Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Garlic (Allium sativum) Powder as an Additive in Broilers (Finisher Phase) Part 2: Growth Performance, Hypocholesterolemic Effect and Economic Implications

This study was designed to investigate the effects of garlic powder as a phyto-additive in broiler diets as a growth promoter with cholesterolemic properties and to also determine the economic implications when garlic powder is used in broiler diets. One hundred and ninety-two day old commercial broilers were used for this experiment and they were randomly allotted to four treatments and four replicates. Powdered garlic was incorporated into the bird’s diet at 0 gKg, 2 gKg, 3 gKg and 4 gKg additive levels. The performance parameters progressively improved by increasing dietary garlic powder from 2 gKg up to 3 gKg but reduced when garlic inclusion level was increased beyond 3 gKg. The highest average feed intake of 110.13±2.60 g/bird/day was obtained for birds on diet with 2 gKg garlic supplementation. The highest average weight gain value of 48.73±2.64 g/bird/day was also obtained for birds on 2gKg garlic supplemented diet. The Original Research Article Oloyede and Fasuyi; JEAI, 18(5): 1-14, 2017; Article no.JEAI. 36602 2 optimum feed conversion ratio value of 2.27±0.14 was obtained at 2 gKg garlic supplemented diet. The nitrogen retention values were similar (P>0.05) for all experimental birds. The live weight of 2524.70±59.9 g was the highest for birds on 2 gKg garlic diet but similar (P>0.05) to the live weight value of 2468.30±26.0 g obtained for birds on 3 gKg garlic supplemented diet. The total cholesterol was consistently higher (P<0.05) at 3.41±0.13 g/dl for birds on the control diet without any garlic powder. Other total cholesterol values of 2.43±0.04 g/dl, 2.68±0.16g/dl and 2.69±0.10g/dl obtained for birds on 2 gKg, 3 gKg and 4 gKg garlic supplemented diets, respectively were similar (P>0.05). The highest average body weight was attained on the 56 day for birds on the 2gKg garlic supplemented diet and the cost benefit (feed/kg of live weight) was lowest for birds on 2 gKg garlic supplemented diet at N243.94 and highest at N290.20 for birds on 4gKg garlic supplemented diet. The best performance, carcass characteristics and the serum constituents of birds was attained by the group of birds fed with diet containing 2 gKg garlic. The inclusion level of garlic at 2 gKg is the most suitable as it is economically cheaper andhad more nutritional benefits for broiler production.
MORPHOLOGICAL STUDIES ON THE LIPS OF BUFFALO

This study was carried out on the lips of twenty buffalo heads of both sexes collected from Kafrelsheikh abattoir to illustrate the morphological features of the lips by using light microscope and scanning electron microscope. The lips and the oral commissure are covered externally with thin skin and lined internally with mucous membrane. The nasolabial plate is covered with stratified squamous keratinized epithelium. The core of the lips is formed of bundles of skeletal muscles separated with connective tissue fibers.The core of the commissure is formed of bundles of skeletal muscles, collagen fibers, adipose tissue and PAS and Ab positive seromucoid glands. The core of the nasolabial plate is formed mainly of connective tissue followed by lobules of serous glands with few bundles of skeletal muscles. Tow types of hair follicles were found in the dermis of the covering skin; the ordinary and covernous types. Conical papillae are found in the internal aspect of the oral commissure, while the free border of the lips carried blunt and short papillae.
Efficacy of imazapic/imazapyr and other herbicides in mixtures for the control of Digitaria insularis prior to soybean sowing

Herbicide mixtures, use of multiple sites of action, and other weed management practices are necessary to avoid cases of biotype resistance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of imazapic/imazapyr and other herbicides in mixtures to control Digitaria insularis at burndown before soybean sowing. This field research was conducted in Umuarama, State of Parana (PR), Brazil, in the 2018/19 soybean season. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block experimental design with four replications and 11 treatments composed of the application of glyphosate, clethodim, haloxyfop, imazapic/imazapyr, glufosinate, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), dicamba, triclopyr, and saflufenacil, in mixtures. Weed control was evaluated as well as soybean injury and yield. An analysis of variance and F-test were performed, and the treatment means were compared by the Scott-Knott test. All treatments showed great control over the weed and low crop injury rate while maintaining soybean yield. The application of imazapic/imazapyr in mixtures with other herbicides was effective in controlling glyphosate-resistant D. insularis in burndown before soybean sowing and with sequential application of haloxyfop + glyphosate at V3 stage of soybean. This chemical management was also selective for soybean.
Physiological consequence of sleep deprivation on healthy volunteers

