Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Repellent Activity of Waste Extract from Two Local Medicinal Plant Against Rice Weevil (Sitophilus oryzae)

In order to find natural and inexpensive bioinsecticides, the active compound of waste extract from two medicinal plants were analyzed. Ethanolic extracts of Amomum cardamomum and Zingiber zerumbet were evaluated under laboratory conditions for their repellency against rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae, L.). Four extracts concentration were tested in this research, i.e: 25, 50, 75 and 100%. Efficacy was measured based on the response of rice weevil in preference tests using Y Olfactometer Tube, then the results were converted into the Percentage Repellency (PR) and Preference Index (PI). The PR data were analyzed using ANOVA, whereas PI values were analyzed descriptively. The result showed that the PR were significantly (LSD test; α> 0.05) and revealed that waste extracts repel the rice weevil at 100% solution. The highest PR was found at 100% solution in both extracts, however, statistically the repellency of A. cardamomum waste extract was higher than Z. zerumbet’s. Likewise, the PI of both extracts showed negative value at 75 and 100% concentration. This study concluded that extract of A. cardamomum and Z. zerumbet wastes have repellent effect against rice weevil and A. cardamomum repellency is better than Z. zerumbet. The findings of this study can provide a useful information for development of a rice weevil repellent extracted from waste product of medicinal plants that is more economically and environmentally friendly than synthetic insect repellents.
The Comparison of the Analgesic Effect of Intravenous Acetaminophen with Fentanyl in Thoracic and Abdominal Surgeries of Newborns

Background The use of opioid drugs for controlling pain during and after surgery is a common but complicated procedure in neonatal anesthesia. This study compared the analgesic effect of acetaminophen with fentanyl after abdominal and chest surgery in Iranian newborns. Materials and Methods This randomized, double-blind clinical trial was conducted in two hospitals; in the NICU of Shahid Motahari hospital in Urmia and Namazi hospital in Shiraz, Iran. Sixty-six patients were randomized sequentially and assigned in two groups. One group of patients received acetaminophen dose of 10 mg/kg every six hours, and another group received fentanyl 6 µg/Kg every six hours for 48 hours (9 doses). For all patients, pain was assessed using the "Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS)" at first time, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42 and 48 hours (9 measurements). If necessary, fentanyl 1 µg/Kg was injected to the patients. Finally, all the information was recorded and analyzed using SPSS software (version 21.0). Results The mean age of the fentanyl group was 16.79 ± 15.57 days and 16.67 ± 15.77 days in the acetaminophen group (P>0.05). The mean weight in the fentanyl group was 3460 ± 737 gr and in the acetaminophen group was 3228.548 ± 32.28 gr (P>0.05). Results showed that the mean scores of pain in all periods of time were not significantly different between the two groups (P>0.05). No drug complications were seen in the acetaminophen group. Conclusion Based on the results, mean score of pain in fentanyl and acetaminophen groups was not statistically significant. Acetaminophen did not control pain as well as fentanyl in neonatal surgeries.
On the capacity of cellular CDMA with successive decoding and controlled power disparities

In a cellular CDMA system, the received powers from mobiles that are close to the base station form a dominant factor in the interference presented to mobiles that are farther away. Conventional power control techniques try to eliminate this problem by maintaining equal received powers for all users. However, recent research has produced successive interference cancellation schemes that rely on controlled disparities between the powers of users. In this work, we study capacity gains in cellular CDMA from ideal successive decoding. Our studies show that successive decoding with power control enforcing appropriately disparate powers can approximately double the capacity when compared with a conventional system using single user decoding. The idea of disparities among users also appears naturally when different users transmit at different rates. We study the capacity regions for the multi-rate case and find that successive decoding provides even larger capacity gains over single user decoding in this case.
Application of the Milan system of reporting salivary cytopathology – A retrospective cytohistological correlation study

