Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
When morphometry meets taxonomy: morphological variation and species boundaries in Proboscoida (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa)

Species delimitation in marine taxa is often problematic given large intraspecific variation. Based on extensive, recently published genetic sampling from specimens of the hydrozoan families Campanulariidae, Clytiidae and Obeliidae, we evaluate morphological variation in this group, correlating morphometric and phylogenetic patterns for species delimitation. Several species of Campanulariidae are confidently delimited based on differences in size (e.g. Bonneviella species, Tulpa tulipifera and Rhizocaulus verticillatus), while others are re-identified and corroborated based on differences in perisarc thickness (e.g. Silicularia rosea, Orthopyxis and Campanularia species). In Clytiidae, the length and diameter of hydrothecae, height of hydrothecal cusps and perisarc thickness delimit the species Clytia linearis, C. elsaeoswaldae and C. noliformis from others. However, few characters reliably differentiate the clades associated with the nominal species C. gracilis and C. hemisphaerica. In Obeliidae, Obelia geniculata is distinctive in its higher perisarc thickness, and corroborated as a widely distributed species. Obelia longissima and clades refered to O. dichotoma are subtly distinguished, showing a few differences in size and branching of colonies. The taxonomic implications of these results are discussed. With a few exceptions, species can be delimited based on morphometric patterns, once morphological variation is compared.
Study Of Incidence Of Senile And Post - Menopausal Osteoporosis Using Femoral Trabecular Pattern Index

One hundred patients of either sex aged 45 years and above from a cross section of normal population were studied for the incidence and risk factors involved in osteoporosis. Femoral trabecular pattern index was used as the radiological criterion of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis was noted in 38% of the population studied â€“ 30% showed mild and 8% showed moderate to severe osteoporosis. Fifty three percent of post-menopausal females were osteoporotic. In the male population osteoporosis was rare before 60 years of age and only mild osteoporosis was noted between 60 to 75 years of age. People belonging to middle socio-economic group, sedentary workers and the short - statured were more prone to osteoporosis. Weight did not protect an individual from developing osteoporosis. No statistical difference was noted between rural or urban population.
Assessment of the efficacy of licorice versus 0.2% chlorhexidine oral rinse on plaque-induced gingivitis: A randomized clinical trial

Background: Supragingival plaque control is elementary to the prevention and management of periodontal diseases. Conversely, significant proportions of all individuals fail to practice a high standard of plaque removal. The adjunctive use of chemicals would therefore appear a way of overcoming deficiencies in mechanical tooth cleaning habits. This prospective, randomized positively controlled clinical trial was aimed to evaluate the short-term clinical effects of a licorice oral rinse in the reduction of plaque and gingival inflammation in individuals with gingivitis. Materials and Methods: A total of 104 individuals, 12–15 years of age diagnosed with chronic generalized gingivitis, were selected and randomly divided into two groups: Group 1: chlorhexidine mouthwash and Group 2: licorice mouthwash. Clinical evaluation was undertaken using the gingival index, the plaque index, and bleeding on probing at baseline, 1st, 2nd, and 4th week. Results: Both chlorhexidine and licorice mouthwash showed a significant reduction in plaque and gingival index scores from baseline to 1st, 2nd, and at 4th week. However, the improvement in plaque and gingival index scores were better in chlorhexidine group than herbal mouthwash. Both mouthwashes were found to be equally effective in reducing bleeding on probing. Conclusion: Unlike chlorhexidine mouthwash, licorice mouthwash was not associated with any discoloration of teeth or unpleasant taste and was effective in reducing plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation. However, chlorhexidine still remains a gold standard in reducing plaque, gingivitis, and bleeding on probing.
Widefield light sheet microscopy using an Airy beam combined with deep-learning super-resolution

Imaging across length scales and in depth has been an important pursuit of widefield optical imaging. This promises to reveal fine cellular detail within a widefield snapshot of a tissue sample. Current advances often sacrifice resolution through selective sub-sampling to provide a wide field of view in a reasonable time scale. We demonstrate a new avenue for recovering high-resolution images from sub-sampled data in light-sheet microscopy using deep-learning super-resolution. We combine this with the use of a widefield Airy beam to achieve high-resolution imaging over extended fields of view and depths. We characterise our method on fluorescent beads as test targets. We then demonstrate improvements in imaging amyloid plaques in a cleared brain from a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease, and in excised healthy and cancerous colon and breast tissues. This development can be widely applied in all forms of light sheet microscopy to provide a two-fold increase in the dynamic range of the imaged length scale. It has the potential to provide further insight into neuroscience, developmental biology and histopathology.
Thromboendarterectomy for Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension: Insights from histopathological findings of surgical specimens

