Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nutrient-Gene Interactions Hepatic Gene Expression Profiles Are Altered by Genistein Supplementation in Mice with Diet-Induced Obesity 1

We reported previously that genistein enhances the expression of genes involved in fatty acid catabolism through activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) in HepG2 cells, suggesting that genistein holds great promise for therapeutic applications to lipid abnormalities such as obesity and hyperlipidemia in humans. In this study, we examined the changes in hepatic transcriptional profiles using cDNA microarrays in mice with high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity supplemented with genistein. C57BL/6J male mice (n 10/group) were fed a low-fat diet (LFD), a HFD, or a HFD supplemented with 2 g/kg genistein (HFD GEN) for 12 wk. Mice fed the HFD had abnormal lipid profiles and significantly greater body weight and visceral fat accumulation than the LFD-fed group. Genistein supplementation improved lipid profiles and hepatic steatosis and attenuated the increases in body weight and visceral fat in HFD-fed mice. The cDNA microarrays revealed marked alterations in the expression of 107 genes in the mice fed the HFD and/or the HFD GEN. Of 97 transcripts altered in the HFD-fed group, 84 genes were normalized by genistein supplementation. However, several genes involved in fatty acid catabolism were not normalized but were still upregulated in the HFD GEN-fed group, relative to the LFD-fed group. Furthermore, carnitine O-octanoyltransferase, which accelerates fatty acid oxidation, was not affected by the HFD, but was induced by genistein supplementation. These results are consistent with our previous study showing that genistein is an activator of PPAR in vitro. This study showed beneficial effects of genistein supplementation in preventing the development of obesity and metabolic abnormalities in mice with diet-induced obesity. Our results also provide interesting information about the genes associated with the beneficial effects of genistein as well as the mechanisms underlying the development and maintenance of the obesity phenotype in vivo. J. Nutr. 135: 33–41, 2005.
Outside Options, Coercion, and Wages: Removing the Sugar Coating

In economies with a large informal sector firms can increase profits by reducing workers’ outside options in that informal sector. We formalise this idea in a simple model of an agricultural economy with plantation owners who lobby the government to enact coercive policies—e.g., the eviction and incarceration of squatting smallhold farmers—that reduce the value to working outside the formal sector. Using unique data for 14 British West Indies ‘sugar islands’ from 1838 (the year of slave emancipation) until 1913, we examine the impact of plantation owners’ power on wages and coercion-related incarceration. To gain identification, we utilise exogenous variation in the strength of the plantation system in the different islands over time. Where planter power declined we see that incarceration rates dropped, and agricultural wages rose, accompanied by a decline in formal agricultural employment.
MultiLoc: prediction of protein subcellular localization using N-terminal targeting sequences, sequence motifs and amino acid composition

MOTIVATION Functional annotation of unknown proteins is a major goal in proteomics. A key annotation is the prediction of a protein's subcellular localization. Numerous prediction techniques have been developed, typically focusing on a single underlying biological aspect or predicting a subset of all possible localizations. An important step is taken towards emulating the protein sorting process by capturing and bringing together biologically relevant information, and addressing the clear need to improve prediction accuracy and localization coverage. RESULTS Here we present a novel SVM-based approach for predicting subcellular localization, which integrates N-terminal targeting sequences, amino acid composition and protein sequence motifs. We show how this approach improves the prediction based on N-terminal targeting sequences, by comparing our method TargetLoc against existing methods. Furthermore, MultiLoc performs considerably better than comparable methods predicting all major eukaryotic subcellular localizations, and shows better or comparable results to methods that are specialized on fewer localizations or for one organism. AVAILABILITY http://www-bs.informatik. uni-tuebingen.de/Services/MultiLoc/
Gamma Irradiation Effect on Growth , Physiological and Molecular Aspects of Mustard Plant

The effect of gamma irradiation on mustard (Sinapis alba L. or Brassica alba) seeds were studied. Seeds were subjected to five doses of gamma irradiation (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 Gy) sowing was carried out in a complete randomized block. The results of this study showed that increasing gamma doses from 10 to 50 Gy enhanced all the studied growth parameters. The best result was obtained with 50 Gy. Gamma irradiation increased photosynthetic pigments contents. Fatty acids contents of the yielded mustard seeds were also definitely changed. Gamma irradiation doses also induced changes in DNA profile on using five primers.
Financing the Gig Economy

