Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
TRIPLEX ULTRASONOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT OF CERVICAL LYMPH NODES

Detection of lymph nodes (LNs) involvement by various pathological processes has great therapeutic and prognostic implications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness and accuracy of triplex sonography (gray scale, color mapping and spectral Doppler) in differentiating benign from malignant cervical LNs. We used triplex sonography to evaluate 120 LNs in 50 patients. The gray scale features which were considered included LNs margin, nodal shape (length/width ratio) and echotexture. Vascular patterns and arterial resistive index (RI) of the LNs were assessed by color mapping and spectral Doppler. Finally sonographic findings were compared with pathologic results. There was significant difference between benign and malignant LNs in shape, echotexture, RI and vascular pattern. Study results showed that malignant LNs, especially metastatic nodes, are accompanied with significantly high RI, rounded shape, heterogenous echotexture and peripheral vascularity. Among these sonographic findings, nodal shape (L/W ratio) and RI were more accurate for differentiating benign from malignant LNs. LNs with ill-defined margin were all metastatic. In this study triplex sonographic findings had relatively high accuracy in differentiating benign from malignant cervical LNs, however, because of some overlapping in triplex sonographic appearances of benign and malignant nodes, this modality may not have definite diagnostic value.
Prediction of Water Level Fluctuations of Chahnimeh Reservoirs in Zabol Using ANN, ANFIS and Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm

Forecasting changes in level of the reservoir are important in Construction, design and estimate the volume of reservoirs and also in managing of supplying water. In this study, we have used different models such as Artificial Neutral Network (ANN), Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) and Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm (COA) for forecasting fluctuations in water level of Chahnimeh reservoirs in south-east of Iran. For this purpose, we applied three most important variables in water levels of the reservoir including evaporation, wind speed and daily temperature average to prepare the best entering variables for models. In addition, none accuracy of error in estimation of hydrologic variables and none assurance of exiting models are the result of their sensitivity to the educational complex for teaching of models and also preliminary decoration before beginning general education has been estimated. After comparing exiting and confidence interval of the ANN and ANFIS has been found that the result of ANFIS model is better described than other model because it was more accurate and does have lesser assurance.
Effect of somatic cell count on composition and hygiene indicators of bulk tank milk

Este trabalho avaliou o efeito da contagem de celulas somaticas (CCS) na composicao e na qualidade higienica do leite de tanque de rebanhos leiteiros. Especificamente, foram avaliados o efeito da CCS do tanque de rebanhos leiteiros na composicao (gordura, proteina, solidos totais, extrato seco desengordurado) e nas contagens bacteriana total (CBT), de psicrotroficos (CP) e de coliformes (CC). Um total de 230 rebanhos leiteiros localizados no sul de Minas Gerais e oeste de Sao Paulo foram selecionados com base na media geometrica da CCS obtida de cinco analises mensais anteriores ao inicio das coletas das amostras. As fazendas foram classificadas de acordo com a CCS em tres grupos: baixa ( 250.000 e 750.000 celulas/mL, n = 67). Apos a selecao dos rebanhos, amostras de leite do tanque foram coletadas a cada catorze dias durante tres meses, totalizando 1.380 amostras, as quais foram submetidas as analises de composicao, CBT, CP e CC. Uma reducao da CBT e da CC foi observada em rebanho com baixa CCS; entretanto, rebanhos com media e alta CCS tiveram aumento nos teores de gordura, proteina bruta e solidos totais. Uma media correlacao foi observada entre CBT e CP (r = 0,6215) e tambem entre CP e CC (r = 0,3692). Com base nos indicadores de higiene e na composicao do leite, foi observada uma correlacao baixa e negativa entre CBT e gordura (r = -0,0585), CP e gordura (r = -0,0585) e CP e solidos totais (r = -0,0662). Os rebanhos leiteiros com CCS < 250.000 celulas/mL apresentaram maior qualidade higienica do leite de tanque; entretanto, considerando a composicao, rebanhos com maior CCS tiveram maiores concentracoes de gordura e proteina.
Alexithymia and emotional processing: a longitudinal mixed methods research