In most biological processes in the human body, sufficient sleep time andlength during the night is very critical while, the opposite is associated with adversephysical health issues. Forty volunteers 25-35 years old were chosen forparticipation in this study, 20 has normal sleep at night and 20 exposed to sleep deprivation either voluntary or involuntary, for at least 2 months. Sleep deprivedgroup showed decline in RBCs, Hb, Ht% incorporated with increase in total WBCsand most of their subpopulations especially lymphocytes and neutrophils, glucoseconcentration, glycated hemoglobin, ghrelin, ACTH, cortisol, melatonin levels,total lipids and triacylglycerol in association with significant decline in leptin andinsulin levels. Regarding antioxidant parameters and oxidative stress markers, SODactivity and GSH level declined but, CAT activity, MDA and PC significantlyexceeded. Regarding CD4 and CD8 %, they were significantly raised in sleep deprived group. In conclusion, it seems that, sleep deprivation adversely affectsmetabolic processes, reduces antioxidant status and declines immune system,meanwhile, sleep aid for recuperation from most disease status, improve immunesystem and restore body activity
Universities, students and regional economies: a symbiotic relationship?

ABSTRACT This paper examines the heterogeneous effect of student spending in UK NUTS-2 regions. Impact analyses of the more than £45 billion students spend each year have so far been agnostic of the regional absorptive capacity to benefit from this expenditure. Building a multi-regional input–output model for the UK and combining it with data on student expenditure, domicile and level of study, the paper finds significant regional heterogeneity in gross value added and employment multipliers as well as in interregional spillovers. The analysis shows how important student expenditure is for regional economies and the symbiotic relationship between student spending and regional industrial structures that produce varying impact outcomes.
Sources of nitrous acid (HONO) in the upper boundary layer and lower free troposphere of the North China Plain: insights from the Mount Tai Observatory

Abstract. Nitrous acid (HONO) is a significant precursor of atmospheric “detergent” OH radicals and plays a vital role in tropospheric chemistry. The current knowledge about daytime HONO sources is incomplete, and its impact on the tropospheric radical chemistry has not been fully quantified. Existing observational studies of HONO were mostly conducted at the surface, with few efforts focusing on the high-elevation atmosphere. In order to better understand the characteristics and sources of HONO in the upper boundary layer and lower free troposphere, two intensive field observations were carried out at the summit of Mt. Tai (1534 m a.s.l.), the peak of the North China Plain (NCP), in winter 2017 and spring 2018. HONO showed moderate concentration levels (average ± standard deviation: 0.15±0.15 and 0.13±0.15 ppbv), with maximum values of 1.14 and 3.23 ppbv in winter and spring, respectively. Diurnal variation patterns with broad noontime maxima and lower nighttime concentrations were observed during both campaigns, which is distinct from most of the previous studies at the ground level. The Lagrangian particle dispersion model (LPDM, WRF-FLEXPART v3.3) simulations indicated the combined effects of the planetary boundary layer evolution and valley breeze on the daytime HONO peak. A photostationary state (PSS) analysis suggested a strong unknown daytime HONO source with production rates of 0.45±0.25 ppb h−1 in winter and 0.64±0.49 ppb h−1 in spring. Correlation analysis supported the important role of photo-enhanced heterogeneous conversion of NO2 to HONO on the aerosol surface at this high-elevation site. HONO photolysis is the predominant primary source of OH radical and plays a major role in the radical chemistry at Mt. Tai. The model only considering a homogenous HONO source predicted much lower levels of the HOx radicals and atmospheric oxidation capacity than the model constrained with measured HONO data. This study sheds light on the characteristics, sources, chemistry, and impacts of HONO in the upper boundary layer and lower free troposphere in the NCP region.
Clinical prediction score for diagnosing non-diabetic renal disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cohort study

