Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genotyping Growth Hormone-AluI Locus of Bali Cattle in Pleihari, South Kalimantan

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi genotip dari lokus growth hormone-AluI (GH-AluI) pada populasi sapi Bali di Pleihari, Kalimantan Selatan. Sampel darah diambil dari 46 ekor sapi Bali (25 jantan dan 21 betina) di lokasi Pleihari, Kalimantan Selatan. Identifikasi genotip dari lokus ini dilakukan dengan mendigesti fragmen DNA berukuran 221 bp yang merentang dari daerah intron 4 (49 bp) hingga exon 5 (162 bp) menggunakan enzim restriksi AluI. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa lokus GH-AluI pada populasi sapi Bali di Pleihari, Kalimantan Selatan hanya memiliki satu macam alel, yaitu alel L, dan tidak ditemukan alel V atau alel lainnya pada lokus ini. Disuimpulkan bahwa lokus GH-AluI pada populasi sapi Bali di Pleihari, Kalimantan Selatan bersifat monomorfik.
The Effect of Emotional Intelligence on Employee’s Job Performance: the Moderating Role of Perceived Organizational Support

The purpose of this research is to investigate the moderating role of perceived organizational support in the relationship between emotional intelligence and job performance. Data were gathered through self-administered questionnaire from a sample of 316 employees working in banks located in Islamabad. As hypothesized, job performance significantly associated with emotional intelligence and moderating effect of perceived organizational support was also substantiated. The data were analysed statistically using IBM SPSS Statistics 20 to find out correlation and regression analysis between study variables, reliability of research instrument, strength of relationship between independent and dependent variables, moderating effect perceived organizational support in the relationship between emotional intelligence and job performance was also substantiated. Findings suggest that emotional intelligence have positive impact on employee’s job performance, and perceived organizational support moderate the relation between emotional intelligence and job performance such that the relationship between emotional intelligence and job performance more stronger/positive when perceived organizational support is high. Detailed data analysis, discussion and conclusion with limitations and future research directions are also discussed.
Phage Display Libraries for Antibody Therapeutic Discovery and Development

Phage display technology has played a key role in the remarkable progress of discovering and optimizing antibodies for diverse applications, particularly antibody-based drugs. This technology was initially developed by George Smith in the mid-1980s and applied by John McCafferty and Gregory Winter to antibody engineering at the beginning of 1990s. Here, we compare nine phage display antibody libraries published in the last decade, which represent the state of the art in the discovery and development of therapeutic antibodies using phage display. We first discuss the quality of the libraries and the diverse types of antibody repertoires used as substrates to build the libraries, i.e., naïve, synthetic, and semisynthetic. Second, we review the performance of the libraries in terms of the number of positive clones per panning, hit rate, affinity, and developability of the selected antibodies. Finally, we highlight current opportunities and challenges pertaining to phage display platforms and related display technologies.
Screening, Identification, and Optimization of Fermentation Conditions of an Antagonistic Endophyte to Wheat Head Blight

Fusarium Head Blight (FHB, scab) is a destructive fungal disease that causes extensive yield and quality losses in wheat and other small cereals. Biological control of FHB is considered to be an alternative disease management strategy that is environmentally benign, durable, and compatible with other control measures. In this study, to screen antagonistic bacteria with the potential to manage FHB, 113 endophytes were isolated from the stems, leaves, panicles, and roots of wheat. Among them, six strains appeared to effectively inhibit Fusarium graminearum growth and one isolate, XS-2, showed a highly antagonistic effect against FHB. An in vitro antagonistic test of XS-2 on wheat heads confirmed that XS-2 could suppress the disease severity of FHB. The 16S rDNA sequence analysis revealed that XS-2 is a strain of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Antagonistic spectrum analyses showed that XS-2 had antagonistic effects against two and four types of cotton and fruit tree pathogens, respectively. The fermentation condition assays showed that glucose and peptone are the most suitable nutrient sources for XS-2, and that the optimal pH value and temperature for fermentation were 7.4 and 28 °C, respectively. Our study indicates that XS-2 has a good antagonistic effect on FHB and lays a theoretical foundation for the application of the strain as a biological agent in the field to control FHB.
A Measure for Companies' Customer Portfolio Management

