Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Statistical Segmentation and Registration of Medical Ultrasound Data

The interpretation of ultrasonic imagery is typically not straightforward and of quite subjective nature and therefore strongly dependent on the expertise of its users. Thus the development of algorithms which aid in the interpretation of ultrasonic data is a highly relevant topic. This thesis examines aspects of segmentation and registration of ultrasonic data, utilizing the fact that the ultrasound signal can be modeled statistically. The object of segmentation is the endocardium in the left-ventricular long-axis view of the human heart in clinical B-mode ultrasound (US) image sequences, while similarity measures for feature descriptors and registration are applied to the envelope-detected radio frequency US data of the human neck and brain. Locally and globally optimal variational active contour methods and a Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling method are applied to the segmentation problem, utilizing prior formulations for shape and regularization. A feature descriptor is proposed which combines global data statistics, by a maximum-likelihood-estimated distribution, with local pattern characteristics, employing Markov Random Field interaction parameters. For registration we propose two approaches. Firstly, a hybrid procedure incorporating global statistics, by Hellinger distance between distribution in images, and local textural features by a statistics-based extension of Fuzzy Local Binary Patterns. Secondly, we explore the registration of 3D freehand US data, where view dependency of ultrasound is addressed by modeling speckle statistics, using a finite mixture model. The proposed methods for segmentation, feature description and registration are evaluated through experiments and/or comparative experiments to state-of-the-art models.
Clinical and Patient-Reported Functional Outcome of Semitendinosus Autograft Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With FiberTape® InternalBrace™ All-Inside Technique: A Prospective Study

Aim: The purpose of this study is to report the early one-year clinical and patient-reported functional outcomes of semitendinosus autograft anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with the FiberTape® InternalBrace™ all-inside technique. Materials and methods: The patient-reported functional outcomes and clinical outcomes were analyzed prospectively following the treatment of 324 unilateral ACL rupture cases with the FiberTape® InternalBrace™ Technique. Patient-reported outcome measures (KOOS scores, WOMAC scores, VAS score, and IKDC score) and clinical examinations like pre-operative and post-operative pivot shift, Lachman test, and range of motion (ROM) were conducted. These tests and examinations were recorded for each patient before surgery and at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Secondary outcomes like re-rupture, infection, synovitis, or limited range of motion were noted. The mean follow-up period was 18±4.5 months (range: 12-24 months). Results: Out of a total of 324 cases, 37 cases (11.4%) could not be followed up. 158 patients (55.1%) were male and 129 were female (44.9%). Preoperative mean KOOS pain value, KOOS symptoms, KOOS ADLs, KOOS sport and recreation, and KOOS quality of life were 77.05, 78.69, 84, 21, 89.7, and 57, respectively. All KOOS subsections increased significantly at one-year to 98.37, 99.09, 98.95, 99.02, and 99.30 (p<0.0001), respectively. Mean preoperative WOMAC pain, WOMAC stiffness, and WOMAC function were 76.4, 65.2, and 74.1 and increased significantly at one-year to 94.5, 89.6, and 98.2 (p<0.0001), respectively. There was a significant decrease in VAS for pain from 2.93 before surgery to 0.12 (p<0.0001) at one year. The IKDC score significantly changed from a pre-treatment value of 50.9 to 96.2 (94.5-97.8) at a follow-up of one year. The Lysholm score at 12-months was significant at 95 (93.1-96.9), p<0.05. Post-operative Lachman test values decreased significantly, which meant decreased laxity, from 1.98 (1.89-2.07) pre-operative to 1.60 (1.57-1.62) p<0.05 at one-year post-operative. At one-year follow-up, 276 patients (96%) had fully recovered. Conclusion: It was concluded that the FiberTape® InternalBrace™ technique for ACL reconstruction provides orthopedic surgeons with an effective alternative technique to conventional methods of surgery and also reduces the overall time to recovery for patients, thereby allowing them to return to sports faster. Level of evidence: Level 4
Multi trait genotype- ideotype distance index - A tool for identification of elite parental inbreds for developing heterotic hybrids of fodder maize (Zea mays L.)

