Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic effect of growth hormone gene on yearling weight and wool traits in Zel sheep (Brief Report)

Abstract. The growth hormoe (GH) gene is a candidate for growth in sheep, since plays an important role in growth regulation and development (Boyd & Bauman 1989). Most genetic studies on the growth of sheep have concentrated on birth weight, weaning weight and yearling weight (Bathaei & Leroy 1998). Pereira et al. (2005) found significant effect for bovine growth hormone (bGH) genotype on yearling weight. Tambasco et al. (2003) observed a positive association between genotype LV and daily body weight gain from weaning to yearling in Bos Taurs x Bos indicus crosses. Wool traits like greasy fleece weight, clean yield, fiber diameter and its coefficient of variation are very important selection goals in sheep breeding programs, however new traits such as staple strength and staple length are of increasing importance in the wool industry (Forgarty 2006). Initial observations using daily injections of crude pituitary extracts showed that wool growth decreased by 17 % during the second treatment period (Ferguson 1954). Allain et al. (1998) found segregation for coefficient of variation of fiber diameter and staple length on chromosomes 3 and 4 in a composite sheepline (INRA401). Zel sheep is raised in North of Iran. This sheep is a native non-fat tailed breed with small-sized (Saadat-Noori & Siah-Mansoor 1990). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between GH genotypes and wool traits and yearling weight using single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) method in Zel sheep.
Impact of maintenance systems on the Hucul mares’ reproductive rates

Abstract. An assessment of the reproductive impacts of maintenance systems, stable-pasture keeping and natural pasture, on Hucul horses was undertaken during the period 1990–2010. During the period covered by the analysis, much higher reproductive results were obtained in natural breeding systems. During the same period (1990–2010), pregnancy levels of 82.2 %, fertility of 80.44 %, sterility of 17.76 % including prolificacy of 77.45 % were attained under guided breeding systems. The corresponding figures for natural breeding were 93.50 %, 90.25 %, 6.50 % and 85.56 %, respectively. On farm, where reproductive guided breeding system was practiced, the best breeding results were obtained by mating mares with stallions from Hroby line while the least were with stallions from Gurgul line. However, in stables where reproduction was devoid of human interference the Hroby and Goral lines were most benefitting. A decline in pregnancy and fecundity accompanied by an increase in sterility were observed on both breeding facilities.
Alcohol consumption and protective behavioural strategy use among Australian young adults

This study examines the use of safeguards or protective behaviours by young adults to reduce the harm and negative consequences associated with excessive alcohol consumption. Participants were 210 Australian university students. Participants completed an online questionnaire which focused on their alcohol consumption and engagement in protective behaviours. Results indicate that all participants who consumed alcohol engaged in protective behaviours at some level, with females reporting similar levels of these behaviours to males. Protective strategy use was related to less negative consequences of alcohol use. These findings suggest that the promotion of harm reduction strategies is needed to complement prevention programmes which aim to reduce the consumption of alcohol.
Polypyrrole/TiO 2 nanotube arrays with coaxial heterogeneous structure as sulfur hosts for lithium-sulfur batteries

The lithium-sulfur cell has shown great prospects for future energy conversion and storage systems due to the high theoretical specific capacity of sulfur, 1675 mAh g. However, it has been hindered by rapid capacity decay and low energy efficiency. In this work, polypyrrole (PPy)/TiO2 nanotubes with coaxial heterogeneous structure as the substrate of the cathode is prepared and used to improve the electrochemical performance of sulfur electrodes. TiO2 nanotubes decorated with PPy provide a highly ordered conductive framework for Li ion diffusion and reaction with sulfur. This architecture also is helpful for trapping the produced polysulfides, and as a result attenuates the capacity decay. Furthermore, the heat treatment temperature used in the sulfur loading process has been confirmed to have an important impact on the overall performance of the resultant cell. The as-designed S/PPy/TiO2 nanotube cathode using an elevated heating temperature shows excellent 2 cycling stability with a high discharge capacity of 1150 mAh g-1 and average coulombic efficiency of 96% after 100 cycles.
Influence of Yeast β-Glucan on Cookies Sensory Characteristics and Bioactivities

