Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Disinfectant effect of Methylated Ethanol against Listeria species

This study was carried out in order to determine the disinfectant effect of Methylated spirit® (95% methanol and 5% ethanol) as a teat dip against Listeria species. Hand milking was employed to collect 576 (288 x 2) raw milk samples from different lactating cows within Sokoto metropolis (Nigeria). 288 samples were collected before disinfecting the udder teats with Methylated spirit®, while the other 288 were collected after disinfection with Methylated spirit®. The samples were analyzed using selective culture and isolation technique in which the 288 samples collected before disinfection, 114 (39.6%) were positive for Listeria species. Among the positive samples 44 (38.6%) were Listeria innocua, 16 (14.0%) Listeria ivanovii, 36 (31.6%) Listeria monocytogenes, 11 (9.6%) Listeria welshimeri and 7 (6.1%) Listeria seeligeri, while none of the 288 samples collected after disinfection was positive. The study has shown high prevalence of Listeria species in milk collected without washing/disinfecting the teats and has also established the sensitivity of Listeria species to methylated ethanol which can be used as dip for disinfecting udder teats before milking in order to prevent contamination with Listeria species and other methylated spirit-sensitive organisms. This study is essential to educate Fulani herdsmen and other milk handlers on the importance of disinfecting udder teats before milking.
Advocacy Coalitions and Elite Sport Policy Change in Canada and the United Kingdom

This paper explores the process of elite sport policy change in two sports (swimming and track and field athletics1) and their respective national sport organizations (NSOs) in Canada and national governing bodies of sport (NGBs) in the United Kingdom (UK). The nature of policy change is a complex and multifaceted process and a primary aim is to identify and analyse key sources ofpolicy change through insights provided by the advocacy coalition framework (ACF). In Canada, it is evident that the preoccupation with high performance sport over the past 30 years, at federal government level, has perceptibly altered over the past two to three years. In contrast, in the UK, from the mid-1990s onwards, there has been a noticeable shift towards supporting elite sport objectives from both Conservative and Labour administrations. Most notably, the ACF throws into sharp relief the part played by the state in using its resource control to shape the context within which debates on beliefs and values within NSOs/NGBs takes place. While the ACF has proved useful in drawing attention to the notion of changing values and belief systems as a key source of policy change, as well as highlighting the need to take into account factors external to the policy subsystem under investigation, potential additions to the framework’s logic are suggested for future applications.
The differential impact of risk factors on mortality in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.

BACKGROUND While the survival ramifications of dialysis modality selection are still debated, it seems reasonable to postulate that outcome comparisons are not the same for all patients at all times. Trends in available data indicate the relative risk of death with hemodialysis (HD) compared to peritoneal dialysis (PD) varies by time on dialysis and the presence of various risk factors. This study was undertaken to identify key patient characteristics for which the risk of death differs by dialysis modality. METHODS Analyses utilized incidence data from 398,940 United States Medicare patients initiating dialysis between 1995 and 2000. Proportional hazards regression identified the presence of diabetes, age, and the presence of comorbidity as factors that significantly interact with treatment modality. Stratifying by these factors, proportional and nonproportional hazards models were used to estimate relative risks of death [RR (HD:PD)]. RESULTS Of the 398,940 patients studied, 11.6% used PD as initial therapy, 45% had diabetes mellitus (DM), 51% were 65 years or older, and 55% had at least one comorbidity. Among the 178,693 (45%) patients with no baseline comorbidity, adjusted mortality rates in nondiabetic (non-DM) patients were significantly higher on HD than on PD [age 18-44: RR (95% CI) = 1.24 (1.07, 1.44); age 45-64: RR = 1.13 (1.02, 1.25); age 65+: RR = 1.13 (1.05, 1.21)]. Among diabetic (DM) patients with no comorbidity, HD was associated with a higher risk of death among younger patients [age 18-44: RR = 1.22(1.05, 1.42)] and a lower risk of death among older patients [age 45-64: RR = 0.92 (0.85, 1.00); age 65+: RR = 0.86 (0.79, 0.93)]. Within the group of 220,247 (55%) patients with baseline comorbidity, adjusted mortality rates were not different between HD and PD among non-DM patients [age 18-44: RR = 1.19 (0.94, 1.50); age 45-64: RR = 1.01 (0.92, 1.11); age 65+: RR = 0.96 (0.91, 1.01)] and younger DM patients [age 18-44: RR = 1.10 (0.92, 1.32)], but were lower with HD among older DM patients with baseline comorbidity [age 45-64: RR = 0.82 (0.77, 0.87); age 65+: RR = 0.80 (0.76, 0.85)]. CONCLUSION Valid mortality comparisons between HD and PD require patient stratification according to major risk factors known to interact with treatment modality. Survival differences between HD and PD are not constant, but vary substantially according to the underlying cause of ESRD, age, and level of baseline comorbidity. These results may help identify technical advances that will improve outcomes of patients on dialysis.
The influence of tactile feedback on hand movement accuracy

