Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stochastic simulation of breeding schemes for total merit in dairy cattle

Total economic merit of dairy cattle depends on several traits. Despite of this, most studies of dairy cattle breeding schemes have assumed a single-trait breeding goal, i.e. milk production. In this paper, dairy cattle breeding schemes assuming a multi-trait breeding goal were studied using stochastic simulation. The breeding schemes studied consisted of a nucleus with 1500 females and a breeding population of 18 500 females. Bulls were assumed to be tested in a production population, which were not simulated. However, progeny test results of bulls were generated by simulating daughter yield deviations. All 10 traits in the current Danish breeding goal were simulated. The schemes studied included open vs. closed nuclei, selection for total merit vs. milk production, use of early predictors for milk production and different daughter group sizes. All simulations covered a 25-year period. Genetic gains were from 14 to 25 EURO per cow per year. Highest gains were obtained when selection was for total merit and early predictors were used. Higher daughter group sizes resulted in slightly higher economic gain, and the distribution of the gain were changed so the genetic gain for milk production were lowered and the genetic gain for cost reducing traits increased. For different schemes inbreeding increased from 0.98% up to 1.50% per year. On average genetic variance of the breeding goal were reduced by 30-39% in year 25.
Competition Between Ground Squirrels and Cattle for Range Forage.

"On open range and in pasture lands ground squirrels (Citellus) feed largely on filaree and bur clover, two of the most valuable forage plants in California, and become serious competition for subsistence against the flocks and herds upon which man depends for his own support" (Grinnell and Dixon, 1918). Even though ground-squirrel populations are no longer as dense as in former years, they are still sufficiently numerous to be of major concern locally. The degree to which these squirrels compete with cattle for range forage is still a question among livestock operators and range technicians. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of ground squirrels (Citellus beecheyi) on range land by expanding the experimental approach from cages and field enclosures to a pasture scale. The experiment was designed to see if rodent utilization of green forage in the winter was great enough to measure in changes in cattle weights. Grinnell and Dixon (1918) calculated that 200 ground squirrels "consume" the same amount of range forage as a 1,000-pound steer. Fitch and Bentley (1949), studying the effects of range rodents on forage cover at the San Joaquin Experimental
Ecophysiological modeling of the climate imprint on photosynthesis and carbon allocation to the tree stem in the North American boreal forest

A better understanding of the coupling between photosynthesis and carbon allocation in the boreal forest, with implicated environmental factors and mechanistic rules, is crucial to accurately predict boreal forest carbon stocks and fluxes, which are significant components of the global carbon budget. Here we adapted the MAIDEN ecophysiological forest model to better consider important processes for boreal tree species, such as non-linear acclimation of photosynthesis to 15 temperature changes, canopy development as a function of previous year climate variables influencing bud formation, and temperature dependence of carbon partition in summer. We tested these modifications in the eastern Canadian taiga using black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) gross primary production and ring-width data. MAIDEN explains 90% of the observed daily gross primary production variability, 73% of the full spectrum of the annual ring width variability and 20-30% of its high frequency component. The positive effect on stem growth due to climate warming in the last decades is well 20 captured by the model. In addition, we illustrate the improvement achieved with each introduced model adaptation and compare the model results with those of linear response functions. This shows that MAIDEN simulates robust relationships with the most important climate variables (those detected by classical response-function analysis), and is a powerful tool for understanding how environmental factors interact with black spruce ecophysiology to influence present-day and future boreal forest carbon fluxes. 25
Local Binary Fitting Segmentation by Cooperative Quantum Particle Optimization