Purpose/Contribution: Customer portfolio management (CPM) is one of the key areas of customer-relationship and network management in business markets. However, there is scant research about the implementation of this concept in business. This article contributes to this conceptually rich but empirically nascent field of CPM research by (1) conceptualizing customer portfolio management, (2) forming a measure for it, (3) validating the suggested measure, and (4) suggesting implications for future research and management. Methodology: A CPM construct is proposed based on the synthesizing of the theory and the findings from a qualitative field study of companies' management practices. The suggested construct is formative and consists of the following four dimensions: analysis efforts, analysis design, responsiveness efforts, and responsiveness design. Hence, this conceptualization takes into account both the strength and style of companies' CPM practices. The measure is validated following Diamantopoulos and Winklhofer's (2001) guidelines for developing formative measures. Together with the content validity established in the conceptual phase of the research, the results from a cross-industry survey of 212 companies give support to the construct validity of the suggested CPM measure. Partial least squares modeling is applied in validating the measure. Implications: This study gives an extensive, up-to-date review of customer portfolio management and provides measures for future research on companies' CPM practices and performance. Further, the theory and the field study highlighted several central topics that should be addressed in future CPM studies. The resulting managerial implications derive from the discussion on the key aspects of developing CPM practices in business.
Molecular Effects of Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet on the Double-Stranded DNA

Introduction The aim of this study was toinvestigate the sterilization potential of atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) and interactions of this technology with double-stranded DNA using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) techniques. Materials and Methods The plasma jet was produced through a high voltage sinusoidal power supplyusing a mixture of argon and oxygen gases with theflow rate of 1 L/min. Escherichia coli cells and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) fragments were amplified by T7 universal primer through the PCR technique and treated with argon/oxygen APPJ at different exposure times. The data were analyzed by the agarose and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, SSCP and renewed PCR techniques. Results According to the results of the study, the APPJ could serve as an effective instrument for sterilization at > 30 sec discharge. The destruction of DNA was detectable by different techniques after 120 sec from APPJ discharge. Conclusion Our findings revealed that the active species of plasma can lead to cell death. These species may break or nick the dsDNA, exchange DNA nucleotides, and lead to transition and transversion mutations. These mutagenesis effects of APPJ might be the reason of microorganism cell death after the treatment in addition to other destructive effects of APPJ on macromolecules.
Estimating the fluctuations in droplet fall velocity via in situ measurements in stratocumulus: an essential step in airborne Doppler radar turbulence measurements

During DYCOMS-II (the second DYnamics and Chemistry Of Marine Stratocumulus field experiment), the stratocumulus-topped boundary layer (STBL) was probed off the coast of southern California, in order to better understand the physics and dynamics of the persistent stratocumulus found there during summer (see the overview of the resources and objectives of this experiment presented by Stevens et al (2002)). While the NCAR C130 aircraft was flying 60 km diameter quasi-Lagrangian circles at different levels in the STBL and in the overlying free troposphere, the 95 GHz (3 mm wavelength) WCR observed the cloudy atmosphere below with two downward-looking beams. The high rate sampling of the Doppler velocity measurements allowed us to attempt to study the turbulence characteristics (see 6.4 extended abstract). Since the scatterers observed by the WCR are hydrometeors, the radial velocity measured by the radar is equal to the radial component of the air velocity plus the radial component of the fall velocity of these scatterers. The variance of a time series of mean Doppler velocity measured with the vertical beam can thus be written:
6-Sulfo LacNAc (Slan) as a Marker for Non-classical Monocytes

Monocytes are subdivided into three subsets, which have different phenotypic and functional characteristics and different roles in inflammation and malignancy. When in man CD14 and CD16 monoclonal antibodies are used to define these subsets, then the distinction of non-classical CD14low and intermediate CD14high monocytes requires setting a gate in what is a gradually changing level of CD14 expression. In the search for an additional marker to better dissect the two subsets we have explored the marker 6-sulfo LacNAc (slan). Slan is a carbohydrate residue originally described to be expressed on the cell surface of a type of dendritic cell in human blood. We elaborate herein that the features of slan+ cells are congruent with the features of CD16+ non-classical monocytes and that slan is a candidate marker for definition of non-classical monocytes. The use of this marker may help in studying the role of non-classical monocytes in health and in diagnosis and monitoring of disease.
Assortative Mating in Animals and Its Role for Speciation

Evolutionary theory predicts that positive assortative mating—the tendency of similar individuals to mate with each other—plays a key role for speciation by generating reproductive isolation between diverging populations. However, comprehensive tests for an effect of assortative mating on species richness at the macroevolutionary scale are lacking. We used a meta-analytic approach to test the hypothesis that the strength of assortative mating within populations is positively related to species richness across a broad range of animal taxa. Specifically, we ran a phylogenetically independent meta-analysis using an extensive database of 1,447 effect sizes for the strength of assortative mating, encompassing 307 species from 130 families and 14 classes. Our results suggest that there is no relationship between the strength of assortative mating and species richness across and within major taxonomic groups and trait categories. Moreover, our analysis confirms an earlier finding that animals typically mate assortatively (global Pearson correlation coefficient: r=0.36; 95% confidence interval: 0.19–0.52) when accounting for phylogenetic nonindependence. We argue that future advances will rely on a better understanding of the evolutionary causes and consequences of the observed intra- and interspecific variation in the strength of assortative mating.
Comparative Histological Study on the Effect of Stem Cells, and Gene Modified Stem Cells in Experimentally-Induced Diabetes Type 1 Cardiomyopathy

