Feed restriction induced changes in behavior, corticosterone, and microbial programming in slow- and fast-growing chicken breeds

This study aimed to explore the difference between two Chinese local broilers, one slow- and one fast-growing, in their response to a stress challenge. We conducted the study on slow- (Weining chicken) and fast-growing (Jinlinghua chicken) breeds, with 50 chickens from each breed either feed restricted to 70% for 30 days as a stress or given ad libitum to evaluate the effects on behavior, corticosterone, and microbial programming. Standing behavior was more frequent while exploration was less common in fast-growing breeds compared to slow-growing breeds. Food seeking and ingestion, exploration, and drinking increased, while resting decreased in the feed restricted treatments. There was no difference in corticosterone concentration between slow- and fast-growing chickens, but the level was affected by feeding treatments, and the interaction of breed and feed restriction. At the genus-level, the relative abundance of Bacteroides and Lactobacillus was higher, while Cloacibacillus and Megasphaera was lower in the slow-growing breed compared to the fast-growing breed. Feed restricted birds had a higher abundance of Mucispirillum, but lower abundance of Cloacibacillus, Clostridium XlVa and Clostridium IV. In conclusion, feed restriction to 70% for 30 days as a chronic stress stimulation caused more activity, elevated the stress response, and altered gut microbiota composition, but some changes were only evident in slow- or fast-growing chickens

Study on Quality of Public Finances in Support of Growth in the Mediterranean Partner Countries of the EU

Until the early 1990s, the discussions on fiscal policy primarily centered on the functions of economic stabilization, income redistribution and resource allocation. Long-term growth was not usually viewed as an end itself, and fiscal policy was often not sufficiently tailored to the different circumstances and priorities of countries at different stages of development. It is only relatively recently that the discussion has gradually focused on the links between different dimensions of quality of public finances and economic growth. Based on the conceptual framework for linking the quality of public finances and economic growth that has been developed by the European Commission and applied to the EU Member States, this study examines the conditions under which the budgetary policy, and more specifically expenditure, revenue and financing design would be supportive of growth in the Mediterranean partner countries of the European Union. The study also highlights some of the interlinkages between fiscal policy and growth and summarises empirical findings found in the literature with particular focus on Mediterranean partner countries of the European Union. The main findings of the study are similar to those that apply to the EU Member States and can be summarised as follows: • The way government expenditures are financed matters. Deficit and debt financing clearly undermines growth performance. • The composition of expenditure does matter however the efficiency of the expenditure undertaken is even more important for growth. For countries with good governance indicators the positive impact of the productive expenditures on growth was enhanced. The analysis was applied to the efficiency of education and health expenditures with basically similar results. • Notwithstanding the importance of 'fair' income distribution, when tax policy relies heavily on income taxation to do so, the analysis suggests a likely negative effect on growth. Specifically, consumption taxes were found to depress growth by up to four times less than income taxes. The study concludes by highlighting possible areas in the planning and execution of fiscal policy and governance where growth enhancing interventions can be applied.public finance, economic growth, Mediterranean region

Mathematical Infinity, Its Inventors, Discoverers, Detractors, Defenders, Masters, Victims, Users, and Spectators

"The definitive clarification of the nature of the infinite has become necessary, not merely for the special interests of the individual sciences, but rather for the honour of the human understanding itself. The infinite has always stirred the emotions of mankind more deeply than any other question; the infinite has stimulated and fertilized reason as few other ideas have ; but also the infinite, more than other notion, is in need of clarification." (David Hilbert 1925

Measuring Intelligence and Growth Rate: Variations on Hibbard's Intelligence Measure

In 2011, Hibbard suggested an intelligence measure for agents who compete in an adversarial sequence prediction game. We argue that Hibbard’s idea should actually be considered as two separate ideas: first, that the intelligence of such agents can be measured based on the growth rates of the runtimes of the competitors that they defeat; and second, one specific (somewhat arbitrary) method for measuring said growth rates. Whereas Hibbard’s intelligence measure is based on the latter growth-rate-measuring method, we survey other methods for measuring function growth rates, and exhibit the resulting Hibbard-like intelligence measures and taxonomies. Of particular interest, we obtain intelligence taxonomies based on Big-O and Big-Theta notation systems, which taxonomies are novel in that they challenge conventional notions of what an intelligence measure should look like. We discuss how intelligence measurement of sequence predictors can indirectly serve as intelligence measurement for agents with Artificial General Intelligence (AGIs)

What\u27s So Special About Kruskal\u27s Theorem and the Ordinal \u3cem\u3eT\u3c/em\u3e\u3csub\u3eo\u3c/sub\u3e? A Survey of Some Results in Proof Theory

