Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
IN SITU SYNTHESIS and CHARACTERIZATION OF CHITOSAN COATED IRON OXIDE NANOPARTICLES and LOADING OF DOXORUBICIN

The prominent research area in nanomedicine is drug delivery and targeting systems based on nanomaterials. An ideal drug delivery system should intelligently find the diseased tissue, accumulate drug carrying agents in this location and controllably release therapeutic molecules to this site. Among the efficient drug delivery systems, chitosan, a natural, biodegradable, biocompatible, bioadhesive polymer, is gaining attention in the pharmaceutical field for a wide range of drug delivery. Chitosan acts as a penetration enhancer by opening the tight epithelial junctions. Magnetic nanoparticles provide a magnetic targeting of the drugs to the diseased tissue. In this study, in situ synthesis method was used for the preparation of chitosan coated magnetic nanoparticles (CS MNPs), involving the co-precipitation of iron salts in the prescence of chitosan and tripolyphosphate. The CS MNPs synthesized through this method are monodispersed and their surface is uniformly coated with low molecular weight chitosan polymer. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) results demonstrated a spherical morphology. Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA and TGA-FTIR) results indicated that the chitosan content of CS MNPs were around 23 % by weight. A cancer chemotherapeutic, Doxorubicin, was loaded onto the synthesized CS MNPs. The chitosan layer and the Doxorubicin content on the magnetite surface was confirmed by Fourier Transforms Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The synthesized CS MNPs have many potential applications in biomedicine including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic hyperthermia besides targeted drug delivery.
Efficacy of Maize Varieties and Lambdacot 500EC Concentrations on the Control of Maize Stem Borer (Busseola fusca Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The efficacy of maize varieties and Lambdacot 500EC concentrations were assessed on the damage caused by maize stem borer (Busseola fusca Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on maize during 2015 and 2016 cropping seasons. The experiment was a split-plot design with Lambdacot 500EC concentrations (0.5 , 1.0 and 1.5 l/ha) as the main plots and three maize varieties (SAMMAZ 14, DMR-LSR-Y and BR9943-DMRSR-W) as the sub-plots on a plot size of 3.0 m x 4.0 m replicated three times. Maize plants were sprayed with the different Lambdacot 500 EC concentrations at 4 and 6 weeks after planting (WAP) The results obtained showed that lowest number of maize plants with leaf sheath pin-holes, dead hearts, and stem tunnels and cobs damage by larvae were recorded on SAMMAZ 14 and DMR-LSR-Y while BR9943-DMR-SR-W had the highest. Maize plants treated with Lambdacot 500EC at 1.0 l/ha and 1.5 l/ha had lowest leaf sheath pinholes, dead hearts, stem tunnels and cob damage while untreated maize plants had the highest damage. The highest maize grain yields was recorded on SAMMAZ 14 and DMR-LSR-Y on 1.0 l/ha and 1.5 l/ha concentrations. This study recommended SAMMAZ 14 and DMR-LSR-Y obtained from IAR treated with Lambdacot 500 EC at 1.0 l/ha and 1.5 l/ha concentrations to maize farmers in the study area.
Rapid physical and biological particle mixing on an intertidal sandè at

