Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Combined ethanol extract of Funtumia africana and Abutilon mauritianium leaves improves the lipid profile and kidney function indices of benign prostatic hyperplasia in rats.

BACKGROUND Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland as a result of an overgrowth of prostate cells and muscles found around the prostatic transition. It is age-dependent and characterized by benign prostate enlargement (BPE), bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). The study investigated the effects of a combined extract of Funtumia africana and Abutilon mauritianum leaves (CEFA) on the lipid profile and renal indices of testosterone-induced BPH in male albino rats. METHODS Thirty (30) male albino rats (100-150 g) divided into 5 groups (n = 6) were used.BPH was induced subcutaneously with 2 ml of testosterone propionate. Groups 1-3 served as normal, BPH untreated and standard drug controls respectively, while groups 4 and 5 were BPH-induced and treated with low (200 mg/kg) and high (600 mg/kg) doses of CEFA respectively. After twenty-eight days of treatment, the rats were anaesthetized, blood was collected by cardiac puncture and the sera centrifuged to determine lipid profile and renal indices using standard analytical procedures. RESULTS The acute toxicity result of CEFA indicated no mortality or adverse reactions. The results of the lipid profile and renal function studies showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in triacylglycerol (TAG), total cholesterol (TC), urea and creatinine, and a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) concentrations in the BPH control group when compared to the normal control. Treatment with CEFA caused a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in TAG, urea and creatinine concentrations and a significant (p < 0.05) increase in HDL-C when compared to the untreated group. No significant (p > 0.05) difference was observed in serum concentrations of TC and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in the treatment groups compared to the BPH control. The histopathological result indicated no toxic insult on the kidney tissues. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that CEFA possesses antilipidaemic properties in terms of elevation and decrease in HDL and TAG concentrations respectively. Also, CEFA possesses renoprotective potential in terms of reducing urea and creatinine concentrations.
Salt Compartmentation and Antioxidant Defense in Roots and Leaves of Two Non-Salt Secretor Mangroves under Salt Stress

The effects of increasing NaCl (100 – 400 mM) on cellular salt distribution, antioxidant enzymes, and the relevance to reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis were investi- gated in 1-year-old seedlings of two non-salt secretor mangroves, Kandelia obovata and Bruguiera gymnorhiza . K. obovata accumulated less Na + and Cl (cid:1) in root cells and leaf compartments under 400 mM NaCl compared to B. gymnorhiza . However, B. gymnorhiza leaves are notable for preferential accumulation of salt ions in epidermal vacuoles relative to mesophyll vacuoles. Both mangroves upregulated antioxidant enzymes in ASC-GSH cycle to scavenge the salt-elicited ROS in roots and leaves but with different patterns. K. obovata rapidly initiated antioxidant defense to reduce ROS at an early stage of salt stress, whereas B. gymnorhiza maintained a high capacity to detoxify ROS at high saline. Collectively, our results suggest that salinized plants of the two mangroves maintained ROS homeostasis through (i) ROS scavenging by antioxidant enzymes and (ii) limiting ROS production by protective salt compartmentation. In the latter case, an efficient salt exclusion is favorable for K. obovata to reduce the formation of ROS in roots and leaves, while the effective vacuolar salt compartmentation benefited B. gymnorhiza leaves to avoid excessive ROS production in a longer term of increasing salinity.
Demographic feedbacks can hamper the spatial spread of a gene drive

