Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Beneficial Effects of Dietary Probiotics Mixture on Hemato-Immunology and Cell Apoptosis of Labeo rohita Fingerlings Reared at Higher Water Temperatures

Probiotics play an important role in growth increment, immune enhancement and stress mitigation in fish. Increasing temperature is a major concern in present aquaculture practices as it markedly deteriorates the health condition and reduces the growth in fish. In order to explore the possibilities of using probiotics as a counter measure for temperature associated problems, a 30 days feeding trial was conducted to study the hemato-immunological and apoptosis response of Labeo rohita (8.3±0.4 g) reared at different water temperatures, fed with or without dietary supplementation of a probiotic mixture (PM) consisting of Bacillus subtilis, Lactococcus lactis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (1011 cfu kg−1). Three hundred and sixty fish were randomly distributed into eight treatment groups in triplicates, namely, T1(28°C+BF(Basal feed)+PM), T2(31°C+BF+PM), T3(34°C+BF+PM), T4(37°C+BF+PM), T5(28°C+BF), T6(31°C+BF), T7(34°C+BF) and T8(37°C+BF). A significant increase (P<0.01) in weight gain percentage was observed in the probiotic fed fish even when reared at higher water temperature (34–37°C). Respiratory burst assay, blood glucose, erythrocyte count, total serum protein, albumin, alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase were significantly higher (P<0.01) in the probiotic fed groups compared to the non-probiotic fed groups. A significant (P<0.01) effect of rearing temperature and dietary probiotic mixture on serum myeloperoxidase activity, HSP70 level and immunoglobulin production was observed. Degree of apoptosis in different tissues was also significantly reduced in probiotic-supplemented groups. Hence, the present results show that a dietary PM could be beneficial in enhancing the immune status of the fish and also help in combating the stress caused to the organism by higher rearing water temperature.
Stability of heterogeneous multimedia networks against adversarial attacks

A distinguishing feature of today's large-scale platforms for multimedia distribution and communication, such as the Internet, is their heterogeneity, predominantly manifested by the fact that a variety of communication protocols are simultaneously running over different hosts. A question that arises in such settings of multimedia systems concerns the presence (or not) of stability properties when greedy, contention-resolution protocols are composed in a multimedia packet-switched network. A network is stable under a greedy protocol (or a composition of protocols) if, for any adversary of injection rate less than 1, the number of packets in the network remains bounded at all times. We study stability under various compositions of contention-resolution protocols and different packet trajectories trying to characterize this property in terms of network topologies. Such a characterization provides us with the family of network topologies that, under specific compositions of protocols, can be made unstable by some adversarial traffic pattern.
Sign language interpreter aptitude: The trials and tribulations of a longitudinal study

This paper discusses the process of undertaking an exploratory longitudinal study of language learning and interpreter aptitude. It discusses the context of aptitude testing, the test selection for a test battery, the recruitment of subjects within the small-scale study (n=22) and the administration of that battery within the context of whether longitudinal studies are feasible with small cohorts of sign language interpreters. Sign languages continue to be languages of limited diffusion in Europe. Even with gradually increasing numbers of ‘hearing’ sign language users, typically those wishing to become sign language interpreters do not have high levels of sign language fluency prior to enrolling in sign language interpreter training. As such, these students need to gain fluency in sign language, whilst also beginning to engage in interpreter education and interpreting-skills development. To date there is little understanding of how best to screen sign language interpreter program applicants to ensure the effective use of resources, i.e. to educate those who will both learn sign language to C1 fluency (Pro-signs, 2016) during the BA and also be able to learn how to interpret. Longitudinal studies enable us to take a longer view of learning and the professionalisation of skills and knowledge. They do, however, require significant time and this in itself can prove to be an obstacle when university researchers are required to produce tangible research outputs for career goals such as promotion or tenure.
Technology-enhanced Classroom Learning Community for Promoting Tertiary ICT Education Learning in Malaysia

This paper described the processes of incorporating technology-enhanced learning community (TELC), with its aim to promote students’� learning in ICT education in a Malaysian tertiary classroom. This research has drawn on data from a semester-long tertiary ICT education course with Virtual Learning Environment (Moodle) and online forum are designed as TELC by integrating online collaborative learning activities� to� foster� students’� interactions� and� collaboration. � Data collected from questionnaires, interviews and online forum transcripts were the basis for an interpretive analysis to develop a more theoretically-based� analytical� framework� for� understanding� the� processes� of� students’� interactions in TELC for learning.
First-principles equation-of-state table of deuterium for inertial confinement fusion applications

