Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparing the Performance of Microsatellites and RADseq in Population Genetic Studies: Analysis of Data for Pike (Esox lucius) and a Synthesis of Previous Studies

Population genetic studies reveal biodiversity patterns and inform about drivers of evolutionary differentiation and adaptation, including gene flow, drift and selection. This can advance our understanding and aid decision making regarding management and conservation efforts. Microsatellites have long been used in population genetic studies. Thanks to the development of newer techniques, sequencing approaches such as restriction site associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) are on their way to replace microsatellites for some applications. However, the performance of these two marker types in population genetics have rarely been systematically compared. We utilized three neutrally and adaptively differentiated populations of anadromous pike (Esox lucius) to assess the relative performance of microsatellites and RADseq with respect to resolution and conclusiveness of estimates of population differentiation and genetic structure. To this end, the same set of individuals (N = 64) were genotyped with both RADseq and microsatellite markers. To assess effects of sample size, the same subset of 10 randomly chosen individuals from each population (N = 30 in total) were also genotyped with both methods. Comparisons of estimated genetic diversity and structure showed that both markers were able to uncover genetic structuring. The full RADseq dataset provided the clearest detection of the finer scaled genetic structuring, and the other three datasets (full and subset microsatellite, and subset RADseq) provided comparable results. A search for outlier loci performed on the full SNP dataset pointed to signs of selection potentially associated with salinity and temperature, exemplifying the utility of RADseq to inform about the importance of different environmental factors. To evaluate whether performance differences between the markers are general or context specific, the results of previous studies that have investigated population structure using both marker types were synthesized. The synthesis revealed that RADseq performed as well as, or better than microsatellites in detecting genetic structuring in the included studies. The differences in the ability to detect population structure, both in the present and the previous studies, are likely explained by the higher number of loci typically utilized in RADseq compared to microsatellite analysis, as increasing the number of markers will (regardless of the marker type) increase power and allow for clearer detection and higher resolution of genetic structure.
Effects of Different Dietary Levels of Blue Lupine (Lupinus angustifolius) Seed Meal With or Without Probiotics on the Performance, Carcass Criteria, Immune Organs, and Gut Morphology of Broiler Chickens

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different dietary levels of blue lupine (Lupinus angustifolius) seed meal with or without probiotics (Bacillus subtilis) in broiler diets on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, internal and immune organs, and gut morphology. Three experimental diets containing 0, 20, and 30% of blue lupine, with or without probiotics, were formulated and fed to 144 day (d)-old Ross 308 broiler chickens. Overall, chicks fed blue lupine meal diets, especially at the 30% rate, showed improved growth, feed performance parameters, and carcass characteristics in comparison to chicks fed a soybean meal-based diet. For example, a 30% blue lupine diet resulted in a significant increase in the duodenum length percentage of 35 d-old broilers; the addition of probiotics had no—effects on the dressing, thigh, and leg percentages of 21- and 35 d-old broilers and the drumstick and leg percentages of 35 d-old broilers. In conclusion, a 30% blue lupine seed diet with the addition of probiotics could provide a cheap source of protein without negative effects on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, immune organs and gut morphology of broilers.
B7-Positive and B7-Negative Acute Myeloid Leukemias Display Distinct T Cell Maturation Profiles, Immune Checkpoint Receptor Expression, and European Leukemia Net Risk Profiles

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is generally considered a poorly immunogenic malignancy, displaying a “non-inflamed” leukemia microenvironment (LME), leading to T cell tolerance. However, the immune landscape of AML is much more heterogeneous. Since B7 expression is regarded as a consequence of an interferon-mediated “inflammatory” phenotype, we have investigated by flow cytometry the B7 checkpoint ligands B7.1, B7.2, programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), PD-L2, ICOS-L, B7-H3, and B7-H4 on the AML blasts of 30 newly diagnosed patients and their corresponding receptors [cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4), programmed death 1 (PD-1), and inducible T cell costimulator (ICOS)] on bone marrow (BM) T cell maturation populations. We could thus evidence B7-negative and B7-positive leukemias either with an isolated expression or part of eight different checkpoint ligand “signatures” that always included an inhibitory B7 molecule. B7-positive AMLs encompassed intermediate and adverse European Leukemia Net (ELN) risk cases and displayed mainly central memory CD4+ T cells with high ICOS levels and effector CD8+ T cells with high PD-1 expression. B7-negative cases were rather classified as AML with recurrent genetic anomalies and displayed predominantly naive T cells, with the exception of NPM1 mutated AMLs, which expressed B7-H3. These different B7 immune profiles suggest that specific immunotherapies are required to target the distinct immune evasion strategies of this genetically heterogeneous disease.
Intercomprehension in Retrieval: User Perspectives on Six Related Scarce Resource Languages

