Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relationship between vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism FokI and fetuin A as marker of vascular calcification in Egyptian hemodialysis patients

AbstractBackground: Vascular calcification is a common complication in end stage renal disease patients and the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Aim of the work: is to evaluate possible relationship between vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism FokI with fetuin A and intact parathormone hormone in Egyptian hemodialysis patients.Patient and Methods: This study is across sectional study including 50 hemodialysis patients attending hemodialysis unit in Al-Zahra University Hospital and 30 apparently healthy persons as control group. For all studied subjects, detailed history was taken, physical examination, carotid intima media thickness by carotid duplex, echocardiography, Laboratory investigations included serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, iPTH ,fetuin and genotype frequency by PCR Results: There was a highly significant increase in Carotid intimal media thickness in patients group Vs contole group & highly significant decrease in serum Fetuin A in patients group Vs contole group. There was highly significant difference in the genotype distribution of FokI polymorphism among patients and control there were significant negative relation between FF genotype and iPTH and highly significant negative correlation between serum fetuin A and iPTH in patient group.Conclusion: Vitamin D receptor gene FokI polymorphism FF genotyping is more frequent in hemodialysis patients who have higher iPTH and lower fetuinA levels, which could identify the high risk group susceptible to vascular calcification in hemodialysis patients. Further studies are needed.
Association between thyroid disorders and abnormal uterine bleeding in reproductive ages

Background: Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) means any bleeding that is not normal in amount, duration, frequency, and cyclicity. It is a common disorder occurring in reproductive age group females. It can be understood as bleeding that occurs from the uterus outside the normal parameters and there are no structural defects in the genital tract. One of the most common associations with AUB is thyroid dysfunctions. Hence, this study aimed to see the incidence of thyroid-related disorders in AUB and also to assess the menstrual pattern.Methods: A total 100 women suffering from AUB who presented to OPD of the gynecology department of L D Hospital Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir were recruited in the study. All females in 19 to 45 years of age group with abnormal uterine bleeding were included excluding those with a previously known thyroid disorder, abortion history within 3 months, etc. Thyroid function tests were done in all along with ultrasonography of the pelvis region. Data were analyzed using SPSS software v.23. 0. and Microsoft office 2007.Results: The bleeding abnormality that was found in most of the women was heavy menstrual bleeding. Out of the 100 patients taken into study 11 had thyroid disorders, out of which subclinical hypothyroidism was most prevalent accounting for 8 cases, 2 cases were found to have hypothyroidism and 1 case of hyperthyroidism was detected.Conclusions: Abnormal uterine bleeding has a strong association with thyroid disorders. The most common type of disorder is subclinical hypothyroidism. Thus, all patient of AUB must be evaluated for thyroid dysfunction.
A contribution to the biology and ecology of the threatened species Anisus vorticulus (Troschel, 1834) (Gastropoda : Pulmonata : Planorbidae)

Our investigation revealed that Anisus vorticulus is characterized by interesting ecological and biological features. It is a robust species which tolerates frozen over waters in winter and dry waters in summer. It can build up a large population size within a year like a r-selected species, because the species breeds from March to July and even until November in the warm winter of 2006/2007. By this reproduction strategy, a remaining population which survived e.g. weed removal of its habitat, can reach large abundances within a short time again, if the habitat’s conditions are the best. But concerning the habitat requirements A. vorticulus behaves like a K-strategist, because it can only live in sunlit habitats with clear water. It is specialised on periphytic algae which need the sun for their photosynthetic activity and anaerobic conditions are not optimal. Summarising we can say that A. vorticulus is a stenotopic r-strategist.
High-performance building projects: how to build trust in the team

