Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ALUMINUM RESISTANCE TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR 1 (ART1) contributes to natural variation in aluminum resistance in diverse genetic backgrounds of rice (O. sativa)

Abstract Transcription factors (TFs) regulate the expression of other genes to indirectly mediate stress resistance mechanisms. Therefore, when studying TF‐mediated stress resistance, it is important to understand how TFs interact with genes in the genetic background. Here, we fine‐mapped the aluminum (Al) resistance QTL Alt12.1 to a 44‐kb region containing six genes. Among them is ART1, which encodes a C2H2‐type zinc finger TF required for Al resistance in rice. The mapping parents, Al‐resistant cv Azucena (tropical japonica) and Al‐sensitive cv IR64 (indica), have extensive sequence polymorphism within the ART1 coding region, but similar ART1 expression levels. Using reciprocal near‐isogenic lines (NILs) we examined how allele‐swapping the Alt12.1 locus would affect plant responses to Al. Analysis of global transcriptional responses to Al stress in roots of the NILs alongside their recurrent parents demonstrated that the presence of the Alt12.1 from Al‐resistant Azucena led to greater changes in gene expression in response to Al when compared to the Alt12.1 from IR64 in both genetic backgrounds. The presence of the ART1 allele from the opposite parent affected the expression of several genes not previously implicated in rice Al tolerance. We highlight examples where putatively functional variation in cis‐regulatory regions of ART1‐regulated genes interacts with ART1 to determine gene expression in response to Al. This ART1–promoter interaction may be associated with transgressive variation for Al resistance in the Azucena × IR64 population. These results illustrate how ART1 interacts with the genetic background to contribute to quantitative phenotypic variation in rice Al resistance.
Setback in labour market integration due to the Covid-19 crisis? An explorative insight on forced migrants’ vulnerability in Germany

ABSTRACT In Germany as elsewhere, the Covid-19 pandemic has provoked a severe crisis for the economy, the labour market, social life and public administration. This article explores how refugees, who have accessed the labour market prior to the crisis, are affected by the current situation. Focusing on the crisis-shaken labour market as a juncture for integration processes, we were interested in whether the crisis actually increases vulnerability and leads to setbacks in integration processes. Based on qualitative interviews with refugees and employers conducted at the beginning of the crisis, the article identifies three problem areas in the field of working life (every day working life, conditions of work, prospects and the advancement of careers) in which the crisis-induced disruptions produced feelings of disorientation and made some refugees vulnerable. This went hand in hand with irritations in adaptation processes that are crucial for integration. The findings suggest that the Covid-19 crisis could, for some, turn into a ‘critical event’ in entire integration trajectories.
Concordance between giftedness assessments by teachers, parents, peers and the self-assessment using multiple intelligences

ABSTRACT Assessing giftedness is one of the inevitable processes in the identification of gifted schoolchildren which involves all the actors included in the direct contact with schoolchildren. Since the assessments are regarded as a subjective opinion of the assessor, our aim is to determine the level of certainty that we can take into account when assessing giftedness identification. In relation to that, the research is based on the validation of compliance in the giftedness assessments of schoolchildren by: teachers, parents, peers and schoolchildren’s self-assessment.The research was conducted on 115 schoolchildren aged 8 and 9 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The instruments for giftedness assessment were based on the theory of multiple intelligences. The instruments passed several validations, and their metric characteristics were determined. The content validity has been established, and it shows in a high-quality manner that the measuring instrument provides the possibility of appropriate measurement of multiple intelligences, while the reliability of the instrument is confirmed by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The positive correlation among the perceptions of teachers, schoolchildren, peers, and the self-assessment is confirmed by Pearson’s correlation analysis. The Kruskal–Wallis test, with the Dunn’s post-hoc test, indicates that there is a high congruence between the assessments of all four groups of assessors. The greatest agreement in assessments was found in musical intelligence, whereas the greatest differences in assessments were detected in the combination of parents with other assessors. The findings in this research will be used for creating a software for giftedness assessment.
Spectrum analysis of acousto-optic signal modulated by ultrasound at different frequency in scattering medium

Ultrasound-modulated optical tomography (UOT) combines optical and acoustic techniques, and has high spatial resolution of ultrasonic location and high sensitivity of optical detection. In this technique, a focused ultrasound is used to locate and label the scattered light. It determines the spatial resolution of UOT and the modulation efficiency of the scattering light. Four kinds of acousto-optic signals modulated by 1, 2.25, 5, and 10 MHz center frequencies of impulse ultrasound are obtained in this letter. The frequency spectrum of these four kinds of acousto-optic signals are achieved by Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). By analyzing the spectrum information of acousto-optic signals modulated by ultrasound at different frequencies, we can find useful feature information and choose an appropriate parameter of ultrasonic probe to improve the signal-to-noise ratio and sensitivity of UOT.
Network intrusion detection system: A systematic study of machine learning and deep learning approaches