The pathophysiology of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is uncertain. Although thromboendarterectomy has become a common treatment modality, few reports have examined characteristics of surgical thromboendarterectomy specimens with respect to pre-endarterectomy pulmonary artery pressures. We hypothesized that comprehensive clinicopathologic review of specimens at our chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension surgical referral center may provide pathophysiologic insight into this disorder. We reviewed clinical and histopathologic features of patients who underwent pulmonary thromboendarterectomy for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension at the Massachusetts General Hospital from 2010-2013. A panel of histochemical and immunohistochemical stains was applied. We examined the thromboendarterectomy specimens of 22 women and 20 men (mean age 55 years, range 30-78) who had pulmonary arterial pressures determined by right heart catheterization. 19 patients (45%) had a documented history of deep venous thrombosis. Other comorbid conditions included autoimmune diseases and various cardiopulmonary disorders. Histological examination revealed variably organized pulmonary thrombi, neovascularization, intimal hyperplasia with associated elastic reduplication, medial calcification and increased medial smooth muscle. Thromboendarterectomy specimens that included diffusely organized thrombi were larger than those with acute thrombus or focal organization (p=0.016). Atheromatous change was associated with higher pre-operative mean pulmonary arterial pressures (53 vs. 45 mm Hg, p=0.04). These results suggest that vascular remodeling may be a critical hemodynamic factor in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Correspondence to: Alexandra E. Kovach, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 11236 Doctors’ Office Tower, Box 3-9065, 2200 Children’s Way, Nashville, TN 37232-9065, Tel: 615-936-2879; Fax: 615-936-7828; E-mail: alexandra.kovach@vanderbilt.edu
Development of Blended Learning for Optimization Courses in Education Technology Master Program

The purpose of this study is to develop blended learning in order to optimize the Instructional Design courses in the Educational Technology Master's Study Program. The use of appropriate learning model is absolutely necessary so the optimal learning results can be achieved properly. The methodology of this study is using research and development approach. The development of learning products are using the Integrative Learning Design Framework (ILDF) model which has three stages: exploration, enactment and evaluation. in the enactment phase particularly, the PEDATI model were integrated into the framework with five development stages: the formulation of course achievements, organizing the material synchronously or asynchronously, selecting and determining synchronous and asynchronous learning activities, designing asynchronous learning activities, designing synchronous learning activities. The results of the study are in the form of a blended learning design for Instructional Design Courses that are integrated between face-to-face and online learning. This model is different from other blended models, because it was developed systematically with a development model specifically for blended learning, namely PEDATI model
Fisheries practices and fish diversity in Muda and Beris Lakes: a preliminary survey study

Beris and Muda are two artificial lakes that have shifted from lotic to lentic system. Despite both lakes were created for irrigation and source of drinking water, they provide fish habitat for human consumption. This study was carried out to find out the effect of different management approaches on fish in the studied lakes. Muda Lake was utilized for commercial fisheries; this lake hosts around 50 active fishermen compared to Beris that has all part-time fishermen. The catch and the existence of fish landing centre makes the Muda a successful lake for commercial fisheries. In contrast, Beris Lake has also developed its fisheries activity, but concentrates more on the recreational aspect which is well developed at this lake. The existence of many chalets providing boats for sport fishing makes Beris Lake more successful than Muda Lake. The study found a contrasting impact of introducing different alien species where may cause benefit at Muda Lake such as increasing fish stocks of Tilapia (Orechromis spp.) but developed problems in Beris Lake when Toman (Channa micropeltes) was introduced to this lake which reduced the number of native fish species compared to previous studies. This study finds that different methods of fishery management and the introduction of alien species may affect the fisheries activities and fish diversity in those lakes.
Instructional Strategies and Learning Styles as Predictors of High School students’ Academic Performance in Physics Practicals in Kenya

The desire of every teacher and every educator is to improve academic performance in schools and colleges. Meaningful teaching and learning requires flexibility, creativity and responsibility in order to provide a conducive learning environment able to respond to the learner’s individual needs. A host of research has been conducted to investigate various factors that influence academic performance. Among such factors is the preferred learning styles of learners. A quasi – experimental pre-test post–test non-equivalent control group design was conducted to investigate how three learning styles (visual, auditory and kinaesthetic) and three teachers' instructional strategies (guided-inquiry, cooperative learning and direct instruction) predict academic performance (achievement test scores and acquisition of science process skills) in Physics practical work while controlling for gender. A sample of five hundred and nineteen (519) form three physics students were selected through multistage sampling procedures (purposive sampling, proportionate stratified random sampling and simple random sampling). Physics Achievement Tests 1 and 2 (PAT1 & PAT2), Learning Style Questionnaire and Physics Process Skills Checklist (PPSC). Teachers’ Instructional Guides on Guided-Inquiry (TIGITS), Cooperative (TIGCTS) and Direct Instructional Strategy (TIGDITS) were used to collect quantitative data. Validity and reliability of the instruments were assessed. Data were analysed using multiple Linear Regression test. Results indicated that while Teachers’ Instructional Strategies contributed significantly to the model (B= 3.266, p<.05), Students’ learning Styles did not (B= .717, p=.412). These findings have implications to educators, teachers, learners, and ministry of education stakeholders. Recommendations are provided.
A Factor Model for Option Returns

