Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Are Thigh and Calf Bioimpedance Spectroscopy less Susceptible to the Influence of Body Posture during Continuous Applications

Continuous monitoring of body fluid status especially during hemodialysis (HD) treatment is a crucial task. Several tools have been suggested over the last decades [1], including bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS), which has shown to be more clinically attractive due to its ease of use and accuracy comparable to gold standards (i.e. dilution methods) [2,3]. However, as BIS is susceptible to the influence of external factors including changes in body posture and orientation [4, 5], application of laboratory standards, i.e. limiting the subject to a supine position, has been recommended. Alternatively, the sum of segmental BIS (sBIS) has been also introduced [6]. Nevertheless, these methods are not very clinically favorable for continuous application over extended period of time, i.e. case of HD. Fixing a subject to a supine position for an average of three to five hours treatment with his arms and legs are being extended, as well as the requirement of extra cables and electrodes (case of sBIS), is uncomfortable and mostly unpractical. Recently, alternative configurations of BIS as thigh and calf BIS have been suggested [7, 8]. These new configurations have a very good correlation with the standard whole body BIS while avoiding the complex implantation procedure imposed by other methods, in which electrodes can be simply attached to a trouser, sock, or short-like clothes while keeping the upper part of the subject completely free. Nevertheless, the susceptibly of the thigh and calf BIS to similar errors raising from body posture has not been yet fully addressed. This study aims to evaluate the influence of changes in body posture on thigh and calf BIS during hemodialysis treatment within two different scenarios (Sitting and Trendelenburg position). Moreover, a three-pool model, representing the thigh and calf segments, will be applied to simulate the associated changes in extracellular resistance (Re) with each of the aforementioned scenario.
Impact of diatom‐diazotroph associations on carbon export in the Amazon River plume

Offshore tropical river plumes are associated with areas of high N2 fixation (diazotrophy) and biological carbon drawdown. Episodic blooms of the diatom Hemiaulus hauckii and its diazotrophic cyanobacterial symbiont Richelia intracellularisare believed to dominate that carbon drawdown, but the mechanism is not well understood. We report primary productivity associated with blooms of these diatom‐diazotroph assemblages (DDAs) in the offshore plume of the Amazon River using simultaneous measurements of O2/Ar ratios and the triple‐isotope composition of dissolved O2. In these blooms, we observe peaks in net community productivity, but relatively small changes in gross primary productivity, suggesting that DDA blooms increase the ecosystem carbon export ratio more than twofold. These events of enhanced export efficiency lead to biological uptake of dissolved inorganic carbon and silicate, whose longer mixed‐layer residence times otherwise obscure the differential impact of DDAs. The shorter‐term rate estimates presented here are consistent with the results derived from longer‐term geochemical tracers, confirming that DDAs drive a significant biological CO2 pump in tropical oceans.
Seven years of measurements of aerosol scattering properties, near the surface, in the southwestern Iberia Peninsula

Abstract. Aerosol scattering properties, near the surface (at about 10 m height), were measured during a period of seven years (2002–2008) at Evora, Portugal. The average (and median) scattering and backscattering coefficients, at the wavelength of 550 nm, were found to be 42.5 Mm −1 (29.9 Mm −1 ) and 5.9 Mm −1 (4.4 Mm −1 ), respectively. Also, the average and median scattering Angstrom exponent (1.4 and 1.5) indicate that scattering was, in general, dominated by sub-micrometer particles. Both seasonal and daily cycles are shown, which were related to local production and transport of particles from elsewhere. Summer and winter average values of the scattering coefficient, at the wavelength of 550 nm (47 and 54 Mm −1 , respectively), correspond to a significant increase in the aerosol particle concentration when compared with spring and fall (35 and 37 Mm −1 , respectively). Also, the average increase in the Angstrom exponent for summer and winter seasons is consistent with the input of sub-micrometer particles from anthropogenic origin in winter and forest fires in summer. Back-trajectory analysis indicated that the site was regularly under the influence of air masses from the Atlantic area, with low particle loads (low scattering coefficients), but as the influence of transport from the continent (Iberia Peninsula) increased, the aerosol particle load was observed to increase as well as the relative importance of fine particles over coarse ones, approaching the features observed at the site during European air masses influence.
1 PRACTICAL ISSUES IN CYTOTOXIC CHEMOTHERAPY USAGE

