Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Predictive Value for Cardiovascular Disease: A Nested Case Control from Isfahan Cohort Study (ICS)

Background: High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) was proven to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The aim of this study was to investigate the benefits of assessing hs-CRP among individuals with different cardiovascular risk factors. Methods: This nested case-control study was obtained from the Isfahan Cohort Study (ICS). Anyone who has been suffering from any CVDs, including myocardial infarction, unstable angina, sudden cardiac death and stroke was put in the case group. Density sampling method was utilized to choose the control group who had no aforementioned CVDs during follow-up. Four quartiles of hs-CRP (Q1: 0.1–2.3, Q2: 2.4–3, Q3: 3.1–4 and Q4: 4.1–14 mg/l) were assessed defining odds ratios (OR) of CVDs prediction in different CVDs risk factor categories. Confidence intervals of 95% are put in brackets. Results: A total of 502 cases and 538 controls were recruited. All hs-CRP quartiles showed increased CVDs likelihood compared to normal subjects in terms of diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HTN). Second quartile showed a 1.93 [1.33–2.81] and 3.34 [1.36–8.17] increased risks in patients with hypertriglyceridemia or dyslipidemia, respectively. Smokers in the third quartile group revealed increased CVDs risk. The fourth quartile showed significant increased risks in patients suffering from hypercholesterolemia (OR = 1.91 [1.33–2.74]), high LDL-C (OR = 1.88 [1.33–2.66]), and hypertriglyceridemia (OR = 2.31 [1.57–3.41]). Conclusions: Our findings suggested that assessing hs-CRP is beneficial for predicting CVDs in patients with HTN and DM. Furthermore, specific patients with lipid abnormalities or history of smoking benefits from checking hs-CRP.
Process Production, Physico Chemical and Sensory Attributes of Pelpeledgi; A Cameroonian Fermented Fish Product

: The Pelpeledgi is a fermented fish product consume in central African countries. A survey was done to assess sociocultural value and how it’s process. Some physicochemical characteristics, microbiological profile and sensorial attributes were also evaluated. It was found that this product is largely produce and consumed in the area as traditional dish. Process technology is transmitted toward generation from parents to children. Process steps of Pelpeledgi involve catching, washing, gutting, paring, evisceration, spontaneous fermentation during 6-48 h depending of seasons and drying for 3-5 days. None salting step was noted. pH of Pelpeledgi samples range from 6.80-8.41. Salt content and moisture range from 2.42-3.38% and from 10.22-19.11%. Concerning microbiological characteristics, total microbial count was high in all samples ranging from 6.41-7.70 log cfu/g. lactic acid floras and Bacillus seems to be the predominant flora of Pelpeledgi. Lactic flora and Bacillus load of Pelpeledgi ranging from 4.57-5.28 log cfu/g and from 3.47-4.85 log cfu/g, respectively . Yeast and moulds ranging from 3.06-3.10 log cfu/g, E. coli was present in certain samples, ranging from 1.23-1.70 log cfu/g and no Salmonella were detected. Staphylococcus aureus and total coliform were present in all samples, ranging from 1.75-2.65 log cfu/g and 3.82-4.85, respectively which is a potential risk for consumer. Thus, the fish product is microbiologically unsafe. Sensory analyses shows that samples from Blangoua are most appreciated with positive correlation between total microbial count and sensory attributes. Despite of microbiological diversity and sensorial attributes, efforts are needed to improve Pelpeledgi process through HACCP and use of starter culture with interesting technological properties to obtain better product for the public consumption.
Molekularbiologische Untersuchungen einer Daphnia-Population im Belauer See: Entstehung, Einfluß und Entwicklung der Dauereibank.

