Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Azimuthal amplitude variation with offset parameterization and inversion for fracture weaknesses in tilted transversely isotropic media

The characterization of fracture-induced tilted transverse isotropy (TTI) seems to be more suitable to actual scenarios of geophysical exploration for fractured reservoirs. Fracture weaknesses enable us to describe fracture-induced anisotropy. With the incident and reflected PP-wave in TTI media, we have adopted a robust method of azimuthal amplitude variation with offset (AVO) parameterization and inversion for fracture weaknesses in a fracture-induced reservoir with TTI symmetry. Combining the linear-slip model with the Bond transformation, we have derived the stiffness matrix of a dipping-fracture-induced TTI medium characterized by normal and tangential fracture weaknesses and a tilt angle. Integrating the first-order perturbations in the stiffness matrix of a TTI medium and scattering theory, we adopt a method of azimuthal AVO parameterization for PP-wave reflection coefficient for the case of a weak-contrast interface separating two homogeneous weakly anisotropic TTI layers. We then adopt an iterative inversion method by using the partially incidence-angle-stacked seismic data with different azimuths to estimate the fracture weaknesses of a TTI medium when the tilt angle is estimated based on the image well logs prior to the seismic inversion. Synthetic examples confirm that the fracture weaknesses of a TTI medium are stably estimated from the azimuthal seismic reflected amplitudes for the case of moderate noise. A field data example demonstrates that geologically reasonable results of fracture weaknesses can be determined when the tilt angle is treated as the prior information. We determine that the azimuthal AVO inversion approach provides an available tool for fracture prediction in a dipping-fracture-induced TTI reservoir.
ABCDE: What next when you are in general practice?

The purpose of this article is to review the ‘RCGP emergencies in general practice’ course held on 7 December 2019. The course was led by emergency medicine consultants from the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust. It consisted of updates of relevant clinical guidelines and interactive scenarios based on urgent and unscheduled care. In our role as future GPs, the ability to deal with patients with urgent needs and recognise the acutely unwell is of para-mount importance. Referring the patient to the correct location for prompt hospital assessment is a key part of our role. Many trainees have attended simulation days as part of their foundation and GP training – often with a focus on the airway, breathing, circulation, disability, exposure (ABCDE) approach (Resuscitation Council (UK), 2020). These courses help develop valuable skills but are often focused on management in secondary care. Managing an acutely unwell patient in primary care can be daunting. There may not be enough resources or an immediate team nearby to help. Emergencies are thankfully few and far between but are frightening for any trainee when they happen. The course involved rotating through multiple scenarios The clinical presentations were realistic. The course leaders were aware of the realities of working in a GP the likely The
Perceived coach-created environment directly predicts high school athletes’ physical activity during sport

Sport participation is an important means for adolescents to achieve moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), yet most high school students including athletes do not achieve the 60-minute daily MVPA guideline. As psychosocial factors influence athlete engagement and physical activity during sport, the perceived environment created by coaches could play a role in this influence. Guided by self-determination and achievement goal theories, this four-month prospective study examined the direct and indirect effects of perceived coach-created environment on high school athletes’ MVPA and sedentary behavior (SB) during sport. During the third to fourth week of a sport season, 225 high school athletes (Mage = 15.24 years) completed a survey assessing perceptions of coach-created empowering and disempowering climates as well as psychological need satisfaction and frustration. Four months later, their MVPA and SB percentage times (%) during sport were measured using accelerometers. Path analyses partially supported our hypothesis, indicating significant direct effects of a perceived empowering climate on need satisfaction (β = .41) and need frustration (β = –.29), and direct effects of a perceived disempowering climate on need frustration (β = .38) and MVPA% (β = –.28). No significant indirect effects on MVPA% or SB% were found. Findings support and provide new insights into the important role of disempowering beyond empowering climates in predicting high school athletes’ PA. Specifically, when coaches display ego-involving and controlling behaviors, high school athletes may disengage during sport and achieve less overall MVPA. Further examination of these relationships using a longitudinal design across more diverse samples is warranted.
Adsorption of As(V) by the Novel and Efficient Adsorbent Cerium-Manganese Modified Biochar

