Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ULTRAVIOLET OBSERVATIONS OF SUPER-CHANDRASEKHAR MASS TYPE Ia SUPERNOVA CANDIDATES WITH SWIFT UVOT

Among Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), a class of overluminous objects exist whose ejecta mass is inferred to be larger than the canonical Chandrasekhar mass. We present and discuss the UV/optical photometric light curves, colors, absolute magnitudes, and spectra of three candidate Super-Chandrasekhar mass SNe—2009dc, 2011aa, and 2012dn—observed with the Swift Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope. The light curves are at the broad end for SNe Ia, with the light curves of SN 2011aa being among the broadest ever observed. We find all three to have very blue colors which may provide a means of excluding these overluminous SNe from cosmological analysis, though there is some overlap with the bluest of “normal” SNe Ia. All three are overluminous in their UV absolute magnitudes compared to normal and broad SNe Ia, but SNe 2011aa and 2012dn are not optically overluminous compared to normal SNe Ia. The integrated luminosity curves of SNe 2011aa and 2012dn in the UVOT range (1600–6000 Å) are only half as bright as SN 2009dc, implying a smaller 56Ni yield. While it is not enough to strongly affect the bolometric flux, the early time mid-UV flux makes a significant contribution at early times. The strong spectral features in the mid-UV spectra of SNe 2009dc and 2012dn suggest a higher temperature and lower opacity to be the cause of the UV excess rather than a hot, smooth blackbody from shock interaction. Further work is needed to determine the ejecta and 56Ni masses of SNe 2011aa and 2012dn and to fully explain their high UV luminosities.
A wide-band propagation model based on UTD for cellular mobile radio communications

The present wide-band propagation model based on uniform geometrical theory of diffraction (UTD) for cellular mobile radio communications includes two major contributions. First, a UTD-based narrow-band channel transfer function containing both the diffracted electric field and the reflection of diffracted electric fields is derived. Not only is it an important element of the wide-band modeling method, but it also leads to a total path-loss prediction model verified by comparisons with previously published theoretical and experimental results. In particular, the distance for horizontal placement on the street allows one to calculate the ray-path length difference (used in wide-band modeling) for the diffracted field and the reflection. Second, new refinements (including a number of explicit-form expressions to an existing method experimentally confirmed, simulating wide-band radiowave propagation for rural environments including terrain profiles) are added, making it applicable here. The method generates the time-domain path loss, wide-band path loss, and the relative power in the frequency domain. The time-domain path loss physically interprets and reasonably predicts the power delay profiles. The presence of this and similar power delay profiles, as well as the behavior of the relative power in the frequency domain, has been confirmed by existing wide-band propagation measurements. The value of the wide-band path loss is of the order of the total path loss at the carrier frequency.
Does Military Expenditure Spur Inflation? Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) & Causality Analysis for Nigeria

This study unfold the relationship between inflation and macroeconomic variables of military expenditure, exchange rate, economic growth proxy by gross domestic product and gross fixed capital formation. The finding revealed that military expenditure does not induce inflation in Nigeria and thus recommended that the current funding of the military sector should be sustained for effective combat readiness both internally and externally. Key word : Military Expenditure, Inflation, Vector Error Correction Model, Granger Causality.
A study on profile of patients with parotid swellings attending infectious disease hospital, Hyderabad, Telangana

Background: Mumps is an acute infectious disease caused by RNA virus. Clinically, the disease is presented as non suppurative enlargement and tenderness of one or both the parotid glands. The annual incidence of mumps in the absence of immunization is in the range of 100-1000 cases/100000 population. Mumps mostly occurs in children in age group of 5-9 years. The objectives of the study were to describe the epidemiological factors of cases admitted with parotid swelling; to describe the clinical features of patients admitted with parotid swelling; to assess the demographic factors in relation to complications. Methods: A cross sectional record based retrospective study was carried out at Sir Ronald Ross Institute of Tropical and Communicable Diseases, Hyderabad. All the cases admitted in year 2016 with unilateral or bilateral parotid swellings were included in the study. The study was carried out for 2 months. Results: The mean age of study population in present study was found to be 11.23 years. Around 35.9% of cases were found in the age group of 6-10 years. Males constituted 53.9% of study population and females were 46.1%. The mean duration between the onset of symptoms and admission in hospital was found to be 3.5 days. The most common clinical presentation was fever, parotid swelling and earache. Conclusions: Control of Mumps is difficult as the disease is highly infectious. Long and variable incubation period along with subclinical cases makes the control difficult. However, routine MMR vaccination as part of national immunization schedule can help in be preventing the epidemics.
Study of the development of the area perilingularis

