Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Meta-analysis of transcriptomic variation in T-cell populations reveals both variable and consistent signatures of gene expression and splicing

Human CD4+ T cells are often subdivided into distinct subtypes, including Th1, Th2, Th17, and Treg cells, that are thought to carry out distinct functions in the body. Typically, these T-cell subpopulations are defined by the expression of distinct gene repertoires; however, there is variability between studies regarding the methods used for isolation and the markers used to define each T-cell subtype. Therefore, how reliably studies can be compared to one another remains an open question. Moreover, previous analysis of gene expression in CD4+ T-cell subsets has largely focused on gene expression rather than alternative splicing. Here we take a meta-analysis approach, comparing eleven independent RNA-seq studies of human Th1, Th2, Th17, and/or Treg cells to determine the consistency in gene expression and splicing within each subtype across studies. We find that known master-regulators are consistently enriched in the appropriate subtype; however, cytokines and other genes often used as markers are more variable. Importantly, we also identify previously unknown transcriptomic markers that appear to consistently differentiate between subsets, including a few Treg-specific splicing patterns. Together this work highlights the heterogeneity in gene expression between samples designated as the same subtype, but also suggests additional markers that can be used to define functional groupings.
Application of cationic and anionic polymers in dissolved air flotation as a means of post-treatment of pulp and paper industry wastewater.

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of the dissolved air flotation in post-treatment of effluent from activated sludge of a pulp and paper industry. Tests varying the dosage of coagulant and of cationic and anionic polymers were performed on a laboratory scale, using the equipment flotatest. In all essays, values of rapid mixing (500 s-1), the rapid mixing time (60 s), the saturation pressure (5 bar) and air saturation time in the saturation chamber (15 min) were set. The other parameters were investigated and varied during the search. Tests were divided into three stages. In the first stage, preliminary tests were performed only with the use of the coagulant. In the second stage, the coagulant was put together with anionic polymer. In the third stage, the coagulant was mixed with cationic polymer. The results indicated that flotation with cationic polymer improved the characteristics of the effluent, with 90% reduction of turbidity, 85% of the apparent color, 89% of the true color and 69% of COD, using a dosage of 175 mg.L-1 of PAC and 50 mg.L-1 of cationic polymer with flotation speed of 9 cm . min-1 and flocculation time of 7 minutes. This confirms the potential of the dissolved air flotation in the post-treatment of wastewater from pulp and paper.
Does sophistication increase partisan bias? Evidence from a cross-national analysis

ABSTRACT Recently, considerable theoretical literature has emerged on voters’ sophistication and its effect on democratic functioning. Some works argue that the political choices of more sophisticated voters lead to more favourable social outcomes (Brennan, 2017. Against democracy. Princeton University Press; Somin, 2016. Democracy and political ignorance: Why smaller government is smarter. Stanford University Press). However, Achen and Bartels (2016. Democracy for realists: Why elections do not produce Responsive government. Princeton University Press) argue that sophisticated citizens are at least as biased as the unsophisticated. This paper aims to clarify this link by investigating the role of education, information acquisition, and interest on bias. The question is tested on European Social Survey data. The results show that the level of bias is independent of education but is significantly related to both interest and newspaper reading. The findings fully support the interpretation of Achen and Bartels (2016. Democracy for Realists: Why elections do not produce responsive government. Princeton University Press) on the effect of sophistication.
Potency of PR controller for multiple harmonic compensation for a single-phase grid connected system

Harmonics and grid synchronization are one of the major problems faced when dealing with a single-phase system. The development of technology in the PV system makes the consumer to use it in a wide range. The power transferred from PV to grid needs DC to AC conversion process which is done by static devices operating with the higher frequencies that causes the harmonics in the grid connected system. The main aim of the paper is to implement grid synchronization and reduce total harmonic distortion in a single-phase grid connected system. The design of LCL filter is addressed in this paper which depends on current ripple, filter size and switching ripple attenuation. In order to account the harmonic content, the FFT analysis is made both in analysis and Matlab Simulink. The Proportional Resonant (PR) controller is developed and work along with LCL filter for reducing the harmonic content. The stability of the system with PR is analyzed using root locus and bode plots and results are compared with PI controls. The result shows that PR controller performs better compared to the PI controller for reducing the harmonic content present in the single-phase system and for improving the system stability.
Does parental gender influence the entrepreneurial intention in heirs?