Recently, sophisticated segmentation techniques, such as level set method, which using valid numerical calculation methods to process the evolution of the curve by solving linear or nonlinear elliptic equations to divide the image availably, has become being more popular and effective. In Local Binary Fitting (LBF) algorithm, a simple contour is initialized in an image and then the steepest-descent algorithm is employed to constrain it to minimize the fitting energy functional. Hence, the initial position of the contour is difficult or impossible to be well chosen for the final performance. To overcoming this drawback, this work treats the energy fitting problem as a meta-heuristic optimization algorithm and imports a varietal particle swarm optimization (PSO) method into the inner optimization process. The experimental results of segmentations on medical images show that the proposed method is not only effective to both simple and complex medical images with adequate stochastic effects, but also shows the accuracy and high efficiency.
Systemic Magnetic Targeting of Pure-Antiestrogen-Loaded Superparamagnetic Nanovesicles for Effective Therapy of Hormone- Dependent Breast Cancers

Systemic hormone therapy of breast cancer often suffers from severe side effects mainly due to non-specific drug delivery. To overcome this limitation, we propose an effective strategy based on the association of the selective estrogen receptor down-regulator RU-58668 (RU) that acts as a pure hormone antagonist, with magnetic-fluidloaded liposomes (MFLs) which can be driven selectively into the tumors by a magnetic field gradient. MFLs consisted in 200-nm unilamellar phospholipid vesicles entrapping superparamagnetic iron oxide nanocrystals, fluorescently labeled and coated by poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chains ensuring long plasmatic half-life. Significant antitumoral activity of antiestrogen at doses usually sub-therapeutic was demonstrated against MCF-7 tumors xenografts in nude mice after weekly intravenous administration of RU-loaded MFLs followed by 4-hour exposure to an external 0.44-T magnet (155 T/m magnetic field gradient). The magnetic accumulation of RU-MFLs at the origin of improved antitumor activity was checked in vivo by MRI using the magnetic fluid as intrinsic contrast agent, fibered confocal fluorescence microscopy to track the lipid vesicle structures, ex-vivo tumor histology by confocal fluorescence microscopy or iron oxide staining, and KI-67 immunostaining to reveal RU anti-proliferative activity. Our findings establish that magnetic targeting results in significant therapeutic benefit by highly concentrating RUloaded liposomes in the tumor tissue according to amplified EPR effect and significantly enhanced drug delivery at the intracellular level. The use of superparamagnetic liposomes to target magnetically estrogen antagonists offers a reliable direction to treat hormone-dependent breast tumors with possible combination of MRI diagnosis.
The use of spent glauconite in lightweight aggregate production

The presented work has shown an application of spent glauconite bed after purification of wastewater for production of lightweight expanded clay aggregates. Sewage, from which it was removed Zn ions, came from technological line (zincworks) of Communication Equipment Factory „PZL” Świdnik. Spent glauconite bed was used as an additive in lightweight aggregate production which was obtained using plastic method by sintering, at temperature 1140oC and 1200 oC, of spent glauconite amouts 10, 15, 20 and 25% wt. with clays from open-cast mine „Budy Mszczonowskie”. The presence of the mineral improves sinter texture, increases porosity and contributes to formation of glassy layer on the surface of the aggregates. Tests of zinc elution from lightweight of aggregate samples has shown very low mobility of zinc ions. Content of zinc in water extracts obtained from lightweight of aggregate is definitely lower than zinc concentration permitted for sewage discharge to water or soil, means that spent material is not offensive for the environment as it can be used as a high quality building product.
The Effectiveness of Fama French 3 FactorModel in Predicting Globally DiversifiedPortfolio Returns

The Fama French Model which followed the CAPM has been widely debated by various researchers on issues like whether value and size premiums are caused by the underlying risk factors of firms falling within these categories or due to the incorrect extrapolation of past earnings growth by the market and subsequent correction of the mispricing errors. The current study aims at testing the effectiveness of the Fama French Model in predicting portfolio returns especially during the crisis periods. In other words, using an extensive and well diversified sample of Global stocks listed on the Dow Jones Index, we test whether the Fama and French Model is able to significantly capture the systematic risk present in the Macroeconomy. We also shed some light on the possible additional factors which overpower the Fama French factors in explaining the systematic risk prevailing in the economy
Ionospheric response to earthquakes of different magnitudes: Larger quakes perturb the ionosphere stronger and longer

