Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Drenching (Very) Low Birth Weight Piglets with a Dense, Concentrated Milk Replacer at Farms with Differing Farrowing Management

Simple Summary Over the past three decades, sows’ litter sizes have been increased to improve productivity, but have also led to increased proportions of (very) low birth weight piglets, and consequently, higher pre-weaning mortality. One possible intervention to counter the increased mortality is supplementing a milk replacer. This study aimed to determine if the performance of low birth weight piglets can be improved by drenching a dense, concentrated milk replacer and whether the frequency of drenching and the severity of the low birth weight played a role. Secondly, this study compared the supplementation of the same milk replacer at two farms with different perinatal management. No effect of drenching a dense milk replacer on the survival or performance of (very) low birth weight piglets was observed, regardless of farm and, apparently, of the applied management. However, mortality rates were lower at the farm with a higher level of perinatal management, suggesting that high-quality care might have more effect on the survival of small piglets than drenching a dense milk replacer. Abstract Introducing hyperprolific sows has led to proportionally more (very) low birth weight ((V)LBW) piglets, accompanied by higher mortality. To improve the survival of (V)LBW piglets, drenching a dense milk replacer (DMR) could be applied. A first experiment evaluated the effect of drenching DMR (1 or 3 doses within 24 h after birth) to LBW ((mean litter birth weight − 1*SD) and weighing between 1 kg and 750 g) and VLBW piglets ((mean litter birth weight − 1.5*SD) and weighing less than 750 g). On days 1, 2, 3, 9, and two days post-weaning, body weight, growth, skin lesions, and mortality were monitored. No effect of DMR was observed on any of the parameters. In a second experiment, LBW piglets were supplemented with DMR (similarly to experiment 1) at two farms differing in the level of perinatal care. The same parameters were evaluated, and again none were affected by drenching DMR. Overall survival of the LBW piglets was significantly higher at the farm with high perinatal care. It can be concluded that good perinatal management is more effective in enhancing the survival of LBW piglets than drenching.
Identification of Circular RNAs of Testis and Caput Epididymis and Prediction of Their Potential Functional Roles in Donkeys

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of noncoding RNAs with a covalently closed loop. Studies have demonstrated that circRNA can function as microRNA (miRNA) sponges or competing endogenous RNAs. Although circRNA has been explored in some species and tissues, the genetic basis of testis development and spermatogenesis in donkeys remain unknown. We performed RNA-seq to detect circRNA expression profiles of adult donkey testes. Length distribution and other characteristics were shown a total of 1971 circRNAs were differentially expressed and 12,648 and 6261 circRNAs were detected from the testis and caput epididymis, respectively. Among these circRNAs, 1472 circRNAs were downregulated and 499 circRNAs were upregulated in the testis. Moreover, KEGG pathway analyses and Gene Ontology were performed for host genes of circRNAs. A total of 39 upregulated circRNA host genes were annotated in spermatogenesis terms, including PIWIL2, CATSPERD, CATSPERB, SPATA6, and SYCP1. Other host genes were annotated in the focal adhesion, Rap1 signaling pathway. Downregulated expressed circRNA host genes participated in the TGF-β signaling pathway, GnRH signaling pathway, estrogen signaling pathway, and calcium signaling pathway. Our discoveries provide a solid foundation for identifying and characterizing critical circRNAs involved in testis development or spermatogenesis.
Mechanical Characterization of Thin Asphalt Overlay Mixtures with 100% Recycled Aggregates

