Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of diets with dried beet pulp on growth indicators in Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus L.)

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of feed ration with a variable content of carbohydrates on the production performance of blue arctic fox. The research included 60 blue arctic foxes which were divided into two groups: experimental (30 individuals) and control (30 individuals). The experimental group, compared to the control group, was fed with a ration with a higher level of carbohydrates, whose source were ground grains (ground barley and wheat) as well as dried beet pulp. The experiment lasted from weaning of the pups until the day when the foxes were slaughtered (29 week). Based on control weighing (at the beginning of the experiment, at 17 and 29 weeks of age) the average body weight was calculated (in kg), as well as the total (in kg) and daily (in g) body weight gain. The average final body weight of foxes in both groups was similar, and ranged from 15.67 kg (control group) to 16.20 kg (experimental group). Males were characterized by a slightly higher body weight than females (however, these differences were not confirmed statistically). In the experimental group the total and daily body weight gains during growth were higher, and during the fur growth period they were lower compared with the control group. The use of rations with an increased proportion of carbohydrates in the arctic fox nutrition, whose source were extruded ground grains and dried beet pulp, did not negatively affect on selected of the production performance of foxes over the whole experimental period compared with the control group.
A review of stochastic production functions with inefficiency models for extensive livestock systems with an application to the Karoo Abstract

This paper employs a tried and tested empirical model to examine the performance of extensive sheep farming in the South African Karoo. Its main contribution is twofold 1) to demonstrate the use of method and 2) to review the literature for suitable inefficiency variables for further analysis. Ten factors were settled on, five of which confirm earlier findings. The beneficial effects of age / experience, ownership of farmland and specialisation in sheep farming were confirmed, as were the detrimental effects of farming in low productivity mountainous terrain and on a parttime basis. New results include the beneficial effects of having access to a reserve stock of biomass in dry riverbeds, farming with fibre-producing small stock breeds, and having a portfolio of non-adjacent plots on which rotational grazing can be implemented. The adoption of modern technology also supports productivity, but attempts to control for variations in grazing capacity failed.
Flexible Architectures for Cryptographic Algorithms - A Systematic Literature Review

Symmetric and asymmetric cryptographic algorithms are used for a secure transmission of data over an unsecured public channel. In order to use these algorithms in real-time applications, many flexible hardware architectures have been proposed and implemented with multiple design constraints. Therefore, a systematic study is required to analyze various implementation approaches. This paper has focused on the identification and classification of recent research practices pertaining to the flexible hardware implementation of cryptographic algorithms. We have used Systematic Literature Review (SLR) process to identify 51 research articles, published during 2008–2017. The identified researches have been classified according to three design approaches: (1) crypto processor, (2) crypto coprocessor and (3) multicore crypto processor. Consequently, a comparative analysis of various cryptographic algorithms in terms of flexibility, throughput, area, power and implementation technology has been presented. A comprehensive investigation of flexible architectures for implementing cryptographic algorithms facilitates researchers and designers of the domain to select an appropriate design approach for a particular algorithm and/or application according to their needs.
Observable persuaders: A longitudinal study on the effects of quality signals in the contemporary visual art market

Information about the quality of producers or products has strategic value and affects economic decisions. But what happens in markets with informational gaps because quality is difficult to observe directly and objective criteria to make quality judgments are lacking? Quality that is indiscernible or indeterminate or latent means to a large extent that it remains unknown to all parties involved in the transaction or even thereafter. Signals – e.g., reviews, awards, prestigious affiliations, past sales – may act as observable persuaders and reduce uncertainty caused by informational imperfections. At the same time, signals may shape future perceptions buyers and intermediaries have about those producers, and this may lead to a competitive advantage for a select few. Effectively, even seemingly inconsequential rewards or benefits gained by being the subject of a signal may grant some producers access to opportunities not given to others. Such preferential treatment could lead to superior performance that could start self-reinforcing feedback mechanisms, which could result in persistent performance for some producers compared to the rest. In the empirical setting of the primary market for contemporary visual art, the career trajectories of 1,590 visual artists from two prestigious art institutions in the Netherlands are studied. A multi-dimensional approach is taken in analyzing quantitative characteristics of signals and qualitative attributes of sources conveying those signals, and examining these effects on not only different categories of buyers and intermediaries but also in the context of the particular career phase of the producers. The empirical results show strong self-reinforcing processes governing competitive dynamics, offering a fine-grained understanding of a source of inequality in the distribution of success in this market where quality differentials among competing producers are imperfectly observable, information about their underlying quality is imperfect and/or incomplete and objective measures for evaluation are lacking.
Appraising the quantitative and biochemical changes caused by Trogoderma granarium ( Everts ) in different wheat varieties of Pakistan

