Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
THE INFLUENCE OF α-ADRENERGIC RECEPTORS STIMULATOR AND BLOCKERS AND β-BLOCKER ON THE OVARY AND ENDOCRINOLOGICAL ACTIVITY IN HEIFERS DURING SUPEROVULATION

Twenty five Holstein-Friesian heifers, clinically normal and with regular oestrous cycles, were used for induction of superovulation (PMSG-PGF2α-Neutra-PMSG). Animals were divided into 5 groups receiving: I detomidine (40 μg/kg b.w.), II doxazosin (0.2 mg/kg b.w.), III yohimbine HCL 1% (1 ml/50 kg b.w.), IV carazolol (0.01 mg/ kg b.w., i.v.), and V  physiological saline (1 ml/50 kg b.w.). The heifers with PGF2α-induced cycles were treated with the substances 88 hrs after being given a single i.m. injection of 2500 IU PMSG. All animals were examined by ultrasonography, and by the number and size of ovarian follicles > 3 mm in diameter. The follicles were divided into 3 groups according to the diameter. Blood plasma was stored at -20oC until LH, P4, E2 and PGFM analyses. In the control (V) group, two waves of follicle growth were observed. Yohimbine produced a significant blockage of ovulation. The mean number of corpora lutea in the group III was significantly lower than that in the control group (p< 0.02). No significant differences in the number of corpora lutea were observed between the groups I, II and III. The increase in E2 concentrations could be the response to the PMSG treatment with two waves of growth of large follicles before and after ovulation. Pulsatile LH release was altered by yohimbinum injection, however, the greater amplitude of pulses immediately following yohimbinum administration are suggestive of a positive influence of the α-2 adrenergic receptors antagonist. Yohimbinum administration did not affect plasma concentration of examined hormones. There was a difference between the plasma levels of LH after the doxazosin injection. Single injection of the stimulators and blockers of adrenergic receptors did not affect superovulatory response in terms of the numbers of CL, unruptured follicles and embryos recovered. The affectivity of artificial insemination was not significantly different between the control group and the detomidinum groups, while in the yohimbinum group it was significantly lower.
NALPS 19 : Sub-orbital scale climate variability recorded in Northern Alpine speleothems during the last glacial period

Sub-orbital-scale climate variability of the last glacial period provides important insights into the rates that the climate can change state, the mechanisms that drive that change, and the leads, lags and synchronicity occurring across different climate zones. Such short-term climate variability has previously been investigated using speleothems from the northern rim of the Alps (NALPS), enabling direct chronological comparisons with highly similar shifts in Greenland ice cores. In this study, we present NALPS19, which includes a revision of the last glacial NALPS δO chronology over the 15 interval 118.3 to 63.7 ka using eleven,newly-available, clean, precisely-dated stalagmites from five caves. Using only the most reliable and precisely dated records, this period is now 90 % complete and is comprised of 15 stalagmites from seven caves. Where speleothems grew synchronously, major transitional events between stadials and interstadials (and vice versa) are all in agreement within uncertainty. Ramp-fitting analysis further reveals good agreement between the NALPS19 speleothem δO record, the GICC05modelext NGRIP ice-core δO record, and the Asian Monsoon composite speleothem δO 20 record. In contrast, NGRIP ice-core δO on AICC2012 appears to be considerably too young. We also propose a longer duration for the interval covering Greenland Stadial (GS) 22 to GS-21.2 in line with the Asian monsoon and NGRIP-EDML. Given the near-complete record of δO variability during the last glacial period in the northern Alps, we offer preliminary considerations regarding the controls on mean δO. We find that as expected, δO values became increasingly more depleted with distance from the oceanic source regions, and increasingly depleted with increasing altitude. Exceptions were 25 found for some high-elevation sites that locally display δO values that are too high in comparison to lower-elevation sites, thus indicating a summer bias in the recorded signal. Finally, we propose a new mechanism for the centennial-scale stadiallevel depletions in δO such as ‘pre-cursor’ events GS-16.2, GS-17.2, GS-21.2, and GS-23.2, as well as the ‘withininterstadial’ GS-24.2 event. Our new high-precision chronology shows that each of these δO depletions occurred shortly following rapid rises in sea level associated with increased ice-rafted debris and southward shifts in the Intertropical 30 Convergence Zone, suggesting that influxes of meltwater from moderately-sized ice sheets may have been responsible for the cold reversals causing the AMOC to slow down similar to the Preboreal Oscillation and Older Dryas deglacial events.
Clinical Remission in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis ?

