Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Identi cation of Polymorphisms in GDF9 and BMP15 Genes in Jamunapari and Crossbred Goats in Bangladesh

14 Growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) and bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) are two crucial fecundity genes 15 associated with litter size traits in the goat. Our previous study on GDF9 and BMP15 genes detected single nucleotide 16 polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with litter size in Bangladeshi Black Bengal goats. In this study, Jamunapari and 17 crossbred goats of Bangladesh were screened to identify polymorphisms in the GDF9 and BMP15 genes and to assess 18 the association between identified SNPs and litter size. The genomic DNA from 100 goats (50 Jamunapari and 50 19 crossbred) was used in Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to amplify the exon 2 of the GDF9 and exon 2 of the 20 BMP15 gene. PCR products were sequenced employing the BigDye Terminator cycle sequencing protocol, to 21 identify SNPs. A generalized linear model was utilized to perform the association analysis for identified SNPs and 22 litter size. Seven SNPs were identified, of which four: C818CT, G1073A, G1189A and G1330T were in the 23 GDF9 gene, three: G616T, G735A and G811A were in the BMP15 gene. G735A was a synonymous SNP, whereas 24 the remaining were non-synonymous SNPs. Identified SNP loci in GDF9 were low polymorphic (PIC<0.25) while 25 loci in BMP15 were moderately polymorphic (PIC≥0.25). The genotypes at the G1330T locus had a significant 26 (p<0.05) difference in litter size in Jamunapari goat, but no significant difference was observed for all genotypes at 27 other loci. This study provides additional molecular markers that would be useful for future research on the litter size 28 trait in goats of Bangladesh. 29 30
Using pipette tips to readily generate spheroids comprising single or multiple cell types

Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture methods have been validated that can replicate the tumor environment in vivo to a large extent, providing an effective tool for studying tumors. In this study, we demonstrated the use of standard laboratory pipette tips as micro vessels for generating 3D cell spheroids. No microfabrication or wet-chemistry surface modifications were involved in the procedure. Spheroids consisting of single or multiple cell types were generated within 24 h just by pipetting and incubating a cell suspension in pipette tips. Scanning electron microscope and optical microscope proved that the cells grew together tightly, and suggested that while gravity force might have initiated the sedimentation of cells at the bottom of the tip, the active aggregation of cells to form tight cell-cell interactions drove the formation of spheroids. Using common laboratory micropipettes and pipette tips, the rate of spheroid generation and the generation reproducibility was characterized from five boxes each with 80 tips. The ease of transferring reagents allowed modeling of the growth of microvascular endothelial cells in tumor spheroids. Moreover, the pairing and fusion of tumor spheroids could be manipulated in the pipette tips, suggesting the potential for building and assembling heterogeneous micro-tumor tissues in vitro to mimic solid tumors in vivo. This study demonstrated that spheroids can be readily and cost-effectively generated in standard biological laboratories in a timely manner using pipette tips.
An Innovative Triple Water Supply System and a Novel SANI ® Process to Alleviate Water Shortage and Pollution Problem for Water-scarce Coastal Areas in China

Water scarcity has been a long standing problem in China, especially in North China. To tackle water scarcity, we have developed a low-cost Triple Water Supply (TWS) system consisting of fresh water supply, seawater for toilet flushing, and grey water reuse and recycling. This innovative system maximizes the water resource saving in coastal cities up to 23%. Moreover, this novel system opens the door for adopting an innovative sewage treatment technology, namely the SANI ® process which effectively avoids sewage sludge production. If the TWS system and the SANI ® system were to be jointly applied to the 16 major water-stressed coastal cities of China, this could possibly reduce 3,600 million m 3 /year of freshwater demand. As compared with wastewater reuse and desalination, the reduction of annual electricity and greenhouse gas emission by seawater toilet flushing can amount to 630 – 22,000 GWh and 0.4 – 15 million tonnes of CO 2, respectively. Moreover, the SANI process can avoid the production of 10 million tonnes of sludge, reducing 35% energy consumption and 36% greenhouse gas emission as compared to conventional sewage treatment processes. This is equals to 1,400 GWh/year energy saving and 1.2 million tonnes of CO 2/year emission reduction, respectively.
Consumer satisfaction and quality management in the hospitality industry in South-East Europe

