Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Expression analysis of the NR5A2 gene and associations between its polymorphisms and reproductive traits in Jiaxing Black sows

ABSTRACT This study’s aim was to detect NR5A2 expression and explore association between single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the NR5A2 gene with reproductive traits in Jiaxing Black (JXB) sows. The expression analysis showed that the expression level of pig NR5A2 mRNA in the ovary and liver was significantly higher (p < 0.01) compared to other tissues. 10 SNPs were detected in the exons of NR5A2, and five SNPs (g.136706A > T, g.84609G > A, g.136759G > C, g.138802T > C, g.138864A > G) met Hardy Weinberg equilibrium conditions. The total number of piglets born (TBA) and number of still born piglets (NSB) of sows with GG genotype at the g.136759G > C loci were higher than the CC genotype (P < 0.05). For the g.138864A > G loci, individuals with the AA genotype had significantly higher TBA than those of sows with the AG genotype (P < 0.05). By combining genotypes, it was found that the H7H8 diplotype had the best TBA performance. Moreover, the g.138864A > G and g.136759G > C loci had significant effects on the NR5A2 mRNA expression level in the ovary. The above results indicated that SNPs within NR5A2 exons of the NR5A2 gene have a certain effect on the reproductive traits of JXB pigs.
Identification, characterization and infection dynamics of Vibrio strains in phyllosoma of Thenus unimaculatus

ABSTRACT The present study investigates Vibrio outbreak in the hatchery system designed for larval rearing of shovel-nosed lobster Thenus unimaculatus in India. High larval mortalities during the episode led to an almost complete loss of the larval stock during the first 10 days. Microscopic examination revealed heavy fouling of the phyllosoma appendages. Histopathological analysis showed the presence of bacteria in larval tissues. Investigation by scanning electron microscopy revealed the formation of bacterial plaques on appendages and adhesion of bacteria on fine setae in heavily infected larvae. Bacteria isolated from larvae and identified by 16S rRNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis indicated that the strains were closely related to luminescent Vibrio campbellii and Vibrio harveyi. The virulence potential of Vibrio strains isolated from larvae was evaluated through an experimental infection. The study helps to understand microbial infection and its impact on phyllosoma survival and may allow a more effective health management regime to improve larval survival in the hatchery phase.
Double Reverse Traction Repositor Assisted Closed Reduction and Internal Fixation Versus Open Reduction and Internal Fixation for Treatment of Lateral Tibial Plateau Fractures Among the Elderly

Background In elderly tibial plateau fractures (TPFs), the lateral condyles are involved frequently. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) and double reverse traction repositor (DRTR) assisted closed reduction and internal fixation (CRIF) in elderly patients with lateral TPFs. Methods From January 2015 to July 2020, we retrospectively reviewed 68 patients treated surgically at our trauma center for lateral TPFs (Schatzker type I-III). 31 patients were eventually assigned to the DRTR assisted CRIF group, whereas 37 patients were assigned to the ORIF group. The primary outcomes included surgical details, radiological assessment, follow-up knee function, and complications. Results The DRTR assisted CRIF group experienced a 43.6 mL decrease in intraoperative blood loss (161.3 mL vs 204.9 mL, P = .033), and the operation duration was 32.1 min shorter than the ORIF group (83.8min vs 115.9min, P < .001). No statistical difference was found between the two groups in terms of transfusion rate (3.2% vs 8.1%, p = .394), and postoperative hemoglobin level was lower in the ORIF group than in the DRTR assisted CRIF group (111.8±13.3 g/L vs 104.5±12.7 g/L, p = .025). There was no statistically significant difference in terms of widening of the tibia plateau (WTP), depth of articular depression (DAD), medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA) and posterior tibial slope angle (PTSA) preoperatively, immediately after surgery and at the last follow-up. No differences in malreduction (P=.566) or reduction loss (P =.623) were observed between the groups, and Lysholm and HSS scores were similar between the two groups (83.6 ± 15.8 vs 83.4 ± 5.1, P = .934; 89.3 ± 7.8 vs 86.9 ± 6.2, P = .172; respectively). However, ORIF was associated with a greater increase in postoperative complications than DRTR assisted CRIF (3.2% vs 27%, P = .008). Conclusion Both types of internal fixation provide good radiological outcomes and knee function in the treatment of lateral TPFs in the elderly. However, DRTR assisted CRIF has the advantage of a shorter duration of surgery, less blood loss, and fewer postoperative complications, and appears to be a better treatment option for elderly patients with lateral TPFs.
Robotic-arm assisted lateral unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: 5-Year outcomes & survivorship