Introduction : The area perilingularis is an anatomo-functional complex that gathers the mandibular foramen, the lingula , the antilingula and the mylohyoid groove. The development of these structures and their ontogenetic coordination have been poorly studied. Material and methods : Development scorings have been made and studied for each of these structures and their links. Results and discussion : These scorings have shown an ontogenetic evolution towards accentuation and migration of the reliefs. Moreover, the development of the structures was statistically linked. The determinism of the area perilingularis , inherited or under the influence of the environment, is discussed. The anthropological perspectives are numerous, and old anthropological conceptions concerning the area perilingularis are questioned.
Impact of wheat non-starch polysaccharides on the intestinal wall and microflora in broilers.

Some cereals like barley, oat, and wheat contain significant quantities of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP). The main problems generated by NSPs are related to their viscous nature, to the physiological and morphological effects on the digestive tract and to their interaction with the intestinal flora. The objective of this experiment was to assess the impact exerted by wheat non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) on the intestinal flora and wall in broilers. The experiment was carried out during 6 weeks. We created two experimental groups: the experimental group EG1 fed on forage without wheat in its structure, and the experimental group EG2 fed on combined forage including 40% wheat. At 6 weeks old, after broiler killing, we sampled the intestinal wall and determined lactic bacteria and coliforms. Wheat incorporation in a proportion of 40 % in the combined forage determines the increase of NSP content with 1.84 percentage points; the number of lactic bacteria decreases insignificantly in EG2, fed on forage including wheat. In the experimental variant EG2, the mean height of the jejunal mucosa vilosity was bigger (684.6μ) than in the variant EG1 (403.9 μ), and these were coated with a slightly-hypertrophic epithelium (32.4 μ); on some of the areas, the capillaries were ectasied and we could notice hemorrhagic regions.
Mass ejection in failed supernovae: variation with stellar progenitor

We study the ejection of mass during stellar core-collapse when the stalled shock does not revive and a black hole forms. Neutrino emission during the protoneutron star phase causes a decrease in the gravitational mass of the core, resulting in an outward going sound pulse that steepens into a shock as it travels out through the star. We explore the properties of this mass ejection mechanism over a range of stellar progenitors using spherically-symmetric, time-dependent hydrodynamic simulations that treat neutrino mass loss parametrically and follow the shock propagation over the entire star. We find that all types of stellar progenitor can eject mass through this mechanism. The ejected mass is a decreasing function of the surface gravity of the star, ranging from several $M_\odot$ for red supergiants to $\sim 0. 1M_\odot$ for blue supergiants and $\sim 10^{-3} M_\odot $ for Wolf-Rayet stars. We find that the final shock energy at the surface is a decreasing function of the core-compactness, and is $\lesssim 10^{47}-10^{48}$ erg in all cases. In progenitors with a sufficiently large envelope, high core-compactness, or a combination of both, the sound pulse fails to unbind mass. Successful mass ejection is accompanied by significant fallback accretion that can last from hours to years. We predict the properties of shock breakout and thermal plateau emission produced by the ejection of the outer envelope of blue supergiant and Wolf-Rayet progenitors in otherwise failed supernovae.
The Effects of an Environmental Policy on Consumers: Lessons from the Chinese Plastic Bag Regulation

