Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Methylation of Imprinted Genes in Sperm DNA Correlated to Urinary Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Exposure Levels in Reproductive-Aged Men and the Birth Outcomes of the Offspring

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are known environmental pollutants. Studies are very limited regarding the impacts of paternal PAHs exposure on birth outcomes as well as the underpinning mechanisms in human. In this study, 302 reproductive-aged males (22–46 years old) were enrolled and demographic informatics data were obtained by questionnaires. The levels of urinary hydroxylated PAHs (OH-PAHs) were assessed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry; and methylation levels of the imprinting genes H19, Meg3, and Peg3 of sperm DNA were evaluated via bisulfite pyrosequencing. The analysis of the correlation between OH-PAHs levels and methylation levels of imprinting genes showed that OH-PAHs are correlated with some CpG sites in H19, Peg3, and Meg3. To further investigate an association of urinary OH-PAHs with birth outcomes, follow-up study of wives of these subjects has been performed for 1–3 years. As the result, a total of 157 babies were born. The birth outcomes parameters including birth weight (BW), length (BL), and ponderal index (PI) were recorded. The further analysis of generalized estimating equation indicated a negative correlation between urinary total OH-PAHs levels and newborn BW (β = −0.081, p = 0.020); but this association has not been found for BL and PI. Furthermore, a logistic regression analysis was employed for examining associations of the methylation of imprinting genes with birth outcomes parameters, which indicated a negative correlation between BW and H19, namely, each unit percent (%) elevation in methylation of H19 (but not Peg3 and Meg3) was significantly associated with a 0.135 g reduction of BW (β = −0.135; 95% CI 0.781–0.978). Putting together, these results show that paternal non-occupational environmental exposure to PAHs is associated with newborn BW. And imprinting gene H19 methylation may be involved in the underlying mechanisms. This study in human population adds a support for previous animal study and implies that environmental impact on the offspring through paternal pathway.
Phylogenetic Relationships Within Chrysogorgia (Alcyonacea: Octocorallia), a Morphologically Diverse Genus of Octocoral, Revealed Using a Target Enrichment Approach

The octocoral genus Chrysogorgia (Duchassaing and Michelotti, 1864) contains 81 nominal species that are ecologically important components of benthic communities. Taxonomic examination of a large set of samples revealed many provisional new species, exhibiting a wide range of morphological variation. We established nine, distinct morphological groups of Chrysogorgia s.l. that were hypothesized to represent distinct genera. Here, we applied a recently developed universal target enrichment bait method for octocoral exons and ultraconserved elements (UCEs) on 96 specimens varying in morphology, collection ages and DNA quality and quantity to determine whether there was genetic support for these morphologically defined groups. Following Illumina sequencing and SPAdes assembly we recovered 1,682 of 1,700 targeted exon loci and 1,333 of 1,340 targeted UCE loci. Locus recovery per sample was highly variable and significantly correlated with time since specimen collection (2–60 years) and DNA quantity and quality. Phylogenetically informative sites in UCE and exon loci were ∼35% for 50% and 75% taxon-occupancy matrices. Maximum likelihood analyses recovered highly resolved trees with topologies supporting the recognition of 11 candidate genera, corresponding with morphological groups assigned a priori, nine of which are novel. Our results also demonstrate that this target-enrichment approach can be successfully applied to degraded museum specimens of up to 60 years old. This study shows that an integrative approach consisting of molecular and morphological methods will be essential to a proper revision of Chrysogorgia taxonomy and to understand regional diversity of these ecologically important corals.
Impact of Weekly Physical Activity on Stress Response: An Experimental Study

