Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reproductive parameters in a Banija Spotted pig breed population during breed revitalization

The aim of the study was to evaluate reproductive parameters in a population of the Banija Spotted (BS) pig breed. A total of 69 breeding sows registered in the herdbook were analysed according to the Order of Parity (OP) (1st, 2nd, 3rd, joint 4th and 5th parity, and all parities). Basic descriptive statistical analyses were used to calculate reproductive parameters such as age at mating and farrowing, Age of the Boar (AB) at mating, gestation length and farrowing interval; the following parameters were analysed for Litter Size (LS): Total Number of Born (TNB), Number of Born Alive (NBA), Number of Still Born (NSB) and Number of Weaned (NW) piglets. Analyses were carried out using the GLM procedure in SAS, whereas the Pairwise Pearson PROC CORR procedure was used to calculate correlation coefficients (r) between LS traits. On average 8.26 TNB, 7.57 NBA, 0.67 NSB and 6.95 NW piglets were determined. Significant differences (P<0.05) were observed between 1st and 2nd, and 1st and 3rd OP for TNB and NBA. NW was significantly different (P<0.05) between 1st and 2nd OP, and between 3rd and joint 4th and 5th parities, with a significant (P<0.05) effect of Gestation Length (GL) and Farrowing Season (FS) on NBA in 2nd parity. A significant effect of Herd Group (HG) and AB on NBA was recorded in 3rd OP. Joint 4th and 5th parities with the lowest number of litters analysed showed a significant effect (P<0.05) of AB on TNB, NBA and NW, as well as of GL on NSB. High correlation coefficients (r = 0.7-0.9; P<0.05, per parity analysed) were found between TNB-NBA, TNB-NW and NBA-NW in all parities *Corresponding author: Prof. Krešimir Salajpal, DVM, PhD, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska 25, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia, Phone: +385 1 2394 038; E-mail: ksalajpal@agr.hr DOI: 10.24099/vet.arhiv. 0428
Analysis of direct-detection DPSK signal with homodyne crosstalk

When a differential-phase-shift-keying (DPSK) signal is directly detected using an asymmetric interferometer and balanced receiver, the exact error probability of the signal with homodyne crosstalk is derived analytically. Homodyne crosstalk from many interferers is Gaussian distributed, but the Gaussian model overestimates the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) penalty for homodyne crosstalk from a single interferer. For the DPSK signal, the crosstalk ratio for a 1-dB SNR penalty must be less than -16.5 dB. For the same crosstalk ratio, the SNR penalty for a DPSK signal is far smaller than that for an ON-OFF keying (OOK) signal.
Determination of the frequency of dyssynergic defecation and patient characteristics in patients with functional constipation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS Dyssynergic defecation, a subgroup of functional constipation, is a relatively new definition, diagnostic criteria of which have recently been described. Distribution of subgroups of functional constipation in our population is scarcely known. We aimed to evaluate the demographic characteristics and defecation features of patients as we determined the frequency of dyssynergic defecation in patients with functional constipation in our community. METHODS Eighty-two patients, 52 women and 30 men, with functional constipation were included in the study by using a questionnaire after secondary causes were excluded. Colonic transit time and balloon expulsion tests were performed to determine sub-groups of functional constipation. Colonoscopy and/or sigmoidoscopy in all patients and double contrast colonography in some patients were obtained at the beginning of the study to exclude anatomic and organic causes and patients with constipation predominant irritable bowel syndrome were also excluded from the study. RESULTS The results of the study revealed that functional constipation in our community occurs more frequently in women and at relatively older (middle to old) age. Patients with normal transit constipation pattern are the largest portion (52.4%) of patients with functional constipation, whereas dyssynergic defecation is the second most frequent (25.6%) reason among this population. CONCLUSION The frequency of dyssynergic constipation is lower in our population compared to western communities, but the symptoms are similar. We believe that the questionnaire we used is helpful in revealing defecation characteristics and when combined with balloon expulsion test and colonic transit time measurements it can be a valuable tool in the diagnosis of dyssynergic defecation.
A longitudinal investigation of children internationally adopted at school age

