Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of molasses based multi-nutrient herbal supplements on in vitro digestibility, serum enzymes and minerals profile in buffalo calves

Molasses based multinutrients herbal supplements (MMS) containing ground fenugreek seed and de-oiled mahua seed cake at two different ratios (1:1; MMS I or 1:3; MMS II) was evaluated under in vitro as well as in vivo conditions. For in vitro evaluation, concentrate mixture and wheat straw in 50: 50 ratio (on DM basis) was taken as substrate for the experiment. MMS I and MMS II were added at 2, 3 and 4% of the substrate, respectively. The total gas production (ml/g DM), partitioning factor (PF) and microbial biomass production (MBP) were found comparable in all the groups but significantly improved the IVDMD and IVOMD in supplemented groups. Under in vivo feeding trial, serum enzymes and minerals profile in buffalo calves were assessed during 9 months of experimental period. Fifteen male Murrah buffalo calves (10 to 15 months of age and mean body wt. 234.0±12.5 kg) were randomly distributed into 3 groups (5 in each group) according to randomized block design. All animals were fed with conventional concentrate mixture, available chopped green fodder (3-4 kg DM/d) and wheat straw ad lib to meet out nutrients requirement. While control group (C) were not fed supplements but groups T1 and T2 supplemented with MMS I and MMS II, respectively at 44 g/100 kg body weight or 200 g/100 kg metabolic body weight (kgW0.75). Serum AST, ALT activities and serum concentration of Ca, P, Fe, Mn, Cu and Co were comparable among 3 groups but serum concentration of Zn was significantly higher among supplemented groups. Thus, results show that supplementation of MMS improved IVDMD, IVOMD and serum Zn level resulting in to better health conditions of buffalo calves.
The Impact of Supply Chain Integration on Operational Performance: An Empirical Study

Manufacturing companies nowadays are under constant pressure to deliver high-quality products at the lowest possible prices within the shortest possible time even under the most unpredictable economic situations. Supply chain integration has a critical impact on operational performance. Nevertheless, this impact has not been consistent and showed mixed results throughout the literature. This study aimed to examine the impact of technology management in terms of supply chain integration on operational performance. The research model was empirically validated using 317 valid survey responses from the Jordanian food and beverage industry, which were subjected to quantitative research design and regression analysis. Results showed that supply chain integration had a direct significant impact on operational performance, and all three dimensions of the theoretical model contributed significantly to operational performance. This study suggests the critical need to create and implement proper supply chain integration strategies and technologies, both internally and externally, to enhance their performance and competitive advantage. Moreover, future research needs to extend this work to other industries, cultures, and nations, while investigating the moderating or mediating effects of other key variables along with using alternative sampling strategies.
Neural Stem Cells Overexpressing Arginine Decarboxylase Improve Functional Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury in a Mouse Model

Current therapeutic strategies for spinal cord injury (SCI) cannot fully facilitate neural regeneration or improve function. Arginine decarboxylase (ADC) synthesizes agmatine, an endogenous primary amine with neuroprotective effects. Transfection of human ADC (hADC) gene exerts protective effects after injury in murine brain-derived neural precursor cells (mNPCs). Following from these findings, we investigated the effects of hADC-mNPC transplantation in SCI model mice. Mice with experimentally damaged spinal cords were divided into three groups, separately transplanted with fluorescently labeled (1) control mNPCs, (2) retroviral vector (pLXSN)-infected mNPCs (pLXSN-mNPCs), and (3) hADC-mNPCs. Behavioral comparisons between groups were conducted weekly up to 6 weeks after SCI, and urine volume was measured up to 2 weeks after SCI. A subset of animals was euthanized each week after cell transplantation for molecular and histological analyses. The transplantation groups experienced significantly improved behavioral function, with the best recovery occurring in hADC-mNPC mice. Transplanting hADC-mNPCs improved neurological outcomes, induced oligodendrocyte differentiation and remyelination, increased neural lineage differentiation, and decreased glial scar formation. Moreover, locomotor and bladder function were both rehabilitated. These beneficial effects are likely related to differential BMP-2/4/7 expression in neuronal cells, providing an empirical basis for gene therapy as a curative SCI treatment option.
Microphysical Constraints on Millimeter-Wavelength Scattering Properties of Snow Particles