BackgroundWhen non-diabetic renal disease (NDRD) is suspected, kidney biopsy is used for definite diagnosis; however, this is not always easily available and may lead to complications. A clinical prediction score may help selecting appropriate patients for kidney biopsy. MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with atypical features of diabetic nephropathy (DN), who had kidney biopsy at Thammasat University Hospital from 2011-2019. We divided patients into NDRD alone, coexisting NDRD and DN, and DN alone, confirmed by pathological diagnosis. We developed a clinical prediction score by weighing coefficients of predictors in a multivariable logistic model. Internal validation was performed with bootstrapping.ResultsWe included 81 patients: 28 (34%) had NDRD alone, 15 (18%) had coexisting NDRD and DN, and 38 (41%) had DN alone. Primary membranous nephropathy, primary focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), and secondary FSGS were prevalent in any NDRD. Absence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) showed a significant association with any NDRD (OR 3.72; 95% CI, 1.28-10.8; p=0.02). The prediction score, AUC of 0.75 (95% CI, 0.63-0.86), had four predictors: duration of DM <10 years, eGFR >30 ml/min/1.73m2, HbA1c <8%, and absence of DR. Higher scores were associated with higher probability of NDRD.ConclusionsThis clinical prediction score appears to be a useful tool to determine NDRD probability. T2DM patients with atypical presentation of DN with lower scores (0-2) may defer kidney biopsy.
Evaluation of awareness, attitude and smoking rates among youngsters in central India

Introduction: It is a well-known fact that cigarette smoking is hazardous to health & is the leading cause of preventable diseases & responsible for more than 5 million deaths every year. Smoking increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, and 10 different forms of cancer. Recent data suggest that the current prevalence rate of youngsters smoking in India is 28.6%. A survey- based questionnaire was developed in Google Form to monitor tobacco use, elicit attitudes about tobacco, and obtain information on exposure to tobacco smoke among youth. Methodology: A questionnaire survey consisting of 20 open-ended questions was conducted among the age group 18-25 years over a period of 3 months from July – September 2019 in the outpatient department of Oral Medicine & Radiology, Rungta College of Dental Sciences and Research Bhilai (CG). Result: A total of 300 subjects participated out of which 80.3% male, 19.7% female, and the overall smoking rate were found to be 64%. A majority of the participants stated that they adapted to smoking because of peer pressure (87.7%) with believing that smoking is a sign of maturity. Conclusion: A high percentage of youngsters admitting to smoking cigarettes as demonstrated from our survey highlights a poor indicator of National Health Status. The need to formulate stringent policies to guide youngsters to understand the deleterious effects of tobacco, through advertisements, banners, setting up of de addiction and counseling centers
Scarce Health-care Resources and Higher Case-fatality Rates Early in an Epidemic: Analysis of Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 in Tianmen.

Background Tianmen had the highest case-fatality rate (CFR) among all the cities in China early in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, but little is known about the details of the epidemic in Tianmen. Our study aims to reveal the causes of the high CFR from the aspects of clinical features, medical resources, and epidemic situation.Methods In this study, we report the admission and outcomes of 341 patients with confirmed COVID-19 who were admitted and hospitalized in the hospital (The First People's Hospital of Tianmen) from January 14 to February 25, 2020. Epidemic information and medical resources across different regions were collected and compared. Results All deaths from COVID-19 in Tianmen occurred in the hospital, and the proportion of patients with critical (8.5%) symptoms in the hospital is higher than the average in China. In addition, the number of affected patients in Tianmen is quite low, but the hospital and the whole city had the highest CFR in the early stage of the epidemic. Completely different from the stable CFR in Hubei Province, the CFR of COVID-19 in the hospital and city dropped dramatically, from the largest value in China to a more average level, within a few days. Analysis of government public documents showed that the per capita medical resources in Tianmen are worse than those of Wuhan and Hubei. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the inadequate capacity to respond to public health emergencies caused by relatively scarce health-care resources is a crucial factor contributing to the higher CFR of infectious diseases in regions with lower economic levels. Such countries and territories should implement strategies earlier to minimize the danger of COVID-19.
Application of Ginkgo biloba L. extract at early stage of tumor development helps cyclophosphamide inhibit the growth of tumor cells