Purpose. This study aimed at measuring the reaction of the hand when tactile feedback was impaired in upper extremity motor performance in order to empirically evaluate how precision was affected during visually controlled hand and arm movement. Methods. 26 right-handed young male adults were tested with the use of a line tracking task by means of schuhfried’s Vienna Test system. Tactile feedback during line tracking task was impaired by the use of different gloves: a chirurgical latex glove, a rubber glove and a thick work glove made of soft animal leather. Results. The results found a strong relationship between hand movement accuracy and the degree of tactile impairment; no significant relationship was found between tactile impairment and movement speed. Limiting tactile feedback was found to influence motor task accuracy during local wrist movements (using only the carpal and palm joints), while tasks that allowed global movement (both wrist and forearm) were found to have accuracy influenced only when tactile feedback was highly impaired (line tracking with the thick leather glove). Conclusions. The results have indicated that the role of tactile feedback on accuracy during visually-guided precision movement is far greater than previously reported.
Institutional Logics and the Historical Contingency of Power in Organizations: Executive Succession in the Higher Education Publishing Industry, 1958– 19901

This article examines the historical contingency of executive power and succession in the higher education publishing industry. We combine interview data with historical analysis to identify how institutional logics changed from an editorial to a market focus. Event history models are used to test for differences in the effects of these two institutional logics on the positional, relational, and economic determinants of executive succession. The quantitative findings indicate that a shift in logics led to different determinants of executive succession. Under an editorial logic, executive attention is directed to author‐editor relationships and internal growth, and executive succession is determined by organization size and structure. Under a market logic, executive attention is directed to issues of resource competition and acquisition growth, and executive succession is determined by the product market and the market for corporate control.
Insights from yeast into whether the rapamycin inhibition of heat shock transcription factor (Hsf1) can prevent the Hsf1 activation that results from treatment with an Hsp90 inhibitor

