Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tanshinone IIA Promotes M2 Microglia by ERβ/IL-10 Pathway and Attenuates Neuronal Loss in Mouse TBI Model

Purpose Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Increasing evidence indicates that activated microglia play an important role in the inflammatory response in TBI. Inhibiting M1 and stimulating M2 activated microglia have protective effects in several animal models of central nervous system (CNS) disorders. In the present study, we investigated whether tanshinone IIA (TNA) protects neurons by shifting microglia polarization in a mouse TBI model and further investigated the mechanism in vitro. Materials and Methods Forty C57BL/6 mice were used to investigate the effect of TNA on microglia polarization in TBI. BV-2 cells were used to examine the mechanism of TNA in regulating microglia polarization. Results Normal saline (NS), TNA and the combination of TNA with ICI 182,780 (ICI, an estrogen receptor antagonist) were used to treat the TBI mice. After TBI, mice from each group demonstrated functional improvement. The improvement rate in mice treated with TNA was faster than other groups. ICI partially reversed the benefits from TNA treatment. TNA treatment significantly reduced TBI-induced neuronal loss. The number of microglia after TBI was not significantly changed by TNA treatment. However, TNA treatment significantly decreased M1 macrophage markers (iNOS, TNFα and IL-1β) and increased M2 macrophage markers (CD206, arginase 1 and Ym1). This effect was partially abolished by ICI. TNA treatment downregulated M1 macrophage markers and upregulated M2 macrophage markers in BV-2 cells under LPS stimulation. IL-10 was significantly increased by TNA treatment without a significantly change of IL-4 and IL-13 expression. IL-10 knockdown completely abolished the effect of TNA on microglial M2 polarization. Conclusion Taken together, our data demonstrated that TNA attenuates neuronal loss in mouse TBI model and promotes M2 microglia by ERβ/IL-10 pathway. Thus, TNA could be a potential drug for TBI and/or the disorders that caused by microglial over-activation in CNS.
A Survey of Android Malware Detection with Deep Neural Models

Deep Learning (DL) is a disruptive technology that has changed the landscape of cyber security research. Deep learning models have many advantages over traditional Machine Learning (ML) models, particularly when there is a large amount of data available. Android malware detection or classification qualifies as a big data problem because of the fast booming number of Android malware, the obfuscation of Android malware, and the potential protection of huge values of data assets stored on the Android devices. It seems a natural choice to apply DL on Android malware detection. However, there exist challenges for researchers and practitioners, such as choice of DL architecture, feature extraction and processing, performance evaluation, and even gathering adequate data of high quality. In this survey, we aim to address the challenges by systematically reviewing the latest progress in DL-based Android malware detection and classification. We organize the literature according to the DL architecture, including FCN, CNN, RNN, DBN, AE, and hybrid models. The goal is to reveal the research frontier, with the focus on representing code semantics for Android malware detection. We also discuss the challenges in this emerging field and provide our view of future research opportunities and directions.
Teaching reproduction, gender and sexuality: broad, multidisciplinary and nuanced

ABSTRACT The teaching of reproduction, gender and sexuality at tertiary level is often compartmentalised, separating biological components from the political, socio-cultural, psychological and ethical perspectives that influence how knowledge is understood and utilised. In parallel, educators often have specialised knowledge and can struggle to address the broader questions outside their area of expertise. This is particularly true in an era of changing constructs and terminology related to gender and sexual diversity, and strong views as to which terminology is appropriate. Recognising this need, we organised a local symposium drawing together educators (lecturers, teaching-fellows, demonstrators) from across our university campus to discuss the range and nature of courses in medicine, sciences and the social sciences taught at our institution. Here, we outline the rationale, process and the key themes discussed, which included changing models of sex and gender, associated terminology changes and the importance of appropriate framing and incorporation of indigenous (Māori) perspectives. An interdisciplinary approach is essential to integrate theories engaging with the non-binary nature of sex and gender with the largely binary process of reproduction. This cultural shift requires educationalists to counter biased opinions and misinformation with accurate and diverse content to ensure teaching is accurate and up-to-date.
VALUE-BASED INTERMEDIATION AND REALISATION OF MAQASID AL-SHARIAH: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES FOR ISLAMIC BANKS IN MALAYSIA