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Does Fecal Microbiota Transplantation cause Clinical Remission in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis? ” Study Design: Review of three English language primary studies published in 2015. Data Sources: Two randomized control trials and a cohort study determining if fecal microbiota transplantation does lead to clinical remission of Ulcerative Colitis were found by using PubMed and Cochrane databases. Outcome(s) Measured: The outcomes measured in all three studies were patient oriented evidence that matters which is clinical remission. The outcomes in the Moayyedi et al. was measured by the Mayo Score The Rossen et al. study determined clinical remission as SCCAI score ≤ 2 in combination with ≥1 point improvement on the combined Mayo endoscopic score of the sigmoid and rectum, compared to the baseline sigmoidoscopy, 12 weeks after the first treatment. The Wei et al. trail determined clinical remission was defined as IBDQ >170 and Mayo score <2 in Ulcerative Colitis. Results: This review compares two randomized, double blind, placebo controlled clinical trials and one cohort study in which the Moayyedi et al. and Wei et al. trial proved that Fecal microbiota transplantation is effective in providing clinical remission in patients with active Ulcerative Colitis; however, the Rossen et al. trial showed there was no significant statistical difference between the experimental [FMT-D] and the placebo [FMT-A] group in inducing clinical remission in patients with active Ulcerative Colitis. Conclusions: Fecal Microbiota Transplantation does seem to provide effective treatment in causing clinical remission of Ulcerative Colitis overall according to the three studies in this review.
Is Entrepreneurial Behavior Rewarded in Academia ? Evidence from Post-Reunification Germany

Universities increasingly emphasize academic entrepreneurship, and facilities to support faculty entrepreneurs have been established on campuses around the globe. Beyond the encouragement of academic startups, universities like to see themselves as entrepreneurial organizations, and university leaders have come to expect faculty and staff to be entrepreneurial in their attitudes and behavior. But are faculty members rewarded if they engage in behavior that can be characterized as entrepreneurial, i.e. if they exploit academic career opportunities with highly uncertain outcomes? In this paper, we use post-reunification Germany as an empirical context to study this question. We argue that taking faculty positions in post-reunification Eastern Germany can be interpreted as entrepreneurial behavior. Our data show that at the time of hiring, junior researchers who went East were no less productive, and in physics even more productive, than their peers staying in the West. We find no evidence that their move to the East paid off in terms of their subsequent research productivity. This suggests that the German university system did not reward their entrepreneurial behavior. Is Entrepreneurial Behavior Rewarded in Academia? Evidence from Post-Reunification Germany Preliminary – please do not cite or distribute This version: 01.03. 2018
Size and Pelt Color Determination of Zandi Lambs Using Image Processing and Artificial Neural Network

