Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Occurrence of endoparasites in some selected fishes of Chenab river, Pakistan

The current study was carried out to evaluate prevalence of endoparasites in freshwater fishes of Chenab River. The fish samples were collected from Chenab River during November 2014 to March 2015. In total, 285 fishes were examined for parasites, of which 75 fishes (26.1% of the total sample) were infected with parasites. Among the species, prevalence of infection was maximum in Rita rita (60%) and in Labeo rohita (37.5%). The minimum prevalence was, however, recorded in Oreochromis aureus (16.7%) and no parasite was found in Mastacembatus armatus. Among the organs, highest prevalence of endoparasites was observed in the intestine (43%) and gall bladder (33.2%). The prevalence of nematode and trematode was found higher (29 and 21%, respectively) in all fishes. It was revealed that the diversity of endoparasites in freshwater fishes is high. Since the use of fish as a ready source of food is increasing, therefore, the overall health status of fish in a system is becoming more valuable.Bangladesh J. Zool. 46(1): 53-61, 2018
Performance Study of Proportional Fair Scheduling Algorithm with Transmit Diversity Multi-Antenna Technique for Lte Network

Long Term Evolution (LTE) access network is based on Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) which provides multi user diversity gain to enhance the system throughput. However, fading of a radio channel causes inter channel interference and reduces overall system throughput. This deteriorating effect of wireless channel fading is higher for mobile users which can be reduced by channel aware scheduling algorithm and transmit diversity multi-antenna technique. Hence in this paper, an attempt has been made to evaluate the effect of mobility on the performance of Proportional Fair (PF) channel aware scheduling algorithm in conjunction with transmit diversity multi-antenna technique by considering throughput, delay and jitter as performance metrics. F
Investing in Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Projects in Brazil

The discussion about Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Projects has its roots in global warming and its consequences. CDM projects enable developed countries to offset the pollu - tion generated by the acquisition of Certified Emission Reductions (CER), concerning the reduction of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emissions in developing countries. The article discusses the CDM in a com- prehensive manner, based on the opinion of experts, and investigates the future of this market from 2012, the post-Kyoto period. The main results show that the CDM follows the principles of Sustainable Development, focusing on the climate changes and the profitability of projects. It shows that Brazil has real possibilities to act in the CER market which is expected to consolidate in the post-Kyoto. Con- troversial issues as the future of post-Kyoto, nuclear power and especially the conservation of forests, through the generation of CER, remain undefined.
Image Segmentation with the EM and the BYY Learning

The aim of the study is to present an image segmentation method based on feature space clustering with the Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) and the Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm. To address the issue of selection of determining the number of clusters, the Bayesian Ying-Yang (BYY) learning is employed. Moreover, to improve the performance of the segmentation on noisy images, both intensity and spatial position information are employed as features to describe a pixel in the image. The simulation results on images with and without noises validate the performance of the proposed method.
A noise-filtering scheme for a chaotic signal

We present a noise-filtering scheme which works on a chaotic signal containing a certain level of noise. Our method exploits the simplicity of Rosa’s filtering scheme, as well as the high applicability of the maximum likelihood method. We tested our scheme on signals from various dynamical systems and found that the noise amplitudes could be reduced up to a few percent. In the study, we are learned that our scheme could also be used for inferring the underlying dynamics of a received chaotic signal when no a-priori knowledge of the dynamics was given.
The Field Experiences of Student Teachers and Effective Mathematics Teaching in Turkey.

