Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of hemi-orchidectomy on reproductive traits of boars

Large White boars (n = 120) were assigned to hemi-orchidectomy at 60, 100, 140 or 300 days of age or as intact controls throughout the 450 day observation period to evaluate the effects of unilateral testicular hypertrophy on libido (reaction time - RT), ejaculation rate (EJACS) and sperm quality in hemi-orchidectomised males. Hemi-orchidectomy of the experimental males involved the surgical removal of the left testis. Sperm viability tests were performed from aliquots of fresh semen following libido and sexual capacity tests. Hemi-orchidectomy of boars at days 60, 100, 140 and 300 of age caused the weight of the remaining testis to hypertrophise by 15.1%, 124.4%, 346% and 483.2%, respectively, as compared to the uncastrated control at 450 days. All the measurements were taken at the end of the study period (day 450). Total daily sperm production per testis (TDSP) increased to 154%, 160.8, 184.3% and 247%, respectively, with this increase being dramatic (247%) in the 300 day old boars. At day 450 compensatory testicular hypertrophy in boars hemi-orchidectomised at day 300 resulted in the highest number of mounts (15.6 ± 0.8 per 30 min), ejaculation rates (9.7 ± 0.9 per 30 min), total sperm count (94.1 ± 4.7 x 109), sperm motility (90.3 ± 1.7%) and normal acrosome morphology (92.2 ± 2.3%), with the shortest RT (2.2 ± 0.5 min). Mounting frequency, RT, EJACS, total sperm, sperm motility and normal acrosome morphology were correlated with testis weight, TDSP, seminiferous tubular diameter, tubular length, tubular mass and total Leydig cell mass. Results suggest that hemi-orchidectomy induces compensatory testicular hypertrophy, leading to significant improvement in the reproductive output of boars. These responses became more pronounced the older the boars were when orchidectomised. South African Journal of Animal Science Vol. 36(3) 2006: 181-188
Students’ engagement profiles in mathematics according to learning environment dimensions: Developing an evidence base for best practice in mathematics education

The Best Practice in Mathematics Education project was funded by the Australian Office of the Chief Scientist, to examine promotion of students’ learning, engagement and aspirations in this core learning domain. We draw upon cross-sectional survey data from 551 students in grades three to nine to examine how students’ mathematics engagement relates to key dimensions of their learning climate (mastery or performance focused classrooms), teacher enthusiasm, and school caring. Engagement is known to be associated with positive school outcomes and influenced by environmental factors. Less known is whether, and the extent to which, students have different profiles of engagement across component dimensions (Fredricks, Blumenfeld, & Paris, 2004); and, how profiles may differ according to experienced environment dimensions. We first develop profiles of adolescents’ behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement using multilevel latent class analysis, educing three profiles of ‘engaged’, ‘compliant’, and ‘disengaged’ students, who systematically differed on experienced environmental factors. Mastery focused classrooms, enthusiastic teachers and caring school environment were experienced most by engaged, and least by disengaged students; performance focused classrooms were unrelated to engagement profiles. Identified patterns will be of particular use to teachers in understanding how class, teacher, and school influences together shape students’ own engagement in mathematics.
Int. J. Biosci

