Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genotype, dietary manipulation and food allocation affect indices of welfare in broiler breeders

1. An experiment was performed to compare the welfare of three broiler breeder genotypes (Label Rouge (LA), experimental dwarf (ER) and standard (SR)) fed on a Control or high Fibre diet. The LA birds were fed ad libitum and the other groups were reared to their recommended body weight targets. A group of standard broiler breeders was also fed a restricted amount of food, but to a lesser degree than SR, to achieve the same proportion of body weight (SE) as ER relative to ad libitum-fed dwarfs based on previous research. LA, ER, SR and SE are referred to as ‘groups’ in the text. 2. Welfare was assessed by comparing time budgets and heterophil–lymphocyte ratios (HL ratios) at 5, 10 and 15 weeks and immune responses at 15 weeks of age. In addition the weight and water content of the gastrointestinal tract at 4-h intervals at the end of the experiment were studied in LA and SR fed on both diets. 3. Body weights of LA, ER and SR fed on the Fibre diets were depressed and LA ate less of the Fibre than the Control diet. The coefficient of variation of body weight at 15 weeks was 7·9% in LA and similar (10·8 to 11·6%) in the other groups. 4. Drinking, litter-directed behaviour, resting and standing were affected by a group × age interaction with restricted birds showing increased drinking over time and less time spent resting compared to LA. The behaviour of ER birds was similar to SE. 5. HL ratios were within the normal biological range although all restricted-fed birds had an elevated HL ratio at 10 weeks of age relative to week 5 whereas LA birds had a reduced HL ratio at 15 weeks relative to 5 and 10 weeks of age. Immune responses were lower in ER and SE and the highest response was in SR. 6. No effects of diet were identified on behaviour, white blood cell counts or HL ratio. 7. With the exception of the crop, the dry weights of digesta in each section of the gut were similar in LA and SR birds. The results suggest that drinker-directed activity might be a substitute for foraging rather than an attempt to increase gut fill. 8. It is concluded that the replacement of standard with dwarf broiler breeders may improve the welfare of commercial flocks of broiler breeders by decreasing the degree of food restriction resulting in favourable changes in behaviour, for example, reduced ‘drinker-directed’ behaviour.
A Framework of R-Squared Measures for Single-Level and Multilevel Regression Mixture Models

Abstract Psychologists commonly apply regression mixture models in single-level (i.e., unclustered) and multilevel (i.e., clustered) data analysis contexts. Though researchers applying nonmixture regression models typically report R-squared measures of explained variance, there has been no general treatment of R-squared measures for single-level and multilevel regression mixtures. Consequently, it is common for researchers to summarize results of a fitted regression mixture by simply reporting class-specific regression coefficients and their associated p values, rather than considering measures of effect size. In this article, we fill this gap by providing an integrative framework of R-squared measures for single-level regression mixture models and multilevel regression mixture models (with classes at Level-2 or both levels). Specifically, we describe 11 R-squared measures that are distinguished based on what the researcher chooses to consider as outcome variance and what sources the researcher chooses to contribute to predicted variance. We relate these measures analytically and through simulated graphical illustrations. Further, we demonstrate how these R-squared measures can be decomposed in novel ways into substantively meaningful sources of explained variance. We describe and demonstrate new software tools to allow researchers to compute these R-squared measures and decompositions in practice. Using 2 empirical examples, we show how researchers can answer distinct substantive questions with each measure and can gain insights by interpreting the set of measures in juxtaposition to each other.
How Persistent are Shocks to Energy Prices?

Whether shocks to energy prices are permanent or transitory remains a contentious issue. This may result from mis-specification of the econometric tests, due for example to the uncertainty over the presence of a trend, or the possible presence of structural breaks and non-stationary volatility in the data. This paper makes a contribution by addressing the underlying characteristics of energy price data that influence such econometric tests. First, we detect whether the data are characterised by non-stationary volatility and possible trend breaks. The next step involves employing novel unit root tests that unify the underlying characteristics, such as trend break and/or nonstationary volatility, of the data. We conclude shocks to energy prices are not transitory. We further decompose a benchmark oil price and its demand and supply components into their permanent and transitory components and compute the cross correlations to find that they conform to standard theories of commodity storage models.
Methane emissions by alpine plant communities in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

For the first time to our knowledge, we report here methane emissions by plant communities in alpine ecosystems in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. This has been achieved through long-term field observations from June 2003 to July 2006 using a closed chamber technique. Strong methane emission at the rate of 26.2±1.2 and 7.8±1.1 μg CH4 m−2 h−1 was observed for a grass community in a Kobresia humilis meadow and a Potentilla fruticosa meadow, respectively. A shrub community in the Potentilla meadow consumed atmospheric methane at the rate of 5.8±1.3 μg CH4 m−2 h−1 on a regional basis; plants from alpine meadows contribute at least 0.13 Tg CH4 yr−1 in the Tibetan Plateau. This finding has important implications with regard to the regional methane budget and species-level difference should be considered when assessing methane emissions by plants.
Social representations of children in higher density housing: enviable, inevitable or evil?

