Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Utilization of Silica in Rice Hulls as Raw Materials for Silicon Semiconductors

Highly pure silicon and silicon compounds are required in high technology products such as semiconductors and solar cells. Rice hulls consist of 71 to 87wt% organic components such as cellulose and 13 to 29wt% inorganic components. In rice hulls, 87 to 97wt% of the inorganic components are silica (SiO 2 ). Rice plants absorb water-soluble siliceous ions via the roots. These ions are transported to stems, leaves and rice hulls by sap flow. In rice hulls, siliceous ions accumulate at the cuticle outside of the epidermis. The production of pure silicon compound (SiCl 4 ) and of silicon metal as the starting material for purification from rice hull ash is proposed to utilize rice hull SiO 2 in high technology industries. In one process, SiO 2 in rice hull ash reacts with Cl 2 on the presence of C and is converted to SiCl 4 . SiO 2 + 2Cl 2 + 2C → SiCl 4 + 2CO The SiCl 4 is purified by distillation. The production of SiCl 4 from rice hull ash is much more efficient than that from mineral SiO 2 . In another process, SiO 2 in rice hull ash reacts with aluminum (Al) to synthesize Si and Al 2 O 3 . 3SiO 2 + 4Al → 3Si + 2Al 2 O 3 The reactivity of rice hull SiO 2 is higher than that of mineral SiO 2 . Although rice hulls are now utilized for agricultural materials and fuel, rice hull SiO 2 also has high potential for use as industrial raw materials.
Ginkgo biloba Extract Decreases Scopolamine-Induced Congophilic Amyloid Plaques Accumulation in Male Rat's Brain

Background: Scopolamine can induce amyloid β accumulation, oxidative stress, synaptic loss, and learning/memory deficit as seen in Alzheimer’s disease. Ginkgo biloba extract increases neurogenesis and suppresses the happening of pathological processes and cognitive decline. Objectives: Herein, we explored the effect of Ginkgo biloba extract on scopolamine-induced congophilic amyloid plaque accumulation and neurons density in the rats’ brain. Methods: Ginkgo biloba extract (40 and 80 mg/kg/day) was injected daily intraperitoneally for seven days before and after the scopolamine injection (3 mg/kg) in protective and treatment group rats. At the end of the experiments, the rats’ brains were removed and fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde. After histological processing, Congo red staining was used to assess amyloid plaques while cresyl violet staining was employed to determine the neuron density. Results: The administration of scopolamine led to increased congophilic amyloid plaque density in the hippocampus and cingulate cortex of the rats. Pretreatment with Ginkgo biloba extract significantly decreased congophilic amyloid plaque numbers in the hippocampus and cingulate cortex. In addition, scopolamine could reduce the hippocampal and cingulate cortex neuron numbers compared to the control group rats. However, Ginkgo biloba extract increased the hippocampal and cingulate cortex neuron numbers before and after the injection of scopolamine. Conclusions: Our results showed that Ginkgo biloba extract could play protective roles against some scopolamine-induced Alzheimer’s disease-like pathologic dysfunctions, including amyloidβ accumulation and neuronal loss, suggesting that treatment with Ginkgo biloba extract might be a promising prophylactic target for Alzheimer’s disease.
Target specificity of the felixer grooming “trap”

Felixer grooming “traps” provide a novel technique for controlling invasive red foxes ( Vulpes vulpes ) and feral cats ( Felis catus ) by ejecting a dose of poison onto the fur of a target animal, which is subsequently ingested through grooming. The Felixer achieves target speciﬁcity through a discriminatory sensor arrangement and algorithm as well as a dosing pathway and toxin, which together make feral cats and foxes more vulnerable than humans and nontarget wildlife. The toxin 1080 used in many pest control projects in Australia is derived from native plants, which renders Australian wildlife, including potential scavengers of poisoned carcasses, that have co-evolved with these toxic plants less sensitive than their nonnative counterparts to 1080 poisoning. We investigated the success of the Felixer sensor system in discriminating target cats and red foxes from nontargets under ﬁeld conditions. All foxes and 82% of feral cats were correctly identiﬁed as targets. No people or medium-sized marsupials—including brush-tailed possums ( Trichosurus vulpecula ), bettongs ( Bettongia spp.), bilbies ( Macrotis lagotis ), and western quolls ( Dasyurus geoffroii )—were incorrectly assigned as targets, suggesting Felixers could provide safe and speciﬁc feral-predator control at many conservation sites, albeit not at sites with threatened endemic small felids or canids. A low false-positive detection rate was recorded in larger macropods and poultry that will be addressed with more sophisticated sensor positioning and algorithms in optimized Felixers, along with more careful installation. The low sensitivity of macropods and malleefowl ( Leipoa ocellata ) to 1080, and their reduced grooming behavior relative to feral cats, suggests these species will not be affected by Felixer deployment. (cid:1) 2019 The Wildlife Society.
Transmission of motor signals from the basal ganglia to the thalamus: effect of correlations, sensory responses, and excitation