Plantago major is a medicinal herb belongs to the family Plantaginaceae. The effects of a range of plant growth regulators and different explants on mucilage production were examined. Root and leaf tissues were used as explants. Murashinge and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 2,4-D or Kinetin, at 0.01, 0.1 and 0.5 mg l-1 alone or in combination with IAA 1 mgl-1 for callus induction. Result of analysis of variance showed significant difference between explants for some traits included callus induction rate, fresh weight, and callus diameter. Also, significant differences were observed between media for callus induction, callus diameter, fresh weight, dry weight, relative water content of callus, mucilage harvest index and mucilage yield. The best response was observed from root segments on MS medium containing 0.8 mg/l 2,4,D and 0.1mg l-1 kinetin in some traits included callus diameter, fresh and dry weight, mucilage percentage and mucilage yield. Results revealed that the highest relative growth rate of callus was observed on media containing 1 mg l-1 2,4-D and 0.5 mg l-1 kinetin. MS medium supplemented with 2.5 mgl-1 2,4-D and 0.01 mg l-1 kinetin showed the highest harvest index of mucilage. Optimal medium for mucilage production was found to be MS medium containing 0.8 mgl-1 2,4-D and 1 mg l-1 kinetin and root as explants. Results of mean comparison for mucilage production showed that media containing 0.8 mg l-1 2,4-D and 0.1 mg l-1 kinetin and leaf as explant was produced higher mucilage than that of control plant. * Corresponding Author: Lia Shooshtari  l_shooshtary@yahoo.com International Journal of Biosciences | IJB | ISSN: 2220-6655 (Print) 2222-5234 (Online) http://www.innspub. net Vol. 5, No. 6, p. 55-60, 2014
DOES PLACEMENT SEQUENCING OF THE AUDITOR’S REPORT IN MALAYSIAN COMPANIES’ ANNUAL REPORTS MATTER?

This study investigates whether a firm's management decision to locate the auditor's report in the financial statements is explained by information signaling theory.We posit that a firm that conveys good news is more likely to place its auditor's report at the beginning of the financial statements than at the end, and vice-versa.Based on 698 firms listed on the Bursa Malaysia as on December 31, 2002, we find that majority of Malaysian listed firms in Malaysia place their auditor‟s reports at the beginning rather than at the end of the financial statements.This could be a manifestation of the importance of the auditor‟s report in the financial reporting framework. However, our evidence the type of news, as measured by Tobin's q, ROA and EPS, does not have any association with the location of the auditor's report. Thus, it is concluded that information signaling theory is not supported.
OF THE LEPTIN GENE IN RIVERINE BUFFALOES

The present study was undertaken with the objectives of sequence characterization and studying the genetic variation in leptin gene locus 2nd exon and 3rd exon in Murrah buffalo by PCRRFLP. The leptin gene was amplifi ed by PCR using oligonucleotide primers standardized for Bos taurus species. 289 bp fragment comprising of exon 2 and 405 bp fragment containing exon 3 of leptin gene were amplifi ed and digested with Alu I , AciI, MspI, Sau3AI, HphI restriction enzyme using a cattle specifi c primer. The sizes of the amplifi cation products were similar in cattle and buffalo. The leptin gene in buffalo reveals monomorphism since no variation was found. The result indicates strong conservation of DNA sequence between cattle and buffalo. Nucleotide sequence variations observed in the leptin gene between Bubalus bubalis and Bos taurus species revealed 97.0% nucleotide identity. Sequence comparison of buffalo with cattle reveals variation at eight nucleotide sequences at positions 983, 1083, 1147, 1152, 1221, 1371, 3318, 3333 when all the SNPs are synonymous resulting in no change in amino acids. The milk production traits namely milk yield and fat yield could not be associated with buffalo leptin genotypes due to their monomorphic haplotype.
Social Bonds, Self-Control and Deviance of Korean Adolescents

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship among social bonds, self-control, and deviance. A selfreport instrument containing two formations of control and deviance was administered to a sample of 368 Korean high school students. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis was used to test the magnitude of the independent effects of social bonds and self-control on deviance. Path analysis was used to examine the relationship among social bonds, self-control, and deviance. Results showed that self-control and social bonds can be considered as two important aspects of the self-regulatory mechanism which influences the individual’s decision to offend or not to offend when presented with the opportunity. The path model, furthermore, suggested that social bonds can be seen as an intervening or mediating variable between self-control and juvenile offending.
The possibility of using Sansevieria aethiopica (Thunb) leaf extracts in combinations with gentamicin for the treatment of oral enterococcal infections

