Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A presmoothing approach for estimation in mixture cure models

A challenge when dealing with survival analysis data is accounting for a cure fraction, meaning that some subjects will never experience the event of interest. Mixture cure models have been frequently used to estimate both the probability of being cured and the time to event for the susceptible subjects, by usually assuming a parametric (logistic) form of the incidence. We propose a new estimation procedure for a parametric cure rate that relies on a preliminary smooth estimator and is independent of the model assumed for the latency. We investigate the theoretical properties of the estimators and show through simulations that, in the logistic/Cox model, presmoothing leads to more accurate results compared to the maximum likelihood estimator. To illustrate the practical use, we apply the new estimation procedure to two studies of melanoma survival data.
Normal Iron Homeostasis Requires the Transporter SLC48A1 for Efficient Heme-Iron Recycling in Mammals

In mammals over 65% of the total body iron is located within erythrocytes in the heme moieties of hemoglobin. Iron homeostasis requires iron absorbed from the diet by the gut as well as recycling of iron after the destruction of senescent erythrocytes. Senescent erythrocytes are engulfed by reticuloendothelial system macrophages where hemoglobin is broken down in the lysosomes, releasing heme for iron recovery in the cytoplasm. We recently showed that the SLC48A1 protein is responsible for transporting heme from the lysosome to the cytoplasm. CRISPR generated SLC48A1-deficient mice accumulate heme in their reticuloendothelial system macrophages as hemozoin crystals. Here we describe additional features of SLC48A1-deficient mice. We show that visible hemozoin first appears in the reticuloendothelial system macrophages of SLC48A1-deficient mice at 8 days of age, indicating the onset of erythrocyte recycling. Evaluation of normal and SLC48A1-deficient mice on iron-controlled diets show that SLC48A1-mediated iron recycling is equivalent to at least 10 parts per million of dietary iron. We propose that mutations in human SLC48A1 could contribute to idiopathic iron disorders.
Febrile seizure during treatment with methylphenidate

Methylphenidate (MPH) is the main psychostimulant drug for children and adolescents with ADHD. The long-acting stimulant of osmotic controlled-release oral delivery system (OROS) MPH has been designed to release gradually increasing concentrations of MPH over a period of 10-12 hours. Febrile seizure (FS) is a seizure associated with high body temperature, typically due to a viral infection. In this case report, a 17-year-old boy with a history of ADHD who experienced a febrile seizure while taking OROS-MPH is re-ported.
Stakeholder engagement in research on quality of life and palliative care for brain tumors: a qualitative analysis of #BTSM and #HPM tweet chats

Abstract Background Research is needed to inform palliative care models that address the full spectrum of quality of life (QoL) needs for brain tumor patients and care partners. Stakeholder engagement in research can inform research priorities; engagement via social media can complement stakeholder panels. The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of Twitter to complement in-person stakeholder engagement, and report emergent themes from qualitative analysis of tweet chats on QoL needs and palliative care opportunities for brain tumor patients. Methods The Brain Cancer Quality of Life Collaborative engaged brain tumor (#BTSM) and palliative medicine (#HPM) stakeholder communities via Twitter using tweet chats. The #BTSM chat focused on defining and communicating about QoL among brain tumor patients. The #HPM chat discussed communication about palliative care for those facing neurological conditions. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify tweet chat themes. Results Analysis showed QoL for brain tumor patients and care partners includes psychosocial, physical, and cognitive concerns. Distressing concerns included behavioral changes, grief over loss of identity, changes in relationships, depression, and anxiety. Patients appreciated when providers discussed QoL early in treatment, and emphasized the need for care partner support. Communication about QoL and palliative care rely on relationships to meet evolving patient needs. Conclusions In addition to providing neurological and symptom management, specialized palliative care for brain tumor patients may address unmet patient and care partner psychosocial and informational needs. Stakeholder engagement using Twitter proved useful for informing research priorities and understanding stakeholder perspectives on QoL and palliative care.
Fiscal and Monetary Policies Coordination Rwanda Experience

This paper attempts to quantify the coordination between monetary and fiscal policies in Rwanda from 2008 to 2018. The paper uses Granger causality test and vector autoregressive (VAR) framework to determine whether these policies are implemented independently and also looks at the extent of their coordination. The empirical results using unstructured VAR model suggest that monetary and fiscal policies interact and are coordinated in Rwanda. The impulse response functions demonstrate significant interaction between monetary and fiscal policy. For instance a positive shock on government expenditure induces an increase in broad money that in turn induces an increase in liquidity in the economy. Finally, the paper recommends that both policies should continue interacting in order to strengthen policy coordination. Therefore, ultimately achieve a stable and low inflation together with high growth.
Transforming Service Delivery in Government through Integration of Web 3.0 and Social Media Technologies: A Case for Developing Countries