Asphalt pavements inevitably deteriorate over time, requiring frequent maintenance work to ensure the proper serviceability of the road network. Small interventions, such as resurfacing for pavement preservation, are preferable to reconstruction at the end of roads’ in-service lives as they limit environmental- and economic-related impacts. Thin asphalt overlay (TAO) mixture represents a suitable maintenance solution to restore the functional properties of road surfaces. Due to the increasing awareness of the depletion of non-renewable resources and the importance of promoting the circular economy, this study evaluated the possibility of using fully recycled TAO mixes by investigating their volumetric and mechanical properties. Two eco-friendly TAO mixes were designed using recycled aggregates from reclaimed asphalt pavements, a municipal solid waste incinerator, and steel slags in order to meet EN 13108-2 requirements. The TAO mixes differed in regard to the type of bituminous binder (neat/SBS-modified bitumens) and fibres (natural/synthetic) employed. The preliminary results demonstrated that the presence of recycled aggregates did not negatively affect the workability and the mechanical performances of the two sustainable mixtures in terms of stiffness, tensile resistance, rutting and moisture susceptibility. Of these, the TAO mix with neat bitumen and synthetic fibres showed enhanced mechanical performance highlighting the structural effects of the used fibres.
Magnetic, Phonon and Optical Properties of Transition Metal and Rare Earth Ion Doped ZnS Nanoparticles

The surface, size and ion doping effects on the magnetic, phonon and optical properties of ZnS nanoparticles are studied based on the s-d model including spin-phonon and Coulomb interaction, and using a Green’s function theory. The changes of the properties are explained on a microscopic level, due to the different radii between the doping and host ions, which cause different strains—compressive or tensile, and change the exchange interaction constants in our model. The magnetization increases with increasing small transition metal (TM) and rare earth (RE) doping concentration. For larger TM dopants the magnetization decreases. The phonon energies increase with increasing TM, whereas they decrease by RE ions. The phonon damping increases for all doping ions. The changes of the band gap energy with different ion doping concentration is also studied. Band gap changes in doped semiconductors could be due as a result of exchange, s-d, Coulomb and electron-phonon interactions. We have tried to clarify the discrepancies which are reported in the literature in the magnetization and the band gap energy.
Evaluating and Modeling the Degradation of PLA/PHB Fabrics in Marine Water

Developing degradable bio-plastics has been considered feasible to lessen marine plastic pollution. However, unanimity is still elusive regarding the actual degradability of bio-plastics such as polylactide (PLA) and poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB). Thus, herein, we studied the degradability of fabrics made from PLA/PHB blends in marine seawater. The dry-mass percentage of the PLA/PHB fabrics decreased progressively from 100% to 85~90% after eight weeks of immersion. Two environmental aging parameters (UV irradiation and aerating) were also confirmed to accelerate the abiotic hydrolysis of the incubated fabrics. The variation in the molecular structure of the PLA/PHB polymers after the degradation process was investigated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). However, the hydrolysis degradability of bulky PLA/PHB blends, which were used to produce such PLA/PHB fabrics, was negligible under identical conditions. There was no mass loss in these solid PLA/PHB plastics except for a decrease in their tensile strength. Finally, a deep learning artificial neural network model was proposed to model and predict the nonlinear abiotic hydrolysis behavior of PLA/PHB fabrics. The degradability of PLA/PHB fabrics in marine water under the synergistic destructive effects of seawater, UV, and dissolved oxygen provides a pathway for more sustainable textile fibers and apparel products.
Shear-free turbulence near a wall

The mean shear has a major influence on near-wall turbulence but there are also other important physical processes at work in the turbulence/wall interaction. In order to isolate these, a shear-free boundary layer was studied experimentally. The desired flow conditions were realized by generating decaying grid turbulence with a uniform mean velocity and passing it over a wall moving with the stream speed. It is shown that the initial response of the turbulence field can be well described by the theory of Hunt & Graham (1978). Later, where this theory ceases to give an accurate description, terms of the Reynolds stress transport (RST) equations were measured or estimated by balancing the equations. An important finding is that two different length scales are associated with the near-wall damping of the Reynolds stresses. The wall-normal velocity component is damped over a region extending roughly one macroscale out from the wall. The pressure–strain redistribution that normally would result from the Reynolds stress anisotropy in this region was found to be completely inhibited by the near-wall influence. In a thin region close to the wall the pressure–reflection effects were found to give a pressure–strain that has an effect opposite to the normally expected isotropization. This behaviour is not captured by current models.
Antibacterial Activity of Crocus sativus L. Petals Extracts against Foodborne Pathogenic and Spoilage Microorganisms, with a Special Focus on Clostridia

