Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A molecular approach to genetic improvement of South African Angora goats

South Africa is considered the primary producer and most reliable source of high quality clip mohair in the world. The application of molecular technologies to improve mohair quality is relatively new to this industry. The aim of the study was to use a molecular approach to genetically improve South African Angora goats, with emphasis on mohair production. A reference population of Angora goats was firstly established consisting of twelve sire families with half-sib offspring (1067 individuals in total). The genetic variation of this population was evaluated using microsatellite markers and the average gene diversity was found to be above 60%. Ninety four microsatellite markers were then genotyped on the reference population, spanning 23 chromosomes (total length 1352cM) with an average marker interval of 23.0cM. This information was used to improve previously published goat linkage maps. Unmapped microsatellite markers were incorporated and previously published inter-chromosomal rearrangements between the goat and sheep genetic maps were confirmed or rejected. Nine new markers were mapped to the goat genome, and six chromosomes showed rearrangement when compared to the previous goat map. Four previously reported intra-chromosomal rearrangements were shown to be either population specific or mapping errors. Variance components and genetic parameters of mohair traits (FW, FD, CVFD, SDFD, CF, SF and SDA) were estimated; including the fibre diameter profile measured using OFDA technology that has not yet been included in genetic evaluations. Heritability estimates ranged between 0.14 (SDA) and 0.63 (CF). OFDA-measured traits should be considered for inclusion into the national breeding strategy. The reference population was lastly analysed to identify QTL associated with fleece traits. Eighteen putative QTL were identified for seven mohair traits on 13 chromosomes. Three putative QTL were detected for FW on CHI 2, 5 and 24 corresponding with KRT and KAP gene locations. Two QTL associated with mohair FD (on CHI 4 and 24) were detected. QTL contributions to variance ranged between 7.44% (CF) and 19.69% (SDA). The results of this study should form part of an integrated approach where both quantitative and molecular tools are applied for genetic improvement of South African Angora goats. A fact is a simple statement that everyone believes. It is innocent, unless found guilty. A hypothesis is a novel suggestion that no one wants to believe. It is guilty, until found effective. Edward Teller
Effects of Enterobiasis on primary school children

The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible adverse effects ofEnterobiasis vermicularis infection on primary school children in Sivas, Turkey, to know whether it affects their school success, mean weight and height or not. Seven primary schools in the central region of Sivas were included in the present study. A total number of 3659 questionnaires were completed by class teachers and parents for each student. In the questionnaire, the height and weight of children, school success and other information about children were asked. The stool and cellophane tape specimens collected from the participated students were examined by light microscopy for the diagnosis of enterobiasis. The 365 (17.0%) out of 3569 of parasitic infections were E. vermicularis along with other parasites, and the 225 (10.5%) out of 3569 had only E. vermicularis. The weights and heights were found to be lower in children with enterobiasis. When school successes of the students were compared, there were statistically significant differences between the non parasitic group and the group with E. vermicularis. Enterobiasis is still an important problem seen among primary school children causing adverse effects on school success and physical growth especially in children from the first grades of primary schools. Key words: Enterobiasis, school success, physical growth.
Wildland firefighter safety zones: a review of past science and summary of future needs

Current wildland firefighter safety zone guidelines are based on studies that assume flat terrain, radiant heating, finite flame width, constant flame temperature and high flame emissivity. Firefighter entrapments and injuries occur across a broad range of vegetation, terrain and atmospheric conditions generally when they are within two flame heights of the fire. Injury is not confined to radiant heating or flat terrain; consequently, convective heating should be considered as a potential heating mode. Current understanding of energy transport in wildland fires is briefly summarised, followed by an analysis of burn injury mechanisms within the context of wildland fire safety zones. Safety zone theoretical and experimental studies are reviewed and a selection of wildland fire entrapments are examined within the context of safe separation distances from fires. Recommendations are made for future studies needed to more fully understand and define wildland firefighter safety zones.
Social Class and Group Size as Predictors of Behavior in Male Equus kiang

Ethograms provide a systematic approach to identify and quantify the repertoire of behaviors of an organism. This information may assist animal welfare in zoos, increase awareness of conservation needs, and help curb high-risk behaviors during human-wildlife conflict. Our primary objective was to utilize an equid ethogram to produce activity budgets for Equus kiang males, a social ungulate that is among the least-studied mammals worldwide, and unknown to the ethological literature. We recently reported the existence of three social classes of this species; Territorial males, Bachelor males and ‘Transient’ males. Therefore, our secondary objective was to compare activity budgets in each of these three groups. We found that kiang spent >70% of their time performing six behaviors: vigilance (34%), locomotion (24.2%), resting (14.2%), mixed foraging (12.5%), browsing (5.1%), and antagonism (1.1%). Over 2% of the total behavioral investment was spent on olfactory investigations (genital sniffing, sniffing proximity and flehmen). Eleven of the eighteen behaviors differed by class. Habitat selection differed strongly by each group, with Territorial males favoring mesic sites with greater vegetation abundance. Vigilance also differed according to habitat selection, but not group size. Animals in the xeric, least vegetation-rich area were far less vigilant than animals at more attractive sites. We found that the full repertoire of behaviors, and relative investments in each, differ according to social class. These findings are a reminder that researchers should make every effort to disambiguate social class among ungulates– and other taxa where behaviors are classdependent.
Occlusal appliances – an alternative in pain treatment of temporomandibular disorders

