Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genes predisposing to type 1 diabetes mellitus and pathophysiology: a narrative review

The possibility of targeting the causal genes along with the mechanisms of pathogenically complex diseases has led to numerous studies on the genetic etiology of some diseases. In particular, studies have added more genes to the list of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) suspect genes, necessitating an update for the interest of all stakeholders. Therefore this review articulates T1DM suspect genes and their pathophysiology. Notable electronic databases, including Medline, Scopus, PubMed, and Google-Scholar were searched for relevant information. The search identified over 73 genes suspected in the pathogenesis of T1DM, with human leukocyte antigen, insulin gene, and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 accounting for most of the cases. Mutations in these genes, along with environmental factors, may produce a defective immune response in the pancreas, resulting in β-cell autoimmunity, insulin deficiency, and hyperglycemia. The mechanisms leading to these cellular reactions are gene-specific and, if targeted in diabetic individuals, may lead to improved treatment. Medical practitioners are advised to formulate treatment procedures that target these genes in patients with T1DM.
DISTRIBUTION OF MERCURY AND LEAD BETWEEN SEDIMENT AND WATER IN RIVERS IN THE UNITED STATES

A high level of metal in an aquatic ecosystem, such as river, can jeopardize the livelihoodof the organisms in the ecosystem. On one hand, some type of metals are needed formetabolic processes, but a number of metals are toxic that when they are beingaccumulated to an abnormal level in the human body, it can be fatal. As bioavailability ofa certain kind of metal is also controlled by its concentration, the distribution of metalbetween water and sediment in an aquatic environment also has an impact of itsbioavailability and exposure to organism. A study on how metals are being distributedbetween water and sediment will give a better understanding about the fate of metals inthe natural environment. In this study, the data is collected from various research on theconcentration of mercury and lead in the river. Most of the paper report theconcentration of metal in the sediment in the unit of ng/g (mercury) or µg/g (lead). However, considering that the concentration of the metal in water is mostly reported inthe unit of ng/L (mercury) or µg/L (lead), metal concentrations in the sediment areconverted into ng/kg (mercury) and µg/kg (lead). Assuming that the density of water is 1g/mL, this conversion is expected to give a better rationalization in comparing metalconcentration between those two different phases. The ratio of metal in water to itsconcentration in sediment is compared between lead and sediment, lead has a higherratio compared to mercury. This is because dissolution of lead in water is also facilitatedby suspended particle materials in the water. The content of both lead and mercury inriver also comes from atmospheric deposition. Historically, lead has been widely used asone of the additives in gasoline. Thus, there is a correlation between the level of leadfound in a river with the usage of gasoline.
Bioinformatic analysis of reproductive system

An outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) occurred in China towards the end of 2019, and has spread rapidly ever since. Previous studies showed that some virus could affect the reproductive system and cause long-term complications. Recent studies exploring the source of SARS-CoV-2 using genomic sequencing have revealed that SARS-CoV-2 enters the host cells via the angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2), the receptor that recognizes SARSCoV. To investigate the expression of ACE2 and to explore the potential risk of infection in the reproductive system, we performed a thorough bioinformatic analysis on data from public databases involving RNA expression, protein expression, and single-cell RNA expression studies. The analyzed data showed high levels of ACE2 mRNA and protein expression in the testis and spermatids and equal levels of ACE2 expression in the uterus and lung. Comprehensive single-cell analysis identified Preprints (www.preprints.org) | NOT PEER-REVIEWED | Posted: 21 February 2020
Supramolecular structure, in vivo biological activities and molecular-docking-based potential cardiotoxic exploration of aconine hydrochloride monohydrate as a novel salt form.

Despite the high profile of aconine in WuTou injection, there has been no preparative technology or structural studies of its salt as the pharmaceutical product. The lack of any halide salt forms is surprising as aconine contains a tertiary nitrogen atom. In this work, aconine was prepared from the degradation of aconitine in Aconiti kusnezoffii radix (CaoWu). A green chemistry technique was applied to enrich the lipophilic-poor aconine. Reaction of aconine with hydrochloride acid resulted in protonation of the nitrogen atom and gave a novel salt form (C25H42NO9+·Cl-·H2O; aconine hydrochloride monohydrate, AHM), whose cation in the crystal structure was elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic analyses. The AHM crystal had a Z' = 3 structure with three independent cation-anion pairs, with profound conformational differences among the aconine cations. The central framework of each aconine cation was compared with that of previously reported aconitine, proving that protonation of the nitrogen atom induced the structure rearrangement. In the crystal of AHM, aconine cations, chloride anions and water molecules interacted through inter-species O-H.Cl and O-H.O hydrogen bonds; this complex hydrogen-bonding network stabilizes the supramolecular structure. The seriously disordered solvent molecules were treated using the PLATON SQUEEZE procedure [Spek (2015). Acta Cryst. C71, 9-18] and their atoms were therefore omitted from the refinement. Bioactivity studies indicated that AHM promoted in vitro proliferative activities of RAW264.7 cells. Molecular docking suggested AHM could target cardiotoxic protein through the hydrogen-bonding interactions. The structural confirmation of AHM offers a rational approach for improving the pharmaceutical technology of WuTou injection.
FINANCE BUSINESS PARTNERING AND MANUFACTURING FIRMS’ PERFORMANCE: A MEDIATING ROLE OF NON-FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

