Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Allen Carr's Easyway programme with a specialist behavioural and pharmacological smoking cessation support service: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background and Aims A combination of behavioural and pharmacological support is judged to be the optimal approach for assisting smoking cessation. Allen Carr's Easyway (ACE) is a single‐session pharmacotherapy‐free programme that has been in operation internationally for 38 years. We compared the effectiveness of ACE with specialist behavioural and pharmacological support delivered to the national standard in England. Design A two‐arm, parallel‐group, single‐blind, randomized controlled trial. Setting London, UK, between February 2017 and May 2018. Participants A total of 620 participants (310 in ACE and 310 in the combined behavioural and pharmacological support condition) were included in the analysis. Adult (≥ 18 years) smokers wanting to quit were randomized in a 1 : 1 ratio. Mean age for the total sample was 40.8 years, with 53.4% being male. Participant baseline characteristics (ethnicity, educational level, number of previous quit attempts, nicotine dependence) were evenly balanced between treatment groups. Intervention and comparator The intervention was the ACE method of stopping smoking. This centres on a 4.5–6‐hour session of group‐based support, alongside subsequent text messages and top‐up sessions if needed. It aims to make it easy to stop smoking by convincing smokers that smoking provides no benefits for them. The comparator was a specialist stop smoking service (SSS) providing behavioural and pharmacological support in accordance with national standards. Measurements The primary outcome was self‐reported continuous abstinence for 26 weeks from the quit/quit re‐set date verified by exhaled breath carbon monoxide measurement < 10 parts per million (p.p.m.). Primary analysis was by intention to treat. Secondary outcomes were: use of pharmacotherapy, adverse events and continuous abstinence up to 4 and 12 weeks. Findings A total of 468 participants attended treatment (255 ACE versus 213 SSS, P < 0.05). Of those who did attend treatment, 100 completed 6‐month measures (23.7% ACE versus 20.7% SSS). Continuous abstinence to 26 weeks was 19.4% (60 of 310) in the ACE intervention and 14.8% (46 of 310) in the SSS intervention [risk difference for ACE versus SSS 4.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) = –1.4 to 10.4%, odds ratio (OR) = 1.38)]. The Bayes factor for superiority of the ACE condition was 1.24. Conclusion There was no clear evidence of a difference in the efficacies of the Allen Carr's Easyway (ACE) and specialist smoking cessation support involving behavioural support and pharmacotherapy.
Breastfeeding initiation or duration and longitudinal patterns of infections up to 2 years and skin rash and respiratory symptoms up to 8 years in the EDEN mother–child cohort

Abstract This paper aimed to examine the effect of breastfeeding on longitudinal patterns of common infections up to 2 years and respiratory symptoms up to 8 years. To assess the incidence and reoccurrence of infections and allergic symptoms in the first years of life among 1,603 children from the EDEN mother–child cohort, distinct longitudinal patterns of infectious diseases as well as skin rash and respiratory symptoms were identified by group‐based trajectory modelling. To characterize infections, we considered the parent‐reported number of cold/nasopharyngitis and diarrhoea from birth to 12 months and otitis and bronchitis/bronchiolitis from birth to 2 years. To characterize allergy‐related symptoms, we considered the parent‐reported occurrence of wheezing and skin rash from 8 months to 8 years and asthma from 2 to 8 years. Then associations between breastfeeding and these longitudinal patterns were assessed through adjusted multinomial logistic regression. Compared with never‐breastfed infants, ever‐breastfed infants were at a lower risk of diarrhoea events in early infancy as well as infrequent events of bronchitis/bronchiolitis throughout infancy. Only predominant breastfeeding duration was related to frequent events of bronchitis/bronchiolitis and infrequent events of otitis. We found no significant protective effect of breastfeeding on longitudinal patterns of cold/nasopharyngitis, skin rash, or respiratory symptoms. For an infant population with a short breastfeeding duration, on average, our study confirmed a protective effect of breastfeeding on diarrhoea events in early infancy, infrequent bronchitis/bronchiolitis and, to a lesser extent, infrequent otitis events up to 2 years but not on other infections, skin rash, or respiratory symptoms4.
A cross-sectional study to determine the energy density and nutritional quality of primary-school children’s lunchboxes