To reduce plastic bag litter, China introduced a nationwide regulation requiring all retailers to charge for plastic shopping bags on June 1, 2008. By using the policy implementation as a natural experiment and collecting individual-level data before and after the implementation, we investigate the impacts of the regulation on consumers’ bag use. We find that the regulation implementation caused a 49% reduction in the use of new bags. Besides regulation enforcement, consumers’ attitude toward the regulation and some consumers’ socioeconomic characteristics also affected bag consumption. However, the regulation effects differ largely among consumer groups and among regions and shopping occasions.
Ranolazine improves glucose and lipid homoestasis in streptozotocin induced diabetes mellitus in albino wistar rats

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is one of the most common metabolic disorders at present with increasing incidence worldwide. The disease progresses with eventual multi-system involvement such as adverse cardiovascular outcomes. This necessitates pharmacotherapy which is able to retard disease progression, have a favourable cardiovascular profile in addition to stabilisation of glucose homeostasis. Ranolazine is an anti-anginal drug, which has been shown to reduce HbA1c in patients with CAD and diabetes in various clinical trials. Methods: Albino wistar rats of either sex weighing 150-200 grams, bred in central animal facility of JSS Medical College were used for the study. The animals were randomly divided into three groups of six animals each. Diabetes was induced in all 3 groups of animals by injecting streptozotocin in a dose of 45 mg/kg. After 72 hours of STZ administration, rats with blood glucose levels greater than 250 mg/dl were selected for the study. Capillary blood glucose levels were measured on 0, 7 th , 14 th , 21 st , 28 th days. Blood lipid levels were measured at baseline and day 28. Results: There was a persistent decrease in plasma glucose levels in the ranolazine treated animals during the study. Fasting plasma glucose levels were significantly lower in the ranolazine-treated group (206.3+12.74 mg/dl) compared with the vehicle group (437.8+34.03mg/dl) at 4 weeks. Ranolazine had a favourable effect on lipid profile when compared to the control (vehicle treated) animals. Conclusions: Ranolazine improved glucose and lipid homeostasis in streptozotocin induced diabetic wistar rats. Further studies are needed to validate the findings and elucidate the exact mechanism.
The Expression of VEGFR2 and VEGFR3 in Early Gastric Cancer and Its Clinical Significance

Background: To explore the expression and its clinical significance of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor II and III (VEGFR2 and VEGFR3) in early gastric cancer.Methods: Immunohistochemical method is applied to detect 120 cases of early gastric cancer and normal gastric tissue of its cut edge in the expression of VEGFR2 and VEGFR3.Results: The positive expression rates of VEGFR2 and VEGFR3 in early gastric cancer are 75% and 60%, which are higher than in normal gastric tissues of cut edge (22.5%, 12.5%), respectively. The expression of VEGFR2 and VEGFR3 is associated with depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis (P 0.05). Conclusion: VEGFR2 and VEGFR3 play important roles in occurrence and development of early gastric cancer, which potentially provides a basis for targeted molecular therapy of early gastric cancer.
A Systems Level Comparison of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium smegmatis Based on Functional Interaction Network Analysis

Mycobacterium leprae is a pathogenic bacteria that causes leprosy, a disease which affects mainly the skin, peripherical nerves, eyes and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract. Despite significant progress recorded in the last few years to stop this disease through a Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) strategy, every year there are new reported cases of the disease. According to the World Health Organization, there were 192,242 new cases at the beginning of 2011. Mycobacterium leprae cannot be cultured in the laboratory but can be grown in mouse foot pads and more recently in nine banded armadillos because of its susceptibility to leprosy. Its highly reduced genome makes it an interesting species as a model for reductive evolution within the mycobacterial genus; it shares the same ancestor with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). A functional network for MTB was generated previously and extensive computational analyses were conducted to reveal the biological organization of the organism on the basis of the network’s topological properties. Here, we use genomic sequences and functional data from public databases to build protein functional networks for another slow grower, Mycobacterium leprae (MLP) and the fast growing non-pathogenic Mycobacterium smegmatis (MSM). Together with the MTB network, this provides an opportunity for comparison of three mycobacteria with different sized genomes. In this paper, we use network centrality measures to systematically compare MTB, MLP and MSM to quantify differences between these organisms at the systems biology level and to study network biology and evolution.
Visual acuity screening in schools: A systematic review of alternate screening methods

