Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Aotimicrobial Potential of the Marine Sponge Sigmadocia pumila from the South Eastern Region of India

The crude methanolic extracts of the sponge Sigmadocia pumila collected from kanyakumari region were tested for antibacterial activity using the agar well diffusion method. The extracts were tested against Gram positive and Gram negative organisms. The antifiingal activity was examined using Sigmadocia pumila against various fungal strains such Trichoderma viride, Fuzarium spp, Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, Penicillium chrysogenum and Aspergillus flavis. Hence it is assumed that the sponge exhibited high antimicrobial activity. KeyyiorAs: Sigmadocia pumila • Antibacterial • Antifungal
Multiple Kernel Feature Line Embedding for Hyperspectral Image Classification

In this study, a novel multple kernel FLE (MKFLE) based on general nearest feature line embedding (FLE) transformation is proposed and applied to classify hyperspectral image (HSI) in which the advantage of multple kernel learning is considered. The FLE has successfully shown its discriminative capability in many applications. However, since the conventional linear-based principle component analysis (PCA) pre-processing method in FLE cannot effectively extract the nonlinear information, the multiple kernel PCA (MKPCA) based on the proposed multple kernel method was proposed to alleviate this problem. The proposed MKFLE dimension reduction framework was performed through two stages. In the first multple kernel PCA (MKPCA) stage, the multple kernel learning method based on between-class distance and support vector machine (SVM) was used to find the kernel weights. Based on these weights, a new weighted kernel function was constructed in a linear combination of some valid kernels. In the second FLE stage, the FLE method, which can preserve the nonlinear manifold structure, was applied for supervised dimension reduction using the kernel obtained in the first stage. The effectiveness of the proposed MKFLE algorithm was measured by comparing with various previous state-of-the-art works on three benchmark data sets. According to the experimental results: the performance of the proposed MKFLE is better than the other methods, and got the accuracy of 83.58%, 91.61%, and 97.68% in Indian Pines, Pavia University, and Pavia City datasets, respectively.
Hedge Funds in M&A Deals: Is there Exploitation of Insider Information?

This paper investigates trading patterns in target and acquirer firms prior to the public announcement of M&A deals. We analyze this issue by differentiating whether the trading is conducted by hedge funds with short-term investment horizons (henceforth, short-term hedge funds) or other institutional investors in both the equity and derivatives markets. We consider several alternative explanations for short-term hedge fund trading patterns prior to the public announcement of M&A deals, such as those related to a hedge fund’s skill in identifying profitable trades’ ex-ante; however our results seem inconsistent with these alternative explanations.
Étude de l’effet de l’antithrombine-III (AT-III) sur les modifications de l’épithélium intestinal liées à l’ictère obstructif : étude expérimentale chez le rat Effect of antithrombin-III (AT-III) on morphological changes in small intestine in experimental obstructive jaundice model

Purpose. – Bacterial translocation leading to sepsis is increased by obstructive jaundice(OJ). Antithrombin III (ATIII) mediates the promotion of prostaglandin release, an inhibitor of leucocyte activation and downregulator of many proinflammatory cytokines. We investigated the effect of ATIII on histopatology and villus morphology of small intestine. Material and methods. – We designed an experimental study with 40 rats who were divided into four groups. The first one (control, n = 10) received saline, the second (n = 10) included normal rats who received ATIII, the third group (n = 10) was rats with OJ (ligation of common bile duct), and the fourth group included OJ rats receiving AT-III. AT-III (100 UI/kg intraperitoneally) was started at the third day following bile duct ligation and repeated for 5 days. At the 8 day, rats were scarified and ileum was analysed. Histopathological assessments were performed, using a grading scheme ranging from 0 to 10 (Chui et al). Results. – Median histological score was found to be 2 in group 1, 1.71 in group 2, 5.43 in group 3 and 2.71 in group 4. The difference between group 3 and 4 was statistically significant. Mucosal thicknesses and villus lengths were found significantly lower in OJ group. Mucosal thicknesses and villus lengths were significantly preserved in jaundiced + AT-III group. * Auteur correspondant. Adresse e-mail : scatton@wanadoo.fr (O. Scatton). Annales de chirurgie 129 (2004) 273–277 www.elsevier. com/locate/annchi © 2004 Elsevier SAS. Tous droits réservés. doi:10.1016/j.anchir. 2004.01. 008 © 2019 Elsevier Masson SAS. Tous droits réservés. Document téléchargé le 14/12/2019 Il est interdit et illégal de diffuser ce document. Conclusion. – ATIII demonstrated a salutary effect on the histopathological changes caused by the OJ and prevented the adverse effects on histopathological and morphological parameters in ileal mucosa. © 2004 Elsevier SAS. Tous droits réservés.
Equity, Health, and Sustainability with PROVE: The Evaluation of a Portuguese Program for a Short Distance Supply Chain of Fruits and Vegetables

