Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Individual parental conversations with non-birthing parents

Abstract Aim: The aim of this study was to describe Child Health Service (CHS) nurses’ experiences with conducting individual parental conversations (IPCs) with non-birthing parents. Background: CHS nurses in Sweden mainly focus on monitoring a child’s physical and mental development and the mothers’ health in order to support their parenthood. The assignment of the CHS includes identifying dysfunctional social relationships in a family and strengthening responsive parenting. An imbalance arises within the family when someone in the family suffers from illness, which could have a negative effect on the whole family’s health and well-being. Methods: An inductive, descriptive qualitative study design was used to describe and to gain an understanding of the CHS nurses’ experiences. Data were collected in 13 interviews, and a qualitative content analysis was performed. Findings: The analysis of interviews with CHS nurses resulted in two main categories, each with three subcategories. The main categories are: working for equality and applying a family focus, and dealing with challenges in the developing assignment. The IPCs stimulate the CHS nurses to work for more equality and to apply a family focus, which can be a way of strengthening the families’ health and the children’s upbringing. Developing the CHS nurses’ assignment can be a challenge that appears to entail positive outcomes for CHS nurses, while also generating the need for CHS nurses to receive supervision to find ways to improve their approach and practice.
A Framework for User Priority Guidance Based Scheduling for Load Balancing in Cloud Computing

Cloud computing has emerged as a new model of computing based on Internet. A cloud with large shared pool of resources provides computing resources on demand in pay as you go. wo important aspects must be considered: i) from the user perspective latency must be decreased and tasks to be completed as expected, ii) from the service provider perspective, effective utilization of computing resources is vital. Many existing solutions that focus on optimized scheduling for improving load balancing do not consider user priority guidance. When user-guided priority is considered, the scheduling follows well informed approach and it can lead to more efficient load balancing. Therefore it is important to have scheduling algorithms that are guided by user priority for better optimization of load balancing. In this paper we propose an algorithm known as User Priority based Scheduling for Load Balancing (UPS-LB) which divides user tasks into elastic and inelastic groups and schedule them for enhanced load balancing. In fact, the algorithm makes rescheduling decisions for heavy loaded resources to improve efficiency of load balancing in cloud computing. We built a prototype application to demonstrate proof of the concept. Our empirical study revealed that the proposed UPS-LB algorithm has comparable performance improvement over its predecessors such as Min-Min, LBIMM and PALBIMM.
Physiological adaptation of local, exotic and crossbred turkeys to the hot and humid tropical environment of Nigeria

Abstract A total of 300 birds consisting of 120 local, 120 crossbred and 60 exotic turkeys were used to compare physiological adaptation of birds raised under the high-heat stress environment of Nigerian tropical humid climate. Genotype significantly (P<0.05) affected heat tolerance traits with the highest mean values for rectal temperature, pulse-rate and heat stress index observed in exotic turkeys. Genotype also had significant (P<0.05) effect on serum biochemical parameters such as glucose (GLU), potassium (K+) and Chloride (Cl–). The haematological indices of the birds such as haemoglobin, white blood cell count and heterophyl/lymphocyte ratio (H/L) were equally affected by the different genetic groups (P < 0.05). The significantly higher (P<0.05) H/L ratio of the exotic turkeys was an indication of heat stress. The better performance exhibited by local and crossbred turkeys could be exploited in management, conservation and selection decisions of animal genetic resources under tropical conditions.
Comparison Between Different Modelling Methods to Study the Dynamical Behaviour of Line Start Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors

To reach energy efficiency goals the demand to high efficient motors, e.g. Permanent Magnet Motors, is increasing. It is hard to start permanent magnet synchronous motors direct on line. Including power electronics is expensive and power consuming. Therefore, a rotor cage offers a solution in systems without need of control. Although the problem of starting can be solved using the rotor cage, these machines still fail to synchronize in some situations. These failures can have a negative influence on the performance of the machine, due to heating. To investigate the performance of the motor in many situations, simulation techniques have to be used. The choice among these techniques depends on the requirements of the design. Three common techniques can be found: Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Magnetic Equivalent Circuits (MEC) and the 2-phase modelling in a rotor reference frame (dq). techniques. In this paper not only their benefits and drawbacks, but also their complementarity is discussed. The discussion is illustrated with case examples.
netAE: semi-supervised dimensionality reduction of single-cell RNA sequencing to facilitate cell labeling