This paper is concerned with a reaction–diffusion system modeling the fixation and the invasion in a population of a gene drive (an allele biasing inheritance, increasing its own transmission to offspring). In our model, the gene drive has a negative effect on the fitness of individuals carrying it, and is therefore susceptible of decreasing the total carrying capacity of the population locally in space. This tends to generate an opposing demographic advection that the gene drive has to overcome in order to invade. While previous reaction–diffusion models neglected this aspect, here we focus on it and try to predict the sign of the traveling wave speed. It turns out to be an analytical challenge, only partial results being within reach, and we complete our theoretical analysis by numerical simulations. Our results indicate that taking into account the interplay between population dynamics and population genetics might actually be crucial, as it can effectively reverse the direction of the invasion and lead to failure. Our findings can be extended to other bistable systems, such as the spread of cytoplasmic incompatibilities caused by Wolbachia.
Performance of artificial intelligence for prognostic prediction with the albumin-bilirubin and platelet-albumin-bilirubin for cirrhotic patients with acute variceal bleeding undergoing early transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Purpose The aim of this study was to validate and compare the prognostic performance of the albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade, platelet-albumin-bilirubin (PALBI) grade, Child-Pugh (CP) grade, and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score in predicting the 1-year variceal rebleeding probability using artificial intelligence for patients with cirrhosis and variceal bleeding undergoing early transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) procedures. Materials and methods This dual-center retrospective study included two cohorts, with patients enrolled between January 2016 and September 2018 in the training cohort and January 2017 and September 2018 in the validation cohort. In the training cohort, independent risk factors associated with the 1-year variceal rebleeding probability were identified using univariate and multivariate logistic analyses. ALBI-, PALBI-, Child-Pugh-, and MELD-based nomograms and an artificial neural network (ANN) model were established and validated internally in the training cohort and externally in the validation cohort, which included patients with variceal bleeding who were treated with preventive TIPS. Results A total of 259 patients were included. The median follow-up periods were 24.1 and 18.9 months, and the 1-year variceal rebleeding rates were 12.3% (14/114) and 10.3% (15/145) in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. In the training cohort, all four variables were identified as independent risk factors. Four nomograms were then established and showed comparable prognostic performances after internal (C-index: 0.879, 0.829, 0.874, and 0.798) and external (C-index: 0.720, 0.719, 0.718, and 0.703) validation. The ANN demonstrated that these four variables had comparable importance in predicting the 1-year variceal rebleeding probability. Conclusion None of the four variables are optimal in predicting the 1-year variceal rebleeding probability for patients with cirrhosis and variceal bleeding undergoing early TIPS.
Effects of caffeine on brain antioxidant status and mitochondrial respiration in acetaminophen-intoxicated mice.

Hepatic encephalopathy is a pathophysiological complication of acute liver failure, which may be triggered by hepatotoxic drugs such as acetaminophen (APAP). Although APAP is safe in therapeutic concentration, APAP overdose may induce neurotoxicity, which is mainly associated with oxidative stress. Caffeine is a compound widely found in numerous natural beverages. However, the neuroprotective effect of caffeine remains unclear during APAP intoxication. The present study aimed to investigate the possible modulatory effects of caffeine on brain after APAP intoxication. Mice received intraperitoneal injections of APAP (250 mg/kg) and/or caffeine (20 mg/kg) and, 4 h after APAP administration, samples of brain and blood were collected for the biochemical analysis. APAP enhanced the transaminase activity levels in plasma, increased oxidative stress biomarkers (lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species), promoted an imbalance in endogenous antioxidant system in brain homogenate and increased the mortality. In contrast, APAP did not induce dysfunction of the mitochondrial bioenergetics. Co-treatment with caffeine modulated the biomarkers of oxidative stress as well as antioxidant system in brain. Besides, survival assays demonstrated that caffeine protective effects could be dose- and time-dependent. In addition, caffeine promoted an increase of mitochondrial bioenergetics response in brain by the enhancement of the oxidative phosphorylation, which could promote a better energy supply necessary for brain recovery. In conclusion, caffeine prevented APAP-induced biochemical alterations in brain and reduced lethality in APAP-intoxicated mice, these effects may relate to the preservation of the cellular antioxidant status, and these therapeutic properties could be useful in the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy induced by APAP intoxication.
DARS-AS1 Knockdown Inhibits the Growth of Cervical Cancer Cells via Downregulating HMGB1 via Sponging miR-188-5p

