment. It is shown that partial dissolution of the precipitates takes place during thermal equilibration, increasing the solute content of niobium and titanium before hot rolling. Tailoring of the industrial thermomechanical processing route, to improve the Charpy toughness and hardness of thin slab cast niobium HSLA linepipe and other grades, is also described.
Colorectal Cancer Incidence Trend and Projections in Tunisia (1994 - 2024)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe trends of colorectal cancer incidence during the period 1994-2009 and to generate projections until 2024. Methods: The North-Tunisia Cancer Registry (NTCR) was the source of data for patients with CRC. This registry lists, since 1994, cases of malignant tumors in people living in North Tunisia, including the District of Tunis, the north east and the north west. Cases were classified using the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology. Data were analyzed using R software and Joinpoint one was employed to analyse trends. Projections were performed using the Age Period Cohort based on poisson regression. Results: During the period 1994 to 2009, 6,909 new cases of CRC were registered in Northern Tunisia. The age standardized incidence rate (ASR) increased significantly from 6.4/100,000 in 1994 to 12.4/100,000 in 2009. Trends in CRC incidence was significantly rising with an annual percentage change (APC) of + 3,9% [2.8% -5.1%]. Without effective interventions, the predicted CRC ASR would be 39.3/100,000 [CI 95%: 32,9/100,000 - 48,8/100,000] in 2024. Conclusion: The incidence of colorectal cancer is clearly increasing in Tunisia. Strengthening of screening and primary prevention measures is to be recommended.
Modelling of concrete performance : hydration, microstructure formation, and mass transport

Preface. Abstract. Introduction. Preface. Abstract. Introduction. Rationalization and quantification methods of concrete durability. Micro sturcture fromation and hydration phenomenon. Moisture transport in cementitious materials. Concrete - A multi component composite porous media. A simulation model of early age development in concrete: DuCOM. Multi-component model for hydration heat of Portland Cement. Conclusions and future development. Index.
On the value of weak ties for modeling interventions in online health communities

Online pro-health social networks have grown in the past decade. This position paper argues for the need of prescriptive research that would enable models of online interventions capable of assessing the effects imposed on social networks from the outside, e.g., by a strategic decision-maker (supervisor) possessing the full knowledge of the network dynamics. The paper explains the importance of explicit modeling of weak, acquaintance-type ties for this purpose.
Prevalence and Factors Associated With Sarcopenia in Suburb-dwelling Older Chinese Using the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia Definition.

BACKGROUND Sarcopenia is a common condition in older people. The aim of the present study was to examine the prevalence and factors associated with sarcopenia in an elderly Chinese suburb-dwelling population. METHODS This study was conducted on 1,069 Chinese suburb-dwelling participants aged ≥60 years to evaluate sarcopenia using the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia criteria. Sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics, as well as medical conditions, were considered independent variables to determine factors associated with sarcopenia using a logistic regression model. RESULTS The prevalence of sarcopenia was 6.4% in men and 11.5% in women. Age was a significant factor in both sexes. In addition, presence of sarcopenia was inversely associated with BMI for both sexes. The odds ration and 95% confidence interval for factors statistically significantly associated with sarcopenia were 5.04 (1.70-14.89) and 2.36 (1.06-5.25) for diabetes in males and females, respectively; 10.60 (1.75-64.24) for daily consumption of alcohol (daily drinkers), 5.58 (2.13-14.59) for peptic ulcer in female (not statistically significant in males). CONCLUSIONS The Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia criterion is useful for defining sarcopenia, and our data suggest that the prevalence of sarcopenia in the general elderly suburb-dwelling Chinese population is high. Moreover, we find that high body mass index is inversely associated with the likelihood of being sarcopenic and that several others factors such as diabetes, peptic ulcer, and drinking habits increase the prevalence of sarcopenia.
Adaptive Optimal Control Using Frequency Selective Information of the System Uncertainty With Application to Unmanned Aircraft

A new efficient adaptive optimal control approach is presented in this paper based on the indirect model reference adaptive control (MRAC) architecture for improvement of adaptation and tracking performance of the uncertain system. The system accounts here for both matched and unmatched unknown uncertainties that can act as plant as well as input effectiveness failures or damages. For adaptation of the unknown parameters of these uncertainties, the frequency selective learning approach is used. Its idea is to compute a filtered expression of the system uncertainty using multiple filters based on online instantaneous information, which is used for augmentation of the update law. It is capable of adjusting a sudden change in system dynamics without depending on high adaptation gains and can satisfy exponential parameter error convergence under certain conditions in the presence of structured matched and unmatched uncertainties as well. Additionally, the controller of the MRAC system is designed using a new optimal control method. This method is a new linear quadratic regulator-based optimal control formulation for both output regulation and command tracking problems. It provides a closed-form control solution. The proposed overall approach is applied in a control of lateral dynamics of an unmanned aircraft problem to show its effectiveness.