Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Millets and their role in early agriculture

While the importance of such large grained cereal crops as wheat, corn and rice to the beginnings of agriculture are well understood, a small group of small-seeded grasses known as millets are often marginalized or ignored. When millets are incorporated into early farming models they are generally seen as a minor grain crop playing a secondary role in the agricultural strategy. Millets have been recovered from archaeological sites throughout the globe, yet rarely are they found in large numbers or perceived as a primary food source. This paper explores the occurrence of early millets in the archaeobotanical record and demonstrates how millets need to be better incorporated into interpretive models regarding early agriculture.
Underwater endoscopic colorectal polyp resection: Feasibility in everyday clinical practice

Background Endoscopic mucosal resection is well-established for resecting flat or sessile benign colon polyps. The novel underwater endoscopic mucosal resection eschews submucosal injection prior to endoscopic mucosal resection. Reports about underwater endoscopic mucosal resection were limited to small series of single and/or tertiary-care referral centers, with single or supervised operators. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine feasibility and efficacy of underwater resection of polyps of any morphology (underwater polypectomy, here includes underwater endoscopic mucosal resection) in routine clinical practice. Methods This study involved a comparison of colonoscopy records of two community hospitals (January 2015–December 2016) for underwater polypectomy (n = 195) and gas insufflation polypectomy (n = 186). Results Comparable demographics, procedural data, overall distribution, morphology and size of resected lesions, number of en bloc and R0 resections (any polyp morphology and size); exception: overall, underwater polypectomy pedunculated polyps were significantly larger than those in the gas insufflation polypectomy group, p = 0.030. Underwater polypectomy (median, min) resection time was significantly shorter than gas insufflation polypectomy: sessile and flat polyps 6–9 mm, 0.8 vs 2.7 (p = 0.040); 10–19 mm, 2.0 vs 3.3 (p = 0.025), respectively; pedunculated polyps 6–19 mm, 0.8 vs 3.3 (p < 0.001). Underwater polypectomy resection of pedunculated polyps 6–19 mm showed significantly less immediate bleeding: 11.1% vs 1.5%, respectively (p = 0.031). Conclusions Underwater polypectomy can be efficaciously used in routine clinical practice for the complete resection of colon polyps, with several advantages over gas insufflation polypectomy.
Efficacy of denosumab in two cases with multiple-system atrophy and osteoporosis

Background Multiple-system atrophy (MSA) is an α-synucleinopathy with a very aggressive course and poor prognosis, which lacks efficient treatment. Thus, MSA represents a serious health and social problem. Progressive stridor and acute laryngeal obstruction likely occur in MSA; however, little is known about the bone metabolism or efficacy of bone absorption drugs, such as denosumab, in osteoporosis with MSA. Case presentation and methods Two male patients with osteoporosis in MSA presented to our institution (at 54 and 68 years of age). Denosumab was started after the diagnosis of osteoporosis in MSA, and the therapy was continued for 18–24 months. Results Lumbar and hip bone mineral density showed a 3.5% and 0.6% increase at 24 months or a 10.3% and 3.2% increase at 18 months, respectively. Bone turnover markers were also improved in the two cases during follow-up. No fractures or other complications were recorded during the observation period. Conclusion This is the first study describing osteoporosis in two patients with MSA being treated by osteoporotic treatment. Based on our findings, it can be concluded that denosumab may be an effective therapy for osteoporosis in MSA.
Unravelling the Roles of Susceptibility Loci for Autoimmune Diseases in the Post-GWAS Era

Although genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified several hundred loci associated with autoimmune diseases, their mechanistic insights are still poorly understood. The human genome is more complex than single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are interrogated by GWAS arrays. Apart from SNPs, it also comprises genetic variations such as insertions-deletions, copy number variations, and somatic mosaicism. Although previous studies suggest that common copy number variations do not play a major role in autoimmune disease risk, it is possible that certain rare genetic variations with large effect sizes are relevant to autoimmunity. In addition, other layers of regulations such as gene-gene interactions, epigenetic-determinants, gene and environmental interactions also contribute to the heritability of autoimmune diseases. This review focuses on discussing why studying these elements may allow us to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the aetiology of complex autoimmune traits.
Trends in atmospheric ammonia at urban, rural, and remote sites across NorthAmerica

