Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
L’érosion hydrique dans les séries marneuses tertiaires du prérif oriental: agents, processus et évaluation quantitative

Les montagnes rifaines situees au Nord de Taza constituent un milieu fragile et vulnerable ou l’erosion hydrique est a l’origine d’enormes pertes en terres et une production excessive de sediments. Le contexte structural est marque par la predominance de materiaux tendres, essentiellement marneux, dans une structure tourmentee affectee de charriages. La fragilite des materiaux et leur sensibilite a l’erosion revetent d’autant plus d’importance que la plupart des terrains sont denudes et directement exposes aux effets morphogeniques des evenements pluviometriques. L’anciennete de la sedentarisation et la mise en valeur precoce des terrains, basee essentiellement sur la cerealiculture et l’elevage ont pratiquement detruit la vegetation naturelle. La pression humaine y est spectaculaire. Cette vulnerabilite intrinseque du milieu est exacerbee par une nette concentration d’evenements climatiques extremes dans le temps alimentant divers processus erosifs. Ces derniers sont tres diversifies. Le ravinement y est tres actif ; il est a l’origine de l’essentiel des sediments produits dans la region. Les mouvements de terrain presentent une grande variete. Leur evolution posterieure par ravinement permet d’evacuer des quantites importantes de sediments a partir des masses deplacees. Les pertes en terres y sont, par consequent enormes. Des essais de quantification montrent que les pertes moyennes en sols depassent nettement les seuils de tolerance. Cette enormite des pertes en terre enregistree annuellement reflete l’importance du rythme accelere de l’erosion dans l’ensemble de la region que des projets d’amenagement envisageables doivent prendre en consideration.
Body Mass Index and the Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Updated Dose-Response Meta-Analysis

Background Extensive studies have been carried out to investigate the association between obesity and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA); however, the results of the current reported original studies remain inconsistent. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between body mass index and rheumatoid arthritis by conducting an updated overall and dose-response meta-analysis. Methods The relevant literature was searched using the PubMed and Embase databases (through 20 September 2018) to identify all eligible published studies. Random-effect models and dose-response meta-analyses were used to estimate the pooled risk ratio (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Subgroup analyses were also conducted based on the characteristics of the participants. Sensitivity analyses and publication bias tests were also performed to explore potential heterogeneity and bias in the meta-analysis. Results Sixteen studies that included a total of 406,584 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Compared to participants with normal weight, the pooled RRs of rheumatoid arthritis were 1.12 (95% CI, 1.04-1.20) in overweight and 1.23 (95% CI, 1.09-1.39) in obese participants. There was evidence of a nonlinear relationship between body mass index (BMI) and RA (P for nonlinearity less than 0.001 in the overall meta-analysis, P for nonlinearity=0.025 in the case-control studies, P for nonlinearity=0.0029 in the cohort studies). No significant heterogeneity was found among studies (I2=10.9% for overweight and I2=45.5% for obesity). Conclusion The overall and dose-response meta-analysis showed that increased BMI was associated with an increased risk for rheumatoid arthritis, which might present a prevention strategy for the prevention or control of rheumatoid arthritis. The nonlinear relationship between BMI and RA might present a personal prevention strategy for RA.
Sina Microblog Information Diffusion Analysis and Prediction

In this paper,research is conducted on Sina microblog for the purpose of analyzing information forwarding and propagation characteristics,as well as predicting propagation behavior. Based on a large number of online data from Sina microblog,a variety of possible factors that affect users' retweeting behavior have been analyzed and various features have been mined and modeled.Three comprehensive features,based on user attributes,social relations and microblog contents,are used to predict users' retweet behavior by machine learning classification algorithms.The microblog topology graph on following relation is constructed,and the cascade probability model is used to predict the propagation paths of a tweet,then a tweet's influence can be predicted.Experiment indicates that Sina microblog meets complex network characteristics, and social characteristics have a greater influence on forwarding behavior.Furthermore,it verifies the validity of propagation prediction.
Performance analysis of two-level-polling system based on priority service

