Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Memristor-Based Spiking Neural Network With High Scalability and Learning Efficiency

Spike-timing dependent plasticity (STDP)-based spiking neural network (SNN) is a promising choice to realize unsupervised intelligent systems with a limited power budget. In addition to STDP, another two bio-inspired mechanisms of lateral inhibition and homeostasis are always implemented in the unsupervised training procedure of STDP-based SNNs. However, the existing methods to achieve lateral inhibition necessitate a great number of connections that are proportional to the square of the number of learning neurons, and the existing hardware solution of homeostasis demands complex circuits for each learning neuron, both of which challenge the hardware implementation of STDP-based SNNs. In this brief, we propose a novel SNN using memristor-based inhibitory synapses to realize the mechanisms of lateral inhibition and homeostasis with low hardware complexity. The proposed SNN can improve the network scalability by reducing the connection number for lateral inhibition from $N^{2}$ to $N$ and reduce the hardware overhead by leveraging the circuit of lateral inhibition to achieve homeostasis. Software simulations on the recognition task on MNIST dataset show that the proposed SNN achieves a ~ 2 times higher learning efficiency with comparable accuracy. In addition, the challenging properties of realistic memristor devices, including limited number of resistive states, intrinsic parameter variation, and permanent open device, are added in the simulation to evaluate the robustness of our proposed approach.
Israel, Palestine, and Apartheid

The term Apartheid was coined to describe the system of segregation, practiced for many years in South Africa. However the 2002 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court omitted all references to South Africa in its definition of ‘the crime of apartheid’ and the term is now defined globally as a crime against humanity. This article explores the similarities and differences between the now abandoned practice of apartheid in South Africa and the current apartheid policies of Israel, highlighting the need to differentiate between Israel proper (within its pre-1967 boundaries), Greater Israel (within the post-1967 boundaries), and Greater Palestine. Whereas Israel claims it offers democratic rights for all its citizens, all seven pillars of apartheid can be shown to exist in the occupied territories, where the Israeli regime is the sole authority, leaving the Palestinian Authority powerless. The article details how the influx of the different immigrant communities to Israel has disenfranchised the Palestinians from their land. It provides a new definition for the policies practiced, and the many ways in which Israel dictates to the lives of the Palestinians, as “Apartheid of a special type”. It concludes with a proposal to support the policy of bi-nationalism, as stated in in the Haifa Declaration of 2007, which calls for a “change in the definition of the State of Israel from a Jewish state to a democratic state established on national and civil equality between the two national groups, and enshrining the principles of banning discrimination and of equality between all of its citizens and residents. ”
First report of Alternaria leaf spot on gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii L.) in north of Iran.

Gerbara is a genus of ornamental plants from the sunflower Asteracea family with great commercial value which grown in several areas of the world. Alternaria leaf spots of gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii L.) were observed on plants from different greenhouses in north of Iran. The sypmtoms at the initial stage of the infection were brown, small, scattered spots on the leaves that gradually become round or irregular. Spots coalesce to affect large areas of leaves and cause defoliation. Affected plants showed lower vitality, suppressed development and fewer, smaller, distorted in shape flowers. Fungi isolates, obtained from infected leaf tissues were grown in pure culture and on the base of morphological characteristics of colony and conidia, the pathogen was identified as Alternaria alternata. The fungus produced effuse, olivaceous black colonies with dark olivegreen margins, and abundant branched septate, golden brown mycelium. The conidiophores were branched, straight, pale brown to olive brown. The pale brown conidia of the isolates were catenated in long, sometimes branched chains of 5-12 spores. The size of conidia varied from 20-63 μm in length and 9-18 μm in width and usually ovoid to ellipsoid or obclavate with short conical beak at the tip. Conidia had two to three transverse septa and usually several longitudinal septa. Pathogenicity tests conducted on healthy potted gerbera plants in a glasshouse showed typical leaf spot symptoms after two weeks. This is the first report of a leaf spot disease of gerbera in north of Iran.
Data envelopment analysis based on triangular neutrosophic numbers

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is one of the best mathematical techniques to compute the overall performance of units with some inputs and outputs. The original DEA methods are developed to tackle the information based on the crisp number but no ability to handle the indeterminacy, impreciseness, vagueness, inconsistent, and incompleteness information such as triangular neutrosophic numbers (TNNs). This study attempts to establish a new model of DEA, where the information on decision-making units is TNNs. Initially, the concept and features of a conventional DEA model and the comparative TNNs are discussed. Besides, some new ranking functions of TNNs are presented. Furthermore, based on the mentioned ranking functions, an algorithm for solving the new model has been established. A comparison of the new model with an existing method and other kinds of uncertainty tools has been provided. In comparison with the existing methods, the significant characteristic of the new model is that it can handle the triangular neutrosophic information simply and effectively. Finally, the implementation of this strategy for an example has been applied for various models of DEA.
Haemato-chemical and immune variations in Holstein cows at different stages of lactation, parity, and age