The aim of this study was to investigate the cooperative teachers’ supervision for effective mathematics teaching from the perspective of elementary student teachers during their field experiences. The participants were 259 senior elementary education majors (189 female and 70 male) who were enrolled in practicum courses at a Turkish university. Results of the study revealed that cooperative teachers as a supervisor seemed to be deficient for interacting with student teachers as well as assisting them to develop critical point of views for teaching mathematics effectively. The study suggests that faculty-school partnership should be reconsidered for selection and professional development of cooperating teachers.
Intelligibility, Comprehensibility, and Accentedness of L2 Speech: The Role of Listener Experience and Semantic Context

This study investigated how listener experience (extent of previous exposure to non-native speech) and semantic context (degree and type of semantic information available) influence measures of intelligibility, comprehensibility, and accentedness of non-native (L2) speech. Participants were 24 native English-speaking listeners, half experienced and half inexperienced with L2 speech, who transcribed and rated 90 English utterances spoken by six English and six Mandarin speakers. The utterances varied along two dimensions: real-world expectations (true vs. false utterances) and semantic meaningfulness (meaningful vs. meaningless utterances). Listeners with more experience understood more speech from the L1 and L2 speakers than listeners with less experience but did not rate it differently in comprehensibility and accentedness. All listeners understood and rated the utterances from L2 speakers based on the semantic context available: true–false utterances were understood and rated best, meaningless utterances least. These findings have implications for evaluating learner pronunciation and for training learners in successful L2 communication strategies. Dans cette étude, nous avons exploré la mesure dans laquelle l'expérience en compréhension orale (l'exposition antérieure à la langue étrangère) et le contexte sémantique (le degré et le type d'informations sémantiques à la disposition de l'auditeur) peuvent influencer l'intelligibilité, la compréhensibilité, et la perception de l'accent dans le discours oral en langue seconde (L2). L'échantillon comptait 24 auditeurs de langue anglaise – la moitié possédant une expérience à l'écoute en L2, l'autre moitié ne possédant pas d'expérience d'écoute en L2 – qui ont transcrit et évalué 90 énoncés en anglais prononcés par six locuteurs d'anglais et six locuteurs de mandarin. Les énoncés étaient variés selon deux dimensions : du point de vue des attentes conformément à la réalite (déclarations vraies/déclarations fausses) et du point de vue du degré de signification sémantique (énoncés présentant une pleine signification/énoncés dénués de signification). Les auditeurs possédant une plus ample expérience en L2 ont compris une plus grande partie du discours oral des locuteurs de L1 et de L2 que les auditeurs moins expérimentés en L2, mais ils n'ont pas évalué ce discours différemment en ce qui concerne la compréhensibilité ou l'accent. Tous les auditeurs ont compris et évalué le discours des locuteurs de L2 à partir du contexte sémantique à leur disposition: les énoncés vrais/faux sont ceux qui ont été les mieux compris et les mieux évalués, et les énoncés dénués de signification l'ont été le moins. Ces résultats ont des implications pour l'évaluation de la prononciation des apprenants et pour l'apprentissage des stratégies de communication en L2.
Immunization Using a Parametric Model of the Term Structure

In this paper, we develop a new immunization model based on a parametric specification of the term structure of interest rates. The model extends traditional duration analysis to account for both parallel and non-parallel term structure shifts that have an economic meaning. Contrary to most interest rate risk models, we analyse both first-order and second-order conditions for bond portfolio immunization and conclude that the key to successful protection will be to build up a bond portfolio such that the gradient of its future value is zero, and such that its Hessian matrix is positive semidefinite. In addition, we provide explicit formulae for new parametric interest rate risk measures and present alternative approaches to implement the immunization strategy. Furthermore, we provide useful expressions for the sensitivity of interest rate risk measures to changes in term structure shape parameters.
Organic aerosol formation via sulphate cluster activation

[1] The formation of aerosols, and subsequent cloud condensation nuclei, remains one of the least understood atmospheric processes upon which global climate change critically depends. Under atmospheric conditions, the process of homogeneous nucleation (formation of stable clusters ∼ 1 nm in size), and their subsequent growth into new particles (>3 nm), determines the aerosol and cloud nuclei population, yet, hitherto, no theory has elucidated the new particle formation phenomenon in detail. In this study, we present a new theory which provides a mechanistic explanation for new particle formation via activation of stable inorganic clusters by organic vapors. The new nano-particle activation theory is analogous to Kohler theory which describes cloud formation in a supersaturated water vapor field but differs in that it describes the activation of inorganic stable nano-clusters into aerosol particles in a supersaturated organic vapor which initiates spontaneous and rapid growth of clusters. Inclusion of the new theory into aerosol formation models predicts that increases in organic vapor densities lead to even greater increases in particle production, which, in turn, will influence the global radiative cooling effect of atmospheric aerosols.
Harmonic Spectrum of Output Voltage for Space Vector Pulse Width Modulated Ultra Sparse Matrix Converter