The expectation of stakeholders towards Islamic banks has changed and goes beyond avoiding riba and compliance with Shariah but to become value-based intermediaries and fulfil the objective of Shariah Many studies argue that the goals of Islamic banking should not be restricted to maximizing shareholder wealth but should also entail raising the standard of living and welfare of the community. This paper aims to discuss the issues, trends, and challenges for Islamic banking in Malaysia towards satisfying various stakeholders’ needs through the implementation of value-based intermediation (VBI). VBI has been firstly introduced by Bank Negara Malaysia in 2017. In VBI, maqasid al-shariah is established as the fundamental framework in deciding the underlying values, moral compass, and goals in Islamic finance. Thus, realisation of maqasid al-shariah has created its own challenges in VBI implementation. Some earlier studies have discussed issues related to the principles and approaches related to VBI but neglecting other important mechanisms to drive its successful implementation. This review paper highlighted that corporate governance and performance measures are essential elements in VBI implementation. Future studies are encouraged to further explore the possible indicators that can fairly assess the efforts of Islamic banks in satisfying stakeholder needs in line with maqasid al-shariah. Further studies in corporate governance also deemed important to establish the relationship between the key corporate governance players and stakeholder management in Islamic banks.
The Concept of Sustainable Development of Modern Dentistry

This paper concerns the assessment of the current state of dentistry in the world and the prospects of its sustainable development. A traditional Chinese censer was adopted as the pattern, with a strong and stable support on three legs. The dominant diseases of the oral cavity are caries and periodontal diseases, with the inevitable consequence of toothlessness. From the caries 3.5–5 billion people suffer. Moreover, each of these diseases has a wide influence on the development of systemic complications. The territorial range of these diseases and their significant differentiation in severity in different countries and their impact on disability-adjusted life years index are presented (DALY). Edentulousness has a significant impact on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). The etiology of these diseases is presented, as well as the preventive and therapeutic strategies undertaken as a result of modifying the Deming circle through the fives’ rules idea. The state of development of Dentistry 4.0 is an element of the current stage of the industrial revolution Industry 4.0 and the great achievements of modern dental engineering. Dental treatment examples from the authors’ own clinical practice are given. The systemic safety of a huge number of dentists in the world is discussed, in place of the passive strategy of using more and more advanced personal protective equipment (PPE), introducing our own strategy for the active prevention of the spread of pathogenic microorganisms, including SARS-CoV-2. The ethical aspects of dentists’ activity towards their own patients and the ethical obligations of the dentist community towards society are discussed in detail. This paper is a polemic arguing against the view presented by a group of eminent specialists in the middle of last year in The Lancet. It is impossible to disagree with these views when it comes to waiting for egalitarianism in dental care, increasing the scope of prevention and eliminating discrimination in this area on the basis of scarcity and poverty. The views on the discrimination of dentistry in relation to other branches of medicine are far more debatable. Therefore, relevant world statistics for other branches of medicine are presented. The authors of this paper do not agree with the thesis that interventional dental treatment can be replaced with properly implemented prophylaxis. The final remarks, therefore, present a discussion of the prospects for the development of dentistry based on three pillars, analogous to the traditional Chinese censer obtaining a stable balance thanks to its three legs. The Dentistry Sustainable Development (DSD) > 2020 model, consisting of Global Dental Prevention (GDP), Advanced Interventionist Dentistry 4.0 (AID 4.0), and Dentistry Safety System (DSS), is presented.
Design Strategies for Integrated β‐Galactosidase Purification Processes

The operational conditions for an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) for β-galactosidase purification were optimized and applied to the design of a purification strategy as an alternative to the primary purification steps. The ATPS proved to be suitable for the recovery and primary enzyme purification. The purification process design developed by ATPS, diafiltration, ion exchange, and diafiltration/ultrafiltration was successful, yielding a more than tenfold purification. The purification strategy design resulted in a powerful integrated purification and recovery process, an evidence of the potential for a scale-up of the β-galactosidase purification process.
A New Pyrazolate Osmium(VI) Nitrido Complex Exhibits Anticancer Activity Through Modulating Protein Homeostasis

Interest in the third-row transition metal osmium and its compounds as potential anticancer agents has grown in recent years. Here, we synthesized the osmium(VI) nitrido complex Na[OsVI(N)(tpm)2] (tpm= [5-(Thien-2-yl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl]methanol) that does not have direct binding affinity to DNA. Cellular assays revealed that this new Os complex exhibited anticancer activity against cancer cell lines, cancer stem cells, and cisplatin-resistant cells. The Os complex Na[OsVI(N)(tpm)2] modulates the expression of protein transportation-associated, DNA metabolism-associated and oxidative stress-associated proteins in HepG2 cells. Perturbation of protein expression activity by the Os complex in cancer cells affects the functions of the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum, resulting in high levels of cellular oxidative stress and low rates of cell survival. Moreover, it induced caspase-mediated apoptosis of HepG2 cancer cells. The study reveals a new high-valent Os complex as an anticancer agent candidate targeting cancer cell protein homeostasis.
Estimating causal effect of multi-valued treatment from observational survival data