Introduction Robotic-arm assisted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (RA-UKA) has demonstrated accurate component positioning and excellent outcomes for medial components. However, there is a paucity of literature on lateral compartment RA-UKA. The purpose of our study was to assess the midterm clinical outcomes and survivorship of lateral RA-UKA. Methods This study was a retrospective review of a single-center prospectively maintained cohort of 33 patients (36 knees) indicated for lateral UKA. Perioperative, and postoperative two- and five-year Knee injury Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Score (WOMAC), and Forgotten Joint Score (FJS) patient reported outcome measures were collected. Five-year follow-up was recorded in 29 patients (32 knees). Results Mean follow up was 5.1 ± 0.1 years. Mean age and BMI was 70.9 ± 7.2 years and 29.0 ± 4.2 kg/m2, respectively. At discharge, mean distance walked was 273.4 ± 70.4 feet, and mean pain score was 2.0 ± 2.5. At 2-year follow up, mean KOOS, WOMAC, and FJS were 75.1 ± 13.5, 15.0 ± 7.2, and 81.0 ± 23.3, respectively. At 5-year follow up, mean KOOS, WOMAC, and FJS were 75.3 ± 14.6, 14.9 ± 5.0, and 75.8 ± 27.4, respectively. Mean change in KOOS and WOMAC were 35.6 ± 27.1 and 11.7 ± 13.4 (p< .001 and p< .001). 94% of patients were very satisfied/satisfied, 3% neutral, and 3% dissatisfied. 91% met activity expectations, and 59% were more active than before. Survivorship was 100% at 5 years. Discussion In this study, lateral RA-UKA demonstrated significantly improved clinical outcomes, high patient satisfaction, met expectations, and excellent functional recovery at midterm follow up. Comparative studies are needed to determine differences between robotic-assisted and conventional lateral UKA, as well as TKA.
I Want Our Relationship to Last: Strategies That People Employ in Order to Improve Their Intimate Relationships

Intimate relationships are not always easy to keep. Accordingly, the current research has attempted to identify the strategies that people employ in order to improve their relationships with their partners. In particular, by using open-ended questionnaires in a sample of 219 Greek-speaking participants, we have identified 81 acts that people were likely to perform toward this end. Subsequently, using quantitative research methods in a sample of 511 Greek-speaking participants, we classified these acts into 14 broader relationship enhancement strategies. Trying to understand partners' needs, discussing problems with partners and showing more interest in a partner, were among the most likely to be used strategies. Moreover, we asked a sample of 367 Greek-speaking participants to rate how effective these strategies would be on them, and we found that, trying to understand partners' needs, discussing problems with partners, and showing one's love to a partner, were rated as the most effective strategies. Men and women, and people of different ages, were generally in agreement over what strategies they were willing to use, and how effective these strategies would be on improving their relationship with their partners.
Temperature Dependable Microwave Dielectric Model for Frozen Soils

In this paper, the temperature dependable dielectric model for moist soils was developed on the basis of the generalized refractive mixing dielectric model (GRMDM) recently proposed by Mironov etal. to provide for substantially less error, as compared to the most popular model by Dobson etal. This model was substantiated with the use of the dielectric data measured by Curtis etal. For a speciflc soil type, the temperature dependable GRMDM was shown to make as accurate predictions of this value, as a function of volumetric moisture, wave frequency, and temperature, as the dielectric data measurement accuracy is. The error of dielectric predictions was tested in the range of temperatures from 10 to 40 - C, frequencies from 300MHz to 26.5GHz, and moistures varying from those of dry soil to the ones corresponding to full soil water capacity. The Silty Sand soil tested contained 14, 9, and 77% of clay, silt and sand respectively. In addition, the error of dielectric predictions with the temperature dependable GRMDM was compared with that of Dobson's model, proving a lot more accurate predictions.
GWAS meta-analysis of resistance against Piscirickettsia salmonis in Atlantic salmon

Salmonid rickettsial syndrome (SRS) remains as one of the most important pathogens for salmon farming. Genetic improvement has proven to be a viable alternative to reduce mortality in breeding stock. Understanding the genetic architecture of resistance has been a matter of ongoing research aimed at establishing the most appropriate method by which genomic information can be incorporated into breeding programs. However, the genetic architecture of complex traits such as SRS resistance may vary due to genetic and environmental background. In this work, we used the genotypes of a total of 5839 Atlantic salmon from 4 different experimental challenges against Piscirickttsia salmonis, which were imputed high density (∼930K SNP) to perform within-population genomic-association analyses, followed by a meta-analysis of resistance to SRS defined as binary survival and day of death. The objectives of this study were to i) uncover the genomic regions associated with resistance to SRS among multiple populations; and ii) identify candidate genes associated with each trait definition. SNP-based meta-analysis revealed a clear QTL on Ssa02 for both traits while gene-based meta-analysis revealed 16 genes in common for both traits. Our results suggest a polygenic genetic architecture and provide novel insights into the candidate genes underpinning resistance to P. salmonis in Salmo salar.
Modified Helicopters Turboshaft Engines Neural Network On-board Automatic Control System Using the Adaptive Control Method