Understanding and designing inertial confinement fusion (ICF) implosions through radiation-hydrodynamics simulations relies on the accurate knowledge of the equation of state (EOS) of the deuterium and tritium fuels. To minimize the drive energy for ignition, the imploding shell of DT fuel must be kept as cold as possible. Such low-adiabat ICF implosions can access to coupled and degenerate plasma conditions, in which the analytical EOS models become inaccurate due to many-body effects. Using the path-integral Monte Carlo (PIMC) simulations we have derived a first-principles EOS (FPEOS) table of deuterium that covers typical ICF fuel conditions at densities ranging from 0.002 to 1596 g/cm{sup 3} and temperatures of 1.35 eV to 5.5 keV. We report the internal energy and the pressure and discuss the structure of the plasma in terms of pair-correlation functions. When compared with the widely used SESAME table and the revised Kerley03 table, discrepancies in the internal energy and in the pressure are identified for moderately coupled and degenerate plasma conditions. In contrast to the SESAME table, the revised Kerley03 table is in better agreement with our FPEOS results over a wide range of densities and temperatures. Although subtle differences still exist for lower temperatures (T < 10more » eV) and moderate densities (1 to 10 g/cm{sup 3}), hydrodynamics simulations of cryogenic ICF implosions using the FPEOS table and the Kerley03 table have resulted in similar results for the peak density, areal density ({rho}R), and neutron yield, which differ significantly from the SESAME simulations. « less
Human Cytomegalovirus and Autoimmune Disease

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) represents a prototypic pathogenic member of the β-subgroup of the herpesvirus family. A range of HCMV features like its lytic replication in multiple tissues, the lifelong persistence through periods of latency and intermitting reactivation, the extraordinary large proteome, and extensive manipulation of adaptive and innate immunity make HCMV a high profile candidate for involvement in autoimmune disorders. We surveyed the available literature for reports on HCMV association with onset or exacerbation of autoimmune disease. A causative linkage between HCMV and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis (SSc), diabetes mellitus type 1, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is suggested by the literature. However, a clear association of HCMV seroprevalence and disease could not be established, leaving the question open whether HCMV could play a coresponsible role for onset of disease. For convincing conclusions population-based prospective studies must be performed in the future. Specific immunopathogenic mechanisms by which HCMV could contribute to the course of autoimmune disease have been suggested, for example, molecular mimicry by UL94 in SSc and UL83/pp65 in SLE patients, as well as aggravation of joint inflammation by induction and expansion of CD4+/CD28− T-cells in RA patients. Further studies are needed to validate these findings and to lay the grounds for targeted therapeutic intervention.
More Variety or More Growth ? Human Capital and Firm Specific Knowledge in an R & D-based Growth Model

Recent endogenous growth theory allows for an expansion in both the variety of goods and their quality. The paper introduces human capital accumulation into this framework. Two types of knowledge exist: basic knowledge acquired by households while not employed and product specific knowledge acquired by firms as costly R&D activity. Product specific knowledge is only partially excludable among firms and two long-run solutions may exist: In the first one variety is permanently growing and market structure converges towards monopolistic competition. The second solution is characterized by constant variety and increasing quality produced by a constant number of (possibly large) firms. Neither solution requires population growth. The paper shows that growth is higher under constant variety. It also discusses the arrival of a new general purpose technology and the social planners solution.
A framework for optimal decentralized power control with partial CSI

In this paper, we use a recent information theoretical result to develop a general framework for finding optimal power control policies in the case of interference channels. The aforementioned result characterizes the achievable payoffs for an N-Agent (transmitters in our application) coordination problem with a certain information structure. We then provide an algorithm which exploits the characterization of achievable payoffs by conditional probability distributions to find optimal decision functions for the transmitters. Due to its general nature, the developed framework is conducive for applications to diverse scenarios in wireless communications. In this article, we restrict our attention to the case of decentralized power control in interference channels for different utility functions namely sum-rate, sum-energy and sum-goodput. Our approach has the following salient features: 1) The method proposes optimal power control functions for any given utility function as opposed to ad-hoc solutions for different utilities proposed in the literature, and 2) Noise in the channel estimation is taken into account, thus providing robust optimal solutions.
Determinants of Consistent Condom Use among College Students in China: Application of the Information-Motivation-Behavior Skills (IMB) Model