Abstract Objective: The present study describes the energy content of primary-school children’s lunchboxes and the proportion of lunchbox foods considered discretionary. Subgroup analyses by sex, socio-economic status, age and weight status were undertaken. Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Mean kilojoule content, number of items and categorisation of foods and drinks in lunchboxes as ‘everyday’ (healthy) or discretionary (sometimes) foods were assessed via a valid and reliable lunchbox observational audit. Setting: Twelve Catholic primary schools (Kindergarten–Grade 6) located in the Hunter region of New South Wales, Australia. Participants: Kindergarten to Grade 6 primary-school students. Results: In total, 2143 children (57 %) had parental consent to have their lunchboxes observed. School lunchboxes contained a mean of 2748 kJ, of which 61·2 % of energy was from foods consistent with the Australian Dietary Guidelines and 38·8 % of energy was discretionary foods. The proportion of lunchboxes containing only healthy foods was 12 %. Children in Kindergarten–Grade 2 packed more servings of ‘everyday’ foods (3·32 v. 2·98, P < 0·01) compared with children in Grades 3–6. Children in Grades 3–6 had a higher percentage of energy from discretionary foods (39·1 v. 33·8 %, P < 0·01) compared with children in Kindergarten–Grade 2 and children from the most socio-economically disadvantaged areas had significantly higher total kilojoules in the school lunchbox compared with the least disadvantaged students (2842 v. 2544 kJ, P = 0·03). Conclusions: Foods packed within school lunchboxes may contribute to energy imbalance. The development of school policies and population-based strategies to support parents overcome barriers to packing healthy lunchboxes are warranted.
Evaluation of Chemical Composition, Antibacterial, Antifungal, and Cytotoxic Activity of Laurus nobilis L Grown in Saudi Arabia

Present study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition, antibacterial, antifungal, and cytotoxic activity of Laurus nobilis grown in Tabuk region of Saudi Arabia. Dried leaves of L. nobilis were extracted with various solvent with increasing polarities. Solvent extracts exhibited variable inhibition zones against bacterial pathogens, however all the solvent extracts showed significant inhibition against fungal pathogens. Acetone extracts had the largest inhibition zone against Streptococcus pnemoniae (37.16 ± 0.23 mm) while ethanol and methanol extract showed the most efficient percentage inhibition against mycelial growth of Alternaria alternata (91.33 ± 0.47; 90.66 ± 0.94). High cytotoxicity was demonstrated by methanol and aqueous extracts (IC50 14.90μg/ml, 24.56 μg/ml), while acetone extracts showed moderate effects on cell inhibition (IC50 41.43μg/ml). The significant activity shown by the bay leaf extracts could be attributed to monoterpene hydrocarbons, oxygenated monoterpenes, phenylpropanoids, phenols, and other important phytoconstituents identified in GCMS and FTIR studies. Our findings clearly show significant antifungal, antibacterial and cytotoxic activity of solvent extracts of bay leaves, which could be attributed to the presence of wide range of phytochemicals. Since plants derived natural products are less toxic, cheaper, and have negligible side effects, they would serve as an excellent alternative to antimicrobial and chemotherapeutic drugs.
EFFECTS OF A TOXIC DINOFLAGELLATE ON PREDATORS

