Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Simulation‐based surgical education

The reduction in time for training at the workplace has created a challenge for the traditional apprenticeship model of training. Simulation offers the opportunity for repeated practice in a safe and controlled environment, focusing on trainees and tailored to their needs. Recent technological advances have led to the development of various simulators, which have already been introduced in surgical training. The complexity and fidelity of the available simulators vary, therefore depending on our recourses we should select the appropriate simulator for the task or skill we want to teach. Educational theory informs us about the importance of context in professional learning. Simulation should therefore recreate the clinical environment and its complexity. Contemporary approaches to simulation have introduced novel ideas for teaching teamwork, communication skills and professionalism. In order for simulation‐based training to be successful, simulators have to be validated appropriately and integrated in a training curriculum. Within a surgical curriculum, trainees should have protected time for simulation‐based training, under appropriate supervision. Simulation‐based surgical education should allow the appropriate practice of technical skills without ignoring the clinical context and must strike an adequate balance between the simulation environment and simulators.
Unusual association of neurofibromatosis Type 1 and idiopathic syringomyelia—bulbia—pontia

Since the association of syringomyelia and neurofibromatosis is mostly related to intramedullary tumors, syringomyelia in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF‐1) is much rarer than in neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF‐2). In this paper, we present a case of NF‐1 associated with an idiopathic syringomyelia extending from conus medullaris to the upper pons and discuss the relationship between neurofibromatosis and syringomyelia.
Bio‐based production of C2–C6 platform chemicals

Platform chemicals composed of 2–6 carbons derived from fossil resources are used as important precursors for making a variety of chemicals and materials, including solvents, fuels, polymers, pharmaceuticals, perfumes, and foods. Due to concerns regarding our environment and the limited nature of fossil resources, however, increasing interest has focused on the development of sustainable technologies for producing these platform chemicals from renewable resources. The techniques and strategies for developing microbial strains for chemicals production have advanced rapidly, and it is becoming feasible to develop microbes for producing additional types of chemicals, including non‐natural molecules. In this study, we review the current status of the bio‐based production of major C2–C6 platform chemicals, focusing on the microbial production of platform chemicals that have been used for the production of chemical intermediates, building block compounds, and polymers. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2012; 109: 2437–2459. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A biofilm model to understand the onset of sulfate reduction in denitrifying membrane biofilm reactors

This work presents a multispecies biofilm model that describes the co‐existence of nitrate‐ and sulfate‐reducing bacteria in the H2‐based membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR). The new model adapts the framework of a biofilm model for simultaneous nitrate and perchlorate removal by considering the unique metabolic and physiological characteristics of autotrophic sulfate‐reducing bacteria that use H2 as their electron donor. To evaluate the model, the simulated effluent H2, UAP (substrate‐utilization‐associated products), and BAP (biomass‐associated products) concentrations are compared to experimental results, and the simulated biomass distributions are compared to real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) data in the experiments for parameter optimization. Model outputs and experimental results match for all major trends and explain when sulfate reduction does or does not occur in parallel with denitrification. The onset of sulfate reduction occurs only when the nitrate concentration at the fiber's outer surface is low enough so that the growth rate of the denitrifying bacteria is equal to that of the sulfate‐reducing bacteria. An example shows how to use the model to design an MBfR that achieves satisfactory nitrate reduction, but suppresses sulfate reduction. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2013; 110: 763–772. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Multiple obstacle avoidance of four-wheeled vehicle with steering limitation using nondifferentiable control Lyapunov function

Controlling a mobile robot in a space with obstacles is a well-known problem in robotics. The control objective is for the mobile robot to reach a goal point with obstacle avoidance. In this paper, we specially consider the multiple obstacle avoidance problem for particularly a four-wheeled vehicle. Assuming that the shapes and locations of the obstacles are known, we propose a design method of a nondifferentiable navigation function, which guides a vehicle at the desired point. The control law for the four-wheeled vehicle is obtained from the extended function of the navigation function. As four-wheeled vehicles cannot move sideways because of their nonholonomic constraint, the proposed control law addresses this difficulty by considering a decrease in the control Lyapunov function, and can be applied to vehicles with steering limitations. Moreover, the control law makes it possible for the vehicles to achieve an -point turn automatically without the need for any rule-based decision-making or heuristic method. The four-wheeled vehicle can reach the goal point from any initial point under the proposed control law. Our experimental results with a small four-wheeled vehicle are presented at the end of this paper. Graphical Abstract
Nonlinear viscoelastic contact and deformation of freeform virtual surfaces

