Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
System Identification Using Compressed Sensing Reveals Signaling-Decoding System by Gene Expression

Cells decode information of signaling activation at a scale of tens of minutes by downstream gene expression with a scale of hours to days, leading to cell fate decisions such as cell differentiation. However, no system identification method with such different time scales exists. Here we used compressed sensing technology and developed a system identification method using data of different time scales by recovering signals of missing time points. We measured phosphorylation of ERK and CREB, immediate early gene expression products, and mRNAs of decoder genes for neurite elongation in PC12 cell differentiation and performed system identification, revealing the input–output relationships between signaling and gene expression with sensitivity such as graded or switch-like response and with time delay and gain, representing signal transfer efficiency. We predicted and validated the identified system using pharmacological perturbation. Thus, we provide a versatile method for system identification using data with different time scales. Highlights We developed a system identification method using compressed sensing. This method allowed us to find a pathway using data of different time scales. We identified a selective signaling-decoding system by gene expression. We validated the identified system by pharmacological perturbation. eTOC Blurb We describe a system identification method of molecular networks with different time-scale data using a signal recovery technique in compressed sensing.
Gastrointestinal helminths and their predisposing factors in different poultry management systems; Haromaya, Ethiopia

Among several diseases, gastrointestinal parasites affect poultry production through retarded growth and reduced productivity. The severity varies according to management system and associated predisposing factors. Epidemiology of chicken gastrointestinal helminths were studied using coprological and necropsy examination, with the objectives to estimate the prevalence, identify species of helminths and associated predisposing factors in Haromaya town from November 2011 to April 2012. Fecal samples from selected chicken were collected from both intensive and extensive farms. Coprological examination on 384 chicken and 24 post mortem examinations were conducted. Out of 384 samples examined, 51.8% were positive of which a high prevalence of 110(28.6%) Ascaridia galli followed by 33(8.6%) of Heterakis gallinarum , 11(2.8%) of Raillietina species and 44(11.5%) mixed infection were recovered. Factors for the occurrence of GIT helminths were investigated using logistic regression models; where each assumed predisposing factor analyzed using uni-variable and followed by multi-variable logistic regression to determine the interaction and power of influence among factors. Accordingly, statistically significant difference ( p <0.05) was observed when prevalence of helminths compared with breed, sex, age and management system separately using univariable logistic regression; whereas, when all predisposing factors subjected together using multi-variable backward stepwise analysis, it showed that the odds of local, Fayoumi and White Leghorn breeds had odds of (OR= 6.4, 50.8 and 6.9) more likely to be affected than Bovan Brown breed with significant difference ( p <0.05). Male birds were 1.9 times more likely to be affected than female birds and birds in extensive management system were 2.8 times more likely to be affected than intensive farming system. The study indicated that gastrointestinal (GIT) helminths were more prevalent in extensive management system than in intensive management system, the finding was associated with poor management system or due to poor bio-security. Therefore, there is a need to improve hygienic situation, especially in area where extensive management system prevails. Keywords: Gastrointestinal; Haromaya; Helminths; Poultry; Production systems
Stroke admissions in the medical wards of a teaching hospital in south east nigeria: A 10 -year review

Stroke, the third leading cause of death worldwide, contributes significantly to the morbidity and mortality of medical admissions. There is a paucity of literature on stroke outcomes in the Southeast region of Nigeria. This study, therefore, is aimed at bridging this gap in knowledge. This was a 10-year retrospective descriptive study in which data about patients with a clinical diagnosis of stroke were extracted from the Admission/Discharge registers in the medical wards of ABSUTH, Aba. Relevant data obtained were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 software. A total of 6587 admissions were recorded within the study period; 830 (12.6%) were admitted because of stroke, made up of 382 (46%) males and 448 (54%) females. Stroke was the commonest cause of death among the medical in-patients within the period under review and of all the stroke admissions, mortality was high at 42.3% with majority of the deaths (91.5%) occurring within the first two weeks of hospitalization. Stroke contributed significantly to medical admissions in the city of Aba, Nigeria. Mortality from stroke was high and that occurred mainly within the acute phase of the illness. There is, therefore, a need for dedicated stroke units to be set up in centres where stroke admissions are this high where the stroke in-patients will be afforded specialized multidisciplinary care instead of the present situation of medical ward admissions.
Assessment of Saclux Paint Industrial Effluents on Nkoho River in Abia State, Nigeria