Background Due to the increase incidents of premarital sex and the lack of reproductive health services, college students are at high risk of HIV/AIDS infections in China. This study was designed to examine the predictors of consistency of condom use among college students based on the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) model and to describe the relationships between the model constructs. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess HIV/AIDS related information, motivation, behavioral skills and preventive behavior among college students in five colleges and universities in Nanjing, China. An anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted for data collection, and the structural equation model (SEM) was used to assess the IMB model. Results A total of 3183 participants completed this study. The average age was 19.90 years (SD = 1.43, range 16 to 25). 342 (10.7%) participants of them reported having had premarital sex, among whom 30.7% reported having had a consistent condom use, 13.7% with the experience of abortion (including the participants whose sex partner has the same experience), 32.7% of participants had experience of multiple sex partners. The final IMB model provided acceptable fit to the data (CFI = 0.992, RMSEA = 0.028). Preventive behavior was significantly predicted by behavioral skills (β = 0.754, P<0.001). Information (β = 0.138, P<0.001) and motivation (β = 0.363, P<0.001) were indirectly affected preventive behavior, and was mediated through behavioral skills. Conclusions The results of the study demonstrate the utility of the IMB model for consistent condom use among college students in China. The main influencing factor of preventive behavior among college students is behavioral skills. Both information and motivation could affect preventive behavior through behavioral skills. Further research could develop preventive interventions based on the IMB model to promote consistent condom use among college students in China.
The origin of the UV excess in powerful radio galaxies: spectroscopy and polarimetry of a complete sample of intermediate‐redshift radio galaxies

We present spectroscopic and polarimetric observations of a complete, optically unbiased sample of 2-Jy radio galaxies at intermediate redshifts (0.15 10 per cent level. Careful measurement and modelling of our spectra have allowed us to quantify the contributions of other components to the UV excess. We show that nebular continuum (present in all objects at the 3-40 per cent level), direct active galactic nucleus (AGN) light (significant in 40 per cent of objects) and young stellar populations (significant in 15 - 50 per cent of objects) all make important contributions to the UV continuum in the population of powerful radio galaxies. These results serve to emphasize the multicomponent nature of the UV continuum in radio galaxies. The results also point to an interesting link between the optical/UV and far-IR properties of our sample objects, in the sense that the objects with the clearest evidence for optical/UV starburst activity are also the most luminous at far-IR wavelengths. This supports the idea that the cooler dust components in radio galaxies are heated by starbursts rather than by AGN.
Do Investors Value High Levels of Regulation

It is often taken as axiomatic that investors prefer high levels of regulation. Yet companies have increasingly chosen to list on stock exchanges with lower regulatory requirements. In this paper we analyse whether investors value high regulatory standards for quoted companies. We use the unusual regulatory environment observed in London â€“ two alternative regulatory regimes with the same trading technology â€“ to analyse these issues. We focus on 218 firms that chose to switch their trading â€˜downâ€™ from the highly regulated Main market to the lightly regulated AIM market, and 56 firms that moved â€˜upâ€™ to the Main market. Switching firms on average experience down (up) announcement returns of approximately -4% (+5%). However these initial reactions are reversed over several months after the actual switch. Our results suggest that particular investor clienteles exist for the two markets, and that other investors who place little value on the higher regulatory standards become the relevant marginal investors when companies switch to AIM.
Inter-American Development Bank

Remarks: This report is an integral part of the work program of the Office of Evaluation and Oversight (OVE) to evaluate Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) activities, since the beginning of its operations in 1993, following the mandate of its Donors Committee. The work of OVE aims at developing a comprehensive image of the Bank activities in support of the private sector, and particularly of the MIF, as established in the document MIF/GN-78 of February 2002.
Giving voice to girls: A child-centric examination of the lived experiences of young girls aged 7-13 in their personal media contexts

x Chapter One: Introduction . 1 Chapter Two: Literature Review. 6 Chapter Introduction . 6 The roles of media in contemporary Western society . 8 The nature of media representations of girls and women . 15 The potential influence of media on girls and women . 26 The prospect of media literacy education . 37 Implications of the review . 40 Chapter Summary . 44 Chapter Three: Conceptual Framework . 46 Chapter Introduction . 46 Paradigmatic worldview . 47 Theoretical lens . 48 Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory . 51 My conceptual framework . 53 Chapter Summary . 61 Chapter Four: Methodology . 62 Chapter Introduction . 62 Paradigmatic worldview . 63 Theoretical lens . 65 Methodological approach . 66 Methods of data generation . 74
Lactate and Risk of Incident Diabetes in a Case-Cohort of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

Background Oxidative capacity is decreased in type 2 diabetes. Whether decreased oxidative capacity is a cause or consequence of diabetes is unknown. Our purpose is to evaluate whether lactate, a marker of oxidative capacity, is associated with incident diabetes. Methods and Findings We conducted a case-cohort study in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study at year 9 of follow-up. We evaluated lactate’s association with diabetes risk factors at baseline and estimated the hazard ratio for incident diabetes by quartiles of plasma lactate in 544 incident diabetic cases and 533 non-cases. Plasma lactate showed a graded positive relationship with fasting glucose and insulin (P<0.001). The relative hazard for incident diabetes increased across lactate quartiles (P-trend ≤0.001). Following adjustment for demographic factors, medical history, physical activity, adiposity, and serum lipids, the hazard ratio in the highest quartile was 2.05 times the hazard in the lowest quartile (95% CI: 1.28, 3.28). After including fasting glucose and insulin the association became non-significant. Conclusions Lactate, an indicator of oxidative capacity, predicts incident diabetes independent of many other risk factors and is strongly related to markers of insulin resistance. Future studies should evaluate the temporal relationship between elevated lactate and impaired fasting glucose and insulin resistance.
Gender Performativity in Nursing; Men, Power and the Construction of the Ideal Nurse