Recently, it has been shown that the ionosphere is capable of showing images of seismic fault shortly after an earthquake. This gives rise to the idea of retrieval of seismic information from ionospheric observations. As the first step toward such inversion, here we study distinctive features of ionospheric response to shallow earthquakes, both submarine and inland, of moment magnitudes Mw7.2–9.1. Using GPS measurements of the ionospheric total electron content, we show that: (1) the amplitude of coseismic total electron content variations in the near‐field is larger after more powerful earthquakes, and (2) stronger earthquakes (M > 7.9) are in general characterized by a longer negative phase in coseismic perturbations.
Encephalopathy with behavioral and psychiatric features–firstantibody proven case of Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis from Pakistan

Background: Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor encephalitis is associated with psychiatric symptoms, memory disturbances, seizures, dyskinesia, and catatonia along with other constellation of symptoms. It is more common in females and usually associated with underlying ovarian teratoma. Treatment involves immunosuppression. This is the first antibody proven case from Pakistan. Case Report: A 16 year old girl with a short history of sore throat and no other prior illness, presented with 12 day history of behavioral changes (can you please describe some behavioral changes? ) and seizures, followed by decreased responsiveness, involuntary limb movements and facial grimacing. She also had intermittent high grade fever for 3 days. On examination she had spontaneous eye opening with continuous involuntary oro buccal and lingual movements. CT/MRI brain was normal. Spinal tap showed increased WBCs with lymphocytic predominance. EEG showed severe diffuse encephalopathy with no clear epileptiform discharges. HSV PCR came out to be negative. She was treated with Ceftriaxone, Acyclovir, Ampicillin, Vancomycin, Phenytoin and Levetiracetam. Acyclovir was later stopped after negative HSV PCR results. On suspicion of non infectious (autoimmune) encephalitis, treatment with IVIg was started and serum anti NMDA receptor antibodies were sent, which came out to be positive. Ultrasound pelvis showed no teratoma. Parents on follow up reported gradual resolution of symptoms and resumption of usual activities. Conclusion: Anti NMDA receptor encephalitis is associated with anti NMDA receptor antibodies is responsive to autoimmune treatment.
A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Mathematics Teachers’ Professional Competences (MTPC) in a Mongolian Context

This study aimed to determine and validate a version of the MTPC with 4 belief, 4 knowledge, 4 practice, and 3 attitude items. The sample size of the study was 218 participants. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze research data. The results of the study revealed that after deleting 3 items of attitude, a 3-factor model was validated and well fit the research data. Therefore, the model best fits the Mongolian context in comparison to other models.
Adolescent Self-Esteem in Cross-Cultural Perspective

Theorists and researchers have raised the question of whether self-esteem has similar meanings and correlates in individualistic and collectivist cultures. This study examined the cross-cultural equivalence of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale in four countries and compared its association with parental warmth and acceptance and depressed mood. Participants were 11th graders in the United States (n = 422), the Czech Republic (n = 490), China (n = 502), and Korea (n = 497). Cross-cultural similarities in the factor structure of the self-esteem scale and in the relations of self-esteem to other variables were more striking than cross-cultural differences. Across cultures, parental warmth was significantly related to both positive and negative self-image, each of which in turn was related significantly to depressive symptomatology. There was little evidence for the hypothesis that self-esteem would more strongly mediate the relation between parental warmth and adolescent depressive symptoms in the more individualistic(as opposed to collectivist) cultures.
Text classification for medical informatics: a comparison of models for data mining radiological medical records

