Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Specific inflammatory and mitochondrial signatures characterise the WSB/EiJ mice diet-induced obesity resistance capacity

Energy balance disruption due to excess of food is considered to be one of the major players in the current worldwide obesity pandemic. In rodents, a high fat diet (HFD) induces not only obesity, but also inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunctions. To identify factors underlying diet-induced obesity (DIO) resistance we compared the wild-derived mouse strain WSB/EiJ, characterized by a striking resistance to DIO, with the more DIO-sensitive C57BL/6J strain. We analysed circulating levels of lipids, cytokines and adipokines as well as hypothalamic markers of inflammatory status and mitochondrial activity in both strains exposed to HFD for three days (3d) or eight weeks (8wk). To identify hypothalamic genes potentially involved in these differential regulations, we analysed the expression levels of 86 genes related to inflammation and mitochondrial pathways by high throughput microfluidic qPCR on RNA extracted from hypothalamic nuclei of the two strains of mice, under the different HFD treatments. After 3d and 8wk HFD, C57BL/6J mice, in contrast to WSB/EiJ, displayed significantly increased body weight gain, circulating levels of leptin, cholesterol, HDL and LDL. WSB/EiJ mice displayed a lower inflammatory status, both peripherally (lower levels of circulating cytokines) and centrally (less activated microglia in the hypothalamus) as well as more reactive mitochondria in the hypothalamus. Principal Component Analysis and gene ontology analysis of gene expression data allowed identifying the metabolic pathways involved. Strain-specific differential expression of several individual hypothalamic genes as well as differential effects of HFD between strains reinforced these results. Thus, adaptation to metabolic stress in the DIO-resistant WSB/EiJ strain implicates enhanced lipid metabolism, lower peripheral and hypothalamic inflammatory status and higher mitochondrial activity than in the C57BL/6J strain. These results point to the involvement of the hypothalamic inflammatory and mitochondrial pathways as key factors in the control of energy homeostasis and the resistance to DIO.
modelling of the Fe–Sn–Zr system based on new experiments and first-principles calculations

The Fe–Sn–Zr system has been studied by first principles calculation and modelled with the Calphad method using the literature and new experimental data. The work includes a revision of Fe–Sn and Fe–Zr systems. Our experimental study has confirmed that the W 5 Si 3 phase (stoichiometry Zr 5 Sn 2,3 Fe 0,7 ) is stable at 1350 °C but also down to 1000 °C. Moreover, the crystal structure of the X ” phase has been determined. The formation enthalpies of all the ordered configurations of the C 15, C 16, C 36, E 1a phases and the stoichiometric Fe 5 Sn 3 , Fe 3 Sn 2 , FeSn, FeSn 2, Fe 23 Zr 6 , FeSn 2 Zr 6 ( θ ), Fe 36.36 Sn 36.36 Zr 27.27 ( N ) et Fe 14.39 Sn 43.47 Zr 39.13 ( X ’’) compounds have been calculated using the Density Functional Theory (DFT). The mixing enthalpies of the A 1, A 2 and A 3 binary solid solutions have been calculated using the Special Quasirandom Structures (SQS) and DFT calculation. From these new experimental and calculated data, new thermodynaùic assessments are proposed
CORRUPTION VS ENTREPRENEURSHIP: EVIDENCE FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

The importance of entrepreneurship as a driver of economic development cannot be denied. Nevertheless, most developing countries still suffer from low and unsatisfactory in entrepreneurship level, partially explained the low economic growth. Given the main attribute of developing countries, which is highly-corrupted, this study empirically investigates the effect of corruption on entrepreneurship in 48 developing countries over nine (9) years from 2008 to 2016. By using the Generalized Methods of Moment (GMM) estimator, the results show that an increase in corruption will promote more new business start-ups. This is because, in highly corrupted countries, individual and potential entrepreneurs observed that “the only way” to start a business is to involve in a corrupted activity such as bribes. Therefore, a proactive role of government as a policy maker in effectively reducing and eventually eliminating corruption as well as promoting a more conducive environment for entrepreneurs to grow up is very critical.
"The Driver Behaviour Questionnaire as a predictor of accidents: A meta-analysis" Comments

A previously published meta-analysis of the predictive power of the Manchester Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) versus road traffic crashes is criticized upon a number of counts, including the incomplete handling of common method variance, failure to control for exposure and how the correction for unreliability of the accident variable was undertaken. It is concluded that the results reported, and the conclusions drawn from these, are too favorable to the DBQ, despite the effect sizes being miniscule. In effect, the DBQ has no proven predictive power versus collisions.
OF GLUTATHIONE-PEROXIDASE (GSH-PO) IN RAT

