Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of growth hormones on callus induction of Sauropus androgynous (Sweet shoot)

Sauropus androgynus (Phyllanthaceae) is an underutilized plant with high nutrient and antioxidant properties. Though traditionally used for food and medicinal purposes, its value is still underutilized for mankind. Developing tissue culture techniques for Sauropus androgynus will permit the application of biotechnology to its culture, and potential for exploitation of phytochemicals that it contains as potential medicine for many remedies. In this study, the effect of type, concentration and ratio of growth regulators on callus regeneration has been investigated. Juvenile leaves will be utilized as explants which were surface sterilized in 70% ethanol for 1 minute followed by 20% Clorox for 20 minutes. The growth regulators dicamba (3, 6- dichloro-2-metaxibenzoic acid) and NAA (α- naphthalene acetic acid) in combination with kinetin (N6-furfuryladenine) were supplemented to MS basal medium at different concentrations. There was a significant difference between the growth regulator concentrations in inducing callus. Callus regeneration was comparatively high in 2mg/l NAA and 1 mg/l kinetin. The callus obtained was friable and greenish white in color. Most of the cultures turned brown when the growth hormones dicamba, NAA and kinetin were used individually and also in a combination of dicamba with kinetin. Browning in culture material indicated the release of phenolic compounds. Further research should be concentrated on reducing the browning effect in culture.
Desirable attributes and practices for mentees : mentor teachers' expectations

Research indicates attributes and practices for mentor teachers that can be used for effective mentoring. Universities provide guidelines for preservice teacher (mentee) engagement in schools generally from anecdotal evidence, however, what are desirable attributes and practices for mentees? This qualitative study gathers data from 25 mentor teachers through extended response questionnaire and audio-recorded focus group discussions about attributes and practices for mentees. Findings showed that desirable attributes for mentees included: enthusiasm, being personable, commitment to children, lifelong learning/love of learning, open/reflective to feedback, develop resilience, and taking responsibility for their learning, while desirable practices included: planned and preparation for teaching, reflective practices, understanding school and university policies, knowing students for differentiated learning, and building a teaching repertoire (e.g. teaching strategies, behaviour management, content knowledge, and questioning skills). Preservice teachers need to consider teachers’ suggestions on desirable attributes and practices that can help them achieve positive teaching experiences.
Support for the predictions of the pollinator-mediated stabilizing selection hypothesis

Aims Floral traits are frequently used in traditional plant systematics because of their assumed constancy. One potential reason for the apparent constancy of flower size is that effective pollen transfer between flowers depends on the accuracy of the physical fit between the flower and pollinator. Therefore, flowers are likely to be under stronger stabilizing selection for uniform size than vegetative plant parts. Moreover, as predicted by the pollinator-mediated stabilizing selection (PMSS) hypothesis, an accurate fit between flowers and their pollinators is likely to be more important for specialized pollination systems as found in many species with bilaterally symmetric (zygomorphic) flowers than for species with radially symmetric (actinomorphic) flowers. Methods In a comparative study of 15 zygomorphic and 13 actinomorphic species in Switzerland, we tested whether variation in flower size, among and within individuals, is smaller than variation in leaf size and whether variation in flower size is smaller in zygomorphic compared to actinomorphic species. Important findings Indeed, variation in leaf length was significantly larger than variation in flower length and width. Within-individual variation in flower and leaf sizes did not differ significantly between zygomorphic and actinomorphic species. In line with the predictions of the PMSS, among-individual variation in flower length and flower width was significantly smaller for zygomorphic species than for actinomorphic species, while the two groups did not differ in leaf length variation. This suggests that plants with zygomorphic flowers have undergone stronger selection for uniform flowers than plants with actinomorphic flowers. This supports that the relative uniformity of flowers compared to vegetative structures within species, as already observed in traditional plant systematics, is, at least in part, a consequence of the requirement for effective pollination.
Anomaly-based exploratory analysis and detection of exploits in android mediaserver

Smartphone platforms are becoming increasingly complex, which gives way to software vulnerabilities difficult to identify and that might allow malware developers to gain unauthorised privileges through technical exploitation. However, the authors maintain that these types of attacks indirectly renders a number of unexpected behaviours in the system that can be profiled. In this work, the authors present CoME , an anomaly-based methodology aiming at detecting software exploitation in Android systems. CoME models the normal behaviour of a given software component or service and it is capable of identifying any unanticipated behaviour. To this end, they first monitor the normal operation of a given exploitable component through lightweight virtual introspection. Then, they use a multivariate analysis approach to estimate the normality model and detect anomalies. They evaluate their system against one of the most critical vulnerable and widely exploited services in Android, i.e. the mediaserver. Results show that the proposed approach can not only provide a meaningful explanatory of discriminant features for illegitimate activities, but can also be used to accurately detect malicious software exploitations at runtime.
Micro fl uidic techniques for development of 3 D vascularized tissue