Considering the real time transmission and impartial service of information packets for Broadband Wireless Access(BWA) network systems,a novel and efficient model of two-level-polling system based on priority service was presented.The system consisted of a hub station and N common stations,providing exhaustive service and limited service(K=1) in discrete time respectively.By the embedded Markov chain theory and the probability generating function methodology,the closed form expressions for obtain-ing the characteristic parameters of the system were given,and the analytical results verified by extensive computer simulations.The performance results reveal that this new scheme has high performance in better impartiality and real time transmission of information packets for BWA.
Protease and phytase supplementation of broiler diets in which soybean meal is partially or completely replaced by raw full-fat soybean

The nutrient composition and enzymatic in vitro nutrient digestibility of raw full-fat soybean (RFSB) were assessed prior to evaluating the influences of enzyme supplementation in diets in which commercial soybean meal (SBM) was partially (phase 1) or completely (phase 2) replaced by RFSB. A 2 x 2 + 1 arrangement was used in a two-phase feeding trial. In phase 1 (0 - 25 days) a positive control, commercial-type diet (PC), without RFSB or enzymes, and a negative control diet (NC), with 75 g RFSB/kg were used. The NC diet was supplemented with or without protease (0 or 15000 PRPOT/kg) and phytase (0 or 2000 FYT/kg). In phase 2 (26 - 31 days), RFSB (NC) or SBM (PC) was used as the sole source of crude protein (CP) for birds. Each treatment was replicated six times. Phases 1 and 2 had the same enzyme supplementation and treatment arrangements. The results showed that the concentration of trypsin inhibitors in RFSB as an ingredient was 16 564 TIU/g, and its CP in vitro digestibility was improved significantly by protease and protease plus phytase. Birds fed on PC and on NC plus protease and phytase finally consumed higher quantities of feed and had the highest bodyweight gain (BWG). Protease improved feed intake (FI), BWG and feed conversion ratio (FCR) by approximately 5.3%, 22.5% and 11.4%, respectively, in phase 2. Birds on the diet with protease plus phytase were 11.7% and 24.8% superior in BWG and FCR, respectively, to NC between 26 and 31 days. Supplementation with both enzymes reduced the weight of the pancreas. Supplementing NC with protease and phytase marginally improved the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of protein and some amino acids (AA) at 25 and 31 days. Overall, BWG and feed efficiency of birds were improved by supplementation of both enzymes and, to a lesser extent, by protease on its own. Keywords: anti-nutritional factors, ileal digestibility, pancreas, trypsin inhibitors, sole source crude protein and amino acids
Interictal discharges spread along local recurrent networks between tubers and surrounding cortex

The presence of interictal epileptiform discharges on electroencephalography (EEG) may indicate increased epileptic seizure risk and on invasive EEG are the signature of the irritative zone. In highly epileptogenic lesions – such as cortical tubers in tuberous sclerosis – these discharges can be recorded with intracranial stereotactic EEG as part of the evaluation for epilepsy surgery. Yet the network mechanisms that underwrite the generation and spread of these discharges remain poorly understood, limiting their current diagnostic use. Here, we investigate the dynamics of interictal epileptiform discharges using a combination of quantitative analysis of invasive EEG recordings and mesoscale neural mass modelling of cortical dynamics. We first characterise spatially organised local dynamics of discharges recorded from 36 separate tubers in 8 patients with tuberous sclerosis. We characterise these dynamics with a set of competing explanatory network models using dynamic causal modelling. Bayesian model comparison of plausible network architectures suggests that the recurrent coupling between neuronal populations within – and adjacent to – the tuber core explains the travelling wave dynamics observed in these patient recordings. Our results – based on interictal activity – unify competing theories about the pathological organisation of epileptic foci and surrounding cortex in patients with tuberous sclerosis. Coupled oscillator dynamics have previously been used to describe ictal activity, where fast travelling ictal discharges are commonly observed within the recruited seizure network. The interictal data analysed here add the insight that this functional architecture is already established in the interictal state. This links observations of interictal EEG abnormalities directly to pathological network coupling in epilepsy, with possible implications for epilepsy surgery approaches in tuberous sclerosis. Significance Statement Interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) are clinically important markers of an epileptic brain. Here we link local IED spread to network coupling through a combination of clinical recordings in paediatric patients with tuberous sclerosis complex, quantitative EEG analysis of interictal discharges spread, and Bayesian inference on coupled neural mass model parameters. We show that the kinds of interictal discharges seen in our patients require recurrent local network coupling extending beyond the putative seizure focus and that in fact only those recurrent coupled networks can support seizure-like and interictal dynamics when run in simulation. Our findings provide a novel integrated perspective on emergent epileptic dynamics in human patients.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation during British Sign Language production reveals monitoring of discrete linguistic units in left superior parietal lobule