Abstract Parental gender may impulse the entrepreneurial intention of their heirs. To know if parental gender influences entrepreneurial intention, we based our study on Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior (subjective norm, attitudes towards entrepreneurship, and self-efficacy) in first-year university students. We analyzed 952 prospective entrepreneurs by using a pre and post instrument in an entrepreneurship challenge to measure our hypothesized model. The results show that (a) the effect of the parental gender on heirs is small; (b) there is a slight difference between entrepreneurial fathers and entrepreneurial mothers, and (c) the impact of the entrepreneurial activities is higher on children with no entrepreneurial parents. The major implication of these results is that entrepreneurial education has different effects on students, as these effects are contingent on their parents’ occupation.
Variability in Phenotypic Covariance Structure of Female Genitalia in the Brachypterous Grasshopper Podisma sapporensis (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Podisminae)

Abstract Differences in the geographic patterns of genitalic and nongenitalic morphological characters in Podisma sapporensis (Podisminae) were examined using the hierarchical testing procedure in common principal component analysis. This analysis was used to evaluate the extent to which the covariance structure among characters varies geographically in both sexes. Males exhibited consistency in the covariance structure among populations both in genitalic and nongenitalic characters, whereas the covariance structures of female genitalic and nongenitalic characters were not stable geographically. We suggest that the conspicuous sexual difference in covariance structure results from different selective pressures acting on genitalia: stabilizing selection is responsible for the stability of male genitalia, whereas variability in female is the result of directional sexual selection varying among populations.
Effect of spermine, spermidine and putrescine on vase life and associated param-eters in two gladiolus cultivars

Various concentrations of pliyamines like spermine, spermidine and putrescine were applied alone or in combination with sucrose in vase solution to study their effect on the vase life and other associated parameters in gladiolus. All the three poiyamines at 100ppm concentration in combination with sucrose were effective in extending vase life of gladiolus. Of these three, 100 ppm spermine along with sucrose in vase solution was also.able to keep fresh weight of gladiolus spikes higher for longer duration in comparison to other treatments due to higher uptake of holding solution. Aesthetic look of cut spikes in terms of floret diameter, turgidity and freshness was also better in this treatment.
Genetic diversity of Mayetiola destructor and Mayetiola hordei (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) by inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSRs)

Inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) polymorphism was used to reveal genetic variability and phylogenetic relationships within and between three haplotypes of Mayetiola species . A set of 14 ISSR primers were screened representing di-, tri, tetra and penta-nucleotide repeats out of which 10 generated scorable bands and three were able to distinguish one of three haplotypes. The consensus tree constructed using binary data from banding patterns generated by ISSR-PCR clustered the two Mayetiola species according to their mitochondrial haplotype. Moreover, genetic diversity estimated by the coefficient of variation indicates a high intra and inter-haplotypes polymorphism. Our results indicate that ISSR can be useful as DNA-based molecular markers for studying genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of Mayetiola haplotypes. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (7), pp. 601-606, 2005
Genetic analysis of artificial pigmentation mutants in Porphyra yezoensis Ueda (Bangiales, Rhodophyta)

