Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Compact high-Q hemispherical resonators for 3-D printed bandpass filter applications

A new class of hemispherical resonators featuring a high unloaded quality factor (Qu) and a compact geometrical configuration is proposed for the first time for 3-D printed bandpass filter (BPF) applications. The hemispherical resonator exhibits a volume only half that of a spherical one at a same dominant-mode resonant frequency, without losing its intrinsic characteristic of a high Qu. Electromagnetic field analysis of the hemi-spherical resonator is expounded, and second-order BPFs based on such resonators are designed at X and Ka bands. The Ka-band second-order BPF is manufactured with a high-temperature-resistant ceramic-filled resin using a fast and low-cost stereo-lithography-based 3-D printing technique for validation purpose. The filter's surface metallization is achieved by employing electroless copper/silver plating, which contributes to an improved fabrication accuracy in thickness and uniformity of the conductive layer. The RF-measured results demonstrate the Ka-band filter an insertion loss of 0.56–0.7 dB at 31.95–32.13 GHz, a passband return loss of better than 17 dB, and a small frequency shift of 0.04%.
Improvement in Autophony Symptoms After Superior Canal Dehiscence Repair

Objective: Autophony, or the unusually loud or disturbing sound of a patient's own voice, can be a prominent and disabling symptom of superior canal dehiscence (SCD) syndrome. The current study measures autophony symptoms before and after SCD plugging to quantify the benefits of surgery. Study Design: Patients undergoing SCD plugging between September 2007 and October 2008 completed a questionnaire before and 3 months after surgery. The questionnaire consisted of 26 statements to assess the disability caused by the sound of the patient's own voice. Patients graded each item on a scale from 0 (never) to 4 (almost always) to how often they noted a symptom or experience. Typical statements included "hearing my voice has interfered with my ability to work" and "hearing my voice has caused me to avoid social situations. " An autophony index (AI) was generated to grade patient symptoms. Setting: Tertiary referral center. Patients: Nineteen adults with SCD. Intervention: Superior canal dehiscence plugging via a middle fossa approach. Outcome Measures: Change in AI. Results: Preoperatively, the mean AI was 42 ± 27 (mean ± SD; range, 0-86; 1 patient had no autophony symptoms). Postoperative AI decreased 89% to 9 ± 22, a significant (p < 0.01) decline. Of the 18 patients with preoperative autophony, 13 had complete postoperative resolution. In 3 remaining patients, the AI decreased but did not resolve. One of these had bilateral SCD with contralateral autophony. One patient's mild autophony remained unchanged, and another patient with coexisting patulous eustachian tube AI increased after SCD plugging. Conclusion: In patients with significant autophony symptoms, SCD plugging improved 94% of patients. A simple 5-item AI is provided that will be useful in grading autophony symptoms.
In vivo comparison of two bone substitutes in the distal femur of the rabbit.

PURPOSE This study aimed to microradiographically evaluate the healing of grafted defects using a surgically standardized model that was suitable for comparing the regenerative potential of different grafts. MATERIALS AND METHODS Two different biomaterials, bovine porous bone mineral (BPBM) and nanohydroxyapatite (NHA), were used to fill defects produced in the distal epiphyses of 10 adult male rabbits for 2 and 4 months. Three rabbits were left untreated, without defects, as controls. Evaluations were performed on microradiographs of sections of polymethyl methacrylate-embedded rabbit epiphyses. The amounts of graft material and bone were evaluated by splitting the filled hole into three portions. RESULTS A greater amount of BPBM granules were in contact with bone at both 2 and 4 months versus the NHA (statistically significant difference in the central portion of the defect), and a persistence of the BPBM over time was apparent. The amount of NHA decreased from the inner to the outer portion of the defect, particularly after 4 months. The bone amount increased from the inner to the outer portion, particularly for the NHA graft, which produced an early cortex. The amount of mineralized material reached about 80% in the BPBM and 40% to 60% in the NHA after 4 months. CONCLUSION Both the analyzed biomaterials performed adequately for bone regeneration. The two biomaterials are probably suitable for grafting defects related to early cortical formation or spacemaintaining clinical requirements.
A meta‐analysis of dispersal in butterflies

