Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Therapeutic Potential of Green Tea Extract and Low Doses of γ-Irradiation on Diabetic Nephropathy of Rats

Introduction: Diabetic nephropathy is one of the most frequent and serious complications of diabetes mellitus. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of green tea (GT) extract and low doses of 0.5 Gy γ-radiation (R) on diabetic nephropathy (DN) of rats. Materials and methods: Male Swiss albino rats were used in this study. DN was induced in rats using streptozotocin (45 mg/kg body weight). The rats were divided into five groups DN, DN+R, DN+GT, DN+GT+R and a sham treatment control group. Throughout the experimental period (3and 6 weeks) animals body weight, glucose and insulin levels were evaluated. Kidney functions assay (serum urea and creatinin) were recorded. Histopathological observations in kidney tissue, DNA and glycogen intensity were also detected. Results: Diabetic rats exhibited many symptoms including loss of body weight, increase in blood glucose level and decrease in serum insulin levels. Increase in serum urea and creatinin levels. Diabetic kidney showed a moderate renal damage, multifocal clarifications and vacuolations. Carbohydrates intensity showed a significant increase and DNA intensity showed many alterations. Improvements in glomerular and tubulointerstitial lesions were demonstrated in the diabetic rat group exposed to low doses of γ-radiation or supplemented by green tea either alone or combined in addition to amelioration in glucose, insulin urea and creatinin levels. Conclusion: The present study demonstrates the efficacy of low doses of γradiation and in reducing diabetes-induced functional and histological alterations in the kidneys. The longterm control of blood glucose levels using low doses of γ-radiation or green tea either alone or combined could prevent the progression of diabetes mellitus, and therefore, nephropathy could be prevented.
Supplier quality management and performance: the effect of supply chain oriented culture

Abstract Drawing from contingency theory, we investigate the impact of Supplier Quality Management (SQM) activities on internal quality performance and examine the role of Supply Chain Oriented (SCO) culture in the relationship between SQM and internal quality performance. A survey-based research was designed to collect data from 518 UK manufacturing firms. The results indicate that organisations with strong SCO culture are more conducive to increased levels of trust, commitment, cooperative norms, organisational compatibility and managerial support. As such, effective supplier development and integration activities appear to bring about a higher level of internal quality performance. The results also support the moderating effect of SCO culture on the relationship between supplier quality management and internal quality performance. The study highlights the importance of SCO culture – if organisations want to optimise internal quality and organisational performance in a sustainable manner through effective buyer-supplier relationships. This study contributes to the literature by analysing SQM and internal quality performance relationships through the lens of contingency theory and presents empirical evidence in support of the context dependency nature of SQM and its impact on performance. In this respect, a contextual variable theorised as ‘SCO culture’ is conceptualised to understand the SQM – performance relationship.
Arm-Leg Blood Pressure Gradient in Clinic to Predict Arch Hemodynamics and Ventricular Size after Coarctation Repair

Objective: Patients with successfully repaired coarctation of the aorta (CoA) need continued follow-up due to risks of restenosis and abnormal arterial compliance, causing early onset hypertension/coronary artery disease. We hypothesize that subtle hemodynamic and structural abnormalities can be predicted in the clinic by an abnormal arm-leg blood pressure (BP) gradient (i.e. arm > leg systolic BP). Design: Uncomplicated CoA patients repaired between 1990 and 2007 with follow-up clinic visits documenting right arm and leg systolic BPs, along with a recent echocardiogram, were studied. Data included the Doppler peak instantaneous (PeakV) and mean velocities (MeanV) in the descending aorta along with measures of the proximal transverse arch (TA) diameter and left ventricular wall (LVPWd) thickness. Measurements were indexed by Z-scores. Patients were grouped by higher systolic BP in the leg (Group 1) or arm (Group 2). Results: Eighty-one patients met the criteria with 52 in Group 1 (median 12.5 years follow-up) and 29 in Group 2 (median 12 years follow-up). Group 2 group had significantly increased arm systolic BP Z-scores (p <0.01), PeakV (p <10-4 ), MeanV (p <10-6 ), and LVPWd (p <0.01) compared to Group 1. There was no difference, however, in arm diastolic BP (p =0.7) or TA diameter (p =0.5). These relationships held true even in otherwise “silent” patients without clinical hypertension. Conclusion: Abnormal arm-leg blood pressure gradients accurately identified CoA patients with elevated arch velocities and increased ventricular wall thickness years after repair. The arm-leg pressure measurements could more accurately select patients in need of further imaging studies and therapeutic interventions.
Zero Determinant Strategy to Enhance Environmental Protection Cooperation of Enterprises

