Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of the Fiber Treatment on the Stiffness of Date Palm Fiber Reinforced PP Composites: Macro and Micromechanical Evaluation of the Young’s Modulus

The present work aims at determining the potential of date palm wastes to be applied as reinforcement in polypropylene. For this, fibers were separated from the raw biomass via mechanical defibration in Sprout Waldron equipment. Then, three different treatment strategies were adopted on the fibers, being (i) mechanical, (ii) chemical with NaOH, and (iii) enzymatical with xylanases and pectinases. Fibers were characterized in terms of chemical composition, morphology and SEM. Additionally, PP was reinforced with date palm fibers and the composites’ stiffness was evaluated. The analysis was performed from a macro and micro mechanical viewpoint. The incorporation of 40 and 60 wt. % of DPF-E enhanced the Young’s modulus of PP by 205 and 308%, respectively. The potential of enzymatically treated fibers to replace glass fibers in composites was studied, exhibiting similar stiffening abilities at 60 wt. % of date palm fiber (6.48 GPa) and 40% of glass fibers (6.85 GPa). The intrinsic Young’s modulus of the fibers was set at values around 16, 20 and 24 GPa for mechanical, chemical and enzymatic fibers. From the micromechanical analysis, the efficiency of the reinforcement as well as the contribution of the length and orientation to the Young’s modulus of the composite was evaluated.
Variability of Muscle Synergies in Hand Grasps: Analysis of Intra- and Inter-Session Data

Background. Muscle synergy analysis is an approach to understand the neurophysiological mechanisms behind the hypothesized ability of the Central Nervous System (CNS) to reduce the dimensionality of muscle control. The muscle synergy approach is also used to evaluate motor recovery and the evolution of the patients’ motor performance both in single-session and longitudinal studies. Synergy-based assessments are subject to various sources of variability: natural trial-by-trial variability of performed movements, intrinsic characteristics of subjects that change over time (e.g., recovery, adaptation, exercise, etc.), as well as experimental factors such as different electrode positioning. These sources of variability need to be quantified in order to resolve challenges for the application of muscle synergies in clinical environments. The objective of this study is to analyze the stability and similarity of extracted muscle synergies under the effect of factors that may induce variability, including inter- and intra-session variability within subjects and inter-subject variability differentiation. The analysis was performed using the comprehensive, publicly available hand grasp NinaPro Database, featuring surface electromyography (EMG) measures from two EMG electrode bracelets. Methods. Intra-session, inter-session, and inter-subject synergy stability was analyzed using the following measures: variance accounted for (VAF) and number of synergies (NoS) as measures of reconstruction stability quality and cosine similarity for comparison of spatial composition of extracted synergies. Moreover, an approach based on virtual electrode repositioning was applied to shed light on the influence of electrode position on inter-session synergy similarity. Results. Inter-session synergy similarity was significantly lower with respect to intra-session similarity, both considering coefficient of variation of VAF (approximately 0.2–15% for inter vs. approximately 0.1% to 2.5% for intra, depending on NoS) and coefficient of variation of NoS (approximately 6.5–14.5% for inter vs. approximately 3–3.5% for intra, depending on VAF) as well as synergy similarity (approximately 74–77% for inter vs. approximately 88–94% for intra, depending on the selected VAF). Virtual electrode repositioning revealed that a slightly different electrode position can lower similarity of synergies from the same session and can increase similarity between sessions. Finally, the similarity of inter-subject synergies has no significant difference from the similarity of inter-session synergies (both on average approximately 84–90% depending on selected VAF). Conclusion. Synergy similarity was lower in inter-session conditions with respect to intra-session. This finding should be considered when interpreting results from multi-session assessments. Lastly, electrode positioning might play an important role in the lower similarity of synergies over different sessions.
Short-, Medium- and Long-Term Metabolic Responses of Adult Meat Ewes Subjected to Nutritional and β-Adrenergic Challenges