AbstractA Bayesian optimal estimation retrieval is used to determine probability density functions of snow microphysical parameters from ground-based observations taken during four snowfall events in southern Ontario, Canada. The retrieved variables include the parameters of power laws describing particle mass and horizontally projected area. The results reveal nontrivial correlations between mass and area parameters that were not apparent in prior studies. The observations provide information mainly about the mass coefficient , somewhat less information about the mass exponent and the projected area coefficient , and minimal information about the projected area exponent . The expected values for retrieved mass power-law parameters = 0.003 28 and = 2.25 are consistent with those from several prior studies that looked at the mass of aggregate-like particles and precipitating ice aloft as functions of maximum particle dimension. Differences from other studies appear related to differences in the dimensions .
Lipid-Nanoparticle-Mediated Delivery of Docetaxel Prodrug for Exploiting Full Potential of Gold Nanoparticles in the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer

Simple Summary Pancreatic cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths worldwide. The use of nanoparticles as radiosensitizers and drug delivery vehicles could open the door to solving many of the obstacles in current cancer treatments. Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and docetaxel (DTX) have shown very promising synergetic radiosensitization effects, despite DTX toxicity to normal tissues. In this paper, we explored the effect of a DTX prodrug encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles (LNPDTX-P) on GNP uptake in pancreatic cancer models in vitro and in vivo. The results show that LNPDTX-P-treated tumour samples have twice the amount of GNP uptake in both in vitro and in vivo models. These very promising results establish that LNPDTX-P have very similar outcomes to free DTX on tumour tissues. These results demonstrate the potential of incorporating GNPs and LNPDTX-P as radiosensitization tools to current radiotherapy protocols for improved tumour targeting. Abstract Current chemoradiation therapy suffers from normal tissue toxicity. Thus, we are proposing incorporating gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and docetaxel (DTX), as they have shown very promising synergetic radiosensitization effects. Here, we explored the effect of a DTX prodrug encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles (LNPDTX-P) on GNP uptake in pancreatic cancer models in vitro and in vivo. For the in vitro experiment, a pancreatic cancer cell line, MIA PaCa-2, was cultured and dosed with 1 nM GNPs and 45 nM free DTX or an equivalent dose of LNPDTX-P. For the in vivo experiment, MIA PaCa-2 cells were implanted subcutaneously in NRG mice, and the mice were dosed with 2 mg/kg of GNPs and 6 mg/kg of DTX or an equivalent dose of LNPDTX-P. The results show that LNPDTX-P-treated tumour samples had double the amount GNPs compared to control samples, both in vitro and in vivo. The results are very promising, as LNPDTX-P have superior targeting of tumour tissues compared to free DTX due to their nanosize and their ability to be functionalized. Because of their minimal toxicity to normal tissues, both GNPs and LNPDTX-P could be ideal radiosensitization candidates in radiotherapy and would produce very promising synergistic therapeutic outcomes.
Prey capture by the non‐native carnivorous pitcher plant Sarracenia purpurea across sites in Britain and Ireland

