Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Landmark-Based Geometric Morphometrics in Describing Facial Shape of the Sama-Banguingui Tribe from the Philippines

Studies of human forms using traditional methods only show minimal variations. However, advances in image analysis and statistics have resulted to highly quantitative descriptions of detailed variations. To be able to describe detailed variations and to understand the human face of tribes practicing consanguineous marriages like the Sama-Banguingui tribe, landmark-based geometric morphometrics was used. Selected purebreed individuals (25 males and 21 females) of the tribe participated in the study. Face images were landmarked using the 28 anatomical landmarks defined in this study. Relative warps scores generated were used for the analysis of shape variations. Visualization of variations was done using histograms and boxplots. Results showed minor differences in the shapes of the whole face in RW2 and RW3 but not in RW1, RW4, RW5 and RW6 where variations observed were not significantly different. The similarity in the facial characters within and between sexes observed in this study could be attributed to common ancestry and possibly due to consanguinity. This study have shown that the tools of geometric morphometrics can be used for detailed quantification of variations in shapes of morphological structures. 
Problem-solving strategies and giftedness : a study into observable differences in problem-solving strategies between gifted and non-gifted children

Research shows differences in several problem-solving skills between gifted and regular students. This study investigated whether a clear distinction could be made between gifted and regular children by observing the actions performed while solving a problem. 25 regular and 22 gifted primary school students were given the same problem from the game ‘laser maze’. Gifted children showed more investigative behaviour before having to solve a problem which was directly related to finding the solution faster. No other difference between gifted and regular children was found. Using a Latent Class Analysis (LCA), the results showed a difference between behaviourally active and behaviourally passive students. More research into different problem-solving styles is suggested. Time spent planning showed no difference between groups and more research into the concept of planning and how to measure it is suggested.
Male tail streamer length does not predict apparent or genetic reproductive success in North American barn swallows Hirundo rustica erythrogaster

In the socially monogamous barn swallow, previous studies of individuals in the European subspecies Hirundo r. rustica have shown that a male’s tail streamer length is under strong sexual selection and is positively associated with several measures of reproductive success, including a low probability of being cuckolded by other males. The prominence of these results has led to subsequent experimental and correlational investigations of individuals in the phenotypically divergent subspecies H. r. erythrogaster in North America, where it has been shown that male tail streamer length is not as strongly associated with reproductive success as in European populations. We examined relationships between male tail streamer length and patterns of: (1) social mate selection and reproductive success, and (2) extra-pair paternity in 265 progeny of 53 social fathers within a New York barn swallow population. Although tail streamers in this population were sexually dimorphic, male tail streamer length did not predict patterns of mate selection, seasonal reproductive success, or extra-pair paternity. Moreover, in contrast to the strong positive relationships between paternity and male streamer length in European populations, summarized in this paper, we found no positive relationship between a male’s paternity of young in the nest he is attending and his tail streamer length in our study population in New York. Our results further corroborate recent suggestions that the function of sexual signals varies geographically in this species, although we await additional experimental analyses on streamer lengths to understand the maintenance of sexual dimorphism in this trait.
REMODEL: Rethinking Deep CNN Models to Detect and Count on a NeuroSynaptic System

In this work, we perform analysis of detection and counting of cars using a low-power IBM TrueNorth Neurosynaptic System. For our evaluation we looked at a publicly-available dataset that has overhead imagery of cars with context present in the image. The trained neural network for image analysis was deployed on the NS16e system using IBM's EEDN training framework. Through multiple experiments we identify the architectural bottlenecks present in TrueNorth system that does not let us deploy large neural network structures. Following these experiments we propose changes to CNN model to circumvent these architectural bottlenecks. The results of these evaluations have been compared with caffe-based implementations of standard neural networks that were deployed on a Titan-X GPU. Results showed that TrueNorth can detect cars from the dataset with 97.60% accuracy and can be used to accurately count the number of cars in the image with 69.04% accuracy. The car detection accuracy and car count (–/+ 2 error margin) accuracy are comparable to high-precision neural networks like AlexNet, GoogLeNet, and ResCeption, but show a manifold improvement in power consumption.
A meta‐analysis of recreation effects on vertebrate species richness and abundance

