Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of fermented products on performance, faecal pH, Enterobacteriaceae and lactic acid bacteria counts and interrelationships, and plasma cholesterol concentration in rats

Fermented products (FP), a mixed product of raw fish, sea weed, rice bran, sugar cane juice, were obtained in a process of fermentation using combination of cultures of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The objectives of this study were to assess the effects of diets with different levels of FP on performance, faecal pH, Enterobacteriaceae and LAB counts and their relationships, and plasma cholesterol concentration in rats. A total of 24 Sprague Dawley (10 weeks of age) female rats were assigned individually into three groups of 8 rats per treatment. The three dietary treatments were: 1. control diet (basal diet), 2. basal diet + 10% FP and 3. basal diet + 20% FP. The final liveweight, growth rate, total feed intake and feed conversion ratio were not significantly different for all the treatment groups. Addition of FP to the diets reduced the Enterobacteriaceae population in faeces of the rats and significantly (P<0.05) increased numbers of LAB as compared with control rats. The faecal pH in rats fed with FP was more acidic than in rats fed with basal diet. The correlation analyses between LAB counts and Enterobacteriaceae counts, LAB counts and faecal pH and Enterobacteriaceae counts and faecal pH, suggest that FP provides an acidic environment, which encourages the growth of LAB and then leads to the inhibition of Enterobacteriaceae growth. The plasma cholesterol concentrations for rats fed with FP were significantly lower than that of control rats.
Preparation of N-Doped Composite Shell Encapsulated Iron Nanoparticles and Their Magnetic, Adsorptive, and Photocatalytic Properties

The N-doped composite shell encapsulated iron nanoparticles (CSEINPs) were prepared by DC arc discharge under nitrogen at 800°C, using the anode with high Fe content and good homogeneity. The morphology, microstructure, composition, and some properties of the N-doped CSEINPs were characterized by various characterization techniques. The results revealed that the shells of the N-doped CSEINPs were composed of homogeneously amorphous structure containing C, Fe, O, and N elements; the saturation magnetization (Ms) and coercivity (Hc) of them at room temperature were 130źemu/g and 194źOe, respectively. Due to the surface structure and the electrostatic interaction, the N-doped CSEINPs are employed to remove methylene blue (MB) from the waste solution, and they exhibited high adsorption properties and photocatalytic activity under irradiation of visible light (IVL). The kinetics of adsorption of MB on the N-doped CSEINPs was investigated and the recycling test was carried out. The formation mechanism of the N-doped CSEINPs is discussed briefly.
Spatially explicit detection of predation on individual pinnipeds from implanted post-mortem satellite data transmitters

To directly determine mortality and predation in the endangered western Steller sea lion Eumetopias jubatus, we deployed implanted, satellite-linked post-mortem data transmitters in 21 juveniles. Data recovered from 4 of 5 detected mortalities exhibited precipitous drops in ambient temperatures followed by immediate onset of transmissions (N = 3), or gradual cooling and delayed transmissions (N = 1). Precipitous drop data sets were classified as acute death at sea by trauma. A model to estimate algor mortis (body cooling) as a function of mass and ambient conditions was vali- dated through simulations on 4 carcasses. Model outputs suggest that cooling rate masses can be qualitatively distinguished if well outside the prediction uncertainties. The observed gradual cooling rate was best described by a modeled mass one-sixth the animal's mass at release, supporting the classification of the fourth event as acute death at sea by trauma. This suggests that at least 4 in 5 detected mortalities likely represent acute deaths at sea, probably due to predation. We conclude that precipitous drop events with immediate transmissions can be classified as acute death likely by pre- dation, but gradual cooling events with delayed transmission should be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. In 3 cases that provided both ante-mortem and post-mortem locations from external and implanted transmitters, respectively, these differed by less than 17 km, illustrating that this technique provides spatially explicit data of predation on individual sea lions.
Effect of compression on the response of a magneto-rheological suspension