Unlike traditional firm production, gig economy workers provide their own physical capital. As a consequence, the low‐income households for whom gig economy opportunities are most valuable often borrow to participate. In the context of ride‐share, difference‐in‐difference analysis reveals increased vehicle purchases, borrowing, utilization, and employment around entry, but financially constrained individuals cannot participate. To assess the equilibrium importance of financing, I build and estimate a structural model of the gig economy. Access to finance proves critical for the gig economy's growth: without finance, equilibrium quantities would be 40% lower and prices 90% higher, and only higher‐income households could participate as drivers.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Association of vascular endothelial growth factor a gene (VEGFA) polymorphisms, rs699947 and rs1570360, with diabetic retinopathy and altered VEGF secretion in the Pakistani patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a casecontrol study.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the association of vascular endothelial growth factor A gene polymorphisms 2578C/A (rs699947) and 1154G/A (rs1570360) with type 2 diabetes mellitus, diabetic retinopathy and serum vascular endothelial growth factor levels in Pakistani patients. METHODS The case-control study was conducted from Jan 2017 to Dec 2018 after approval from the ethics review board of Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan, and comprised type 2 diabetes mellitus patients of either gender with diabetic retinopathy in group A, and without diabetic retinopathy in group B. Non-diabetic healthy individuals were enrolled in control group C. Genotyping was done by amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction and serum vascular endothelial growth factor levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data was analysed using SPSS 22. RESULTS Of the 450 subjects, 150(33.3%) were in each of the 3 groups. The mean age in group A was 58.16±9.42, in group B 56.25±8.5 years and in group C it was 55.90±10.90. The proportion of Punjabi ethnicity was significantly high in group B compared to other groups (p<0.05). There was no significant association of rs699947 and rs1570360 genotypic and allelic frequencies in group B compared to group A. Further, rs699947 AA genotype was significantly associated with proliferative diabetic retinopathy compared to group A (p<0.05). Minor allele A showed significant association in groups A and B compared to group C (p<0.05). Significantly raised serum vascular endothelial growth factor levels were found in group B compared to group A (p<0.05), and were associated with rs699947 and rs1570360 heterozygosity in group A (p<0.05). Also, rs699947 genotype showed significant association with groups A and B in Punjabi and Pathan ethnicities (p<0.05) and with Kashmiri ethnicity in group B (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS There was a strong association of vascular endothelial growth factor 2578C/A (rs699947) gene polymorphism with proliferative diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetic Pakistani patients, suggesting its role in the pathogenesis of this condition.
Instructions for use Title Effects of the ridge mulched system on soil water and inorganic nitrogen distribution in the Loess Plateau of China

The semi-arid region of the Loess Plateau is typical of rain-fed agricultural production in Northwestern China. In this area, the ridge mulched system (RM) is a widely-used measure to increase crop yield. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of RM on soil water and inorganic nitrogen (N) distribution, and grain yield of maize (Zea mays L.). The study was conducted over three consecutive years and consisted of four treatments (each replicated three times): i) RM with N application rate of 260 kg N ha (RM-N260); ii) RM with 180 kg N ha (RM-N180); iii) a traditional flat cultivation system without mulching (F) with 260 kg N ha (FN260); iv) F with 180 kg N ha (F-N180). Mean soil water content during the maize growing season was increased by RM in 2013 only. However, RM increased the soil water storage significantly at the 3-leaf (V3) and 6leaf stage (V6), and decreased evapotranspiration (ET) during pre-silking stage in all years. Compared to F, RM significantly improved maize grain yield by 79–123% in 2013, 23–25% in 2014, and 11–12% in 2015. Following three years of maize cultivation, soil inorganic N content increased substantially (twoto three-fold) in the RM system and 60% of the total inorganic N was accumulated in the top soil layers (0–60 cm) under the mulched ridge. Relative changes were much smaller in F, and most of inorganic N was stored in 0–20 cm and 100–160 cm soil layers. Generally, RM resulted in higher soil water storage during the pre-silking stage, which was the main reason for the improved maize grain yield. The nitrate leaching risk was reduced in RM-N180 compared with F, but nitrate leaching from the furrows between ridges was observed in RM-N260. However, the large increase in soil inorganic N content in RM-N180 after three years’ cultivation indicates an oversupply of N and a potential risk of N losses to the environment over the longer term. Our study indicates, therefore, that RM is a suitable system for maize cropping in the semi-arid region of the Loess Plateau, with benefits in water and N use efficiency, but recommendations for appropriate N application rates are required to ensure long term agricultural sustainability, accounting for grain yields and environmental impacts. The mechanisms for inorganic N accumulation under the RM system are not fully understood and warrant further investigation.
Preparation of CeUs with Partially Regenerated Flagella

During mating of the alga Chlamydomonas, two biflagellate cells fuse to form a single quadriflagellate cell that contains two nuclei and a common cytoplasm. We have used this cell fusion during mating to transfer unassembled flagellar components from the cytoplasm of one Chlamydomonas cell into that of another in order to study in vivo the polarity of flagellar
Risk Factor Profile of Motorcycle Crash Victims in Rural Kenya

