Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Laser Ultrasonic Scanning using Binary Search

Laser ultrasonic imaging is attractive for damage localization because of its noncontact natur e, sensitiveness to local damages, and high spatial resolution. However, its field application is limited as the scanning with high spatial resolution demands a long scanning time. Inspired by a binary search algorithm, an accelerated scanning technique is developed so that damage can be located and visualized with a reduced number of laser ultrasonic measurements. First, ultrasonic waves are generated at the center of a single line in an inspection region using a pulsed laser, and measured at a fixed sensing point using a laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV). Second, the measured ultrasonic response is analyzed using a spatial ultrasonic transformation technique to check whether the corresponding ultrasonic waves have passed through the damage or not. If the waves crossed the damage, the damage should be located between the excitation and the sensing point. If not, the damage should be located outside the propagation path, allowing us to rule out the half of the inspection region as possible damage locations. Third, the center of the remained inspection region is selected as the next excitation point. These steps are repeated until there is no remained binary inspection region. Fourth, the first to the third steps are repeated with a next line in the manner of binary se arch. Then, the boundary between the areas affected by the damage and the intact area is deter mine as the damage location. The number of measurement points required for damage localization and visualization are dramatically reduced from N·M to log 2N· log2M, where N and M represents the size of inspection region in x and y direction, respectively. The performance of the proposed accelerated scanning technique is evaluated through a numerical simulation and an experiment performed on a cracked aluminum plate.
Treating Multitraumatized, Socially Marginalized Children: Results of a Naturalistic Treatment Outcome Study

Although early-onset, repeated trauma is relatively common in socially marginalized populations and related to numerous negative outcomes, most empirically validated interventions are not especially well tailored to meet the complex and individualized needs of child and adolescent trauma survivors in such contexts. Integrative treatment of complex trauma (ITCT) was developed as a specialized treatment that is empirically informed, culturally sensitive, extendable beyond the short term, and customized to the specific social and psychological issues of each child. This article examines the potential effectiveness of ITCT in assisting 151 traumatized children living in an economically deprived environment. Results indicate significant reductions in anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress, anger, dissociation, and sexual concerns as a function of time in treatment.
Brownian Motion of Decaying Particles: Transition Probability, Computer Simulation, and First-Passage Times

Recent developments in the measurement of radioactive gases in passive diffusion motivate the analysis of Brownian motion of decaying particles, a subject that has received little previous attention. This paper reports the derivation and solution of equations comparable to the Fokker-Planck and Langevin equations for one-dimensional diffusion and decay of unstable particles. In marked contrast to the case of stable particles, the two equations are not equivalent, but provide different information regarding the same stochastic process. The differences arise because Brownian motion with particle decay is not a continuous process. The discontinuity is readily apparent in the computer-simulated trajectories of the Langevin equation that incorporate both a Wiener process for displacement fluctuations and a Bernoulli process for random decay. This paper also reports the derivation of the mean time of first passage of the decaying particle to absorbing boundaries. Here, too, particle decay can lead to an outcome markedly different from that for stable particles. In particular, the first-passage time of the decaying particle is always finite, whereas the time for a stable particle to reach a single absorbing boundary is theoretically infinite due to the heavy tail of the inverse Gaussian density. The methodology developed in this paper should prove useful in the investigation of radioactive gases, aerosols of radioactive atoms, dust particles to which adhere radioactive ions, as well as diffusing gases and liquids of unstable molecules.
Evaluation of plasma neurotransmitters in children living with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

This study aimed to ascertain the underlying neuro-biochemical imbalances that exist in children with ADHD by assessing the plasma levels of dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, γ aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate. Moreover, it investigated the potential effects of PUFA and vitamins supplementation as an alternative therapy to modulate the levels of these neurotransmitters and the overall clinical status of ADHD patients. The study included 40 ADHD patients, aged 4-6 years. The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5) test has been employed to diagnose patients with ADHD and the severity of symptoms was assessed using the Arabic version of Conners' Parent Rating Scale. Additionally, patients were assessed using the Arabic versions of Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children (M.I.N.I. Kid) and Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, 5th Edition (SB5). Recruited patient received nutritional supplement of semi-solid diet containing 1000 mg PUFA with selected vitamins once daily for six months. The evaluation of ADHD symptoms and levels of neurotransmitters has been carried out at pre-/post-intervention stage. Post-nutrition intervention assessment, there was a significant increase in dopamine, norepinephrine, GABA levels (p-value < 0.0001) with significant decrease in glutamate level (p-value < 0.0001) when compared to their correspondent pre-intervention levels. Symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity were significantly improved after 6 months nutrition intervention program (p-value<0.001). Therefore, supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins could be considered more extensively in therapy of ADHD patients particularly those who are less than 6 years old.
Low But Continuous Occurrence of Microsporum gypseum Infection in the Study on 198 Cases in South Korea from 1979 to 2016