Dispersal has recently gained much attention because of its crucial role in the conservation and evolution of species facing major environmental changes such as habitat loss and fragmentation, climate change, and their interactions. Butterflies have long been recognized as ideal model systems for the study of dispersal and a huge amount of data on their ability to disperse has been collected under various conditions. However, no single ‘best’ method seems to exist leading to the co‐occurrence of various approaches to study butterfly mobility, and therefore a high heterogeneity among data on dispersal across this group. Accordingly, we here reviewed the knowledge accumulated on dispersal and mobility in butterflies, to detect general patterns. This meta‐analysis specifically addressed two questions. Firstly, do the various methods provide a congruent picture of how dispersal ability is distributed across species? Secondly, is dispersal species‐specific? Five sources of data were analysed: multisite mark‐recapture experiments, genetic studies, experimental assessments, expert opinions, and transect surveys. We accounted for potential biases due to variation in genetic markers, sample sizes, spatial scales or the level of habitat fragmentation. We showed that the various dispersal estimates generally converged, and that the relative dispersal ability of species could reliably be predicted from their relative vagrancy (records of butterflies outside their normal habitat). Expert opinions gave much less reliable estimates of realized dispersal but instead reflected migration propensity of butterflies. Within‐species comparisons showed that genetic estimates were relatively invariable, while other dispersal estimates were highly variable. This latter point questions dispersal as a species‐specific, invariant trait.
The Influence of Dynamic Trans-tibial Prosthetic Alignment on Standing Plantar Foot Pressure

In order to study quantitative effect of dynamic prosthetic alignment on standing biomechanical property for trans-tibial amputees, plantar foot pressure of one subject during natural standing were recorded by using the Pedar in-shoe pressure measurement system with different alignment angles in the sagittal and frontal planes. The results showed that angular alignment had significant effects on the foot pressure distribution and magnitude of prosthetic side. Peak pressure on prosthetic foot was 1.96 times larger than the one on sound foot, although only about 38% body weight was supported by prosthetic side on average. Adjustment of alignment angle in sagittal and frontal planes made the center of pressure on foot shift in A/P and M/L directions respectively. The findings provide potentially useful information for prosthesis design and biomechanical analysis of lower limb
Effect of Subconjunctival Bevacizumab (Avastin) on Experimental Corneal Neovascularization in Guinea Pigs

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of subconjunctival bevacizumab (Avastin) on experimental corneal neovascularization in guinea pigs. Methods: Forty eyes of 40 guinea pigs were chemically cauterized with 75% silver nitrate and 25% potassium nitrate sticks. Fifteen eyes (group 1) received 2 subconjunctival injections of bevacizumab (0.1 mL, 1.25 mg) simultaneously with cauterization and 3 days later. Fifteen eyes (group 2) received 2 subconjunctival injections of bevacizumab (0.1 mL, 1.25 mg) 3 and 5 days after cauterization. Ten eyes (group 3, control group) received 2 subconjunctival injections of 0.1 mL of balanced salt solution 3 and 5 days after cauterization. After we determined the burn and neovascularization scores for all groups, the animals were killed on the 10th day. The percentages of neovascularization on the surface of the cornea were measured in terms of pixels on digital photographs. The average number of vessels at maximally vascularized areas was determined for each specimen. Results: Neovascularization score was 1.1 ± 0.3 in group 1, 2.46 ± 1.3 in group 2, and 3.5 ± 0.5 in the control group. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). The area of neovascularization at the cornea surface was 15.6% ± 10.1% in group 1, 19.74% ± 11.2% in group 2, and 23.5% ± 7.4% in the control group (P = 0.194). The average number of neovascular vessels at group 1 was significantly reduced in comparison with group 2 and the control group (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Subconjunctival injection of bevacizumab decreases the extent of chemically induced corneal neovascularization in guinea pigs. The antineovascular effect of bevacizumab is higher if the injection is performed simultaneously with the chemical cauterization.
The feasibility of statistical parametric mapping for the analysis of positron emission tomography studies using 11C-2-β-carbomethoxy-3-β-(4-fluorophenyl)-tropane in patients with movement disorders

