Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Xylitol Content in Dental Care and Food Products Available on the Polish Market and Their Significance in Caries Prevention

Caries pertains to most of the Polish community and is associated with a high intake of sucrose and monosaccharides. Their non-cariogenic analogue is xylitol – equally sweet as sucrose, but not metabolized by the majority of bacteria existing in the oral cavity. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the content of xylitol in dental care and food products available on the Polish market and their significance in caries prevention. The products were selected based on the literature, informational leaflets and information from manufacturers. The toothpastes and gels taken into consideration contain up to 25% xylitol, mouth rinses – 25%, dental care sprays – 35%, chewing gum – 66–67% and candies – 96%. A large number of dental care and food products recommended in caries prevention contain xylitol in diverse concentrations. If caries-producing sugars are replaced with non-cariogenic sugar alcohols, the frequency of caries may be diminished. On one hand, xylitol, as an acknowledged anti-carious agent, is included in many caries-prevention programs, in precise concentrations and regularly used, on the other hand – there is a lack of EBM (Evidence-Based Medicine) data indicating the effectiveness of xylitol, apart from those pertaining to fluoride toothpastes with the addition of xylitol. It is emphasized that more detailed trials are necessary to answer the question whether it is xylitol that is relevant in caries prevention or the alteration of habits – lessened sucrose intake or its complete substitution with a sweetener and the act of chewing, which stimulates salivation (Dent. Med. Probl. 2016, 53, 4, 542–550).
Gene flow from transgenic plant populations : models and applications for risk assessment

The future use of genetically modified (GM) plants in food, feed and biomass production requires a careful consideration of possible risks related to the unintended spread of trangenes into new habitats. This may occur via introgression of the transgene to conventional genotypes, due to cross-pollination, and via the invasion of GM plants to new habitats. Assessment of possible environmental impacts of GM plants requires estimation of the level of gene flow from a GM population. Furthermore, management measures for reducing gene flow from GM populations are needed in order to prevent possible unwanted effects of transgenes on ecosystems. This work develops modeling tools for estimating gene flow from GM plant populations in boreal environments and for investigating the mechanisms of the gene flow process. To describe spatial dimensions of the gene flow, dispersal models are developed for the local and regional scale spread of pollen grains and seeds, with special emphasis on wind dispersal. This study provides tools for describing cross-pollination between GM and conventional populations and for estimating the levels of transgenic contamination of the conventional crops. For perennial populations, a modeling framework describing the dynamics of plants and genotypes is developed, in order to estimate the gene flow process over a sequence of years. The dispersal of airborne pollen and seeds cannot be easily controlled, and small amounts of these particles are likely to disperse over long distances. Wind dispersal processes are highly stochastic due to variation in atmospheric conditions, so that there may be considerable variation between individual dispersal patterns. This, in turn, is reflected to the large amount of variation in annual levels of cross-pollination between GM and conventional populations. Even though land-use practices have effects on the average levels of crosspollination between GM and conventional fields, the level of transgenic contamination of a conventional crop remains highly stochastic. The demographic effects of a transgene have impacts on the establishment of trangenic plants amongst conventional genotypes of the same species. If the transgene gives a plant a considerable fitness advantage in comparison to conventional genotypes, the spread of transgenes to conventional population can be strongly increased. In such cases, dominance of the transgene considerably increases gene flow from GM to conventional populations, due to the enhanced fitness of heterozygous hybrids. The fitness of GM plants in conventional populations can be reduced by linking the selectively favoured primary transgene to a disfavoured mitigation transgene. Recombination between these transgenes is a major risk related to this technique, especially because it tends to take place amongst the conventional genotypes and thus promotes the establishment of invasive transgenic plants in conventional populations.
Marginal zone B-cell lymphoma with multiple extranodal locations in a patient with Sjögren’s syndrome – a diagnostic problem

Marta Domzalska1, Żaneta Smolenska1, Zenobia Czuszynska1, Katarzyna Galecka1, Wojciech Biernat2, Andrzej Mital3, Zbigniew Zdrojewski1 1Department of Internal Medicine, Connective Tissue Diseases and Geriatrics, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland 2Chair and Department of Pathomorphology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland 3Department of Haematology and Transplantation, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
Evolution of the Petrophysical and Mineralogical Properties of Two Reservoir Rocks Under Thermodynamic Conditions Relevant for CO2 Geological Storage at 3 km Depth

