Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A calpain inhibitor elevated expressions of NF-κB in atrial fibrillation canine atria

This aim of this study is to observe the alterations of calpain proteolytic system and effect of a calpain I inhibitor on NF-κB expressions in rapid pacing canine atrial fibrillation (AF) models. Twenty-one dogs were divided equally into three groups: a sham operation group, a control AF group and a calpain inhibitor group. Rapid right atrium pacing at 600 beats per min was applied in the control AF group and the calpain inhibitor group. N-Acetyl-Leu-Leu-Met (1.0 mg/kg/day) was administered in the calpain inhibitor group for three weeks. The protein expressions of NF-κB, calpain I, calpain II and calpastatin were assessed by immunohistochemistry and gene amplification of NF-κB and calpain I were detected by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction. The highest density of calpain I was shown in the control AF group (p < 0.01, vs. calpain inhibitor group and sham operation group). Protein expression of calpain II and calpastatin had no significant difference among the three groups. Gene amplification results of calpain I unveiled the most active transcription was in the calpain inhibitor group (p < 0.01, vs. control AF group and sham operation group). The mRNA expression of NFκB were elevated in the calpain inhibitor group, the cycle of threshold means were (20.1±5.1), while were (33.4±6.1) and (30.4±5.8) in the sham operation group and control AF group, respectively. NF-κB protein expressions in calpain inhibitor group were positive, while were negative in the other two groups. In canine heart muscle cells, atrial fibrillation elevated calpain I gene transcription, promoted protein expression and enhanced protease activity. The calpain I inhibitor N-Acetyl-Leu-Leu-Met promoted NF-κB gene transcription and protein expressions in AF canine models.
Fate of aflatoxins during traditional melon cake and sauce processing

Melon cake is a non-fermented, traditionally processed food product obtained from melon seeds, and it is consumed as a snack or added to soup. Melon sauce is obtained during the final step of melon cake processing and it is used with melon cake during soup making. This study focused on evaluating the fate of aflatoxin during traditional melon seed processing into melon cake and sauce as a combined product. Shelled melon seeds were purchased from local markets and traditionally processed into melon cake and sauce. Samples were obtained at each processing step and analysed for aflatoxins by LC-MS/MS. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), AFB2, AFG1 and total aflatoxin (sum of AFB1, AFB2 and AFG1) levels in the starting raw material (melon seeds: 39.5, 3.5, 1.97 and 44.9 µg/kg) were reduced by 95, 82, 85 and 94%, respectively, in the finished product (boiled melon cake and sauce) ready for direct consumption. The traditional process of making melon cake and sauce reduced aflatoxin levels below the regulated limits and may lower aflatoxin exposure among melon consumers. Key words: Aflatoxin, consumer health, food processing, food safety, melon cake, melon sauce.
Optimal Asset Allocation of a Pension Fund: Does The Fear of Regret Matter?

In this paper, we incorporate regret into the decision-making process of a pension fund and derive the optimal asset allocation of a final-wealth-maximizing pension fund in the accumulation and decumulation phases. We find that the optimal asset allocation must be congruent in both phases if and only if the pension fund is upside regret-averse. In particular, our results suggest that allocation to risky assets must increase through time in the accumulation and decumulation phases so that the pension fund can realize gains from any upsides in the risky asset market, thereby maximizing final wealth and limiting the feeling of regret ex-post. Although decisions in both phases are congruent, we find that the optimal asset allocation generally depends on wealth levels. This evidence implies that separate management of the accumulation and decumulation phases of a pension fund decreases available wealth levels and is not an optimal strategy.
Explaining cost overruns in highway projects : a geo-spatial regression modelling and cognitive mapping of latent pathogens and contextual drivers