This paper consists primarily of a survey of results of Harvey Friedman about some proof theoretic aspects of various forms of Krusal\u27s tree theorem, and in particular the connection with the ordinal Ƭo. We also include a fairly extensive treatment of normal functions on the countable ordinals, and we give a glimpse of Veblen Hierarchies, some subsystems of second-order logic, slow-growing and fast-growing hierarchies including Girard\u27s result, and Goodstein sequences. The central theme of this paper is a powerful theorem due to Kruskal, the tree theorem , as well as a finite miniaturization of Kruskal\u27s theorem due to Harvey Friedman. These versions of Kruskal\u27s theorem are remarkable from a proof-theoretic point of view because they are not provable in relatively strong logical systems. They are examples of so-called natural independence phenomena , which are considered by more logicians as more natural than the mathematical incompleteness results first discovered by Gödel. Kruskal\u27s tree theorem also plays a fundamental role in computer science, because it is one of the main tools for showing that certain orderings on trees are well founded. These orderings play a crucial role in proving the termination of systems of rewrite rules and the correctness of Knuth-Bandix completion procedures. There is also a close connection between a certain infinite countable ordinal called Ƭoand Kruskal\u27s theorem. Previous definitions of the function involved in this connection are known to be incorrect, in that, the function is not monotonic. We offer a repaired definition of this function, and explore briefly the consequences of its existence

A hierarchy of ramified theories below primitive recursive arithmetic

The arithmetical theory EA(I;O) developed by Çagman, Ostrin and Wainer ([18] and [48]) provides a formal setting for the variable separation of Bellantoni-Cook predicative recursion [6]. As such, EA(I;O) separates variables into outputs, which are quantified over, and inputs, for which induction applies. Inputs remain free throughout giving inductions in EA(I;O) a pointwise character termed predicative induction. The result of this restriction is that the provably recursive functions are the elementary functions. An infinitary analysis brings out a connection to the Slow-Growing Hierarchy yielding є0 as the appropriate proof-theoretic ordinal in a pointwise sense. Chapters 1 and 2 are devoted to an exposition of these results. In Chapter 3 a new principle of 1-closure is introduced in constructing a conservative extension of EA(I;O) named EA1. This principle collapses the variable separation in EA(I;O) and allows quantification over inputs by acting as an internalised ω-rule. EA1 then provides a natural setting to address the problem of input substitution in ramified theories. Chapters 4 and 5 introduce a hierarchy of theories based upon alternate additions of the predicative induction and ∑1-closure principles. For 0 < k є N, the provably recursive functions of the theories EAk are shown to be the Grzegorczyk classes Ek+2. Upper bounds are obtained via embeddings into appropriately layered infinitary systems with carefully controlled bounding functions for existential quantifiers. The theory EA-ω, defined by closure under finite applications of these two principles, is shown to be equivalent to primitive recursive arithmetic. The hierarchy generated may be considered as an implicit ramification of the sub-system of Peano Arithmetic which restricts induction to ∑1-formulae.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Comparative Effectiveness of Surveillance and Current Treatment Approaches for the Detection and Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in East Asia

Treatment approaches for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in China are distinct in the use of resection with more advanced HCC, and continued research is needed to re-evaluate the appropriateness of guideline recommendations. Surveillance is recommended among individuals with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in East Asia to improve early disease detection; however, only limited evidence exists to quantify its survival impact, and the ideal screening interval is not known. The overall objectives of this dissertation were to (1) compare the effectiveness of HCC treatment approaches in China, (2) evaluate the impact of 6-month and 12-month screening intervals compared with no surveillance among individuals with chronic HBV in China, and (3) examine the survival Impact of surveillance among HCC patients in Taiwan. This dissertation used clinical data extracted from medical records for HCC patients in China and Taiwan, as part of the global BRIDGE to Better Outcomes in HCC (HCC BRIDGE) Study. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models compared survival with treatment in China, stratified by disease stage, and propensity score (PS) analysis was conducted to address selection bias. An individual-based simulation model combined well-established data on chronic HBV progression and tumor growth in HCC with clinical data from the HCC BRIDGE study in China to project the survival impact of different surveillance strategies. Using the HCC BRIDGE study in Taiwan, survival according to surveillance status was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method, controlling for selection bias through PS analysis and lead time bias using a range of tumor volume doubling time (DT) estimated across tumor growth studies. The results revealed that patients with intermediate to advanced disease tolerate resection, and have better outcomes than with other HCC therapies. Surveillance improves survival with HCC, after applying lead time adjustments using a plausible range in DT. Results of model simulation suggest that surveillance performed at 12-month versus 6-month intervals can be more easily implemented with little impact on survival with HCC. These findings help inform efforts to ensure that individuals with chronic HBV are properly monitored for HCC given limited resources, and HCC patients receive appropriate treatment to improve survival outcomes in East Asia.Doctor of Philosoph

Application of Recombinant Antibody Technology for the Development of Anti-Lipid antibodies for Tuberculosis Diagnosis

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH