Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multidetector computed tomography evaluation of obstructive jaundice: a cross-sectional study from a tertiary hospital of Nepal

Background: The utilization of advanced multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) technology along with postprocessing reconstruction techniques has significantly enhanced the clarity of visualization of the hepato-biliary tree. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic statistics of MDCT and its associated features in the evaluation of obstructive jaundice, with respect to surgical or histopathological diagnoses. Methods and methodology: The authors conducted a cross-sectional study among 30 participants with obstructive jaundice using purposive sampling. The authors calculated the diagnostic statistics of non-neoplastic and neoplastic types, along with specific etiologies of obstructive jaundice identified through MDCT using a statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) v21 and MedCalc v12.3. 0. The ethical clearance was obtained from the institutional review committee of BPKIHS, Nepal (Ref no: Acd/291/075/076-IRC). Results: The sensitivity and the negative predictive value of MDCT for non-neoplastic cause to detect obstructive jaundice were 100% (95% CI: 79.41–100.00) and 100% (95% CI: 75.29–100.00), while the specificity and the positive predictive value for neoplastic cause to detect obstructive jaundice were 100% (95% CI: 79.41–100.00) and 100% (95% CI: 75.29–100.00), respectively. Similarly, the accuracy for either non-neoplastic or neoplastic cause was 96.67% (95% CI: 82.78–99.92). The most common cause of obstructive jaundice was choledocholithiasis (33.34%) followed by cholangiocarcinoma (20%), ampullary carcinoma (13.33%), and choledochal cyst (13.33%). The diagnostic accuracy of the individual etiology of common causes of obstructive jaundice ranged from 82.78 to 100%. Biliary obstruction was most frequently observed in the periampullary region (83.33%), followed by the proximal common bile duct (6.67%), hilar region (6.67%), and intrahepatic region (3.33%). Conclusion: The MDCT could serve as the initial and time-efficient excellent imaging modality for diagnosing various causes of obstructive jaundice with greater accuracy. It can differentiate non-neoplastic from neoplastic causes of obstructive jaundice.
Improving Spectral CT Image Quality Based on Channel Correlation and Self-Supervised Learning

Photon counting spectral computed tomography (PCCT) can produce reconstructed attenuation maps in different energy channels, reflecting the energy properties of the scanned object. Due to the limited photon numbers of each energy channel and the nonideal detector response, the reconstructed images usually contain considerable noise. With the development of the deep learning (DL) technique, different DL-based models have been proposed for noise reduction in CT. However, most of the models require paired datasets for training, which are rarely available in practical imaging procedures. Inspired by the structural similarities of each channel's reconstructed image, we proposed a self-supervised learning based PCCT image enhancement framework via multi-spectral channels (S<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$^{2}$</tex-math></inline-formula>MS). In the S<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$^{2}$</tex-math></inline-formula>MS framework, both the input and output labels are noisy images. Specifically, one single energy channel image was used as output. The other channel images and a full-energy image were used as input to train the network, which can fully use the spectral data information without extra cost. Experiments on simulated and real noisy data demonstrate that the proposed S<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$^{2}$</tex-math></inline-formula>MS model can suppress noise and preserve details more effectively than traditional DL models, and has the potential to improve PCCT image quality in clinical applications.
TRANSITION PROCESSES TOWARDS INTERNAL NETWORKS: DIFFERENTIAL PACES OF CHANGE AND EFFECTS ON KNOWLEDGE FLOWS AT RABOBANK GROUP

As a result of many changes in the competitive landscape, knowledge has become a crucial resource of firms, which has impelled firms to change their forms of organizing. Evidence suggests that internal networks, as such an alternative form of organizing, progress to emerge to facilitate the organization and management of knowledge. Insights into how firms actually change into internal networks have been sparse, however. On the basis of three case studies conducted at Rabobank-one at the group level, one at the local member banks, and one at the business unit Spectrum-this paper furnishes this lack of inquiry with new insights. The evidence illustrates that when firms change into internal network forms of organizing, horizontal knowledge flows between subunits are facilitated.
Atmospheric moisture content index in climatic zoning of grapevine cultivation in China.

