Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Aktivitas dan karakter senyawa inhibitor ACE Streptomyces sp. AEP-1 endofit tanaman pegagan (Centella Asiatica)

ANNA MARIAM FADHILAH. ACE Inhibitor Activities and Characterities of Endophytic Streptomyces sp. AEP-1 from Pegagan (Centella asiatica). Under direction of YULIN LESTARI and SRI BUDIARTI. Centella asiatica has long been used to control hypertension. Endophytic Streptomyces sp. AEP-1 from Centella asiatica has been proven to have Angiotensin Converting Enzyme inhibitor activity, which is one of mechanism to control hypertension. This study aimed to assess the ability of Streptomyces sp. AEP-1 to produce ACE inhibitor and characterize the ACE inhibitor compound. The AEP-1 was grown on YMA, WA, YSA, and OM media and incubated at room temperature for 28 days. To find the optimum ACE inhibitor activity over the growth period, the AEP-1 was cultured on YMB medium and harvested at day 5, 10, 15, and 20 for the crude extract and biomass. Crude extract contained ACE inhibitor compound was assessed for its in vitro activity based on ACE inhibitor assay using hypuryl-hystidyl-leucin as substrate. Protein in the crude extract was precipitated using 80% acetone and then fractionationated using gel filtration chromatography. Its molecular weight was measured using SDS-PAGE. The results showed that AEP-1 grew well on YMA medium within 14 days incubation. ACE inhibitor activity was optimally obtained at day-10 with 86,8% activity and become 127,7% after precipitation using acetone. From the protein fractionation, there were 9 fractions obtained which have various absorption peaks. The no. 74 fraction produced the highest ACE inhibitor activity of 86,6%. SDS-PAGE of the fractions showed a protein molecular weight of 30,42 kDa and 58,76 kDa with 39,04% and 53,07% activity. Based on the activity of ACE inhibitors on the two protein bands were suspected acting as an ACE inhibitor is a protein complex.
Genetic characterization of field populations of Culex pipiens Linnaeus, 1758 (Diptera: Culicidae) sampled from the Aegean region of Turkey

Mosquitoes are one of the organisms subjected to frequent insecticide application due to their status as vectors that carry a wide range of life-threatening diseases. Turkey has climatic and other ecological features required for the breeding and living of 50 species from 8 genera. The members of the Culex pipiens complex are the dominant mosquitoes among them. In order to design more sustainable insecticide resistance management strategies, it is important to investigate the genetic structure of mosquito populations using molecular techniques. The aim of this study was the genetic characterization of field populations of C. pipiens sampled from 25 different sublocations belonging to 6 provinces in the Aegean region of Turkey by using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. Eighty 10-mer RAPD primers were screened on a subset of DNAs. Among them, 20 reproducible and clear band-producing polymorphic primers were selected and applied to all study material. A low level of genetic differentiation and a high level of gene flow were detected between the populations.
Integrated STEM-based module: Relationship between students’ creative thinking and science achievement

STEM-based learning innovations have been massively developed especially related to 21 st Century skills. This study was done to explore a relationship between creative thinking and science achievement through the implementation of integrated STEM-based module on Reproduction topic. A quasi-experimental study involved pretest-posttest non-equivalent group design with sample of 60 eighth graders from a boarding school in Baling, Kedah, Malaysia. The samples was divided into two groups - 30 students of treatment group and 30 students of control group. The data were collected from pre-post-Reproduction Test Questions (RTQ) scores and pre-post-Creative Thinking Test Questions (CTTQ) scores. Pearson Correlation and one-way ANOVA at a significance level p < . 05 were performed in analysing data. Findings reveal no statistically significant relationship between creative thinking and science achievement for both treatment group (r = .220, p = .243) and control group (r = .308, p = .098). Besides, there is a statistically significant and moderate and positive relationship between creative thinking indicator of fluency and science achievement (r = .463, p = .010) of the treatment group. In conclusion, general finding is an evidence that between creative thinking and science achievement shows a consistency in whatever teaching strategy implemented. In which, educators need to realize that academic achievement does not necessarily be a necessity in shaping one’s creativity. Therefore, further study is needed to investigate the relationship between these variables in the execution of STEM teaching and learning so that the findings can be generalized to a larger population.
Overview of the Molecular Steps in Steroidogenesis of the GABAergic Neurosteroids Allopregnanolone and Pregnanolone

