Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Two Distraction Devices for Assessment of Passive Hip Laxity in Dogs

Canine hip dysplasia is the most common orthopedic developmental condition in the dog and early hip laxity is the main risk factor. The importance of hip laxity in young animals in the development of hip dysplasia is unanimously recognized among researchers and veterinarians due to its medical applicability in terms of disease control and prevention. In the market, there is some certified hip distractors to promote joint laxity. However, the clinical use of some of these distractors complies with a set of usage rules, that can limit its medical application. In this study was compared the technical quality of radiographs and hip distraction using a certified hip distractor (CertD) and Dis-UTAD in 104 dogs (208 joints). The mean pelvic tilting of 1.5 ± 1.6° and 1.5 ± 1.8° were similar when using the CertD and the Dis-UTAD distractors, respectively (P > 0.05). In the CertD sample, the mean hip distraction index (DI) was 0.46 ± 0.17 and in the Dis-UTAD 0.46 ± 0.16; the mean DI differences was 0.001 ± 0.045, resulting in a non-significant paired t-test (P = 0.65) and a significant intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.96, with the 95% lower limit confidence interval of 0.95 (P < 0.05). The statistical power analysis showed a very low distraction index difference effect size. The results suggest that the statistical reproducibility of CertD hip distraction by the Dis-UTAD and the DI mean differences of 0.001 might be considered without clinical importance. The Dis-UTAD might be considered adequate to promote dog hip laxity.
Antrophyum nambanense, a New Vittarioid Fern (Pteridaceae; Polypodiales) from Vietnam

Abstract A new species, Antrophyum nambanense, is described here based on the evidence from morphology and molecular phylogeny. Morphologically, short taeniform soral paraphyses and large fronds are the diagnostic characteristics of A. nambanense. Phylogenetically, it is most closely related to A. annamense, but can be readily distinguished from A. annamense by taeniform soral paraphyses (vs. filiform). We suggest A. nambanense is an allopolyploid of hybrid origin involving A. annamense and A. henryi, based on the evidence of morphology, phylogenetic position, chromosome number, and partially malformed spores. A description, photographs of key characters, distribution, conservation status, and ecology of the new species are presented. In addition, A. nambanense is also the first confirmed species with chlorophyllous spores in Antrophyum. Lastly, an updated key to all known Antrophyum species in Vietnam, including A. henryi as a new record for the country, is provided.
Confirmation of the INRiM and PTB Determinations of the Si Lattice Parameter

As metrology extends toward the nanoscale, a number of potential applications and new challenges arise. By combining photolithography with focused ion beam and/or electron beam methods, superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) with loop dimensions down to 200 nm and superconducting bridge dimensions of the order 80 nm have been produced. These SQUIDs have a range of potential applications. As an illustration, we describe a method for characterizing the effective area and the magnetic penetration depth of a structured superconducting thin film in the extreme limit, where the superconducting penetration depth A is much greater than the film thickness and is comparable with the lateral dimensions of the device
Symbiosis between nanohaloarchaeon and haloarchaeon is based on utilization of different polysaccharides

