Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design, manufacture and clinical evaluation of a new TMJ exerciser

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) ankylosis or hypomobility is a major clinical problem that affects many patients suffering from facial trauma, infection, TMJ dysfunction, inflammatory diseases and tumors. Postoperative physiotherapy is recognized as essential for the prevention or treatment of TMJ hypomobility or ankylosis. Traditional methods using stacked tongue depressors and the reported TMJ opening exercisers all have disadvantages and cannot achieve clinical requires. This study employed CAD/CAM techniques to develop a new TMJ exerciser that would be user-friendly and performed clinical trails to test the efficacy of the device. A power screw was used to overcome the small force control difficulty, allowing gradually increased TMJ opening performance. The front end of the device was designed as U-shape platform that could be inserted into the patient's mouth to allow easy TMJ exercise performance. A streamlined handle also designed to be held by the patients to decrease the mouth loading. This device is convenient for long-term physiotherapy. The clinical trail results indicated that the improvements of the incisor opening range could increase from 108% to 258% within one mouth after postoperative physiotherapy. The developed TMJ exerciser is effective, convenient, easy to use, light weight and has long-term durability for postoperative physiotherapy.
Costs of Information Overload to Organisations - An Information Technology Perspective

This paper illustrates how information overload costs organisations. Information overload describes an excess of information that results in the loss of ability to make decisions, process information, and prioritize tasks. Organisations need to cost Information Overload because Information Overload is dulling employees’ senses and limiting their ability to absorb more in-depth and complex thoughts and content in this technological world. This is causing organisations to lose huge sums of money due to the unproductive nature exhibited by employees because of information overload. The method involves distributing questionnaire to 200 employees of private tertiary institutions. Questions were asked on the time they spent a day on performing unproductive functions on information overload related issues due to information communication technology in their institutions during working hours. This unproductive time is then converted into cash based on the wages/salaries the employees receive in the institution. The unproductive costs are the cost of information overload to the institution. Given that any of the 38 items is used in any institution by junior staff, the institution will lose on average GH¢4,428.49 annually, while by senior staff, the institution will lose GH¢414.51 annually. Collaborative technologies are becoming more and more integrated into how staff works. As these become more pervasive within institutions, staff will have more interruptions, instant messages, e-mails, social networking tools to interfere with their work, thus affecting institutions’ profitability. But still, staff can be their own worst enemy if decisive precautionary measures are not taken in handling information overload related items.
PATHOMORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES AND BACTERIAL PATHOGENS ASSOCIATED WITH SWINE PNEUMONIAS IN SOUTHWEST NIGERIA

Pneumonia is a major economic threat to swine industry worldwide, however, there is still dearth of information on the pathology and associated pathogens in Nigeria, and these were therefore investigated. Lungs from 408 slaughtered pigs were randomly collected from abattoirs in Abeokuta, Ibadan and Lagos. The lung samples were cultured for bacterial pathogens using standard techniques, while formalin-fixed tissues were processed for histopathological examination. Grossly, the most consistent lesion was bronchopneumonia (35.3%). The main histopathological findings were lymphoid hyperplasia of bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) (88.2%), suppurative bronchopneumonia (63.6%), suppurative bronchitis and bronchiolitis with concurrent epithelial hyperplasia (57.1%), as well as thickened alveolar septa due to cellular infiltration consisting predominantly of neutrophils (54.1%). Ten different species of bacteria were isolated from the lung samples in which two or more pathogens were isolated from each sample (82.7%). Pasteurella multocida was the most frequently isolated bacterium (54.8%). Among the bacteria isolated, there were significant (P < 0.05) differences in the frequencies of isolation of β-haemolytic Streptococci, P. multocida, Haemophilus species and Escherichia coli between the pneumonic lungs and apparently normal lungs. The results of bacterial culture, gross and histopathological changes recorded in this study are consistent with bacterial pneumonia possibly caused by most of the bacteria identified in the present study.
Performance potential of high-frequency heterojunction transistors

Assuming a state-of-the-art microwave planar geometry, the maximum frequency of oscillation has been calculated for GaAs-Ge heterojunction transistors utilizing either doped or high-resistivity space-charge-limited emitters. This is compared with a Ge homojunction transistor of the same geometry. A detailed equivalent circuit is used which accounts for the parasitics of the chip. It is shown that if chip parasitics are neglected, GaA-Ge devices should outperform Ge devices by about 4 to 1 in power gain. In the geometry assumed, however both heterojunction and homojunction transistors are limited by wafer parasitics, particularly base contact resistance. The calculated figures of merit of the two types of devices are therefore quite similar.
Immersive Planning: A Conceptual Model for Designing Public Participation with New Technologies

