Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cervical disc arthroplasty versus anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: a meta-analysis of rates of adjacent-level surgery to 7-year follow-up.

Background Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is an effective treatment for cervical spondylosis. A limitation of ACDF is the risk of adjacent-segment degeneration (ASD), owing to arthrodesis of a motion segment. Cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) has hence garnered significant attention; yet, compelling evidence of reduction in ASD requiring surgery is lacking. This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to compare long-term longitudinal adjacent-level operation rates with CDA versus ACDF. Methods An electronic literature search was conducted. Eligible studies were multi-center randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing CDA with ACDF for one- or two-level symptomatic cervical spondylosis. The primary outcome was adjacent-level operation. Index-level reoperation was a secondary outcome. Outcomes were evaluated at 1-year intervals from the index operation to last reported follow-up by random-effects meta-analyses. Results Eleven RCTs met criteria. For one-level spondylosis, there was no difference in the rate of adjacent-level operation between CDA (2.3%) and ACDF (3.6%) at 2 years. However, a large difference favoring CDA became evident at 5 years and persisted at 7 years (4.3% vs. 10.8%, P<0.001). Significantly fewer patients who underwent CDA required index-level reoperation at all time points out to 7 years (5.2% vs. 12.7%, P<0.001). Similar to one-level operations, there was no significant difference in adjacent-level operations with two-level CDA (1.7%) versus two-level ACDF (3.4%) at 2 years. At 7 years, a significant difference favoring CDA became apparent (5.1% vs. 10.0%, P=0.014). Two-level CDA resulted in fewer index-level reoperations out to 7 years (4.2% vs. 13.5%, P<0.001). Conclusions In this meta-analysis, the short-term rate of adjacent-level operation was similar with CDA or ACDF. However, around 5 years, a statistically significant divergence emerged, where the rate of adjacent-level surgery rose steeply for ACDF. Index-level reoperations were less frequent with CDA in both the short- and long-term. These data indicate CDA may have a superior longevity to ACDF with regard to need for subsequent adjacent-level operation.
A fully-wearable non-invasive SSVEP-based BCI system enabled by AR techniques for daily use in real environment.

This thesis aims to explore the design and implementation of Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs) specifically for non medical scenarios, and therefore to propose a solution that overcomes typical drawbacks of existing systems such as long and uncomfortable setup time, scarce or nonexistent mobility, and poor real-time performance. The research starts from the design and implementation of a plug-and-play wearable low-power BCI that is capable of decoding up to eight commands displayed on a LCD screen, with about 2 seconds of latency. The thesis also addresses the issues emerging from the usage of the BCI during a walk in a real environment while tracking the subject via indoor positioning system. Furthermore, the BCI is then enhanced with a smart glasses device that projects the BCI visual interface with augmented reality (AR) techniques, unbinding the system usage from the need of infrastructures in the surrounding environment.
IDENTIFICATION OF THE LIPID DROPLETS OF IMMATURE PORCINE OOCYTES DURING THE DIFFERENT STAGE OF FOLLICULOGENESIS

The meiotic and growth competence of oocytes originating from larger follicles is greater then of oocytes derived from small follicles. Lipid droplets stored in oocytes have been shown to be accumulated in oocytes during follicular development, and have large influence on quality of oocytes during the process of meiotic maturation, fertilization and preimplantation development. The principal objective of this research was to investigate the lipid compound of the porcine immature oocytes during the luteal and follicular phases of folliculogenesis. The oocyte subpopulations for this experiment were obtained from small (<5 mm) and medium (6-9 mm) follicles. The oocytes were stained with Nile Red to quantify cytoplasmic lipid droplets as small (≤ 10μm in diameter) and large (>10μm in diameter). We observed following parameters in immature oocytes: total area covered with lipid droplets (%), total number of lipid droplets per oocyte, number of small lipid droplets and number of large lipid droplets. The total of area covered with lipid droplets is similar in oocytes derived from small and medium follicles. The total number of all lipid droplets and number of small lipid droplets were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in oocytes derived from small than medium follicles. We found that the total number of lipid droplets is significantly higher in the late luteal phase in oocytes derived from medium follicles, than all stages of luteal phase in oocytes derived from small follicles during the process of folliculogenesis. We also noted that the number of small lipid droplets was significantly higher in oocytes derived from the late luteal phase in oocytes derived from medium follicles in comparison to oocytes derived from the middle and the late stage of the luteal phase in oocytes derived from small follicles. The number of large lipid droplets was significantly higher in the late luteal phase in oocytes derived from medium follicles compared to the late luteal and the early follicular phase in the oocytes derived from small follicles. In the early luteal phase in the oocytes derived from small follicles the number of large lipid droplets was significantly higher in comparison to the early follicular phase in oocytes derived from small follicles. In conclusion, the lipid composition in the immature porcine oocytes varied during the different phases of folliculogenesis. The number of small lipid droplets was higher in oocytes derived from medium follicles than in oocytes derived from small follicles.
The Impact of Climate Change on Tourism: A Causality Analysis