In a matrix converter, the frequencies of output voltage harmonics are related to the frequencies of input, output, and carrier signals, which are independent of each other. This nature may cause an inaccurate harmonic spectrum when using conventional analytical methods, such as fast Fourier transform (FFT) and the double Fourier analysis. Based on triple Fourier series, this paper proposes a method to pinpoint harmonic components of output voltages of an ultra sparse matrix converter (USMC) under space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) strategy. Amplitudes and frequencies of harmonic components are determined precisely for the first time, and the distribution pattern of harmonics can be observed directly from the analytical results. The conclusions drawn in this paper may contribute to the analysis of harmonic characteristics and serve as a reference for the harmonic suppression of USMC. Besides, the proposed method is also applicable to other types of matrix converters.
MCAM and its Isoforms as Novel Targets in Angiogenesis Research and Therapy

Melanoma cell adhesion molecule (MCAM) (CD146) is a membrane glycoprotein of the mucin family. It is one of the numerous proteins composing the junction of the vascular endothelium, and it is expressed in other cell types such as cancer cells, smooth muscle cells, and pericytes. Some recent works were designed to highlight its structural features, its location in the endothelium, and its role in angiogenesis, vascular permeability, and monocyte transmigration, but also in the maintenance of endothelial junctions and tumor development. MCAM exists in different splice variants and is shedded from the vascular membrane by metalloproteases. Studies about MCAM spliced and cleaved variant on human angiogenic physiological and pathological models permit a better understanding on the roles initially described for this protein. Furthermore, this knowledge will help in the future to develop therapeutic and diagnostic tools targeting specifically the different MCAM variant. Recent advances in research on angiogenesis and in the implication of MCAM in this process are discussed in this chapter.
Identification of micro satellite markers on chromosomes of bread wheat showing an association with karnal bunt resistance

A set of 104 wheat recombinant inbred lines developed from a cross between parents resistant (HD 29) and susceptible (WH 542) to karnal bunt (caused by Neovossia indica) were screened and used to identify SSR markers linked with resistance to karnal bunt as these would allow indirect marker assisted selection of karnal bunt resistant genotypes. The two parents were analysed with 46 SSR primer pairs. Of these, 15 (32%) were found polymorphic between the two parental genotypes. Using these primer pairs, we carried out bulked segregate analysis on two bulked DNAs, one obtained by pooling DNA from 10 karnal bunt resistant recombinant inbred lines and the other similarly derived by pooling DNA from 10 karnal bunt susceptible recombinant inbred lines. Two molecular markers, Xgwm 337-1D and Xgwm 637-4A showed apparent linkage with resistance to karnal bunt. This was confirmed following selective genotyping of individual recombinant inbred lines included in the bulks. These markers may be useful in marker assisted selection for karnal bunt resistance in wheat.
Effect of Different Concentrations of Melatonin on Live Births Resulting from the Transfer of Two-Cell Embryos of NMRI Mice