Public participation is an important part of the urban planning process. However, too often the goals of this participation are not clearly articulated and, as a result, the platforms for participation created with digital technologies are often poorly designed or simply lack clarity. Immersive planning is a conceptual model with which to conceive the process of public participation that focuses on the depth and breadth of user experience. Borrowing from literature on games and virtual environments, we frame recent, technologically aided approaches to public participation within three categories of immersion: challenge-based, sensory, and imaginative. Geographic information systems, computer aided design, planning support systems, virtual environments, and digital games are all methods of obtaining user immersion in one or a combination of these categories. In this paper we provide a review of the foundational literature and influential projects in this area, and by framing them within the model of immersive planning seek to connect these efforts to provide a clearer path forward in employing new technologies for public participation.
Miniaturized nosted‐slot antenna tag RFID with slot technique

The utilization of UHF Radio Frequency Identification tag to monitor the tire history in automotive tire applications is presented. This article presents a new design structure antenna and miniaturization techniques. The resonance frequency, the total gain is observed at 915 MHz, 2.3 dB respectively. This letter illustrates the mechanism of miniaturization and key dimension parameter analysis. An optimized design with 50% size reduction was fabricated and measured, where very good agreement between simulation and measurement was obtained. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:1898–1903, 2014
3D Visualization of Cultural Heritage Artefacts with Virtual Reality devices

Abstract. Although 3D models are useful to preserve the information about historical artefacts, the potential of these digital contents are not fully accomplished until they are not used to interactively communicate their significance to non-specialists. Starting from this consideration, a new way to provide museum visitors with more information was investigated. The research is aimed at valorising and making more accessible the Egyptian funeral objects exhibited in the Sforza Castle in Milan. The results of the research will be used for the renewal of the current exhibition, at the Archaeological Museum in Milan, by making it more attractive. A 3D virtual interactive scenario regarding the “path of the dead”, an important ritual in ancient Egypt, was realized to augment the experience and the comprehension of the public through interactivity. Four important artefacts were considered for this scope: two ushabty, a wooden sarcophagus and a heart scarab. The scenario was realized by integrating low-cost Virtual Reality technologies, as the Oculus Rift DK2 and the Leap Motion controller, and implementing a specific software by using Unity. The 3D models were implemented by adding responsive points of interest in relation to important symbols or features of the artefact. This allows highlighting single parts of the artefact in order to better identify the hieroglyphs and provide their translation. The paper describes the process for optimizing the 3D models, the implementation of the interactive scenario and the results of some test that have been carried out in the lab.
Assessing the multimodal tradeoff

Single-cell and single-nucleus genomics assays are becoming increasingly complex, with multiple measurements of distinct modalities performed concurrently resulting in “multimodal” readouts. While multimodal single-cell and single-nucleus genomics offers the potential to better understand how distinct cellular processes are coordinated, there can be technical and cost tradeoffs associated with increasing the number of measurement modes. To assess some of the tradeoffs inherent in multimodal assays, we have developed snATAK for preprocessing sequencing-based high-throughput assays that measure single-nucleus chromatin accessibility. Coupled with kallisto bustools for single-nucleus RNA-seq preprocessing, the snATAK workflow can be used for uniform preprocessing of 10x Genomics’ Multiome and single-nucleus ATAC-seq, SHARE-seq, ISSAAC-seq, spatial ATAC-seq and other chromatin-related assays. Using snATAK, we are able to perform cross-platform comparisons and quantify some of the tradeoffs between Multiome and unregistered single-nucleus RNA-seq/ATAC-seq experiments. We also show that snATAK can be used to assess allele concordance between paired RNAseq and ATACseq. snATAK is available at https://github.com/pachterlab/snATAK/.
Teleguidance Technology for Endotracheal Intubation: A Scoping Review

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. OBJECTIVES: Teleguidance facilitated intubation has recently reemerged during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic as a strategy to provide expert airway management guidance and consultation to practitioners in settings where such expertise is not readily available onsite or in-person. We conducted a scoping review to provide a synthesis of the available literature on teleguidance facilitated intubation. Specifically, we aimed to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of teleguidance facilitated intubation given existing technology. DATA SOURCES: A librarian-assisted search was performed using three primary electronic medical databases from January 2000 to November 2020. STUDY SELECTION: Articles that reported outcomes focused on implementing or evaluating the performance of teleguidance facilitated intubation were included. DATA EXTRACTION: Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full text of articles to determine eligibility. Data extraction was performed using customized fields established a priori within a systematic review software system. DATA SYNTHESIS: Of 255 citations identified, 17 met eligibility criteria. Studies included prospective investigations and proof of technology reports. These studies were performed in clinical and simulation environments. Five of the prospective investigations that examined time to intubation and intubation success rates. Multiple different commercially available and noncommercial teleconference software systems were used in these studies. CONCLUSIONS: There is a limited body of literature evaluating the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of teleguidance facilitated intubation. Based on the studies available that examined a variety of technologies within simulation and clinical environments, teleguidance facilitated intubation appears to be feasible, safe, and efficacious. Given the exponential growth in the use of telemedicine technology during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and the evidence supporting teleguidance facilitated intubation, there is a need to critically evaluate the most effective mechanisms to integrate and optimize these technologies across diverse practice settings.
Comparison of Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) Microdilution Method and VITEK 2 Automated Antifungal Susceptibility System for the Determination of Antifungal Susceptibility of Candida Species

