Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Human health, development legacies, and cumulative effects: environmental assessments of hydroelectric projects in the Nelson River watershed, Canada

ABSTRACT This article examines the current practice of assessing a project’s cumulative effects to health and well-being in a region characterized by a legacy of resource development and Indigenous land use. The context is hydroelectric development in northern Manitoba, Canada. Based on a review of environmental assessment (EA) regulatory applications and panel reports, results indicate that the consideration of health in EA has improved over time, with proponents adopting a holistic definition of health, but impact analyses remained restricted to physical health conditions with social and cultural health impacts to Indigenous communities receiving only limited attention. Multiple common indicators were identified across recent EA applications that relate to health and well-being, but they were not mapped to health determinants, supported by only limited analysis of causal mechanisms, and rarely used to assess the significance of project actions in combination with past projects and the enduring impacts of a 55-year legacy of hydroelectric development. The article concludes with a discussion of the state of practice and offers suggestions for improved coordination of EA for assessing cumulative effects to health and well-being, including adoption of Indigenous health determinants, and the roles of governments and proponents regarding the consideration of legacy effects in project reviews.
of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), International Tourism and Export Value on Economic Growth in Member Countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)

: Studies the effect of FDI, international tourism, export on economic growth have various results. Therefore, this study aims to determine the effect of FDI, international tourism, and exports on economic growth in OIC member countries in the 2010-2020 period using the panel data regression method. The number of samples used in this study were 45 countries. Simultaneously, there is a significant influence between the variables of FDI, international tourism, and export value on economic growth in OIC member countries. While partially FDI shows negative and significant results. On the other hand, international tourism has a positive and significant effect and exports also have a positive and significant effect. This study is only limited to 11 periods and three independent variables. For future researchers, it is expected to develop the number of variables and can increase the observation time.
Constrained Structured Regression with Convolutional Neural Networks

Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have recently emerged as the dominant model in computer vision. If provided with enough training data, they predict almost any visual quantity. In a discrete setting, such as classification, CNNs are not only able to predict a label but often predict a confidence in the form of a probability distribution over the output space. In continuous regression tasks, such a probability estimate is often lacking. We present a regression framework which models the output distribution of neural networks. This output distribution allows us to infer the most likely labeling following a set of physical or modeling constraints. These constraints capture the intricate interplay between different input and output variables, and complement the output of a CNN. However, they may not hold everywhere. Our setup further allows to learn a confidence with which a constraint holds, in the form of a distribution of the constrain satisfaction. We evaluate our approach on the problem of intrinsic image decomposition, and show that constrained structured regression significantly increases the state-of-the-art.
Probing Evolutionary Patterns in Neotropical Birds through DNA Barcodes

Background The Neotropical avifauna is more diverse than that of any other biogeographic region, but our understanding of patterns of regional divergence is limited. Critical examination of this issue is currently constrained by the limited genetic information available. This study begins to address this gap by assembling a library of mitochondrial COI sequences, or DNA barcodes, for Argentinian birds and comparing their patterns of genetic diversity to those of North American birds. Methodology and Principal Findings Five hundred Argentinian species were examined, making this the first major examination of DNA barcodes for South American birds. Our results indicate that most southern Neotropical bird species show deep sequence divergence from their nearest-neighbour, corroborating that the high diversity of this fauna is not based on an elevated incidence of young species radiations. Although species ages appear similar in temperate North and South American avifaunas, patterns of regional divergence are more complex in the Neotropics, suggesting that the high diversity of the Neotropical avifauna has been fueled by greater opportunities for regional divergence. Deep genetic splits were observed in at least 21 species, though distribution patterns of these lineages were variable. The lack of shared polymorphisms in species, even in species with less than 0.5M years of reproductive isolation, further suggests that selective sweeps could regularly excise ancestral mitochondrial polymorphisms. Conclusions These findings confirm the efficacy of species delimitation in birds via DNA barcodes, even when tested on a global scale. Further, they demonstrate how large libraries of a standardized gene region provide insight into evolutionary processes.
Invitro interactionsoftobramycinwithvariousnonantibiotics againstPseudomonasaeruginosa andBurkholderia cenocepacia

Invitro interactionsoftobramycinwithvariousnonantibiotics againstPseudomonasaeruginosa andBurkholderia cenocepacia Puthayalai Treerat, Fred Widmer, Peter G. Middleton, Jon Iredell & Anthony M. George Department of Medical and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Westmead, Australia; and Ludwig Engel Centre for Respiratory Research, University of Sydney, Westmead Millennium Institute, Westmead, Australia
Proviral-activated c-erbB is leukemogenic but not sarcomagenic: characterization of a replication-competent retrovirus containing the activated c-erbB