Die Entstehung, die Entwicklung und der Einflus einer Daphnia-Dauereibank auf eine Daphnia-Population im Belauer See (Schleswig-Hostein) wurde mit molekularbiologischen Methoden (Mikrosatelliten; SSCP) untersucht. Eine Besonderheit des Belauer Sees ist das stratifizierte Sediment, so das palaolimnologische Studien anhand alterer Dauereier (ca. 200 Jahre) durchgefuhrt werden konnten. Die Bedeutung von Daphnia-Dauereiern im Sediment wurde anhand zweier Hypothesen diskutiert. Hypothese 1 postuliert, das die Dauereier im Sediment ein Spiegel vergangener Populationen sind, Hypothese 2 nimmt an, das die aus den Dauereiern schlupfenden Daphnien die Evolutionsrate der Population verlangsamen. Untersuchungen der Produktion, der Selektion und des Schlupfens der Dauereier zeigten, das beide Hypothesen nicht fur den Belauer See zutreffend sind. Bei den drei im Belauer See koexistierenden Taxa ist eine zeitliche Veranderung in der genetischen Zusammensetzung in der Population zu erkennen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, das ein Einflus von der Dauereibank ausgeht.
Microbial population structure in a stratified, acidic pit lake in the Iberian Pyrite Belt

Abstract We examined the geochemistry and bacterial and archaeal community structure in the acidic (pH < 2.4) pit lake at Peña de Hierro, near the headwaters of the Río Tinto. The lake has strong vertical gradients in light, O2, pH, conductivity, and dissolved ions. Bacterial and archaeal communities between 0 and 32 m displayed low species richness and evenness. Relatives of iron cycling taxa accounted for 60-90% of the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) throughout the water column. Relatives of heterotrophic, facultative Fe(III)-reducing species made up more than a third of the bacterial and archaeal community in the photic zone. Taxa related to Fe(II) oxidizers Ferrithrix thermotolerans and Acidithix ferrooxidans were also abundant in the photic zone. Below the photic zone, relatives of the lithoautotrophic Fe(II) oxidizers Leptospirillum ferrooxidans and Ferrovum myxofaciens bloomed at different depths within or just below the oxycline. Thermoplasmatales predominated in the deep, microoxic zone of the lake. The microbial population structure of the lake appears to be influenced by the production of oxygen and organic matter by phototrophs in a narrow zone at the lake surface and by strong geochemical gradients present in the water column that create distinct niches for separate Fe(II) oxidizers.
Effect of adding different levels of crushed laurel leaves ( Laurus nobilis ) to the diet on some blood parameters for broiler chickens

This experiment was conducted in the field of Poultry birds belonging to Department of Animal Production, College of Agriculture, Al-Qasim Green University in order to study the effect of adding different levels of crushed laurel leaves (Laurus nobilis) to the diet of broiler chickens on some physiological traits for blood. A 180 unsexed broiler chickens (ross 380 strain), with one-day age were used, where they were randomly divided into four treatments, with a rate of 45 birds per treatment and each treatment consisted of three replicates (15 birds per replicate). The treatments of experiment were as follows: First treatment (control) without adding crushed laurel leaves to the diet, second treatment: Adding crushed laurel leaves with amount of (1 g / kg feed), third treatment: Adding crushed laurel leaves with amount of (2 g / kg feed) and treatment Fourth: Adding crushed laurel leaves with amount of (3 g / kg feed). The experiment included the following traits: Red blood cell count, white blood cell count, Haematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, White Blood Cell Differential Count, estimating the mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC). The results indicated that adding laurel leaves with the rate of (2 and 3 g / kg feed) led to significant improvement (p <0.05) in the red and white blood cell counts, hemoglobin concentration, Haematocrit, the value of mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), a significant decrease (p <0.05) in the Heterophil/lymphocyte ratio (H/L ratio). From the present experiment, it is concluded that adding laurel leaves with the rate of (2, 3 g / kg feed) to the diet can lead to improve some blood parameters for broiler chickens.
Contrasted patterns of mitochondrial and nuclear structure among nursery colonies of the bat Myotis myotis