PROVE is a Portuguese program that empowers small-scale farmers organized into local networks to directly commercialize baskets of locally produced fruits and vegetables to consumers. This study applied a post-test-only non-equivalent group design to evaluate the resulting influence on the social empowerment of farmers and on consumer diets. The method included conducting a survey of PROVE farmers (n = 36) and a survey of PROVE consumers (n = 294) that were compared against matched samples of Portuguese respondents of international surveys (European Social Survey, n = 36 and the INHERIT Five-Country Survey, n = 571, respectively). PROVE farmers reported higher scores for perceived influence on the work environment than the national sample. PROVE consumers were more likely to eat five or more portions of fruits and vegetables a day in comparison to the matched sample of Portuguese citizens (average odds ratio: 3.05, p < 0.05). Being a PROVE consumer also generated an impact on the likelihood of consuming no more than two portions of red meat a week (average odds ratio: 1.56, p < 0.05). The evaluation study suggests that the promotion of short supply chains of fruits and vegetables can make a positive contribution to a healthier, more sustainable, and fairer future in food consumption.
Real-Time PCR Detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae and
 Legionella pneumophila in Respiratory Specimens Using the ARIES® System

Background: Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mpn), Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn), and Legionella pneumophila (Lpn) can cause both epidemic and endemic occurrences of acute respiratory disease and are responsible for up to 22% of cases of community acquired pneumonia. Due to the limited availability of FDA-approved molecular diagnostic assays, we developed and evaluated a multiplexed Real-time PCR assay for the detection of these agents in two respiratory specimen types on the Luminex ARIES ® instrument. The instrument provides for nucleic acid extraction plus PCR amplification and target detection in the same cassette. The ARIES ® instrument generates a cycle threshold value and a confirmatory melt curve value for each reaction, including results for an internal sample processing control. The limit of detection for Mpn, Cpn and Lpn, was 100 CFU/ mL, 1000 CFU/mL and 100 CFU/mL, respectively. In addition, accuracy, precision, specificity and stability studies were conducted to validate the assay for diagnostic use. Between November 2016 and June 2017, a total of 836 patient specimens were processed in our reference laboratory, with six positive Mpn and two positive Lpn. No specimens were positive for Cpn during this time period. The availability of a robust multiplex PCR assay greatly enhances the ability to rapidly diagnose infections caused by these three agents causing atypical pneumonia.
A7.06 Low-dose IL-2 therapy in refractory sle: Insights from a phase I/IIA clinical trial

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is crucial for the growth and survival of regulatory T cells (Treg), and thus for the control of autoimmunity. In previous studies we have proven the significance of an acquired IL-2 deficiency and related Treg defects in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Accordingly, we showed that compensation of IL-2 deficiency by IL-2 therapy corrects associated Treg defects and ameliorates already established disease in lupus-prone mice.1 Proceeding to a clinical translation of IL-2 therapy for SLE, we recently reported a rapid and robust reduction of disease activity in parallel to a remarkable expansion of the Treg population by low-dose IL-2 therapy in one patient with refractory SLE.2 In addition, we showed that Treg defects in SLE patients are associated with IL-2 deficiency, and can be selectively corrected in vitro and in vivo with low doses of IL-2.3 Together, these studies provided the rationales for the clinical implementation an IL-2-based immunotherapy for the treatment of SLE with the aim to restore Treg activity and thus to re-establish endogenous mechanisms of immune tolerance. Here, we present results from the ongoing phase I/IIa clinical trial (PRO-IMMUN) addressing the safety, tolerability, immunological responses and clinical efficacy of a subcutaneous low-dose IL-2 therapy in patients with refractory SLE. References Humrich JY, et al. Homeostatic imbalance of regulatory and effector T cells due to IL-2 deprivation amplifies murine lupus. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2007;107(1):204–209 Humrich JY, et al. Rapid induction of clinical remission by low-dose interleukin-2 in a patient with refractory SLE. Ann Rheum Dis. 2015. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2014-206506 von Spee-Mayer C, et al. Low-dose interleukin-2 selectively corrects regulatory T cell defects in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Ann Rheum Dis. Aug 31 2015. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2015-207776. [Epub ahead of print]
High-Spatial-Resolution Population Exposure to PM2.5 Pollution Based on Multi-Satellite Retrievals: A Case Study of Seasonal Variation in the Yangtze River Delta, China in 2013

