Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Pb‐resistant plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria inoculation on growth and lead uptake by Lathyrus sativus

In search of efficient and resistant plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) strains with multiple activities, a total of twelve bacterial belonging to R. leguminosarum, S. meliloti, Pseudomonas sp. , P. fluorescens, Luteibacter sp. , Variovorax sp. , B. simplex, and B. megaterium were isolated from root nodules of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) grown in contaminated soils. Upon screening, all test strains were able to synthesize indoleacetic acid; more than 90% were siderophore producers and 75% showed varying levels of phosphate solubilizing ability. The gaseous metabolite biosynthesis showed that 42% of strains were cyanogenic. The lead (Pb) bioaccumulation differs with incubation times between cell wall and cytoplasm. Indeed, the most part of Pb was adsorbed to cell surface. A pot experiment was conducted for investigating the capability of combined bacteria to promote plant growth of Lathyrus sativus under controlled conditions. Subsequently, the performance of symbiosis Lathyrus sativus‐PGPR (I4: R. leguminosarum (M5) + B. simplex + Luteibacter sp. + Variovorax sp. ) was investigated under lead stress using hydroponic culture to elucidate the effect of bacterial inoculation on Pb uptake as well as plant growth. Results showed that under 0.5 mM Pb, inoculation with I4 significantly increased shoots and roots biomass by 59% and 56%, respectively, and improved Pb uptake in both shoots and roots by 39% and 47%, respectively, as compared to uninoculated plants. The inoculation of Lathyrus sativus with efficient and Pb resistant PGPR is a promising symbiosis that having significant potential to improve phytoremediation of Pb‐polluted soils.
Life Skill Development: Educational Empowerment of Adolescent Girls

Adolescence is a vital stage of growth and development. It is characterized by rapid physiological changes and psychological maturation. As adolescents mature, their mental process becomes more analytical, developing abstract thinking and independent ideology. As today’s adolescent girls are tomorrow’s women, imparting education and developing life skills and capabilities in them have prime importance Life skill education promotes mental well being and equips them to face the realities of life. The present study was conducted to know the life skill development among rural adolescent girls and impact of intervention on life skills. The sample for the study comprised of 120 adolescent girls studying in 8th and 9 th standards of Uppinbetageri and Amminbavi villages of Dharwadtaluk. The girls belonging to age range of 13 to 15 years were randomly selected for the study. Checklists were used to collect the information regarding various life skills such as problem solving ability, creative thinking, critical thinking, coping with stress and empathy. The results of the study revealed that at pre test, majority of the adolescent girls experienced medium level of creative thinking (55%) and empathy (76.7%). About 7.5 per cent had high level of critical thinking, coping with stress (70.9%) and problem solving ability (65.8%). After the intervention, majority of adolescent girls had high level of critical thinking (94.16%) followed by coping with stress (79.12%), problem solving (70%), creative thinking (50%) and empathy (57.5%). Thus, the intervention on life skill education is helpful for the rural adolescent girls to take positive actions and improving their coping skills of stress and problem solving ability.
Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Curcumin-Mediated Therapeutic Effects in Type 2 Diabetes and Cancer

The growing prevalence of age-related diseases, especially type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cancer, has become global health and economic problems. Due to multifactorial nature of both diseases, their pathophysiology is not completely understood so far. Compelling evidence indicates that increased oxidative stress, resulting from an imbalance between production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and their clearance by antioxidant defense mechanisms, as well as the proinflammatory state contributes to the development and progression of the diseases. Curcumin (CUR; diferuloylmethane), a well-known polyphenol derived from the rhizomes of turmeric Curcuma longa, has attracted a great deal of attention as a natural compound with beneficial antidiabetic and anticancer properties, partly due to its antioxidative and anti-inflammatory actions. Although this polyphenolic compound is increasingly being recognized for its growing number of protective health effects, the precise molecular mechanisms through which it reduces diabetes- and cancer-related pathological events have not been fully unraveled. Hence, CUR is the subject of intensive research in the fields Diabetology and Oncology as a potential candidate in the treatment of both T2DM and cancer, particularly since current therapeutic options for their treatment are not satisfactory in clinics. In this review, we summarize the recent progress made on the molecular targets and pathways involved in antidiabetic and anticancer activities of CUR that are responsible for its beneficial health effects.
Development of an Effective Chain Elongation Process From Acidified Food Waste and Ethanol Into n-Caproate