The production of decorative pelts from newborn lambs in many countries, including Iran, has been common from the past decades. The conventional method for assessing lamb pelts in these countries is based on using experienced evaluators (Schoeman and Albertin, 1993). In this method, different phenotypic traits associated with the pelt quality such as pelt color, pelt size, pelt pattern, and curl size are recorded by qualified evaluators in discrete ranks (Schoeman and Albertin, 1993). In the human assessment, due to differences in experience of individuals, the limitation of evaluation time, the lack of precise instrument, and the probability of changing the evaluator over the years, incidence of human errors in the recording process is inevitable (Vilarrasaa et al. 2010). Use of artificial intelligence techniques is one of the new appropriate solutions to increase the accuracy of visual assessments (Onder et al. 2010; Goyal, 2013). If the portion of human errors in the phenotypic variance is increased, the accuracy of breeding value estimations and genetic improvement in a population are decreased (Vilarrasaa et al. 2010). A good solution to reduce in the human recording errors may possibly is employment of automated measuring tools such as image processing methods and artificial intelligence techniques (Onder et al. 2010; Goyal, 2013). In this study, a method based on using image processing and artificial neural network is introduced to determine pelt color and curl size of newborn lambs in Zandi sheep. The data was collected from 300 newborn lambs reared in the Zandi sheep breeding centre of Khojir, Tehran. Primarily, curl size and pelt color of new born lambs was recorded by experienced appraisers, and at the same time, several digital images were captured from the lateral side of each lamb. The features related to curl size and pelt color of lambs were extracted from digital images using image processing tools (IPT) of MATLAB software. To determining the pelt color, to classifying the pelts for curl size, and to estimating the curl size of pelt, three artificial neural networks were designed. The pelt color of the lambs was determined using an artificial neural network with a precision of 100%. The accuracy of the neural network which trained to classify the pelts on their curl size was 94.87%. The accuracy of the third neural network to estimate the curl size of pelts was 98.44%. The correlation between the curl size estimated using the artificial neural network and the curl size which measured by appraisers was 96.4% (P<0.01). The results of this study showed that there is a potential to use artificial intelligence as a substitute for human assessments in the recording of pelt traits.
Evaluation of histopathological changes in idiopathic cutaneous hyperchromia at the orbital region

Introduction: Identification of the underlying causes of idiopathic cutaneous hyperchromia at the orbital region (ICHOR) is crucial in selecting the best therapeutic management. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the histopathological changes of different types of ICHOR. Methods: Forty-nine healthy volunteers were classified into (i) hyperpigmented (ii) hypervascularised or (iii) tear trough groups. Melanin deposit, hemosiderin deposit, blood vessels dilatation, perifollicular inflammation, structures of epidermis ridges were assessed histologically. Its association with the type of ICHOR was analysed using Pearson's chi-squared test. Results: A total of 53.1% ICHOR subjects was diagnosed as hyperpigmented, 16.3% as hypervascularised and 30.6% as tear trough and. Pearson's chi-squared test showed that hyperpigmented group associated with high level of melanin deposit (p<0.05), and invagination of melanin pigments into the dermal layer (p<0.05). Hypervascularity was associated with dilated blood vessel (p<0.05). Interestingly, tear trough was associated with dilated blood vessels (p<0.05) and perifollicular inflammation (p<0.05). Conclusion: Each type of ICHOR showed distinct histopathological changes, selection of precise targeted therapy is important in treating ICHOR effectively.
Critical Thinking Skills of Students through Mathematics Learning with ASSURE Model Assisted by Software Autograph

This study aims to examine the ability of critical thinking and students who attain learning mathematics with learning model ASSURE assisted Autograph software. The design of this study was experimental group with pre-test and post-test control group. The experimental group obtained a mathematics learning with ASSURE-assisted model Autograph software and the control group acquired the mathematics learning with the conventional model. The data are obtained from the research results through critical thinking skills tests. This research was conducted at junior high school level with research population in one of junior high school student in Subang Regency of Lesson Year 2016/2017 and research sample of class VIII student in one of junior high school in Subang Regency for 2 classes. Analysis of research data is administered quantitatively. Quantitative data analysis was performed on the normalized gain level between the two sample groups using a one-way anova test. The results show that mathematics learning with ASSURE assisted model Autograph software can improve the critical thinking ability of junior high school students. Mathematical learning using ASSURE-assisted model Autograph software is significantly better in improving the critical thinking skills of junior high school students compared with conventional models.
Turning Shared into Firm-specific Resources : The Complementarity of Local Ecosystem and Crowdfunding Services