The rapid advances in the internet and communication fields have resulted in a huge increase in the network size and the corresponding data. As a result, many novel attacks are being generated and have posed challenges for network security to accurately detect intrusions. Furthermore, the presence of the intruders with the aim to launch various attacks within the network cannot be ignored. An intrusion detection system (IDS) is one such tool that prevents the network from possible intrusions by inspecting the network traffic, to ensure its confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Despite enormous efforts by the researchers, IDS still faces challenges in improving detection accuracy while reducing false alarm rates and in detecting novel intrusions. Recently, machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL)‐based IDS systems are being deployed as potential solutions to detect intrusions across the network in an efficient manner. This article first clarifies the concept of IDS and then provides the taxonomy based on the notable ML and DL techniques adopted in designing network‐based IDS (NIDS) systems. A comprehensive review of the recent NIDS‐based articles is provided by discussing the strengths and limitations of the proposed solutions. Then, recent trends and advancements of ML and DL‐based NIDS are provided in terms of the proposed methodology, evaluation metrics, and dataset selection. Using the shortcomings of the proposed methods, we highlighted various research challenges and provided the future scope for the research in improving ML and DL‐based NIDS.
Collagen deposition in the liver is strongly and positively associated with T1rho elongation while fat deposition is associated with T1rho shortening: an experimental study of methionine and choline-deficient (MCD) diet rat model.

Background A number of questions concerning the histological mechanism of elongated T1rho in liver fibrosis remain unanswered. Using a rat model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) induced with methionine and choline-deficient (MCD) diet, the primary aim of this study is to clarify whether collagen deposition per se causes liver T1rho elongation. Methods There were 45 rats in the NAFLD model group and 8 rats in the control group. NAFLD model rats were fed MCD diet for 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 weeks, respectively. At the endpoint, the rats had in vivo MRI at 3.0 T and followed by histology. For T1rho data acquisition, a rotary echo spin-lock pulse was implemented in a three-dimensional fast field echo sequence with frequency selective fat suppression. The spin-lock frequency was set to 500 Hz, and the spin-lock times of 5, 10, 40, and 50 ms were used. Liver specimens were processed with hematoxylin-eosin staining for steatosis and inflammation evaluation, and Masson's trichrome staining for collagen visualization. The semiquantitative histopathological evaluation was based on NASH Clinical Research Network criteria. Histomorphometric analysis calculated percentages of fat and collagen accumulations in the livers. Results A strong (r=0.82) and significant (P<0.0001) positive correlation between liver collagen content and liver T1rho was observed. Rats with no or minimal inflammation could have very long T1rho value. Among experimental rats without a positive fibrosis grading, five rats did not have an inflammation score (i.e., had minimal inflammation or no inflammation) while four had a positive inflammation score; the difference in liver T1rho between these two types of rats was minimal. Eight control rat livers and 15 stage-1 fibrosis rat livers were separated by liver T1rho completely. When four subgroups of experiment rats were selected where the liver collagen had a very narrow range within these subgroups, all these four subgroups showed a trend of negative correlation between liver fat and liver T1rho. Conclusions Collagen deposition in the live strongly contributes to liver T1rho elongation, while fat deposition contributes to T1rho shortening. In a well-controlled experimental setting, T1rho measure alone allows separation of healthy livers and stage-1 liver fibrosis in the MCD rat liver model.
Causes and consequences of variation in omnivory within food webs: An empirical and theoretical exploration.

Omnivores feed at more than one trophic level and as such increase the complexity of food web interactions. Using manipulative experiments and stable isotopes, I found that the omnivorous insect, Dicyphus hesperus, fed more often on plant material when prey became scarce. Variability was found within populations, suggesting differences in feeding decisions among individuals. By examining the spatial distribution of resources and the foraging behaviors of D. hesperus and its intraguild prey, Encarsia formosa, I found that the distribution of prey resources was altered by the omnivore to favor itself. The omnivore also disrupted the distribution of the parasitoid, though it relieved intraspecific pressure within parasitoid populations. A theoretical examination of spatial dynamics showed that coexistence can be achieved between a competitively dominant intraguild predator and its intraguild prey through trade-offs in foraging scale and dispersal ability. Here, omnivory was more equivalent to competition than predation, and omnivore preference was relatively unimportant. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. iii CO-AUTHORSHIP STATEMENT I certify that this thesis, and the research to which it refers, are the product of my own work, and that any ideas or quotations from the work of other people, published or otherwise, are fully acknowledged in accordance with the standard referencing practices of the discipline. I acknowledge the input of my supervisors Dr. S.L. VanLaerhoven and Dr. D.R. Gillespie in the preparation of each of the manuscripts presented within and the input of Dr. J.L. Shipp in the preparation of the manuscript “Foraging strategies, resource distributions, and intraguild predation: Intraguild interactions between an omnivore and a parasitoid”. I certify that the manuscripts were written by me and that the input of the co­ authors occurred during the development of the methodology and the editorial process. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. iv
Temporal and Cultivar-Specific Effects on Potato Root and Soil Fungal Diversity