Most protected areas globally have a dual mission to conserve natural resources and provide access for outdoor recreation or ecotourism, yet questions remain about the ecological effects of recreation. We conducted a global meta‐analysis of the effects of recreation on vertebrate richness and abundance. We estimated that vertebrate richness (n = 15 articles) and abundance (n = 32) are lower in association with higher levels of recreation in over two‐thirds (70%) of cases. We observed a moderate negative group‐level effect of recreation on bird and mammal abundance, but the group‐level effect on fish and reptiles was not significant. Effects were stronger for carnivores and herbivores than for omnivores, and stronger for small‐bodied birds and ground‐nesting birds than larger and tree‐ and shrub‐nesting birds. Terrestrial activities were associated with reduced vertebrate abundance, whereas aquatic activities were not. Both motorized and nonmotorized activities were associated with reduced vertebrate abundance, but the effect for motorized activities was uncertain due to small sample size. These results pose a challenge to natural resource management agencies who must balance recreation access with natural resource protection, and to conservation organizations that rely on outdoor recreation for public support and funding. We recommend that managers plan recreational access at a regional scale and include some areas that are closed to recreation to minimize trade‐offs between recreation and animal conservation.
Examining Influential Factors and Predicting Outcomes in European Soccer Games

An analysis is done on soccer games played by three top European soccer leagues: England, Spain, and Italy during the first 33 rounds of soccer during the 2011-2012 year. Each league has 20 teams playing two games with each other. Two regression models are developed in an effort to predict the point spread of a game between two teams (Team A and Team B) based on the following variables: sum of differences in the number of cards received by Team A and their opposing teams for the last k rounds, sum of differences in the number of cards received by Team B and their opposing teams for the last k rounds, sum of differences in the number of goals received by Team A and their opposing teams for the last k rounds, and sum of differences in the number of goals received by Team B and their opposing teams for the last k rounds, with the value of k always being even. The models developed were used to predict winners of games for the last five rounds of the 2011-2012 season. The models correctly predicted the winner of a game at 73% to 80% of the time. Of particular interest in this research is whether the sum of the differences in the number of cards received by each team and their opponents in the last k rounds of soccer has a significant effect on which team will win the soccer match.
Genetics of heifer performance in 'wet' and 'dry' seasons and their relationships with steer performance in two tropical beef genotypes

The genetics of heifer performance in tropical 'wet' and 'dry' seasons, and relationships with steer performance, were studied in Brahman (BRAH) and Tropical Composite (TCOMP) (50% Bos indicus, African Sanga or other tropically adapted Bos taurus; 50% non-tropically adapted Bos taurus) cattle of northern Australia. Data were from 2159 heifers (1027 BRAH, 1132 TCOMP), representing 54 BRAH and 51 TCOMP sires. Heifers were assessed after post-weaning 'wet' (ENDWET) and 'dry' (ENDDRY) seasons. Steers were assessed post-weaning, at feedlot entry, over a 70-day feed test, and after similar to 120-day finishing. Measures studied in both heifers and steers were liveweight (LWT), scanned rump fat, rib fat and M. longissimus area (SEMA), body condition score (CS), hip height (HH), serum insulin-like growth factor-I concentration (IGF-I), and average daily gains (ADG). Additional steer measures were scanned intra-muscular fat%, flight time, and daily (DFI) and residual feed intake (RFI). Uni- and bivariate analyses were conducted for combined genotypes and for individual genotypes. Genotype means were predicted for a subset of data involving 34 BRAH and 26 TCOMP sires. A meta-analysis of genetic correlation estimates examined how these were related to the difference between measurement environments for specific traits. There were genotype differences at the level of means, variances and genetic correlations. BRAH heifers were significantly (P < 0.05) faster-growing in the 'wet' season, slower-growing in the 'dry' season, lighter at ENDDRY, and taller and fatter with greater CS and IGF-I at both ENDWET and ENDDRY. Heritabilities were generally in the 20 to 60% range for both genotypes. Phenotypic and genetic variances, and genetic correlations, were commonly lower for BRAH. Differences were often explained by the long period of tropical adaptation of B. indicus. Genetic correlations were high between corresponding measures at ENDWET and ENDDRY, positive between fat and muscle measures in TCOMP but negative in BRAH (mean of 13 estimates 0.50 and -0.19, respectively), and approximately zero between steer feedlot ADG and heifer ADG in BRAH. Numerous genetic correlations between heifers and steers differed substantially from unity, especially in BRAH, suggesting there may be scope to select differently in the sexes where that would aid the differing roles of heifers and steers in production. Genetic correlations declined as measurement environments became more different, the rates of decline (environment sensitivity) sometimes differing with genotype. Similar measures (LWT, HH and ADG; IGF-I at ENDWET in TCOMP) were genetically correlated with steer DFI in heifers as in steers. Heifer SEMA was genetically correlated with steer feedlot RFI in BRAH (0.75 +/- 0.27 at ENDWET, 0.66 +/- 0.24 at ENDDRY). Selection to reduce steer RFI would reduce SEMA in BRAH heifers but otherwise have only small effects on heifers before their first joining.
Effect of catecholamines and inhaled drugs on the growth and virulence of bacterial respiratory pathogens