Most existing research on children adopted internationally has focused on those adopted as infants and toddlers. The current study longitudinally tracked several outcomes, including cognitive, behavioral, emotional, attachment, and family functioning, in 25 children who had been internationally adopted at school age (M = 7.7 years old at adoption, SD = 3.4, range = 4–15 years). We examined the incidence of clinically significant impairments, significant change in outcomes over the three study points, and variables that predicted outcomes over time. Clinically significant impairments in sustained attention, full-scale intelligence, reading, language, executive functioning, externalizing problems, and parenting stress were common, with language and executive functioning impairments present at higher levels in the current study compared with past research focusing on children adopted as infants and toddlers. Over the three study points, significant improvements across most cognitive areas and attachment functioning were observed, though significant worsening in executive functioning and internalizing problems was present. Adoptive family-specific variables, such as greater maternal education, smaller family size, a parenting approach that encouraged age-expected behaviors, home schooling, and being the sole adopted child in the family were associated with greater improvement across several cognitive outcomes. In contrast, decreased parenting stress was predicted by having multiple adopted children and smaller family sizes were associated with greater difficulties with executive functioning. Child-specific variables were also linked to outcomes, with girls displaying worse attachment and poorer cognitive performance and with less time in orphanage care resulting in greater adoption success. Implications for future research and clinical applications are discussed.
Atropine‐resistant longitudinal muscle spasms due to excitation of non‐cholinergic neurones in Auerbach's plexus

1. In accordance with the dual histology of Auerbach's plexus (Dogiel, 1899; Hill, 1927) two types of neurone can be shown to be humorally active in plexus‐containing preparations of longitudinal muscle from guinea‐pig ileum, taken at measured distances up to 95 cm above the ileocaecal valve, when such preparations are stimulated electrically under different conditions.
Characteristics of oral mucosal events related to bevacizumab treatment.

BACKGROUND Bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein, has been reported to induce mucosal toxicities. However, the clinical characteristics of these particular toxicities have not been well characterized. We aimed at providing a detailed clinical description of signs and symptoms limited to the tongue mucosa in patients treated with bevacizumab. METHODS A retrospective review of medical records and clinical photographs was performed with specific attention to clinical presentation, evolution, associated symptoms, concomitant medications, and treatment methods. RESULTS In total, four patients presented to the dermatology service with clinical findings characterized by multifocal, erythematous circinate and serpiginous erosions on the dorsal tongue surrounded by white hyperkeratotic rims that were temporally related to bevacizumab therapy. Associated increased sensitivity to spicy foods was frequently observed. CONCLUSION These characteristic clinical findings are consistent with geographic tongue. However, large prospective evaluations are necessary to confirm this potential relationship. If bevacizumab is indeed associated with geographic tongue, increased awareness may result in improved reporting and characterization of this particular adverse event.
The Impact of a Culturally Responsive Intervention on Perceived Career Barriers, Ethnic Identity, Student Motivation and Engagement, and Career Decision Making Self-Efficacy of Middle School Minority Females

THE IMPACT OF A CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE INTERVENTION ON PERCEIVED CAREER BARRIERS, ETHNIC IDENTITY, STUDENT MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT AND CAREER DECISION MAKING SELF EFFICACY OF MIDDLE SCHOOL MINORITY FEMALES. By Marsha L. Rutledge A dissertation submitted in partial requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education with a concentration in Counselor Education and Supervision at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2019 Chair: Dr. Philip B. Gnilka Associate Professor, Department of Counseling and Special Education This study investigated the impact of a culturally responsive intervention on perceived career barriers, ethnic identity, student motivation and engagement, and career decision making selfefficacy of middle school minority females. Specifically, the study sought to determine whether there would be differences between pre-group, mid-group, and post-group scores on career decision making self-efficacy, ethnic identity, perceived career barriers, and student motivation and engagement during participation in a culturally responsive career development program. To answer these questions, the author analyzed data from the Female Leadership Academy for Minority Excellence (FLAME) program at a local rural middle school. Data was collected from 34 Black female middle school students who participated in the program. The study was a repeated measures quasi-experimental, quantitative single group pre-test, mid-test, and post-test design. Two faculty members of color implemented the program to 34 participants over a fifteen-
Generalized Markov modeling for flat fading

This paper investigates the properties of a method for obtaining Markov models of unspecified order to be applied to narrow-band fading channels with additive white Gaussian noise. The models are obtained by applying the context tree pruning algorithm to experimental or simulated sequences. Fading environments are identified in which the extension from first-order to higher order models is justified. The paper presents, as examples, the evaluation of the covariance function and the packet error distribution.
Presbycusis, presbystasis and presbyosmia as consequences of the analogous biological process.

