Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intermixing of Commercial Pure Breed Chickens with Indigenous (Sakini) Breed of Nepal

The intermixing of pure breeds of commercial chickens with Nepalese indigenous flock of chickens has not been explored yet genetically. The study aims to investigate the status of interbreeding of Nepalese indigenous chickens with exotic breeds. Thirty three samples of indigenous chicken, Sakini, from three different ecological regions, Terai, mid-hill and high hill, were taken for the study. The 522 bp hyper-variable region of D loop mtDNA of each sampled population was PCR amplified and sequenced. The Neighbor joining tree revealed that most of Nepalese Sakini and commercial chickens such as New Hampshire, Rhode Island Red, White Leghorn, White Plymouth Rock and Barred Plymouth Rock lied in same clade. Our study provides first direct evidence that the Sakini was already bred with commercial breeds for the sake of enhancing production performance and also alarms the government to introduce proper strategies and policies to avoid such genetic erosion.
Inner and outer reachability for the verification of control systems

We investigate the information and guarantees provided by different inner and outer approximated reachability analyses, for proving properties of dynamical systems. We explore the connection of these approximated sets with the maximal and minimal reachable sets of Mitchell [31], with an additional notion of robustness to disturbance. We demonstrate the practical use of a specific computation of these approximated reachable sets. We revisit in particular the reachavoid properties.
Sustainable Entrepreneurship in SMEs: The Case of Creative-Industry SMEs in Jambi, Indonesia

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between motivational factors and the tendency to carry out sustainable entrepreneurship in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). We proposed that there is an effect of sustainable attitude, social norms, and perceived desirability on sustainable entrepreneurship. A sample of 100 SME owners from creative industry in Jambi, Indonesia, participated in the study. Data analysis was performed using multiple regression analysis. This research concluded that there is a significant effect of sustainable attitude, social norms, and perceived desirability on sustainable entrepreneurship among creative-industry SMEs in Jambi. Theoretically, this study is enriching sustainable entrepreneurship research at the SME-level. In practical terms, the implications of this research can be the consideration for government and local policymakers in encouraging sustainable entrepreneurship practices, especially at the SME-level.
Deficiency of miR-29a/b1 leads to premature aging and dopaminergic neuroprotection in mice

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive degeneration of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. The miR-29s family, including miR-29a and miR-29b1 as well as miR-29b2 and miR-29c, are implicated in aging, metabolism, neuronal survival, and neurological disorders. In this study, the roles of miR-29a/b1 in aging and PD were investigated. miR-29a/b1 knockout mice (named as 29a KO hereafter) and their wild-type (WT) controls were used to analyze aging-related phenotypes. After challenged with the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), dopaminergic injuries, glial activation, and mouse behaviors were evaluated. Primary glial cells were further cultured to explore the underlying mechanisms. Additionally, the levels of miR-29s in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of PD patients (n = 18) and healthy subjects (n = 17) were quantified. 29a KO mice showed dramatic weight loss, kyphosis, and along with increased and deepened wrinkles in skins, when compared with WT mice. Moreover, both abdominal and brown adipose tissues reduced in 29a KO mice, compared to their WT counterpart. However, in MPTP-induced PD mouse model, the deficiency of miR-29a/b1 led to less severe damages of dopaminergic system and mitigated glial activation in the nigrostriatal pathway, and subsequently alleviated the motor impairments in 3-month-old mice. Eight-month-old mutant mice maintained such a resistance to MPTP intoxication. Mechanistically, the deficiency of miR-29a/b-1 promoted the expression of neurotrophic factors in 1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+)-treated primary mixed glia and primary astrocytes. In lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated primary microglia, knockout of miR-29a/b-1 inhibited the expression of inflammatory factors, and promoted the expression of anti-inflammatory factors and neurotrophic factors. Knockout of miR-29a/b1 increased the activity of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and repressed NF-κB/p65 signaling in glial cells. Moreover, we found miR-29a level was increased in the CSF of patients with PD. Our results suggest that 29a KO mice display the peripheral premature senility. The combined effects of less activated glial cells might contribute to the mitigated inflammatory responses and elicit resistance to MPTP intoxication in miR-29a/b1 KO mice.
Increased primary and secondary H2SO4 showing the opposing roles in secondary organic aerosol formation from ethyl methacrylate ozonolysis