Avian leukosis virus (ALV) induces erythroblastosis in chickens by integrating its DNA into the host c-erbB locus and by activating expression of truncated c-erbB transcripts. Although there is a 100% correlation of c-erbB activation with ALV-induced erythroblastosis, direct evidence that the activated c-erbB is oncogenic has not been established. We have constructed a replication-competent retrovirus containing the activated c-erbB to investigate its transforming potential. The Rous c-erbB virus (REB-c) was constructed by inserting the activated c-erbB cDNA into a Rous sarcoma virus vector in place of src. When transfected into transformed quail fibroblasts (QT6), the REB-c construct stably integrates and expresses c-erbB-specific transcripts and produces infectious virus. The REB-c retrovirus produces short-latency polyclonal erythroblastosis in chickens. However, in contrast to avian erythroblastosis virus which contains v-erbB, the REB-c construct does not transform chicken embryo fibroblasts in vitro, nor does the REB-c virus produce sarcomas when injected into the wing web of chickens. Our results provide the first direct evidence that the activated c-erbB which lacks the amino-terminal extracellular domain but which retains the entire carboxy-terminal sequences is leukemogenic but not sarcomagenic.
The safety of conization in the management of adenocarcinoma in situ of the uterine cervix

Objective To evaluate the occurrence of residual or recurrent disease after conization for adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) of the uterine cervix. Methods Medical records of 99 patients with a histologically diagnosis of AIS of the uterine cervix by conization between 1991 and 2008 were reviewed retrospectively. Results Seventy eight of 99 patients (78.8%) had negative and 18 (18.2%) had positive resection margins of the conization specimen, and 3 (3.0%) had unknown margin status. Of the 78 patients with negative margins, 45 underwent subsequent hysterectomy and residual AIS were present in 4.4% (2/45) of patients. Ten of the 18 patients with positive margins received subsequent hysterectomy and 3 patients (30%) had residual AIS. Twenty-eight patients had conservative treatment and during the median follow-up time of 23.5 months (range, 7 to 124 months), only one patient (3.6%) had recurrent AIS and was treated with a simple hysterectomy. Eight patients became pregnant after conization, 4 of them delivered healthy babies, one had a spontaneous abortion and 3 were ongoing pregnancies. Conclusion Patients with positive resection margins after conization for AIS of the uterine cervix are significantly more likely to have residual disease. However, negative resection margin carries a lower risk for residual AIS, therefore conservative management with careful surveillance seems to be feasible in women who wish to preserve their fertility.
Antagonistic Activities of Some Fungal Strains against the Toxigenic Aspergillus flavus Isolate and its Aflatoxins Productivity

Antagonistic activities of 14 fungal isolates were evaluated in vitro against the toxigenic Aspergillus flavus strain isolated form wheat in Saudi Arabia using dual culture technique. Eight of the fourteen fungal strains showed an inhibitory effect to Aspergillus flavus . Non-toxigenic strain of A. flavus and Trichoderma harzianum proved to be highly antagonistic and completely inhibited the aflatoxin B 2 produced by the toxigenic A. flavus isolate. Non-toxigenic A. flavus isolate, T. harzianum, T. viride , T. sp and Fusarium moniliforme showed a strong antagonism and inhibited aflatoxins production by 94.13, 91.2, 82.91, 80.1 and 77.68%, respectively. The aggressive behavior towards the toxigenic A. flavus demonstrated by T. harzianum could be explained by mycoparasitism while the inhibitory effect of T. viride and other antagonistic isolates could be explained by liberation of extracellular enzymes secreted by these fungi or production of an inhibitory volatile compounds. Non-toxigenic A. flavus isolate was able to inhibit aflatoxins production by interruption the aflatoxins biosynthetic pathway enzymes in the toxigenic A . flavus strain. These fungal strains which proved to be effective and environmentally safer are useful in limiting or preventing toxigensis of A.flavus isolate and may be applicable as biological control avoiding unwanted health and environment risks of chemical fungicides.
Improved Algorithms for Convex Minimization in Relative Scale

In this paper we propose two modifications to Nesterov’s algorithms for minimizing convex functions in relative scale. The first is based on a bisection technique and leads to improved theoretical iteration complexity, and the second is a heuristic for avoiding restarting behavior. The fastest of our algorithms produces a solution within relative error O(1/k) of the optimum, with k being the iteration counter.
Computation of electric and magnetic stimulation in human head using the 3-D impedance method