The aim of this research is focused on analyzing the alteration of the psychophysiological and cognitive response to an objective computerized stress test (Determination Test - DT-, Vienna test System®), when the behavioral response is controlled. The sample used was sports science students (N = 22), with a mean age of 22.82 (Mage = 22.82; SDyears = 3.67; MPhysicalActivity hours/Week = 7.77; SDhours/week = 3.32) A quasi-experimental design was used in which the response of each participant to the DT test was evaluated. The variable “number of hours of physical activity per week” and the variable “level of behavioral response to stress” were controlled. Before and after this test, the following parameters were measured: activation and central fatigue (Critical Flicker Fusion Threshold (CFF Critical flicker fusion ascending and Critical flicker fusion descending; DC potential), and perceived exertion (Central Rating of Perceived Exertion and Peripheral Rating of Perceived Exertion). Significant differences were found in all of the measures indicated. The usefulness of this protocol and the measures used to analyze the stress response capacity of the study subjects are discussed.
Ultrasonic and FT-IR studies on Bi2O3–Er2O3–PbO glasses

Glasses in the 90Bi2O3–(10−x)Er2O3−xPbO (x = 3, 5, 7, 9 and 10 mol%) system have been prepared by the melt-quenching technique. Elastic properties and FT-IR spectroscopic studies have been employed to study the role of PbO in the structure of the investigated system. Elastic properties and Debye temperature were recorded using sound wave velocity measurements at 4 MHz at room temperature. The results showed that density increased and molar volume decreased, while both sound velocities increased with an increase in x. Infrared spectra of the glasses revealed that the bismuthate network is affected by an increase in PbO content. The results are interpreted in terms of the conversion of [BiO6] into [BiO3] structural units, indicating that Pb ions have been substituted for erbium ions as tetrahedral network formers. The elastic moduli increased with increasing PbO content due to the increased average bond strength and degree of connectivity, as a direct effect of the increase in [BiO3] structural units.
Double Jeopardy-Analyzing the Combined Effect of Age and Gender Stereotype Threat on Older Workers

In this study we aim to analyze the combined effect of age-based and gender stereotype threat on work identity processes (and in particular on authenticity and organizational identification) and on work performance (self-rating performance). The research utilizes an ample sample of over fifty-year-old workers from diverse organizations in Italy. Using a person-centered approach four clusters of workers were identified: low in both age-based and gender stereotype threat (N = 4,689), high in gender and low in age-based stereotype threat (N = 1,735), high in age-based and low in gender stereotype threat (N = 2,013) and high in both gender and age-based stereotype threat (N = 758). Gender was significantly associated with these clusters and women were more frequently present in those groups with high gender stereotype threat. ANOVA results show that workers in the last two clusters score significantly lower in authenticity, organizational identification and self-rate performance. All in all, if ageism is undoubtedly problematic for older workers’ identity processes, ageism and gender-stereotypes represent a double risk for women over fifty in the workplace. The analysis of the results can be beneficial both for the theoretical advancement and for the practical insights offered in the organizational and management field, where new policies of HR management can be elaborated, in order to value and to improve the workers experience.
The Effect of Sucrose on Adsorption Properties of Hexagonal Boron Nitride Powders

In the work reported here, boron source is borax, carbon source is sucrose and the nitrogen source is urea, polymer-network method is applied to prepare the hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) precursor, and then synthesized the h-BN powders with high purity and high surface area. As the sucrose content is fixed, we study the effect of carbonization temperature on phase composition and adsorption properties of h-BN powders. As the carbonization temperature is fixed, the effect of sucrose content on phase composition and adsorption properties of h-BN powders are studied. The results show that the optimum carbonization temperature is 220°C, and when the sucrose content reach 17.45wt. %, the h-BN powders showed the best adsorption properties.
An explanation for rapid enzyme-catalyzed proton abstraction from carbon acids: importance of late transition states in concerted mechanisms