This study helps better understand how entrepreneurial ventures, which typically lack an internal resource base, create venture-specific value from tapping into semi-public resource environments. Based on a multi-case study of 54 entrepreneurial ventures, and guided by the resource-based view, we examine how these ventures enact and combine resources in venture-specific ways from local entrepreneurial ecosystems and Kickstarter, a crowdfunding platform. We find that new ventures apply the complementarity principle to create value from multiple shared resource environments. Globally oriented ventures exploit technologies and skills from local entrepreneurial ecosystems, and use them as brands to mobilize global support through crowdfunding (inside-out strategy). Locally oriented ventures use crowdfunding to augment and catalyze local community support and market-building (outside-in strategy). Our findings contribute to research on how entrepreneurial ventures create value from external resources in general and from sharing economy services, such as crowdfunding platforms, in particular.
of Earth ’ s Interior ) lk modulus of Fe-rich olivines corrected r non-hydrostaticity ́

In situ X-ray diffraction was used to measure the isothermal bulk modulus at room conditions (KT0) of synthetic olivines with different iron contents. The chemical formulae of the olivine samples were ðFex; Mg1 xÞ2SiO4 with x = 0.45; 0.64; 0.82; 1, with 1% standard deviation (referenced as Fa45, Fa64, Fa82 and Fa100, respectively). All experiments were performed in the multi-anvil apparatus installed at NSLS beamline X17B2, to pressures up to about 7 GPa. Unit-cell volumes under hydrostatic conditions and differential stresses present in the samples were calculated using the method developed by Singh et al. (1998), and pressures measured using NaCl as a standard were then corrected for these stresses. Using a second-order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state, we obtained the isothermal bulk modulus of each composition: KFa45 T0 1⁄4 131:4 2:6 GPa, KFa64 T0 1⁄4 132:1 3:1 GPa, KFa82 T0 1⁄4 136:3 1:7 GPa and KFa100 T0 1⁄4 134:8 1:4 GPa. These values combined with data available in the literature show that the KT0 of Fe-rich olivines increases very slowly with the Fe content, but possibly not in a simple linear trend. C 2018 Published by Elsevier Masson SAS on behalf of Académie des sciences. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-nc-nd/4.0/). Corresponding author. E-mail address: frederic.bejina@irap.omp. eu (F. Béjina).
Corporate Governance, A Risk Management Tool For Enhancing Organizational Performance

Corporate governance is relevant in both developed and emerging economies. The study viewed corporate governance as a risk management tool for enhancing organisations performance and protection of stakeholders’ interest. The study investigated the impact of corporate governance on organizational performance, using thirty (30) Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) listed companies in 2016. The study focused on three corporate governance variables (i.e., Board Size, Board Independence, CEO Duality/Tenure); and two performance variables - Returns on Asset (ROA) and Returns on Equity (ROE). Secondary data, extracted from published annual reports of selected companies and NSE website, was used for the study. The findings revealed a positive correlation between board size, independence directors, and performance variables; but, showed a negative correlation between CEO tenure and performance variables. The results showed that the number of directors was not positively related to performance in terms of ROA; but, it revealed a positive correlation between board size and performance in terms of ROE. It revealed that the correlation between CEO tenure and performance variables (ROA and ROE) was negative. It also showed that CEO Duality has a positive correlation with ROA, and negative relationship with ROE. The findings revealed that adoption of sound corporate governance practices by listed companies can improve their performances. The underlining conclusion is that organisations would benefit from sound corporate governance practices by way of increased investment from investors and reduced capital cost. Shareholders confidence and wealth will also be improved; and the nation’s economy will benefit by way of improved GDP.
EXPLORING STUDENT PERCEPTIONS ON SUSTAINABILITY CONSIDERATIONS IN PROCUREMENT DECISIONS IN ZAMBIA

