Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ERCP endoscopic minimally invasive treatment of acute suppurative obstructive cholangitis: A study of 47 patients

The primary objective of the present study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic therapy for acute obstructive suppurative cholangitis (AOSC) in patients with different underlying conditions. The present study comprised 47 patients diagnosed with AOSC, with a mean age of 70±14 years. Minimally invasive endoscopic treatments, including endoscopic duodenal papillary sphincterotomy, endoscopic duodenal nasobiliary drainage and/or placement of an endobiliary duct stent drainage tube, were performed. Variations in the levels of the white blood cell count, liver function, procalcitonin (PCT) and carbohydrate antigen-199 (CA199) were examined, compared and evaluated both prior to and following endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Among the 47 patients, 45 had a high fever, although their body temperature returned to normal after 7 days of ERCP treatment. The infection was difficult to control completely in two cases, including one case of biliary anastomosis secondary tumor with stenosis and AOSC and another case of an elderly patient with multiple choledocholithiasis complicated with sepsis. Within 7 days following treatment, the abdominal pain was resolved in 27 patients and jaundice subsided in 29 patients. On the 7th day after endoscopic treatment, the blood leukocyte, liver function, PCT and CA-199 parameters of all patients were significantly improved compared with those at admission. A total of 35 bile cultures yielded positive results, with Escherichia coli accounting for 11 cases (31.4%), Klebsiella pneumoniae accounting for 7 cases (20%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa accounting for 5 cases (14.3%), Enterococcus faecus accounting for 4 cases (11.4%) and other strains making up the remaining 17 cases. No serious complications were encountered with these patients, such as perforation, bleeding, severe pancreatitis or mortality, following ERCP. In conclusion, ERCP has been shown to be a safe and effective minimally invasive treatment method for elderly patients with AOSC, yielding a high rate of success.
Robustness Certification of k-Nearest Neighbors

We study the certification of stability properties, such as robustness and individual fairness, of the k-Nearest Neighbor algorithm (kNN). Our approach leverages abstract interpretation, a well-established program analysis technique that has been proven successful in verifying several machine learning algorithms, notably, neural networks, decision trees, and support vector machines. In this work, we put forward an abstract interpretation-based framework for designing a sound approximate version of the kNN algorithm, which is instantiated to the interval and zonotope abstractions for approximating the range of numerical features. We show how this abstraction-based method can be used for stability, robustness, and individual fairness certification of kNN. Our certification technique has been implemented and experimentally evaluated on several benchmark datasets. These experimental results show that our tool can formally prove the stability of kNN classifiers in a precise and efficient way, thus expanding the range of machine learning models amenable to robustness certification.
A survey on medical image analysis using deep reinforcement learning approach

The utilization of deep reinforcement learning (DRL) has brought about a significant transformation in the realm of medical image analysis. By merging the capabilities of deep neural networks with reinforcement learning techniques, DRL has become a potent tool for addressing complex healthcare issues. In this comprehensive survey paper, we delve into the latest developments and approaches in employing DRL for medical image analysis. We thoroughly investigate the primary challenges, methodologies, existing datasets, and offer a glimpse into the future potential of this interdisciplinary field. This exploration underscores the distinctive synergy between DRL and the analysis of medical images.
Towards a Question/Answering System in Moroccan Legal Domain: data preparation and question classification phase using ML approaches

This paper is a part of larger work aiming the construction of a Question/Answering System with Moroccan legal domain. It concerns mainly the phase of data preparation and question classification. The classification of legal questions is a crucial step in a legal question-answering system. It can help to find the relevant documents that contain the answers. With the increasing volume of legal data, legal question classification can be beneficial for legal practitioners to efficiently identify relevant laws, precedents, and regulations applied to a specific case. Machine learning algorithms and Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques can effectively process large amounts of unstructured legal data, which can be difficult to be processed manually. In this work, we investigate the use of different word representation techniques and different stemmers in the preprocessing stage, aiming to classify legal questions using three machine learning algorithms, Support Vector Machine, Naïve Bayes, and Random Forest. The experimental results show that the Random Forest algorithm achieved the highest accuracy and precision. Additionally, they confirm the significant impact of question preprocessing on the classification results enhancement.
Tectonics of the Himalaya

