Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of land use land cover change using a new and existing spectral indices and its impact on normalized land surface temperature

Abstract In the present study, a new spectral index named as Normalized Ratio Urban Index (NRUIms) has been proposed for multi-sensor Landsat satellite data. The new index along with other existing indices, has been used as additional feature for image classification to assess Land Use Land Cover (LULC) changes for Dehradun, India. It has been found that use of indices, increases separability between different LULC class-pairs. However, for fallow-urban class pair, NRUIms shows better separability in comparison to other indices. Significant LULC changes have been analysed using Man Kendall (MK) and Sen’s Slope (SS) tests. The change during the period 1991–2019 reveals that an unprecedented urban growth has taken place. Further, conversion of vegetated areas into non-vegetated areas has also been studied in this period. For changed areas, normalized LST difference has been estimated. The LULC conversion from vegetated into non-vegetated areas, leads to an increase in LST and vice-versa.
Fas ligand interacting proteins : new insights into complex signaling networks

The Fas ligand is a death factor and a potential signal transducer. Here we show the retrograde signaling of FasL could be demonstrated in human T cells. FasL engagement results in a severe block of T cell activation without increased cell death. In cytotoxic T cells, NK cells , FasL can be located intracellularly in 'secretory lysosomes' and delivered to the immunological synapse upon eg. TCR stimulation. The proline-rich domain (PRD) in the cytosolic portion of FasL is required to prevent direct surface expression of the molecule. With FCH/SH3 family of closely related proteins, it was demonstrated members of this family can interact with FasL and changed the subcellular localization of FasL when co-expressed in non-hematopoietic cells indicating a major role of these interactors in guiding FasL to the lysosomal compartment. The observation that the adapter protein Nck1 co-localizes with the FasL in the area of target cell contact suggested that the TCR-triggered recruitment of Nck1 might result in a directed transport of FasL and associated secretory lysosomes into the forming immunological synapse.
Contribution of Terrestrial Runoff to Coral Disease Prevalence on North Bali’s Massive Porites

The widespread of coral disease may threatened Bali`s marine tourism which is the main asset for the nation prosperity. However, the disease prevalence is still unknown, in particular inshore coral reefs near to tourist spot areas. Therefore, the research aims to investigate the contribution of terrestrial runoff to coral disease prevalence and to examine the relationships between disease prevalence and environmental parameters (nitrate, phosphate, organic carbon and total suspended solids (TSS)) within the population of massive Porites on shallow north Bali reefs. Syndrome, diseases and healthy colonies of massive Porites coral were counted and noted within a 2 x 10 m belt transect at 3 sampling sites. The dominant disease observed was ulcerative white spots (UWS), while the syndromes were pigmentation response and aggressive overgrowth by macroalgae. The highest mean UWS prevalence was at site 3 which was the closest site to runoff (prevalence = 91%). This disease only affected one colony at site 1 and 2, respectively. Disease prevalence had strong relationship with TSS and nitrate, yet it showed weak relationship with phosphate and organic carbon. These results suggest that terrestrial runoff could contribute to the disease prevalence by increasing the TSS, nutrients and organic carbon loading to the inshore ecosystems. High level of organic carbon could severe the disease, particularly when combined with elevated TSS and nutrient, by reducing the coral`s immunity system. Keywords: coral disease, prevalence, terrestrial runoff, Porites, ulcerative white spot, environmental parameter, North Bali .
Genetic structure across urban and agricultural landscapes reveals evidence of resource specialization and philopatry in the Eastern carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica L.

Human activity continues to impact global ecosystems, often by altering the habitat suitability, persistence, and movement of native species. It is thus critical to examine the population genetic structure of key ecosystemservice providers across human‐altered landscapes to provide insight into the forces that limit wildlife persistence and movement across multiple spatial scales. While some studies have documented declines of bee pollinators as a result of human‐mediated habitat alteration, others suggest that some bee species may benefit from altered land use due to increased food or nesting resource availability; however, detailed population and dispersal studies have been lacking. We investigated the population genetic structure of the Eastern carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica, across 14 sites spanning more than 450 km, including dense urban areas and intensive agricultural habitat. X. virginica is a large bee which constructs nests in natural and human‐associated wooden substrates, and is hypothesized to disperse broadly across urbanizing areas. Using 10 microsatellite loci, we detected significant genetic isolation by geographic distance and significant isolation by land use, where urban and cultivated landscapes were most conducive to gene flow. This is one of the first population genetic analyses to provide evidence of enhanced insect dispersal in human‐altered areas as compared to semi‐natural landscapes. We found moderate levels of regional‐scale population structure across the study system (GʹST = 0.146) and substantial co‐ancestry between the sampling regions, where co‐ancestry patterns align with major human transportation corridors, suggesting that human‐mediated movement may be influencing regional dispersal processes. Additionally, we found a signature of strong site‐level philopatry where our analyses revealed significant levels of high genetic relatedness at very fine scales (<1 km), surprising given X. virginica's large body size. These results provide unique genetic evidence that insects can simultaneously exhibit substantial regional dispersal as well as high local nesting fidelity in landscapes dominated by human activity.
Anti-hyperglycemic Effects of Diacerein in Alloxan-Induced Diabetes Mellitus in Wistar Albino Rats