Atmospheric moisture content is an important index affecting the quality and economic efficiency of grapevine in China.With the consideration of our climate characteristics and grapevine growth needs,and based on the comparison and analysis of several atmospheric moisture content indexes,the authors considered that the dryness index(DI=ET_C/P) in grapevine growth season(April 1-September 30) could be a proper atmospheric moisture content index for the climatic zoning of grapevine cultivation in China.It was suggested that the areas with DI1.0,1.0≤DI≤1.6,1.6DI≤3.5,and 3.5 DI could be zoned as unsuitable economical cultivation,general cultivation,best cultivation,and better cultivation with irrigation,respectively.
Toward Wide-Area and High-Precision Positioning With LEO Constellation Augmented PPP-RTK

The precise point positioning-real-time kinematic (PPP-RTK) method, which could achieve instantaneous ambiguity resolution (AR) with the regional atmospheric corrections, has been recognized as a preferred alternative for emerging applications such as self-driving cars, unmanned aerial vehicles, and mobile robots. Nevertheless, the performance of PPP-RTK is limited by the distribution and interstation distance of regional networks. Presently, the rapid development of the low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation brings innovative opportunities for satellite navigation. The fusion of LEO and global navigation satellite system (GNSS), which brings significant improvement in satellite visibility and spatial geometry, is expected to further enhance the performance of PPP-RTK and finally provide a wide-area and high-precision positioning service. In this study, we propose a novel LEO-augmented PPP-RTK model that leverages massive LEO observations and atmospheric augmented information. The spatial–temporal characteristics of uncalibrated phase delays (UPDs) and network-derived atmospheric corrections for fast-moving LEO satellites are analyzed, and their effectiveness on rapid AR is demonstrated. The positioning performance is comprehensively investigated with multiscale regional networks. The results indicate that the positioning accuracy of the traditional PPP-RTK can be improved by 15%–27% and 20%–40% with the augmentation of 144-LEO and 360-LEO constellations, respectively. Moreover, by incorporating the 360-LEO constellation, the time required for the first fix can be reduced to less than 1 and 10 s for network spacings of 400 and 800 km, respectively, exhibiting a significant improvement of 88%–92% compared with the traditional PPP-RTK method. These findings demonstrate the potential of LEO-augmented PPP-RTK to provide rapid (even instantaneous) centimeter-accurate positioning for an unlimited number of users over a large coverage area.
Thermal and Modern, Non-Thermal Method Induction as a Factor of Modification of Inulin Hydrogel Properties

The aim of the study was to compare the properties of inulin hydrogels obtained with different methods, e.g., the traditional–thermal method and new, non-thermal methods, used in food production, like ultrasonic, high-pressure homogenization (HPH), and high hydrostatic pressures (HHPs). It was found that each of the compared induction methods allowed for obtaining inulin hydrogels. However, the use of non-thermal induction methods allows for obtaining a gel structure faster than in the case of thermal induction. In addition, hydrogels obtained with new, non-thermal methods differ from gels obtained with thermal treatment. They were characterized by higher stability (from 1.7 percent point-of-stability parameters for HHP 150 MPa to 18.8 for HPH II cycles) and in most cases, by improved microrheological properties–lower solid–liquid balance toward the solid phase, increased elasticity and viscosity indexes, and lowering the flow index. The gels obtained with the new, non-thermal method were also characterized by a more delicate structure, including lower firmness (the differences between thermal and non-thermal inductions were from 0.73 N for HHP at 500 MPa to 2.39 N for HHP at 150 MPa) and spreadability (the differences between thermal and non-thermal inductions were from 7.60 Ns for HHP at 500 MPa to 15.08 Ns for HHP at 150 MPa). The color of ultrasound-induced inulin gels, regarding the HPH and HHP technique, was darker (the differences in the L* parameter between thermal and non-thermal inductions were from 1.92 for HHP at 500 MPa to 4.37 for 10 min ultrasounds) and with a lower a* color parameter (the differences in the a* parameter between thermal and non-thermal inductions were from 0.16 for HHP at 500 MPa to 0.39 for HPH II cycles) and b* color parameter (the differences in the b* parameter between thermal and non-thermal inductions were from 1.69 for 5 min ultrasounds to 2.68 for HPH II cycles). It was also found that among the compared induction methods, the high-pressure technique has the greatest potential for modifying the properties of the created inulin hydrogels. Thanks to its application, depending on the amount of applied pressure, it was possible to obtain gels with very different characteristics, both delicate (i.e., soft and spreadable), using HHP at 150 MPa, and hard, using HHP at 500 MPa, the closest in characteristics to gels induced with the thermal method. This may allow the properties of hydrogels to be matched to the characteristics of the food matrix being created.
The Impact of Warming on Assembly Processes and Diversity Patterns of Bacterial Communities in Mesocosms