Abstract The carnivorous pitcher plant Sarracenia purpurea is native to North America, but has been introduced into Europe, where it is now widespread. Understanding of how this species functions in its non‐native range is limited. We measured pitcher morphology and prey capture by S. purpurea in its non‐native range in Britain and Ireland. Pitchers were removed from different plants at each of six bogs covering the species range in Britain and Ireland (n = 10 pitchers per site). For each pitcher we counted and identified every prey item and took measurements of morphology. We also compiled prey capture data for existing studies in Europe and North America. Prey capture characteristics varied between sites in Britain and Ireland. The amount of prey captured varied 20‐fold between sites and was partially explained by differences in pitcher size; larger pitchers caught more prey. The primary prey was Formicidae, Diptera and Coleoptera. At the rank of order, prey composition varied between bogs, some contained mainly Formicidae, some mainly Diptera and some a mix. Prey capture was less evenly distributed at some bogs compared to others, suggesting more specialization. There was no overall difference in prey capture (composition or evenness) at the rank of order between plants in Europe compared to those in North America. At the rank of species, prey capture varied between populations even within the same order. This study demonstrates a large amount of variability between sites in prey capture characteristics. This may reflect different site characteristics and/or plant strategies, which will likely impact plant function, and may impact the inquiline community. In terms of prey capture at the rank of order, S. purpurea functions identically in its non‐native range. This supports its use as a model system in a natural experiment for understanding food webs.
Microstructure and Properties of New Developed Fe-Cr-C-B Powders for Wear-Protection Purposes

This paper discusses the development of Fe-Cr-C-B powder feedstocks for the production of wear-resistant coatings by HVOF spraying. Chromium content in the powder is in the range of 30 wt% and carbon content is about 5 wt%, yielding a unique powder structure that results in coatings with high and well distributed carbide content. Powder and coating microstructure are examined and the results of wear tests are presented. The extent to which the powders can substitute for conventional carbide coatings is discussed as well.
Asymptotic behavior of Bayes estimates under possibly incorrect models

We prove that the posterior distribution in a possibly incorrect parametric model a.s. concentrates in a strong sense on the set of pseudotrue parameters determined by the true distribution. As a consequence, we obtain in the case of a unique pseudotrue parameter the strong consistency of pseudo-Bayes estimators w.r. t. general loss functions. Further, we present a simple example based on normal distributions and having two different pseudotrue parameters, where pseudo-Bayes estimators have an essentially different asymptotic behavior than the pseudomaximum likelihood estimator. While the MLE is strongly consistent, the sequence of posterior means is strongly inconsistent and a.s. almost all its accumulation points are not pseudotrue. Finally, we give conditions under which a pseudo-Bayes estimator for a unique pseudotrue parameter has an asymptotic normal distribution.
On Codimension Growth of Finitely Generated Associative Algebras

Abstract LetAbe a PI-algebra over a fieldF. We study the asymptotic behavior of the sequence of codimensionscn(A) ofA. We show that ifAis finitely generated overFthenInv(A)=limn→∞ c n (A) always exists and is an integer. We also obtain the following characterization of simple algebras:Ais finite dimensional central simple overFif and only ifInv(A)=dim=A.
TWO-PHOTON ANNIHILATION OF POSITRONIUM IN THE P-STATE

A relativistically invariant expression for the probability amplitude of two-photon annihilation of positronium was obtained by summation of an infinite number of graphs of a certain class. The probability of two-photon annihilation of positronium in the S- and P-states and also the selection rules for these processes were computed in the nonrelativistic limit. (tr-auth)
Accurate determination of the optimal coupling strength under best side mode suppression for surface grating DBR lasers

