Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A High-Performance Index for Real-Time Matrix Retrieval

A fundamental technique in machine learning called “embedding” has made significant impact on data representation. Some examples of embedding include word embedding, image embedding and audio embedding. With the embedding techniques, many real-world objects can be represented using matrices. For example, a document can be represented by a matrix, where each row of the matrix represents a word. On the other hand, we have witnessed that many applications continuously generate new data represented by matrices and require real-time query answering on the data. These continuously generated matrices need to be well managed for efficient retrieval. In this paper, we propose a high-performance index for real-time matrix retrieval. Besides fast query response, the index also supports real-time insertion by exploiting the log-structured merge-tree (LSM-tree). Since the index is built for matrices, it consumes much more memory and requires much more time to search than the traditional index for information retrieval. To tackle the challenges, we propose an index with precise and fuzzy inverted lists, and design a series of novel techniques to improve the memory consumption and the search efficiency of the index. The proposed techniques include vector signature, vector residual sorting, hashing based lookup, and dictionary initialization to guarantee the index quality. Comprehensive experimental results show that our proposed index can support real-time search on matrices, and is more time and memory efficient than the state-of-the-art method.
Hericerin derivatives from Hericium erinaceus exert BDNF-like neurotrophic activity in central hippocampal neurons and enhance memory

Abstract The traditional medicinal mushroom Hericium erinaceus has long been known for enhancing the peripheral nerve regeneration through targeting nerve growth factor (NGF) neurotrophic activity. It was also reported to protect against ageing-dependent cognitive decline in wildtype and in Alzheimer’s disease mouse models suggesting a yet to be defined action on neurons of the central nervous system. Here, we purified and identified biologically active compounds from H. erinaceus, based on their ability to promote neurite outgrowth in hippocampal neurons. N-de phenylethyl isohericerin (NDPIH), an isoindoline compound from this mushroom together with its hydrophobic derivative hericene A, were highly potent in inducing extensive axon outgrowth and neurite branching in the absence of serum demonstrating high neurotropic activity. NDPIH also induced enlarged growth cones suggestive of a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-like activity. Pharmacological inhibition of tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) by ANA12 prevented NDPIH-induced neurotrophic activity providing evidence that NDPIH acts via TrkB receptors to mediate its neurotrophic effect in central neurons. Finally, in vivo treatment with H. erinaceus crude extract and hericene A significantly increased BDNF and downstream pathway and enhanced learning and memory in the novel object recognition memory test. Our results suggest that hericene A can promote BDNF-like activity in neurons in vitro and in vivo thereby enhancing recognition memory.
Anomalous strain effect on the thermal conductivity of low-buckled two-dimensional silicene

Abstract The thermal conductivity of two-dimensional materials, such as graphene, typically decreases when tensile strain is applied, which softens their phonon modes. Here, we report an anomalous strain effect on the thermal conductivity of monolayer silicene, a representative low-buckled two-dimensional (LB-2D) material. ReaxFF-based molecular dynamics simulations are performed to show that biaxially stretched monolayer silicene exhibits a remarkable increase in thermal conductivity, by as much as 10 times the freestanding value, with increasing applied strain in the range of [0, 0.1], which is attributed to increased contributions from long-wavelength phonons. A further increase in strain in the range of [0.11, 0.18] results in a plateau of the thermal conductivity in an oscillatory manner, governed by a unique dynamic bonding behavior under extreme loading. This anomalous effect reveals new physical insights into the thermal properties of LB-2D materials and may provide some guidelines for designing heat management and energy conversion devices based on such materials.
Effect of Ziziphora clinopodioides essential oil on shelf life and fate of Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus in refrigerated chicken meatballs

The aim of the present study was to evaluate application of Ziziphora clinopodioides essential oil (ZEO) to extend shelf life and control Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus in chicken meatballs. The control and treated samples with different concentrations of ZEO (0.1, 0.2, and 0.3% vol/wt) were preserved at refrigerated temperature for 12 days and analyzed for microbial (total viable count, psychrotrophic bacteria, Pseudomonas spp., Enterobacteriaceae, L. monocytogenes, and S. aureus), chemical (total volatile base nitrogen, peroxide value, protein carbonyl contents, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances), and sensory (odor and off odor) properties at 2-day intervals. According to our findings, treated samples with different concentrations of ZEO showed better microbiological, chemical, and organoleptic properties compared to control sample until the end of the study period. Our results showed that 0.3% ZEO could be used for chicken meatball preservation without any unfavorable sensory properties. Practical applications Nowadays, increasing research has been focused on the application of different essential oils to extend shelf life and also control food-related pathogens in different food model systems due to concern regarding the use of synthetic additives and also increasing consumer interest for improvement of quality and organoleptic properties of food products. In the present study, Ziziphora clinopodioides essential oil as a natural substance could successfully extend the shelf life and control Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus in raw chicken meatball preserved at 4 °C until home cooking. Based on our findings, this essential oil can be used as a natural antimicrobial alternative to the synthetic chemical preservatives in food such as chicken meatball.
Mathematical models for the periodic vehicle routing problem with time windows and time spread constraints