Abstract. Interannual variabilities in atmospheric ammonia (NH3) during the most recent 7–11 years were investigated at 14 sites across North America using the monitored data obtained from NAPS, CAPMoN and AMoN networks. The long-term average of atmospheric NH3 ranged from 0.8 to 2.6 ppb, depending on location, at four urban and two rural/agricultural sites in Canada. The annual average at these sites did not show any deceasing trend with largely decreasing anthropogenic NH3 emission. An increasing trend was actually identified from 2003 to 2014 at the downtown Toronto site using either the Mann–Kendall or the ensemble empirical mode decomposition method, but “no” or “stable” trends were identified at other sites. The ∼ 20 % increase during the 11-year period at the site was likely caused by changes in NH4+–NH3 partitioning and/or air–surface exchange process as a result of the decreased sulfur emission and increased ambient temperature. The long-term average from 2008 to 2015 was 1.6–4.9 ppb and 0.3–0.5 ppb at four rural/agricultural and at four remote US sites, respectively. A stable trend in NH3 mixing ratio was identified at one rural/agricultural site while increasing trends were identified at three rural/agricultural (0.6–2.6 ppb, 20–50 % increase from 2008 to 2015) and four remote sites (0.3–0.5 ppb, 100–200 % increase from 2008 to 2015). Increased ambient temperature was identified to be a cause for the increasing trends in NH3 mixing ratio at four out of the seven US sites, but what caused the increasing trends at other US sites needs further investigation.
The University's Role in Advancing Race Relations: Reflections from the Community.

This research paper involved thematic analysis of interview responses from local citizens regarding the university's role in improving race relations. The paper addressed these questions: ( 1) What themes emerged from participant responses regarding UALR 's role in improving race relations? and (2) What themes emerged from participant responses regarding how to make the issue of race fresher? Themes from the interviews include continue current efforts, create local partnerships, reflect diversity, and sponsor educational programs.
Humor Detection in English-Hindi Code-Mixed Social Media Content : Corpus and Baseline System

The tremendous amount of user generated data through social networking sites led to the gaining popularity of automatic text classification in the field of computational linguistics over the past decade. Within this domain, one problem that has drawn the attention of many researchers is automatic humor detection in texts. In depth semantic understanding of the text is required to detect humor which makes the problem difficult to automate. With increase in the number of social media users, many multilingual speakers often interchange between languages while posting on social media which is called code-mixing. It introduces some challenges in the field of linguistic analysis of social media content (Barman et al., 2014), like spelling variations and non-grammatical structures in a sentence. Past researches include detecting puns in texts (Kao et al., 2016) and humor in one-lines (Mihalcea et al., 2010) in a single language, but with the tremendous amount of code-mixed data available online, there is a need to develop techniques which detects humor in code-mixed tweets. In this paper, we analyze the task of humor detection in texts and describe a freely available corpus containing English-Hindi code-mixed tweets annotated with humorous(H) or non-humorous(N) tags. We also tagged the words in the tweets with Language tags (English/Hindi/Others). Moreover, we describe the experiments carried out on the corpus and provide a baseline classification system which distinguishes between humorous and non-humorous texts.
Probable Defense Representation for Session Transfer and Network Services Using OTP