Laboratory studies were conducted to determine quantitative and biochemical changes as affected by Trogoderma granarium (Everts) in five wheat varieties viz., Faisalabad-2008, Sehar2006, Lasani-2008, Shafaq-2006 and Pasban-90at Entomological Research Institute, Faisalabad during 2011. Wheat varieties were offered to Khapra beetle for the period of four months. Results demonstrated considerable changes in quantitative (weight loss, moisture content, percent insect damaged grains and percent healthy grains) and biochemical (total protein and starch losses) components of stored wheat varieties. Experimental findings revealed maximum weight loss (24.14%) in 1000 grains was observed in wheat varietyFaisalabad-2008 and least (7.04%) in Lasani-08. Maximum decrease of 7.4% in starch contents was observed in Faisalabad-08 and variety Sehar-06 depicted higher (2.90%) loss in protein contents. The correlation between physical and biochemical parameters revealed percent damaged grains had significant and positive effect (r =0.886) with weight loss while negative and significant correlation (r = -0.92) with healthy grains.
Testing for breaks in the cointegrating relationship: On the stability of government bond markets’ equilibrium

In this paper, test procedures for no fractional cointegration against possible breaks in the persistence structure of a fractional cointegrating relationship are introduced. The tests proposed are based on the supremum of the Hassler and Breitung (2006) test statistic for no cointegration over possible breakpoints in the long-run equilibrium. We show that the new tests correctly standardized converge to the supremum of a chi-squared distribution, and that this convergence is uniform. An in-depth Monte Carlo analysis provides results on the finite sample performance of our tests. We then use the new procedures to investigate whether there was a dissolution of fractional cointegrating relationships between benchmark government bonds of ten EMU countries (Spain, Italy, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Belgium, Austria, Finland, the Netherlands and France) and Germany with the beginning of the European debt crisis.
Stability-Flexibility Dilemma in Cognitive Control: A Dynamical System Perspective

Constraints on control-dependent processing have become a fundamental concept in general theories of cognition that explain human behavior in terms of rational adaptations to these constraints. However, theories miss a rationale for why such constraints would exist in the first place. Recent work suggests that constraints on the allocation of control facilitate flexible task switching at the expense of the stability needed to support goal-directed behavior in face of distraction. Here, we formulate this problem in a dynamical system, in which control signals are represented as attractors and in which constraints on control allocation limit the depth of these attractors. We derive formal expressions of the stability-flexibility tradeoff, showing that constraints on control allocation improve cognitive flexibility but impair cognitive stability. Finally, we provide evidence that human participants adapt higher constraints on the allocation of control as the demand for flexibility increases but that participants deviate from optimal constraints.
1 ' Surfaces-as-ligands , surfaces-as-complexes ' strategies for copper ( I ) dye-sensitized solar cells

A series of TiO2-supported copper(I) dyes, [Cu(Lanchor)(Lancillary)] with Lancillary = 2,2':4',4'':2'',2'''-quaterpyridine (1), 4,4'-bis(6-methyl-[2,2'-bipyridin]-4-yl)-1,1'-biphenyl (2), or 4,4'-bis(6,6'-dimethyl-[2,2'-bipyridin]-4-yl)-1,1'-biphenyl (3), and Lanchor = (6,6'dimethyl-[2,2'-bipyridine]-4,4'-diyl)bis(4,1-phenylene)bis(phosphonic acid) (4), has been assembled in a stepwise manner. DSSCs incorporating these dyes demonstrate the need for 6,6'-substituents in both ligands in [Cu(Lanchor)(Lancillary)]; both JSC and VOC increase on going from [Cu(4)(1)] to [Cu(4)(2)] to [Cu(4)(3)]. First, second and third generation dyes [(4){Cu(3)}n] (n = 1, 2 or 3) have been assembled using the 'surfacesas-ligands, surfaces-as-complexes' strategy, although the separation between sites of electron injection and hole transporting domains in the multinuclear complexes fails to enhance DSSC performance. Replacing Lancillary 2 in [Cu(4)(2)] by the metalloligand {Ru(bpy)2(2)} improves dye performance due to the better spectral response of the heteronuclear [Cu(4){(2)Ru(bpy)2}] complex. This assembly approach presents a flexible method of tuning dye properties while retaining the surface-bound bis(diimine)copper(I) domain.
Forums for Parents of Young Children: Parents’ Online Conversations in Israel and France

This paper compares discussions in online forums on the parenting of young children in France and Israel through a cross-national perspective. We mapped and coded the activity in four major forums on early-age parenting, two in each country, during two months (N= 3,244 posts). Analysis of the posts revealed that, overall, parents in both countries focused more on children than on parenting issues and were mostly interested in their children’s educational settings. French participants discussed cognitive and developmental issues more than Israelis parents, whereas Israeli parents were more concerned with social-emotional development and parenting issues than the French participants. Results are discussed from a cross-national perspective, and practical implications are suggested, relating to a safe and empowering virtual space where parents and professionals assist parents of young children from different cultural backgrounds to adjust to their particular needs, interests and expectations.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF OCULAR DOMINANCE COLUMNS IN THE CAT