Sediment mixing processes were investigated using inert tracer experiments, benthic macrofaunal community analysis, and surveys of ray feeding pits to quantify the relative rates and controls of physical and biological reworking on Debidue Flat, an intertidal sande at in South Carolina. Sediment reworking on Debidue Flat was rapid, with both advective and biodiffusive mixing operating over different vertical spatial scales. Physical reworking by tidal currents dominated initial transport of the tracer in the top 5‐ 10 cm on timescales of ;30 days. Although the exact mechanism of tracer transport is unclear, it is most likely due to active e uidization of surface sediments during stages of the tide followed by a density-driven settling of tracer resulting in a steady downward transport to the depth of bedform reworking. Biodiffusive mixing was evident throughout the sampled interval (;30 cm) and dominated reworking at depths greater than 10 cm. Estimated biodiffusive mixing coefe cients ( D b) were high all year (0.15‐ 0.28 cm 2 d 2 1 ), and were comparable to values reported for coastal bioturbated muds. The haustoriid amphipod Pseudohaustorius caroliniensis was most likely responsible for tracer dispersal in the 10‐ 30 cm interval based on its distribution, abundance, size, and observed burrow structures. Ray pit excavation and ine lling were seasonal disturbances that contributed ;12‐ 22% to spatially averaged advective transport rates but were locally intense and capable alone of turning over the entire upper ;15 cm of the e at in ;100‐ 1000 d. We propose that the mixing processes on Debidue Flat promote an unconstricted, open sediment matrix that maintains the high permeability required for the rapid porewater exchange to 25 cm noted for this system. Thus, in addition to redistributing organic substrates, physical and biological particle mixing play important roles in controlling permeability of e at deposits and quantie cation of these processes is important to understand controls on permeability and biogeochemical cycling of solutes in sandy systems.
Development of a differential diagnostic nutrient medium for the express diagnosis of animal dermatophytosis

The aim of the study was to develop a differential diagnostic nutrient medium for the rapid diagnosis of animal dermatophytosis. Abroad, for these purposes, environments such as Dermatophyte Test Medium (DTM) are successfully used, but in Russia such diagnostics has not been developed. As a result of our research, we selected the optimal composition of the nutrient medium, including growth and selective supplements. DTM-Expert, a developed domestic environment for growth, indicator and selective properties, was not inferior to foreign analogues, while it was much cheaper and more ergonomic in use. The widespread introduction of the developed DTM-Expert environment will significantly simplify the diagnosis of dermatophytosis and increase its effectiveness. Also, DTM-Expert can be used to monitor the latent micronization in animals that have no clinical signs of dermatophytosis.
In Silico Identification of Potentially Functional Conserved Motifs in Two Components of the 5’ to 3’ mRNA Decay Pathway of Plants

Pathways of mRNA degradation influence the remodeling of the transcriptomes. The 5’ to 3’ mRNA decay pathway consist on three subsequently acting mechanisms: deadenylation, decapping and 5’ to 3’ exonucleolytic decay. Specific physical interactions between the components of this pathway are essential to generate functional complexes that properly destroy unnecessary transcripts in eukaryotes. Most of the information about the structure of the components of this pathway comes from studies in yeast and animals, but little is known about the conservation of protein-protein interaction domains and motifs in the homolog decay factors of plants. The decapping subunit DCP1 and the 5’ to 3’ exoribonuclease XRN4 are critical components of this pathway. To get an overview of the structure and conservation of these proteins in plants, the sequences of the corresponding homologs of angiosperms, bryophytes and the gymnosperm Picea abies were retrieved, aligned and subjected to search of conserved sequences. Comparisons revealed conserved domains and structural motifs in plants and metazoans, which implies shared physical interactions that might arise during the early evolution of eukaryotes, for example, the trimerization of DCP1 and the recognition of proline-rich sequences (PRS) by β-sheets of the Dcp1/EVH1-like domain. However, the in silico analysis revealed that plant decay factors contain specific motifs, such as the PRS in DCP1 itself, that could have emerged to confer specialized functions in plants. Furthermore, this analysis revealed that XRN4 homologs of angiosperms acquired a sequence reminiscent to the homolog 5’ to 3’ exoribonuclease of fruit fly that allow the interaction with DCP1.
Vesiculovirus G protein-based stable cell lines for continuous lentiviral vector production