Internet network security is a branch of computer sciences often involving browser security, network security, applications and operating systems to keep the internet as a secure channel to exchange information by reducing the risk and attacks. There are a number of studies that have been conducted in this field resulting in the development of various security models to achieve internet security. However, periodic security reports and previous studies prove that the most secure systems are not immune from risk and much effort is needed to improve internet security. This paper proposed a simple security model to improve internet applications security and services protections, specified access control, cryptographic, cookies and session managements, defense programming practices, care for security from early stage on development life cycle, use hardware authentication techniques in access control, then propose cryptographic approach by mix MD5 with Based64, consider session and cookies types and ways to keep it secure. Additionally, these practices discussed the most important web security vulnerability and access control weakness and how to overcome such weaknesses, proposed an approach to measure, analyze and evaluate security project according to software quality standard ISO 25010 by using Liker scale, finally ended by case study. The effort of this paper represents a set of techniques and tips that should be applied within each web application development process to maintain its security.
Intelligent Transport System ( ITS ) for Safety Applications

The safety application for Intelligent Transport System (ITS) aim to solve some of the biggest challenges in the transportation in the areas of safety, mobility and environment. In this project we focus on V2V communication, once cars are connected which is able to share data with other cars on the road and which help to reduce Highway accidents. VANETS are considered as one of the most important Simulator for safety of intelligent transportation systems. The use of the DSRC technologies support low latency vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication. The safety application for passengers is one of the main objective in this
Effect of In Vivo Jet Fuel Exposure on Subsequent In Vitro Dermal Absorption of Individual Aromatic and Aliphatic Hydrocarbon Fuel Constituents

The percutaneous absorption of topically applied jet fuel hydrocarbons (HC) through skin previously exposed to jet fuel has not been investigated, although this exposure scenario is the occupational norm. Pigs were exposed to JP-8 jet fuel-soaked cotton fabrics for 1 and 4 d with repeated daily exposures. Preexposed and unexposed skin was then dermatomed and placed in flow-through in vitro diffusion cells. Five cells with exposed skin and four cells with unexposed skin were dosed with a mixture of 14 different HC consisting of nonane, decane, undecane, dodecane, tridecane, tetradecane, pentadecane, hexadecane, ethyl benzene, o-xylene, trimethyl benzene (TMB), cyclohexyl benzene (CHB), naphthalene, and dimethyl naphthalene (DMN) in water + ethanol (50:50) as diluent. Another five cells containing only JP-8-exposed skin were dosed solely with diluent in order to determine the skin retention of jet fuel HC. The absorption parameters of flux, diffusivity, and permeability were calculated for the studied HC. The data indicated that there was a two-fold and four-fold increase in absorption of specific aromatic HC like ethyl benzene, o-xylene, and TMB through 1- and 4-dJP-8 preexposed skin, respectively. Similarly, dodecane and tridecane were absorbed more in 4-d than 1-dJP-8 preexposed skin experiments. The absorption of naphthalene and DMN was 1.5 times greater than the controls in both 1- and 4-d preexposures. CHB, naphthalene, and DMN had significant persistent skin retention in 4-d preexposures as compared to 1-d exposures that might leave skin capable of further absorption several days postexposure. The possible mechanism of an increase in HC absorption in fuel preexposed skin may be via lipid extraction from the stratum corneum as indicated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. This study suggests that the preexposure of skin to jet fuel enhances the subsequent in vitro percutaneous absorption of HC, so single-dose absorption data for jet fuel HC from naive skin may not be optimal to predict the toxic potential for repeated exposures. For certain compounds, persistent absorption may occur days after the initial exposure. This work was supported by U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research, grant F49620-01-1-0080.
Captive green iguana is a reservoir of diarrheogenic Escherichia coli pathotypes

