Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Trainee and Program Director Perspectives on Meaningful Patient Attribution and Clinical Outcomes Data.

Background The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education specifies that trainees must receive clinical outcomes and quality benchmark data at specific levels related to institutional patient populations. Program directors (PDs) are challenged to identify meaningful data and provide them in formats acceptable to trainees. Objective We sought to understand what types of patients, data/metrics, and data delivery systems trainees and PDs prefer for supplying trainees with clinical outcomes data. Methods Trainees (n = 21) and PDs (n = 12) from multiple specialties participated in focus groups during academic year 2017-2018. They described key themes for providing clinical outcomes data to trainees. Results Trainees and PDs differed in how they identified patients for clinical outcomes data for trainees. Trainees were interested in encounters where they felt a sense of responsibility or had autonomy/independent decision-making opportunities, continuity, or learned something new; PDs used broader criteria including all patients cared for by their trainees. Both groups thought trainees should be given trainee-level metrics and consistently highlighted the importance of comparison to peers and/or benchmarks. Both groups found value in "push" and "pull" data systems, although trainees wanted both, while PDs wanted one or the other. Both groups agreed that trainees should review data with specific faculty. Trainees expressed concern about being judged based on their patients' clinical outcomes. Conclusions Trainee and PD perspectives on which patients they would like outcomes data for differed, but they overlapped for types of metrics, formats, and review processes for the data.
An efficient radix trie‐based semantic visual indexing model for large‐scale image retrieval in cloud environment

In recent years, massive growth in the number of images on the web has raised the requirement of developing an effective indexing model to search digital images from a large‐scale database. Though cloud service offers effective indexing of compressed images, it remains a major issue due to the semantic gap between the user query and diverse semantics of large‐scale database. This article presents a radix trie indexing (RTI) model based on semantic visual indexing for retrieving the images from cloud platforms. Initially, an interactive optimization model is applied to identify the joint semantic and visual descriptor space. Next, an RTI model is applied to integrate the semantic visual joint space model for finding an effective solution for searching large‐scale sized dataset. Finally, a Spark distributed model is applied for deploying the online image retrieval service. The performance of the proposed method is validated on two standard dataset, namely, Holidays 1 M and Oxford 5 K in terms of mean average precision (mAP) and processing time under varying dataset sizes. During experimentation, the presented RTI model shows the maximum mAP value of 0.83 under the dataset size of 1000. Similarly, under the sample count of 1000, it is noted that the standalone server requires a maximum of 118 minutes to complete the process, whereas the spark cluster requires a minimum of around only 19 minutes to finish the process. The experimental outcome showed improvement in terms of various measures over the best rivals in the literature.
Evaluation of Reverse-Transcription PCR Detection of 16S rRNA and Tuf mRNA for Viable/Dead Discrimination of Beer-Spoilage Lactic Acid Bacteria

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using 16S rRNA and elongation factor (tuf) mRNA as targets for selective detection of viable beer-spoilage lactic acid bacteria (LAB) by reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR). One-step real-time RT-PCR was applied to monitor the target transcripts in Lactobacillus brevis, L. lindneri, and Pediococcus damnosus. Three methods were compared for total RNA extraction. To study the correlation between viability and RNA detection, log-phase cultures were inactivated using brewery disinfectant or heating. RT-PCR, denaturing agarose gel electrophoresis, and cultivation were performed before and at various times after the inactivation treatments. A method combining bead-beating with traditional RNA purification provided good RNA yield from LAB. The 16S rRNA and tuf mRNA targets were detected in inactivated cells by RT-PCR throughout a 21-day storage period. Cultivable cells could not be recovered at any postinactivation time. The 16S rRNA degraded with time, and its degradation appeared to be initially faster after disinfection than after heating. The overall degradation patterns between the strains were similar. Our results indicate that tuf mRNA and 16S rRNA can be stable in LAB cells inactivated under conditions they may encounter during the brewing process. Hence, the RT-PCR analysis of these target transcripts may not be a reliable technique for selective detection of viable LAB in brewery samples.
Absence of vitelline membranes on developing eggs in parasitic females of Strongyloides ratti.