Alexithymia has been associated with poor outcomes in psychotherapy. This association has been attributed to a difficulty in patients processing emotions and engaging in emotional tasks. The possibility of alexithymia being modified by psychotherapy remains a topic of great debate but with little empirical research. In this study a mixed methods longitudinal design was used to better understand alexithymia, emotional processing and change process in psychotherapy. Twelve clients, five with alexithymia, were studied considering the development of alexithymia, emotional awareness, differentiation, regulation and severity of symptoms. The reliable change index was used to interpret the evolution of those emotional variables’ scores for each case and thematic analysis was used to analyze individual interviews. Thematic analysis generated several themes, organized in two broad domains: i) perception of emotions and ii) description of change. The three alexithymic patients that changed in alexithymia also changed in at least one of the emotional variables – lack of emotional awareness, emotion differentiation or emotion regulation. Generally, alexithymic patients were able to accomplish change in psychotherapy although they had a tendency to focus on physical complaints, describe changes in a more rational rather than emotional way and present vaguer descriptions of their problems. These results point that alexithymia may change through therapy and reinforces that those changes are associated with improved emotional processing.
Effects of Traditional and Reverse Periodization on Strength, Body-Composition and Swim Performance.

Periodization of athletic training is conceptualized as a pedagogical process, which involves varying volume, intensity and frequency of training in attempt to optimize sporting performance. The primary purpose of this research was to compare changes in 100m swim performance (t100c), Muscular Strength and Body-composition values after 14 weeks of training traditional periodization (control) and reverse periodization (treatment). There were 26 volunteer swimmers (16.02±0.6 yrs. 1.72±9.3 cm 64.1±9.3 kg) divided in two groups traditional periodization (TP) and reverse periodization (RP). Results at the 14th week showed significant improvements (p<0.05) in values of t100c (6.9%), Body-weigh (B weigh 1.8%) and Maximal drag charge (MDC 10.0%) by RP above TP values. Moreover, TP exhibited substantial improvements in body composition decreasing significantly (p<0.05) fat mass. The results demonstrated that reverse periodization is specific and an efficient strategy of training for sprinters at time to economize load volume; traditional periodization is recommended option for improving physical appearance.
Herschel / HIFI : first science highlights Special feature L etter to the E ditor [ CII ] observations of H 2 molecular layers in transition clouds

We present the first results on the diffuse transition clouds observed in [CII] line emission at 158 μm (1.9 THz) towards Galactic longitudes near 340◦ (5 LOSs) & 20◦ (11 LOSs) as part of the HIFI tests and GOT C+ survey. Out of the total 146 [CII] velocity components detected by profile fitting we identify 53 as diffuse molecular clouds with associated 12CO emission but without 13CO emission and characterized by AV < 5 mag. We estimate the fraction of the [CII] emission in the diffuse HI layer in each cloud and then determine the [CII] emitted from the molecular layers in the cloud. We show that the excess [CII] intensities detected in a few clouds is indicative of a thick H2 layer around the CO core. The wide range of clouds in our sample with thin to thick H2 layers suggests that these are at various evolutionary states characterized by the formation of H2 and CO layers from HI and C, respectively. In about 30% of the clouds the H2 column densities (“dark gas”) traced by the [CII] is 50% or more than that traced by CO emission. On the average ∼25% of the total H2 in these clouds is in an H2 layer which is not traced by CO. We use the HI, [CII], and CO intensities in each cloud along with simple chemical models to obtain constraints on the FUV fields and cosmic ray ionization rates.
The Health Penalty of China's Rapid Urbanization