Injection of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) underground, for long-term geological storage purposes, is considered as an economically viable option to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. The chemical interactions between supercritical CO2 and the potential reservoir rock need to be thoroughly investigated under thermodynamic conditions relevant for geological storage. In the present study, 40 samples of Lavoux limestone and Adamswiller sandstone, both collected from reservoir rocks in the Paris basin, were experimentally exposed to CO2 in laboratory autoclaves specially built to simulate CO2 -storage-reservoir conditions. The two types of rock were exposed to wet supercritical CO2 and CO2 -saturated water for one month, at 28 MPa and 90°C, corresponding to conditions for a burial depth approximating 3 km. The changes in mineralogy and microtexture of the samples were measured using X-ray diffraction analyses, Raman spectroscopy, scanning-electron microscopy, and energy-dispersionspectroscopy microanalysis. The petrophysical properties were monitored by measuring the weight, density, mechanical properties, permeability, global porosity, and local porosity gradients through the samples. Both rocks maintained their mechanical and mineralogical properties after CO2 exposure despite an increase of porosity and permeability. Microscopic zones of calcite dissolution observed in the limestone are more likely to be responsible for such increase. In the sandstone, an alteration of the petrofabric is assumed to have occurred due to clay minerals reacting with CO2 . All samples of Lavoux limestone and Adamswiller sandstone showed a measurable alteration when immersed either in wet supercritical CO2 or in CO2 -saturated water. These batch experiments were performed using distilled water and thus simulate more severe conditions than using formation water (brine).
Non-Linear Distortion-Based Effects of Tax Changes on Output: A Worldwide Narrative Approach

We estimate the effect of worldwide tax changes on output following the narrative approach developed for the United States by Romer and Romer (2010). We use a novel dataset on value-added taxes for 51 countries (21 industrial and 30 developing) for the period 1970-2014 to identify 96 tax changes. We then use contemporaneous economic records to classify such changes as endogenous or exogenous to current (or prospective) economic conditions. In line with existing theoretical distortion-based arguments and based on the exogenous tax changes we and that the effect of tax changes on output is highly non-linear. The tax multiplier is essentially zero under relatively low/moderate initial tax rate levels and much larger (in absolute terms) as the initial tax rate and the size of the change in the tax rate increases.
Assessment of Fungal Filtrates Efficiency against Escherichia coli in Comparison with Common Artificial Antibiotics

The study aim to isolate , identify and characterize the Escherichia coli and look for their antibiotics resistance in children with diarrhea in najaf , the study includes 60 samples of stools gathered from patients children visiting Educational AL_Zahraa hospital for the period beginning of November 2016 to mid-January of the same year, the age of these children were less than ten years , specimens were phenotypic assays , microscopically examined and diagnosed by biochemical tests , the highest bacterial pathogens isolated were Escherichia coli . The sensitivity of isolates of E.coli were examined for 11 types of antibiotics, E. coli exhibite different pattern of resistance to different antibiotics ,it is have highest resistance to penicillin (ampicillin and carbenicillin), and it is have higher resistance for ceftazidime and cefepime , while have moderate resistance for aztreonam.it is have lowest resistant rate to imipenem ,meropenem and ertapenem.Also the same isolates of E.coli were examined by the Pleurotus ostreatus fungi filterates which appeare a significant values in the inhibition of growth of E.coli in petri dish which reach 8 cm in compare with antibiotics that used in the study .
Innovation strategies and end of life products: an evolutionary modelling

Product design changes are needed to deal with the continuous increase in waste streams. This paper investigates the dynamic of firms' innovation strategies with respect to the ecological impact of their end of life products. We address this problem by developing an evolutionary simulation model to describe the behaviour of business firms as interacting with that of consumers and recyclers. Our experiments show that firms tend to invest first in product style, then in lifetime and finally in recyclability. Better ecological performance would be obtained if firms invested more both in product recyclability and reliability. Consumers' preferences and the structure of the innovation potential are found to have an important influence on firms' R&D choices. Our simulation results suggest introducing regulation policies aiming at getting consumers to change their consumption behaviour and encouraging firms to invest in the development of recyclable products with a long lifetime.
Biometric Template Security Using Code Base Cryptosystem

This paper presents an enhancement of the accuracy and security of biometric templates based on a code-based cryptosystem—McEliece cryptosystem— which in addition to randomness is also probabilistic, which provides higher susceptibility of templates towards brute force attacks. It is possible to generate many different secure biometric templates for the same system and also unique biometric templates for multiple systems from the same biometric trait; it is just a matter of using a different error vector. It is also easy to cancel a secure template by simply deleting the compromised template and generating a new one by using different error vector.
Testing the Uniformity of Spray Distribution Under Different Application Parameters