Most of the Web is published in languages not accessible to many potential users who are only able to read and understand their local languages. Prior research has focused on using translation to provide users with information written in other languages, yet there are still many languages with little or no such resources. In this paper, we propose the use of intercomprehension -- a form of communication in which speakers of two different languages communicate using their own languages, mainly due to similarities between the languages. Accordingly, we conducted a user study on six Sub-Saharan languages to explore: user interaction behaviour in a retrieval environment where intercomprehension is expected; to investigate the usefulness of search results that assume intelligibility and relevance; and investigate affective episodes associated with intercomprehension in retrieval through retrospection. Although intercomprehension may come with a cost to understand unfamiliar languages, our results show that user preference of ranking of search results in related languages incorporates intelligibility. Our findings also suggest that intercomprehension is useful in retrieval for related languages -- users are able to identify relevant documents as well as complete search tasks by applying intercomprehension. However, the negative emotions or frustration associated with intercomprehension suggest that this type of interaction should be used in extreme cases where there are no or very few relevant documents in the language of the query.
Academic Self-Efficacy, Social Support, and Professional Identity Among Preservice Special Education Teachers in China

The relationship among the social support, professional identity, and academic self-efficacy (ASE) of Chinese preservice special education teachers are explored by measuring the perceived social support, professional identity, and ASE of 302 undergraduate students. Results of the multiple regression are as follows. (1) A significant positive correlation exists among ASE, social support, and professional identity. When preservice special education teachers perceive high social support, they have a high sense of professional identity and high ASE. (2) Professional identity exerts a full mediation effect on the relationship between social support and ASE. In particular, social support positively influences ASE via professional identity. The results are discussed at the end of this paper and recommendations for improving the ASE of preservice special education teachers are presented.
Improvement in Gender and Transgender Knowledge in University Students Through the Creative Factory Methodology

In Spain, Social Educators, similar to both social workers and educators in the United States, help coordinate social change through educational interventions and mobilization of social groups to benefit marginalized people and overall societal welfare. They are trained to work with diverse populations, and it is important that they have awareness and training on gender and transgender issues given the extensive discrimination that transgender people endue. Research has begun to identify the important role that knowledge and attitudes of health and educational professionals may play in providing a supportive, healing context to combat the harmful effects of this discrimination and how educational trainings may foster improved knowledge and attitudes in helping professions. This study describes a program to improve knowledge and positive attitudes toward gender and especially transgender people in university students who study Social Education. The researchers measured knowledge and attitudes toward gender and transgender people issues of 64 students before and after receiving a 4-month interactive training. They used the Short Form of the Genderism and Transphobia Scale, a 12-item scale of transphobia and gender ideology variables. The researchers also asked participants about their knowledge of gender and transgender issues before and after training. The methodological experience “Creative Factory” was employed as an interactive training program. The main goal of this methodology is to enable students in a formative context to analyze social realities to generate discussion and innovate ideas to design successful practices. After 4 months of training with a weekly session on gender and transgender learning, students showed improvements in knowledge and attitudes toward both gender and transgender people. Specifically, students demonstrated more knowledge about gender and transgender issues and more positive attitudes toward transgender people. The study demonstrates that training in gender education using the Creative Factory methodology improved knowledge and attitudes in students.
Boosting Antioxidant Self-defenses by Grafting Astrocytes Rejuvenates the Aged Microenvironment and Mitigates Nigrostriatal Toxicity in Parkinsonian Brain via an Nrf2-Driven Wnt/β-Catenin Prosurvival Axis