Physiological components are influenced by various factors. However, little is comprehensively understood about lactation, parity, and age-related blood profile changes in dairy cows. Thus, we investigated significant variables associated with haemato-chemical and immune changes in healthy dairy cows. Blood was collected from 246 Holstein cows to analyse the physiological changes at different stages of lactation, parity, and age. The white blood cells (WBCs) and monocytes were influenced by the parity or age. Cows over three years of age showed a decreased WBC and monocyte count when compared to cows under three years of age. The lactation stage affected the red blood cell (RBC) profiles and metabolism, liver function-related components, and immunoglobulin A (IgA). A decrease in the haemoglobin (Hb) and haematocrit (HCT) were associated with peak lactation. The blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and total cholesterol (T-CHOL) concentrations, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) activities increased in peak or mid lactation and remained high up to late lactation. An increased serum IgA concentration was observed in early and mid-lactation compared to that in late gestation. Many components of the haemato-chemical and immunological profiles changed (Hb, HCT, BUN, T-CHOL, ALT, GGT, and IgA) at a specific lactation stage under the physiological conditions. These data revealed that the lactation stage was a major variable contributing to the physiological variations in the dairy cows. Therefore, the lactation stage should be considered when determining haemato-chemical and immunological abnormalities.
Faba bean: unique germplasm explored and identified.

Anil Kumar Singh and B-P. Bhatt ! CAR Research Complex . ff>r Eastern Region Patna-800 014 Bihar I ABSTRACT: The germplasm contains promising traits related to yield and yield attributing i I characters, quality characters and also resistance to various biotic and abiotic s tresses. Exploration for collection of germplasm of diverse nature is the quickest and s implest method for acquiring the desired one. 71 accessions of faba bean were collected from Bihar and evaluated. Unique germplasm explored and identified and notable among them are salt resistant lines explored and collected from Vaishali district of Bihar. One germplasm line having fou r pods per nod and another one bear fruits right from collar region were identified during the course of characterizations and evaluation. These promising and un ique accessions will be used by breeders/ crop improvement workers in the country for its evaluation and further utilization in their ongoing/ensuing crop improvement works for strengthening food and nutrit ional security of country.
In Vitro Storage Organ Formation of Ornamental Geophytes

Glendon D. Ascough and Johannes van StadenResearch Centre for Plant Growth and DevelopmentSchool of Biological and Conservation SciencesUniversity of KwaZuluNatal, Pietermaritzburg,Private Bag X01Scottsville, 3209 South AfricaJohn E. ErwinDepartment of Horticultural ScienceUniversity of Minnesota1970 Folwell AvenueSt. Paul, MN 55108 USA
Distribution y Ecologica del Genero longidorus (Micoletzky) Filipjev en la Region Central de Espana

The distribution and ecology of the genus Longidorus in the Central Region of Spain was studied. A total of 559 soil samples were collected from 114 sampling sites. Longidorus species were detected in about 35% of the sampled areas with L. belloi being the most common species followed by L. elongatus, L. caespiticola, L. pini, L. attenuatus, L. carpetanensis, L. macrosoma and L. vineacola. Relationships between species and the biotopic factors such as natural climax vegetation, climate and soil type were examined.
Impact of traditional processing methods on some physico chemical and sensory qualities of fermented casava flour "Kpor umilin"

The study was conducted to investigate the effect of traditional processing/preservation methods on the physico-chemical and sensory quality of fermented cassava flour (Kpor umilin) in some areas of Benue State, Nigeria. The physical, chemical and organoleptic qualities of the traditionally processed flours were determined by standard methods in samples collected from five locations in the state. This was then compared with flour sample prepared in the laboratory from a modification of the traditional process. It was observed that the traditional sample contained higher moisture (14.15% - 16.81%) than the modified sample (13.85%). Viscosities of the traditionally processed flours varied from 15.50 cP –48.00 cP as compared to 17.00 cP for the modified flour sample. The bulk densities and swelling properties of the traditionally processed flours were however similar to those of the modified flour. Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) content of the traditionally processed flours was higher (9.90 mg/100 g - 15.00 mg/100 g) than in the modified flour (6.40 mg/100 g). The pH of the samples were similar but titratable acidity (TTA) values varied significantly (P<0.05) among the samples. Physical contaminants including hairs, feathers, insect parts, stones and others were about 2% in flour from the modified process and 16 – 46% in the traditionally processed flours. ‘Fufu’ samples from the modified method was significantly (P<0.05) better than those from the traditional methods with respect to colour/appearance, odour and texture. The quality of the traditionally processed products was generally poor and this calls for urgent need to educate traditional processors on good manufacturing practices, adopting the upgraded modified process.
Enhanced Modular Multilevel Converter for HVdc Applications: Assessments of Dynamic and Transient Responses to AC and DC Faults