Sansevieria aethiopica (Thunb) has been reported to be used for the treatment of oral infections in Eastern Cape of South Africa. Based on ethnobotanical survey, the plant was selected for the possible synergistic effects of its acetone, ethanol and methanolic extracts with gentamicin on the planktonic and sessile cells of Enterococcus faecalisATCC 29212 and Enterococcus faecalis KZN. In vitro interactions between the plant extracts and gentamicin were studied using checkerboard macrodilution method and anti-biofilm activity of the iso-effective combinations was determined by semi-quantitative adherence assay. Acetone extract of S. aethiopica has the highest inhibitory activity. The minimum concentration of gentamicin that inhibited the two isolates was the same (0.016 mg/ml). Different iso-effective points were observed with fractional inhibitory concentration indexes ranged between 0.375 and 1.9313. Out of the iso-effective points observed only four were synergistic while one was addictive. The maximum biofilm reduction was observed when the two antibacterial agents were combined. We therefore suggest that the extracts of the plant at the test concentrations can be used in combination with gentamicin for oral hygiene. Key words: Enterococcus faecalis, Sansevieria aethiopica, biofilm, planktonic cell, dental infection, medicinal plant.
Constraining the parameters of globular cluster NGC 1904 from its variable star population

Aims. We present the analysis of 11 nights of V and I time-series observations of the globular cluster NGC 1904 (M 79). Using this we searched for variable stars in this cluster and attempted to refine the periods of known variables, making use of a time baseline spanning almost 8 years. We use our data to derive the metallicity and distance of NGC 1904. Methods. We used difference imaging to reduce our data to obtain high-precision light curves of variable stars. We then estimated the cluster parameters by performing a Fourier decomposition of the light curves of RR Lyrae stars for which a good period estimate was possible. Results. Out of 13 stars previously classified as variables, we confirm that 10 are bona fide variables. We cannot detect variability in one other within the precision of our data, while there are two which are saturated in our data frames, but we do not find sufficient evidence in the literature to confirm their variability. We also detect a new RR Lyrae variable, giving a total number of confirmed variable stars in NGC 1904 of 11. Using the Fourier parameters, we find a cluster metallicity [Fe/H]ZW = −1.63 ± 0.14, or [Fe/H]UVES = −1.57 ± 0.18, and a distance of 13.3 ± 0.4 kpc (using RR0 variables) or 12.9 kpc (using the one RR1 variable in our sample for which Fourier decomposition was possible).
UvA-DARE ( Digital Academic Repository ) Brain state and changes of mind : Probing the neural bases of multi-stable perceptual dynamics

is constant. For example, in motion-induced blindness (MIB), a salient visual target surrounded by a moving pattern suddenly disappears from perception, only to reappear neural activity, mounting evidence suggests that the perceptual changes, in turn, may also cause modulations of activity in several brain areas, including visual cortex. Here, perception. We used magneto-encephalography (MEG) to measure modulations in cortical population activity during MIB. We observed a transient, retinotopically widespread linked to the time of subjects’ behavioral report of the target disappearance. This betamodulation was a top-down signal, decoupled from both the physical stimulus properties and the motor response, but contingent on the behavioral relevance of the perceptual target disappearance. We propose that the transformation of the perceptual change into a report triggers a top-down mechanism that stabilizes the newly selected perceptual interpretation. beta-oscillations, bistable perception, brain dynamics, brain state, perceptual decision-making
Changes in the pattern of opium addiction in Bam after the earthquake

Introduction Opium abuse is a serious public health problem in Iran and neighboring countries (1). While heroin is the most widely consumed opiate worldwide, seventy five percent of opium that is not converted into heroin is consumed in just five countries (2). These countries include Iran (42%) followed by Afghanistan (7%), Pakistan (7%), India (6%) and the Russian Federation (5%). The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has considered addiction as one of the quadruplet crises in the world and has categorized Iran among the high risk countries. The prevalence rate of addiction is 0.5% for the world but it is 1% to 2 % for Iran and the deaths caused by addiction are increasing systematically (3). Reports also by the UNODC show that 93% of the world’s illicit opium trade comes from Afghanistan (2). The current rise of addiction in Iran has propelled the government into a serious action by supporting addict treatment centers to offer methadone, providing rehabilitation access for addicts and those suffering from HIV/Aides and the hungry people (4). Raw opium consists of a broad spectrum of various chemical derivatives in its sticky secretions of the poppy (Papaver somniferum). The opium derivatives are mainly alkaloids including morphine, heroin, noscapine, papaverine, codeine and cocaine (5). In Iran, opium has been a popular medicinal plant substance for centuries, although its use and trade are officially prohibited. A random household study in northern Iran revealed a rate of 69/1000 for opium addiction. This survey did not include the number of unregistered opium abusers (6). In another study which was conducted among 2519 university students, findings showed that 4.4% of participants admitted using opium Original Article
Thermal characteristics of ten Andean lizards of the genus Liolaemus in central Chile