Background & objectives: Infertility is a global problem affecting millions of men and women in developed and developing countries. In this regard, in -vitro fertilization (IVF) plays an important role in improving the quality of life in infertile patients. However, studies have shown that the implantation failure in IVF is the main challenge of this proc edure. Melatonin can increase the survival rate of embryos and IVF success rate through eliminating free radicals and removing reactive oxygen species. So, this study is conducted to investigate the effects of different concentrations of melatonin on the rate of newborns of mice following transfer oftwo-cell embryos. Methods: In this study, female mice with average age of six to eight weeks were superovulated by administering pregnant mares serum gonadotropin (PMSG) intraperitoneally (7.5 IU. ip), and followed after 48h by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) (7.5 IU. ip). Two-cell mouse embryos were obtained from female mice oviduct after 48 h. The embryos transferred bilaterally into pseudopregnant mice of the same strain through surgical procedure and 8-14 embryos were transferred to each tube. The study included 4 treatment groups and one control group (6 mice in each group). The treatment groups were exposed to subcutaneous injection of concentrations of 100 µm, 10 µm, 1 µm and 100 nm of melatonin. After the cesarean on 18 th day of pregnancy, the percentage of live births was assessed. The outcomes of the live birth rate were assessed using the chi-square test and statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS version 16.0. Percentage of live birth was calculated and compared with the control group. Results: A total of 701 two-cell mouse embryos were transferred into one control group and four experimental groups. The number and percentage of live births at concentrations of 100 µm and10 µm of melatonin and the control groups were 21 (15.55%), 13 (9.15%) and 9 (6.47%), respectively. No infant was born at the concentrations of 1 µM and 100 nM of melatonin. The highest rate of live births was obtained at the concentration of 100 µM and showed a significant difference with the control group (p  0.01). There was no significant difference in live births at the concentration of 10 µm and control group. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that subcutaneous injection of melatonin improves
The multiple faces of social entrepreneurship: A review of definitional issues based on geographical and thematic criteria

Social entrepreneurship has recently received greater recognition from the public sector, as well as from scholars. However, the lack of a unifying paradigm in the field has lead to a proliferation of definitions. Moreover, several approaches of the phenomenon, as well as different schools of thought, have emerged in different regions of the world. At first glance, because of different conceptions of capitalism and of the government's role, there seems to be a difference between the American and the European conceptions of social entrepreneurship. The objective of this paper is to clarify the concepts of ‘social entrepreneurship’, ‘social entrepreneur’ and ‘social entrepreneurship organization’ and to examine whether there is a transatlantic divide in the way these are conceived and defined. After having justified the need for a definition, we present the different geographical perspectives. North American and European literatures on social entrepreneurship are critically analysed by means of Gartner's four differentiating aspects: the individual, the process, the organization and the environment. We show that there is no clear-cut transatlantic divide, but that, even within the US, different conceptions coexist. We propose definitions for the main concepts associated with social entrepreneurship and, finally, discuss implications for future research.
Bifurcations and chaos for the quasiperiodic bouncing ball

We investigate the influence of a second frequency on the classical periodic bouncing-ball problem, and call it the quasiperiodic bouncing ball. We indicate how to compute the Lyapunov exponent for implicit maps and confirm the presence of chaos for the periodic bouncing ball. We have numerically found a series of nontrivial bifurcations for the quasiperiodic bouncing ball. We have also found several cases of nonperiodic attractors with negative Lyapunov exponents. @S1063-651X~97! 02710-4#
EXTENDING EVIDENCE ACCRUAL MODELS OF TWO-ALTERNATIVE FORCED-CHOICE DECISION MAKING TO THE n-ALTERNATIVE CASE

Stimuli in a series of four experiments were 20x20 matrices, each element of which was asquare coloured red, green, blue, or black. Systematic manipulation of the frequencies withwhich each colour appeared allowed for the generation of two, three, and four colouredstimuli. By asking participants to evaluate the stimuli and decide which colour wasrepresented either 'most' or 'least', response time, accuracy, mean confidence, and mean timeto render confidence data was generated for a series of n-alternative forced-choice (nAFC)decisions where 2≤n≤4. A new nAFC model is discussed in light of these data.
A relook at logistic regression methods for the initial detection of lung ailments using clinical data and chest radiography

The problem of diagnosing patients with lung ailments such as Tuberculosis (PTB), Pneumonia (PNEU) and Lung Cancer (LC) when making their initial visit to a medical institution is the focus of this study. Clinical data involving symptoms and signs are used to make important decisions before the availability of the results of further tests. In practice, Logistic Regression Methods are frequently involved in this type of decision making. However, the problem of missing values when the numerical values of certain explanatory variables are not available persists in practical situations. In this paper a logistic regression model using four variables (age, cough, loss of weight (LOW) and loss of appetite (LOA)) are investigated for each of the three diseases. The main result of this study is that the probability of misclassifying the three disease type is large, and that good model fitting does not guarantee correct diagnosis. As a viable substitute, a graphical method of detection with an 85% chance of correct classification based on information extracted from the chest radiograph images is proposed.
Histologic Demonstration Of Helicobacter Pylori In Gastric Biopsies: Which Is The Best Staining Method?