In this chapter, the principles of cytotoxic chemotherapy treatment and the appropriate use of anticancer drugs, including some of the new targeted drugs, will be discussed. It will not be possible to give a comprehensive description of every drug and regimen, and standard chemotherapy textbooks (e.g. Allwood et al., 2002; Summerhays and Daniels, 2003) or specialist websites (e.g. BC Cancer Agency, www.bccancer.bc.ca/default.htm) should be consulted for this information. However, this chapter should provide chemotherapy prescribers and administrators with enough information to discuss treatments with patients, to prescribe chemotherapy safely and to manage the common treatment-related side effects.
Interactive comment on “Trajectory analysis on the origin of air mass and moisture associated with Atmospheric Rivers over the west coast of the United States” by J.-M. Ryoo et al

The primary goal of this study is to find the transport pathways of air masses and moisture associated with atmospheric rivers (AR). In order to do that, first we test the sensitivity of the trajectories to the different datasets, which use different model physics and parameterizations. This helps increase the credibility of the trajectories and reduce the concern that different reanalysis data may result in different trajectory results. We conclude that the trajectory paths are not large between different dataset. This allows us to use one set of reanalysis data for results (i.e. MERRA for reconstruction of water vapor in the revised paper). Our second goal is to characterize the trajectories and where moisture and air masses originate. We no longer use a last saturation approach. Instead, we let the model internal physics determine how moisture is conserved along the trajectories, including changes with local condensation and evaporation from model water vapor sources and sinks. By doing that, the reconstruction of moisture from 5-7 day trajectory (we make short the trajectory simulation period according to the referee’s suggestion) has improved. We show this in the revised paper.
Aid and FDI: Does Targeted Development Assistance Enhance FDI in Developing Countries?

Official development assistance (ODA) is increasingly understood as a vehicle to foster foreign direct investment (FDI) in aid-recipient countries. However, both theoretically and empirically the relationship between the two is unclear. While ODA could remove barriers to FDI or signal confidence to investors, it might also crowd out private investment. Using data for aid recipient countries for the years 1995 to 2014, this paper sheds light on the potential transmission channels between aid and FDI. Specifically, it shows that aid spending on governance and health is positively associated with foreign direct investment inflows to aid recipient countries. Education ODA might also be associated with higher FDI flows, however more ambiguously than spending on health and governance. All of these associations decrease as aid flows increase, suggesting that the efficiency of aid spending in fostering FDI is diminishing. Surprisingly aid spent on infrastructure is not associated with enhanced FDI inflows. Overall, however, this study suggests that targeted ODA can leverage FDI and, therefore, help increase the impact of aid spending on FDI and economic development.
The influence of ownership structure on the capital structure in Dutch firms

This research aims at uncovering the relationship between ownership structure and capital structure. Where prior studies merely focus on British, Chinese and American firms, this study provides a new view on Dutch firms. I find that ownership concentration by the largest five aggregate shareholders has a linear significant relationship with leverage. Furthermore, I find a strong significant positive effect of family ownership on leverage. Managerial ownership proved to have a linear significant relationship with leverage. Moreover, contradicting earlier studies, a positive significant relationship between institutional ownership and leverage if found. Lastly I found that corporate ownership has no effect on leverage in the sample of Dutch listed firms. The results of this research have practical relevance in the sense that managers can understand why different shareholders have different preferences in financing methods and leverage levels and it may give insights on using the capital structure to attract a desired type of investor or to keep undesired ones away.
The effect of competition on non-performing loan rates - evidence from the Norwegian banking market

The relationship between bank competition and financial stability has been thoroughly debated over the last decades. The importance of a stable banking system for financial stability makes this a topic of interest for both economists and regulators. Using accounting data for Norwegian banks over the last 20 years, we assess the relationship between the rate of non-performing loans and different measures of competition. We find a non-linear relationship between market concentration and loan risk. For low levels of concentration, increased concentration reduces non-performing loan rates. Past a certain level of concentration, this relationship is reversed. Our findings indicate that the Norwegian banking market today is close to this optimal level, suggesting that a continued increasing trend in concentration will contribute to higher non-performing loan rates. Using the interest rate margin and the H-statistic as competitive measures, we find a linear positive relationship between competition and non-performing loan rates. Provided that these measures capture competitive behavior, this implies that competition increases loan risk. Our findings are consistent with relevant theoretical models and earlier empirical research, and underline how results depend on the choice of competition measure. SNF Working Paper No 11/15
Online knowledge sharing and psychological well-being among Chinese college students