An experimental study was carried out to investigate whether two potential predators such as Oxyrrhis marina (phagotrophic dinoflagellate) and Acartia margalefi (copepoda: calanoida) had different responses when feeding on toxic (Karlodinium sp.-strain CSIC1-) or non-toxic (Gymnodinium sp1) dinoflagellates with a similar shape and size. Both prey were cultured at different N/P ratios (balanced N/P = 15, and P-limited N/P > 15) to test whether P-limitation conditions could lead to depressed grazing rates or have other effects on the predators. Both predators ingested the non-toxic Gymnodinium sp1, and low or non-ingestion rates were observed when incubated with Karlodinium sp. The dinoflagellate O. marina did not graze at all on Karlodinium sp. at N/P > 15 and very little at NP = 15, as its net growth rates were always negative when feeding on Karlodinium sp. cultured under P-limitation conditions. A. margalefi had lower ingestion rates when feeding on Karlodinium sp. grown at N/P = 15 than when feeding on Gymnodinium sp1, and did not graze on P-limited Karlodinium sp. Nevertheless, feeding on Karlodinium sp. grown under N/P =15 or N/P > 15 did not have any paralyzing or lethal effect on A. margalefi after 24 h. Finally, a direct effect on the viability of A. margalefi eggs was detected when healthy eggs were incubated for 5 days in the presence of Karlodinium sp. grown under N/P =15 or N/P > 15, producing a decrease in viability of 20% and 60% respectively.
FE modelling of CFRP strengthened steel members under impact loads

Recently, the strengthening of steel structures using carbon fibre reinforced polymer has become more attractive for designers due to the advantages of high strength-to-weight ratio and superior environmental durability. Significant research has been performed on the behaviour of CFRP strengthened steel members under static loads. Dynamic behaviour, and in particular impact loading, of CFRP strengthened steelwork has been scarcely studied. In practice, steelwork could be subjected to impact from different events such as road vehicle or ship collisions, and impact by flying debris after an explosion etc. This study discusses the numerical investigation of the effectiveness of CFRP sheets in strengthening square hollow section (SHS) steel columns under transverse impact loads. The study was conducted using the finite element (FE) programme ABAQUS 6.13. The proposed three-dimensional FE model was validated using existing experimental results. The strain hardening and strain rate effects were accounted for in this model using classical metal plasticity and the Cowper Symonds model respectively, while the CFRP and adhesive material were modelled using the elastic lamina and traction separation model respectively. The effect of different parameters has been investigated in this study such as the compression load level, boundary conditions and CFRP configurations. It has been found that the CFRP can significantly improve column performance for different values depending on the above parameters.
Comparative Performance Evaluation of the Agricultural Development Programmes of Abia and Enugu States, Nigeria

This study evaluated the performance of Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs) of Abia and Enugu states, Nigeria; with particular focus on extension services delivery in the study areas. The specific objectives of the study included to identify and compare the performance of the project in the two states with respect to extension service delivery. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 200 respondents made up of 40 extension staff and 60 farmers from each state. Data were obtained from both primary and secondary sources and analyzed using percentages and mean. A hypothesis was postulated and tested in this study using Paired T-test analysis. The results revealed that despite inherent funding problems in ADPs in Nigeria, the two states ADPs were able to carry out some extension activities. These included visits to farmers, conduct of SPATs, and conduct of FNTs/MTs, establishment of MTPs and OFARs among others. Abia ADP had better staff disposition and media coverage than Enugu ADP, A little effort from Abia ADP field staff had a multiplying effect and yielded a higher result as more farm families were reached unlike Enugu ADP that had few field staff and thus achieved very little of their target coverage. Results of the analysis showed that Creative commons User License: CC BY-NC-ND Journal of Agricultural Extension Abstracted by: EBSCOhost, Electronic Journals Service (EJS), Vol. 19 (2) December, 2015 Google Scholar, Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), ISSN(e): 24086851; ISSN(Print); 1119944X Journal Seek, Scientific Commons, and http://journal.aesonnigeria.org Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) http://www.ajol. info/index.php/jae Email: editorinchief@aesonnigeria.org 107 out of the 11 extension performance indices measured in the two States ADPs, three showed significant difference at 5% significance level in the performance of Abia and Enugu states ADPs. They are number of extension agents (6.676**), farm visits (5.984**) and monthly review meetings (MTRM) (4.588**). In view of this result, the study therefore recommended that government should make haste to employ better trained extension staff to enhance extension service delivery in Enugu State. This will speedily revive and sustain grassroots’ agricultural production and rural development in the state.
Serum zinc levels in hospitalized children with pneumonia: a hospital-based case–control study

