Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigation of Chondroprotective Mechanisms of Selenium

Investigation of Chondroprotective Mechanisms of Selenium by Anthony Wai-Ming Cheng Department of Pathology Duke University Date:_______________________ Approved: ___________________________ Virginia Byers Kraus, Supervisor ___________________________ Soman N. Abraham ___________________________ Farshid Guilak ___________________________ William E. Kraus ___________________________ Salvatore V. Pizzo An abstract of a dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Pathology in the Graduate School of Duke University 2010 Copyright by Anthony Wai-Ming Cheng 2010
A retrospective study of neoplasms in ornamental and pet birds diagnosed at the Hospital de Aves of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (2007-2014)

A retrospective study including a total of 44 ornamental and pet birds with neoplasms diagnosed at the Hospital de Aves, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México from January 2007 to April 2014 was conducted. Most of affected birds were Psittaciformes (n=26, 59%) including budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) (n=12/26, 46.15%) and amazon parrots (Amazona spp.) (n=7/26, 26.92%), and followed by Passeriformes and Anseriformes (n=7/44, 15.90%, each) and Galliformes (n=4/44, 9.09%). The youngest studied bird was a 6.5-week-old lovebird (Agapornis sp.) with a papilloma, and the oldest bird was a 37-year-old yellow-naped parrot (Amazona auropalliata) with a hemangiosarcoma. Most of the affected birds were adults (n=23, 52.27%). The gender was determined for 17 birds (38.63%), of which eight (47.05%) were females and nine (52.94%) males. There were 45 reported neoplasms, as one salmon-crested cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) had two neoplasms. The two most frequent neoplasms were fibrosarcomas (n=9/45, 20%) and hemangiosarcomas (n=5/45, 11.11%). The largest number of neoplasms was found in the integumentary system (n=18/45, 40%), followed by the reproductive system (n=10/45, 22.22%). Of the 16 types of neoplasms, seven (43.75%) were malignant, six (37.5%) were benign, and three (18.75%) were potentially malignant. This study showed similarities with retrospective previously reported studies and contributes to the knowledge of the neoplastic diseases that occur in ornamental and pet birds in Mexico.
The European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing-Subcommittee on Antifungal Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST-AFST) EUCAST Technical Note on fluconazole.

Fluconazole is an azole antifungal agent active against Candida spp. and Cryptococcus spp. It can be administered orally or intravenously. It has been used for treating Candida infections, and is effective in treating infections caused by strains of Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis and Candida parapsilosis without acquired resistance mechanisms. The drug is ineffective for treating infections caused by Candida krusei, which is naturally resistant. The response of infections caused by Candida glabrata is variable, as the wild-type MIC distribution straddles most reasonable MIC breakpoints. Every attempt should be made to identify Candida isolates to the species level before or in conjunction with antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The EUCAST-AFST (European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing—Subcommittee on Antifungal Susceptibility Testing) has determined breakpoints of fluconazole for Candida spp. This Technical Note is based on the EUCAST fluconazole rationale document (available on the EUCAST website: http://www. eucast.org). The rationale document includes more detail and published references related to the selection of EUCAST-AFST breakpoints. D O S A G E
ESDA (Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis) of Vegetation Cover in Urban Areas—Recognition of Vulnerabilities for the Management of Resources in Urban Green Infrastructure

From the mapping of urban vegetation cover by high-resolution orthoimages, using IR band and NDVI classification (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), added to three-dimensional representation obtained by LiDAR capture (Light Detection and Ranging), the volumetric values of vegetal cover are obtained as a base to construct spatial analysis in the district of Pampulha, in Belo Horizonte, investigating the role it plays in the neighborhood. The article aims to analyze the relationship between vegetation cover, income distribution and population density, as a support to urban environmental quality management. It applies Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA) to identify the presence of clusters and patterns of spatial distribution and to examine spatial autocorrelation. The results confirm the concentration of vegetation cover in areas of high income and lower population density but the main contribution of the study is the use of a method to analyze the spatial behavior of this distribution. Calculating Moran global index and local index (LISA), these spatial combinations are mainly used to identify transformation pressures, which may result in the definition of priorities for public actions and the construction of proposals for parameterization of vegetation cover to support plans related to green infrastructure in urban areas.
Project-Level Disclosure and Investment Efficiency: Evidence From China