The periodic vehicle routing problem (PVRP) is an extension of the well-known vehicle routing problem. In this paper, the PVRP with time windows and time spread constraints (PVRP-TWTS) is addressed, which arises in the high-value shipment transportation area. In the PVRP-TWTS, period-specific demands of the customers must be delivered by a fleet of heterogeneous capacitated vehicles over the several planning periods. Additionally, the arrival times to a customer should be irregular within its time window over the planning periods, and the waiting time is not allowed for the vehicles due to the security concerns. This study, proposes novel mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) and constraint programming (CP) models for the PVRP-TWTS. Furthermore, we develop several valid inequalities to strengthen the proposed MILP and CP models as well as a lower bound. Even though CP has successful applications for various optimization problems, it is still not as well-known as MILP in the operations research field. This study aims to utilize the effectiveness of CP in solving the PVRP-TWTS. This study presents a CP model for PVRP-TWTS for the first time in the literature to the best of our knowledge. Having a comparison of the CP and MILP models can help in providing a baseline for the problem. We evaluate the performance of the proposed MILP and CP models by modifying the well-known benchmark set from the literature. The extensive computational results show that the CP model performs much better than the MILP model in terms of the solution quality.
Epidemiological profile of cancer patients attending tertiary care teaching hospital: a record based retrospective study

Background: Cancer, the second leading cause of death worldwide is one of the most dreaded non-communicable diseases. Cancer incidence and demographic data form an important basis for cancer prevention. However, the data available through cancer registries are limited. Thus, the present study aimed to describe the epidemiological profile of cancer patients registered in our hospital.Methods: A record based retrospective study was done assessing the records of the cancer patients, admitted during the year 2017 at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital. The data collected included the epidemiological information like demographic details, place distribution and the type of cancer.Results: A total of 1192 confirmed cases of cancer were studied. Among the study subjects, 1014 (50.9%) patients were male and the age group of 50-69 had the maximum percentage of cancer cases (1121 cases, 56.3%). Most cases came from western Tamil Nadu (1138 cases, 95.5%) and majority of them belonged either to lower (560 cases, 46.6%) or upper lower class (548 cases, 45.9%). The lip, oral cavity and pharynx was the type of cancer having the maximum number of cases (429 cases, 36%) and had high proportion in comparison with world level and national statistics. Nearly 57% cases presented with regional extent of disease.Conclusions: The epidemiological factors leading to high incidence of cancer should be analysed and steps towards cancer prevention should be initiated by altering the associated risk factors.
Informing compensatory habitat creation with experimental trials: a 3-year study of a threatened amphibian

Abstract The creation or restoration of habitat to mitigate biodiversity loss is a common conservation strategy. Evidence-based research via an extensively monitored trial study should be undertaken prior to large-scale implementation to predict success and identify potential limiting factors. We constructed an experimental trial habitat for the threatened green and golden bell frog Litoria aurea, in Australia, to inform a broader programme of compensatory habitat creation. Individuals were released into the trial plot and a nearby natural wetland for comparison to determine if the created habitat would support their growth, survival and persistence. Half of the trial waterbodies were enclosed within an exclusion fence to separate the effects of habitat suitability from ecological processes. We found the habitat provided L. aurea with sufficient resources to grow, survive and persist for 3 years. However, no breeding occurred, and further investigations need to focus on understanding the drivers of reproduction. Although a disease outbreak occurred during the study, persistence continued for the next 2 years. This was attributed to the large number of individuals released, a strategy we recommend for future mitigation strategies to account for low survival and high turnover rates. Dispersal probably affected abundance in the unfenced areas, and landscape-level initiatives are suggested for this species. This study demonstrates that experimental trials are valuable, as they can inform future habitat management by identifying limitations that could hinder success prior to the implementation of large-scale initiatives.
The Effects of Fast Food Restaurant Attributes on Customer Satisfaction, Revisit Intention, and Recommendation Using DINESERV Scale