Background and Objectives: Sarco(endo) plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA2a) is the ATP-driven pump that translocates Ca2+ from the cytoplasm to the lumen of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. 25% of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes will develop diastolic dysfunction that results in part from a reduction in the activity of SERCA2a. The present study aimed at investigating and comparing the therapeutic effect of Adipose Mesenchymal Stem Cells (AMSCs) with SERCA2a gene modified AMSCs in diabetes type 1 induced cardiomyopathy of adult male albino rat. Materials and Methods: Twenty-nine adult male albino rats were divided into: Donor group of 2 rats used to obtain AMSCs. Group I (Control group): 6 rats not exposed to diabetes induction. Group II (Diabetic group): 7 rats injected with streptozotocin (STZ) 50mg/Kg once. Group III ( (AMSCs group): 7 rats injected with AMSCs following induction of diabetes. Group IV (SERCA2a Modified AMSCs Group): 7 rats injected with SERCA2a modified AMSCs, following induction of diabetes. All rats were sacrificed 8 weeks from start of experiment. Results: Morphological changes, indicating inflammation and degeneration, were found in the cardiac muscle of diabetic rats and regressed remarkably by AMSCs and SERCA2a modified AMSCs. The regression of morphological changes was confirmed by histological, immunohistochemical, morphometric and serological studies. Conclusion: The therapeutic effect of SERCA2a modified AMSCs in diabetes type 1 cardiomyopathy was more remarkable than that of AMSCs.
Approximating All Most-Preferred Diagnoses using Greedy Algorithms

For applications in which computing the set of all diagnoses is important, algorithms that compile the system model, such as the ATMS, are well-known. However, the space- and time-complexity of such approaches can be prohibitively large. We show how we can use a preference function over the space of diagnoses to develop approximation algorithms for computing the most-preferred diagnoses (MPD). We show that the MPD problem can be approximated by greedy algorithms such that the preference weighting of the approximate set of diagnoses is within (1 – 1/e) of that of the exact set of diagnoses. We demonstrate how the MPD problem can be solved for iterative diagnosis using a fast stochastic diagnosis engine, and by compilation approaches using prime implicant and DNNF compilation languages. We present empirical evidence that the compilation algorithms enable space reductions of several orders-of-magnitude over the full compilation, while losing relatively little query completeness.
Time Relaxation with Iterative Modified Lavrentiev Regularization

A new time relaxation model with iterative modified Lavrentiev regularization method is studied. The aim of the relaxation term is to drive the unresolved fluctuations in a computational simulation to zero exponentially faster by an appropriate and often problem-dependent choice of its time relaxation parameter; together with iterative modified Lavrentiev regularization, the model will give a better approximation through de-convolution with fewer steps to compute. The goal of this paper herein is to understand how this time relaxation term acts to truncate solution scales and to use this understanding to give some helpful insight into parameter selection.
Condom use-related beliefs in adolescents of First Nations communities of Quebec ... . ...

Background: The First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Health and Social Services Commission, hereafter the Commission, has identified sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS, as a priority health issue. Drawing on its interest in telemedicine and e-Health, the Commission agreed to a partnership approach aimed at studying the feasibility of interventions using information and communication technologies (ICT) to promote sexual health among adolescents and young adults of Quebec First Nations (FN) communities. As a complement to the feasibility evaluation, this study was conducted in order to formulate exhaustive recommendations for the development of evidence-based interventions that also take into account the characteristics of the target population. Purpose: To identify the factors underlying condom use among 13-18 year olds from FN communities of Quebec. Methodology: A focus group and a questionnaire (Appendix A) were used to document the perceptions of high school students from participant communities with regards to different aspects of sexual and reproductive health, particularly condom use. Results: The modal salient beliefs related to the benefits of condom use were the prevention of sexually transmitted infections/diseases and the prevention of pregnancies, while most of the respondents found no disadvantages. The positive referents mentioned most were parents and boyfriend/girlfriend, while the negative ones were sexual partner and lover/boyfriend. Always having some (condoms) on hand, and having proper information were highlighted as the most important factors facilitating condom use, while not having any condoms, or being drunk/unconscious were mentioned as obstacles to its use. Conclusion: The conception of sexual health by the respondents positioned them as a potentially receptive target for interventions aimed at promoting condom use. Our study has highlighted important beliefs that provide avenues for designing interventions to promote condom use for a healthy sexual life among Aboriginal youth.
Bilateral Trade and Business Cycles Synchronization: African Monetary Integration Perspective