In order to confirm the relationship between glutathione-peroxidase (GSH-PO) and testosterone action in rat ventral prostate, we have studied the immunocytochemical localization of GSH-PO in glandular epithelial cells of rat ventral prostate after treatment of TZP-4238 or chlormadinone acetate (CMA) as antiandrogens. In the control rat , ventral prostate, GSH-PO was predominantly observed in the glandular epithelial cells and intracellular localization of GSH-PO was mainly observed in the cytoplasmic matrix near the rough endoplasmic reticulum and it was occasionally noted as a small granular structure at the supranuclear region. In TZP-4238-or CMA-administered rats, the glandular epithelial cells of the ventral prostate were markedly atrophic. The intensity of GSH-PO staining in the glandular epithelial cells was markedly decreased. Immunoelectron microscopically, GSH-PO-positive granules were hardly seen in the atrophic glandular epithelial cells. These findings strongly suggest that loss of GSH-PO staining in the glandular epithelial cells of the rat ventral prostate treated with TZP-4238 or CMA as anti-androgens is thought to be caused by inhibition of testosterone action, and that its staining pattern is a useful for the effect of antiandrogens on prostate.
The Impact of the EU GSP Agreement on the Andean Countries ’ Trade F lows

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the impact of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) agreement on the export from the Andean Community (AC) to the European Union (EU) between the years 1995 to 2000. The GSP agreement enables developing countries to face lower- or no tariffs when exporting to developed countries. According to Ricardian theory, Heckscher-Ohlin theory, and New Trade theory decreased trade barriers tend to have a positive effect on trade. When analyzing the trade flow between these countries using the gravity model the outcome is found to be consistent with the theories i.e the results show that the GSP agreement implemented in 1995 has had a positive impact on trade.
THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HUMANITIES & SOCIAL STUDIES Teachers’ self-Efficacy as a Predictor of Students’ Motivation to Learn Among Secondary School Students in Laikipia County, Kenya

: This study investigated the influence of teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs on students’ motivation to learn secondary school mathematics in Laikipia County, Kenya. The study was guided by Keller’s ARCS model of motivation. Descriptive research design was employed in the study. The target population was all 8357 Form Four students in the County. A sample of 412 respondents comprising of 392 students and 20 mathematics teachers from the sample classes was selected for the study. Simple random sampling was used to select participating schools, sample classes and students. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Cronbach’s alpha was used to estimate the reliability of research instruments. Data was analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and simple regression analysis at.05 level. The findings indicated that teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs contributed significantly to students’ motivation to learn. The study concludes that teachers’ efficacy beliefs play an important part in developing students’ motivation to learn mathematics among secondary school students.
Computed Tomography Software

This study discusses a method to determine the root canal anatomic dimension by using e-Vol DX software. The methodology consists in initially establishes the correct positions which will be measured, define the point on the edge of the anatomical structure, and next adjust the intermediate position in the grayscale of CBCT image. Thin sections (0.10 mm) are obtained from 3D reconstructed slices in the filter for the measurements, in order to determine the edge of the anatomical surface in the axial plane. A replication of positions in 3D mode is done in multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) of CBCT images, where the correct position is established with the aid of a positioning guide. The 3D density is adjusted so that it is in the same dimension as the 2D image, and a dimension calibration occurs to the point where there is a coincidence between 3D and 2D. This calibration is done only at the beginning of the measurement. Next, the intermediate position of the division between the grayscale is verified in the CBCT scan. Once one side has been completed, it is moved to the other side and follows the same guidelines described above. When setting the position of the courses in the other margin, being that 2D mode is used as reference. Thus, one obtains the required measure, being checked in the two points. The creation of this filter in the e-Vol DX software for measurement, and its appropriate management, allows more effective applications when it is desired to obtain diameters of anatomical structures.
Comparison of different filtering strategies to reduce noise in strain measurement with digital image correlation

The main limitation of digital image correlation is the remarkable noise affecting the digital image correlation–computed strain distributions. Neither manufacturers of digital image correlation systems nor the literature provide guidelines for optimal filtering of digital image correlation strain distributions. However, filtering is also associated with loss of information (smoothing of the strain gradients). We systematically explored different filtering strategies to reduce noise while minimizing the loss of information in the digital image correlation–computed strain distributions. The first filtering strategy was directly applied to the acquired images that were then fed to the digital image correlation software. Median adaptive low-pass filters and notch filters were used to eliminate noise: both strategies increased (rather than reducing) the noise in the digital image correlation–computed strain distributions. The second strategy explored was a Gaussian low-pass filtering of the strain distributions. When the optimal cutoff frequency was selected, the noise was remarkably reduced (by 70%) without excessive loss of information. At the same time, when non-optimal cutoff frequencies were used, the residual noise and/or loss of information seriously compromised the results. Finally, image combination techniques were applied both to the input images and to the strain distributions. This strategy was extremely time-consuming but not very effective (noise reduction <10%). In conclusion, the only truly effective noise reduction strategy, if measurements are carried out using commercial closed software, consists in filtering the strain distribution.
Delayed early life effects in the threespine stickleback

