Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Long-Term Fluorogestone Acetate Treatment Combined with PMSG on Oestrus Synchronization and Fertility in Guirra Ewes

The first objective was to asses the fertility of Guirra sheep using a standard artificial insemination procedure. In a second step, arising from the first objective, were studies the residual levels of plasma progesterone after treatment with intra-vaginal sponges impregnated with fluorogestone acetate (FGA) and determine the effect upon estrus incidence, interval to estrus onset and pregnancy rate. Estrous synchronization was carried out with FGA sponges (30 mg) for 12 days plus 400 IU eCG administered i.m. at sponge withdrawal. Ewes were AI at 54±1 h using fresh semen deposited in the entrance of the cervix. Blood samples were collected at day 19 ewes after AI, for determination progesterone concentration (P4). Ewes with a concentration of more than 1 ng/ml P4 were considered to be pregnant. In a second experiment, 70 ewes were randomly divided into 2 groups (T1 and T2) and synchronized as previous, but ewes in the second group were synchronized 6 days later than T1. Twelve days after sponge withdrawal for T2, all ewes were divided into 7 lots. One ram was introduced to each lot. Ewes for the T1 were mated at next natural estrous cycle while T2 group ewes were mated at the synchronized estrous and the next natural estrous. During all period, the ewes and rams sexual behavior was recorded by video camera. The ewes were considered in estrous when they were directly observed to accept a ride from a ram (standing reflex). The fertility examined the AI was the 24.7%. Similar percentage of ewes exhibiting estrous were observed (for natural or synchronized) but onset of estrous during the natural estrous was much shorter. The conception rate was higher for T1 compared with T2 (P<0.05) and significant differences were obtained when type of estrous were compared (P<0.05). It was concluded that a detrimental effect of f FGA sponge used for estrous synchronization on fertility in Guirra breed sheep was observed.
Steps Ahead: optimising physical activity in adults with cystic fibrosis: Study Protocol for a pilot randomised trial using wearable technology.

Background: Physical activity (PA) and exercise are widely documented as key components in the management of cystic fibrosis (CF). In recent years there have been significant improvements in telehealth, in particular; wearable technology, smartphone use and remote monitoring, all of which may have potential to impact on PA in adults with CF. The objective of this pilot randomised trial is to explore the effect of wearable technology, which is remotely monitored, combined with personalised text message feedback and goal setting, on PA in adults with CF. Secondary endpoints include lung function, aerobic capacity, quality of life, body composition, wellbeing and sleep. Methods: This is a pilot randomised trial which will be conducted at the University Hospital Limerick, Ireland. Participants will be randomised to the intervention or active comparator after their baseline assessment. The 12-week intervention will consist of wearable technology (Fitbit Charge 2) which is linked to an online monitoring system (Fitabase) that enables the physiotherapist to remotely monitor participant data. The CF physiotherapist will set individualised PA goals with each participant at baseline and will send text message feedback each week. The text messages will be personalised, one-way texts with positive reinforcement on step count attained by the participant. The active comparator group will receive this wearable technology which is also linked to Fitabase; however, no feedback will be provided to participants in this group. Both groups will be re-assessed at 12 weeks. After this point, both groups will continue with the Fitbit alone for a further 12 weeks. Both groups will be re-assessed at 24 weeks. A semi structured interview will assess satisfaction and acceptability of the intervention. Discussion: This is a novel concept which utilises modern technology, remote monitoring and personalised feedback to investigate the effect on PA in adults with CF. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03672058 (14/09/2018).
Antibiotics Resistance Pattern and Plasmid Profiling of Edwardsiella tarda Isolated from Heterobranchus longifilis