Basal ganglia output neurons transmit motor signals by decreasing their firing rate during movement. This decrease can lead to post-inhibitory rebound spikes in thalamocortical neurons in motor thalamus (Mthal). While in healthy animals neural activity in the basal ganglia is markedly uncorrelated, in Parkinson’s disease neural activity becomes pathologically correlated. Here we investigated the impact of correlations in the basal ganglia output on the transmission of motor signals to Mthal using a Hodgkin-Huxley model of a thalamocortical neuron. We found that correlations in the basal ganglia output disrupt the transmission of motor signals via rebound spikes by increasing the signal-to-noise ratio and trial-to-trial variability. We further examined the role of brief sensory responses in basal ganglia output neurons and the effect of cortical excitation of Mthal in modulating rebound spiking. Interestingly, both the sensory responses and cortical inputs could either promote or suppress the generation of rebound spikes depending on their timing relative to the motor signal. Finally, in the model rebound spiking occurred despite the presence of moderate levels of excitation, indicating that rebound spiking might be feasible in a parameter regime relevant also in vivo. Overall, our model provides novel insights into the transmission of motor signals from the basal ganglia to Mthal by suggesting new functional roles for active decorrelation and sensory responses in the basal ganglia, as well as cortical excitation of Mthal. Author summary The output of the basal ganglia might act like a brake on our brain’s motor circuits such as motor thalamus. When we move, this brake is released, letting motor thalamus execute the selected movement. However, the neural processes that underlie the communication of the basal ganglia with the motor thalamus during movement are unclear. We utilise a computational model of a neuron in motor thalamus to investigate how this transmission might work, how it can be modulated by sensory and cortical inputs, and how it is compromised in Parkinson’s disease. Our results explain how pathological correlations in the neural activity in Parkinson’s disease disturb the transmission of motor signals, which might underlie some of the motor symptoms.
Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors:Molecular Targets for Alcoholism andEthanol Reward: A Dissertation

While it is clear that most drugs of abuse act to increase extracellular dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), the molecular mechanisms mediating this process vary depending on the molecular target each drug acts on. The rewarding properties of most drugs of abuse including cocaine, amphetamine, and heroin have been well established for some time; however, the molecular mechanisms by which ethanol acts to mediate reward have not been fully elucidated. In this thesis, I have examined the role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), known molecular targets for nicotine addiction, in mediating the initial rewarding properties of alcohol. Using a mouse model of voluntary ethanol consumption called Drinking in the Dark (DID), in combination with nAChR pharmacology and mouse genetics, we have provided further evidence for the role of nAChRs in mediating the initial rewarding properties of ethanol. Because of the vast number of possible functional nAChR subtypes present in the brain, I sought to investigate which subtype of nAChR may be responsible for ethanol reinforcement. To accomplish this, I used two complementary nAChR mouse models. The first is a knock-out line that does not express the α4 subunit (α4 KO) and the second is a knock-in line that expresses α4* nAChRs that are hypersensitive to agonist (Leu9′Ala). We have also shown, for the first time, that a specific nAChR subtype, those that contain the α4 subunit (α4*), mediate voluntary ethanol consumption and reward. Next, I examined the role of α4* nAChRs in modulating voluntary ethanol consumption after systemic administration of the FDA approved smoking cessation drug varenicline, a partial agonist of α4* nAChRs. We showed that varenicline and nicotine both reduced acute ethanol consumption in an α4* nAChR dependent mechanism. Taken together, our data indicate that activation of α4* nAChRs is necessary and sufficient for reduction of ethanol consumption and further supports the hypothesis that α4* nAChRs are molecular targets for alcohol cessation therapies.
Cis-topic modelling of single-cell epigenomes