SUMMARYIntroduction/Objective The pain that originates from musculoskeletal structures of the mastication system is one of the symptoms belonging to the category of temporomandibular disorders or temporo- mandibular dysfunction (TMD). The objective of the research was to evaluate the effect of therapy with stabilizing occlusal splint in the control of painful symptoms of TMD in comparison with the effect of drug therapy. Methods Using standard Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders diagnostic protocol proposed by Dworkin and LeResche, a group of 44 patients with painful TMD was included. The patients were divided into three treatment groups by random selection. The first group was treated with stabilization occlusal splint for a period of one month. In the two control groups, therapy with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen (Brufen, Mylan, Canonsburg, PA, USA) or a combination therapy of ibuprofen and diazepam, a medication from the benzodiazepine family (Diazepam, Hemofarm, Vršac, Serbia) was carried out over a period of three weeks. In order to assess the effects of the therapy with stabilizing occlusal splint and the drug therapy, before and after the therapy, pain intensity measurements were performed with visual analogue scale and digital pressure algometer. Results A significant reduction in the intensity of painful symptoms was achieved in all three therapeutic groups. No significant differences in the effectiveness of pain reduction between the proposed therapeutic modalities were noted. Conclusion The obtained results confirm that the therapy with stabilization occlusal splint is a valid procedure in the reduction of pain in patients with TMD.
Long‐term acceleration of aseismic slip preceding the Mw 9 Tohoku‐oki earthquake: Constraints from repeating earthquakes

A decadal‐scale deformation transient preceding the 2011 Mw 9 Tohoku‐oki, Japan, earthquake was reported from continuous GPS data and interpreted as accelerating aseismic slip on the Japan Trench megathrust. Given the unprecedented nature of this transient, independent confirmation of accelerating slip is required. Here we show that changes in the recurrence intervals of repeating earthquakes on the Japan Trench megathrust in the period 1996 to 2011 are consistent with accelerating slip preceding the Tohoku‐oki earthquake. All sequences of repeating earthquakes with statistically significant trends in recurrence interval (at 95% confidence) offshore south central Tohoku occurred at an accelerating rate. Furthermore, estimates of the magnitude of slip acceleration from repeating earthquakes are consistent with the completely independent geodetic estimates. From a joint inversion of the GPS and seismicity data, we infer that a substantial portion of the megathrust experienced accelerating slip, partly surrounding the eventual rupture zone of the Mw 9 earthquake.
Combining Cumulative Sum Change‐Point Detection Tests for Assessing the Stationarity of Univariate Time Series

We derive tests of stationarity for univariate time series by combining change‐point tests sensitive to changes in the contemporary distribution with tests sensitive to changes in the serial dependence. The proposed approach relies on a general procedure for combining dependent tests based on resampling. After proving the asymptotic validity of the combining procedure under the conjunction of null hypotheses and investigating its consistency, we study rank‐based tests of stationarity by combining cumulative sum change‐point tests based on the contemporary empirical distribution function and on the empirical autocopula at a given lag. Extensions based on tests solely focusing on second‐order characteristics are proposed next. The finite‐sample behaviors of all the derived statistical procedures for assessing stationarity are investigated in large‐scale Monte Carlo experiments, and illustrations on two real datasets are provided. Extensions to multi‐variate time series are briefly discussed as well.
Monte Carlo methods to calculate impact probabilities