In human cells TORC1 mTOR (target of rapamycin) protein kinase complex renders heat shock transcription factor 1 (Hsf1) competent for stress activation. In such cells, as well as in yeast, the selective TORC1 inhibitor rapamycin blocks this activation in contrast to Hsp90 inhibitors which potently activate Hsf1. Potentially therefore rapamycin could prevent the Hsf1 activation that frequently compromises the efficiency of Hsp90 inhibitor cancer drugs. Little synergy was found between the effects of rapamycin and the Hsp90 inhibitor radicicol on yeast growth. However certain rapamycin resistance mutations sensitised yeast to Hsp90 inhibitor treatment and an Hsp90 mutation that overactivates Hsf1 sensitised cells to rapamycin. Rapamycin inhibition of the yeast Hsf1 was abolished by this Hsp90 mutation, as well as with the loss of Ppt1, the Hsp90-interacting protein phosphatase that is the ortholog of mammalian PP5. Unexpectedly Hsf1 activation was found to have a requirement for the rapamycin binding immunophilin FKBP12 even in the absence of rapamycin, while TORC1 “bypass” strains revealed that the rapamycin inhibition of yeast Hsf1 is not exerted through two of the major downstream targets of TORC1, the protein phosphatase regulator Tap42 and the protein kinase Sch9 – the latter the ortholog of human S6 protein kinase 1. Significance: A problem with most of the Hsp90 inhibitor drugs now in cancer clinic trials is that they potently activate Hsf1. This leads to an induction of heat shock proteins, many of which have a “pro-survival” role in that they help to protect cells from apopotosis. As the activation of Hsf1 requires TORC1, inhibitors of mTOR kinase could potentially block this activation of Hsf1 and be of value when used in combination drug therapies with Hsp90 inhibitors. However many of the mechanistic details of the TORC1 regulation of Hsf1, as well as the interplay between cellular resistances to rapamycin and to Hsp90 inhibitors, still remain to be resolved.
Edgelet tracking using Gauss-Laguerre Circular Harmonic filters

The paper presents a novel area-based technique aimed to the accurate subpixel estimation of straight lines, whose central and innovative aspect is represented by the minimization of an error function comprising a conveniently weighted version of the image response to the Gauss-Laguerre Circular Harmonic filter (1,0), which presents a high selectivity on border features. The paper presents a wide set of results, obtained in different contexts like highly noisy images and fast visual tracking, which confirm the robustness of the proposed technique and suggest its applicability as basic block in any application which could potentially benefit from the availability of accurate localization of long straight segments or short edgelet features.
Is strategic entrepreneurship a pleonasm

A plethora of terms have been used to describe the notion of entrepreneurial and innovative orientation and action within organizations. While ‘corporate’ and ‘entrepreneurship’ coupled together in one term can be viewed as antithetical by some, is the arrival of its newer cousin ‘strategic entrepreneurship’ essentially the same notion? Irrespective of how opinions and logic may pivot on this debate, strategic entrepreneurship nevertheless seems to have some of the markings of an admittance-seeking social movement. Although ecumenicism is not the goal here, the purpose of this paper is to untangle possible confusion caused by the recent introduction of the term ‘strategic entrepreneurship’.
Local wavelet‐vaguelette‐based functional classification of gene expression data

This paper focuses on the problem of functional statistical classification of gene expression curves. A local‐wavelet‐vaguelette‐based functional logistic regression approach is presented. This approach is specially suitable for the classification of non‐stationary singular (non‐differentiable) curves. The performance of the methodology proposed is illustrated by implementing it for the classification of yeast cell‐cycle temporal gene expression profiles. A simulation study is also carried out for comparison with other functional classification methodologies.
Investigation on using Kernels with Q-learning for gait adaptation on visually guided walking robots

In this work we apply a reinforcement learning algorithm (Q-learning) to a simulated walking robot to “teach” it to step over hurdle-type obstacles. Two ways to achieve this are described in detail. The first method uses a gait model-based approach; the second explores the state-action space thoroughly by using a non-zero probability of a random transition. Finally we use a kernel (radial basis) function to speed up the learning process.
Validation of the Scale of Racial Socialization for African American Adolescents: Steps toward Multidimensionality

Little empirical work has been initiated that broadens the definition of racial socialization and its measurement to integrate it with current theoretical discussion of racial identity developmentand AfricanAmerican cultural characteristics and strengths. This study reports the development and validation of the Scale of Racial SocializationforAdolescents (SORS-A). A principal components analysis was conducted following administration of the SORS-A and measures of demographics, family communication about racism, and perception of skin color to 200 African American urban teenagers. Four factors were found to be very meaningful and moderately reliable. The racial socialization factors include Spiritual and Religious Coping, Extended Family Caring, Cultural Pride Reinforcement, and Racism Awareness Teaching. A second-order factor analysis to identify underlying themes was also conducted. Themes of protective and proactive racial socialization were found to be supportive of a theoreticalframework for racial socialization that is multidimensional and inclusive of both socially oppressive and culturally empowering experiences.
Vers une régulation post-bureaucratique des systèmes d’enseignement en Europe ?

