Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessing atmospheric predictability on Mars using numerical weather prediction and data assimilation

The intrinsic and practical predictability of the Martian atmosphere is determined by use of a comprehensive numerical circulation model and ensemble forecasting techniques. Initial conditions were derived for various seasons of the Martian climate from newly available assimilations of global observations of temperature and dust optical depth in the Martian atmosphere, obtained by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) instrument on the Mars Global Surveyor orbiter. A range of initial value forecasts were obtained and the growth rate of forecast errors measured against the assimilated re‐analysis were determined as a function of season during the period from the late Martian year 24 to early 27 (from May 1999 to August 2004). The intra‐ensemble growth rates confirm earlier stand‐alone model results, indicating that internal baroclinic transients lead to significant chaotic growth of model ‘error’ on time‐scales of 3–10 sols only during Northern Hemisphere autumn and winter seasons. At other seasons, ensembles retain coherence at least over several tens of sols. Imperfections in dust distribution and coupling with other aerosols can lead to large errors in the dust field when it evolves rapidly. Owing to the very short time‐scale on Mars, these errors can lead to rapid divergence of the entire ensemble from the observed atmospheric state. These results demonstrate the importance of even relatively small errors in the aerosol fields and so in the computed radiative balance of the Martian atmosphere for deterministic forecasts throughout the Martian year, including times at which baroclinic transients are inactive. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society
II. Nitrogen fertiliser: Effect on incidence, and possible mode of action

Abstract Application of urea at rates from 56 to 256 kg/ha either in spring or at ear emergence to ryegrass plots where blind seed inoculum (apothecia of Gloeotinia temulenta (Prill, and Del.) Wilson, Noble and Gray) was present significantly reduced blind seed infection and correspondingly increased germination of harvested seed in trials in 1972 and 1978. In the 1978 trial, sulphate of ammonia at 56 and 112 kg/ha reduced the amount of blind seed, but not significantly. In laboratory and pot testing, urea directly suppressed apothecial formation, whereas sulphate of ammonia did not do so as effectively. In the 1972 field trial, inoculum (infected seed) was introduced before nitrogen treatments were applied, and although apothecial numbers were low, no differences in apothecial numbers between treatments could be determined. In the 1978 trial inoculum (apothecia in petri dishes) was introduced after the nitrogen treatments. The results from this trial suggest nitrogen controls blind seed disease by changi.
Real-World Experience With a Tapered Biodegradable Polymer-Coated Sirolimus-Eluting Stent in Patients With Long Coronary Artery Stenoses

Background Treatment of long coronary stenoses (LCS) with long tapered drug-eluting stents (LT-DES) would offer clinical and economic benefits. However, the feasibility of an interventional strategy based upon the systematic LCS treatment with an LT-DES has not been evaluated so far. Methods We performed a multicenter prospective study including consecutive patients with: 1) An LCS > 25 mm at coronary angiography; 2) An attempt to fix the LCS with a single BioMime Morph™ stent, a novel LT-DES available from 30 to 60 mm long. The primary efficacy endpoint was procedural success. The secondary safety endpoints were post-procedural TIMI3 flow, stent detachment during delivery, acute stent thrombosis and in-hospital mortality. Results From February 2017 to March 2018, we recorded 272 patients with an LCS and an attempt to deploy an LT-DES during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (69.3 ± 11.4 years, 75.7% males, 25.7% diabetic and 43.8% with acute coronary syndromes, mean LCS length 48.8 ± 9.5 mm). LT-DES deployment was successful in 262 patients (96.3%), and failure occurred without stent detachment or other complications. Final TIMI3 flow was present in 270 (99.3%) patients. In-hospital death occurred in five patients (1.8%), with no case of acute stent thrombosis, recurrent myocardial infarction or repeated revascularization. Conclusion In this real-world study, a strategy of fixing LCS with a single LT-DES was feasible and safe, with a high rate of procedural success and a low rate of in-hospital complications. More extensive randomized studies are warranted to assess the potential clinical and economic benefits of LT-DES.
Determination of Heavy Metal Pollution in Soil Collected from the Bank of River Yobe Nigeria