Arsenic has become a global concern in water environment, and it is essential to develop efficient remediation methods. In this study, a novel adsorbent by loading cerium and manganese oxide onto wheat straw-modified biochar (MBC) was manufactured successfully aiming to remove arsenic from polluted water. Through scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR), and other techniques, it was found the loading of cerium and manganese oxide on MBC played a significant role in As(V) adsorption. The results of the batch test showed that the adsorption of MBC followed the pseudo-second order kinetics and Langmuir equation. The adsorption capacity of MBC was 108.88 mg As(V)/g at pH = 5.0 (C0 = 100 mg/L, dosage = 0.5 g/L, T = 298 K) with considerable improvement compared to the original biochar. Moreover, MBC exhibited excellent performance over a wide pH range (2.0~11.0). Thermodynamics of the sorption reaction showed that the entropy (ΔS), changes of enthalpy (ΔH) and Gibbs free energy (ΔG), respectively, were 85.88 J/(moL·K), 22.54 kJ/mol and −1.33 to −5.20 kJ/mol at T = 278~323 K. During the adsorption, the formation of multiple complexes under the influence of its abundant surface M-OH (M represents the Ce/Mn) groups involving multiple mechanisms that included electrostatic interaction forces, surface adsorption, redox reaction, and surface complexation. This study indicated that MBC is a promising adsorbent to remove As(V) from polluted water and has great potential in remediating of arsenic contaminated environment.
Communities of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) of naturally regenerating and salvage-logged montane spruce forests of Šumava Mountains

Abstract The main aim of this study was to describe and compare communities of oribatid mites of selected areas in montane spruce forests near Březník in the Šumava National Park, where different management strategies were used after the spruce dieback caused by massive bark beetle gradation more than 15 years ago. Naturally regenerating and salvage-logged areas were compared. Significant differences were found in the oribatid mite community composition between differently managed areas. The oribatid mite community in naturally regenerating areas was in better shape and its abundance and species composition was similar to the community of a control area in a mature and healthy spruce forest.
Hepatoprotective Activity of Crude Flavonoids Extract of Cajanus scarabaeoides (L) in Paracetamol Intoxicated Albino Rats

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the hepatoprotective activity of crude flavonoids extract of Cajanus scarabaeoides (L) in paracetamol intoxicated albino rats. Methods: The whole plant material was dried in shade, they were powdered and crude flavonoids extract is extracted with various solvents by fractionation in separating funnel. Preliminary phytochemical tests were done. It showed presence of phenolic compound and flavonoids. The hepatoprotective activity of the crude flavonoids extract was assessed in paracetamol induced hepatotoxic Rats. Alteration in the levels of biochemical markers of hepatic damage like ALT, AST, ALP ,total protein, total bilirubin were tested in both Paracetamol treated and untreated groups. Results: Paracetamol (640mg/kg) has enhanced the ALT, AST, ALP, total protein, total bilirubin in liver. Treatment of crude flavonoids extract of Cajanus scarabaeoides (L) (50mg/kg) has brought back the altered levels of biochemical markers to the near normal levels in the dose dependent manner and which is compared with standard silymarin (100 mg/kg). Results of histopathological studies also provided supportive evidence for biochemical analysis. Conclusion: Our findings suggested that crude flavonoids extract of Cajanus scarabaeoides (L) possessed hepatoprotective activity.
Study on Wnt Signalling Pathway in Tooth formation from Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Tooth is produced by the differentiation of pluripotent cell, which in turn gives rise to the formation of the entire tooth in the jaws. The stem cells are appropriately induced using specific proteins, growth factors etc., and grown in the lab to form a bud of cells. This procedure works unique by attracting stem cells already in the person's body rather than requiring an injection of stem cells from donor. The quick recovery time and natural use of the body's own resources would make this an attractive dental treatment in one day. Amongst the various growth and transcription factors required for differentiation of these stem cells, Wnt gene also plays a major role. A number of Wnt genes are expressed in the developing teeth, with most of them restricted solely to the dental e pithelium. When tooth forming sites and tooth patterning are determined, Wnt genes are expressed in the oral epithelium except the presumptive dental epithelium. Wnt genes interact with Shh signalling to set up the ectodermal bound aries between oral and dental ectoderm, positioning the sites of tooth formation. Other Wnt genes are expressed in molar and incisor epithelium, in the enamel knot, a putative signalling center for tooth patterning. Thus unde rstanding the expression and functioning of the Wnt gene in tooth formation can pave better ways for successful tooth regeneration from stem cells in lab as this gene plays a vital signalling role during early stages of tooth development. One can expect in the near future that once a tooth is extracted, it will be possible to have it regenerated. This will be major game changer in dentalcare. It will be like not having lost the tooth at all. This project aims to study the detailed function by expression analysis for each Wnt member in tooth development from mesenchymal stem cells.
Screening of Lactic acid bacteria isolated from piglet faeces for antimicrobial activity