Forage maize breeders face a significant challenge in identifying genetic make-up that are superior for green fodder yield. Because it is influenced by polygenic trait. Therefore, understanding the relationship between biomass yield and other contributing characters would be very useful in selecting better genotype for improving green fodder yield. Forty one fodder maize inbred lines were evaluated in a randomized complete block design during June –September, 2021 to design selection index through various genetic and multivariate analyses to identify elite fodder maize inbreds for hybridization. The genotypes were evaluated for fourteen biometrical and four fodder quality traits. The association analysis revealed that plant height, leaf length, leaf breadth, number of nodes, stem girth, L/S ratio had highly significant contribution towards green fodder yield. The D 2 analysis indicated that green fodder yield has contributed about 55.60 per cent to the total variation followed by dry matter yield for about 17.92%. The Multivariate Genotype-Ideotype Distance Index analysis identified six superior inbreds namely GETM 25, UMI 1210, UMI 1221, African Tall, GETM 69 and TNFM 139-1.
Influence of Simulated State of Disc Degeneration and Axial Stiffness of Coupler in a Hybrid Performance Stabilisation System on the Biomechanics of a Spine Segment Model

Spinal fusion surgery leads to the restriction of mobility in the vertebral segments postoperatively, thereby causing stress to rise at the adjacent levels, resulting in early degeneration and a high risk of adjacent vertebral fractures. Thus, to address this issue, non-fusion surgery applies some pedicle screw-based dynamic stabilisation systems to provide stability and micromotion, thereby reducing stress in the fusion segments. Among these systems, the hybrid performance stabilisation system (HPSS) combines a rigid rod, transfer screw, and coupler design to offer a semi-rigid fixation method that preserves some mobility near the fusion site and reduces the adjacent segment compensatory effects. However, further research and confirmation are needed regarding the biomechanical effects of the dynamic coupler stiffness of the HPSS on the intrinsic degenerated adjacent segment. Therefore, this study utilised the finite element method to investigate the impact of the coupler stiffness of the HPSS on the mobility of the lumbar vertebral segments and the stress distribution in the intervertebral discs under flexion, extension, and lateral bending, as well as the clinical applicability of the HPSS on the discs with intrinsic moderate and severe degeneration at the adjacent level. The analytical results indicated that, regardless of the degree of disc degeneration, the use of a dynamic coupler stiffness of 57 N/mm in the HPSS may reduce the stress concentrations at the adjacent levels. However, for severely degenerated discs, the postoperative stress on the adjacent segments with the HPSS was still higher compared with that of the discs with moderate degeneration. We conclude that, when the discs had moderate degeneration, increasing the coupler stiffness led to a decrease in disc mobility. In the case of severe disc degeneration, the effect on disc mobility by coupler stiffness was less pronounced. Increasing the coupler stiffness ked to higher stress on intervertebral discs with moderate degeneration, while its effect on stress was less pronounced for discs with severe degeneration. It is recommended that patients with severe degeneration who undergo spinal dynamic stabilisation should remain mindful of the risk of accelerated adjacent segment degeneration.
Bilateral Vocal Nodules Multidimensional Assessment: Pre- and Post- Speech Language Pathology Intervention

(1) Background: Vocal fold nodules are bilateral lesions that can have an important negative impact on a person’s job performance, social interaction, and quality of life. This study aims to analyze multidimensional voice evaluation outcomes in a group of patients with bilateral vocal fold nodules who underwent voice therapy. (2) Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed in 42 patients on the following voice evaluations, before and after voice therapy: visual-perceptual (video-laryngostroboscopic evaluation), auditory-perceptual voice analysis based on the GRBAS scale, and aerodynamic voice analysis. Data were collected from January 2001 to December 2019. Data analyses were performed with non-parametric tests (Wilcoxon test) using α = 0.05. (3) Results: The patient average age was 33.6. 1 ± 10 years (range 19–60), and 95.2% were female. Voice therapy was delivered by an experienced speech-language pathologist once a week, with an average of 9.8 ± 3 appointments (range 8–17). Vocal fold lesions disappeared in 40.4% of the patients after voice therapy, especially in participants receiving early voice therapy (p = 0.035). When comparing pre- and post-therapy audio-perceptual results, all parameters were improved with statistical significance (p < 0.05) except for the asthenic voice scale. Aerodynamic parameters were all improved but without statistical significance (p > 0.05); (4) Conclusions: Early timing to initiate voice therapy after the onset of symptoms or diagnosis seems to be an important factor for the success of voice therapy (absence of vocal fold nodules).
The Germinal Origin of Salivary and Lacrimal Glands and the Contributions of Neural Crest Cell-Derived Epithelium to Tissue Regeneration