Abstract. Stressed plants and polymer production can emit many unsaturated volatile organic esters (UVOEs). However, secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation of UVOEs remains unclear, especially under complex ambient conditions. In this study, we mainly investigated ethyl methacrylate (EM) ozonolysis. Results showed that a substantial increase in secondary H2SO4 particles promoted SOA formation with increasing SO2. An important reason was that the homogeneous nucleation of more H2SO4 at high SO2 level provided greater surface area and volume for SOA condensation. However, increased primary H2SO4 with seed acidity enhanced EM uptake but reduced SOA formation. This was ascribed to the fact that the ozonolysis of more adsorbed EM was hampered with the formation of surface H2SO4 at higher particle acidity. Moreover, the increase in secondary H2SO4 particle via homogeneous nucleation favored to the oligomerization of oxidation products, whereas the increasing of primary H2SO4 with acidity in the presence of seed tended to promote the functionalization conversion products. This study indicated that the role of increased H2SO4 to EM-derived SOA may not be the same under different ambient conditions, which helps to advance our understanding of the complicated roles of H2SO4 in the formation of EM-derived SOA.
Exploring technical and non-technical competencies of navigators for autonomous shipping

ABSTRACT The emergence of autonomous ship technologies has attracted a growing body of academic studies, regulatory discussions and exploration endeavours in recent years. With the introduction of new technology comes the need for the seafarers to be trained in its use. The purpose of this paper is 1) to examine the suitability of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) Table A-II/1 competence framework for navigators under Maritime Autonomous Surface Ship (MASS) operations, and 2) to propose future technical and non-technical competencies that will be needed in autonomous shipping era. A mixed method approach was adopted with collection of both quantitative and qualitative data through a survey instrument developed on the basis of the literature and current STCW Table A-II/1, in which the 66 Knowledge, Understanding & Proficiency (KUP) requirements for navigators were converted into measurement items. Statistical analysis of the data has aided in identifying a list of key technical and non-technical competence requirements for the navigators under MASS operations. The results can be used as an input for revision of the STCW competence requirements and to facilitate the preparation and implementation of novel training frameworks for autonomous shipping.
Symptoms Prompting Interest in Celiac Disease and the Gluten-Free Diet: Analysis of Internet Search Term Data

Background Celiac disease, a common immune-based disease triggered by gluten, has diverse clinical manifestations, and the relative distribution of symptoms leading to diagnosis has not been well characterized in the population. Objective This study aimed to use search engine data to identify a set of symptoms and conditions that would identify individuals at elevated likelihood of a subsequent celiac disease diagnosis. We also measured the relative prominence of these search terms before versus after a search related to celiac disease. Methods We extracted English-language queries submitted to the Bing search engine in the United States and identified those who submitted a new celiac-related query during a 1-month period, without any celiac-related queries in the preceding 9 months. We compared the ratio between the number of times that each symptom or condition was asked in the 14 days preceding the first celiac-related query of each person and the number of searches for that same symptom or condition in the 14 days after the celiac-related query. Results We identified 90,142 users who made a celiac-related query, of whom 6528 (7%) exhibited sustained interest, defined as making a query on more than 1 day. Though a variety of symptoms and associated conditions were also queried before a celiac-related query, the maximum area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.53. The symptom most likely to be queried more before than after a celiac-related query was diarrhea (query ratio [QR] 1.28). Extraintestinal symptoms queried before a celiac disease query included headache (QR 1.26), anxiety (QR 1.10), depression (QR 1.03), and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (QR 1.64). Conclusions We found an increase in antecedent searches for symptoms known to be associated with celiac disease, a rise in searches for depression and anxiety, and an increase in symptoms that are associated with celiac disease but may not be reported to health care providers. The protean clinical manifestations of celiac disease are reflected in the diffuse nature of antecedent internet queries of those interested in celiac disease, underscoring the challenge of effective case-finding strategies.
Genetic Analysis of the Mitochondrial rrnS Gene of Zoonotic Anisakis pegreffii (Nematoda: Anisakidae) Isolated from Micromesistius Poutassou (R.) in the Aegean Sea

: Ascaridoid nematodes were found in viscera of the blue whiting Micromesistius poutassou (Risso, 1826) from the Aegean Sea in the parasitological examination. Collected nematodes were morphologically identified as the third (L3) stage of Anisakis type I larvae and then subject to Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region to identify the species. Randomly selected larvae were molecularly confirmed as Anisakis pegreffii by RFLP analysis. Subsequently, L3 of A. pegreffii were amplified and bi-directionally sequenced at the small subunit ribosomal RNA (rrnS) gene. The rrnS sequence of A. pegreffii (MT484284) had 100% identity with the rrnS gene of A. pegreffii (JX500050, LC222461, MF140359, MT312511, MT312512) which were found in fish and cetaceans hosts, Scomber japonicus , Conger myriaster , Neophocaena asiaeorientalis , and Stenella coeruleoalba , from the Mediterranean Sea, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean waters, respectively. This study provided the genetic analysis of zoonotic A. pegreffii from the Turkish marine waters based on the rrnS gene for the first time. This sequence (MT484284) can be used as the novel rrnS sequence of A. pegreffii in the genetic analysis for ascaridoid nematodes in the Mediterranean Sea.
Targeting RET-rearranged non-small-cell lung cancer: future prospects