Background: Road traffic injuries involving motorcycles are increasing especially in rural Kenya resulting in both human and economic loss. This study was done to identify the risk factors and the host characteristics associated with motorcycle injury victims in rural setting so as to institute appropriate interventions for prevention of these incidents. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at Kangundo District Hospital between 1st July and 31st December 2011. Results: 167 crash victims (136 (81.4%) males, 31 (18.6%) females) were seen. Mean age was 29 years; most victims (94.2%) being aged 16-40 years. Cyclists comprised 61 (36.5%) while 79 (47.3%) were passengers. All cyclists were men; more women were passengers (p, 0.03), while pedestrians were mostly children below 10 years. Most victims (74.3%) did not wear helmets while 72.1% did not wear jackets with reflectors. Alcohol use was recorded in 22.8% of cyclists. About 71.9% of cyclists lacked valid driving licenses. Overloading was common, with 74.8% of the cyclists carrying two or more passengers. Conclusion: Poor driving skills, reluctance to use protective gear, alcohol use and overloading of passengers were the main risk factors observed. Our observations call for more stringent regulations and aggressive road safety campaigns. Injury prevention and safety promotion campaigns should focus more on the risk factors for motorcycle accidents.
On the Deterioration of Learning-Based Malware Detectors for Android

Classification using machine learning has been a major class of defense solutions against malware. Yet in the presence of a large and growing number of learning-based malware detection techniques for Android, malicious apps keep breaking out, with an increasing momentum, in various Android app markets. In this context, we ask the question "what is it that makes new and emerging malware slip through such a great collection of detection techniques? ". Intuitively, performance deterioration of malware detectors could be a main cause—trained on older samples, they are increasingly unable to capture new malware. To understand the question, this work sets off to investigate the deterioration problem in four state-of-the-art Android malware detectors. We confirmed our hypothesis that these existing solutions do deteriorate largely and rapidly over time. We also propose a new classification approach that is built on the results of a longitudinal characterization study of Android apps with a focus on their dynamic behaviors. We evaluated this new approach against the four existing detectors and demonstrated significant advantages of our new solution. The main lesson learned is that studying app evolution provides a promising avenue for long-span malware detection.
Entropy as a tool for crystal discovery

The computational prediction of crystal structures has emerged as an useful alternative to expensive and often cumbersome experiments. We propose an approach to the prediction of crystal structures and polymorphism based on reproducing the crystallization process on the computer. The main hurdle faced by such an approach is that crystallization usually takes place in timescales much longer than those that can be afforded with standard molecular simulations. In order to circumvent this difficulty we construct a bias potential which is a function of one or more collective variables and whose role is to promote crystallization. This approach can only have true predictive power if the collective variable is crystal structure agnostic, that is to say, it does not include information about the geometry of any particular crystal structure. In order to achieve this goal, we take inspiration from thermodynamics and propose to use an entropy surrogate as collective variable. We use an approximation for the entropy based on the radial distribution function g(r). Using this collective variable we are able to explore polymorphism in simple metals and molecular crystals. We study the case of urea and find a new polymorph stabilized by entropic effects. We also propose a projection of the collective variable onto each atom that is useful to characterize atomic environments. Lastly, we introduce a generalized Kullback-Leibler divergence that measures the distance between two radial distribution functions. We apply this divergence to the automatic classification of the polymorphs that crystallize during the simulations.
Dynapenia and quality of life in HIV-infected individuals 1

180 ABSTRACT The appearance of effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) has transformed the evolutionary profile of acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) into a chronic disease, with increased life expectancy but complications related to its use, such as muscle weakness. Objective: Describe the occurrence of dynapenia and its relationship with quality of life in HIV infected individuals. Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study, in which handgrip strength was evaluated with handgrip dynamometry. HIV-infected individuals aged ≥18 years and ability to have muscle strength measured were included. The diagnosis of dynapenia was determined by the literature for handgrip strength evaluation and body mass index (BMI). Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) was used to evaluate the quality of life, and other variables such as time to use ART and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), as well as age, gender and weight were recorded. Results: The presence of dynapenia was 11.6% in the sample studied. There was an association of dynapenia with the variables age (p = 0.0001), presence of cormobities (p = 0.0001), lower handgrip strength (p = 0.0001) and lower BMI (p = 0.033). The quality of life has been compromised in both the physical and mental domains. Conclusion: There is dynapenia in part of the individuals with HIV and its association with poorer quality of life was found, what suggests the necessity of screening and treatment of this often underreported health problem in this population.
International Journal of Human Sciences / Uluslararası İnsan Bilimleri Dergisi