Allopregnanolone and pregnanolone—neurosteroids synthesized from progesterone in the brain, adrenal gland, ovary and testis—have been implicated in a range of neuropsychiatric conditions including seizure disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, post-partum depression, pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder, chronic pain, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, neurotrauma, and stroke. Allopregnanolone and pregnanolone equipotently facilitate the effects of gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) at GABAA receptors, and when sulfated, antagonize N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. They play myriad roles in neurophysiological homeostasis and adaptation to stress while exerting anxiolytic, antidepressant, anti-nociceptive, anticonvulsant, anti-inflammatory, sleep promoting, memory stabilizing, neuroprotective, pro-myelinating, and neurogenic effects. Given that these neurosteroids are synthesized de novo on demand, this review details the molecular steps involved in the biochemical conversion of cholesterol to allopregnanolone and pregnanolone within steroidogenic cells. Although much is known about the early steps in neurosteroidogenesis, less is known about transcriptional, translational, and post-translational processes in allopregnanolone- and pregnanolone-specific synthesis. Further research to elucidate these mechanisms as well as to optimize the timing and dose of interventions aimed at altering the synthesis or levels of these neurosteroids is much needed. This should include the development of novel therapeutics for the many neuropsychiatric conditions to which dysregulation of these neurosteroids contributes.
Revisiting the Proximity Principle with Stakeholder Input: Investigating Property Values and Distance to Urban Green Space in Potchefstroom

Nature is essential to urban quality of life, yet green spaces are under pressure. In an attempt to strengthen the case for urban greening and to reclaim nature into cities, this research considered green spaces from an economic spatial perspective. The proximity principle, as part of hedonic price analysis, is employed to determine the impact of green spaces on property value in specifically selected residential areas within Potchefstroom, South Africa. Our statistical analysis indicated a rejection of the proximity principle in some areas, contradicting internationally accepted theory. To investigate local trends and possible reasons for the rejection, supporting quantitative data was gathered through structured questionnaires disseminated to local residents of Potchefstroom and Professional Planners in South Africa. Challenges pertaining to the planning of green spaces were emphasised, despite residents’ willingness to pay more for such green spaces in close proximity to residential areas, according to the cross-tabulations conducted. The research results contributed to the discourse on the economic benefits of green spaces and presented the trends of such benefits within the local context of Potchefstroom. The results emphasised the need to rethink the planning of green spaces within the local context, and provided recommendations on how to reclaim nature into cities from a spatial planning perspective.
Physical properties of bulk, defective, 2D and 0D metal halide perovskite semiconductors from a symmetry perspective

Metal halide perovskite-based nanostructures, nanosheets and nanoparticles at the forefront, show attractive optoelectronic properties, suitable for photovoltaics and light emission applications. Achieving a sounded understanding of these basic electronic and optical properties represents therefore a crucial step for the full technological exploitation of this class of semiconductors. The rapidly expanding chemical engineering and their unusual structural diversity is fascinating but also challenging for a rational description on par with those well-known for conventional semiconductors. In this sense, group theory-based symmetry analyses offer a general and rigorous approach to understand the properties of various bulk perovskites and perovskite-based nanostructures. In this work, we review the electronic and optical response of metal halide perovskite semiconductors using symmetry analysis from group theory, recalling the main results for the prototypical cubic Pm-3m lattice of AMX3 bulk perovskites (where A is cation, M metal and X halide), then extending the analysis to three cases of technological interest: AMX3 nanoparticles, A4MX6 isolated octahedra, A2MX4 layered systems, and recently introduced deficient halide perovskites (d-HP). On the basis of symmetry arguments, we will stress analogies and differences in the electronic and optical properties of these materials, as induced by the spatial confinement and dimensionality. Meanwhile, we will take advantage of this analysis to discuss recent results and debates from the literature, as the energetics of dark/bright states in the band-edge exciton fine structure of perovskite nanoparticles and nanosheets. From the present work, we also anticipate that the band-edge exciton fine structure of d-HP does not present optically dark states, in striking contrast to AMX3 nanoparticles and layered perovskites, a fact that can have important consequences on the photophysics of these novel perovskitoids.
Shannon’s entropy of partitions determined by hierarchical clustering trees in asymmetry and dimension identification

