Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mismatch between calf paternity and observed copulations between male and female reindeer: Multiple mating in a polygynous ungulate?

Abstract In polygynous systems, such as that exhibited by reindeer Rangifer tarandus, mate choice can be difficult to disentangle from male intrasexual competition because male behavior may constrain female choice. Multiple mating may provide an avenue for female mate choice, though it is difficult to identify using behavioral estimators alone. Molecular techniques address this issue by affording ecologists an opportunity to reassess mating systems from a genetic perspective. We assessed the frequency and possible explanations for multiple mating in reindeer using a genetic approach to determine the success of observed copulations in a semi-domesticated herd in Kaamanen, Finland. Behavioral and genetic data were synthesized with population characteristics over a 7-year period to test the hypothesis that, if present, polyandry in reindeer is driven by sexual harassment from sub-dominant males. We observed multiple mating in 42% of females, with as many as 60% exhibiting multiple mating in certain years. We found no evidence that multiple mating resulted from sexual harassment by sub-dominant males, suggesting that it is likely a deliberate strategy among females. Conversion rate of copulations into paternities varied with male size, with smaller males more likely to experience mismatch than larger males. Female preference for larger males persisted despite the occurrence of multiple mating, possibly suggesting a mechanism for cryptic post-copulatory selection. We suggest further research to delineate the possible influence of cryptic post-copulatory selection and multiple mating to defend against infertility in exhausted males.
In Vivo Rat Brain Imaging through Full-Field Optical Coherence Microscopy Using an Ultrathin Short Multimode Fiber Probe

We demonstrate full-field optical coherence microscopy (OCM) using an ultrathin forward-imaging short multimode fiber (SMMF) probe with a core diameter of 50 μm, outer diameter of 125 μm, and length of 7.4 mm, which is a typical graded-index multimode fiber used for optical communications. The axial and lateral resolutions were measured to be 2.14 μm and 2.3 μm, respectively. By inserting the SMMF 4 mm into the cortex of an in vivo rat brain, scanning was performed to a depth of 147 μm from the SMMF facet with a field of view of 47 μm. Three-dimensional (3D) OCM images were obtained at depths ranging from approximately 20 μm to 90 μm. Based on the morphological information of the resliced 3D images and the dependence of the integration of the OCM image signal on the insertion length, the obtained 3D information of nerve fibers has been presented.
Branch-and-Bound Guided Search for Critical Elements in State Estimation

State estimation (SE) is essentially a filtering process with an avid appetite for data. When destitute of redundant, varied, and well-located measurements, SE suffers the consequences of having a poor capability for grid observation. In that event, SE may produce unreliable results, since bad data detection/identification is performed in a precarious way. In short, the presence of critical data (those whose unavailability makes the grid unobservable), limits the SE performance. The search for critical elements of the SE process—e.g., measurements, considered individually or in groups—is an indispensable, laborious task, which involves solving a problem of combinatorial nature. This paper proposes a methodology for the identification of critical data by means of the branch-and-bound paradigm. Numerical results performed on IEEE benchmark systems demonstrate the potential/practical application of the proposed methodology.
A Review on Mycobacteriophages: From Classification to Applications

Mycobacterial infections are a group of life-threatening conditions triggered by fast- or slow-growing mycobacteria. Some mycobacteria, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, promote the deaths of millions of lives throughout the world annually. The control of mycobacterial infections is influenced by the challenges faced in the diagnosis of these bacteria and the capability of these pathogens to develop resistance against common antibiotics. Detection of mycobacterial infections is always demanding due to the intracellular nature of these pathogens that, along with the lipid-enriched structure of the cell wall, complicates the access to the internal contents of mycobacterial cells. Moreover, recent studies depicted that more than 20% of M. tuberculosis (Mtb) infections are multi-drug resistant (MDR), and only 50% of positive MDR-Mtb cases are responsive to standard treatments. Similarly, the susceptibility of nontuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) to first-line tuberculosis antibiotics has also declined in recent years. Exploiting mycobacteriophages as viruses that infect mycobacteria has significantly accelerated the diagnosis and treatment of mycobacterial infections. This is because mycobacteriophages, regardless of their cycle type (temperate/lytic), can tackle barriers in the mycobacterial cell wall and make the infected bacteria replicate phage DNA along with their DNA. Although the infectivity of the majority of discovered mycobacteriophages has been evaluated in non-pathogenic M. smegmatis, more research is still ongoing to find mycobacteriophages specific to pathogenic mycobacteria, such as phage DS6A, which has been shown to be able to infect members of the M. tuberculosis complex. Accordingly, this review aimed to introduce some potential mycobacteriophages in the research, specifically those that are infective to the three troublesome mycobacteria, M. tuberculosis, M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), and M. abscessus, highlighting their theranostic applications in medicine.
Professional identity of a French language teacher in Poland: constancy vs. change, sameness vs. difference, agency