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with mutated or rearranged oncogene drivers can be treated with upfront selective inhibitors achieving higher response rates and longer survival than chemotherapy. The RET gene can undergo chromosomal rearrangements in 1%–2% of all NSCLC patients, involving various upstream fusion partners such as KIF5B, CCDC6, NCOA4, and TRIM33. Many multikinase inhibitors are active against rearranged RET. Cabozantinib, vandetanib, sunitinib, lenvatinib, and nintedanib achieved tumor responses in about 30% of these patients in retrospective studies. Prospective phase II trials investigated the activity and toxicity of cabozantinib, vandetanib, sorafenib, and lenvatinib, and did not reach significantly higher response rates. VEGFR and EGFR inhibition represented the main ways of developing off-target toxicity. An intrinsic resistance emerged according to the type of RET fusion partners, as KIF5B-RET fusion is the most resistant. Also acquired mutations in rearranged RET oncogene developed as resistance to these multikinase inhibitors. Interestingly, RET fusions have been found as a resistance mechanism to EGFR-TKIs in EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients. The combination of EGFR and RET inhibition can overcome this resistance. The limitations in terms of activity and tolerability of the various multikinase inhibitors prompted the investigation of new highly selective RET inhibitors, such as RXDX-105, BLU-667, and LOXO-292. Some data emerged about intracranial antitumor activity of BLU-667 and LOXO-292. If these novel drugs will achieve high activity in RET rearranged NSCLC, also these oncogene-addicted tumors can undergo a significant survival improvement.
Hostility, Anger, and Dominance as Mediators of the Sibling Aggression‒School Fighting Relationship: Mechanisms of Violence Generalization.

Objective Prior research indicates that siblings play a significant role in the formation of aggressive behavior inside and outside the home. The purpose of the current investigation was to identify the mechanism that links aggression toward siblings, referred to in this study as sibling aggression, with school-related violence and fighting, referred to in this study as school fighting. It was predicted that hostility, anger, and dominance would mediate the sibling aggression‒school fighting relationship. Method Three candidate intermediary variables (hostility, anger, and dominance) were tested as putative mediators of the sibling aggression‒school fighting relationship in a group of 713 middle-school students (339 boys, 374 girls). It was hypothesized that all three candidate intervening variables would mediate the relationship between sibling aggression and school fighting, with no significant differences in strength of effect between the three mediators. Results The research hypothesis was partially supported: hostility, but not anger or dominance, successfully mediated the sibling aggression‒school fighting relationship and there was no difference in strength of effect between the three candidate mediators. Conclusions A practical implication of these results is that aggression prevention and treatment programs may be enhanced by targeting children who display aggressive relationships with siblings and other children in the home in an effort to change cognitive and behavior patterns before they generalize to the school setting and negatively impact the child's relationships with schoolmates and peers.
Impaired adrenergic agonist-dependent beige adipocyte induction in obese mice

Brown adipocytes, which exist in brown adipose tissue (BAT), are activated by adrenergic stimulation, depending on the activity of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). Beige adipocytes emerge from white adipose tissue (WAT) in response to chronic adrenergic stimulation. We investigated obesity-related changes in responses of both types of adipocytes to adrenergic stimulation in mice. Feeding of mice with high-fat diets (HFD: 45%-kcal fat) for 14 weeks resulted in significantly higher body and WAT weight compared to feeding with normal diets (ND: 10%-kcal fat). Injection with β3-adrenergic receptor agonist CL316,243 (CL; 0.1 mg/kg, once a day) for one week elevated the mRNA and protein expression levels of UCP1 in BAT, irrespective of diet. In WAT, CL-induced UCP1 expression in ND mice; however, the responses to CL treatment were attenuated in HFD mice, indicating that CL-induced browning of WAT was impaired in obese mice. Flow cytometric analysis revealed a significant decrease in platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) α-expressing beige adipocyte progenitors in WAT of HFD mice compared with those of ND mice. Expression of PDGF-B, a PDGFRα ligand, increased in WAT following CL-injection in ND mice, but not in HFD mice. Treatment of mice with a PDGFR inhibitor significantly decreased CL-dependent UCP1 protein induction in WAT. Our study demonstrates that β3-adrenergic stimulation-dependent beige adipocyte induction in WAT is impaired by obesity in mice, potentially due to obesity-dependent reduction in the number of PDGFRα-expressing progenitors and decreased PDGF-B expression.
3D Face Reconstruction from Low-Resolution Images with Convolutional Neural Networks