Background Zinc is an important micronutrient in humans. Globally, pneumonia represents 18% of mortality in children under 5 years of age and the main infectious purpose of early life mortality. There is a higher pneumonia risk in a population with zinc deficiency. The aim of our study is to compare the level of serum zinc in children with pneumonia with age, sex, and nutritional matched healthy controls. Patients and methods Serum zinc level in 90 children admitted with pneumonia was compared with the matched controls. Results The mean level of serum zinc in children with pneumonia (67.5±21.8) is significantly lower than that of controls (91.8±19.94) with (P<0.001). Conclusion Children with pneumonia has a significantly lower serum zinc levels than matched healthy controls.
THE MACROECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF OUTWARD FDI: THE INFLUENCE OF THE EXCHANGE RATE IN THE BRAZILIAN CASE AUTHORS:

This paper models the outward foreign direct investment from Brazil series using time a series econometrics model, namely the Vector Auto Regressive (VAR) model. We have drawn impulse response functions for the key relevant factors that may explain the outward foreign direct investment flows. We start with a review of the literature on the Dunning location approach to international business. We worked with a data set of quarterly observations from Q1-1995 to Q1-2010. We carried also out Granger causality tests as for determining whether international business travelling should be included as an explanatory variable in our model. Results stressed that although the strong exchange rate in Brazil is often blamed for forcing companies to invest abroad, the evidence found in the aggregate data suggests that there is not a significant relationship between the level of foreign exchange rate and the outward Brazilian foreign direct investment. Differently from previous studies, this paper uses impulse response functions to present dynamic results, thus avoiding the typical binary results “affect” or “don’t affect”, and in so doing we provide a more detailed insight into this important location factor.
Comparative Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Activities of Myrtus communis L. Essential Oils Isolated from Tunisian and Algerian Population

The chemical composition of Essential oils isolated by hydrodistillation from leaves of Tunisian and Algerian Myrtus communis L. population was analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Twenty three compounds were identified, representing 93.73% of total oil, which was found to be rich in monoterpenes hydrocarbons (53.38%) particularly α-Pinene (35.30%) and α-limonene (14.76%). The physico-chemical properties were determined. The percentage of all components varied within and among population. The highest percentages of α-Pinene (45.4%) and 1.8-Cineole (35.7%) were observed in the Algerian population. The percentage of α-limonene was significantly higher in the Tunisian population (18.16%). The study of antibacterial activity revealed that 10 μl of Myrtus communis L. essential oil significantly inhibited the growth of five tested bacteria especially Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella sp. , and Listeria sp.
Investment Banking and Analyst Objectivity: Evidence from Analysts Affiliated With M&A Advisors

We find evidence that conflicts of interest arising from M&A relations influence analysts' recommendations, corroborating regulators' and practitioners' suspicions in a setting, i.e. M&A relations, not previously examined in research on analyst conflicts. In addition, the M&A context allows us to disentangle the conflict of interest effect from selection bias. We find that analysts affiliated with acquirer advisors upgrade acquirer stocks around M&A deals, even around all-cash deals, wherein selection bias is unlikely. Also consistent with conflict of interest, but not selection bias, target-affiliated analysts publish optimistic reports about acquirers after, but not before, the exchange ratio of an all-stock deal is set.
A Mathematical Framework for Analysis of Water Tracers : Part II , 1 Perturbation Studies of the CO 2-Doubling Scenario

The mathematical framework developed in Part I is used to study the aerial hydrological cycle response to quasi-equilibrium CO2-doubling. The total change in precipitation is separated into contributions from changes in transport and changes in evaporation, and these, in turn, are further separated into changes due to local moisture divergence and remote moisture convergence. While increased surface evaporation increases precipitation everywhere, changes in transport are necessary to create a spatial pattern where precipitation decreases in the subtropics and increases substantially at the equator. Overall, changes in the convergence of remotely-evaporated moisture are more important to the overall precipitation change than changes in the amount of locally-evaporated moisture that precipitates in situ. Further decompositions show that CO2-doubling increases the fraction of locallyevaporated moisture that is exported, enhances moisture exchange between ocean basins, and shifts moisture convergence within a given basin towards greater distances between moisture source (evaporation) and sink (precipitation) regions. These changes can be understood in terms of the increased residence time of water in the atmosphere with CO2-doubling, which correspond to an increase in the advective length scale of moisture transport. As a result, the distance between where moisture evaporates and where it precipitates increases. Analyses of several heuristic models further support this finding. 14
A revised estimate of the distance to the clouds in the Chamaeleon complex using the Tycho-Gaia Astrometric Solution