Simple Summary The ability of Merinos d’Arles ewes to quickly overcome undernutrition situations by efficiently using their body energy reserves was confirmed in this study. There is potential for a simplified ß-adrenergic challenge protocol helping to identify differences in adaptive capacity among individuals reared and fed under similar conditions in the same flock. Abstract Shortage and refeeding situations lead to switches in metabolic pathways induced by undernutrition and body energy reserve (BR) replenishment cycles. In a 122-d experiment, 36 adult Merinos d’Arles ewes were chosen and first accustomed to diet ingredients (i.e., wheat straw, pelleted alfalfa and sugar beet pulp) and the facility environment for 22 d. Then, ewes were randomly assigned to one of three “diet challenge” treatments during 50 d, (control, underfed and overfed; 12 ewes each) corresponding to 100%, 70% or 160% of energy requirements allowances, respectively. Then, a “refeeding challenge” was applied the last 50 d (i.e., diets adjusted with the same ingredients). An individual monitoring of body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS) and energy metabolism was carried out. The last day, a “ß-adrenergic challenge” was applied. Anabolic or catabolic responses were accompanied by synchronized metabolic regulations, leading to contrasting metabolic and BR profiles. Average BW and BCS were higher and lower in overfed and underfed ewes, respectively, which was proportional to lower and higher BR mobilization dynamics. Higher plasma free fatty acids (FFA) were accompanied by lower blood insulin, leptin and glucose levels. After refeeding, a rebound in BW and BCS were observed, and FFA were drastically reduced in underfed ewes. No differences were detected in plasma FFA at the end of the study, but the lipolytic activity was different and contrasted with the adipose tissue mass.
Recent trends in sexually transmitted infections among adolescents, Catalonia, Spain, 2012–2017

Monitoring sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in adolescents is essential to inform STI prevention strategies at primary and secondary levels in this key population. We aim to describe recent trends in STIs among adolescents and to analyse their socio-demographic and behavioural characteristics in Catalonia, Spain between 2012 and 2017. Data on Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection, gonorrhoea and syphilis cases aged from 13 to 19 years reported to the Catalan Mandatory Notifiable System from 2012 to 2017 were analysed. Diagnosis rates were calculated and a descriptive analysis was performed. Between 2012 and 2017, CT infection, gonorrhoea and syphilis cases reported among adolescents aged 13–19 years accounted for more than one-eleventh of all reported cases in Catalonia. The rate of the three nationally-notifiable STIs increased dramatically among adolescents. CT infection rates rose from 13 to 144.1 per 100,000 adolescents between 2012 and 2017, an increase of 1007%; gonorrhoea cases increased by 246% (from 13.4 to 45.4/100,000) and syphilis cases increased by 247% (from 1.7 to 5.9/100,000). Gonorrhoea and syphilis cases affected mainly males while CT infection cases were mostly in females (84%). Adolescents are being increasingly affected by CT infection, gonorrhoea and syphilis. A broader array of intervention strategies aimed at adolescents should be reinforced through strong prevention campaigns, improved sexual health information, as well as encouragement of regular offers of STI screening by healthcare providers.
Antigenicity prediction and vaccine recommendation of human influenza virus A (H3N2) using convolutional neural networks

ABSTRACT The rapid evolution of influenza A viruses poses a great challenge to vaccine development. Analytical and machine learning models have been applied to facilitate the process of antigenicity determination. In this study, we designed deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to predict Influenza antigenicity. Our model is the first that systematically analyzed 566 amino acid properties and 141 amino acid substitution matrices for their predictability. We then optimized the structure of the CNNs using particle swarm optimization. The optimal neural networks outperform other predictive models with a blind validation accuracy of 95.8%. Further, we applied our model to vaccine recommendations in the period 1997 to 2011 and contrasted the performance of previous vaccine recommendations using traditional experimental approaches. The results show that our model outperforms the WHO recommendation and other existing models and could potentially improve the vaccine recommendation process. Our results show that WHO often selects virus strains with small variation from year to year and learns slowly and recovers once coverage dips very low. In contrast, the influenza strains selected via our CNN model can differ quite drastically from year to year and exhibit consistently good coverage. In summary, we have designed a comprehensive computational pipeline for optimizing a CNN in the modeling of Influenza A antigenicity and vaccine recommendation. It is more cost and time-effective when compared to traditional hemagglutination inhibition assay analysis. The modeling framework is flexible and can be adopted to study other type of viruses.
Effect of essential oils or saponins alone or in combination on productive performance, intestinal morphology and digestive enzymes' activity of broiler chickens.