Surface-grating distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lasers have been explored and developed for fiber communications since last decade. These single-growth-step lasers have the advantage of no crystal re-growth as required in buried-grating lasers, making fabrication simpler. As to the device characterization, it has been known that Bragg reflectivity strongly affects threshold current, side-mode suppression ratio, and slope efficiency of a DBR laser. Unfortunately, precisely measuring the Bragg reflectivity is usually not feasible, since it is difficult to couple sufficient power under subthreshold condition for a stop-band measurement. On the other hand, either Bragg reflectivity or coupling coefficient obtained from theoretical calculations may deviate from the actual situation substantially, mainly because estimations of the coupling coefficient and the grating losses are not easy to achieve. Instead, we have characterized DBR lasers differently by using a novel self-consistent method. In the approach, the measurement for mode spacing at the Bragg peak was carried out, the coupling coefficient and the grating losses were then localized through the relation between effective and real grating lengths of the lasers. These precisely estimated device parameters were further put into the calculations of Bragg reflectivity, side-mode suppression ratio, threshold current density, and slope efficiency for the lasers. It was found that the optimal coupling strength, i.e. , for the highest side-mode suppression falls in the region between 1.0 and 1.2 with a laser geometry of La = 200 μm and Lg = 500 μm. Exact value of the above strength can be obtained, if a precise grating loss is given. Because the mode-spacing under the subthreshold would reflect the mechanism of gain-loss competition inherent in the laser cavity, and the estimations were repeatedly checked by experimental results during computation, we believe our results would be relatively more accurate than those obtained by using other methods. Detailed comparison among similar researches will be demonstrated on the conference. From our analyses, it can be found that operating at the optimal coupling strength not only provides the highest SMSR, but also gives acceptable slope efficiency and, however, would also come along with inevitable penalty of the threshold current, which is resulting from the higher DBR mirror loss with a shorter effective cavity length under the weaker Bragg reflection. An acceptable compromise can be made, if a slight increase, beyond the optimal coupling strength, is appropriately selected.
Epidemiology and Risk Factors of Convulsive Status Epilepticus Patients Admitted in the Emergency Department of Tertiary Hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia

Introduction Status epilepticus (SE) is one of the most common neurologic emergencies and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The underlying cause of SE varies between patients with epilepsy and those presenting without. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology, risk factors and outcomes of patients presenting with convulsive SE in the emergency department (ED) of a tertiary hospital in Mogadishu. Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted between July 2021 and June 2022. The study included both patients with epilepsy and those without epilepsy presenting to the ED with SE. Risk factors and underlying etiologies were evaluated in the patients in both the pediatric group (0–18 years) and adult group (18 years and above). Clinical history, neurologic examinations, neuroimaging, electroencephalography findings, and laboratory investigations were all evaluated. Results The mean age for pediatric patients was 6 (SD±4.7), while the mean age for adult patients was 38 (SD±10.4). About 33 (36%) of the subjects had previous history of epilepsy, while 59 (64%) presented to the ED with their first seizure. About 80 (87%) had generalized seizure while 12 (13%) had focal seizure. Poor antiepileptic compliance was the most common risk factor for SE 20 (21.7%), followed by CNS infections 14 (15%), and prolonged febrile seizures 7 (7.6%). Poor antiepileptic drug compliance, cerebrovascular disorders, electrolyte imbalance, metabolic conditions, and drug abuse were the most common underlying etiologies of SE in patients older than 18 years. Prolonged febrile seizure, meningitis, encephalitis, systemic infections, and structural brain abnormalities were the most common underlying etiologies of SE in patients younger than 18 years. Conclusion CNS infections, CVDs, metabolic disturbances, electrolyte imbalances, and systemic infections are major etiological risk factors of SE in patients without prior history of epilepsy. Medication adherence was the major etiological risk factor for SE identified in patients with epilepsy.
Affective Borderwork: Governance of Unwanted Migration to Europe Through Emotions

ABSTRACT This article explores how contemporary European migration governance utilizes affect and emotions to govern (unwanted) migration. Building on ethnographic fieldwork, we aim to show how emotions are used to bring the border alive beyond the actual geographical border, both inside Europe and in countries of origin. By juxtaposing two cases we highlight the interlinkages but also the differences between an, IOM-led, information campaign targeting the emotional register of the local population in rural Senegal, and a series of motivational interviews conducted by the Danish police targeting rejected asylum seekers refusing to return to their country-of-origin. We demonstrate how particular emotions are harnessed in these interventions to evoke morally charged spatial geographies that normalize racialized global inequalities to impact the (im)mobility of unwanted migrant subjects. Additionally, we seek to disentangle the ambivalent encounters between the interventions and the people they target. We analytically bridge cases that are often dealt with as separate phenomena in the academic literature, to tell a more nuanced story of how contemporary affective borderwork shapes European border externalization and internalization practices.
Coronal temperature, density, and magnetic field maps of a solar acitve region using the Owens Valley Solar Array