Studies conducted on teacher identity have mostly focused on preservice language teachers. By contrast, this study looks at the professional identity of a veteran teacher of French as a foreign language in Poland. It describes a two-stage biographic study in which the narratives obtained are subjected to semantic deconstruction with the application of Bamberg’s (2010) model of identity. To this end, the author investigates: 1) what is constant and what changes in the participant’s professional career in terms of the emotions she experiences, 2) what are the similarities and differences between the teachers she refers to and herself, 3) what is the role of agency in the participant’s professional decisions. Through the analysis, the Author seeks to find out with what content Bamberg’s identity pillars may be filled, what teacher emotions and feelings can be inferred from what is said, and what insights can be gained into the identity of a French language teacher in Poland.
Challenges That Undergraduate Student Translators’ Face in Translating Polysemes from English to Arabic and Arabic to English

Polysemes are words that have multiple meanings. They exist in all languages as in Arabic جناح عين صوت جدول and English base, plant, system, present, left. A sample of Arabic and English polyseme translation errors was collected from homework-assignments and exams to explore the difficulties that student-translators have in translating English and Arabic polysemes. Data analysis showed that the students made more errors in translating Arabic polysemes to English than English polysemes to Arabic. They made more errors in translation polysemous compounds than single-word polysemes and the equivalent compounds had collocation errors. The students utilized different faulty strategies in translating polysemes, especially in source texts which have one-to-many equivalents (system, affairs). They tend to overgeneralize the equivalent they know to all contexts (develop, system), not the one suitable for a particular context/domain (*chemical plants; under president). They resorted to literal translation, i.e., word for word translation rather than using fixed formulaic equivalents that are dissimilar in structure to the source polyseme. They also overgeneralized the same equivalent to all contexts (develop, system; association), although each shade of meaning has a different equivalent. Faulty translation of polysemic words may be due to inadequate L1 competence such as the availability of different regional Arabic designations for ‘parliament’ and the different designations used in American and British English for (وكيل وزارة الخارجية الامريكي); lack of proficiency in EFL, i.e. limited vocabulary knowledge; unfamiliarity with specialized meanings (*chemical plants) and commonly used equivalents for ‘affairs; resources’; lack of world knowledge (exchange programs; الاتحاد الأوروبي) and others. The study recommends that translation instructors develop students’ vocabulary knowledge, word knowledge accuracy, schemata and world knowledge, metacognitive skills, i.e., thinking processes while translating, word and context analysis skills, i.e., using semantic and structural contextual clues to figure out the meaning of polysemes; and identifying the domain in which a polyseme is used.
Evaluating the Surface Free Energy and Moisture Sensitivity of Warm Mix Asphalt Binders Using Dynamic Contact Angle

From the environmental conservation perspective, warm mix asphalt is more preferable compared to hot mix asphalt. This is because warm mix asphalt can be produced and paved in the temperature range 20–40°C lower than its equivalent hot mix asphalt. In terms of cost-effectiveness, warm mix asphalt can significantly improve the mixture workability at a lower temperature and thus reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to be environment friendly. However, the concern, which is challenging to warm mix asphalt, is its susceptibility to moisture damage due to its reduced production temperature. This may cause adhesive failure, which could eventually result in stripping of the asphalt binder from the aggregates. This research highlights the significance of Cecabase warm mix additive to lower the production temperature of warm mix asphalt and improvise the asphalt binder adhesion properties with aggregate. The binders used in the preparation of the test specimen were PG-64 and PG-76. The contact angle values were measured by using the dynamic Wilhelmy plate device. The surface free energy of Cecabase-modified binders was then computed by developing a dedicated algorithm using the C++ program. The analytical measurements such as the spreadability coefficient, work of adhesion, and compatibility ratio were used to analyze the results. The results inferred that the Cecabase improved the spreadability of the asphalt binder over limestone compared to the granite aggregate substrate. Nevertheless, the Cecabase-modified binders improved the work of adhesion. In terms of moisture sensitivity, it is also evident from the compatibility ratio indicator that, unlike granite aggregates, the limestone aggregates were less susceptible to moisture damage.
Lossless storage and transportation law of 250m3 horizontal liquid hydrogen storage tank