The alternative modes of larval development which occur in Strongyloides ratti Sandground, 1925, and apparently in all other species of the genus Strongyloides as well, have stimulated considerable investigation concerning the biological factors involved in producing this rather unusual phenomenon. In spite of the definitive points which have been established, resolution of the problem has been impeded, and clarification, even for S. ratti, is only at the penultimate stage. Let us review the life cycle of S. ratti briefly. The parasite is normally found embedded in the mucosa of the small intestine in rats. Notably, only females have ever been observed. The eggs shed by the parasite complete their development in a fecal medium outside the body of the host. Some of the young larvae metamorphose directly into infective filariform larvae; others develop into morphologically distinct, sexually differentiated, free-living males and females which then produce a crop of infective filariform larvae morphologically indistinguishable from those that develop directly from the eggs of the parasite. These two modes of larval development are known as homogonic, or direct; and heterogonic, or indirect, respectively. In its fundamental aspects the problem is essentially simple: How can one account for the production of two types of progeny by a single gynomorphic parasite, in one type of which sexual differentiation must also be accounted for? Confronted thus with the problem of determining whether parasitic S. ratti females reproduced parthenogenetically or syngonically, the writers, in addition to searching for hermaphroditically produced spermatozoa in the genital tubes of the parasite, have sought for evidence of fertilization in the eggs of this parasite.
Fostering the Use of Social Media towards Students’ Learning

Social media applications have become indispensable in the university students’ life. Thus, instead of prohibiting the use of social media in teaching learning activities, teachers should continuously find a way to integrate its use to enhance students’ learning. This paper presents research focused on the students’ experience in using the social media platform and their mobile device in communication and learning. The educational objective of this study is to increase students’ participation and enhance their use of social media for learning. The data for this study was taken from a questionnaire given to 40 English Department students. Data collected from the questionnaire allowed the researcher to observe the students’ engagement in social media. Results showed that students were familiar with social media but they mostly used it for communication, not for learning. However, they also showed their willingness to use the social media in education. A number of implications for students’ learning and future research were also discussed.
Reverse evolution and cryptic diversity in putative sister families of the Oribatida (Acari)

The family Zetorchestidae is a morphologically and ecologically diverse group assigned to the higher oribatid mites (Brachypylina). We addressed the phylogeny of the family by including species of the genera Belorchestes, Litholestes, Microzetorchestes and Zetorchestes. We also analysed the affinities of the putative sister taxon (Eremaeidae), investigating Eremaeus and Eueremaeus. Zetorchestidae, Eremaeidae and Niphocepheidae were recently combined in one superfamily (Zetorchestoidea). These taxa were placed into a wider phylogenetic context by adding other presumably closely related taxa. Phylogenetic analyses based upon nuclear and mitochondrial DNA-sequences revealed the monophyly of the Zetorchestidae as well as of all investigated species and genera of this family. Ancestral state reconstruction of jumping ability in latter family, moreover, suggested reverse character evolution within the studied zetorchestid taxa. Genetic diversity of the genera Eremaeus and Eueremaeus turned out to be higher than known, suggesting the existence of cryptic species. However, none of our analyses supported a sister group relationship among Zetorchestidae and Eremaeidae. Moreover, all calculated trees show a paraphyletic position between Zetorchestidae respectively Eremaeidae and Niphocepheidae. Zusammenfassung Regressive Evolution und kryptische Diversitat innerhalb vermeintlicher Schwesterfamilien der Oribatida (Acari) Die Familie der Zetorchestidae stellt eine morphologisch diverse Gruppe der hoheren Oribatida (Brachypylina) dar. Phylogenetische Untersuchungen von Vertretern der Genera Belorchestes, Litholestes, Microzetorchestes und Zetorchestes wurden durchgefuhrt, um die Verwandtschaftsbeziehungen zu hinterfragen. Die vermeintliche Schwestergruppe (Eremaeidae) mit den Genera Eremaeus und Eueremaeus sowie weitere vermutlich nahe verwandte Taxa wurden zusatzlich in die Studie einbezogen. Zetorchestidae und Eremaeidae wurden kurzlich gemeinsam mit den Niphocepheidae in der Uberfamilie Zetorchestoidea vereint. Die phylogenetischen Analysen, basierend auf nuklearen und mitochondrialen Markern, bestatigten eine Monophylie der Zetorchestidae sowie aller einbezogener Arten beziehungsweise Genera dieser Familie. Die Daten lassen auf eine regressive Evolution des Sprungvermogens der Zetorchestidae schliesen. Innerhalb der Eremaeidae ist die Diversitat der beiden Genera hoher als bekannt und konnte auf das Vorhandensein kryptischer Arten hinweisen. Keine der Analysen unterstutze eine Schwesterfamilienbeziehung zwischen Zetorchestidae und Eremaeidae; auserdem bilden die Zetorchestidae, Eremaeidae und Niphocepeidae eine paraphyletische Gruppe.
Uptake, speciation, and uncoupling activity of substituted phenols in energy transducing membranes