Introduction Changes in the epidemiology of Candida infections, increasing resistance, and advances in treatment have increased the need to perform antifungal susceptibility testing in clinical laboratories. Standardized reference, the microbroth dilution method, and various commercial antifungal susceptibility test systems are used to determine antifungal susceptibility. This study aims to determine and compare the antifungal susceptibility of various Candida species isolated from blood cultures in our laboratory with the CLSI M27 microdilution reference method and VITEK 2 automated system (bioMérieux, Marcy-l'Étoile, France). Methods The antifungal susceptibility of a total of 140 Candida strains to fluconazole, voriconazole, and amphotericin B, and a total of 92 strains to anidulafungin was tested with the CLSI M27 method and the VITEK 2 automated system. For fluconazole, voriconazole, and amphotericin B, essential and categorical agreement percentages were calculated between the two methods. Because there is no anidulafungin in the VITEK 2 system, anidulafungin results obtained with CLSI were compared with micafungin only in terms of categorical agreement. In the category comparison, CLSI clinical breakpoints were used; the epidemiological cut-off values were used when they were not available. Very major error, major error, and minor error rates were calculated. Results In general, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values obtained with VITEK 2 for azole group drugs were found to be one-fold higher than the CLSI MICs read at the 24th hour. While the essential agreement between the two methods was >90% for amphotericin B and voriconazole, it remained at 85% for fluconazole. Overall, the best categorical agreement was obtained with amphotericin B (99.3%), and the least categorical agreement was obtained with voriconazole (85.7%). A very major error was seen with amphotericin B (0.7%) and fluconazole (0.7%) in one C. parapsilosis strain each. No resistance was detected with VITEK 2 in one C. glabrata strain found to be resistant to fluconazole by the reference method. Major and minor error rates were higher for azole drugs than amphotericin B and anidulafungin/micafungin. Conclusion The VITEK 2 system is a fast and highly applicable system, and with these features, it is advantageous for routine laboratories. In this study, although the error rate was not very high, one fluconazole-resistant C. parapsilosis and C. glabrata strain could not be detected with VITEK 2. The increase in data on the antifungal performance of the VITEK 2 system, which is available in many routine laboratories due to its ability to be used for bacteria identification and sensitivity, will contribute to the usability of the system for this purpose. In this study, data that will support the literature information in terms of the antifungal performance of the VITEK 2 system are presented.
Data Poisoning Attacks and Defenses in Dynamic Crowdsourcing With Online Data Quality Learning

Crowdsourcing has found a wide variety of applications, including spectrum sensing, traffic monitoring, as well as data annotation for machine learning based data analytics. To improve data accuracy and cost-effectiveness, workers’ data quality can be learned from their data in an online manner, which can be used for task assignment and data aggregation. However, crowdsourcing is vulnerable to data poisoning attacks, where the attacker reports malicious data to reduce aggregated data accuracy. In this paper, we study malicious data attacks on dynamic crowdsourcing where tasks are assigned and performed sequentially, and we explore online quality learning as a defense mechanism against the attack by finding malicious workers with low quality. We first focus on the asymptotic setting where workers’ quality is accurately learned by the requester, based on which we then turn to the general non-asymptotic setting where the quality is estimated online with errors. For each setting, we first characterize the conditions under which the attack strategy can effectively reduce the aggregated data accuracy. Our results show that the malicious noise variance needs to be within a certain range for the attack to be effective. Then we analyze the harm of effective attack strategies. It reveals that the regret of the online quality learning algorithm can be substantially increased from <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal {O}(\log ^2T)$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:mrow><mml:mi mathvariant="script">O</mml:mi><mml:mo>(</mml:mo><mml:msup><mml:mo form="prefix">log</mml:mo><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:msup><mml:mi>T</mml:mi><mml:mo>)</mml:mo></mml:mrow></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="zhao-ieq1-3133365.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula> (upper bound) to <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\Omega (T)$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:mrow><mml:mi>Ω</mml:mi><mml:mo>(</mml:mo><mml:mi>T</mml:mi><mml:mo>)</mml:mo></mml:mrow></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="zhao-ieq2-3133365.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula> (lower bound) due to effective attacks. To further mitigate the attack, we also study median and maximum influence of estimation based data aggregation as defense mechanisms. Our results provide useful insights on the impacts of data poisoning attacks when online quality learning is used to defend against the attack. We evaluate the proposed attacks and defenses via extensive simulation results based on real-world data, which demonstrate the effectiveness of the attacks and defenses.
A Combinatorial Optimization Model for Emergency Resource Allocation after Disasters