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from 136 samples of pig faeces. The number of LAB varied from 8.03 to 8.97 log cfu/g faeces. A total of 317 lactic acid bacteria were isolated and tested for antimicrobial activities against 8 pathogenic bacterial strains using agar well diffusion technique. The inhibitory activity of most LAB was due to the production of organic acids except one isolate, WX153, which was found to produce bacteriocin-like substance. Strain WX153 was identified by using API50 CHL kit and 16S rDNA sequencing as Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis. The production of antimicrobial substance by L. lactis subsp. lactis WX153 in MRS medium followed a growth-associated pattern. This study allowed the preliminary selection of LAB isolates with antimicrobial activity to be used as potential probiotic in pig. In addition, inhibitory compound produced by L. lactis subsp. lactis WX153 may have potential applications as bio-preservative in food industry.
Aquaculture, conservation and restoration of anadromous fish populations of River Rhine with particular regard to the re-introduction of the Allis shad Alosa alosa

The largest population of the anadromous Allis shad (A. alosa) of the 19th century was found in River Rhine and has to be considered extinct today. To facilitate the return of A. alosa into River Rhine an EU LIFE-project was initiated in 2007. The overall objective of this thesis was to assist aquaculture and stocking-measures at River Rhine, as well as to support restoration and conservation of populations of Allis shad in Europe. By culturing the free-swimming nematode T. aceti in a solution of cider vinegar we developed a cost-effective live food organism for the larviculture of fish. As indicated by experiments with C. maraena, T. aceti cannot be regarded as an alternative to Artemia nauplii. However it has to be considered a suitable supplemental feed in the early rearing of C. maraena by providing essential fatty acids, thereby optimizing growth. Also mass-marking practices with Oxytetracycline, as they are applied in the restocking of Allis shad have been evaluated. In experiments with D. rerio we demonstrated that water hardness can detrimentally affect mortality during marking and has to be considered crucial in the development of marking protocols for freshwater fish. In order to get independent from wild spawners an ex-situ Broodstock-facility for Allis shad was established in 2011. Upon examination of two complete year classes of this broodstock, we found a high prevalence of various malformations, which could be traced back to distinct cysts developing one month post hatch. Despite applying a variety of clinical tests we could not identify any infectious agents causing these malformations. The observed malformations are probably a consequence of suboptimal feeding practices or the properties of the physio-chemical rearing environment. The decline of stocks of A. alosa in Europe has been largely explained with the increase of river temperatures as a consequence of global warming. By investigating the temperature physiology of larval Allis shad we demonstrated that A. alosa ranges among the most thermo-tolerant species in Europe and that correlations between rising temperatures and the disappearance of this species have to be understood in a synecological context and by integrating a variety of stressors other than temperature. By capturing and examining juvenile and adult Allis shad from River Rhine, we demonstrated the first natural reproduction of A. alosa in River Rhine since nearly 100 years and the success of stocking measures within the framework of the LIFE project.
Consistency in trophic strategies between populations of the Sardinian endemic salamander Speleomantes imperialis

The study of trophic ecology of terrestrial salamanders is central for a better understanding of their adaptability and dispersal, in particular in Mediterranean ecosystems where their feeding activity is reduced because of prolonged arid periods. Terrestrial salamanders are generalist predators that feed on a large array of invertebrate prey groups, however, there are few studies comparing the feeding strategy and the trophic specialization at the individual level in conspecific populations of salamanders living in different habitats. In this study, two populations of the Sardinian endemic salamander Speleomantes imperialis were sampled in areas characterized by different climate, vegetation and geological substrate. Dietary habits, obtained by stomach flushing, and physiological condition, assessed through a body condition index, were analysed and compared between populations. The two populations displayed different diets on the basis of the taxonomic composition of prey categories, but both of them behaved as generalist predators and shared a similar body condition index. Moreover, in both populations the indices of individual trophic specialization were significantly different from null models assuming a random prey distribution among predators. Therefore, the two populations were largely composed by individually specialized salamanders. Overall, these findings are in good agreement with other studies on the trophic ecology of top predators and in particular of terrestrial salamanders. The realized trophic strategies, i.e. generalist at the population and specialist at the individual level, were highly consistent geographically and the two populations exploited the different arrays of prey found in their environments similarly.
Microbiological analysis and detection of anti-bacterial activity of Centella asiatica and Aloe vera samples collected from different areas of Dhaka city, Bangladesh