Abstract An increased focus on housing diversity in planning policy, international flows of capital and changing lifestyle preferences are resulting in increased higher density housing often marketed towards professional singles, couples without children and ‘empty nesters. ’ Despite this, families with children currently dwell in higher density housing, either by choice or by necessity. This research identifies the social representations surrounding children in higher density housing in Australia’s third largest city, Brisbane. It does this by analysing newspaper media published between 2007 and 2014 and through 46 interviews with residents and built-form professionals from Brisbane. The research finds four key representations; that children belong in the suburbs; increasing support for wealthy families in higher density housing; an economic argument for the lack of family-appropriate apartments; and an increasing acceptance of medium-density housing for younger households. This research draws attention to the winners and losers in housing debates and the ‘common-sense’ assumptions that impact housing outcomes.
Cambridge Anticipations of the Natural Rate Hypothesis? Robertson and Champernowne Revisited

The “natural rate hypothesis” is usually ascribed to ideas put forward by M. Friedman and E. Phelps between 1966 and 1968. It postulates that changes in nominal aggregate demand affect aggregate output because agents cannot temporarily distinguish relative from general price movements when they face imperfect information. This paper shows how some of its key conceptions may be found in contributions by Cambridge economists D.H. Robertson and D.G. Champernowne advanced in the 1930s as critical responses to J.M. Keynes’s General Theory. Robertson and Champernowne devised the concepts of “normal” and “basic” unemployment rates respectively, expressed as equilibrium positions when workers’ real wage expectations are satisfied. Robertson combined that with his previous discussion of monetary misperceptions, whereas Champernowne argued how equilibrium may be achieved through inflation/deflation acceleration. Unemployment homes in on its “natural” equilibrium level only if the market rate of interest converges to its (Wicksellian) natural rate, as Robertson stressed.
Some insights into protein structural class prediction

It has been quite clear that the success rate for predicting protein structural class can be improved significantly by using the algorithms that incorporate the coupling effect among different amino acid components of a protein. However, there is still a lot of confusion in understanding the relationship of these advanced algorithms, such as the least Mahalanobis distance algorithm, the component‐coupled algorithm, and the Bayes decision rule. In this communication, a simple, rigorous derivation is provided to prove that the Bayes decision rule introduced recently for protein structural class prediction is completely the same as the earlier component‐coupled algorithm. Meanwhile, it is also very clear from the derivative equations that the least Mahalanobis distance algorithm is an approximation of the component‐coupled algorithm, also named as the covariant‐discriminant algorithm introduced by Chou and Elrod in protein subcellular location prediction (Protein Engineering, 1999; 12:107–118). Clarification of the confusion will help use these powerful algorithms effectively and correctly interpret the results obtained by them, so as to conduce to the further development not only in the structural prediction area, but in some other relevant areas in protein science as well. Proteins 2001;44:57–59. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
MicroRNA‐23a promotes the growth of gastric adenocarcinoma cell line MGC803 and downregulates interleukin‐6 receptor

MicroRNAs are an evolutionarily conserved class of endogenous noncoding RNAs that modulate gene expression at the post‐transcriptional level. Recently, microRNA‐23a (miR‐23a) has been found to function as a growth‐promoting and antiapoptotic factor in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Our previous study showed that miR‐23a was significantly upregulated in gastric adenocarcinoma tissues. In this study, we found that miR‐23a promoted the proliferative potential of gastric adenocarcinoma cell line MGC803. We also identified IL6R as a direct target gene for miR‐23a using a fluorescent reporter assay. The mRNA and protein levels of IL6R were both inversely correlated with the miR‐23a expression level. Our results demonstrate that miR‐23a can target IL6R and promote the growth activity of gastric adenocarcinoma cells in vitro. The downregulation of IL6R by miR‐23a may explain why the suppression of miR‐23a can inhibit gastric cancer cell proliferation.
AIDS Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Professional Preparation Among Social Work Students in India

Abstract Three-hundred and eighty-five social work students enrolled in 11 colleges in India were surveyed. Overall, the students demonstrated a moderate degree of knowledge about HIV/AIDS. However, they were generally unconcerned about the contagion. Three-fourths admitted to their lack of competence to deal with HIV+ patients. Regression analyses identified the positive effect of AIDS knowledge in combination with variables ‘actual contact with AIDS patients’ and ‘sense of competence’ on attitude toward PHWA. The paper discusses a curriculum strategy aimed at gender sensitive content and recommends behavior change as the best approach to reverse the tide of the contagion.
High order graphlets for pattern classification