The effect of finance business partnering (FBP) implementation on the firm performance remains largely unexplored. The main aims of this study are to investigate whether there is a significant effect between FBP and firm performance and to identify the mediating effect of non-financial performance between FBP and firm performance. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 117 Chinese manufacturing firms in the year 2018, and research hypotheses were tested by partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings showed that 1) FBP does not exert a significant and direct effect on the firms’ financial performance, 2) when non-financial measures (employees performance, internal process performance, and market performance) are used as mediating variables, the effect of all the three mediating variables on the relationship between FBP and non-financial variables are positive and significant. However, when the relationship between non-financial measures and firm’s performance is considered, the mediating effect of the nonfinancial variables is positive and significant only for the market performance. This study provides, for the first time, empirical evidence that non-financial performance, such as employee skills, internal processes, and market performance, can be enhanced by considering FBP. It also provides practical implications suggesting that manufacturing firms should motivate finance staff to be involved in various decision-making processes.
Sponge Behavior and the Chemical Basis of Responses: A Post-Genomic View

From the symposium “Chemical responses to the biotic and abiotic environment by early diverging metazoans revealed in the post-genomic age” presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, January 3–7, 2019 at Tampa, Florida. Synopsis Sponges perceive and respond to a range of stimuli. How they do this is still difficult to pin down despite now having transcriptomes and genomes of an array of species. Here we evaluate the current understanding of sponge behavior and present new observations on sponge activity in situ . We also explore biosynthesis pathways available to sponges from data in genomes/transcriptomes of sponges and other non-bilaterians with a focus on exploring the role of chemical signaling pathways mediating sponge behavior and how such chemical signal pathways may have evolved. Sponge larvae respond to light but opsins are not used, nor is there a common photoreceptor molecule or mechanism used across sponge groups. Other cues are gravity and chemicals. In situ recordings of behavior show that both shallow and deep-water sponges move a lot over minutes and hours, and correlation of behavior with temperature, pressure, oxygen, and water movement suggests that at least one sponge responds to changes in atmospheric pressure. The sensors for these cues as far as we know are individual cells and, except in the case of electrical signaling in Hexactinellida, these most likely act as independent effectors, generating a whole-body reaction by the global reach of the stimulus to all parts of the animal. We found no evidence for use of conventional neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. Intriguingly, some chemicals synthesized by symbiont microbes could mean other more complex signaling occurs, but how that interplay might happen is not understood. Our review suggests chemical signaling pathways found in sponges do not reflect loss of a more complex set.
Risk Factors for Endometrial Cancer among Post-menopausal Women in South Africa

Background: National Cancer Registry of South Africa reported the highest incidence of uterine cancer in Gauteng Proviance. Among uterine cancer patients reported in the Department of Radiation Oncology, Johannesburg Hospital, more than 85% are suffering in endometrial cancers. Here, in this study we tried to explore the relation between factors causing increased blood oestrogen levels, like, contraceptive pills, early menarche and delayed menopause (increases the length of menstruation), nulliparity and overweight by more than 25kg and endometrial cancer among black female population of Greater Johannesburg. In this present study, we also studied how non-sex hormone related factors like hypertension, diabetes, family history, obesity and smoking habits are affecting the occurrence of endometrial cancer in Greater Johannesburg females.Methods: This study is based on post-menopausal female black population of Johannesburg who were physically examined with the help of transvaginal sonar. Their oestrogen level in serum was checked. Their family history, menarche and menopause age, pregnancy and others were collected through questionnaires.Results: The mean age of menarche and menopause was found to be 13.80 and 53.80 years respectively. Hypertension, elevated serum oestradiol level, nulliparity, obesity and diabetes are significantly high among study group. Moreover our study suggests no such relation between smoking habit and endometrial cancer.Conclusion: Continued exposure of endometrium to oestrogen increases the chance of endometrial cancer. The length of menstruation time and nulliparity appeared as vital factors for endometrial cancer. Moreover, adipocytes secreting oestrogen and diabetes are also related to the onset of endometrial cancer among post-menopausal female population.
Detecting learning disabilities based on neuro-physiological interface of affect (NPIoA)

