Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL INDICATORS OF EFT TREATMENT OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS

Clients previously involved in a motor vehicle accident who reported traumatic stress associated with the accident received two sessions of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) treatments. All dients reported improvement immediately following treatment. Brainwave assessments before and after EFT treatment indicated that dients who sustained the benefit of the EFT treatments had increased 13-15 Hz amplitude over the sensory motor cortex, decreased right frontal cortex arousal and an increased 3-7 Hz / 16-25 Hz ratio in the occiput. The benefits of psychoneurological research to reveal the processes of subtle energy healing are discussed.
Phenotypic association between feed efficiency and feeding behavior, growth and carcass traits in Senepol cattle

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the associations between feed efficiency and feeding behavior, growth and carcass traits in Senepol cattle. A total of 137 animals were evaluated. Of these animals, 36 males were evaluated in a second test, totaling 173 records (initial age of 466±96 days and initial weight of 426±104 kg). Residual feed intake (RFI) was calculated as the difference between observed and expected dry matter intake, estimated by regression of dry matter intake on [. ]
Kinetics of UV Photodegradation of DNA Model Systems in a Room Temperature Sugar Glass

DNA undergoes photochemical reactions when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The photochemical products cause mutations which can lead to cancer and apoptosis. Upon exposure to UV radiation, the major photochemical products are cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) and the pyrimidine-(6-4)-pyrimidone photoadduct. After photoexcitation, relaxation from the excited ππ* state results in a [2 + 2] cycloaddition between adjacent thymine bases forming CPDs. Due to the ultrafast timescale of dimerization, it has been proposed that thymine bases must have the proper geometry before excitation. It is the purpose of this study to obtain experimental evidence for this theory: the ground state control theory. To prepare a system of thymine bases, a room temperature trehalose/sucrose glass was used to encapsulate free thymine bases, thymidine monophosphate (TMP), and thymidylyl-(3’-5’)-thymidine (dTpdT) in a pH 7 buffer solution. The glass samples were irradiated with 254 nm UV light from a mercury lamp. A UV-Vis absorption spectrum was recorded for each sample at varying time intervals of irradiation until there was no further decrease in absorbance at 260 nm, indicating that the photochemical reaction is at equilibrium. The quantum yields in the sugar glass increased at least 10-fold for thymine and TMP and over 40-fold for dTpdT relative to the quantum yields in buffered solution.
Identifying the adopted Monetary Policy Rule by the Central Bank of Iran

It is obvious that an optimal policy should consider main dimensions of the phenomenon that can affect the transmission mechanism of that policy. In an open economy, it is expected that variables of the foreign sector play important role in its economic behavior. Therefore, it needs that any optimal policy in an open economy to design in such a way which involves changes in the foreign sector. Due to this fact, this paper aims at assessing the monetary policy of Central Bank of Iran to find that whether this policy takes a right way or not. To do so, a DSGE model along with MCMC criteria are employed.The main result indicates that the Central Bank decision on monetary policy follows McCallum rule without any respond to exchange rate shocks.
Nutritional Qualities and Shelf Life Extension of Gamma Irradiated Dried Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq. Ex. Fr.) Kummer Preserved in Two Different Storage Packs

Pleurotus ostreatus has high nutritional value as an important source of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, mineral elements and is among most favorite mushrooms of the world. Proximate composition and metabolizable energy of these mushrooms were evaluated for their dietary value. Fruit bodies were solar dried to a moisture content of 12% and exposed to low dose ionizing (gamma) radiations of 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 kGy at a dose rate of 1.7kGy/hr and stored in polyethylene and polypropylene packs at room temperature (28- 30℃) for a period of 12 months. Values ranged 14.11- 15.80%, 6.16- 8.31%, 0.65- 1.24%, 13.56- 15.39%, 12.51- 15.25%, 61.16- 65.50% respectively for moisture, ash, fat, fibre, protein and carbohydrate. Metabolizable energy also ranged 247.8- 284.6 Kcal. /100g for 12 months storage. Although there were some significant (p<0.05) changes observed for some nutrients due to gamma irradiation and storage, the results obtained showed that the integrity of these nutrients in this mushroom were minimally affected as no adverse effects were observed.
Studies on the active-site of Escherichia coli shikimate dehydrogenase