Graph-based methods are known to be successful for pattern description and comparison. Their general principle consists in using graphs to model local features as well as their structural relationships and achieving pattern comparison with graph matching. Among these methods, subgraph isomorphism is particularly effective but intractable for general and unconstrained graph structures. In this paper, we introduce an efficient and effective method for graph-based pattern comparison. The main contribution includes a new stochastic search procedure that allows us to efficiently extract, hash and measure the distribution of increasing order subgraphs (a.k.a graphlets) in large graph collections. We consider both low and high order graphlets in order to model local features as well as their complex interactions. These graphlets are partitioned into sets of isomorphic and non-isomorphic subgraphs using well designed hash functions with a low probability of collision; resulting into accurate graph descriptions. When combined with support vector machines, these high order graphlet-based descriptions have positive impact on the performance of pattern comparison and classification as corroborated through experiments on different standard databases.
Upper limb muscle strength & endurance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background & objectives: There are very few studies that have investigated the muscle strength and endurance of upper limbs (UL) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We undertook this study to measure and compare the skeletal muscle strength and endurance of UL in COPD patients and age matched healthy controls and to study the association between lung function parameters and UL muscle strength and endurance. Methods: Forty one COPD patients and 45 height and weight matched healthy subjects of the same age group were studied. UL skeletal muscle strength and endurance were measured using the hand grip dynamometer test. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1), forced expiratory flow during 25-75% FVC (FEF25-75%) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were measured. The handgrip muscle strength and endurance between the two groups were compared and correlations between FVC and FEV1 with muscle strength and endurance were analyzed. Results: The mean handgrip strength and mean muscle endurance in COPD patients were significantly lesser than the normal subjects in both males and females (P<0.001). There was significant positive correlation between muscle strength and FVC in males (r2=0.32, P<0.05); and between muscle strength and FEV1 in females (r2=0.20, P<0.05). Interpretation & conclusion: The study showed that the handgrip muscle strength decreases as the FVC and FEV1 decrease in patients with COPD. Identifying those patients who have reduced strength and endurance will allow early interventions targeted at improving the quality of life of the patient.
Macrophage retinoblastoma deficiency leads to enhanced atherosclerosis development in ApoE‐deficient mice

The cellular composition of an atherosclerotic lesion is determined by cell infiltration, proliferation, and apoptosis. The tumor suppressor gene retinoblastoma (Rb) has been shown to regulate both cell proliferation and cell death in many cell types. To study the role of macrophage Rb in the development of atherosclerosis, we used apoE‐deficient mice with a macrophage‐restricted deletion of Rb (Rbdel mice) and control littermates (Rbfl mice). After 12 wk feeding a cholesterol‐rich diet, the Rbdel mice showed a 51% increase in atherosclerotic lesion area with a 39% increase in the relative number of advanced lesions. Atherosclerotic lesions showed a 13% decrease in relative macrophage area and a 46% increase in relative smooth muscle cell area, reflecting the more advanced state of the lesions. The increase in atherosclerosis was independent of in vitro macrophage modified lipoprotein uptake or cytokine production. Whereas macrophage‐restricted Rb deletion did not affect lesional macrophage apoptosis, a clear 2.6‐fold increase in lesional macrophage proliferation was observed. These studies demonstrate that macrophage Rb is a suppressing factor in the progression of atherosclerosis by reducing macrophage proliferation. —Boesten, L. S. M. , Zadelaar, A. S. M. , van Nieuwkoop, A. , Hu, L. , Jonkers, J., van de Water, B. , Gijbels, M. J. J. van der Made, I. , de Winther, M. P. J., Havekes, L. M. , van Vlijmen, B. J. M. Macrophage retinoblastoma deficiency leads to enhanced atherosclerosis development in ApoE‐deficient mice. FASEB J. 20, E18–E26 (2006)
Consumer engagement: the role of social currency in online reviews

ABSTRACT We explore the interplay between social currency (SC) and consumer engagement on social networks. We use text analyses based on both human coding and machine learning asisted sentiment analysis on reviews collected from Facebook pages, and we show that SC has a positive effect on ratings and visitor loyalty. First, we find that attractions have varying makeup of SC as represented in the six dimensions of SC. Second, repeat visits increase SC. Third, SC positively impacts revisit intentions even in the absence of prior experience. We also find that prior experience does not appear to yield better ratings, however, it predicts revisit intentions. This study represents the first use of SC in the tourism domain. Theoretical and practical implications alongside limitations and future research are discussed.
Young councillors—influential politicians or youth alibi?