In the striate cortex of cats and monkeys, cells responding preferentially to stimulation of one or the other eye are grouped together in columns that extend vertically through all the cortical layers (Hubel and Wiesel, 1965, 1968). The anatomical basis for the columnar arrangement is a segregation, in layer IV, of the terminals of the geniculocortical afferents serving the two eyes. These afferents arise in different laminae of the lateral geniculate nucleus. The segregation has been demonstrated by a number of techniques (Hubel and Wiesel, 1972; Wiesel, Hubel, and Lam, 1974; LeVay, Hubel, and Wiesel, 1975), of which the most useful has been the autoradiographic method, which depends on the transneuronal transport of tritiated proline injected into one eye (Wiesel et al., 1974). In surface view, the columns have the shape of bands or patches, about 400 microns wide, that alternate with each other to form a rather constant overall pattern in area 17 (LeVay et al., 1975; Shatz, Lindstrom, and Wiesel, 1977). Until quite recently, it was thought that the ocular dominance system was already established in newborn animals and clbsely resembled that of adults (Hubel and Wiesel, 1963; Wiesel and Hubel, 1974; Blakemore, Van Sluyters, and Movshon, 1975). The first indication that this might not be the case came from autoradiographic observations on a monkey that had received an eye injection on the second day of life: instead of clear bands of label in layer IV, separated by unlabeled gaps, the label was distributed continuously on each side of the brain, with slight, wave-like fluctuations in labeling density visible on the ipsilateral side only (Hubel, Wiesel, and LeVay, 1977). Physiologically, too, the columnar pattern in layer IV was somewhat blurred in a week-old monkey, as compared with the very precise segregation found in adults. At the
Injury patterns and perceived risk factors among basketball players in Nigeria

Sport injuries are expected consequence of athletic competition, and are not generally caused as a result of a single causative factor but are associated with various risk factors interacting at a given time. Sports injury is a public health concern, as it has detrimental effects on the health and well-being of young athletes. Basketball continues to increase in popularity in Nigeria as a participation sport at all levels of play, from recreational to professional but there is a dearth of information on basketball injuries in Nigeria. This study was therefore designed to determine the prevalence, pattern of injury and perceived risk factors of basketball players in Nigeria. Material and Method. The study was a cross-sectional survey involving 110 basketball players (96 males and 14 females) including amateur and professionals. The amateur players were recruited from various stadia in Lagos state and professionals players were those who participated in the Dstv Basketball Premier League. The trainings and matches were watched and recording was done. Basketball-related injuries data were collated during trainings and matches using a standardized basketball injury report questionnaire. Data was analysed using SPSS version 21.0 and was summarized with mean, standard deviation, frequency, percentage, tables. Results. The 12 months prevalence of sport injury during training session for the basketball players was 80.8%. Sudden turn or twist (40.0%) was the most common cause of injury and majority of the injuries were to the lower extremities being more represented at the ankle joint (39.1%). Ligament sprain (52.7%) was the most common type of injury and massage (41.8%) was the most frequently used modality for treatment. Eightyone percent of the players never made use of mouth guard and 83% always play on a concrete surface during training session. Conclusion. The findings from this study showed that the prevalence of basketball injury was relatively high compared with other studies. Sudden turn, twist or stop, fall from bad landing technique, collision with obstacle, hit by a projectile and previous injury were the major mechanisms of injury. Majority of the injuries were to the lower extremities, being more predominant in the ankle and knee region. The major perceived risk factors, were none usage of mouth guard and playing on a concrete surface.
Digital CPM Controller for a Non-Inverting Buck–Boost Converter With Unified Hardware for Steady-State and Optimized Transient Conditions

This paper introduces a new current-programmed controller for non-inverting buck–boost (NIBB) converters. The controller facilitates tight voltage regulation and excellent transient convergence, all carried out through a simple current programmed mode (CPM) controller hardware. Steady-state operation for the full range of conversion ratios is supported with seamless transitions between modes and improved efficiency and ripple characteristics around unity conversion gain. In case of a load transient, an optimized boundary control scheme achieves near-optimal recovery, with programmable constraints for the voltage deviation and inductor current, covering the entire range of conversion ratios. The operation of the controller is experimentally verified on a 2–15 V input to 3.3 V output, NIBB converter, demonstrating a significant improvement in steady-state around unity gain as well as fast convergence for load transients with programmable constraints for the output voltage deviation and inductor current.
econstor Make Your Publications Visible . A Service of zbw