Shikimate dehydrogenase (SKDH) catalyses the fourth step of the biosynthetic shikimate pathway, the reversible reduction of 3-dehydroshikimate to shikimate. This Thesis describes the work leading to the identification of three active-site residues in E. coli SKDH. Group specific chemical modification with trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) and kinetic analyses indicated the presence of an essential lysine residue at the active-site. Electrospray mass spectrometry (ESMS) revealed that three lysine residues were modified by TNBS, and in the presence of substrate and coenzyme two were protected from modification. HPLC mass spectrometry (LCMS) identified the three modified residues as Lys-15, Lys- 65 and Lys-217/219. In the presence of substrate and coenzyme Lys-65 was completely protected and Lys-15 was partially protected from modification. Sequence comparison with other known SKDH sequences allowed the identification of Lys-65 as the essential lysine residue. Experiments with methyl shikimate have provided evidence for a role for Lys-65 in substrate binding. Arg-154 was identified as a component of the coenzyme (NADP+) binding site by group specific chemical modification with phenylglyoxal (PGO). Characterisation of PGO modified SKDH by ESMS showed that a PGO modified arginine residue could have either a 1:1 or 2:1 stoichiometry. Protection experiments suggest that Arg-154 interacts with the 2' phosphate group of the adenosine moiety of the coenzyme. Chemical modification with the group specific reagent diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC) and kinetic analyses indicated the presence of an active-site histidine. Characterisation of DEPC modified SKDH by ESMS showed that in the presence of substrate and coenzyme two histidine residues were protected from DEPC modification. Differential peptide mapping using reverse phase HPLC identified the two protected residues as His-13 and His-253. Sequence comparison with other SKDH sequences identified His-13 as the essential histidine. PH-dependence studies indicated a role for His-13 as a general acid/base in the catalytic reaction of SKDH. As a preliminary step towards solving the three dimensional structure of SKDH small crystals have been obtained.
Colloquium : Saturation of electrical resistivity

Resistivity saturation is observed in many metallic systems with large resistivities---when the resistivity has reached a critical value, its further increase with temperature is substantially reduced. This typically happens when the apparent mean free path is comparable to the interatomic separations---the Ioffe-Regel condition. Recently, several exceptions to this rule have been found. This colloquium first reviews experimental results and early theories of resistivity saturation. It then describes more recent theoretical work, addressing cases both where the Ioffe-Regel condition is satisfied and where it is violated. In particular, the authors show how the (semiclassical) Ioffe-Regel condition can be derived quantum mechanically under certain assumptions about the system and why these assumptions are violated for high-${T}_{c}$ cuprates and alkali-doped fullerides.
δ13Cp Values from Radiocarbon-Dated Plant Matter as an Important but Underexploited Resource for Terrestrial Paleoclimate Analysis and Archaeology

Variation in stable carbon isotope ratios in C3 plants can be influenced by climatic and environmental factors. For archaeologists, who regularly collect the measured values of these data as a part of the radiocarbon date reporting process, there is promise in using these data to create a local record of paleoclimatic change relevant to their study areas. Plant Δ13C can be expressed as δ13C values (carbon isotopic discrimination) that can be used in modern experimental studies for stronger paleoclimatic/paleoenvironmental interpretations. As values of Δ13C vary in different species, taxonomic information is necessary for interpretation. In the present study, a record of Irish oak δ13C data are used to construct a local climate history for Ireland. Wetter periods in Ireland inferred from δ13C data correspond to warmer Northern Hemisphere temperatures, in agreement with climate models. Values of δ13C from other species are used to illustrate the importance of using data from taxa with known relationships between climate and stable carbon isotope fractionation.
Trends in active power line conditioners

Trends and future prospects in active power line conditioners using pulse-width-modulation inverters are presented with the focus on practical applications. Attention is given to shunt active power line conditioners and to two combined systems of active power line conditioners and shunt passive filters, which are classified into a combined system with shunt active conditioners, and with series active conditioners. <<ETX>>
Bio-fermentation Technology to Improve Efficiency of Swine Nutrition

The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity defines biotechnology as "Any technological application that uses biological systems, dead organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use" Biotechnology has made tremendous contributions to improve production efficiency of agriculture during the last century. This article reviews successful examples of application of bio-fermentation in improving swine nutrition efficiency mainly based on the authors'z own research experience. Production of feed grade supplemental amino acids by bio-fermentation allowed nutritionists to formulate accurate feed for optimal lean growth and reduced nitrogen excretion. Recent issues with high feed grain prices caused potential feed quality problems. Bio-fermentation allowed nutritionists to use exogenous supplemental enzymes such as phytase and NSPases in swine diets, thereby improving nutrient utilization and reducing nutrient excretion to the environment. Yeast metabolites are also produced by bio-fermentation and have been repeatedly shown to improve milk production of sows during early lactation even though actual mechanisms are still to be investigated. Bio-fermentation technology also allowed nutritionists to prepare vegetable protein sources with large protein molecules and anti-nutritional factors suitable for feeding newly weaned piglets, as selected microorganisms significantly reduce specific anti-nutritional factors and size of peptides. Preparations of vegetable protein sources suitable for newly weaned pigs will greatly contribute to swine nutrition by providing efficient alternatives to the use of animal protein sources that are often expensive and somewhat against societal preference. Considering the few examples listed above, biotechnology has closely influenced improvement of production efficiency in the swine industry. As we have limited resources to produce meat to satisfy ever-increasing global demands, extensive adaptation of biotechnology to enhance production efficiency should be continued. However, at the same time, wise and careful application of bio-technology should be considered to ensure production of safe food and to meet the expectations of our society.
Response to selection on mastitis resistance and body reserve mobilization in Holstein and Normande breeds