Porphyra yezoensis Ueda artificial pigmentation mutants, yel (green), fre (red‐orange) and bop (pink), obtained by treatment with /V‐methyl‐/V′‐nitro‐N‐nitrosoguanidine, were genetically analysed. The mutations associated with color phenotypes are recessive because all of the heterozygous conchocelis resembled the wild type color when they were crossed with the wild type (wt). In the reciprocal crosses of yel × wt, both parental colors and eight types of blades appeared in the F1 gametophytic blades from the heterozygous conchocelis. Both colors segregated in the sectored F1 blades in a 1:1 ratio, indicating that the color pheno‐type of yel resulted from a single mutation in the nuclear gene. In the reciprocal crosses of fre × wt, however, four colors and more than 40 types of blades appeared in the F1 blades from the heterozygous conchocelis, indicating that the color phenotype of fre resulted from two mutations in different genes. In the reciprocal crosses of bop×wt, three colors and 12 types of blades were observed in the F1 blades from the heterozygous conchocelis. Both parental colors appeared far more frequently than the third new color. These results indicated that the color phenotype of bop resulted from two closely linked mutations in different genes, and the epistasis occurred in the F1 blades. The mutants, yel, fre and bop, differ from the spontaneous green (C‐O), the red (H‐25) and the violet (V‐O) mutants of P. yezoensis, respectively.
Spectrophotometric Nitrogen Dioxide Analysis in Smoking and Non-Smoking Las Vegas Areas

ABSTRACT Pollution and consistent exposure to nitrogen dioxide are known as factors in respiratory illnesses, such as pneumonia and emphysema. Therefore, careful air monitoring of public areas is necessary. A convenient and cost-effective method uses passive diffusion tubes. These tubes, treated with Triethanolamine or TEA - a nitrogen dioxide absorbent, were placed in a non-smoking environment, The Meadows School in Las Vegas, for a control and smoking environments, which consisted of several small, neighborhood casino bars also in the Las Vegas area. After the tubes absorbed nitrogen dioxide from the designated environment for a week's time, they were analyzed and then tested spectrophotometrically. The results indicated that the non-smoking environments had a nitrogen dioxide concentration of approximately 0.004–0.011 ppm, semi-smoking areas (the dining area of the pubs) had a nitrogen dioxide concentration of 0.012–0.029 ppm and the most smoky areas (the bar area of the pubs) had a nitrogen dioxide concentration of 0.023–0.048 ppm. This assay suggests that the amount of nitrogen dioxide present is directly correlated with the concentration of cigarette smoke in a given area.
Rationale and design of a longitudinal study of cerebral small vessel diseases, clinical and imaging outcomes in patients presenting with mild ischaemic stroke: Mild Stroke Study 3

Background Cerebral small vessel disease is a major cause of dementia and stroke, visible on brain magnetic resonance imaging. Recent data suggest that small vessel disease lesions may be dynamic, damage extends into normal-appearing brain and microvascular dysfunctions include abnormal blood–brain barrier leakage, vasoreactivity and pulsatility, but much remains unknown regarding underlying pathophysiology, symptoms, clinical features and risk factors of small vessel disease. Patients and Methods: The Mild Stroke Study 3 is a prospective observational cohort study to identify risk factors for and clinical implications of small vessel disease progression and regression among up to 300 adults with non-disabling stroke. We perform detailed serial clinical, cognitive, lifestyle, physiological, retinal and brain magnetic resonance imaging assessments over one year; we assess cerebrovascular reactivity, blood flow, pulsatility and blood–brain barrier leakage on magnetic resonance imaging at baseline; we follow up to four years by post and phone. The study is registered ISRCTN 12113543. Summary Factors which influence direction and rate of change of small vessel disease lesions are poorly understood. We investigate the role of small vessel dysfunction using advanced serial neuroimaging in a deeply phenotyped cohort to increase understanding of the natural history of small vessel disease, identify those at highest risk of early disease progression or regression and uncover novel targets for small vessel disease prevention and therapy.
Analysis of Hybrid Zones