Abstract In the multivariate statistics community, it is commonly acknowledged that among the hierarchical clustering tree (HCT) procedures, the single linkage rule for inter-cluster distance, tends to produce trees which are significantly more asymmetric than those obtained using other rules such as complete linkage, for instance. We consider the use of Shannon’s entropy of the partitions determined by HCTs as a measure of the asymmetry of the clustering trees. On a different direction, our simulations show an unexpected relationship between Shannon’s entropy of partitions and dimension of the data. Based on this observation a procedure for intrinsic dimension identification based on entropy of partitions is proposed and studied. A theoretical result is established for the dimension identification method stating that, locally, for continuous data on a d-dimensional manifold, the entropy of partitions behaves as if the local data were uniformly sampled from the unit ball of Evaluation on simulated examples shows that the method proposed compares favorably with other procedures for dimension identification available in the literature.
Molecular screening for Ty-1, Ty-2, Ty-3, Ty-4 and Ty-5 genes in two tomato breeding lines

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) is a major tomato virus disease in tropical and subtropical regions. Ty-1, Ty-2, Ty-3, Ty-4 and Ty-5 are genes conditioning resistance to TYLCV disease in tomato. Molecular screening for these genes in two tomato breeding lines resistant to TYLCV disease (Multichiltylc-95-J0-C2 and Pimpertylc-J-13) was done using five sequence tagged site (STS) markers included (TG178/Taq1), (T0302), (FLUW25), (P3-81/Mas1) and (SINAC1/Taq1) which linked to Ty-1, Ty-2, Ty-3, Ty-4 and Ty-5 respectively. Five TYLCV resistant lines in addition to a susceptible one were used as checks. The experiment was conducted at Biotechnology and Molecular Breeding Unit of the Asian Vegetable Research Development Center (AVRDC), the World Vegetable Center in Taiwan. Results indicated that Multichiltylc-95-J0-C2 did not carry Ty-1, Ty-2, Ty3, Ty-4 or Ty-5 genes. Pimpertylc-J-13 did not carry Ty-1, Ty-2, Ty3, Ty-4 but it appeared that it may carry Ty-5, a resistance gene from Solanum peruvianum.
pypillometry: A Python package for pupillometric analyses

The size of the human pupil is controlled by pairs of constrictor and dilator muscles that allow its opening (dilation) and closing (constriction) in response to varying lighting conditions (Mathôt, 2018). Importantly, it has long been known that the pupil also reacts to psychological important stimuli (Hess & Polt, 1960) and has been a firmly established tool for studying “mental effort” in the research kit of psychologists for many decades (Laeng, Sirois, & Gredebäck, 2012). More recently, pupil-size has been linked to the norepinephrinergic (NE) system originating from area locus coeruleus (LC) in the brainstem (Aston-Jones & Cohen, 2005), a link that has been substantiated experimentally by direct recordings in the brainstem of monkeys (Joshi, Li, Kalwani, & Gold, 2016). This finding of a correlation between NE activity in the brainstem and pupil-dilation has opened the way for researchers investigating the relationship between the LC-NE system and many cognitive functions, such as cognitive control (Gilzenrat, Nieuwenhuis, Jepma, & Cohen, 2010) and mind wandering (Mittner, Hawkins, Boekel, & Forstmann, 2016). Advancing this emerging field requires the decomposition of the pupillometric signal into tonic (baseline) and phasic (response) components that relate to different processing regimes of the LC-NE system.
Effects of entrepreneurship incubation on self-sustainability of Ebonyi State graduates in Abakaliki Metropolis, Nigeria