Successful human hand and arm movements are typically carried out by combining visual, motoric, and proprioceptive information in planning, initiation, prediction, and control. The superior parietal lobule (SPL) has been argued to play a key role in integrating visual and motoric information particularly during grasping of objects and other such tasks which prioritise visual information. However, sign language production also engages SPL even though fluent signers do not visually track their hands or fixate on target locations. Does sign language production simply rely on the motoric/ proprioceptive processes engaged in visually guided action, or do the unique characteristics of signed languages change these processes? Fifteen fluent British Sign Language users named pictures while we administered transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to left SPL, a control site, or no TMS. TMS to SPL had very specific effects: an increased rate of (sign-based) phonological substitution errors for complex two-handed signs (those requiring hand contact), but TMS did not slow or otherwise impair performance. Thus, TMS decreased the likelihood of detecting or correcting phonological errors during otherwise successful bimanual coordination, but it did not noticeably alter fine movement control. These findings confirm that for fluent signers SPL has adapted to monitor motor plans for discrete hand configurations retrieved from memory as well as more fine-grained aspects of visually guided actions.
Multivariable regulation of gene expression plasticity in metazoans

An important capacity of genes is the rapid change of expression levels to cope with environment, known as expression plasticity. Elucidating the genomic mechanisms determining expression plasticity is critical for understanding the molecular basis of phenotypic plasticity, fitness, and adaptation. In this study, we systematically quantified genome-wide gene expression plasticity in four metazoan species by integrating changes of expression levels under a large number of genetic and environmental conditions. From this, we demonstrated that expression plasticity measures a distinct feature of gene expression that is orthogonal to other well-studies features including gene expression potential and tissue specificity/broadness. Expression plasticity is conserved across species with important physiological implications. The magnitude of expression plasticity is highly correlated with gene function and genes with high plasticity are implicated in disease susceptibility. Genome-wide analysis identified many conserved promoter cis-elements, trans-acting factors (such as CFCF), and gene body histone modifications (H3K36me3, H3K79me2, and H4K20me1) that are significantly associated with expression plasticity. Analysis of expression changes in perturbation experiments further validated a causal role of specific transcription factors and histone modifications. Collectively, this work reveals general properties, physiological implications, and multivariable regulation of gene expression plasticity in metazoans, extending the mechanistic understanding of gene regulation.
Evaluation of Antibiotic Resistance Pattern of Pathogenic Bacteria in the Yasooj Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant

Background & objectives: Wastewater treatment plants represent one of the most important approachs for water conservation. On the other hand, wastewaters can act as a source of antibiotics in aquatic environments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the Yasooj municipal wastewater treatment plant for removal of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Listeria monocytogenes and also the antibiotic resistance pattern of these bacteria. Methods: In this cross sectional study, samples of inlet, outlet aerated lagoon, outlet settlement lagoon and outlet effluent were collected from the wastewater treatment plant in order to count, isolate, and identify E. coli, P. aeruginosa and L. monocytogenes. Antibiotic resistance pattern was investigated using disk diffusion method for 6 different antibiotics according to CLSI reference method. Results: E. coli, P. aeruginosa and L. monocytogenes were isolated and identified in all levels of purification of wastewater treatment plants. The effectiveness of sewage treatment processes to remove E. coli, P. aeruginosa and L. monocytogenes was 54.17-99.33 in the outlet effluent. The bacterial isolates showed high rate of resistance against cefixime and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and low resistance to imipenem. Multidrug resistance pattern (double and triple) was observed in bacterial isolates. Conclusions: This study showed that antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the outlet effluent are discharged into the environment. Further research needs to be undertaken to improve sewage treatment technologies, thereby producing a better quality treated sewage effluent.
Comparison of Wireless Ad-Hoc Sensor Networks