The present study was performed to detect the presence of contaminating microorganisms in two commonly available herbal samples ( Centella asiatica and Aloe vera ) collected from different areas of Dhaka city, Bangladesh and to assess their antibacterial activity. Out of twenty samples (having ten samples of each categories) studied; the range of total viable bacterial count was approximately 10 3 to 10 8 cfu/g. Presence of Staphylococcus aureus was found in all the samples, followed by Klebsiella spp. in 15 samples, Pseudomonas spp. in 14 samples, Bacillus spp. in 12 samples, Escherichia coli in 9 samples and Vibrio spp. in 7 samples. Salmonella spp. was detected in neither of the sample. 17 samples showed a high fungal load up to 10 7 cfu/g. Antibacterial activity of C. asiatica samples was demonstrated against eight laboratory isolates. Only four C. asiatica samples showed activity against Klebsiella spp . On the contrary, Aloe vera samples (12-14) showed antibacterial activity only against Staphylococcus spp. Stamford Journal of Microbiology, Vol.6(1) 2016: 39-43
A Multi‐Transition Approach to Evaluating Peacekeeping Effectiveness

Past studies of the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations (PKOs) mainly focus on the preservation of peace. If the transitions from peace to conflict or from conflict to peace are correlated based on grievances or war weariness, then a multi‐transition survival analysis provides more efficient estimates and may limit bias. Our main analysis for 133 country‐based conflicts during 1990–2016 shows that estimates of the two transitions display a significant negative covariance, consistent with grievances and the need for a multi‐transition approach. As a robustness check, we match UN PKOs with the absence of UN PKOs to address nonrandom assignments of PKOs. For the matched and unmatched estimates, we find that UN peace enforcement missions induce a transition from conflict to peace, while UN observation, traditional peacekeeping, and peacebuilding missions limit a transition from peace to conflict. We also show that UN troops, rather than UN police, are more effective in transitioning from conflict to peace and in maintaining peace after conflict. Further robustness runs for alternative subsamples (e.g., just civil wars) support the main results. Our findings indicate the appropriate UN PKO mission type and personnel mix to deploy depending on the conflict’s current state.
Exercise training reverses age-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase upregulation

Exercise Training Reverses Age-Induced Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Upregulation. (December 2003) Wook Song, B.S., Seoul National University; M.Ed., Seoul National University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. John M. Lawler The risk of injury, inflammation, and oxidative stress increases in skeletal muscle with aging. It has been postulated that pro-oxidant signaling, including upregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) contributes to inflammation, pathology, and aging in the brain, liver and heart. Exercise training reduces the risk of injury and inflammation. The purpose of this study was: 1) to identify the mechanisms that upregulate iNOS, pro-oxidant and proinflammatory signaling in skeletal muscle, and 2) to identify the mechanisms by which exercise training reduces pro-oxidant signaling. Protein levels and activity of iNOS were measured in 4 groups of male Fischer-344 rats (5 mo and 24 mo, n=10/group), old-control (OC), old-trained (OT), young-control (YC), and young-trained (YT). Exercise training protocol was 60 min at 15 m/min at 15° incline for 5 d/wk for 12 wk. Both iNOS protein expression and activity were significantly higher in OC compared to YC, but exercise training reversed the elevation of iNOS levels lower than OC in tibialis anterior. Surprisingly, NF-κB DNA binding activity was significantly lower in OC than YC, while increased with exercise training in white and red gastrocnemius in both OT and YT. In contrast, protein expression of p65, a regulatory subunit of NF-κB was significantly greater in OC than YC, while exercise training significantly reduced p65 in OT compared to OC from the white gastrocnemius. These data indicate that regulation of
Milk Urea Nitrogen as an Indicator of Nitrogen Metabolism Efficiency in Dairy Cows: A Review

The milk urea nitrogen concentration can be used as a tool management of the nutritional strategies in dairy farm and of improving proteins utilization efficiency by dairy cows. The level of dietary crude protein is the most nutritional factor that influence the milk urea nitrogen concentrations in lactating cows. Recent researches suggest that the milk urea nitrogen content depends mainly on the nitrogen/energy ratio in the diet, but other many factors may affect ureogenesis. Level and quality of protein contents, milk yield, season effects or lactation stage, parity and lactation number, weight and breed, feeding frequency and water intake are factors associated with the variation of milk urea concentration. Several studies have suggested that measuring milk urea nitrogen may serve as indicator to monitor nitrogen efficiency in dairy cows and to improve milk nitrogen production. However, the targeted milk urea nitrogen values for optimizing the nitrogen utilization efficiency are different from those required for milk protein production. Thus, an increase in milk protein production can be expected at milk urea nitrogen levels >11 mg/dL, while protein utilization efficiency is below this level (<11 mg/dL). Normal MUN values range from 10 to 14 mg/dL, but for many countries, the recommended milk urea nitrogen values for cow’s milk are ideally ranged from 10 to 16 mg/dL of milk. Finally, to ensure a balance between milk protein production and reducing urea nitrogen excretion in urine and milk, recent studies suggest to include 16.5% of crude protein supply in dairy cows diets.