Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phylogenetic Distribution and Evolution of Root Apical Meristem Organization in Dicotyledonous Angiosperms

Root apical meristem (RAM) organization was characterized in a wide range of dicotyledonous angiosperms and interpreted in light of recent phylogenies based on DNA sequence data. RAM organization was classified using the open and closed system of Guttenberg. In longitudinal section, closed RAMs have clonally distinct tiers of initials, but in open RAMs the initials are shared among the primary tissues. For open RAMs, we distinguished between intermediate-open (fate of derivatives easily identified) and basic-open (fate of derivatives not immediately evident). The ancestral state of angiosperm RAMs was intermediate-open, with closed organization first appearing near the base of the core eudicots. Basic-open was derived and was found in the eurosid I orders Fabales and Cucurbitales; therefore, at least two new RAM organizations appeared during the radiation of angiosperms. In the core eudicots, there is evidence for multiple independent reversions, from closed to intermediate-open. In all the species we observed, T divisions of the root cap protoderm initial delimit protoderm from the innermost cell layer of the peripheral root cap. Changes in RAM organization appear to be a normal part of the life cycle of the root; therefore, the choice of root age is important in studies of RAM organization.
Load-Reduction Capability Estimation for an Aggregator in Demand Bidding Program

In the recent decades, as a result of the increase in demand for electricity, it has been getting increasingly more frequent that the spinning reserve rate of the generators in Taiwan reaches lower level which reflects the emergency of power supply. The paper employs neural network (NN) to forecast the clearing price of the bidding through spinning reserve ratio and temperature data. Subsequently, the load-reduction of customers is forecasted through NN and fuzzy logic system. Fuzzy system is adopted for forecasting of low voltage LV customer to simulate the uncertainties of load reduction considering different situations during demand response (DR). In order to improve the forecasting accuracy when realistic data of DR is available, another procedure of correcting the customers’ model for forecasting is proposed. Afterwards, the feasible contract capacity of load-reduction signed with Taiwan Power Company (TPC) is determined through an optimization algorithm. To actually assess the benefit, the real load data from Taiwan and Texas are used in the simulation.
In situ survival and growth of three brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) strains subjected to acid conditions of anthropogenic origin at the egg and fingerling stages

Tolerance to naturally acidic conditions of a Cote-Nord brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) strain (Arseneault strain, presumed acid tolerant) does not appear completely genetically mediated, since this tolerance was not evident when the fish were subject to acid conditions of anthropogenic origin. Three wild brook trout strains, at the egg and fingerling stages, were exposed in the field to waters acidified by atmospheric deposition of anthropogenic origin as well as to natural waters typical of the region. Although egg mortality was significantly higher in acid (61.0-85.6%) than in reference (6.3-20.8%) conditions, no differences between strains were noted. Residual density 1 year after stocking with fingerlings was significantly higher (by 56%) in the reference lake than in the acid lake, but differences between strains did not follow any clear tendency. While overall growth was greater in the acid environment, weight yield was lower except for the Arseneault strain. Variations pertaining to gonadosoma.
Incidence of Clavicular Fractures and Its Management in Northern Ghana

Background: Fractures of the clavicle are common especially among young adults who are the work force in many developing countries, including Ghana. The incidence of clavicular fracture varies and the methods of treatment which is determine by the classification, age, fracture characteristics and the patients preference also varies although clavicular fractures are traditionally treated non-operatively. In the northern part of Ghana fractures are very common yet there has not been any study on the incidence of clavicular fractures and the preferred mode of treatment. Aim: The aim of the present study is to retrospectively investigate the incidence of clavicular fracture and the preferred mode of management among fracture patients over a five year period. Study Design: Retrospective Place and Duration of Study: Tania specialist Orthopaedic Hospital, Tamale, Ghana. Methodology: Data regarding patient's age and sex, laterality involved, cause of injury and the mode of management of the fracture from January, 2007 to December, 2012 were analysed. Results : The incidence of clavicular fracture over the study period was 12.8% of all fractured cases. Majority of the subjects (71.4%) with clavicular fractures were aged 21 to 40 years. Old cases constituted 58.9% whiles only 41.1% of the cases were fresh fractures. About 70% of the old cases were people who had received management from
Quality characteristics of biscuits made from sorghum and defatted Macrotermes subhyalinus