Single-cell epigenomics provides new opportunities to decipher genomic regulatory programs from heterogeneous samples and dynamic processes. We present a probabilistic framework called cisTopic, to simultaneously discover “cis-regulatory topics” and stable cell states from sparse single-cell epigenomics data. After benchmarking cisTopic on single-cell ATAC-seq data, single-cell DNA methylation data, and semi-simulated single-cell ChIP-seq data, we use cisTopic to predict regulatory programs in the human brain and validate these by aligning them with co-expression networks derived from single-cell RNA-seq data. Next, we performed a time-series single-cell ATAC-seq experiment after SOX10 perturbations in melanoma cultures, where cisTopic revealed dynamic regulatory topics driven by SOX10 and AP-1. Finally, machine learning and enhancer modelling approaches allowed to predict cell type specific SOX10 and SOX9 binding sites based on topic specific co-regulatory motifs. cisTopic is available as an R/Bioconductor package at http://github.com/aertslab/cistopic.
Uloga pH kondenzata izdaha u procjeni učinaka profesionalne izloženosti organskoj prašini na dišni sustav [The role of EBC pH in the assessment of respiratory effects of occupational exposure to organic dust]

The study comprised experimental and epidemiological section. In experimental section, acute effects of smoking, standardised breakfast and coffee consumption on EBC pH were evaluated in 41 healthy adults. No effect of food and coffee consumption on EBC pH was found. EBC pH values of smokers after overnight smoking abstinence were on average 0.62 logarithmic unites lower than values in healthy non smokers (P<0.001). Smoking of one cigarette increased EBC pH for 0.50 logarithmic units (P<0.001) to the level equal to EBC pH of non-smokers. The observed effect persisted during the two-hour follow-up period indicating the importance of overnight tobacco abstinence for EBC pH measurement. In epidemiological section, the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and objective atopy markers, as well as the effect of weekly exposure to wood dust on EBC pH, lung function and positive bronchodilatatory test, were evaluated in 61 workers from two sawmills (S1 and S2). Respiratory hazards were measured at sawmills. Control group comprised 61 adult subjects, non-exposed to occupational respiratory hazards. Environmental monitoring showed similar level of total and respirable dust, below legal limits of exposure. Endotoxin levels were higher than recommended but similar for both sawmills. Mould spores level was 2.5 times higher in S1 compared to S2, reaching the levels showed to be related to respiratory inflammatory changes. In S2 only hardwood species were processed, while S1 processed also softwood species which possess higher proinflammatory potency. Compared to control subjects and S2 workers, S1 workers had higher prevalence of dry cough and positive bronchodilatatory test, and lower spirometry values. Monday/Friday values of EBC pH showed significant decline for 0.39 logarithmic units (P=0.012), but only in S1 workers. These results could be related to exposure to wood dust of species with higher proinflammatory potency and higher mould exposure, as well as with older age, lower educational level and higher cumulative smoking dose in S1 compared to S2 workers. The EBC pH decrease after weekly wood dust exposure observed even in respiratory healthy, non-smoking sawmill workers, implies that EBC acidity could be used as an early, subclinical biomarker of wood dust exposure effect.
Análisis comparativo de los elementos genómicos de resistencia a antibióticos betalactámicos en cepas colombianas de Providencia rettgeri durante el período 2015 - 2016