A carbonyl iron-based magneto-rheological suspension was compressed in the direction of the applied magnetic field and the change in rheological properties was measured. It was found that the compression did not have a large effect on the magneto-rheological response, which is in contrast to recent reports in the literature describing an almost order of magnitude increase in the shear yield stress. The difference can be attributed to the latter test's use of a sliding wedge apparatus which imparts considerable shearing to the sample during the compression.
Recent progresses in boundary layer theory

In this article, we review recent progresses in boundary layer analysis of some singular perturbation problems. Using the techniques of differential geometry, an asymptotic expansion of reaction-diffusion or heat equations in a domain with curved boundary is constructed and validated in some suitable functional spaces. In addition, we investigate the effect of curvature as well as that of an ill-prepared initial data. Concerning convection-diffusion equations, the asymptotic behavior of their solutions is difficult and delicate to analyze because it largely depends on the characteristics of the corresponding limit problems, which are first order hyperbolic differential equations. Thus, the boundary layer analysis is performed on relatively simpler domains, typically intervals, rectangles, or circles. We consider also the interior transition layers at the turning point characteristics in an interval domain and classical (ordinary), characteristic (parabolic) and corner (elliptic) boundary layers in a rectangular domain using the technique of correctors and the tools of functional analysis. The validity of our asymptotic expansions is also established in suitable spaces.
Prevalence of Hypertension in Deep and Lobar Intracerebral Hemorrhage in a Group of Iraqi Patients

Background: Non-traumatic Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ICH) results from rupture of blood vessels in the brain. ICH categories can also be considered as being either lobar in location or within the deep white matter. Although hypertension is a major risk factor for ICH in general[11], it is commonly considered to be associated more with patients having deep than with those having lobar haemorrhage.Objectives: We investigate the relationship between hypertension and deep versus lobar intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Methods: a retrospective review of records of 163 patients aged 18-89 years admitted to Al-Kadhimiya Teaching Hospital (January 2008 - October 2010) and diagnosed with ICH.Results: There was no significant relationship between hypertension in deep versus lobar intracerebral hemorrhage (p=0.814)Conclusions: Although the relation between hypertension and ICH was not found to be significant, our study suggests and recommends age-appropriate investigations for patients with ICH, as well as the need to promote patients’ education with regards to this disease and the importance of adherence to treatment of risk factors.
Home buyers’ perception on abandoned housing projects in Malaysia

Abandoned housing project has become a major issue in the housing industry in Malaysia. Despite several efforts by the government to curb the problem, it still exists in the country. The current study offer new insights on the perceptions of home buyers concerning abandoned housing projects in Malaysia. Two Islamic home financing products that is Bai Bithaman Ajil (BBA) and Musharakah Mutanaqisah Partnership (MMP) are considered. The objective is to determine based on the opinion of the respondents, which one is more preferred. In addition, what are some of the potential causes of abandoned housing projects in Malaysia. The perception of home buyers are evaluated based on five variables namely , financing concepts used, justice and fairness, pricing methods, legal and governance, and shari’ah compliance issues. The findings show that, using MMP concept in Islamic home financing is preferred as compared to BBA. Furthermore, insufficient laws and regulations and the use of BBA financing are viewed to be some of the contributing factors that causes abandoned housing projects in Malaysia Keywords: Bai Bithaman Ajil, Musharakah Mutanaqisah Partnership, Justice Abandoned housing projects, Malaysia
Association of feeding and drinking time in the determination of estrus in Murrah buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)