The study was conducted to determine the differences between commonly used nozzles TeeJet XR110-03 (new and used) during the testing of field boom sprayers on an electronic table (spray scanner) as they were affected by spraying pressure. The tests were carried out at three working pressures (2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 bar) and the uniformity of spraying, the liquid flow rate of the spray nozzles mounted on the field boom and the number of nozzles beyond the tolerance were determined. The spraying angle was also measured which could influence the coefficient of variation (CV) of the spray distribution. The results showed a poor CV value (more than 10%) as the operating pressure decreased for the new nozzles while they were (CV values) under 10% for the used nozzles at all the range of test pressure values. This suggests that the spray distribution uniformity test depends on the sprayer boom setting and operating factors more than on the work life of the nozzles.
PRELIMINARY STUDY ON SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOOD GENERATION OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS: A CASE OF BANJARA CRAFT OF MAHARASHTRA

Clusters represent groups of people engaged in common entrepreneurial activities which provide livelihood for the entire community. Cluster development focuses on promoting collective actions to achieve socio-economic self-sufficiency and growth. However, there are multiple factors that need to be resolved to establish a successful cluster. It requires strategic interventions in key areas to leverage the upside of spatial proximity and shared interests. This research paper attempts to understand the current state of the Banjara artisans through a questionnaire survey with the artisans and personal interviews with the government officials and NGO workers in the area. It also tries to identify the key areas where interventions are required and recommends strategies for the same. 70 artisans, 10 government officials and NGO workers were surveyed using judgmental and convenience sampling method. The survey and the interviews were conducted over a two month period. The research was conducted in Nanded area of Maharashtra where the craft is practiced by the Banjara women. The findings highlight that key areas of strategic interventions for creating a self-sustainable cluster model are Design Intervention, Product Development, Marketing Linkages and Financial Literacy. Setting up of a Common Facility Centre will provide the craftsmen access to required resources which they cannot individually own thereby leading to the holistic growth of the cluster and livelihood generation opportunities.
Interactivity and Control: The Case of Dynamic Maps for Navigation in Hypertext

Rich information environments such as online tutorials and web-books pose considerable difficulties for users, of which the most notable is being ‘lost in hypertext’. If these environments are to become commonplace, they must be designed to relieve users of these difficulties. In this paper we study the effects of dynamic navigational maps on orientation and search performance. We designed a conceptual map that tracks the user’s position vis-a-vis the content of the web-book and the history of the user’s visits. We show how these maps improve search performance significantly in terms of efficiency (number of clicks) but only weakly in terms of time or accuracy. We call for more research on how to enhance user control in complex information environments.
Using community-based monitoring to estimate demographic parameters for a remote nesting population of the Critically Endangered leatherback turtle

Leatherback turtles are exposed to many anthropogenic hazards in the Pacific, but too little is known about their demography to reliably estimate abundance and develop hazard mitigation strategies. Most populations nest in remote locations, and leatherbacks do not generally breed annually, which results in biased demographic parameter estimates using traditional capturemark- recapture (CMR) analysis. We estimated survival and breeding probabilities for a remote nesting population using a long-term community-based CMR study coupled with a multistate open robust design (MSORD) statistical modelling approach. This approach accounts for skipped breeding behaviour and the staggered seasonal arrival and departure of the nesters. The study comprised CMR histories for 178 nesting leatherbacks tagged at Lababia beach on the Huon Coast of Papua New Guinea over a 3 mo seasonal sampling period for 10 austral summer nesting seasons (2000-2009). The best-fit MSORD model comprised constant adult survival (accounting for transients), constant conditional breeding and time-dependent arrival, departure and detection probabilities. The annual survival probability was constant over the 10 yr at ca. 0.85, which is lower than estimated for other leatherback populations but likely reflects a lower probability of nest beach fidelity that has been inferred previously using satellite telemetry. The annual breeding probability for female leatherbacks that skipped the previous nesting season was 0.41. The probability of breeding in consecutive seasons was 0.06, indicative of a skipped breeding behaviour. These first estimates of annual survival and breeding probabilities for a Pacific leatherback stock provide a basis for developing an understanding of regional population dynamics and assessing risk of exposure to anthropogenic hazards such as coastal development and fisheries.
When men appear smaller or larger than they really are: preliminary evidence that women are fooled by size illusions in attractiveness judgment tasks

Abstract In humans, studies have shown that contrast illusions can affect perceptions of facial attractiveness and dominance. In non-human animals, recent research found that contrast illusions of size positively affected male mate value. In humans, male height is a potentially important indicator of mate value, with women preferring men taller than themselves. We tested in two studies whether height contrast illusions could affect women’s perceptions of male height and mate value, particularly attractiveness, dominance, and muscularity. Using computer-generated images of men of different heights standing in groups of three, 104 female participants rated targets either surrounded by shorter, same height, or taller distractors in a within-subject design. The second experiment (N=80) replicated and extended the first by making the images more realistic and adding natural backgrounds, suggesting that when participants are given a visual anchor, in order to get a better sense of the absolute height of the targets, the effects remain. In both studies, results showed that, compared with same height distractors, male targets were rated as taller when surrounded by shorter distractors, and as shorter when surrounded by taller distractors. Additionally, attractiveness, dominance, and muscularity perceptions were affected in a similar manner, with most of the differences in these appraisals being mediated by the perceived height differences. Therefore, differently sized distractors affected the perceived height and mate value of the targets, which were in effect all of the same constant size. These findings indicate that context dependent effects could potentially influence attractiveness judgments. The same man might thus be perceived as more attractive when surrounded by men of similar or smaller height, as opposed to when surrounded by men who are taller.
Optimal Waterfilling Gradient Based Method for Power Allocation in Cognitive Radio Networks