Astrocyte (As) bidirectional dialog with neurons plays a fundamental role in major homeostatic brain functions, particularly providing metabolic support and antioxidant self-defense against reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen species (RNS) via the activation of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a master regulator of oxidative stress. Disruption of As–neuron crosstalk is chiefly involved in neuronal degeneration observed in Parkinson’s disease (PD), the most common movement disorder characterized by the selective degeneration of dopaminergic (DAergic) cell bodies of the substantia nigra (SN) pars compacta (SNpc). Ventral midbrain (VM)-As are recognized to exert an important role in DAergic neuroprotection via the expression of a variety of factors, including wingless-related MMTV integration site 1 (Wnt1), a principal player in DAergic neurogenesis. However, whether As, by themselves, might fulfill the role of chief players in DAergic neurorestoration of aged PD mice is presently unresolved. Here, we used primary postnatal mouse VM-As as a graft source for unilateral transplantation above the SN of aged 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) mice after the onset of motor symptoms. Spatio-temporal analyses documented that the engrafted cells promoted: (i) a time-dependent nigrostriatal rescue along with increased high-affinity synaptosomal DA uptake and counteraction of motor deficit, as compared to mock-grafted counterparts; and (ii) a restoration of the impaired microenvironment via upregulation of As antioxidant self-defense through the activation of Nrf2/Wnt/β-catenin signaling, suggesting that grafting As has the potential to switch the SN neurorescue-unfriendly environment to a beneficial antioxidant/anti-inflammatory prosurvival milieu. These findings highlight As-derived factors/mechanisms as the crucial key for successful therapeutic outcomes in PD.
Levelling the Playing Field: A Genre Analysis of Online Search Language and Behaviour in UK Higher Education

This study examines the impact of non-native language speakers on their academic search queries, strategies and performance. Screen recordings and retrospective think aloud interviews were conducted with both native and non-native speakers. Based on a combined application of genre analysis and mapping of the participants' query formulations and interactions, this research derives 4 distinct strands to an established model of the information search process. Key differences in the searches are highlighted and the use of search genre for accommodating all university students are discussed.
I’m Not Good for Anything and That’s Why I’m Stressed: Analysis of the Effect of Self-Efficacy and Emotional Intelligence on Student Stress Using SEM and QCA

Stress negatively affects the well-being and the quality of life of the society. Specifically in the academic context, it is relevant to analyze its levels due to its impact on performance and learning. There are factors that affect the said stress including, among others, self-efficacy, and emotional intelligence. The purpose of this study is to analyze how emotional intelligence and perceived self-efficacy affect student stress. In order to show this influence, two complementary methodologies are implemented: the structural equation models (SEMs) and the comparative qualitative analysis (QCA). A total of 477 students (85% of women) from a private University of Valencia participated in the study, with ages ranging from 18 to 53 years old (M = 21.57, SD = 3.68). The assessment instruments used were as follows: Emotional Intelligence Scale (TMMS-24) to measure emotional intelligence; General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSS) to measure self-efficacy; and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) to measure stress. The results in the SEM endorse the hypotheses that emotional clarity and self-efficacy are negatively related to stress and positively related to emotional attention (EA), explaining 25% of the variance. The QCA results show that none of the variables is a necessary condition for inducing stress. Nevertheless, different combinations of these variables are sufficient conditions to explain 35% of the high stress levels. The most important combination over high stress levels seems to be the interaction between high levels of EA and low levels of self-efficacy. Regarding the low levels of perceived stress, there are sufficient conditions to explain 50% of them. Mainly, the most important interaction is between low levels of self-efficacy and low levels of EA. The comparison of both methodologies enables the broadening of new horizons at the methodological level applicable to different contexts.
Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B infection among pregnant women in South India

Background: Vertical transmission of infection from mother to infants is a very important route of transmission of hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis B virus infection in pregnant women usually goes undetected. The hepatitis B surface antigen in serum is the first seromarker to indicate active HBV infection. This study was done to determine the seroprevalence of HBsAg in healthy asymptomatic antenatal women. Methods: It was a hospital based study over a period of two years. A total of 1282 antenatal patients were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen. Results: The prevalence rate of HBsAg was found to be 1.01 %( 13 positive out of 1282 cases). Highest prevalence was in age group 26-30(46%) followed by age group 31-35(30.8%) followed by age group 20-25 yrs (23.1%). Conclusions: Screening of all pregnant women for HBV irrespective of risk factors will reduce the prevalence and risks of HBV infection.
Developing Client / Server Applications to Maximize SAS 9 Parallel Capabilities

Parallel SAS processes, multiple threads within a single SAS process, parallel SAS servers, distributed computing, grid computing, cluster computing – how might all of these choices affect the way that you develop your client/server SAS applications? This paper will address some of these areas and what you should understand when you develop or run client/server SAS applications in these environments. Details will be given on how MP CONNECT can be used in a grid environment as well as in conjunction with the new Scalable Performance Data Engine (SPDE engine), the SAS 9 threaded procedures, and other parallel features to maximize performance and take advantage of each of these environments.
Evaluation of orthogonal and biorthogonal wavelets for video steganography

