Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Potentials of Community Based Ecotourism in Iko Esai Community of Cross River State, South-Eastern Nigeria

Community Based Ecotourism is a form of tourism where local communities have substantial control over, and involvement in ecotourism development and management with a major proportion of the benefits accruing to the community. The study sought to access the potentials of Community Based Ecotourism in Iko-Esai Community of Cross River State in Nigeria. Both primary and secondary data were used for the study. Questionnaires and interviews were applied to collect primary data using a multistage method while secondary data were from relevant documents from CERCOPAN (an NGO operating in the area) as well as other past studies. A total of one hundred and forty-six (146) questionnaires were administered to respondents in two (2) selected wards in the community. Data were analyzed using frequencies and percentages. The research results revealed that CERCOPAN is the major body, assisting in Community Based Ecotourism in the Community. There are enormous ecotourism assets in the study area, including the rich tropical forests, wildlife species and cultural heritage of the people. Other sites yet to be developed are Ikpibitoi, Bagamukum, Agorom Epkun and Owai. Ecotourism in the area was reported to have registered significant positive impact on the natural environment and the people of the area through active participation in all aspects of tourism development while benefits from ecotourism are accrued to the community. The community has good potentials of being organized and eager to see tourism and biodiversity conservation play a vital role in its economy. The elders in the area are also well respected which is critical in Community Based Tourism development.
ZigBee Based Wireless Data Transmission with LDPC codes using FPGA

- Due to advancements in wireless communication, data transmission through noisy channel demands some efficient coding techniques. A Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) code performs dependable exchange of data over a noisy channel through long distances. LDPC code is basically a linear forward error correcting code. Error detection and correction in the decoder without any additional circuitry is the key component. In this paper 3 bit LDPC code encoder and decoder is designed in Verilog HDL synthesized in Xilinx and implemented on Spartan3E FPGA. ZigBee is interfaced with FPGA to transmit data in wireless between transmitter and receiver through media.
Computer-Aided Detection Scheme for Quantification of the Extent of Hypoattenuation Areas of Acute Stroke in Unenhanced CT.

Poster: "ECR 2011 / C-0376 / Computer-Aided Detection Scheme for Quantification of the Extent of Hypoattenuation Areas of Acute Stroke in Unenhanced CT. " by: "N. Takahashi1, Y. Lee2, D. -Y. Tsai3, T. Kinoshita4, K. Ishii1, N. Ouchi1; 1Sendai/JP, 2Niigata/JP, 3Niigata /JP, 4Akita/JP"
The Emerging Alliance of World Religions and Ecology

This article aims to present a prismatic view of the potential and actual resources embedded in the world's religions for supporting sustainable practices toward the environment. An underlying assumption is that most religious traditions have developed attitudes of respect, reverence, and care for the natural world that brings forth life in its diverse forms. Furthermore, it is assumed that issues of social justice and environmental integrity need to be intricately linked for creating the conditions for a sustainable future.
Being a member of the nuclear hormone receptor super- family, PPARα achieves its effects on gene regulation through a ligand-dependent mechanism. Upon binding to its ligands, PPARα can release transcriptional corepressors and recruit transcriptional coactivators to transactivate (13). Fenofibrate

We recently demonstrated that fenofibrate induces the activities of citrate synthase and NADH oxidase in cardiac mitochondria. To further determine the molecular mechanisms underlying fenofibrate action, 8-week-old mice were administered fenofibrate (100 mg/kg/day) for 7 and 14 days, and the expression of genes involved in cardiac mitochondrial function, such as nuclear respiratory factor 1 transcript variant 2 (NRF-1-L) and 6 (NRF-1-S), mitochondrial outer membrane protein 40 (Tom40), lipoic acid synthetase (Lias), cytochrome b, medium-chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase (MCAD) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) was determined. Expression of PGC-1α, a key regulator of the entire fatty acid oxidation system, was significantly downregulated after 14 days of fenofibrate administration. Moreover, ventricular triglycerides were also accumulated following 14 days of fenofibrate administration. Thus, fenofibrate functions to improve myocardial lipid accumulation and to prevent PGC-1α induction, which is crucial for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying fenofibrate action on the heart.
Death by Facial and Skull Injuries of a Motorcyclist Wearing a Full-Face Helmet: Case Report and Literature Review

We describe a case of death by facial and skull fractures with brain injuries of a motorcyclist wearing a full-face helmet. A 40-year-old man driving a high-powered motorcycle crashed violently into the rear of a stopped car. The main results from the autopsy revealed the deformation of the left orbito-zygomatic and fronto-temporoparietal regions corresponding to bone fractures with laceration at the left temporal lobe. The CT scan of the helmet revealed the detachment of the energy-absorbing liner. Moreover an impact speed of 93 Km/h resulted from the analysis of accident dynamics. We analysed the literature regarding the effectiveness of full-face helmets in reducing the risk of fatality and we sought the factors that may have deleted the protection offered. The lesions causing death were due to high speed and probably the inadequacy of the helmet.
Phenotypic and Functional Changes in Peripheral Blood Natural Killer Cells in Crohn Disease Patients

