Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Singular Identification of a Constrained Rigid Robot

- In this paper, a singular system identification procedure based on Strong equivalency is proposed for a constrained robot singular model. In fact, since constrained robot model is considered as a singular system, it requires to be transformed to an equivalent form before applying identification on it. This equivalent model plays an important role in the identification algorithm, since an inappropriate equivalency causes large identification error and sometimes identification divergence. The Strong equivalency applied in this paper keeps the important dynamics of the robot model while reducing the number of singular system’s initial conditions. The Recursive Least Square identification algorithm is also applied in the next step on the Strong equivalent system. Indeed, Recursive Least Square identification procedure based on strong equivalent model is implemented for the first time for this constrained robot singular model, and can be generalized to all constrained robot models of this kind. Performance of this method on the robot is also validated by illustrating the simulations results of the technique on a robot singular model. According to the results, the model identification error convergence is improved significantly and also the output tracking is more satisfactory compared to the previous identification techniques for the constrained
The Forms of Stereotypic Behaviour in Farmed Mink (Neovison vison)

Stereotypic behaviours (SBs) are implicitly assumed to form a homogeneous group, despite a variety of captive animals displaying numerous, diverse forms of SBs. This study used an existing database to investigate how the time-budgets of different forms of SBs in farmed mink (ranging from minkroute-tracing forms seen in other Carnivora too) were related to each other via correlational analyses. Namely, I investigated whether scrabbling wa widely-studied mink SBs like pacing and head-twirling), and whether loco SBs themselves formed a homogeneous group. Results demonstrated significant negative correlations between scrabbling and most loco SB forms, while significant positive correlations were found between most loco forms. Thus while scrabbling appears to be distinct from loco SBs, loco SB forms themselves appear to be homogeneous.
Effect of thermal treatment on rutin content in selected buckwheat products using calcium as an internal tracer

Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) was used for rutin (quercetin-3-rutinoside) determination in selected buckwheat products (whole meal flour, broken seeds, seed hulls, herbs and baked cereal breads). The effect of various thermal procedures on content of rutin was evaluated using calcium as an internal tracker to correct changes in mass and composition of the buckwheat products. These factors are very seldom taken into account. The results show non-significant changes in rutin levels obtained in whole meal flour and broken seed samples after thermal treatment up to 150°C. Higher temperature already caused sudden fall in the observed rutin concentrations. The evaporation of some volatile compounds and degradation products can decrease the mass of the samples and formally increase the content of rutin (35.5 ±4.7 mg per 100 g for whole meal flour and 10.2 ±0.4 mg per100 g for broken seeds at 150°C). Serious decrease of rutin contents at elevated temperatures (>150°C) can be explained by its degradation (by breaking off the C-C bond in quercetin-3-rutinoside moiety) and/or evaporation (24.3 ±1.4 mg per 100 g for whole meal flour and 3.06 ±0.3 mg per100 g for broken seeds at 180°C). In case of baked cereal breads the level of rutin changed in dependence on the ratio between buckwheat and corn flour. Longer time leaching and higher temperature implicate higher rutin content in infusions prepared from buckwheat seed hulls and herbs.
Symptomatology of fungal competitors on oyster mushrooms spawn packets and in vitro evaluation using phytoextracts and a fungicide

An experiment was conducted to find out the fungal competitors and symptom studies in damaged Oyster Mushroom spawn packets at National Mushroom Development and Extension Center, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. A total of nine fungal competitors of oyster mushroom were isolated and identified namely- Trichoderma harzianum Rifai, T. viride Pers. (Green strain), T. viride Pers. (Yellow strain), T. koningii Oudem, Mucor hiemalis Wehmer, Papulaspora byssina Hotson, Neurospora sp. Shear and B.O. Dodge. , Aspergillus flavus Link. , and Botryodiplodia theobromae Pat. on the basis of microscopic, morphological and cultural characteristics. To produce oyster mushroom in an eco-friendly manner and to find out their antifungal potency, 23 plant species belonging to 19 families were screened out against isolated nine fungal competitors of oyster mushroom. Among 23 extracts, the maximum (44%) mycelial inhibition of T. harzianum was found due to Aegle marmelos whereas Eclipta alba showed the highest mycelial inhibition (62%) of T. viride (Green strain); in case of T. viride (Yellow strain), Cassia tora exhibited the highest mycelial inhibition (39%); Diospyros cordifolia showed the maximum mycelial inhibition (48%) of T. koningii ; Curcuma longa (rhizome) gave the maximum mycelial inhibition (90%) of Neurospora sp. There were no significant effects found to control of P. byssina , B. theobromae , M. hiemalis and A. flavus due to 23 different types of botanicals tested. Trichoderma harzianum, T. viride (Green strain), T. viride (Yellow strain), T. koningii , A. flavus , Neurospora sp. and P. byssina was successfully inhibited by 30, 50 and 70 ppm of fungicide-Bavistin 50 WP but B. theobromae and M. hiemalis were not affected by Bavistin at mentioned concentration. Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 6 (2): 24-30, December, 2016
The sociality and evolution of plasmid-mediated antimicrobial resistance

