Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Supplemental

Background Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) can cause lipid disorders in infants and have long-term adverse effects on their growth and development. Clostridium butyricum (C. butyricum), a kind of emerging probiotics, has been reported to effectively attenuate lipid metabolism dysfunctions. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of C. butyricum supplementation on hepatic lipid disorders in IUGR suckling piglets. Methods Sixteen IUGR and eight normal birth weight (NBW) neonatal male piglets were used in this study. From d 3 to d 24, in addition to drinking milk, the eight NBW piglets (NBW-CON group, n = 8) and eight IUGR piglets (IUGR-CON group, n = 8) were given 10 mL sterile saline once a day, while the remaining IUGR piglets (IUGR-CB group, n = 8) were orally administered C. butyricum at a dose of 2 × 10 colony-forming units (CFU)/kg body weight (suspended in 10 mL sterile saline) at the same frequency. Results The IUGR-CON piglets exhibited restricted growth, impaired hepatic morphology, disordered lipid metabolism, increased abundance of opportunistic pathogens and altered ileum and liver bile acid (BA) profiles. However, C. butyricum supplementation reshaped the gut microbiota of the IUGR-CB piglets, characterized by a decreased abundance of opportunistic pathogens in the ileum, including Streptococcus and Enterococcus. The decrease in these bile salt hydrolase (BSH)-producing microbes increased the content of conjugated BAs, which could be transported to the liver and function as signaling molecules to activate liver X receptor α (LXRα) and farnesoid X receptor (FXR). This activation effectively accelerated the synthesis and oxidation of fatty acids and down-regulated the total cholesterol level by decreasing the synthesis and promoting the efflux of cholesterol. As a result, the growth performance and morphological structure of the liver improved in the IUGR piglets. Conclusion These results indicate that C. butyricum supplementation in IUGR suckling piglets could decrease the abundance of BSH-producing microbes (Streptococcus and Enterococcus). This decrease altered the ileum and liver BA profiles and consequently activated the expression of hepatic LXRα and FXR. The activation of these two signaling molecules could effectively normalize the lipid metabolism and improve the growth performance of IUGR suckling
Palynostratigraphy and palynofacies of the Upper Silesian Keuper (southern Poland)

The results of the palynostratigraphical studies presented in this paper come from five boreholes Patoka 1, Czarny Las, Woźniki Śląskie K1, Kobylarz 1 and Poreba as well as from four outcrops at Lipie Śląskie, Patoka, Zawiercie and Poreba, in Upper Silesia (southern Poland). The palynostratigraphical zonation presented by Orlowska-Zwolinska (1983) for the epicontinental Upper Triassic of Poland was applied. The palynomorph spectra are marked by different preservation states, combined with the frequent occurrence of reworked specimens, probably even from Palaeozoic strata. The spore-pollen assemblage recognized in the “Chrzanow Formation” belongs to the early Carnian verrucata Subzone of the palynological longdonensis Zone. The spectrum from the Stuttgart Formation represents the Carnian astigmosus Zone. Spectra in the Patoka Marly Mudstone-Sandstone Member (Grabowa Mudstone-Carbonate Formation), with the Lisowice bone-bearing horizon, represent the middle and late Norian meyeriana b Subzone. The Rhaetian age of the bone-bearing succession in the Lisowice–Lipie Śląskie clay-pit suggested in the literature was not confirmed. The age of assemblages from the “Polomia Formation”, which overlies the Patoka Member, was not determined, owing to the poor state of miospore preservation. Moreover, three types of palynofacies were recognized as being characteristic for a fluvial channel (1), a flood plain (2), and lacustrine and playa environments (3) as well as for an undetermined milieu. Type 1 was found in the deposits of the Stuttgart Formation, the Patoka Member and the “Polomia Formation”, type 2 in the Patoka Member and the “Polomia Formation”, type 3 in the “Chrzanow Formation”, the Stuttgart Formation and the Patoka Member.
North Arch volcanic fields near Hawaii are evidence favouring the restite‐root hypothesis for the origin of hotspot swells

A pronounced regional bathymetric swell is a common feature of oceanic hotspot volcanism. Recently, the hypothesis of a buoyant sublithospheric swell‐root has been favoured, the root being either a ‘refracted plume’ of hot, buoyant and hence low‐viscosity plume material embedded within surrounding higher viscosity asthenosphere, or a ‘restite‐root’ composed of hot and more viscous residues to hotspot melt‐extraction from the hottest central portion of the upwelling plume. In this article, we present numerical experiments that show that these two scenarios predict different flow and melting patterns whenever the plume passes beneath an obliquely oriented fracture zone where the base of the overriding lithosphere changes in thickness. We find that the restite‐root hypothesis predicts an asymmetric spatial pattern of persistent ‘arch volcanism’ strikingly similar to that found in the Hawaiian chain surrounding the Molokai Fracture Zone. In contrast, the ‘refracted plume’ hypothesis predicts more chaotic patterns quite different from the off‐chain pattern of Hawaiian volcanism.
Timing and position of Late Wisconsinan ice-margins on the upper slope seaward of Laurentian Channel