A study was carried out to investigate antibiotic resistance patterns and plasmid profiling of Edwardsiella tarda isolated from farmed-cultured Heterobranchus longifilis in Lagos State, Southwest of Nigeria. A total of 44 Edwardsiella isolates were recovered from 80 fish samples collected from the 10 fish farms using selective random stratification. It was observed that Edwardsiella tarda isolates were 100% resistant to Amoxicillin, Chloranphenicol, Levofloxacin, Streptomycin and 90% resistant to Nalidixic Acid respectively. All the isolates were 100% susceptible to Spectinomycin and Ciprofloxacin, while Ofloxacin, Gentamycin, and Pefloxacin vary in their level of susceptibility with 90%, 80% and 70% sensitivity respectively. Conversely, 8 out of 10 fish farm locations studied were observed to have antibiotic-resistant strains, and 5 out of 8 drug-resistant strains were found to carry plasmid and the sizes of the plasmid ranges between 20.027 kb to 23.130 kb. The plasmid after treatment with mitomycin C and ethidium bromide were lost during the process of plasmid curing confirming that the multiple drug resistant exhibited by the isolates was plasmid mediated. There are fewer studies on antibiotic resistance in Edwardsiella tarda from aquaculture enterprises and this study provides further support to the view that there is a potential risk of transfer of resistant bacteria and their genes to human pathogen through the food chain. Although, in Nigeria there is no antibiotic product registered for aquaculture usage, yet fish farmers use them off-label for bacterial diseases prevention.
Effects of age and task difficulty on postural sway, variability and complexity

This study aimed to examine the effects of age and the task difficulty on postural sway, variability and complexity. The participants were 90 able-bodied individuals including children (n = 39; age: 5.89 ± 0.94 years), young adults (n = 30; age: 23.23 ± 1.61 years) and older adults (n = 21; age: 64.59 ± 5.24 years) who took part in different balance tasks that had different levels of cognitive and physical challenges. The main dependent variables were postural sway area, postural variability and postural complexity. The participants stood on a standard force plate for 10 s in each task condition, and the centre of pressure displacement was collected at 100-Hz sampling frequency. The results of this study showed that children and older adults, in the more difficult tasks, had greater sway area and complexity and less postural variability. In addition, there was a linear trend in the stability measures as the difficulty of the task was increased. In conclusion, special populations, such as children and older adults, were more sensitive to the balance changes and used active control mechanisms to minimise the risk of losing balance in more challenging conditions.
Varying degrees of boundarylessness? The careers of self-employed and directly employed ICT professionals in the UK and Germany

Abstract Despite growing interest in the influence of social and institutional settings on the nature of career trajectories, research into comparative differences in boundaryless careers is scarce. Informed by the Varieties of Capitalism approach, which emphasizes the embeddedness of employment practices within discrete types of capitalist market economy, and based on rich qualitative data from in-depth interviews with 32 self-employed and directly employed information and communications (ICT) professionals based in the UK and Germany, we investigate variation in their experience of, and attitudes towards, boundaryless careers. The research findings provide scant evidence that ICT professionals embrace boundaryless careers, despite working in a sector where positive engagement with boundarylessness, if it is going to be found anywhere, should be evident. The findings also point to cross-national differences; directly employed ICT professionals based in Germany are more concerned about the insecurity than their UK-based counterparts. In highlighting the complex and subtle influences on how boundaryless careers are experienced and understood, the research builds on existing work which both attests to the importance of context in influencing boundarylessness and its consequences and questions an overly crude distinction between ‘bounded’ and ‘boundaryless’ careers, to emphasize the value of an approach which is concerned with understanding comparative variation in the degree of career boundarylessness.
In Vitro Antileishmanial Activity of Falcaria vulgaris Fractions on Leishmania major