Significance We report on cultivation and characterization of an association between Candidatus Nanohalobium constans and its host, the chitinotrophic haloarchaeon Halomicrobium LC1Hm, obtained from a crystallizer pond of marine solar salterns. High-quality nanohaloarchael genome sequence in conjunction with electron- and fluorescence microscopy, growth analysis, and proteomic and metabolomic data revealed mutually beneficial interactions between two archaea, and allowed dissection of the mechanisms for these interactions. Owing to their ubiquity in hypersaline environments, Nanohaloarchaeota may play a role in carbon turnover and ecosystem functioning, yet insights into the nature of this have been lacking. Here, we provide evidence that nanohaloarchaea can expand the range of available substrates for the haloarchaeon, suggesting that the ectosymbiont increases the metabolic capacity of the host. Nano-sized archaeota, with their small genomes and limited metabolic capabilities, are known to associate with other microbes, thereby compensating for their own auxotrophies. These diminutive and yet ubiquitous organisms thrive in hypersaline habitats that they share with haloarchaea. Here, we reveal the genetic and physiological nature of a nanohaloarchaeon–haloarchaeon association, with both microbes obtained from a solar saltern and reproducibly cultivated together in vitro. The nanohaloarchaeon Candidatus Nanohalobium constans LC1Nh is an aerotolerant, sugar-fermenting anaerobe, lacking key anabolic machinery and respiratory complexes. The nanohaloarchaeon cells are found physically connected to the chitinolytic haloarchaeon Halomicrobium sp. LC1Hm. Our experiments revealed that this haloarchaeon can hydrolyze chitin outside the cell (to produce the monosaccharide N-acetylglucosamine), using this beta-glucan to obtain carbon and energy for growth. However, LC1Hm could not metabolize either glycogen or starch (both alpha-glucans) or other polysaccharides tested. Remarkably, the nanohaloarchaeon’s ability to hydrolyze glycogen and starch to glucose enabled growth of Halomicrobium sp. LC1Hm in the absence of a chitin. These findings indicated that the nanohaloarchaeon–haloarchaeon association is both mutualistic and symbiotic; in this case, each microbe relies on its partner’s ability to degrade different polysaccharides. This suggests, in turn, that other nano-sized archaeota may also be beneficial for their hosts. Given that availability of carbon substrates can vary both spatially and temporarily, the susceptibility of Halomicrobium to colonization by Ca. Nanohalobium can be interpreted as a strategy to maximize the long-term fitness of the host.
Bridging MQTT and Kafka to support C-ITS: a feasibility study

Nowadays, every vehicle is wirelessly connected, often by both itself and its passengers. The same goes for all the continuously growing number of devices alongside the transportation infrastructure. This induces an abundance of data that can be used to direct traffic efficiently, optimize the transportation infrastructure, avoid accidents, lower emissions from transportation and so forth. To create coherence among the messages related to a Cooperative and Intelligent Transportation System (C-ITS), an ETSI message type standard has been developed. The next hurdle is how to facilitate receiving and processing millions of C-ITS messages in real-time.We present a feasibility study on how these C-ITS messages can be received, processed and distributed. Our novel approach is to bridge C-ITS message types over MQTT, to Apache Kafka, with fault-tolerance, horizontal scalability, and low latency. We have engineered both an MQTT-Kafka source connector and a Kafka-MQTT sink connector, by utilizing the Kafka Connector API. These facilitate an easy configurable topic mapping between MQTT and Kafka, from vehicles and roadside units to a central application, and in the opposite direction. Our experiments with this bridging technology, performed on a modest desktop computer with a single instance Kafka setup, show the feasibility by managing to source and sink CAM messages with low latency.
Morphology and Affinities of Ampelocissites Seeds (Vitaceae: Ampelopsis Clade) from the Paleogene of Texas, USA

Abstract The type material on which the fossil genus name Ampelocissites was established in 1929 has been reexamined with the aid of X-ray micro-computed tomography (µ-CT) scanning and compared with seeds of extant taxa to assess the relationships of these fossils within the grape family, Vitaceae. The specimens were collected from a sandstone of late Paleocene or early Eocene age. Although originally inferred by Berry to be intermediate in morphology between Ampelocissus and Vitis, the newly revealed details of seed morphology indicate that these seeds represent instead the Ampelopsis clade. Digital cross sections show that the seed coat maintains its thickness over the external surfaces, but diminishes quickly in the ventral infolds. This feature, along with the elliptical chalaza and lack of an apical groove, indicate that Ampelocissites lytlensis Berry probably represents Ampelopsis or Nekemias (rather than Ampelocissus or Vitis) and that the generic name Ampelocissites may be useful for fossil seeds with morphology consistent with the Ampelopsis clade that lack sufficient characters to specify placement within one of these extant genera.
Optimization of pressing parameters for mechanically surface-densified aspen