We investigated activation status, cytotoxic potential, and gut homing ability of the peripheral blood Natural Killer (NK) cells in Crohn disease (CD) patients. For this purpose, we compared the expression of different activating and inhibitory receptors (KIR and non-KIR) and integrins on NK cells as well as their recent degranulation history between the patients and age-matched healthy controls. The study was conducted using freshly obtained peripheral blood samples from the study participants. Multiple color flow cytometry was used for these determinations. Our results show that NK cells from treatment-naïve CD patients expressed higher levels of activating KIR as well as other non-KIR activating receptors vis-à-vis healthy controls. They also showed increased frequencies of the cells expressing these receptors. The expression of several KIR and non-KIR inhibitory receptors tended to decrease compared with the cells from healthy donors. NK cells from the patients also expressed increased levels of different gut-homing integrin molecules and showed a history of increased recent degranulation events both constitutively and in response to their in vitro stimulation. Furthermore, treatment of the patients tended to reverse these NK cell changes. Our results demonstrate unequivocally, for the first time, that peripheral blood NK cells in treatment-naïve CD patients are more activated and are more poised to migrate to the gut compared to their counterpart cells from healthy individuals. Moreover, they show that treatment of the patients tends to normalize their NK cells. The results suggest that NK cells are very likely to play a role in the immunopathogenesis of Crohn disease.
Trimethylamine N-Oxide Generated by the Gut Microbiota Is Associated with Vascular Inflammation: New Insights into Atherosclerosis

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is a biologically active molecule generated by the gut microbiota. Accumulating evidences have indicated a close association between high plasma TMAO levels and the risk of developing atherosclerosis (AS). AS is considered a chronic inflammatory disease initiated by vascular endothelial inflammatory injury. Both observational and experimental studies suggest that TMAO can cause endothelial inflammatory injury. However, a clear mechanistic link between TMAO and vascular inflammation of AS is not yet summarized. In this review, we discuss the association between TMAO and AS and focus on the potential role of TMAO in endothelial inflammatory injury. Finally, the utility of TMAO-targeted therapeutic strategies for the treatment of AS is also analyzed.
Methylated Flavonols from Amomum koenigii J.F.Gmel. and Their Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities

Methylated flavonols form a special group with modulating biological activities in comparison with kaempferol and quercetin. The present study isolated ten compounds including two kaempferol methyl ethers: 5-hydroxy-3,7,4′-trimethoxyflavone (1), 3-hydroxy-5,7,4′-trimethoxyflavone (6); four quercetin methyl ethers: retusin (5-hydroxy-3,7,3′,4′-tetramethoxyflavone) (4), 3,5-dihydroxy-7,3′,4′-trimethoxyflavone (5), 3,4′-dihydroxy-5,7,3′-trimethoxyflavone (7), and 3,5,7,3′,4′-pentamethoxyflavone (9); β-sitosterol (2); 5-hydroxy-1-(4′-hydroxyphenyl)eicosan-3-one (3); p-hydroquinone (8); and vanillic acid (10) from the rhizomes and fruit of Amomum koenigii J.F. Gmel. (Zingiberaceae). Their structures were determined by MS, NMR, and X-ray spectroscopic techniques. Among the methylated flavonols, 1, 4–7, and 9 were isolated for the first time from the rhizomes, while 1, 4, and 5 were isolated from the fruit. Compounds 2, 3, 7, 8, and 10 were reported for the first time from the species. Three main methylated flavonols 1, 4, and 5 were quantitatively analyzed in the rhizomes of A. koenigii by RP-HPLC-DAD; their contents were determined to be 1.81% (1), 1.38% (4), and 1.76% (5). The antimicrobial assay against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum, Candida albicans, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae and antioxidant DPPH scavenging test were performed for the isolated methylated flavonols.
Procedural Treatments for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Review of Current Injectable Therapies

Knee osteoarthritis is a common painful degenerative condition affecting the aging Canadian population. In addition to pain and disability, osteoarthritis is associated with depression, comorbid conditions such as diabetes, and increased caregiver burden. It is predicted to cost the Canadian healthcare system $7.6 billion dollars by 2031. Despite its high cost and prevalence, controversy persists in the medical community regarding optimal therapies to treat knee osteoarthritis. A variety of medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories and opioids can cause severe side effects with limited benefits. Total knee arthroplasty, although a definitive management, comes with risk such as postoperative infections, revisions, and chronic pain. Newer injectable therapies are gaining attention as alternatives to medications because of a safer side effect profile and are much less invasive than a joint replacement. Platelet-rich plasma is beginning to replace the more common injectable therapies of intra-articular corticosteroids and hyaluronic acid, but larger trials are needed to confirm this effect. Small studies have examined prolotherapy and stem cell therapy and demonstrate some benefits. Trials involving genicular nerve block procedures have been successful. As treatments evolve, injectable therapies may offer a safe and effective pathway for patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis.
Resveratrol Mitigates Sevoflurane-Induced Neurotoxicity by the SIRT1-Dependent Regulation of BDNF Expression in Developing Mice