The research set off with the rationale of understanding the cause of the unusually high cost overruns experienced in highway projects, executed in the tropical wetland setting of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. An expansive range of research from academe, revealed a strong dialectical debate between the theoretical and technical schools of thought, as to what propagates relatively higher cost overruns in public infrastructure projects. The theorists posit that optimism bias and deliberate misrepresentation by project planners, largely accounts for cost overruns in transportation infrastructure projects, and not geology/geotechnical risk as tendered by the technical school. Yet the literature continues to report inadequate geotechnical risk containment resulting in considerable post-contract cost overruns in highway projects. As a result of this contradiction, and the lack of a robust empirical analysis to this effect, this research was carried out to explore the statistical validity of geotechnical risk factors in explaining cost overruns recorded in highway projects executed in the Niger Delta region. Using the case study research strategy, 16 interviews were conducted within the 3 highway agencies in the region, longitudinal cost data was also gathered from 61 completed highway projects, along with geotechnical index data on the engineering properties of sub-grade soils at project locations. These were comprehensively analysed using an innovative multi-method approach: Thematic analysis; Documentary/archival analysis; Spatial analysis of geotechnical data sets, designed to quantitatively converge in a triangulatory log-regression model. The results of regression analysis identified that latent pathogens such as heterogeneous ground conditions and non-adherence to geotechnical best practices, amidst a wide array of unanticipated social constructs, account for the majority of the recorded variance between the initial estimates and the project’s final account. The interplay of the emergent social constructs with the latent pathogens was further cognitively mapped out, using content analysis, to visually conceptualise the relative weightiness of the intricate complexity of the contextual dynamics, driving the unusually high level of cost overruns experienced in highway project delivery in the Niger Delta. The study concluded that the phenomenon of cost overruns in highway projects is multi-hydra headed, driven by a complexity of technical and contextual social variables, and not the simplistic explanations implied by the dichotomous arguments in the literature. It was thus recommended that tackling cost overruns in highway projects require far more than the scientific application of technical risk management tools, and should therefore, further incorporate concerted and specifically targeted efforts at curbing the intrinsic contextual triggers within, and external to highway organisations.
On the wind mechanical forcing of the ocean general circulation

[1] The wind mechanical forcing of the ocean general circulation and its seasonal variations are examined using available observational products, focusing on the role of the mean and fluctuating winds. It is found that including wind fluctuations in the stress calculation produces a qualitative change in the estimates of the mean and seasonal wind stress, particularly at mid and high latitudes where the synoptic wind variability is large. This effect of wind fluctuations on air-sea momentum exchange has immediate dynamical consequences for the large-scale ocean circulation. For example, power input to the ocean general circulation and subtropical gyre transport can be underestimated by more than 50% if the fluctuating winds are not taken into account. However, the impact of including wind fluctuations depends strongly on the presence of the mean winds. If the mean winds are ignored in the stress calculation, the net effect of the fluctuating winds is to take energy out of the ocean owing to the skewness of the near-surface wind field. Furthermore, covariances of wind fluctuations are found to explain most of the effect of the fluctuating winds, while the variable drag coefficient makes a non-negligible contribution in the Southern Ocean. These results imply that paleo and future climate studies need to take into account the changes of the large-scale low-frequency wind field as well as the synoptic weather systems.
Genetic Parameters for Linear Type Traits in Three Czech Draught Horse Breeds

Horse conformation is considered an indicator of performance, which plays an important role in breeding decisions. Genetic parameters were estimated for linear type traits in three draught horse breeds – Czech-Moravian Belgian horse, Silesian Noriker and Noriker. Traits were divided in six groups according to the region of the body. Observations on 946 Czech Moravian Belgian horses, 574 Silesian Norikers and 640 Norikers were analysed using a multi breed multitrait animal model. Fixed effects of sex, age at scoring, breed and contemporary group were considered. Genetic parameters were estimated using restricted maximum likelihood. Estimated heritability ranged from 0.05 to 0.59. Lowest values were estimated for stance of back pasterns and shape of b ack feet , while highest values were found for body measures. Estimations of genetic correlation between traits ranged from -0.53 to 0.98. The highest correlation was found between length of stride in walk and length of stride in trot . The estimated heritabilities and correlations suggest that a genetic improvement of analysed traits is feasible. Normal 0 21 false false false CS X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:. 0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Liberation Serif",serif; mso-ansi-language:CS; mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN;} Normal 0 21 false false false CS X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Normalni tabulka"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:. 0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
Fuzzy Analitic Network Process based Multi Criteria Decision Making methodology for a family automobile purchasing decision