Overuse and misuse of antibiotics has led to the global spread of antimicrobial resistance, threatening our ability to treat bacterial infections. The horizontal acquisition of multidrug resistance (MDR) plasmids, from other bacterial lineages, has been instrumental in spreading resistance. Newly acquired plasmids are often poorly adapted to hosts causing intragenomic conflicts, reducing the competitiveness of plasmid-carrying strains. Costs can be overcome by positive selection for plasmid-encoded adaptive traits in the short-term, or ameliorated by compensatory evolution in the long-term. How the selection and adaptation of MDR plasmids varies with antibiotic treatment remains unclear. First, I demonstrate that the selective conditions for the maintenance of an MDR plasmid are dependent upon the sociality of resistance it encodes. Selection for efflux of antibiotics, a selfish trait, occurred at very low concentrations of antibiotic, far below the minimum inhibitory concentration of sensitive plasmid-free strain. In contrast, selection for inactivation of antibiotics, a cooperative trait, increased the amount of antibiotic required to select for the MDR plasmid, allowing sensitive plasmid-free bacteria to survive high levels of antibiotic. These selection dynamics were only accurately predicted when mathematical models included the mechanistic details of antibiotic resistance. Secondly, I show that the trajectory of evolution following MDR plasmid acquisition varies with antibiotic treatment. Tetracycline treatment favoured a distinct coevolutionary trajectory of chromosomal resistance mutations coupled with plasmid mutations impairing plasmid-borne resistance. This led to high-level, low-cost antibiotic resistance, but also produced an integrated genome of co-dependent replicons that may limit the onward spread of co-adapted MGEs to other lineages. This evolutionary trajectory was strikingly repeatable across independently evolving populations despite the emergence of multiple competing lineages within populations. The results presented here demonstrate that the interaction between positive selection and compensatory evolution can help to explain the persistence of MDR plasmids in the clinic and the environment.
Persistence Hunting by Modern Hunter‐Gatherers

Endurance running may be a derived capability of the genus Homo and may have been instrumental in the evolution of the human body form. Two hypotheses have been presented to explain why early Homo would have needed to run long distances: scavenging and persistence hunting. Persistence hunting takes place during the hottest time of the day and involves chasing an animal until it is run to exhaustion. A critical factor is the fact that humans can keep their bodies cool by sweating while running. Another critical factor is the ability to track down an animal. Endurance running may have had adaptive value not only in scavenging but also in persistence hunting. Before the domestication of dogs, persistence hunting may have been one of the most efficient forms of hunting and may therefore have been crucial in the evolution of humans.
RECORDS OF Woodiphora Schmitz (DIPTERA: PHORIDAE) FROM ANIMAL CARCASSES IN BANGI, MALAYSIA

Four species of Woodiphora Schmitz were collected from rabbit carcasses placed in concealed environments in Bangi, Malaysia. A male Woodiphora distans (Borgmeier) was collected from a rabbit carcass placed inside a luggage case. The other three female Woodiphora were recorded from a rabbit carcass placed inside a water tank and could not be named until linked to their males. This report extends the knowledge of Woodiphora in this region and its association with animal carcasses.
Frequency of occurrence and relationship of known HFE gene mutations with phenotypes of selected rheumatic diseases

Mutacje w genach niektórych białek związanych z metabolizmem żelaza są odpowiedzialne za rozwój różnych postaci wrodzonej hemochromatozy (hereditary haemochromatosis – HH). Od kilku lat trwają badania dotyczące ich związku z występowaniem i przebiegiem chorób tkanki łącznej (w tym głównie związku z chorobą zwyrodnieniową i z reumatoidalnym zapaleniem stawów). Nadal toczy się dyskusja na temat tego, czy istnieje związek etiologiczny między tymi schorzeniami. W niniejszej pracy przedstawiono krótki opis obecnego stanu wiedzy na temat etiologii HH, a także przegląd prac dotyczących związku HH i jej wpływu na fenotyp wybranych chorób reumatycznych (tab. I). S u m m a r y
Fuzzy ecospace modelling