Phenolic compounds are toxic to many organisms in that they may affect the energy production in cells by inhibition of the electron transport or by destroying the electrochemical proton gradient built up across membranes. This latter mode of toxic action is commonly referred to as uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation or photophosphorylation. In this study, the relationship between uncoupling activity, total concentration, and speciation in the photosynthetic membrane (chromatophores) of the purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides has been evaluated for 18 nitro- and chlorophenols covering a wide range of hydrophobicity and acidity. The uncoupling activity has been determined by time-resolved spectroscopy and is quantified by a pseudo-first-order rate constant, kobs, which is a measure for the increased decay rate of the membrane potential in the presence of a certain amount of a given phenol. The experimental data can be described by an extended “shuttle mechanism” model in which it is assumed that th.
Meningiomas and the tumor microenvironment: expression of PD-L1 and
 expression of PD-L1 and interferon-gamma in the prognosis

Introduction: Meningiomas are the most common intracranial tumors in adults. One of the mechanisms used by tumor cells to escape death by immune cells is to interfere with immunological checkpoints, thereby preventing the establishment of adequate immune response. Following this concept, a promising target for an immunomodulatory therapy is blocking programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1 axis), which is known to be crucial for immune escape mechanisms. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) is related to PD-L1 expression, produced by activated T cells, and may promote hyper-regulation of PD-L1 expression in tumor cells. Methods: The retrospective cross-sectional cohort study analyzed 93 patients diagnosed with meningioma of different degrees, and immunohistochemical reactions of PD-L1 and IFN-γ proteins were performed. Results: This study did not detect PD-L1 immunoexpression in any of the 93 analyzed cases. The PD-L1 expression in meningioma cells and their potential role in local immunosuppression are not fully established and their indication for anti-PD-L1 therapy as an alternative treatment for meningiomas is still controversial. Conclusion: IFN-γ immunoexpression was related to lower rates of tumor recurrence and longer progression-free survival time; there was also a relationship with the absence of pleomorphism, better differentiation and lower tumor grade for this marker.
Comment: The First Data Analysis Should be Journalistic