Bacteria in lake water bodies and sediments play crucial roles in various biogeochemical processes. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of bacterioplankton and sedimentary bacteria community composition and assembly processes across multiple seasons in 18 outdoor mesocosms exposed to three temperature scenarios. Our findings reveal that warming and seasonal changes play a vital role in shaping microbial diversity, species interactions, and community assembly disparities in water and sediment ecosystems. We observed that the bacterioplankton networks were more fragile, potentially making them susceptible to disturbances, whereas sedimentary bacteria exhibited increased stability. Constant warming and heatwaves had contrasting effects: heatwaves increased stability in both planktonic and sedimentary bacteria communities, but planktonic bacterial networks became more fragile under constant warming. Regarding bacterial assembly, stochastic processes primarily influenced the composition of planktonic and sedimentary bacteria. Constant warming intensified the stochasticity of bacterioplankton year-round, while heatwaves caused a slight shift from stochastic to deterministic in spring and autumn. In contrast, sedimentary bacteria assembly is mainly dominated by drift and remained unaffected by warming. Our study enhances our understanding of how bacterioplankton and sedimentary bacteria communities respond to global warming across multiple seasons, shedding light on the complex dynamics of microbial ecosystems in lakes.
A 1/4°-Spatial-Resolution Daily Sea Surface Temperature Climatology Based on a Blended Satellite and in situ Analysis

AbstractA new sea surface temperature (SST) climatological mean was constructed using the first 30 years (1982–2011) of the NOAA daily optimum interpolation (OI) SST. The daily analysis blends in situ and satellite data on a ¼° (~25 km) spatial grid. Use of an analysis allows computation of a climatological value for all ocean grid points, even those without observations. Comparisons were made with a monthly, 1°-spatial-resolution climatology produced by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction, computed primarily from the NOAA weekly OISST. Both climatologies were found to provide a good representation of major oceanic features and the annual temperature cycle. However, the daily climatology showed tighter gradients along western boundary currents and better resolution along coastlines. The two climatologies differed by over 0.6°C in high-SST-gradient regions because of resolution differences. The two climatologies also differed at very high latitudes, where the sea ice processing differed betwe.
A comparative study of preimplantation embryos development of young and aged mice treated with L-carnitine

Female aging is one of the main factors influencing reproductive fertility. The existing experimental study was planned to investigate the L-carnitine (LC) treatment effect on the body weight of adult young 8–10 weeks old and aged 26–28 weeks old female mice and the preimplantation embryonic development of their embryos. This study involved 40 mature young (n=20) and aged (n=20) old female mice. The animals were weighed and divided into 4 groups according to their age (n = 10). The control groups of young and aged mice groups were orally administered distilled water, while the young and aged mice that were treated orally with 10 mg/kg LC daily for 2-3 estrous cycles were considered as treated groups. Then, all female mice were mated with adult males. The weight of pregnant mice on 1-day post coitum was recorded and then euthanized to harvest early cleavage embryos. The embryo development was examined and evaluated their grading according to A, B, C and D. The results showed that the body weight of mice in both young LC and aged LC groups reduced significantly (P≤0.01). The grade A embryo in 1-day post coitum in young and aged LC groups improved significantly (P≤0.01). However, the development of embryos grade A in the young LC group was higher than that of the aged LC group. It was concluded from these findings that the oral supplementation of LC can reduce body weight and improve the preimplantation embryonic development proportions.
Aberration Theory of a Flat, Aplanatic Metalens Doublet and the Design of a Meta-Microscope Objective Lens