Background: There is inconsistency in the application of antioxidants in tumor treatment. This study explored whether the application of an antioxidant at the early stage of tumor transplantation enhances efficacy of a chemotherapeutic agent in inhibiting tumor cell growth. Methods: EMT-6 cells were injected into 48 ICR mice. 24h later, cyclophosphamide (CTX) and Ginkgo biloba L. extract (GBE) were administered to mice separately and in combination. Apoptotic markers and related signaling pathways were measured. Tumor weights were compared and survival analysis was used to investigate latency periods in the three treatment groups compared to a PBS control group. Results: The mice administered GBE and CTX had significantly lower tumor weights compared with those administered PBS (p=0.01), however, the mice administered CTX did not have significantly lower tumor weight compared with those administered PBS (p=0.19). The expression of NF-κB, IκB-ɑ,, and the phosphorylation of NF-κB, IκB-ɑ, were all significantly decreased in the tumors from GBE+CTX (p<0.05). Moreover, the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 was significantly higher for the tumors of mice administered GBE+CTX than that of mice administered GBE, CTX, or PBS (p<0.05), the expression of FADD, Caspase-8, and Cyto-C was significantly increased in the tumors of mice administered GBE+CTX compared with those administered PBS or GBE (p<0.05). Conclusions: Application of an antioxidant at an early stage of tumor transplantation could help chemotherapeutic agents inhibit the growth of tumor cells. GBE+CTX treated mice showed a longer latency period to tumor development and markers that consistently indicated greater apoptotic activity and reduced tumor promotion.
The disparity of maternal childcare pressure and quality of life between children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and developmental delay in the Chinese culture context: Taiwan Birth Cohort pilot Study

Background: Many studies have shown that parents express higher stress when taking care of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, cultural context should be taken into consideration when investigating children's diagnosis and parental quality of life (QOL). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the pathway relationship among parental QOL, child development, ASD and developmental delay (DD) risk at 3 years of age, and ASD or DD diagnosis 2.5 years later.Methods: A birth cohort study database collected at age 3 and 5.5 years was used (N=1618). The Modified Checklist of Autism in Toddlers, Taiwan Birth Cohort Study Developmental Instrument, and the Short Form-36 was used to assess ASD risk, developmental condition (DD risk), and parental QOL, respectively.Results: By structural equation modeling, an indirect influence was found between children's diagnosis and maternal health QOL. Mothers of children diagnosed with ASD perceived more family support, and those who perceived more family support had better health QOL. Conversely, mothers of children diagnosed with DD perceived higher childcare pressure, and mothers who perceived higher childcare pressure had worse health QOL.Conclusions: The differences in mother's experience when their children are diagnosed with DD and ASD can only be found in pathway analysis, showing the importance of structural equation models. Healthcare personnel should take into consideration the cultural context of the families we encounter, and the vital role family support plays should be taken into consideration when interacting with families from collectivism cultures.
Fluoride retention in the mouth during awake and sleep

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of salivary flow rate on fluoride retention in the mouth and to measure the site-specificity of them when six healthy adults were awake and when they had been sleeping. Methods: 40 mg of NaF and 5 ml distilled water were mixed with 0.15 g of agarose which was heated until the agarose dissolved. Aliquots were pipetted into holders (diameter 4 mm, depth 1 mm) and there were bonded onto mouth guards produced from each subject. The bonding sites were on the upper anterior buccal (UAB), the upper posterial buccal (UPB), and the lower anterior lingual (LAL). When the subjects were awake, the mouth guards were fixed in the mouth and exposed to saliva for 15, 45 minutes. The agarose was taken out of the holder and put into 2 ml of distilled water for 90 minutes and the fluoride concentration were measured by a fluoride ion meter. To examine the retention of fluoride in the mouth during sleep, the mouth guards were placed before going to bed (0:00 am.) and removed at 6:30 am and the fluoride concentration measured as above. Results: The fluoride clearance from various sites in the mouth was extremely lower when subjects were asleep than when they were awake. When the subjects were awake, the half-times (the time for the initial fluoride concentration to decrease by half ) were highest in UAB and lowest in LAL. When the subjects had slept, the clearance rates of fluoride from the gel were also showed the same results of the above. Conclusion: The retention of fluoride in the mouth is affected by salivary flow rate and the fluoride concentration in the saliva was kept at high level for a long time during sleeping. Correspondence to: Shigeru Watanabe, Department of Human Development & Fostering, Division of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Meikai University, Japan, Tel: 81-49-279-2742, Fax: 81-49-286-1321, E-mail: Shigeru@dent.meikai. ac.jp
COVERT COMMUNICATIONS IN CONTINUOUS-TIME SYSTEMS