Industrial enterprises are the main source of environmental pollution in our country, which has caused great damage to the ecological environment. The government has been paying more attention to environmental protection, but previous studies have focused on the one-way influence of the government on industrial enterprises, ignoring the two-way relationship between the government and industrial enterprises, and the interaction between enterprises and enterprises. Enterprise is designed to maximize their own interests, which damages system performance. In this paper, we simulate the interaction between government and enterprises, enterprises and enterprises as a repeated game to guide enterprises in their efforts to reduce pollution. We apply a zero determinant (ZD) strategy for the government and enterprises. No matter what their opponents do, they are able to defend their interests with their ideal values and find the conditions for their best. Numerical results demonstrate the performance of the two zero determinant strategies that are recommended.
Cytological analysis of integumentary and muscular adaptations in three sand‐dwelling marine teleosts, Ammodytes tobianus (Ammodytidae), Gorgasia preclara (Congridae) and Heteroconger hassi (Congridae) (Teleostei; Actinopterygii)

Abstract Sandy bottoms are a ubiquitous environment found from sea bottoms to intertidal and freshwater zones. They are inhabited by many invertebrates and vertebrates which have developed morphological and physiological adaptations to sustain life under these particular conditions. Sandy habitats exhibit three potential constraints: abrasion, hypoxia and mechanical resistance. Here, three teleost species living in sandy environments were investigated: Ammodytes tobianus (Ammodytidae), Gorgasia preclara and Heteroconger hassi (Congridae). These teleost fishes were studied for their integument and muscular systems, which are potentially subject to sand abrasion and hypoxia, respectively. Based on histochemistry and transmission electron microscopy, we found the complex mucus system of G. preclara and H. hassi consists of two types of goblet cells and one type of sacciform cell. The secretions of both species are made of complex polysaccharides. In contrast, the scaly integument of A. tobianus has only a few goblet cells and no sacciform cells. We also highlighted, by immunohistochemistry, that the epidermal cell proliferation was much higher for this latter species, potentially resulting from the high rate of sand abrasion when A. tobianus buries itself quickly in the substrate. For all species, the major muscle fibre type was revealed by histoenzymology and corresponds to fast glycolytic fibres followed by intermediate fibres with slow fibres in the lowest proportion. Ammodytes tobianus possesses the highest fast fibre proportion (about 87% for A. tobianus and 75–78% for both garden eels). Our results provide new insights into the previously poorly studied teleost species, such as G. preclara, and allow us to highlight the complex skin histology of both garden eel species. Furthermore, the previously unknown muscle typing of these three species was determined.
The effects of testosterone replacement therapy in men with age-dependent hypogonadism on body composition, and serum levels of leptin, adiponectin and C-reactive protein.