Deffated Macrotermes subhyalinus Flour (DMF) was mixed with sorghum flour for the manufacturing of biscuits. Varying amounts of DMF were added for a maximum content of 25  (w/w). The code for the biscuit control was BS0 and the code for the biscuit enriched for example with 25  of DMF was BS25. Physical characteristics and nutritional and sensory qualities of biscuits were determined. Biscuit protein levels increase with incorporation of DMF. Values increased from 09.64% (BS0) to 21.66% (BS25). The fat content down from 21.51% (BS0) to 19.03% (BS25). The rate of carbohydrate down from 60.02% (BS0) to 47.35% (BS25). The ash and cellulose contents increase respectively from 2.26% (BS0) to 3.54% (BS25) and 2.63% (BS0) to 4.44% (BS25). The pH of biscuits increase with the incorporation of DMF but the difference was not significant (p0.05). As for the total acidity, it decreases in the various types of biscuits, but this decrease was not significant (p0.05). Total sugar content, reducing sugar content, non-reducing sugar content and starch decrease with the increase of DMF. Protein density increases significantly with incorporation of DMF, whereas lipid density decreases. The mineral composition increases in the same direction as the DMF incorporation. The diameter of biscuits increases gradually when the DMF content increased (47.90 mm to 48.57 mm from BS0 to BS25). The thickness of biscuits decreases significantly from 3.41 mm (BS0) to 2.23 mm (BS25). Mass, volume and specific volume of biscuits vary slightly despite the incorporation of DMF. Sensory analyzes show that the biscuits are acceptable up to 25% of DMF incorporation.
Improved Cropping Systems for the Deep Vertisols of the Indian Semi-arid Tropics

SUMMARY A series of experiments was designed to evaluate a wide range of possible cropping systems for deep Vertisols of the Indian semi-arid tropics. The introduction of a rainy season maize crop, compared with traditional fallowing, had little effect on the yields of post-rainy season crops of sorghum, chickpea and pigeonpea. Introducing a rainy season sorghum crop caused severe yield reductions of post-rainy season crops in one year but only slight reductions in two subsequent years. Intercrop systems of maize/pigeonpea or sorghum/pigeonpea, and a three-crop system of maize/pigeonpea/chickpea, appeared very promising. Gross returns were usually much higher for the improved systems that utilized both the rainy and post-rainy seasons, though differences in net returns were not quite so great because of the extra costs of growing the additional rainy season crops.
EPIDEMIOLOGIC PROFILE OF ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENT (RTA) CASES ADMITTED IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL - A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY IN HYDERABAD, ANDHRA PRADESH

Background: Non-communicable diseases constitute the modern epidemic and accidents form a part of it. Injuries due to road traffic accidents are observed to be major causes of mortality and morbidity in India. Objectives: 1. To estimate the burden of Road traffic accidents admitted to Osmania General hospital over 4 months period 2. To determine the socio-demographic profile of accident cases 3. To analyze the factors influencing the accidents Materials And Methods: Study Design: Retrospective study. Study Setting: Osmania General Hospital – Medical Records Department. Study Period: Data collected over 4 month period (September 2011 to end of December 2011) Tools: Medical records of patients admitted with road traffic accidents, a predesigned questionnaire. Results: The total number of road traffic accidents admitted was 450 cases in four months i.e. 112.5 cases/month. This included 381 (84.67%) male and 69 (15.33%) female cases. The average age of victims was 32.32 years. Drivers of vehicles accounted for 64.22% of the victims and 12.80% had no valid license. Around 13 % were under the influence of alcohol. Majority of the admitted cases (54.22%) managed to reach the hospital within 1 hour. The mean lag period was 1.315 hrs. The commonest type of injury was fracture (49.33%) and the most common site of fracture was lower limb (48.2%). Majority had complete cure (49.56%). Fatality rate was 13.11%. Conclusions: Several risk factors such as age, sex, type of vehicle, use of alcohol, absence of driving license, non-use of helmets, casual attitude are associated with increased occurrence of road traffic accidents.
Deep learning surpasses dermatologists