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of essential oils or saponins alone or in combination on productive performance, intestinal morphology, and digestive enzymes' activity in broilers. Four hundred one-day-old male broiler chickens were randomly assigned to four treatments, each with 5 replicates. The birds were fed experimental diets contained either no phytogenic feed additives (control) or were supplemented with 25.0 mg/kg of an essential oil blend from star anise, rosemary, thyme and oregano (essential oils); 46.0 mg/kg of a Quillaja saponin blend (saponins); or a combination of both phytogenic preparations (essential oils plus saponins). The experiment lasted for 42 days. Body weight, feed intake and weight gain were recorded weekly, and the feed conversion ratio was calculated, throughout the experiment. Intestinal morphology and digestive enzymes' activity were determined at the end of the experiment. It was found that the body weight was increased by all dietary supplements at the end of the experiment. There was no change in performance parameters among the treatments during the starter period. At the grower period and the overall experiment, the weight gain of birds was higher in all supplemented groups compared to the control, but the feed conversion was better in the essential oils with saponins treatment. Supplementation of essential oils or saponins alone or in combination increased the villus height and the villus/crypt ratio of the intestine. There was an increase in trypsin, chymotrypsin and elastase activities in the essential oils plus saponins group only. The obtained results indicate that the phytogenic feed additives, especially essential oils with saponins, can be considered as new promising agents in promoting the growth performance of broilers. The effect could be related to its improving impact in intestinal development and increasing the protease enzymes' activity, resulting in increased protein digestibility and absorption of dietary nutrients.
Case Report: Lateral Chest Placement of IPG for Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulator Implantation

Hypoglossal nerve stimulation for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea is an increasingly common procedure. The hypoglossal nerve is stimulated by an implanted pulse generator that is placed in a subcutaneous pocket in the upper chest over the pectoralis muscle. A pressure sensor is placed through a separate incision between two ribs to detect respiratory effort. This case reports an alternative implantation of the device and pressure sensor through a single shared incision lateral to the breast in a thin patient with a previous history of breast cancer, mastectomy, and subpectoral breast implant reconstruction. Laryngoscope, 131:E1010–E1012, 2021
Distinct Associations of Hedonic and Eudaimonic Motives with Well-Being: Mediating Role of Self-Control

The pursuit of hedonia and eudaimonia are two ways to fulfill the goal of a “good life”. While some studies report that both hedonic and eudaimonic motives improve well-being, others suggest that hedonic motives are counterproductive, raising the question of whether and why eudaimonic motives are more positively associated with well-being. We aimed to identify the distinct associations of hedonic and eudaimonic motives with well-being and investigate whether they are partly mediated by self-control. A total of 2882 college freshmen (1835 females, 1047 males, mean age 18.16 years) completed measures assessing hedonic and eudaimonic motives, self-control, life satisfaction, positive and negative affect, and eudaimonic well-being. Eudaimonic motives were associated with higher life satisfaction, more positive affect, less negative affect, and better eudaimonic well-being. In contrast, hedonic motives were positively associated with life satisfaction, while also being correlated with a greater degree of negative affect and impaired eudaimonic well-being. Self-control mediated the relationships between hedonic and eudaimonic motives and well-being. Eudaimonic and hedonic motives were positively and negatively related to self-control, respectively. Further, high self-control was associated with greater life satisfaction, positive affect, and eudaimonic well-being and lower negative affect. Thus, eudaimonic motives can lead to a better life than hedonic motives because the former enhance self-control, while the latter lower it.
Predicting the Potential Current and Future Distribution of the Endangered Endemic Vascular Plant Primula boveana Decne. ex Duby in Egypt