β-Glucan is biologically active polysaccharide, ubiquitously found in many grains, bacteria, and fungi and much yeast. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of substituting wheat flour by 1, 2, and 4% yeast isolated β-glucan in cookies on the sensory acceptance, antioxidants, oxidative stability, and quality evaluation which were investigated. According to the results, cookies supplemented at 2% yeast β-glucan were proved satisfactory on sensory quality perspective. During the storage study it was found that cookies made with 2 and 4% β-glucan have effectively ( ) kept the peroxide value (PV) within acceptable range, demonstrating the promising role of β-glucan in deterring oxidative. It is further noted that 2 or 4% β-glucan incorporated cookies assimilated highest absorption spectra, suggesting the retardation in freshness losses, with having minimum microbial loads, showing microbiological safety. β-Glucan fortification in foods is technologically and economically feasible, suggesting that a significant prospect of β-glucan as low-cost food ingredient in formulating cookies at 2% offers exciting new use of β-glucan of yeast origin.
Manufacturing Practices and Performances: A Malaysian Study

The purpose of this study is to identify the most common manufacturing practices adopted by the Malaysian manufacturers, company performance factors and relationship between practices and performances. To fulfil the study objectives, 400 manufacturers were surveyed by a standard 400 questionnaire. Three research methodologies such as descriptive analysis, ANOVA and regression analysis have been employed in this study. The analysis revealed that Malaysian manufacturers focus on optimizing three critical performance factors: product development, less customer return rate and on time delivery (OTD). The most important competitive factor was found to be company reputation and design and manufacturing capacity is the least important factor. The findings also proved that manufacturing practices significantly influence company performances
The Effects of Landmark Information on Navigation Performance, Attention to the Driving Environment, and Vehicle Control

Recent research has helped confirm that landmarks are used as strong navigational signals and assist with way-finding strategies. Current in-vehicle information systems however, use little information in the way of landmarks, and instead rely heavily on distance information in order to direct drivers to their destination. It has been suggested that our spatial knowledge of an environment rarely uses distance information accurately. Although, recent research has shown that landmarks are helpful, a deeper understanding of what specific types of landmarks help with navigation is lacking in the literature. The current study attempts to fill in this gap in the literature and investigate in what sort of context as previews of upcoming turns or identifiers of imminent turns landmarks can be used. In the study, information about identification landmarks, preview landmarks, or distance to the next turn was presented in an in-vehicle information systems, and the effects on navigation performance, attention to the driving environment, and vehicle control were measured. It was hypothesized that both landmark conditions would lead to better navigation performance (e.g. fewer incorrect turns and near navigational errors), better attention to the driving environment (e.g. fewer driving errors and better performance on a recognition memory test) and lower variations in speed and steering wheel control, than when distance information is used on an IVIS to guide drivers. Results showed that both types of landmark information led to fewer incorrect turns than with distance information. Participants using distance information made many incorrect turns in
Female striped mice (Rhabdomys pumilio) change their home ranges in response to seasonal variation in food availability

Animals may respond to seasonally changing environments with physiological and behavioral strategies. Whereas migration is a behavioral strategy used by many taxa, it may not be an option for small mammals. However, small mammals can seasonally vary the area of habitat in which they are active. The striped mouse Rhabdomys pumilio in the semiarid Succulent Karoo of South Africa lives in a seasonal environment, characterized by hot, dry summers with low food abundance and cold, wet winters, followed by high food abundance in spring. We radio tracked a total of 28 females during the 2004 dry season, the following breeding season in spring, and the following dry season in 2005 and tested the prediction that females shift their home ranges in relation to food availability. Females shifted their home ranges from an area characterized by evergreen succulent shrubs in the vicinity of a dry riverbed in the dry season to sandy areas that were characterized by new plant growth of annuals in spring. Home ranges during the breeding season in spring had a higher percentage of annuals than dry season home ranges measured in spring. Female home range size increased during the breeding season. We suggest that female striped mice shift their home ranges seasonally to gain access to protein-rich young plant material, which is important for breeding. Copyright 2006.
The Effects High-Variability Phonetic Training on Cantonese ESL Learners’ Production of English Vowel Contrasts - An Acoustic Analysis

This study investigated the effects of High Variability Phonetic Training (HVPT), a perception-only training, on Cantonese ESL learners’ production of English /ɪ/-/iː/ contrast in terms of the first and second formant frequencies as well as the vowel duration. A total of 17 subjects participated in this study and they were all trained over 20 sessions of the HVPT. The results showed that after training, the male learners could improve their production of the two vowels in terms of F1, F2 and vowel duration; the female subjects only improved in terms of F1 and vowel duration. This suggested that perceptual learning can be transferred to the production domain and the subjects could generally improve their productions in terms of both vowel height and vowel length. More individual variations were observed in the change of vowel frontness/backness. This study showed that after training, the awareness of the differences, particularly for the length, between the target vowel contrasts was raised.
Weblogs as Tools for Encouraging Self-Reflection and Peer Feedback among Student Teachers