This article describes the operating principles and theoretical relationships that underpin the modeling and control system of the enhanced modular multilevel converter (EMMC). A full-scale model of a point-to-point high-voltage direct current (HVdc) link that employs EMMCs is used to examine its performance during normal operation in all four quadrants and resiliency to symmetrical and asymmetrical ac and dc faults. Results of exhaustive simulation studies reveal that the improved ac and dc power qualities, which are achieved by incorporation of a few full-bridge (FB) cells into the arms of the conventional half-bridge modular multilevel converter (HB-MMC) with medium-voltage cells to create the EMMC, do not affect its ac and dc fault ride-through capability nor its dynamics during normal operation as active and reactive power set points being varied. In addition, a variant of the EMMC is proposed, in which the number of FB cells to be added into the arms of HB-MMC could be increased to offer bespoke features beyond that explicitly defined in the original vision of the EMMC, such as reduced dc voltage operation during the pole-to-ground dc fault, and potential extension of fault clearance times in multiterminal HVdc grids. Moreover, the validity of the new variant has been confirmed using results obtained from high-fidelity HVdc link models developed in the EMPT-RV platform, in which the EMMCs are replaced by the proposed variant.
Nurse managers’ perceptions of barriers to the mentoring of early career nurses

ABSTRACT Mentoring is a unique educative workplace relationship which holds the potential to support the skill, knowledge, social and emotional needs of both new and experienced staff members. As promotion of mentoring in the nursing workplace can improve workforce retention and cohesion, understanding of nurse managers’ perceptions of the barriers to the mentoring of early career researchers in hospitals can offer insights that enhance the efficacy of mentoring in these dynamic contexts. In-depth interviews with 20 nurse managers were conducted to identify these barriers, with interpersonal conflict, competing priorities for time and financial resources, and lack of training emerging as recurring themes raised by participants. We explore how these barriers can be mitigated to strengthen the contemporary mentoring quality and opportunity in acute care hospitals.
Multiple job holding, societal change, and individual careers: Contributions to the chaos theory of careers

The chaos theory of careers was applied to identify the connections between multiple jobholders’ careers and societal change. Multiple job holding is a form of employment that consists of two or more overlapping jobs. Six interviews with men born in the 1960s in Finnish North Karelia, whose multiple job holding included agricultural and forestry work, were analyzed. Our results showed that multiple job holding career development has societal connections and that the experiences of multiple job holding varied across individuals. Moreover, multiple job holding experiences and further career development endeavors were influenced by whether the multiple job holding career developed in line with or counter to societal changes. The study contributes to the chaos theory of careers by showing that self-similar fractal shapes can be identified both in individual careers and in societal changes by studying connective metaphors.
The impact of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) video as the counseling media towards the impro ement of pregnant mother knowledge in Kubu Raya Regency of West Borneo in 2018

Weight is one of the health indicators on new born babies. New born babies have issuesbecause they are in the transition phase from intrauterine to extra uterine. The provision of information through audiovisual media will be more practical and flexible for the community in improving knowledge. The health counseling media are one of the components of learning process. Video is one of the media which presents information or message in an audiovisual manner. The aim of the research wasto identify the impact of KMC video as a counseling media on the improvement of mothers’ knowledge regarding baby management with Low Birth Weight. Method: This research applied experimental method with quasi experiment design through time series. The research samples were 36 pregnant mothers who lived in facilitated area of Punggur Kecil in Sui Kakap District of Kubu Raya Regency through Purposive Sampling as the sample determination technique. The data analyses employed paired t-test and one sample t-test. There was an improvement from the previous value before and after the counseling with 67,5% (p<0,05) of rate. The KMC video as the counseling media hada significant impact (p<0,05) towards the improvement of knowledge. The application of KMC video as the counseling media had impact on the improvement of mothers’ knowledge regarding baby management with Low Birth Weight.
Noticing and understanding children’s everyday mathematics during play in early childhood classrooms