ABSTRACT Trust is a prerequisite in all endeavours concerning uncertainty and interdependencies. By studying the development of a sustainable, high performing building this paper report on such an endeavour. The client implemented a collaborative project delivery method where key actors were brought together to collaboratively develop the project in the design phase. For the participants to collaborate, and thus work as a high-performance team, there was a need for trust. Therefore, this study addresses the following research questions: what was perceived as the key elements for building trust in this project? and, how did the key elements impact the trust-building in this project? The study is based on observations of weekly design meetings (so-called Big-Room sessions), as well as secondary data from a document study, and a supplementary questionnaire. Trust was essential as the participants were able to rely on each other’s expertise and work interdependently towards a common goal. The most prominent elements that affected trust were the start-up seminar, team composition, shared interest, support from management, joint problem solving, and the use of integrated concurrent engineering. These elements built and sustained trust due to their ability to create or positively impact the experiences, problem-solving, shared goals, reciprocity, and reasonable behaviour of the project team. The insight into how the collaborative project delivery method build trust may be valuable for practitioners and researchers alike.
Dialect Maintenance in East Anglia

The area of East Anglia in which its traditional dialects are spoken has shrunk significantly over the past few decades and seen a marked decline in the use of traditional features. These include lack of -s marking on third-person singular forms (Kingston, 2000; Potter, 2018), as well as the long-standing distinction between those words descended from Middle English /ɔ:/ and /ɔu/, as in ‘moan’ vs ‘mown’, which failed to become homophonous as part of the Long Mid Mergers (Wells, 1982a). Like other relics, this distinction now only remains in East Anglia's more northern locales (Trudgill & Foxcroft, 1978; Trudgill, 2004; Butcher, 2019). This apparent ‘dialect death’ situation (Trudgill, 1986: 68) is the outcome of continued supralocalisation, a situation in which locally specific linguistic forms lose out to linguistic variants with greater socio-spatial currency, usually as a result of mobility and dialect contact (Britain, 2010). In East Anglia's case, Trudgill (2001) argues that dialect levelling has largely been driven by the impact of London and Home Counties varieties of English. This process is predicted to continue (Trudgill, 1986; Kingston, 2000), though is unlikely to be straightforward. Britain (2011) reports that substantial intra-regional differences are found in relation to route and rate of sound change in East Anglia. This calls for more comprehensive analyses of East Anglian English to better understand the workings of this ‘heterogenous homogenisation’ (Britain, 2011: 57), and how individual case studies relate to the overall shrinkage of the area in which traditional East Anglian dialects are spoken. This paper presents data in this vein from two studies undertaken in Suffolk, southern East Anglia. The first presents data on unstressed vowel tensing, which refers to the alternation between [ə] and [ɪ] in those unstressed syllables where /ɪ/ occurs in other varieties of Southern British English (SBE) e.g. ‘carpet’ [kɑ:pɪt] / [ka:pəʔ]. The second reports data on yod dropping, i.e. the absence of /j/ from sequences of C+/ju/ e.g. ‘huge’ [hju:dʒ] / [hu:dʒ]. Both variables are well known from descriptions of East Anglian dialects but, as we will see later, they appear to behave differently in this study of contemporary East Anglian English.
International student experiences in Queensland during COVID-19

Penetrating perceptions and fostering cultural connections: Universities in Australia rely heavily on income from international students to stay financially viable, as international student income makes up the shortfall of government funding for Australian universities. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many international students studying in numerous countries faced racism, starvation, homelessness and an inability to pay their tuition fees. This article explores how staff and students in the School of Human Services and Social Work at Griffith University in Australia responded to these challenges during the pandemic in Queensland.
Molecular Genetics and Epigenetics of Ankyloglossia

Ankyloglossia is an autosomal dominant condition with in complete penetrence, haracterized by frenulum lingual hypertrophy that produces a thicker and shorter tongue, which may cause significant problems with breastfeeding. It also causes speech and oral motor problems. The prevalence of ankyloglossia is approximately 4% in babies, and tongue tie is estimated to affect 489,343 newborns, representing 10% of the Indonesian newborn population of 4,893,435.1 For reasons unknown, this condition is seen more often in males than in females. Ankyloglossia may be isolated or accompanied by cleft palate (CPX). The presentation of this condition is associated with nucleotide base substitution mutations in the TBX22 gene and the G-protein-coupled receptor Lgr5 and can be related to epigenetic modification, including DNA methylation and SUMOylation, which is one kind of histone modification.
Effects of different sponsorship disclosure message types on consumers’ trust and attitudes