Background: In recent years, many reports have been published regarding the increasing frequency of drug resistance in Leishmania species to antimonial compounds. Accordingly, many researchers have tried to develop new medicines for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Objectives: Theaimofthisstudywastoevaluatetheinvitroantileishmanialactivityofaqueous,ethylacetate,andbutanolfractions of Falcaria vulgaris against Leishmania major promastigotes. Methods: The total extract was obtained using the percolation method. Subsequently, chlorophyll and oil were eliminated from thetotalextract,usingmediumpressureliquidchromatography(MPLC),followedbyliquid-liquidextraction(LLE)forfractionation of the total extract. The antileishmanial activity of each fraction was examined at 6 concentrations (40, 80, 160, 320, 640, and 1280 µ g/mL) and 4 intervals (6, 24, 48, and 72 hours). Results: Theresultsof repeatedmeasuresANOVAshowedPvaluesof 0.16,0.22,and0.04fortheaqueous,ethylacetate,andbutanol fractions,respectively. Furthermore,one-wayANOVAtestrevealedasigniﬁcantdiﬀerencebetweenthesefractionsat48and72hours (P=0.04forboth). Inaddition,Tukey’sHSDtestshowedasigniﬁcantdiﬀerencebetweenthebutanolfractionandotherfractionsat 48 and 72 hours (P < 0.05). The greatest antileishmanial eﬀect was observed in the butanol fraction with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) of 343.8 µ g/mL at 48 hours. Conclusions: As Falcaria vulgaris showed acceptable antileishmanial activity with no side eﬀects in this study, it can be used as an eﬀective complementary or alternative treatment for skin lesions of cutaneous leishmaniasis. However, further in vivo studies are required in the future.
Determining Lineage Fate, Survival and Proliferation of Differentiating Thymocytes: Interplay between Notch, TCR, PI3K and MAPK Pathways

A common bipotent thymocyte precursor gives rise to both lineages of T cells, αβ and γδ. This thesis addresses how the interplay between intrinsic T cell receptor (TCR) signals and cell extrinsic signals provided by Notch and TCR ligands help to assign and support a final lineage fate decision. Emerging data supports a model in which differential TCR signaling capacity plays an instructional role in specifying lineage fate, particularly through induction of the ERK early growth response gene (Egr) inhibitor of DNA binding 3 (Id3) pathway. In particular, Id3 expression serves to regulate adoption of the γδ fate. Moreover, Id3 is both necessary and sufficient to enable γδ-lineage cells to differentiate independently of Notch signaling and become competent interferon (IFN)-γ-producing effectors. These findings identify Id3 as a central player that controls both adoption of the γδ fate and their maturation in the thymus. While loss of Notch signaling in γδTCR-expressing CD4-CD8(DN)3 cells does not affect development, Notch signals are critical for pre-TCR-bearing cells to transition to the CD4+CD8+ (DP) stage of αβ T cell development. Notch signals affect the activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway, which is required for pTα/TCRβ (pre-TCR)-induced survival, differentiation and proliferation of developing αβ-lineage thymocytes. Here, I identify the key molecular players responsible for the interaction between the Notch and PI3K pathways at this critical developmental stage. Notch
Photonic Microwave and Radio Frequency Channelizers based on Optical Kerr Micro-combs

We review recent work on broadband RF channelizers based on integrated optical frequency Kerr micro-combs combined with passive micro-ring resonator filters, with microcombs having channel spacings of 200GHz and 49GHz. This approach to realizing RF channelizers offers reduced complexity, size, and potential cost for a wide range of applications to microwave signal detection.
Response of a semiconducting medium under photothermal theory due to moving load velocity

The present research article deals with the study of steady-state response due to moving load in a semiconducting medium under photothermal theory. The applied load is moving with constant speed U for an infinitely long time over the free surface of a homogeneous semiconducting medium. The governing equations of motion and heat conduction equation have been solved analytically. The effects of the velocity of the moving load and thermoelectric coupling parameter on displacement components, force stress, carrier density, and temperature distribution have been investigated. Numerical results obtained from the present study are presented graphically for normal displacement, normal force stress, carrier density, and temperature distribution.
Differential Gene Expression Correlates with Behavioural Polymorphism during Collective Behaviour in Cockroaches