Las infecciones asociadas a la atencion en salud (IACS) causadas por microorganismos multirresistentes se asocian con un incremento en los costos para los sistemas de salud debido a la estancia prolongada de los pacientes. Providencia rettgeri en los ultimos tiempos se ha convertido en una de las mas importantes enterobacterias causante de IACS en el mundo, debido a su relacion con el determinante de resistencia blaNDM-1 y por los altos niveles de resistencia expresados a los antimicrobianos (RAM), en especial a los carbapenemicos, agentes considerados de ultimo recurso para el tratamiento de cepas multirresistentes. Debido a este problema de salud publica, el objetivo de este estudio fue identificar y evaluar los elementos genomicos de resistencia a antibioticos betalactamicos en cepas colombianas de P. rettgeri. Para ello se realizo la secuenciacion de genoma completo (WGS) de 28 aislamientos obtenidos en el periodo 2015 – 2016. Asi mismo, se determino el perfil fenotipico de resistencia, se tipificaron los aislamientos y se generaron perfiles genomicos de resistencia por medio de un flujo de trabajo bioinformatico, para un posterior analisis epidemiologico. Como resultado se observaron elevados porcentajes de resistencia a carbapenemicos, cefalosporinas, sulfonamidas y fluoroquinolonas; se obtuvieron por primera vez 8 rSTs de P. rettgeri circulando en el pais, de los cuales 7 fueron nuevos. Se encontro que el rST-63073 (45%) y rST-61696 (25%) fueron dominantes. Tambien se identificaron 116 genes mediadores de resistencia, representativos de los mecanismos de resistencia: degradacion y modificacion, bombas de eflujo, porinas y cambio del sitio blanco. Finalmente se realizo el pangenoma para establecer las relaciones filogeneticas y se correlaciono el perfil genomico obtenido por WGS con el perfil fenotipico de resistencia. El arbol filogenetico indico la amplia dispersion de las cepas de P. rettgeri en Colombia, la tipificacion a partir de WGS mostro un poder discriminatorio mas alto y el estudio por WGS proporciono evidencia de un alto nivel de concordancia (96.4%) entre los perfiles fenotipicos y genotipicos de RAM para predecir resistencia a antibioticos betalactamicos y del (96,8% - 92,8%) para predecir resistencia a antibioticos No betalactamicos. Los perfiles genomicos generados en el estudio demostraron ser un determinante importante para caracterizar los aislamientos con base en el resistoma. Palabras clave: Providencia rettgeri, Secuenciacion de genoma completo (WGS), resistencia a los antimicrobianos (RAM), perfil fenotipico de resistencia, perfil genomico de resistencia, Infecciones asociadas a la atencion en salud (IACS).
Percutaneous Transvascular Implantation of a Coronary Sinus Reducing Stent

The coronary sinus reducing stent (CSRS) is a stainless-steel mesh that is designed to create a focal narrowing in the lumen of the coronary sinus. The CSRS is pre-mounted on a customised hourglass shaped balloon catheter inserted into its place via the jugular vein under local anaesthesia. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the use of CSRS in refractory angina pectoris patients when compared to sham CSRS procedure. For the assessment of clinical effectiveness, one randomised controlled trial met the inclusion criteria. For the assessment of safety, seven studies met the inclusion criteria. The overall strength of evidence for effectiveness and safety was moderate. The inclusion in the Austrian catalogue of benefits is currently not recommended. Even though the current evidence indicates that the assessed technology CSRS is potentially more effective than sham intervention for refractory angina pectoris patients (in terms of Canadian Cardiovascular Society and Seattle Angina Questionnaire scores) who have no other alternative interventions available, the lacking internal validity of the studies undermines the partially positive results. A re-evaluation is recommended in 2022.
Educational cultural analysis of language assessment rubrics: a case study of Japanese language at a British University

The standard of language assessment is considered to be similar within the same country, but it actually varies from institution to institution even within the UK. Rubrics are important for language teachers to access students' written work, and it also relates to teachers' objective or subjective marking. This paper looks at Japanese assessment criteria in a British STEM university where students study Japanese in the IWLP context. Using two dimensions from Hofstede et al.'s (2010) cultural taxonomy and Hall's (1976) concept of high- and low-context culture, Japanese language rubrics for the written assessment was analysed in 2017. The findings show that the rubrics examined in this study were under the influence of Hofstede et al.'s (2010) collectivist and strong uncertainty avoidance educational culture. The emphasis on the correct use of grammar was observed and also found that language teachers in this institution grade students' written work more objectively using quantitative method. The rubrics includes instructions which enhance the quality of grading consistent and standardise among all language teachers. This process also helps to justify the first marker's awarded marks to the second marker and also the external examiner. Recommendations are given to language teachers and managers who coordinate languages. Language teachers are recommended to inform students whether the focus is accuracy or creativity as this information affects students in working on their assessed work. It is also recommended for managers at language centres to revise periodically the definition of categories to examine if there are any duplication among the rubrics and update them. Incorporating some aspects of rubrics mentioned in this study may enhance the quality of language teachers' grading to be standardised and consistent.
Ants as food for Apennine brown bears