Context: Fine needle aspiration cytology for salivary gland lesions has shown to be adequately sensitive and specific for diagnosing and treating salivary gland pathologies. The Milan System for Reporting Salivary Gland Cytopathology was developed and introduced to provide enhanced communication and improved overall care. Aims: The present study was taken up to assess the accuracy (sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values) and risk of malignancy of various diagnostic categories when the Milan system is applied and particular emphasis has been laid on cases that showed varied cytohistopathological correlation to highlight the analytical intricacies. Settings and Design: The present study is a two-year retrospective descriptive study conducted in a tertiary care hospital, Vijayawada. Methods and Material: Fine needle aspiration smears, relevant clinical details, histopathological slides and final reports were retrieved from the Departmental archives. The FNA results of the present study were re-categorized according to the Milan system and number of false positives, false negatives, true positives and true negatives were assessed in comparison with the final histopathological diagnosis and thus the accuracy and risk of malignancy of each diagnostic category were calculated. Results: The overall cytological diagnostic accuracy for differentiating malignant from benign tumors in the present study is 90%, with a sensitivity of 73.34%, specificity of 95.56%, positive and negative predictive values of 84.62% and 91.49% respectively.In the present study the highest risk of malignancy was seen in Atypia of undetermined significance (category III-100%) according to the Milan system. Conclusions: Use of The Milan System of Reporting salivary gland Cytopathology can increase the overall effectiveness and communication with clinicians and between institutions thus improving the overall patient care.
Throughput quantitative analysis of EDCA 802.11e in different scenarios

This document presents a quantitative analysis of the direct and relative throughput of IEEE 802.11e. The global throughput of an 802.11e WLAN is determined by EDCA (Enhanced Distributed Channel Access) parameters, among other aspects, that are usually configured with predetermined and static values. This study carefully evaluates the Quality of Service (QoS) of Wi-Fi with EDCA in several realistic scenarios with noise and a blend of wireless traffic (e.g., voice, video, and best effort, with Pareto distribution). The metrics of the benefits obtained in each case are compared, and the differentiated impact of network dynamics on each case is quantified. The results obtained show that the default settings are not optimal, and that with an appropriate selection, can be achieved improvements of the order of 25 %, according to the type of traffic. In addition, it could be shown the quantitative impact of each parameter EDCA on the overall performance. This study proposes a new experimental scenario based on the relative proportion of traffic present in the network. Stations have been simulated using the Mobius tool, which supports an extension of SPN (Stochastic Petri Networks), known as HSAN (Hierarchical Stochastic Activity Networks).
Endothelial CXCL5 negatively regulates myelination and repair after white matter stroke

Cerebral small vessel disease and resulting white matter pathologies are worsened by cardiovascular risk factors including obesity. The molecular changes in cerebral endothelial cells caused by chronic cerebrovascular risk factors remain unknown. We developed a novel approach for molecular profiling of chronically injured cerebral endothelial cells using cell-specific translating ribosome affinity purification (RiboTag) with RNA-seq in Tie2-Cre:RiboTag mice. We used this approach to identify the transcriptome of white matter endothelial cells after the onset of diet-induced obesity (DIO). DIO induces an IL-17B signaling pathway that acts on the cerebral endothelia through IL-17Rb to increase levels of both circulating CXCL5 and local endothelial expression of CXCL5 in both the DIO mouse model and in humans with imaging or pathologic evidence of cerebral small vessel disease. In the white matter, endothelial CXCL5 acts as a chemoattractant and promotes the association of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) with cerebral endothelia increasing vessel-associated OPC cell number and triggers OPC gene expression programs regulating migration and chemokine receptor activation. Targeted blockade of IL-17B with peripheral antibody administration reduced the population of vessel-associated OPCs by reducing endothelial CXCL5 expression. CXCL5-mediated sequestration of OPCs to white matter vasculature impairs OPC differentiation after a focal white matter ischemic lesion. DIO promotes a unique white matter endothelial-to-oligodendrocyte progenitor cell signaling pathway that compromises brain repair after stroke.
The Culture-Performance Relationship in M&A: From Yes/No to How