Water plays an important role in determining the quality of life on earth and yet this role is threatened by indiscriminate discharge of industrial effluents. The study aimed to assess the potential impact of industrial effluents from Saclux paint industry on the water quality of Nkoho River in Abia state, Nigeria. Water samples were taken at the effluent discharge point, upstream and downstream of the discharge point in the month of September, October and November, 2016 and geo-referenced using Garmin 76CSx Global Positioning system (GPS). The results showed that there were variations in the water quality characteristics in the different sampling time (September, October and November). Temperature, total solids (TS), suspended solids (SS), total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), turbidity and colour of the water samples were significantly higher (p<0.05) at the mid-stream compared to the upstream and downstream in the month of September, but varied in the month of October and November, while hardness, nitrate, acidity, microbial load (TVC), total coliform, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were significantly higher (p<0.05) at the upstream compared to midstream and down-stream in the different sampling time. Temperature (29.16-31.00°C), TS (3188.00-3973.70 mg/L), SS (2980.00-3848.67 mg/L), turbidity (119.43-131.47 NTU), pH (8.83-9.03), phosphate (99.23-120.13 mg/L) and phenol concentration (101.74-108.57 mg/L) of the effluent were above the Federal Ministry of Environment (FMEnv) limits, while SS, NTU, phenol, sulphate, phosphate, TVC, total coliform and EC of the water samples exceeded regulatory standards of FMEnv and WHO for surface water quality. The variations in the water quality parameters could be attributed to possible differences in the batches of paint produced at the different test time. It can be concluded from the study that the poor water quality might confer potentials hazards to aquatic life and end users.
Postnatal growth, wing development and age estimations in the Mediterranean horseshoe bat Rhinolophus euryale (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae) in Kerend cave, western Iran

Abstract We quantified postnatal changes in body mass, length of forearm, length of total gap of the fourth metacarpal-phalangeal joint and changes in wing morphology, including the wingspan, wing area, handwing length, handwing area, armwing length, armwing area, aspect ratio and wing loading in Rhinolophus euryale in a maternity roost in Kerend cave, western Iran. Mean body mass of pups increased linearly until 23 days, when they achieved 74.29% of the mean mass of adult females (11.28±0.74 g, n=12). Rates of body mass gain and forearm growth during the early stage of postnatal growth were 0.36 g/day and 1.41 mm/day, respectively. Length of epiphyseal gap increased during the first 3 weeks and subsequently followed by a linear decrease until day 70 when it closed. Wing characteristics increased linearly until the age of the first flight, after which growth rates significantly declined (all p<0.05). Wing loading decreased linearly (−0.09 Nm−2/day) until 36 days of age and thereafter increased to a maximum of 6.56±0.30 Nm−2 at 80 days of age. We compare our results with data obtained from close-related bat species, particularly Rhinolophus mehelyi previously studied in a nearby area.
Public Service Motivation and Employee Change-Supportive Intention: Utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior

Implementing change is considered as a difficult task for public organizations. Some individual dispositional factors have been suggested to influence recipient responses to change in public organizations. Past research has shown a link between public service motivation (PSM) and employee positive responses to organizational change. However, the psychological processes underlining this relationship are not specified. Building on the PSM theory and the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study examines the role of psychological variables (attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control) in mediating the relationship between PSM and change-supportive intention. A sample of 143 employees is collected from a public university in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq that was going through a change initiative. The results revealed that PSM predicts change-supportive intention, and the relationship between PSM and change-supportive intention is mediated by change-related attitude and subjective norm. The implications of the findings for theory and practice are discussed.
Work Life Balance, Turnover Intention, And Organizational Commitment in Nursing Employees at X Hospital, Tangerang, Indonesia

Work Life Balance was one factors could influence employee’s performance. Conflicts between work and personal life could increase stress levels which could reduce employee morale, causing decreased job satisfaction which triggered employee intentions to leave. Turnover Intention (TI) was often associated with Organizational Commitment (OC) and Work Life Balance (WLB). Study aims to determine the influence of WLB on TI through OC as intervening variable on nursing employees in one private hospital in Tangerang. This causality research with quantitative approach, carried out one stage through the Survey method. The population as well as sample of 79 nurses and midwives as saturated sample. Through path analysis, WLB has significant positive influence on TI. WLB has significant positive influence on OC, OC doesn’t directly influence on TI, WLB and OC together have significant positive influence on TI, and OC isn’t intervening variable between WLB and TI. This situation is assumed due to the demographic factors’ majority young respondents under 25 years old, and high level of need for nurses around hospital. Managerial implications, Hospital management needs to reduce TI with variety of Human Resources management programs, including selective recruitment, creating conducive work atmosphere and identifying other factors that influence the increasing TI.
Distribution of Cr, Ni and Co in soils and rocks of Neyriz area (Iran): the influence of ophiolitic formations

