Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of traditional and hermetic bag storage structures on fungus contamination of stored maize Grain (Zea mays L.) in Bako, Western Shoa, Ethiopia

The experiment was conducted between December 2017 and May 2018 at Bako, Ethiopia to study the effectiveness of traditional (Gombisa, Sack) and Hermetic bag storage structures and storage periods on fungal contamination of stored maize grain on agar plate method. The incidence and frequency of storage fungi was determined at 0, 2, 4 and 6 months of storage periods. The experiment was replicated three times in factorial design. The design was 3×4 in factorial fashion. The treatments were three storage types (Gombisa, sack and Hermetic bag), one variety of maize (Bako hybrid-661) and storage periods (0, 2, 4 and 6) months. The collected data were analyzed statistically using Generalized Linear Model (GLM) procedure of SAS and means that were significantly different were separated using Least Significant Difference (LSD). Fungi were the major causes of deterioration and quality loss on stored maize grains during the storage period. The fungal incidence and frequency significantly different (p<0.05) increased with storage periods. The highest (39.4%) Fusarium species incidence was recorded at the last six months of storage. Fusurium spp. occurred in Gombisa with the highest 29.9% incidence and 23% frequency, respectively. The highest frequency of Aspergillus species 26.7% was recorded in Gombisa whereas the minimum 18% was obtained from Hermetic bag in the six months of storage periods. In this study, Fusurium spp. was the most prevailing storage fungi followed by Aspergillus spp. As a result of this research, the Hermetic bag was determined to be more appropriate for protecting the stored maize grains from fungal attack during the storage periods and the stored grains have low fungal incidence and frequency until initial to four months. Therefore, gombisa and sack storages were inadequate for protecting stored maize from insect pests and fungal attacks. Overall, the hermetic bag storage can protect insect infestation and fungal development and consequently maintains seed viability and nutritional content during storage without use of insecticides. Key words: Moisture, temperature, humidity, fungi, storage.
Non-absorbable disaccharides for hepatic encephalopathy: systematic review of randomised trials

Abstract Objective To assess the effects of non-absorbable disaccharides (lactulose and lactitol) in patients with hepatic encephalopathy. Data sources Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group controlled trials register, Cochrane Library, Medline, and Embase until March 2003; reference lists of relevant articles; authors and pharmaceutical companies. Review methods Randomised trials that compared non-absorbable disaccharides with placebo, no intervention, or antibiotics for hepatic encephalopathy were included. The primary outcome measures were no improvement of hepatic encephalopathy and all cause mortality. Results 22 trials were included. Compared with placebo or no intervention, non-absorbable disaccharides seemed to reduce the risk of no improvement in patients with hepatic encephalopathy (relative risk 0.62, 95% confidence interval 0.46 to 0.84, six trials). However, high quality trials found no significant effect (0.92, 0.42 to 2.04, two trials). Compared with placebo or no intervention, non-absorbable disaccharides had no significant effect on mortality (0.41, 0.02 to 8.68, four trials). Non-absorbable disaccharides were inferior to antibiotics in reducing the risk of no improvement (1.24, 1.02 to 1.50, 10 trials) and lowering blood ammonia concentration (weighted mean difference 2.35 μmol/l, 0.06 μmol/l to 13.45 μmol/l, 10 trials). There was no significant difference in mortality (0.90, 0.48 to 1.67, five trials). Conclusions There is insufficient evidence to support or refute the use of non-absorbable disaccharides for hepatic encephalopathy. Antibiotics were superior to non-absorbable disaccharides in improving hepatic encephalopathy, but it is unclear whether this difference is clinically important. Non-absorbable disaccharides should not serve as comparator in randomised trials on hepatic encephalopathy.
Hippocampal contributions to neurocognitive mapping in humans: A new model