Disasters occur over a short or long period of time and cause large-scale harm to humans, infrastructure, as well as the ecosystem every year. Immediate response after a disaster helps minimize its impact on life and property. Therefore, it is crucial to have an emergency response system ready to handle any emergency that may come up after a disaster. In this paper, a model is proposed to optimize the distribution of emergency services at disaster-struck points. Due to the NP-hardness of the problem, two metaheuristic algorithms, Particle Swarm Optimization and Cuckoo Search Optimization have been used to dynamically allocate the available resources based on the given situation. The proposed model uses the distance between the emergency location and the emergency service provider, and the severity of the emergency as the main metrics for scoring any considered solution. The conducted experiments demonstrate that the model provides effective, efficient, and dynamic allocation service at emergency locations in simulated disaster situations.
DESIGN OF FULL-360° REFLECTION-TYPE PHASE SHIFTER USING TRANS-DIRECTIONAL COUPLER WITH MULTI-RESONANCE LOADS

In this paper, a full-360◦ reflection-type phase shifter (RTPS) using a trans-directional (TRD) coupler with multi-resonance loads is presented. It features the characteristics of wide bandwidth, small size, wide phase shifts with a compact structure and inherent DC blocking. Influences of the multi-resonance loads on the phase shifts and insertion losses of the RTPS are analyzed, and design procedures are given for guidance. For validation, a prototype is designed at 2GHz. The overall size is 0. 56λg × 0. 17λg. Measured results show a bandwidth of 20% under the criterion of more than 10-dB return loss. Meanwhile, a relative phase variation of 425◦ with a maximum insertion loss of 3.6 dB is achieved when the varactor capacitance is varied among 0.35 pF ∼ 3.2 pF.
TALES FROM CLOUD NINE

At last year’s VB conference we promised to answer a set of questions concerning the performance of cloud-based anti-virus software. The feedback was overwhelming, both from fellow researchers and large corporations, particularly ISPs. No wonder, since the number of viruses grows at an exponential rate. Being able to provide instant protection and enhanced detection rates at a (possibly) lower bandwidth cost proved to be a winning combination. In the fi rst part of this paper we will describe, in detail, our cloud-based anti-virus engine, including a set of statistics, optimization opportunities that were revealed only after performing a few hundred thousand scans, comparisons with current technologies, etc. We will talk about the benefi ts and drawbacks of keeping at least part of the virus signature database and scanning logic on our servers and, more interestingly, about the instances when cloud-based scanning is clearly more effi cient than traditional approaches. The second part of the presentation will cover a new client-server technology, called ‘IMD’ (Intelligent Malware Detection). The client side of IMD runs on the client and is responsible for gathering ‘IMD fl ags’, while the server side is responsible for collecting the fl ags, applying rules and ultimately deciding whether a fi le is suspicious or not. We will also describe some cases when the server has enough information to blacklist fi les automatically, thus reaching the holy grail: instant detection.
Supplier Selection in an Agile Supply Chain Environment using Fuzzy Axiomatic Design Approach

Abstract In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the design and implementation of agile supply chains (ASCs). Competitive ASCs requires suppliers to also demonstrate agile attributes. Therefore, maximum benefit will be attained from ASC if each company of the chain can identify suitable agile suppliers. This paper proposes to use an analytical model, more precisely an axiomatic design based fuzzy group decision making approach, in order to support the effective evaluation of ASC suppliers. The applicability of the proposed approach is verified through a case study.
Geographic Variation in Medicare Fee-for-Service Health Care Expenditures Before and After the Passage of the Affordable Care Act

Key Points Question Which categories of spending were associated with reductions in geographic variation of Medicare per-beneficiary spending across the US after the passage of the Affordable Care Act? Findings In this cross-sectional study of Medicare enrollees aged 65 years or older, geographic variation in Medicare fee-for-service spending per beneficiary was stable from 2007 to 2011 and then declined steadily from 2012 to 2018. A key factor associated with reduced geographic variation in spending was reduced variation in postacute care spending, specifically home health spending. Meaning These findings suggest that antifraud enforcement efforts and payment reforms that were instituted as part of the Affordable Care Act may have reduced geographic variation in Medicare fee-for-service per-beneficiary spending, although significant geographic variation remains.