In this paper, the effects of the initial filling rate and heat flux density on the natural convection inside the liquid hydrogen storage tank and the variation laws of temperature and pressure are studied. The study found that the optimal initial filling rate of the 250m3liquid hydrogen storage tank was 86%. When the initial filling rate is in the range of 35% to 95%, the change of the heat flux density has a greater impact on the self-pressurization phenomenon than the change of the filling rate. When the initial filling rate is lower than 35%, the pressure in the tank rises sharply, and the change of the initial filling rate has a great influence on the self-pressurization phenomenon. The high initial filling rate and high heat flux density make the pressure rise of the liquid hydrogen storage tank faster during the pressure recovery period. When the liquid hydrogen begins to evaporate in large quantities, the low filling rate and high heat flux make the tank pressure increase faster. By comparing the three thermodynamic models with the simulation results, it is found that the pressure deviation of the 250m3liquid hydrogen storage tank with a fillingrate of 86% is within 20% calculated by the three-zone model, which is the closest to the simulation results. The deviation of the surface evaporation model at high heat flux density and high filling rate reached 76% and 88.3%, respectively, which was the most affected calculation model by the change of heat flux density and initial filling rate.
Diagnosis of Myelodysplastic Syndromes: From Immunological Observations to Clinical Applications

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) constitute a very heterogeneous group of diseases with a high prevalence in elderly patients and a propensity for progression to acute myeloid leukemia. The complexity of these hematopoietic malignancies is revealed by the multiple recurrent somatic mutations involved in MDS pathogenesis and the paradoxical common phenotype observed in these patients characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis and cytopenia. In the context of population aging, the incidence of MDS will strongly increase in the future. Thus, precise diagnosis and evaluation of the progression risk of these diseases are imperative to adapt the treatment. Dysregulations of both innate and adaptive immune systems are frequently detected in MDS patients, and their critical role in MDS pathogenesis is now commonly accepted. However, different immune dysregulations and/or dysfunctions can be dynamically observed during the course of the disease. Monitoring the immune system therefore represents a new attractive tool for a more precise characterization of MDS at diagnosis and for identifying patients who may benefit from immunotherapy. We review here the current knowledge of the critical role of immune dysfunctions in both MDS and MDS precursor conditions and discuss the opportunities offered by the detection of these dysregulations for patient stratification.
La promoción de la resiliencia parental en familias con hijos con problemas de conducta

En este artículo realizamos una revisión a cerca del concepto de resiliencia y sus principales implicaciones para la práctica. Con el objetivo de profundizar en las implicaciones prácticas de este concepto, se realiza un análisis de los distintos programas de intervención destinados a padres y madres que tienen hijos preadolescentes y adolescentes con problemas de conducta. Dada la ausencia de intervenciones basadas en promover la resiliencia parental, se presenta un programa destinado a la prevención y la promoción de competencias parentales para apoyar la parentalidad positiva y promover en los padres una mejora en su nivel de resiliencia y bienestar emocional. Entre sus objetivos están: desarrollar estrategias de afrontamiento para gestionar las situaciones adversas que se plantean en el día a día de cara a la tarea de educar a sus hijos/as; promover habilidades parentales que permitan a las familias actuar con eficacia ante los problemas de conducta de los hijos/as, facilitar una buena gestión emocional de los problemas de conducta y ser capaz de recuperarse del impacto que causan los mismos. El programa sigue una metodología experiencial, las familias son agentes activos en el proceso de cambio, y se acompaña de una implementación y una evaluación rigurosa para analizar los cambios que se van produciendo a medida que se avanza en la intervención.
4-Aminopyridine Induces Nerve Growth Factor to Improve Skin Wound Healing and Tissue Regeneration

The discovery of ways to enhance skin wound healing is of great importance due to the frequency of skin lesions. We discovered that 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), a potassium channel blocker approved by the FDA for improving walking ability in multiple sclerosis, greatly enhances skin wound healing. Benefits included faster wound closure, restoration of normal-appearing skin architecture, and reinnervation. Hair follicle neogenesis within the healed wounds was increased, both histologically and by analysis of K15 and K17 expression. 4-AP increased levels of vimentin (fibroblasts) and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA, collagen-producing myofibroblasts) in the healed dermis. 4-AP also increased neuronal regeneration with increased numbers of axons and S100+ Schwann cells (SCs), and increased expression of SRY-Box Transcription Factor 10 (SOX10). Treatment also increased levels of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), substance P, and nerve growth factor (NGF), important promoters of wound healing. In vitro studies demonstrated that 4-AP induced nerve growth factor and enhanced proliferation and migration of human keratinocytes. Thus, 4-AP enhanced many of the key attributes of successful wound healing and offers a promising new approach to enhance skin wound healing and tissue regeneration.
Should risk-averse investors target the portfolios of socially responsible companies?