ABSTRACT In recent years, information security over the internet has gained enormous immersion due to a technological escalation in communication via digital media. Nowadays, videos are the most common form of media over the internet, and they have gained the attention of video steganography research community for the security of the communication. This paper implemented video steganography using a widely-known transform technique, discrete wavelet transform (DWT) which consists of different orthogonal and biorthogonal filters used for the decomposition of a frame/image. The aim of this paper is to provide a comparative evaluation for orthogonal and biorthogonal DWT filters with different matrices such as MSE, PSNR. The performance of the different filters has been evaluated both quantitatively and qualitatively to investigate the best among them. Also, the best of orthogonal and biorthogonal filters have been further evaluated with other metrics such as SSIM, BER and histogram analysis. Further, the embedding algorithm has been compared with the existing video steganography techniques. The experimental results illustrate that bior 6.8 (biorthogonal filter) outperforms the other orthogonal and biorthogonal filters in terms of visual distortion.
DR-PRE: dual receiver proxy re-encryption scheme

ABSTRACT In this paper, we coin the notion of dual receiver proxy re-encryption. In dual receiver proxy re-encryption, the delegator’s ciphertext is re-encrypted using a single re-encryption key such that it can be decrypted by two-independent delegatees. To realize the dual receiver re-encryption, the traditional proxy re-encryption scheme requires two re-encryption keys to be generated, one for each delegatee and re-encryption should be done independently producing independent ciphertexts for each delegatee. This approach is computationally inefficient and requires larger bandwidth for ciphertext transmission. In the proposed dual receiver proxy re-encryption scheme based on bilinear mapping, only a single re-encryption key, only one re-encryption operation and only one ciphertext enables two delegatees to decrypt the common ciphertext independently. We prove the IND-CPA security of the proposed dual receiver proxy re-encryption scheme based on the DDH assumption. The proposed dual receiver proxy re-encryption scheme can be used in applications where a common ciphertext needs to be re-encrypted for two delegatees.
Multidimensional similarity in multiplex networks: friendships between same- and cross-gender bullies and same- and cross-gender victims

Abstract Similar peers are more likely to become friends, but it remains unclear how the combination of multiple characteristics, known as multidimensional similarity, influences friendships. This study aimed to investigate whether similarity in gender (attribute) and bullying or victimization (network position) contributes to friendships. The school-level networks of friendships and victim-bully relationships in 17 Dutch elementary schools (2,130 students) were examined using multiplex longitudinal social network models (RSiena). The results showed that friendships were more likely to occur between same-gender peers and between bullies sharing their targets of victimization. Multidimensional similarity (similarities in gender as well as bullying) increased the likelihood of friendships for same-gender bullies targeting the same victims, but not for same-gender victims sharing bullies. The findings underline the importance of unraveling the interplay between different dimensions of similarity for children’s relationships and surpass unidimensional similarity based on single attributes.
Combined effects of rising [CO2] and temperature on boreal forests: growth, physiology and limitations

Climate change is expected to be most pronounced at high latitudes, but we have little data on how dominant boreal tree species will respond to rising temperatures and CO2 concentrations ([CO2]). We review the mechanisms through which elevated growth temperatures and atmospheric CO2 alter tree physiology and growth, focusing on the dominant species in northern forests. Water and nutrient availability, as well as day length, are likely to constrain the ability of these forests to respond positively to warmer, potentially longer growing seasons and higher CO2 levels. We also analyze published tree responses to future climate scenarios for key boreal tree species and show that (i) high [CO2] increases biomass and net photosynthetic rates compared with ambient [CO2], under both current temperatures and warmer climates; (ii) increases in temperature above current levels have little effect on growth or carbon gain; and (iii) the combination of elevated [CO2] and elevated temperatures increases plant biomass, but this effect appears to have a threshold above a 5 °C increase in growth temperatures. While rising temperatures and [CO2], therefore, have the potential to increase the productivity of northern forest species (based on experiments that supply ample water and fertilizer), this response is likely to be limited by these soil resources and the photoperiod in the field, and may not occur under the more extreme warming conditions predicted for the future in this region.
Advancing a NeuroIS research agenda with four areas of societal contributions

ABSTRACT On the 10th anniversary of the NeuroIS field, we reflect on accomplishments but, more importantly, on the future of the field. This commentary presents our thoughts on a future NeuroIS research agenda with the potential for high impact societal contributions. Four key areas for future information systems (IS) research are: (1) IS design, (2) IS use, (3) emotion research, and (4) neuro-adaptive systems. We reflect on the challenges of each area and provide specific research questions that serve as important directions for advancing the NeuroIS field. The research agenda supports fellow researchers in planning, conducting, publishing, and reviewing high impact studies that leverage the potential of neuroscience knowledge and tools to further information systems research.