The work is devoted to the modification of helicopters turboshaft engines onboard automatic control system of through the introduction of an adaptive control unit into it, which consists of a reference engine model module and a signal adaptation module. The real-time identification method for helicopters turboshaft engines onboard automatic control system adaptive control subsystem has been modified, which allows you to set the desired system response to a disturbance for its current state. The implementation of the proposed solutions is carried out using the NEWFF multilayer neural network, which made it possible to significantly reduce the errors of the first and second kind in comparison with the tolerance control method. The results of the experiment – initial and secondary testing of helicopters aircraft engines automatic control system with signal tuning units and a reference model showed an improvement in the quality of transient recognition compared to the use of standard controllers.
Self-esteem moderates the impact of perceived social support on the life satisfaction of adults with autism spectrum disorder

Background and aims Although social resources and self-esteem are well-known predictors of subjective well-being in the general population, the relations among these factors have not yet been investigated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present preliminary study sought to compare the levels of life satisfaction, self-esteem and perceived social support between adults with ASD and typically developing volunteers (TYP). It also examined whether self-esteem would moderate the effect of perceived social support on life satisfaction in adults with ASD. Methods Fifty-seven adults with ASD without intellectual disability and 60 age-matched TYP in the United Kingdom (UK) completed self-reported measures of perceived social support, global self-esteem, and life satisfaction. Results Results indicated that adults with ASD reported significantly lower levels of life satisfaction and self-esteem (but not social support) than TYP. Hierarchical regressions revealed that both social support and self-esteem were significant predictors of life satisfaction in adults with ASD. Self-esteem buffered the effect of perceived social support on life satisfaction. Conclusions This study corroborated a growing body of evidence that suggests that adults with ASD report lower levels of self-esteem and life satisfaction than TYP. In addition, it reported for the first time that global self-esteem influences the association between social support and life satisfaction in adults with ASD. Implications The present findings suggest that interventions aimed at enhancing self-esteem and cultivating social relationships could be important areas for intervention to improve the well-being of adults with ASD.
Auroral arcs as current transformers

[1] We treat the effects of an electric field tangential to an auroral arc on the basis of an analytical model according to which auroral arcs are energized by the release of magnetic shear stresses and associated internal energy (Haerendel, 2007). If the tangential field exceeds a certain (low) threshold, the ionosphere acts as a current generator, or better transformer, and the magnetosphere as the load. The reason is that energy supplied by a longitudinal Type I current system, as defined by Bostrom in 1964, is transformed into energy of the latitudinal Type II current system attached to the arc and is mostly consumed by the auroral acceleration process. Closure of the transformer current in the upper magnetosphere and energy deposition in form of internal energy and shear stresses, although small, are crucial for the operation of this process. It can be visualized as a dragging of magnetic field and plasma along the arc in the direction of higher magnetospheric pressure enforced by the electric polarization field. This energy deposition from below is superimposed on the release of free energy supplied by the magnetospheric generator. Formulation of this scenario leads to a set of algebraic equations, whose solution provides quantitative answers on the interdependence of current closure, energy deposition, and enhanced auroral energy flux in relation to the imposed tangential electric field. Contrary to earlier expectations, the polarization field appears not as a consequence of current blockage, but as manifestation of its continuation by field-aligned currents and their closure in the magnetosphere. Another consequence of the energy deposition from below is a small modification of the arc's proper motion in the ambient plasma frame. A procedure for evaluating applicable measurements in terms of the underlying physics is given and a concrete example added.
A Retrospective Study Establishing Pre-Pandemic Demographic Baselines for United States Source Plasma Donors

Background The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted plasma as a strategic resource with continually increasing demand. Demographic data for plasma donors are limited compared with blood donors. Increased information regarding pre-pandemic donor demographics may serve as a baseline for evaluation of post-pandemic practices. OBJECTIVES This study asked the question, “What were the demographics of source plasma donors in the US compared to the general population and how did these change over a five-year period preceding the pandemic? ” STUDY DESIGN Donor demographic data were retrospectively analyzed for the years 2014, 2016 and 2018 from a network of US plasma centers. METHODS Routine demographic data obtained prior to source plasma collection from all plasma donors at Grifols US centers were retrospectively analyzed. Donor screening and eligibility requirements were standardized across all donor sites and met all donor eligibility requirements (Code of Federal Regulations: 21 CFR part 600). During each calendar year, only data from the first donation in that year were included with each cohort year. RESULTS This study included 1,303,049 unique donors. Donors were predominantly young adult males, although females increased from 37.4% to 41.6%. Caucasians constituted the highest proportion, followed by African American and Hispanic donors. Demographics were generally stable, but the 2018 cohort and the US population exhibited significantly different age, race/ethnicity, and sex profiles. Of 2014 donors, 9.0% returned in all three years studied (2014-2016-2018), with a higher return rate of 16.0% observed for donors returning in just two of the years (2014-2016). Multiyear donors were predominantly male and African American. CONCLUSION US plasma donor demographics over a five-year period (2014-2018) showed generally consistent characteristics but differed from the general US population. Multiyear donors were demographically distinct from single-year donors. These data serve as a snapshot of the US source plasma donor base prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The generation of high-quality, intense ion beams by ultra-intense lasers