Introduction: Medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs), such as n-caproate, are potential valuable platform chemicals. MCFAs can be produced from low-grade organic residues by anaerobic reactor microbiomes through two subsequent biological processes: hydrolysis combined with acidogenesis and chain elongation. Continuous chain elongation with organic residues becomes effective when the targeted MCFA(s) are produced at high concentrations and rates, while excessive ethanol oxidation and base consumption are limited. The objective of this study was to develop an effective continuous chain elongation process with hydrolyzed and acidified food waste and additional ethanol. Results: We fed acidified food waste (AFW) and ethanol to an anaerobic reactor while operating the reactor at long (4 d) and at short (1 d) hydraulic retention time (HRT). At long HRT, n-caproate was continuously produced (5.5 g/L/d) at an average concentration of 23.4 g/L. The highest n-caproate concentration was 25.7 g/L which is the highest reported n-caproate concentration in a chain elongation process to date. Compared to short HRT (7.1 g/L n-caproate at 5.6 g/L/d), long HRT resulted in 6.2 times less excessive ethanol oxidation. This led to a two times lower ethanol consumption and a two times lower base consumption per produced MCFA at long HRT compared to short HRT. Conclusions: Chain elongation from AFW and ethanol is more effective at long HRT than at short HRT not only because it results in a higher concentration of MCFAs but also because it leads to a more efficient use of ethanol and base. The HRT did not influence the n-caproate production rate. The obtained n-caproate concentration is more than twice as high as the maximum solubility of n-caproic acid in water which is beneficial for its separation from the fermentation broth. This study does not only set the record on the highest n-caproate concentration observed in a chain elongation process to date, it notably demonstrates that such high concentrations can be obtained from AFW under practical circumstances in a continuous process.
The Status of the Race Concept in Contemporary Biological Anthropology: A Review

Abstract The race concept dominated the study of human biological variation for centuries. Prior to, and especially after, the Second World War, a number of anthropologists questioned the scientific value of the concept, initiating a debate over ‘the existence of human races’. Research suggests that the debate has still not been resolved, as significant differences exist among anthropologists from different countries and regions of the world. In some places the concept of race seems to be falling out of favour (e.g., the USA and Western Europe), while in others it is generally accepted (e.g., China and Eastern Europe). The reasons for these differences are many and complex. They are of a scientific, ideological and professional nature. Furthermore, it would appear that chance, especially in smaller countries, plays a significant role in the attitudes of biological anthropologists towards the race concept.
Optimism and Attributional Retraining: Longitudinal Effects on Academic Achievement, Test Anxiety, and Voluntary Course Withdrawal in College Students1

A longitudinal study examined how optimism and attributional retraining (AR) influenced 256 first-year college students' test anxiety, cumulative academic achievement, and course persistence in college over an academic year. Students' optimism was assessed at the start of the academic year and they were assigned to either an AR or no-AR (control) condition. Measures of students' test anxiety, cumulative grade point average, and voluntary course withdrawal were obtained at the end of the academic year. Results suggest that although high optimism was an academic risk factor among students who did not receive AR, high-optimism students who did receive the AR cognitive intervention benefited from its effects to a greater extent than did low-optimism students.
Reliable numerical key rates for quantum key distribution

In this work, we present a reliable, efficient, and tight numerical method for calculating key rates for finite-dimensional quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols. We illustrate our approach by finding higher key rates than those previously reported in the literature for several interesting scenarios (e.g., the Trojan-horse attack and the phase-coherent BB84 protocol). Our method will ultimately improve our ability to automate key rate calculations and, hence, to develop a user-friendly software package that could be used widely by QKD researchers.
Years of life lost due to encounters with law enforcement in the USA, 2015–2016

Background To inform discussions on rates, burden and priority-setting in relation to police violence, we quantified the number and rate of years of life lost (YLLs) due to police violence by race/ethnicity and age in the USA, 2015–2016. Methods We used data on the number of deaths due to police violence from ‘The Counted’, a media-based source compiled by The Guardian. YLLs are the difference between an individual’s age at death and their corresponding standard life expectancy at age of death. Results There were 57 375 and 54 754 YLLs due to police violence in 2015 and 2016, respectively. People of colour comprised 38.5% of the population, but 51.5% of YLLs. YLLs were greatest among those aged 25–34 years, and the number of YLLs at younger ages was greater among people of colour than whites. Conclusions The number of YLLs due to police violence is substantial. YLLs highlight that police violence disproportionately impacts young people, and the young people affected are disproportionately people of colour. Framing police violence as an important cause of deaths among young adults provides another valuable lens to motivate prevention efforts.
Immune checkpoint blockade for the treatment of human hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers with a high recurrence rate. Currently, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are the first‐line treatment for cases refractory to conventional therapies. However, the acquisition of somatic mutations can result in TKI resistance. Clinical evidence suggests that acquired immunity contributes to the suppression of tumor recurrence, indicating the potential of induced antitumor immune reaction for the treatment of HCC. Recently, immune checkpoint inhibitors have become available for the treatment of malignancies. They are effective regardless of the response to prior therapies and a durable effect can be expected, which should be attributed to an adaptive immunity to HCC components. The results of phase I/II trials of nivolumab, an anti‐programmed cell death‐1 antibody, showed that 20% of patients showed objective response and that nivolumab was effective regardless of prior sorafenib treatment and viral status. Nivolumab received expedited Food and Drug Administration approval in 2017 for the treatment of advanced HCC after failure or intolerance to sorafenib. However, the majority of the patients remain refractory, likely due to the solid immune suppressive status, which involves many stromal cells, humoral mediators, and suppressive checkpoint molecules. Therefore, current clinical trials are focusing on how immunosuppressive conditions in HCC might be overcome using immune checkpoint inhibitors in combination with different types of immune checkpoint blockades, TKIs, and other conventional treatments. The development of immune checkpoint inhibitors is rapidly progressing and these inhibitors are likely to be key agents for HCC treatment in the near feature.
Pairwise Stable Matching in Large Economies