A comparative, computational study of the modeling of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is presented using a human head model. The magnetic fields from a typical TMS coil of figure-eight type is modeled using the Biot-Savart law. The TMS coil is placed in a position used clinically for treatment of depression. Induced current densities and electric field distributions are calculated in the model using the impedance method. The calculations are made using driving currents and wave forms typical in the clinical setting. The obtained results are compared and contrasted with the corresponding ECT results. In the ECT case, a uniform current density is injected on one side of the head and extracted from the equal area on the opposite side of the head. The area of the injected currents corresponds to the electrode placement used in the clinic. The currents and electric fields, thus, produced within the model are computed using the same three-dimensional impedance method as used for the TMS case. The ECT calculations are made using currents and wave forms typical in the clinic. The electrical tissue properties are obtained from a 4-Cole-Cole model. The numerical results obtained are shown on a two-dimenaional cross section of the model. In this study, we find that the current densities and electric fields in the ECT case are stronger and deeper penetrating than the corresponding TMS quantities but both methods show biologically interesting current levels deep inside the brain.
Open Research

Compelling experimental and clinical evidence supports a role for maternal obesity in offspring health. Adult children of obese mothers are at greater risk of obesity, diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke. These offspring may also be at greater risk of age-related neurodegenerative diseases for which mid-life obesity is a risk factor. Rodent diet-induced obesity models have shown that high fat (HF) diet consumption damages the integrity of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) in the adult brain. However, there is currently little information about the effect of chronic HF feeding on the BBB of aged animals. Moreover, the long-term consequences of maternal obesity on the cerebrovasculature of aged offspring are not known. This study determined the impact of pre- and post-natal HF diet on the structure and integrity of cerebral blood vessels in aged male and female mice. Female C57Bl/6 mice were fed either a 10% fat control (C) or 45% HF diet before mating and during gestation and lactation. At weaning, male and female offspring were fed the C or HF diet until sacriﬁce at 16-months of age. Both dams and offspring fed the HF diet weighed signiﬁcantly more than mice fed the C diet. Post-natal HF diet exposure increased hippocampal BBB leakiness in female offspring, in association with loss of astrocyte endfoot coverage of arteries. Markers of tight junctions, pericytes or smooth muscle cells were not altered by pre- or post-natal HF diet. Male offspring born to HF-fed mothers showed decreased parenchymal GFAP expression compared to offspring of mothers fed C diet, while microglial and macrophage markers were higher in the same female diet group. In addition, female offspring exposed to the HF diet for their entire lifespan showed more signiﬁcant changes in vessel structure, BBB permeability and inﬂammation compared to male animals. These results suggest that the long-term impact of prenatal HF diet on the integrity of cerebral blood vessels differs between male and female offspring depending on the post-natal diet. This may have implications for the prevention and management of age- and obesity-related cerebrovascular diseases that differentially affect men and women.
Are there skills payoffs in low- and middle-income countries ? empirical evidence using STEP data

Most research on the economic payoffs of skills has used individuals' level of schooling attained -- typically years or level of education or training received—as a key proxy for skills. Such research has consistently found that individual returns to schooling are positive and that returns tend to be higher in low- and middle-income countries than in higher-income countries. However, years in school is only one proxy for skills -- are these returns still observed using other measures as proxies? This study uses data from the STEP Skills Measurement Survey to examine the extent to which there is an independent association between cognitive and noncognitive skills and earnings in low- and middle-income countries. The study uses measures of reading proficiency and complexity of on-the-job computer tasks to proxy cognitive skills, and personality and behavioral measures to proxy noncognitive skills. The results demonstrate that even when controlling for schooling and background factors, these skills pay off in the labor market. This is particularly the case for the measures of cognitive skills, while noncognitive skills show some significant, but small, effects on earnings. The findings also suggest that there is significant heterogeneity across countries in how skills are valued in the labor market.
Navigability with Imperfect Information

The article studies navigability of an autonomous agent in a maze where some rooms may be indistinguishable. In a previous work the authors have shown that the properties of navigability in such a setting depend on whether an agent has perfect recall. Navigability by an agent with perfect recall is a transitive relation and without is not transitive. This article introduces a notion of restricted navigability and shows that a certain form of transitivity holds for restricted navigability, even for an agent without perfect recall. The main technical result is a sound and complete logical system describing the properties of restricted navigability.
Journal of Plant Protection and Pathology

Wax moth ( Galleria mellonella ) is serious pests of beeswax worldwide. These study was conducted to estimate the effectiveness of three plant oils (Lemongrass oil, Moringa oil and Pumpkin oil), argon gas and conjunction of them to develop alternative method of controlling the 4 th larval instar of G. mellonella . Potential activities of active ingredients on mortality percentage and duration of exposure to wax moth at four concentrations (3, 1.50, 0.75and0.37%v/w) were estimated. Data cleared that the mortality effect depends on applied material type and concentration. Lemongrass oil was recorded (100%) larval mortality 7 days post-treatment, being of highest activity comparing with the two other materials and control. Results showed that after 3 days post-treatments by Lemongrass oil, the LC 50 value was 2.18 % (v/w). The LT 50 values against the 4 th larval instar of G. mellonella were 22.48, 45.09 and 68.04 hr. for Argon 100, 80 and 60%, respectively. In general, the larval mortality was higher in binary treatments (plant oils (LC 50 ) mixed with Aragon gas) than individual treatments only by the oil. It was the best treatment Lemongrass oil (LC 50 2.18) +Ar. (100) where the full mortality (100.0%) of larvae was achieved 24 hours after treatment, treatment with this combination Lemongrass oil (LC 50 2.18)+Ar. (100) increased AchE and decreased Cytochrome P-450, GST, α-amylase and invertase when compared to the control. However, these results clarified the necessity to more research in order to affirm their effect in the field and honeybee.
Opposite effects of glucagon and insulin on compensation for spectacle lenses in chicks.