Different from studies that use rough proxies for aggregate accounting information quality to investigate its impact on investment efficiency, we construct a project-level measure of disclosures pertaining specifically to firms’ ongoing and future investments, using a large sample of Chinese listed firms. We first validate this measurement of project-level investment disclosure, finding that more detailed investment disclosures are associated with stronger market reactions, particularly among strong-governance firms. Furthermore, we find that project-level disclosure is associated with higher future investment efficiency for strong-governance firms, but not for weak-governance firms. Investigations into underlying channels reveal that well-governed firms with more investment disclosures face less financial constraints and are more likely to abandon poorly performing investments. Cross-sectional analyses suggest that project-level disclosure and governance play a more important role in settings where firms have stronger incentives for opportunistic disclosure. Overall, our evidence indicates that project-level disclosure interacts with corporate governance to impact investment efficiency. The results have implications for disclosure regulation and practice.
An Analysis of the Relationships among Exports, Imports, Physical Capital and Economic Growth in Pakistan

This review emphasized the relationship among capital formation, economic growth, exports and imports in case of Pakistan scenario using time series data from 1976 to 2015. Augmented Dickey Fuller Test, Johansen Co-integration, Vector error correction model and Granger Causality techniques have been used to check the relationships among exports, imports and economic growth. The results from this study show that the exports, imports, real GDP and gross fixed capital formation have a long run relationship and are co-integrated. This study uses the data of Pakistan and concludes that GDP doesn’t granger cause with the export and import while export and imports do granger cause with the GDP in the long run. Finding of the study also displays that physical capital formation has no impression over GDP. Previous study shows the positive relation among exports, imports, capital formation and economic growth while this study shows that in the long run capital formation and economic growth has no effect. Government subsidizes the exports and also increases the duty bills on imports that help boost the domestic industries manufacture the goods and motivate to produce the best quality of goods. JEL codes: F2, O47
The impact of social networking sites advertisement on consumer purchasing decision: The Mediating role of brand awareness

Article history: Received: December 18, 2019 Received in revised format: January 29, 2020 Accepted: February 15, 2020 Available online: February 16, 2020 This study aims to investigate the impact of social networking sites advertisements on consumer purchase decisions. It also seeks to examine how brand awareness mediates this primary effect. The data for this study was collected based on 360 followers from student's perspectives towards major apparel brands across Girne American University in North Cyprus. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling (SEM) in order to analyze the data collected. The study found that SNS advertisement had a significant impact on brand awareness, alongside consumer purchase decisions. Similarly, it found support for the mediating role of brand awareness. This research extends prior research by investigating the mediating effect of brand awareness between the SNS advertisements and purchase decision path. Finally, this study enriches social media marketing literature by providing evidence from North Cyprus.
Changes in Carbohydrates and Osmotic Potential during Rhythmic Expansion of Rose Petals

Rhythmic pulses of irreversible petal expansion in rose (Rosa hybrida L. ‘Sonia’) petals cause diurnal changes in the rate of flower opening. Time-lapse cinematography revealed a transient increase in the rate of rose flower opening that commenced shortly before the onset of a light period and lasted for a few hours. Petal expansion, which occurred sequentially from the outer to the innermost whorl, involved rhythmic increases in fresh and dry weights. The amount of expansion was greatest in the distal portion of each petal and least near the petal base. Periods of rapid expansion were accompanied by decreases in starch and increases in soluble sugars in the petals, but the total carbohydrate content of the petals remained constant during a light–dark cycle. During expansion, the osmotic potential of the outer petal increased from −790 to −690 kPa. Starch hydrolysis during petal growth appears to be important for maintenance of cell size, but it is not the factor controlling cell expansion.
L-ascorbic acid accumulation in berries of Ribes nigrum L.

Summary The L-ascorbic acid (AsA) content of six genotypes of blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) representative of the available genetic resources for this crop, was measured in relation to berry development. The main period of AsA accumulation coincided with the berry expansion phase, soon after fertilization, and genotypic rankings of AsA content established in this early stage remained constant thereafter. No correlation was found between AsA content, soluble solids content or sugar levels.
Knowledge sharing, heterophily, and social network dynamics

ABSTRACT This study formulates a model where (i) players are characterized by a knowledge set that changes endogenously by communication and (ii) some players have homophily preferences, while others have heterophily preferences. The study thus demonstrates that heterophilous players bridge different components and extend networks in an early stage and, subsequently, homophilous players take the role of a network hub that maintains network ties. It also illustrates the long-run knowledge distribution. Further, the model is embedded with new structural components that illustrate the strength of weak ties and the small-world phenomenon.
Pengaruh Pemberian Berbagai Konsentrasi Hormon IBA (Indole Butyric Acid) terhadap Pertumbuhan Akar pada Stek Batang Tanaman Buah Naga (Hylocereus undatus)

Dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) is a plant of high economic value. With increasing consumer demand for dragon fruit, it is necessary to the provision of quality seeds. Effective seed multiplication is done by stem cuttings. One effort to increase the percentage growth of cuttings is to use hormone IBA (Indole Butyric Acid) to stimulate root growth, because the IBA has a more stable chemical content and workability for longer so that it can stimulate root growth. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of various concentrations of IBA on root growth in cuttings of dragon fruit plants and determine the optimal concentration of IBA for root growth in cuttings of dragon fruit plants. The study was conducted experimentally using a randomized block design with one treatment factor, namely the concentration of IBA include 0 ppm, 500 ppm, 1000 ppm, 2000 ppm and 4000 ppm. Factor is repeated 5 times to obtain 25 samples treatment. Parameters, that were measured, were the percentage of root cuttings, root length, and root biomass. Data was analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) one-way and followed by Duncan test to determine differences among treatments. The results showed that various concentrations of IBA hormone affected positively on root growth of dragon fruit plant cuttings, and the optimal concentration of IBA on root growth was 2000 ppm.
Predicting entrepreneurial intentions through self-efficacy, family support, and regret

Purpose Entrepreneurial activities are the outcome of various individual dispositional and environmental factors. Taking both internal and external factors as the basic premise of venturing, this study aims to investigate the impact of entrepreneurial self-efficacy on intentions through the mediating role of regret and moderation of family support. Design/methodology/approach Data was collected through a questionnaire from 435 students of three large public sector universities at two points of time with an interval of four months. Findings Self-efficacy influences entrepreneurial intentions through regret, while the absence of family support increases regret. As the family support is often perceived to be absent in the Pakistani entrepreneurial culture, the outcomes are distinctive. Originality/value These findings add value in the existing literature by linking family support, self-efficacy and regret association, and their ultimate influence on entrepreneurial intentions.
The nutritive value of extruded and raw peas for growing and finishing pigs.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the nutritive value of extruded or raw peas ( Pisum sativum as an energy and protein supplement for pigs of 33 to 100 kg live weight. Experiment 1 determined the effects of extrusion on the nutrient apparent digestibility of peas when included at 200 g and 400 g/kg in the diet. In experiment 2, performance was determined in individually fed pigs (no. = 70) offered diets ad libitum including a control (no peas, T1), 200 g/kg raw peas (T2), 400 g/kg raw peas (T3), 200 g/kg extruded peas (T4), 400g/kg extruded peas (T5). The peas were extruded at 120°С for 30 s. All diets were formulated to have similar concentrations of digestible energy (DE) and total lysine. There was a significant interaction effect ( P P P P P P > 0·05) between the digestibility of the 200 and 400 g/kg peas when the peas were extruded. In experiment 2, there was a significant interaction ( P P P
Replication, recombination and chromosome segregation in escherichia coli

SbcCD has been shown to cleave a DNA hairpin formed by a palindromic DNA sequence on the lagging strand template of the E. coli chromosome. This activity was exploited to create a unique system for inducing a single site-specific DNA double-strand break (DSB) once per replication cycle. First, this work shows that the SOS response induced by this DSB is only essential for viability following multiple cycles of cleavage and repair. Next, the SOS-inducible inhibitor of cell division SfiA is shown to be dispensable for survival, despite demonstrating that cleavage of the palindrome causes both an increase in cell size and a delay in nucleoid segregation. A model of the E. coli cell cycle is presented to reconcile the observation that growth under chronic DSB induced conditions has no effect on generation time despite causing an increase in cell size. This system of DSB induction was then coupled with fluorescence markers on both sides of the palindrome to visualise the consequence of the DSB in vivo. Cleavage of the DNA hairpin by SbcCD in a recA mutant was used to selectively degrade the chromosome that replicated the palindrome on the lagging strand of replication, allowing two genetically identical sister chromosomes to be distinguished. This approach was used to show that chromosome segregation in E. coli is not random, but results in the segregation of lagging strand replicated DNA to mid-cell and leading strand replicated DNA to cell poles. Finally, this system for visualising the site of an inducible DSB was optimised for use in various other mutant backgrounds to allow the events of DSB repair to be dissected. This work provides a solid basis for further investigation into the relationship between replication, recombination and chromosome segregation in the model organism E. coli.
Qualidade de ovos de poedeiras semipesadas armazenados em diferentes temperaturas e períodos de estocagem