This survey study examines the relationship of online knowledge sharing and psychological well-being among undergraduate students in Hong Kong. A self-reported paper questionnaire was administered to a sample of 489 undergraduate students aged 17-25 from a local university. Online Knowledge Sharing Behavior (OKSB; Ma & Yuen, 2011) was adopted to measure the online communication of knowledge. There were two measures for psychological well-being – Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS; Diener et al., 1985) and Flourishing Scale (FS; Diener et al., 2010). Although the structural equation modeling (SEM) results showed online knowledge sharing significantly predicted life satisfaction and flourishing, it only accounted for very little variation in life satisfaction (1.3%) and flourishing (3.1%). The findings suggested that the positive effect of online knowledge sharing on psychological well-being has to be further investigated.
Modern approaches to performance of toxicological and hygienic studies of welding fumes (Review)

The paper provides an overview of the results of studying the nanoscale fractions in the working zone air during welding operations and in the welder’s breathing zone, as well as data of toxicological studies of welding fumes (WF) in experiments on laboratory animals (in vivo) and in cell culture experiments (in vitro). It is suggested that the high disease rate in welders can be caused not only by toxicity of WF components having irritating and mutagenic effects, but also by the ability of nanoscale particles (nanoparticles) to penetrate deeply into the tissues. The data of hygienic studies of nanoparticle emission into the working zone air during welding operations, as well as of studying nanoscale fraction deposition in the respiratory tract of welders are presented. It is shown that decrease in the content of hexavalent chromium and manganese in the welding consumable involves increasing the concentrations of other metals, and thus does not guarantee safety for the welder. The role of prediction of WF harmful effects on the body by controlling the working conditions using modern hygienic approaches is substantiated. Simultaneous application of in vitro and in vivo methods to provide the most complete information about the potential hazards of WF, peculiarities of biological action of its components, as well as the need to develop not only informative, but also less time-consuming and costly express-methods of screening assessment of toxicity of WF, generated at different types of welding was substantiated. These methods will allow evaluation of the cumulative effect of the impact of totality of toxicants present in WF solid component, including unidentified components. 21 Ref.
XMM-Newton spectroscopy of the accreting magnetar candidate 4U0114+65

Aims. 4U0114+65 is one of the slowest known X-ray pulsars. We present an analysis of a pointed observation by the XMM-Newton X-ray telescope in order to study the nature of the X-ray pulsations and the accretion process, and to diagnose the physical properties of the donor’s stellar wind. Methods. We analysed the energy-resolved light curve and the time-resolved X-ray spectra provided by the EPIC cameras on board XMM-Newton . We also analysed the first high-resolution spectrum of this source provided by the Reflection Grating Spectrometer. Results. An X-ray pulse of 9350 ± 160 s was measured. Comparison with previous measurements confirms the secular spin up of this source. We successfully fit the pulse-phase-resolved spectra with Comptonisation models. These models imply a very small ( r ~ 3 km) and hot ( kT ~ 2 − 3 keV) emitting region and therefore point to a hot spot over the neutron star (NS) surface as the most reliable explanation for the X-ray pulse. The long NS spin period, the spin-up rate, and persistent X-ray emission can be explained within the theory of quasi-spherical settling accretion, which may indicate that the magnetic field is in the magnetar range. Thus, 4U 0114+65 could be a wind-accreting magnetar. We also observed two episodes of low luminosity. The first was only observed in the low-energy light curve and can be explained as an absorption by a large over-dense structure in the wind of the B1 supergiant donor. The second episode, which was deeper and affected all energies, may be due to temporal cessation of accretion onto one magnetic pole caused by non-spherical matter capture from the structured stellar wind. The light curve displays two types of dips that are clearly seen during the high-flux intervals. The short dips, with durations of tens of seconds, are produced through absorption by wind clumps. The long dips, in turn, seem to be associated with the rarefied interclump medium. From the analysis of the X-ray spectra, we found evidence of emission lines in the X-ray photoionised wind of the B1Ia donor. The Fe K α line was found to be highly variable and much weaker than in other X-ray binaries with supergiant donors. The degree of wind clumping, measured through the covering fraction, was found to be much lower than in supergiant donor stars with earlier spectral types. Conclusions. The XMM-Newton spectroscopy provided further support for the magnetar nature of the neutron star in 4U0114+65. The light curve presents dips that can be associated with clumps and the interclump medium in the stellar wind of the mass donor.
Early intervention and holistic, relationship‐based practice with fathers: evidence from the work of the Family Nurse Partnership