During the past years, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have widely spread as a powerful tool for tackling a variety of challenges posed in computer vision. Consequently, the trend neither does stop at 3D face reconstruction: Recently, several CNN-based approaches for reconstructing the dense 3D geometry of a face from only a single image have been introduced. However, while all of these methods deal with 3D face reconstruction in the high-resolution (HR) case, reconstruction in low-resolution (LR) surveillance scenarios by means of CNNs has not received any attention so far. With this work, we address that gap, being the first to propose a CNN architecture specifically tailored to LR 3D face reconstruction: We introduce an end-to-end trainable CNN capable of simultaneously estimating 3D geometry and pose of a face given a single LR image. By coupling our network with a state-of-the-art LR face detector, we build a 3D face reconstruction pipeline ready for integration into real-world applications. We conduct systematic evaluation on LR versions of the in-the-wild AFLW2000-3D dataset, considering decreasing interocular distances (IODs) down to three pixels. The results show superior performance of the proposed method in the LR domain over state-of-the-art approaches, for both 3D face reconstruction and the closely related face alignment task.
Towards safe machine learning for CPS: infer uncertainty from training data

Machine learning (ML) techniques are increasingly applied to decision-making and control problems in Cyber-Physical Systems among which many are safety-critical, e.g., chemical plants, robotics, autonomous vehicles. Despite the significant benefits brought by ML techniques, they also raise additional safety issues because 1) most expressive and powerful ML models are not transparent and behave as a black box and 2) the training data which plays a crucial role in ML safety is usually incomplete. An important technique to achieve safety for ML models is "Safe Fail", i.e., a model selects a reject option and applies the backup solution, a traditional controller or a human operator for example, when it has low confidence in a prediction. Data-driven models produced by ML algorithms learn from training data, and hence they are only as good as the examples they have learnt. As pointed in [17], ML models work well in the "training space" (i.e., feature space with sufficient training data), but they could not extrapolate beyond the training space. As observed in many previous studies, a feature space that lacks training data generally has a much higher error rate than the one that contains sufficient training samples [31]. Therefore, it is essential to identify the training space and avoid extrapolating beyond the training space. In this paper, we propose an efficient Feature Space Partitioning Tree (FSPT) to address this problem. Using experiments, we also show that, a strong relationship exists between model performance and FSPT score.
Quantitative Characterization of Warpage for Composite Components

While part warpage represents a relatively common occurrence in manufacturing, little research has been directed towards its quantitative characterization. To address this deficiency, five different metrics have been proposed and analyzed in an effort to evaluate the warpage of composite components with small thickness to length/width ratios. The significant common attribute of all these metrics was that they can be reduced to a single number which enables their use in subsequent studies attempting to identify combinations of input parameters yielding a desired output value. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed metrics, they were applied in two case studies involving compression molding of LFT-D. While the analyzed metrics suggested that neither mold temperature nor charge placement play a significant role on part warpage, the comparative analysis of the results obtained revealed that the inherent definition of part warpage plays an important role on any downstream analysis involving it.
Students’ motivation types in the smart approach to ESP instruction

This article focuses on the smart approach applied in teaching two topics (referred to as learning contents) within English for Specific Purposes with regard to students’ motivation types. It introduces results of the research conducted in this field. The research is based on the definition of the term smart set by Silverio-Fernandez et al. (2018) and the theory of motivation types created by Plaminek (2010), who designed the standardised Motivation Type Inventory distinguishing four motivation types (accurators, coordinators, directors, explorers). Data were collected via didactic tests; quantitative methods were applied to calculate the potential increase in students’ knowledge as a difference between pre-test and post-test scores in the didactic tests. In total, 119 prospective teachers from the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Science at Jan Evangelista Purkyne University participated in this research conducted via quasi-experimental ex-post-facto method for 12 weeks. The smart approach included the exploitation of smart devices and technologies (applications) in face-to-face instruction and in-home preparation for lessons. Three main hypotheses were set to prove whether the smart approach to ESP instruction can be applied to learners of all motivation types. According to the findings, the smart approach suited students of all motivation types; however, coordinators’ increase in knowledge was significantly higher compared to explorers and directors in one of the learning contents.
A Systematic and Critical Review on the Research Landscape of Finance in Vietnam from 2008 to 2020

This paper endeavors to understand the research landscape of finance research in Vietnam during the period 2008 to 2020 and predict the key defining future research directions. Using the comprehensive database of Vietnam’s international publications in social sciences and humanities, we extract a dataset of 314 papers on finance topics in Vietnam from 2008 to 2020. Then, we apply a systematic approach to analyze four important themes: Structural issues, Banking system, Firm issues, and Financial psychology and behavior. Overall, there have been three noticeable trends within finance research in Vietnam: (1) assessment of financial policies or financial regulation, (2) deciphering the correlates of firms’ financial performances, and (3) opportunities and challenges in adopting innovations and ideas from foreign financial market systems. Our analysis identifies several fertile areas for future research, including financial market analysis in the post-COVID-19 eras, fintech, and green finance.