The present study was conducted on the Murrah buffaloes maintained at Livestock Research Centre of National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal. The animals were classified into two groups viz. group I and group II basing on the lactation number as there were some morphological changes in the udder and teats of buffaloes with increasing lactations. In group I, animals up to 3 lactation were there, whereas the animals from 4 to 5 lactation were included in group II. There were 20 buffaloes under group I and 30 buffaloes under group II. It was confirmed that the mean daily feeding time of buffaloes during the reference day in heifer, primipara, pluripara and overall of buffaloes was 191.97±3.43, 262.55±3.61, 212.88±4.11 and 222.47±4.43 min, respectively. The mean night feeding time of buffaloes during the reference day was 64.72±1.85, 100.95±3.29, 77.68±6.18 and 82.64±4.18 min for heifer, primipara, pluripara and overall buffaloes, respectively. The total feeding time (min) in Murrah buffaloes decreased significantly (P<0.05) on the day of estrus (160.66±3.95) compared to that during the reference period (222.47±4.43). The total drinking time was decreased significantly (P<0.05) one day before estrus by 37.86%, 31.32% and 31.70% for primipara, pluripara and overall buffaloes, respectively compared to the day of reference. Further, the feeding time (r=0.252, p=0.779) was found to be positively correlated with estrogen concentration.
Apatite Chlorine Concentration Measurements by LA‐ICP‐MS

Apatite incorporates variable and significant amounts of halogens (mainly F and Cl) in its crystal structure, which can be used to determine the initial F and Cl concentrations of magmas. The amount of chlorine in the apatite lattice also exerts an important compositional control on the degree of fission‐track annealing. Chlorine measurements in apatite have conventionally required electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) is increasingly used in apatite fission‐track dating to determine U concentrations and also in simultaneous U‐Pb dating and trace element measurements of apatite. Apatite Cl measurements by ICP‐MS would remove the need for EPMA but the high (12.97 eV) first ionisation potential makes analysis challenging. Apatite Cl data were acquired using two analytical set‐ups: a Resonetics M‐50 193 nm ArF Excimer laser coupled to an Agilent 7700× quadrupole ICP‐MS (using a 26 μm spot with an 8 Hz repetition rate) and a Photon Machines Analyte Excite 193 nm ArF Excimer laser coupled to a Thermo Scientific iCAP Qc (using a 30 μm spot with a 4 Hz repetition rate). Chlorine concentrations were determined by LA‐ICP‐MS (1140 analyses in total) for nineteen apatite occurrences, and there is a comprehensive EPMA Cl and F data set for 13 of the apatite samples. The apatite sample suite includes different compositions representative of the range likely to be encountered in natural apatites, along with extreme variants including two end‐member chlorapatites. Between twenty‐six and thirty‐nine isotopes were determined in each apatite sample corresponding to a typical analytical protocol for integrated apatite fission track (U and Cl contents) and U‐Pb dating, along with REE and trace element measurements. 35Cl backgrounds (present mainly in the argon gas) were ~ 45–65 kcps in the first set‐up and ~ 4 kcps in the second set‐up. 35Cl background‐corrected signals ranged from ~ 0 cps in end‐member fluorapatite to up to ~ 90 kcps in end‐member chlorapatite. Use of a collision cell in both analytical set‐ups decreased the low mass sensitivity by approximately an order of magnitude without improving the 35Cl signal‐to‐background ratio. A minor Ca isotope was used as the internal standard to correct for drift in instrument sensitivity and variations in ablation volume during sessions. The 35Cl/43Ca values for each apatite (10–20 analyses each) when plotted against the EPMA Cl concentrations yield excellently constrained calibration relationships, demonstrating the suitability of the analytical protocol and that routine apatite Cl measurements by ICP‐MS are achievable.
Equilibrium isotherm studies on the sorption of Pb(II) from solution by Ehandiagu clay