Cognitive Radio (CR) is a wireless technology for improving the radio spectrum utilization. The Federal communication commission reports that most of the licensed radio spectrum are unutilised. This problem can be solved by allowing secondary users to access unused bands that are not used by primary users (PU) at a particular time. This promises the efficient spectrum utilization. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is a reliable transmission technique used for Cognitive Radio Systems that provides flexibility in allocating the radio resources in dynamic environment. Allocation of power to each CR subcarriers is a major challenge in cognitive radio systems.The amount of power allocated to CR subcarriers affect the capacity of transmission. Here optimal water filling adaptive step size gradient based method is proposed for allocating power to subcarriers in OFDM based CR networks.The algorithm attempt to maximize the capacity(bits/s/Hz) of CR system subject to the mutual interference constraint by allocating optimal power at fast rate.The proposed water filling gradient based method with adaptive step size can approximate the optimal solution within a few iterations.The analysis for the selection of step size and weighting factor is presented in this thesis.The step size can be selected as fixed in all iterations or adaptive.The adaptive method performs well compared to fixed step size method.The proposed method with adaptive step size requires small number of iterations to achieve the optimal solution .
Novel insight into the function of tankyrase

Tankyrases are multifunctional poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases that regulate a variety of cellular processes, including Wnt signaling, telomere maintenance and mitosis regulation. Tankyrases interact with target proteins and regulate their interactions and stability through poly(ADP-ribosyl) ation. In addition to their roles in telomere maintenance and regulation of mitosis, tankyrase proteins regulate tumor suppressors, including AXIN, phosphatase and tensin homolog and angiomotin. Therefore, tankyrases may be effective targets for cancer treatment. Tankyrase inhibitors could affect a variety of carcinogenic pathways that promote uncontrolled proliferation, including Wnt, AKT, yes-associated protein, telomere maintenance and mitosis regulation. Recently, novel aspects of the function and mechanism of tankyrases have been reported, and a number of tankyrase inhibitors have been identified. A combination of conventional chemotherapy agents with tankyrase inhibitors may have synergistic anticancer effects. Therefore, it is expected that more advanced and improved tankyrase inhibitors will be developed, enabling novel therapeutic strategies against cancer and other tankyrase-associated diseases. The present review discusses tankyrase function and the role of tankyrase inhibitors in the treatment of cancer.
Feed Utilization and Biochemical Characteristics of Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) Fingerlings Fed Diets Containing Fish Oil and Vegetable Oils as Total Replacements

The effects of dietary vegetable lipid sources on the growth performance and haematology of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (initial mean weight 6.37±0.24g) were examined in a 10 weeks feeding trial in an attempt to eliminate the expensive fish oil in the preparation of fish diets. Twenty fish were allotted for each treatment tanks in triplicates groups at random and were fed five isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets of fish oil-based diet (Control), benni seed oil-based diet (BS-oil), groundnut oil based-diet (GN-oil), soybean oil-based diet (SB-oil) and palm oil-based diet (P-oil) as diets 1-5, respectively. Results showed that feed consumption, weight gain and survival rates of fish were generally high as no significant difference was found in the specific growth rate among treatments. There were some marginal differences recorded in the protein efficiency ratio and feed conversion ratio of the control diet and P-oil but they were superior to others with BS-oil having the least quality. Fish carcass protein and lipids were significantly different among all treatments but the control and P-oil had marginally different values followed by SB-oil and the least being fish fed dietary BS-oil. Fish haemoglobin was marginally different in all treatments except diet 2 (BS-oil) while diet 5 (P-oil) had highest value of cholesterol (228 g/dl) and, diet 1 (control) had the least (202 g/dl). Blood protein ranged between 3.87-4.22 g/dl with significant differences among the treatments of which value was highest in diet 4 (SB-oil) and least in diet 2 (BS-oil). It could be concluded from the present study that, vegetable oil sources including palm oil, soybean oil and groundnut oil can be utilized by catfish as the sole lipid source in fish diet with negligible impact on growth performance while the utilization of benni seed oil should be limited for efficient feed utilization by fish and ensure good food fish quality.