Received : 11/12/2019 Accepted : 26/12/2019 Tourism industry is one of the primary sectors that contribute to economic growth of countries worldwide. Since it requires appropriate weather conditions and clean environment, climate changes can significantly affect the sector. Therefore, this study examines the causality and long-run relationship between the climate change and tourism sector in Turkey. To estimate the potential long-run relationship between variables, Granger-Causality test is applied to data from 1960 to 2016. The study uses World Development Indicator Data released by World Bank. For the analysis, carbon-dioxide emission, methane emission, energy use (oil equivalent), and forest land are standing for climate change indicators. International tourist arrivals and tourism revenues represent for tourism sector’s variables. The findings show that there is a negative and significant coefficient of climate change on tourism sector. Also, in average, climatic change indicators have unidirectional and negative impact on international tourism revenue. Another finding is that climate change deteriorates to environment by augmenting carbon dioxide emission and methane emission. As a result, climatic change can weaken the tourism industry which can decrease the speed of Turkey’s economic development. In the long run, this research can pioneer assessing the economic and environmental impacts of climate change in the tourism sector bases.
Interoperability Requirement to Enhance Collaboration in Software Product Lines: A Systematic Mapping

[Background]: Software Product Lines (SPLs) have been widely discussed in literature as part of solution to build systems solutions in a collaborative way. Providing interoperability support is an essential requirement to achieve effective results in collaborative systems field. Despite the importance of interoperability in SPLs, research related to this field is scarce and scattered in literature. Fulfilling this requirement is not a trivial task and a mapping study about which interoperability solutions have been tackled in SPLs has not been done yet. [Goal]: This paper aims at identifying and classifying research related to interoperability in SPLs. [Method]: Conduct a systematic mapping to identify and classify SPL interoperability solutions. [Results]: The classifications showed that syntactic was the main addressed interoperability level and that architecture and variability issues were the focus of the SPL researches. [Conclusions]: The results have suggested that an expressive number of solutions related to the syntactic interoperability level were proposed. However, some challenges remain opened, such as providing higher interoperability level support, for example, regarding pragmatic, dynamic and conceptual interoperability solutions.
Practical tools for identifying, evaluating and preventing rebound effects: Application to residential heating and mobility in Austria

Many countries state ambitious targets for reducing carbon emissions. Their policy strategies emphasize energy efficiency by means of technological innovations. However, these strategies are at risk of severe rebound effects, as savings from more efficient products and facilities may be (over-)compensated by rearrangements in consumer behavior. While rebound effects are widely acknowledged, it is less clear how they arise from the complex interactions between market actors, consumer preferences and policy initiatives. We propose a simplified representation of these complex dynamics, in order to point out levers for counteracting rebound effects. A system model integrates (semi-)quantitative data from fuzzy cognitive mapping of expert knowledge, a household survey on adoption and usage and macroeconomic modelling of energy efficiency policies. Core drivers identified across all methods are joined to a causeand-effect diagram. The respective strengths of influence are standardized to effect coefficients. By tracing policy impulses through the web of interlinked drivers, the system model illustrates direct, mediated and unintended impacts on market diffusion, rebound and carbon emission reductions of energy efficient technologies. Applying this methodology to building renovation and electric cars in Austria, the need to balance technology adoption and use becomes apparent. Convergent drivers stimulate the market uptake of the energy efficient technology, and simultaneously constrain rebound effects. For instance, educating customers on product features and activating their pro-environmental values, encourage technology adoption as well as ecological use. Contrastingly, divergent drivers have opposing effects on adoption and use. For example, fuel taxes counteract rebound, but also hinder adoption by increasing lifetime costs. Higher income enables adopters to carry upfront investment costs, but also increases spending in other, carbon-intensive consumption domains. Policy interventions should be carefully designed to leverage convergent and to circumnavigate divergent drivers. However, empirically parameterizing a system model requires that the technology has already entered the market. Therefore, in extension to the system model, we propose a checklist for preventive rebound management of upcoming transport technologies. An indicator system outlines technology attributes, consumer groups and technology effects that make rebound more likely. Innovations scoring high on those indicators merit dedicated policy efforts to cushion potential rebound effects.
Bracon zuleideae Perioto & Lara (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): seed predation potential, expansion of the geographic distribution and new data on host plant phenology