There are a number of telemetry applications where it would be helpful to have networks of sensors that could autonomously discover their connectivity, and dynamically reconfigure themselves during use. A number of research groups have developed wireless ad-hoc sensor network systems. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art in wireless ad-hoc networks, examining the features, assumptions, limitations and unique attributes of some of the more popular solutions to this problem.
Differential Spread of Grapevine Red Blotch Virus in California and New York Vineyards

Limited information is available on the spread dynamics of grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV, genus Grablovirus, family Geminiviridae) in vineyards. In this study, we investigated red blotch disease progress in three vineyards with a disparate initial inoculum prevalence. Secondary spread was documented in Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet franc vineyards in California, but not in a Merlot vineyard in New York. Increase in annual disease incidence (4.8, 0.13, and 0%) was unrelated to the estimated initial source of inoculum at planting (1, 40, and 40%) in the Cabernet franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot vineyards, respectively. Limited genetic diversity of GRBV populations in newly infected vines supported localized spread in California vineyards, and suggested the planting material as the primary source of inoculum. Among the community of hemipteran insects visiting two of the three study vineyards, populations of Spissistilus festinus, the vector of GRBV, were absent in the Merlot vineyard and low in the Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard. Furthermore, all cover crop samples collected from GRBV-infected California vineyards each spring of 2016 to 2018, particularly legume species which are preferred hosts of S. festinus, tested negative for GRBV, suggesting a minimal role, if any, in GRBV spread as inoculum reservoirs. Together our findings illustrate differential disease progress in distinct vineyard ecosystems, and support the elimination of virus inoculum sources as an actionable disease management strategy across vineyards.
Prognostic value of ATAD3 gene cluster expression in hepatocellular carcinoma

ATPase family AAA domain-containing protein 3 (ATAD3) is a mitochondrial membrane-bound ATPase that is involved in a number of cellular processes and is linked with the progression of various types of malignancies. In primates, the ATAD3 gene cluster contains ATAD3A, ATAD3B and ATAD3C. The association between ATAD3 gene cluster expression and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unknown. Therefore, the present study examined the prognostic significance of ATAD3 gene cluster expression in patients with HCC. Box plots of expression differences between HCC and normal liver tissues for the ATAD3 family genes were obtained from the online tool Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis. Data from 360 patients with HCC in The Cancer Genome Atlas database were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier analysis and a Cox regression model were used to calculate median survival time (MST) and overall survival (OS). ATAD3A and ATAD3B expression levels were higher in HCC compared with normal liver tissues (P<0.05). However, ATAD3C expression was significantly decreased in HCC tissues compared with normal liver tissues (P<0.05). ATAD3A [P=0.017, hazard ratio (HR)=1.54, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.08–2.20; adjusted P=0.032; adjusted HR=1.52; 95% CI=1.04–2.22] and ATAD3B (P=0.026, HR=1.49, 95% CI=1.05–2.13; adjusted P=0.031, adjusted HR=1.52, 95% CI=1.04–2.21) expression levels were significantly associated with OS. A joint-effects analysis revealed that patients with high ATAD3A and ATAD3B expression had reduced OS rates compared with patients with low ATAD3A and ATAD3B expression (P=0.007, HR=1.77, 95% CI=1.16–2.69; adjusted P=0.013, adjusted HR=1.76, 95% CI=1.13–2.75). In conclusion, ATAD3A and ATAD3B may serve as potential prognostic biomarkers for patients with HCC.
Activity of bacteriophages to multiply resistant strains of salmonella and their various serotypes

