Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Feeding Rates on Hepatopancreatic Enzymes and Body Composition in Common Carp.

Common carp Cyprinus carpio were fed a commercial diet for 30 days at different feeding rates (100, 90, 80, 70, 50, 30, and 0% of satiation), and the activities of hepatopancreatic enzymes and body composition were determined. The concentrations of serum triglyceride, phospholipid, and cholesterol as well as body fat and glycogen decreased as the feeding rate decreased, while those of serum glucose and amino acid did not markedly change. Serum free fatty acid concentration in the 0% group was higher than those in the other groups. With a decrease in the feeding rates, the activities of hepatopancreatic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase, NADP-malate dehydrogenase, glucosephosphate isomerase, and pyruvate kinase were significantly depressed, while those of alanine aminotransferase and glucose-6-phosphatase were not markedly changed. The results suggest that the severe feed restriction accelerated free fatty acid and glycogen mobilization, maintained gluconeogenesis and amino acid degradation, and depressed glycolysis and lipogenesis in carp hepatopancreas.
Molecular Detection of Panton Valentine Leukocidin Toxin in Clinical Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus from Kiambu County, Kenya

Panton–Valentine leukocidin gene is produced by Staphylococcus aureus, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates as a pore-forming toxin is largely responsible for skin and soft tissue illnesses. MRSA produces PVL toxins through lukS and lukF proteins causing tissue necrosis by damaging membrane of the defense cells. Presence of PVL toxin was tested from the 54 S. aureus clinical isolates obtained from Thika and Kiambu Level 5 Hospitals, in Kiambu County, Kenya, by Geno Type® MRSA assay (Hain Life Science, Nehren, Germany). DNA was isolated from freshly harvested bacterial cultures by spin column using Geno Type DNA isolation kit. The detection of PVL toxins was performed by amplification of genomic DNA and by reverse hybridization that identifies PVL genes using Geno Type MRSA kit. Out of 138 samples that were collected from patients in Kiambu County, 54 S. aureus isolates were obtained, of which 14 (25.9%; 95% CI = 11.9–38.9) samples had PVL toxins. The isolates that were obtained from the female patients had a higher PVL toxin prevalence of 35.7%, while the isolates collected from the male patients had a lower prevalence of 15.4% (P = 0.09). The pediatrics department had the highest PVL gene prevalence compared to outpatient department and surgical units (P = 0.08). However, the age groups of patients and the hospital attended by patients showed no significant difference in terms of PVL gene prevalence (P = 0.26). Therefore, the patients' gender and hospital units were not significantly associated with PVL gene prevalence (P = 0.08). This study shows that PVL positive isolates occur in the sampled hospitals in the county and female as well as children must be taken into consideration among patients with wound infections when isolating S. aureus.
Effect of seasonal water availability on phenology and the annual shoot carbohydrate cycle of tropical forest shrubs

Summary 1. The effect of seasonal water availability on phenology and shoot total non-structural carbohydrate (TNC) of three Psychotria species was investigated by irrigating two large plots of mature tropical forest in Panama during the dry season for five consecutive years. This study reports results for the fifth and final year of irrigation. 2. Irrigation did not affect total production of leaves, inflorescences or infructescenes but did advance the timing of leaf production in all Psychotria, and advanced the timing of inflorescence production in l? furcata and P. marginata and infructescence production in P. furcata. Irrigation also reduced shoot TNC levels. 3. Shoot TNC levels in all three species of Psychotria showed similar depressions at the end of the dry season and maximum levels near the end of the wet season. Depletion of shoot TNC occurred just before or during peak leaf production but did not coincide with production of inflorescences or infructescences. Therefore, we hypothesize that shoot TNC supported part of the cost of new leaf production but production of inflorescences and infructescences was most likely supported by current photosynthate. 4. Tropical plants generally show less seasonal variation in TNC than plants from more variable climates but stored carbon still plays an important role in the growth of Psychotria, although its direct role in reproduction appears limited.
A Reinforcement Learning Algorithm for Resource Provisioning in Mobile Edge Computing Network