Le regime « bureaucratico-professionnel » de regulation des systemes educatifs avait accompagne, avec d’importantes variantes nationales, le developpement de systemes educatifs nationaux « de masse » dans les annees 1960/1970. A partir des resultats de la recherche europeenne Reguleduc, nous montrons que ce modele de regulation est desormais travaille par des politiques educatives qui cherchent a y substituer ou a y superposer de nouveaux arrangements institutionnels post-bureaucratiques, fondes sur le modele du quasi-marche ou sur le modele de l’Etat evaluateur. Cependant, les transformations s’effectuent a des intensites, a des degres, a des rythmes divers, avec plus ou moins de contradiction et de coherence. Correlativement, les politiques nationales presentent des divergences, qui tiennent a des dependances de sentier et a des processus de traduction ou d’hybridation des modeles avec les realites symboliques ou institutionnelles des systemes scolaires et sociaux consideres.
Open source based virtual servers for IT labs

Practical experience is considered a vital part of university level courses in Information Technology (IT). A practical component of computer networking related courses, at the application level, requires multiple servers to be studied by the students. Many of such servers may be incompatible with each other and it may be required that they be installed on different platforms. This issue leads to increasing capital and operational expenses for the networking labs and consequently affects the cost and efficiency of the educational programs. The main goal of this paper is to share the experience of developing infrastructure for networking courses using virtualization technologies. The experience can be especially valuable to institutions in developing countries where resource constraints may be a challenging issue.
Natural History Museum Sound Archive I: Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae Leach, 1815, including 3D scans of burrow casts of Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa (Linnaeus, 1758) and Gryllotalpa vineae Bennet-Clark, 1970

Abstract Background The Natural History Museum (NHM) sound archive contains recordings of Gryllotalpidae, and the NHM collection holds plaster casts of the burrows of two species. These recordings and burrows have until now not been made available through the NHM's collection database, making it hard for researchers to make use of these resources. New information Eighteen recordings of mole crickets (three identified species) held by the NHM have been made available under open licenses via BioAcoustica. 3D scans of the burrows of Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa (Linnaeus, 1758) and Gryllotalpa vineae Bennet-Clark, 1970 have been made available via the NHM Data Portal.
Vitamin E Treatment in Tardive Dyskinesia

Sixteen patients with tardive dyskinesia were treated with vitamin E in an open trial of on–off–on design. Abnormal involuntary movement scale (AIMS) ratings were performed in every phase of the study. The patients exhibited a significant reduction in their mean AIMS score during vitamin E treatment. Thus, this finding may suggest a possible role for vitamin E in the treatment of tardive dyskinesia. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Designing of Fingerprint Enhancement Based on Curved Region Based Ridge Frequency Estimation

— Fingerprint enhancement algorithm is used to improve the clarity of ridges and valleys of input fingerprint images. These kind of algorithm make them more suitable for the minutiae extraction algorithm. The ultimate criterion for evaluating such an enhancement algorithm is the total amount of “quality” improvement when the algorithm is applied to the noisy input fingerprint images. There are various biometric features for personal identification but Fingerprints are today the most widely used biometric features for the same. Many automatic systems are there for fingerprint enhancement which is based on ridges and valleys. Automatic fingerprint recognition system is totally based on Fingerprint enhancement. It is necessary to choose the suitable enhancement technique for fingerprint, in order to reduce the post-processing part of the fingerprint recognition system. Different Fingerprint Enhancement techniques have been implemented in the past. These different methods are used by which the image quality is enhanced and Fingerprint Matching techniques are applied. These algorithms contribute to recognize the person and provide authenticity on the basis of physiological or behavioral characteristic possessed by the user. There is a need to develop a system that can be used for fingerprint verification through extracting and matching minutiae in an efficient manner. To achieve good minutiae, initially, extraction is done in fingerprints with varying quality, then preprocessing in form of image enhancement. A fast fingerprint enhancement algorithm, which can adaptively improve the clarity of ridge and valley structures of input fingerprint images based on Curved Region Based Ridge Frequency Estimation, is be implemented. The implementation work is done using MATLAB R2008a, as an implementation platform.
Reading in Colors: Highlighting for Active Reading in Religious Studies