A weblog is one of the most effective tools among the latest inventions that enhance student teachers’ learning and practice. With technology becoming crucial for both personal and professional developments, this study focused on the effectiveness of using reflective weblogs in teacher education programs. In this regard, the research investigated the level to which weblogs successfully promote self-reflection and yield peer feedback among student teachers. Furthermore, it explored student teachers’ perceptions regarding the use of weblogs as tools for self-reflection and peer feedback. A case study of seven EFL student teachers taking a practicum course at Kuwait University was analyzed in this paper. The study was conducted in the English Curricula and Teaching Methods Department in the College of Education during the first semester of the 2013/2014 academic year. During the 4-week application period, participants were requested to reflect on their teaching practices and provide feedback on their peers’ posts. The data were collected through different qualitative methods such as semi-structured interviews and content analysis. The findings of the study suggest that the use of the practicum blog is considered to be effective in facilitating student teachers’ ability to reflect upon their teaching practices and provide comments on their peers during the practicum course. Most participants agree on the usefulness of using weblogs in teacher education programs. Overall, the study results show that student teachers find the weblog as an effective tool for writing reflections, sharing ideas, providing feedbacks, and increasing proficiency levels. The results of the study provide the rationale for using weblogs in student teacher education programs.
Effect of 8 week national team camp training over the blood values of boxers

The research group of this research consists of total of 20 boxers of the sportsmen of Turkey Adults Men Boxing National Team with 21.65 average age. Intense training programme was performed in eight weeklong camps by research group; blood samples were taken from the group in mornings on empty stomachs before the camp and after the camp. The data and laboratory results collected before the camp are used as covariant. The relative changes in the data obtained at the end of camp were analyzed in SAS package programme by using PROC MEANS procedure. The significance level of changes between the two measurement was determined by Paired t test which contributes P<0.05 significance. Statistically significant increment was observed on the glucose levels from the blood parameters of boxers before and after the camp (P=0.0137). Decrement was observed on the insulin levels before and after the camp; but it was not considered as statistically significant (P=0.1337). Increment was observed on the cortisol levels before and after the camp; but it was not statistically significant (P=0.0553). Decrement was observed on the Urea levels before and after the camp; but it was not statistically significant (P=0.0996). Changes were observed on the creatine levels before and after the camp; but no statistical significance was confirmed (P=0.6577). Important changes were observed in all blood values before and after the camp of Boxing National Team Sportsmen, yet only the glucose parameter was of statistically significance. In this regard, we might state that it has important changes over glucose levels of all parameters we examined.
Industrial Unionism and Its Bargaining Correlates in Nigeria Industrial Relations System

Between 1960-1966, industrial relations system in Nigeria was based on Laissez-faire doctrine or voluntary ethic. The colonial trade union ordinance of 1938 allowed any five or more persons to form trade unions. The trend led to the proliferation of over 1000 mushroom unions which were not well organized and badly managed. Besides, all was not well with the organization, administration, finance, leadership and foreign relations of the unions. It was against this backdrop that government initiated a move to restructure the trade unions along industrial lines. The objective of this paper is to highlight the impact of industrial unionism on industrial relations system in Nigeria and also to examine the implications and changes it has created in the pattern of collective bargaining especially the multi-employer bargaining. The paper in its methodology adopted a theoretical approach which was blended with the authors’ versed and practical knowledge of the subject and trend of events. The paper concludes with recommendations on ways to make the multi-employer bargaining more effective or result-oriented.
Labor Productivity, Infrastructure Endowment, and Regional Spillovers in the European Union

This paper assesses whether disparities in regional public infrastructure endowments can explain regional disparities in labor productivity among European regions. Using a large sample of European regions, I distinguish the effects of overall infrastructure endowment from the effect of three categories of public infrastructure (transport network, energy provision and telecommunication network). When I control for a time trend and regional-specific effects, only the overall infrastructure endowment and telecommunication network boost regional labor productivity. I find evidence of spatial autocorrelation in labor productivity for contiguous regions and regions with identical levels of income per capita. When I control for spatial dependence, only the overall infrastructure index maintains its positive effect on regional productivity. The statistical results do not provide evidence of quantitatively important productivity spillovers.
Vaccination Age Changing from Infancy and Childhood to Adolescence andAdulthood: An In-Dispensable Approach in Immunization Programs

