Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Comparison Between Leg Problems in Danish and Swedish Broiler Production

In Denmark and Sweden, surveys were undertaken to estimate the prevalence of leg problems in conventional broiler production. The Danish survey included 28 Ross 208 flocks, and the Swedish survey included 15 Ross 208 and 16 Cobb flocks. Leg problems included reduced walking ability (gait), tibial dyschondroplasia (TD), varus/valgus deformations (VV) and foot-pad dermatitis (FPD). Danish Ross chicks showed a significantly higher prevalence of gait score > 0, gait score > 2 and TD, but a lower prevalence of VV, than Swedish Ross chicks. Cobb chicks showed a significantly higher prevalence of gait score > 0, gait score > 2 and TD than Swedish Ross chicks, a significantly higher prevalence of VV than Danish Ross chicks, and a significantly lower prevalence of FPD than both Danish and Swedish Ross chicks. The two genotypes of Swedish chicks showed similar relationships between body weight and probability of gait score > 0, TD and VV, indicating that the difference in prevalence of these leg problems may be due to the difference in mean body weight at slaughter age. At body weights below 2300 g, Danish chicks showed a higher probability of gait score > 2 than Swedish chicks. Furthermore, at body weights below 1900 g, Danish chicks had a higher probability of TD than Swedish chicks, whereas at body weights above 2200 g they had a lower probability of TD. This indicates that the difference in prevalence of TD between Danish and Swedish chicks was due to differences in mean body weight at slaughter age as well as housing conditions. Therefore, further studies on the risk factors in relation to management and housing conditions are required.
Disk Diffusion Method

The Government of Japan Trust Fund through SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department provided financial support for the research project and publication of this manual. We would like to express our sincere thanks to Dr. Yasuo Inui and Dr. Kazuya Nagasawa, the former and current Fish Disease Experts and Leaders of the Regional Fish Disease Project, for their encouragement and critical suggestions; and the staff of the Fish Health Section, SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department, for their kind cooperation, especially to Dr. Celia R. Lavilla-Pitogo for carefully reading the manuscript and Dr. Edgar C. Amar for serving as the over-all coordinator in the preparation of drafts. Thanks also to Dr. Hisatsugu Wakabayashi, Emeritus Professor of Fish Pathology Laboratory at the University of Tokyo, for reviewing the manuscript.
Growth dynamics of pulsed laser deposited nanofoams

We present a modeling and experimental investigation about the physics of nanofoam growth in pulsed laser deposition (PLD) experiments. Thanks to their unique features, ultralow density materials—known as nanofoams—are attracting a growing interest for many cutting-edge applications. PLD has emerged as one of the most promising and versatile techniques for the synthesis of nanofoam; however, the lack of a satisfactory comprehension of the nanofoam growth process hinders the unleashing of their full potential as innovative materials. In this work we propose a snowfall-like model that describes the nanofoam growth as the coalescence of micrometric-sized fractal aggregates of nanoparticles, where the aggregates are formed through an in-flight process whose timescale is determined by the shot-to-shot time interval. We exploit these insights to demonstrate an approach to control the nanofoam properties down to the nanoscale. These results, along with their interest from a fundamental point of view, open perspectives in the field of low density nanostructured materials.
Characterisation of pitch : an early onset model of sensorineural deafness