The paper examined the extent of relationship between entrepreneurship incubation and self – sustainability of Ebonyi State University graduates in Abakaliki metropolis in Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: determine the extent of relationship between technological capability and self-sustainability, ascertain the extent of relationship between marketing capability and self-sustainability and examine the relationship between management capability and self-sustainability of Ebonyi State University graduates in Abakaliki metropolis. Correlation research design was employed, a structured questionnaire was administered to the sample of two hundred and ninety-six out of which, two hundred and seventy (270) copies of the questionnaire were filled and returned, hence used for the analyses. Pearson product moment correlation coefficient and t-test were used to analyze and test significances of the stated hypotheses in the study. The study found that the construct variables of entrepreneurship incubation - technological, marketing, and management capabilities - have significant and positive correlation with self-sustainability of Ebonyi State University graduates. The study recommended that the graduates should explore the opportunities of technological capabilities in all their business processes. The acquisition of technological capabilities would make them resilient and proactive to the changes in the business environment. Keywords: Entrepreneurship incubation, Technological capability, Marketing capability, Managerial capability and Self-sustainability
A Molecular Study of Solid Pseudopapillary Neoplasm of the Pancreas in a Pediatric Patient

Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas (SPNP) is considered as a tumor with low malignant potential. Little is known about how its molecular heterogeneity is involved in its pathogenesis. We aim to evaluate tumor heterogeneity by immunohistochemistry (IH) and proteomics in three macroscopically distinct areas. Tumor fragments were obtained from a 12-year-old female patient. We identified by mass spectrometry (MS) 1,427, 5,786, and 4,298 proteins for each sample, 1,337 being common to all fragments. Several MS results were immunohistochemically validated. Our results demonstrate unique intra-tumor protein profiles based on its heterogeneity. Int J Clin Pediatr. 2018;7(4):63-68 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/ijcp320
Overlooked but not forgotten: the first new extant species of Hawaiian land snail described in 60 years, Auriculellagagneorum sp. nov. (Achatinellidae, Auriculellinae)

Abstract Recent surveys of Oahu’s Waianae Mountains uncovered a small, previously undescribed species of Auriculella that is conchologically similar to the three members of the A.perpusilla group all of which are endemic to the Koolau Mountain Range. However, sequence data demonstrate that the perpusilla group is not monophyletic. Moreover, the new species is not closely related to A.perpusilla or A.perversa, the only extant members of the group, but instead is sister to A.tenella, a species from the high spired A.castanea group. A neotype is designated for A.auricula, the type species of Auriculella; all members of the conchologically similar perpusilla group are anatomically redescribed; and lectotypes designated for A.minuta, A.perversa, and A.tenella. The new species is described and compared to the type of the genus, members of the perpusilla group, and the genetically similar species A.tenella.
Notch signaling restricts FGF pathway activation in parapineal cells to promote their collective migration

Coordinated migration of cell collectives is important during embryonic development and relies on cells integrating multiple mechanical and chemical cues. Recently, we described that focal activation of the FGF pathway promotes the migration of the parapineal in the zebrafish epithalamus. How FGF activity is restricted to leading cells in this system is, however, unclear. Here, we address the role of Notch signaling in modulating FGF activity within the parapineal. While Notch loss-of-function results in an increased number of parapineal cells activating the FGF pathway, global activation of Notch signaling decreases it; both contexts result in defects in parapineal migration and specification. Decreasing or increasing FGF signaling in a Notch loss-of-function context respectively rescues or aggravates parapineal migration defects without affecting parapineal cells specification. We propose that Notch signaling controls the migration of the parapineal through its capacity to restrict FGF pathway activation to a few leading cells.
An Innovative GIS-Based Territorial Information Tool for the Evaluation of Corporate Properties: An Application to the Italian Context

The financial transmission of the USA’s housing price bubble has highlighted the inadequacy of the valuation methods adopted by the credit institutions, due to their static nature and inability to understand complex socio-economic dynamics and their related effects on the real estate market. The present research deals with the current issue of using Automated Valuation Methods for expeditious assessments in order to monitor and forecast market evolutions in the short and medium term. The paper aims to propose an evaluative model for the corporate market segment, in order to support the investors’, the credit institutions’ and the public entities’ decision processes. The application of the proposed model to the corporate real estate segment market of the cities of Rome and Milan (Italy) outlines the potentialities of this approach in property big data management. The elaboration of input and output data in the GIS (Geographic Information System) environment allowed the development of an intuitive platform for the immediate representation of the results and their easy interpretation, even to non-expert users.
Influências e preferências no consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados por crianças da zona rural

Objetivo: Analisar os fatores que influenciam no consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados em criancas da zona rural do municipio de Pelotas/RS. Metodologia: Pesquisa qualitativa, na qual foram incluidas todas as criancas do quarto ano de duas escolas da zona rural, sendo a mais proxima e a mais distante do centro urbano do municipio. Em quatro fases, foi possivel investigar os fatores que influenciam o consumo de alimentos ultraprocessados, sendo a primeira relativa a ambientacao e as demais realizadas dinâmicas em grupo e insercao ludica do tema. Resultados: Independente da proximidade da escola com o centro urbano do municipio, os alimentos ultraprocessados ja estao fortemente inseridos no cotidiano dessas criancas. O gosto foi o principal condicionante relatado que leva ao consumo desse grupo de alimentos. Pode-se observar que a profissao dos pais/responsaveis, acesso aos alimentos e midia influenciam no comportamento alimentar relativo aos ultraprocessados. Conclusoes: O condicionante mais marcante e o gosto. Ha diferencas no acesso e influencia da midia sob esses produtos em relacao as diferentes proximidades das escolas com o centro urbano do municipio, ficando claro a preferencia em ambos os grupos de criancas, mas, apenas nas pertencentes a escola mais proxima, o consumo desse grupo de alimentos esta incorporado na rotina alimentar.
Modeling the impact of ex-nido transmitted parasites on ant colony dynamics

Infectious disease outbreaks are a common constraint of group living organisms. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) live in large, dense colonies and are host to a diverse range of parasites and pathogens, facilitating the possibility of epidemic-induced collapse. However, the majority of parasites infecting ants require a period of development outside of the nest before they can transmit to their next ant host (‘ex-nido’ transmission) and the impact of these parasites on colony dynamics is unknown. Here we develop a mathematical model to assess ant colony dynamics in the presence of such parasites. We find that under field-realistic model conditions, such parasites are unlikely to cause the epidemic collapse of mature ant colonies, unless colony birth rate drops below 0.2328 ants/day. The preponderance of ex-nido transmitting parasites infecting ants and their limited epidemiological impact on colony dynamics may partly explain why collapsed ant colonies are rarely, if ever, observed in natural populations.
Conserving the Genetic Diversity of Domesticated Livestock

Domesticated animals live and produce in an environment influenced by both natural and human factors. These agricultural environments are important to maintain for human survival and also for their interactions with natural environments. Effective conservation of domesticated biodiversity can help to assure sustainable agricultural systems that minimize negative influences on natural environments. In addition, livestock biodiversity is a component of total biodiversity and for several species is the only remaining source of diversity because the wild ancestors are now extinct. Conservation of livestock biodiversity depends on cultural and biological approaches. Each of these has differential importance depending on the specific location of the genetic resource as well as the human culture in which it resides. Effective global conservation blends these in different measures to assure positive outcomes that succeed in securing the genetic resource as well as its contribution to human survival and well-being.