A theoretical approach for reducing multiple monochromatic aberrations using a flat metalens doublet is proposed and verified through ray tracing simulations. The theoretical relation between the Abbe sine condition and the generalized Snell’s law is revealed in the doublet system. Starting from the Abbe aplanat design, minimization conditions of astigmatism and field curvature are derived. Based on the theory, a metalens doublet is semi-analytically optimized as a compact, practical-level meta-microscope objective lens working for a target wavelength. The proposed approach also reveals how to reduce lateral chromatism for an additional wavelength. The design degree of freedom and fundamental limits of the system are both rigorously analyzed in theory and verified through ray tracing simulations. It is expected that the proposed method will provide unprecedented practical opportunities for the design of advanced compact microscopic imaging or sensing systems.
Agriculture: Future Scenarios for Southern Africa

The rising food prices have taken their toll on Namibia, as elsewhere. However, the food price increase is smaller here than in other countries due to a conservative price agreement between producers and millers. The designation as a net food-importing developing country will provide Namibia with more policy space in order to increase national food production. The government is controlling the import of staple food and horticultural products in order to increase food security and to exploit Namibia’s agricultural production potential. © 2009 International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development International Institute for Sustainable Development 161 Portage Avenue East, 6th Floor Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada R3B 0Y4 Tel: +1 (204) 958-7700 Fax: +1 (204) 958-7710 E-mail: info@iisd.ca Web site: http://www.iisd. org/ Agriculture: Future Scenarios for Southern Africa – Country Briefing – Namibia Mona Frøystad Jürgen Hoffmann Klaus Schade 1 Mona Frøystad is a researcher at the Namibian Economic Policy Research Unit. She is involved in reviving the Namibian segment of the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network, and also in writing the progress report towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals in Namibia. Jürgen Hoffmann is an agricultural trade specialist, agricultural economist and soil scientist, and is trade advisor to the Namibian agricultural private sector and a member of the Namibia trade negotiation team for all external trade negotiations. Klaus Schade is acting director at the Namibian Economic Policy Research Unit (NEPRU) in Windhoek, Namibia. He has worked on macroeconomic and fiscal issues, regional integration, and trade, as well as poverty and HIV/AIDS. Agriculture: Future Scenarios for Southern Africa – Country Briefing – Namibia trade knowledge network
Prediction of Crop Production using Drought indices at Different Time Scales and Climatic Factors to Manage Drought Risk 1

Sadat Noori, S.M. , A.M. Liaghat, and K. Ebrahimi, 2011. Prediction of Crop Production Using Drought Indices at Different Time Scales and Climatic Factors to Manage Drought Risk. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(1): 1‐9. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011. 00586.x
Revealing social dimensions of urban mobility with big data: A timely dialogue

Considered a total social phenomenon, mobility is at the center of intricate social dynamics in cities and serves as a reading lens to understand the whole society. With the advent of big data, the potential for using mobility as a key social analyzer was unleashed in the past decade. The purpose of this research is to systematically review the evolution of big data's role in revealing social dimensions of urban mobility and discuss how they have contributed to various research domains from early 2010s to now. Six major research topics are detected from the selected online academic corpuses by conducting keywords-driven topic modeling techniques, reflecting diverse research interests in networked mobilities, human dynamics in spaces, event modeling, spatial underpinnings, travel behaviors and mobility patterns, and sociodemographic heterogeneity. The six topics reveal a comprehensive, research-interests, evolution pattern, and present current trends on using big data to uncover social dimensions of human mobility activities. Given these observations, we contend that big data has two contributions to revealing social dimensions of urban mobility: as an efficiency advancement and as an equity lens. Furthermore, the possible limitations and potential opportunities of big data applications in the existing scholarship are discussed. The review is intended to serve as a timely retrospective of societal-focused mobility studies, as well as a starting point for various stakeholders to collectively contribute to a desirable future in terms of mobility.
Improving Automatic Smartwatch Electrocardiogram Diagnosis of Atrial Fibrillation by Identifying Regularity within Irregularity