Nowadays, in parallel with the advancing technology, automobiles that have substantially advanced technological properties are being manufactured. Intended uses of the automobiles have been changing in our days in contrast to 1960s when automobiles were only used for transportation. Consumers, in our day and age, expect profoundly different properties from an automobile. In this context, more than one criterion become effective on making decision on purchasing an automobile that has the required properties. In such a kind of decision problem, making use of Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methods will ease the solution of the problem and will enable the decision makers to make right decisions. In this study, fuzzy Analytic Network Process (ANP) method, one of the MCDM methods, is used in automobile purchasing decision making. After determining decision criteria and alternatives, network structure of the automobile selection decision problem is formed, and by using fuzzy ANP method, the best one is selected among three alternative automobiles that are in the same segment and are very approximate to each other in terms of their properties and prices. OPSOMMING Motorvoertuie word in die huidige tydsgewrig deur vervaardigers met gevorderde tegnologiese eienskappe toegerus. Gevolglik word meer as ŉ enkele kriterium deur voertuiggebruikers aangewend om ŉ moderne model te evalueer. Sodanige evaluering word in hierdie navorsing gebaseer op ŉ wasige analitiese netwerk metode. Nadat alle besluitvormingskriteria en alternatiewe vasgele is, word die wasige model gebruik by die seleksie van ŉ bepaalde voertuig uit ŉ monster van drie soortgelyke voertuie. a a a a a a a a a a A A A A A
Participation in socially-productive activities, reciprocity and wellbeing in later life: baseline results in England

ABSTRACT This paper examines whether participation in social activities is associated with higher levels of wellbeing among post-retirement age people in England, and, if so, whether these relationships are explained by the reciprocal nature of these activities. Cross-sectional analysis of relationships between social activities (including paid work, caring and volunteering) and wellbeing (quality of life, life satisfaction and depression) was conducted among participants of one wave of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) who were of state pension age or older. Participants in paid or voluntary work generally had more favourable wellbeing than those who did not participate in these activities. Caring was not associated with wellbeing, although female carers were less likely to be depressed than non-carers. Carers, volunteers and those in paid work who felt adequately rewarded for their activities had better wellbeing than those who were not participating in those activities, while those who did not feel rewarded did not differ from non-participants. These results point to the need to increase the rewards that older people receive from their productive activities, particularly in relation to caring work.
Detailed investigation of hydrodynamics and thermal behavior of nano/micro shear driven flow using DSMC

In the present work we simulate rarefied gas flow between two moving parallel plates maintained at the same uniform temperature using direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method.We perform simulations for monatomic argon and diatomic nitrogen gas and compare mon/diatomic gas behaviors. For both gases, we study heat transfer and shear stress and investigate the effects of compressibility and rarefaction in the entire Knudsen regime and for a wide range of wall Mach number.Slip velocity, temperature jump, wall heat flux and wall shear stress are directly sampled from the particles striking the surfaces and reported for monatomic and diatomic cases for different rarefaction regimes. We also study deviation from theequilibrium using the probability density function for argon and nitrogen gas molecules.
Albanerpetontid amphibians from the upper Cretaceous (Campanian and Maastrichtian) of North america

Three Late Cretaceous albanerpetontids are identified, diagnosed, and described herein based on jaws and frontals from the North American Western Interior: Albanerpeton nexuosus Estes, 1981 and A. galaktion Fox & Naylor, 1982 (both Campanian and Maastrichtian) and A. gracilis n. sp. (middle Campanian). Membership of each in Albanerpeton Estes & Hoffstetter, 1976 is founded on diagnostic character states of the frontals and on premaxillary synapomorphies that diagnose less inclusive clades in the genus. A. nexuosus is a member of the robust-snouted clade, whereas A. galaktion and A. gracilis n. sp. belong in the gracile-snouted clade. Species of Albanerpeton appear to have evolved largely in isolation through the Late Cretaceous in the Western Interior. Although the three species were broadly sympatric, differences in cranial structure and inferred body size imply that each favored a different ecological niche.
PREMIXED IGNITION CHARACTERISTICS OF BLENDS OF GASOLINE AND DIESEL-LIKE FUELS ON A RAPID COMPRESSION MACHINE

Fuel ignition process is of importance in premixed diesel low-temperature combustion strategies because longer ignition delay could provide more fuel and air mixing time. Using blends of gasoline and diesel-like fuels might be a possible way for the ignition delay extension. In this study, a rapid compression machine is employed to investigate the characteristics of premixed ignition processes of blends of n-heptane and commercial gasoline. The proportion of gasoline in blended fuels and the compression ratio in this rapid compression machine are varied to investigate the effects of fuel component and compression ratio on ignition processes. It is found that blended test fuels have two-stage increases in their cylinder pressure traces, indicating that a low temperature heat release process exists before the main combustion stage. Increased gasoline proportion in test fuels reduces peak cylinder pressure and maximum pressure rise rates, while the 1st, 2nd and overall ignition delay are extended. Increased compression ratio elevates the peak cylinder pressure, and shortens the 1st stage, 2nd stage and overall ignition delays. The maximum pressure rising rates are also increased with compression ratio, so when the low gasoline proportion test fuels are used, knock combustion tends to occur at high compression ratio conditions. However, as long as the gasoline proportion increases to a sufficient level, knock combustion is avoided.
FahamecV1:A Low Cost Automated Metaphase Detection System