Objective: To determine the anti-hyperglycemic effects of interleukin-1 inhibitor (diacerein) in alloxan induced diabetic albino wistar rats. This experimental study was performed at the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam within 6 months from April 2016 to September 2016. Total of 160 adult Albino Wistar Rats having an average of 200 to 300 grams body weights were selected. Animals were categorized into 4 groups as;  Group A (n=15): Control rats – receive 0.9% normal saline as placebo Experimental Groups  Group B (n=15): Experimental Control (Diabetic rats) Alloxan50 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneal.  Group C (n=15): Diabetic rats + Diacerein (30 mg/kg/day) orally daily.  Group D (n=15): Diabetic rats + Diacerein (50 mg/kg/day) orally daily. Animals were kept and treated as per the NIH Guideline for Use and Care of Laboratory Animals. Diabetes mellitus was induced via a single intraperitoneal injection of 50 milligram/kg alloxan monohydrated dissolved in aseptic 0.9% saline. After 72 hours, blood specimens were taken from Short Research Article Uqaili et al.; JPRI, 32(15): 107-113, 2020; Article no.JPRI. 56693 108 the caudal vein of the rats and glucose level>200 mg/dL was taken as diabetes. Experimental rats were given diacerein approximately 30 and 50 mg orally for 6 weeks. At the completion of experiment the body weight was measured of each animal by electronic measuring balance and blood sample was taken from each animal of all groups to assess the blood glucose level and HbA1c level. Data were recorded via self-made proforma and analysis was done by using SPSS version 20. Results: Average body weight of Diabetic control (Group B) was 193.33±22.50 grams, which was lower in contrast to Diacerein treated group C 202.47±25.70 grams and significantly lower as compared to Diacerein treated group D as 212.6±23.43 grams. A significant increase in blood glucose levels 182.07±10.63 mg/dl was noted in the Diabetic control (Group B) compared to Diacerein treated group C (110.13± 8.54 mg/dl) and group D (85.87±8.41 mg/dl) (P=0.001). HbA1c was markedly raised in the Group Bdiabetic controls, while diacerein treated diabetic rats (groups C and D) showed a significant decrease in HbA1c (P=0.001). Conclusion: It was concluded that Diacerein achieves the Euglycemic state by reducing the levels of blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in Alloxan-Induced diabetes mellitus in Wistar
Active surveillance for well-differentiated thyroid cancer

The main goal of active surveillance (AS) for thyroid cancer is to avoid overtreatment by choosing the ideal candidate and effectively monitor for disease progression. Definitive treatment offered once indicated. AS is gaining popularity across different institutions; however, to date, there are no definite guidelines or criteria for its implementation, which explains the distinctions in inclusion criteria and followup plans. Although ultrasound is the primary modality to stratify and follow-up the patients, it is not the most accurate in determining aggressive behavior besides being highly subjective. The lack of biologic or molecular markers that can distinguish lesions predisposed to progression is another contributing factor. The cost-effectiveness of AS is questionable; to what extent can AS reduce the cost of treatment is still a matter of debate. This review provides a summary of the current literature on AS and offers an overview of the current challenges for its implementation.
Exploring the influence of knowledge management process on corporate sustainable performance through green innovation

Enhancing green innovation for corporate sustainability is one of the recent issues globally. Knowledge management has been determined as a core factor that hamstrings green innovation. The existing literature was limited to expose the importance of the knowledge management process for corporate sustainable performance. Thus, this paper aims to examine the role of the knowledge management process for corporate sustainable performance with the integration of green innovation and organizational agility following the resource-based view theory. ,Cross-sectional design was used in this study. Data were gathered through convenience sampling from 475 respondents of multinational manufacturing corporations of Pakistan, analyzed by using structural equation modeling. ,This study revealed that the knowledge management process and its all constructs (acquisition, dissemination and application) lead toward green innovation; further, green innovation influences corporate sustainable performance and its all constructs (environment, economic and social). Green innovation partially mediates the association between the knowledge management process and corporate sustainable performance. Besides, organizational agility has a positive effect on green innovation and corporate sustainable performance but was not found moderating these relations. The study educates that organizations investing in innovative technologies and adopting greener strategies are not only adequate for achieving sustainable performance, soft issues such as knowledge management and organizational agility but also important factors in the current knowledge base economy. ,This study is an attempt to examine the previously undiscovered multi-dimensional relationships among the knowledge management process, green innovation, organizational agility and corporate sustainable performance. The presence of a positive correlation among these constructs was observed, proving the conceptual framework for this study.
Avian Diversity: Speciation, Macroevolution, and Ecological Function