In survival analysis of observational data, the inverse probability weighting method and the Cox proportional hazards model are widely used when estimating the causal effects of multiple-valued treatment. In this paper, the two kinds of weights have been examined in the inverse probability weighting method. We explain the reason why the stabilized weight is more appropriate when an inverse probability weighting method using the generalized propensity score is applied. We also emphasize that a marginal hazard ratio and the conditional hazard ratio should be distinguished when defining the hazard ratio as a treatment effect under the Cox proportional hazards model. A simulation study based on real data is conducted to provide concrete numerical evidence.
The effect of isotopes on lattice heat conduction II. Solid helium

The thermal conductivity of solid mixtures of the helium isotopes has been determined from 1°K to near the melting temperatures. In the hexagonal close-packed phase, pure 4He and three 4He-rich mixtures were measured at three different pressures of formation (60, 90 and 140 atm) and pure 3He and six 3He-rich mixtures at a single pressure of formation (145 atm). The results are analysed on the basis of Callaway’s relaxation-time theory, and a consistent explanation is obtained if the relaxation rate for three-phonon normal processes is assumed to be proportional to w2T2. Scattering of phonons by the isotopic impurities is greater than corresponds to the mass difference alone and the additional scattering is attributed to the effect of lattice strain around the impurity. Although the magnitude of this effect is considerably less than has been calculated, its variation with pressure is as predicted. These conclusions are supported by consideration of the behaviour of the conductivity in the limit of low isotopic concentration, when the calculated conductivity is independent of the form of the relaxation rate for normal processes.
Taguchi Optimization of Adsorptive Treatment of Effluent from Lead-acid Battery Recycling unit Using Pressmud-a Sugar Industry Waste

Lead-acid battery recycling is one of the organized process which helps in overcoming the demand of lead for the production of the storage batteries. During recycling, a large amount of effluent is generated which contains lead beyond the permissible limit and harmful for the environment. This effluent was treated by adsorption as an alternative technique by using another waste (pressmud) as an adsorbent obtained from the sugar industry. Properties of the pressmud were determined through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction analysis. Taguchi method L16 orthogonal array (4^3) was used for batch adsorption study for the parameters, initial pH, adsorbent dose and contact time. The optimum value for the adsorption of Pb(II) onto pressmud was found at effluent pH 4.5, adsorbent dose 1.0 g/50mL and time 240 min from the Signal-to-Noise ratio analysis. Kinetic and isotherm studies were also carried out to understand the mechanism of adsorption. Langmuir isotherm fitted best to the experimental data with R2=0.994 and kinetics of adsorption followed the pseudo-second-order model with R2=0.993.
The mechanics of large gas bubbles in tubes: II. The prediction of voidage in vertical gas‐liquid flow

Material balance considerations define a relation between the voidage in gas-liquid slug flow and the linear velocity of the gas bubbles for flow in a vertical tube. To utilize this relation for the correlation of gas content or voidage, a model is proposed for the liquid flow around an individual gas bubble taking into account the effect of liquid viscosity. While the model is not solvable analytically, a form for the correlation of bubble velocities in moving streams of liquid is developed from the material balance on the liquid. This correlation is found to describe experimental results from all flow patterns. On definit la relation entre le vide dans un ecoulement pistonne gaz-liquide et la vitesse Iineaire des bulles de gaz dans un tube vertical a l'aide d'un bilan materiel. Un modele est aussi propose pour l'ecoulement liquide autour d'une bulle de gaz individuelle en tenant compte de l'effet de la viscosite du liquide. Bien que la modele n'ait pas de solution analytique, une forme pour la correlation de la vitesse des bulles dans un ecoulement de liquide est developpee a l'aide d'un bilan materiel du liquide. Cette correlation explique les resultats experimentaux dans tous les patrons d'ecoulement.
An Examination of the Interaction of Democratic Ideals with Journalism Training Programmes in the Global South: The Case of Cambodia

The presumption that a liberal media landscape and associated press culture strengthens good governance and human development has approached orthodoxy in the western world. Consistent with this, journalism training has been a central component of media aid strategies in the Global South. This research examines how normative assumptions about journalism roles can interact with ideas about democracy in a training environment and the possible implications of this. It explores parallels between programme elements relating to democracy facilitation and particular role conceptualisations of journalists trained by these programmes, with a specific interest in how this process is borne out in countries where democratisation processes are ongoing. A qualitative-based methodology, using journalism training in Cambodia as a case study, finds some correlations between democracy-related emphases at training level and specific normative orientations among working journalists who participated in these programmes. However, we find that these democratic norm-related orientations of practitioners contain subtle, but key differentiations from those advocated by programme facilitators. A vocational, advocacy-oriented approach to journalism programmes may have contributed to this outcome in a Cambodian context.
Primary processes in the reaction of OH·-radicals with sulphoxides