In this research, it is aimed to examine the leadership capacity and organizational citizenship levels belong to the teachers working in some schools and the relationship between them. Relational survey design was used in this research. In the 2019-2020 academic year, 4025 teachers working in some primary, secondary and high school levels in the central districts of Uşak province constitute the study group of this research. In this study, the study titled “The adaptation of the leadership capacity scale (Olkö) in schools into Turkish: a validity and reliability study”, which was adapted into Turkish, was used to determine the level of organizational citizenship. For analyzing of the data obtained from the participants, arithmetic mean percentage, frequency, standard deviation values were calculated. In the study linear regression analysis and pearson correlation analysis were used. Considering the results of the analysis of this research; the average perception of teachers' leadership capacity behaviors is moderate. Again, according to the results of the research; perception of organizational citizenship behavior on average belonging to teachers is at a "high" level. According to teachers' perceptions, a low, but positive and significant relationship has been found between school leadership capacity and organizational citizenship behavior. Leadership capacity is a significant predictor of organizational citizenship behaviors.
Division of Labor, Transaction Cost, Emergence of the Firm and Firm Size

In this paper a general equilibrium model is constructed to explain the emergence of firms and change in firm size by the tradeoff between economies of specialization and transaction cost. We show that firms emerge from the development of division of labor if the transaction efficiency for labor is smaller than that for intermediate goods. Given the emergence of firms, change in the average size of firms (average employment) will depend on the change in transaction efficiency for intermediate goods relative to that for labor. If the transaction efficiency is improved in such a way that the transaction efficiency for intermediate goods becomes higher than that for labor, average employment will decrease. We present evidence showing that it is not uncommon that average employment declines as the economy develops. The general equilibrium model provides an explanation for the concurrent increase of productivity and decrease in average employment which is observed in a number of countries. Models based on economies of scale instead of economies of specialization would have yielded the opposite prediction.
Inclusionary Zoning What Does the Research Tell Us about the Effectiveness of Local Action ?

As real wages stagnate, racial disparities grow, and housing prices soar in cities across the US, local governments are increasingly adopting laws and regulations that aim to reduce inequalities and improve access to economic opportunity for their residents (Berube et al. 2018; Greene et al. 2016). These new local laws span a broad range of areas, from protections against discrimination to proactive steps to reduce housing costs or raise incomes. At the same time, states are increasingly enacting laws that limit or preempt local action in these areas, often relying on a thin or nonexistent evidence base to suggest that local regulation is inefficient or overly burdensome (Briffault et al. 2018; Einstein and Glick 2017). In these four briefs, we explore and summarize the research on the effectiveness of local action in four areas: minimum wages, paid sick days, rent control, and inclusionary zoning. We also discuss general trends in state and local laws as well as opportunities to fill research gaps and improve evidence-based policymaking in each area.
Reflective team strategic competences , knowledge management practices and their influence on team performance

Teamwork and knowledge management practices have been advocated as the main drivers of quality service delivery. Despite several appeals for cross fertilization, research in both fields has progressed in parallel with little effort made to integrate the two. The study assessed the relationships between knowledge management practices and team strategic competences (modeled here as reflective action team learning, team psychological safety, team absorptive capacity and team trust) and their role in explaining variations in team performance. A quasiexperimental non equivalent group design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the training intervention program. Four teaching hospitals were randomly selected. Basing on validated criteria for inclusion in the sample, 24 and 40 teams were selected at time one and two respectively, to test the hypotheses. At time one and two the study used a sample size of 132 and 193 respondents respectively. Hypotheses were tested using SPSS version 17. Most relational hypotheses results were positive and significant. The regression model indicated that knowledge management practices, reflective action team learning, team trust, team absorptive capacity and team psychological safety predict 58% variations in team performance. Reflective action team learning, team trust and team absorptive capacity were highly consistent predictors of team performance. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed significant interaction effects. Further there was a significant difference between the mean scores of the trained group at time one and time two; and mean scores of the trained and untrained group at time two for all study variables confirming the training intervention effect. Results offer insight for theory and practice in the service sector.
Poverty in Low-Income Countries

The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMP or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate. This paper explores the relationship between external debt and poverty. A number of observers have argued that high external indebtedness is a major cause of poverty. Using the first-differenced general method of moments (GMM) estimator, the paper models the impact of external debt on poverty, measured by life expectancy, infant mortality, and gross primary enrollment rates, while duly taking into account the impact of external debt on income. The paper thus endeavors to bring together the literature that links external debt with income growth and poverty. The main conclusion is that once the effect of income on poverty has been taken into account, external indebtedness indicators have a limited but important impact on poverty. JEL Classification Numbers:I3, Nl, F34