In this study, FahamecV1 is introduced and investigated as a low cost and high accuracy solution for metaphase detection. Chromosome analysis is performed at the metaphase stage and high accuracy and automated detection of the metaphase stage plays an active role in decreasing analysis time. FahamecV1 includes an optic microscope, a motorized microscope stage, an electronic control unit, a camera, a computer and a software application. Printing components of the motorized microscope stage (using a 3D printer) is of the main reasons for cost reduction. Operations such as stepper motor calibration, are detection, focusing, scanning, metaphase detection and saving of coordinates into a database are automatically performed. To detect metaphases, a filter named Metafilter is developed and applied. Average scanning time per preparate is 77 sec/cm2. True positive rate is calculated as 95.1%, true negative rate is calculated as 99.0% and accuracy is calculated as 98.8%.
Considerations for Providing Test Translation Accommodations to English Language Learners on Common Core Standards-Based Assessments. Research Report. ETS RR-14-05.

In this article, we review translation, adaptation policies, and practices in providing test accommodation for English language learners (ELLs) in the United States. We collected documents and conducted interviews with officials in the 12 states that provide translation accommodations to ELLs on content assessments. We then summarized challenges to ensuring fair and valid accommodations to ELLs and provided recommendations to address the challenges involved in translating a content test while preserving its validity.
A Study of Young Taiwanese Consumers’ Attitude toward Internet Transnational Surrogate Buyer Service: Perspectives from Merchandise Attribute, Consumers’ Perceived Result and Characteristics

With the increasing popularity of Internet usage, Internet economy has flourished. The total revenue of Taiwan’s Internet business was 562 billion NT dollars in 2011 and 10% of it was contributed to overseas shopping. Based on Theory of Reasoned Action, this study investigates the relationship between selected variables and consumers’ attitude towards using Internet transnational surrogate buyer services. The selected variables include merchandise attributes (price, brand name and warranty), consumers’ perceived results (benefit and risk), consumers’ characteristics (openness and materialism). The results of this study show that all but two of our hypotheses are supported by our empirical data. Based on the findings of this study, price and warranty do not have significant impact on consumers’ behavior on using Internet Transnational Surrogate Buyer Service. Therefore, this study suggests that Internet transnational buyer service providers need to pay more attention to ‘brand name’ instead of ‘price’ or ‘warranty’ when they develop marketing strategy.
Strategic interactions between monetary and fiscal authorities in a monetary union

In this paper we extend Nordhaus’ (1994) results to an environment which may represent the current European situation, characterised by a single monetary authority and several fiscal bodies. We show that: a) co-operation among national fiscal authorities is welfare improving only if they also co-operate with the central bank; b) when this condition is not satisfied, fiscal rules, as those envisaged in the Maastricht Treaty and in the Stability and Growth Pact, may work as co-ordination devices that improve welfare; c) the relationship between several treasuries and a single central bank makes the fiscal leadership solution collapse to the Nash one, so that, contrary to Nordhaus (1994) and Dixit and Luisa Lambertini (2001), when moving from the Nash to the Stackelberg solution, fiscal discipline no longer obtains. Also in this case we thus argue in favour of fiscal rules in a monetary union.
Meta-frontier analysis of organic and conventional cocoa production in Ghana.

Th is study considers the meta-frontier technique to compare the effi ciency level of organic and conventional cocoa production systems in Ghana using a cross sectional data of 390 farms. Th e results reveal that the organic systems exhibit an increasing return to scale whilst, the conventional system exhibit decreasing returns to scale. All the inputs vari- ables positively infl uence the production except the age of trees. Th e combined eff ects of operational and farm specifi c fac- tors are identifi ed to infl uence the technical effi ciency although the individual eff ects of some variables are not signifi cant. Th e mean technical effi ciency relative to the meta-frontier is estimated to be 0.59 for the organic and 0.71 for the conven- tional farms. Th e study concludes that the conventional system of cocoa production is more technically effi cient than the organic system. However, the increase in the scale of production in the organic system to take advantage of the economies of scale may enhance the effi ciency of production.