The ability of an organism to develop, maintain, and act upon an abstracted internal representation of spatially extensive environments can provide an increased chance in ensuring that organism's survival. Here, we propose a neurocognitive model of spatial representation describing how several different processes interact and segregate the differing types of information used to produce a unified cognitive map. This model proposes that view‐based egocentric and vestibulomotor translational information are functionally and anatomically separate, and that these parallel systems result in independent, but interacting, models within a neurocognitive map of space. In this context, we selectively review relevant portions of the large literature, addressing the establishment and operation of such spatial constructs in humans and the brain systems that underpin them, with particular reference to the hippocampal formation (HF). We present a reinterpretation of the types of knowledge used in the formation of this spatial construct, the processes that act upon this information, the nature of the final spatial representation, and describe how these universal concepts relate to the proposed model of spatial processing. The relevant experimental paradigms used to examine the neural basis of spatial representation and the main findings from previous research are also briefly presented. Finally, we detail a series of testable theoretical, behavioral, and anatomical predictions made by the model. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Reduction of Spontaneous Metastases through Induction of Carbohydrate Cross-Reactive Apoptotic Antibodies1

The selective targeting of tumor-associated carbohydrate Ags by the induction of serum Abs that trigger apoptosis of tumor cells as a means to reduce circulating tumor cells and micrometastases would be an advantage in cancer vaccine development. Some plant lectins like Griffonia simplicifolia lectin I and wheat germ agglutinin mediate the apoptosis of tumor cells. We investigated the possibility of using these lectins as templates to select peptide mimotopes of tumor-associated carbohydrate Ags as immunogens to generate cross-reactive Abs capable of mediating apoptosis of tumor cells. In this study, we show that immunization with a mimotope selected based on its reactivity with Griffonia simplicifolia lectin I and wheat germ agglutinin induced serum IgM Abs in mice that mediated the apoptosis of murine 4T1 and human MCF7 cell lines in vitro, paralleling the apoptotic activity of the lectins. Vaccine-induced anti-carbohydrate Abs reduced the outgrowth of micrometastases in the 4T1 spontaneous tumor model, significantly increasing survival time of tumor-bearing animals. This finding parallels suggestions that carbohydrate-reactive IgM with apoptotic activity may have merit in the adjuvant setting if the right carbohydrate-associated targets are identified.
Securities Transaction Tax Reduction and Stock-Futures Arbitrage in India

UK Sinha, Chairman of the Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) announced in November, 2011 that SEBI had engaged the Ministry of Finance in a discussion, that would hopefully lead to a reduction of India's Securities Transaction Tax (STT) - a discussion that would hopefully produce benefits for India's capital markets (CNBC, 2011). The matter of reducing or eliminating the STT was under study by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India and came before the Indian Parliament in February 2012. Removal of this tax has been a long-term objective of brokers, stock exchanges and investors, who compare the exceptionally high total transaction cost of fees and taxes in India with lower total costs in other countries. In this study, both intraday and inter-day data on a representative selection of single stocks and their associated futures contracts was used to explore the effects of reduction or elimination of the STT when single stocks are arbitraged against their related futures contracts. For this purpose, data was chosen spanning selected days in June through December 2011 for eight liquid single stocks. Since the profit from a potential arbitrage can be calculated in advance of entering a trade, the number of profitable single stock arbitrage trades available on a specific day can be calculated after accounting for STT cost ranging from zero to 100% of its current statutory level. The result of this careful analysis suggested that a decrease in the STT of at least 75% is necessary to achieve meaningfully increased levels of arbitrage normally found in most successful global futures markets. Such a decrease in the STT is also likely to result in the maximum transaction revenue collected by the government.
Effect of gaze on postural responses to neck proprioceptive and vestibular stimulation in humans

1 We studied the effect of gaze orientation on postural responses evoked by vibration of neck dorsal muscles or by galvanic stimulation of the vestibular system during quiet standing in healthy humans. Various gaze orientations were obtained by different combinations of horizontal head‐on‐feet (−90, −45, 0, 45, 90 deg) and eye‐in‐orbit (−30, 0, 30 deg) positions. The instantaneous centre of foot pressure was recorded with a force platform. 2 With a symmetrical position of the vibrator relative to the spine, neck muscle vibration elicited a body sway in the direction of the head naso‐occipital axis when the eyes were aligned with it. The same result was obtained both during head rotations and when the head and trunk were rotated together. 3 For lateral eye deviations, the direction of the body sway was aligned with gaze orientation. The effect of gaze was present both with eyes open and eyes closed. After long‐lasting (1 min) lateral fixation of the target the effect of gaze decreased significantly. 4 Postural responses to galvanic vestibular stimulation tended to occur orthogonal to the head naso‐occipital axis (towards the anodal ear) but in eight of the 11 subjects the responses were also biased by the direction of gaze. 5 The prominent effect of gaze in reorienting automatic postural reactions indicates that both neck proprioceptive and vestibular stimuli are processed in the context of visual control of posture. The results point out the importance of a viewer‐centred frame of reference for processing multisensory information.
The effects of androgen on penile reflex, erectile response to electrical stimulation and penile NOS activity in the rat.