The origin, distribution, and function of biological diversity are fundamental themes of ecology and evolutionary biology. Research on birds has played a major role in the history and development of these ideas, yet progress was for many decades limited by a focus on patterns of current diversity, often restricted to particular clades or regions. Deeper insight is now emerging from a recent wave of integrative studies combining comprehensive phylogenetic, environmental, and functional trait data at unprecedented scales. We review these empirical advances and describe how they are reshaping our understanding of global patterns of bird diversity and the processes by which it arises, with implications for avian biogeography and functional ecology. Further expansion and integration of data sets may help to resolve longstanding debates about the evolutionary origins of biodiversity and offer a framework for understanding and predicting the response of ecosystems to environmental change.
800  Gbit/s transmission over 1  km single-mode fiber using a four-channel silicon photonic transmitter

We demonstrate the optical transmission of an 800 Gbit/s (4×200 Gbit/s) pulse amplitude modulation-4 (PAM-4) signal and a 480 Gbit/s (4×120 Gbit/s) on–off-keying (OOK) signal by using a high-bandwidth (BW) silicon photonic (SiP) transmitter with the aid of digital signal processing (DSP). In this transmitter, a four-channel SiP modulator chip is co-packaged with a four-channel driver chip, with a measured 3 dB BW of 40 GHz. DSP is applied in both the transmitter and receiver sides for pre-/post-compensation and bit error rate (BER) calculation. Back-to-back (B2B) BERs of the PAM-4 signal and OOK signal are first measured for each channel of the transmitter with respect to a variety of data rates. Similar BER performance of four channels shows good uniformity of the transmitter between different channels. The BER penalty of the PAM-4 and OOK signals for 500 m and 1 km standard single-mode fiber (SSMF) transmission is then experimentally tested by using one channel of the transmitter. For a 200 Gbit/s PAM-4 signal, the BER is below the hard-decision forward error correction (HD-FEC) threshold for B2B and below the soft-decision FEC (SD-FEC) threshold after 1 km transmission. For a 120 Gbit/s OOK signal, the BER is below SD-FEC threshold for B2B. After 500 m and 1 km transmission, the data rate of the OOK signal shrinks to 119 Gbit/s and 118 Gbit/s with the SD-FEC threshold, respectively. Finally, the 800 Gbit/s PAM-4 signal with 1 km transmission is achieved with the BER of all four channels below the SD-FEC threshold.
Tonic immobility, heterophil to lymphocyte ratio, and organ weights in slow‐growing chickens

&NA; Effects of sex and strain of bird on factors influencing welfare in chickens were investigated in 288 21‐week‐old Potchefstroom Koekoek (PK), Ovambo (OV), and Naked Neck (NN) chickens. The birds were allocated to 4 paddocks of Chloris gayana and a house subdivided into 4 pens. There were 12 males per strain and 12 females per strain in each paddock. Similarly, 12 males per strain and the same number of females were placed in each pen in the house. Twelve birds, 4 each of NN, OV, and PK, were randomly selected per paddock and per pen, and tonic immobility (TI) was determined. Ambient temperature and humidity were recorded and fitted into a PROC MIXED model as random effects, with strain and sex as main effects. On the last d of the trial, blood samples were collected from 9 (3 of each strain) randomly selected birds per paddock, via brachial venepuncture, using 5 mL syringes and 22 gauge needles. At slaughter, the liver and spleen were recovered and weighed immediately. Organ weights were expressed relative to body weight (BW) of each bird. Sex of bird influenced (P < 0.05) BW, spleen, and relative liver weights and heterophil to lymphocyte (H/L) ratio. Strain did not influence (P > 0.05) TI but affected (P < 0.05) all other parameters. Rearing system (P < 0.05) influenced all parameters. Strain × sex interactions were significant (P < 0.05) on all organ weights. Males appeared more stressed than females. The free‐range system could minimize stress in birds though mechanisms should be devised to prevent attacks by predators. Perhaps future research could be designed to study similar parameters over a longer observation period using younger slow‐growing chickens.
Probabilistic Methodology to Determine The Shaft's Diameter and Designed Reliability