The aim of this work was to determine the effect of conservation temperature and storage period in the internal quality of eggs from semi-heavy laying hens with different ages. There were utilized 1200 eggs from commercial laying hens Hisex Brown with 26 and 55 weeks. The samples were analyzed in fresh eggs and four, eight, 12 e 16 days of storage and different conservation systems (natural environment and refrigerated). For each age adopted in a completely randomized design, it was followed a factorial scheme 2 x 5 (temperature of conservation and storage period). The variables analyzed were: egg weight, pH of the albume and of the yolk, haugh unit, yolk index, albume, yolk, and shell percentage and total solids percentage (dry matter) of the albume and yolk. Data were submitted to the analysis of variance and the degree of freedom concerning to storage period were decomposed in orthogonal polynomials by computational program Statistical Analysis System (SAS). There were treatment effects to the most of studied variables, independent of the bird ages, except to the egg weight from oldest hens and total solids percentage of the albume and yolk of the eggs from young layers. It was concluded that the increase in the storage period affects the internal quality of eggs from semi-heavy laying hens, young or old one, independent of the conservation system used. However, the effect is minimized when eggs are refrigerated.
Heat Flow on the U.S. Beaufort Margin, Arctic Ocean: Implications for Ocean Warming, Methane Hydrate Stability, and Regional Tectonics

Results from the first focused heat flow study on the U.S. Beaufort Margin provide insight into decadal‐scale Arctic Ocean temperature change and raise new questions regarding Beaufort Margin evolution. This study measured heat flow using a 3.5‐m Lister probe at 103 sites oriented along four north‐south transects perpendicular to the ~700‐km long U.S. Beaufort Margin. The new heat flow measurements, corrected both for seasonal ocean temperature fluctuations and bathymetric effects, reveal low average heat flow values (~35 mW/m2) at seafloor depths of 300–900 m below sea level (mbsl) and anomalously high (~80 mW/m2) values at seafloor depths of >1,000 mbsl, near the predicted continent‐ocean transition. Anomalously low heat flow values measured on the upper margin are consistent with previous studies suggesting decadal‐scale ocean temperature warming to ~500 mbsl. Our results, however, indicate this ocean warming likely extends to depths as great at 900 mbsl—400 m deeper than previous studies suggest—implying widespread, ongoing, methane hydrate destabilization across much of the U.S. Beaufort Margin. The cause of the anomalously high heat flow values observed at seafloor depths >1,000 at the continent‐ocean transition is unclear. We suggest three candidate processes: (1) higher heat production and lower thermal conductivity on the margin edge due to the thickest sedimentary cover at the ocean‐continent transition, (2) seaward migrating subsurface advection, and (3) possible fault‐reactivation at the northern boundary of the Alaskan Microplate.
Going Wild: Toward an Ecology of Visual Information Processing

With all our extensive knowledge of sensory coding, sensory-motor feedback loops, and motor control, we are still largely ignorant about what enables animals to be such successful autonomous agents. Even in arthropods with their tiny brains, we do not fully understand how behaviorally relevant information is acquired, filtered, and processed to guide behavior. This poses a fundamental challenge to neurobiology (e.g., see Pfluger and Menzel 1999): Most of what we know about the neural basis of visual processing, for instance, comes from experiments using well-defined simple patterns, such as black and white stripes or random dots, which were chosen to facilitate our interpretation of the neuronal responses. In addition, in most cases, we have no alternative but to study neurons out of context, in stripped-down organisms and in isolated or sliced-up brain preparations, in order to be able to measure their response properties. Neurophysiological studies have revealed a wealth of information on neurons and many of their interesting properties, but these properties are not necessarily the only ones that are relevant under natural operating conditions. Nervous systems are not general information transmission and processing devices, but they have evolved to solve specific computational tasks that are relevant to the survival and the fitness of an animal in a given environment. Visual processing mechanisms are adapted to the properties of the signals they encounter under these natural situations (e.g., see Simoncelli and Ohlshausen 2001; Burton and Laughlin 2003), as recent studies using natural visual stimuli have demonstrated (e.g., see Reinagel 2001;.
Principals’ positioning of teacher specialists: between sensitivity, coaching, and dedication

ABSTRACT This study investigates how principals position specialized teachers (i.e., teachers with expertise in a specific area who are assigned to build the capacity of teachers through professional development) and how these positions might enable and constrain the teachers’ actions. Today, a general tendency to foster professionalization by establishing new specialized teacher roles is growing. Research reveals that principals’ communication is crucial for these teachers’ work, yet how they talk about the teachers is rarely the main object of investigation. By analyzing observational data and interviews with three principals, this study explores how Norwegian specialized teachers are positioned, locally referred to as teacher specialists, and hence how professionalization through specialization is put into practice. Drawing on positioning theory, three inductively derived positions are identified, revealing that the principals tend to equalize the specialists and the staff and emphasize the specialists’ attributes rather than their subject knowledge. The results suggest that, although principals’ positioning can impede potential conflicts within the collegium, de-emphasizing the specialists’ expertise arguably makes it difficult to consider such roles as professionalization initiatives. Moreover, reducing specialized teachers to a matter of dedication and careful teacher approaches can constrain specialist-led development work and facilitation of inquiry-based dialogs within the collegium.