AIM To investigate the effects of androgen on penile erection through the reflex arc and penile corpus cavernosum, and study the respective roles of testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in penile erection in rats. METHODS Male Sprague-Dawley rats were castrated and implanted with silastic brand silicone tube containing T or DHT, with or without daily injections of a 5alpha-reductase inhibitor, MK-434. The penile reflex, erectile response to electrical stimulation (ES) of the cavernous nerves and penile nitric-oxide synthase (NOS) activity were observed under varying androgenic status. RESULTS Penile reflex erection in the rat was, on the whole, related to serum T levels though the number of glans engorgements was not. The number of cups and flips was significantly decreased by castration, and restored to the control level by T supplementation. Erectile response to ES and NOS activity in penile tissue was also related to serum T level. T administered together with a 5alpha-reductase inhibitor no longer restored the number of reflex erection, erectile responses to ES and NOS activity in the corpus caveenosum. CONCLUSION Androgen influenced the penile reflex arc, corpus cavernosum, and the perineal striated muscles. In reflex erection, erectile response to ES and penile NOS activity in the rat, T seems to be first converted to DHT, the more active androgen modality.
Monitoring Spatial Patterns of Land Surface Temperature and Urban Heat Island for Sustainable Megacity

Land use/cover change has brought major changes on land surface, including urban heat budget, temperature regimes, urban hydrology and others, leading to unsustainable environments. Remote sensing has played an important role in monitoring these changes across the globe, especially where instrumental data is not available for such observations. The study uses Landsat 5 TM remote sensing data (26 October 2010) to monitor spatial patterns of land surface temperature and urban heat island in the city of Mumbai, India. The thermal data was corrected and converted to top of the atmosphere radiance values and further to temperature in degrees Celsius from Kelvin scale using Erdas Imagine 9.2. The study reveals that urban areas have the highest temperature, ranging from 28°C for low built-up density and 34°C for high built-up and high-rise urban areas. Relatively, lower temperature is associated with forests and water bodies. The temperature varies with the vegetation density and depth of water. High vegetation density is related with low temperature (23°C) and low density with high temperature (26°C). Higher temperature (25°C) is recorded for shallow water and lower temperature (21°C) for deep water. The rocky bare surface record temperature, ranges between 26°C and 28°C. The east–west and north–south profile of surface temperature confirm the heat island phenomena in Mumbai. The central and southern parts of the city have the highest temperature (34°C) whereas the city outskirts have lower temperatures (23°C). For megacities to be sustainable, the spatial spread and composition of urban growth needs to be regulated and constantly monitored.
Fetal congestive heart failure: correlation of Tei-Index and Cardiovascular-Score

Abstract Introduction: Congestive heart failure (CHF) may be present in fetuses with hydrops fetalis (HF) and the severity is difficult to quantitate. Differential ventricular dysfunction may be present in the fetus with CHF. A non-geometric measure of ventricular function that is not afterload dependent would be useful to measure the severity of myocardial dysfunction. Methods: Tei-index (isovolumetric time/ejection time) was measured prenatally in 23 normals (24–34 weeks gestational age-GA) and in 7 with HF (24–34 weeks GA). Prenatal CHF severity was graded by a 10 point cardiovascular (CV) score (2 points each for absence of hydrops, normal venous Doppler, heart function, arterial Doppler, and heart size, and 10/10 = normal). A paired student t-test was used to compare RV and LV and nonpaired t-test compared HF and normals. Tei-index and CV score were correlated. Results: Tei-index normals were 0.38 ± 0.04 in the right ventricle (RV) and 0.41 ± 0.05 in the left ventricle (LV) and there were no significant RV-LV or gestational age (GA) differences. Among HF fetuses, RV and LV Tei-indices were both significantly increased (0.54 and 0.92) and not significantly different. CV score ranged from 2 to 8 (mean 5.43 out of 10) and correlated inversely with Tei-index (r = −0.52, r = −0.68). Conclusion: Hydrops fetalis is associated with biventricular dysfunction and congestive heart failure. Tei-index correlates with CV score obtained within two weeks of delivery or intrauterine death. Tei-index may be useful in the serial assessment of myocardial dysfunction in the fetus with hydrops.
Digital PLL based frequency offset compensation and carrier phase estimation for 16-QAM coherent optical communication systems