This discussion paper resulted in an article in Health Economics (2012). Volume 21, issue 4, pages 367-385. Rapid urbanization could have positive and negative health effects, such that the net impact on population health is not obvious. It is, however, highly pertinent to the human welfare consequences of development. This paper uses community and individual level longitudinal data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey to estimate the net health impact of China’s unprecedented urbanization. We construct an index of urbanicity from a broad set of community characteristics and define urbanization in terms of movements across the distribution of this index. We use difference-in-differences estimators to identify the treatment effect of urbanization on the self-assessed health of individuals. The results reveal important, and robust, negative causal effects of urbanization on health. Urbanization increases the probability of reporting fair or poor health by 5 to 15 percentage points, with a greater degree of urbanization having larger health effects. While people in more urbanized areas are, on average, in better health than their rural counterparts, the process of urbanization is damaging to health. Our measure of self-assessed health is highly correlated with subsequent mortality and the causal harmful effect of urbanization on health is confirmed using more objective (but also more specific) health indicators, such as physical impairments, disease symptoms and hypertension.
Spatial Distribution of Acromyrmex balzani (Emery) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Attini) Nests Using Two Sampling Methods

The spatial distribution (SD) of organisms is a key parameter in studies of population ecology. Among the methods to describe the SD of sessile organisms, sampling by way of plots and transects are widely used. The measurement of the distance between individuals (“nearest neighbor”) is a simple method that has not been employed in population studies with ants. This study aimed to evaluate the SD of ant mounds of Acromyrmex balzani (Emery, 1890), using both plot sampling and nearest neighbor methods in order to evaluate which method is more appropriate for determining SD of this species. In January 2013 we established 359 plots of 10 m 2 on a fragment of grassland in Sergipe, Brazil. In the same study area 25 colonies were randomly selected and the distance of the closest neighbor colony was determined. In total, 153 ant mounds were sampled (plots) and the density was estimated in 975 × colonies ha -1 . Colonies were clumped in the environment either by plot sampling (χ2 = 453.93; p < 0.05) as well as by the method of nearest neighbor (A x = 0.67, t = -1.72, p < 0.05). The aggregation of A. balzani colonies found in this study may be due to habitat heterogeneity or relate to the strategy of colony foundation. We conclude that the use of the nearest neighbor method was as accurate as the plot sampling method, providing the same results with much lower sampling effort.
Speech Production Analyses: Characterizing Typical Development versus Childhood Apraxia of Speech

Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a controversial diagnosis that is frequently based on clinical perceptions, with treatment success based on the same perceptual measures. Because additional, less abstract diagnostic and treatment outcome procedures are needed, a series of quantitative trials were chosen for the current research to potentially assist in the diagnosis and evaluation of treatment for those with CAS. The study included two participants, one child with typically developing (TD) speech and one diagnosed and verified by current protocols as having CAS. Kinematic and acoustic measures were used to calculate spatiotemporal index, speech-pause time, and lexical stress. The spatiotemporal index was factored using kinematic data and computer-based algorithms. Acoustic data were used to evaluate speech versus pause time as well as lexical stress. Speech-pause time was calculated by measuring speech time in comparison with pause times both between and within words. Lexical stress was calculated by computing ratios involving vowel length, mean frequency, and mean amplitude of the first syllable over the second syllable. The participant with CAS displayed greater inconsistency with both the lower and upper lip during repetitions of "Buy Bobby a puppy"; with a higher factored spatiotemporal index for both lips as compared to that of the TD participant. In a story retell task, acoustic analyses of participants' responses revealed increased total utterance time in addition to increased pause time percentage in the participant with CAS versus the TD participant. During repetition of eight trochaic words, the participant with CAS presented greater mean lexical stress while the TD participant displayed stress primarily on the initial syllable. These results provide feasibility for using the given measures to differentiate speech productions of TD children from those with CAS. Additional study of the current measures on a larger scale with TD speech participants as well as in comparison with participants exhibiting other speech sound disorders is recommended.
Design of Axially and Laterally Loaded Piles for the Support of Offshore Wind Energy Converters