Abstract The value of ants to bears is a topic of substantial relevance for the small and highly endangered population of Apennine brown bears (Ursus arctos marsicanus) in central Italy. Following a previous food-habit study (2006–2009) based on scat analysis, we used the same data set to further investigate patterns of ant consumption by Apennine bears at a greater taxonomic and temporal resolution. We observed a great diversity of ant species in bear scats, comprising 15 genera and > 42 species. Bears most frequently consumed ants living in open grassland and forest edges, belonging to five genera: Formica, Lasius, Tetramorium, Camponotus and Myrmica. Specifically, yellow Lasius spp. , Serviformica spp. , Lasius s. str. spp. , and Tetramorium spp. were most represented in the bear diet, followed by Formica pratensis, Camponotus spp. , Myrmica spp. and Formica sanguinea. Yellow Lasius spp. yielded the highest number of individuals per bear scat, outnumbering any other ant taxon. During the years of our study, ant consumption by bears peaked between June and July and corresponded to a higher occurrence of brood in the scats. Our results are useful to inform habitat management, especially in light of expected natural and anthropogenic changes. However, further investigation is necessary to unveil behavioural and ecological correlates of myrmecophagy in Apennine brown bears.
Antioxidant Activity in Vitro of Polysaccharide Extracted by Ultrasound with Different Powers from Ophiopogon japonicas

The polysaccharides were extracted by different power ultrasound from Ophiopogon japonicas. The extraction yield and in vitro antioxidant activities including scavenging effect on hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion free radicals and DPPH were investigated. The results showed that with the increase of ultrasonic power, the yield of the polysaccharides decreased first and then increased. The antioxidant activity of polysaccharides increased first and then decreased with the increase of ultrasonic power. When the power was 400 W, the scavenging effect on superoxide anion and DPPH of the polysaccharides was the strongest, and the scavenging ability of hydroxyl radical was the strongest when the power was 560 W. Therefore, different ultrasonic power could affect the extraction yield and antioxidant activity of Ophiopogon japonicas polysaccharide. It will provide theoretical basis and experimental support for the application of ultrasonic extraction on polysaccharides from Ophiopogon japonicas.
Approximated 3D non-homogeneous model for the buckling and vibration analysis of femur bone with femoral defects

We carry the knowledge that the skeleton bones of the human body are not always without defects and some various defects could occur in them. In the present paper, as the first endeavor, free vibration and buckling analysis of femur bones with femoral defects are investigated. A major strength of this study is the modeling of defects in femur bones. Materialise Mimics software is adopted to model the bone geometry and the SOLIDWORKS software is used to generate the defects in bones. Next, the ABAQUS software is employed to study the behaviors of bones with defects.
Accounting for China’s Aggregate Growth and Productivity Performance in a Regional Industry Origin Framework

By constructing capital-labor-energy-materials-services (KLEMS) type of regional productivity accounts, this study adopts the aggregate production possibility frontier (APPF) framework and further incorporates Domar weights to account for industry and regional origins of China’s aggregate economy and total factor productivity (TFP) growth over 1992-2014. The results show that the industry structures of each region and the regional distributions of each industry at national level constantly change over time, and the value added growth contributions of individual industries to each region and that of each region to the national industry are disparate across industries and regions. Differences in capital-labor ratio make the largest contribution to differences in labor productivity growth across most regions, followed by differences in labor quality and TFP growth. Differences in capital-labor ratio, labor quality, and TFP diversely contribute to differences in labor productivity growth across industries, and differences in labor productivity growth across industries obviously differ from those across regions. The annual growth rate of aggregate value added is 8.73% with 6.06% from capital input, 0.37% from hours worked, 1.68% from labor quality, and 0.62% from TFP growth, and industry origins of aggregate value added growth are service sectors, industries that are