Background: Evidence has been shown that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in the development of cervical cancer. Recently, lncRNA DARS-AS1 was shown to be dysregulated in several cancer types, but the role of DARS-AS1 in cervical cancer remains unclear. Methods: Immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry and transwell invasion assays were used to determine proliferation, apoptosis and invasion in cervical cancer cells, respectively. The dual luciferase reporter system assay was performed to assess the interaction between DARS-AS1, miR-188-5p, and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in cervical cancer cells. Results: Downregulation of DARS-AS1 markedly inhibited the proliferation and invasion of cervical cancer cells. Moreover, DARS-AS1 knockdown obviously induced the apoptosis of SiHa and HeLa cells. Meanwhile, luciferase reporter assay identified that miR-188-5p was the potential miRNA binding of DARS-AS1, and HMGB1 was the potential binding target of miR-188-5p. Mechanistic analysis indicated that downregulation of DARS-AS1 decreased the expression of HMGB1 by acting as a competitive “sponge” of miR-188-5p. Conclusion: In this study, we found that DARS-AS1 knockdown suppressed the growth of cervical cancer cells via downregulating HMGB1 via sponging miR-188-5p. Therefore, DARS-AS1 might serve as a potential target for the treatment of cervical cancer.
Extreme Precipitation and Its Long-Term Changes over China and USA

Correspondence to: Fang Wang, National Climate Center, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing, 100081, P.R. China; E-mail: fangwang@cma.gov. cn. Extreme Precipitation and Its Long-Term Changes over China and USA Fang Wang , Song Yang, and R. Wayne Higgins National Climate Center, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing, China Climate Prediction Center, NOAA/NWS/NCEP, Camp Springs, MD, USA
Simulations of Implied Volatility and Option Pricing using Neural Networks and Finite Difference Methods for Heston Model

The theory of option pricing made a dramatic step forward when Black and Scholes published a centennial paper with a solution for the prices of European call and put options. However, their solution only deals with the perfect markets. In the realworld, the markets are not perfect and the predictions from their formula deviate significantly from the market prices. This is because of the assumptions on which the model is based. Heston model is one of the newer models which extends the classical Black-Scholes model and can produce better estimates of option prices with non-constant variable volatility. However, this variable volatility needs to be accurately predicted itself, but the price which is often taken as input for finding implied volatility is not always given. In this thesis, two neural network models for learning historical volatility were constructed and compared in order to predict the implied volatility for the option without knowing its price. The results of prediction were tested and evaluated. The better performing model was used to approximate implied volatility and the result was incorporated into the solution grid and finite difference scheme for the Heston model was applied to produce the option price. The generated prices were compared to the prices generated by the classical Black-Scholes model in several different scenarios. Thesis Supervisor: Dongming Wei Title: Professor, Chair
TASK 1 DCASE 2020: ASC WITH MISMATCH DEVICES AND REDUCED SIZE MODEL USING RESIDUAL SQUEEZE-EXCITATION CNNS Technical Report

Acoustic Scene Classiﬁcation (ASC) is a problem related to the ﬁeld of machine listening whose objective is to classify/tag an audio clip in a predeﬁned label describing a scene location such as park, air-port among others. Due to the emergence of more extensive audio datasets, solutions based on Deep Learning techniques have become the state-of-the-art. The most common choice are those that implement a convolutional neural network (CNN) having previously transformed the audio signal into a 2D representation. This two-dimensional audio representation is currently a subject of research. In addition, there are solutions that propose several concatenated 2D representations, thus creating a representation with several input channels. This article proposes two novel stereo audio representations to maximize the accuracy of an ASC framework. These representations correspond to the 3-channel representations such as the left channel, the right channel and the difference between channels ( L − R ) using the Gammatone ﬁlter bank and the harmonic, percussive and difference between channels sources using the Mel ﬁlter bank. Both representations are also concatenated creating a 6-channel with different audio ﬁlter banks. Furthermore, the proposed CNN is a residual network that employs squeeze-excitation techniques in its residual blocks in a novel way to force the network to extract meaningful features from the audio representation. The proposed network is used in both subtasks with different modiﬁca-tions to meet the requirements of each one. However, since stereo audio is not available in Subtask A, the representations are slightly
Detection of Abnormal Human Action Using Image Sequences