We found in the basal coil of the spiral tractus and in the depth of the internal auditory meatus a reduction in the number of the openings through which the nerve fibres of the acoustic nerve pass. This reduction was due to the apposition of bony substance. On the sections through the acoustic nerve of the same subject, the number of fibres was also reduced in the corresponding area. Analogous changes were found in the region of vestibular areas and also in the posterior part of the cribriform plate of the ethmoidal bone. These three places are similar in shape, i.e. consisting of a system of small openings through which pass the nerve fibres. In all these three places the apposition of bony substances increases with age and in all these three organs the function diminishes with age. We believe, therefore, that apposition of bone causes compression and degeneration of nerve fibres and hence the senile changes in hearing, vestibular function, and smell.
Late Onset Adrenocortical Hydroxylase Deficiencies Associated With Menstrual Dysfunction

Forty-eight women with menstrual dysfunction and clinical evidence of excess androgen production were subjected to an adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test that demonstrated the presence of a late-onset 11-or 21-adrenocortical hydroxylase deficiency. Adrenocortical suppression therapy with prednisone was then instituted. Eighty-three percent of the women improved and either conceived, established normal regular menstrual cycles, or noted a significant increase in menstrual regularity. In patients desiring fertility, there was an overall pregnancy rate of 64% and a corrected pregnancy rate of 93%. Some of these patients were given clomiphene in addition to the prednisone. The present study has demonstrated that an adrenocortical abnormality, characterized by a partial deficiency of either 11-hydroxylase or 21-hydroxylase, plays a significant role in many women with clinical evidence of hyperandrogenism and menstrual abnormalities. In such women, adrenocortical suppression is indicated and often results in a significant improvement of the menstrual disturbance.
Evaluation of hands-free HMD-based navigation techniques for immersive data analysis

To use the full potential of immersive data analysis when wearing a head-mounted display, users have to be able to navigate through the spatial data. We collected, developed and evaluated 5 different hands-free navigation methods that are usable while seated in the analyst's usual workplace. All methods meet the requirements of being easy to learn and inexpensive to integrate into existing workplaces. We conducted a user study with 23 participants which showed that a body leaning metaphor and an accelerometer pedal metaphor performed best. In the given task the participants had to determine the shortest path between various pairs of vertices in a large 3D graph.
SurA assists the folding of Escherichia coli outer membrane proteins

Many proteins require enzymatic assistance in order to achieve a functional conformation. One rate-limiting step in protein folding is the cis-trans isomerization of prolyl residues, a reaction catalyzed by prolyl isomerases. SurA, a periplasmic protein of Escherichia coli, has sequence similarity with the prolyl isomerase parvulin. We tested whether SurA was involved in folding periplasmic and outer membrane proteins by using trypsin sensitivity as an assay for protein conformation. We determined that the efficient folding of three outer membrane proteins (OmpA, OmpF, and LamB) requires SurA in vivo, while the folding of four periplasmic proteins was independent of SurA. We conclude that SurA assists in the folding of certain secreted proteins.
Estimating the Frequency Distribution of Crossovers during Meiosis from Recombination Data

Summary. Estimation of tetrad crossover frequency distributions from genetic recombination data is a classic problem dating back to Weinstein (1936, Genetics21, 155–199). But a number of important issues, such as how to specify the maximum number of crossovers, how to construct confidence intervals for crossover probabilities, and how to obtain correct p‐values for hypothesis tests, have never been adequately addressed. In this article, we obtain some properties of the maximum likelihood estimate (MLE) for crossover probabilities that imply guidelines for choosing the maximum number of crossovers. We give these results for both normal meiosis and meiosis with nondisjunction. We also develop an accelerated EM algorithm to find the MLE more efficiently. We propose bootstrap‐based methods to find confidence intervals and p‐values and conduct simulation studies to check the validity of the bootstrap approach.
REFLECTIONS ON ASPECTS OF VOWEL REDUCTION *

In lh1l:Ipaper $. Cvcral 1Hif1CC1S of the phe:non1cnon of vowel reduction are discussed. T"·o IYf><" of vowel rcduc11on are disunruished : lcxic? I reduc11on and acoustic reduction. The n>cnn1ng of Lhcse 1crrn� as expl::uned and 1;,ubsequenLly a concise lheory of ''O\vel reduc­ luln is prescn1cd in which Lhc 'chwa plays a key role. Jn 1he remainder of Lhe paper vowel rcduc1ion i; d1�c usscd in rclm1on 10 menial representations. word stress. nnd the ll aditaonal di1. ,unc1ion co1npe1cnce-pe1 fonnance. It is argued tha1 acousuc and Jex1ca1 vowel reduction nre two in1crmcdiatc stages in 1he process of the sound change 'full vo,vel ·> schv. ·a'. 1 ·1n�1lly, so1ne s ugges1ion5 are done for f u1ure research.
Lysis and Lysis Inhibition with Escherichia coli Bacteriophage