MAKALATIA KH. , k.makalatia@gmail.com KAKABADZE E. , elene.kakabadze@pha.ge BAKURADZE N. , nata.bakuradze@pha.ge GRDZELISHVILI N. , NATROSHVILI G. , PhD.chem.sc. KUSRADZE I. , PhD.biol. sc.iakusradze@yahoo.com GODERDZISHVILI M. , PhD.biol. sc mgoderdzishvili@pha.ge SEDRAKYAN A. , PhD, biol. sc sedanahit@gmail.com ARAKELOVA K. , MKRTCHYAN M. , PhD, biol. sc mkhitarmkrtchyan@gmail.com MACHARASHVILI N. , PhD.med. sc. nmbacteriology8@gmail.com PAPIASHVILI E. , LAVIGNE R. , PhD, Prof. rob.lavigne@kuleuven.be LEE D. , PhD, COFFEY A. , PhD, Prof. aidan.coffey@cit.ie DE VOS D. , PhD, DanielMarie.DeVos@mil.be PIRNAY J-P, PhD jean-paul.pirnay@mil.be CHANISHVILI N 1 PhD.biol. sc. , Prof. nina.chanishvili@pha.ge 1 Eliava Institute of Bacteriophage, Microbiology & Virology, Tbilisi, Georgia; 2 Iv. Javakhishvili Tbilis State Universuity; Institute of Molecular Biology, Yerevan, Armenia; AIDS and Clinical Immunology Research Center, Tbilisi, Georgia; Katholieke University, Leuven, Belgium; Cork Institute of Technology, Cork, Ireland; Queen Astrid Military Hospital, Brussels, Belgium
Evaluation of Vigna germplasms for resistance to mungbean yellow mosaic virus using agro inoculation

A total of twenty two germplasm lines of Vigna spp. were subjected to agroinoculation to confirm their level resistance/susceptibility against Mungbean Yellow Mosaic Virus (MYMV) using Agrobacterium construct of MYMV strain VA 239. The results showed that twelve mungbean and one urdbean germplasms were found to be highly susceptible (HS) and the rest from both mungbean and urdbean showed susceptible (S) to strain VA 239. One rice bean germplasm (TNAU Yellow) showed complete resistance. The accumulation of the viral genome in the host was confirmed by PCR amplification by using gene-specific primer. The screening results concluded that the resistant germplasm can be utilized as a donor in disease resistance breeding programme for generating MYMV resistant progenies in future.
Observations on the intensity and prevalence of Batrachochytridium dendrobatidis in sympatric and allopatric Epidalea calamita (native) and Discoglossus pictus (invasive) populations

We analyse if the presence of the invasive Discoglossus pictus and the native Epidalea calamita in the same geographic area can shape the dynamics of infection by Batrachochytridium dendrobatidis (Bd). Both amphibian species share breeding habitat preferences in the area (i.e. ephemeral and temporary ponds) and are common syntopic competitors. We sampled adults of either species in a total of nine breeding localities in Catalonia (NE Iberian Peninsula): six localities within sympatric geographic areas, two localities outside the current invasion range of D. pictus, and one locality comprising solely D. pictus due to its recent introduction and the ancient extinction of E. calamita. We analysed the prevalence and intensity of infection by Bd in 183 individuals (81 D. pictus and 101 E. calamita). The presence of Bd was detected in eight of the localities, all of which had not been yet confirmed as positive for the fungus. Only in one locality, with presence of D. pictus, Bd presence was not detected. Mean prevalence was slightly but non-significantly higher in E. calamita (46.5%) than in D. pictus (36.6%). Allopatric populations of E. calamita showed significantly lower prevalence of Bd infection than sympatric ones, but similar differences were not found for infection intensity. Likewise, no significant differences were found in infection intensity between allopatric and sympatric D. pictus populations. The presence of abundant Bd outside the invasion range of D. pictus supports the assertion that Bd has not been introduced in the studied area because of D. pictus invasion. However, the presence of the two species in sympatry may enhance the infection rates and therefore the prevalence of Bd in the native species.