Mobile edge computing (MEC) is a model that allows integration of computing power into telecommunications networks, to improve communication and data processing efficiency. In general, providing power to ensure the computing power of edge servers in the MEC network is very important. In many cases, ensuring continuous power supply to the system is not possible because servers are deployed in hard-to-reach areas such as outlying areas, forests, islands, etc. This is when renewable energy prevails as a viable source of power for ensuring stable operation. This paper addresses resource provisioning in the MEC network using renewable energy. We formulate the problem as a Markov Decision Problem and introduce a new approach to optimize this problem in terms of energy and time costs by using a reinforcement learning technique. Our simulation validates the efficacy of our algorithm, which results in a cost three times better than the other methods.
Weak Altruism, Strong Group Selection

Throughout its history, the group selection controversy has been dominated by two major themes. The first involves the selection of groups in a metapopulation as a process analogous to the selection of individuals within single groups. The second involves altruistic behaviors that benefit others at the expense of the individual actor. Usually it is assumed that the two themes are fully compatible and that altruistic behaviors are the primary outcome of group selection. In this essay I point out some inconsistencies between the two themes. I also show that, by following the first theme to its natural conclusions, it is reasonable to expect strong group selection to operate in random associations, without any genetic relatedness among group members.
The nearest-colattice algorithm

In this work, we exhibit a hierarchy of polynomial time algorithms solving approximate variants of the Closest Vector Problem (CVP). Our first contribution is a heuristic algorithm achieving the same distance tradeoff as HSVP algorithms, namely $\approx \beta^{\frac{n}{2\beta}}\textrm{covol}(\Lambda)^{\frac{1}{n}}$ for a random lattice $\Lambda$ of rank $n$. Compared to the so-called Kannan's embedding technique, our algorithm allows using precomputations and can be used for efficient batch CVP instances. This implies that some attacks on lattice-based signatures lead to very cheap forgeries, after a precomputation. Our second contribution is a proven reduction from approximating the closest vector with a factor $\approx n^{\frac32}\beta^{\frac{3n}{2\beta}}$ to the Shortest Vector Problem (SVP) in dimension $\beta$.
Lag-Based Filtered-Delay Multiply and Sum Beamformer Combined with Two Phase-Related Factors for Medical Ultrasound Imaging

A novel adaptive beamformer named filtered-delay multiply and sum (F-DMAS) has recently been proposed. Compared to the delay and sum (DAS) beamforming algorithm, F-DMAS can efficiently improve the resolution and contrast. However, the DAS can still be seen in the expansion of DMAS. Therefore, we rearrange the pair-wised signals in terms of lag in DMAS and then synthesize a lot of new signals. Thanks to the relationship between the spatial coherence and lag, these new signals can be thought of as sorted by the spatial coherence. Thus, we apply two phase-related factors, the polarity-based factor (PF) and the sign coherence factor (SCF), which are evaluated based on new signals, to weight the output of DMAS. The two approaches are consequently referred to as LAG-DMAS-PF and LAG-DMAS-SCF, respectively. The results show that, compared to F-DMAS and DAS, our proposed methods can improve the resolution and contrast to some extent without increasing too much computational complexity. In the comparison between LAG-DMAS-PF and LAG-DMAS-SCF, the latter has better performance, but the former can better protect image details.
Reconstruction options and outcomes for acetabular bone loss in revision hip arthroplasty

Revision total hip arthroplasty in the setting of acetabular bone loss is a challenging procedure and requires a solid understanding of current acetabular reconstruction options. Despite major developments in the field of revision hip surgery in recent decades, reconstruction of acetabular defects remains a major problem in order to achieve primary stability and durable fixation without sacrificing additional bone stock. Although there are several ways to classify acetabular bone defects, the Paprosky classification system is the most commonly used to describe the defects and guide treatment strategy. An understanding of the bone defects associated with detailed pre-operative assessment and planning are essential elements in order to achieve satisfactory outcomes. Multiple acetabular reconstructive options are currently available including impaction bone grafting with metal mesh, reinforcement rings and antiprotrusio cage, structural allografts, cementless hemispherical cups, extra-large “jumbo cups”, oblong cups, modular porous metal augments, cup-cage constructs, custom- made triflange cups, and acetabular distraction. To date, debate continues as to which technique is most effective due to the lack of long-term studies of modern reconstruction systems. Further long-term studies are necessary to assess the longevity of the different implants. The purpose of this study was to review the current literature and provide a comprehensive understanding of the available reconstruction options with their clinical outcomes.
Prevalence and Factors Associated with Anemia among Pregnant Women Attending Ante-Natal Clinic in the Second and Third Trimesters at Soba University Hospital, Khartoum State, Sudan (2018-2019)