This paper seeks to add to the literature on working with fathers by focusing on early intervention. It draws on research into fathers involved in a home visitation service delivered by the Family Nurse Partnership in England and evaluates the men’s experiences of the intervention. The vulnerability of fathers was striking and many were helped to develop their practical skills and confidence in caring for their babies. The intervention was effective because of the quality time that was invested in developing relationships with fathers (as well as mothers), the focus on their strengths as well as areas for improvement and the skilled, therapeutically oriented, holistic approach through which the service was delivered. The ‘early’ nature of the help was crucial to its success because of how it so effectively tapped into the men’s redefinition of themselves as caring fathers during pregnancy and following the birth. We argue that there is important learning here for social care and health services in general about how to engage men and promote fathers’ capacities to care for their children.
Nonlinear Behaviors of Tail Dependence and Cross-Correlation of Financial Time Series Model

Nonlinear behaviors of tail dependence and cross-correlation of financial time series are reproduced and investigated by stochastic voter dynamic system. The voter process is a continuous-time Markov process and is one of the interacting dynamic systems. The tail dependence of return time series for pairs of Chinese stock markets and the proposed financial models is studied by copula analysis, in an attempt to detect and illustrate the existence of relevant correlation relationships. Further, the multifractality of cross-correlations for return series is studied by multifractal detrended cross-correlation analysis, which indicates the analogous cross-correlations and some fractal characters for both actual data and simulative data and provides an intuitive evidence for market inefficiency.
Transgenic Bt Cotton: Effects on Target and Non-Target Insect Diversity

Occurrence of diversity in ecosystem sustains particular characteristic of a biological community and also ensures stability of the community. Transgenic crops may affect insect biodiversity by unintended impacts on non-target arthropod population. For example, transgenic GM cotton specific to target lepidopterous pests can change the cot ton pest spectrum and may induce the growth of new harmful pest species having no pest status. The change in species composition may influence IPM approach in cotton crop. The results of authors’ research studies as well as global impact indicate that GM cotton is highly specific to target pests and has no unintended impact on non-target insect population. GM cotton provides significant season-long field control of target pests ( Helicoverpa armigera , Earias spp. and Pectinophora gossypiella ), with no significant control of Spodoptera species. The decreased insecticide use in GM cotton has a positive impact on beneficial insect populations and can increase the stability of rare species. Bt cotton has no resistance against non-target sucking insect pests. As GM cotton has no adverse effects on the non-target insect population and can reduce the use of broad-spectrum insecticides, it can become an important tool of IPM program in cotton agro-ecosystem of Pakistan.
Perceived value index in higher education

This research aims to find an index of perceived value by students in higher education, and whether this perception is affected by age, gender, number of registrations, field of study and work experience of the students. The index was calculated based on the methodology used by the customer satisfaction indexes. Thus, a score of perceived value was calculated by estimating a structural equation model that takes into account both the antecedents of value (image and quality) and its consequences (satisfaction and loyalty). The sample used consisted of 2687 students of Portuguese public universities. The results show that on a scale of 1 to 100, the perceived value index is only 51, and that this perceived value decreases with student age and number of registrations. It was also found that the perceived value varies with the fact that students already had or not work experience and with the field of study. It was further observed that the perceived value does not vary with students’ gender.
TECHNOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF WORTS OBTAINED FROM MALTS OF NAKED BARLEY GRAIN

The purpose of the research was to determine the effect of diversified nitrogen fertilization (0, 25 and 50 kg·ha) on selected properties of grains, malts and brewing worts. Brewing value of barley grain was determined by Molina-Cano method. It was stated that the higher doses of nitrogen caused an increase of yield, as a result of stronger productive tillering of plants. Significant growth of grain yield was obtained by the increasing of nitrogen fertilization from 25 to 50 kg·ha. Malts from naked barley grain were produced in the same way as malts of the Pilzen type. According to Molina-Cano method, the naked barley grain of Rastik cultivar was qualified as brewing, because of high malt extractivity. Laboratory worts were characterized by a high extract content, but not suitable viscosity, total attenuation and low soluble nitrogen content.
A Confirmatory Factor Analytic Study of Anxiety, Fear, and Behavioral Inhibition System Measures

Recent revisions to the reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST) of personality have highlighted the distinction between the emotions of fear and anxiety. These revisions have substantial implications for self-report measurement; in particular, they raise the question of whether separate traits of fear and anxiety exist and, if so, their interrelationship. To address this question, the current study used confirmatory factor analytic procedures to examine the convergent and discriminant validity of measures of trait anxiety, fear, and the behavioral inhibition system (BIS). We also examined measurement and structural invariance across gender in 167 males and 173 females who completed the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Carver and White BIS Scale, and the Fear Survey Schedule (FSS). The findings suggested that trait anxiety and the BIS scale are relatively distinct from Tissue Damage Fear (FSS). Further, the final model showed measurement and structural invariance across gender. The implications of the results for future self-report assessment in RST research are discussed.