Development of a vascularized tissue is one of the key challenges for the successful clinical application of tissue engineered constructs. Despite the significant efforts over the last few decades, establishing a gold standard to develop three dimensional (3D) vascularized tissues has still remained far from reality. Recent advances in the application of microfluidic platforms to the field of tissue engineering have greatly accelerated the progress toward the development of viable vascularized tissue constructs. Numerous techniques have emerged to induce the formation of vascular structure within tissues which can be broadly classified into two distinct categories, namely (1) prevascularization-based techniques and (2) vasculogenesis and angiogenesis-based techniques. This review presents an overview of the recent advancements in the vascularization techniques using both approaches for generating 3D vascular structure on microfluidic platforms. 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The Association of Peroxiredoxin 4 with the Initiation and Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

AIMS Peroxiredoxin 4 (PRDX4) is a member of the peroxiredoxin family of antioxidant enzymes. Previously, we reported that PRDX4 can restrain the initiation and progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis by reducing local and systemic reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Oxidative stress is recognized as a key factor in hepatocarcinogenesis, and a high ROS level has also been found in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, our aim is to investigate roles of PRDX4 in the initiation and progression of HCC. RESULTS In this study, for hepatocarcinogenesis, wild-type (WT), PRDX4 knockout (PRDX4-/y), and human PRDX4 transgenic (hPRDX4+/+) mice were given a weekly intraperitoneal injection of diethylnitrosamine for 25 weeks. The HCC incidence was higher in PRDX4-/y mice than in WT or hPRDX4+/+ mice. Intrahepatic and circulating oxidative stress and inflammatory cell infiltration in the liver were obviously decreased in hPRDX4+/+ mice, compared with WT mice. Furthermore, in our cohort study, human HCC specimens with low expression of PRDX4 had higher ROS levels and a highly malignant phenotype, which was associated with a reduced overall survival, compared with those with high PRDX4 expression. However, in human HCC cell lines, PRDX4 knockdown led to a rapidly increased intracellular ROS level and suppressed cell proliferation, inducing cell death. Innovation and Conclusion: Our results clearly indicate that PRDX4 has an inhibitory effect in the initiation of HCC, but a dual (inhibitory or promoting) role in the progression of HCC, suggesting the potential utility of PRDX4 activators or inhibitors as therapy for different stages and phenotypes of HCC.
Trends in the use of puberty blockers among transgender children in the United States

Abstract Background: The objective of the study was to identify national trends in the utilization of histrelin acetate implants among transgender children in the United States. Methods: We analyzed demographic, diagnostic and treatment data from 2004 to 2016 on the use of histrelin acetate reported to the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) to determine the temporal trends in its use for transgender-related billing diagnoses, e.g. “gender identity disorder”. Demographic and payer status data on this patient population were also collected. Results: Between 2004 and 2016, the annual number of implants placed for a transgender-related diagnosis increased from 0 to 63. The average age for placement was 14 years. Compared to natal females, natal males were more likely to receive implants (57 vs. 46) and more likely to have implants placed at an older age (62% of natal males vs. 50% of natal females were ≥;13 years; p<0.04). The majority of children were White non-Hispanic (White: 60, minority: 21). When compared to the distribution of patients treated for precocious puberty (White: 1428, minority: 1421), White non-Hispanic patients were more likely to be treated with a histrelin acetate implant for a transgender-related diagnosis than minority patients (p<0.001). This disparity was present even among minority patients with commercial insurance (p<0.001). Conclusions: Utilization of histrelin acetate implants among transgender children has increased dramatically. Compared to natal females, natal males are more likely to receive implants and also more likely to receive implants at an older age. Treated transgender patients are more likely to be White when compared to the larger cohort of patients being treated with histrelin acetate for central precocious puberty (CPP), thus identifying a potential racial disparity in access to medically appropriate transgender care.
Bilateral reorganization of posterior temporal cortices in post‐lingual deafness and its relation to cochlear implant outcome