Abstract Purpose: Visual acuity (VA) screening in schools has been widely adopted by eye programs around the world. This review evaluates the efficacy and cost of alternate VA screening methods to identify school-age children with undetected visual deﬁcits due to refractive error and other visual disorders. Methods: Published studies were identified from Ovid MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process, and EMBASE for trials from 1974 to March 2015 as well as from reference and author searches. All controlled studies were included. Data extraction tables were developed a priori for key screening test performance indicators, including compliance. Results: Three trials met the inclusion criteria, two comparing alternate teacher models and one compared teachers to primary eye care workers using three different VA thresholds. School vision screening using “all class teachers” (ACTs) found significantly fewer screen-positive children than select teachers (STs) (9.9 vs. 16.6% [p < 0.001] respectively) and significantly more children with visual disorders (5.7 vs. 4.0% [p < 0.001] respectively) at 30% of the cost and improved compliance. Teachers performed similarly to primary eye care workers in detecting children with visual disorders with 6/12 the optimal cut-off level. Conclusions: Using detection of children with visual disorders as outcome, evidence supports school screening using “ACTs” and a 6/12 VA threshold. Using the proportion of students with visual disorders who attend follow up at the referral hospital within three months as outcome, one study supports use of ACTs. Using cost per child detected with visual disorders as outcome, one study supports use of ACTs.
Upper Albian to Lower Cenomanian biostratigraphy in the Oyubari area, Hokkaido, Japan: toward a Cretaceous biochronology for the North Pacific

KAWABE, F. , TAKASHIMA, R. , WANI, R. , NISHI, H. & MORIYA, K. 2003. Upper Albian to Lower Cenomanian biostratigraphy in the Oyubari area, Hokkaido, Japan: toward a Cretaceous biochronology for the North Pacific. Acta Geologica Polonica, 53 (2), 81-91. Warszawa. An integrated planktonic foraminifer and ammonoid biostratigraphy for the Oyubari area, Hokkaido, Japan, provides new insights into the late Albian to early Cenomanian biochronology of the North Pacific province. The following foraminifers extend Tethyan zonation to the Oyubari area: Biticinella breggiensis (lower Upper Albian), Rotalipora subticinensis - Rotalipora ticinensis (middle Upper Albian), Rotalipora appenninica (upper Upper Albian), and Rotalipora globotruncanoides (Lower Cenomanian) zones. Co-occurring age-indicative ammonoids such as Mortoniceras rostratum, Mariella bergeri, and Mantelliceras saxbii, are in accord with these foraminifer ages. The base of the Cenomanian stage in Hokkaido is recognized as the first occurrence of Rotalipora globotruncanoides, which is close to the horizon of the occurrence of Mantelliceras. The first occurrence of Desmoceras (Pseudouhligella) japonicum, regarded as a Cenomanian marker species in the North Pacific province, is of latest Albian age in the global biochronological scale.
The Skeletal Muscle Microvasculature and Its Effects on Metabolism

Skeletal muscle is a major metabolic organ that plays a critical role in regulating glucose homeostasis and lipid utilization. Impaired muscle metabolic response is evident in diseases such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases, and is also often associated with microvascular dysfunction. Here, we investigate the changes that can occur in the muscle microvasculature and the profound impact they can have on metabolism. Under basal conditions, vasoactive compounds are able to affect metabolism in muscle by providing more glucose and oxygen to resting muscle. Insulin and exercise increase the perfusion of muscle, and thus provide more microvascular surface area, increasing the delivery of these metabolites to muscle. Endothelial dysfunction can therefore impair the delivery of oxygen, glucose and hormones to muscle, both through effects on blood flow distribution and the transport of these factors across the endothelium, leading to a decrease in oxygen consumption and glucose metabolism. Obesity and diabetes are associated with endothelial dysfunction and are accompanied by underlying changes in metabolism and reductions in insulin sensitivity. The muscle is a highly metabolic organ, and the vasculature is essential to maintain appropriate metabolic response; therefore, the muscle microcirculation may be a target for treating metabolic disease.
Predicting Exercise Behavior: Testing Personal, Athletic, and Psychological Variables