The study was carried out to determine the level of pollution, by selected metals Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn in soil samples collected from bank of River Yobe, Nigeria were bank of the river is used as dumping site while the other part is used as farmlands. The samples were collected from four different locations and were analyzed for soil nutrients, heavy metals and pollution indices. The nutrient concentrations in this study showed that the soil samples had low (< 100 kg/ Acre) levels of nitrogen. Also phosphorous levels in sites P1 and P3 were found to be low in concentrations while medium (100-200 kg/ Acre) levels were registered in sites P2 and P4. High (> 200 kg/Acre) level of potassium level was recorded in the sampling sites. The concentrations of Cr, Cu, Fe and Pb in the soil samples were found to be above the WHO permissible limits. The contamination factor and geoaccumulation index in all the sampling sites indicated low to moderately contamination level. The findings of this research work proved that the samples collected were polluted by the metals under study.
Current strategies used for better management of Type-2 diabetes mellitus

Type-2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder affecting primarily the metabolism of carbohydrates. The main clinical features associated with type 2 diabetes are hyperglycemia, polyuria, and polydipsia. Several other types of complications have also been linked to type-2 diabetes. These include cardiomyopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, retinopathy, and various microvascular and macrovascular complications. The causes of type-2 diabetes are multi-factorial and involve certain environmental or lifestyle factors and genetic factors which affect the sensitivity of body tissues towards insulin and pancreatic β-cell function. The treatment strategy for type-2 diabetes mainly focus on alleviating the symptoms associated with it such as hyperglycemia. Thus, the medication used for its management such as SGLT-2 inhibitors, sulfonylureas, and biguanides target the high blood sugar levels in the body. Other main drug classes such as thiazolidinediones, and DPP-4 inhibitors exert their anti-diabetic action through different mechanisms such as improving the tissue sensitivity towards insulin or stimulating the release of insulin from the pancreas. Diet and exercise have a very important role to play in the management of type-2 diabetes. The consumption of nuts, legumes, sea food, low-fat diet, low-carbohydrate diet and the incorporation of physical activity in the daily routine can significantly improve the life quality of the diabetic patients.
155-164 Ngui R.pmd

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that causes toxoplasmosis in humans. To date, little is known about T. gondii infection among the indigenous community, particularly in East Malaysia. This study was conducted to determine the status of T. gondii infection and to investigate associated risk factors among the indigenous community of Sarawak, East Malaysia. The sociodemographic data was obtained using a pretested questionnaire. A serological test was done to detect the presence of specific IgM and IgG antibodies against T. gondii in serum samples. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to determine acute infection among seropositive individuals. The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii infection was 50% (95% CI = 43.3 – 56.7). From this subset, 40.1%, 5.7%, and 4.2% were positive for anti-T. Gondii IgG antibodies, IgM, and both IgG and IgM, respectively. Four seropositive samples were amplified through PCR. None of the pregnant women tested positive for T. gondii infection based on the serological and PCR assays. A significant association was found between age, low monthly household income, unemployment, usage of untreated water and close contact with T. gondii seropositive cats. These results provide basic information on T. gondii infection and may be useful for policymakers to initiate prevention and control programs, especially amongst pregnant women and women of childbearing age in the indigenous community.
Transitions between turbulent states in a two-dimensional shear flow

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés. Transitions between turbulent states in a two-dimensional shear flow Vassilios Dallas, Kannabiran Seshasayanan, Stephan Fauve
Fermented noodles with degraded gluten (FNDG) improved digestion and gut motility in enteritis-induced mice