The soil fungal community plays an important role in determining plant growth and health. In this study, we investigated the fungal diversity and community composition in the roots and soil of 21 potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars using high-throughput sequencing at three different time points across the growing season. In soil and roots, the fungal richness and relative abundance of pathogens and saprotrophs were mainly affected by sampling time. While sampling time affected fungal composition in soil, root fungal communities were also significantly affected by cultivar. The cultivar had the strongest effect on diversity of pathogens and abundance of particular pathogen species. Our results demonstrate changes in soil and root fungal communities of potato over the growing season, as well as highlighting the importance of potato cultivar on root fungal communities and abundance of pathogens.
Relationship between Stages of Change and Glycemic Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in a Primary Health-care Setting

ABSTRACT Introduction: Advanced stages of change (SOC) are usually associated with lower glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) scores in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Additionally, these patients’ adherence to antidiabetic medications is crucial to achieve controlled HbA1c scores. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between SOC and HbA1c as well as between medication adherence and HbA1c in patients with T2DM in a primary health-care setting in Qatar. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in patients with T2DM at the noncommunicable diseases clinics at Mesaimeer Healthcare Center and West Bay Health Care Center. Medication adherence was assessed using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8), whereas a two-item SOC questionnaire was used to measure the SOC. HbA1c values were obtained from the electronic database at the clinic. Spearman rank correlations were performed, with the significance level set at α < 0.05. Results: A total of 387 patients were included in the analysis. More than 75% of them reported that they were in the maintenance stage, and 35.4% of them had a controlled diabetes status. There was no significant correlation between SOC and HbA1c or between medication adherence and HbA1c. Conclusions: There was no relationship between SOC and HbA1c or between medication adherence and HbA1c in patients with T2DM, indicating that in this study, self-reported measures are not associated with the HbA1c scores of patients.
ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH NEXUS IN NIGERIA: EVIDENCE BASED ON ARDL BOUND TEST APPROACH

This study examines the relationship between economic growth and energy consumption in Nigeria by using ARDL bound test regression analysis. In the investigation process energy consumption, was disaggregated into electricity, coal and petroleum with growth rate of GDP data is used from 1980 to 2017. The findings show that petroleum and electricity variables are positive and significant to growth while coal is positive but not significant. Overall outcome is that energy consumption has a positive relationship with economic growth. The coal deposit must be put in use to increase energy production and consumption and stimulate other economic activities for growth.
COVID-19 and People Who Use Drugs - A Commentary.

Objective People who use drugs (PWUD) face increased risk of exposure to COVID-19, but also elevated risk associated from injection drug use. We describe factors underlying their increased risk and identify mechanisms for reducing or minimizing rates of COVID-19 transmission and other health outcomes. Methods Our commentary draws upon empirical data, governmental and other reports, and field-based unpublished data from our own studies to inform our conclusion and recommendations. Results Co-morbid health conditions (eg, diabetes), structural challenges (eg, homelessness, criminal justice involvement), stigma (eg, social devaluation, discrediting), and syndemic clustering of of overdose, HCV, and HIV among PWUD are exacerbated by COVID-19. Conclusions Beyond the many challenges all people face to remain safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic, PWUD face additional barriers to remaining safe not only from COVID-19 but from negative health outcomes associated with their living environments, socioeconomic positions, and injection drug use. Collaborative efforts among governmental agencies, health providers, SSPs, CBOs, and other agencies providing services to PWUD is essential to the development of programs and services to meet the many needs of PWUD, which have been particularly accentuated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A (Re)view of the Philosophical Foundations of Strategic Management

Rodrigo Rabetino , Marko Kohtamäki 1,2,3 and Juan S. Federico 4 School of Management, University of Vaasa, PO Box 700, Vaasa, FI-65101, Finland, USN Business School, University of South-Eastern Norway, PO Box 700, Vaasa, FI-65101, Finland, Luleå University of Technology, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, PO Box 700, Vaasa, FI-65101, Finland, and Institute of Industry, Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento, Juan María Gutiérrez 1150 (1613), Los Polvorines, Buenos Aires, Argentina Corresponding author email: rodrigo.rabetino@univaasa.fi
Intestinal Parasites and Salmonella typhi Infection among Food-handlers in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Nigeria