The Himalayan mountain belt, which developed during the India–Asia collision starting about 55 Ma ago, is a dramatically active orogen and it is regarded as the classic collisional orogen. It is characterized by an impressively continuous 2500 km of tectonic units, thrusts and normal faults, as well as large volumes of high-grade metamorphic rocks and granites exposed at the surface. This constitutes an invaluable field laboratory, where amazing crustal sections can be observed directly in very deep gorges. It is possible to unravel the tectonic and metamorphic evolution of litho-units, to observe the mechanisms of exhumation of deep-seated rocks and the propagation of the deformation. Himalayan tectonics has been the target of many studies from numerous international researchers over the years. In the last 15 years there has been an explosion of data and theories from both geological and geophysical perspectives. This book presents the results of integrated multidisciplinary studies, including geology, petrology, magmatism, geochemistry, geochronology and geophysics, of the structures and processes affecting the continental lithosphere. These processes and their spatial and temporal evolution have major consequences on the geometry and kinematics of the India–Eurasia collision zone.
Precariedad laboral, burnout y salud en personal administrativo de Granada

espanolEl objetivo de esta investigacion es establecer la relacion entre precariedad laboral, burnout y salud, en una muestra de personal de atencion al usuario de hospitales y centros de salud publicos de Granada. En primer lugar, se ha establecido una correlacion positiva estadisticamente significativa entre las tres variables de interes. A continuacion se ha tratado de establecer el burnout como variable mediadora entre la precariedad laboral y la salud, obteniendo que los resultados recogidos en nuestra muestra no pueden sostener dicha hipotesis. Por ultimo, se ha hecho una comparacion de los resultados de hombres y mujeres, obteniendo que no hay diferencias estadisticamente significativas en ninguna de las tres variables. Futuras investigaciones pueden tratar de corroborar estos resultados salvando las limitaciones del estudio para aceptar o rechazar definitivamente las hipotesis planteadas EnglishThe purpose of this research is to establish the relationship between precarious working conditions; burnout and health in a sample of user care staff of hospitals and public health centres in Granada. Firstly, it has been established a statistically significant positive correlation between the three variables analysed. Following, we tried to establish the burnout variable, as mediator between precarious working condition and health, the results obtained in our sample cannot support this hypothesis. Finally, a comparison of the results of men and women was made getting no statistically significant differences in any of the three variables. Future research could try to corroborate these results saving the limitations of the study in order to accurately accept or reject the hypotheses.
Evaluation of Potable Water Quality of AL-Diwaniyah Water Treatment Plants

The selection of proper treatment is of prime importance in the providing of drinking water. In this study tow WTPs in Diwaniyah were selected to evaluate their water quality in producing potable water according to the Iraqi standards. The two plants had high removal efficiency in turbidity which reached to ( 90 – 95) % and the turbidity of the treated water did not exceed 5 NTU.As for the natural constituents in raw water Ca, Mg and Na, their concentrations decreased in the treated water, but were within the desirable standards. Concentration of Al appeared also, as alum is added in the coagulation process. The final effluent had concentrations of Al ranging 0.01 - 0.02 mg/l. Fe with concentrations of 0.01 -0.2 mg/l appeared also, but Fe salts were not added for treatment. Must therefore follow-up tests of water on an on going basis to determine the cause. The two plants are efficient in bacterial removal as pre and post chlorination is applied. The residual chlorine in the effluent fr0m the plants ranged 2.0 - 2.5 mg/l, which was enough to leave 0.5 mg/l in the distribution system.
Frequency and visual outcomes of herpes simplex keratitis in a Kuwaiti tertiary referral center

Background: Herpes simplex virus (HSV), a cause of many ocular pathologies, may affect the corneal epithelium, stroma, or endothelium, with the epithelium as the most frequently affected location. We aimed to determine the frequency and visual outcomes of HSV keratitis over a 1-year period at Farwaniya Hospital, Kuwait. Methods: This prospective observational case series included patients diagnosed with HSV keratitis who presented to the outpatient or eye casualty department between September 2022 and September 2023. Full history, demographic profile, detailed ocular and slit-lamp examinations, and visual acuity assessments were recorded prior to and after treatment. Baseline corneal sensation was assessed in the four corneal quadrants using the cotton wisp test. Results: Of the 227 patients who presented with infectious keratitis, 72 (31.7%) were diagnosed with HSV keratitis. The mean (SD) age was 45.86 (16.06) years, and 48 (66.7%) patients were male. The subtypes of HSV keratitis were endotheliitis in 27 (37.5%) patients, dendritic ulcer in 22 (30.6%), stromal keratitis with ulceration in 9 (12.5%) and without ulceration in 8 (11.1%), and geographic ulcer in 6 (8.3%). The mean baseline best-corrected distance visual acuity (BCDVA) differed significantly between the HSV keratitis subtypes (P < 0.001). Most patients (n = 70, 97.2%) had unilateral eye involvement, were treated within 1 – 2 weeks, and demonstrated improved BCDVA. Despite the improvement in BCDVA in all HSV keratitis subtypes, a significant difference in the median BCDVA remained after treatment (P < 0.001). Pairwise comparisons revealed a significantly better BCDVA after treatment in eyes with dendritic epithelial ulcers than in eyes with HSV stromal keratitis with ulceration (P = 0.003) or geographic epithelial ulcers (P = 0.005). After treatment, corneal haze and neovascularization were detected in 54 (75.0%) and 24 (33.3%) patients, respectively. Conclusions: We detected a substantial frequency of HSV keratitis in one of the governorates of Kuwait, with endotheliitis as the most common manifestation. Timely standard treatment interventions based on valid guidelines resulted in BCDVA improvement in all subtypes of HSV keratitis in our series, indicating the importance of early treatment. However, the BCDVA in eyes with dendritic epithelial ulcers remained substantially better than that in eyes with geographic epithelial ulcers or HSV stromal keratitis with ulceration, signifying the effect of the initial HSV keratitis subtype on visual outcomes. To our knowledge, this is the first study to highlight the frequency of HSV keratitis in a Kuwaiti hospital, and larger-scale research in this region is needed to further understand and manage the condition.
Effect of Prestrain on Payne Effect and Hysteresis Loss of Carbon-Black-Filled Rubber Vulcanizates: Measurements and Modeling