Abstract. Here, by the first time, was quantified the predation of seeds of Protium ovatum Engl. (Burseraceae) by Bracon zuleideae Perioto & Lara (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), a phytophagous seed eater, in Parque Nacional Grande Sertao Veredas, located in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. B. zuleideae is now mentioned for the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, which extends its geographical distribution about 900 km north of its type locality, its only previous record, and new data about host plant phenology are provided. Bracon zuleideae Perioto & Lara (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): potencial de predacao de sementes, expansao da distribuicao geografica e novos dados de fenologia da planta hospedeira Resumo. A predacao de sementes de Protium ovatum Engl. (Burseraceae) por Bracon zuleideae Perioto & Lara (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) foi quantificada pela primeira vez no Parque Nacional Grande Sertao Veredas, em Minas Gerais, Brasil. A distribuicao geografica de B. zuleideae e estendida para o Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil, a cerca de 900 km ao norte da localidade tipo, o unico registro anterior, e novos dados sobre a fenologia da planta hospedeira sao fornecidos.
Diffusional growth of cloud droplets in homogeneous isotropic turbulence: DNS, scaled-up DNS, and stochastic model

Abstract. This paper presents a novel methodology to use direct numerical simulation (DNS) to study the impact of isotropic homogeneous turbulence on the condensational growth of cloud droplets. As shown by previous DNS studies, the impact of turbulence increases with the computational domain size, that is, with the Reynolds number, because larger eddies generate higher and longer-lasting supersaturation fluctuations that affect growth of individual cloud droplets. The traditional DNS can only simulate a limited range of scales because of the excessive computational cost that comes from resolving all scales involved, that is, from large scales at which the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) is introduced down to the Kolmogorov microscale, and from following every single droplet. The novel approach is referred to as the “scaled-up DNS”. The scaling up is done in two parts, first by increasing both the computational domain and the Kolmogorov microscale and second by using super-droplets instead of real droplets. To ensure proper dissipation of TKE and scalar variance at small scales, molecular transport coefficients are appropriately scaled up with the grid length. For the scaled-up domains, say, meters and tens of meters, one needs to follow billions of real droplets. This is not computationally feasible, and so-called super-droplets are applied in scaled-up DNS simulations. Each super-droplet represents an ensemble of identical real droplets, and the number of real droplets represented by a super-droplet is referred to as the multiplicity attribute. After simple tests showing the validity of the methodology, scaled-up DNS simulations are conducted for five domains, the largest of 643 m3 volume using a DNS of 2563 grid points and various multiplicities. All simulations are carried out with vanishing mean vertical velocity and with no mean supersaturation, similarly to past DNS studies. As expected, the supersaturation fluctuations as well as the spread in droplet size distribution increase with the domain size, with the droplet radius variance increasing in time t as t1∕2 as identified in previous DNS studies. Scaled-up simulations with different multiplicities document numerical convergence of the scaled-up solutions. Finally, we compare the scaled-up DNS results with a simple stochastic model that calculates supersaturation fluctuations based on the vertical velocity fluctuations updated using the Langevin equation. Overall, the results document similar scaling to previous small-domain DNS simulations and support the notion that the stochastic subgrid-scale model is a valuable tool for the multi-scale simulation of droplet spectral evolution applying a large-eddy simulation model.
Initial Validation of the Arabic version of the Psychological Flourishing Scale with Egyptian Athletes Students

Background. In different countries, the psychological flourishing has largely been studied in western cultures (Bakker & Schaufeli, 2008; Diener et al., 2010; B. L. Fredrickson & Losada, 2005; Keyes, 2010; Ryff & Singer, 2003; Silva & Caetano, 2013). In Arabic culture, in exercise psychology, the Psychological Flourishing Scale (PFS) by means of positive psychology approach has not yet been used. The specific goals of the present research are twofold as follows: i) test the internal reliability and the structure validity of the Arabic version, ii) test its temporal stability and convergent validity. Methods. For that, two studies were conducted. Samples were Egyptian Athletes students (n = 326; n = 118). In the first study and in order to verify its structure validity, the EFA and CFA have been performed. In the second study, the temporal stability and convergent validity has been tested. For that, The Arabic versions of the Psychological Flourishing Scale (PFS), Mental Health ContinuumShort Form (MHC-SF), and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) were administered to the participants. Results. For Egyptian Athletes students, the PFS showed a good internal reliability, structure and convergent validity. However, it has a moderate temporal stability. Conclusions. The Arabic version of the PFS represented good psychometric properties for young athletes. The Arabic version of the Psychological Flourishing Scale could be used in exercise psychology for Egyptian Athletes.
Trends in the scientific publication on retirement: A brief report

This study aimed to synthesize the scientific publication on retirement between 1991 and 2015. Analysis were done using the software Iramuteq to systematize papers extracted from Scopus database that included the word retirement (N = 18,362). Results have shown that North American and European countries are among the most productive. Health and economics are the most researched fields and are interconnected by a common interest in public policy. Relevant topics, such as retirement education, were absent from the main results. It is discussed that the number of publications is associated with national investment in research and development and has little relationship with the proportion of elderly individuals. A broader and interdisciplinary research agenda is recommended.
Effect of Rosemary Essential Oil Coated Vacuum Packaging on the Quality of Chicken Meatballs at +4Â°C