Movement disorders, including Parkinson's disease and parkinsonian syndromes, e.g. progressive supranuclear palsy, multiple system atrophy, and Lewy body dementia, may be difficult to differentiate among each other at an early stage, since they may share similar clinical features and response to dopaminergic drugs. As new tracers for imaging the dopamine transporters become available, the use of positron emission tomography (PET) for the differential diagnosis of movement disorders is gaining clinical relevance. Visual interpretation is generally used for PET image analysis. However, the use of some form of less subjective analysis is desirable in order to detect subtle changes that may be difficult to identify by visual interpretation and to achieve an operator independent analysis. To this end this study was aimed at assessing the feasibility of using statistical parametric mapping (SPM) for the clinical evaluation of single PET scans performed with 2-β-carbomethoxy-3-β-(4-fluorophenyl)-tropane (11C-β-CIT-FE). Eleven healthy volunteers and five patients with movement disorders (Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, PSP and Lewy body dementia) were included in this study. Each subject underwent a PET study after i.v. injection of 11C-β-CIT-FE. The PET images of 11C-β-CIT-FE distribution acquired between 60 and 90 min were spatially fitted into the Talairach and Tournoux space. A template of normal 11C-β-CIT-FE distribution was derived from studies in the 11 normal control subjects. Different patterns of reduction of the uptake of the tracer were detected in the basal ganglia of the five patients, in relation to each pathological condition. The patterns of distribution were all consistent with the severity and type of disease. The results of this study demonstrate the feasibility of differentiating among different states of dopaminergic impairment, due to Parkinson's disease and parkinsonian syndromes, by using PET scans with 11C-β-CIT-FE and by using the SPM procedure for analysis of the data.
Does certified organic agriculture increase agroecosystem health? Evidence from four farming systems in Uganda

ABSTRACT Over the past decades, the number of certified organic farms have increased significantly in Uganda. One assumption is that certified organic agriculture contributes to economic, social and ecological health of agroecosystems. In the literature, however, there is thin empirical evidence to support such claims. We therefore developed health indicators and contrasted data from four Ugandan farming systems with principles and objectives of organic agriculture. We identified four health patterns (ecology-driven, economically struggling, socially-driven, and hanging in) demonstrating the impact of farm management on agroecosystem health and trade-offs between health domains. Ecological farm health is strengthened only if the conversion goes beyond ‘organic by default’. Market-oriented specialization can create lock-in situations if production strategies cannot be changed easily. Food shortages occur when additional income from certified production does not compensate for the reduced area and effort devoted to food crops. We conclude that the positive effects of organic certification on agroecosystem health cannot be taken for granted. Interventions promoting organic agriculture should acknowledge risks smallholder farmers take by converting to cash crop-oriented certified organic farming. A challenging question will be how aspects of wellbeing and social health can be translated into certification standards and thus product attributes.
A prospective study of delirium in elderly patients admitted to a psychiatric hospital

Synopsis Seventy consecutive elderly patients meeting the DSM-III criteria for non-alcohol delirium were examined during the acute stage and followed to four years later. The mean age of the patients at the beginning of the index admission was 74, 8±6, 4 years. The most common aetiologies for delirium were stroke, infections and metabolic disorders. Coexistent structural brain disease predisposing to delirium was found in 57 cases (81%). During the index admission, the cognitive dysfunction associated with delirium ameliorated significantly (mean±S.D. Mini Mental State Examination score 9·7±6·6 at admission and 13·9±7·2 at discharge, P < 0·001), but during the follow-up period of four years progression of the basic central nervous system disease was observed together with declining cognition and deteriorating functions of daily living. Four patients died during the index admission and 42 patients during the follow-up period. In deceased patients there was a statistically significant connection between the levels of cognitive functioning and functions of daily living at the end of the index admission and the life span after delirium.
The formation and functions of the 21‐ and 23‐kDa tyrosine‐phosphorylated TCR ζ subunits