2 Acknowledgements 3 Chapter 1: Introduction 15 1.1 Overview 16 1.2 Structure of ciliated epithelium and function of cilia 1.2. 1 Summary 18 1.2. 2 Structure of human respiratory epithelium 18 1.2. 3 Airway surface fluid 21 1.2. 4 Structure and function of cilia 22 1.2. 5 Factors regulating ciliary beat frequency 25 1.2. 6 Mucociliary clearance 27 1.3 Lung Microbiome 28 1.4 Lung infections in childhood 31 1.5 Bacteria studied in my work 1.5. 1 Summary 33 1.5. 2 Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) 33 1.5. 3 Burkholderia species 33 1.6 Quorum sensing 42 1.7 Respiratory conditions studied 1.7. 1 Cystic fibrosis (CF) 46 1.7. 2 Lung transplantation 47 1.8 Biofilms 1.8. 1 Summary 49 1.8. 2 Medical biofilms 50 1.8. 3 Formation of biofilms 51 1.8. 4 Biofilm structure 52 1.8. 5 Regulation of biofilm development 53 1.9 Medical Endocrinology 1.9. 1 Summary 55 1.9. 2 Implications of stress 56 1.9. 3 Use of catecholamine in medical practice 56 1.9. 4 Effects of catecholamines on growth/ virulence of bacteria 58 1.9. 5 Catecholamines in CF and lung transplantation 60 1.10 Salbutamol, an adrenergic agonist 1.10. 1 Summary 61 1.10. 2 Structure and pharmacological preparations of salbutamol 61 1.10. 3 Pharmacological effects of salbutamol 64
FAMILY LAW AND FAMILY VIOLENCE: RESEARCH TO PRACTICE

The last ten years have seen a growth in the knowledge base around children’s need for safe, stable and secure environments. There is a deepening understanding of the harm and damage that occurs when safety and security are compromised, and children are exposed to threats and fear. Yet, responses to families experiencing violence and abuse have not always kept pace with these advances in research. The laws, systems and services with which families engage can fail to provide or support the factors necessary to enable children to thrive. They may instead undermine the work of protective and safe parents who are attempting to create such environments. At their worst, bureaucratic and legal interventions can become the catalysts that lead to increased or ongoing harm or trauma. It is in the interests of all practitioners and professionals whose work has an impact on families, therefore, to ensure that they do not exacerbate the damage faced by children exposed to violence, instead that their work supports the circumstances that enable children to heal, thrive and grow.
Dietary addition of zinc-methionine influenced eggshell quality by affecting calcium deposition in eggshell formation of laying hens

Abstract The present study explored the mechanism of Zn-methionine (Zn-Met) influencing eggshell quality of laying hens and investigated whether the mechanism was related to Ca deposition. Hyline grey layers (n 384, 38 weeks old) were divided into four groups: 0 mg Zn/kg, 40, 80 mg Zn/kg as Zn-Met, and 80 mg Zn/kg as zinc sulphate (ZnSO4). Eggshell quality, Zn contents, Zn-containing enzyme activities and expressions of shell matrix proteins in eggshell gland (ESG) were analysed. Zn-Met treatment at 80 mg/kg increased (P < 0·05) egg weight and eggshell strength throughout the experiments. The 80 mg/kg Zn-Met group (P < 0·05) had decreased mammillary knob width and larger relative atomic weight percentage of Ca, stronger signal intensity of Ca in linear distribution and the Ca was more evenly distributed in the transversal surface of eggshell. Zn contents (P < 0·001) in yolk and serum, Ca, albumin (Alb) levels in ESG as well as carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity in serum (P < 0·05) and mRNA levels of CA and Ca-binding protein-d28k (CaBP-D28k) (P < 0·001) in the 80 mg/kg Zn-Met group were the highest among all treatments. In conclusion, shell strength as one of eggshell qualities was mostly related to mammillary cone width in ultrastructure caused by the pattern of Ca deposition in eggshell formation. Also, the increase in Zn-Met-induced Ca deposition may be due to the increased Zn contents in serum and tissues, which were attributable to the increased CA concentrations in serum, Ca, Alb levels and up-regulated CA and CaBP-D28k mRNA levels in ESG.
Improvement of the operational simplicity of in vitro bioconversion systems with thermophilic enzymes