We studied the ecology of ten species of tropidurid lizards in the genus Liolaemus on an altitudinal transect in the central Chilean Andes, from 1500 to 3000 m elevation, to determine whether physiological factors may be setting distribution limits. Detailed data on thermal biology are presented here. There was a lack of association between lizard thermal tolerance and elevation, thus suggesting that these temperature relationships did not set distributional limits within the elevations of the study transect. Some physical factors did influence the thermal biology of Liolaemus. Body mass determined thermal inertia, thus influencing rates of cooling and heating. Larger body size and its consequent thermal inertia in part may determine die! activity periods, with smaller individuals active earlier and larger individuals active later. Non mass-related differences in heating rates also existed among the species: those at higher elevations heated more slowly. The cooler ambient temperatures at higher elevations did not produce interspecific differences in body temperature, but most high-elevation species showed an intraspecific decrease in body temperature with elevation.
Local behaviour of the solutions of a class of nonlinear elliptic systems

Here we study the behaviour near a punctual singularity of the positive solutions of semilinear elliptic systems in R (N 3) given by u+ jxj uv = 0; v + jxj uv = 0; (where a; b; p; q; s; t 2 R , p; q > 0; s; t 0 ). We describe the rst undercritical case, and the sublinear and linear cases. The proofs do not use any variational methods, but lie essentially upon comparison properties between the two solutions u and v, and the properties of the subsolutions and supersolutions of the scalar equation f + jxj f = 0 ( ; 2 R , > 0). This extends the classical study of the scalar equation when 0 < < max (N; (N + ))=(N 2).
Factors related to blood pressure control in a prospective cohort of hypertensive outpatients

Previous studies have reported a controversial relationship between inadequate blood pressure control and predictor variables. Current prospective cohort study analyzes the interference of age, gender, diabetes and medication adherence in the control of blood pressure of hypertensive outpatients. Patients were interviewed under blind conditions to determine medication adherence, and clinical variables assessment were standardized. Univariate analysis of variance identified the variables correlated to blood pressure control at the end of the follow-up period. Missing data were excluded from analysis. After adjusting for confounders with univariate analysis, the association between the outcome (BP control rate) with significant factors and the calculated adjusted odds ratios (OR) and their 95% CI was analyzed by logistic regression. No interference by age or medication adherence in blood pressure control was reported. In fact, the higher the number of medications in use, the greater were the chances of having blood pressure control in disorder. Females are associated with a 3.1 increase in odds ratio of poor blood pressure control. Compared with non-diabetic hypertensive patients, hypertensive diabetic ones had a lower chance of poor blood pressure control.
Future of Monte Carlo simulations of atmospheric showers

In 2013, the air shower simulation model CORSIKA had a major release opening new windows in term of uncertainty due to hadronic interaction models and of simulation time. On the one hand, the two hadronic models EPOS and QGSJETII were updated taking into account new LHC data. As a consequence the uncertainties in air shower observables were reduced by about a factor of 2 at the highest energies. On the second hand, two new possibilites of running CORSIKA were introduced: either in a parallel mode on big CPU clusters allowing the simulation of unthinned showers in a reasonable time, or using cascade equations to reduce the simulation time by about of factor of 10 on a single CPU. All these improvements will be presented.
Serum Selenium Concentration and Subsequent Risk of Diabetes Miletus in Pakistan