We present the first results of solar active region observations with the recently completed five-element Owens Valley Solar Array. On 1991 October 24, maps of Active Region AR 6891 were obtained at 22 frequencies from 1.2-7.0 GHz to provide brightness temperature spectra at each point. This is the first time that both high spatial and frequency-resolution brightness temperature spectra have been available over such a broad radio-frequency range. We find that over most of the region the spectra fall into one of the two well-defined categories: thermal free-free or thermal gyroresonance. In these cases, we use the spectra to deduce the spatial variation of physical parameters-electron temperature, column emission measure (intergral n(sup 2)(sub e) dl), and the coronal magnetic field strength-in and around the active region. Over a limited area of the region, the spectra resemble neither of the simple types, and alternative interpretations are required. The possibilties include the presence of fine structure that is unresolved at low frequencies; the presence of a small number of nonthermal electrons; or the presence of overlying, cooler 10(exp 6) K material which at low frequencies absorbs the hot (3 x 10(exp 6) K) thermal emission generated below.
Satellite-based Microwave Observations of Tropopause-Level Thermal Anomalies: Qualitative Applications in Extratropical Cyclone Events

Abstract The evolution of upper-tropospheric thermal patterns associated with extratropical cyclone events is often not well represented by the conventional observational network, especially in marine situations. In this paper, a potential tool for qualitatively analyzing tropopause-level thermal structure and variations based on remotely sensed passive microwave data from satellites is examined. Specifically, warm anomalies associated with tropopause undulations in upper-tropospheric waves are captured in imagery from the 54.96-GHz channel of the Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU) onboard the current series of NOAA polar-orbiting satellites. Examples of this imagery during selected western North Atlantic cyclone events are presented, and the potential usefulness of these observations in analysis and forecasting is discussed.
Unexpected influence of focal depth on nucleation during femtosecond laser crystallization of glass

Three-dimensional (3D) space-selective crystallization by femtosecond laser irradiation was investigated in LaBGeO5 glass. Heat modification could be induced space-selectively, but crystal nucleation showed an unexpected sensitivity to focal depth. Laser-induced heat modification profiles were inspected with optical microscopy and Raman spectroscopy in order to explain this phenomenon. We propose a mechanism based on heterogeneous nucleation at the surface of laser-induced defects and suggest strategies for achieving space-selective crystal nucleation.
Validation of an iCare Health Monitor smartphone application in the assessment of vital signs among stroke survivors in a poor-resource country

Background Frequent and accurate monitoring of blood pressure (BP) is a vital part of stroke management. There is therefore the need for availability of simple, portable and accurate devices for monitoring BP at any point in time. Objective To determine the validity and reliability of the iCare Health Monitor (iCHM) smartphone application in the measurement of BP, heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (RR) amongst stroke survivors in Anambra State. Methods This was a cross-sectional survey involving 86 stroke survivors (64.0% males; mean age = 65.23 ± 12.10 years) consecutively recruited from three conveniently selected centres in Anambra State. BP, PR and RR were assessed using both the standardised methods and iCHM. The parameters were reassessed with the iCHM after few minutes. Convergent validity and test-retest reliability of the iCHM were determined using Pearson product moment correlation and intra-class correlation coefficient respectively at an alpha level of 0.05. Results The convergent validity of the iCHM was excellent in measuring systolic BP (SBP) (r = 0.96; p < 0.01), diastolic BP (DBP) (r = 0.93; p < 0.01), HR (r = 0.96; p < 0.01) but moderate in measuring RR (r = 0.74; p < 0.01). The test-retest reliability of the iCHM was excellent in assessing SBP (ICC = 0.95; p < 0.01), DBP (ICC = 0.94; p < 0.01) and HR (ICC = 0.92; p < 0.01) but poor in assessing RR (ICC = 0.35; p = 0.03). Also, the iCHM displayed clinically insignificant bias. Conclusion The iCHM is a valid and reliable tool for assessing BP and HR (but not RR) among stroke survivors. Its use is therefore recommended especially in poor-resource countries where gadgets for assessing BP and PR might not easily be affordable and available.