Learning disability (LD) is a neurological processing disorder that causes impediment in processing and understanding information. LD is not only affecting academic performance but can also influence on relationship with family, friends and colleagues. Hence, it is important to detect the learning disabilities among children prior to the school year to avoid from anxiety, bully and other social problems. This research aims to implement the learning disabilities detection based on the emotions captured from electroencephalogram (EEG) to recognize the symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia in order to have early diagnosis and assisting the clinician evaluation. The results show several symptoms that ASD children have low alpha power with the Alpha-Beta Test (ABT) power ratio and ASD U-shaped graph, ADHD children have high Theta-Beta Test (TBT) power ratio while Dyslexia have high Left-over-Right Theta (LRT) power ratio. This can be concluded that the learning disabilities detection methods proposed in this study is applicable for ASD, ADHD and also Dyslexia diagnosis.
Physical Abuse among Primary School Children

Background: Physical abuse among primary school children has been recognized as a major health problem all over the world, it results in actual or potential harm to the child's health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power. Aim: to assess child physical abuse among primary school children. Design: Descriptive study was conducted for the study. Subjects: childrenage from 10 to 12 years oldfrom bothgenders, so 297 child representing 16% of all children enrolled in the 4th, 5th, and 6th educational grade. Setting: multistage random sample was chosen from three primary schools from Balteem city at Kafer El Sheikh governorate. Tools: two tools were used for data collection. Firsttool: part (1): child socio demographic data, child's family socio-demographic and socioeconomic data, medical history of the child. Part (2): primary school children knowledge about physical abuse. Part (3): The predisposing risk factors leading to physical abuse among primary school children. Part (4): Primary school children behaviors related to physical abuse. Part (5): Assessment of primary school children according to their exposure to physical abuse. Part (6): Health consequences of physical abuse among primary school children. Second tool: Observational checklist for primary school children.Results: Majority of the child were exposed to physical abuse. Fractures, &lose of appetite/anorexia and stretching in the face were presenting physical consequences among the PSC. Psychological consequences included continuous anxiety, tension, vandalism and bed wetting. Child physical abuse was negatively correlated with mothers, fathers' education and sufficient family income/monthly need, positive physical health consequences and positive scholar achievement. Except illiterate and negative physical health consequences and scholar achievement which were positively correlated with physical abuse. Recommendations: Further research studies should be undertaken to investigate the physical abuse confounding factors among school students to tailor and implement adequate preventive programs.
EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION ON THE USE OF STEEL- CONCRETE BOND TESTS FOR ESTIMATING AXIAL COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF CONCRETE: PART 1

This study analyzes the feasibility of using steel-concrete bond tests for determining the compressive strength of concrete in order to use it as a complement in the quality control of reinforced concrete. Lorrain and Barbosa (2008) [14] and Lorrain et al. (2011) [15] justify the use of a modified bond test, termed APULOT, to estimate the compressive strength of concrete, hence increasing the possibilities for the technological control of reinforced concrete for constructions. They propose an adaptation of the traditional pull-out test (POT) method, standardized by the CEB / FIP RC6: 1983 [8], because it is a low complexity and low cost test. To enable the use of the APULOT test as a technological control test of concrete at construction sites requires determining its methodology and adapting the experimental laboratory practice to the construction itself. The aim of this study is to evaluate the possibility of conducting compressive strength estimates using bond stress data obtained by the traditional pull-out tests (POT). Thus, two concrete compositions of different classes were tested at 3, 7 and 28 days. Ribbed bar specimens (nominal diameters of 8, 10 and 12.5 mm) were also used in the preparation stage, totaling 108 POT tests. The results show that the correlation between the maximum bond stress and the compressive strength of concrete is satisfactory in predetermined cases, at all ages tested, reinforcing the purpose of consolidating this test as a complementary alternative to control the quality of reinforced concrete. In the second part of this paper the test results obtained with the APULOT method are presented and discussed.
NITROGEN FERTILIZATION OF RICE, COMMON BEAN AND CORN WITH ENHANCED-EFFICIENCY FERTILIZER