The green iguana appears to be a reservoir for bacteria causing gastrointestinal infections in humans. The presence of diarrheogenic E. coli (DEC) pathotypes, however, has not been studied in this reptile. The aim of the current work was to investigate the prevalence of DEC in the intestines of 240 captive green iguanas, their phylogenetic groups, and the antibiotic susceptibility profile. E. coli strains were isolated from 41.7% of the intestinal content of green iguanas. DEC strains was identified in 25.9% of the screened population and were detected in the majority (62%, p=0.009] of those reptiles carrying E. coli strains. Among DEC strains, STEC strains carrying the stx1 gene were the most prevalent pathotype isolated (38.7%), followed by EAEC and ETEC (27.4% each). Genetic markers of DEC strains belonging to the EHEC pathotype were not detected. More than a half of DEC strains were classified into the Clade I-II phylogroup (64.5%), followed by the phylogroup A (14.5%). The antibiotic susceptibility method demonstrated that a high proportion of DEC strains were resistance, or non-susceptible, to carbenicillin, amikacin, and ampicillin (85, 74, and 66%, respectively). We conclude that the green iguana kept in captivity is a reservoir of DEC strains bearing resistance to first-line antibiotics, including penicillins. Given the increase presence of the green iguana in Latin American households, these reptiles represent a potential source of transmission to susceptible humans and therefore a potential source of gastrointestinal disease. Importance Latin-American countries present a high burden of diarrheal disease. In this part of the world, besides common pathogens, diarrheal diseases are also caused by pathogenic types of E. coli referred as “diarrheagenic E. coli” (DEC). While inhabitants of Latin American countries suffer of self-limiting diarrhea when infected with DEC, a main target of these strains are tourists from developed countries who are not exposed to DEC strains. Efforts are in place to decrease the burden of DEC-associated diarrheal disease. As such, this study investigated a potential reservoir of DEC strains that had been underestimated, the green iguana. These reptiles are very common in Latin American households and are found virtually everywhere in Mexico, Central and South America. We found that 25% of green iguanas carried DEC strains in their intestines. We also demonstrated a high prevalence of antibiotic resistance in these strains, posing a potential risk to humans.
An Automatic Virtual Makeup Scheme Based on Personal Color Analysis

With people's timeless interest in beauty and the recent development of IT technologies, there has been a growing demand for a system that can suggest appropriate cosmetics or fashion styles to each individual. So far, professionals have made such suggestion subjectively or depending on personal experience, which produced inconsistent results. One possible method to do this objectively and systematically would be to utilize the personal color of an individual. Personal color, also known as skin tone color matching is the process of finding colors of clothing and makeup to match a person's skin complexion, eye color, and hair color. In this paper, we propose a scheme for automatically generating virtual makeup based on personal color. To do that, we first identify user's personal color from the image by analyzing the color of pupils, hair, and skin, and then select cosmetic method and colors. Lastly, by looking up the predefined makeup database for foundation, blush, lipstick, eyeline, and eyeshadow, we produce a virtual makeup on the user's face image.
Free volume, molecular grains, self-organisation, and anisotropic entropy: machining materials

ABSTRACT In this article, the relationship between molecular architecture and the formation of twist-bend phases is reviewed under the context of shape dependency. We conclude that the twist-bend phase is a universal phenomenon, which occurs in a wide variety of materials, for dimers through to main chain polymers. In the process, the chemical information on molecular design is effectively lost or irrelevant, and molecular topology takes precedence over electrostatic interactions in mesophase formation. As a consequence of this macro-scale material, engineering by shape alone becomes a possibility, potentially more phases may be realised, and entropy is anisotropic. Graphical Abstract
Beyond the treatment effect: Evaluating the effects of patient preferences in randomised trials

The treatments under comparison in a randomised trial should ideally have equal value and acceptability – a position of equipoise – to study participants. However, it is unlikely that true equipoise exists in practice, because at least some participants may have preferences for one treatment or the other, for a variety of reasons. These preferences may be related to study outcomes, and hence affect the estimation of the treatment effect. Furthermore, the effects of preferences can sometimes be substantial, and may even be larger than the direct effect of treatment. Preference effects are of interest in their own right, but they cannot be assessed in the standard parallel group design for a randomised trial. In this paper, we describe a model to represent the impact of preferences on trial outcomes, in addition to the usual treatment effect. In particular, we describe how outcomes might differ between participants who would choose one treatment or the other, if they were free to do so. Additionally, we investigate the difference in outcomes depending on whether or not a participant receives his or her preferred treatment, which we characterise through a so-called preference effect. We then discuss several study designs that have been proposed to measure and exploit data on preferences, and which constitute alternatives to the conventional parallel group design. Based on the model framework, we determine which of the various preference effects can or cannot be estimated with each design. We also illustrate these ideas with some examples of preference designs from the literature.
Intestinal fatty-acid binding protein and metronidazole response in premature infants.