Low-density wood can be mechanically densified to produce value-added wood products. It is vital to have an understanding of the pressing parameters in order to fully utilize low-density wood and optimize its mechanical properties. Three pressing parameters (compression ratio, press temperature, and press closing time) were evaluated, and their effects on surface hardness, modulus of elasticity (MOE), and nail withdrawal resistance were determined. The purposes of this present study are to enhance the surface properties of aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) by mechanical densification and to optimize the densification process. Plainsawn specimens were prepared and mechanically densified on one face only using a softening-pressing-cooling technique. It was found that among the three chosen parameters, compression ratio was the most significant factor in influencing surface hardness, MOE, and nail withdrawal resistance. The effect of press temperature was not significant in most of the responses in this study. The optimum pressing conditions were found to be: compression ratio = 24.0 percent, temperature = 145 °C, and closing time = 7 minutes. After verifying the optimum pressing conditions, the hardness, MOE, and nail withdrawal resistance of surface densified aspen was improved by an average of 140, 23, and 132 percent, respectively. The hardness of surface densified aspen was almost equal to that of uncompressed red maple tested in this study. The surface densified specimens exhibited a glossy and smooth surface, suggesting that no surface coating would be required in end use.
Burden of household food insecurity in urban slum settings

This study examined the burden of food insecurity in India’s un-notified slums, using an SDG framework to identify correlates of food insecurity. A convenience sampling approach was employed in selecting 38 slums from 675 un-notified slums across four geographic zones. Ten percent of the households in each slum site were selected from each zone, and one household member was interviewed, based on their availability and fulfilment of the eligibility criteria. Eligible individuals included those aged 18 years and above, who were resident in the selected slums and provided consent. Individuals with mental or physical challenges were excluded. A total sample of 907 study participants were included. Results showed that 43% (n = 393) of the participants were food insecure. More than half were females (73%, n = 285), who had not completed any schooling (51%, n = 202). One-third (n = 128) resided in the Northern Region of Delhi. SDG-related predictors of food insecurity included: household educational level (SDG 4 Quality education) (p = 0.03), coverage of health service needs (SDG 3 Good health and well-being) (p = 0.0002), electricity needs (SDG 7 affordable and clean energy) (p<0.0001), and employment needs (SDG 8 Decent and economic growth) (p = 0.003). Having healthcare needs that were partially or fully met was equally associated with higher food insecurity: this could be attributed to high healthcare costs and the lack of federal subsidies in un-notified slums, collectively contributing to high out-of-pocket health costs. Failure to fully meet employment needs was also significantly associated with higher food insecurity. However, met needs for electricity, finance, women’s safety and satisfactory family relationships, were associated with lower food insecurity. Household predictors of food insecurity included: number of household members, and the presence of physically disabled household members. Necessary interventions should include connecting food insecure households to existing social services such as India’s Public Distribution System, and multi-sector partnerships to address the existing challenges.
Impact of fluctuation in frequency of human immunodeficiency virus/simian immunodeficiency virus reactivation during antiretroviral therapy interruption

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) provides effective control of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication and maintains viral loads of HIV at undetectable levels. Interruption of ART causes rapid recrudescence of HIV plasma viremia due to reactivation of latently HIV-infected cells. Here, we characterize the timing of both the initial and subsequent successful viral reactivations following ART interruption in macaques infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). We compare these to previous results from HIV-infected patients. We find that on average the time until the first successful viral reactivation event is longer than the time between subsequent reactivations. Based on this result, we hypothesize that the reactivation frequency of both HIV and SIV may fluctuate over time, and that this may impact the treatment of HIV. We develop a stochastic model incorporating fluctuations in the frequency of viral reactivation following ART interruption that shows behaviours consistent with the observed data. Furthermore, we show that one of the impacts of a fluctuating reactivation frequency would be to significantly reduce the efficacy of ‘anti-latency' interventions for HIV that aim to reduce the frequency of reactivation. It is therefore essential to consider the possibility of a fluctuating reactivation frequency when assessing the impact of such intervention strategies.
Assessing the changing urban sound environment during the COVID-19 lockdown period using short-term acoustic measurements