A large number of offshore wind farms is being planned in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea in Europe and will be erected in the coming years. Possible foundation structures for water depths of up to 50m are jacket and tripod structures, i.e. structures with three or four mainly axially loaded piles, and for moderate water depths also monopiles, which are mainly horizontally loaded large diameter piles. A special aspect in design is the question how effects induced by cyclic loading of these foundation piles can be considered adequately. For cyclic axially loaded piles degradation of pile capacity might occur, and for cyclic horizontally loaded piles stability has to be proved and an increase of permanent deformation over the lifetime is to be expected. The paper in hand presents calculation approaches for the piles under axial and lateral loading and outlines possible design procedures with consideration of cyclic load effects.
Ostracods (Crustacea) and habitat similarities in the Bolu region (Turkey)

A total of 41 freshwater ostracod species belonging to 21 genera was collected from 144 different aquatic bodies in the Bolu region during the summer of 2006. The genus Schellencandona and 12 species (Candona weltneri, C. sanociensis, C. lactea, Fabaeformiscandona cf. breuili, F. balatonica, F. brevicornis, F. protzi, F. latens, Schellencandona cf. belgica, Pseudocandona cf. semicognita, Potamocypris similis, and P. smaragdina) are new for the Turkish Ostracoda fauna. Additionally, 5 other species (Herpetocypris brevicaudata, Heterocypris salina, H. rotundata, Cyclocypris laevis, Trajancypris serrata) are new for Bolu. UPGMA analyses showed districts of Bolu in 5 clustering groups. The highest habitat similarity (75%) was found between Yenicaga and Goynuk, while the least (20%) was observed between Seben and Merkez districts. Shannon-Weaver diversity suggested the highest evenness for ostracods at Dortdivan (0.95) and the highest diversity index (H') at Merkez district (2.63). Mechanisms of species dispersion are numerous, and may account for observed distributional patterns.
Electrochemical and Photoelectrochemical Properties of Nano-Islands of Zinc and Niobium Oxides Deposited on Aluminum Thin Film by RF Magnetron Reactive Sputtering

Zinc oxide (ZnO) and niobium oxide (NbOx) with a nano-island structure were deposited by a sputtering method on Al-coated glass substrates. Cells with a (ZnO or NbOx)/Al/glass|KNO3aq. |Al/ glass structure were assembled, and electrochemical and photoelectrochemical properties were evaluated. The ZnO and NbOx electrodes had higher electrode potentials than the counter Al/glass electrode, and electron flows from the counter electrode to the ZnO and NbOx electrodes through the external circuit were commonly confirmed. In the ZnO-based cell, only faint photocurrent generation was seen, where Zn and Al elution from the ZnO electrode was found. In the NbOxbased cell, however, stable generation of electricity was successfully achieved, and electrode corrosion was not recognized even in microscopic observations. A photoelectrochemical conversion model was proposed based on potential-pH diagrams. In the case of nano-island structures formed at shorter NbOx deposition time, it was concluded that the photoelectrochemical reactions, which were proceeded in the immediate vicinity of the boundary among nano-islands, substrate, and electrolyte solution, were predominant for the photoelectrochemical conversion, and in the case of film structures with longer deposition time, the predominant reactions took place at the film surface.
Disformal gravity theories: a Jordan frame analysis

The Jordan frame action for general disformal theories is presented and studied for the first time, motivated by several unresolved mysteries that arise when working in the Einstein frame. We present the Friedmann equations and, specialising to exponential functions, study the late-time cosmology using dynamical systems methods and by finding approximate solutions. Our analysis reveals that either the disformal effects are irrelevant or the universe evolves towards a phantom phase where the equation of state of dark energy is $-3$. There is a marginal case where the asymptotic state of the universe depends on the model parameters and de-Sitter solutions can be obtained. Our findings indicate that the metric singularity found using the Einstein frame construction corresponds phantom behaviour in the Jordan frame and we argue that this is the case for general disformal theories.
Acceptance of Knowledge Map Systems: An Empirical Examination of System Characteristics and Knowledge Map Systems Self-efficacy