Early life conditions can have a decisive influence on viability later in life. However, the influence of embryo density within a nest or body cavity on subsequent viability has received little attention within an ecological setting. This is surprising given that embryos often compete for limited resources, such as nutrients and oxygen, and this could influence their viability later in life through carry-over and compensatory effects. We show that the density of fertilized eggs within the nests of threespine stickleback males (Gasterosteus aculeatus) influences their viability after hatching. Embryos from larger broods hatch earlier and at a smaller size than those from smaller broods, which reduces their survival until the age of four weeks. This indicates a trade-off between the number and viability of offspring that males can raise to the hatching stage, which could explain the high incidence of partial egg cannibalism in nest-brooding fishes—as a strategy to improve the survival of remaining offspring. These results highlight the importance of considering conditions at the embryonic stage when evaluating the impact of early life conditions on viability and the adaptive value of reproductive decisions.
Genetic changes in larval oysters are more abundant and dynamic than can be explained by rare events or error: a response to Hedgecock (2022)

© 2022 The Authors. Published by the Royal Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, which permits unrestricted use, provided the original author and source are credited. The accompanying comment can be viewed at http://dx.doi. org/10.1098/rspb.2021. 2579. Genetic changes in larval oysters are more abundant and dynamic than can be explained by rare events or error: a response to Hedgecock (2022)
Diet, habitat and flight characteristics correlate with intestine length in birds

A link between diet and avian intestinal anatomy is generally assumed. We collated the length of intestinal sections and body mass of 390 bird species and tested relationships with diet, climate and locomotion. There was a strong phylogenetic signal in all datasets. The total and small intestine scaled more-than-geometrically (95%CI of the scaling exponent > 0.33). The traditional dietary classification (faunivore, omnivore and herbivore) had no significant effect on total intestine (TI) length. Significant dietary proxies included %folivory, %frugi-nectarivory and categories (frugi-nectarivory, granivory, folivory, omnivory, insectivory and vertivory). Individual intestinal sections were affected by different dietary proxies. The best model indicates that higher consumption of fruit and nectar, drier habitats, and a high degree of flightedness are linked to shorter TI length. Notably, the length of the avian intestine depends on other biological factors as much as on diet. Given the weak dietary signal in our datasets, the diet intestinal length relationships lend themselves to narratives of flexibility (morphology is not destiny) rather than of distinct adaptations that facilitate using one character (intestine length) as proxy for another (diet). Birds have TIs of about 85% that of similar-sized mammals, corroborating systematic differences in intestinal macroanatomy between vertebrate clades.
Role of Stress Granules in Suppressing Viral Replication by the Infectious Bronchitis Virus Endoribonuclease

Endoribonuclease is conserved in coronaviruses and affects viral replication and pathogenicity. Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), a γ-coronavirus, infects respiratory, renal, and reproductive systems, causing millions of dollars in lost revenue to the poultry industry worldwide annually. ABSTRACT Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), a γ-coronavirus, causes the economically important poultry disease infectious bronchitis. Cellular stress response is an effective antiviral strategy that leads to stress granule (SG) formation. Previous studies suggested that SGs were involved in the antiviral activity of host cells to limit viral propagation. Here, we aimed to delineate the molecular mechanisms regulating the SG response to pathogenic IBV strain infection. We found that most chicken embryo kidney (CEK) cells formed no SGs during IBV infection and IBV replication inhibited arsenite-induced SG formation. This inhibition was not caused by changes in the integrity or abundance of SG proteins during infection. IBV nonstructural protein 15 (Nsp15) endoribonuclease activity suppressed SG formation. Regardless of whether Nsp15 was expressed alone, with recombinant viral infection with Newcastle disease virus as a vector, or with EndoU-deficient IBV, the Nsp15 endoribonuclease activity was the main factor inhibiting SG formation. Importantly, uridine-specific endoribonuclease (EndoU)-deficient IBV infection induced colocalization of IBV N protein/dsRNA and SG-associated protein TIA1 in infected cells. Additionally, overexpressing TIA1 in CEK cells suppressed IBV replication and may be a potential antiviral factor for impairing viral replication. These data provide a novel foundation for future investigations of the mechanisms by which coronavirus endoribonuclease activity affects viral replication. IMPORTANCE Endoribonuclease is conserved in coronaviruses and affects viral replication and pathogenicity. Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), a γ-coronavirus, infects respiratory, renal, and reproductive systems, causing millions of dollars in lost revenue to the poultry industry worldwide annually. Mutating the viral endoribonuclease poly(U) resulted in SG formation, and TIA1 protein colocalized with the viral N protein and dsRNA, thus damaging IBV replication. These results suggest a new antiviral target design strategy for coronaviruses.
Auxiliary Subword Segmentations as Related Languages for Low Resource Multilingual Translation