Background: The purpose of the study was to explore a relationship between serum Selenium level and diabetes. Methods: Analysis of 100 blood samples were carried out, collected from Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, Pakistan. All the subjects selected were local inhabitants of Rawalpindi and Islamabad and their serum selenium levels were measured by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometer. Results: Analysis of the mean serum selenium level in the male and female patients of both type I and II were 169 ± 91 μg/L and 199.25 ± 120 μg/L respectively while mean serum selenium level among males and females of healthy subjects was 245.59 ± 131 μg/L and 239.92 ± 138. Conclusion: Serum Selenium level and Diabetes has an inverse relation.
Technical and Vocational Education and Training: Why Attainment of Kenya’s Vision 2030 is an Illusive Goal for TVET Graduates

DOI: 10.15580/GJER.2018. 2.030818035 The study examined the role Graduates from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) towards contributing to the attainment of Vision 2030 in Kenya. The study had two objectives, to determine the perceived importance of TVET and find out the major challenges inhibiting the contribution of graduates from TVET institutions from effectively contributing towards attainment of Kenya’s Vision 2030 which is geared towards making Kenya a newly industrialized and middle income country that can provide high quality life for all citizens by the year 2030. The study used 214 participants comprising 38 managers, 72 trainers, and 104 trainees from TVET institutions in Kenya. The Study utilized structured questionnaires, interview guide and observation schedules to collect data. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics especially the mean and standard deviation and qualitative narrative approaches. The study established that the majority of participants were of the opinion that, graduates from TVET were not well prepared for the Kenyan world of work and had negative attitudes towards informal sector employment opportunities. This negative attitude had hindered trainees from choosing TVET and as such were largely unemployed. The TVET training sector has also suffered from fragmentation and lack of coordination having moved from one ministry to the other over the years. It was evident that, students preferred pursuing technical training at university level, causing a serious imbalance between the Technicians and Engineers. This trend has negatively impacted on the efforts made by the Government of Kenya towards being a newly industrialized country as enshrined in Vision 2030. The study recommends that, there should be a new paradigm shift in Kenya by reversing this negative attitude among the youth and making overt efforts through appropriate incentives to ensure success of TVET training in the country. Submitted: 08/03/2018 Accepted: 24/03/2018 Published: 30/03/2018
Identification and redshift determination of quasi-stellar objects with medium-band photometry: application to Gaia

All-sky, multicolour, medium deep (V≃ 20) surveys have the potentiality of detecting several hundred thousands of quasi-stellar objects (QSOs). Spectroscopic confirmation is not possible for such a large number of objects, so that secure photometric identification and precise photometric determination of redshifts (and other spectral features) become mandatory. This is especially the case for the Gaia mission, in which QSOs play the crucial role of fixing the celestial referential frame, and in which more than 900 gravitationally lensed QSOs should be identified. We first built two independent libraries of synthetic QSO spectra reflecting the most important variations in the spectra of these objects. These libraries are publicly available for simulations with any instrument and photometric system. Traditional template fitting and artificial neural networks (ANNs) are compared to identify QSOs among the population of stars using broad- and medium-band photometry (BBP and MBP, respectively). Besides those two methods, a new one, based on the spectral principal components (SPCs), is also introduced to estimate the photometric redshifts. Generic trends as well as results specifically related to Gaia observations are given. We found that (i) ANNs can provide clean, uncontaminated QSO samples suitable for the determination of the reference frame, but with a level of completeness decreasing from ≃50 per cent at the Galactic pole at V= 18 to ≃ 16 per cent at V= 20; (ii) the χ2 approach identifies about 90 per cent (60 per cent) of the observed QSOs at V= 18 (V= 20), at the expense of a higher stellar contamination rate, reaching ≃95 per cent in the galactic plane at V= 20. Extinction is a source of confusion and makes difficult the identification of QSOs in the galactic plane and (iii) the χ2 method is better than ANNs to estimate the photometric redshifts. Due to colour degeneracies, the largest median absolute error (|Δz|Median≃ 0.2) is predicted in the range 0.5 < zspec < 2. The method based on the SPCs is promisingly good at recovering the redshift, in particular for V < 19 and z < 2.5 QSOs. For bright (V≲ 18) QSOs, SPCs are also able to recover the spectral shape from the BBP and MBP data.