Thirteen nursery colonies of Myotis myotis were sampled in central Europe to investigate the dispersal behaviour of this bat species. Mitochondrial DNA sequences of 260 bats reveal the occurrence of three evolutionary lineages that have probably originated in distinct glacial refugia and meet in a contact zone near the Alps. Moreover, the strong haplotypic segregation (ΦST=0.540) suggests that breeding females are philopatric. Contrastingly, the low population structure at 15 microsatellite loci (FST=0.022), suggests the homogenizing effect of nuclear gene flow. The different perspectives given by these two markers are consistent with strong male‐biased dispersal. As a result of female philopatry, the local haplotypic variability seems to be largely influenced by historical processes of colonization. Conversely, the homogeneity of nuclear variability within roosts that are located north of the Alps seems to mainly reflect contemporary gene flow. Finally, despite the fact that females are faithful to their natal colony, movements of both males and females occur outside the breeding period. Mitochondrial survey of individuals sampled exclusively in nurseries may thus poorly reflect the metapopulation dynamics of this species.
Role of environmental and spatial processes in structuring anuran communities across a tropical rain forest

This study aimed to evaluate if anuran species distributions in riparian and non-riparian areas are influenced by environmental factors (i.e. niche) and/or by spatial factors (i.e. dispersal). The environmental variables analysed were altitude, distance from the stream and leaf litter depth. Spatial factors were represented by the eigenvectors extracted from geographical coordinates by eigenfunction analysis. The study was conducted in 24 km2 of terra-firme forest in Central Amazonia, Manaus – Amazonas, Brazil. Between November 2008 and May 2009, three samples were taken from 41 plots, 21 plots being placed at non-riparian areas and another 20 placed in riparian areas. We submitted the assemblage dataset to a partial redundancy analysis to evaluate the contributions of environmental and spatial variables (selected with a forward selection procedure). In addition, we tested if communities differ from riparian and non-riparian areas using a db-MANOVA. Species richness and species composition differed between riparian and non-riparian plots. Some species were restricted to riparian areas. Altitude was the only significant variable (P = 0.005) explaining 21% of the total variance. When analysing the data from all plots using the partial redundancy analysis, 27% of the variance was explained by spatial and environmental variables. The environmental variables explained exclusively 4% of the variance in assemblage composition, and 13% was explained by environmental variables that were also structured in space (i.e. the shared fraction), while 10% was explained exclusively by spatial variables. In conclusion, our results showed differences between the assemblages of riparian and non-riparian areas which can be explained by the distribution of anuran species along environmental gradients altitude and distance to streams, with little evidence of dispersal limitation.
A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING OF THE ASSESSMENT PRACTICES INVENTORY MODIFIED (APIM) SCALE: AN ASSESSMENT MODEL FOR HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

This research analysed the psychometric properties of the Assessment Practices Inventory Modified (APIM) using structural equation modelling. The APIM scale was distributed to a sample of 350 academic staff selected from both private and public universities in Uganda. A purely quantitative approach with a stratified random sampling technique to select the participants was adopted for this study. The objective of this study was to; test the psychometric properties of the APIM scale. The results of the psychometric properties revealed that the APIM scale is an adequate instrument in measuring assessment practices among university academic staff. The hypothesised model was found to be adequate in explaining assessment practices among academic staff in universities; χ² = 902.619, χ² / df = 1.842, df = 490, p = . 000, CFI = . 906, RMSEA = . 052, and SRMR = . 050. The findings revealed that the APIM hypothesised model was fit and adequate to explain the factors assessment practices of staff in higher education institutions. This has led to a recommendation that formal assessment training programmes should be made mandatory to all academic staff in universities in Uganda to understand assessment design, administration, interpretation and application. Article visualizations:
Application of Machine Learning in Evaluation of the Static Young’s Modulus for Sandstone Formations