Background Microsporum gypseum has been isolated from South Korea since 1966. However, the incidence of M. gypseum infection is very low. Objective The aim of this study is to add massive data on M. gypseum to the literature and to provide useful information on clinical and mycological characteristics of M. gypseum. Methods We retrospectively analyzed data of 198 cases infected with M. gypseum from 1979 to 2016. The identification of M. gypseum was done with mycological examination using 15% KOH preparation and potato corn meal tween 80 agar culture media. Results The incidence of M. gypseum infection was very low in South Korea, showing a tendency to decrease. Out of 198 cases, men were 94 cases (47.5%) and women were 104 cases (52.5%). Mean age of all patients was 29.83 years old: 24.97 years old in men and 34.22 years old in women. M. gypseum infection occurred most frequently in September (16.7%) and August (16.2%). The most common clinical type of M. gypseum infection was tinea corporis (38.4%). Conclusion M. gypseum infection shows very low incidence but still remains around us until recent years. We should keep in mind the characteristics of M. gypseum.
Ecohydrology and physical habitat modification for fish – the integrative approach for reversing decline of fish communities and good ecological status of freshwater ecosystems

Degradation of physical habitat for fish in lakes and reservoirs, especially in the face of global changes, has been a factor of increasing in importance for both fish biodiversity and fisheries. To develop the strategy and methods to prevent and reverse this detrimental process, there is an urgent need to identify the vulnerability of fishes to various forms of physical habitat modification, the hierarchy of driving forces in different geographic regions, and habitat assessment and rehabilitation techniques. Reports of the application of knowledge generated by the integrative sciences (hydrology-ecology) toward sustainable water resources and fisheries cross verifies the success of this approach. This issue of Ecohydrology & Hydrobiology contains a range of papers which describe experiences and highlight the important issues relevant to the above. It is hoped that this will be a starting point for enhancing the scientific background for development of the ecohydrological, integrative system approach that is necessary to achieve good ecological status of ecosystems and fish communities.
ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY OF CEMENT TYPES IN REINFORCED CONCRETE STRUCTURES OF ELECTRICALLY POWERED TRANSIT LINES

Electrical resistivity is an important physical property of concrete that affects a variety of applications. Therefore, any changes in the volume fraction of this matrix will affect the electrical resistivity of concrete. Present research has been underway to demonstrate the electrical resistivity of cement and mix design and effects of performance based specification and proper construction practices in reducing the life cycle cost of reinforced concrete structures especially foundation of power stations, concrete ties and slabs track of electrically power transit lines. Results of this research with DC current showed that age, W/C ratio of specimens, cement types are parameters, which affect resistivity of cement paste and therefore concrete matrix. Specimens with low W/C ratios due to reducing pore water volumes showed decreasing electrical resistivity of matrix. Also increasing age of specimens and decreasing free water volumes in matrix caused very low resistivity, which is an important factor in controlling corrosion, and resistivity.
HETEROGENEITY AMONG FAMILIES OF HOLSTEIN CATTLE IN INBREEDING DEPRESSION FOR PRODUCTION TRAITS

First lactation records from 58,433 Holstein cows were analyzed to investigate the presence of variability of inbreeding depression for production traits among families tracing to different common ancestors. A total of 48 common ancestor families were identified. An animal model that included an interaction between family and inbreeding depression of the descendants was fitted for milk, fat and protein yield, and fat and protein percent. The interaction was significant for milk, fat and protein yield. Thus, heterogeneity of inbreeding depression was evident for the three yield traits, suggesting that the founders did differ substantially in response of their descendants to inbreeding. The average values of the slopes of inbreeding depression of the 48 families were very similar to the common slope and were within literature estimates for all traits. Variability in inbreeding depression may arise if founders of a family vary in number of deleterious recessive genes. When a common slope is fitted in the model to take account of effects of inbreeding, genetic evaluations will yield erroneous estimates, if variability of inbreeding depression among families is present.
Associations between Diet, Dietary and Oral Hygiene Habits with Caries Occurrence and Severity in Children with Autism at Dammam City, Saudi Arabia