MOTIVATION Single-cell RNA sequencing allows us to study cell heterogeneity at an unprecedented cell-level resolution and identify known and new cell populations. Current cell labeling pipeline uses unsupervised clustering and assigns labels to clusters by manual inspection. However, this pipeline does not utilize available gold-standard labels because there are usually too few of them to be useful to most computational methods. This paper aims to facilitate cell labeling with a semi-supervised method in an alternative pipeline, in which a few gold-standard labels are first identified and then extended to the rest of the cells computationally. RESULTS We built a semi-supervised dimensionality reduction method, a network-enhanced autoencoder (netAE). Tested on three public datasets, netAE outperforms various dimensionality reduction baselines and achieves satisfactory classification accuracy even when the labeled set is very small, without disrupting the similarity structure of the original space. AVAILABILITY The code of netAE is available on GitHub: https://github.com/LeoZDong/netAE. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Whole‐tree winter leaf‐loss in wineberry (Aristotelia serrata, Elaeocarpaceae) is not related to mean air temperature

Abstract Winter leaf‐loss of wineberry (Aristoteliu serruta) was measured at a range of sites in the South Island of New Zealand in early spring to investigate the temperature dependence of deciduousness in this species. The number of leaves emerged over the growing season on both shaded and exposed shoots increased with temperature across sites. There was consistently greater leaf loss from exposed shoots than from shaded shoots. Con trary to a widely held view, there was no temperature dependence of leaf loss in wineberry at the whole‐tree scale. However, the difference in propor tional leaf loss between exposed and shaded shoots decreased with increasing temperature, driven by an increase in leaf loss from shaded shoots at warm sites. Causes of these patterns may be elucidated by investigations of shoot‐level phenology and leaf responses to winter photoinhibition.
Allometry of the baculum and sexual size dimorphism in American martens and fishers (Mammalia: Mustelidae)

Genitalia are among the most variable of morphological traits, and recent research suggests that this variability may be the result of sexual selection. For example, large bacula may undergo post-copulatory selection by females as a signal of male size and age. This should lead to positive allometry in baculum size. In addition to hyperallometry, sexually selected traits that undergo strong directional selection should exhibit high phenotypic variation. Nonetheless, in species in which pre-copulatory selection predominates over post-copulatory selection (such as those with male-biased sexual size dimorphism), baculum allometry may be isometric or exhibit negative allometry. We tested this hypothesis using data collected from two highly dimorphic species of the Mustelidae, the American marten (Martes americana) and the fisher (Martes pennanti). Allometric relationships were weak, with only 4.5–10.1% of the variation in baculum length explained by body length. Because of this weak relationship, there was a large discrepancy in slope estimates derived from ordinary least squares and reduced major axis regression models. We conclude that stabilizing selection rather than sexual selection is the evolutionary force shaping variation in baculum length because allometric slopes were less than one (using the ordinary least squares regression model), a very low proportion of variance in baculum length was explained by body length, and there was low phenotypic variability in baculum length relative to other traits. We hypothesize that this pattern occurs because post-copulatory selection plays a smaller role than pre-copulatory selection (manifested as male-biased sexual size dimorphism). We suggest a broader analysis of baculum allometry and sexual size dimorphism in the Mustelidae, and other taxonomic groups, coupled with a comparative analysis and with phylogenetic contrasts to test our hypothesis. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 104, 955–963.
OUTCROSSING DISTANCE EFFECTS IN DELPHINIUM NELSONII: POLLEN LOADS, POLLEN TUBES, AND SEED SET'