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the use of novel antimicrobial agents able to inhibit or kill food-borne bacteria or to interrupt the onset of food spoilage. Crocus sativus L. petals, typically considered as waste obtained from saffron spice production, could be a source of natural bioactive compounds to be used as food preservatives. The purpose of this work was to investigate the antibacterial properties of two hydroalcoholicsaffron petal extracts obtained by maceration (SPEA) and by ultrasonic bath (SPEB) methods. The main polyphenols identified in both extracts were gallic and chlorogenic acids, representing almost 70% of the phenolic fraction monitored. The antibacterial activity was studied by the agar well-diffusion method, against food-borne pathogenic and spoilage bacteria. Both extracts showed activity mainly against Gram-positive bacteria, in particular those belonging to the Clostridiaceae family (C. perfringens, C. botulinum and C. difficile), with inhibition zone diameters ranging from 13 to 18 mm. The antibacterial properties against Clostridia were further analyzed, determining MIC and MBC and performing a time-kill test. SPEA showed lower MIC/MBC values (250 mg/mL) compared to SPEB (500 mg/mL), suggesting that it could be more active against the assayed strains, probably because of its higher content of gallic acid. SPEA and SPEB, tested at a concentration of 1 × MIC, showed bactericidal activity against C. perfringens, C. botulinum and C. difficile and these results suggest that saffron petals could represent a valuable natural alternative source to conventional preservatives. Further investigations are needed to evaluate possible applications in the food industry.
Evidence for strong configuration mixing in n = 3 excited levels in neonlike ions

Wavelengths have been measured for x-ray transitions from the excited states with strong configuration mixing between ${(2p}_{1/2}^{\ensuremath{-}1}{3s)}_{J=1}$ and ${(2p}_{3/2}^{\ensuremath{-}1}{3d}_{5/2}{)}_{J=1}$ to the ground states in neonlike ${\mathrm{I}}^{43+},$ ${\mathrm{Cs}}^{45+},$ and ${\mathrm{Ba}}^{46+}. $ The measurements were made with a flat crystal spectrometer on the Tokyo electron beam ion trap. The experimental wavelengths are compared to theoretical values calculated with the multiconfigurational Dirac-Fock method and other existing theoretical results. Using the present results, the degree of mixing in the wave functions between the two excited electronic configurations is investigated. The present investigation gives a clear demonstration for strong configuration mixing in highly charged ions through observation of an avoided crossing.
Targeted Therapy with PI3K, PARP, and WEE1 Inhibitors and Radiotherapy in HPV Positive and Negative Tonsillar Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Lines Reveals Synergy while Effects with APR-246 Are Limited

Simple Summary Human papillomavirus positive tonsillar and base of tongue cancers are rising in incidence but chemoradiotherapy has not improved survival, so novel treatments are needed. Therefore, targeted therapy with phosphoinositide 3-kinase, poly-ADP-ribose-polymerase, and WEE1 inhibitors was pursued alone or combined with/without radiotherapy or using APR-246 and their effects were analyzed by WST-1 viability, proliferation, and cytotoxicity assays on tonsillar and base of tongue cancer cell lines. All three inhibitors induced dose dependent inhibition of viability and proliferation and their effects were enhanced by adding irradiation or by combining the inhibitors. However, adding irradiation to already synergistic inhibitor combinations did generally not induce additional inhibitory effects. Only very high APR-246 doses decreased viability, so its use was limited in this context. To conclude, the effects of the inhibitors were frequently enhanced by adding radiotherapy or by combining them, but adding radiotherapy to the latter did not generally induce further inhibition. Abstract Human papillomavirus positive (HPV+) tonsillar and base of tongue cancer (TSCC/BOTSCC) is rising in incidence, but chemoradiotherapy is not curative for all. Therefore, targeted therapy with PI3K (BYL719), PARP (BMN-673), and WEE1 (MK-1775) inhibitors alone or combined was pursued with or without 10 Gy and their effects were analyzed by viability, proliferation, and cytotoxicity assays on the TSCC/BOTSCC cell lines HPV+ UPCI-SCC-154 and HPV− UT-SCC-60A. Effective single drug/10 Gy combinations were validated on additional TSCC lines. Finally, APR-246 was assessed on several TSCC/BOTSCC cell lines. BYL719, BMN-673, and MK-1775 treatments induced dose dependent responses in HPV+ UPCI-SCC-154 and HPV− UT-SCC-60A and when combined with 10 Gy, synergistic effects were disclosed, as was also the case upon validation. Using BYL719/BMN-673, BYL719/MK-1775, or BMN-673/MK-1775 combinations on HPV+ UPCI-SCC-154 and HPV− UT-SCC-60A also induced synergy compared to single drug administrations, but adding 10 Gy to these synergistic drug combinations had no further major effects. Low APR-246 concentrations had limited usefulness. To conclude, synergistic effects were disclosed when complementing single BYL719 BMN-673 and MK-1775 administrations with 10 Gy or when combining the inhibitors, while adding 10 Gy to the latter did not further enhance their already additive/synergistic effects. APR-246 was suboptimal in the present context.
Electrohydrodynamic force in dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators

Surface dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs) have been proposed as actuators for flow control. In this paper we discuss the basic mechanisms responsible for the electrohydrodynamic (EHD) force exerted by the discharge on the gas molecules. A two-dimensional fluid model of the DBD is used to describe the plasma dynamics, to understand the basic physics associated with the EHD force and to give some quantitative estimation of the force under simplified conditions. The results show that for ramp or sinusoidal voltage waveforms, the discharge consists of large amplitude short current pulses during which a filamentary plasma spreads along the surface, separated in time by long duration, low current discharge phases of a Townsend or corona type. The contribution of the low current phases to the total force exerted by the discharge on the gas is dominant because their duration is much longer than that of the current pulses and because the force takes place in a much larger volume. A description of the different discharge regimes and a parametric study of the EHD force as a function of voltage rise time and dielectric thickness is presented.
Embedding of “open” superalgebras into affine Kac–Moody superalgebras

We define the concepts of open Lie superalgebras and their closure and study their embedding into affine Kac–Moody (KM) superalgebras. We distinguish between two types of open algebras, whose closures typically yield twisted or untwisted KM superalgebras. We show that the open dynamical symmetry superalgebra S0 of the Dirac theory of the Taub–NUT model, studied by Cotăescu and Visinescu [J. Phys. A 40, 11987 (2007)], cannot be embedded into a twisted KM superalgebra, in contrast to their claim. Our analysis of the above relativistic model reveals the deeper reason of why the hydrogen algebras HN, studied by Daboul and Slodowy, must be “twisted-like” (genuinely and not-genuinely twisted) KM subalgebras.
A modified FDTD (2, 4) scheme for modeling electrically large structures with high-phase accuracy

A new fourth-order finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) scheme has been developed that exhibits extremely low-phase errors at low-grid resolutions compared to the conventional FDTD scheme. Moreover, this new scheme is capable of combining with the standard Yee (1966) scheme to produce a stable hybrid algorithm. The problem of wave propagation through a building is simulated using this new hybrid algorithm to demonstrate the large savings in computing resources it could afford. With this new development, the FDTD method can now be used to successfully model structures that are thousands of wavelengths large, using the present day computer technology.
Family values as predictors of the quality of close relationships

Aim The aim of this study was to determine if and in what way family values influence the quality of interpersonal relationships of adult siblings and the partners in close long-term relationships. Method In the conducted quantitative research three self-descriptive tools were used: Familism Scale, Adult Sibling Relationship Questionnaire and Commitment Inventory. The research included 234 adults (M = 35; SD = 9.128). Women accounted for 64.1% of the sample (n = 150). Results Among the most frequently chosen family value dimensions were Individualism, Family support and Respect. Family values appeared to be significant predictors for both the quality of adult sibling relationships and interpersonal commitment in a close long-term relationship. Conclusion Familism contributes to developing proper interpersonal relationships in close relationships.
Effect of the Magnetic Field Generated by a New NeFeB Cover Screw on Bone Healing around Endosseous Implants: A Case Series Report from Dental Practice