Skin cancer is increasing worldwide. However, it is not always practical to send all patients with skin symptoms to dermatology clinics. Artificial intelligence holds great promise in helping the screening for and diagnosis of skin cancer. Although several computer‐aided classification systems have been introduced that achieve high sensitivity of melanoma detection, low specificity was a trade‐off for high sensitivity. Sensitivity measures the proportion of ‘actual positives’ that are correctly identified (e.g. the percentage of sick people who are correctly identified as having the condition). Specificity measures the proportion of ‘actual negatives’ that are correctly identified as such (e.g. the percentage of healthy people who are correctly identified as not having the condition). The application of a new machine learning method, called deep convolutional neural network (DCNN), to a skin cancer classifier can potentially improve skin cancer screening sensitivity and specificity. However, the number of training images required for such a system is thought to be extremely large and compiling a large data set for rare skin conditions is difficult. In this study, we trained DCNN using fewer than 5000 images, and developed a DCNN classifier that can classify 14 different skin tumors and related conditions. Its performance was tested against 13 board‐certified dermatologists. As a result, our system requires only a single image and comes with 96.3% sensitivity and 89.5% specificity in the detection of skin cancer. The accuracy of malignant or benign classification by the DCNN achieved statistically greater accuracy compared with board‐certified dermatologists, 85.3% and 92.4%, respectively. In conclusion, we used DCNN trained with a relatively small number of images to develop an efficient skin tumor classifier. The current system could be used in screening purposes in general medical practice but it needs to be thoroughly tested in clinical trials first.
Match-Rigging in Professional Sumo: Elucidation of Incentive Structures and Empirical Analysis

This paper first develops a simple model to show that incentives for match-rigging in professional sumo differ depending on the rank to which a wrestler belongs. While incentives for match-rigging can arise for wrestlers in the top divisions (sekitori), few incentives arise for wrestlers-in-training (makushita and below). We then report the results of our empirical analysis, which show that match-rigging in the top divisions has declined in the post-Duggan and Levitt (2002) period, and that at the wrestler-in-training level there was no statistically detectable match-rigging during any period. We find further that match-rigging in professional sumo has stabilized at statistically undetectable levels following the mobile phone text message match-rigging scandal, and that on average the wrestlers selected for sanctions following the scandal were in fact those most involved in match-rigging.
The heterogeneity and composition of agricultural landscapes influence native and exotic coccinellids in alfalfa fields

The current trend toward simplification of agricultural landscapes, as well as the associated loss of perennial cover types, can decrease landscape heterogeneity and also natural enemy abundance and diversity, favouring exotic species. We evaluated the effects of agricultural landscape composition and heterogeneity at two different spatial scales (radii of 250 and 1000 m), on the diversity and abundance of native and exotic coccinellids, associated with alfalfa fields located in two regions of Central Chile. Data were analyzed using partial least square regressions, considering the whole coccinellid assemblage and the three most abundant species. In both regions, coccinellid diversity and the abundance and proportion of native coccinellids in alfalfa responded differentially from total abundance and the abundance of exotic coccinellids. The diversity and abundance of coccinellids in alfalfa increased with the compositional and configurational heterogeneity of the landscape. The abundance of both native and exotic coccinellids in alfalfa fields decreased as the area covered by cultivated lands, such as annual crops and orchards, increased. Nevertheless, the responses of native and exotic coccinellids were not consistent among regions, which may be explained by responses of the dominant species in each region. The results of the present study suggest that variables related to a higher intensification of agricultural landscapes (lower compositional and configurational heterogeneity, as well as more annual crops) reduce coccinellid diversity and abundance in alfalfa fields. To maintain a higher abundance and diversity of these natural enemies in alfalfa, more heterogeneous landscapes with less annual crops should be promoted.
Diversification process of stag beetles belonging to the genus Platycerus Geoffroy (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) in Japan based on nuclear and mitochondrial genes