In a game with rational expectations, individuals simultaneously re ne their information with the information revealed by the strategies of other individuals. At a Nash equilibrium of a game with rational expectations, the information of individuals is essentially symmetric: the same pro le of strategies is also an equilibrium of a game with symmetric information; and strategies are common knowledge. If each player has a veto act, which yields a minimum payo that no other pro le of strategies attains, then the veto pro le is the only Nash equilibrium, and it is is an equilibrium with rational expectations and essentially symmetric information; which accounts for the impossibility of speculation. JEL classi cation number: D82.
Patterns of thyroid disorders in Qena population: a hospital-based descriptive study

Background: Data regarding iodine deficiency disorder in Upper Egypt is rare and even limited. In this study, we aim to determine the status of variable patterns of thyroid disorders and find out the relationship between some risk factors like gender, age, family history and the occurrence of thyroid disorders among Qena population referred to our nuclear medicine clinic from January 2011 to the end of December 2012. Methods: A retrospective hospital-based descriptive and analytical study was conducted on patients referred to our nuclear medicine clinic who complained of various clinical features related to the thyroid gland. The study was performed using data collected from the registration unit in the nuclear medicine clinic. Results: A total of 46 patients (9 men and 37 non-pregnant women) were included. The collected variables were sex, age, family history, menstrual status of females, thyroid-related complaints, history of thyroidectomy and I-131 therapy. 43.5% of the patients were highly affected by thyrotoxicosis, followed by hypothyroidism (26.1%), simple nodular goiter (SNG) (17.4%) and differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) (13%). 80.4% of patients were female and 19.6% were male. The highest number of different thyroid diseases were reported in the age group of 20-49 years. Conclusions: Different risk factors including sex, age, family history are highlighted in this study, but still the low levels of iodine in the soil and drinking water in Upper Egypt and bad nutrition are the most common factors that may cause goiter.
Medicinal plants used for diabetic problems in the Rif , Morocco النباتات الطبیة المستخدمة لداء السكري في الریف، المغرب

Background: since early times, the people of Morocco use medicinal plants as traditional medicine to treat diabetes. However, little studies have been made in the past to properly document and promote the traditional knowledge. This study was carried out in the Rif (North of Morocco), it aimed to identify medicinal plant used by the local people to treat diabetic problems, together with the associated ethnomedicinal knowledge. Materials and Methods: The ethnomedical information collected was from 582 traditional healers using semi-structured interviews, free listing and focus group. Family use value (FUV), use value (UV), plant part value (PPV) and informant agreement ratio (IAR) were employed in data analysis. Medicinal plants were collected, identified and kept at the natural resources and biodiversity laboratory, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra. Results: During the present study 30 medicinal plant species belonging to 14 families has been documented. The most frequent ailments reported were type 1diabetes. The majority of the remedies were prepared from infusion. Leaves were the most frequently used plant part and Rosmarinus officinalis L. was the species most commonly prescribed by local herbalists. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that people Arabs and Imazighen living in the Rif of Morocco are still dependent on medicinal plants. The documented medicinal plants can serve as a basis for further studies on the regions, medicinal plants knowledge and for future phytochemical and pharmacological studies.
The best practices in the formation phase of Sino-Finnish joint ventures in China: For Finnish software companies

Turun kauppakorkeakoulu • Turku School of Economics X Master ́s thesis Licentiate’s thesis Doctor ́s thesis Subject International Business Date 4.5. 2015 Author Vilma Lukkarinen Student number 508157 Number of pages 77 p. + appendices Title The best practices in the formation phase of Sino-Finnish joint ventures in China: For Finnish software companies Supervisors Ph.D. Esa Stenberg, M.Sc. Mari Ketolainen
EFFECTS OF A SIX-WEEK STRENGTH TRAINING AND UPPER BODY PLYOMETRICS IN MALE COLLEGE BASKETBALL PHYSICAL EDUCATION STUDENTS

Original scientific paper This study investigated the effects of a six-week resistance training with upper body plyometrics in the performance of male college students in a basketball physical education (PE) class. Sixteen males in a novice class in a college basketball PE were randomly assigned into two groups. The experimental group (EXP; age: 17.4 ± 0.74 years; height: 1.66 ± .04 m; weight: 61.3 ± 7.6 kg) performed a combined strength and plyometric training twice a week for six weeks. Also, EXP underwent a once a week basketball training (2 hours) separated from strength with plyometric sessions. The control group (CON; age: 17.8 ± 1.28 years; height: 1.65 ± .03 m; weight: 60.6 ± 8.2 kg) only participated in two hours a week of basketball skills training. Pre-test and post-test upper body strength, grip strength, vertical jump, and American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) battery of tests for basketball were gathered. Results showed a significant main interaction of intervention and test time on passing skill at F(1, 7) = 0.50, p < 0.05, partial η2 = 0.07. In conclusion, a six-week strength and upper body plyometrics posted a significantly lower passing score than the control.