INTRODUCTION Age-related hypogonadism in men leads to abnormal body composition development and inflammatory cytokines overproduction, thus has atherogenic and potentially cancer promoting effects. Design of the study was to assess the effect of age-dependent testosterone deficiency replacement in men on body composition, serum leptin, adiponectin and C-reactive protein levels. MATERIAL/METHODS Men aged 50-65 years (56.0±5.7, average±SD), with total testosterone levels <4 ng/mL and clinical symptoms of hypogonadism were divided into two groups of 20 men and treated with testosterone (200 mg/2 weeks intramuscularly) or placebo during 12 months. RESULTS 12 months treatment with testosterone led to body mass index (BMI) and fat mass (FM) decrease from 26.6±2.1 to 26.1±1.8 kg/m2, P<0.05, and from 17.0±4.4 to 15.6±4.0 kg, P<0.05, respectively. BMI and FM did not change in placebo receiving subjects. Serum leptin and high-selective C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels in testosterone group decreased from 6.2±1.4 to 4.0±1.2 μg/L, P< 0.05, and from 1.4±1.2 to 1.0±1.0 mg/L, P< 0.05 after 12 months, respectively. Adiponectin increased from 7.6±2. 5μg/mL to 9.4±2.8 μg/mL, P< 0.05 in the same time. In placebo group serum leptin, adiponectin and hsCRP levels did not change significantly. CONCLUSIONS Testosterone replacement in men with age-related hypogonadism causes a decrease in body mass index, fat mass, serum leptin and C-reactive protein levels, and increases serum adiponectin levels.
Confidence-Controlled Hebbian Learning Efficiently Extracts Category Membership from Stimuli Encoded in View of a Categorization Task

In experiments on perceptual decision-making, individuals learn a categorization task through trial-and-error protocols. We explore the capacity of a decision-making attractor network to learn a categorization task through reward-based, Hebbian type, modifications of the weights incoming from the stimulus encoding layer. For the latter, we assume a standard layer of a large number of stimulus specific neurons. Within the general framework of Hebbian learning, authors have hypothesized that the learning rate is modulated by the reward at each trial. Surprisingly, we find that, when the coding layer has been optimized in view of the categorization task, such reward-modulated Hebbian learning (RMHL) fails to extract efficiently the category membership. In a previous work we showed that the attractor neural networks nonlinear dynamics accounts for behavioral confidence in sequences of decision trials. Taking advantage of these findings, we propose that learning is controlled by confidence, as computed from the neural activity of the decision-making attractor network. Here we show that this confidence-controlled, reward-based, Hebbian learning efficiently extracts categorical information from the optimized coding layer. The proposed learning rule is local, and, in contrast to RMHL, does not require to store the average rewards obtained on previous trials. In addition, we find that the confidence-controlled learning rule achieves near optimal performance.
Identifying hybrids & the genomics of hybridization: Mallards & American black ducks of Eastern North America

Abstract Resolving evolutionary relationships and establishing population structure depends on molecular diagnosability that is often limited for closely related taxa. Here, we use 3,200 ddRAD‐seq loci across 290 mallards, American black ducks, and putative hybrids to establish population structure and estimate hybridization rates. We test between traditional assignment probability and accumulated recombination events based analyses to assign hybrids to generational classes. For hybrid identification, we report the distribution of recombination events complements ADMIXTURE simulation by extending resolution past F4 hybrid status; however, caution against hybrid assignment based on accumulated recombination events due to an inability to resolve F1 hybrids. Nevertheless, both analyses suggest that there are relatively few backcrossed stages before a lineage's hybrid ancestry is lost and the offspring are effectively parental again. We conclude that despite high rates of observed interspecific hybridization between mallards and black ducks in the middle part of the 20th century, our results do not support the predicted hybrid swarm. Conversely, we report that mallard samples genetically assigned to western and non‐western clusters. We indicate that these non‐western mallards likely originated from game‐farm stock, suggesting landscape level gene flow between domestic and wild conspecifics.
Binary and Multiclass Classification of Histopathological Images Using Machine Learning Techniques