Recent works have considered the ability of transmitter Alice to communicate reliably to receiver Bob without being detected by warden Willie. These works generally assume a standard discrete-time model. But the assumption of a discrete-time model in standard communication scenarios is often predicated on its equivalence to a continuous-time model, which has not been established for the covert communications problem. Here, we consider the continuous-time channel directly and study if efficient covert communication can still be achieved. We assume that an uninformed jammer is present to assist Alice, and we consider additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channels between all parties. For a channel with approximate bandwidth W, we establish constructions such that O(WT) information bits can be transmitted covertly and reliably from Alice to Bob in T seconds for two separate scenarios: 1) when the path-loss between Alice and Willie is known; and 2) when the path-loss between Alice and Willie is unknown.
WAYS IN WHICH HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS UNDERSTAND THE SAMPLING DISTRIBUTION FOR PROPORTIONS

In Spain, curricular guidelines as well as the university-entrance tests for social-science high-school students (17–18 years old) include sampling distributions. To analyse the understanding of this concept we investigated a sample of 234 students. We administered a questionnaire to them and ask half for justifications of their answers. The questionnaire consisted of four sampling tasks with two sample sizes (n = 100 and 10) and population proportions (equal or different to 0.5)systematically varied. The experiment gathered twofold data from the students simultaneously, namely about their perception of the mean and about their understanding of variation of the sampling distribution. The analysis of students’ responses indicates a good understanding of the relationship between the theoretical proportion in the population and the sample proportion. Sampling variability, however, was overestimated in bigger samples. We also observed various types of biased thinking in the students: the equiprobability and recency biases, as well as deterministic pre-conceptions. The effect of the task variables on the students’ responses is also discussed here. First published December 2020 at Statistics Education Research Journal: Archives
The Effect of Different Pulsed Electric Field Treatments on Producing High Quality Red Wines

The aim of this study was to apply different Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) treatments in the pre-maceration stage of the mash which derives from ‘Pinot Noir’ and ‘Merlot’ grapes that were harvested in the Crisana-Santimreu vineyard, Romania, in 2016, in order to increase the content of total phenols, flavonoids, monomeric anthocyanin pigment and colour intensity of ‘Pinot Noir’ and ‘Merlot’ wines. The electrical and mechanical parameters that represent the variables in this experiment were: the distance between the drums, different voltages (7-8 kV), and different frequencies (178-344 Hz). The wines obtained were also analyzed in terms of the antioxidant capacity using two different methods. All PEF treatments applied in the pre-maceration stage resulted in an increase in bioactive compounds content and colour intensification. Of the five PEF treatments tested, the PEF treatment using the distance between the drums of 2.5 mm, U = 8 kV, the frequency f = 344 Hz, pulse durations of 300 s resulted in a wine with a content of total phenols 2 times and 1.5 times higher than the control sample in the case of ‘Pinot Noir’ and ‘Merlot’, respectively. Also, this type of PEF treatment also resulted in an extraction of the total flavonoids as efficiently as 1.8 times and 1.4 times, respectively, in the case of ‘Pinot Noir’ and ‘Merlot’, respectively. PEF treatment is a technology suitable for extracting phenols from grapes and so this technology can be used in the food industry to obtain wines rich in bioactive compounds with antioxidant capacity.