We modify a 2nd-order digital phase-locked loop (PLL) with additional frequency-offset compensation and pilot-symbol aided cycle slip recovery modules, and show that the modified 2nd-order PLL can successfully recover the carrier phase for a 16-QAM coherent detection system with a frequency offset up to 10% of the symbol rate.
Value at risk: proposals on a generalization

The Value at Risk approach (VaR) is more and more used as a tool for risk measurement. The approach however has shortcomings both from a theoretical and a practical point of view. VaR can be classified within existing concepts of risk measurement: it is particularly interpretable as a special measure of shortfall risk. From that point of view VaR will be extended and improved. Eventually return distributions and shortfall measures are calculated for portfolios' including option strategies. Though VaR is held constant across the resulting return distributions quite different valuations of risk arise depending on the shortfall measure used for the comparison.
Adenosine Deaminase Activity of Insect-derived Growth Factor Is Essential for Its Growth Factor Activity*

Insect-derived growth factor (IDGF) was originally isolated from conditioned medium of NIH-Sape-4 cells derived from flesh fly embryos. Here we demonstrated that IDGF has adenosine deaminase activity. The substrate specificity of IDGF was similar to that of the mammalian cytoplasmic adenosine deaminase. The adenosine deaminase activity of IDGF was shown to be indispensable for its growth factor activity toward NIH-Sape-4 cells. We found that there are specific binding sites for IDGF on the surface of NIH-Sape-4 cells and that it binds to these sites with a K d value of 2.4 × 10−10 m. We propose that the cell surface binding sites for IDGF are specific receptors modified with an adenosine moiety. When IDGF binds to these receptors, it may deaminate the adenosine moiety, and this process may be prerequisite for the signal transduction via this receptor.
Correlation between the In Vitro antioxidant activity and polyphenol content of aqueous extracts from bulgarian herbs

The water phase antioxidant activity of extracts from 23 Bulgarian medicinal plants was studied in relation to their polyphenol content in comparison with mate, black tea, honeybush and rooibos foreign species. Antioxidant activity was measured by the ABTS (2,2′‐azinobis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid)) cation radical decolorization assay, and the total polyphenol content was assayed according to the Folin‐Ciocalteu method. Five Bulgarian plant extracts exhibited higher antioxidant activity than that of mate, which is 21.7% of all Bulgarian herbs included in this study. These were Alchemilla vulgaris L. (4.79 ± 0.14 mm), Sambucus ebulus L. (4.03 ± 0.07 mm), Mentha spicata L. (3.90 ± 0.03 mm), Fragaria vesca L. (3.74 ± 0.06 mm), Crataegus monogyna Jacq. (3.63 ± 0.05 mm). Another eight Bulgarian medicinal plant extracts exhibited an intermediate antioxidant activity – lower than that of mate and higher than that of honeybush, which makes 34.8% of all Bulgarian herbs included in the study. More than half of the herbal extracts included in the present study exhibited antioxidant activity higher than or comparable to the reference foreign plants. A positive correlation (r = 0.92) between antioxidant activity and polyphenol content was found, suggesting that the antioxidant capacity of the aqueous plant extracts is due to a great extent to their polyphenols. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The PLASTID DIVISION1 and 2 Components of the Chloroplast Division Machinery Determine the Rate of Chloroplast Division in Land Plant Cell Differentiation[C][W]