We propose a novel technique that combines alternative subword tokenizations of a single source-target language pair that allows us to leverage multilingual neural translation training methods. These alternate segmentations function like related languages in multilingual translation. Overall this improves translation accuracy for low-resource languages and produces translations that are lexically diverse and morphologically rich. We also introduce a cross-teaching technique which yields further improvements in translation accuracy and cross-lingual transfer between high- and low-resource language pairs. Compared to other strong multilingual baselines, our approach yields average gains of +1.7 BLEU across the four low-resource datasets from the multilingual TED-talks dataset. Our technique does not require additional training data and is a drop-in improvement for any existing neural translation system.
Searching for COMETINHO: The Little Metric That Could

In recent years, several neural fine-tuned machine translation evaluation metrics such as COMET and BLEURT have been proposed. These metrics achieve much higher correlations with human judgments than lexical overlap metrics at the cost of computational efficiency and simplicity, limiting their applications to scenarios in which one has to score thousands of translation hypothesis (e.g. scoring multiple systems or Minimum Bayes Risk decoding). In this paper, we explore optimization techniques, pruning, and knowledge distillation to create more compact and faster COMET versions. Our results show that just by optimizing the code through the use of caching and length batching we can reduce inference time between 39% and 65% when scoring multiple systems. Also, we show that pruning COMET can lead to a 21% model reduction without affecting the model’s accuracy beyond 0.01 Kendall tau correlation. Furthermore, we present DISTIL-COMET a lightweight distilled version that is 80% smaller and 2.128x faster while attaining a performance close to the original model and above strong baselines such as BERTSCORE and PRISM.
A Case Study on the Importance of Named Entities in a Machine Translation Pipeline for Customer Support Content

This paper describes the research developed at Unbabel, a Portuguese Machine-translation start-up, that combines MT with human post-edition and focuses strictly on customer service content. We aim to contribute to furthering MT quality and good-practices by exposing the importance of having a continuously-in-development robust Named Entity Recognition system compliant with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Moreover, we have tested semiautomatic strategies that support and enhance the creation of Named Entities gold standards to allow a more seamless implementation of Multilingual Named Entities Recognition Systems. The project described in this paper is the result of a shared work between Unbabel ́s linguists and Unbabel ́s AI engineering team, matured over a year. The project should, also, be taken as a statement of multidisciplinary, proving and validating the much-needed articulation between the different scientific fields that compose and characterize the area of Natural Language Processing (NLP).
Fast-Paced Improvements to Named Entity Handling for Neural Machine Translation

In this work, we propose a Named Entity handling approach to improve translation quality within an existing Natural Language Processing (NLP) pipeline without modifying the Neural Machine Translation (NMT) component. Our approach seeks to enable fast delivery of such improvements and alleviate user experience problems related to NE distortion. We implement separate NE recognition and translation steps. Then, a combination of standard entity masking technique and a novel semantic equivalent placeholder guarantees that both NE translation is respected and the best overall quality is obtained from NMT. The experiments show that translation quality improves in 38.6% of the test cases when compared to a version of the NLP pipeline with less-developed NE handling capability.
On the Interaction of Regularization Factors in Low-resource Neural Machine Translation

We explore the roles and interactions of the hyper-parameters governing regularization, and propose a range of values applicable to low-resource neural machine translation. We demonstrate that default or recommended values for high-resource settings are not optimal for low-resource ones, and that more aggressive regularization is needed when resources are scarce, in proportion to their scarcity. We explain our observations by the generalization abilities of sharp vs. flat basins in the loss landscape of a neural network. Results for four regularization factors corroborate our claim: batch size, learning rate, dropout rate, and gradient clipping. Moreover, we show that optimal results are obtained when using several of these factors, and that our findings generalize across datasets of different sizes and languages.
A Taxonomy and Study of Critical Errors in Machine Translation

Not all machine mistranslations are equal. For example, mistranslating a date or time in an appointment, mistranslating the number or currency in a contract, or hallucinating profanity may lead to consequences for the users even when MT is just used for gisting. The severity of the errors is important, but overlooked, aspect of MT quality evaluation. In this paper, we present the result of our effort to bring awareness to the problem of critical translation errors. We study, validate and improve an initial taxonomy of critical errors with the view of providing guidance for critical error analysis, annotation and mitigation. We test the taxonomy for three different languages to examine to what extent it generalises across languages. We provide an account of factors that affect annotation tasks along with recommendations on how to improve the practice in future work. We also study the impact of the source text on generating critical errors in the translation and, based on this, propose a set of recommendations on aspects of the MT that need further scrutiny, especially for user-generated content, to avoid generating such errors, and hence improve online communication.