The European Commission (1990) and Frankel and Rose (1997, 1998) pointed out that the traditional paradigm of Optimum Currency Areas is misleading because some consequences of monetary unions bring country-specific shocks closer together. Trade, for example, is not only a result of monetary union but it also increases business cycles synchronization. We test for the 53 African countries over the 1975-2004 period the hypothesis suggesting that monetary integration adds force to bilateral trade intensity which in turn, improves conditions for the practice of common monetary policy throughout business cycles synchronization. Our results support such argument and suggest some policy recommendations for African monetary integration.
Interaction of the Yakut ethnicity and biological systems in the territory of the Sakha Republic ( Hordogoy settlement , Suntarsky District ) and Krasnoyarsk Krai ( Essey settlement , Evenks District )

In the context of global transformations the man-nature interaction is undergoing considerable changes. This process is of great importance for peoples engaged in traditional activities: fishing, hunting, gathering wild plants, breeding cattle and horses. On the one hand, objective changes mean development of civilization, while on the other hand, they cause modification of traditional involvement of people into the biological system. The article presents the analysis of “man – biological system” relations on the material, obtained by the scientists, post-graduate (master) students and students of Siberian Federal University during the expedition to the selo (village) of Hordogoy (Suntarsky District, the Sakha Republic, the Russian Federation) and to the posyolok (settlement) of Essey ( Evenks District, Krasnoyarsk Krai, the Russian Federation). The result of the paper is the comparative analysis of the changes in the lifestyle of Yakuts that resulted from the industrial development of natural resources in the region. [Libakova NM, Sitnikova AA, Sertakova EA, Kolesnik MA, Ilbeykina MI. Interaction of the Yakut ethnicity and biological systems in the territory of the Sakha Republic (Hordogoy settlement, Suntarsky District) and Krasnoyarsk Krai (Essey settlement, Evenks District). Life Sci J 2014;11(6s):585-592] (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite. com. 122
Ligand-induced conformational selection predicts the selectivity of cysteine protease inhibitors

Cruzain, a cysteine protease of Trypanosoma cruzi, is a validated target for the treatment of Chagas disease. Due to its high similarity in three-dimensional structure with human cathepsins and their sequence identity above 70% in the active site regions, identifying potent but selective cruzain inhibitors with low side effects on the host organism represents a significant challenge. Here a panel of nitrile ligands with varying potencies against cathepsin K, cathepsin L and cruzain, are studied by molecular dynamics simulations as both non-covalent and covalent complexes. Principal component analysis (PCA), identifies and quantifies patterns of ligand-induced conformational selection that enable the construction of a decision tree which can predict with high confidence a low-nanomolar inhibitor of each of three proteins, and determine the selectivity for one against others.
Theory and practice to conserve freshwater biodiversity in the Anthropocene

1. The unprecedented impact of human activities on nature has led scientists to propose we might now be in a new geological epoch: the Anthropocene. Significant human alterations of freshwater systems include massive changes to soil erosion – deposition dynamics, hydrological regimes via impoundment and diver-sion, land ‐ use conversion, chemical and nutrient pollution, and human ‐ assisted range expansion of invasive species. In this human ‐ dominated epoch, biodiversity, which includes all life on Earth, is at risk, and freshwater biodiversity shows the strongest examples of the extent of this threat. 2. the approaches; water in this demonstrate how the material presented, be it broadly applicable and transferable.
Placebo-induced pain reduction is associated with inverse network coupling at rest

Placebos can reduce pain by inducing beliefs in the effectiveness of an actually inert treatment. Such top-down effects on pain typically engage lateral and medial prefrontal regions, the insula, somatosensory cortex, as well as the thalamus and brainstem during pain anticipation or perception. Considering the level of large-scale brain networks, these regions spatially align with fronto-parietal/executive control, salience, and sensory-motor networks, but it is unclear if and how placebos alter interactions between them during rest. Here, we investigated how placebo analgesia affected intrinsic network coupling. Ninety-nine human participants were randomly assigned to a placebo or control group and underwent resting-state fMRI after pain processing. Results revealed inverse coupling between sensory-motor and salience-like networks in placebo but not control participants. Specifically, networks were centered on the bilateral somatosensory cortex, as well as on the brainstem, thalamus, striatal regions, dorsal and rostral anterior cingulate cortex, and the insula, respectively. Across participants, more negative between-network coupling was associated with lower individual pain intensity as assessed during a preceding pain task, but was unrelated to expectations of medication effectiveness in the placebo group. Altogether, these findings provide initial evidence that placebo analgesia affects the intrinsic communication between large-scale brain networks, even in the absence of pain. We suggest a model where placebo analgesia increases activation within a descending pain-modulatory network, segregating it from somatosensory regions that might code for painful experiences. Highlights Placebo analgesia affects resting-state connectivity between networks. Salience-related and somatosensory regions are negatively coupled at rest. This coupling is negative following placebo, but not in control participants. More negative between-network coupling is related to lower pain intensity.