Molecular phylogenies of the genus Platycerus in Japan were characterized based on the nuclear 28S ribosomal RNA and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) genes. These analyses, combined with our previous morphological information, revealed a detailed diversification process of Platycerus in Japan, as well as estimates of their divergence times. Japanese species were monophyletic and were inferred to have diverged to the acuticollis species group and all other species ca 1.69 Mya. The acuticollis species group then appeared to split into P. viridicuprus and a group including P. takakuwai, P. albisomni and P. acuticollis ca 1.26 Mya. Other specific divergences have occurred primarily since ca 0.33 Mya. Comparing the molecular trees and the morphological tree, we also found introgression of the COI gene in some species. Genetic divergence of Platycerus has occurred intensely in southwestern Japan.
The interaction of nutrition and body condition at mating on ovulation rate and early embryo mortality in Scottish Blackface ewes

SUMMARY One hundred and fifty-six Scottish Blackface ewes were differentially group-fed over a 2-month period to achieve three distinct levels of body condition (good, moderate and very poor). Over 5 weeks prior to mating, one group of good-condition ewes was maintained in that condition, one group of good- and one of moderate-condition ewes were brought down in condition by restricted feeding and one group of moderate and the very poor condition ewes were raised in condition by a high level of feeding. Ewes were therefore in good, moderately good or poor condition at mating. After mating, ewes were killed either on return to service or at 25 ± 5 days for counts of corpora lutea and viable embryos. Poor body condition, irrespective of feeding level, was associated with a delay or suppression of oestrus and with a high return-to-service rate. Ovulation rate was positively related to body condition at mating but not to the level of pre-mating food intake at the condition levels studied. Embryo mortality decreased as body condition at mating increased and the interaction between condition and the level of pre-mating food intake had a differential effect on mortality of single- and multiple-shed ova. The lowest rate of embryo mortality was found in ewes in moderately good condition which had been well-fed before mating.
Selective Activation of Gαo by D2LDopamine Receptors in NS20Y Neuroblastoma Cells

D2L dopamine receptor activation results in rapid inhibition and delayed heterologous sensitization of adenylate cyclase in several host cell types. The D2L dopamine receptor was stably transfected into NS20Y neuroblastoma cells to examine inhibition and sensitization in a neuronal cell environment and to identify the particular G-proteins involved. Acute activation of D2Lreceptors with the selective D2 agonist quinpirole inhibited forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation, whereas prolonged incubation (2 hr) with quinpirole resulted in heterologous sensitization (more than twofold) of forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation in NS20Y-D2L cells. To unambiguously identify the pertussis toxin (PTX)-sensitive G-proteins responsible for inhibition and sensitization, we used viral-mediated gene delivery to assess the ability of genetically engineered PTX-resistant G-proteins (Gαi1*, Gαi2*, Gαi3*, and Gαo*) to rescue both responses after PTX treatment. The expression and function of individual recombinant G-proteins was confirmed with Western blotting and inhibition of GTPγS-stimulated adenylate cyclase, respectively. To assess the specificity of D2L-Gα coupling, cells were infected with herpes simplex virus (HSV) recombinants expressing individual PTX-resistant G-protein α subunits and treated with PTX, and quinpirole-induced responses were measured. Infection of NS20Y-D2L cells with HSV-Gαo* rescued both inhibition and sensitization in PTX-treated cells, whereas infection with HSV-Gαi1*, HSV-Gαi2*, or HSV-Gαi3* failed to rescue either response. In summary, the current study provides strong evidence that the D2L dopamine receptor couples to Gαoin neuronal cells, and that this coupling is responsible for both the acute and subacute effects of D2 receptor activation on adenylate cyclase activity.
English and mother-tongue-based multilingual education: Language attitudes in the Philippines