The interaction between the T cell receptor (TCR) and its cognate antigen/major histocompatibility complex (MHC) complex activates a cascade of intracellular protein phosphorylations within the T cell. The signals are initiated by the specific phosphorylation of two tyrosine residues located in a conserved sequence motif termed an ITAM (immune receptor‐based tyrosine activation motif). There are 10 ITAMs in the TCR complex, and 6 of these ITAMs are present in the TCR ζ homodimer. Following TCR stimulation, the TCR ζ subunit forms two tyrosine‐phosphorylated intermediates of 21‐ and 23‐kDa, respectively. The dramatic and diverse biological responses of T cells are proposed to be partly regulated by the relative ratios of the 21‐ vs. 23‐kDa phosphorylated forms of TCR ζ that are induced following TCR ligation. In this review, we describe a stepwise model of ζ phosphorylation required for the formation of these two phosphorylated derivatives. We describe the kinases and phosphatases controlling these phosphorylation processes. In addition, we present some preliminary findings from ongoing studies that discuss the contributions of each phosphorylated form of ζ on T cell development, TCR signaling, T cell anergy induction, and T cell survival.
Assessment of insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance in lean women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE To analyze insulin resistance (IR) and determine the need for a 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) for the identification of IR and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in lean nondiabetic women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS This was a cross-sectional analysis of treatment-naive women with PCOS who enrolled in a university-based clinical trial. Nondiabetic women with PCOS based on the Eunice Kennedy Shriven National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) definition, aged 18-43 years and weighing ≤113 kg, were evaluated. Glucose and insulin levels were assessed at times 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after a 75-g glucose load. Lean was defined as body mass index (BMI) <25 kg/m(2). Multiple linear regression was performed. RESULTS A cohort of 78 women was studied. The prevalence of IR was 0% among lean women vs. 21% among nonlean subjects based on fasting insulin I(0) and 40%-68% based on two different homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) cutoff points (p < 0.005). All women with IR had a BMI ≥ 28. Controlling for age and race, BMI explained over 57% of the variation in insulin fasting (I(o)), glucose fasting/Io (G(o)/I(o)), the qualitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI), and HOMA and was a highly significant predictor of these outcomes (p < 0.0001). Only 1 of 31 (3%) of the lean PCOS women had IGT based on a 2-hour OGTT, and no lean subjects had IGT based on their fasting blood glucose. CONCLUSIONS Diabetes mellitus, IGT, and IR are far less common in young lean women with PCOS compared with obese women with PCOS. These data imply that it is unnecessary to routinely perform either IR testing or 2-hour OGTT in lean women with PCOS; however, greater subject accumulation is needed to determine if OGTT is necessary in lean women with PCOS. BMI is highly predictive of both insulin and glucose levels in women with PCOS.
The Russian-Speaking Populations in the Post-Soviet Space: Language, Politics and Identity