The rates of enzyme-catalyzed abstraction of protons from carbons adjacent to carbonyl or carboxylic acid groups (α-protons of carbon acids) are rapid (k cat s∼10 1 -10 4 s -1 ). We recently proposed that these rates can be understood if proton abstraction by an active site general basic catalyst is concerted with protonation of the carbonyl group by an active site general acidic (electrophilic) catalyst to generate an enol intermediate instead of an enolate anion (aldehyde, ketone, or thioester substrate) or dianion (carboxylic acid substrate): Gerlt, J. A. ; Kozarich, J. W. ; Kenyon, G. L. ; Gassman, P. G. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1991, 113, 9667. Gerlt, J. A. ; Gassman, P. G. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1992, 114, 5928
data analytics and digital forensic

: Due to the emergence of internet and the futuristic internet of things the data is enhancing day by day. It is not only difficult to stock the data in proper manner but also provide security and authentication to it. The huge amount of data is produced form applications like internet, social networks, bio-informatics, sensors, weather forecasting etc. Processing if this gigantic amount of data using database system is impossible. The voluminous of data, challenges the research scholars for preventing the cyber criminals for doing their business. The paper entitles to explore the challenges and opportunities for digital investigator in digital forensic analysis due to big data.
Learning to Improve Multi-Robot Hallway Navigation

: As multi-robot applications become more prevalent, it becomes necessary to develop navigation systems which allow autonomous mobile robots to efﬁciently and safely pass each other in conﬁned spaces. Existing navigation systems, such as the widely used ROS Navigation Stack, usually produce safe, collision free paths in static environments. However, these systems are not perfect, and when multiple mobile robots simultaneously navigate in narrow spaces, collisions and turnarounds are not uncommon. Fine-tuning and enhancing such navigation stacks is not as simple as it looks since they are made up of multiple layers of code, and there exists a tradeoff between optimizing for efﬁciency , i.e. minimizing time to destination (TTD) vs. optimizing for safety , i.e. minimizing collisions, with each objective leading to a different combination of parameter values. In this paper we develop a methodology to improve existing navigation stacks with regards to both objectives, without tuning their parameters, while preserving their inherent safety control properties. Our proposed approach is a decentralized learning-based approach that is geared toward real world robotic deployment, by requiring little computing resources. It is agnostic of the underlying navigation stack and can adapt to different types of environmental layouts (i.e., hallway structures). 1
Z-ElEMENTS AND zj-ElEMENTS IN MULTIPLICATIVE LATTICES

In this paper we introduced and studied the concepts of z-elements and zj-elements as a generalization of a z-ideal and zj ideal. Various properties and characterizations of zelements and zj-elements are obtained. It is shown that the Jacobson radical which is meet of all maximal elements is a z-element and is contained in every z-element.
An Empirical Analysis into the Determinants of eBay Auction Market Closing Prices

Using a unique dataset of auctions for the iPhone X we conduct an empirical analysis to understand the main determinants of prices within eBay auctions. We show that reputation and the number of bidders have an influential role in price determination, while auction lengths, minimum bids, and bid timing have no impact in determining prices. We expand traditional analysis by introducing additional unique variables for study. This indicates that description length, using stock photos and delivery estimates also play an important role in determining prices, something previously overlooked. We also demonstrate a method to control for external price determination in our sample due to time, by calculating a days from release variable.
A Review On Predicting Student Performance Using Deep Learning Technique

Predicting student's success based on this academic performance becomes more complicated for the educational organization. Determine the deep learning technique to enhance the performance of the student’s placement. The deep learning method could guide welfare and effect on educators, students, and educational institutions. The dataset is collected from the student’s academic records. The dataset comprises variant information regarding their previous and present academic records and then apply a Logistic Regression algorithm using the Anaconda platform for examining the student's success in their campus placement. The proposed methodology denotes the classification algorithms for analysis from the student dataset to the predicted outcome. This project can determine the relations of student’s academic success and their investment in placement selection.
Efficacy of Combination of Insulin Glargine with either Metformin or Sulfonylurea in Patients with Poorly Controlled Type 2 Diabetes