This paper examines consumers’ satisfaction and experience as a key segment of the managing of quality system of services in the hospitality industry. The research was conducted in five spas in South-East Europe, in a part of the Balkans, a region that includes Zapadnomoravska spa zone (The Republic of Serbia), from 1 August until the end of September, 2008. Measuring the quality of services was based on the SERVQUAL model. For obtained data analysis, statistical methods of t-test of independent samples and analysis of variance ANOVA were used, comparing the mean values of the results and certain statistical significances of their differences.
Evidence for coupled seismic and aseismic fault slip during water injection in the geothermal site of Soultz (France), and implications for seismogenic transients

SUMMARY We analysed the triggered seismicity recorded near 3 km in depth within granite during the 1993 water injection experiment at Soultz (France). We selected all large multiplets associated with the largest dislocated fault identified on the borehole logging (4.3 cm slip), and showed that each one consisted of the repeated rupture of a single asperity. These asperities were forced to rupture due to fault creep around them, so that their growing, cumulative slip history reveals the creep history on the fault, with a mean slip rate and a seismicity rate both decaying approximately as 1/t. This is consistent with a rate-strengthening friction law on the creeping faults, and differs from the interpretation of Omori type 1/t seismicity rates in terms of a weakening friction control of the unstable fault surfaces. This model of asperity rupture forced by relaxation creep is easily generalized in seismogenic regions, even for single ruptures of asperities on small creeping faults, showing that a significant part of aftershock rates can be controlled by the strengthening friction properties and the creep of faults at all scales. This lead us to introduce the concept of a critical asperity density, above which dynamic interaction between neighbouring asperities can initiate large seismic ruptures. At Soultz, the asperity density is subcritical, but the neighbouring asperities nonetheless interact, at distances up to a few source dimensions, as revealed by their delayed cross-triggering. Considering the seismic cloud in Soultz at a global scale, the strain produced by the injection experiment was mostly aseismic, related to creep on major faults, and causing large permeability changes ‐ influencing in turn the pore pressure diffusion and the creeping process. Our observations demonstrate that the identification and analysis of multiplets can provide accurate images of the geometry and kinematics of transient slip patches, and indirectly detect pore pressure changes, which should contribute to a better understanding of the coupling between transient fluid flow, creep and microseismic activity in seismogenic regions.
MIT Open Access Articles The Social fMRI: Measuring, Understanding, and Designing Social Mechanisms in the Real World

ABSTRACT A key challenge of data-driven social science is the gathering of high quality multi-dimensional datasets. A second challenge relates to design and execution of structured experimental interventions in-situ, in a way comparable to the reliability and intentionality of ex-situ laboratory experiments. In this paper we introduce the Friends and Family study, in which a young-family residential community is transformed into a living laboratory. We employ a ubiquitous computing approach that combines extremely rich data collection in terms of signals, dimensionality, and throughput, together with the ability to conduct targeted experimental interventions with study populations. We present our mobile-phone-based social and behavioral sensing system, which has been deployed for over a year now. Finally, we describe a novel tailored intervention aimed at increasing physical activity in the subject population. Results demonstrate the value of social factors for motivation and adherence, and allow us to quantify the contribution of different incentive mechanisms.
University of Birmingham Whole genomes define concordance of matched primary, xenograft, and organoid models of pancreas cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has the worst prognosis among solid malignancies and improved therapeutic strategies are needed to improve outcomes. Patient-derived xenografts (PDX) and patient-derived organoids (PDO) serve as promising tools to identify new drugs with therapeutic potential in PDAC. For these preclinical disease models to be effective, they should both recapitulate the molecular heterogeneity of PDAC and validate patient-specific therapeutic sensitivities. To date however, deep characterization of the molecular heterogeneity of PDAC PDX and PDO models and comparison with matched human tumour remains largely unaddressed at the whole genome level. We conducted a comprehensive assessment of the genetic landscape of 16 whole-genome pairs of tumours and matched PDX, from primary PDAC and liver metastasis, including a unique cohort of 5 ‘trios’ of matched primary tumour, PDX, and PDO. We developed a pipeline to score concordance between PDAC models and their paired human tumours for genomic events, including mutations, structural variations, and copy number variations. Tumour-model comparisons of mutations displayed single-gene concordance across major PDAC driver genes, but relatively poor agreement across the greater mutational load. Genome-wide and chromosome-centric analysis of structural variation (SV) events highlights previously
Registration of ICSV 88032: a high yielding line resistant to sorghum midge, Stenodiplosis sorghicola