Seed production of a flower depends both on the quantity of pollen received and on its "quality" as manifested in rates of germination, ovule fertilization, and seed maturation. Disentangling effects of these two factors is complicated by the fact that seed set is a decelerating function of pollen quantity. One potential element of quality is the genetic similarity of pollen donor and recipient. In ten experiments with Delphinium nelsonii, seed set varied with outcrossing distance, a correlate of genetic similarity. Over all experiments, a 10-m distance significantly (P < .02) outperformed shorter and longer distances by 23-33%, suggesting quality differences. To explore this possibility, we fit decelerating negative-exponential regressions to relation- ships among stigma pollen load, pollen tube number reaching the ovary, and seed set in a subset of experiments having 1-, 10-, and 100-m treatments. Regression parameters sug- gested that 10-m pollen is most efficient at producing tubes and seeds, and analysis of residuals from pooled regressions (a nonlinear ANCOVA) showed that 1 0-m residuals were most positive. The latter effect was significant for pollen load-seed set relationships (P = .009, five experimental replicates) and pollen tube-seed set relationships (P = .021, two replicates), but not pollen load-pollen tube relationships (P = .128, three replicates). These results illustrate the utility of nonlinear regression in distinguishing pollen quan- tity and quality. They reinforce the conclusion that outcrossing distance affects pollen quality in D. nelsonii, and that an "optimal outcrossing distance" between 1 and 100 m maximizes seed set on average in pollinations using one donor per carpel. Insofar as quality differences persist in natural pollen mixtures that arrive on stigmas, outcrossing distance should affect reproductive success through both paternal and maternal sexual functions.
Technology-Enabled Self-Management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease With or Without Asynchronous Remote Monitoring: Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of mortality and leads to frequent hospital admissions and emergency department (ED) visits. COPD exacerbations are an important patient outcome, and reducing their frequency would result in significant cost savings. Remote monitoring and self-monitoring could both help patients manage their symptoms and reduce the frequency of exacerbations, but they have different resource implications and have not been directly compared. Objective This study aims to compare the effectiveness of implementing a technology-enabled self-monitoring program versus a technology-enabled remote monitoring program in patients with COPD compared with a standard care group. Methods We conducted a 3-arm randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of a remote monitoring and a self-monitoring program relative to standard care. Patients with COPD were recruited from outpatient clinics and a pulmonary rehabilitation program. Patients in both interventions used a Bluetooth-enabled device kit to monitor oxygen saturation, blood pressure, temperature, weight, and symptoms, but only patients in the remote monitoring group were monitored by a respiratory therapist. All patients were assessed at baseline and at 3 and 6 months after program initiation. Outcomes included self-management skills, as measured by the Partners in Health (PIH) Scale; patient symptoms measured with the St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ); and the Bristol COPD Knowledge Questionnaire (BCKQ). Patients were also asked to self-report on health system use, and data on health use were collected from the hospital. Results A total of 122 patients participated in the study: 40 in the standard care, 41 in the self-monitoring, and 41 in the remote monitoring groups. Although all 3 groups improved in PIH scores, BCKQ scores, and SGRQ impact scores, there were no significant differences among any of the groups. No effects were observed on the SGRQ activity or symptom scores or on hospitalizations, ED visits, or clinic visits. Conclusions Despite regular use of the technology, patients with COPD assigned to remote monitoring or self-monitoring did not have any improvement in patient outcomes such as self-management skills, knowledge, or symptoms, or in health care use compared with each other or with a standard care group. This may be owing to low health care use at baseline, the lack of structured educational components in the intervention groups, and the lack of integration of the action plan with the technology. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03741855; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/ NCT03741855
Mulching with Grass and Bark and Intercropping with Medicago litoralis against Carrot Fly (Psila rosae (F.))

ABSTRACT Over a 3-year period, intercropping and two mulching (ley clipping, bark) treatments in carrots were evaluated in three areas in Sweden in an effort to establish a reliable method for reducing damage by carrot fly (Psila rosae (F.)) without decreasing yield. The only treatment that clearly and consistently reduced carrot fly damage was intercropping with Medicago litoralis; however, this treatment also led to a reduction in yield.
Is transcatheter arterial chemoembolization plus sorafenib better than chemoembolization plus placebo in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma?

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus sorafenib compared with TACE plus placebo for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using meta-analytical techniques. Methods: A search of PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were done from inception to December 27, 2019. Published trials including a treatment group receiving TACE + sorafenib and a control group receiving TACE + placebo with data for at least 1-year survival or tumor response or time to progression were included. Results: Our study suggested that there was no evidence that TACE plus sorafenib was associated with a lower risk of disease progression compared with TACE plus placebo for treatment of HCC (hazard ratio 0.94 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.84–1.05]), and no significant difference for treatment of HCC compared with TACE plus placebo in terms of 0.5-, 1-, 1.5-, and 2-year survival rates (risk ratio [RR] 1.01 [95% CI, 0.97–1.05]; RR 1.00 [95% CI, 0.92–1.08], RR 1.04 [95% CI, 0.89–1.23], RR 0.98 [95% CI, 0.72–1.34], respectively). The meta-analysis also showed that TACE + sorafenib seemed to have no significant difference for treatment of HCC compared with TACE + placebo in terms of complete response, partial response, stable disease, progressive disease, overall response rate, and disease control rate. There was an increased incidence of fatigue of grade 3/4 and elevation of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase of grade 3/4 in patients receiving TACE plus sorafenib compared with those receiving TACE plus placebo. Conclusions: There is no additive benefit of TACE plus sorafenib compared to TACE plus placebo for HCC.
Energy-Aware Resource Management in Cloud Based Integrated Terrestrial-Satellite Networks

In this paper, we propose an architecture of cloud based integrated terrestrial-satellite networks, in which satellite and terrestrial networks that belong to the same operator cooperatively provide seamless coverage for mobile users. Meanwhile, a resource pool at the cloud acts as the integrated resource management and control center of the entire network. Then, based on the delay constraint of users, we formulate the resource allocation problem for the operator to minimize the energy consumption. By decomposing the optimization problem into two subproblems, we eventually obtain the optimal resource allocation strategies for the operator. Furthermore, numerical results are provided to evaluate the performance of the proposed strategies.
Identification of chitin in 200-million-year-old gastropod egg capsules