The determination of the distance to dark star-forming clouds is a key parameter to derive the properties of the cloud itself, and of its stellar content. This parameter is still loosely constrained even in nearby star-forming regions. We want to determine the distances to the clouds in the Chamaeleon-Musca complex and to explore the connection between these clouds and the large scale cloud structures in the galaxy. We use the newly estimated distances obtained from the parallaxes measured by the Gaia satellite and included in the Tycho-Gaia Astrometric Solution catalog. When known members of a region are included in this catalog we use their parallaxes to infer the distance to the cloud. Otherwise, we analyze the dependence of the color excess on the distance of the stars and look for a turn-on of this excess, which is a proxy of the position of the front-edge of the star-forming cloud. We are able to measure the distance to the three Chamaeleon clouds. The distance to Chamaeleon I is 179 pc, 20 pc further away than previously assumed. The Chamaeleon II cloud is located at the distance of 181 pc, which agrees with previous estimates. We are able to measure for the first time a distance to the Chamaeleon III cloud of 199 pc. Finally, the distance of the Musca cloud is smaller than 603 pc. These estimates do not allow us to distinguish between the possibility that the Chamaeleon clouds are part of a sheet of clouds parallel to the galactic plane, or perpendicular to it. Gaia Data Release 2 will allow us to put more stringent constraints on the distances to these clouds by giving us access to parallax measurements for a larger number of members of these regions.
Interactive comment on “ A two-layer flow model to represent ice-ocean interactions beneath Antarctic ice shelves ” by V .

The manuscript describes the equations and the implementation of a numerical model of ocean circulation in ice-shelf cavities and elaborates on a number of sensitivity experiments with this model in an idealized geometry. The model is an extension to previous plume models by adding a layer of active ambient flow underneath the plume layer. This innovation makes this model attractive as a potentially inexpensive (or at least affordable) model of intermediate complexity to be coupled to ice-sheet and ocean models. Unfortunately, I think that there are several issues with the manuscript (and probably with the model) that require a major revision, before the manuscript is interesting for the community.
Sensitivity Analysis of the DART Model for Forest Mensuration with Airborne Laser Scanning

Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) measurements are increasingly vital in forest management and national forest inventories. Despite the growing reliance on ALS data, comparatively little research has examined the sensitivity of ALS measurements to varying survey conditions over commercially important forests. This study investigated: (i) how accurately the Discrete Anisotropic Radiative Transfer (DART) model was able to replicate small-footprint ALS measurements collected over Irish conifer plantations, and (ii) how survey characteristics influenced the precision of discrete-return metrics. A variance-based global sensitivity analysis demonstrated that discrete-return height distributions were accurately and consistently simulated across 100 forest inventory plots with few perturbations induced by varying acquisition parameters or ground topography. In contrast, discrete return density, canopy cover and the proportion of multiple returns were sensitive to fluctuations in sensor altitude, scanning angle, pulse repetition frequency and pulse duration. Our findings corroborate previous studies indicating that discrete-return heights are robust to varying acquisition parameters and may be reliable predictors for the indirect retrieval of forest inventory measurements. However, canopy cover and density metrics are only comparable for ALS data collected under similar acquisition conditions, precluding their universal use across different ALS surveys. Our study demonstrates that DART is a robust model for simulating discrete-return measurements over structurally complex forests; however, the replication of foliage morphology, density and orientation are important considerations for radiative transfer simulations using synthetic trees with explicitly defined crown architectures.