The present understanding of genetic principles has emerged only after exhaustive study of numerous organisms characterized by various levels of organization. Recently the trend has been toward investigations with the simpler organisms as is illustrated by work with fungi (Beadle, 1945a, 1945b; Lindegren, 1945) and several of the protista (Moewus, 1940; Sonneborn, 1946). Analysis of the pattern of mutability has made even the bacteria amenable to genetic investigation (Luria and Delbriick, 1943). Genetic studies have, however, been made with organisms at an even lower level of organization than those mentioned above. Luria (1945) with his experiments on host range mutants and Hershey (1946a, 1946b) with his analysis of plaque size mutants have cleared the way for a more complete inquiry into the genetics of the bacteriophages. Research into the genetics of these organisms may lead to the solution of genetic problems, which other studies have not yet resolved. Those bacterial viruses which have been most thoroughly investigated genetically belong to a group of seven phages and their mutant forms that comprise the T system (Delbrtick, 1946). These phages, named Ti, T2, . and T7, fall into several subgroups on the basis of serology, electron microscopy, host range, and certain physiological characteristics. One of these subgroups is of particular interest here, the even-numbered phages, T2, T4, and T6. These phages are closely related serologically and show the same characteristic morphology in the electron microscope (Delbruick, 1946). Hershey (1946a, 1946b) has shown that they also have another property in common: all three are capable of mutation from the wild type, r+, to the r type. The former type is characterized by the fact that it forms small plaques with very turbid halos on agar plates. The mutant type, r, forms large plaques with clear. halos. Another characteristic distinguishing r+ from r type, and probably the basic cause of the plaque size difference, is the time required for lysis of visibly turbid cultures. When highly diluted, suspensions of infected bacteria have the same latent period between infection and lysis whether the phage used for infection be of the r+ or the r type. When, however, the infected cultures are visibly turbid, a difference in the latent period occurs. An r-infected culture will clear between 21 and 30 minutes after infection. In contrast to this, a visibly turbid culture infected with r+ phage will not clear between 21 and 30 minutes but will
Preparing for the afterlife: death, dying, and religious practice in eighteenth-century Puerto Rico

Every society possesses deeply rooted attitudes about death, yet much of what we know about the religious practices of ordinary people in colonial Latin America overlooks the way(s) in which people prepared for death and the afterlife. Sacramental records from eighteenth-century Puerto Rican communities provide insights into both religious elements and social aspects of death. The time period selected is important because new sensibilities toward death emerged in the late eighteenth century, with a movement away from elaborate status-affirming funerals toward the embracing of interiorized piety. This article uses sacramental records to examine reception of the last rites, funerary practices, and burial customs in eighteenth-century Puerto Rico. Three questions guide my inquiry: first, did reception of the last rites (penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick) decline in Puerto Rico and, if so, was this related to religious factors or demographic and socioeconomic ones as well; second, how successful were religious authorities in reshaping religious practices manifesting ‘baroque piety’ with a ‘more inward looking piety’: in peripheral areas of the Americas; and third, in what ways did burial customs reflect growing concern with the fear of Hell and time spent in purgatory?
The Candidate Oncogene CYP24A1: A Potential Biomarker for Colorectal Tumorigenesis

The main autocrine/paracrine role of the active metabolite of vitamin D3, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-D3), is inhibition of cell growth and induction of cell differentiation and/or apoptosis. Synthesis and degradation of the secosteroid occurs not only in the kidney but also in normal tissue or malignant extrarenal tissues such as the colon. Because 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 24-hydroxylase (CYP24A1) is considered to be the main enzyme determining the biological half-life of 1,25-D3, we have examined expression of the CYP24A1 mRNA (by real-time RT-PCR) and protein (by immunohistochemistry) in normal human colon mucosa, colorectal adenomas, and adenocarcinomas in 111 patients. Although 76% of the normal and benign colonic tissue was either completely devoid of or expressed very low levels of CYP24A1, in the majority of the adenocarcinomas (69%), the enzyme was present at high concentrations. A parallel increased expression of the proliferation marker Ki-67 in the same samples suggests that overexpression of CYP24A1 reduced local 1,25-D3 availability, decreasing its antiproliferative effect.