We formulate a stability notion for two‐sided pairwise matching problems with individually insignificant agents in distributional form. Matchings are formulated as joint distributions over the characteristics of the populations to be matched. Spaces of characteristics can be high‐dimensional and need not be compact. Stable matchings exist with and without transfers, and stable matchings correspond precisely to limits of stable matchings for finite‐agent models. We can embed existing continuum matching models and stability notions with transferable utility as special cases of our model and stability notion. In contrast to finite‐agent matching models, stable matchings exist under a general class of externalities.
The Use of Tooth Particles as a Biomaterial in Post-Extraction Sockets. Experimental Study in Dogs

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate new bone formation derived from freshly crushed extracted teeth, grafted immediately in post-extraction sites in an animal model, compared with sites without graft filling, evaluated at 30 and 90 days. Material and Methods: The bilateral premolars P2, P3, P4 and the first mandibular molar were extracted atraumatically from six Beagle dogs. The clean, dry teeth were ground immediately using the Smart Dentin Grinder. The tooth particles obtained were subsequently sieved through a special sorting filter into two compartments; the upper container isolating particles over 1200 μm, the lower container isolated particles over 300 μm. The crushed teeth were grafted into the post-extraction sockets at P3, P4 and M1 (test group) (larger and smaller post-extraction alveoli), while P2 sites were left unfilled and acted as a control group. Tissue healing and bone formation were evaluated by histological and histomorphometric analysis after 30 and 90 days. Results: At 30 days, test site bone formation was greater in the test group than the control group (p < 0.05); less immature bone was observed in the test group (25.71%) than the control group (55.98%). At 90 days, significant differences in bone formation were found with more in the test group than the control group. No significant differences were found in new bone formation when comparing the small and large alveoli post-extraction sites. Conclusions: Tooth particles extracted from dog’s teeth, grafted immediately after extractions can be considered a suitable biomaterial for socket preservation.
Long-term total sleep deprivation reduces thalamic gray matter volume in healthy men

Sleep loss can alter extrinsic, task-related functional MRI signals involved in attention, memory, and executive function. However, the effects of sleep loss on brain structure have not been well characterized. Recent studies with patients with sleep disorders and animal models have demonstrated reduction of regional brain structure in the hippocampus and thalamus. In this study, using T1-weighted MRI, we examined the change of regional gray matter volume in healthy adults after long-term total sleep deprivation (∼72 h). Regional volume changes were explored using voxel-based morphometry with a paired two-sample t-test. The results revealed significant loss of gray matter volume in the thalamus but not in the hippocampus. No overall decrease in whole brain gray matter volume was noted after sleep deprivation. As expected, sleep deprivation significantly reduced visual vigilance as assessed by the continuous performance test, and this decrease was correlated significantly with reduced regional gray matter volume in thalamic regions. This study provides the first evidence for sleep loss-related changes in gray matter in the healthy adult brain.
Implementation of Cyber-Physical Production Systems for Quality Prediction and Operation Control in Metal Casting