Objectives: Despite the positive effects of vaccines on control of many infectious diseases, they are not completely safe. The purpose of this article is to draw attention to the problems associated with newborns and infants immunization. Methods: For each subject, a review of electronic sources was carried out in the PubMed and Google Scholar using appropriate key words. Results: For different reasons including: the differences between the immune systems of newborns/children and adults, sever adverse events and inefficacy of vaccines, deceptive advertising and inadequate parental awareness about vaccines and vaccination; newborns and children are at risk and accordingly a decline in public confidence is observed. Conclusions: The revision of vaccination age changing (at least for some vaccines) in order to maintain newborns/children's health and to prevent the return of infectious diseases is required. To achieve this goal, new retrospective and prospective studies to reassess the safety, efficacy, quality and protection duration of vaccines, proper implementation of good clinical practice, establishment of a network vaccine safety database by collaboration of international organizations, vaccine manufacturers and academic centers for sharing of information and enhancement of awareness of healthcare professionals and people about immunization at global level are needed.
On Pasting and Reversing operations over some rings

In this paper we study two operations, Pasting and Reversing, defined from a natural way to be applied over some rings such as the ring of polynomials and the ring of linear differential operators, which is a differential ring. We obtain some properties of these operations over these rings, in particular over the set of natural numbers, in where we rewrite some properties incoming from recreational mathematics.
READING RECOVERY: RESPONSE FROM THE FIELD

As an intervention for children who are experiencing difficulty with the development of their entry level reading skills, Marie Clay's (1985) Reading Recovery has become a popular alternative for many professional educators. As the use of Clay' s program has spread across North America, the benefits that were originally suggested by Clay and others have received considerable support. Close scrutiny of the program, however, has also revealed problems with implementation, maintenance, and evaluation strategies. Smaller schools and school divisions that are rrying to implement Reading Recovery are discovering that these problems are especially imposing and difficult to manage and that this seems to be particularly the case in rural and remote areas of the country. This paper attempts to identify and discuss the extent and impact of some of those problems from the perspective of field-based educators in Manitoba. RESUM E. Methode d'intervention aupres des enfanrs qui eprouvent des difficultes a acquerir des connaissances de base en lecture, Reading Recovery de Marie Clay ( 1985) propose une solution de rechange qu'ont adoptee de nombreux educateurs professionnels. Ce programme est maintenant tres en vogue en Amerique du Nord et les avantages que predisaient Clay et d'autres intervenants ont ete confirmes par de nombreuses sources. En y regardant de plus pres, on se rend toutefois compte que le programme presente des problemes sur le plan de la mise en oeuvre, de l'entretien et des strategies d'evaluation. Les ecoles et commissions scolaires de plus petite taille qui tentent de l'implanter constatent que ces problemes sont tres graves et difficiles a surmonter, particulierement en milieu rural et dans les regions eloignees. Cet article vise a cerner et a analyser la portee et les repercussions de certains de ces problemes vus dans l'optique des educateurs travaillant sur le terrain au Manitoba. ln the province of Manitoba, resource teachers, reading clinicians, and student service administrators (formerly known as special education co­ ordinators) play a large part in the selection, implementation, and evaluation of interventions that have been developed for use with
Speed-reducing measures for 80 km/h roads

Op 80-km wegen lijkt de snelheid alleenverlaagd te kunnen worden metfysieke maatregelen aan de weg. In Drenthe is een basispakket ontwikkeld, mede op basis van een simulatorstudie en in de praktijk getest met een succesvol resultaat.
Characterization of nanocrystalline Ag/SiO 2 nanocomposites and synthesis by wet chemical method

The silver/silica nanocomposites have been successfully prepared by the sol-gel process. After drying in air at 70°C for 30 min, samples are heat treated in air at 150, 300 and 500°C. Characterizations have been made by ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS-NIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Mechanisms of silver clusters formation in the densified silica matrix with respect to thermal treatment have been studied.
Metformin Arrests Growth and Induces Apoptosis of Neuroblastoma Cells

v LIST OF FIGURES . viii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS . ix CHAPTER 1: INTROUDUCTION . 1 1.1 Neuroblastoma . 1 1.2 Metformin . 12 1.3 Published data . 20 1.4 Hypothesis and specific aims . 21 CHAPTER 2: MATERIALS AND METHODS . 22 2.1 Cell lines and culture conditions . 22 2.2 Metformin and Antibodies . 22 2.3 Cell proliferation quantification using Trypan blue dye . 23 2.4 MTT colorimetric cell viability assay . 23