In the proposed probabilistic shaft’s methodology the stress average and the standard deviation are both determined based on the binary synthesis approach. The efficiency of the proposed methodology is compared with the static and fatigue approaches. The application is performed by using a speed reducer. Then the estimated stress average and standard deviation are both used in the stress/strength methodology to determine the reliability of the designed shaft. Additionally, since by applying the probabilistic method, the mean and the standard deviation of the alternating Sa and fatigue Se values are both always determined, then the proposed method is generalized to determine the shaft’s reliability by considering that both Sa and Se follow either a normal, Weibull or lognormal distribution. Finally, the guidelines to select which distribution we should use in the stress-strength analysis are also given. Keywords— Probabilistic shaft design, Fatigue; Weibull distribution; Binary synthesis; Stress/strength analysis; Torsional rigidity.
Simulations and observational tests of primordial magnetic fields from Cosmic Microwave Background constraints

We present the first cosmological simulations of primordial magnetic fields derived from the constraints by the Cosmic Microwave Background observations, based on the fields’ gravitational effect on cosmological perturbations. We evolved different primordial magnetic field models with the enzo code and compared their observable signatures (and relative differences) in galaxy clusters, filaments, and voids. The differences in synchrotron radio powers and Faraday rotation measure from galaxy clusters are generally too small to be detected, whereas differences present in filaments will be testable with the higher sensitivity of the Square Kilometre Array. However, several statistical full-sky analyses, such as the cross-correlation between galaxies and diffuse synchrotron power, the Faraday rotation structure functions from background radio galaxies, or the analysis of arrival direction of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, can already be used to constrain these primordial field models.
Hypolimnetic oxygen depletion rates in deep lakes: Effects of trophic state and organic matter accumulation

This study investigated the consumption of oxygen (O2) in 11 European lakes ranging from 48 m to 372 m deep. In lakes less than ~ 100 m deep, the main pathways for O2 consumption were organic matter (OM) mineralization at the sediment surface and oxidation of reduced compounds diffusing up from the sediment. In deeper lakes, mineralization of OM transported through the water column to the sediment represented a greater proportion of O2 consumption. This process predominated in the most productive lakes but declined with decreasing total phosphorous (TP) concentrations and hence primary production, when TP concentrations fell below a threshold value of ~ 10 mg P m−3. Oxygen uptake by the sediment and the flux of reduced compounds from the sediment in these deep lakes were 7.9–10.6 and 0.6–3.6 mmol m−2 d−1, respectively. These parameters did not depend on the lake's trophic state but did depend on sedimentation rates for the primarily allochthonous or already degraded OM. These results indicate that in lakes deeper than ~ 100 m, mineralization of autochthonous OM is mostly complete by the time of sedimentary burial. This explains why hypolimnetic O2 concentrations improve more rapidly following TP load reduction in deeper lakes relative to shallower lakes, where larger sediment‐based O2 consumption by settled OM and release of reduced substances may inhibit the restoration of hypolimnetic O2 concentrations.
Roma undercount and the issue of undeclared ethnicity in the 2011 Romanian census

ABSTRACT Romania is home to the largest Roma population in Europe. Exactly how large is a matter of intense debate, with estimates ranging between . 62 and 1.85 million. The last Romanian census made the ethnic affiliation question unequivocally optional and it counted 1.24 million citizens with undeclared ethnicity, a huge increase from the 1941 cases recorded by the previous census round. Since the Roma are the only ethnic group expected to avoid disclosing ethnic affiliation, previous analyses of this idiosyncratic result attributed it exclusively to Roma discrimination led reticence. The current article corrects this view by analyzing the important role played by a previously ignored methodological change (i.e. recording as ‘undeclared’ the temporary absent citizens for whom their neighbors could not provide any information about ethnic affiliation) and revealing that lack of information about neighbors played a dominant role in urban municipalities.
Enteric Leaks from Simultaneous Pancreas Kidney Transplantation at a Single Centre: Risk Factors and Management Over a 20-Year Period

Background: Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPK) remains the gold standard treatment for patients with type I diabetes mellitus and end-stage renal failure. Enteric drainage is utilised to handle exocrine secretions from the graft, with enteric leaks being the most challenging of complications. There remains a lack of published research regarding risk factors for enteric leaks. Methods: As such we undertook a retrospective cohort study of SPK transplants performed at Westmead Hospital over twenty years (between 1998-2017, n=425) to identify the occurrence of enteric leaks as well as donor, recipient and transplantation procedure risk factors. Descriptive statistics were generated using SPSS version 22.0 (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Armonk, NY, USA). The student’s t-test and/or Mann-Whitney U test was used to detect significance. All tests were two tailed and any statistically significant difference was considered at the P <0.05 level. Results: Of the 425 patients, 16 (3.5%) experienced an enteric leak. Of these, 12 (80%) had significant vascular disease, defined as coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy or peripheral vascular disease requiring surgical intervention. The risk of an enteric leak increased in recipients with significant vascular disease. Conclusion: The rates at Westmead Hospital were lower than those published in the literature. We demonstrated that the presence of significant vascular disease predisposed recipients to enteric leak. These findings highlight the importance of careful donor and recipient selection to optimise patient outcomes.