We propose the system to learn aged people’s usual actions automatically in about one week and to detect his/her abnormal action by observing the room with camera, because Japan will be a serious aging society rapidly. For the method of detection, we use 2-step eigenspace representation which is excellent in compression of image data and calculation of the correlation among images. At the learning stage, we use Self-Organizing Map(SOM) to realize automatic learning. To detect abnormalities such as the speed and direction of actions, we use Parametric Eigenspace Method(PEM). Some results show the e(cid:11)ectiveness of the proposed method.
The antifungal effect of the biopreparation of Xenorhabdus budapestensis bacteria on some Candida species

The prevalence of invasive fungal diseases shows an increasing trend. Due to the frequent but unprofessional usage of antifungal medications, the fungi show decreasing susceptibility towards these agents and this trend may lead to the emergence of resistant pathogens. There is a great need to develop antifungal medications with new mechanisms. One of these options is to apply proteins with natural antifungal effects. The objective was to measure the antifungal efficacy of Xenorhabdus budapestensis in vitro on clinical Candida species (Candida albicans, Candida lusitaniae, Candida krusei, Candida kefyr, Candida tropicalis, and Candida glabrata). Materials and methods: We defined the sensitivity of the Candida species towards antibiotics. We conducted agar diffusion tests with the cleaned biopreparation of X. budapestensis (100%) and its dilutions (80%, 60%, 40%, and 20%). Zones of inhibition were measured after 24, 48, and 96 hr. Most of the tested Candida species have shown sensitivity to the biopreparation and its 40% dilution. The area of the zones of inhibition did not decrease after several days. The most sensitive species was C. lusitaniae and the least sensitive was C. krusei. We assume that the proteins produced by X. budapestensis have antifungal effect, as the area of the zones of inhibition did not change.
Pharmacognostic study and evaluation of the antioxidant capacity of the fruit of two varieties of Nephelium lappaceum L. (Sapindaceae), (rambutan)

Context: Nephelium lappaceum (achotillo or rambutam), is a fruit native to Malaysia and Indonesia introduced in Ecuador for consumption purposes. Aims: To identify the bioactive metabolites present in the peels and seeds of the sweet and bitter varieties of rambutan fruits and their antioxidant capacity. Methods: It was performed through a pharmacognostic analysis of the peels of the fruits, based on the evaluation of the physicochemical parameters, the phytochemical analysis, the quantification of the phenols and flavonoids, the determination of the antioxidant capacity and the identification of the fatty compounds present in the seeds by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Results: The results showed that both the peels and the seeds of the two varieties differ in the content of phyto-constituents and antioxidant properties. Conclusions: The bitter fruit presented a higher concentration of phenols and flavonoids in the peels and a higher concentration of fatty compounds in the seeds, with marked differences between the fractions of the non-saponifiable compounds. For the fatty acid fraction, a greater qualitative similarity was evidenced, with quantitative differences. Although the peels extract of both fruits have antioxidant capacity, it was significantly higher in bitter fruits.
Extracting Patterns for Feature-based Opinion Words from Customer Reviews

Most of online Merchants sites allow customers to write comments about particular product that they have purchased. Customer reviews express opinion about products or service which are collectively referred to as customer feedback data. Opinion extraction about products from customer reviews is becoming an interesting area of research. Therefore efficient method and techniques are needed to extract opinions from reviews. In this paper we proposed a novel idea to find opinion words or phrases for each feature from customer reviews in an efficient way. Our focus in this paper is to get the patterns of opinion words/phrases about the feature of product from the review text through adjective, adverb, verb and noun. The extracted features and opinions are useful for generating a meaningful summary that can provide significant informative resource to help the user as well merchants to track the most suitable choice of product.
Phytochemical Screening and Antioxidant Activity of Origanum majorana Against Oxidative Stress Biomarkers