3 IMPACT STATEMENT . 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS . 6 LIST OF FIGURES . 11 LIST OF TABLES . 13 ABBREVIATIONS . 14 . 18 INTRODUCTION . 18 1.1 GENE THERAPYFROM CONCEPT TO REALITY . 19 1.2 VECTORS USED FOR GENE DELIVERY . 20 1.3 RETROVIRUSES . 22 1.3. 1 Gamma-retroviral vectors in clinical trials . 28 1.4 LENTIVIRUSES . 31 1.4. 1 HIV-1 life cycle. 31 1.4. 2 Restriction factors influencing HIV-1 infection . 42 1.4. 3 Development of HIV-1 derived lentiviral vectors . 45 1.4. 4 Lentiviral vector production methods . 49 1.4. 5 Lentiviral vectors in clinical gene therapy . 55 1.4. 6 LV delivery for genome editing . 62 1.5 RHABDOVIRUSES . 64 1.5. 1 Vesiculoviruses . 64 1.6 AIMS OF THE THESIS . 86
Almost sure stability of discrete-time Markov jump linear systems

This paper deals with transient analysis and almost sure stability for discrete-time Markov Jump Linear System (MJLS). The expectation of sojourn time and activation number of any mode, and switching number between any two modes of discrete-time MJLS are presented firstly. Then a result on transient behavior analysis of discrete-time MJLS is given. Finally a new deterministically testable condition for the exponential almost sure stability of discrete-time MJLS is proposed.
Epidemiologic Study of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by Coagulase Gene Polymorphism

An epidemiologic study of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was conducted by antibiotype, coagulase gene typing and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. A total of 129 MRSA strains were isolated from 17 hospitals in the regions of the central, northern, northeastern and eastern Thailand during November 2003 - March 2004. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing with a panel of 10 antimicrobial agents showed 9 different antibiotypes. The antibiotypes 1 and 2 were the most common phenotypes with 44.2% and 35.6% of the isolates, respectively. Coagulase gene typing of MRSA strains generated 4 different genotypes: I, II, III, IV, the PCR products of which were 492±20, 654±20, 735±20 and 816±20 bp with the percentages of 1.5 (2/129), 2.3 (3/129), 82.2 (106/129) and 14 (18/129), respectively. Coagulase gene PCR-RFLPs exhibited 4 patterns: A, B, C and D, with AluI digested PCR product fragments at 220±20 and 220±20 bp (pattern A); 400±20 and 220±20 bp (pattern B); 420±20 and 220±20 bp (pattern C); and 510±20 and 220±20 bp (pattern D). The percentage values for each pattern were compatible with those from the coagulase gene typing method. The results indicated that antibiotypes 1, 2, coagulase gene type III and PCR-RFLP pattern C were the epidemic strains while the rest were sporadic strains.
The End Is in the Beginning”: The Riddle and Interpretation of Ellison’s Invisible Man

In the prologue of Invisible Man , the narrator states that “the end is in the beginning” and supplements it with the metaphor of “boomerang”. More than encapsulating his experience, this essay tries to show that “the end is in the beginning” is operating in two other senses: narrative progression and thematic meaning. The narrative progression of the whole novel is epitomized and prefigured in the opening narrative. Thematically, the interpretation of the novel cannot ignore the riddle—grandfather’s deathbed advice which is given in the opening narrative and repeatedly returned to throughout the novel. As critics have turned from identity readings to political readings of the novel, the riddle is especially important and deserves more attention than it has received. To appreciate the narrative and thematic end-in-the-beginning, the essay will undertake a cognitive unpacking of the riddle and on this basis make a detailed stylistic analysis of the opening narrative.
Genetic analyses reveal population structure and recent decline in leopards (Panthera pardus fusca) across the Indian subcontinent