Abstract This article is concerned with the haptic deformation display of discrete viscoelastic surfaces by means of a human fingertip. The virtual surface of a deformable quadrilateral mesh is interactively deformed by a Kelvin–Voigt soft fingertip model attached to the end-effector of a haptic interface device. In achieving this task, a nonlinear constitutive model approximating experimental data from literature is developed for determining the contact point deformations. By employing a new kernel weighting function, the deformations are distributed dependently on the discrete surface topology based on a nonlinear spring–damper net around the contact location. For illustration and evaluation of the proposed approach, a parallel robotic device with a constraint-based controller is adopted. The grip of the device is moved by the user to feel a sense of touch as the soft fingertip deforms the mesh surface of an ex vivo porcine liver tissue. Experimental data indicates stable realistic interactions thorough mechanical coupling between the soft fingertip and the deforming liver tissue. Dynamic response data of liver show rate-dependent hysteretic deformations and match closely with experimental indentation data from literature. A thorough analysis of mesh node count on the sample rate and the rendering quality is also presented.
Efficacy of Anti–Nerve Growth Factor Therapy for Discogenic Neck Pain in Rats

Study Design. Immunohistological analysis of the cervical dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Objective. To investigate immunohistologically in rats whether intradiscal administration of anti–nerve growth factor (NGF) antibody in injured cervical intervertebral discs (IVDs) suppresses pain-related peptide expression in DRG neurons. Summary of Background Data. Neck pain can involve the entire neck and become chronic and intractable. Cervical disc degeneration is a primary cause of neck pain, and pain-related mediators, such as NGF, have been correlated with discogenic pain. Methods. We examined Sprague-Dawley rats that received 10 punctures in the C5–C6 IVD, and were treated with saline (puncture group) or an anti-NGF antibody (anti-NGF group). The retrograde neurotracer Fluoro-Gold (FG) was then injected into the C5–C6 IVD. In addition, we examined a sham group that did not receive punctures (disc nonpuncture). The C2–C7 DRG were harvested 1 week after surgery and immunostained for calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a marker for peptide-containing neurons. We determined for each group the percentages of FG-labeled DRG neurons that were CGRP-immunoreactive (CGRP-ir). Results. FG-labeled neurons innervating the C5–C6 IVD were found in all C2–C7 DRG examined. The percentage of FG-labeled CGRP-ir DRG neurons in the puncture group was significantly higher than that observed in the sham (P < 0.001) and anti-NGF groups (P < 0.001), but there was no significant difference between the sham and anti-NGF groups (P > 0.05). Therefore, intradiscal administration of anti-NGF antibody suppressed CGRP expression the cervical DRG. Conclusion. Neurons located in the C2–C7 DRG innervated the C5–C6 IVD. These findings indicate that neck pain may be derived from degenerated IVDs. Furthermore, intradiscal administration of anti-NGF antibody suppressed CGRP expression in the cervical DRG innervating the injured IVD. Therefore, inhibiting NGF upregulation in the cervical IVD may be an efficient treatment for discogenic neck pain. Level of Evidence: N/A
Pulmonary hypertension in pregnancy: two cases and review of the literature

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in pregnancy carries a mortality of 30–56%. There are few published data to guide clinicians in its management. Two pregnant women with severe PAH have been treated at Royal Perth Hospital with a successful result in both. Their presentation and management are described. We review the physiological changes in pregnancy, pathophysiology in PAH, and review the literature describing treatment of PAH in pregnancy.
GNSS fault detection with unmodeled error

Graphical Abstract Abstract This paper provides a method for ‘fault detection’ on a GNSS/INS positioning system with unmodeled errors. Many GNSS/INS positioning systems apply testing with Maharanobis distance for fault detection of GNSS position. However, this method requires an accurate system model. If there are some inaccuracies in the model, we struggle to adjust the best parameters on the system model by trial and error. This fact sometimes reduces extendability of the system. Thus, we advance an unmodeled error discerning method focused on non-stationarity in residuals between observation time-series and estimated values. Our proposed method provides a stable period for observation time series. In that period, we can correctly calculate the covariance of unmodeled error and also the predisposition of unmodeled error to displace the origin of Mahalanobis distance to an appropriate point. This new procedure gives a better distribution for testing for fault detection than the conventional procedure. We verify our proposed fault detection in real-world measurement with a test vehicle on an irregular ground test circuit. The results confirmed that our proposed method improved the accuracy of localization. The proposed method will help us to apply positioning systems easily to other vehicles.
An EMG-based variable impedance control for elbow exercise: preliminary study