Do cultural differences have an impact on the performance of M&A? Despite the widely accepted myth that they do, and in a negative way, a review of extant research provides contradictory findings. In this article, we explore reasons for this contradiction and propose solutions in the form of propositions and a theoretical framework. We begin with a brief overview of extant research on the culture-performance relationship in M&A. In light of the contradictions emerging from this review, we move on to identifying three areas of complexity explaining this confusion, and for each one, we suggest propositions to guide future research. We then summarize our argument using a theoretical framework. Because of the long-term and dynamic nature of the M&A process, we argue that instead of studying the simple performance impact of cultural differences in M&A, we should move on to thinking how cultural differences impact on the M&A process and its outcome.
Quantitative modelling predicts the impact of DNA methylation on RNA polymerase II traffic

Significance We introduce an interdisciplinary approach to understanding global modulation of gene expression in mammalian cells. Conventional transcription factors target a limited subset of genes, whereas global modulators bind the genome broadly. An example of the latter is MeCP2, which is mutated in neurological disorders. MeCP2 has millions of genomic binding sites, but its effects on gene expression are mostly small scale and incompletely understood at a mechanistic level. Using datasets from genetically modified human neurons, our mathematical approach rigorously distinguishes global effects from experimental noise. This allows us to integrate theory with experiments to discriminate competing mechanistic models. The results indicate that MeCP2 creates “roadblocks” in gene bodies that slow down elongating RNA polymerase II, leading to polymerase queueing. Patterns of gene expression are primarily determined by proteins that locally enhance or repress transcription. While many transcription factors target a restricted number of genes, others appear to modulate transcription levels globally. An example is MeCP2, an abundant methylated-DNA binding protein that is mutated in the neurological disorder Rett syndrome. Despite much research, the molecular mechanism by which MeCP2 regulates gene expression is not fully resolved. Here, we integrate quantitative, multidimensional experimental analysis and mathematical modeling to indicate that MeCP2 is a global transcriptional regulator whose binding to DNA creates “slow sites” in gene bodies. We hypothesize that waves of slowed-down RNA polymerase II formed behind these sites travel backward and indirectly affect initiation, reminiscent of defect-induced shockwaves in nonequilibrium physics transport models. This mechanism differs from conventional gene-regulation mechanisms, which often involve direct modulation of transcription initiation. Our findings point to a genome-wide function of DNA methylation that may account for the reversibility of Rett syndrome in mice. Moreover, our combined theoretical and experimental approach provides a general method for understanding how global gene-expression patterns are choreographed.
Stability profile of Pistia stratiotes leaf peroxidase

Peroxidases are widely distributed in nature and are involved in multiple industrial applications owing to their critical physiological roles. Sources of peroxidases with notable stability are therefore being explored for commercial purposes. Pistia stratiotes leaf peroxidase was purified and characterized for its stability properties. Its optimum pH shifted from 6.0 to 6.5 after incubation for 1 hour while it showed moderate stability after heating at 50˚C for 60 minutes and at 60˚C for 30 minutes. P. stratiotes leaf peroxidase was strongly inhibited by EDTA while urea had only a slight denaturing effect with approximately 65% of the activity retained after 60 minutes exposure. There was reduction in P. stratiotes leaf peroxidase activity in the presence of Pb2+, Hg2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Co2+, Ca2+ and Mn2+. Acetone activated the enzyme in a concentration-dependent manner while the presence of methanol and ethanol in the reaction mixture led to decrease in the activity of the enzyme. Results obtained from this study revealed that P. stratiotes leaf peroxidase is moderately stable and thus has potential for some industrial applications.
Desafíos de la edición de revistas científicas en acceso abierto