PURPOSE Chick eyes compensate for the defocus imposed by positive or negative spectacle lenses. Glucagon may signal the sign of defocus. Do insulin (or IGF-1) and glucagon act oppositely in controlling eye growth, as they do in metabolic pathways and in control of retinal neurogenesis? METHODS Chicks, wearing lenses or diffusers or neither over both eyes, were injected with glucagon, a glucagon antagonist, insulin, or IGF-1 in one eye (saline in the other eye). Alternatively, chicks without lenses received insulin plus glucagon in one eye, and either glucagon or insulin in the fellow eye. Ocular dimensions, refractive errors, and glycosaminoglycan synthesis were measured over 2 to 4 days. RESULTS Glucagon attenuated the myopic response to negative lenses or diffusers by slowing ocular elongation and thickening the choroid; in contrast, with positive lenses, it increased ocular elongation to normal levels and reduced choroidal thickening, as did a glucagon antagonist. Insulin prevented the hyperopic response to positive lenses by speeding ocular elongation and thinning the choroid. In eyes without lenses, both insulin and IGF-1 speeded, and glucagon slowed, ocular elongation, but glucagon and insulin each increased the rate of thickening of the crystalline lens. When injected together, insulin blocked choroidal thickening by glucagon, at a dose that did not, by itself, thin the choroid. CONCLUSIONS Glucagon and insulin (or IGF-1) cause generally opposite modulations of eye growth, with glucagon mostly increasing choroidal thickness and insulin mostly increasing ocular elongation. These effects are mutually inhibitory and depend on the visual input.
The Pore of Plant K+ Channels Is Involved in Voltage and pH Sensing: Domain-Swapping between Different K+ Channel α-Subunits

Plant K+ uptake channel types differ with respect to their voltage, Ca2+, and pH dependence. Here, we constructed recombinant chimeric channels between KST1, a member of the inward-rectifying, acid-activated KAT1 family, and AKT3, a member of the weakly voltage-dependent, proton-blocked AKT2/3 family. The homologous pore regions of AKT3 (amino acids 216 to 287) and KST1 (amino acids 217 to 289) have been exchanged to generate the two chimeric channels AKT3/(p)KST1 and KST1/(p)AKT3. In contrast to AKT3 wild-type channels, AKT3/(p)KST1 revealed a strong inward rectification reminiscent of that of KST1. Correspondingly, the substitution of the KST1 by the AKT3 pore led to less pronounced rectification properties of KST1/(p)AKT3 compared with wild-type KST1. Besides the voltage dependence, the interaction between the chimera and extracellular H+ and Ca2+ resembled the properties of the inserted rather than the respective wild-type pore. Whereas AKT3/(p)KST1 was acid activated and Ca2+ insensitive, extracellular protons and Ca2+ inhibited KST1/(p)AKT3. The regulation of the chimeric channels by cytoplasmic protons followed the respective wild-type backbone of the chimeric channels, indicating that the intracellular pH sensor is located outside the P domain. We thus conclude that essential elements for external pH and Ca2+ regulation and for the rectification of voltage-dependent K+ uptake channels are located within the channel pore.
Exploring "Associative Talk": When German Mothers Instruct Their Two Year Olds about Spatial Tasks

In this study, maternal semantic input was analyzed during a task, in which German mothers instructed their two-year-old children to put two objects together in a particular way. In the setting, the spatial relation (ON and UNDER) and the canonicality of these relations (canonical such as ‘an iron on an ironing board’ and noncanonical like ‘a cup under a table’) were varied and related to children’s spatial cognitive skills. Two kinds of discourse strategies are proposed that characterize mothers’ semantic input in this task: bring-in and follow-in. For the analysis, an automatic procedure was developed, in which the amount of words spent on a strategy was related to the overall word amount. The data suggest that the canonicality of the task can change the discourse: Bring-in strategies dominated the discourse in the UNDER tasks with canonical spatial relations while in the more difficult non-canonical tasks, mothers used follow-ins significantly more often than in the canonical tasks. Together, the results of this study shed light on the process of an on-line adaptation of the mother to her child and give us insight into how a situated understanding in a task-oriented discourse emerges.