In most algae, the chloroplast division rate is held constant to maintain the proper number of chloroplasts per cell. By contrast, land plants evolved cell and chloroplast differentiation systems in which the size and number of chloroplasts change along with their respective cellular function by regulation of the division rate. Here, we show that PLASTID DIVISION (PDV) proteins, land plant–specific components of the division apparatus, determine the rate of chloroplast division. Overexpression of PDV proteins in the angiosperm Arabidopsis thaliana and the moss Physcomitrella patens increased the number but decreased the size of chloroplasts; reduction of PDV levels resulted in the opposite effect. The level of PDV proteins, but not other division components, decreased during leaf development, during which the chloroplast division rate also decreased. Exogenous cytokinins or overexpression of the cytokinin-responsive transcription factor CYTOKININ RESPONSE FACTOR2 increased the chloroplast division rate, where PDV proteins, but not other components of the division apparatus, were upregulated. These results suggest that the integration of PDV proteins into the division machinery enabled land plant cells to change chloroplast size and number in accord with the fate of cell differentiation.
E2a/Pbx1 Induces the Rapid Proliferation of Stem Cell Factor-Dependent Murine Pro-T Cells That Cause Acute T-Lymphoid or Myeloid Leukemias in Mice

ABSTRACT Oncoprotein E2a/Pbx1 is produced by the t(1;19) chromosomal translocation of human pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia. E2a/Pbx1 blocks differentiation of primary myeloid progenitors but, paradoxically, induces apoptosis in established pre-B-cell lines, and no transforming function of E2a/Pbx1 has been reported in cultured lymphoid progenitors. Here, we demonstrate that E2a/Pbx1 induces immortal proliferation of stem cell factor (SCF)-dependent pro-T thymocytes by a mechanism dependent upon both its transactivation and DNA-binding functions. E2a-Pbx1 cooperated with cytokines or activated signaling oncoproteins to induce cell division, as inactivation of conditional E2a/Pbx1 in either factor-dependent pro-T cells or pro-T cells made factor independent by expression of Bcr/Abl resulted in pro-T-cell quiescence, while reactivation of E2a/Pbx1 restored cell division. Infusion of E2a/Pbx1 pro-T cells in mice caused T lymphoblastic leukemia and, unexpectedly, acute myeloid leukemia. The acute lymphoblastic leukemia did not evidence further maturation, suggesting that E2a/Pbx1 establishes an early block in pro-T-cell development that cannot be overcome by marrow or thymic microenvironments. In an E2a/Pbx1 pro-T thymocyte clone that induced only pro-T acute lymphoblastic leukemia, coexpression of Bcr/Abl expanded its leukemic phenotype to include acute myeloid leukemia, suggesting that unique functions of cooperating signaling oncoproteins can influence the lymphoid versus myeloid character of E2a/Pbx1 leukemia and may cooperate with E2a/Pbx1 to dictate the pre-B-cell phenotype of human leukemia containing t(1;19).
Classification of low systemic vascular resistance using photoplethysmogram and routine cardiovascular measurements

Low systemic vascular resistance (SVR) can be a useful indicator for early diagnosis of critical pathophysiological conditions such as sepsis, and the ability to identify low SVR from simple and noninvasive physiological signals is of immense clinical value. In this study, an SVR classification system is presented to recognize the occurrence of low SVR, among a heterogenous group of patients (N = 48), based on the use of routine cardiovascular measurements and features extracted from the finger photoplethysmogram (PPG) as inputs to a quadratic discriminant classifier. An exhaustive feature search was performed to identify a near optimum feature subset. Cohen's kappa coefficient (κ) was used as a performance measure to compare candidate feature sets. The classifier using the following combination of features performed best (κ = 0.56, sensitivity = 96.30%, positive predictivity = 92.31%): normalized low-frequency power (LFNU) derived from PPG, ratio of low-frequency power to high-frequency power (LF/HF) of the PPG variability signal, and the ratio of mean arterial pressure to heart rate (MAP/HR). Classifiers that used either LFNU (κ = 0.43), LF/HF (κ = 0.37) or MAP/HR (κ = 0.43) alone showed inferior performance. Discrimination of patients with and without low SVR can be achieved with reasonable accuracy using multiple features derived from the PPG combined with routine cardiovascular measurements.