To assess the health risk of PM2.5, it is necessary to accurately estimate the actual exposure level of the population to PM2.5. However, the spatial distribution of PM2.5 may be inconsistent with that of the population, making it necessary for a high-spatial-resolution and refined assessment of the population exposure to air pollution. This study takes the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) Region as an example since it has a high-density population and a high pollution level. The brightness reflectance of night-time light, and MODIS-based (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) vegetation index, elevation, and slope information are used as independent variables to construct a random-forest (RF) model for the estimation of the population spatial distribution, before any combination with the PM2.5 data retrieved from MODIS. This enables assessment of the population exposure to PM2.5 (i.e., intensity of population exposure to PM2.5 and population-weighted PM2.5 concentration) at a 3-km resolution, using the year 2013 as an example. Results show that the variance explained for the RF-model-estimated population density reaches over 80%, while the estimated errors in half of counties are < 20%, indicating the high accuracy of the estimated population. The spatial distribution of population exposure to PM2.5 exhibits an obvious urban–suburban–rural difference consistent with the population distribution but inconsistent with the PM2.5 concentration. High and low PM2.5 concentrations are mainly distributed in the northern and southern YRD Region, respectively, with the mean proportions of the population exposed to PM2.5 concentrations > 35μg/m3 close to 100% in all four seasons. A high-level population exposure to PM2.5 is mainly found in Shanghai, most of the Jiangsu Province, the central Anhui Province, and some coastal cities of the Zhejiang Province. The highest risk of population exposure to PM2.5 occurs in winter, followed by spring and autumn, and the lowest in summer, consistent with the PM2.5 seasonal variation. Seasonal-averaged population-weighted PM2.5 concentrations are different from PM2.5 concentrations in the region, which are closely related to the urban-exposed population density and pollution levels. This work provides a novel assessment of the proposed population-density exposure to PM2.5 by using multi-satellite retrievals to determine the high-spatial-resolution risk of air pollution and detailed regional differences in the population exposure to PM2.5.
Energy-related carbon emission from electricity sector: past trends and futures for Madagascar

To meet the increase in energy demand, many developing countries, such as Madagascar, have turned to fossil fuels for electricity generation. This dependence has a significant environmental impact. Moreover, in Madagascar, the current electricity mix does not allow for stable and serene economic development. Thus, in order to discuss an energy planning strategy of the territory, this paper intends to analyze the past trends of CO2 emissions from electricity generation in Madagascar over the 1990-2015 period. In this study, the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) method is used to first quantify the driving forces of changes by examining past trends. Then, the combination of the LMDI with Kaya's identity through the concept of IPAT, allows us to link CO2 emissions to anthropogenic activity. This makes it possible to define Madagascar’s future energy needs and the distribution of associated consumption by 2030. Starting from the classic business-as-usual trend scenario, two other scenarios have been implemented. The two cases selected come from Madagascar's new energy planning visions (NPE and IEM). The impact of political instability is discussed from the perspective of energy consumption and the economy.
Characterisation of the Microbial Community in Indoor Environments: a Chemical- Analytical Approach Sebastian, Aleksandra

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FUZZY TIME SERIES FORECASTING MODEL USING COMBINED MODELS

Since nineteenth century, many researchers proposed various methods for forecasting enrollments, temperature prediction, stock price etc. In this paper a new model is introduced to forecast the fuzzy time series. By using Markov chain model the adjusted forecasted values are obtained and with aggregated fuzzy relationship the forecasted values are obtained. Using these two values,the proposed method is used to improve the accuracy. By giving example, forecasting the fuzzy time series are explained. The University of Alabama is used for illustration. Finally error analysis is made and error percentage is calculated and compared with existing methods. The proposed model confirms the potential benifits of the proposed approach with very small AFER.
Role of Melatonin to Enhance Phytoremediation Capacity