The potential of Ehandiagu clay as an adsorbent for the removal of Pb(II) ions from aqueous solution was investigated. The purpose of this study is the application of the clay as a cheaper alternative for removal of Pb(II) from industrial waste waters. This would help reduce the challenge of the high cost involved in treating industrial effluents in Nigeria and most developing Nations. The effect of initial metal ion concentration was studied using batch method at an optimum pH of 5.0 and contact time of 2 hours. The result showed an increase in adsorption capacity with increase in initial metal ion concentration. In terms of percentage adsorbed, a decrease was observed with increasing metal ion concentration. The equilibrium isotherm regression parameter(R2) showed that the Langmuir isotherm (0.9787) gave a better fit than the Freundlich isotherm (0.9298), and the least been the Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm (0.8001). The value of the apparent energy of adsorption (28.87J/mol) obtained from the Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm indicates a physical adsorption process. The parameters obtained from the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm showed that the sorption of Pb(II) ions on Ehandiagu clay is a favorable adsorption process. These results indicate the applicability of Ehandiagu clay as a good and cheap adsorbent for the removal of Pb(II) from aqueous effluents.
Potential Use of Remote Sensing to Assess Effects of Wave Action on Plant Re-establishment

We evaluated the potential for remote sensing to detect a relationship between wave action factors and plant re-establishment after a habitat enhancement at Lake Kissimmee, Florida. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing, wave action factors were found to be inversely related to the probability of plant re-establishment. This corresponded with our expectation that more exposed areas would experience less plant re-establishment than areas protected from wind. However, when we tried to correlate these wave action factors with areal coverage of aquatic plants based on field measurements, we were unable to detect a significant relationship. Other factors aside from wave action, including littoral slope and the presence of offshore vegetation, may have influenced plant re-establishment in these sites. Remote sensing techniques may be useful to detect large changes in plants communities, but our results suggest that small changes in plant coverages are not detectable using this technique.
Post exit operating performance of PE-backed firms: Evidence from Sweden

This study investigates whether the effects of PE-investors ownership persist over time. Explicitly, an evenly distributed sample of BOand VC-backed firms, 112 in total, are selected from the Swedish PE transaction market during the years between 2004 and 2009. The firms’ post exit operating performance are then examined in relation to a selected sample of matched firms to assess their post exit operating performance, using a set of accounting profitability and earnings measures. The findings from this study suggests that PE-backed firms demonstrate superior operating performance post exit, which to a large extent is driven by superior performance of VC-backed firms. BO-backed firms, however, did not demonstrate superior post exit operating performance. In addition, the operating performance with regards to first time BO as well as different exit routes are specifically investigated, but were not yielding any results that could lead to a conclusion of either better or worse post exit operating performance.
Financial Shocks, Intangible Capital and the Cyclical Behavior of Unemployment

We study the effects of financial shocks on labor markets in a model with both labor and financial frictions, two types of productive capital, physical and intangible, and in which only the former serves as collateral. A tighter borrowing constraint in this environment leads to a fall in credit and investment, skewed in detriment of intangibles, which in its turn lowers the marginal product of labor and reduces the incentives to hire workers. When feeding into the model financial shocks estimated from the data, we find that they explain labor outcomes during the last three downturns in the US, including the sharp increase in unemployment during the great recession.
Investigation of strength recovery of recycled heat treated glass fibres through chemical treatments

The strength loss of thermally treated glass fibre (GF) at elevated temperature is well reported in literature. This phenomenon even occurs at short period of time such as 25 minutes. In the recycling technologies for composites, GFs are usually recovered by degradation of polymeric matrix with thermal and/or chemical treatments. Therefore thermal effect on the strength of GF is a significant factor when restricting the possibilities of recycling this material for a second life. This study reports on the strength of thermally treated commercial GF after acid treatment and silanization of the fibre surface to achieve a proper combination of treatments which may provide us with the ability to recover the mechanical properties of the heat treated GFs. It is thought that silane coupling agents can directly increase and recover the strength of GFs. Two factors associated with this recovery are the possibility of the sizing repairing the damage on the surface of the heat treated GFs and the reduction of the fibre-fibre friction in the bundle through lubricating effect. GF samples were heat treated at 4500C for 25 minutes and coated with silanes, applying different combinations of hydrochloric acid (HCl) and the two silanes used in this study, γ-Aminopropyltrimethoxy Silane (APS) and γ- Methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy Silane (MPS); these fibres were characterized by single fibre testing for strength. The results obtained demonstrated that the fibre strength improves slightly after combination of HCl and MPS treatment, and has a negative effect when the combination of HCl and APS was used. The surface deposition of silane on the surface of the fibre is also discussed using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).
Environmental controls on coccolithophore calcification