At MRC Harwell n-ethyl-n-nitrosourea (ENU) mutagenesis coupled with auditory phenotyping is utilised to generate new mouse models of hearing loss. This approach identified pitch , an autosomal recessive model of early-onset, sensorineural deafness (+90dB). Mapping studies identified a 1.6Mb critical region comprising a novel deafness locus on chromosome 9 and prioritised candidate gene sequencing identified a coding mutation in Neuroplastin ( Nptn ). This thesis details experiments to investigate the role of Neuroplastin in the auditory pathway. Complementation studies using a second nonsense allele ( Nptn Y219X ) confirmed Neuroplastin as the causative gene in pitch . Modelling of Nptn pitch in silico suggested that the pitch mutation is likely harmful to protein function and in vitro studies using Nptn-tagged constructs revealed that the pitch mutation affected protein processing, and was thus likely a loss-of-function mutation. Expression studies identified that the 65kDa Nptn isoform, Np65, is expressed in the inner hair cells (IHCs) and outer hair cells (OHCs) of the cochlea in wild type mice. However, Np65 is absent in the cochleae of Nptn pitch/pitch animals. Inner ear morphology appears grossly normal in Nptn pitch/pitch mice at postnatal day (P)16, even though a severe auditory deficit is already present at this age. Electrophysiological studies suggest that whilst the IHCs of Nptn pitch/pitch mice begin to mature normally, their maturation arrests shortly after the onset of hearing. Immunolabelling of the auditory ribbon synapse identified an increased number of mismatched pre-synaptic ribbons (RIBEYE) and post-synaptic densities (GluR2) in Nptn pitch/pitch compared to wild type controls. In conclusion, my studies demonstrate that Np65 regulates the physiological and morphological differentiation of cochlear inner hair cells at the onset of hearing and as such coordinates one of the most distinctive functional refinements of the mammalian auditory system. These data also confirm that Nptn is a new deafness-related gene.
Economic crisis, innovation and organizational responses: evidence from Brazil

The economic crisis of 2008 resulted in a unique context for the empirical experimentation of organizational learning theories and patterns of technological accumulation from Schumpeterian inspiration. This paper investigates the effects of the economic crisis on the innovative performance of firms. We examine an original database with the patent portfolio of 2309 firms based in Brazil, covering a period of eight years preceding the 2008 economic crisis and the five years thereafter. Our finds add to the literature in two ways. First, we exhibit evidence that despite the positive relationships between exploitation and exploration behaviour and innovative performance widely described in the extant literature, in periods of crisis this relationship is curvilinear, in that former exerts diminishing negative effects on the latter. Second, from the literature that perceives a clear division between creative destruction and creative accumulation, our results tend tends to support the thesis in favour of the existence of a creative accumulation, although consistent with the notion of co-occurrence of both models. The article concludes by highlighting what we have learnt from this experience and suggesting some new avenues for research.
Engaging Young Men in Biomedical HIV Prevention Research: Lessons From a Community-based Study in Rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Background: Recent advances in biomedical HIV prevention highlight the importance of successfully engaging male participants, yet previous participant engagement methods have had mixed results. Participatory research and collaborative community development methods of engagement focus on the importance of culture and community and have been successful for engaging participants in research. However, these methods have not been used to engage male participants in biomedical HIV prevention intervention studies in the global south. Methods: The Impilo Yamadoda: Men’s Health Study is presented as a case study to explore use of a “strategic community engagement method” based on theories of participatory research and collaborative community development to engage young Zulu-speaking men in a multi-phase HIV prevention intervention in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This engagement method included the identification, recruitment, and training of local volunteers (Research Partners). Research Partners were responsible for: recruitment and implementation of a brief community based men’s health survey; collaborative planning of experimental phase recruitment (N=200) with researchers. Qualitative interviews with Research Partners (N=6) and participants (N=83; 8 focus groups, 20 interviews) were explored alongside analysis of the design, methods, and results of the Impilo Yamadoda study. Results: Research Partners were expected to collect ~300 (7/day) surveys; N=735 (12.9/day) were returned. Analysis of questionnaires confirmed data quality. Similar recruitment methods were used in the biomedical phase; 95.3% (223/234) of participants completed enrolment, including a behavioural questionnaire, blood sample, and randomisation. Discussion: Research Partners discussed the importance of community-level incentives to participants’ decisions to engage in research during their training programme, which was confirmed through analysis of qualitative interviews and focus groups with participants. These findings suggest that methods of participant engagement such as the strategic community engagement method used in the Impilo Yamadoda study could be used to successfully engage participants in future biomedical HIV prevention studies in the global south.
Workplace-based vocational training in Central and Eastern Europe: evidence on the school to work transition of Hungarian apprentices