Knowledge map systems gather explicit and acquired knowledge which can be shared, and facilitate the emergence of tacit knowledge of new relationships. A variety of people use knowledge map systems to engage in knowledge sharing. However, while most studies focus on system design for knowledge map systems, predictors for a knowledge map system adoption have seldom been addressed. This paper proposes a model to facilitate knowledge sharing in communities of practice for a knowledge map system. Both theoretical and empirical analyses were undertaken and are reported here to explain the factors that influence users' adoption of knowledge map systems to share knowledge using the technology acceptance model (TAM) which incorporates system characteristics and knowledge map system self-efficacy. The proposed model was empirically evaluated using survey data collected from 179 virtual community users about their perceptions of knowledge map systems. Overall, the data used fit well with the hypothesized relationships in the model, as all relationships in it were statistically significant. The findings suggested that both system characteristics and users' knowledge map system self-efficacy positively affected user perceptions and behavioral intention. The results also revealed a positive relationship between attitude and intention in the adoption of knowledge map systems. Implications of these results are discussed.
Abundance and Conservation of Cyperus papyrus in the Nakivubo wetland, Uganda

Due to high population growth, there is increasing pressure on wetlands to the extent that wetland natural vegetation is continuously being replaced with food crops to meet the increasing food demands. The natural vegetation of Nakivubo wetland is dominated by Cyperus papyrus. Cyperus papyrus has recently been intensively harvested, there by creating a gap between its conservation and utilization. This study was conducted to compare the abundance of papyrus in the disturbed and non disturbed sites and document the strategies used to conserve Cyperus papyrus in Nakivubo wetland. The abundance of papyrus was assessed in 1m x 1m plots established along 2 transects in the disturbed and undisturbed parts of the wetland. The strategies used by the wetland users to conserve papyrus were determined by administering a questionnaire regarding wetland utilization to thirty respondents. The results showed that generally individuals of papyrus per hectare were higher in the undisturbed sites than disturbed sites. The non disturbed sites had more culms than the disturbed site though there were more juveniles in the disturbed site than in the non disturbed sites. All the respondents did not domesticate papyrus. Majority of the respondents did not allow the papyrus to regenerate after harvesting. They were not aware of the recommended harvesting intervals for papyrus. It is recommended that responsible authorities sensitize the public about appropriate use of the wetland and inform them about the suitable harvesting intervals for papyrus.
The impacts of metals and metalloids on insect behavior

In toxicology studies, the use of death as an endpoint often fails to capture the effects a pollutant has on disruptions of ecosystem services by changing an animal’s behavior. Many toxicants can cause population extinctions of insect species at concentrations well below the EC25, EC50, or EC90 concentrations traditionally reported from short‐term bioassays. A surprising number of species cannot detect metal and metalloid contamination, and do not always avoid food with significant metal concentrations. This frequently leads to modified ingestion, locomotor, and reproductive behaviors. For example, some species show a tendency to increase locomotor behaviors to escape from locations with elevated metal pollution, whereas other insects greatly decrease all movements unrelated to feeding. Still others exhibit behaviors resulting in increased susceptibility to predation, including a positive phototaxis causing immatures to move to exposed positions. For purposes of reproduction, the inability to avoid even moderately polluted sites when ovipositing can lead to egg loss and reduced fitness of offspring. Ultimately, impaired behaviors result in a general reduction in population sizes and species diversity at contaminated sites, the exceptions being those species tolerating contamination that become dominant. Regardless, ecosystem services, such as herbivory, detritus reduction, or food production for higher trophic levels, are disrupted. This review evaluates the effects of metal and metalloid pollution on insect behaviors in both terrestrial and aquatic systems reported in a diverse literature scattered across many scientific disciplines. Behaviors are grouped by ingestion, taxis, and oviposition. We conclude that understanding how insect behavior is modified is necessary to assess the full scope and importance of metal and metalloid contamination.