This paper investigated the perceptions of students on sustainability considerations in procurement decisions in Zambia. The Zambian construction industry is currently thriving with significant infrastructure projects as one of the major source of construction activities. It is important, however, that as the construction industry take strides to increase output, the need for a sustainable approach should be considered. The aim of the paper was therefore to explore the perceptions on sustainability matters associated with procurement decisions in the construction industry. The paper was seeking to investigate the potential influence of sustainability in procurement decision making as procurement is seen as key to construction performance improvement. It is considered that one of the measures that can help influence the sustainability agenda is education and training. As such the study was based on a survey of 121 students from all the five programmes offered in the university offering various courses in the built environment and engineering schools. Results indicate that; in all cases students on the different courses, with exception of students on the planning course, viewed the sustainability as an economic problem. Further students on different programmes perceived the factors under discussion differently which is a critical factor that requires urgent attention. Results further indicated that there is need to incorporate sustainability related matters during the training of students because they are the future leaders of the construction industry. The study recommends that sustainability must be taught to university students as part of the curriculum in order to produce graduates that that will have the correct perception and importance of sustainability
Individual differences in an English learning achievement system: gaming flow experience, gender differences and learning motivation

ABSTRACT Despite the growing interest in digital game-based learning (DGBL), there has been a lack of attention paid to the effects of individual differences, such as gaming flow experience and gender differences, in a reward-based achievement system. To this end, this study developed an achievement system with a reward mechanism to facilitate English learning. This study investigated how individuals’ gaming flow experience levels affected their levels of learning motivation, and whether any gender differences existed in gaming flow experience and learning motivation while engaging in the achievement system. The results showed that gaming flow experience significantly predicted learning motivation, whereby the students with high gaming flow experience were six times more likely to have high learning motivation than those with low gaming flow experience. Subsequent analysis showed that the female students had significantly higher gaming flow than the male students, but the male and female students showed similar learning motivation. Furthermore, the results indicated that the male students achieved more interactive rewards than the female students, but no significant differences were found in the male and female students’ achievement of other types of rewards. Based on these findings, the authors contribute to the literature by developing a framework which can be applied to support designers to accommodate individual differences in DGBL.
The association between the breast cancer stage and anti-cancer therapy method and the risk of lymphoedema

Introduction. Radical surgical therapy of breast cancer associated with necessary removal of axillary lymph nodes, combined with irradiation, may cause development of severe early and delayed complications, including lymphoedema of the upper limb. The therapy of lymphatic edema is life-long. Therefore it is highly important to select the group of patients post radical therapy of breast cancer, in which development of lymphoedema is the most probable as early as possible. Objective. Assessment of an association between the applied anti-cancer therapy and the risk of lymphoedema of the upper limb based on lymphoscintigraphic evaluation of own material. Methods. Clinical material of 77 randomly selected patients post radical breast cancer therapy was analyzed. The patients were prospectively followed-up, and the mean observation time after conclusion of the therapy was 36 months. Metric measurements and diagnostic investigations – lymphoscintigraphy – were performed during that period. Results. In 47 of 77 patients (61%) there were clinical symptoms of lymphoedema, and in 30 patients (39%) no symptoms were observed. In patients with clinical lymphatic edema lymphoscintigraphy revealed signs of lymphatic failure, and flow asymmetry index was abnormal. The applied anti-cancer therapy (that is, type of surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormonal therapy) is not significantly correlated with development of lymphoedema, or with the flow asymmetry index (p >0.05 in all cases). The association between application of chemotherapy and development of lymphoedema shows a tendency for significance (p = 0.078). The number of lymph nodes removed during the surgery and occupied by metastases are not significantly associated with both development of lymphoedema and the flow asymmetry index (p >0.05 in all cases). The association between the number of metastatic lymph nodes and development of lymphoedema tends to be significant (p = 0.057). Conclusions. The applied anti-cancer therapy (radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy), lateralization of cancer as well as pT and pN traits are not associated with an increased risk of upper limb lymphoedema in patients operated on because of breast cancer, with removal of the lymphatic system of the axillary fossa.