Bayesian statistical methods can be considered an attempt at mathematical formalization of the natural scientific process of interpretation of data in light of preexisting information. As such, their use, and the degree to which they are used, is largely a question of efficiency. In some instances it may be appropriate to incorporate prior information into an analysis to the extent that this information is deemed reliable by all concerned; it will not often be the case in an ecological study, however, that information satisfying these constraints is substantial. In the most important distributional setting a frequentist confi- dence interval is identical to a noninformative Bayesian credible interval, and it is asserted that in most other cases where noninformative priors are used, these two will be very similar; the primary data analysis in an ecological study should probably be of one of these two forms. It is conjectured that, in order to be mathematically tractable, decision theoretic methods (Bayesian or not) will often deal with a dangerously short action-space time frame. Finally, Empirical Bayesian methods and hierarchical models in general are powerful new methods that should be used, with caution, to the extent that their superstructural assump- tions are reliable.
Energy Consumption, Environmental Degradation and Growth: A Panel Data Analysis

Energy is essential as an input to develop economic, although it could bring negative effect on environmental quality. The relationship between energy consumption, environmental degradation and economic growth have been widely studied, but there is no consistency in the relationship. The objectives of this study are to determine the short-run relationship (one-way or bidirectional) and to reveal the longrun relationship for each pair of variables. The second-generation panel unit root and cointegration test were used in the analysis. Breusch-Pagan LM test suggests that there is a cross-sectional dependency for all the models and integrated of order one, I (1). Cointegration test indicates that economic growth has long-relationship with carbon dioxide and energy consumption in high-income countries. In low-income countries, carbon dioxide has a long-run relationship with energy consumption and economic growth. In the short run, we have evidence of a bidirectional relationship between energy consumption and economic growth in high-income countries but a one-way relationship in low-income countries. Overall, it can be concluded that the three variables are related. This study develops a deeper awareness and understanding of the relationship between the variables in distinct levels of economies.
Optimal planning for mitigating the impacts of roads on wildlife

Roads have a significant impact on wildlife world-wide. Two of the ways to mitigate the impact of roads are to improve connectivity and reduce mortality through fences and wildlife crossings. However, these are expensive actions that will have different effects in different places. Thus, deciding where and how to act in order to achieve the greatest return on investment is crucial. Currently, there are no quantitative approaches to prioritize different road mitigation options. Here, we use a decision science framework to determine the most cost-effective combination of actions to mitigate the effects of roads on wildlife under budget constraints. We illustrate our approach using a case study of a threatened koala Phascolarctos cinereus population in south-east Queensland. We applied a spatially explicit population model to explore the benefits of three kinds of mitigation actions: no action at all and fences with or without crossings, on different road segments. We explored the trade-off between expected koala population size, relative to the best outcome, and budget. There is a strong demand for mitigation as the already declining population was reduced even further when no mitigation was employed, while applying the most cost-effective combination of mitigation actions minimized that decline. Additionally, uncertainty in species attributes (speed of crossing a road and population growth rate) affected population viability but not the decision about which suite of actions (mitigation measures) to take - so our advice on the best action is robust to uncertainty even if the outcome is not. Most importantly, the trade-off curves between investment and population size are almost linear in this case study. Hence, there is no cheap solution and any reduction in the budget will result in a substantial reduction in expected population size. Synthesis and applications. This is the first time that the problem of mitigating the effects of roads on wildlife was formulated mathematically and systematically using decision science. Our approach is adaptable to a diversity of species and systems affected by road mortality allowing flexibility for a range of mitigation actions and biological outcomes. Our method will allow managers and decision-makers to increase the efficiency of mitigation actions.
Microsporogenesis in a Parthenogenetic Species, Houttuynia cordata Thunb. (Saururaceae)

Microsporogenesis in the parthenogenetic species Houttuynia cordata Thunb. (Saururaceae) was studied microscopically. Cytokinesis failure after meiosis results in the formation of coenocytic microspores that show a wide range of variation in shape and size. Although tapetal cells do not show any demonstrable abnormalities, the microspores degenerate at the vacuolate microspore stage some time after dissolution of the callose. At the last stage of microsporogenesis, ghosts of the coenocytic microspores, which consist of only ektexine, remain in the loculus. The species is completely, or nearly completely, male-sterile.
Bidirectional Return-Stroke Model for the Calculation of Lightning Electromagnetic Fields