ICSV 88032, a high-yielding sorghum line highly resistant to S. sorghicola, was developed in India by pedigree breeding from a cross between ICSV 197 (midge-resistant line) and ICSV 1 (a high-yielding sorghum cultivar). In the international sorghum variety and hybrid adaptation trial, ICSV 88032 recorded yields of 4.8-5.2 t/ha during 1990-91, compared to 5.0-5.3 t/ha for ICSV 112, a released commercial cultivar, at Bhavanisagar (Tamil Nadu) and Patancheru (Andhra Pradesh). At Surat, ICSV 88032 had grain yields of 2.6 and 4.6 t/ha (2.9 and 3.4 t/ha for ICSV 112) during 1990 and 1991, respectively. In the preliminary variety trials of AICSIP in 1990-91, ICSV 88032 and ICSV 112 had grain yields of 3.1 and 2.8 t/ha, respectively. In the 1991 and 1992 advance variety trials of AICSIP, grain yields reached 4.0 and 3.6 in ICSV 88032, and 4.2 and 3.1 in ICSV 112, respectively. Damage by S. sorghicola was lower on ICSV 88032 (12-14%) than on the resistant control DJ 6514 (18-20%) and susceptible control CSH 1 (90-94%). Visual damage ratings varied from 2.1 to 3.4 in ICSV 88032, compared to 1.3-1.8 in DJ 6514 and 8.4-9.0 in CSH 1. The resistance of ICSV 88032 to S. sorghicola has been confirmed across locations in India, Latin America and West Africa. In 1995-96, damage by S. sorghicola reached 16-31% in ICSV 88032, 9-26% in ICSV 197 (resistant control), and 38-83% in Swarna (susceptible control). The loose panicle of ICSV 88032 makes it less susceptible to head bugs and earhead caterpillars. ICSV 88032 was as susceptible to shoot fly [Atherigona soccata] and stem borer as ICSV 112 and CSH 5.
Effect of PFOA exposure on ovarian reserve function and its metabolism

Owing to its di�culty in degrading and ease of accumulation in the body, per�uorooctanoic acid (PFOA) has a detrimental effect on reproduction. This study aimed to examine the effect of PFOA concentration in follicular �uid during ovulation stimulation on embryo quality and the impact of PFOA exposure on the metabolic components of follicular �uid. This was a single-center prospective study that included 25 patients with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), 25 with normal ovarian reserve (NOR), and 25 with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Follicular �uid samples were analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We demonstrated that the PFOA levels of follicular �uid in the DOR group were higher than those in the NOR group and PCOS group (P<0.05). PFOA concentration in the PCOS group was negatively correlated with high-quality embryos (P<0.05). To gain more insight into the impact of PFOA on the metabolic composition of follicular �uid, we classi�ed the DOR group based on the PFOA concentration, for which metabolomic analysis was performed. In the high-concentration PFOA group, there was an increase and a decrease in three and nine metabolites, respectively, compared to that in the low-concentration group. These results suggest that PFOA may alter the metabolic composition of follicular �uid, thus, affecting ovarian reserve function.
Experimental and numerical analysis of erosion and sediment transport of flushing waves