A divergent selection experiment on mastitis resistance of Holstein and Normande cows was carried out at Le Pin, the INRA experimental farm. Two lines, one resistant to mastitis and one control, were produced by using bulls with contrasted breeding values for a combination of somatic cell score (SCS) and clinical mastitis (CM). In Holstein, the same population was also split into two groups diverging for body condition score (BCS) and obtained by selecting the sires on their BCS breeding values. This paper presents the first results on the observed differences between lines based on data of 268 cows. Overall differences in SCS, CM, infectious status (assessed by bacteriological PCR tests) and BCS were in agreement with genomic predictions. Within-breed differences were similar, but sometimes not significant for udder health traits. These cows support extensive phenotyping for explanatory traits to explain the biological pathways involved in these differences.
Taurine Reduces Heat Stress by Regulating the Expression of Heat Shock Proteins in Broilers Exposed to Chronic Heat

The aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of taurine on heat stress by evaluating them RNA and protein expressions of HSP90, 70 and 60in Ross broilers. Birds were distributed in a control group (CO) reared at 24oC, a heat-stress group (HS) maintained at 34°C (weeks 3-5) and not supplemented with taurine, and a heatstress group (HST) maintained at 34°C (weeks 3-5) and supplemented with 0.1% taurine from 2 weeks of age. The final body weight was significantly higher in the HST group than in the HS group (p<0.05). The mRNA expression of all three genes in the liver and of HSP90 in the muscle were significantly lower in the HST than in the HS group (p<0.05). In the liver, the expression of HSP70 and HSP60 proteins was significantly higher in the HS group compared with the CO and HST groups (p<0.05), while HSP90 expression was not different (p>0.05). In the muscle, HSP70 expression was significantly lower in the HST group than in the CO and HS groups and HSP60 expression was dramatically decreased in HS group, whereas no differences in HSP90 expression were detected among groups. In conclusion, the broilers exposed to heat stress and supplemented with taurine showed lower expressions of heat shock genes and proteins both in the liver and muscle tissues, indicating that taurine supplementation improved broiler thermotolerance.
CHILD SURVIVAL: PROGRES TOWARDS MEETING MDG4

Few causes are responsible for the majority of under-five deaths in Ethiopia: pneumonia (28%), neonatal causes (25%), malaria (20%), diarrhea (20%), measles (4%) and AIDS (1%). To prevent these deaths, and to achieve Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG4) (“to reduce by two thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under 5 mortality rate”), it is necessary to ensure the implementation of cost-effective interventions that are listed in the National Child Survival Strategy. There are examples of remarkable achievements in coverage increase within short time periods, including training of 30,000 Health Extension Workers (HEWS) in the last 4 years, rapid increase, from 1% in 2005 to 42% in 2007, in percentage of children under the age of five years who slept under a Long Lasting Insecticide-treated Nets (LLINs), and increase in coverage of Vitamin A supplementation from 45 % in 2005 to 91% in 2007. These successes can serve as benchmarks to scaling up of other interventions. Among the major killers, the ones that are poorly addressed are childhood pneumonia and perinatal problems which are the leading causes of under-five mortality in Ethiopia. Realizing the continuum of care approach at delivery level and sustaining it over time, and searching for an alternative way of improving access to treatment of childhood pneumonia and essential newborn care, are crucial challenges for child survival in Ethiopia. Furthermore, there is growing consensus that a primary bottleneck to achieving MDGs in low-income countries is health systems that are too fragile and fragmented to deliver the volume and quality of services to those in need. Major shortfalls are identified in the health workforce, lack of donor coordination, and week information systems. It is for this reason that the Health Sector Development Programme (HSDP) in Ethiopia is focusing on cost-effective health interventions and on health systems strengthening in order to achieve the dual goals of improving population health and reducing health inequalities.
Interface Between Entrepreneurship Practice and Curriculum