Simple Summary It is currently well accepted that animals differ from one another in their behaviour and tendency to perform actions, a property we refer to as animal personality. In group-living animals, variation in animal personality can be important to determine group survival, as it determines how individuals interact with each other and with their environment. However, we have little knowledge of the proximal mechanisms underlying personality, particularly in group-living organisms. Here, we investigate the relationship between gene expression and two behavioural types (bold and shy) in a gregarious species: the American cockroach. Our results show that bold individuals have upregulated genes with functions associated with sensory activity (phototaxis and odour detection) and aggressive/dominant behaviour, and suggest that social context can modulate gene expression related to bold/shy characteristics. This work could help identify genes important in the earliest stages of group living and social life, and provides a first step toward establishing cockroaches as a focal group for the study of the evolution of sociality. Abstract Consistent inter-individual variation in the propensity to perform different tasks (animal personality) can contribute significantly to the success of group-living organisms. The distribution of different personalities in a group influences collective actions and therefore how these organisms interact with their environment. However, we have little understanding of the proximate mechanisms underlying animal personality in animal groups, and research on this theme has often been biased towards organisms with advanced social systems. The goal of this study is to investigate the mechanistic basis for personality variation during collective behaviour in a species with rudimentary societies: the American cockroach. We thus use an approach which combines experimental classification of individuals into behavioural phenotypes (‘bold’ and ‘shy’ individuals) with comparative gene expression. Our analyses reveal differences in gene expression between behavioural phenotypes and suggest that social context may modulate gene expression related to bold/shy characteristics. We also discuss how cockroaches could be a valuable model for the study of genetic mechanisms underlying the early steps in the evolution of social behaviour and social complexity. This study provides a first step towards a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms associated with differences in boldness and behavioural plasticity in these organisms.
PROSPECTS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA: COMPARISON WITH “GREEN ENERGY”

Nuclear energy is an important part of energy balance of Asian countries. But at the same time, concerns about the safety of nuclear energy production are high, and the future of nuclear energy in Asia is unclear. New trends in the development of “green energy” production, especially in the most dynamically developing countries of Asia, create a high competition with nuclear energy in the region. The authors aim at a general analysis of the energy markets of leading Asian countries, which have a significant share of nuclear energy production in their energy balance – China, Japan, Korea and India. The second tool that the authors use is an econometric analysis of energy production in the studied countries. These two aspects of the energy sector analysis allow the authors to comprise the results and to form a vision of a more promising sector of the energy industry. Based on these results, the authors give a number of recommendations on the development of nuclear energy production in the studied countries. One of the main conclusions is that nuclear energy should be used as a reserve source of energy in Asian economies until they reach a high share of “green energy” in energy balance.
Ritual, fusion, and conflict: The roots of agro-pastoral violence in rural Cameroon

Herder–farmer conflicts in West Africa have caused thousands of deaths in recent years. Many conflicts are triggered by localized events that rapidly spiral out of control. What leads specific interpersonal conflicts to scale up into intergroup violence? We propose that such conflicts are rooted in identity and ritual dynamics. We present evidence that participants in Mambila traditions of masquerade initiation in Cameroon report especially strong identity fusion, a visceral sense of oneness with the ingroup. Results showed that men strongly fused to their ethnic ingroup were especially willing to fight and die for it. Overall, our findings provide evidence that when ordinary conflicts develop between groups that differ sharply on ethnic and religious lines, there is grave risk that fused persons will escalate violence. Understanding these processes may inform future development of new strategies to prevent or ameliorate intergroup conflicts of this kind.
Ethical aspects in dementia care - The use of psychosocial interventions