This paper presents an investigation on the scouring effects of flushing waves on sewer sediment deposits. The investigation concerns both laboratory experiments and numerical modelling. The experimental campaign is carried out at the laboratory of the Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering of the University of Pavia . The first set of experiments is developed without sediment and the water levels during the flushing processes are monitored by a digital video-camera. The next tests are carried out with uniform layers of sediment (sand or sand and clay mixtures) at the bottom of the channel and the effects on sediment beds produced by flushes are analysed. The numerical model solves the De Saint Venant equations describing unsteady flow in open channel and the continuity equation for the conservation of the sediment mass. For this purpose, the MacCormack explicit finite difference scheme is introduced. A formula that links the rate of erosion to an excess of shear stress at the bottom is included in the model. The computed results are compared with the experimental data obtained on the laboratory channel.
EXPERIENCE OF CONNECTING SENSORS TO THE CONTROLLER BASED ON THE ARDUINO BOARD FOR USE ON MULTICOPTERS

The possibility of obtaining data on areal humidity based on unmanned aerial vehicles is being investigated. Modern humidity sensors are mostly stationary and provide point measurements. With the advent of mobile hardware and software tools that make it possible to automate the process of obtaining data, the problem of obtaining information distributed over a given area is being solved. And also there is the possibility of recording and saving data to the hard disk. One of the advanced areas in which multicopters are used is the creation of electronic field maps, as well as maps of vegetative NDVI indices. This paper discusses DHTxx temperature and humidity sensors. The small dimensions of the sensors, a sufficient number of I / O ports (data transfer, control of peripheral devices) made it possible to assemble many devices based on Arduino. The use of unmanned aerial vehicles greatly simplifies the collection of the necessary information about the state of crops. Unlike spacecraft, an unmanned aerial vehicle, in our case multicopters, is more mobile, with more detailed data (the ability to obtain images with a resolution of up to 1 cm). Due to the fact that the flight altitude of a multicopter is usually within 1 to 200 meters above the ground, it is possible to use various sensors (temperature, humidity, etc.), which were previously used by agronomists (farmers) for ground weather stations. The temperature and humidity sensors of the DHTxx family can be attributed to such sensors, which are necessary in terms of monitoring agricultural lands. The temperature and humidity sensors DHT11 and DTH22 include two measuring instruments useful for agriculture - a thermometer and a hygrometer. The progress of modern society cannot be imagined without the development of science and technology, without the introduction of technological innovations, in particular controllers and sensors with different functionality. The results of this study can be applied both to the design of multirotors in general and to the arrangement of sensors and actuators.
Solving Huge Instances with Intel® SAT Solver

We introduce a new release of our SAT solver Intel® SAT Solver . The new release, called IS23 , is targeted to solve huge instances beyond the capacity of other solvers. IS23 can use 64-bit clause-indices and store clauses compressedly using bit-arrays, where each literal is normally allocated fewer than 32 bits. As a preliminary result, we show that only IS23 can handle a gigantic trivially satisfiable instance with over 8.5 billion clauses. Then, we demonstrate that IS23 enables a significant improvement in the capacity of our industrial tool for cell placement in physical design, since only IS23 can solve placement instances with up to 4.3 billion clauses. Finally, we show that IS23 is substantially more efficient than other solvers for finding many (10 6 ) placements on instances with up to 170 million clauses. We use the latter application to demonstrate that variable succession , that is, the order in which the variables are provided to the solver, might have a significant impact on IS23 ’s performance, thereby providing a new dimension to SAT encoding considerations.
Comparative Expression Profiling of Leishmania: Modulation in Gene Expression between Species and in Different Host Genetic Backgrounds