ABSTRACT Children’s everyday mathematics has been well evidenced by a growing body of research and is widely acknowledged as fundamental to meaningful learning in early childhood education. However, literature supports that drawing upon children’s mathematical resources for further learning requires that the range of these resources is valued and noticed at school. Considering that up to now little is known about the way children express their mathematical ideas during naturally occurring activities within classrooms, this study sought to enhance our understanding of this issue. Informed by previous research on the emergence of early mathematics during play and based on the funds of knowledge framework, we investigated the content, the processes and the origin of children’s mathematical knowledge in a kindergarten classroom, with the aim to understand through a sociocultural lens where and how this knowledge is situated and how this information is revealed during play activities. Evidence foregrounds the importance of examining all the different facets of children’s everyday mathematics for creating responsive curricula and confirms the critical role of play for investigating this type of cultural knowledge within schools.
A Novel NF-κB Binding Site Controls Human Granzyme B Gene Transcription1

Granzyme B expression is essential for eliciting NK cell cytotoxicity and T cell function. However, its transcriptional regulatory mechanism is not well understood. In this report, we demonstrate in human NK cells and T cells that the NF-κB-signaling pathway is involved in such control. Furthermore, a novel downstream human granzyme B gene sequence (GGAGATTCCC) was identified for NF-κB binding. EMSA, luciferase, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays in vitro and in vivo indicated that this NF-κB binding site is functional in an NK cell line and its primary counterpart. Our data also demonstrate that this binding site is functional in Jurkat T cells. Taken together, we identified a novel NF-κB binding site, which plays a pivotal role in controlling human granzyme B gene transcription.
Molecular identification of amylase-producing thermophilic bacteria isolated from Bukit Gadang Hot Spring, West Sumatra, Indonesia

Ardhi A, Sidauruk AN, Suraya N, Pratiwi NW, Pato U, Saryono. 2020. Molecular identification of amylase-producing thermophilic bacteria isolated from Bukit Gadang Hot Spring, West Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 994-1000. Amylase is one of the hydrolytic enzymes that is widely used in a wide number of industrial processes such as food, fermentation, textile, paper, detergent, and pharmaceutical industries. Amylase produced by thermophilic bacteria may be thermostable, which is very beneficial in several applications requiring high temperature, for example, the process of gelatinization, liquefaction, and saccharification are performed in high temperature involved in the starch processing. In this study, the amylase-producing ability of thermophilic bacteria isolated from Bukit Gadang hot spring, West Sumatra, Indonesia, was checked and followed by molecular identification. Thirteen isolates that were successfully isolated from the hot springs were microscopically and macroscopically characterized, biochemically tested, and determined their amylase enzyme activity both qualitatively and quantitatively. The isolate that performed the best amylase activity was identified using the molecular technique. The DNA sequencing was carried out in 16S rRNA and continued with BLAST search for species identification. The result of molecular identification showed that the isolate with the best amylase activity was identified as Bacillus licheniformis. The optimum amylase production (231.33 U/ml) and the best enzyme-specific activity (101.79 U/mg) were obtained at the incubation time of 36 hours.
Genomic insights into historical population dynamics, local adaptation, and climate change vulnerability of the East Asian Tertiary relict Euptelea (Eupteleaceae)

The warm‐temperate and subtropical climate zones of East Asia are a hotspot of plant species richness and endemism, including a noticeable number of species‐poor Tertiary relict tree genera. However, little is understood about when East Asian Tertiary relict plants diversified, how they responded demographically to past environmental change, and to what extent their current genomic composition (and adaptive capacity) might mitigate the effects of global warming. Here, we obtained genomic (RAD‐SNP) data for 171 samples from two extant species of Euptelea in China (24 E. pleiosperma populations) and Japan (11 E. polyandra populations) to elucidate their divergence and demographic histories, genome‐wide associations with current environmental variables, and genomic vulnerability to future climate change. Our results indicate that Late Miocene changes in climate and/or sea level promoted species divergence, whereas Late Pliocene uplifting in southwest China likely fostered lineage divergence within E. pleiosperma. Its subsequent range expansion into central/east (CE) China bears genomic signatures of climate‐driven selection, yet extant CE populations are predicted to be most vulnerable to future climate change. For E. polyandra, geography was the only significant predictor of genomic variation. Our findings indicate a profound impact of Late Neogene geological and climate change on the evolutionary history of Euptelea, with much stronger signals of local adaptation left in China than in Japan. This study deepens our understanding of the complex evolutionary forces that influence the distribution of genetic variation of Tertiary relict trees, and provides insights into their susceptibility to global change and potential for adaptive responses. Our results lay the groundwork for future conservation and restoration programs for Euptelea.