At the last glacial maximum, the major ice outlet through Laurentian Channel terminated on the upper continental slope. A 10 km square area of the upper slope has been investigated in detail, using airgun and boomer seismic reflection profiles and piston cores. Sediment failure during the 1929 Grand Banks earthquake resulted in exposure at the seabed of Last Glacial Maximum sediments that are normally buried beneath tens of metres of younger strata. Ice-margin acoustic and lithofacies are interpreted using criteria developed on the continental shelf and chronology is provided by AMS radiocarbon dates on in situ mollusc shells. Seismic data show a morainal ridge at 500 mbsl (mbsl = metres below (present) sea level) corresponding to the Last Glacial Maximum ice grounding line. A change in thermal regime of the ice or a subglacial meltwater outburst, at 16.5 ± 0.15 ka (radiocarbon years, -0.4 ka marine reservoir correction applied), resulted in release of sediment-laden meltwater that eroded gullies on the continental slope. This erosion surface is immediately overlain by a prominent stony diamict that extends to about 700 mbsl and may represent till deposition from a glacial surge. The ice margin then retreated upslope by 16.3 ka, probably to the prominent moraine at 380 mbsl at the lip of the Laurentian Channel. Evidence from mud turbidites on Laurentian Fan suggests that this ice marginal position may have persisted until about 14.2 ka. Ice then retreated rapidly northwards up Laurentian Channel, synchronous with Heinrich Event 1 at about 14 ka. Younger proglacial sediment on the upper continental slope slumped at about 12 ka, probably as a result of loading by a late-ice advance across St. Pierre Bank.
University of Birmingham Guaranteed renewable life insurance under demand uncertainty

Guaranteed renewability (GR) is a prominent feature in many health and life insurance markets. We develop a model that includes unpredictable (and un-observable) fluctuations in demand for life insurance as well as changes in risk type (observable) over individuals' lifetimes. The presence of demand type heterogeneity leads to the possibility that optimal GR contracts may have a renewal price that is either above or below the actuarially fair price of the lowest risk type in the population. Individuals whose type turns out to be high risk but low demand renew more of their GR insurance than is efficient due to the attractive renewal price. This results in imperfect insurance against reclassification risk. Although a first ‐ best efficient contract is not possible in the presence of demand type heterogeneity, the presence of GR contracts nonetheless improves welfare relative to an environment with only spot markets.
Study of Aeration in the Water Flow over Stepped Spillway

Stepped spillway is one of the idea forms to increase oxygen content in water body for hydraulic and environmental engineering. The effect factors o n aeration rate in the water flow is closely related with the height, slope of step and water depth of the flow over stepped spillway. The relation between aeration rate and the effect factors mentioned above is developed. The aeration rates of 35 working conditions in the water flows over stepped spillways are simulated using numerical model. The simulated results are compared with experimental data by Chanson. It has shown that the simulated results are fairly coincident with experimental data. The study provides solid theoretical fundament on optimum design of spillways to increase oxygen content in water body.
ALM: An Asperity-based Likelihood Model for California

In most earthquake hazard models, the b -value of the Gutenberg-Richter law plays a central role in forecasting future seismicity based on the observed history. The cumulative earthquake-size distribution is commonly described by a power law: log10( N ) = a - bM , where N is the cumulative number of earthquakes of magnitude M or greater, a is the earthquake productivity of a volume, and b is the relative size distribution (Gutenberg and Richter 1944; Ishimoto and Iida 1939). The slope of this power law, the b -value, is a critical parameter in seismology that describes the size distribution of events. A high b -value indicates a relatively larger proportion of small events, and vice versa. In earthquake forecasting projects such as the source-related probabilistic seismic hazard assessment (PSHA), an underlying fundamental question is: What do the (numerous) smaller earthquakes tell us about the (infrequent) larger ones? Embedded into this question is also the question of stationarity: Can one trust recent small earthquakes to convey accurate information about infrequent large ones? It is these questions of scaling and stationarity that our model fundamentally addresses. In PSHA projects, the b -value is either chosen as a regional constant or varies spatially between local zones. However, there is currently no obvious scientific basis for choosing either of these approaches. The model we propose, the Asperity-based Likelihood Model (ALM), assumes that the earthquake-size distribution, and specifically the b -value of recent micro-earthquakes, is the most important information for forecasting future events of M 5+. Below we first briefly review the evidence that leads us to propose the ALM model, and then we describe the actual steps involved in deriving the model parameters. Most of the evidence in support of ALM stems from observational data from a variety of tectonic regimes as well …
WP / 18 / 161 Investment Slowdown in Denmark : Diagnosis and Policy Options by Tigran Poghosyan