Context. Unraveling the events that took place in the solar system during the period known as the late heavy bombardment requires the interpretation of the cratered surfaces of the Moon and terrestrial planets. This, in turn, requires good estimates of the statistical impact probabilities for different source populations of projectiles, a subject that has received relatively little attention, since the works of Opik (1951, Proc. R. Irish Acad. Sect. A, 54, 165) and Wetherill (1967, J. Geophys. Res., 72, 2429). Aims. We aim to work around the limitations of the Opik and Wetherill formulae, which are caused by singularities due to zero denominators under special circumstances. Using modern computers, it is possible to make good estimates of impact probabilities by means of Monte Carlo simulations, and in this work, we explore the available options. Methods. We describe three basic methods to derive the average impact probability for a projectile with a given semi-major axis, eccentricity, and inclination with respect to a target planet on an elliptic orbit. One is a numerical averaging of the Wetherill formula; the next is a Monte Carlo super-sizing method using the target's Hill sphere. The third uses extensive minimum orbit intersection distance (MOID) calculations for a Monte Carlo sampling of potentially impacting orbits, along with calculations of the relevant interval for the timing of the encounter allowing collision. Numerical experiments are carried out for an intercomparison of the methods and to scrutinize their behavior near the singularities (zero relative inclination and equal perihelion distances). Results. We find an excellent agreement between all methods in the general case, while there appear large differences in the immediate vicinity of the singularities. With respect to the MOID method, which is the only one that does not involve simplifying assumptions and approximations, the Wetherill averaging impact probability departs by diverging toward infinity, while the Hill sphere method results in a severely underestimated probability. We provide a discussion of the reasons for these differences, and we finally present the results of the MOID method in the form of probability maps for the Earth and Mars on their current orbits. These maps show a relatively flat probability distribution, except for the occurrence of two ridges found at small inclinations and for coinciding projectile/target perihelion distances. Conclusions. Our results verify the standard formulae in the general case, away from the singularities. In fact, severe shortcomings are limited to the immediate vicinity of those extreme orbits. On the other hand, the new Monte Carlo methods can be used without excessive consumption of computer time, and the MOID method avoids the problems associated with the other methods.
Teachers' Attitudes, Beliefs and Self-Efficacy about Multicultural Education: A Scale Development.

The purpose of this study is to develop a scale –acceptable to potential studies in the context of multicultural education– for determining teachers' attitudes, self-efficacy perceptions and beliefs regarding necessity of multicultural education. The items of the scale which were developed according to opinions of experts and literature were issued as five-level Likert scale based on teachers' subjective statements. The research was carried out in Kosovo which is the place of duty of native Turkish, Albanian and Bosnian speaking teachers and a culturally rich city. Therefore the scale was translated to Turkish, Bosnian and Albanian languages and applied to ten teachers to provide linguistic equivalence. After linguistic equivalence enabled, exploratory factor analysis have been conducted based on data that derived from 490 teachers in Kosovo. By results of analysis conducted based on varimax rotation, belief scale which has 9 items 2 factors, attitude scale which has 16 items and 3 factors and self-efficacy scale which has 13 items and 3 factors were determined. After factor structures revealed, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted. It was observed that fit indices obtained through CFA offer an acceptable value. The Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficients of all and sub dimensions of the scale were determined as high. On one hand it caused limitations that the study to be conducted in just one country on the other hand the country which is a culturally rich sample enhanced acceptability level of the scale. According to results of the study, the scales are available for determining teachers' attitude, belief and self-efficacy in the context of multicultural education.
The Effects of Ecological Family Disadvantage on Male and Female Adolescent Delinquency

The purpose of this paper is to examine the direct and serial indirect effects of ecological family disadvantage on adolescent male and female delinquency through poor parental monitoring and deviant peer association. Data used in this paper are collected on a sample of 528 Croatian high-school students (374 males) aged between 15 and 17. Participants self-reported their delinquency, and completed questionnaires about their familial disadvantage, parental monitoring, and their association with deviant peers. PROCESS macro for SPSS was used to test the proposed direct and indirect effects. The results showed that ecological family disadvantage had a direct effect on more pronounced male delinquency. There was no significant serial indirect effect of ecological family disadvantage on male delinquency through the two presumed mediators, but there was significant indirect effect of ecological family disadvantage on male delinquency through their increased deviant peer association. In females, no significant direct or indirect effects were found. The results point to gender specific mechanisms by which ecological family disadvantage contributes to adolescent delinquency, and thus make a significant contribution to the literature on this topic.
Exact Exchange Scheme in the Parallel r-Space Implementation of the Kohn-Sham Realization of the Density Functional Theory

In this communication, we present the r-space implementation of the Kohn‐Sham realization of the density functional theory with the exact exchange functional within the computational algorithm for computers of parallel architecture. In comparison to the standard approach employing the local density functional, the scheme with exact exchange functional requires roughly ten times larger computational burden. The developed parallelization procedure accelerates the computations by a factor of four and six for the exact exchange and the local density functional schemes, respectively. It brings us closer to the treatment of dispersive van der Waals interactions on the fully ab initio level in the large class of systems.
ANAEMIA ERADICATION IN ADOLESCENTS- A NEW HOPE WITH WEEKLY IRON FOLIC ACID SUPPLEMENTATION (WIFS) (PILOT STUDY)