Abstract Addressing the problem of increasing sponsored eWOM and diverse and confusing disclosure practices, this study examined the effects of different types of sponsorship disclosure messages on (1) consumers’ trust in the sponsored product reviewer and (2) attitudes toward the reviewer and the sponsoring brand. An online experiment revealed several key effects of sponsorship disclosure and disclosure message types. Overall, sponsorship disclosure messages generated lower consumer trust in the reviewer and attitudinal responses. In terms of the effects of different types of disclosed commercial gain, reviews disclosing the receipt of a free product were perceived to be equally acceptable as reviews without sponsorship disclosure. Disclosure revealing that the reviewer received payment or a sales commission led to lower trust in a reviewer, and disclosure of a sales commission generated more negative attitude toward the sponsoring brand. The disclosure message type effects on attitude were mediated by trust.
Determinants of corruption pressures on local government in the E.U.

Abstract This article investigates corruption pressures at the sub-national government level by employing a novel approach of empirically assessing the subjective opinions of local councillors about corruption risks they have been exposed to. Based on the large survey data collected in 14 European countries we provide evidence that individual perceptions of corruption risk experienced by local councillors are formed by their personal characteristics, where educational attainment stands as the most significant deterrent to corruption risk. The comparative assessment of non-transition and post-transition countries (PTCs) shows that respondents from PTCs exhibit higher levels of perceived corruption pressures on the local government level (PCL). In non-transition countries, councillors in the local government units with more fiscal power are more exposed to corruption. When government effectiveness is included, the effect of transition process and local fiscal decentralisation loses significance. Government effectiveness appears to be a strong tool to alleviate the corruption pressure at the local government level, in particular for younger councillors in PTCs The findings shed more light on the issues of corruption, which is a striking problem at the sub-national government level in the E.U. Policy implications and suggestions for future research are offered.
A Study of the Early Disturbances in Vascular Hemostasis in Experimentally Induced Metabolic Syndrome

The unique characteristics of the early changes in vascular haemostasis during the development of metabolic syndrome are still unclear. This study aimed to examine the development of vascular dysfunction in experimentally induced metabolic syndrome. The study used 61 male Wistar rats aged 2.5-3 months. Thirty-two rats were given ad libitum access to 10% fructose dilution for drinking, while the remaining 29 control group rats were not given the fructose dilution. The study period was 8 weeks. We used biochemical, haematological, and statistical methods for investigation. The experimental rats received fructose, and we observed a deteriorating trend in their plasma lipid composition within 2 weeks. At the end of 4 weeks, it had further deteriorated, and it progressively worsened until the end of the experimental period. At the end of 2 weeks, there was significant reduction in the plasma antioxidant activity and rise in the levels of plasma lipid peroxidation products in the experimental rats. This effect persisted throughout the experimental period. At the end of 4 weeks, we observed imbalances in the metabolites; the plasma levels of arachidonic acid peaked by the 8th week; in addition, thromboxane B 2 levels rose by 37.3% and 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1 α levels reduced by 21.8%. This was accompanied by an increase in endothelin-1 and decrease in the total nitric oxide metabolites by 20.2% in the experimental rats. At the end of 2 weeks, there was a reduction in the anticoagulant and fibrinolytic activities of the vessels of the experimental group rats; this effect increased with time. By 4 weeks, the vascular regulation of platelet aggregation in response to collagen, adenosine diphosphate and ristomicin had weakened in the experimental rats. Under experimental conditions of fructose ingestion, there was evident progressive weakening of antiaggregatory, anticoagulative, and fibrinolytic abilities of the vascular endothelium due to the inhibition of the production of prostacyclin, nitric oxide, antithrombin III, and tissue activator plasminogen in the vessels with a simultaneous increase in the body mass of the rats and the development of biochemical abnormalities that were characteristic of metabolic syndrome.
Developing a latent coping resources factor for recovery from substance use disorder