The fast food restaurant business is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. International and local restaurant chains are trying to satisfy the demands of customers for a variety of products and services. Along with changing market trends, customers are now becoming more sophisticated and demanding. Customer satisfaction is an essential business issue, as entrepreneurs have realized that favorable customer feedback is key for a long-term sustainable operation. Customers who have an excellent experience at a restaurant may recommend the restaurant to others, spread positive information, or become a loyal customer. The fast food industry has only recently developed in Mongolia and an increasing number of global fast food chains are now entering the market every year. The purpose of this paper is to examine and evaluate the factors affecting customer satisfaction, revisit intention, and likelihood of recommendation for Mongolian fast food restaurants, as well as a global fast food restaurant in Mongolia using the DINESERV scale. This study focuses on comparing directly competing food chains; only two brands were studied because of the limited fast food presence in Ulaanbaatar. Then, it aims to analyze how satisfaction levels influence a customer’s revisit intention and likelihood of recommending a restaurant. Furthermore, an in-depth analysis of the difference between local and global fast food brands is a key element that this paper analyzes. Moreover, this paper investigates how results can be different according to whether the respondent resides in Mongolia or Korea and discusses business implications. The results of this paper show that four factors (food quality, service quality, price, and atmosphere of a restaurant) positively influence customer satisfaction, revisit intention, and likelihood of recommendation for Mongolian and global fast food restaurants, and customer satisfaction has a positive influence on customer revisit intention and likelihood of recommendation for both types of restaurants. However, depending on whether it is a Mongolian fast food restaurant or a global fast food restaurant, the factors affecting customer satisfaction, revisit intention, and recommendation are different.
Taxonomic and Functional Diversity and Composition of Bats in a Regenerating Neotropical Dry Forest

This study evaluated the response of bat communities, from a taxonomic and functional perspective, to variation in the vegetation and landscape attributes produced by anthropogenic activities. We characterized the following: (1) the community of phyllostomid and mormoopid bats associated with the initial successional stages of a tropical dry forest, (2) the response of these communities to the variation in the attributes of the vegetation and the landscape, and (3) how the seasonality modulates such response. This allowed us to identify potential mechanisms underlying the response of bat communities to human disturbance. Our results showed that the species negatively affected by the anthropoghenic disturbance are those with greater body mass, larger nose-leaves, or a lower wing aspect ratio and relative wing loading, which perform low-speed flights and have high maneuverability and, potentially, a high directionality in their emissions. We also detected a greater sensitivity of bats to changes in the landscape attributes regarding the riparian than the dry forest, and that the effect of anthropic transformation on bats was intensified during the dry season. Then, the continued loss of the original vegetation can lead to a loss of certain groups of bat species in neotropical landscapes, reducing the resilience of the system.
ESTUDO SOBRE AMOR A MARCA NOS APLICATIVOS DE ALIMENTAÇÃO DELIVERY

No contexto atual, com o avanco da tecnologia surgem varias aplicacoes que ajudam o consumidor e gerir o seu tempo e melhorar as suas formas de consumo, como por exemplo, os aplicativos de delivery de comida. Eles oferecem diversas ofertas de alimentacao e formas de relacionamento com as empresas, porem, para sobreviver nesse mercado competitivo e necessario criar uma marca forte considerando alguns fatores, como compromisso com a qualidade, geracao de consciencia do cliente, promocao a lealdade e desenvolvimento de uma identidade de marca forte. O Amor a Marca atua como mediador no relacionamento do consumidor envolvido emocionalmente, apaixonado e satisfeito com a marca. Este trabalho teve como objetivo realizar um estudo correlacional entre amor a marca e o uso de aplicativos para delivery de comida. Realizou-se o levantamento destes dados atraves do metodo de pesquisa descritiva. Foram aplicados questionarios aplicado no periodo de maio e junho/2017 com 199 respostas validas utilizando o modelo para analise PLS-PM. As principais contribuicoes deste trabalho confirmam a importância da construcao da marca e a capacidade de diferenciacao da oferta em relacao aos concorrentes. Permite concluir a importância de conquistar consumidores apaixonados pelas marcas provando o amor a marcas. Isso torna fundamental que as marcas reforcem sua presenca nos consumidores para que estes busquem e fidelizem as marcas que amam.
Adaptation of a Traditional Irrigation System of Micro-Plots to Smart Agri Development: A Case Study in Murcia (Spain)

Currently, water users associations (WUAs) in semi-arid areas of southeastern Spain (Murcia region) send a multitude of data supplied by sensors in the field to the cloud. The constant technological revolution offers opportunities for small farms not to be abandoned, thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT). This technology allows them to continue to manage remotely using smartphones/tablets/laptops. This new system contributes to the mitigation of climate change from several aspects: reduction of water footprint and energy consumption (in the pumps that pressurize the grid, such as in the optimization of the proposed solution, by using batteries that communicate in low radiation of electric and magnetic alternating fields (LoRad), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), or narrowband IoT (NB-IoT), or clean energy). The analysis of these data and the incorporation of new IoT technologies facilitate the maintenance of green roofs and ensure the continuity of these farms. The direct benefit obtained is remarkable CO2 removal that prevents desertification by the abandonment of arable land. This communication shows the implementation of a Smart Agri system in areas with micro-plots (surface less than 0.5 ha) with low-cost technology based on long-range (LoRa) systems, easily maintainable by personnel with basic knowledge of automation, which transforms into a very interesting solution for regions with development roads. In addition, complex orography and difficult access are added in both physical and technological environments. The main technical limitations found in such plots are poor coverage for mobile phones and unworkable and expensive implementation by wiring or WiFi/radio systems. Currently, thanks to the Smart Agri system implemented in this WUA in Murcia, farmers can manage and control the irrigation systems in their plots from home. Then, they cannot lose their crops and respect the isolation conditions imposed by the Spanish government as a result of the alarm caused by COVID-19.
The Roles of Cycloxygenase and Endothelial Derived Hyperpolarizing Factors in Bradykinin-Induced Aortic Relaxation