The prediction of internal defects of metal casting immediately after the casting process saves unnecessary time and money by reducing the amount of inputs into the next stage, such as the machining process, and enables flexible scheduling. Cyber-physical production systems (CPPS) perfectly fulfill the aforementioned requirements. This study deals with the implementation of CPPS in a real factory to predict the quality of metal casting and operation control. First, a CPPS architecture framework for quality prediction and operation control in metal-casting production was designed. The framework describes collaboration among internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence, simulations, manufacturing execution systems, and advanced planning and scheduling systems. Subsequently, the implementation of the CPPS in actual plants is described. Temperature is a major factor that affects casting quality, and thus, temperature sensors and IoT communication devices were attached to casting machines. The well-known NoSQL database, HBase and the high-speed processing/analysis tool, Spark, are used for IoT repository and data pre-processing, respectively. Many machine learning algorithms such as decision tree, random forest, artificial neural network, and support vector machine were used for quality prediction and compared with R software. Finally, the operation of the entire system is demonstrated through a CPPS dashboard. In an era in which most CPPS-related studies are conducted on high-level abstract models, this study describes more specific architectural frameworks, use cases, usable software, and analytical methodologies. In addition, this study verifies the usefulness of CPPS by estimating quantitative effects. This is expected to contribute to the proliferation of CPPS in the industry.
Improving the Enhanced Cognitive Interview With a New Interview Strategy: Category Clustering Recall

Summary Increasing recall is crucial for investigative interviews. The enhanced cognitive interview (ECI) has been widely used for this purpose and found to be generally effective. We focused on further increasing recall with a new interview strategy, category clustering recall (CCR). Participants watched a mock robbery video and were interviewed 48 hours later with either the (i) ECI; (ii) revised enhanced cognitive interview 1 (RECI1) — with CCR instead of the change order mnemonic during the second recall; or (iii) revised enhanced cognitive interview 2 (RECI2) — also with CCR but conjunctly used with ‘eye closure’ and additional open-ended follow up questions. Participants interviewed with CCR (RECI1 and RECI2) produced more information without compromising accuracy; thus, CCR was effective. Eye closure and additional open-ended follow up questions did not further influence recall when using CCR. Major implications for real-life investigations are discussed.Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Forms and Functions of Adolescent Peer Aggression Associated With High Levels of Peer Status

Concurrent (Study 1) and longitudinal (Study 2) associations between adolescents' aggression, victimization, and high status were examined to test the hypothesis that forms and functions of aggression most likely to affect the status hierarchy will be associated with reputation-based measures of popularity. In Study 1, 235 10th -grade adolescents' overt, relational, and reputational forms of aggression and victimization were assessed. Functions of aggression (instrumental, reactive, bullying) within each form were also examined. Results supported the general prediction that aggression is associated with high peer-perceived popularity, but low likability (i.e., social preference) among peers. Significant curvilinear trends revealed a subtle association between aggression and low levels of popularity as well. Regarding forms and functions, results indicated that both the provocateurs and targets of reputational aggression had high levels of peer-perceived popularity; proactive uses of aggression were also associated with high popularity among adolescents, while reactive aggression was associated with low social preference. Longitudinal analyses of the same participants in Study 2 indicated that high peer-perceived popularity and low social preference predicted all forms of aggressive behavior over a 17-month interval. Overall, the results reveal complex associations between aggression and status that help to explain possible social reinforcement associated with aggression and clarify the pattern of heterogeneous aggressive behaviors exhibited by adolescents at various points along the status continuum.
Eulerian video magnification and analysis

The world is filled with important, but visually subtle signals. A person's pulse, the breathing of an infant, the sag and sway of a bridge---these all create visual patterns, which are too difficult to see with the naked eye. We present Eulerian Video Magnification, a computational technique for visualizing subtle color and motion variations in ordinary videos by making the variations larger. It is a microscope for small changes that are hard or impossible for us to see by ourselves. In addition, these small changes can be quantitatively analyzed and used to recover sounds from vibrations in distant objects, characterize material properties, and remotely measure a person's pulse.
Longitudinal MRI dynamics of recent small subcortical infarcts and possible predictors

We aimed to explore the morphological evolution of recent small subcortical infarcts (RSSIs) over 15 months. Moreover, we hypothesized that quantitative lesion apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and serum neurofilament light (NfL) levels predict subsequent lacunar cavitation. We prospectively studied 78 RSSI patients, who underwent pre-defined follow-up investigations three and 15 months poststroke using 3 T MRI including high-resolution T1 sequences. To identify potential predictors of cavitation, we determined RSSI size and quantitative ADC values, and serum NfL using the SIMOA technique. The majority of RSSIs showed cavitation at three months (n = 61, 78%) with only minimal changes regarding cavitation status thereafter. The maximum axial lacunar diameter decreased from 8 mm at three to 7 mm at 15 months (p < 0.05). RSSIs which cavitated had lower lesional ADC values and were associated with higher baseline NfL levels compared to those without cavitation, but did not differ regarding lesion size. In logistic regression analysis, only baseline NfL levels predicted cavitation (p = 0.017). In this prospective study using predefined high-resolution MRI protocols, the majority of RSSIs evolved into lacunes during the first three months poststroke with not much change thereafter. Serum NfL seems to be a promising biomarker for more advanced subsequent tissue destruction in RSSIs.