AIM: The purpose of the study is to achieve the baseline information of the autistic child’s oral health status about the diet, dietary and hygiene habits. The association of these factors with dental caries were assessed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The survey was composed of self-administered questionnaires to parents about their children’s’ demographic data followed by questions related to diet, dietary and hygiene habits. This is later followed by oral examination for estimating the decayed, missing and filled [dmft] scores as per WHO norms. The variables are analysed using t-tests and ANOVA. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated for each of the independent variables to examine for autocorrelation. RESULTS: The mean age for the present study is 5.8 years with more predilections of caries in females. The autistic children prefer soft diet and pouch it in oral cavity resulting in increased caries though not significant. Other foods like nuts and pulses confectioneries and soft drinks resulted in increased caries, and our study shows significant relation. Consumption of sugars between meals and increased quantity of sugar per day also increased dental caries with highly significant results in our study. Hygiene habits also made a difference in the occurrence of caries though, in our study, it’s not significant. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that the oral health education programs should be conducted for the parents, caregivers and the teachers about the diet, dietary and the hygiene habits and the role they play in maintaining the oral hygiene.
PATTERN AND SEVERITY OF DIASTOLIC DYSFUNCTION IN OBESE HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS IN RURAL POPULATION IN SOUTH INDIA

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect of obesity and hypertension on left ventricular (LV) diastolic function. BACKGROUND: Obese and overweight individuals are at increased risk of heart failure. LV diastolic dysfunction is an asymptomatic condition associated with future heart failure. It is unclear whether obesity and overweight are independently associated with LV diastolic dysfunction. Obesity is associated with heart failure, but an effect of weight, independent of comorbidities, on cardiac structure and function is not well established. Severe prolonged obesity in adults results in increased plasma volume, eccentric LV hypertrophy, and diastolic dysfunction. Obese people are at increased risk for the development of heart failure. METHODS: A total of eighty subjects of either gender, coming from rural background admitted in a tertiary care hospital in South India, were enrolled in this cross sectional case control study. Patients were enrolled from March 2014 to May 2015. The study sample was divided into three groups: normal weight [body mass index (BMI) <25.0], overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9) and obese (BMI≥30). Diastolic dysfunction in each category of patients was assessed with standard methods. RESULTS: BMI was independently associated with higher E, A, and E/E′, an indicator of LV filling pressure (all p≤0.01). Overweight and obese had lower E′ (both p<0.01) and higher E/E′ (both p<0.01) than normal weight participants. E/A was lower in obese than normal weight subjects (p<0.01). The risk of diastolic dysfunction was significantly higher in overweight and obese compared to normal weight individuals. Hypertensive patients were found to have worse diastolic function as compared to those having normal blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Increased BMI was associated with worse LV diastolic function. The increased risk of LV diastolic dysfunction in both overweight and obese individuals may partially account for the increased risk of heart failure associated with both conditions. Overweight subjects without overt heart disease have subclinical changes of LV structure and function. These abnormalities in LV function may have important implications for explaining the myocardial dysfunction that is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality caused by obesity. Hypertension adds to the worsening of diastolic dysfunction.
The Effect of Implementation Intentions on Prospective Memory Performance across the Lifespan

Differences in the amount and availability of cognitive resources may be responsible for age-related differences in event-based prospective memory tasks. We hypothesised that a manipulation which reduces resource requirements by enhancing automatic processing will reduce age differences. Implementation intentions are assumed to satisfy this requirement. We tested a total of 563 participants, 185 adolescents, 193 young adults and 185 older adults in order to investigate whether providing participants with implementation intention instructions would improve performance, whether any improvement would vary with age, and whether it would affect the prospective component or the retrospective component. The results showed a benefit of implementation intentions for older adults, but not for adolescents and for young adults. Separate analyses for the prospective and the retrospective components revealed that this effect was based mainly on a performance facilitation of the prospective component. These results suggest that implementation intentions provide a means to reduce age differences in prospective memory. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Saudi Infant with Vici Syndrome: Case Report and Literature Review

INTRODUCTION: Vici syndrome, a rare autosomal recessive disorder, was first described in 1988 by Vici et al. Only 78 cases have been reported to date. The syndrome is characterised by agenesis of the corpus callosum, hypopigmentation, cardiomyopathy, progressive failure to thrive, dysmorphic features, immunodeficiency and cataracts. Mutations in the gene epg5 have been identified as the cause of Vici syndrome. CASE DESCRIPTION: The parents are a consanguineous Saudi couple with two other children diagnosed with Gaucher disease. The patient was born at term and in the first 5 months had many hospital admissions for a recurrent chest infection. Physical examination, investigations and imaging studies revealed that the patient had agenesis of the corpus callosum, cataracts, psychomotor delay, immunodeficiency and hypopigmentation. The initial echocardiogram was normal. At 7 months, genetic testing confirmed the diagnosis of Vici syndrome with a c.3693G>Ap (Gln1231Gln) mutation in the gene EPG5. The patient developed a chest infection and was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit. An echocardiogram was repeated and showed significant left ventricular dilation with a Z-score of 3.1, moderate mitral and tricuspid regurgitation, and depressed ventricular function with a fractional shortening of 17% and ejection fraction 37%. The patient’s condition deteriorated, and he died aged 8 months. CONCLUSION: The symptoms of extensive system involvement in Vici syndrome have been present in the majority of reported cases and should prompt careful evaluation of this syndrome when such symptoms are present in an infant. In confirmed cases, close monitoring of the immune status and cardiac function, the two main causes of death among Vici syndrome patients, is vital to prevent rapid deterioration and improve life expectancy.
Not All Interruptions are Created Equal: Positive Interruptions in Healthcare