Hybrid zones are, roughly speaking, narrow regions in which genetically distinct populations meet, mate, and produce hybrids. They are often only a few hundred meters wide and yet may be several hundred kilometers long. They are found in a wide variety of organisms: Tables 1 and 2 list about 150 reasonably clear examples, in which there is a spatial transition between two hybridizing forms. Such a widespread and striking phenomenon requires explanation; more importantly, it offers us several ways of understanding the nature and origin of species. First, hybrid zones pose interesting questions for the taxonomist, for they contrast two views of the species: as a set of populations delimited by genetic barriers to gene exchange; and as a set of populations maintained in a particular stable equilibrium by selection. Second, the wide range of genotypes found in a hybrid zone can be used to analyze the genetic differences and selective forces that separate the taxa involved. This may allow some inferences about the way these differences evolved and, by extrapolation, about the way fully isolated species diverge from each other. Finally, models of parapatric speciation, and of Wright's "shifting balance," involve the formation, move­ ment, and modification of hybrid zones. Hybrid zones must be understood before the plausibility of these models can be judged. After clarifying our terminology, we will summarize the relevant theory and then see how this can be used to make inferences from field data. A notable increase in the number of detailed genetic studies of hybrid zones occurred over
The effects of supplemental detergents on the digestibility of poultry diets

1. The effects of the addition of a non-ionic, anionic or cationic detergent to a diet containing 10% added fat on the digestibility of the protein, fat and carbohydrate have been studied. 2. The non-ionic detergent aided the digestion of fat, but protein and carbohydrate digestibility were unaffected. 3. An anionic detergent slightly, and a cationic detergent seriously, impaired the absorption of fat, and the cationic detergent also had an adverse effect on carbohydrate digestion. Neither affected protein digestion.
Primary PCI in the management of STEMI in sub-Saharan Africa: insights from Abidjan Heart Institute catheterisation laboratory.

BACKGROUND Implementation of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in sub-Saharan Africa remains a challenging issue. The aim of this study was to report the results of primary PCI and outcomes in the catheterisation laboratory of the Abidjan Heart Institute. METHODS Between April 2010 and March 2019, all patients aged 18 years presenting to the Abidjan Heart Institute for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) over the study period and who underwent primary PCI were included. We considered primary PCI when it was performed within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms. Baseline data, PCI characteristics and outcomes were analysed. RESULTS Among a total of 780 patients hospitalised for STEMI, 471 were admitted within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms. One-hundred and sixty six patients underwent primary PCI, with a ratio of primary PCI/STEMI of up to 21.3%. One hundred and six patients (63.9%) were admitted within 12 hours of the onset of symptoms. The femoral approach was the most commonly used (78.3%). Primary PCI was performed with stent implantation in 84.3% of patients. Drug-eluting stents (DES) were used in 42.1% of patients. In most cases, angiographic success was observed (157/166, 94.6%). Non-fatal complications were mainly haematomas (3.6%). Peri-procedural mortality rate was 1.2%. CONCLUSIONS Primary PCI can be performed safely in some small-volume centres in sub-Saharan Africa. Healthcare policies and regional networks must be encouraged in order to improve management of STEMI patients.
Periparturient stocking density affects lying and ruminating behavior and one-week-calf performance of Holstein cows

Objective This study aimed to investigate the effect of stocking density on the behavior, productivity, and metabolism of periparturient Holstein cows as well as calf performance. Methods A total of 48 periparturient cows were randomly assigned into three groups at 28 days (±3 days) before their expected calving date. The stocking densities of the groups, relative to the standard cubicle and feed bunk number, were i) 80% (13 cows), ii) 100% (16 cows), and iii) 120% (19 cows). Lying and rumination behavior was recorded using electronic data loggers and HR-Tags from d −21 (“d-” means days before calving) until the calving date, d 0. Lying time was assessed to determine the diurnal total hours spent lying per day. Rumination time was averaged in 2 hours interval periods over 24 hours during the experimental period. Results Cows in the 80% group spent more time lying and ruminating between d −21 and d −7 and tended to ruminate more between d −14 and d 0. Calcium levels tended to be higher for cows in the 80% group, no other observable differences were found in monitored blood parameters. Moreover, 3.5% fat corrected milk and energy corrected milk yields were higher in 80% group in the first month of lactation. No other observable differences were found in the yield and composition of colostrum and milk in the first 10 months of lactation. The growth and performance of calves in the first week of life was not affected by stocking density of the dams. Conclusion We concluded that lower stocking density may increase lying and ruminating behavior of prepartum Holstein cows. However, this did not translate into improved productivity and metabolism.
Probabilistic Space- and Time-Interaction Modeling of Mainshock Earthquake Rupture Occurrence