Background. Large carnivores maintain the stability and functioning of ecosystems. Currently, many carnivore species face declining population sizes due to natural and anthropogenic pressures. The leopard, Panthera pardus, is probably the most widely distributed and highly adaptable large felid globally, still persisting in most of its historic range. However, we lack subspecies-level data on country or regional scale on population trends, as ecological monitoring approaches are difficult to apply on such wide-ranging species. We used genetic data from leopards sampled across the Indian subcontinent to investigate population structure and patterns of demographic decline. Methods. We collected faecal samples from the Terai-Arc landscape of northern India and identified 56 unique individuals using a panel of 13 microsatellite markers. We merged this data with already available 143 leopard individuals and assessed genetic structure at country scale. Subsequently, we investigated the demographic history of each identified subpopulations and compared genetic decline analyses with countrywide local extinction probabilities. Results. Our genetic analyses revealed four distinct subpopulations corresponding to Western Ghats, Deccan Plateau-Semi Arid, Shivalik and Terai region of the north Indian landscape, each with high genetic variation. Coalescent simulations with microsatellite loci revealed a possibly human-induced 75–90% population decline between ∼120–200 years ago across India. Population-specific estimates of genetic decline are in concordance with ecological estimates of local extinction probabilities in these subpopulations obtained from occupancy modeling of the historic and current distribution of leopards in India. Conclusions. Our results confirm the population decline of a widely distributed, adaptable large carnivore. We re-iterate the relevance of indirect genetic methods for such species in conjunction with occupancy assessment and recommend that detailed, landscape-level ecological studies on leopard populations are critical to future conservation efforts. Our approaches and inference are relevant to other widely distributed, seemingly unaffected carnivores such as the leopard. How to cite this article Bhatt S, Biswas S, Karanth K, Pandav B, Mondol S. 2020. Genetic analyses reveal population structure and recent decline in leopards (Panthera pardus fusca) across the Indian subcontinent. PeerJ 8:e8482 http://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.8482 Subjects Biogeography, Conservation Biology, Ecology, Evolutionary Studies, Genetics
A New Lane Departure Warning Algorithm Considering the Driver’s Behavior Characteristics

In order to meet the driving safety warning required for different driver types and situations, a new lane departure warning (LDW) algorithm was proposed. Its adaptability is much better through setting the different thresholds of time to lane crossing (TLC) using fuzzy control method for driver with different driving behaviors in different lanes and different vehicle movements. To ensure the accuracy of computation of TLC under the different actual driving scenarios, the algorithm was established based on vehicle kinematics and advanced mathematics compared to other ways of computation of TLC. On this basis, a LDW strategy determining driver's intentions was presented by introducing identifying vehicle movements. Finally, a vast quantity of the real vehicle experiments was given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed LDW algorithm. The results of the tests show that the algorithm can decrease false alarm rate effectively because of distinguishing from unconscious by real-time vehicle movements, and promote the adaptability to the driver behavior characteristics, so it has favorable driver acceptance and strong intelligence.
A Novel 2D Z-Shaped Electromagnetic Bandgap Structure

This paper researches a novel 2D Z-shaped Electromagnetic Band-Gap (EBG) structure, its dispersion diagram and application field. Based on a transmission line model, the dispersion equation is derived and theoretically investigated. In order to validate theoretical results, a full wave analysis is performed and the electromagnetic properties of the structure are revealed. The theoretical results show good agreement with the full wave simulation results. The frequency response of the structure is compared to the well know structures of Jerusalem cross and patch EBG. The results show the applicability of the proposed 2D Z-shaped EBG in microstrip patch antennas, microstrip filters and high speed switching circuits, where the suppression of parasitic surface wave is required.
Assosciation between Emotional intelligence and response to periodontal therapy.

It is now acknowledged that psychosocial and psychological factors may influence the etiology of periodontal disease.It has been proposed that patients with a more positive view of themselves were more likely to comply with continued maintenance therapy. The aim of this pilot study is to find the relationship between different domains of emotional intelligence and the response to a standardized initial treatment for chronic periodontitis.in our present study , the socio-economic and behavioural factors such as tobacco smoking were found to be related to treatment outcome measures in terms of plaque index, bleeding index , probing depth and clinical attachment loss. The size of the sample was small and did not allow for multivariate modelling. There is need for further research in order to test the effect of EI domains on the uptake of a positive behaviour such as smoking cessation following the introduction of smoking counselling in periodontal therapy.
DEVELOPMENT OF COW BONE RESIN COMPOSITES AS A FRICTION MATERIAL FOR AUTOMOBILE BRAKING SYSTEMS