Aims: We have investigated the specificity and sensitivity of different histochemical and immunohistochemical methods for the detection of Helicobacter pylori (HP) on tissue sections of gastric biopsies. In addition, interobserver agreement of different staining methods was also evaluated in order to define the most reliable, the cheapest and most easily applicable method for the detection of HP. Methods: In this study 60 cases of HP positive and 10 HP negative cases were selected based on the results of urease test, C urease breath test and histopathologic examination of the tissue sections. Histopathologic examination was performed by Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE �∫: 0.752 (92%) for modified Giemsa stain; �∫: 0.487 (76%) for TB; and �∫: 0.477 (80%) for HE 100% /100%, Giemsa stain; 97 %/90%, TB stain; 73%/90%, HE 97%/80%. Conclusion: HP can be detected on tissue sections regardless of the stain performed. However, the best results are obtained by the immunohistochemical stains and the modified Giemsa stain. The costs, applicability and the reliability of the Giemsa stain make it a perfect candidate as an adjunct to diagnosis presence of HP on gastric biopsies.
APPARENT AGES OF MARINE SHELLS : IMPLICATIONS FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL

State of Hawaii, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Historic Preservation Division P.O. Box 621, Honolulu, Hawaii 96809 ABSTRACT. The conventional 14C ages of 8 marine shells of known age and 11 marine shells stratigraphically associated with dated wood charcoal show considerable variation from expected ages. One source of this variation is seashore geology; comparison of 6 AMS dates on 3 species of shallow-water, herbivorous gastropod shells from Pleistocene limestone and Holocene volcanic coasts shows that shells from Pleistocene limestone coasts can have apparent, or reservoir, 14C ages up to 620 yr greater than shells of the same species from volcanic coasts. The relatively great variation in apparent ages of Hawaiian marine shells poses problems for their use in dating archaeological sites. For best results, an archaeological marine shell should be sourced to a particular local environment, and the apparent age of shells in that environment determined by dating well-provenienced shells of known age.
Monitoring avocado sunblotch disease in South Africa

The disease was first described by Colt (1928), who attributed it to physiological stress caused by sunburn. Palukaitis, Hatta, Alexander & Symons (1979) reported a low molecular weight circular RNA associated with the disease. Symons (1981) determined a molecular weight (mw) of about 6-7 x 104 daltons and a sequence of 247 nucleotide residues for the avocado sunblotch viroid (ASBV) RNA, while Semancik & Desjardins (1980) detected five low mw RNAs in extracts of infected tissue, ranging from 61 000 to 185 000 daltons.
Measuring well-being for public policy: a freedom-based approach

This article questions the adequateness of conventional approaches to Quality of Life (QL) and aims to contribute to the on-going debate around revision, integration or improvement of the metrics of well-being as traditionally used in the statistic indicators literature. As an alternative, this study substantiates its main assumptions on Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach (CA). The main hypothesis is that welfare analyses which are based on pure monetary measurements or which neglect the importance of the intrinsic value of freedom (and focus only on its instrumental effects) impede the achievement of adequate pictures of people’s real living conditions in contemporary complex societies and thus, prejudice the design of public policy. This hypothesis is verified and tested both by a theoretical discussion and by an empirical analysis using OECD statistical data. What the findings suggest is the great importance of enhancing freedom for the achievement of better individual and societal outcomes. DOI http://dx.doi. org/10.15304/ag.34. 1.2157