Post‐lingual deafness induces a decline in the ability to process phonological sounds or evoke phonological representations. This decline is paralleled with abnormally high neural activity in the right posterior superior temporal gyrus/supramarginal gyrus (PSTG/SMG). As this neural plasticity negatively relates to cochlear implantation (CI) success, it appears important to understand its determinants. We addressed the neuro‐functional mechanisms underlying this maladaptive phenomenon using behavioral and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data acquired in 10 normal‐hearing subjects and 10 post‐lingual deaf candidates for CI. We compared two memory tasks where subjects had to evoke phonological (speech) and environmental sound representations from visually presented items. We observed dissociations in the dynamics of right versus left PSTG/SMG neural responses as a function of duration of deafness. Responses in the left PSTG/SMG to phonological processing and responses in the right PSTG/SMG to environmental sound imagery both declined. However, abnormally high neural activity was observed in response to phonological visual items in the right PSTG/SMG, i.e., contralateral to the zone where phonological activity decreased. In contrast, no such responses (overactivation) were observed in the left PSTG/SMG in response to environmental sounds. This asymmetry in functional adaptation to deafness suggests that maladaptive reorganization of the right PSTG/SMG region is not due to balanced hemispheric interaction, but to a specific take‐over of the right PSTG/SMG region by phonological processing, presumably because speech remains behaviorally more relevant to communication than the processing of environmental sounds. These results demonstrate that cognitive long‐term alteration of auditory processing shapes functional cerebral reorganization. Hum Brain Mapp, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Dual Comparative Approach: Integrating Lines of Evidence from Human Evolutionary Neuroanatomy and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

The evolution of the human brain has been marked by a nearly 3-fold increase in size since our divergence from the last common ancestor shared with chimpanzees and bonobos. Despite increased interest in comparative neuroanatomy and phylogenetic methods, relatively little is known regarding the effects that this enlargement has had on its internal organization, and how certain areas of the brain have differentially expanded over evolutionary time. Analyses of the microstructure of several regions of the human cortex and subcortical structures have demonstrated subtle changes at the cellular and molecular level, suggesting that the human brain is more than simply a ‘scaled-up' primate brain. Ongoing research in comparative neuroanatomy has much to offer regarding our understanding of human brain evolution. Through analysis of the neuroanatomical phenotype at the level of reorganization in cytoarchitecture and cellular morphology, new data continue to highlight changes in cell density and organization associated with volumetric changes in discrete regions. An understanding of the functional significance of variation in neural circuitry can further be approached through studies of atypical human development. Many neurodevelopmental disorders cause disruption in systems associated with uniquely human features of cognition, including language and social cognition. Understanding the genetic and developmental mechanisms that underlie variation in the human cognitive phenotype can help to clarify the functional significance of interspecific variation. By uniting approaches from comparative neuroanatomy and neuropathology, insights can be gained that clarify trends in human evolution. Here, we explore these lines of evidence and their significance for understanding functional variation between species as well as within neuropathological variation in the human brain.
MaskFusion: Real-Time Recognition, Tracking and Reconstruction of Multiple Moving Objects

We present MaskFusion, a real-time, object-aware, semantic and dynamic RGB-D SLAM system that goes beyond traditional systems which output a purely geometric map of a static scene. MaskFusion recognizes, segments and assigns semantic class labels to different objects in the scene, while tracking and reconstructing them even when they move independently from the camera. As an RGB-D camera scans a cluttered scene, image-based instance-level semantic segmentation creates semantic object masks that enable realtime object recognition and the creation of an object-level representation for the world map. Unlike previous recognition-based SLAM systems, MaskFusion does not require known models of the objects it can recognize, and can deal with multiple independent motions. MaskFusion takes full advantage of using instance-level semantic segmentation to enable semantic labels to be fused into an object-aware map, unlike recent semantics enabled SLAM systems that perform voxel-level semantic segmentation. We show augmented-reality applications that demonstrate the unique features of the map output by MaskFusion: instance-aware, semantic and dynamic. Code will be made available.
An investigation into the patterns of loneliness and loss in the oldest old – Newcastle 85+ Study

ABSTRACT Old age is often characterised as being associated with neglect, isolation and loneliness, not least since established risks factors for loneliness include widowhood, living alone, depression and being female. Cross-sectional data have challenged the notion that loneliness is especially an old-age phenomenon but longitudinal data on loneliness is scarce. Moreover, an under-represented group in prior studies are the oldest old, those aged 85 years and more. This paper addresses these knowledge gaps using data from the Newcastle 85+ Study, a large population-based cohort aged 85 years at first interview with follow-up interviews at 18 months and three years. At baseline over half (55%) reported being always or often alone, and 41 per cent reported feeling more lonely than ten years previously, although only 2 per cent reported always feeling lonely. Women spent more time alone than men and reported more loneliness both currently and compared to the past. Length of widowhood was a key factor, with those recently widowed having twice the risk of feeling lonely and those widowed for five or more years having a lower risk of reporting increased loneliness. Overall, the findings show that loneliness is a minority experience in the oldest old but is strongly driven by length of widowhood, challenging the notion that loneliness in later life is a static experience.
Left Ventricular Hypertrophy and Chronic Renal Insufficiency in the Elderly