Gluten proteins are key to developing a unique quality of flour because they confer viscosity, cohesiveness, and elasticity in the dough. However, gluten can impede digestion and absorption in gluten-sensitive individuals. In this study, enteritis was induced in mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) salt. The mice later received a diet consisting of 3%, 12%, or 30% fermented noodles with degraded gluten (FNDG) or 30% normal noodle flour for 8 weeks. FNDG did not alter the growth performance or body composition. However, FNDG resulted in increased amylase activity in a dosedependent manner (p<0.001), and it also improved the digestive capacity. FNDG at 30% concentration increased the level of gastrin (p<0.01) implying increased gut motility. The serotonin receptor levels were significantly reduced by FNDG at 12% (p<0.05) and 30% (p<0.01) concentrations. These findings indicate that a diet containing FNDG could help in the recovery from intestinal inflammation with improving digestive ability and gut motility. Overall, the inclusion of degraded gluten in the diet was found to enhance digestion, gut motility, and absorption in mice.
Predicting Financial Distress and Financial Performance Using Political Connection

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between financial performance and financial distress with political connections. This study examines (1) the relationship between political connections to financial distress (2) the relationship between political connections to financial performance. The research location is on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) using all secondary data in the property and real estate sector. Sampling was done purposively and produced 40 observational data for 2014-2017. Data analyzed using linear regression. The results showed a negative relationship between financial distress and political connections and, likewise, a negative result between financial performance and political connections.
On the interpretation of host‐parasite ecology: Heligmosomoides polygyrus (Nematoda) in wild wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) populations

This paper describes epidemiological and seasonal patterns in the interaction between wood mice, Apodemus sylvaticus and Heligmosomoides polygyrus. Data used in the analysis were collected by C. S. Elton and co-workers at Bagley Wood, Oxfordshire in the late 1920s. Heligmosomoides polygyrus was by far the most common helminth parasite with 70% of all wood mice infected and average intensity around 12 worms per mouse. Male and female mice were shown to harbour similar parasite burdens. Parasite numbers per host were highly overdispersed and were well described by the negative binomial distribution. There was little evidence for convexity in age (= weight)-intensity curves, either within or across sexes. Host and parasite numbers showed predictable seasonal patterns, with mouse populations at their largest at the end of the breeding season, in August and September, and parasite populations at their largest in the late spring, around May. Results are discussed in relation to the ecology of H. polygyrus in wood and laboratory mice, and tentative comparison is made with human helminth infection. The interpretation of epidemiological patterns in these data was problematic. Of particular importance was the statistical distribution of parasites within the host population, and possible differences between mouse sexes in relation to growth, survival and trapping. Such difficulties are relevant to a range of similar field data.
Influence of an acid soil on the herbage yield and nodulation of five annual pasture legumes.

Balansa, persian and subterranean clover and barrel and murex medic were grown in acidic sandy loam in pots in a glasshouse. Four lime treatments (0, 1, 2, 3.5 t/ha) resulted in pH levels of 4.2, 4.7, 5.1 and 6.0 (1:5 CaCl2). After addition of plant nutrients, total exchangeable cations in the nil lime treatment averaged 2.197 cmol(+)/kg, increasing to 4.738 cmol(+)/kg at pH 6.0. With increasing pH, aluminium saturation of the soil exchange was 38, 14, 4 and 3%. The effect of soil acidity on dry matter production was compared between legumes by determining relative yield (yield/maximum yield) responses over the pH range. Subterranean clover was the most tolerant legume, followed by murex medic and balansa clover (similar), persian clover and then barrel medic. All legumes except barrel medic produced at least 90% of maximum yield at pH 4.7; only subterranean clover produced more than 90% of maximum yield at pH 4.2. Establishment of nodules was more sensitive to acidity than indicated by relative yields of dry matter, especially in murex medic and persian clover. Average nodule weight usually increased at lower pH. The dry matter yields of murex medic and persian clover at lower pH were probably reliant on compensatory increases in nodule volume as nodule number declined with increasing acidity.
ANTI-FUNGAL EFFECTS OF GINGER RHIZOME EXTRACTS ON MYCELIAL GROWTH OF SOME FUNGAL PATHOGENS OF Dioscorea rotundata IN TARABA STATE, NIGERIA