A survey of 1,280 publishers of Spanish scientific journals (43% response rate; n=561) revealed their experiences with open access in scientific production. Quantitative analysis of the data showed that 72% (n=404) of respondents had experience with open access or were engaged in the conversion process. Of these, about 80% valued their experience in positive or very positive terms. Among the most common difficulties associated with the adoption of open access in their journals were the financial constraints and challenges related to organizational structure.
206 Attainment and maintenance of pubertal cyclicity may predict high A4 cows with reduced fertility

The UNL physiology herd has a population of cows that secrete excess androstenedione (A4) in follicular fluid. These High A4 cows are less fertile, have irregular cycles, are often anovulatory, and have similar characteristics to women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Ovarian cortex cultures of High A4 cows secrete more A4 than controls. High A4 cows reached puberty 45 d earlier than control cows. Thus, we hypothesized that heifers reaching puberty earlier were predisposed to become High A4 cows. To test this hypothesis, we collected blood plasma from weaning to breeding (2012–2017) in 611 heifers. A custom SAS program was developed using progesterone >1ng/ml to identify four distinct puberty groups: 1) Early Puberty- 317.0 ± 3.6 days of age (doa) with continued cyclicity (n = 143); 2) Typical Puberty- 378.4 ± 2.1 doa with continued cyclicity (n = 279); 3) Start-Stop Puberty- 265.3 ± 4.1 doa with discontinued cyclicity (n = 91); and 4) Non-Cycling- no P4≥1ng/ml (n = 98). The pattern of Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) was increased prior to puberty in Early and Typical and reduced in Start-Stop and Non-Cycling heifers. Early heifers (4.9) had greater prebreeding reproductive tract scores, followed by Typical (4.7), Start-Stop (4.5), and Non-Cycling (4.0) heifers. At breeding, all heifers that showed estrus in response to PGF2a were artificially inseminated. Typical (78.9%), Early (79.5%) and Start-Stop heifers (50.3%) had a greater response compared to Non-Cycling heifers (12.6%). All heifers were exposed to bulls, and overall pregnancy rate was not different. However, a greater percentage of Typical (57.9%), Early (51.0%), and Start-Stop (45.2%) heifers calved in the first 21 d of the calving season compared to Non-Cycling (20.9%). Start-Stop (3.0ng/ml) and Non-Cycling (4.2ng/ml) heifers had increased A4 in ovarian cortex culture media compared to Typical (0.062ng/ml) or Early (0.091ng/ml) puberty heifers. Greater A4 produced by ovarian cortex of Start-Stop and Non-Cycling heifers, irregular cycles and reduced calves in the first 21 d indicates these females may be predisposed to becoming High A4 cows with decreased fertility.
Placenta microbiome diversity is associated with maternal pre-pregnancy obesity and placenta biogeography

Recently there has been considerable debate in the scientific community regarding the placenta as the host of a unique microbiome. No studies have addressed the associations of clinical conditions such as maternal obesity, or localizations on the placental microbiome. We examined the placental microbiome in a multi-ethnic maternal pre-pregnant obesity cohort using controls for environmental contaminants and an optimized microbiome protocol to enrich low bacterial biomass samples. We confirmed that a distinct placenta microbiome does exist, as compared to the environmental background. The placenta microbiome consists predominantly of Lactobacillus, Enterococcus and Chryseobacterium. Moreover, the microbiome in the placentas of obese pre-pregnant mothers are less diverse when compared to those of mothers of normal pre-pregnancy weight. Lastly, microbiome richness also decreases from the maternal side to fetal side. In summary, our study reveals associations of placental microbiome with placenta biogeography and with maternal pre-pregnant obesity.
Acquisition of domain concepts and ontology construction