Background and Objective: Breast cancer is fairly common and widespread form of cancer among women. Digital mammogram, thermal images of breast and digital histopathological images serve as a major tool for the diagnosis and grading of cancer. In this paper, a novel attempt has been proposed using image analysis and machine learning algorithm to develop an automated system for the diagnosis and grading of cancer. Methods: BreaKHis dataset is employed for the present work where images are available with different magnification factor namely 40×, 100×, 200×, 400× and 200× magnification factor is utilized for the present work. Accurate preprocessing steps and precise segmentation of nuclei in histopathology image is a necessary prerequisite for building an automated system. In this work, 103 images from benign and 103 malignant images are used. Initially color image is reshaped to gray scale format by applying Otsu thresholding, followed by top hat, bottom hat transform in preprocessing stage. The threshold value selected based on Ridler and calvard algorithm, extended minima transform and median filtering is applied for doing further steps in preprocessing. For segmentation of nuclei distance transform and watershed are used. Finally, for feature extraction, two different methods are explored. Result: In binary classification benign and malignant classification is done with the highest accuracy rate of 89.7% using ensemble bagged tree classifier. In case of multiclass classification 5-class are taken which are adenosis, fibro adenoma, tubular adenoma, mucinous carcinoma and papillary carcinoma the combination of multiclass classification gives the accuracy of 88.1% using ensemble subspace discriminant classifier. To the best of author’s knowledge, it is the first made in a novel attempt made for binary and multiclass classification of histopathology images. Conclusion: By using ensemble bagged tree and ensemble subspace discriminant classifiers the proposed method is efficient and outperform the state of art method in the literature.
Myocardial Fibrosis in a 3D Model: Effect of Texture on Wave Propagation

Non-linear electrical waves propagate through the heart and control cardiac contraction. Abnormal wave propagation causes various forms of the heart disease and can be lethal. One of the main causes of abnormality is a condition of cardiac fibrosis, which, from mathematical point of view, is the presence of multiple non-conducting obstacles for wave propagation. The fibrosis can have different texture which varies from diffuse (e.g., small randomly distributed obstacles), patchy (e.g., elongated interstitional stria), and focal (e.g., post-infarct scars) forms. Recently, Nezlobinsky et al. (2020) used 2D biophysical models to quantify the effects of elongation of obstacles (fibrosis texture) and showed that longitudinal and transversal propagation differently depends on the obstacle length resulting in anisotropy for wave propagation. In this paper, we extend these studies to 3D tissue models. We show that 3D consideration brings essential new effects; for the same obstacle length in 3D systems, anisotropy is about two times smaller compared to 2D, however, wave propagation is more stable with percolation threshold of about 60% (compared to 35% in 2D). The percolation threshold increases with the obstacle length for the longitudinal propagation, while it decreases for the transversal propagation. Further, in 3D, the dependency of velocity on the obstacle length for the transversal propagation disappears.
The Impact of Agricultural Service on Grain Production in China

The development of agricultural services was the most important change in China’s agricultural production in the past 20 years. Using nationally representative provincial-level panel data, this study shows that agricultural service has a positive impact on technical efficiency at a significance level of 0.06. Based on this study, if the share of agricultural service cost increases by 1%, technical efficiency will increase by 0.35%. In other words, this study provides an empirical explanation of the positive impact of agricultural service on productivity. Due to the heterogeneity of agricultural service, technical efficiency in Eastern China and major grain production regions is higher than that in other regions. Finally, this study confirms the convergence of technical change in China’s grain production.
The Efficiency and Effectiveness of capital expenditure in the Province of South Sulawesi

This study aims to describe the efficiency and effectiveness of capital expenditure in the Province of South Sulawesi. To study this problem, ex post facto research is used. The data type uses secondary data for 2009-2013 time brackets. Data collection techniques using study documentation. Based on the results of the study found that the amount of indirect expenditure still dominates the regional expenditure allocation. While indirect spending is consumptive, while direct expenditure tends to be both short-term and long-term investment. Based on the results of the analysis during 2009-2013 which uses the consumption approach rather than the production approach. But this approach produces growth, but it is short-term and volatile. Overall, based on the profile of expenditure allocation, it can be said that the implementation has not been carried out efficiently and effectively. In the future, it is expected that the Regional Government of South Sulawesi Province can increase the allocation of direct expenditure so that there is a balance with indirect spending, so that conditions in the long run are very beneficial because it increases the overall welfare of the community quickly and sustainably.
The Coronavirus Disease Covid-19: A Global Nightmare