Knowledge about population attributes, current geographic distribution, and changes over predicted climate change for many threatened endemic vascular plants is particularly limited in arid mountain environments. Primula boveana is one of the rarest and threatened plants worldwide, surviving exclusively in Saint Catherine Protectorate in the Sinaic biogeographic subsector of Egypt. This study aimed to define the current state of P. boveana populations, predict its current potential distribution, and use the best-model outputs to guide in field sampling and to forecast its future distribution under two climate change scenarios. The MaxEnt algorithm was used by relating 10 occurrence-points with different environmental predictors (27 bioclimatic, 3 topographic, and 8 edaphic factors). At the current knowledge level, the population size of P. boveana consists of 796 individuals, including 137 matures, distributed in only 250 m2. The Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCorA) displayed that population attributes (density, cover, size index, and plant vigor) were positively correlated with elevation, precipitation, and pH. Based on the best-fitting model, most predicted suitable central sites (69 km2) of P. boveana were located in the cool shaded high-elevated middle northern part of St. Catherine. Elevation, precipitation, temperature, and soil pH were the key contributors to P. boveana distribution in Egypt. After field trips in suitable predicted sites, we confirmed five extinct localities where P. boveana has been previously recorded and no new population was found. The projected map showed an upward range shift through the contraction of sites between 1800 and 2000 m and expansion towards high elevation (above 2000 m) at the southern parts of the St. Catherine area. To conserve P. boveana, it is recommended to initiate in situ conservation through reinforcement and reintroduction actions.
Core Outcome Measurement Instruments for Clinical Trials of Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review

(1) Background: We have updated knowledge of the psychometric qualities of patient-reported outcome measures and, for the first time, systematically reviewed and compared the psychometric qualities of physical tests for patients with knee osteoarthritis who are undergoing total knee arthroplasty. This work was conducted to facilitate the choice of the most appropriate instruments to use in studies and clinical practice. (2) Methods: A search of medical databases up to December 2019 identified the studies and thus the instruments used. The quality of the measurement properties was assessed by the Bot et al. criteria. (3) Results: We identified 20 studies involving 25 instruments. Half of the instruments were questionnaires (n = 13). Among the condition-specific instruments, the Oxford knee score, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcomes Score, and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis index had the highest overall scores. Concerning generic tools, the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 (SF-36) or SF-12 obtained the highest overall score. For patient-specific tools, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale ranked the highest. Some physical tests seemed robust in psychometric properties: 6-min Walk Test, five times Sit-To-Stand test, Timed Up and Go test strength testing of knee flexor/extensor by isometric or isokinetic dynamometer and Pressure Pain Threshold. (4) Conclusion: To make stronger recommendations, key areas such as reproducibility, responsiveness to clinical change, and minimal important change still need more rigorous evaluations. Some promising physical tests (e.g., actimetry) lack validation and require rigorous studies to be used as a core set of outcomes in future studies.
Relationship between coronary microvascular dysfunction and left ventricular diastolic function in patients with chest pain and unobstructed coronary arteries

Diastolic dysfunction (DD) is reported to affect up to 35% of the adult general population. The consequence of progressive DD is heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) has been suggested as one of the pathologic mechanisms leading to HFpEF. We investigated whether there was an association between coronary microvascular function and echocardiographic indices of left ventricular diastolic function at rest in patients with chest pain and unobstructed coronary arteries (CPUCA).
I Will Be at Your (Bed)Side – The Role of Bedside Echocardiography for Non-Cardiologists