Prediction of the mechanical characteristics of the reservoir formations, such as static Young’s modulus (Estatic), is very important for the evaluation of the wellbore stability and development of the earth geomechanical model. Estatic considerably varies with the change in the lithology. Therefore, a robust model for Estatic prediction is needed. In this study, the predictability of Estatic for sandstone formation using four machine learning models was evaluated. The design parameters of the machine learning models were optimized to improve their predictability. The machine learning models were trained to estimate Estatic based on bulk formation density, compressional transit time, and shear transit time. The machine learning models were trained and tested using 592 well log data points and their corresponding core-derived Estatic values collected from one sandstone formation in well-A and then validated on 38 data points collected from a sandstone formation in well-B. Among the machine learning models developed in this work, Mamdani fuzzy interference system was the highly accurate model to predict Estatic for the validation data with an average absolute percentage error of only 1.56% and R of 0.999. The developed static Young’s modulus prediction models could help the new generation to characterize the formation rock with less cost and safe operation.
An Enzymic Method for the Determination of Inorganic Phosphate in Urine

phosphate changes in the urine of patients with hypoparathyroidism, hyperparathyro idism2), infantile leukemia3), spinal injury and patients prescribed an adrenocortical hormone4). The methods employed for the de termination of the inorganic phosphate can be classified into chemical methods and enzymic methods. The chemical methods are based on the principle of converting inorganic phosphate to phosphomolybdate, and in the acidic region, reducing agents form a complex with this phosphomoly bdate5•`7). The methods most currently used for the estimation of inorganic pho sphate are Fiske-Subbarow method5) and some modified methods6). But these me thods require deproteinization by centrifu
Pine invasions: climate predicts invasion success; something else predicts failure

Aim Explaining why some invasions fail while others succeed is a prevailing question in invasion biology. Different factors have been proposed to explain the success or failure of exotics. Evidence suggests that climate similarities may be crucial. We tested this using 12 species of the genus Pinus that have been widely planted and shown to be highly invasive. Pinus is among the best‐studied group of exotic species and one that has been widely introduced world‐wide, so we were able to obtain data on invasive and non‐invasive introductions (i.e. unsuccessful invasions; areas where after many decades of self‐sowing seeds there is no invasion).
3.125-to-28.125 Gb/s 4.72 mW/Gb/s Multi- Standard Parallel Transceiver Supporting Channel-Independent Operation in 40-nm CMOS

This paper presents a 3.125-to-28.125 Gb/s dual-lane multi-standard parallel transceiver supporting channel-independent operation. Network equipment supports multiple data rates to encompass diversified communication standards. However, network equipment supports only a fixed number of channels at each supported data rate. This lack of flexibility limits the utilization rate of the network equipment. This study proposes a clock and data recovery (CDR) IC to obtain utilization flexibility and scalability in each channel with complete channel independency. The CDR IC achieves a wide tuning capability for data rates ranging from 3.125 to 28.125 Gb/s with low clock jitter owing to the use of injection-locked oscillators in each channel. Each CDR lane generates a channel-independent injection clock signal with a fixed-frequency global clock signal using a variable clock divider and a phase rotator with the proposed harmonic distortion compensator. In addition, a frequency tracking loop is proposed using a bang-bang phase detector-based natural frequency detector to align the natural frequency of the injection-locked oscillator with the input data rate, thereby suppressing the injection spur. The test chip fabricated in a 40 nm CMOS exhibits a power efficiency of 4.72 mW/Gb/s, while generating a recovered clock jitter of 976 fsrms at a data rate of 25.78125 Gb/s.
Morphological and Pathogenic Characterization of Sclerotium rolfsii, the Causal Agent of Southern Blight Disease on Common Bean in Uganda.