Background: Although adding insulin glargine to oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) has demonstrated efficacy in patients with type 2 diabetes, evidence supporting specific regimens is lacking. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of combination therapy of insulin glargine with either sulfonylurea (SU) or metformin (Met) in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes receiving ≥ 2 OADs. Methods: This was a 48-week prospective, open-label, randomized, parallel trial. Patients with type 2 diabetes poorly controlled with ≥ 2 OADs were randomized to the insulin glargine with Met (Met-group) or insulin glargine with SU (SU-group). Results: Mean glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) reduction were significant in the Met-group and SU-group (-1.42 ± 0.28% and -1.00 ± 0.28%, respectively), but no statistically significant difference between groups (-0.40 ± 0.3%, p = 0.234). There was no difference in the proportion of patients achieving A1C of ＜ 7% (12.8% and 6.8%, respectively). Mean FPG reduced significantly in both groups (-120.3 ± 8.8 mg/dL and -90.2 ± 11.1mg/dL, respectively), with greater reductions in the Met-group (-34.8 ± 10.0mg/dL, p ＜ 0.001). More proportions of patients in the Met-group achieved the FPG target of ＜ 130 mg/dL (80.9% and 40.9%, respectively, p ＜ 0.001). The percentages of patients experiencing episodes of symptomatic hypoglycemia (Met-group: 23.4%, SU-group: 19.6%) and the percentages of nocturnal hypoglycemia (Met-group: 8.5%, SU-group: 6.5%) were similar among the two groups. Conclusion: In patients with type 2 diabetes poorly controlled on ≥ 2 OADs, glycemic control was comparable among the two regimens.
Virtualization and Security Aspects: An Overview

Virtualization allows a single system to concurrently run multiple isolated virtual machines, operating systems (OSes) or multiple instances of a single OS. It helps organizations to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, improve the use of hardware, and to allocate resources on-demand. Nevertheless, like most technologies, it has vulnerabilities and threats. Research about security issues related to virtualization has been conducted for several years. However, there are still open challenges related to security in virtualization. This paper looks into some of the differences, issues, challenges, and risks caused by virtualization and aims to classify the various virtualization approaches, along with their goals, advantages and drawbacks from a security perspective. Such classification is expected to help in the identification of virtualization technologies that might be applied in a virtualized infrastructure. This work is intended to be an introduction to the security considerations, concerns, and implications arising from use of virtualized systems.
The Factors Influencing Turnover Intention among Employees: A Case Study on Pharmaceutical Company of Bangladesh

Pharmaceutical industry is one of the leading industries that contribute to the economy of Bangladesh. Turnover among the employees is one of the biggest challenges for any organization and has been seen as a serious issue especially in the field of human resources management. This study explored the factors influencing turnover intention among existing skilled employees in Nuvista Pharma Limited. A total of 30 respondents were involved in this study. Several factors namely organizational factors, job stress, job security, promotion opportunities, pay level and rewards, quality of work life and job satisfaction were examined to determine their relationship with turnover intention. Data was obtained and has been analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. The study findings revealed a number of demographic characteristics like gender, educational qualification and experience have diverse impact on the factors like organizational element, job stress, job security, promotion opportunities, pay level, rewards, quality of work life and job satisfaction which influence the turnover intention of the employees. As the turnover intention is all about a thinking process that can create dissatisfaction, the pharmaceutical companies need to concentrate on these issues to promote organizational commitment and loyalty of the employees. This study will help the organizations to design human resource management policy to satisfy the expectation of different group of employees which will reduce the turnover intention of the employees.
Genetic Control of Root Hair Development in Arabidopsis thaliana

Visual examination of roots from 12,000 mutagenized Arabidopsis seedlings has led to the identification of more’. than 40 mutants impaired in root hair morphogenesis. Mutants from four phenotypic classes have been characterized in detail, and genetic tests show that these result from single nuclear recessive mutations in four different genes designated RHD1, RHDP, RHD3, and RHD4. The phenotypic analysis of the mutants and homozygous double mutants has led to a proposed model for root hair development and the stages at which the genes are normally required. The RHDl gene product appears to be necessary for proper initiation of root hairs, whereas the RHDS, RHD3, and RHD4 gene products are required for normal hair elongation. These results demonstrate that root hair development in Arabidopsis is amenable to genetic dissection and should prove to be a useful model system to study the molecular mechanisms governing cell differentiation in plants.
Role of Short-Range Forces in Particle Detachment during Filter Backwashing