Smartwatches equipped with automatic atrial fibrillation (AF) detection through electrocardiogram (ECG) recording are increasingly prevalent. We have recently reported the limitations of the Apple Watch (AW) in correctly diagnosing AF. In this study, we aim to apply a data science approach to a large dataset of smartwatch ECGs in order to deliver an improved algorithm. We included 723 patients (579 patients for algorithm development and 144 patients for validation) who underwent ECG recording with an AW and a 12-lead ECG (21% had AF and 24% had no ECG abnormalities). Similar to the existing algorithm, we first screened for AF by detecting irregularities in ventricular intervals. However, as opposed to the existing algorithm, we included all ECGs (not applying quality or heart rate exclusion criteria) but we excluded ECGs in which we identified regular patterns within the irregular rhythms by screening for interval clusters. This “irregularly irregular” approach resulted in a significant improvement in accuracy compared to the existing AW algorithm (sensitivity of 90% versus 83%, specificity of 92% versus 79%, p < 0.01). Identifying regularity within irregular rhythms is an accurate yet inclusive method to detect AF using a smartwatch ECG.
Phylogenomics and Morphology of the African Fish Genus Brycinus with Revalidation of Brachyalestes and Description of a New Species from the Congo Basin (Teleostei: Alestidae)

A time-calibrated phylogeny, based on nuclear ultraconserved elements and including representatives of all major alestid lineages, strongly supports two distantly related clades within the currently accepted concept of Brycinus. The first, which includes the type species of the genus, B. macrolepidotus (herein Brycinus), and a second, composed of taxa previously referred to as the B. nurse group (herein Brachyalestes), are both resolved as monophyletic. These results provide strong evidence for the restriction of the genus Brycinus to nine species, and for the revalidation of the genus Brachyalestes to accommodate 20 valid species. Within Brachyalestes, a new species from the Lulua River basin, initially misidentified as Brycinus kingsleyae, is described and resolved as sister to the widespread, central Congolese lowland species, Brachyalestes bimaculatus. Within Brachyalestes, a subclade mostly restricted to the Central Congo basin is estimated to have undergone diversification within the last 10 million years, suggesting that Late Neogene riverine reorganization likely influenced their allopatric speciation. The split of the new species, endemic to high elevation tributaries of the Lulua River, from its lowland sister species, Brachyalestes bimaculatus, suggests a Late Miocene/Early Pliocene colonization into the upland river ecosystems of the Katanga plateau in the southwestern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Where you end and I begin: A new scale development on intimate co-creation

Purpose: Built upon the theories of psychological ownership, personal intimacies, and interpersonal relationship; the concept of intimate co-creation was conceptually theorized in the recent management literature. Intimate co-creation typically occurs at the dyadic level often for the creative task engagements and has a spillover effect on groups and teams. However, there is no measurement scale on intimate co-creation available in the management literature. Methodology: The current study has addressed this literature gap by developing a new measurement scale on intimate co-creation. Best practices for new measurement scale development as available in the management literature were followed. A qualitative study was conducted first to determine the dimensional structure of intimate co-creation and an initial pool of 72 items. Scale development experts’ review of the measurement scale, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) abetted in finalizing a 14 items measurement scale with four dimensions of intimate co-creation. Findings: This new measurement scale development is a milestone for further empirical research on intimate co-creation as it is the first-ever measurement scale on intimate co-creation. Conclusion: This is the first-ever measurement scale on intimate co-creation that is available for future researchers to empirically validate the concept of intimate co-creation