BACKGROUND Anaemia is perceived to be a major public health problem especially among adolescent females . Findings from National Family Health Survey NFHS (2005-06) indicate that 56% of the adolescent girls in India are anaemic and, of these 17% suffer from moderate to severe anaemia. The prevalence of anaemia in female adolescent age group is still an understudied subject. The aims of this study were to evaluate the recently initiated WIFS program for government school girls with respect to implementation and impact on trends in prevalence of Anaemia among adolescent girls in a Bengaluru rural school. Cross-sectional, descriptive exploratory research study was used. The choice of the school was based on commitment to administration of weekly iron-folic acid supplements (WIFS) programme. All the girl students from class 6 th to 10th of Government High and Senior Secondary school (age group, 11-19 years) who were a part of WIFS were enrolled as study participants. Qualitative data on anaemia awareness and diet history, compliance, side effects were taken from these girls. General information on age, height, weight were collected and BMI calculated. Hb estimation was done by Haemocue method. Statistical version 22. (85.26%) reported to consume one tablet of Iron folic acid (IFA) weekly in the past 1 year, with no major side effects. The girls had knowledge about symptoms of anaemia and iron-rich diet. Hb estimates indicated 79.01% non anaemic, prevalence of anaemia was 20.99%; none of the girls had severe anaemia, 1.2% had moderate anaemia and the remaining 19.8% belonged to mild anaemia category, indicating a significant decline. The mean BMI of the study sample was 17.53 kg/m 2 with 67.9% underweight and 6.2% overweight. Overall, in this school, the WIFS program was found to be well implemented with good compliance. The study indicates a positive impact of WIFS programme with a decline in anaemia prevalence, compared to previous national estimates. WIFS seems to be an impactful strategy to prepare adolescents for the reproductive age group with adequate iron stores. However, the general nutritional status could be further improved to improve the BMI. with the severity of anaemia in both the groups. The study revealed, 35% and 43% reduction in anaemia among the daily and weekly group respectively. A study in North-East Delhi on 2210 girls aged 10-17 years assessed the effect of supplementing 100mg elemental iron and 500 mcg folic acid. The haemoglobin levels significantly increased from pre to post, 11.7 to 12.2 g/dl in daily group and 11.7 to 12.1 g/dl in weekly group.
The Cournot-Bertrand Profit Differential in a Differentiated Duopoly with Unions and Labour Decreasing Returns

This paper compares Cournot and Bertrand equilibria in a differentiated duopoly (with imperfect substitutes), total wage bill maximizing unions and labour decreasing returns. It is shown that the standard result, that equilibrium profits are always higher under Cournot, may be reversed even for a fairly low degree of product differentiation. Moreover, the presence of labour decreasing returns tends to reinforce the mechanisms that contribute to the reversal result, making this event possible for a wider range of situations, with respect to those identified by the earlier literature.
Candida albicans Biofilm Heterogeneity and Tolerance of Clinical Isolates: Implications for Secondary Endodontic Infections

Aim: Endodontic infections are caused by the invasion of various microorganisms into the root canal system. Candida albicans is a biofilm forming yeast and the most prevalent eukaryotic microorganism in endodontic infections. In this study we investigated the ability of C. albicans to tolerate treatment with standard endodontic irrigants NaOCl (sodium hypochlorite), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and a combination thereof. We hypothesized that biofilm formed from a panel of clinical isolates differentially tolerate disinfectant regimens, and this may have implications for secondary endodontic infections. Methodology: Mature C. albicans biofilms were formed from 30 laboratory and oral clinical isolates and treated with either 3% NaOCl, 17% EDTA or a sequential treatment of 3% NaOCl followed by 17% EDTA for 5 min. Biofilms were then washed, media replenished and cells reincubated for an additional 24, 48 and 72 h at 37 °C. Regrowth was quantified using metabolic reduction, electrical impedance, biofilm biomass and microscopy at 0, 24, 48 and 72 h. Results: Microscopic analysis and viability readings revealed a significant initial killing effect by NaOCl, followed by a time dependent significant regrowth of C. albicans, but with inter-strain variability. In contrast to NaOCl, there was a continuous reduction in viability after EDTA treatment. Moreover, EDTA significantly inhibited regrowth after NaOCl treatment, though viable cells were still observed. Conclusions: Our results indicate that different C. albicans biofilm phenotypes grown in a non-complex surface topography have the potential to differentially tolerate standard endodontic irrigation protocols. This is the first study to report a strain dependent impact on efficacy of endodontic irrigants. Its suggested that within the complex topography of the root canal, a more difficult antimicrobial challenge, that existing endodontic irrigant regimens permit cells to regrow and drive secondary infections.
The Long-Run Relationship Between Inflation and the Markup in the U.S

This paper examines the long-run relationship between inflation and a new measure of the price-marginal cost markup. This new markup index is derived while accounting for labor adjustment costs, which a large number of the papers that estimate the markup have ignored. We then examine the long-run relationship between this markup measure, which is estimated using U.S. manufacturing data, and inflation. We find that decreases in the markup that are associated with a percentage point increase in inflation are much smaller than previous studies have found.