Although apprenticeship training has been praised for its effectiveness in smoothing the school-to-work transition of non-college bound students in Western European dual education systems, there is a lack of evidence from Central Eastern Europe. Using a unique individual-level panel database, which includes an extensive set of controls, the study shows that Hungarian students of the non-college bound vocational training track with workplace-based training, have about 10-15% higher probability of initial employment, compared to similar graduates from the same track, who were trained in school. This effect seems to be stable across industries, and robust to specification checks.
The Analysis of Sub-Saharan African Women Participation in Business, Using the US as a Study Model

This study was conducted in 14 countries of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) as well as in Buffalo, NY. The mixed method, i.e. qualitative and quantitative was employed with the intention of understanding the people‟s perception regarding women who participate in the business. In addition a t-test was carried out using SPSS to find the mean differences between the two parties, and the US was actually included as a study model. From respondents‟ point of views, it was revealed that no mean differences in perception between participants from SSA and those from Buffalo, NY in relation to women who participate in business. However, respondents from both sides indicated discrimination and unfairness against women participating in business to be a widespread problem. Strangely, participants, and the literature review, indicated the reverence of women relies on the level of education and the work position that women hold in the society. The study concludes that when solving issues of discrimination / unfairness against women in the business, it would be wise to include both men and women and not women alone. Finally, the family level training to address the problem must start from early ages of children at home, since tradition families continue to be the foundation of education for children and of the social life. be free to pursue any level of education. The answers indicated the society‟s willingness toward gender freedom and equal opportunity for all girls and boys. In the U.S. 72 % and 22% strongly agree and agree respectively for equal opportunity.
Scrutinizing and De-Biasing Intuitive Physics with Neural Stethoscopes

Visually predicting the stability of block towers is a popular task in the domain of intuitive physics. While previous work focusses on prediction accuracy, a one-dimensional performance measure, we provide a broader analysis of the learned physical understanding of the final model and how the learning process can be guided. To this end, we introduce neural stethoscopes as a general purpose framework for quantifying the degree of importance of specific factors of influence in deep neural networks as well as for actively promoting and suppressing information as appropriate. In doing so, we unify concepts from multitask learning as well as training with auxiliary and adversarial losses. We apply neural stethoscopes to analyse the state-of-the-art neural network for stability prediction. We show that the baseline model is susceptible to being misled by incorrect visual cues. This leads to a performance breakdown to the level of random guessing when training on scenarios where visual cues are inversely correlated with stability. Using stethoscopes to promote meaningful feature extraction increases performance from 51% to 90% prediction accuracy. Conversely, training on an easy dataset where visual cues are positively correlated with stability, the baseline model learns a bias leading to poor performance on a harder dataset. Using an adversarial stethoscope, the network is successfully de-biased, leading to a performance increase from 66% to 88%.
Modified Proximal Point Algorithms for Solving Fixed Point Problem and Convex Minimization Problem in Non-Positive Curvature Metric Spaces

In this paper, we introduce new four steps of proximal point algorithm for nonexpansive mappings in non-positive curvature metric spaces, namely CAT( $0$ ) spaces and also prove that the sequence generated by proposed algorithms converges to a minimizer of a convex function and common fixed point of such mappings.
Man ist immer nur so alt wie man sich fühlt: Subjektives Alter als Gesundheitsindikator

Im Vergleich zum chronologischen Alter, repräsentiert das subjektiv gefühlte Alter einer Person ein Konzept, das stärker von sozialen Kontexten, psychologischen Dispositionen und persönlichen Deutungszuschreibungen geprägt ist. Das Konzept des subjektiv gefühlten Alters (im Folgenden kurz: SGA) bietet damit eine multi-dimensionale Perspektive auf den Alterungsprozess ([1–4]). Interessant wird das Konzept des SGA dadurch, dass es in einem starken Zusammenhang steht mit der Gesundheit und der Lebenserwartung eines Menschen [5]. Ziel des Moduls ist es, i) Daten für die österreichische Bevölkerung mit früheren Studien bzw. Studien, die in anderen Ländern durchgeführt wurden, zu vergleichen; ii) die individuellen Bestimmungsfaktoren des SGA zu untersuchen; iii) die Korrelation des SGA mit diversen Gesundheitsindikatoren zu bestimmen; iv) sowie die Zusammenhänge zwischen dem SGA und wirtschaftlichen Entscheidungen zu analysieren. Ein weiteres Ziel (v) besteht in einer methodischen Analyse der Auswirkungen unterschiedlicher Messmethoden des SGA.
New Star Observations with NuSTAR: Flares from Young Stellar Objects in the ρ Ophiuchi Cloud Complex in Hard X-Rays