Due to their short lifespans and migrating moneyness, options are notoriously difficult to study with the factor models commonly used to analyze the risk-return tradeoff in other asset classes. In-trumented principal components analysis (IPCA) solves this problem by tracking contracts in terms of their pricing-relevant characteristics. We recover the latent common risk factors in option returns and the time-varying loadings of individual options on these factors. Five latent factors explain more than 90% of the variation in a panel of monthly S&P 500 option returns from 1996 to 2017. The factors we estimate are interpretable as jump, volatility, and term structure spread risks.
Storage protocol of dental pulp cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth.

Objective: This study aimed to isolate the cells from the dental pulp tissue of human primary teeth, study the capacity of proliferation, characterize the cells and standardize the technique of culture and expansion to create a cell banking. Material and Methods: Primary teeth with no caries and orthodontic reasons were extracted for pulp tissue obtainment. The cells were extracted from the pulp cells, isolated and cultured under ideal conditions until full expansion. Results: After consecutive passages, the cultured cells were characterized using immunofluorescence technique and frozen between the 2 nd and 6 th passage, thus creating a biorepository of dental pulp cells from human primary teeth. Conclusion: The creation of a cell banking from dental pulp cells from human primary teeth enables the easy application of cells in laboratorial studies, reducing the cost and time for obtaining the samples, avoid the involvement of new subjects and allow a fast reproducibility of the researches. Keywords Cell culture techniques; Tooth, deciduous; Pulp; Fibroblasts; Cryopreservation.
prereceptor amplification of glucocorticoid Cell-intrinsic regulation of murine dendritic cell function and survival by

online September 30, 2013doi:10.1182/blood-2013-03-489138 originally published2013€122: 3288-3297€€John Curnow and Ronjon ChakravertyHenderson, Barry Flutter, Elizabeth H. Rabbitt, Paul M. Stewart, Gareth G. Lavery, Clare Bennett, S. Annelise Soulier, Sandra M. Blois, Shivajanani Sivakumaran, Farnaz Fallah-Arani, Stephen€
Dissecting formin´s molecular mechanisms of action during embryonic cell division

In eukaryotic cells, the actin cytoskeleton plays an essential role in driving diverse cellular processes, including cytokinesis. Cytokinesis involves the assembly and subsequent constriction of a contractile actomyosin ring that pinches the mother cell into two daughter cells at the end of mitosis. The action of Diaphanous formins is essential for the elongation of non-branched actin filaments that compose the contractile ring and this formin activity has to be highly regulated in space and time. The mechanisms underlying this spatiotemporal regulation of formin activity are only poorly understood. Although several mechanisms have been proposed to regulate formin activity, the only well-characterized mechanism is RhoA-dependent release of formin autoinhibition. Cytokinesis in mammalian tissue culture cells is known to depend on RhoA activation but limited in vivo studies exist. In fission yeast, for instance, formin activation by Rho binding is not biologically relevant. As alternative mechanisms for formin activation have been proposed, the study of formin ́s regulation in vivo is crucial to understand cytokinesis, especially because its deregulation has been linked to various diseases including cancer. The main goal of my project is to investigate whether activation by RhoA (RHO1 in C. elegans) is the main mechanism for formin regulation during C. elegans embryonic cytokinesis. There are six formin genes in C. elegans, but only CYK-1 has been shown to be required for furrow initiation and contractile ring structure integrity. Thus, we proposed to perform a structure-function analysis of CYK-1 in C. elegans early embryos. To study the regulation of CYK-1 in vivo, we successfully generated strains expressing a RhoA-binding deficient mutant, CYK-1(V279D), and a truncated version of CYK-1 missing C-terminal regulatory elements of the protein, CYK-1(∆1250-1437), by directly editing the C. elegans genome using the CRISPR/Cas9 technique. Homozygous cyk1(V279D) animals were sterile. To examine the impact of this mutation on embryogenesis, we introduced a transgene-reencoded wild-type CYK-1::GFP into cyk-1(V279D) animals that could be specifically depleted by RNAi. When CYK-1::GFP was fully depleted, embryos only expressing RhoA-binding deficient CYK-1 mutant failed cytokinesis and were not viable. Animals expressing CYK-1(∆1250-1437), a version of CYK-1 that is expected to be constitutively active, layed unviable embryos. To examine the impact of this mutation on embryogenesis, we also introduced in these animals a transgene-reencoded wild-type CYK-1::GFP that could be specifically
Health Literacy Among Bhutanese Adult Refugees in the United States: The Sociocultural Approach