This study explores the pedagogical experience of male nursing students. Research questions explored male students being subjected to feminine gender performance expectations, and an inequitable exercise of power and discipline and the relation of high attrition rates of male nursing students to feminine gender performativity expectations. The framework utilized included Butler's theory of gender performativity, Foucault's concepts of power and discipline and Queer theory. A Van Manen phenomenological method was utilized, with interviews of 20 current and past male and female students. Analysis of the data revealed that male students identified a need to perform in a feminine gendered manner, felt isolated and excluded in academic and clinical settings and perceived that they were subject to stricter surveillance and expectations. The discussion identified three key concepts; constructing the ideal, enforcing the ideal and surviving the ideal. Understanding the male student experience can help nurses in clinical and educational settings become more inclusive and create safer educational environments. Future research is needed to examine experiences of marginalized groups and develop interventions to assist students in navigating the education experience.
Inter-Industry Network Structure , Information Transfers and the Cross-Predictability of Earnings and Stock Returns

We examine the role of the inter-industry input-output network structure in the transfer of information among firms. We focus our attention on the role of industries that serve as ‘hubs,’ or central industries, in the flow of trade across industries. Consistent with a diversification effect, we find that firms in these central industries are more exposed to systemic risks compared to other firms. Additionally, earnings-response-coefficients of central firms are lower than those of other firms, consistent with investors placing less emphasis on the firm-specific information on account of the relative importance of macroeconomic risk to central firms. Comparing central industries to non-central industries, we also find that the stock returns and accounting performance of central industries better predict the performance of industries linked to them. This suggests that shocks to central industries propagate more strongly than shocks to other industries. Our results highlight the importance of inter-industry trade flows in information transfers. JEL classification: D57; G14; M41.
Outage analysis for uplink mobile-to-mobile cooperation

We consider the uplink transmission over Rayleigh fading channels of two mobiles cooperating to send their information to a base station. We propose a cooperative transmission scheme, derive its achievable rate region and analyze its outage performance. By dividing each transmission block into 3 phases with variable durations, the two mobiles partially exchange their information in the first two phases, then cooperatively transmit to the base station in the third phase. Assuming full CSI at the receivers and limited CSI at the transmitters, we formulate the common and individual outage probabilities for the proposed cooperative scheme. Numerical results show that, in spite of additional outages at the mobiles, cooperation reduces the overall outage probability and achieves the full diversity order of 2, which makes mobile-to-mobile cooperation appealing for next generation cellular systems.
Effect of Motivation by “Instagram” on Adherence to Physical Activity among Female College Students

Objective. To investigate the efficacy of using “Instagram application” with a “home-exercise program” as a motivational stimulus in improving physical activity (PA) adherence levels among female college students. Methods. Fifty-eight female undergraduate students with the mean age 20.3 ± 0.96 years participated. Participants were divided into two groups: intervention and the control group; both the groups received an exercise program and the intervention group was additionally motivated by “Instagram. ” Adherence to PA was measured by using an adherence sheet. The Exercise Motivation Inventory (EMI-2) was used to assess the motivational factors. Results. The most frequent motivational factors were extrinsic as assessed using the EMI-2. “Positive health” was the most frequent factor mentioned of the two types with 47% of the sample. The intervention group adhered with 17% more to the activity program compared to the control group. Moreover, 72% of the participants in the intervention and control groups found the activity program flexible enough to be performed at home; they agreed about its effectiveness on adherence (53%). Conclusions. The use of Instagram with the home exercise program as a motivational modality could be attractive and effective to reinforce adherence and maintain an appropriate PA level.
Establishment and evaluation of the sdf-1α over-expressing mouse parkinson disease model

α α α, and behaviors were observed at different time points. The pod-grabbing time, the number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive cells and the expression of SDF-1α in the brain were determined at different time points. PD-like behaviors were observed in the mice of MPTP group and could last for at least 40 days. At different time points, the pod-grabbing time in MPTP group was longer than that in control group, but the TH positive cells and DA content were markedly decreased when compared with control group. In addition, plasmid transcription was noted in MPTP group and SDF-1α expression was detectable. Intermittent and multiple subcutaneous injections of MPTP can be used to establish a PD model in SDF-1α over-expressing mice, which provides an experimental basis for the investigation of the role of SDF-1α induced chemotaxis and migration in the treatment of PD.