The performance of a viscoelastic damper is governed by the mechanical properties of the viscoelastic material, which are sensitive to prestrain. Among viscoelastic materials, carbon black (CB)-filled rubber vulcanizate is commonly used in structural applications. In this paper, the prestrain-dependent Payne effect and hysteresis loss of CB-filled rubber vulcanizates are investigated through experimental and theoretical analysis. Based on the experimental results, the classic quantitative models proposed by Kraus, Huber–Vilgis, and Maier–Göritz are used to describe the Payne effect. The results show that the Maier–Göritz model is most suitable to describe the Payne effect, especially for the loss modulus. After calculating the area of the hysteresis loops, hysteresis loss curves at various dynamic strain amplitudes are parallel to each other. Through application of the time–strain superposition principle, the hysteresis loss at any arbitrary prestrain can be predicted. Thus, the aim of this paper is to provide guidance for researchers in choosing an accurate model for future investigations of the prestrain-dependent Payne effect. An accelerated characterization method is useful for the prediction of the hysteresis loss of rubber products using small amounts of experimental data, which can provide manufacturers with more attractive and lower cost opportunities for testing the mechanical properties of rubber products.
Bacteriological quality of water and diarrhoea among ethnic and non-ethnic communities of rural area of West Tripura, India

Background: Waterborne diseases are the major causes of health seeking by ethnic and non-ethnic communities of West Tripura district of India. Safe and wholesome water is a basic requirement for good health. Microbiological contamination of water is responsible for most of the waterborne diseases and diarrhoea is still a major killer of childhood. Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among 177 ethnic and non-ethnic households chosen by multi stage sampling from West Tripura District of North East India during June - July 2016 to assess the bacteriological quality of water and to find out its association with the occurrence of diarrhoea. Results: Among the ethnic and non-ethnic households shallow tube wells were the source for 52.18% and 62.35 %, deep tube wells for 19.56% and 29.41%, and pipe water for 20.65 % and 5.89 households respectively. Sanitary latrines ware used in 46.73% ethnic and 50.59% non-ethnic households. In both the group filtration was practiced by 85% and no purification by 1%. Covered vessels were used for storing water in 94.57% ethnic and 95.30% non-ethnic households. Source of water was mildly contaminated in 15% ethnic and 10% non-ethnic, moderate and heavy contaminations were 11% and 8% each respectively in both the groups. At the point of consumption moderate and heavy contaminations were 2% each in ethnic households. Mild and severe contaminations were 3% and 1% respectively in non-ethnic group. Diarrhoea was significantly more frequent among households consuming coliform contaminated water (p<0.05). Conclusions: Half of the study population was using insanitary latrine and one fifth were collecting water from contaminated sources. Hence provision of safe water and promotion of sanitary latrine is needed to prevent waterborne diseases in this community.
Concurrent Ingestion of Alkaline Water and L-Glutamine Enhanced Salivary α-Amylase Activity and Testosterone Concentration in Boxing Athletes

Athletes often take sport supplements to reduce fatigue and immune disturbances during or after training. This study evaluated the acute effects of concurrent ingestion of alkaline water and L-glutamine on the salivary immunity and hormone responses of boxers after training. Twelve male boxing athletes were recruited in this study. During regular training, the participants were randomly divided into three groups and asked to consume 400 mL of alkaline water (Group A), 0.15 g/kg body weight of L-glutamine with 400 mL of water (Group G), and 0.15 g/kg of L-glutamine with 400 mL of alkaline water (Group A+G) at the same time each day for three consecutive weeks. Before and immediately after the training, saliva, heart rates, and the rate of perceived exertion were investigated. The activity of α-amylase and concentrations of lactoferrin, immunoglobulin A (IgA), testosterone, and cortisol in saliva were measured. The results showed that the ratio of α-amylase activity/total protein (TP) significantly increased after training in Group A+G but not in Group A or G, whereas the ratios of lactoferrin/TP and IgA/TP were unaffected in all three groups. The concentrations of salivary testosterone after training increased significantly in Group A+G but not in Group A or G, whereas the salivary cortisol concentrations were unaltered in all groups. In conclusion, concurrent ingestion of 400 mL of alkaline water and 0.15 g/kg of L-glutamine before training enhanced the salivary α-amylase activity and testosterone concentration of boxers, which would be beneficial for post-exercise recovery.
An Enhanced Anti-Phishing Technique for Social Media Users: A Multilayer Q-Learning Approach