In this study we analyze 1024 free text digital records from pediatric patients who underwent CT scanning. The free text reports are from the digital records of patients who underwent CT scanning in a one-year period in 2004 at the Nagasaki University Medical Hospital in Japan. We use text mining algorithms to model the records. Each scan was evaluated by an expert in the field and classified as to whether the CT scan was necessary or not. A model was built that predicts this classification. The results show that models developed on raw text could contribute significantly to the physician’s decision to order a CT scan. Practically this is important because radiation at levels ordinarily used for CT scanning may pose significant health risks especially to children and thus the modeling of unnecessary scanning may lead to less exposure to radiation.
Trust Versus Perceived Quality in Scholarly Publishing: A Personality-Attitude-Intention Approach

Digital academic journals serve as the main dissemination method for peer-reviewed research articles. These journals can be divided into two main categories: open access (OA) and non–open access (non-OA) journals. OA literature is defined by Suber as “digital, online, free of charge, and free of most copyright and licensing restrictions. ” 1 The reasons why no-cost OA adoption is slow-going are still largely unexplored, both theoretically and empirically. However, some influential reasons are suggested in the literature: uncertainty or distrust and perceived lower quality or reputation. 2 Distrust can be caused by general skepticism towards new publication technologies and journals, article processing charges (APC), predatory publishers, and low impact factor. 3 Distrust aside, findings by Bjork and Salomon indicate that OA literature is approaching the same quality or academic impact as non-OA literature, in addition to maintaining a citation advantage. 4 To our knowledge, no previous research has tested how researchers’ trust and perceived quality interact to influence both OA and non-OA publishing in one integrated study.
Research on the Controllable Confidence Regression

The confidence machine has been an integral part of the target of the research in the field of machine learning. Confidence regression is a significant research field of confidence machine . Performs error evaluation on results of regressive learning to classify the accept field and the refuse field so as to achieve the confidence regression. By setting specific error value, the Algorithm achieves controllable confidence regression, which has been tested on experimental data sets. Finally, the problems of current research are discussed, and the research direction is pointed out.
The Extraction and Determination of Ellagic Acid Content in the Peels of Six Iranian Pomegranates Cultivars Using a New Miniaturized Matrix Solid-Phase Dispersion Method

Background and Aim: The peels of six Iranian pomegranates ( Punica granatum L.) cultivars, as a traditional medicine, were treated with a new miniaturized matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) method for the HPLC determination of ellagic acid (EA). Materials and Methods: In the proposed method, only 10mg of the sample powder was ground and blended with an equal amount of C18 sorbent in an agate mortar. The use of the agate mortar with smooth surface facilitated the sample transfer into a cartridge and reduced the required amount of sample and sorbent. Micro volumes of dichloromethane, n-hexane and methanol were used as modifier, washing and elution solvents, respectively. The eluate was injected into an HPLC-UV system for the analysis. Results: Several factors such as the type and amount of dispersing sorbent, modifier, washing solvent and eluent were carefully studied and optimized. Six replicated analyses at the optimized conditions resulted in a recovery of 96.7% and a relative standard deviation of 5.87%. The proposed method was successfully applied to the extraction and determination of EA in the peels samples. Conclusion: According to the ultimate results, the MSPD method is an efficient technique for the quantitative extraction of EA from the peels of pomegranate. Malas cultivar has the highest amount (18.1 g kg -1 ) of ellagic acid content compared to the other studied pomegranate cultivars.
A study of physico-chemical characteristics of Ugborikoko/Okere stream as an index of pollution

A total of 8 samples were collected from strategic points along the Ugborikoko/Okere creek. The levels of the physico-chemical parameters and heavy metal pollutants were determined. Results of both physico-chemical characteristics and heavy metals revealed some degree of pollution in the creek. The mean values of pH, temperature, turbidity, conductivity, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids and chloride were 6.8, 30.3°C, 106.53 NTU, 471.45 ohms/cm, 354.56 mg/l, 123.56 mg/l and 78.11 mg/l respectively. The average value obtained for oil and grease was 14.13 ppm. The average value for the heavy metals were 2.258 ppm for iron, 0.0729 ppm for cadmium, 0.4225 ppm for zinc, 0.0997 ppm for manganese, 0.0236 ppm for copper, 0.2117 ppm for nickel. The results obtained indicated a significant level of pollution of the Ugborikoko/Okere creek. It was observed that the levels of iron, lead, chromium, cadmium, manganese and nickel in the samples were not in compliance with recommended standards set by world health organization for inland (fresh) and potable water.
Ratings: It's Accrual World