Total investment in Denmark has experienced a sharp slowdown following the global financial crisis. This slowdown has coincided with a decline in labor productivity and expansion of the current account surplus. This paper presents stylized facts summarizing the investment slowdown followed by an empirical analysis identifying its drivers. The results suggest that the decline in output has contributed to investment slowdown, consistent with predictions of the accelerator model. However, other factors, including high leverage and structural rigidities in product markets, also played a role. JEL Classification Numbers: E22, O43.
Effect of Spacing and Plant Density on the Growth of Poplar ( Populus deltoides Bartr. Ex Marsh)

Poplar CI. D-61 was planted at various spacing with various densities in mixed cropping system under Tarai conditions of Uttar Pradesh. Plant spacing 5 × 5 m (400 tree ha -1 ) and 5 × 3.75 m (533 trees ha -1 ) gave higher tree height, d.b. h, mean annual increment in d.b. h. and basal area of individual trees in comparison to other treatments after six and half years of planting. The tree survival was found significantly higher at 5 × 5 m spacing. The total volume of wood under bark was found higher at 5 × 1.25 m (1600 trees ha -1 ) and 5 × 1 m (200 trees ha -1 ) spacings.
Screening mutant library of Lactic Acid Bacteria for development of strains with improved physiological traits desired in the dairy fermentation industry *

Conventional mutagenesis and mutant library screening has long been used to generate mutant strains of Lactic Acid Bacteria with improved physiological and genetic characteristics. This approach was proved to be successful in the fermentation industry by supplying isolates capable of tolerating operational conditions. Acid development and persistence during dairy fermentation and poor growth are the main hindrances the industry is facing. There in order to alleviate this problem observed in Ethiopian cottage and industrial dairy fermentation, this study was designed with objectives of screening and selecting elite mutant and wild types isolates with improved acid tolerance and elevated growth performance. Hence, mutant library of Lactic Acid Bacteria and their respective wild types were screened for acid tolerance at various temperatures. The Survivors were evaluated for growth performance at 25, 35, 45 and 55 °C and pH 7, 6 and 5. Two mutant isolates (MAS03 and MAB18) and their respective wild type isolates (B6S01 and A6B08) were found be better performing and were selected for growth monitoring test. Acid stress tolerance (pH 3 and 4) was found to be higher at 35 °C and 12 hours of incubation. The growth performance of mutant isolates was found to excel the wild types at pH 7, 6 and 5. Mean Optical Density as high as 8±0.00 were measured at 45 °C and 8 th hours by the mutants type MAB18. Similarly at pH 6 Optical density 6.712±0.025 was observed at 35 °C and 12 th hour of incubation by the other mutant type MAS03. However, the respective wild types performance at the respective conditions were 2.417±0.021 (A6B08) and 2.999±0.001 (B6S01). The mutant types’ lag time was as short as 2 and 4 hours at pH 7 and 6, and 35 and 45°C while it took the wild types 6 to 8 hours. The mutants were found be robust in faster exponential growth, stress tolerance and highly reduced lag time. These traits are desirable industrially; therefore, considering them for cottage and industrial dairy processes could reduce production cost and boost productivity.
Direct wind measurements of Saharan dust events from Terra and Aqua satellites

Wind speed and direction, during Saharan dust episodes are calculated by estimating the movement of the dust plume between the morning observations from Terra and the afternoon observations from Aqua by the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). The difference in the position of the dust front (easily identified both near the dust sources and over the ocean) between the Terra and Aqua observations is used to derive the actual wind field of the dust layer. The analysis is used to estimate the near‐surface wind properties needed for dust mobilization in the Bodele depression. Comparison with NCEP reanalysis winds shows that NCEP underestimated by factor 2 the actual speed of the dust front progression near the sources and produced an azimuthal spread, three times wider than the measured one. Over the seashore, with more numerous meteorological observations, the NCEP wind field did match very well the dust measurements.
Ethiopia: National Survey of the Integrated Pharmaceutical Logistics System.