Abstract As the availability of portable echocardiographic equipment is becoming more and more widespread, physicians can add a powerful tool to their bedside examination skills, thus helping them to more effectively face the growing complexity of patients admitted to internal medicine departments or the emergency room. Focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) can be defined as a goal-directed, simplified, qualitative examination performed at the bedside using portable echocardiographic devices. FoCUS is not meant to be a substitute for a standard 2D color Doppler echocardiographic examination. Nevertheless, it can provide rapid and reliable information when limited to basic questions, even when performed by non-cardiologists with brief training. Furthermore, a focused cardiac ultrasound examination maximizes its diagnostic role when integrated with an ultrasonographic assessment of the lung, abdomen and deep veins, in a multisystem approach that is particularly dear to internists. In this article, we will focus on the specific targets of a focused cardiac ultrasound examination, as well as the most common pitfalls that can be encountered in ultrasonographic practice. We will also address the application of FoCUS in the management of two typical scenarios in clinical practice, such as dyspnea and non-post-traumatic hypotension. Zusammenfassung Mit der zunehmenden breiten Verfügbarkeit tragbarer echokardiografischer Geräte können Ärzte eine leistungsstarke Methode hinzufügen, um ihre Fähigkeiten in der bettseitigen Untersuchung zu erweitern. So können sie der wachsenden Komplexität der Patienten, die in den Abteilungen für Innere Medizin oder in der Notaufnahme aufgenommen werden, wirksamer begegnen. Fokussierter kardialer Ultraschall (FoCUS) kann als zielgerichtete, vereinfachte, qualitative Untersuchung definiert werden, die am Krankenbett mittels tragbarer Echokardiografie-Geräte durchgeführt wird. FoCUS ist kein Ersatz für eine standardmäßige echokardiografische 2D-Farbdoppler-Untersuchung. Dennoch kann er bei Beschränkung auf grundlegende Fragestellungen schnelle und zuverlässige Informationen liefern, selbst wenn kurz ausgebildete Nicht-Kardiologen ihn durchführen. Darüber hinaus wird der diagnostische Wert des fokussierten kardialen Ultraschalls maximiert, wenn dieser in eine sonografische Beurteilung von Lunge, Abdomen und tiefen Venen integriert wird, und zwar in einem Multisystemansatz, der Internisten besonders am Herzen liegt. In diesem Artikel konzentrieren wir uns auf die spezifischen Ziele einer fokussierten kardialen Ultraschalluntersuchung sowie auf die häufigsten Fallstricke, die in der Ultraschallpraxis auftreten können. Wir werden uns auch mit der Anwendung von FoCUS bei der Behandlung von 2 typischen Szenarien in der klinischen Praxis befassen – Dyspnoe und nichtposttraumatische Hypotonie.
Check node LDPC decoder stopping criterion

ABSTRACT A log-likelihood ratio (LLR) test on the single Mth check node of an LDPC decoder is utilised to develop an improved low complexity stopping criterion that overall outperforms well-known stopping criteria. The average number of iterations required at low SNRs is significantly reduced without sacrificing the BER performance. At high SNRs, the proposed algorithm can be modified to adaptively switch off to minimise its impact on the BER. Simulation results are presented for the rate 1/2 (288, 576) and rate 1/2 (1152, 2304) WiMAX 802.16e LDPC codes with binary phase shift keying (BPSK) over an AWGN channel for well-known criteria and the proposed algorithms in this paper. The performance of a Genie algorithm that would with hindsight stop the decoder to minimise the BER is used to compare all algorithms.
A Novel High Q Lamé-Mode Bulk Resonator with Low Bias Voltage

This work reports a novel silicon on insulator (SOI)-based high quality factor (Q factor) Lamé-mode bulk resonator which can be driven into vibration by a bias voltage as low as 3 V. A SOI-based fabrication process was developed to produce the resonators with 70 nm air gaps, which have a high resonance frequency of 51.3 MHz and high Q factors over 8000 in air and over 30,000 in vacuum. The high Q values, nano-scale air gaps, and large electrode area greatly improve the capacitive transduction efficiency, which decreases the bias voltage for the high-stiffness bulk mode resonators with high Q. The resonator showed the nonlinear behavior. The proposed resonator can be applied to construct a wireless communication system with low power consumption and integrated circuit (IC) integration.