Abstract Chitin occurs in a variety of invertebrates, especially in arthropod cuticles, but is rarely reported in the fossil record. Although it has been detected in fossils as old as Middle Cambrian and Silurian, the majority of records come from much younger, Cenozoic deposits. In this paper, we report the preservation of chitin in Early Jurassic neritimorph gastropod egg capsules deposited in bivalve shells from prodelta-deltafront and nearshore paleoenvironments of the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland. We used a number of analytical methods to confirm the presence of chitin preserved in these ancient fossils. This is the first record of chitin preservation in Mesozoic deposits that, interestingly, do not follow the conventional Konservat-Lagerstätten manner of preserving soft-bodied and non-biomineralized organisms. We believe that deltaic settings characterized by episodic, high input of fluvial deposits, oligohaline conditions, and oxygen-poor microenvironment within the sediment—as well as early cementation of sediment infilling the shells—were crucial for chitin preservation. The preservation of chitin in such recalcitrant structures as egg capsules and deposits that formed outside conventional Konservat-Lagerstätten conditions renders it likely similar deposits may yield promise for discoveries of similar biological macromolecules.
Potential of farm-produced crop residues as protein sources for small-medium yielding dairy cows

The nutritive value of fifteen crops and by-products were investigated in terms of the protein and energy value for rumen microbial protein synthesis using in-situ and mobile bag techniques. The sunflower feedstuffs and the cotton seed cake have low digested carbohydrates, which may limit optimum microbial protein synthesis, while forage legumes and cereals have higher digested carbo-hydrates (P< 0.05). Thus, one way of improving protein digestibility protein rich crops is to feed them with cereal crops. The cereal grains (maize, sorghum and pearl millet) and the forage legumes (groundnut and cowpea tops) showed a negative protein balance value, suggesting that nitrogen limited optimum microbial protein synthesis in relation to the available carbohydrates (P< 0.05). The nitrogen (N) content of the ram press sunflower cake (43 g/kg DM) was within the range of the N content found in the commercial dairy concentrates (32 - 57 g/kg DM). However, the N in the sunflower was more degradable in the rumen (92%) than that in the commercial dairy concentrate (P < 0.05). It can therefore, be concluded that the ram press sunflower cake is potential source of N for small-medium yielding dairy cows.
Metabolism of Thiobacillus A2 Grown Under Autotrophic, Mixotrophic and Heterotrophic Conditions in Chemostat Culture

Thiobacillus A2 was grown in chemostat culture under four distinct types of substrate limitation: chemolithoautotrophically with limitation by thiosulphate or CO2; heterotrophically with limitation by glucose; and mixotrophically with dual limitation by both thiosulphate and glucose. Under mixotrophic conditions energy was obtained from the oxidation of both thiosulphate and glucose, and carbon was derived both from CO2 fixation by the Calvin cycle and from glucose. Ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase (RuBP carboxylase) activity was negligible and chemolithotrophic thiosulphate oxidation and autotrophic CO2 fixation were apparently repressed in bacteria which had been grown heterotrophically. Conversely, under autotrophic conditions the ability to oxidize glucose was repressed. Growth yields from mixotrophic cultures were the sum of those obtained under single substrate limitation. Intermediate activities of RuBP carboxylase were detected in mixotrophic cultures, but more glucose was assimilated mixotrophically than heterotrophically. Glucose was metabolized by the Entner-Doudoroff (85 to 90%) and pentose phosphate (10 to 15%) pathways under both heterotrophic and mixotrophic conditions, with slight involvement also of the Embden-Meyerhof pathway (<9%) heterotrophically. RuBP carboxylase activity in autotrophic cultures was enhanced four- or fivefold by CO2 limitation. Repression of RuBP carboxylase activity and thiosulphate-oxidizing ability during the transition from autotrophy to heterotrophy and the activities of carbohydrate-metabolizing enzymes in autotrophic, heterotrophic and mixotrophic cultures are described.
Allometry and plasticity of meristem allocation throughout development in Arabidopsis thaliana

1 The three principal fates of axillary meristems in flowering plants are branching or vegetative growth, reproduction, and inactivity. We examined the relationship between allocation to each of these fates and plant size in five genotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana. Nutrient availability was used to obtain a range of plant size. 2 Allocation to each meristem fate was recorded at weekly intervals throughout development and at final developmental stage. 3 There were significant allometric relationships between meristem allocation and plant size for each meristem fate throughout development in each genotype. Allometry and plasticity tended to be strongest early in development. In addition, although there were differences in allometry between genotypes, meristem allocation through development was generally consistent across genotypes. 4 We interpret the results of this study as an adaptive response to nutrient availability. Increased allocation to growth meristems in high nutrient treatments early in development should maximize both size and the total number of meristems that can be committed to reproduction later in development. This suggests that the pattern of meristem allocation is a component of an adaptive strategy through development in Arabidopsis thaliana.