Interruptions were studied extensively in the past but with a focus on their negative effects. Although many types of interruptions result in a break-in-task, in some cases interruptions communicate important information associated with patient’s safety. The majority of previous interruption research use a reductionist approach to minimize or prevent interruptions, and minimal attention has been given to the differentiation between positive and negative interruptions. Through the analysis of relevant healthcare literature, this paper first identifies the inconsistencies in the way interruptions are defined, and then categorizes potential sources of negative and positive interruptions.
Gender-related differences in the progression of carotid stiffness with age and in the influence of risk factors on carotid stiffness

Background In recent years, there has been growing interest in the impact of gender-related factors on the function and structure of the arterial tree. The aim of our study was to identify gender-specific differences in the progression of carotid stiffness parameters with age and in the impact of risk factors on carotid stiffness. Subjects and methods The study group included 256 subjects (mean age: 54.7 years): 134 women (52%) and 122 men (48%) with cardiovascular risk factors: hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, smoking, and obesity. Local parameters of carotid stiffness: β stiffness index (β), Peterson’s elastic modulus (Ep), pulse wave velocity β (PWV-β) and arterial compliance (AC) were determined with ultrasound echo-tracking software application. Results Women were characterized by lower AC than men (women: 0.57 mm2/kPa vs men: 0.69 mm2/kPa, p < 0.001) and the subanalysis in three age groups revealed that the difference in AC value between genders became significant over the age of 45 years. Although no significant difference in the value of β, Ep and PWV-β were found between genders in the whole study group, women <45 years were characterized by lower values of β and Ep than their men counterparts (β: women: 5.4 vs men: 6.6, p = 0.002; Ep: women: 72 kPa vs men: 84 kPa, p = 0.015). Among analyzed risk factors, the significant determinants of carotid stiffness were age, blood pressure components (pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure), type 2 diabetes mellitus and heart rate. The relationship between carotid stiffness and pulse pressure was observed only in women and between carotid stiffness and heart rate – only in men. Conclusion There are gender-related differences in the progression of carotid stiffness parameters with age and in the influence of risk factors on carotid stiffness.
Role of prostaglandin H synthase in activation of acrylonitrile to cyanide 3 Mohamadin

The present study aimed at investigating the in-vitro oxidation of acrylonitrile (ACN) to cyanide (CN) by prostaglandin H synthase (PHS). Detection of CN is considered a marker for free radical intermediates involved in ACN-induced toxicity. First, most favorable circumstances for ACN oxidation were characterized: pH (4.5), temperature (37oC) and time of incubation (60 min.). In addition, the concentrations of ACN, PHS and H2O2 in incubation mixtures were assessed for further reaction characterization. The reaction maximum velocity (Vmax) was calculated to be 582.75 pmol CN/mL/min and the Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) was 149.25 μmol ACN. Adding PHS inhibitors; resveratrol, quercetin, indomethacin or troloc-C to the reaction mixtures significantly reduced the rate of ACN oxidation. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates the ability of PHS to oxidize ACN to CN and provides a clue for the explanation of ACN target toxicity.
Liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma within a fast-track management: a propensity-score matched analysis between open and laparoscopic approach

Aim: The study was designed to assess the implications of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) approach in patients submitted to open liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) comparing their short term outcome with patients treated by laparoscopic approach, in a case-matched design. Methods: The open-group (n = 60) was matched in a ratio of 1:1 with patients undergoing laparoscopic liver resection for HCC (Lap-group, n = 60), with a matching achieved on a basis of propensity scores including 6 covariates representing patients characteristics and severity of the disease. Primary outcome analysis was performed in terms of ERAS-specific items and postoperative morbidity and mortality. Results: Overall morbidity and mortality were comparable between groups. Incidence of ascites was slightly higher in the opencompared with the Lap-group (respectively 11.7% and 13.3%), without statistical significance. The need for introduction or increase of chronic diuretic therapy was significantly higher in the open-compared with the Lap-group (16.7% vs. 11.7%, P = 0.046). Furthermore, ascites more frequently required percutaneous drainage in the open-compared with the Lap-group (5% vs. 1.7% respectively, P = 0.041). Conclusion: In patients who can’t benefit from minimally-invasive approach because of disease characteristics, ERAS management seems to be associated with an improved postoperative functional recovery and postoperative outcomes, comparable to those of the minimally invasive approach. ABSTRACT