This note from the classroom suggests that multicolor highlighting is a useful study technique for religious studies students. The note first reviews the literature regarding the effectiveness of traditional highlighting, then discusses advantages of the modified technique. Monochrome highlighting works only if readers select text through a discriminating reading process. Reading in colors fosters this sort of active reading. It prompts readers to ask how and why a given term, phrase or passage is important. This technique can help students grasp the basic categories and concepts of the discipline and it can embody course requirements or learning outcomes. The note concludes with practical suggestions for using the technique in the classroom.
Using Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells to Determine a Gene Expression Profile of Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Pilot Investigation

Background—Direct brain biopsy is rarely indicated during acute stroke. This study uses peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to determine whether a systemic gene expression profile could be demonstrated in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Methods and Results—Using oligonucleotide microarrays, we compared the gene expression profile of an index cohort of 20 patients with confirmed ischemic stroke on neuroimaging studies with that of 20 referent subjects. Validation studies used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to measure the levels of 9 upregulated genes in the index cohort, and an independent cohort of 9 patients and 10 referent subjects was prospectively studied to determine the accuracy of the Prediction Analysis for Microarrays list to classify stroke. After correction for multiple comparisons with the Bonferroni technique, 190 genes were significantly different between the stroke and referent groups. Broad classes of genes included white blood cell activation and differentiation (≈60%), genes associated with hypoxia and vascular repair, and genes potentially associated with an altered cerebral microenvironment. Real-time polymerase chain reaction confirmed increased mRNA expression in 9 of 9 upregulated stroke-associated genes in the index cohort. A panel of 22 genes derived from the Prediction Analysis for Microarrays algorithm in the index cohort classified stroke in the validation cohort with a sensitivity of 78% and a specificity of 80%. Control for the Framingham stroke risk score revealed only a partial dependence of the stroke gene expression profile in PBMCs on vascular risk. Conclusions—This study demonstrated an altered gene expression profile in PBMCs during acute ischemic stroke. Some genes with altered expression were consistent with an adaptive response to central nervous system ischemia.
Sampling the process of autobiographical memory construction

In three autobiographical memory retrieval experiments participants reported the contents of consciousness to a probe presented at early and late points during retrieval. Classification of the protocols according to the specificity of the reported knowledge found that early in retrieval abstract knowledge predominated whereas at the later point, close to generation or formation of a memory, knowledge related to specific events was more frequent. For some memories very fast and full retrieval was observed at the early point and this was independent of other concurrent processing demands. These findings show that generative retrieval entails iterative access of autobiographical knowledge but this is not observed in direct retrieval.
Teachers' Pedagogical Content Beliefs in Mathematics

This study examined relationships among first-grade teachers' pedagogical content beliefs, teachers' pedagogical content knowledge, and students' achievement in mathematics. Teachers (N = 39) completed structured questionnaires and interviews on their beliefs and knowledge about instruction, children's learning, and the mathematics content in addition and subtraction. Results indicated significant positive relationships among teachers' beliefs, teachers' knowledge, and students' problem-solving achievement. Compared to teachers with a less cognitively based perspective (LCB teachers), teachers with a more cognitively based perspective (CB teachers) made extensive use of word problems in introducing and teaching addition and subtraction. They also spent time developing children's counting strategies before teaching number facts. CB teachers had greater knowledge of word problem types and greater knowledge of their children's problem-solving strategies than did LCB teachers. Furthermore, CB teachers obtaine.