Since 2009 the Pharmaceuticals Fund and Supply Agency (PFSA) has implemented the Integrated Pharmaceutical Logistics System (IPLS) for essential health commodities in the public sector. This report describes the findings from a survey of supply chain performance in a representative sample of public-sector health facilities in Ethiopia. In addition to findings on the status of supply chain management in facilities and the availability of tracer health commodities the report also outlines future recommendations to further improve system performance.
Mantle-drip magmatism beneath the Altiplano-Puna plateau, central Andes

Convective removal of continental lithospheric roots has been postulated to be the primary mechanism of recycling lithospheric mass into the asthenosphere under large plateaux such as the Altiplano-Puna in the central Andes. Convective instabilities are especially likely to develop where there is extensive intermediate arc-like magmatism in the upper plate, as the residual masses complementing these magmatic products are typically denser than the underlying mantle. Mafic volcanic rocks erupted on the central Andean Altiplano-Puna plateau during the past 25 m.y. contain evidence of this process. Here we use equilibration temperatures, age data, and geochemical constraints—primarily based on transition metals—to show that the most important source materials by mass for this mantle-derived magmatism are pyroxenites from the lower parts of the lithosphere, with only minor contributions from mantle peridotite. Pyroxenites are denser than typical upper mantle whether they are garnet bearing or not, and are therefore likely to contribute to destabilizing parts of the continental lithosphere. The pattern of melting is consistent with the process of foundering/dripping of small-scale (
2017). Dynamic factor long memory volatility. Quantitative Finance, 17(8), 1205-1221

In this paper, we develop a long memory orthogonal factor (LMOF) multivariate volatility model for forecasting the covariance matrix of financial asset returns. We evaluate the LMOF model using the volatility timing framework of Fleming et al. (2001) and compare its performance with that of both a static investment strategy based on the unconditional covariance matrix and a range of dynamic investment strategies based on existing short memory and long memory multivariate conditional volatility models. We show that investors should be willing to pay to switch from the static strategy to a dynamic volatility timing strategy and that, among the dynamic strategies, the LMOF model consistently produces forecasts of the covariance matrix that are economically more useful than those produced by the other multivariate conditional volatility models, both short memory and long memory. Moreover, we show that combining long memory volatility with the factor structure yields better results than employing either long memory volatility or the factor structure alone. The factor structure also significantly reduces transaction costs, thus increasing the feasibility of dynamic volatility timing strategies in practice. Our results are robust to estimation error in expected returns, the choice of risk aversion coefficient, the estimation window length and sub-period analysis.
Topographic effects on vegetation biomass in semiarid mixed grassland under climate change using AVHRR NDVI data.

The topography effects on vegetation biomass under climate change impact have been ignored in prairie regions as it is not as significant as in mountain areas. This paper aims to investigate the topographic effects on vegetation biomass under climate change in semiarid Canadian mixed grass prairie. The study site is Grasslands National Park (GNP) and the study period is from 1985 to 2007. Data used include dry green biomass data sampled from June to July of 2003 to 2005, 10-day Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) 1km Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) composites of 1985 to 2007, and Global Digital Elevation Model derived from Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER GDEM) data with 90 m resolution. To achieve the objective, the applicability of AVHRR NDVI data being a proxy of vegetation biomass was investigated. Then, the range and standard deviation (SD) of each individual vegetation patch in both valley and upland grasslands were calculated. In addition, the variation trend of valley and upland vegetation was analyzed respectively using the Mann-Kendall (M-K) test and the Sen’s slope. The results indicate that the interannual variation of vegetation biomass at GNP can be fairly well represented by AVHRR 1 km NDVI data. Although some patches in valley grassland have similar NDVI range and SD values as those in upland grassland, the others have much smaller range and SD Short Research Article British Journal of Environment & Climate Change, 4(2): 229-242, 2014 230 values than the highest range (0.154) and SD (0.045) of upland grassland. The M-K test and Sen’s slope analyses indicate that NDVI had an increase trend with a larger slope (0.0005) in upland and a smaller slope (0.0002) in valley grassland. It is concluded that climatic variation has more effects on upland grassland than valley grassland in GNP. Topography effects in prairie regions should not be ignored.
Routledge Handbook of Physical Education Pedagogies

Most human behaviors are guided by specific goals. In educational settings, goals may derive from sources either external to the learner or within the learner. Currently, learner-generated goals are driving the research enterprise in goal research and, specifically, the study of achievement goal orientation constructs. In this chapter, I will provide a historic overview of this research, elaborate the dominant theoretical frameworks
The molecular portraits of breast tumors are conserved across The molecular portraits of breast tumors are conserved across microarray platforms microarray platforms

Background: Validation of a novel gene expression signature in independent data sets is a critical step in the development of a clinically useful test for cancer patient risk-stratification. However, validation is often unconvincing because the size of the test set is typically small. To overcome this problem we used publicly available breast cancer gene expression data sets and a novel approach
Clinical Signiﬁcance of an Alloantibody against the Kell Blood Group Glycoprotein

due to immune-mediated erythrocyte destruction by an alloan-tibody directed against the Kell glycoprotein. Serologic and molecular approaches identified an anti-Ku alloanti-body in maternal serum. A homozygous IVS3 + 1g>a point mutation ( KEL*02N.06 allele) was found to be responsible for the lack of Kell antigen expression in the mother’s red blood cell and subsequent alloimmunization after a previous pregnancy. Even though in most cases Kell antibodies are clinically severe and may cause suppression of erythropoiesis, in our case the