OBJECTIVES In premature infants with suspected intra-abdominal infection, biomarkers for treatment response to antimicrobial therapy are lacking. Intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) is specific to the enterocyte and is released in response to intestinal mucosal injury. I-FABP has not been evaluated as a surrogate marker of disease response to antimicrobial therapy. We examined the relationship between metronidazole exposure and urinary I-FABP concentrations in premature infants with suspected intra-abdominal infection. STUDY DESIGN We conducted an intravenous metronidazole pharmacokinetic study, collecting ≤3 urine samples per infant for I-FABP concentration measurements. We analyzed the relationship between I-FABP concentrations and measures of metronidazole exposure and pharmacokinetics, maturational factors, and other covariates. RESULTS Twenty-six samples from 19 premature infants were obtained during metronidazole treatment. When analyzed without regard to presence of necrotic gastrointestinal disease, there were no significant associations between predictor variables and I-FABP concentrations. However, when the sample was limited to premature infants with necrotic gastrointestinal disease, an association was found between average predicted metronidazole concentration and I-FABP concentration (p = 0.006). CONCLUSION While a predictive association between urinary I-FABP and metronidazole systemic exposure was not observed, the data suggest the potential of this endogenous biomarker to serve as a pharmacodynamic surrogate for antimicrobial treatment of serious abdominal infections in neonates and infants.
Does the EU Financing System Contribute to Shadow Economic Activity?

Financial contributions to the EU budget depend basically on official GDP. This means that countries with higher shadow economic activity contribute less than they should contribute in a system based on actual GDP and therefore could reduce their incentive to fight against such activities. In this paper we investigate if the EU financing system really has an influence on the intensity with which governments in EU member states fight against shadow economic activity. We find that the EU net contributors significantly fight more intensively against shadow economic activity while EU net receivers fight less. As a result, shadow economic activity is higher in net receiver and lower in net contributor countries than it were in comparison with a scenario of nationally balanced EU funding. Quantitatively and averaged over the time period 2001–2007, the diagnosed effect amounts to a stimulation of hidden economic activity by almost 10% for particular economies.
Organ damage in sickle cell disease study (ORDISS): protocol for a longitudinal cohort study based in Ghana

Introduction Sickle cell disease is highly prevalent in Africa with a significant public health burden. Nonetheless, morbidity and mortality in sickle cell disease that result from the progression of organ damage is not well understood. The Organ Damage in Sickle Cell Disease Study (ORDISS) is designed as a longitudinal cohort study to provide critical insight into cellular and molecular pathogenesis of chronic organ damage for the development of future innovative treatment. Methods and analysis ORDISS aims to recruit children aged 0–15 years who attend the Kumasi Centre for Sickle Cell Disease based at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana. Consent is obtained to collect blood and urine samples from the children during specified clinic visits and hospitalisations for acute events, to identify candidate and genetic markers of specific organ dysfunction and end-organ damage, over a 3 year period. In addition, data concerning clinical history and complications associated with sickle cell disease are collected. Samples are stored in biorepositories and analysed at the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Ghana and the Centre for Translational and International Haematology, University of Pittsburgh, USA. Appropriate statistical analyses will be performed on the data acquired. Ethics and dissemination Research ethics approval was obtained at all participating sites. Results of the study will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals, and the key findings presented at national and international conferences.