The present study is designed to investigate the roles of cycloxygenase (COX) and endothelial derived hyperpolarizing factors (EDHF) pathways in bradykinin (BK)-induced aortic relaxation. Here, isolated aortic rings pre-incubated with different ion channel blockers which are; inward rectifier potassium channel blocker (barium chloride; BaCl2), calcium activated Potassium (KCa+2) channel blocker (tetraethylammonium; TEA), cytochrome P450 inhibitor, clotrimazole and cycloxygenase inhibitor and indomethacin. In BaCl2, Emax tended to decrease significantly with significant change of PIC50. TEA pre-incubation markedly shifted DRC of BK to the left side and it significantly reduced PIC50. Indomethacin significantly lowered the PIC50 of BK, but it shifted the DRC of BK to the left. The results suggested that BK relaxes aortic smooth muscle particularly via the enhancement of cycloxygenase and epoxygenase enzymes as well as through opening Kir and KCa+2channels.
Reintroducing a keystone burrowing rodent to restore an arid North American grassland: challenges and successes

Prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.) are important ecosystem engineers in North America's central grasslands, and are a key prey base for numerous predators. Prairie dogs have declined dramatically across their former range, prompting reintroduction efforts to restore their populations and ecosystem functions, but the success of these reintroductions is rarely monitored rigorously. Here, we reintroduced 2,400 Gunnison's prairie dogs (C. gunnisoni) over a period of 6 years to the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, in central New Mexico, U.S.A. , a semi‐arid grassland ecosystem at the southern edge of their range. We evaluated the population dynamics of prairie dogs following their reintroduction, and their consequent effects on grassland vertebrates. We found postrelease survival of prairie dogs stabilized at levels typical for the species (ca. 50%) after approximately 1 month, while average annual recruitment was ca. 0.35 juveniles per female, well below what was required for a self‐sustaining, stable population. Extreme drought conditions during much of the study period may have contributed to low recruitment. However, recruitment increased steadily over time, indicating that the reintroduced colony may simply need more time to establish in this arid system. We also found well‐known associates of prairie dog colonies, such as American badgers (Taxidea taxus) and burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia), were significantly more common on the colonies than off. After 7 years, we have yet to meet our goal of establishing a self‐sustaining population of Gunnison's prairie dogs in this semi‐arid grassland. But despite the uncertainty and challenges, our work shows that reestablishing keystone species can promote ecosystem restoration.
EFL Reading in Context

EFL reading pedagogy in Japan and elsewhere has been greatly influenced by popular approaches in English-speaking countries. Such approaches have tended to include whole language and whole word teaching, which have been shown repeatedly in recent decades to be ineffective for many students. Partly because of the influence of these approaches on L2 teaching in Japan, there continues to be an overreliance on visual memory, an underappreciation of the role of sound in reading (phonemic awareness, phonology, and memory encoding), a lack of focus on decoding and fluency development, a shortage of attention to certain features of vocabulary (morphology in particular), and insufficient teaching of comprehension strategies rather than just testing for it. This article gives a brief overview of the history of reading pedagogy, looks at some of the shortcomings of commonly used teaching approaches, and provides some suggestions for helping to compensate for these shortcomings. 日本において外国語としての英語読解指導は、歴史的に英語母語の諸国、特にアメリカの指導法に大きく影響されている。 このように英語母語に由来する指導法は、ホール・ランゲージ／ホール・ワード・アプローチによる言語指導、語彙指導にも至り、今でも広く使用されているが、ここ数十年では、相当な数の学生に効果がないという研究結果が証明されている。 これらの潮流の中で、日本での外国語指導は、視覚的記憶に過度に依存し続け、読解時の音の役割（音素声学上の認識、音韻体系、記憶の符号化）を正当に評価せず、流暢さの発達不足や語彙の（特に形態）特徴への注意欠如を招き、単なるテストより、内容把握のための指導法に十分な手立てがなされていない。 本稿では、読解指導の歴史的経緯を概観し、一般に使用されながらも効果的でない手法を指摘する。 その上で、その手法を修正し、足りない面を補う方法を提案する。