Research background: Companies are required to implement Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies to mitigate the adverse social and environmental effects of their activities and gain legitimacy in the eyes of society. Sustainability initiatives are costly for companies but, at the same time, they are important value-creation drivers. Retail and institutional investors are increasingly choosing portfolios based on CSR performance. However, the relationship between CSR and market beta has hardly been studied at all in the literature, and no direct comparison of the U.S. and European markets has been conducted. Purpose of the article: The two fundamental variables that define an investment are return and risk, and the appropriate risk-return combination depends on the profile of the investors. This research aims to analyze the relationship between CSR and market risk, understood as price volatility and measured by market beta in the U.S. and European markets. Methods: Companies listed in the S&P 500 and Euro Stoxx 300 indexes from 2015 to 2019 were examined using OLS regressions with instrumental variables (IV) and fixed effects panel data. Findings & value added: The results show that those companies with higher CSR have betas below the market index in the U.S. market as well as lower volatility, and are, therefore, more appropriate choices for risk-averse investors. However, this relationship was not confirmed in the European market. This difference may be justified by two reasons: 1) The non-adherence of the United States to the Kyoto Protocol, resulting in less strict legal regulations than in Europe; 2) In the U.S. market, betas are more aggressive, while in the European market they are more defensive, with little margin for reduction. This research contributes to the current state of knowledge by providing empirical evidence that social, environmental, and corporate governance sustainability practices reduce stock volatility in the U.S. capital market, which is highly relevant for private and institutional investors who make their investments based on moral criteria. The results are current and reliable since they cover a broad and recent period for two of the most important stock market indexes.
Analysis of Volatile Methylsiloxanes in Water using a Small-scale Liquid-liquid Extraction Method followed by Gas Chromatography-mass Spectrometry (LLE-GC-MS)

Volatile methylsiloxanes (VMS) are ubiquitous anthropogenic pollutants that have been under scrutiny for their potential toxicity and environmental persistence. The aim of this work was to develop and validate a fast and reliable methodology to determine seven VMSs (D3, D4, D5, D6, L3, L4 and L5) in water matrices, based on a small-scale liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) assisted by ultrasounds and using a low volume of organic solvents. VMSs were quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). This methodology was successfully validated, showing low detection limits and a good precision (most of the relative standard deviations values below 15%) and accuracy (53-108%). Wastewater samples were analyzed and D5 and D6 were the dominant compounds in influent streams, with similar concentrations to those found in literature (up to 7 µg L-1). Most effluent samples presented VMSs levels below the limits of detection, with only D5 reaching up to 0.05 µg L-1.
The Development of a Multiplex Real-Time Quantitative PCR Assay for the Differential Detection of the Wild-Type Strain and the MGF505-2R, EP402R and I177L Gene-Deleted Strain of the African Swine Fever Virus

Simple Summary African swine fever (ASF) was first reported in August 2018 in China, and the naturally gene-deleted ASFV strain was first identified in 2020 in this country. The vaccine candidates that deleted some virulent genes from the virulent parental strains have also been reported in many countries. To differentiate the wild-type and gene-deleted ASFV strains, four pairs of specific primers and TaqMan probes targeting the ASFV B646L (p72), I177L, MGF505-2R and EP402R (CD2v) genes were designed. After optimizing the reaction conditions, a multiplex real-time qPCR assay for the differential detection of the wild-type and gene-deleted ASFV strains was developed. The assay was further used to test 4239 clinical samples, and 534 samples were positive for ASFV, of which 30 samples lacked B646L, I177L, MGF505-2R and/or EP402R genes. The assay showed high specificity, sensitivity and repeatability, and it provided a reliable method for evaluating ASFV in clinical samples. Abstract African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes African swine fever (ASF), a devastating hemorrhagic disease of domestic pigs and wild boars. Currently, the MGF505R, EP402R (CD2v) and I177L gene-deleted ASFV strains were confirmed to be the ideal vaccine candidate strains. To develop an assay for differentiating the wild-type and gene-deleted ASFV strains, four pairs of specific primers and TaqMan probes targeting the ASFV B646L (p72), I177L, MGF505-2R and EP402R (CD2v) genes were designed. A multiplex real-time qPCR assay for the differential detection of the wild-type and gene-deleted ASFV strains was developed after optimizing the reaction conditions, including the annealing temperature, primer concentration and probe concentration. The results showed that the multiplex real-time qPCR assay can specifically test the ASFV B646L (p72), I177L, MGF505-2R and EP402R (CD2v) genes with a limit of detection (LOD) of 32.1 copies/μL for the B646L (p72) gene, and 3.21 copies/μL for the I177L, MGF505-2R and EP402R (CD2v) genes. However, the assay cannot test for the classical swine fever virus (CSFV), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV), porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), PCV3 and pseudorabies virus (PRV). The assay demonstrated good repeatability and reproducibility with coefficients of variation (CV) less than 1.56% for both the intra- and inter-assay. The assay was used to test 4239 clinical samples, and the results showed that 12.60% (534/4239) samples were positive for ASFV, of which 10 samples lacked the EP402R gene, 6 samples lacked the MGF505-2R gene and 14 samples lacked the EP402R and MGF505-2R genes. The results indicated that the multiplex real-time qPCR developed in this study can provide a rapid, sensitive and specific diagnostic tool for the differential detection of the ASFV B646L, I177L, MGF505-2R and EP402R genes.