Abstract The implementation of lockdown measures due to the COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in wide-ranging social and environmental implications. Among the environmental impacts is a decrease in urban noise levels which has so far been observed at the city scale via noise mapping efforts conducted through the framework of the Environmental Noise Directive. This study aims to understand how lockdown measures have manifested at a local level to better determine how the person-level experience of the urban soundscape has been affected and how these affects differ across urban space typologies. Taking London as a case study, a series of 30-second binaural recordings were taken at 11 locations representing a cross-section of urban public spaces with varying compositions of sound sources during Spring 2019 (pre-lockdown, N = 620) and Spring 2020 (during-lockdown, N = 481). Five acoustic and psychoacoustic metrics (LAeq, LA10, LA90, Loudness, Sharpness) were calculated for each recording and their changes from the pre-lockdown scenario to the lockdown scenario are investigated. Clustering analysis was performed which grouped the locations into 3 types of urban settings based on their acoustic characteristics. An average reduction of 5.4 dB (LAeq) was observed, however significant differences in the degree of reduction were found across the locations, ranging from a 10.7 dB to a 1.2 dB reduction. This study confirms the general reduction in noise levels due to the nationally imposed lockdown measures, identifies trends which vary depending on the urban context and discusses the implications for the limits of urban noise reduction.
‘You’re opening yourself up to new and different ideas’: Clinical psychologists’ understandings and experiences of using reflective practice in clinical work: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

ABSTRACT Reflective practice is an essential competency in clinical psychology training and practice. However, evidence is limited to support the role of reflection in clinical practice. This study investigated the lived experiences of clinical psychologists’ use of reflective practice in the context of their clinical work. Seven clinical psychologists completed reflective diaries and semi-structured interviews to facilitate in-depth reflections on clinical events. Interview transcripts were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three superordinate themes and six subthemes were developed from the data: Exploratory Questioning (gaining a different perspective, new insight, and opening new possibilities), Containment of own Thoughts and Feelings in Practice, and Human Survival (managing the emotional impact, self-sustaining and leaving work at work). Consideration of these findings suggested that reflective practice plays a key role in clinical psychologists’ perspective-taking abilities; allowing them to maintain an open and curious clinical perspective. Reflective practice enables containment, which impacts the building and maintaining of therapeutic relationships. Reflective practice relieves discomfort and promotes personal resilience. Further research on clinician use of reflective practice can contribute to understanding this core competency which is highly relevant to the training and ongoing development of clinical psychologists.
Evaluation of texture in jelly gums incorporating berries and aromatic plants

Abstract In the confectionery market, jelly gums are one of the most relevant sectors, being frequently consumed by many people, from children to adults. The present work intended to evaluate the textural properties in newly developed jelly gums made with berry fruits and herbs, given the critical role of texture in products with a gel-like structure. Four types of gums were developed (Strawberry & Anise, Strawberry & Mint, Raspberry & Mint, Blueberry & Mint) and their texture was evaluated through two types of tests (compression with a 75 mm probe and puncture with a 2 mm probe) allowing to calculate several textural properties. The results showed some differences between the two faces of the jelly gums analysed, i.e. on the top and on the bottom. As for the compression test, the Strawberry & Anise gums were among the softer (25.6 N) and with lower resilience (36.3%) and chewiness (16.9 N), despite being more adhesive (−0.5 N s). As for the puncture test, the sample Strawberry & Mint had the highest adhesiveness (−2.0 N s) but the lowest stickiness (−0.38 N). Additionally, very strong correlations were encountered between some of the properties studied (r = 0.861 or r = 0.822), and the factor analysis allowed defining three factors, the first clearly associated with the puncture properties while the other two were related to the compression properties. This work allowed concluding that the jelly gums presented different textural properties, particularly when assessed through different types of measurements. Hence, the use of different types of tests for texture analysis is recommended, since the results are complementary. This is relevant when developing food products intended for industrial production and commercialization.
The effect of 100% tart cherry juice on serum uric acid levels, biomarkers of inflammation and cardiovascular disease risk factors