Intense beams of protons and heavy ions have been observed in ultra-intense laser–solid interaction experiments. Thereby, a considerable fraction of the laser energy is transferred to collimated beams of energetic ions (e.g. up to 50 MeV protons; 100 MeV fluorine), which makes these beams highly interesting for various applications. Experimental results indicate a very short-pulse duration and an excellent beam quality, leading to beam intensities in the TW range. To characterize the beam quality and its dependence on laser parameters and target conditions we performed experiments using the 100 TW laser system at Laboratoire pour l'Utilisation des Lasers Intenses at the Ecole Polytechnique, France, with focused intensities exceeding 1019 W cm−2. We found a strong dependence on the target rear surface conditions allowing to tailor the ion beam by an appropriate target design. We also succeeded in the generation of heavy ion beams by suppressing the proton amount at the target surface. We will present recent experimental results demonstrating a transverse beam emittance far superior to the accelerator based ion beams. Finally, we will discuss the prospect of laser accelerated ion beams as new diagnostics in laser–solid interaction experiments. Special fields of interest are proton radiography, electric field imaging, and relativistic electron transport inside the target.
Mean-field Libor market model and valuation of long term guarantees

Existence and uniqueness of solutions to the multi-dimensional mean-field Libor market model (introduced by [7]) is shown. This is used as the basis for a numerical asset-liability management (ALM) model capable of calculating future discretionary benefits in accordance with Solvency~II regulation. This ALM model is complimented with aggregated life insurance data to perform a realistic numerical study. This yields numerical evidence for heuristic assumptions which allow to derive estimators of lower and upper bounds for future discretionary benefits. These estimators are applied to publicly available life insurance data.
Potential of rice farmer groups in the production of improved seed in Upper Denkyira East Municipality

Increasing local production and savings in foreign exchange is important that local rice producers are supplied with quality seed in a timely manner. The overall goal of the research was to assess the seed-rice production potential amongst rice farmer groups in Ghana. A two-stage sampling technique was deployed in the sampling process. Analysis of data was mainly by mean, frequencies and percentages, while the Kendall’s coefficient of concordance was used to rank opportunities and challenges. The stochastic frontier approach using the Cobb-Douglas model was used in determining production technical efficiency. Empirical results disclosed that high group cohesiveness among rice member groups helps to attain individual goals and ensure member commitment. The most important production opportunities for rice production were identified as timely extension contacts, suitability of production agroecology and access to production inputs. Lack of production and processing equipment, however, was a key constraint. Overall, rice farmers within all the study groups were technically efficient. The study recommends that government, stakeholders, and rice farmer groups should invest into timely agricultural extension services, and equipment such as planting equipment
Large Language Models as Simulated Economic Agents: What Can We Learn from Homo Silicus?

Newly-developed large language models (LLM) -- because of how they are trained and designed -- are implicit computational models of humans -- a homo silicus. These models can be used the same way economists use homo economicus: they can be given endowments, information, preferences, and so on and then their behavior can be explored in scenarios via simulation. I demonstrate this approach using OpenAI's GPT3 with experiments derived from Charness and Rabin (2002), Kahneman, Knetsch and Thaler (1986) and Samuelson and Zeckhauser (1988). The findings are qualitatively similar to the original results, but it is also trivially easy to try variations that offer fresh insights. Departing from the traditional laboratory paradigm, I also create a hiring scenario where an employer faces applicants that differ in experience and wage ask and then analyze how a minimum wage affects realized wages and the extent of labor-labor substitution.
Theory and Practice in Child Development

Learning can be characterized as altering and strengthening neural connections and networks in the brain. Cognitive neuroscience provides us with a large literature related to the structures and functions of the brain. As our knowledge of neuropsychology and learning increases, so does the opportunity to pattern more successful educational practices. However, taking advantage of these scientific developments requires integrating understanding from many fields, from sociology, psychology, developmental and learning sciences, and linking them to knowledge of emerging successful approaches in education. In addition, the brain's incredible ability to change and adapt (neuroplasticity), that is, the real physiological adaptation ability that occurs in the brain when it interacts with the environment, can have a huge impact on special education, especially in the area of learning difficulties. This review summarizes neuropsychological studies on dyslexia in general.