We study the structure and dynamics of extreme flaring events on young stellar objects (YSOs) observed in hard X-rays by the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR). During 2015 and 2016, NuSTAR made three observations of the star-forming region ρ Ophiuchi, each with an exposure ∼50 ks. NuSTAR offers unprecedented sensitivity above ∼7 keV, making this data set the first of its kind. Through improved coverage of hard X-rays, it is finally possible to directly measure the high-energy thermal continuum for hot plasmas and to sensitively search for evidence of nonthermal emission from YSO flares. During these observations, multiple flares were observed, and spectral and timing analyses were performed on three of the brightest flares. By fitting an optically thin thermal plasma model to each of these events, we found flare plasma heated to high temperatures (∼40−80 MK) and determined that these events are ∼1000 times brighter than the brightest flares observed on the Sun. Two of the studied flares showed excess emission at 6.4 keV, and this excess may be attributable to iron fluorescence in the circumstellar disk. No clear evidence for a nonthermal component was observed, but upper limits on nonthermal emission allow for enough nonthermal energy to account for the estimated thermal energy in the flare on protostar IRS 43, which is consistent with the standard model for solar and stellar flares.
Acute biliary pancreatitis

: Biliary pancreatitis is a major complication of gallstones (6-8%) and mainly affects patients with microlithiasis (22%) and cholesterolosis (29%) of the gallbladder. Transient or prolonged obstruction of the ampulla represents the accepted cause and severe forms of acute pancreatitis are more frequently associated with microlithiasis (21.3% vs. 9.6%) with higher incidence of mortality (6.5% vs. 3.2%) as compared with patients with cholelithiasis. The treatment of cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis performed electively during the same admission, after manifestations of acute pancreatitis had subsided, is an effective procedure to prevent the development of recurrent attacks of pancreatitis. Removal of the gallbladder alone in most patients may represent the definitive treatment, most common bile duct stones passing spontaneously through the papilla during the first four days after admission. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has gained wide acceptance in the treatment of cholelithiasis, but the management of associated choledocholithiasis results still undefined. Personal strategy is to adopt a more selective approach during the acute attack, limiting the performance of ERCP-ES within the first 48 hours to those patients presenting with laboratory and clinical evidence of ampullary obstruction. If choledocholithiasis is found during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, personal recommendation is to attempt the transcystic removal of stones; if this is not feasible, a conversion of the laparoscopic procedure to an open common bile dut exploration should be carried out. Postoperative ERCP-ES does not seem a reasonably strategy, while preoperative ERCP-ES with gallbladder left in situ as treatment alone of associated biliary tract lesions may be considered in high risk patients. The surgical treatment of pancreatic lesions should be reserved to those patients with extended and unmarked or infected pancreatic necrosis, and pancreatic abscess. Closed management (surgical debridement associated with continuous local lavage of the lesser sac) is recommended, while less frequently ventral open packing should be required.
Sänkt livskvalitet vid skov grundar för alternativ terapi