Background and objectives: Globally anemia is a major health problem especially affecting pregnant women. The study aim was to assess the prevalence and identify factors associated with anemia among pregnant women attending the Ante-Natal Clinic at Soba University Hospital. Method: A cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted among 322 pregnant women. The study used an interview-based questionnaire assessing socio-demographic data, pregnancy-related data, medical history, and dietary habits. Hemoglobin level was obtained from the last recorded value in the participant´s file. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 23. Result: The overall prevalence of anemia was 22%. Illiteracy (OR=8.50, 95% CI: 2.44- 29.50, P=0.001), history of abortion (OR=4.40, 95% CI: 2.20-8.79, P=0.000), hyperemesis gravid-arum (OR=2.88, 95% CI: 1.35- 6.14, P=0.006), menorrhagia (OR=2.88, 95% CI: 1.26- 6.56, P=0.012), iron supplement (OR=0.10, 95% CI: 0.02- 0.45, P=0.003), iron supplementation ≤ 2 months (OR=2.65, 95% CI: 1.07- 6.53, P=0.034), regular iron intake (OR=0.08, 95% CI: 0.00- 0.69, P=0.022), immediate calcium intake after iron (OR=2.91, 95% CI: 1.09- 7.73, P= 0.032), ante-natal clinic visits ≤ 2 (OR=3.49, 95% CI: 1.05- 11.63, P=0.041), malaria infection during current pregnancy (OR=3.36, 95% CI: 1.38- 8.15, P=0.007), history of anemia (OR= 9.76, 95% CI: 2.42-39.43, P=0.001), regular coffee consumption after a meal (OR=4.23, 95% CI: 1.67- 10.70, P=0.002), and meat consumption ≤ 1 per week (OR=4.10, 95% CI: 1.67- 10.06, P=0.002) were significantly associated with anemia. Conclusion: This study showed that anemia is a moderate health problem in the study area. Risk factors education and malaria preventative measures are recommended.
Generating Multi-label Adversarial Examples by Linear Programming

Deep neural networks (DNNs) are used in various domains, such as image classification, natural language processing and face recognition, etc. However, the presence of malicious examples, generated by specific methods, could result in DNNs misclassification. Such maliciously modified examples are called adversarial examples. So far, most work about adversarial examples mainly focuses on the multi-class classification tasks, and only a little work has been done in the field of multi-label classification.In this study, we have proposed a novel algorithm that generates effective multi-label adversarial examples by solving a linear programming problem (MLA-LP). We minimize the l∞ norm of distortion while constraining the changes in the label loss of the example after being perturbed. Then, we transform this constrained optimization problem into a linear programming problem for reducing the time cost. In comparison to the existing multi-label classification model attack algorithms, the attack performance of the proposed MLA-LP is found to be competitive, and the adversarial examples generated by MLA-LP have significantly smaller distortions.
Quercetin Downregulates Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression and HIF-1α/VEGF Signaling-Related Angiogenesis in a Mouse Model of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Objective Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) development has been characterized by increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which contributes to angiogenesis via cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Quercetin, one of the most common and well-researched flavonoids and abundant in vegetables and fruits, has beneficial effects in inhibiting angiogenesis. This study investigated the antiangiogenic effects of quercetin on experimental aneurysms. Methods We utilized the in vivo AAA mouse model induced by the periaortic application of CaCl2 to examine the effectiveness of quercetin in blocking angiogenesis. Quercetin was administered at 60 mg/kg once daily on the day of the AAA induction and then continued for 6 weeks. Celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, was used as the positive control. Results Our results demonstrated that quercetin significantly attenuated aneurysm growth in AAA mice and medial neovascularization. Accordingly, quercetin decreased the expression of proangiogenic mediators, including VEGF-A, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, and vascular endothelial cadherin. Quercetin treatment also inhibited the expression of COX-2 and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α). It was also found that quercetin-3-glucuronide, a major quercetin metabolite, downregulated the expression of COX-2, HIF-1α, VEGF-A, and matrix metalloproteinase activities in aortic vascular smooth muscle cells isolated from AAA mice. Conclusion Quercetin attenuates neovascularization during AAA growth, and this effect is mediated via the inhibition of COX-2, which decreases HIF-1α/VEGF signaling-related angiogenesis.
HPLC profiling of selected phenolic acids and flavonoids in Salvia eigii, Salvia hierosolymitana and Salvia viridis growing wild in Jordan and their in vitro antioxidant activity