The primary processes in the OH· radical-induced oxidation mechanism of sulphoxides have been investigated by pulse radiolysis and, in particular, by an improved conductivity detection method with a time resolution of ca. 50 ns in aqueous solution. Electrophilic addition of the OH· radical to the sulphoxide group leads to a transient adduct, R2SO(OH)· which decays unimolecularly with t1/2 up to 100 ns into a sulphinic acid, RSO2H, and a radical R·. The various RSO2H have been identified by their pKa, and R·(including t-butyl and phenyl radicals) by direct optical measurement or chemical scavenging experiments. The probability of radical split-off from R2SO(OH)· for mixed sulphoxides depends on the stability of the radical leaving. Depending on the nature of the sulphoxide substituents two other OH· radical reactions compete with, and may even predominate over, the addition at the sulphoxide group. Thus hydrogen-atom abstraction readily occurs from longer chain and branched aliphatic groups and in the presence of aromatic substituents OH· radicals add to the π-system to form a hydroxycyclohexadienyl radical. The respective yields, kinetics and some physico-chemical properties of the primary species are presented and discussed.
Determinants of satisfactory performance in further education and training colleges in Gauteng Province

This research paper is a result of a comprehensive survey conducted in Further Education Training Colleges (FETC) providing educational services to South Africans residing in the various regions of Gauteng Province in South Africa. The main theme of the research was barriers that undermine service quality in teaching and learning in FETC institutions. The principal stakeholders of the study are educational leaders and administrators who sit on board councils in FETC institutions. Leadership quality in FETC institutions was measured and quantified by using a benchmark introduced by Northouse [2018. Leadership: Theory and Practice. Sage publications]. Ordered logit analysis was used for estimating and quantifying key predictors of service quality in teaching and learning as well as the efficient management of FETC institutions. Findings of the survey revealed that there is a need for elements of good institutional leadership. Examples of desirable attributes of leadership are honesty, personal integrity, accountability and transparency.
Fair value of standing timber in the context of IAS 41 implementation: a case study with Pinus radiata

Upon seeing the forest valuation in a knowledge-based framework and, although there are studies that indicate how the Chilean forestry companies evaluate their forestry assets, existing information can be inferred only on large and medium-sized enterprises; in the case of small enterprises there are no tangible data to know what the method of valuation of its assets. To provide a critical assessment of the valuation methods commonly used for the valuation of forests, this paper has two objectives. First, to evaluate compatibility of valuation criteria based on the fair value method of the biological assets of forest companies after adopting the International Financial Reporting System (IFRS), and second, to establish a method for the proper use of IAS 41 (International Accounting Standard) in the forestry sector through case studies in Chile. Fair value was determined according to IAS 41, in an immature plantation (eight years) established with Pinus radiata , using the “cost approach” and the “income approach”. The main findings suggest that the estimation of fair value using the “income approach” valuation method becomes more precise the younger the stand, i.e. calculating fair value based on the net present value of the stand, promises more accuracy. Nonetheless, the use of growth and yield simulation software for stands of exotic species, impede widespread use of this method. Results indicate the need to harmonize methodological criteria to measure fair value in crops of forest species.
Notizen: Fermi-Niveau und Flachbandpotential von Molekülkristallen aromatischer Kohlenwasserstoffe

The sum of ionization energy and electron affinity for aromatic hydrocarbon molecules is constant and therefore the Fermi level for intrinsic aromatic hydrocarbon crystals is in first approximation independent of the nature of the hydrocarbon. This relationship leads in turn to a constant value for the flat band potential of aromatic hydrocarbon crystals in contact with an electrolyte. An estimate of this value is given.
An End-To-End Workflow for High-Throughput Discovery of Clinically Relevant Insights From Large Biomedical Datasets

Background Maximizing the insights gained from large epidemiological and biomedical datasets remains a fascinating challenge for life science researchers. For example, while usual analysis protocols may find numerous correlations between the studied factors, none tries to explain why many individuals deviate significantly from the identified general trends. Furthermore, while common practices can identify relationships between pairs or, at most, small groups of factors, they are unable to determine the global relationship network between all variables. Methods As a solution to these challenges, we have developed a new analysis workflow available in the MUVIS package within R statistical software. Here we apply these methods to a dataset from the Yazd Health Study consisting of 300 variables measured for 4010 individuals. Results Although Yazd Health Study is a general health survey of intensively studied medical variables, our methods were still able to uncover new insights. For example, in analyzing the correlation between blood high-density lipoprotein and total cholesterol, we determined diet to be a more important factor than exercise or age in explaining why individuals may have anomalous blood high-density lipoprotein levels based on their total cholesterol levels. We identified gender-based differences in how diet may exert these effects. Furthermore, analysis of global interaction networks found both interesting clusters of variables, such as factors denoting health-conscious and health-indifferent people, and individual connections, such as between hypertension and skin cancer. Conclusions As a result, we conclude that MUVIS provides a robust statistical framework for the high-throughput discovery of novel insights from large biomedical datasets.