of Thesis Chapter 1: Introduction Enzymatic cascade reactions, in which a certain number (typically more than 3) of enzymes are combinatorially used in a single batch, has been applied to the production of a variety of industrial chemicals at a lab scale. This approach, designated as in vitro metabolic engineering, offers some distinct advantages over conventional fermentation-based processes such as great flexibility, high product yields without by-products, fast reaction rates, broad reaction conditions, and industrial scalability. In spite of these potential advantages, in vitro metabolic engineering has not yet come into a practical use owing to four major obstacles, namely (i) low-cost enzyme production, (ii) prolonged enzyme stability, (iii) cofactor engineering, and (iv) pathway optimization and modeling. The employment of thermotolerant enzymes would be the possible solutions for some of these limitations. A simple heat-treatment of recombinant mesophilic cells (e.g., Escherichia coli) harboring thermophilic enzymes results in the denaturation of indigenous proteins and enables one-step preparation of highly selective thermotolerant biocatalytic modules without costly and time-consuming procedure for enzymes purification. This study aimed to further improve the operational simplicity of thermophilic-enzyme-based in vitro metabolic engineering with particular focuses on (1) prevention of the thermolysis of E. coli cells and (2) co-expression of multiple thermophilic enzymes in a single recombinant cell. Chapter 2: Development of a continuous bioconversion system using a thermophilic whole-cell biocatalyst The recombinant E. coli cells harboring the thermophilic fumarase from Thermus thermophilus were treated with a low concentration of glutaraldehyde (GA) to prevent the heat-induced leakage of the enzyme. The membrane permeability of GA-treated E. coli cells to relatively small molecules could be improved by heat treatment whereas the overall structure of the cells was not apparently changed. The GA-treated E. coli cells having the thermophilic fumarase were used for the hydration of fumarate to malate in a continuous reactor for more than 600 min with a molar conversion yield of 60% or higher. Chapter 3: Assembly and multiple gene expression of thermophilic enzymes in Escherichia coli for in vitro metabolic engineering Genes encoding nine thermophilic enzymes involved in a non-ATP-forming chimeric glycolytic pathway were co-expressed in a single recombinant E. coli strain by assembling them in an artificial operon. The cell-free extract of the multiple-gene-expression E. coli showed higher specific activities of the thermophilic enzymes compared to those in an enzyme cocktail prepared from a mixture of single-gene-expression strains, in each of which one of the nine thermophilic enzymes was overproduced. By heating the crude extract of the multiple-gene-expression cells at 70C, a full set of glycolytic pathway enzymes was prepared and used for the stoichiometric conversion of glucose to lactate.
A comparative GC-MS analysis of bacterial secondary metabolites of Pseudomonas species

The Bacterial metabolites have great importance for humans. The aim of the present study is to determine the potential bioactive components of bacterial metabolites using polar and non-polar solvent by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry analysis. The chemical compositions of ethanol and chloroform extracts of bacterial secondary metabolites were investigated using Perkin-Elmer instrument. The GCMS analysis provided nine compound with different Retention Time and peak area namely 2,6,10Trimetyl-12-oxatricyclo[7.3. 1.0(1,6)]tridec-2-ene; Nicotinic acid,1,6-dihydro-4-hydroxy-6-oxo-2-propylethyl ester; Benzoic acid,2-amino-6chloro-methyl ester and Heptadecanoic acid,9-methyl-,methyl ester; 2-(2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohex-1-enyl)cyclopropanecarboxylic acid, methyl ester; 9-Octadecenoic acid,(E)-; Pentadecanoic acid,13methyl-,methyl ester. Out of nine compounds Heptadecanoic acid, 9methyl-, methyl ester was found as similar in both extracts. Five dissimilar and two similar compounds were obtained from the two solvents.
The study of synchronization of rhythms of microvascular blood flow and oxygen saturation during adaptive changes