The objective of this study is to isolate, identify and to determine the effect of various concentrations of aqueous and ethanol extracts from the rhizome of the test plant Zingiber officinale in the control of fungal isolates from yam rot in Wukari Nigeria. Rotted yam tubers were obtained from three markets in Wukari. The ingredients of test plant were extracted by aqueous and ethanol solvents. Rhizome extracts at different concentrations (0%, 20%, 40% and 60%) of aqueous and ethanol extraction of the test plant was poisoned to growth media prior to inoculation. The fungi associated with the spoilage of the sample of the yam tuber were identified base on their morphological characteristics. Of all the samples studied, three species of fungi were found to be associated with the yam rots. The most commonly isolated fungi were Aspergillus niger and others are Aspergillus flavus and Rhizopus stolonifer. All concentrations used suppressed the mycelia growth of the tested pathogens except the control treatment. The effect was proportional to concentrations and inhibition value was highest at 60% concentration, for aqueous extraction, Zingiber officinale was more effective on Aspergillus flavus, for both aqueous and ethanol extractions, Zingiber officinale was more effective on Rhizopus stolonifer. Phytochemical analysis showed that the extracts contain, tannin,s saponins, terpenoids, ankaloid, steroids and those absent phenols, glycosides, anthraquinones, anthracenes and flavonoids. The presence of these compounds supports the use of the extracts as antimicrobial agents which can prolong the shelf–life of yam under storage.
Examining the Relationship between Semiquantitative Methods Analysing Concentration-Time and Enhancement-Time Curves from Dynamic-Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Cerebrovascular Dysfunction in Small Vessel Disease

Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) can be used to examine the distribution of an intravenous contrast agent within the brain. Computational methods have been devised to analyse the contrast uptake/washout over time as reflections of cerebrovascular dysfunction. However, there have been few direct comparisons of their relative strengths and weaknesses. In this paper, we compare five semiquantitative methods comprising the slope and area under the enhancement-time curve, the slope and area under the concentration-time curve (SlopeCon and AUCCon), and changes in the power spectrum over time. We studied them in cerebrospinal fluid, normal tissues, stroke lesions, and white matter hyperintensities (WMH) using DCE-MRI scans from a cohort of patients with small vessel disease (SVD) who presented mild stroke. The total SVD score was associated with AUCCon in WMH (p<0.05), but not with the other four methods. In WMH, we found higher AUCCon was associated with younger age (p<0.001) and fewer WMH (p<0.001), whereas SlopeCon increased with younger age (p>0.05) and WMH burden (p>0.05). Our results show the potential of different measures extracted from concentration-time curves extracted from the same DCE examination to demonstrate cerebrovascular dysfunction better than those extracted from enhancement-time curves.
The elastic behavior of a rubber-like material for composite glass

This paper is devoted to the mechanical characterization of the elastic behavior of thin sheets of a commercial Poly Vinyl Butyral (PVB) at room temperature. Foils of PVB are often used as interlayer in the laminated glass. Their elastic properties were investigated by displacement controlled tensile tests performed both on slender and on stocky samples. The elastic behavior was schematized by some hyperelastic models whose constitutive parameters was identified fitting the experimental results.
Thriving on High Job Demands and Resources

This study among 12,359 employees working in 148 organizations tested the interaction hypothesis of the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model. Accordingly, employees endorse most positive work attitudes (task enjoyment and organizational commitment) when job demands and job resources are both high. Results of moderated structural equation modeling analyses provided strong support for the hypothesis: 15 of the 16 hypothesized interactions were significant for task enjoyment and 13 of the 16 interactions were significant for organizational commitment. Job resources (skill utilization, learning opportunities, autonomy, colleague support, leader support, performance feedback, participation in decision making, and career opportunities) predicted task enjoyment and organizational commitment particularly under conditions of high job demands (workload and emotional demands). These findings clearly expand the Demand-Control model and support the JD-R model. Moreover, the results illustrate what managers can do to secure employee well-being.
Stimulation of the β2 Integrin, αMβ2, Triggers Tyrosine Phosphorylation and Cellular Degranulation on Human Eosinophils