In this paper, we will problematize the proposed use of mother-tongue-based instruction in the Philippines. As a country that has, for almost a century, supported the use of English in schools, this proposal marks a drastic shift in Philippine languages in education policies. We argue that a century of language policies, which have privileged English over all the local languages of the Philippines, have led to specific attitudes to language that will impact on the success of mother-tongue-based education. To support our arguments, we will draw on the results of a survey on language attitudes conducted in the Philippines. This survey specifically asked respondents about what they perceived to be the role/s of English and other Philippine languages in education. We argue that although mother-tongue initiatives are admirable, they need to be examined in terms of attitudes to language, which may or may not value mother tongues. In addition, we argue that for mother-tongue-based education to succeed, it is necessary to consider the possibility of changing these attitudes to language via a principles-based approach to language policy.
Epidermal Growth Factor Impairs the Cytochrome C/Caspase‐3 Apoptotic Pathway Induced by Transforming Growth Factor β in Rat Fetal Hepatocytes Via a Phosphoinositide 3‐Kinase–Dependent Pathway

Transforming growth factor β (TGF‐β)–mediated apoptosis is one of the major death processes in the liver. We have previously shown that epidermal growth factor (EGF) is an important survival signal for TGF‐β–induced apoptosis in fetal hepatocytes (Fabregat et al., FEBS Lett 1996;384:14‐18). In this work we have studied the intracellular signaling implicated in the protective effect of EGF. We show here that EGF activates p42 and p44 mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPK). However, mitogen extracellular kinase (MEK) inhibitors do not block the survival effect of EGF. EGF also activates phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI 3‐kinase) and protein kinase B (PKB/AKT) in these cells. The presence of PI 3‐kinase inhibitors blocks the protective effect of EGF on cell viability, DNA fragmentation, and caspase‐3 activity. We have found that TGF‐β disrupts the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δψm ) and activates the release of cytochrome c, this effect being blocked by EGF, via a PI 3‐kinase–dependent pathway. A detailed study on bcl‐2 superfamily gene expression shows that TGF‐β produces a decrease in the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels of bcl‐xL , an antiapoptotic member of this family, capable of preventing cytochrome c release. EGF is able to maintain bcl‐xL levels even in the presence of TGF‐β. PI 3‐kinase inhibitors completely block the protective effect of EGF on TGF‐β–induced bcl‐xL down‐regulation. We conclude that PI 3‐kinase mediates the survival effect of EGF on TGF‐β–induced death by acting upstream from the mitochondrial changes, i.e., preventing bcl‐xL down‐regulation, cytochrome c release, and activation of caspase‐3.
Nickel Hyperaccumulation in the Serpentine Flora of Cuba

Abstract Extraordinary uptake (hyperaccumulation) of nickel (Ni), reaching concentrations of 0.1–5.0%, about 1000-times greater than those usually found in flowering plants, has been reported over the period 1948–1996 in about 190 species that grow on Ni-rich serpentine soils derived from ultramafic rocks in various parts of the world. A recent study of the families Buxaceae and Euphorbiaceae identified a further 80 Ni hyperaccumulators from the very large ultramafic flora of Cuba, the largest number found to date in any one country. A much wider investigation of the elemental content of plants from the Cuban ultramafic flora, reported here with representative analyses of the corresponding soils, has revealed Ni hyperaccumulation in an additional 50 taxa (in 16 genera and eight families). The number of hyperaccumulators is greatest on the oldest serpentine soils, which are believed to have been available for colonization for the last 10–30 million years. Both Ni hyperaccumulators, and serpentine endemic species generally, are much more frequent on these old soils, occurring in the eastern and western extremities of Cuba, than on those developed within the last million years in the central part of the country. Hyperaccumulating plants of the families Acanthaceae, Asteraceae, Clusiaceae, Myrtaceae, Ochnaceae, Oleaceae, Rubiaceae and Tiliaceae are discussed.