This article focuses on the bidirectional return-stroke propagation phenomenon in the initiation process of lightning return stroke. Different from the conventional return-stroke model, the return-stroke current waves in the bidirectional return-stroke model are considered to propagate simultaneously in both the upward and downward directions at two different speeds from the junction point, where the downward and upward leaders connect with each other. The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method in the two-dimensional cylindrical coordinate is employed for the calculation. From the simulation results of the bidirectional return-stroke model, it can be found that compared with the conventional return-stroke model, initial peaks will appear at the rising edges both for the vertical electric field and azimuthal magnetic field at the certain conditions. The influences of characteristic parameters, including the height of junction point, the propagation velocities of downward return strokes, and the ground conductivity, on the computed results are analyzed. To accurately reproduce the radiated electromagnetic fields, the bidirectional propagation model should be taken into consideration.
Functional Coupling of Rat Myometrial α1-Adrenergic Receptors to Ghα/Tissue Transglutaminase 2 during Pregnancy*

Ghα protein, which exhibits both transglutaminase and GTPase activities, represents a new class of GTP-binding proteins. In the present study, we characterized Ghα in rat uterine smooth muscle (myometrium) and followed its expression during pregnancy by reverse transcription-PCR and Western blot. We also measured transglutaminase and GTP binding functions and used a smooth muscle cell line to evaluate the role of Ghα in cell proliferation. The results show that pregnancy is associated with an up-regulation of Ghα expression at both the mRNA and protein level. Ghα induced during pregnancy is preferentially localized to the plasma membrane. This was found associated with an increased ability of plasma membrane preparations to catalyze Ca2+-dependent incorporation of [3H]putrescine into casein in vitro. In the cytosol, significant changes in the level of immunodetected Ghα and transglutaminase activity were seen only at term. Activation of α1-adrenergic receptors (α1-AR) enhanced photoaffinity labeling of plasma membrane Ghα. Moreover, the level of α1-AR-coupled Ghα increased progressively with pregnancy, which parallels the active period of myometrial cell proliferation. Overexpression of wild type Ghα in smooth muscle cell line DDT1-MF2 increased α1-AR-induced [3H]thymidine incorporation. A similar response was obtained in cells expressing the transglutaminase inactive mutant (C277S) of Ghα. Together, these findings underscore the role of Ghα as signal transducer of α1-AR-induced smooth muscle cell proliferation. In this context, pregnant rat myometrium provides an interesting physiological model to study the mechanisms underlying the regulation of the GTPase function of Ghα
Flora da Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais: Paepalanthus Subg. Xeractis (Eriocaulaceae)

O estudo de Paepalanthus s ubg. Xeractis e parte do levantamento da Flora da Serra do Cipo, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Este subgenero esta representada na area por 10 especies e uma variedade. Sao apresentadas uma chave, descricoes e ilustracoes das mesmas, alem de comentarios sobre sua distribuicao geografica e variabilidade.
Utilization Potentials of Cassava in Nigeria: The Domestic and Industrial Products

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is an important food crop in the tropics—a major carbohydrate staple consumed in various forms by humans. Furthermore, its usage as a source of ethanol for fuel, energy in animal feed, and starch for industry is increasing. Given that cassava represents a valuable subsistence and cash crop in many countries, its domestic and industrial potential needs to be fully exploited. Processing of cassava reduces the moisture content and converts it into a more durable and stable product. Women traditionally process cassava, although it could be processed at the small, medium, or industrial scale. This article discusses the major Nigerian domestic products as well as the potential industrial products of cassava that are yet to be produced locally and the machines used in their production. Although improved technology is one of the keys to increasing the productivity of micro-enterprises and generating broad-based, sustainable economic growth, the extent to which a given technology is acceptable to a given culture may depend on a number of considerations beyond the mechanical efficiency of the device. These topics are discussed and recommendations are suggested to encourage the establishment of more cassava based industries.