Background Genome sequencing of Leishmania species that give rise to a range of disease phenotypes in the host has revealed highly conserved gene content and synteny across the genus. Only a small number of genes are differentially distributed between the three species sequenced to date, L. major, L. infantum and L. braziliensis. It is not yet known how many of these genes are expressed in the disease-promoting intracellular amastigotes of these species or whether genes conserved between the species are differentially expressed in the host. Methods/Principal Findings We have used customised oligonucleotide microarrays to confirm that all of the differentially distributed genes identified by genome comparisons are expressed in intracellular amastigotes, with only a few of these subject to regulation at the RNA level. In the first large-scale study of gene expression in L. braziliensis, we show that only ∼9% of the genes analysed are regulated in their RNA expression during the L. braziliensis life cycle, a figure consistent with that observed in other Leishmania species. Comparing amastigote gene expression profiles between species confirms the proposal that Leishmania transcriptomes undergo little regulation but also identifies conserved genes that are regulated differently between species in the host. We have also investigated whether host immune competence influences parasite gene expression, by comparing RNA expression profiles in L. major amastigotes derived from either wild-type (BALB/c) or immunologically compromised (Rag2−/− γc −/−) mice. While parasite dissemination from the site of infection is enhanced in the Rag2−/− γc −/− genetic background, parasite RNA expression profiles are unperturbed. Conclusion/Significance These findings support the hypothesis that Leishmania amastigotes are pre-adapted for intracellular survival and undergo little dynamic modulation of gene expression at the RNA level. Species-specific parasite factors contributing to virulence and pathogenicity in the host may be limited to the products of a small number of differentially distributed genes or the differential regulation of conserved genes, either of which are subject to translational and/or post-translational controls.
Optimization Based Neural Network Classifiction Method For Software Defect Prediction

The software industry strives to enhance software quality by predicting bugs, removing bugs, and predicting fault-prone modules. Researchers have been drawn to this field because of its importance in the software industry. For software defect prediction, various strategies have been presented. Data mining using machine learning has been advocated as an important paradigm for software bug prediction in recent studies. The current level of software defect prediction has a number of flaws, including classification accuracy. Software defect databases, on the other hand, are unbalanced and known to be prone to errors due to their large size. This research offered a combined approach for software defect prediction and software bug prediction to address this issue. The suggested method combines Neural Networks with the FireFly Optimization technique. The FFO method optimises the weights of the Back Propagation Neural Network. The ideal minimises the BPNN classification error. The proposed FF-NN classification method is compared to existing classifiers such as Support Vector Machine (SVM), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), and Nave Bayes (NB) using a variety of evaluation metrics such as Accuracy, Sensitivity, Specificity, Precision, and error rates such as Miss Rate, False Positive Rate, and False Discovery Rate.
ONTOLGY-BASED MASHUP MODEL FOR CONTEXT-AWARE SERVICES IN INTERNET OF THINGS APPLICATION ENVIRONMENTS

In the IoT (Internet of Things) environments, an integrated context model is mandatory for governing both context information and context awareness in a unified and coherent way. The core goal of the model is to enhance interoperability of heterogeneous contexts and reduce complexity of context-aware computing under the highly dynamic situations. For realizing this goal, this paper proposes an OntoMash model for adaptable context awareness and semantic reasoning services in the IoT information systems. The OntoMash model is an aggregation of multi-context information based on ontology technologies for managing overall situations in the IoT environments. The model is able to accommodate multiple context types from heterogeneous and distributed context sources and illuminate complex and diverse semantic relationships between context classes. In the OntoMash modeling scheme, frameworks and ecosystems are designed to represent its general and global models. The applications of OntoMash model are discussed in OntoMash adaptation for context-aware reasoning. Furthermore, in order to investigate the strengths and drawbacks of the OntoMash model, their performance issues are discussed according to the evaluation indices. Through simulation models, the evaluation results preliminarily demonstrate the adaptable benefits of the model in the IoT environments.