ABSTRACT Neyriz area, on south of Neyriz ophiolite complex, is one of the most important areas in fruit production. However, no study has been yet performed to assess the contamination status of soils in this region. The objective of the present study was to explore soil pollution by Cr, Ni and Co. Three landforms (ophiolite hills, alluvial fan and playa) were selected along a transect. Seven pedons were excavated and soil and rock samples were obtained. The total concentration of Cr, Ni and Co, Enrichment Factor (EF) and Geo-accumulation index (Igeo) were determined. Results showed that soils over ophiolite hills and alluvial fan were extremely polluted by Cr and Ni (Igeo=3–6). The EF Index confirmed that heavy metals originated from ophiolite rocks in the region. Both indices showed a descending trend from ophiolite hills to playa that related to deposit transportation processes during landforms evolution. It was also observed a decreasing vertical trend in metal contents in the soils over alluvial fan which can be attributed to the long-time irrigation and plant uptake as affected by land use. Further investigation is needed to understand the contamination status of ground-water and orchards of the region to achieve sustainable management.
Prospective functional indicators of carbon sequestration potential in Casuarina equisetifolia L.

Chlorophyll contents reflects the plants ability to adapt to stress, and has been used as a diagnostic tool to study genotypic variation. Fifteen clones of Casuarina equisetifolia L. selected from varied climatic conditions were compared for their growth performance and biochemical profile in order to identify markers for early screening of perennials for their adaptation to changing climatic conditions. Chlorophylls a and b, total chlorophyll, a:b ratio and carbonic anhydrase were chosen as indicators of biochemical alteration. The main questions addressed in this study were (1) Do clones show variations at the biochemical level, and can it be correlated with growth performance? (2) Which biochemical indicator is more effective as a marker for productivity and consequently in predicting carbon accumulation in clones? Significant variations were observed in all the parameters studied. The chlorophyll a and the hydrolytic enzyme, carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity correlated positively with DBH, a measure of the carbon accumulation in plants suggesting their application as a sound method to test seedling stock quality for enhanced sequestration potential.
Antimicrobial activity of Star Anise, Aniseed and Cinnamon against foodborne bacteria

Salmonella spp, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus frequently contaminate chicken meat and result in outbreaks of food poisoning. Chemical preservatives were commonly used to reduce bacterial contamination.The objectives of this study wereto determine the antimicrobial activity of the crude extracts and essential oil of aniseed, cinnamon and star anise against foodborne bacteria and to evaluate the decontamination potential of the essential oil of the spices on chicken meat. Crude extract of star anise, aniseed and cinnamon were extracted using water, ethanol and methanol. Essential oils were extracted using Sohxlet apparatus. Antimicrobial activity was determine by testing the crude extracts and essential oils against Salmonella spp, E. coli and S. aureus using agar well diffusion assay. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of essential oil was determined by microtitre broth dilution method. Decontamination activity of the essential oil was determined using total plate count (TPC) of chicken meat before and after treatment with the 0.1%, 0.5% and 1.0% essential oils. Aqueous extract of star anise had the highest mean of inhibition zone against S. aureus (12.33 mm) compared to ethanol and methanol extract. Ethanol and methanol extracts of cinnamon gave the same mean of inhibition zone (15.67 mm) against S. aureus. Essential oil of cinnamon inhibited the growth of E. coli at all the tested concentration and essential oil of star anise inhibited E. coli at the concentration of 80% (mean diameter of zone of inhibition= 9.33 mm) and 100% (mean diameter of inhibition zone = 11.67 mm). Aniseed oil did not inhibited growth S. Enteritidis at all concentration but cinnamon oil inhibited the growth of S. Enteritidis at all concentration tested while star anise oil inhibited S. Enteritidis at the concentration of 80% and 100% respectively. MIC of aniseed against S. aureus and S. aureus ATCC 6538 was 0.6 µ g/µ l. The lowest MIC of essential oil of star anise was 0.08 µ g/µ l against S. aureus and the highest was 0.8 µ g/µ l against E. coli, S. Typhimurium and E. coli ATCC 25922. Cinnamon oil had the lowest MIC which is 0.02 µ g/µ l against S. aureus and S. aureus ATCC 6538 where its highest value was against S. Enteritidis which is 0.1 µ g/µ l. After being treated with 1.0% essential oil for 24h the TPC of the chicken meat reduced from 6.14 log CFU/mL to 5.28 log CFU/mL for aniseed, to 5.16 log CFU/mL for star anise and to 5.04 log CFU/mL for cinnamon. In conclusion, this study showed that the essential oils of the spices had better antimicrobial activity compared to the crude extracts.
Major emerging alien plants in Austrian crop fields