Various lines of evidence suggest that neonatal exposure to general anesthetics, especially repeatedly, results in neuropathological brain changes and long-term cognitive impairment. Although progress has been made in experimental models, the exact mechanism of GA-induced neurotoxicity in the developing brain remains to be clarified. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) plays an important role in synaptic plasticity and cognitive performance, and its abnormal reduction is associated with cognitive dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases. However, the role of SIRT1 in GA-induced neurotoxicity is unclear to date. In this study, we found that the protein level of SIRT1 was inhibited in the hippocampi of developing mice exposed to sevoflurane. Furthermore, the SIRT1 inhibition in hippocampi was associated with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) downregulation modulated by methyl-cytosine-phosphate-guanine–binding protein 2 (MeCP2) and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB). Pretreatment of neonatal mice with resveratrol nearly reversed the reduction in hippocampal SIRT1 expression, which increased the expression of BDNF in developing mice exposed to sevoflurane. Moreover, changes in the levels of CREB and MeCP2, which were considered to interact with BDNF promoter IV, were also rescued by resveratrol. Furthermore, resveratrol improved the cognitive performance in the Morris water maze test of the adult mice with exposure to sevoflurane in the neonatal stage, without changing motor function in the open field test. Taken together, our findings suggested that SIRT1 deficiency regulated BDNF signaling via regulation of the epigenetic activity of MeCP2 and CREB, and resveratrol might be a promising agent for mitigating sevoflurane-induced neurotoxicity in developing mice.
Genetically Modified Organism and their Biohazards

In modern era, advancement in biological sciences is occurring at exponential rate. The purpose of these advancements is to combat the problems of food shortage in the world. So Scientists are producing new varieties of crops by modifying their genetic makeup. The aim behind the alteration of genetic makeup of crops is to improve the crop yield by changing the various characters of crops which have direct association with crop yield. Such crops are called genetically modified organisms (GMOs) like “Bt-maize”. GMOs came into existence by using biotechnology techniques. In present days, they can fulfill the deficiency of food in the third world countries. But some ethical, social, health and environmental issues arise by introducing the GMOs. These concerns will be discussed in this review and it will also cover the history and introduction of GMOs. [Hassan Z, Hussain G, Ai Q, Tayyab M, Ali Q and Nasir IA. Genetically Modified Organism and their Biohazards. Stem Cell 2016;7(3):9-12]. ISSN: 1945-4570 (print); ISSN: 1945-4732 (online). http://www.sciencepub. net/stem. 2. doi:10.7537/marsscj070316.02.
GRADE: Machine Learning Support for Graduate Admissions

This paper describes GRADE, a statistical machine learning system developed to support the work of the graduate admissions committee at the University of Texas at Austin Department of Computer Science (UTCS). In recent years, the number of applications to the UTCS PhD program has become too large to manage with a traditional review process. GRADE uses historical admissions data to predict how likely the committee is to admit each new applicant. It reports each prediction as a score similar to those used by human reviewers, and accompanies each by an explanation of what applicant features most influenced its prediction. GRADE makes the review process more efficient by enabling reviewers to spend most of their time on applicants near the decision boundary and by focusing their attention on parts of each applicant’s file that matter the most. An evaluation over two seasons of PhD admissions indicates that the system leads to dramatic time savings, reducing the total time spent on reviews by at least 74%.
Links

Partner: Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland [4] FWU Institut für Film und Bild in Wissenschaft und Unterricht [5] Matthias-Film [6] Fachstelle Filme für Eine Welt, Bern [7] Baobab Entwicklungspolitische Bildungsund Schulstelle, Wien [8] Filmtage Globale Perspektiven [9] / Fernsehworkshop Entwicklungspolitik Evangelisches Medienhaus Stuttgart [10] Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung [11] Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) [12] Kulturbeauftragte der Evangelischen Kirche in Deutschland (EKD) [13] Evangelischer Bildungsserver [14] Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) [15] Aktion Mensch e.V. [16]
Effects of HDAC6 siRNA on Proliferation and Apoptosis of HeLa Cells