The vertebrate body comprises four distinct cell populations: cells derived from (1) ectoderm, (2) mesoderm, (3) endoderm, and (4) neural crest cells, often referred to as the fourth germ layer. Neural crest cells arise when the neural plate edges fuse to form a neural tube, which eventually develops into the brain and spinal cord. To date, the embryonic origin of exocrine glands located in the head and neck remains under debate. In this study, transgenic TRiCK mice were used to investigate the germinal origin of the salivary and lacrimal glands. TRiCK mice express fluorescent proteins under the regulatory control of Sox1, T/Brachyury, and Sox17 gene expressions. These genes are representative marker genes for neuroectoderm (Sox1), mesoderm (T), and endoderm (Sox17). Using this approach, the cellular lineages of the salivary and lacrimal glands were examined. We demonstrate that the salivary and lacrimal glands contain cells derived from all three germ layers. Notably, a subset of Sox1-driven fluorescent cells differentiated into epithelial cells, implying their neural crest origin. Also, these Sox1-driven fluorescent cells expressed high levels of stem cell markers. These cells were particularly pronounced in duct ligation and wound damage models, suggesting the involvement of neural crest-derived epithelial cells in regenerative processes following tissue injury. This study provides compelling evidence clarifying the germinal origin of exocrine glands and the contribution of neural crest-derived cells within the glandular epithelium to the regenerative response following tissue damage.
Classroom Disruptiveness and Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Disparities in Office Discipline Referrals

ABSTRACT Prior research has shown that Black and Hispanic students are more likely to experience office discipline referrals than White youth, and the magnitude of these inequalities has been found to vary by gender. However, it remains unclear whether racial/ethnic and gender disparities in office referrals might be amplified among students in more disruptive classroom environments. Analyses of data from the 2012–2021 8th/10th grade cohorts of the Monitoring the Future survey (N = 70,442) reveal that, among male youth, Black- and Hispanic-White differences in office referrals are substantially weaker for students who describe their classrooms as more disruptive. In contrast, the heightened risk of an office referral for minority female students relative to White females increases in correspondence with higher levels of classroom disruptiveness.
The Impact of English Educational Tourism on the Growth of Local Economy: A Systematic Literature Review

This systematic literature review (SRL) examines the impact of English educational tourism (EET) on the growth of local Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Through a comprehensive search of academic databases and systematic assessment of study quality, a total of 49 studies were selected for inclusion. The studies varied in design, location, and intervention, but all focused on the relationship between English educational tourism and the growth of local SMEs. This SLR focuses on the typology of SMEs in EET, its impact on rural economy and local community empowerment, and SMEs’ challenges in growing their businesses. The findings suggest that English educational tourism can have a positive impact on local SMEs and rural communities, including increased revenue, community empowerment, cultural preservation, and poverty reduction. However, it is crucial to ensure that the benefits of EET are distributed fairly and that local communities are actively involved in the decision-making process to maximize positive impacts and mitigate potential negative impacts. Overall, the results suggest that English educational tourism can be a promising strategy for promoting the growth of local economy, but more research is needed to fully understand the conditions under which this impact is most effective.
Liquid Shear Exfoliation of MoS2: Preparation, Characterization, and NO2-Sensing Properties

2D materials possess great potential to serve as gas-sensing materials due to their large, specific surface areas and strong surface activities. Among this family, transition metal chalcogenide materials exhibit different properties and are promising candidates for a wide range of applications, including sensors, photodetectors, energy conversion, and energy storage. Herein, a high-shear mixing method has been used to produce multilayered MoS2 nanosheet dispersions. MoS2 thin films were manufactured by vacuum-assisted filtration. The structural morphology of MoS2 was studied using ς-potential, UV–visible, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy (RS). The spectroscopic and microscopic analyses confirm the formation of a high-crystalline MoS2 thin film with good inter-sheet connectivity and relative thickness uniformity. The thickness of the MoS2 layer is measured to be approximately 250 nm, with a nanosheet size of 120 nm ± 40 nm and a number of layers between 6 and 9 layers. Moreover, the electrical characteristics clearly showed that the MoS2 thin film exhibits good conductivity and a linear I–V curve response, indicating good ohmic contact between the MoS2 film and the electrodes. As an example of applicability, we fabricated chemiresistive sensor devices with a MoS2 film as a sensing layer. The performance of the MoS2-chemiresistive sensor for NO2 was assessed by being exposed to different concentrations of NO2 (1 ppm to 10 ppm). This sensor shows a sensibility to low concentrations of 1 ppm, with a response time of 114 s and a recovery time of 420 s. The effect of thin-film thickness and operating temperatures on sensor response was studied. The results show that thinner film exhibits a higher response to NO2; the response decreases as the working temperature increases.
Forecasting New Tuberculosis Cases in Malaysia: A Time-Series Study Using the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) Model