Quantitative ecospace models are a numerical approach to comparing the functional structure of different ecosystems on macroevolutionary time‐scales, by quantifying the distribution of functional ecological traits. Ecospace modelling has historically been restricted to a combination of visual interpretation and quantification via metrics such as mean sum of ranges. We argue that comparing ecosystem function in this way overlooks critical information about degrees of overlap and redundancy, and potentially misrepresents the role of “empty ecospace” in driving macroevolution. Fuzzy ecospace modelling (FEM) places conventional ecospace modelling within a fuzzy set‐theoretic framework, wherein functional groups are learned from the dataset, creating models which are sensitive to overlap and the role of empty ecospace. Fuzzy ecospace modelling is a machine learning program which quantifies functional ecological similarity, and uses this information to classify new taxa. It creates functional groups using a Gower dissimilarity coefficient‐based approach to the k‐medoids algorithm, and uses fuzzy discriminant analysis to classify the taxa present in another ecosystem into these clusters, based on minimal Gower dissimilarity with a fuzzy threshold. This has the effect of quantifying the similarity between these ecosystems in terms of their functional groups, accounting for total redundancy, partial redundancy/novelty and total novelty. By using fuzzy membership functions, FEM can classify taxa which are highly ecologically dissimilar (outliers with respect to all functional groups), taxa which are fully redundant (100% similarity to those in a given functional group) and taxa in‐between, which represent degrees of niche overlap. This can be used to compare the functional groups present in different ecosystems (as well as their degrees of overlap), and as a metric approach to comparing total ecological disparity. These results can be used to test models of the role of empty ecospace in macroevolutionary trends, or to investigate how ecosystems respond to global perturbations. Furthermore, it allows us to define numerically the concept of empty ecospace for n‐dimensional datasets. A cluster‐based approach to the quantification of ecospace allows for a numerical estimate of niche overlap, a value particularly difficult to quantify in fossil contexts.
The Effect of Limb Amputation on Locomotion in the Cockroach Periplaneta Americana

1. The effects of amputating parts of legs on walking in the cockroach Periplaneta americana were studied with the aid of high-speed motion pictures. 2. Amputation of one or two legs at the femoro-tibial joint, leaving the femur to touch the ground and thus provide support during walking, had very little effect on the timing of movements of ipsilateral or contralateral leg pairs, so that gait was constant at nearly all speeds of locomotion. The cycle of forward (protraction) and rearward (retraction) movements of individual legs was also little affected by the amputations. 3. Amputation of combinations of two legs at the trochantero-femoral joint, leaving the animal without the support of the amputated legs, had no effect on the timing of movements of contralateral leg pairs, but had a strong effect on timing between ipsilateral ones, such that gait changed as a function of the speed of locomotion. Except for a general depression in most cases, the ratio of protraction to retraction for each leg at any given walking speed was unchanged. 4. On the basis of these results it is suggested that the timing of leg movements is strongly influenced by feedback from peripheral receptors, while the cycle of protraction and retraction in each leg is largely under central control. A model of this control based on sinusoidal activation and inhibition of muscles of protraction and retraction is presented and discussed.
Integrin alpha 4 / beta 1 (CD49d/CD29) is a component of the murine IgG3 receptor

Antibodies exert several of their effector functions by binding to cell surface receptors. For murine IgG3 (mIgG3) the identity of its receptors (and the very existence of a receptor) is still under debate, as not all mIgG3 functions can be explained by interaction with Fcγ-receptor I (FcγRI). This implies the existence of an alternate receptor, whose identity we sought to pinpoint. We found that blockage of the alpha4/beta1 integrin (Itga4/Itgb1) selectively hampered binding of mIgG3 to macrophages and mIgG3-mediated phagocytosis. Manganese, an integrin activator, increased mIgG3 binding to macrophages. Blockage of FcγRI or Itgb1 inhibited binding of different mIgG3 antibodies to variable extents. Our results indicate an integrin component in the mIgG3 receptor. Given the more ancient origin of integrins in comparison with FcγR, this observation could have far ranging implications for our understanding of the evolution of antibody-mediated immunity, as well as in immunity to microorganisms, pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases and antibody engineering.
Typology of OECD’s Global Educational Governance and Its Policy Effect

In this essay review, we first historicize how the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) rose to be a global education policy actor and authority from a historical, comparative, and international perspective. Subsequently, we sketch out the global educational governing mechanisms developed by the OECD, which include but are not limited to governing by numbers, comparison, example, commensuration, affection, and “what works. ” Further, we summarize the main policy effects arising from the OECD’s global education governance: economization of education, datafication, learnification, totally pedagogized society, and educational homogenization among different schooling systems. Finally, we discuss some alternative approaches to tackling the deleterious effects of the global educational governance.
Putting ecological theories to the test : individual-based simulations of synthetic microbial community dynamics