Background Salvia eigii. , Salvia hierosolymitana and Salvia viridis are native to the Mediterranean region, and are used in traditional medicine for the treatment of many ailments. In the current investigation, the methanolic extracts obtained from the air dried aerial parts of S. eigii, S. hierosolymitana and S. viridis from Jordan were screened for their total phenolics content (TPC), total flavonoids content (TFC) and their in vitro antioxidant activity. Additionally, the presence of four bioactive phenolic acids including gallic acid, caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid and salvianolic acid B and other seven flavonoids including luteolin-7-O-glucoside, apigenin, apigenin-7-O-glucoside, rutin, nariginin, hesperidin and quercetin was determined using Liquid chromatography-Electron Spray Ionization-Tandom Mass Spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). Methods Antioxidant activity of the obtained three extracts were examined via the DPPH•, ABTS• + radical scavenging methods in addition to Ferrous Ion Chelating (FIC) effect. TFC and TPC of the extracts were measured using the aluminum chloride colorimetric method and the Folin-Ciocalteau method, respectively. The presence and concentration of the selected 11 compounds was further determined through LC-ESI-MS/MS. Results The results indicated that three Salvia species had high total flavonoids content expressed in mg quercetin/g dry extract (S. heirosolymitana: 770.85 ± 5.26; S. eigii: 520.60 ± 6.24, S. viridis: 311.36 ± 4.41). S. heirosolymitana had the highest DPPH• activity (0.184 ± 1.22 × 10−2 mg/ml) and FIC effect (0.354 ± 0.018 mg/ml). S. heirosolymitana had slightly higher ABTS• + scavenging activity than S. eigii (0.176 ± 1.16 × 10−2 mg/ml; 0.183 ± 0.031 mg/ml, respectively). All 11 compounds were detected in the extracts of the three Salvia species. Luteolin-7-O-glucoside was detected in high concentration levels in the three species (1756.73, 21651.36, and 26125.14 mg/kg dry plant; S. eigii, S. hierosolyimitana and S. viridis, respectively), yet rosmarinic acid had the highest contribution to both S. hierosolymitana (27124.93 mg/kg) and S. eigii (15783.33 mg/kg). Notably, S. hierosolymitana and S. viridis contained salvianolic acid B (896.11; 890.9 mg/kg). Conclusions The three Salvia species exhibited good antioxidant activity, especially S. heirosolymitana due to its high TPC, TFC, and the presence of high concentration levels of romarinic acid and other phenolic acids and flavonoids. This is the first phytochemical and antioxidant evaluation of S. eigii, S. hierosolymitana and S. viridis from Jordan. Prior to this investigation, no phytochemical investigation on S. eigii was reported.
Organochlorine Pesticides in the Females Suffering from Breast Cancer and its Relation to Estrogen Receptor Status