This study aimed to investigate the effect of static magnetic field (SMF) generated by innovative cover screws made of NeFeB on early bone healing around dental implants. The study was carried out on humans in a private dental practice. Eight 3i implants (Biomet, Palm Beach, FL, USA) were placed in the posterior mandible at 3.6 and 3.7. The control implants were closed with a conventional screw (G1), while the test implants were closed with a Supercharged® screw (G2). Both groups were compared for stability at 0, 7, 14, 21, 50, and 90 days using a resonant frequency analyzer with Ostell Mentor (Osstell AB, Gothenburg, Sweden). After 50 days, the Supercharged® cover screw was removed. A significant increase in implant stability quotient (ISQ), corresponding to a lower degree of bone resorption, was observed in G2 throughout the follow-up period (p < 0.05), while an initial ISQ decrease was observed until day 21 in G1. In conclusion, the effect of SMF seems to be in the early stages of osseointegration and increases the stability of dental implants.
Impact of educational policies on access to health care in Brazil: A cross‐sectional study

Various initiatives to improve access to health care have been implemented internationally. In Brazil, this has included policies intended to expand access to higher education for underrepresented socio‐economic groups. These measures have reduced inequalities in access to medical education, but it is not known whether they influence career choices. We examine the effect of these educational policies on physician practice patterns in primary care and/or in medically underserved areas.
Maximum Likelihood Inference for Asymmetric Stochastic Volatility Models

In this paper, we propose a new method for estimating and forecasting asymmetric stochastic volatility models. The proposal is based on dynamic linear models with Markov switching written as state space models. Then, the likelihood is calculated through Kalman filter outputs and the estimates are obtained by the maximum likelihood method. Monte Carlo experiments are performed to assess the quality of estimation. In addition, a backtesting exercise with the real-life time series illustrates that the proposed method is a quick and accurate alternative for forecasting value-at-risk.
LIFE HISTORIES OFFER A CLUE TO THE FUTURE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE ON CORAL REEFS

Abstract Increased frequency and severity of stressors associated with climate change are drastically altering ecosystems. Caribbean coral reefs differ markedly from just 30 years ago, with much restructuring attributable to infectious disease outbreaks. Using a classic epidemiological approach, we demonstrate how density-dependent demographic rates serve as a mechanism for intrinsic coral resilience to population perturbations arising from disturbances such as disease. We explore the impact of allowing infection status to influence demographic rates and ascertain outbreak thresholds that are corroborated by epizootic patterns observed in the field. We discuss how our threshold calculations may provide metrics of coral epizootic early warning systems. Integrating our infection model with equations describing the interspecific competition for space between coral and macroalgae, we provide new mechanistic understanding of the influence that coral life history dynamism and infectious disease have on the changing face of these threatened ecosystems.
A Comparison of Item Selection Techniques and Exposure Control Mechanisms in CATs Using the Generalized Partial Credit Model

The use of more performance items in large-scale testing has led to an increase in the research investigating the use of polytomously scored items in computer adaptive testing (CAT). Because this research has yet to be complimented with information pertaining to exposure control, the present research investigated the impact of using . ve different exposure control algorithms in two sized item pools calibrated using the generalized partial credit model. The results of the simulation study indicated that the a-stratified design, in comparison to a no-exposure control condition, could be used to reduce item exposure and overlap, increase pool utilization, and only minorly degrade measurement precision. Use of the more restrictive exposure control algorithms, such as the Sympson-Hetter and conditional Sympson-Hetter, controlled exposure to a greater extent but at the cost of measurement precision. Because convergence of the exposure control parameters was problematic for some of the more restrictive exposure control algorithms, use of the more simplistic exposure control mechanisms, particularly when the test length to item pool size ratio is large, is recommended.
The damped elastic stretched string equation generalized: existence, uniqueness, regularity and stability

In this paper we prove existence for all time t≦0, uniqueness, regularity and stability of solutions of a Cauchy problem in a Hilbert space H for the equation when δ is a positive constant sufficiently large, A an operator in H and M a given function, satisfying convenient hypothesis. An application is given; in particular, existence for all t≦0, uniqueness and stability of classical solutions of an initial-boundary value problem for the nonlinear partial integro-differential equation (βk positive constants) is obtained. AMOS(MOS) No. 35L20; 35B40