Background The application of the Box-Jenkins autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model has been widely employed in predicting cases of infectious diseases. It has shown a positive impact on public health early warning surveillance due to its capability in producing reliable forecasting values. This study aimed to develop a prediction model for new tuberculosis (TB) cases using time-series data from January 2013 to December 2018 in Malaysia and to forecast monthly new TB cases for 2019. Materials and methods The ARIMA model was executed using data gathered between January 2013 and December 2018 in Malaysia. Subsequently, the well-fitted model was employed to make projections for new TB cases in the year 2019. To assess the efficacy of the model, two key metrics were utilized: the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and stationary R-squared. Furthermore, the sufficiency of the model was validated via the Ljung-Box test. Results The results of this study revealed that the ARIMA (2,1,1)(0,1,0)12 model proved to be the most suitable choice, exhibiting the lowest MAPE value of 6.762. The new TB cases showed a clear seasonality with two peaks occurring in March and December. The proportion of variance explained by the model was 55.8% with a p-value (Ljung-Box test) of 0.356. Conclusions The application of the ARIMA model has developed a simple, precise, and low-cost forecasting model that provides a warning six months in advance for monitoring the TB epidemic in Malaysia, which exhibits a seasonal pattern.
Stochastic comparison bounds for an M1, M2/G1, G2/1 retrial queue with two way communication

The main goal in the present paper is to provide a technique that considers the stochastic comparison approach for investigating monotonicity and comparability of an $M_{1},M_{2}/G_{1},G_{2}/1$ retrial queues with two way communication. This approach is developed for comparing a non Markov process to Markov process with many possible stochastic orderings. Particularly, we show the monotonicity of the transition operator of the embedded Markov chain relative to the strong stochastic ordering and convex ordering, as well as the comparability of two transition operators. Bounds are also obtained for the stationary distribution of the number of customers at departure epochs. Additionally, the performance measures of the system considered can be estimated by those of an $M_1,M_2/M_1,M_2/1$ retrial queue with two way communication when the service time distribution is NBUE (respectively NWUE). Finally, we validate stochastic comparison results by presenting a numerical example illustrating the interest of the approach.
Effects of the ECB's Communication on Government Bond Spreads

This paper investigates the financial market effects of the ECB’s communication on the Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme (PEPP). Using data for 10 euro area countries, we first analyse the impact of different communication channels such as press releases, ECB blog contributions, speeches and inter-views on changes in government bond spreads. Second, we assess whether spreads react differently to communication by specific ECB Executive Board members. Markets turn out to be sensitive to both the communication channel and the communicating ECB Executive Board member.
The Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Polish Version of the Expanded Nursing Stress Scale Tool

Background. Nursing is considered one of the most stressful occupational groups. Work-related stress is a major health risk for workers worldwide. Therefore, it is critical to continually monitor nurses’ stress levels based on important aspects of nurses’ work identified as stressors. Methods. A total of 331 nurses participated. The cross-cultural adaptation of the instrument was carried out based on six of the seven steps proposed: forward translation of ENSS, comparison of the two translated versions, blind back translation, comparison of the two back-translated versions of ENSS, pilot testing of the prefinal version of ENSS, and full-psychometric testing of the prefinal version of the translated instrument. The reliability of the scales was estimated using Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega internal consistency coefficients. Results. The results indicate that each of the distinguished subscales is unique, but at the same time, they are all related to each other as different dimensions of stress. Conclusions. The Polish version of the ENSS tool is a valid and reliable tool for assessing the level of stress experienced by nurses.
Public external debt and economic growth in Tunisia

The relationship between public external debt and the economic growth of a country is still a subject of significant interest and controversy for researchers. This article focuses on the issue of the effect of the management of the external debt of developing countries on macroeconomic aggregates. The objective is to conduct an in-depth study of the issue of foreign debt carried out by Tunisia and to know its effects on the economy, notably economic growth in long-term. Using a simple methodological approach, VAR techniques were used to reach the aim of the study over the period 2000-2019.
Research Status of and Prospects for 3D Printing for Continuous Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites

Continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites (CFRTPCs) have advantages such as high specific strength, high specific modulus, corrosion resistance, and recyclability and are widely used in the fields of aerospace, rail transit, new energy, and so on. However, traditional methods for preparing CFRTPCs, such as placement and molding, rely more on forming molds, resulting in high manufacturing costs and a slow response speed, which limits the promotion and application of the new generation of CFRTPCs with complex configurations and designable performance. Three-dimensional printing can efficiently create products with multiple materials, complex structures, and integrated functions, introducing new ways and opportunities for the manufacturing of CFRTPCs. However, poor mechanical properties are the bottleneck problem in achieving 3D printing of CFRTPCs. This paper summarizes the research status of the fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing process and the corresponding mechanical properties of CFRTPCs. The focus is on analyzing the influences of the FDM process parameters, such as the material type, printing temperature, speed parameters, layer thickness, scanning space, stacking direction, and fiber volume content, on the mechanical properties of CFRTPCs. Finally, the main problems and future prospects of current CFRTPCs-FDM are analyzed and forecasted, providing new references and ideas for 3D printing of high-performance CFRTPCs.