Cow bone resin composites as a friction material for automobile breaking systems have been developed. Increasing interfacial bonding was observed as the cow bone particle size decreased from 850 to 250 μm, resulting in better mechanical properties of brake pads produced with 250μm particle size relative to higher particle sizes investigated. Experimentally produced brake pads with cow bone composites were found to compare favourably with conventional brake pads and those from previous studies; consequently, cow bones particles are suitable replacements for asbestos-free brake pad due to the fact that asbestos dust poses health hazards.
Cell-based simulations of biased epithelial lung growth

During morphogenesis, epithelial tubes elongate. In the case of the mammalian lung, biased elongation has been linked to a bias in cell shape and cell division, but it has remained unclear whether a bias in cell shape along the axis of outgrowth is sufficient for biased outgrowth and how it arises. Here, we use our 2D cell-based tissue simulation software to investigate the conditions for biased epithelial outgrowth. We show that the observed bias in cell shape and cell division can result in the observed bias in outgrowth only in the case of strong cortical tension, and comparison to biological data suggests that the cortical tension in epithelia is likely sufficient. We explore mechanisms that may result in the observed bias in cell division and cell shapes. To this end, we test the possibility that the surrounding tissue or extracellular matrix acts as a mechanical constraint that biases growth in the longitudinal direction. While external compressive forces can result in the observed bias in outgrowth, we find that they do not result in the observed bias in cell shapes. We conclude that other mechanisms must exist that generate the bias in lung epithelial outgrowth.
Bean pest management in East Africa a scientific evaluation of organic insect control practices used by Tanzanian farmers

Dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are a major source of dietary protein and calories for the poor in East Africa. The increasingly abundant Ootheca bennigseni (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is a key pest that threatens bean production and jeopardizes farmers’ harvest. Participatory research with farmers suggested the need for affordable and accessible organic pest control methods. The effect of diluted cow urine and aqueous extract from vernonia (Vernonia lasiopus var. iodocalyx) leaves was evaluated in three consecutive applications. Researcher-managed on-farm trials showed that cow urine reduced pest abundance for at least 24 hours. The aqueous vernonia extract reduced the insect abundance consistently for at least seven days. Foliar damage at the peak time of infestation was significantly reduced by vernonia but not by cow urine. Future research needs to find ways to enhance and prolong the efficacy of natural substances and determine the relationship between adult abundance, larval population, and bean yield.
Diversity and Virulence Dynamics within Puccinia triticina Populations in Egypt

Leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina Eriks. , is one of the most common diseases of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Egypt and worldwide. To investigate the population genetic structure of the causal pathogen, 468 single isolates were obtained from 193 samples collected from 12 Egyptian governorates and analyzed during 2016/17 and 2017/18 growing seasons. A total of 125 and 101 leaf rust pathotypes were designated during 2016/17 and 2017/18 growing seasons. The most frequent pathotype was STTTK (9.81% frequency), followed by race PTTNS (2.80% frequency) during 2016/17. While, pathotype PTTTT was occurred at a high frequency (12.16% frequency), followed by the four pathotypes; TTTBT, PTTGS, TTTTT and PTTCT (5.88, 5.10, 5.10 and 4.31%, respectively), during 2017/18. Pathotype STTTK is the most geographically distributed as it was detected in nine governorates in 2016/17, but in 2017/18, PTTTT is the most geographically distributed pathotype, where it was found in seven governorates. High similarity was found between leaf rust populations in the five locations, i.e. Domiatta, Sohag, Alexandria, Kafr El-Sheikh and Bani Sweif, during 2016/17 growing season. Also, high similarity was found between leaf rust pathogen populations of Kafr-Elsheikh, Sohag, Beheira, Dakahlia, Sharqiya, Domiatta, Gharbiya, Fayoum and Minufiy, during 2017/18 growing season. The phenotypic diversity within different populations under study was characterized using the three indexes; Shannon, Gleason and Simpson. Shannon index proved to be more suitable to accurately measure the phenotypic diversity between the tested populations of the causal pathogen, as it was sensitive to sample size, number of isolates, number of races and standard deviation of race frequency than the others.