— As social media usage grows in popularity, so does the risk of encountering malicious Uniform Resource Locator (URLs). Determining the authenticity of a URL can be a highly challenging task, primarily due to the sophisticated attack structure employed by phishing attempts. Phishing exploits the vulnerabilities of computer users, making it difficult to discern between genuine and fraudulent URLs. To address this issue, a self-learning AI framework is required to warn social media users of potentially dangerous links. While several anti-phishing techniques exist, including blacklists, heuristics, and machine learning-based techniques, there is still a need for improvement in terms of detection accuracy. Hence, this study proposed a novel approach to combat phishing attacks using artificial neural networks, and the main aim is to create and validate the anti-phishing technique tool for detection accuracy. Initially, the URL data is collected, followed by preprocessing and then the analysis for malicious activity using the Logistic Bayesian Long Short-Term Memory model (LB-LSTM). The observed malicious URL features are extracted using multilayer Q-learning with the CaspNet and swarm optimization models. Analysis of these features enables the identification of a malicious URL, which is then removed, and the social media user is warned. The proposed technique attained a detection accuracy of 94.33%, Area under the ROC Curve (AUC) of 98.71%, Mean Squared Error (MSE) of 5.67%, Mean average precision of 88.67%, Recall of 98.67%, and F-1 score of 94.34%.
Revitalizing agriculture: next-generation genotyping and -omics technologies enabling molecular prediction of resilient traits in the Solanaceae family

This review highlights -omics research in Solanaceae family, with a particular focus on resilient traits. Extensive research has enriched our understanding of Solanaceae genomics and genetics, with historical varietal development mainly focusing on disease resistance and cultivar improvement but shifting the emphasis towards unveiling resilience mechanisms in genebank-preserved germplasm is nowadays crucial. Collecting such information, might help researchers and breeders developing new experimental design, providing an overview of the state of the art of the most advanced approaches for the identification of the genetic elements laying behind resilience. Building this starting point, we aim at providing a useful tool for tackling the global agricultural resilience goals in these crops.
Epidemiology of and Genetic Factors Associated with Acanthamoeba Keratitis

Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a severe, rare protozoal infection of the cornea. Acanthamoeba can survive in diverse habitats and at extreme temperatures. AK is mostly seen in contact lens wearers whose lenses have become contaminated or who have a history of water exposure, and in those without contact lens wear who have experienced recent eye trauma involving contaminated soil or water. Infection usually results in severe eye pain, photophobia, inflammation, and corneal epithelial defects. The pathophysiology of this infection is multifactorial, including the production of cytotoxic proteases by Acanthamoeba that degrades the corneal epithelial basement membrane and induces the death of ocular surface cells, resulting in degradation of the collagen-rich corneal stroma. AK can be prevented by avoiding risk factors, which includes avoiding water contact, such as swimming or showering in contact lenses, and wearing protective goggles when working on the land. AK is mostly treated with an antimicrobial therapy of biguanides alone or in combination with diaminidines, although the commercial availability of these medicines is variable. Other than anti-amoeba therapies, targeting host immune pathways in Acanthamoeba disease may lead to the development of vaccines or antibody therapeutics which could transform the management of AK.
Fine-grained Urban Flow Inference with Unobservable Data via Space-Time Attraction Learning

Fine-grained urban flow inference focuses on inferring fine-grained urban flows based solely on coarse-grained observations, which is essential for the city management and transportation services. However, most of the existing methods assume that partial urban flows in coarse-grained regions cannot be observable. In this study, we propose a multi-task framework known as UrbanSTA with space-time attraction learning to estimate missing values in coarse-grained urban flow map and forecast fine-grained urban flows simultaneously. Specifically, UrbanSTA comprises two parts: the flow completion network STA and the fine-grained flow inference network FIN. STA captures space-time features with a separable space-time attention encoder and recovers the missing flow features with a decoder. FIN directly uses complete coarse-grained flow features for further decoding, and reconstructs fine-grained flow features based on the complex associations between coarse- and fine-grained urban flows, relying on upsampling constraints. Extensive experiments conducted on two real-world datasets demonstrate that our proposed model yields the best results compared to other state-of-the-art methods. The source code has been provided at https://github.com/Wangzheaos/UrbanSTA.