Ontology is an area of research that gets off to a flying start and attracts increasing attention in many branches of computer science as well as other relevant subjects. As a knowledge structure, ontology can be applied to different areas where domain knowledge is needed. Avoiding the weak points of manual methods of constructing ontologies, such as time consuming and difficult to update, automatic or semi-automatic ontology construction methods usually start with the acquisition of domain concepts from a proper corpus and then build the relations among these concepts. In this research, a series of studies have been conducted to acquire domain concepts and further build an ontology. The whole work can be divided into the following four aspects. The first is the acquisition of an appropriate domain corpus. Wikipedia, the world's largest online encyclopedia, is exploited for the acquisition of the corpus. Second, domain terms that are labels of concepts are extracted and given preliminary classification information, such as Part-of-Speech tags. A core term lexicon of domain can then be generated from the extracted terms, which are the most fundamental and frequently used terms in the domain and which comply with some specific standards as qualified core terms. Attributes of concept terms are also important components of domain concepts, because relations between concepts in an ontology are determined according to the relations between the attribute sets of these concept terms. Third, concept attributes and values are therefore defined, selected, and acquired from the given corpus according to syntactic information and also to instance information about the concepts. Last, with the help of annotated semantic information, concepts can be mined according to their corresponding instances. Based on all of the elements and relevant information extracted from the domain corpus, concepts filled with content are acquired and relations between them can be built to further construct a domain ontology accordingly.
Facilitating Corpus Annotation by Improving Annotation Aggregation

Facilitating Corpus Annotation by Improving Annotation Aggregation Paul L. Felt Department of Computer Science, BYU Doctor of Philosophy Annotated text corpora facilitate the linguistic investigation of language as well as the automation of natural language processing (NLP) tasks. NLP tasks include problems such as spam email detection, grammatical analysis, and identifying mentions of people, places, and events in text. However, constructing high quality annotated corpora can be expensive. Cost can be reduced by employing low-cost internet workers in a practice known as crowdsourcing, but the resulting annotations are often inaccurate, decreasing the usefulness of a corpus. This inaccuracy is typically mitigated by collecting multiple redundant judgments and aggregating them (e.g., via majority vote) to produce high quality consensus answers. We improve the quality of consensus labels inferred from imperfect annotations in a number of ways. We show that transfer learning can be used to derive benefit from out-dated annotations which would typically be discarded. We show that, contrary to popular preference, annotation aggregation models that take a generative data modeling approach tend to outperform those that take a condition approach. We leverage this insight to develop CSLDA, a novel annotation aggregation model that improves on the state of the art for a variety of annotation tasks. When data does not permit generative data modeling, we identify a conditional data modeling approach based on vector-space text representations that achieves state-of-the-art results on several unusual semantic annotation tasks. Finally, we identify a family of models capable of aggregating annotation data containing heterogenous annotation types such as label frequencies and labeled features. We present a multiannotator active learning algorithm for this model family that jointly selects an annotator, data items, and annotation type.
Planar Microwave Engineering

Scientists and engineers working in the fields of radio and microwaves have always been hard-working authors as well. Since the days of the Second World War -and even before ­ we have entire libraries of high quality books in many languages describing the vari ous design methods, applications, physical backgrounds, and later, also computer simulations of RF circuits, devices, and equipment. However, as many of our readers are well aware, the vast majority of written material is inherently of narrow scope. An entire WOO-page giant can be full of electromagnetic theory, and its author possibly still calls it "An Introduction. " We have seen some attempts of broader approach, but typically such books have been crun ched to unreasonably low page numbers and they have tumed more to entry-level illustrative collections of practical engineering. Cambridge Univers ity Press mailed to me some months ago an interestin g set of their recent titles that they though might be of interest to Systems readers. I picked Planar Microwave Engineering, authored by Professor Thomas Lee, for a closer look, because alread y its Preface suggested that this time we may have the o pportunity to get a real multi-purpose RF engineering book - something that is typically of more use to system engineers and scientists in the laboratory. In its 23 separate chapters, the book covers some basic microwave circuit concepts and theory, the Smith chart with its appli cations, conne cto rs and cables, passives, microstrip and stripline design, diodes, mixers, transistors, amplifiers (both hig h power and low noise), oscillators, synthesizers, antennas, filters and measurement methods, and devices such as spectrum analyzers,