Drawing on the accounts of literacy as socioculturally situated, this 2-year ethnography explores Bhutanese adult refugees’ health literacy at the intersection of their culture and experiences. This study illustrates the multifaceted relations between health literacy, culture, integration, and empowerment. This study indicates health literacy as sociocultural practice. Health literacy is mediated by Bhutanese adults’ oral tradition, language, education, and experiences over time. This study highlights health literacy as sociocultural participation—it resides in individuals’ community engagement. Rather than simply describing their limited functional health literacy as “a big problem,” this study recognizes Bhutanese adults’ ability to take action to improve personal and community health. This study challenges the deficit view rooted in adult literacy. It advocates integrating health literacy into adult literacy education to raise public awareness that health literacy promotes social justice, human rights, and world citizenship. Implications for a bottom-up approach to health literacy education are provided.
DyNet: Dynamic Convolution for Accelerating Convolutional Neural Networks

Convolution operator is the core of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and occupies the most computation cost. To make CNNs more efficient, many methods have been proposed to either design lightweight networks or compress models. Although some efficient network structures have been proposed, such as MobileNet or ShuffleNet, we find that there still exists redundant information between convolution kernels. To address this issue, we propose a novel dynamic convolution method to adaptively generate convolution kernels based on image contents. To demonstrate the effectiveness, we apply dynamic convolution on multiple state-of-the-art CNNs. On one hand, we can reduce the computation cost remarkably while maintaining the performance. For ShuffleNetV2/MobileNetV2/ResNet18/ResNet50, DyNet can reduce 37.0/54.7/67.2/71.3% FLOPs without loss of accuracy. On the other hand, the performance can be largely boosted if the computation cost is maintained. Based on the architecture MobileNetV3-Small/Large, DyNet achieves 70.3/77.1% Top-1 accuracy on ImageNet with an improvement of 2.9/1.9%. To verify the scalability, we also apply DyNet on segmentation task, the results show that DyNet can reduce 69.3% FLOPs while maintaining Mean IoU on segmentation task.
The effectiveness of incorporating higher moments in portfolio strategies: evidence from the Chinese commodity futures markets

This paper examines portfolio strategies that incorporate individual and systematic higher-order moments, within a stochastic optimization framework with uncertain mean and covariance. Using weekly, daily, and 30-minute interval data on Chinese commodity futures, we show that incorporating higher moments into portfolio strategies generally leads to better performance. The systematic fourth-order moment, among all systematic moments considered, can lead to the most robust, and a relatively large, improvement in investment performance, while the contribution of individual moments to the improved performance depends on the data horizon. We also find that adding higher moments brings superior performance in more cases for 30-minute-interval data than for other low-frequency data, suggesting that our strategy most likely performs best in 30-minute-rebalancing investments.
Young adults’ thoughts and experiences regarding condom use: a qualitative study from Oslo

in English Introduction: Recent reports measure an increase of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia and gonhorrea in Norway. Untreated, these conditions can lead to infertility. It is in the age group 20-24 were the majority are being diagnosed. A study conducted by the Norwegian directorate of health discovered that young adults do not fear STIs and report “avoiding unwanted pregnancies” to be their priority when deciding to use condoms in sexual encounters. Most young adults use hormonal prevention methods, these do not protect against STIs. In a public health context it is relevant to collect more information about what perspectives young adults have in relation to condom use. In the future the findings can be used to provide some insight on the topic from the participant’s point of view, as a supplement in future research. Methods: This is a qualitative study of 7 young adults who live in Oslo, all the participants’ volunteered and were recruited through the health clinic Sex og Samfunn and through “snowball-sampling”. The collection of data was done through in-depth interviews completed with a semi-structured interview-guide. The data was analysed by using Braun & Clarkes’ (2006) thematic analysis. Results: The participants of the study had different thoughts and experiences with STIs and condom use, but there were also several common conceptions. Few of the participants had any recollection of the sex education they had received in school. Several of the participants identified alcohol and one-night stands as factors that could make it more challenging to use condoms. “Trust” in a partner was for the most part associated with honesty in terms of disclosing possible STIs. The female participants described uncertainty regarding the partners’ unknown reaction to condom use as factor that made it challenging to bring up condom use. Most of the participants of the study talked about STIs in a light-hearted manner. Discussion: The findings of this study support previous research findings that have identified a low threat-perception of STIs among young adults. The context in which the sexual encounter takes place and several other factors influence young peoples decision-making regarding condom use. More elaborate education in schools about the consequences and frequencies of STIs, as well as about the social circumstance surrounding sex, so that they can develop self-efficacy in communicating condom use to a partner and preparing them for