Coccolithophores are major contributors to global marine planktonic calcification, and in nature coccolithophores are invariably calcified through almost all of their life cycle. The response of calcification to environmental factors is essential in understanding the persistence of coccolithophores through at least 220 million years of changing global environments, and their prospects for current environmental change. So far the responses examined have been at the level of acclimation rather than adaptation in evolution. Variation in results of CO2 manipulation experiments can be tentatively attributed to variation among genotypes rather than differences in experimental procedure. Comparisons of methods using the same genotype, and of several genotypes using a single method, suggest significant variation among genotypes. The general response is a decreased particulate inorganic carbon (PIC) to particulate organic carbon (POC) ratio in higher than present CO2 concentrations and vice versa for lower CO2 concentrations. Fewer studies have investigated the effect of other environmental factors. Decreased availability of phosphorus and, to a lesser extent, nitrogen, as well as decreasing photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) down to a certain low value increase PIC: POC, while variable results have been found for changes in ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Many of these results can be accommodated by considering the restriction of calcification to the G1 phase of the cell cycle and the length of this phase under different growth conditions. Fewer studies have investigated the interactions among environmental factors which change with increased CO2 and increasing sea surface temperature; the shoaling of the thermocline will increase the mean PAR and UVR whilst decreasing nitrogen and phosphorus availability. More studies of these interactions, as well as of genetic adaptation in response to changed environmental factors, are needed.
Maternal Mortality Trend in Ethiopia

Background: Maternal mortality ratio is one of the indicators in the MDG that is raising concern in achieving the set target of reducing the rate by two-third by 2015. Objectives: To review the maternal mortality trend and the causes of maternal deaths in Ethiopia. Methods: Review of published and unpublished documents addressing maternal mortality in Ethiopia. Result: DHS and hospital data indicate decreasing maternal mortality even though the current maternal mortality ratio is still high. The proportion of maternal deaths due to the each of the five major causes varies with time. Generally, the limited information indicates that the proportion of maternal deaths after unsafe abortion is decreasing while deaths after preeclampsia/ eclampsia are increasing. There is no grossly notable change in the proportion of deaths due to ruptured uterus/ obstructed labor, hemorrhage and sepsis. In recent studies, maternal deaths following hepatitis are not reported while deaths due to HIV are appearing. Deaths complicated by malaria are seen in certain parts of the country. The case fatality rates of preeclampsia/eclampsia and ruptured uterus/ obstructed labor are increasing. Conclusion: Even though the review is constrained by inadequate data and interpretation uncertainty of the findings, it generally indicates the urgent need of improving the quality of maternal health services; scaling up evidence based interventions; and measuring progress. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2010;24 Special Issue 1:115-122]
Hippocampal CA2 Region: A New Player in Social Dysfunctions

For social species, normal social cognitive functions are essential for individuals to survive in a social group. Various neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, autism and bipolar disorder are characterized by the impairments in social cognition. The hippocampus has been at the forefront of research in learning and memory for several decades. Hippocampal dysfunction contributes to learning and memory impairments as well as a range of social dysfunctions. However, precise contributions of different hippocampal sub-regions to differential aspects of cognitive functions remain unclear. This review first describes several key features of social abnormalities related to neuropsychiatric disorders, and then introduces the behavioral tasks used in animal models to assess each feature. Second, it gives a basic description of CA2 anatomy followed by an overview of its known functions. Third, it highlights a number of recent findings that associate the abnormalities of the hippocampal CA2 area and social dysfunctions in both animal models and human patients.