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer that occurs in females. Approximately 70% of breast tumors express the estrogen receptor. To date, established risk factors for breast cancer are only partially able to explain the causes for this disease. There have always been researchers’ interests in evaluating the role of environmental chemicals, especially those with evidence of being hormonally active agents, which play an important role in breast cancer development. Organochlorine pesticides are one of those chemical which have received the most attentions because of their ability to concentrate onto food chain, fat-soluble and estrogenic activity while remaining persistent in the human body and environment. The present study is an attempt to explore the possibility and role of organochlorine pesticides in the development of estrogen receptor breast cancer. A hospital-based case-control study was administered on 93 women, who underwent various surgeries for breast diseases, to observe the association between organochlorine pesticide exposures with reference to estrogen receptor status in the subjects suffering from breast cancer. Samples of blood, tumor and surrounding adipose tissue of the breast were collected from the subjects with estrogen positive, estrogen negative and benign breast lesions. The samples were then analyzed to determine the presence of organochlorine pesticides by using a gas–liquid chromatography equipped with an electron capture detector. The α, β, γ and δ isomers of HCH (Hexachlorocyclohexane) and metabolites of DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) such as p,p’-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p,p-DDT), o,p’- dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (o,p’-DDT), p,p’- dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p’-DDE), and p,p’-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (p,p’-DDD) were frequently detected in the samples at significant level. The result of this study shows that the exposure to potential estrogenic organochlorines may cause the development of estrogen receptor positive breast cancer. A possible mechanism on prognosis of hormone responsive breast cancers needs to be clarified.
Template-Based Graph Clustering

We propose a novel graph clustering method guided by additional information on the underlying structure of the clusters (or communities). The problem is formulated as the matching of a graph to a template with smaller dimension, hence matching $n$ vertices of the observed graph (to be clustered) to the $k$ vertices of a template graph, using its edges as support information, and relaxed on the set of orthonormal matrices in order to find a $k$ dimensional embedding. With relevant priors that encode the density of the clusters and their relationships, our method outperforms classical methods, especially for challenging cases.
Early and frequent exposure to antibiotics in children and the risk of obesity: systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

Background: This study aimed to systematically evaluate the available evidence on prenatal and early infancy antibiotic exposure and the association with overweight and obesity in later childhood. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search of Embase, MEDLINE, and Web of Science for observational studies assessing prenatal and early antibiotic exposure on the risk of overweight and obesity. We independently assessed the risk of bias using the ROBINS instrument and the overall quality of evidence using the GRADE approach. Results: Our search identified thirteen observational studies including 554,983 participants; most studies were at moderate risk of bias. We found a statistically significant impact of early antibiotic exposure and the risk of being overweight later in childhood (OR 1.18; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.34) (very low quality evidence). We also found that early childhood antibiotic exposure was associated with the risk for childhood obesity (OR 1.14; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.24) (very low quality evidence). Conclusions: Very low quality evidence suggests that exposure to antibiotics early in life may be associated with an increased risk of being overweight and obese in later childhood. However, very low quality evidence raises serious questions about the plausibility of prenatal and early infancy antibiotic exposure being causally related to weight in children. PROSPERO registration: CRD42016050011 (14/12/2016)
A Novel Metabolic Connectome Method to Predict Progression to Mild Cognitive Impairment

Objective Glucose-based positron emission tomography (PET) imaging has been widely used to predict the progression of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) into Alzheimer's disease (AD) clinically. However, existing discriminant methods are unsubtle to reveal pathophysiological changes. Therefore, we present a novel metabolic connectome-based predictive modeling to predict progression from MCI to AD accurately. Methods In this study, we acquired fluorodeoxyglucose PET images and clinical assessments from 420 MCI patients with 36 months follow-up. Individual metabolic network based on connectome analysis was constructed, and the metabolic connectivity in this network was extracted as predictive features. Three different classification strategies were implemented to interrogate the predictive performance. To verify the effectivity of selected features, specific brain regions associated with MCI conversion were identified based on these features and compared with prior knowledge. Results As a result, 4005 connectome features were obtained, and 153 in which were selected as efficient features. Our proposed feature extraction method had achieved 85.2% accuracy for MCI conversion prediction (sensitivity: 88.1%; specificity: 81.2%; and AUC: 0.933). The discriminative brain regions associated with MCI conversion were mainly located in the precentral gyrus, precuneus, lingual, and inferior frontal gyrus. Conclusion Overall, the results suggest that our proposed individual metabolic connectome method has great potential to predict whether MCI patients will progress to AD. The metabolic connectome may help to identify brain metabolic dysfunction and build a clinically applicable biomarker to predict the MCI progression.