Abstract As the medical field continues to evolve, the average life expectancy of the people increases. However, due to natural deterioration, the average muscle force of the arm decreases in respect to age. So, there are some needs for the people to exercise his/her body as he/she is getting older. There are many researches about the robotic rehabilitation of the upper limb for patients. However, only a few focus on the system of the upper limb muscle exercise for normal people. So, in this study, an electromyography (EMG)-based variable impedance control method is developed for elbow exercise in normal people. Four EMG sensors were attached to the designated right arm and their average EMG level was controlled by the proposed algorithm during an elbow flexion-extension exercise. A total of twenty nine experiments with 15 subjects were performed to verify the proposed control algorithm with NCCEES, an elbow exercise system developed by the authors for the elbow exercise. The experimental results showed that the proposed control algorithm could control the EMG level in approximately 24.1% percent error during the elbow exercise. However, the proposed control algorithm could not control the EMG level fluctuation which depended on the muscular characteristics of the subject. The effect of training with the proposed algorithm will be future work. Graphical Abstract
Expanding the scope of site‐specific recombinases for genetic and metabolic engineering

Site‐specific recombinases are tremendously valuable tools for basic research and genetic engineering. By promoting high‐fidelity DNA modifications, site‐specific recombination systems have empowered researchers with unprecedented control over diverse biological functions, enabling countless insights into cellular structure and function. The rigid target specificities of many sites‐specific recombinases, however, have limited their adoption in fields that require highly flexible recognition abilities. As a result, intense effort has been directed toward altering the properties of site‐specific recombination systems by protein engineering. Here, we review key developments in the rational design and directed molecular evolution of site‐specific recombinases, highlighting the numerous applications of these enzymes across diverse fields of study. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2014;111: 1–15. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
INHIBITION OF INTERLEUKIN-10 SIGNALING IN LUNG DENDRITIC CELLS BY TOLL-LIKE RECEPTOR 4 LIGANDS

The homeostatic microenvironment in lung is immunosuppressive and interleukin-10 (IL-10) helps maintain this microenvironment. Despite constitutive production of IL-10 in normal lung, macrophages (MØs) and dentritic cells (DCs) remain capable of responding to microorganisms, suggesting that these innate immune cells have a mechanism to override the immunosuppressive effects of IL-10. Prior studies by the authors revealed that Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands inhibit IL-10 receptor signaling in alveolar macrophages (AMØs), thereby obviating the immunosuppressive activity of IL-10. This report compares the immunologic phenotypes of AMØs and lung DCs and their ability to respond to IL-10 following exposure to microbial stimuli. IL-10 was constitutively produced by normal lung epithelium and exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vivo increased the expression of IL-10 during the first 24 hours. AMØs constitutively produced IL-10 mRNA, whereas both AMØs and LDCs constitutively expressed IL-12 mRNA. AMØs and LDCs, as well as bone marrow–derived MØs and DCs, had reduced capacity to activate STAT3 in response to IL-10 if pretreated with LPS. Inhibition was not associated with decreased expression of IL-10 receptor (IL-10R) and was dependent on the MyD88 signaling pathway. These results demonstrate a common underlying regulatory mechanism in both DCs and MØs by which microbial stimuli can override the immunosuppressive effect of constitutive IL-10 production in the lung.
Nanoscale interactions of polyethylene glycol with thermo‐mechanically pre‐treated Pinus radiata biofuel substrate

Non‐productive adsorption of cellulose degrading enzymes on lignin is a likely reason for reduced rate and extent of enzymatic conversion of lignocellulosic substrate to sugars. Additives such as polyethyleneglycol (PEG) may act as blocking agents in this non‐productive interaction. However, the exact molecular level interactions of PEG with lignin in pre‐treated lignocellulosic substrates are not known. We have used confocal fluorescence microscopy combined with Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) to reveal molecular level interactions between lignin present in thermo‐mechanically pre‐treated Pinus radiata substrate, and fluorescently labeled PEG. It is demonstrated that PEG interaction with lignin is mainly associated with particles derived from secondary walls, with little or no penetration into fragments derived from the middle lamella. This nanoscale information on the PEG–substrate interaction will assist in rationalizing pre‐treatment methods to reduce the recalcitrance of softwood biofuel substrates. Biotechnol. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2014;111: 719–725. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Student nurse satisfaction levels with their courses: Part II--effects of academic variables.

The degree of student satisfaction with their educational experiences is an important dimension in the assessment of institutional effectiveness. All nursing education teams are currently working on ways to improve the quality of their educational provision and increase the satisfaction of their students. This is the second of a two-part article on the factors that influence student satisfaction with their courses. Part I examined how the four demographic features of gender, disability, ethnicity and age influenced student satisfaction and their performance on nursing modules. This paper complements Part I by examining the effects of three educational factors (academic level of the module, mode of study, and the qualification aim) on the accomplishment and satisfaction levels of 460 students attending multidisciplinary health care modules at the School of Health Care, Oxford Brookes University, 2000/2001. The study found that in contrast to Level 1 students, Level 3 participants felt the need for modules to stimulate more interest, that module teams be more skilled and knowledgeable and that library resources be more abundant. The findings also suggested that part-time students required significantly more attention than full-time participants in terms of the need for smaller seminar groups that would facilitate contributions and decrease inhibitions among students, and were more concerned with the utility and relevance of their learning in relation to their chosen professions. Diploma participants had the highest satisfaction followed by the BA and then the BSc students. The findings raise issues which are of interest to academic staff and nursing students, and the implications for nurse education and curriculum design are discussed within the context of student nurse satisfaction and quality issues of learning and teaching in higher education.
Cervical Sagittal Alignment in Idiopathic Scoliosis Treated by Posterior Instrumentation and In Situ Bending