The use of psychosocial interventions for people with dementia is common and recommended because they focus on the underlying problem and well-being of the person. The promotion of well-being is a relevant dimension in person-centred care, where the aim is to confirm the person’s ‘personhood’. Most literature about ethics in dementia care instructs us on how and when to include people with dementia in our research. Little is written about the ethical aspects regarding the use of psychosocial interventions in daily care. In clinical practise, several challenges arise about the use of psychosocial interventions. Those include questions about the person’s ability to participate in decision-making and how we know what is best for them. Furthermore, we must consider what kinds of psychosocial interventions are best for everybody, or if intervention causes discomfort for the person. This article emphasizes the necessity to consider the ethical aspects of the implementation of psychosocial interventions while taking into consideration the persons individual needs. A particular ethical challenge arises when a person with dementia is unable to express themselves verbally. Therefore, it is essential that the staff know the history and preferences of each person with dementia. The ethical aspects of psychosocial interventions for people with dementia will be discussed using Beauchamp and Childress four ethical principles: respect for autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice. The person-centred approach proposed by Kitwood’s and Brooker.
Modifications at the 6-O-position of 1-deoxynojirimycin: facile and efficient synthesis of 6-O-alkylated-N-octyl-1-deoxynojirimycin derivatives

Graphical Abstract ABSTRACT A straightforward synthesis of N-alkylated 1-deoxynojirimycin derivatives modified at the 6-O-position has been described. The key intermediate in the synthesis of target compounds was 2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-1,5-dideoxy-1,5-imino-D-glucitol, which was prepared from 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-1,5-dideoxy-1,5-imino-D-glucitol. Optimal conditions have been established for the synthesis of the key intermediate by varying reaction parameters. Reductive amination and subsequent alkylation of the 6-O-position followed by hydrogenolysis were the main reaction steps, which gave target compounds 6-O-ethyl-N-octyl-1,5-dideoxy-1,5-imino-D-glucitol and 6-O-butyl-N-octyl-1,5-dideoxy-1,5-imino-D-glucitol. This synthetic route is flexible and can be useful for the synthesis of other lipophilic iminosugar derivatives.
Nobody is better than you: opportunistic moral identity of sexual batterers

Modern societies devise sexual violence as a social problem. Legal psychologists highlight the importance of identifying those variables that increase the likelihood of violent behaviour occurs – risk factorsand those variables that increase their opposition to have deviant behaviours -protective factors-. For these reasons, the objective of this work is to study moral identity and moral disengagement as variables strongly related to violent behaviour, in a sample of institutionalized men (sexual offenders and intimate partner batterers) and in a sample of community men to analyse the differences between them. The sample was composed of 91 convicted and 133 community participants who voluntarily completed The Self-Importance of Moral Identity Scale and The Propensity to Moral Disengagement Scale. Variance analysis, bivariate correlations and hierarchical regressions were performed in order to analyse the differences in each of the variables between groups; to test the relationships between study variables, and to find out which mechanisms of moral disengagement are associated with both factors of moral identity in each group. Results show significant differences between groups in both factors of moral identity (internalization F (1, 224) = 20.72, p <. 001; and symbolization F (1, 224) = 14.52, p <. 001). Bivariate correlations showed relationship only between symbolization and moral disengagement in institutionalized participants and lastly, different mechanisms of moral disengagement were associated with both factors of moral identity in each group. Finally, the practical implications of these results were discussed to improve the psychological interventions with sexual offenders and intimate partner batterers.
Nanoenabled Photothermal Materials for Clean Water Production

Solar‐powered water evaporation is a primitive technology but interest has revived in the last five years due to the use of nanoenabled photothermal absorbers. The cutting‐edge nanoenabled photothermal materials can exploit a full spectrum of solar radiation with exceptionally high photothermal conversion efficiency. Additionally, photothermal design through heat management and the hierarchy of smooth water‐flow channels have evolved in parallel. Indeed, the integration of all desirable functions into one photothermal layer remains an essential challenge for an effective yield of clean water in remote‐sensing areas. Some nanoenabled photothermal prototypes equipped with unprecedented water evaporation rates have been reported recently for clean water production. Many barriers and difficulties remain, despite the latest scientific and practical implementation developments. This Review seeks to inspire nanoenvironmental research communities to drive onward toward real‐time solar‐driven clean water production.