Multi-functional laser non-invasive diagnostic systems, such as “LAKK-M”, allow the study of a number of microcirculatory parameters, including blood microcirculatory index (Im) (by laser Doppler flowmetry, LDF) and oxygen saturation (StO2) of skin tissue (by tissue reflectance oximetry, TRO). Such systems may provide significant information relevant to physiology and clinical medicine. The aim of this research was to use such a system to study the synchronization of microvascular blood flow and oxygen saturation rhythms under normal and adaptive change conditions. Studies were conducted with 8 healthy volunteers – 3 females and 5 males of 21-49 years. Each volunteer was subjected to basic 3 minute tests. The volunteers were observed for between 1-4 months each, totalling 422 basic tests. Measurements were performed on the palmar surface of the right middle finger and the forearm medial surface. Wavelet analysis was used to study rhythmic oscillations in LDF- and TRO-data. Tissue oxygen consumption (from arterial and venal blood oxygen saturation and nutritive flux volume) was calculated for all volunteers during “adaptive changes” as (617±123 AU) and (102±38 AU) with and without arteriovenous anastomoses (AVAs) respectively. This demonstrates increased consumption compared to normal (495±170 AU) and (69±40 AU) with and without AVAs respectively. Data analysis demonstrated the emergence of resonance and synchronization of rhythms of microvascular blood flow and oxygen saturation as an adaptive change in myogenic oscillation (vasomotion) resulting from exercise and potentially from psychoemotional stress. Synchronization of myogenic rhythms during adaptive changes suggest increased oxygen consumption resulting from increased microvascular blood flow velocity.
Two-dimensional views into four-dimensional physics

This habilitation thesis summarizes several research topics in string theory, using the world-sheet two-dimensional perspective as a unifying theme. The first part of this manuscript describes new solutions of open string tachyon condensation and their physical consequences. In the second part several examples of gauge theory dynamics at strong coupling are probed using brane configurations. The third part is devoted to heterotic compactifications with flux and their symmetries. Finally, the last part covers aspects of the quantum geometry of string compactifications.
Response of a clingstone peach cultivar to regulated deficit irrigation.

A irrigacao por defice regulado (RDI) envolve a inducao de defice de agua durante fases especificas do crescimento das frutas, irrigando a taxas menores que a evapotranspiracao. Os objetivos desse estudo foram verificar os efeitos da RDI no estagio II do crescimento das frutas e no periodo pos-colheita, avaliando a produtividade de pessegos, a qualidade dos frutos, bem como a taxa fotossintetica e o potencial da agua na folha. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida em um pomar comercial de pessegos com caroco aderente (Prunus persica L. Batch cv. A-37) da Grecia. As arvores foram irrigadas por meio de microaspersores e sua frequencia foi determinada por meio de dados meteorologicos obtidos em estacao automatica e o metodo FAO 56 Pennman-Monteith para determinacao de evepotranspiracao. A taxa de fotossintese foi medida por analisador de gas na faixa do infravermelho. O potencial da agua na folha foi medido ao meio-dia usando a tecnica da câmara de pressao. Durante 2005 e 2006 o tratamento RDII com irrigacao aplicada no estagio II nao apresentou efeito sobre a producao, pesos seco e fresco dos frutos. RDII reduziu a queda de frutos antes da colheita, em relacao ao controle. RDII, como tambem o tratamento combinado de RDII mais RDIP com irrigacao aplicada em pos-colheita, reduziu o comprimento de ramos vigorosos dentro do dossel nos dois anos de estudo. Em comparacao com o controle, RDII aumentou o conteudo de solidos soluveis dos frutos e a relacao solidos soluveis/acidez, mas nao afetou a acidez dos frutos e a firmeza da polpa. Em 2006 RDII e RDII mais RDIP aumentaram os `frutos dobrados' e frutos com cavidade aberta, em comparacao com o controle. A economia de agua foi consideravel e associada as condicoes climaticas de cada ano.