This study analyzes whether personal, athletic, and psychological factors predict the perception of current exercise frequency. The study included 193 part icipants, of whom 130 were females (67.4%) and 63 were males (32.6%). Personal and athletic information, current exercise frequency, exercise attitudes, perceived behavioral control, expected outcomes of exercising, behavioral regulation, satisfaction with life, and satisfaction with body shape and physical appearancewere evaluated. The results showed that perception of current exercise frequency was best predicted by personal and athletic variables, followed by satisfaction with body shape and physical appearance, intrinsic regulation, and negative expectations about exercise. In conclusion, considering the role of personal and athletic variables (and some psychological dimensions) seems important in explaining exercise behavior.
Uptake of NO3 and N2O5 to Saharan dust, ambient urban aerosol and soot: A relative rate study

Abstract. The uptake of NO3 and N2O5 to Saharan dust, ambient aerosols and soot was investigated using a novel and simple relative rate method with simultaneous detection of both NO3 and N2O5. The use of cavity ring down spectroscopy to detect both trace gases enabled the measurements to be carried out at low mixing ratios ( 15. A value of γ(NO3)/γ(N2O5)~1.5–3 was obtained when using candle generated soot. The relative rate obtained for Saharan dust can be placed on an absolute basis using our recently determined value of γ(N2O5)=1×10−2 to give γ(NO3)=9×10−3, which is significantly smaller than the single previous value. With the present uptake coefficient, reaction of NO3 with mineral dust will generally not contribute significantly to its NO3 loss in the boundary atmosphere or to the nitration of mineral dust.
Drivers and barriers of the digitalization of local owner operated retail outlets

Abstract A disruptive innovation process in the retail industry threatens the very existence of Local Owner Operated Retail Outlets (LOOROs). The traditional business model of LOOROs is challenged by digitalization pressure imposed by online and offline competitors on the one side and by changing shopping habits of their customers on the other. Despite all digitally-enabled opportunities to regain competitive power, LOOROs still hesitate to adopt digital tools and applications. The aim of this study is to examine drivers and barriers of the digitalization of LOOROs to identify possible trigger points that can promote their digital development. Therefore, we conducted a survey among 223 LOORO owners from 26 cities in Germany. The results indicate high uncertainty among SME retailers about what to do and where to begin the path towards digitalization. LOOROs positive attitude towards digitalization is the only driver. Furthermore, LOOROs face manifold barriers, including lack of available resources, low perception of external pressures, low intentions to use and low current use of digitalization. Our findings reveal that the use of digital tools and applications for administration and marketing could work as a suitable trigger to promote digital development and are promising starting points for LOOROs.
Exploring the Effect of Mental Demand in Web Searches: A Pilot Study

ABSTRACT This pilot study explored the effect of mental demand on a Web searcher’s thoughts, emotions, efforts, and performance in Web searches in order to address whether or not there is any difference between searchers exposed to mental demand manipulation and searchers not exposed. Research data were collected via think-aloud protocol (TAP) with a dual-task in experiments and interviews with 10 subjects who participated in this study. For the searcher’s thoughts, relevance judgment was found to be hindered by mental demand. For the searcher’s emotions, the experimental group was more frustrated than the control group. With respect to the searcher’s efforts, searchers for the experimental group with mental demand manipulation were more likely to spend more time, make fewer queries, and visit fewer pages but work harder to find more relevant information that they needed. Lastly, with regard to the searcher’s performance, it is likely that performance was highly dependent upon the completion of the search tasks for both groups. The NASA-TLX six components and cognitive load scores of searchers did not make a significant difference in the outcome. The findings support the use of a dual-task methodology as a promising approach for the assessment of cognitive load induced by complex Web searches.Keywords: Mental Demand, Cognitive Load, Web Search, NASA-TLX, Dual-Tasks, Think Aloud Protocol