Nitrogen (N), a mineral element required in greater quantity by plants, has a low efficiency use in agriculture, resulting in economic and environmental problems. N enhanced efficiency fertilizers use is one of the strategies to increase N fertilization efficiency. Polymer urea coating has been used to produce enhanced efficiency fertilizers. However, there are a lot of polymers for this type of coating, which may lead to divergence of results. Validation of this technology to guarantee its viability in agriculture is necessary. This study aimed to evaluate rice, common bean and corn morphological characteristics, foliar N contents and yields and N fertilization efficiency in response to N rates and sources. Field experiments were carried out on these crops, comparing N fertilizers performance. Each experiment was formed by a factorial design comparing N sources (urea and Policote coated urea) and rates, besides Control. N fertilization influenced rice, common bean and corn morphological characteristics, foliar N contents, yields and N fertilization efficiency. Increasing N rates increased rice, common bean and corn morphological characteristics and yields. Policote coated urea showed higher agronomic efficiency of nitrogen fertilization and higher yields than urea in rice, common beans and corn crops.
THE EFFECT OF TAX SIMPLIFICATION ON TAXPAYERS’ COMPLIANCE BEHAVIOR: RELIGIOSITY AS MODERATING VARIABLE

Tax compliance was an important issue for nations around the world as governments searched for revenue to meet public needs. The importance of tax simplification had long been known as a determinant of compliance behavior and it became an important issue in taxation research. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the effect of tax simplification and religiosity on compliance behavior. This study was conducted in Malang, East Java. Survey questionnaires were sent to 200 taxpayers and only 122 responded. Consistent with the prior research, this study suggested that the effect of religiosity on compliance behavior was positive and significant. Religiosity acted as moderating role on the relationship between tax simplification and compliance behavior. This study was contributed to the compliance literature. The present study also provided practical significance because the empirical result provided information about compliance behavior to help government to develop strategies toward increasing voluntary compliance.
TALENT RETENTION STRATEGIES AND EMPLOYEES’ BEHAVIOURAL OUTCOMES: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

To enhance the extant literature of talent retention and proffering solution to the negative employees’ behavioural outcomes of high performers in hospitality industry, this study investigates the influence of talent retention strategies (training and development, and job security) on employees’ behavioural outcomes (employee job performance and employee job commitment) in Nigeria’s hospitality industry. Pen and paper questionnaire was used for gathering quantitative data among 312 frontline employees working in the selected 5-star hotels in Nigeria. Descriptive statistics, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and Path analysis were used to establish the mean, standard deviation, measuring instrument reliability, convergent, divergent and test of hypotheses respectively. The outcomes showed significant role of these retention strategies on employees’ behavioural outcomes. This implies that, management should show consistent support for the career development and economic stability of their workforce, and most especially the professionals. This is highly important for gaining their full attention and positive workplace behaviour. This will create positive employer’s branding, generate knowledge transfer, strengthen succession plan and retain top talents.
How RIASEC personality traits crystallizes occupational preferences among adolescents: Match or mismatch

Current Study investigated how RIASEC personality traits impact the crystallization of occupational preferences among young adolescents via theoretical lens of vocational choice theory. A sample of 1147 students ranging from 13 to 21 years was used to test RIASEC model. Results using Holland’s RIASEC Scale test (1997) depicted a significant impact of RIASEC personality traits in occupational preferences. Gender appeared to be a strong determinant in variation pattern of vocational choice. Understanding these patterns can help students, parents, policy makers and academic institutions in helping young adolescents in making better career choices and in turn will direct human resource to most optimal productive path in an economy.
Two-sex population models applied to polygynous species

We review a two-sex population model and focus on the link between demography and social structure in a polygynous species. The model was applied to the southern elephant seal population of Península Valdés, one that shows contrasting trends in two demographic subunits with distinct social structure. This approach provides a general framework to include social variables into population dynamics. This perspective extends the scope of standard lineal models and adds a tool that identifies the relative effect of changes in number of one sex on the population.
A Model of Research Article Writing Sociolinguistic Competence (RAWSC): Evidence From Qualitative Meta-Synthesis and Follow-Up Interviews

The knowledge of sociolinguistic factors can be a remarkable component of competence in research article writing for learners’ successful handling of scholarly writing tasks in English for academic purposes (EAP) programs. This study aimed to present a model of Sociolinguistics Competence (SC) in writing EAP research articles. Give this, two stages were followed. Firstly, a meta-synthesis approach was adopted to investigate the available literature on various aspects of SC and extract the latent themes and concepts in the target model. As a result, two categories emerged from the combination of five concepts and 258 codes. Secondly, an introspective stage was followed to explore the perceptions of a sampled number of EAP Iranian researchers of features of research article writing sociolinguistic competence and their difficulties relevant to the sociolinguistic aspects of writing RAs. Data for this stage came from interviews with nine Iranian EAP researchers who have published in highly prestigious journals. Conducting thematic analysis in the introspective stage resulted in 118 codes and four subcategories. The interview findings confirmed the main categories obtained from the meta-synthesis. The combination of the findings of meta-synthesis and interviews yielded a reductionist yet inclusive account of EAP research article writing sociolinguistic competence.