The aim of this study was to investigate preservation of the microbiological, chemical and sensory quality of chicken meatballs during storage time by using rosemary essential oil (REO) coated vacuum packaging materials at +4Â°C. The treatments of chicken meatballs examined in the present study were done by vacuum packaging and packaging materials were prepared by using REO coating 0.3% for group A, 0.5% group B and control group without any additive. The chicken meatballs were analyzed for microbiological (Psychrophilic total viable counts, Enterobacteriaceae, Lactic acid bacteria and Yeast/Mold), chemical (pH and thiobarbituric acid values) and sensory (appearance, taste and general acceptability) parameters. In the study, the microbiological quality of chicken meatballs in samples coated with vacuum packaging with REO had better shelf life compared to control group. The REO 0.3% treatment group samples resulted in a shelf life extension for 9 days compared to the control group samples with a shelf life of 5 days. Thiobarbituric acid values were found to be lower in REO coated groups compared to control. This study was shown that, vacuum packaging materials coated with REO are effective against microbial growth and lipid oxidation and improves sensory qualities of chicken meatballs.
ICU nurses’ knowledge, attitude and behavior about ICU acquired weakness

Background and objective: Intensive care unit (ICU) acquired weakness (ICU-AW) is muscle weakness caused by neuromuscular dysfunction, which can cause muscle mass and muscle strength decline, and is one of the common complications of ICU. ICU-AW can affect patients' daily activities and long-term quality of life. We sought to understand the current knowledge, attitude and behavior of ICU nurses relative to ICU-AW, and analyze the factors influencing the knowledge, attitude and behavior. Methods: Design: A cross-sectional survey. A survey was conducted of 236 ICU nurses using a self-designed questionnaire. Results: The knowledge, attitude and behavior scores of ICU nurses were 17.05 ± 6.003, 17.47 ± 5.538 and 19.84 ± 5.100, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that education level, previous exposure to ICU-AW and ICU-AW-related knowledge were the three factors affecting ICU nurses' knowledge of ICU-AW. Education level and previous exposure to ICU-AW were the two factors affecting attitude. Education level and ICU-AW-related knowledge were the factors influencing nurses’ behavior ( p < .05). Conclusions: ICU nurses have a lower knowledge and attitude score on ICU-AW and a higher score on ICU-AW intervention practice. Relevance to clinical practice: ICU nurses need to acquire more theoretical knowledge and deepen their understanding of ICU-AW, so as to prevent the incidence of ICU-AW.
Closing the Modelling Gap: Transfer Learning from a Low-Fidelity Simulator for Autonomous Driving

The behaviour planning subsystem, which is responsible for high-level decision making and planning, is an important aspect of an autonomous driving system. There are advantages to using a learned behaviour planning system instead of traditional rule-based approaches. However, high quality labelled data for training behaviour planning models is hard to acquire. Thus, reinforcement learning (RL), which can learn a policy from simulations, is a viable option for this problem. However, modelling inaccuracies between the simulator and the target environment, called the ‘transfer gap’, hinders its deployment in a real autonomous vehicle. High-fidelity simulators, which have a smaller transfer gap, come with large computational costs that are not favourable for RL training. Therefore, we often have to settle for a fast, but lower fidelity simulator that exacerbates the transfer learning problem. In this thesis, we study how a low-fidelity 2D simulator can be used in place of a slower 3D simulator for training RL behaviour planning models, and analyze the resulting policies in comparison with a rule-based approach. We develop WiseMove, an RL framework for autonomous driving research that supports hierarchical RL, to serve as the low-fidelity source simulator. A transfer learning scenario is set up from WiseMove to an Unrealbased simulator for the Autonomoose system to study and close the transfer gap. We find that perception errors in the target simulator contribute the most to the transfer gap. These errors, when naively modelled in WiseMove, provide a policy that performs better in the target simulator than a carefully constructed rule-based policy. Applying domain randomization on the environment yields an even better policy. The final RL policy reduces the failures due to perception errors from 10% to 2.75%. We also observe that the RL policy has less reliance on the velocity compared to the rule-based algorithm, as its measurement is unreliable in the target simulator. To understand the exact learned behaviour, we also distill the RL policy using a decision tree to obtain an interpretable rule-based policy. We show that constructing a rule-based policy manually to efficiently handle perception errors is not trivial. Future work can explore more driving scenarios under fewer constraints to further validate this result. Unreal Engine 4 by Epic Games Autonomous driving research platform at the University of Waterloo www.autonomoose. net