Microbial communities are critical for the proper functioning of each and every ecosystem on Earth. The ability to understand the structure and functioning of these complex communities is crucial to manage and protect natural communities, as well as to rationally design engineered microbial communities for important applications ranging from medical and pharmaceutical uses to various bioindustrial processes. In recent years, synthetic microbial communities have gained increasing interest from microbiologists due to their reduced complexity and increased controllability, which favours them over more complex natural systems for examining ecological theories. In this thesis, the in silico counterpart of this approach was used to test ecological theories relating to biodiversity and functionality through the use of mathematical models. Models are abstractions of reality which allow for the testing of hypotheses in a controlled way. In this thesis, individual-based models of synthetic microbial communities were developed and used in simulation studies to answer research questions relating to community diversity, stability, productivity and functionality. The models are spatially explicit and track through time the characteristics, interactions and activities of every individual in the community. The modelling framework is flexible and thus also extendable to other avenues of research.
Association of single nucleotide polymorphism in DNA repair gene XPD with gastric cancer in Han population from northeast region of China

AIM: To assess the relationship between XPD single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and susceptibility to gastric cancer in Han Chinese from northeast region via a hospital-based, casecontrol study. METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was used to determine the Asp312Asn and Lys751Gln polymorphisms of XPD gene in 238 patients with gastric cancer and 200 healthy controls. The adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: The polymorphism of Lys751Gln was not significantly different between gastric cancer patients and normal controls. The frequency of Asp/Asn and Asn/Asn genotypes in gastric cancer was significantly increased as compared with that in the controls (P = 0.041). Individuals carrying at least one 312Asn variant allele (Asp/Asn and Asn/Asn genotypes) tended to have an increased risk (1.901 times) for gastric cancer as compared with those with the Asp/Asp genotype (OR = 1.901, 95%CI: 1.119-3.229). CONCLUSION: The Asp312Asn polymorphisms in XPD gene are risky factors of gastric cancer in Han Chinese from northeast region.
Genetic Variation at the MC1R Locus and the Time since Loss of Human Body Hair1

The melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) locus makes a protein that affects the color of skin and hair. At this locus, amino-acid differences are entirely absent among African humans, abundant among non-Africans (especially Europeans), and abundant in chimpanzee/human comparisons (Rana et al. 1999, Harding et al. 2000). Previous studies have found no evidence of either directional or diversifying selection, so the pattern in these data has been attributed to tight selective constraint within Africa—a defense against the strong sunlight there—and relaxed constraint in Eurasia (Harding et al. 2000). This interpretation implies that genetic differences within Eurasia have an ancient history and suggests the likelihood of admixture between Neandertals and anatomically modern humans. We reanalyze these data here and interpret them differently. We suggest that adaptive evolution for sun-resistant MC1R alleles ensued when humans first became hairless savannah-dwellers. The level of neutral MC1R variation among African humans provides a lower bound for the time since this event. Although there are no amino-acid differences at the MC1R locus among African humans, there are ten between the human last common ancestor and the chimpanzee (Harding et al. 2000). This suggests that selective constraint may have been weaker in the distant past. Furthermore, many of these differences are nonsynonymous (cause changes in the protein). This is surprising because, in functional genes, most nonsynonymous mutations are detrimental and are quickly removed by selection. Consequently, nonsynonymous differences tend to be rare. Between chimpanzee and the human last com-
Carbon and Biodiversity Impacts of Intensive Versus Extensive Tropical Forestry

How should we meet the demand for wood while minimizing climate and biodiversity impacts? We address this question for tropical forest landscapes designated for timber production. We model carbon and biodiversity outcomes for four archetypal timber production systems that all deliver the same volume of timber but vary in their spatial extent and harvest intensity. We include impacts of variable deforestation risk (secure land tenure or not) and alternative harvesting practices (certified reduced‐impact logging methods or not).
Microenvironment and its role in acquire drug resistance of leukemia treatment

Bone marrow niche is the microenvironment where the leukemic cells residue and it support cell proliferation, metastasis, and drug resistance by secretion of numerous factors including cytokines. When leukemic cells grow, they disrupt normal hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) bone marrow niches and create abnormal microenvironments. Also, niches recently have been linked to the development of drug resistance. One type of stem cell that resides in the bone marrow niche is called Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Two microenvironment niches have been identified in BM; Osteoblastic and vascular, these niches provide the area in where the leukemia cells can escape from the chemotherapy-induced death and acquire drug resistance cells. Moreover, this review highlight briefly the role of exosomes in cell-to-cell communication and progression. The interaction between BM and leukemia cells through different proteins including cytokines, adhesion molecule, signal transduction pathways and hypoxia are mentioned simply. MSCs have potential successful uses in regenerative medicine, but in this short review focusing on their potential role in supporting resistance in leukemia and the progress in elucidating the cellular components of HSC in BM. Correspondence to: Malak Y Qattan, Department of Surgery, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, King Saud University, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, E-mail: mqattan@KSU.EDU. SA