This paper presents a probabilistic formulation for modeling earthquake rupture processes of mainshocks. A correlated multivariate Bernoulli distribution is used to model rupture occurrence. The model captures time interaction through the use of Brownian passage-time (BPT) distributions to assess rupture interarrival in multiple sections of the fault, and it also considers spatial interaction through the use of spatial correlograms. The correlograms represents the effect of rupture nucleation and propagation. This model is proposed as an attractive alternative to existing probabilistic models because it (1) incorporates time and space interactions of mainshocks, (2) preserves the marginal distributions of interarrival times after including spatial rupture interactions, i.e., model consistency, and (3) has an implicit physical interpretation aligned with rupture behavior observations. The proposed model is applied to assess the occurrence of large interface earthquakes in the subduction fault along the coast of Lima, Peru. The model matches well both the annual magnitude exceedance rates and the average seismic moment release in the tectonic region. The AIC test confirms that our model performs statistically better than models that do not capture earthquake space interactions. AIC also shows that the spherical correlogram outperforms the exponential correlogram at reproducing earthquake data. Finally, time-dependent seismic hazard in the region is calculated, and the results demonstrate that by accounting for recent earthquake occurrences, the inclusion of time-dependent effects can reduce the 30-year seismic hazard by a factor of four.
Responses of plants and invertebrate assemblages to water-level fluctuation in headwater wetlands

Abstract Flood-pulsing is a key environmental factor that structures biotic communities in large-order river systems, but we focused our study on the effects of flood-pulsing in headwater systems. We used 10 mesocosm wetlands (10 m × 20 m) to test 2 treatments: a flood-pulse regimen in which natural flood events caused water levels to fluctuate and a static regimen in which water levels remained artificially stable. Abiotic characteristics, plants, and aquatic invertebrate communities were monitored from 2002 through 2005 in permanent pools, nonflooded banks in static wetlands, and intermittently flooded banks in flood-pulse wetlands. The flood-pulse treatment had minimal effects on environmental conditions of permanent pools, and submersed plant and aquatic invertebrate communities in permanent pools were similar in both treatments. This result suggested that resource subsidies from the floodplain to the pools were minimal. However, flood-pulsing caused observable changes to plant communities in the intermittently flooded zone (IFZ) above the permanently flooded pool. Overall plant diversity was higher in static wetlands, and % bare ground was higher in flood-pulse wetlands, results suggesting that the short, stochastic floods were a strong environmental stressor. In flood-pulse wetlands, the fluctuating water levels may have reduced the proportion of introduced, weedy, and upland plant taxa. Flood-pulse and static wetlands had distinctly different plant assemblage compositions, indicating that the abiotic stressors caused pronounced changes in the floodplain community. An indicator species analysis showed that taxa classified as obligate wetland plants were indicators in flood-pulse wetlands (e.g., Juncus canadensis, Ludwigia palustris, Dulichium arundinaceum, Eleocharis obtusa, Carex crinita, Carex lupulina, Carex vulpinoidea), but taxa classified as facultative wetland or upland plants were indicators of static wetlands (Cirsium arvense, Eupatoriadelphus maculatus, Plantago lanceolata, Bidens frondosus, Melilotus officinalis, Mentha arvensis, Daucus carota, Poa palustris). Many functional categories of plant species that were common in flood-pulse wetlands (e.g., obligate wetland plants, perennial, native and nonweedy species) are considered beneficial from a management perspective.