Abstract Background It is crucial for individuals with substance use disorders, especially those with a co-occurring mental health disorder, to access effective coping resources. Aim: We quantify coping through four domains of individual resources (self-esteem, self-efficacy, perceived social support, and hope) to examine the extent to which individuals with varying psychiatric severity can access coping-related resources. Since sex is an additional, important consideration in treatment, we also explore both sexes’ access to coping-related resources. Method: We generate a multilevel latent variable of coping resources in class structures, one for males and one for females, to measure (1) the extent individuals with varying psychiatric presentations (types, symptoms, severity) are able to access this latent resource and (2) to control for house level effects. Results Our variables of self-esteem, self-efficacy, perceived social support, and hope all coalesced into a latent variable, named coping resources. Furthermore, we find that psychiatric severity is negatively related to coping resources at the individual level but function differently for males and females at the house level. Conclusions: Treatment guidelines should address the nuanced needs of individuals and consider individual differences, such as sex, that impact access to coping resources.
Hybrid maturity influence on maize yield and yield component response to plant population in Croatia and Nebraska

Maize (Zea mays L.) yield component analysis is limited. Research was conducted in 2012 and 2013 at Zagreb, Croatia and Mead, Nebraska, United States with the objective to determine the influence of environment, hybrid maturity, and plant population (PP) on maize yield and yield components. Three maturity classes of maize hybrids were produced at five PP ranging from 65,000 to 105,000 plants ha−1 under rainfed conditions. Yield, ears m−2, rows ear−1, ear circumference, kernels ear−1, kernels row−1, ear length, and kernel weight were determined. Average yield was 10.7 t ha−1, but was variable for hybrids across PP. The early maturity-hybrids had lesser ear circumference, more kernels ear−1, greater ear length, and fewer rows ear−1 than mid- and late-maturity hybrids. Kernels ear−1 had the highest correlation with yield (r = 0.47; P < 0.01 for early-maturity hybrids; r = 0.55; P < 0.01 for the mid- and late-maturity hybrids). Path analysis indicated that ears m−2, kernels ear−1 and kernel weight had similar direct effects on yield for early-maturity hybrids (R = 0.41 to 0.48) while kernels ear−1 had the largest direct effect (R = 0.58 versus 0.32 to 0.36) for the midand late-maturity hybrids. Rows ear−1 had an indirect effects on yield (R = 0.30 to 0.33) for all hybrids, while kernels row−1 had indirect effect (R = 0.46) on yield for mid- and latematurity hybrids. Yield component compensation was different for early-maturity hybrid than the mid- and late-maturity hybrids, likely due to the proportion of southern dent and northern flint germplasm present in these hybrids.
Phylogeny of the Detarioid Legume Genera Cynometra and Maniltoa (Leguminosae)

Abstract The genus Cynometra (Leguminosae, Detarioideae) is a large, pantropical group of woody plants ranging in size from 5–50 m. While many recent advances have been made in higher level legume systematics, many large genera still require more study to test their monophyly. Further, its relationship to the much smaller Pacific genus Maniltoa is unclear. Here we present the first broadly-sampled phylogeny of Cynometra and Maniltoa, based on molecular data from three chloroplast loci: matK, the trnL intron, and the trnL intergenic spacer. Our analyses indicate that Cynometra is not monophyletic as currently circumscribed, as several researchers had previously suspected. We recover two strongly supported clades of Cynometra s. l. ; one that is most closely related to a clade consisting of the genera Dicymbe and Polystemonanthus and is composed of exclusively African taxa, and another clade that is pantropical and is nested in a larger clade with the Scorodolphoeus group and the genera Normandiodendron, Neochevalierodendron, and Zenkerella. Futhermore, the genus Maniltoa is nested within the pantropical Cynometra clade and is also non-monophyletic. The two clades are each supported by several morphological characters that can be used to distinguish between them (e.g. inflorescence structure, pedicel articulation, fruit dehiscence). These results will be used to modify the classification by moving the relevant African taxa to a new genus and placing Maniltoa in synonymy with Cynometra.
Nursery Management Practices for Improving the Yield of Dry Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)