Activation of human eosinophils by specific extracellular stimuli triggers the cellular degranulation response. Because cellular adhesion is critical for this eosinophil degranulation, we have tested the hypothesis that ligation of the β2 integrin, αMβ2 (Mac-1, CD11b/CD18), leads to intracellular signaling events that contribute to the eosinophil activation response. Recently, we found that engagement of β2 integrin using two different approaches, such as cell adhesion induced by IL-5 or direct ligation of αMβ2, triggered tyrosine phosphorylation of Cbl, the product of the c-cbl proto-oncogene, paxillin, a cytoskeletal protein, an unidentified 115-kD protein, and subsequent cellular degranulation. The results of this study indicate that engagement of αMβ2 on eosinophils triggers an intracellular signaling cascade leading to cellular degranulation. Tyrosine phosphorylation of Cbl, paxillin, and a 115-kD protein may play important roles in adhesion-dependent cellular functions of eosinophils.
Efficacy of Allopurinol in Cardiovascular Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background Given current evidence, the use of allopurinol for the prevention of major cardiovascular events (acute cardiovascular syndrome (ACS) or cardiovascular mortality) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), after index ACS or heart failure remains unknown. Methods Multiple databases were queried to identify studies comparing the efficacy of allopurinol in patients undergoing CABG, after ACS or heart failure. The unadjusted odds ratio (OR) was calculated using a random effect model. Results A total of nine studies comprising 850 patients (allopurinol 480, control 370) were identified. The pooled OR of periprocedural ACS (OR: 0.25, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.06 - 0.96, P = 0.05) and cardiovascular mortality (OR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.07 - 0.71, P = 0.01) was significantly lower in patients receiving allopurinol during CABG compared to patients in the control group. The overall number needed to treat (NNT) to prevent one ACS event was 11 (95% CI: 7 - 28), while the NNT to prevent one death was 24 (95% CI: 13 - 247). By contrast, the odds of cardiovascular mortality in the allopurinol group were not significantly different from the control group in patients on long-term allopurinol after ACS or heart failure (OR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.01 - 8.21, P = 0.50) and (OR: 1.12, 95% CI: 0.39 - 3.20, P = 0.83), respectively. Similarly, the use of allopurinol did not reduce the odds of recurrent ACS events at 2 years (OR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.03 - 3.18, P = 0.33). Conclusions Periprocedural use of allopurinol might be associated with a significant reduction in the odds of ACS and cardiovascular mortality in patients undergoing CABG. Allopurinol, however, offers no long-term benefits in terms of secondary prevention of ACS or mortality. Larger scale studies are needed to validate our findings.
Legitimacy of forest and nature conservation policy: A conceptual framework with illustrations

Abstract The central challenge for sustainable forest policies is their legitimacy among the people: are the political decision-making processes and their outcomes perceived as just according to prevalent social values? However, there is no established theoretical basis for the legitimacy research in the forest sector. This study develops a valid and comprehensive conceptual framework for empirical studies on legitimacy. The theoretical analysis is verified by detailed empirical illustrations from the public discourse on the Finnish forest regime. The theoretical framework analyzes the objects of support, patterns of legitimacy, performance evaluations, and how these relate to one another. The objects of political support can be classified as political community, regime norms, regime institutions, and actors. The patterns of legitimacy can be analyzed at different levels: (A) democracy and other forms of government, (B) different forms of participation, and (C) normative principles. The principles can be further classified into (1) core regime, (2) input, (3) throughput, and (4) output principles. Moreover, all these patterns of legitimacy can be usefully arranged in (1) democratic, (2) extra-democratic, and (3) counter-democratic classes.