Although recent research questions the relevance and value of university entrepreneurship programmes to practice, the nature and effectiveness of these programmes has received little academic attention. Previous research overseas suggests these programmes have had varying levels of success in demonstrating how particular courses in tertiary-level instruction lead to future entrepreneurial success. However, no such studies have examined the overall global discipline of entrepreneurship with Critical Success Factors (CSFs) of practitioners and curriculum. This represents an important gap in the literature. This research examines university entrepreneurship courses through investigating links with identified CSFs of practicing entrepreneurs. Identified factors are specific to the entrepreneur, the organisation and the environment. Content analysis results revealed significant differences between CSFs used by practicing entrepreneurs and the nature/mix of university curriculum.
Two Case Reports on Refractory Periodontitis: Systemic Implications and a Potential New Therapeutic Strategy

Two cases of Refractory Periodontitis (RP) were studied over an 8-month time period. Both received a novel regimen of “combination” Host-Modulation Therapy (HMT) (subantimicrobial-dose doxycycline plus low-dose flurbiprofen adjunctive to traditional non-surgical periodontal therapy. Prior to beginning “combination” HMT, Case #1 was characterized by progressive periodontal deterioration; dramatically elevated levels of inflammatory mediators (IL-1β) and tissue-destructive enzymes (collagenase activity) in periodontal pockets (GCF); and evidence of systemic inflammation (high serum levels of hs-C-reactive protein), and mildly elevated LDL and total levels of cholesterol, indicating an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). In contrast, Case #2 exhibited undetectable levels of local biomarkers of inflammation and tissue destruction in their periodontal pockets (GCF), and much lower levels of both serum hs-CRP and cholesterol indicating lower risk for CVD. Both cases, however, demonstrated the characteristics of RP including progressive loss of bone and attachment despite repeated periodontal therapy. During the 12-month regimen of, Case #1, who exhibited much higher levels of local and systemic biomarkers, responded much more dramatically to the “combination” therapy than Case #2. We suggest that this novel “combination” therapy may be particularly useful in a sub-set of RP patients who exhibit evidence of systemic inflammation in their serum (or plasma) samples indicating increased risk for CVD; in these patients “combination” therapy may dramatically reduce both periodontal disease activity and CVD risk. In order to test this hypothesis, which proposes the development of more individualized therapeutic strategies, it clearly must be validated in future randomized clinical trials.
Corporate real estate sales and agency costs of managerial discretion

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine empirically the financing hypothesis of Lang et al. for asset sales in the context of corporate real estate transactions.Design/methodology/approach – Exploiting the concept that monitoring can reduce agency problem of managerial discretion, this paper employs the event‐study methodology and regression analysis to empirically verify the hypothesis.Findings – The empirical results show that the stock market responds more favorably to arm's‐length corporate real estate sales by low agency‐cost firm‐years than those by high agency‐cost firm‐years. The result supports the financing hypothesis that implies a negative relation between stock market responses to asset sales and degrees of agency costs.Research limitations/implications – Given the separation of ownership and control, management cannot be expected to make value‐enhancing decisions on corporate real estate sales without appropriate mechanism to align managerial and shareholder interests.Originality/v.
Returns to Apprenticeship: Analysis based on the 2006 Census

We utilize the 2006 Census -- the first large-scale, representative Canadian data set to include information on apprenticeship certification -- to compare the returns from apprenticeships with those from other educational pathways (high school graduation, non-apprenticeship trades and community college). An apprenticeship premium prevails for males but a deficit is evident for females, with this pattern prevailing across the quantiles of the pay distribution, albeit with the premium being larger for males at the lower quantiles. Reasons for these patterns are discussed as are the relative importance of differences in the endowments of wage determining characteristics and differences in pay for the same wage determining characteristics.
Ecophysiological consequences of variability in diapause intensity

Diapause intensity (DI) is a physiological trait represented by the duration of diapause under given conditions of environment. In many species, it is highly variable, probably being controlled by multiple genes and tends to form a cline in response to the latitudinal gradient of selection pressure. DI clines could be established artificially by crossing between lines of a cricket selected for different levels of DI, indicating the importance of genetic factors in the adaptive variation of DI. However, DI may be modified in response to seasonal cues both before and after the onset of diapause. Polymorphism in the intensity of prolonged diapause may split adults of a single population to emerge in different years. A unimodal distribution of DI may also result in polymodal termination of diapause, if DI variation is so large that chilling in one winter is not enough to terminate diapause for all members of a population. Bimodal termination of diapause after overwintering suggests heterogeneity in the final phase of diapause that requires high temperatures in spring. Polymodal termination of diapause subserves a bet-hedging strategy. Variability in DI thus provides insects with an important means of adaptation to their environments changing in space and time.