Study Design. Retrospective radiographical analysis of cervical and thoracolumbar sagittal alignment in young adults with idiopathic scoliosis. Objective. To analyze cervical alignment types, the relationship between cervical and thoracolumbar alignment and the effect of posterior instrumentation. Summary of Background Data. Thoracic scoliosis with hypokyphosis may decrease cervical lordosis. Additional adaptive positional changes of the mobile cervical segment may exist, because sigmoid cervical patterns are observed. Sagittal alignment of the instrumented thoracolumbar spine may influence cervical alignment. Methods. Pre- and postoperative full-spine radiographs of 52 patients were analyzed at 8-year average follow-up. Sagittal thoracolumbar measurements were T1 slope, T1–T4 kyphosis, T4–T12 kyphosis, L1–S1 lordosis, pelvic incidence, pelvic tilt, sacral slope, sagittal vertical axis (SVA) C7, and SVA C2. Cervical measurements were C0–C2, C2–C6, C2–C4, C4–C6, and C2–T1 lordosis, chin-brow vertical angle. Results. Five cervical alignment types were identified: lordotic, hypolordotic, kyphotic, sigmoid with cranial lordosis, and sigmoid with cranial kyphosis. Spinopelvic parameters and global thoracolumbar balance remained unchanged postoperatively. The average C2–C6 lordosis increased by 6.4° (P < 0.0001). Twenty-seven of the 52 patients changed cervical alignment postoperatively. SVA C2–C7 difference changed in this subgroup (P = 0.0159). In 21 of the 27 patients, SVA changed more than 5 mm at C2 (P = 0.0029), and in 25 of the 27 patients at C7 (P < 0.0001). A correlation existed between T4–T12 kyphosis and L1–S1 lordosis, C2–C4 and L1–S1 lordosis, L1–S1 lordosis, and pelvic tilt. T1–T4 kyphosis and T1 slope correlated with C2–T1 lordosis, but proximal junctional kyphosis was not linked to a specific cervical alignment type. Conclusion. Postoperative adaptive changes occurred at C7 and C2 by shifting anteriorly or posteriorly, resulting in different radiographical cervical shapes. The amount of lumbar lordosis may influence cervical lordosis, which needs to be considered for surgical correction. Adaptive hip movements may influence thoracolumbar and cervical alignment. The amount of proximal thoracic kyphosis influenced cervical lordosis. Global thoracic hypokyphosis might influence cervical alignment, but it was not evidenced. Level of Evidence: 4
The Healing of Semilunar Cartilages

In seven knee joints of dogs, the internal semilunar cartilages were freed, to a varying extent, from their attachments to the synovial membrane and capsule peripherally. Within a few days, the dogs walked and ran about in a normal way; no locking of the joints was produced. After a period of time (two weeks to three and a half months), the animals were sacrificed and the joints were examined. In each case, the cartilage was firmly healed in normal anatomical position. In thirteen joints, the semilunar cartilages were incised longitudinally. In each case the incision did not communicate with the synovial membrane and varied in its position in the cartilage. With one exception (Dog 14), the two fragments of the semilunar cartilages remained closely apposed although no postoperative fixation was used. In spite of this close apposition, there was not the slightest evidence of healing between the fragments during the period of observation (three weeks to two months). In seven joints, the longitudinal incision was carried through the convex edge of the meniscus to the synovial membrane. In each case, the peripheral end of the incision healed by connective tissue arising from the synovial membrane and capsule. In one instance (Dog 3), the entire incision was filled with scar tissue. When the semilunar cartilage was divided transversely (in six joints), the two fragments were separated a short distance. The free space thus produced was obliterated by an ingrowth of connective tissue from the synovial membrane, linking the two fragments firmly together. This connective tissue, which grossly resembled fibrocartilage, contained no cartilage cells. Our experiments indicate that: 1. Tears which are limited to the semilunar cartilage probably never heal. 2. A torn meniscus can be healed by connective tissue if the tear communicates with the synovial membrane laterally. 3. A complete transverse or oblique tear results in some separation of the fragments, but the intervening space fills in with connective tissue arising from the synovial membrane. This connective tissue is quite firm in three weeks, which suggests the length of time necessary for complete fixation in these cases. 4. If the meniscus is partially torn from its peripheral attachment, it heals in normal anatomical position without difficulty.