Background: The global population is aging. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women older than 65 years. In particular, elderly patients have an increased prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and chronic kidney disease (CKD), both of which predict increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. LVH and CKD frequently coexist in the elderly, and LVH is a powerful predictor of mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease. Key Messages: Several hemodynamic factors contribute to LVH and CKD in the elderly. Increased arterial stiffness in the elderly is associated with LVH and CKD. Studies using noninvasive measures of arterial stiffening have shown a correlation between these measures and LVH in patients with CKD. Hypertensive patients with an altered circadian blood pressure pattern such as nondippers have an increased incidence of LVH and CKD. Anemia is a risk factor for LVH in patients in all stages of CKD, and studies have shown correlations between age, anemia and LV mass. Nonhemodynamic factors include chronic inflammation, increased oxidative stress, and reduced autophagy, all of which are present in the elderly. Disordered mineral metabolism in the elderly with reduced levels of vitamin D and elevated levels of parathyroid hormone and phosphorus is associated with LVH and CKD. Conclusions: Multiple pathophysiologic mechanisms contribute to the development of LVH and CKD in the elderly. Future research should be directed at interfering with this development and reducing the burden of cardiovascular and renal diseases in this growing population. i 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel
SUITABLE CAVITIES AS A SCARCE RESOURCE FOR BOTH CAVITY AND NON-CAVITY NESTING BIRDS IN MANAGED TEMPERATE FORESTS. A CASE STUDY IN THE IBERIAN PENINSULA

SUMMARY. —Suitable cavities as a scarce resource for both cavity and non-cavity nesting birds in managed temperate forests. A case study in the Iberian Peninsula. Aims: To ascertain whether cavity-nesting bird communities are limited by experimentally-manipulated hole availability at managed beech and pine forests in northern Spanish highlands and to study the responses of non-cavity-nesting birds. Location: North of Navarre (Spain). Methods: Bird censuses were taken at breeding and wintering periods in study plots during 2001, 2002 and 2003. Nest boxes were placed in half of the study plots, and plots with and without nest boxes were compared for variation in nesting guild abundance and richness. Results: Results showed an increase in cavity-nesting bird abundance and species richness between two breeding periods and in abundance between two non-breeding periods in the plots where nest boxes were added in both types of forest. No difference in abundance or richness during breeding was observed for the non-cavity nesting birds in plots where there was an increase in the abundance of cavitynesters. However, an increase in abundance of non-cavity nesters in non-breeding periods was observed in plots where nest boxes were added in pine forests. Conclusion: Results suggest that cavity-nesting bird communities were limited by the availability of suitable natural holes in the two forest types studied and highlight the importance of cavities outside the breeding season as shelter or roosting places for both cavity and non-cavity nesting bird communities.
Stress and stem cells: adult Muse cells tolerate extensive genotoxic stimuli better than mesenchymal stromal cells

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are not a homogenous population but comprehend several cell types, such as stem cells, progenitor cells, fibroblasts, and other types of cells. Among these is a population of pluripotent stem cells, which represent around 1–3% of MSCs. These cells, named multilineage-differentiating stress enduring (Muse) cells, are stress-tolerant cells. Stem cells may undergo several rounds of intrinsic and extrinsic stresses due to their long life and must have a robust and effective DNA damage checkpoint and DNA repair mechanism, which, following a genotoxic episode, promote the complete recovery of cells rather than triggering senescence and/or apoptosis. We evaluated how Muse cells can cope with DNA damaging stress in comparison with MSCs. We found that Muse cells were resistant to chemical and physical genotoxic stresses better than non-Muse cells. Indeed, the level of senescence and apoptosis was lower in Muse cells. Our results proved that the DNA damage repair system (DDR) was properly activated following injury in Muse cells. While in non-Muse cells some anomalies may have occurred because, in some cases, the activation of the DDR persisted by 48 hr post damage, in others no activation took place. In Muse cells, the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) enzymatic activity increases compared to other cells, while single-strand repair activity (NER, BER) does not. In conclusion, the high ability of Muse cells to cope with genotoxic stress is related to their quick and efficient sensing of DNA damage and activation of DNA repair systems.
Neural Sentiment Classification with User and Product Attention

Document-level sentiment classiﬁcation aims to predict user’s overall sentiment in a document about a product. However, most of existing methods only focus on local text information and ignore the global user preference and product characteristics. Even though some works take such information into account, they usually suffer from high model complexity and only consider word-level preference rather than semantic levels. To address this issue, we propose a hierarchical neural network to incorporate global user and product information into sentiment clas-siﬁcation. Our model ﬁrst builds a hierarchical LSTM model to generate sentence and document representations. Afterwards, user and product information is considered via at-tentions over different semantic levels due to its ability of capturing crucial semantic components. The experimental results show that our model achieves signiﬁcant and consistent improvements compared to all state-of-the-art methods. The source code of this paper can be obtained from https://github. com/thunlp/NSC .