Considerable research on the process of filter backwashing with fluidization has been done during the last two decades, but there is little fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of particle detachment from filter media. The overall goal of the research reported in this study is to gain a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms by which colloidal-sized particles detach from larger grains. The theoretical part of this study has focused on calculating the interaction forces between a single particle and a collector surface coated with a deposited layer. The interaction forces that would control particle detachment include van der Waals attractive forces, electrical double-layer interactive forces, Born repulsive forces, and structural forces. The experimental studies were performed on laboratory scale model systems with well-defined spherical particle suspensions. Latex particles (5 μm) were filtered in a packed bed column of glass beads. The detachment of particles during filter backwashing under .
A Novel Approach: Recognition of Devanagari Handwritten Numerals

— Recognition of Indian languages scripts is challenging problems. In Optical Character Recognition [OCR], a character or symbol to be recognized can be machine printed or handwritten characters/numerals. There are several approaches that deal with problem of recognition of numerals/character depending on the type of feature extracted and different way of extracting them. In this paper an automatic recognition system for isolated Handwritten Devanagari Numerals has been proposed. The proposed system relies on a feature extraction technique based on recursive subdivision of the character image so that the resulting sub-images at each iteration have balanced numbers of foreground pixels as possible. Support Vector Machine (SVM) is used for classification. Accuracy of 98.98% has been obtained by using standard dataset provided by ISI (Indian Statistical Institute) Kolkata
Bell’s Theorem: A Critical Analysis of an Orthodox View

When used to prove the Bell inequality, the widely accepted counterfactual definiteness assumption constitutes an inconsistent hypothesis. It is not equivalent either to realism or determinism, and it does not follow from locality. Being incompatible with falsifiability, it constitutes a metaphysical assumption that contravenes the scientific method rigor. Careful formulations of the Bell theorem’s bases show it is not necessary as an underlying hypothesis. Also, a coherent derivation of the Bell inequality is possible without any reference to counterfactual or incompatible experiments.
EMO-PRO EMOTIONAL PROTOTYPICALITY IN SPANISH 1 EmoPro – Emotional Prototypicality for 1,286 Spanish Words: Relationships with Affective and Psycholinguistic Variables

We present EmoPro, a normative study of the emotion lexicon of the Spanish language. We provide emotional prototypicality ratings for 1,286 emotion words (i.e., those that refer to human emotions such as “fear” or “happy”), belonging to different grammatical categories. This is the largest data set for this variable so far. Each word was rated by at least 20 participants, and adequate reliability and validity rates for prototypicality scores were found. We also provide new affective (valence, arousal, emotionality, happiness, sadness, fear, disgust, and anger) and psycholinguistic (Age-of-Acquisition, frequency and concreteness) ratings for those words without prior data in the extant literature, and analyse which of the given variables contribute the most to prototypicality. A factor analysis on the affective and psycholinguistic variables has shown that prototypicality loads in a factor associated to the emotional salience of words. Furthermore, a regression analysis reveals a significant role of both dimensional and discreteemotion related variables, as well as a modest effect of Age of Acquisition and frequency on the prediction of prototypicality. Cross-linguistic comparisons show that the pattern obtained here is similar to that observed in other languages. EmoPro norms will be highly valuable for researchers in the field, providing them with a tool to select the most representative emotion words in Spanish for their experimental (e.g., for a comparison with emotion-laden words, such as “murder” or “party”) or applied studies (e.g., to examine the acquisition of emotion words/concepts in children). The full set of norms is available as supplementary material.