Phytoremediation is a green technology that aims to take up pollutants from soil or water. Metals are one of the targets of these techniques due to their high toxicity in biological systems, including plants and animals. Their elimination or, at least, decrease will help keep them from being incorporated in the trophic chain and thus reaching animal and human food. The metal removal efficiency of plants is closely related to their growth rate, tolerance, and their adaptability to different environments. Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a ubiquitous molecule present in animals, plants, fungi, and bacteria. In plants, it plays an important role related to antioxidant activity, but also as an important redox network regulator. Thus, melatonin has been defined as a biostimulator of plant growth, especially under environmental stress conditions, whether abiotic (water deficit and waterlogging, extreme temperature, UV radiation, salinity, alkalinity, specific mineral deficit/excess, metals and other toxic compounds, etc.) or biotic (bacteria, fungi, and viruses). Exogenous melatonin treated plants have been seen to have a high tolerance to stressors, minimizing possible harmful effects through the control of reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and activating antioxidative responses. Furthermore, important gene expression changes in stress specific transcription factors have been demonstrated. Melatonin is capable of mobilizing toxic metals, through phytochelatins, transporting this, while sequestration adds to the biostimulator effect of melatonin on plants, improving plant tolerance against toxic pollutants. Furthermore, melatonin improves the uptake of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S) in stress situations, enhancing cell metabolism. In light of the above, the application of melatonin seems to be a useful option for clearing toxic pollutants from the environment by improving phytoremediation. Interestingly, a variety of stressors induce melatonin biosynthesis in plants, and the study of this endogenous response in hyperaccumulator plants may be even more interesting as a natural response of the phytoremediation of diverse plants.
PsiDB: A Framework for Batched Query Processing and Optimization

While work in Techniques based on sharing data and computation among queries developed algorithms and systems that are shown to be effective, there is a lack of logical foundation for query processing and optimization. In this paper, we present PsiDB, a system model for processing a large number of database queries in a batch. The key idea is to generate a single query expression that returns a global relation containing all the data needed for individual queries. For that, we propose the use of a type of relational operators called $\psi -$operators in combining the individual queries into the global expression. We tackle the algebraic optimization problem in PsiDB by developing equivalence rules to transform concurrent queries with the purpose of revealing query optimization opportunities. Experiments conducted on an early prototype of PsiDB show a major performance improvement over a mainstream commercial DBMS.
PWE-280 Ferroportin disease—an important cause of iron overload

Introduction Ferroportin disease is a recently characterised cause of iron overload. Unlike hereditary haemochromatosis it involves genetic mutations of SLC40A1 gene, and has autosomal dominant transmission. We describe here 3 siblings with typical features. Methods All cases had evaluation of liver function, serum iron markers and relevant molecular genotyping. One case (male) had liver MRI scan and two cases (female) had liver biopsy. Results Median age was 41. None of them had other risk factors for liver disease. All had normal liver biochemistry, with elevated ferritin levels >1500 μg/l and transferrin saturations consistently below 40%. Liver MRI scan suggested iron deposition. Liver biopsies showed normal architecture with iron deposition mainly restricted to Kuppfer cells with no hepatocellular damage. Molecular genotyping identified SLC40A1 gene mutation in all cases. The male underwent four venesections which were poorly tolerated and have been suspended, while the females accepted an expectant approach. Conclusion These cases illustrate features of classical ferroportin disease, with hyperferritinemia, normal transferrin saturation and Kuppfer cells iron loading with no evidence of hepatocyte injury. The natural history of this phenotype is unclear thus require long term follow-up. However, other mutations with a greater likelihood of causing liver injury have been described. Competing interests None declared. Reference 1. Mayr R, Janecke AR, Schranz M, et al. Ferroportindisease: A systematic meta-analysis of clinical and molecular findings. J Hepatol 2010;53:941–9.
Effect of a Foot Insole on Standing Balance

[Purpose] The object of this study was to investigate the effects of an arch support insole on the toe flexor muscle function during standing? [Subjects] The subjects were 22 healthy male students. [Methods] The standing on one leg test was performed by all subjects with and without weight-bearing arch support insoles, and the standing time, movement trace of the vertical component of the center of gravity of the body, and the pinch power of the big and second toes were measured. [Results] The pinch power corresponding to toe flexor muscle strength and the standing time due to instability of the body significantly decreased when using the the insole. Furthermore, a tendency for increased movement of the vertical component of the center of gravity was also seen when using the insole, compared to without it. [Conclusion] The results suggest the possibility that an arch support insole might increase the risk of falling, since the arch function depends on the toe flexor muscle strength.
Fixation of Midfoot and Forefoot Fractures

This chapter focuses on preferred treatment of forefoot and midfoot fractures. When a nondisplaced forefoot or midfoot fracture is healed, the bone or bones should permit stress transfer and maintain biomechanical activities such as standing or walking. Conversely, displaced fractures may require surgical intervention to maintain the form and function of the foot. The risks of intervention (wound complications, infection, and hardware pain) must be weighed against the benefits (preserved range of motion, preservation of weightbearing, and comfortable shoewear) in each situation based on the patient’s age, demands, medical conditions, and long-term goals. In general, whether nonoperative intervention or surgery is recommended, there is minimal weightbearing on part or all of the foot for 6 weeks followed by protected weightbearing until 12 weeks. Healing at 3 months is about 75% completed and at 6 months 90% completed with progressively decreased symptoms.