Loss reserves are a discretionary tool for managing insurer earnings, with more accurate and/or less volatile reserve errors resulting in higher accruals quality. We investigate whether accruals quality is related to insurer financial strength ratings. Specifically, we use insurer loss reserve errors as a measure of the quality of accruals and examine whether overall accruals quality, as well as a decomposition into innate and discretionary accruals quality, is related to insurer financial strength ratings. We find that firms with lower-quality (noisier) accruals receive lower financial strength ratings from A.M. Best. This result holds for both innate and discretionary accruals. Overall, we provide the first evidence that the quality of accounting information is a significant factor in ratings of insurance firms.
Richness and Reciprocity

Recruiting and retaining nurses in mental health practice settings have long been problematic: A situation which is not helped by student nurses being exposed to negative attitudes about mental health nursing or poor clinical experiences. A pilot program in which student nurses were mentored on the mental health clinical placement was initiated at an Australian School of Nursing. A qualitative study was undertaken to explore the value of this program for the student mentee and the registered nurse mentor. A questionnaire containing six questions was distributed to all participants before and after the clinical experience. The questions were open format seeking data on (a) the perceived advantages or disadvantages of mentoring, (b) perceptions of whether mentoring contributes to professional development, and (c) whether mentoring contributes personally to the participant. The data were subjected to inductive thematic analysis. The registered nurse mentors found that time diverted from clients was a barrier to mentoring students; however, they experienced reciprocity through nurturance of self, students, and the profession. The student mentees found that they experienced a richer and deeper learning environment. Mentoring provides a satisfying learning environment for both parties if carefully implemented and supported.
Real Time Wake Computations using Lattice Boltzmann Method on ManyIntegrated Core Processors

This paper puts forward an efficient Lattice Boltzmann method for use as a wake simulator suitable for real-time environments. The method is limited to low speed incompressible flow but is very efficient and can be used to compute flows “on the fly”. In particular, many-core machines allow for the method to be used with the need of very expensive parallel clusters. Results are shown here for flows around cylinders and simple ship shapes.
An Examination of Teachers' Natural Praise-to-Reprimand Ratios and Teachers' Perceptions of Self-Efficacy and Stress

6 Introduction . 7 Teacher Praise and Reprimands. 8 Definitions. 8 Natural rates. 10 Recommended rates and student behavior . 13 Teacher Stress . 16 Teacher Stress and Self-efficacy . 17 Teacher Stress, Self-efficacy, and Strategies. 19 Literature Summary and Impact of Proposed Research . 21 Current Study . 22 Methods . 24 Participants and Setting. 24 Materials and Instruments. 25 Teacher demographic questionnaire . 25 Teacher stress measure. 26 Teacher self-efficacy measure. 26 Praise and reprimand data collection form. 28 Operational definition: Praise type . 28 Operational definition: Reprimand type . 29 Direct Observation Training. 30 Procedures . 30 PRAISE TO REPRIMANDS, TEACHER STRESS, AND SELF-EFFICACY 4 Data Analyses. 32 Results . 33 Observations. 33 Frequency of Praise and Reprimand . 33 Ratios Among Grade Level . 34 Teacher Stress and Self-efficacy . 36 Discussion. 38 BSP, Stress, and Self-efficacy . 42 Limitations and Future Directions . 43 References . 4 7 Appendix A. 59 Appendix B. 62 Appendix C . 64 Appendix D. 66 Appendix E. 69 PRAISE TO REPRIMANDS, TEACHER STRESS, AND SELF-EFFICACY 5