Summary Globalisation and increasing trade have led to the introduction of alien plants that are highly competitive and difficult to control in agriculture in central Europe. Our study set out to analyse the invasion process and agricultural impact of the six emerging alien plants Abutilon theophrasti, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Cyperus esculentus, Datura stramonium, Panicum schinzii and Sorghum halepense in Austria, based on a large distribution data set (694 occurrence records in crop fields). We found that all study species have increased in abundance and range, especially after the year 2000. The rate of spread was highest for A. artemisiifolia and lowest for C. esculentus. At present, records of the study species were largely associated with areas of high summer crop concentration in eastern, southern and north-western Austria. Based on the CORINE land-cover data set, we found that the agricultural area at risk of being invaded increased over time. At present, it ranges between 45 500 and 168 000 ha (approximately 2.4% and 8.7% of the total agricultural area) depending on the species. The invasion success of the study species is probably associated with frequent human-mediated dispersal, specific crop-dominated rotations and herbicide use. Our results suggest that the study species will successfully spread further. We conclude that these emerging alien species will cause substantial impacts on crops in Austria and probably in other countries of central Europe.
Reproduction, feeding and migration patterns of Prochilodus nigricans (Characiformes: Prochilodontidae) in northeastern Ecuador

The black prochilodus, Prochilodus nigricans, is an important food fish distributed throughout aquatic habitats of the Ecuadorian Amazon. We sampled gonad weight, body condition, and feeding of this species to address the question of whether changes in these biological parameters are related to hydrological variation and migration patterns. High frequency of empty stomachs and poor body condition corresponded to migration periods. Gonad condition analysis revealed a single, discrete spawning period in April (end of rising water season). We synthesized our own and published observations on migration patterns of black prochilodus and presumptive factors that influence those movements. Mature individuals make lateral migrations from peripheral flooded habitats to large white water rivers to spawn. Eggs and larvae drift downstream to nurseries at least into Peru and perhaps into Brazil; there do not appear to be nursery habitats in Ecuador. After 6-18 months, they migrate upstream, recruiting to parental stocks. Long-distance migrations of black prochilodus and similar fishes in Neotropical rivers disobey political boundaries. Conservation and management of such migratory fishes, thus, requires international co-operation and integrated conservation efforts.
Effect of Fusarium toxin contaminated wheat on health, nutrient digestibility and semen quality of adult cockerels

A ten-month-feeding trial was conducted with twenty four adult cockerels of a commercial strain “New Hampshire hybrids” to evaluate the effect of feeding of wheat, mainly contaminated with the Fusarium toxin deoxynivalenol, on cockerel’s health, nutrient digestibility, semen quality and DON metabolism. Birds were individually weighed and randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups (control, 4.7 mg DON/kg and 11 mg DON/kg). Feed intake and cockerels’ body weight were not affected by the dietary treatment, nor were the relative organ weights affected. On the other hand, breast muscle relative weight was increased in the cockerels fed DON contaminated diets, while the relative weight of ileum and caecum were significantly decreased at the same time. The content of urea was significantly increased in plasma of cockerels fed the highest DON concentrations, while the triglyceride concentration was significantly lower in plasma of cockerels fed 4.7 mg/kg DON. Haematological and other clinical-chemical parameters remained unaffected. Moreover, crude fat utilization was progressively increased as the concentrations of DON in the diet increased. Utilizations of organic matter, carbohydrates and nitrogen balance were not affected by the dietary treatment. Furthermore, the long term feeding of cockerels with DON contaminated wheat had no negative impact on semen parameters. Taken together, it might be concluded that cockerels are quite resistant to the effects of DON regarding reproductive traits, nutrient digestibility and feed intake. The dose-dependent alterations in the relative weights of breast muscle and digestive organs require further consideration.
The Moderating Effect of Gender on Audit Committee Attributes and Earnings Management

There exist a number of studies that have been conducted on the influence of audit committee attributes on earnings management but no attention has been given to the moderating effect of gender on audit committee attributes and earnings management. The main objective of this study was to examine the moderating effect of gender on the impact of audit committee attributes on earnings management of listed Agricultural companies in Nigeria for a period of six years (2012-2017). The study used ex-post facto and correlational research designs. The population of the study was the five (5) Agricultural companies in Nigeria listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange as of 31st December 2017 and all the companies were used as a sample of the study. The study used a panel of multiple regression techniques for data analysis. It was found that gender has a strong and significant influence on the impact of audit committee attributes on earnings management of listed Agricultural companies in Nigeria. It was recommended that the audit committee of companies in Nigeria should comprise of at least 40% of women. Regulatory bodies concerned in Nigeria like Securities and Exchange Commission, Nigerian Stock Exchange and Financial Reporting Council should clearly state the composition of audit committee members and increase the number to ten where women should form 40% of the members of the committee and a woman with financial knowledge should be made the chairperson of the committee since women have shown a significant level of commitment to their responsibilities and contribute in reducing earnings manipulation.