Background: Intestinal parasites and Salmonella infections are of main public health concerns in Nigeria and the world, especially in developing countries where access to safe water and hygienic food handling practices by food handlers is a challenge. Consequently, food-handlers play a major role in the transmission of these types of foodborne diseases. Objective: This study was to determine the preponderance of intestinal parasites and Salmonella typhi among food-handlers in selected areas in Port Harcourt. Materials and Methods: A total of 480 food-handlers (195 males and 285 females) of various educational levels were sampled. Stool samples were collected and analyses were carried out using direct smear examination and formol-ether concentration technique adopted for Original Research Article Amudatu et al.; JAMMR, 32(18): 1-9, 2020; Article no.JAMMR. 61443 2 investigation of intestinal parasites and deoxycholate citrate agar and Salmonella-Shigella agar for the cultivation of Salmonella typhi. Results: Of 480 food-handlers examined, comprises of 195(40.6%) males and 285(59.4%) females, majority (85.4%) were young adults aged 20-40 years. 47.9% of them had education above secondary educational level. The preponderance of intestinal parasites was 48(10.0%) and implicated were Ascaris lumbricoides (41.7%), hookworm (33.3%) and Trichuris trichiura (25.0%). No intestinal protozoa were identified. Prevalence of 30(6.3%) was recorded for Salmonella typhi. Conclusion: Prevalence of Intestinal Parasites and S.typhi infection is relatively low among food handlers in Port Harcourt, but indicates the important role food handlers play in the transmission of the infection. Therefore, awareness should be step-up for the food handlers to avoid escalation of these infections
Strong and Fluctuating Sequence Constraints Drive Alu_ Evolution

Though Alu elements are the most common and well-studied transposable elements in the primate genome, Alu evolutionary dynamics remain poorly understood. To better understand these dynamics, we improved our recently introduced Bayesian transposable element ancestral reconstruction method to incorporate automated alignment and be more computationally efficient. We then used it to reconstruct the relationships among almost 800,000 Alu elements in the human genome. We identified the phylogenetic network relating 154 ancestral replicative Alu sequences, and found that the aligned ancestors vary at only 56 out of ~300 sites. We show that the limited number of variable sites among replicative Alu ancestors is best explained by strong sequence constraints on Alu replicative capacity. Moreover, the pattern of variation suggests that sequence constraints fluctuated over the course of Alu evolution, driving the extinction of older Alu subfamilies and the birth of newer ones. Previous analyses have taken the tight clustering of Alu sequences with age as evidence that all Alu sequences are descended from a small number of "master elements. " Our results imply instead that the clustering of Alu sequences with age results from fluctuating sequence constraints, and that there were over 4,000 replicative loci during the course of Alu evolution, most of which were disabled by mutation before mutating to new replicative sequences. We also predict which sites have been functionally important for replication, and how these sites have changed over time. The newly clarified dynamics of Alu evolution invalidate assumptions used in common method of transposable element classification and phylogenetics. Significance Statement Transposable elements are genomic sequences that can insert copies of themselves elsewhere in the genome. Alu is the most abundant transposable element in primates, making up 10% of the human genome. Due to its ubiquity and tendency to cause genomic instability, Alu has played a major role in shaping primate genomes. Characterizing the trajectory of Alu evolution is important for understanding how the human genome evolved. Previous analyses of Alu concluded that a tiny number of elements generated all copies, and existing classifications of Alu reflect that conclusion. In a whole-genome analysis, we determine that many more elements were replicative than previously understood, indicating that current classifications of Alu are flawed. We develop an alternative reconstruction of Alu evolutionary history.
National fields of civic integration: Operationalization of citizenship requirements

In comparative studies of European migration and civic integration, most attention tends to be invested in analyzing the content of policies and national citizenship models. How these policies have been operationalized, i.e., how different European governments translated their policies into actual civic integration programs, is a relatively less explored area of study. In this article, the Bourdieusian concept of ‘field’ guides us in opening the box of national models and generates a complex and dynamic analysis of civic integration as a policy field: Which actors have been involved in processes of defining the form and content of civic integration? How has their involvement affected the rules and norms of the resulting civic integration regime? These are the main questions the case studies address, relying on original empirical qualitative data gathered in 2011 in France, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Using historical analysis, I reconstruct and compare how the composition of the particular civic integration field in each country influenced the actual civic integration programs as migrants experienced them in practice.