läkartidningen nr 45 2009 volym 106 Av tradition har behandling och uppföljning av kroniska sjukdomar varit inriktad på registrering av symtom och resultat av biologiska variabler såsom blodprov, fysiologiska mätmetoder och olika bildtekniker. Detta sätt att mäta speglar dock ofta dåligt patientens subjektiva hälsotillstånd, som till stor del avgör hur sjuk en person uppfattar sig vara och i vilken mån hon/han haft nytta av en medicinsk åtgärd [1]. På senare år har därför intresset ökat för patientens egen upplevelse av sjukdomens inverkan på välbefinnande och funktionsnivå. Man kallar detta för hälsorelaterad livskvalitet (health-related quality of life; HRQOL). Mätning av hälsorelaterad livskvalitet ger kunskap som är viktig för förståelsen av hur sjukdom och medicinska åtgärder påverkar det dagliga livet för en individ eller patientgrupp och kan bidra till ett bättre patientomhändertagande. Med ökad förståelse för patientens livssituation och upplevda problem kan valet mellan olika behandlingsformer underlättas. Patienten kan bli mer involverad i sin egen vård och valet av olika åtgärder. Det blir också möjligt att identifiera svårigheter hos enskilda patienter i att anpassa sig till sin sjukdom och erbjuda dem ext ra hjälp med utbildning, rådgivning och olika stödinsatser. På så sätt kan vi ge patienten ökad kontroll över sin sjukdom och bidra till att sjukdomen påverkar det dagliga livet så litet som möjligt.
Modern Techniques of Adjunctive Pain Control Lower Opioid Use, Pain Scores, and Length-of-Stay in Patients Undergoing Posterior Spinal Fusion for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

Study Design. Retrospective analysis. Objective. To determine if the use of adjunctive pain medications (subcutaneous bupivacaine, dexmedetomidine infusion, and intravenous ketorolac) will reduce the need for opioids, reduce postoperative pain, and shorten length of hospital stay in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis undergoing posterior spinal fusion. Methods. Retrospective review of children 10 to 18 years with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis receiving posterior spinal fusion surgery over the past 10 years at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Physicians managed the patients’ pain postoperatively with adjunctive medications in addition to intravenous and oral opioids. Variables of interest were local anesthetic bupivacaine delivered subcutaneously via elastomeric pain pump, sedative/analgesic dexmedetomidine infused for up to 24 hours postoperatively, and the NSAID ketorolac delivered intravenously. These three medications were used either alone or in some combination determined by the physician’s clinical judgment. Primary outcomes analyzed were normalized opioid requirement after surgery, VAS pain scores, and length of stay in the hospital. Results. One hundred and ninety-six children were analyzed with no significant differences in demographics. Univariate analysis showed that all three adjunct medications improved outcomes. A multivariate regression model of the outcomes with respect to the three medication variables of interest was developed to analyze the effects of the three medications simultaneously. The regression analysis showed that subcutaneous bupivacaine significantly reduced normalized opioid requirement by 0.98 mg/kg (P = 0.001) and reduced VAS pain scores by 0.67 points (P = 0.004). Dexmedetomidine significantly reduced the average VAS pain scores in the first 24 hours by 0.62 points (P = 0.005). Ketorolac had no effect in the multiple regression analysis. Conclusion. The use of subcutaneous bupivacaine provides good analgesia with low pain scores. A reduction in opioid requirement is beneficial and may be directly related to presence of the bupivacaine pump, although this may be limited by potential treatment bias. The three adjunct medications improve our outcomes favorably and should be studied prospectively.
An electrostatic measuring technique for monitoring particle size in dilute pneumatic transport

The goal of this research is to establish the applicability of an electrostatic measuring technique for monitoring the quality of a coal-milling process in direct-firing systems. Such systems are used in large steam boilers fired with low-rank coal where the pulverized coal is transported pneumatically from the mills to the burner nozzles via ducts with large cross-sections. The electrostatic measuring method, in connection with intrusive rod-type sensors, was studied because it provides good spatial sensitivity and cost effectiveness. A laboratory test rig was constructed, where the pulverized coal carried by ambient air was employed for the experiments emulating the pneumatic transport of coal particles in direct-firing systems. The test rig enables an extensive variation of the most influential parameters, like the mass flow, the velocity and the size of the particles. A linear, multi-regression analysis of the results of the experiments was carried out and the appropriate regression model enabling a determination of the mean diameter of the particles using the electrostatic signal was chosen. Based on the results of the study the electrostatic measuring technique can be used for monitoring the size of pneumatically transported particles. The appropriate regression model needs to be chosen for each particular application to describe the dependency of the acquired electrostatic signal on the influential parameters of the pneumatic transport.