Origanum majorana is a cosmopolitan herb widely known as “marjoram”, which is used in traditional medicine and as family kitchen herb, for culinary purposes. Phytochemical screening was carried out and the antioxidant activity of Origanum majorana (Lamiaceae) hydroethanolic extract and infusion was investigated in this study. The hydroethanolic extract was screened through thin layer chromatography, subjected to spectrophotometry for polyphenols, flavonoids and tannins, as well as to 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical and iron reducing power assays. Fresh plant infusion was tested for the first time at three different concentrations against oxidative stress biomarkers in erythrocytes from HIV patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy. High antioxidant substance levels, as well as significant decrease in carbonylated protein, GSH and TBARS levels, were recorded, fact that showed the potential of O. majorana as exogenous antioxidant source. Our results indicated that O. majorana has good potential to prevent diseases caused by the overproduction of free radicals, and that it can be used as potential source of natural antioxidant agents.
CHLOROPHYLL IN THE BARK OF ASPEN TREES 1 Running head: CHLOROPHYLL IN THE BARK OF ASPEN TREES Stayin’ Alive!: Examining the Winter Adaptation of Chlorophyll in the Bark of Quaking Aspen Trees

The Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) grows all across North America. It is easily noted by its white bark and twirling leaves. The Aspen is able to live at various climates and elevations. The Aspen has many adaptations such as a shared root system, ability to clone itself, twirling leaves and chlorophyll in its bark. It was the objective of this study to examine the relationship between the amounts of chlorophyll in the bark of Aspen trees with different diameters at breast height (DBH). The study showed no statistically significant relationship between the amounts of chlorophyll in the bark in relation to DBH.
Himalaya: Impacts of the regional climate variability

42 Updated knowledge about the glacier extent and characteristics in the Himalaya cannot be overemphasised. 43 Availability of precise glacier inventories in the latitudinally diverse western Himalayan region is particularly 44 crucial. In this study we have created an inventory of the Suru sub-basin, western Himalaya for year 2017 using 45 Landsat OLI data. Changes in glacier parameters have also been monitored from 1971 to 2017 using temporal 46 satellite remote sensing data and limited field observations. Inventory data shows that the sub-basin has 252 47 glaciers covering 11% of the basin, having an average slope of 25 ±6° and dominantly north orientation. The 48 average snow line altitude (SLA) of the basin is 5011 ±54 masl with smaller (47%) and cleaner (43%) glaciers 49 occupying the bulk area. Longterm climate data (1901-2017) shows an increase in the mean annual temperature 50 (Tmax & Tmin) by 0.77 oC (0.25 & 1.3 oC) in the sub-basin, driving the overall glacier variability in the region. 51 Temporal analysis reveals a glacier shrinkage of ~6 ±0.02%, an average retreat rate of 4.3 ±1.02 ma -1 , debris 52 increase of 62% and 22 ±60 m SLA rise in past 46 years. This confirms their transitional response between the 53 Karakoram and the Greater Himalayan Range (GHR) glaciers. Besides, glaciers in the sub-basin occupy two 54 major ranges, i.e., GHR and Ladakh range (LR) and experience local climate variability, with the GHR glaciers 55 exhibiting a warmer and wetter climate as compared to the LR glaciers. This variability manifestes itself in the 56 varied response of GHR and LR glaciers. While the GHR glaciers exhibit an overall rise in SLA (GHR: 49 ±69 57 m; LR: decrease by 18 ±50 m), the LR glaciers have deglaciated more (LR: 7%; GHR: 6%) with an enhanced 58 accumulation of debris cover (LR: 73%; GHR: 59%). Inferences from this study reveal prevalence of glacier 59 disintegration and overall degeneration, transition of clean ice to partially debris covered glaciers, local climate 60 variability and non-climatic (topographic and morphometric) factor induced heterogeinty in glacier response as 61 the major processes operatives in this region. The dataset Shukla et al., (2019) is accessible at 62 https://doi.pangaea. de/10.1594/PANGAEA.904131 63 64