Gout is a common inflammatory arthritis and is a risk factor for CVD and mortality. Obesity, a co‐morbidity, is strongly correlated with hyperuricemia, a precipitating factor. Tart cherry juice (TCJ) has been used by some for gout for decades based largely on anecdotal evidence. In this randomized, placebo‐controlled crossover study, we tested in overweight and obese participants the effect of TCJ on serum uric acid (sUA), biomarkers of inflammation and risk factors for CVD. Ten participants (38.1 ± 12.5 yr; BMI 32.2 ± 4.6; 5 obese, 5 overweight) consumed 8 oz/d of either 100% TCJ or placebo beverage, for 4 weeks each with a 2 week intervening washout period. Baseline sUA levels were 289.3±23.1 uM (4.9±0.4 mg/dL) and 278.4±25.0 uM (4.7±0.4 mg/dL) for placebo and TCJ groups, respectively, and r=0.37 when sUA was compared with BMI. Although normouricemic, 70% (7/10) of participants displayed reduced sUA, 20% (2/10) displayed slight increases and 10% (1/10) remained unchanged after TCJ consumption. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), an indicator of chronic inflammation, was significantly (p<0.05) lower with TCJ treatment than with the placebo control. We also observed marked reductions in TNF‐alpha and monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP‐1), both inflammatory markers. TCJ also significantly reduced mean serum triglycerides from 168 to 139 mg/dL in those that started the trial with TCJ. We also noted a significant reduction in VLDL and, as expected, the TG/HDL risk ratio. Collectively, these pilot data suggest that 100% TCJ may reduce sUA levels, biomarkers of inflammation and risk factors for CVD.
Facial emotion recognition via stationary wavelet entropy and Biogeography-based optimization

INTRODUCTION: As one of the important research directions in the field of computer vision, facial emotion recognition plays an important role in people's daily life. How to make the computer accurately read facial emotion is an important research content. OBJECTIVES: In the current research on facial emotion recognition, there are some problems such as poor generalization ability of network model and low robustness of recognition system. To solve above problems, we propose a novel facial emotion recognition method. METHODS: Our method of feature extraction using the stationary wavelet entropy, which combines single hidden layer feedforward neural network with biogeography-based optimization for facial emotion recognition. RESULTS: The simulation results show that the overall accuracy of our method is 93.79±1.24%. CONCLUSION: This model is superior to the current mainstream facial emotion recognition models in the performance of facial emotion detection. In future research, we will try deep learning and other training methods.
Feeding Ecology of the Desert Nightsnake, Hypsiglena torquata (Colubridae)

We studied the diet of the North American desert nightsnake, Hypsiglena torquata, based on the stomach contents of 397 museum specimens, field observations, and published dietary records. Based on 92 prey from throughout much of its distribution, H. torquata, feeds mainly on sceloporine lizards and squamate eggs and occasionally eats frogs, snakes, insects, and amphisbaenians. Lizards are typically swallowed head- first, whereas frogs are swallowed from the rump. Prey mass increases with snake mass and prey/predator mass ratios range from 0.03 to at least 0.50. Three genera of abundant lizards (Cnemidophorus, Coleonyx, Xantusia) are infrequently eaten, which suggests that these lizards chemosensorily avoid desert nightsnakes. Hypsiglena arose within a Neotropical clade of predominantly nocturnal, frog-eating snakes, and its occupancy of arid western North America correlates with two derived feeding traits: at least occasional ambush predation on diurnal lizards, and inclusion of squamate eggs in its diet.