Over the last 5 years, Southern blight caused by Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. has superseded root rots caused by pathogens such as Fusarium and Pythium spp. as a major constraint of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production in Uganda. Although S. rolfsii is prevalent in all bean-growing regions of Uganda, there is a lack of information about its diversity and pathogenicity to guide the development of effective management strategies. In total, 348 S. rolfsii isolates were obtained from bean fields in seven agroecological zones of Uganda, with the following objectives: to characterize their morphology, based on mycelial growth rate, mycelium texture, and number of sclerotia; and to determine the pathogenicity of 75 selected isolates on five common bean varieties in artificially inoculated soils in a screenhouse. We found that mycelial growth rate and the number of sclerotia produced on artificial media varied among agroecological zones but not within a zone. The five bean varieties tested were found to be susceptible to S. rolfsii, including varieties MLB49-89A and RWR719 that are resistant to Fusarium and Pythium root rots, respectively. Preemergence damping-off ranged between 0 and 100%, and disease severity index ranged between 4.4 and 100%. The widespread and high levels of S. rolfsii virulence on varieties of common bean indicate that management intervention is urgently required to help reduce losses incurred by Ugandan smallholder farmers. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
Evolution of mosaic hybrid zone between invasive and endemic species of Cyprinidae through space and time

Hybridization phenomena can be considered in different ways. Hybridization studies can be used to elucidate some aspects of speciation and adaptation. However, hybridization may be a threat to endemic species. Here, we studied bidirectional introgression between two sympatric species of Cyprinidae: Chondrostoma toxostoma toxostoma and C. nasus nasus. Analysis of morphology, allozymes and mtDNA sequences revealed that the hybridization between these two cyprinids takes different forms in the same river. The mosaic hybrid zone (so called because of the absence of a simple cline) appeared to be partitioned due to the proportions of the two species along a spatial scale. The proportion of each hybrid group in this zone was unstable over a 5-year period. We propose various protection/conservation states for the C. t. toxostoma populations based on the level of introgressive hybridization and the genetic structure of both species in ‘pure’ populations. © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2005, 85, 135–155.
Population dynamic consequences of competitive symmetry in annual plants

Asymmetric competition is a form of resource division among plants, in which large plants greatly suppress the growth of smaller neighbors. In annual plants, small size differences between seedlings at the onset of competition are magnified into large differences in seed-set by asymmetric competition. We formulate a novel neighborhood model, which reflects this seedling size effect as modified by the type of competitive symmetry. In the model, competition type is represented by a single, biologically meaningful parameter. We implement the model in a population growth model for two species, one at low density (the invader), and one at high density (the resident). The species are the same, except for their seedling biomass distributions. Under these conditions, we find that asymmetric competition always favors invasion by the species with lager average seedling size, but impairs invasion by the other species. Based on this invasibility criterion, we conclude that asymmetric competition always favors competitive exclusion in our model. However, by modifying some of the model assumptions, we suggest scenarios in which asymmetric competition may promote coexistence
A Quantitative Analysis of Micrurus Coral Snakes Reveals Unexpected Variation in Stereotyped Anti-Predator Displays Within a Mimicry System

Synopsis Warning signals in chemically defended organisms are critical components of predator–prey interactions, often requiring multiple coordinated display components for effective communication. When threatened by a predator, venomous coral snakes (genus Micrurus) display a vigorous, non-locomotory thrashing behavior that has previously been qualitatively described. Given the high contrast and colorful banding patterns of these snakes, this thrashing display is hypothesized to be a key component of a complex aposematic signal under strong stabilizing selection across species in a mimicry system. By experimentally testing snake response across simulated predator cues, we analyzed variation in the presence and expression of a thrashing display across five species of South American coral snakes. Although the major features of the thrash display were conserved across species, we found that predator cue type, snake body size, and species identity predict significant inter- and intraspecific variation in the propensity to perform a display, the duration of thrashing, and the curvature of snake bodies. We also found an interaction between curve magnitude and body location that clearly shows which parts of the display vary most across individuals and species. Our results suggest that contrary to the assumption that all Micrurus species and individuals perform the same display, a high degree of variation exists despite presumably strong selection to conserve a common signal. This quantitative behavioral characterization presents a new framework for analyzing the non-locomotory motions displayed by snakes in a broader ecological context, especially for signaling systems with complex interaction across multiple modalities.