Citation: Hamza Sule. , et al. “The Coronavirus Disease Covid-19: A Global Nightmare”. EC Microbiology 16.8 (2020): 70-72. The corona virus disease as an emerging pandemics, it affects almost every part of the world and cut across all age groups, but appears to be more serious on certain categories of people (the elderly, the young and those with underline disease conditions like diabetes, heart and liver diseases among others).
Research on Improved Triangular Mesh Surface Subdivision Algorithm

Subdivision surfaces have been widely used in computer graphics. They are also commonly used to subdivide surfaces in 3D geological modeling. The classic triangular mesh subdivision algorithms are Loop subdivision algorithm, Sqrt3 subdivision algorithm and Butterfly subdivision algorithm. Based on the realization of the three algorithms, the paper displays that the improved Butterfly subdivision algorithm, compared with the Sqrt3 subdivision algorithm and the Loop subdivision algorithm, can alleviate the contradiction between data volume and smoothness. It can also achieve a better fittness, and can deal with the smooth subdivision of the model well in 3D geological modeling and other applications.
Do Zebrafish Exhibit a Placebo Response? Fluoxetine Conditioning in Chronically Stressed Adult Zebrafish (Danio Rerio)

ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . iii DEDICATION . iv LIST OF TABLES . vii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS . viii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION . 1 The Placebo Response . 1 Clinical Trials: Drug Versus Placebo Responses. 3 Current Study: Purpose . 6 Classical Conditioning in Animals . 7 Placebo Testing in Animals . 9 Stress Models in Animals . 10 Zebrafish Stress Models . 11 Hypotheses . 14 CHAPTER II – METHODS . 16 Animal Care and Maintenance . 16 Experimental Groups and Procedures . 16 Drug Treatment . 19 Stress Protocol . 21 vi Behavioral Task and Tracking . 23 CHAPTER III RESULTS . 25 Introduction to the Novel Tank . 26 Acclimation to the Environment . 30 Total Distance Traveled . 30 Top Time . 31 Bottom Time . 32 Predicting Group Membership . 34 CHAPTER IV – DISCUSSION. 36 APPENDIX A – IACUC Approval Letter . 44 REFERENCES . 45
Capital Flows and Leverage

This article surveys the literature on capital flows and leverage. We summarize results from the existing papers and document new facts. The empirical literature takes both a macro and a micro approach. The macro approach focuses on aggregate data both over time and in the cross-section of countries, and it documents a positive correlation between total capital flows, build-ups in terms of external and domestic debt to GDP ratio, and financial crises. The micro approach uses granular data and focuses on leverage at the firm and bank level and associates this leverage with country-level capital flows and related exchange rate movements. We document new facts from a hybrid approach that focuses on the relationship between sector-level capital flows and sectoral leverage. We highlight the interconnections between different approaches and argue that harmonization of the macro and micro approaches can yield a more complete understanding of the effect of capital flows on country-, sector-, and firm- and bank-level leverage associated with credit booms and busts.
Liquid-Crystal-Embedded Aperture-Coupled Microstrip Antenna for 5G Applications

This letter presents a novel reconfigurable microstrip antenna with a frequency of 28 GHz and an embedded liquid crystal (LC). First, a novel fabrication process that employs a heat press machine is developed. This allows for the successful creation of thin substrates with thicknesses ranging between 0.13 and 0.25 mm. It is validated that the proposed stacked topology achieves a wide tunable range of resonant frequency. In addition, a simple bias configuration is achieved by connecting the bias position to the middle of the patch, where radio frequency (RF) potential is zero. The proposed antenna adopts a three-layer stacked printed circuit board (PCB) structure to render a cavity in which the LC is injected. The bottom patch of the top substrate is designed to contact the LC, and thus, it simultaneously functions as a dc bias electrode and a radiating element. In addition, unlike conventional stacked patch antennas, the additional patch on the top of the PCB structure is tuned to enhance gain. Compared with the simulated performance of a prior LC-based antenna, the tunable range of the resonant frequency of the proposed antenna is improved by more than three times at a center frequency of 28 GHz and the peak radiation efficiency is improved by up to 17%. Furthermore, the area (252 mm2) of the proposed LC-based antenna is 40% of the area of the prior LC-based antenna (625 mm2).