The experiment was conducted at Horticulture Research and Extension Station, Devihosur, Haveri, Karnataka to study the effect of different methods of seed beds for raising seedlings and nipping practices followed at different intervals (before transplanting) on growth and dry yield of Bydagi Chilli (Dabbi). The pooled results of the experiment indicated that significantly higher dry Chilli yield (966 kg/ha) was obtained with raised bed + nipping of the seedlings 5 days before transplanting and this was followed by the flat bed + 5 days before transplanting (807 kg/ha). The incidence of leaf curl was also found least i.e the leaf curl index at 45 and 90 days after transplanting was found 0.60 and 0.56 respectively with the treatment raised bed + nipping 5 days before transplanting compare to other treatments.
Direct heat stress-induced effects on rumen fermentation characteristics and nutrients degradability in sheep pair-fed alfalfa hay

Aim of the study: To investigate the direct effect of heat stress on rumen fermentation characteristics and nutrients degradability of pair-fed rams to subsequently eliminate the confounding effects of dissimilar feed intake induced by heat stress exposure.Area of study: Saudi Arabia.Material and methods: Five rumen-cannulated desert rams (45 ± 1.63 kg body weight; 2–3 years of age) were placed individually in controlled climatic-chambers to be exposed to two successive periods. The 1st period was a control thermoneutral period (TN; 23.64 ± 0.14 °C; extended for 21 days) followed by a 2nd period of heat stress (HS; 44.26 ± 1.70 °C, for another 21 days). Each period was consisted of a temperature acclimation phase (7 days) and a data collection phase (14 days). Alfalfa hay was offered twice daily during both periods in a pair-fed manner (800 g DM per head and day). Main results: Exposing pair-fed desert rams to elevated ambient temperature had (p<0.05) elevated their respiration rate and skin temperature, without noticeable (p>0.05) changes in their rectal temperature. Most of the rumen fermentation characteristics and nutrients degradability were not affected by HS (p>0.05). However, exposure to HS increased (p<0.05) pre-feeding rumen total volatile fatty acids concentrations, pre-feeding molar proportion of acetate, and post-feeding rumen osmolality.Research highlights: HS had no direct effect on post-feeding rumen fermentation characteristics and nutrients degradability in desert sheep. This implies that strategic approaches to mitigate the adverse effects of HS have to be directed towards promoting feed intake and nutrients utilization under such conditions.
Genetic divergence among accessions of Carthamus tinctorius L. by morphoagronomic traits.

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a crop that produces oil with high content of oleic and linoleic acids, which has great quality for human consumption and industrial use, such as in biodiesel production, and cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. The objective of this study was to quantify the genetic diversity among 20 safflower genotypes by morphological characteristics. The genotypes were grouped into nine groups based on the measurements of genetic divergence obtained by means of Mahalanobis distance (D2) and in the grouping by Tocher optimization method. Heritability coefficients ranged from 89 to 93% and b quotient was above 1.0 indicating that the variability in the population allows obtaining genetic gains for all traits. Grain yield is the character that most contributed to the genetic variability of the population studied. The accesses of Group V are favorable for use as parents in crosses to obtain new genotypes with high grain and oil yields, and desirable plant architecture. Key words: Safflower, plant breeding, multivariate analysis, genetic variability, genetic parameters.