IN RECENT YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN SUSTAINED ACADEMIC AND political scrutiny of externally located ‘kinsfolk’: that is, groups of individuals located outside of a nominally national ‘kin-state’, and over whom the state in question lays claim to various forms of symbolic and/or legal jurisdiction (Duvold 2015; Pogonyi 2017). Academically, this literature is often nestled within broader, critical discussion of contemporary nations and nationalisms (Agarin & Karolewski 2015), with scholars noting ‘the increasingly transnational character of global migration flows, cultural networks and socio-political practices’ (Smith & Bakker 2008, p. 3). Often premised on the assumption that globalisation has the capacity to erode traditional borders, these transnational developments have spurred significant research interest into kin-state policies across the globe. These policies are typically enacted by states to construct diasporic identities that create strong bonds of identity between co-ethnics and their supposedly external homeland (Stjepanovi c 2015, p. 144). The kinsfolk question is consequently salient for the foreign policy actions of self-designating external homelands, but can also be heavily securitised by states that house groups of individuals who have the potential to be ‘diasporised’. Owing to the scale of its potentially diasporic kinsfolk, the Russian Federation stands out globally as a significant agent of kin-state nationalism. Indeed, in recent years the Russian authorities have directed substantial resources towards kin-state activities, even codifying Russian-speaking ‘compatriots’ as central elements of the country’s assertive foreign policy (Grigas 2016, pp. 57–93). While much has been written on Russia’s politicisation of Russian speakers in its so-called ‘near abroad’ (Cheskin 2016; Grigas 2016; Duvold 2015; Schulze 2018), the essays in this volume place greater emphasis on the exploration of trends within the various communities of Russian speakers themselves. In this endeavour, we are influenced by Rogers Brubaker, who admonishes us to think of a diaspora as ‘a category of practice . used to make claims’; diaspora, he goes on to say ‘does not so much describe the world as seek to remake it’ (Brubaker 2005, p. 12). This special issue consequently investigates trends in how ‘Russian
Viruses and lymphoma

Summary The aetiology of lymphomas is poorly understood and the striking increase in its incidence rate in developed societies remains unexplained. The concept of lymphoma as a virallyinduced malignancy is not surprising since viruses are implicated in approximately 15% of all cancers. However, lymphoma represents a complex multistep process and, although viral associations have been identified, integration of the available epidemiological and scientific data poses substantial questions. The study of oncogenic viruses has and will continue to yield major insights into the pathogenesis of lymphoma. Further research is likely to uncover new lymphoma associations between both known and as yet unidentified viruses, may provide cellular and pharmacological targeted antiviral therapy strategies for the treatment of malignant lymphoma, and ultimately may generate the most promising avenue for lymphoma prevention.Abbreviations: ATLL, adult T‐cell leukaemia/lymphoma; BL, Burkitt's lymphoma; DLBCL, diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma; EBV, Epstein‐Barr virus; HAART, highly active anti‐retroviral therapy; HCV, hepatitis C virus; HHV‐8, human herpes virus‐8; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; HL, Hodgkin lymphoma; HRS, Hodgkin Reed‐Sternberg; HTLV‐1, human T‐cell lymphotropic virus‐1; LPD, lymphoproliferative disorders; NHL, non‐Hodgkin lymphoma; PBMC, peripheral blood mononuclear cells; PEL, primary effusion lymphoma; PID, primary immunodeficiency syndromes; PTLD, post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorders; SCT, stem cell transplant; SOT, solid organ transplant.
Shrinkage estimator based common spatial pattern for multi-class motor imagery classification by hybrid classifier

Motor imagery BCI is a system that is very useful to help people with disabilities who can't move their limbs. These systems use brain activity patterns that are made from motor imagery without actual movement. In this paper, we proposed enhanced One Versus One (OVO) structure to classify EEG-based multi-class motor imagery signals. Also, shrinkage estimator based Common Spatial Pattern (CSP) is used to overcome disadvantages of conventional CSP. Shrinkage estimator is a procedure to estimate covariance matrix that regularizes CSP versus overfitting. The results of four-class classification of BCI competition IV dataset 2a, show that the performance is improved to 0.61 kappa score.
Early Experience with Telemanipulative Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Using da Vinci

In the past decade, robot-assisted surgery has become increasingly used to assist in minimally invasive surgical procedures. In this article we review the evolution of robotic devices, from the first use of an industrial robot for stereotactic biopsies to pioneering work with robots used for hip and prostate surgery, to the development of robotic guidance systems that enabled solo endoscopic surgery, to telemanipulative surgery with master-servant computer-enhanced robotic devices. In addition, we review our early experience with da Vinci Robotic Surgical Systems (Intuitive Surgical, Inc., Mountain View, CA, U.S.A.), which we used to perform robot-assisted laparoscopic cholecystectomies.