Cervical cancer is generally the third most common type of tumor in women, with approximately 371,200 new cases worldwide are diagnosed annually. Considering its 51% mortality rate, cervical cancer has become a public health concern (Parkin et al., 1999). However, current cervical cancer treatment methods, which are mainly based on radiotherapy, platinum-based chemotherapy, and surgery, have very limited effects (Pecorelli et al., 2005). Therefore, finding new diagnostic molecular markers and cancer therapeutic targets has become the new goal and direction for improving cancer outcomes. Histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) belongs to the type II HDAC family. Among the 18 members of the HDAC family, HDAC6 has a unique structure with its two tandem deacetylation domains and one zinc finger motif required for its biological functions (Verdel et al., 2000; Zhang et al., 2006). In addition to the unique extraterritorial catalytic structure, HDAC6 contains two nuclear export signals, one in the nuclear signal and the other in a 14-peptide repeat domain, which are closely related to HDAC6 cytoplasmic localization; therefore, HDAC6 is mainly localized in
JCB_201407095 1..12

Correspondence to Gary J. Brouhard: gary.brouhard@mcgill.ca; or Luke M. Rice: luke.rice@utsouthwestern.edu Abbreviations used in this paper: DARPin, designed ankyrin repeat protein; DCX, doublecortin; GMPCPP, guanylyl 5-,-methylenediphosphonate; MAP, microtubule-associated protein. Microtubules are polar polymers formed from -tubulin heterodimers. These tubulin subunits associate head-to-tail to form protofilaments, and typically 13 protofilaments are associated side-by-side to form the hollow cylindrical microtubule. Most microtubules emanate from microtubule organizing centers, in which their minus ends are embedded. GTP-tubulin associates with the fast-growing plus ends as the microtubules radiate to explore the cell interior (see Box). Unlike actin filaments, which grow steadily, microtubules frequently switch between phases of growth and shrinkage. This hallmark property of microtubules, known as “dynamic instability” (Mitchison and Kirschner, 1984), allows the microtubule cytoskeleton to be remodeled rapidly over the course of the cell cycle. “Catastrophes” are GTPase-dependent transitions from growing to shrinking, whereas “rescues” are transitions from shrinking to growing. Numerous microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) regulate microtubule polymerization dynamics. Discovering how cells regulate and harness dynamic instability is a fundamental challenge in cell biology. A recent accumulation of structural, biochemical, and in vitro reconstitution data has advanced the understanding of dynamic instability and the MAPs that control it. Fresh structural data have provided insight into the process of microtubule assembly and defined how some MAPs recognize -tubulin in and out of the microtubule. In vitro reconstitution experiments are reshaping the understanding of catastrophe and also providing quantitative insight into the mechanism of MAPs. Here, we review this progress, paying special attention to the emerging theme of interactions that are selective for different conformations of -tubulin, both inside and outside the microtubule lattice. We argue for the central importance of recognizing these distinct conformations in the control of microtubule dynamics by MAPs and hence in the construction of a functional microtubule cytoskeleton by cells.
Transcriptomic analysis to elucidate the response of honeybees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) to amitraz treatment

Amitraz is an acaricide that is widely used in apiculture. Several studies have reported that in honeybees (Apis mellifera Linnaeus; Hymenoptera: Apidae), amitraz affects learning, memory, behavior, immunity, and various other physiological processes. Despite this, few studies have explored the molecular mechanisms underlying the action of amitraz on honeybees. Here, we investigated the transcriptome of honeybees after exposure to 9.4 mg/L amitraz for 10 d, a subchronic dose. Overall, 279 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified (237 upregulated, 42 downregulated). Several, including Pla2, LOC725381, LOC413324, LOC724386, LOC100577456, LOC551785, and P4504c3, were validated by quantitative PCR. According to gene ontology, DEGs were mainly involved in metabolism, biosynthesis, and translation. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses revealed that amitraz treatment affected the relaxin signaling pathway, platelet activation, and protein digestion and absorption.
Modulation of Maillard reaction and protein aggregation in bovine meat following exposure to microwave heating and possible impact on digestive processes: An FTIR spectroscopy study

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to highlight the existence of a correlation between Maillard reaction and protein aggregation in bovine meat as a function of power level and exposure time used by microwave heating. The obtained results are compared with those of convective heating. For this, Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy was used to analyze the effects of microwave heating on different samples of bovine meat cooked in microwave ovens at three power levels of 700, 900 and 1100 W, and in conventional electric oven at the temperature of 170°C. An increase in intensity of methylene vibration bands after microwave cooking at 700 W for 3 min was more than that which occurred after microwave cooking at 900 and 1100 W for 2 min, showing that Maillard reaction depends on exposure time to microwaves. Also, the β-sheet contents at 1695 and 1635 cm−1 in meat samples heated for 2 min by microwave oven increased with increase in power level from 700 to 1100 W, showing that protein aggregation is strictly related to the power level of microwave heating. This result showed that an extended exposure time to microwave heating can significantly alter gastrointestinal digestive processes.