Based on a survey of young councillors in 20 Norwegian municipalities, the paper studies the relation between the councillors’ sense of political efficacy, their role perception and their motivation to continue with politics. The results indicate that those feeling they are expected to represent youth or who are nominated because of their age feel less influential than others. Influence in own party group and being acknowledged by established politicians seem to be important for the motivation to continue with politics. Video abstract Read the transcript Watch the video on Vimeo
Style Concentration in Ownership and Expected Stock Returns

We examine the relation of expected stock returns with fund style concentration in stock ownership over the period 1997-2015. Concentration is measured by the Herfindahl index H of the shares of different investment styles in the ownership of stocks and represents a measure of investor inattention in stocks. Decile portfolios on H reveal a strong positive association of H with future returns, with the long-short portfolio on H having significant alphas after passing through the five-factor Fama-French (2015) model. The econometric results confirm the positive association and are robust to the inclusion of known risk-factors as determinants of expected stock returns, the returns of the investment styles themselves, plus a set of style-related control variables and other liquidity, size, or volatility characteristics of stocks. The relation coexists with short-run price and style momentum and long-run style and price reversals of Barberis and Shleifer (2003) and remains present over multi-year horizons of stock returns, being both economically and statistically significant. The results are consistent with the model of Merton (1987), which claims a stock’s excess risk premium over the CAPM premium, is the product of investor participation (which is proxied by H in our framework), idiosyncratic volatility and size. These results also shed light on the small firm effect.
Instability of Trinucleotidic Repeats During Chromatin Remodeling in Spermatids

Transient DNA breaks and evidence of DNA damage response have recently been reported during the chromatin remodeling process in haploid spermatids, creating a potential window of enhanced genetic instability. We used flow cytometry to achieve separation of differentiating spermatids into four highly purified populations using transgenic mice harboring 160 CAG repeats within exon 1 of the human Huntington disease gene (HTT). Trinucleotic repeat expansion was found to occur immediately following the chromatin remodeling steps, confirming the genetic instability of the process and pointing to the origin of paternal anticipation observed in some trinucleotidic repeats diseases.
Effects of Head Rotation on Pharyngeal Function during Normal Swallow

This study quantified the effects of head rotation on pharyngeal swallowing in healthy subjects. Videofluoroscopic and oropharyngeal manometric examinations of pharyngeal swallowing were performed on seven volunteers with the head in neutral and rotated positions. Videofluoroscopic study revealed that head rotation swallow causes the bolus to lateralize away from the direction of head rotation. Pharyngeal manometric study indicated that the pharyngeal peak pressures toward the side of head rotation were significantly increased, whereas the pharyngeal pressures opposite the side of head rotation were not affected. Head rotation swallow produced a significant fall in upper esophageal sphincter (UES) resting pressure and a delay in UES closing. We concluded that the head rotation swallow in normal subjects not only alters the bolus pathway, but also has a useful effect on both pharyngeal clearance and UES dynamics.
Autocrine/paracrine erythropoietin signalling promotes JAK/STAT‐dependent proliferation of human cervical cancer cells

Erythropoietin (Epo) regulates erythropoiesis by binding to its receptor (EpoR) and promoting cell proliferation, differentiation and inhibition of apoptosis. Epo is widely used to treat cervical cancer‐related anaemia. However, there are data suggesting that administration of Epo is associated with an increment in recurrence rate, and decreased disease‐free and overall survival. In the present study, we investigated the expression of Epo and EpoR on cervical cancer cell lines. We observed that both EpoR and extracellular Epo are constitutively expressed in cervical cancer cells. Inhibition of either Epo or EpoR expression with siRNA attenuated cell proliferation, whereas addition of exogenous Epo led to a significant increase in cell growth, both in vitro and in vivo. Epo‐induced proliferation was associated with the activation of JAK2, JAK3, STAT3 and STAT5 but not JAK1 and STAT1. Our results are consistent with the existence of a functional, endogenous Epo/EpoR system in cervical cancer with the capacity to activate the transduction of signals resulting in an increased proliferation potential.
Effects of broad-spectrum antibiotics on colonization of gastrointestinal tracts of mice by Candida albicans

Three-month-old, male, Crl:CD1 (ICR) BR mice were fed chow containing Candida albicans or regular chow. Subsequently, both groups were given either antibiotics or normal saline for 10 days. Stool cultures were performed immediately before administration, at the end of antibiotic administration, and 1 week after the discontinuation of antibiotics, to determine the effect on the concentration of C. albicans in the stools. The stools of mice fed C. albicans and given antibiotics had substantially higher Candida counts than those of control mice fed C. albicans and given saline. Significantly higher candidal concentrations were observed in the stools of mice given chloramphenicol compared with those of mice given ciprofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, and ampicillin. No mice developed histopathological evidence of local gastrointestinal invasion or disseminated candidiasis. In this mouse model, Candida colonization increases substantially after the administration of antimicrobial agents with broad spectra and anaerobic activities.