This study focuses on how to integrate Social Media and Web 3.0 features within government portals for personalised service delivery within government portals. The study was based on the Kenya government national portal (eCitizen) and sought the views of 94 experts responsible for managing social media and portal service on the eCitizen portal. The study employed Factor Analysis to analyse the experts' responses. Through factor analysis, the study identified six core factors that make up a Personalised Integrated Service Delivery (PISD) framework. These factors were services, web 3.0 features, social media management, security, one-stop-shop for government services and external factors. The study also described a Personalised Integrated System Architecture based on the PISD framework. The PISD framework and proposed system architecture can be used to guide the integration of social media and web 3.0 features within government portals for Personalised Integrated Service Delivery to citizens especially for developing countries like Kenya.
Formation of Chondrules and CAIs: Theory VS. Observation

o o o o o o o o oo o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o Ch ndrules and calciumand aluminum-rich inclusi ns (CAIs) are small pieces f r ck that pr bably f rmed in the s lar nebula when fine-grained dustballs were melted and crystallized in sh rt-lived heating and c ling events. Many different m dels have been pr p sed t explain the heat s urce f r these events. Studies f the mineral gical, c mp siti nal, and is t pic pr perties f ch ndrules and CAIs pr vide imp rtant bservati nal c nstraints that any viable m del must explain. Several m dels may be dismissed, at least in their current f rmulati ns, because they are unable t meet fundamental c nstraints. We examine three currently p pular m dels f r ch ndrule and CAI f rmati n in m re detail: nebular lightning, the sh ck wave m del, and the x-wind m del. N ne f the m dels is entirely satisfact ry, and the rigin f ch ndrules and CAIs remains enigmatic.
THE STATUS OF Oryctes rhinoceros Nudivirus (OrNV) INFECTION IN Oryctes rhinoceros (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) IN INDONESIA

Oryctes rhinoceros is a major problem on oil palm in Indonesia, especially during replanting. Oryctes rhinoceros Nudivirus (OrNV) is a virus that infects both larvae and adults of O. rhinoceros . An extensive survey of OrNV infection on O. rhinoceros in Indonesia has not been conducted. The objective of the research is to identify the rate of OrNV infection in its host from various sampling sites in Indonesia. Adults and larvae of O. rhinoceros were collected from Sumatra, Belitung, Java, Kalimantan and Sulawesi. Infected larvae were determined by their physical character, i.e. prolapsed rectum, while infected adults were determined by dissection to observe the swollen midguts. The incidence of OrNV infection in larvae was difficult to estimate, as only 11 out of 417 larvae showed prominent symptoms. OrNV infection rates in adults O. rhinoceros in oil palm plantations in Sumatra, Belitung and Kalimantan were between 64% and 90%, and female O. rhinoceros could still produce eggs even when they were infected by OrNV. In Sulawesi and Java, which are not major oil palm plantation centres, OrNV infection rates were below 16%. It is suspected that most of the O. rhinoceros population from areas intensively cultivated with oil palm is persistently or latently infected by OrNV and the beetles remain fertile.
Anticancer Effect of Bovine Lactoferrin on Breast Cancer Cell Line MCF7 and the Evaluation of Bax and Bak Genes Expression Involved in Apoptosis

Background: Lactoferrin is a glycoprotein with antimicrobial, antioxidant, immune-modulating, antiviral, and most importantly anticancer properties. In the present study, the effect of lactoferrin on breast cancer cell growth and the expression of Bax and Bak genes are evaluated. Materials and Methods: MCF7 cells were cultured in a 96-well plate with 1×105 cells in each well. Different lactoferrin concentrations of 0, 50, 300, 600, and 800 μg/mL were added to each well in three replicates and the well was incubated for 24 hours. After treatment, cell survival was measured using the MTT assay. To determine the level of expression of Bax and Bak genes, the cells were treated with lactoferrin concentrations of 0, 50, and 800 μg/mL in 2 replicates for 24 hours. Then RNA extraction was performed and cDNA was synthesized immediately and the expression of the genes in the presence of beta-actin reference gene and cyber-green fluorescence color was investigated with real-time reactions. Results: The cells viability in lactoferrin concentrations of 0, 50, 300, 500 and 800 μg/μL were 100%, 94%, 83%, 62%, and 32%, respectively. The expression level of the Bax gene at a concentration of 50 μg increased by 2.71 times and in 800 μg concentration decreased by 0.88 times. Also, the expression level of the Bak gene at concentrations of 50 and 800 μg increased by 1.23 and 1.0 fold, respectively. Statistical analysis of the data indicated that the expression levels of two genes at a concentration of 50 μg/mL of lactoferrin significantly increased (P<0.01), compared to the control. The significance level in this study was set at < 0.05. Conclusion: In this study, lactoferrin showed a growth inhibitory effect on breast cancer cells and increased the expression of Bax and Bak genes involved in apoptosis at a concentration of 50 µg/mL.
Temporal and stage-specific variation in mite-induced responses of tomato plants

Plants have evolved a rich array of defenses to resist being eaten by herbivores. Spider mites - a group of herbivorous mites - generally induce a combination of JA- and SA- regulated defenses. Solanaceae specialist Tetranychus evansi and some strains of the generalist two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae were observed to suppress these defenses. This suppression was found to benefit attacking spider mites. In this thesis, I have investigated the robustness of the plant defense induction and suppression framework by introducing more system complexity (mainly variation in abiotic conditions same as in greenhouses and in nature) into the experiments. First, herbivore life stage was found to be a relevant factor when investigating plant responses to spider mites especially for determining which type of defense (i.e., JA or SA) is most relevant for plant resistance. Subsequently, induced SA- and JA-related defenses are subject to diurnal variation possibly causing tomatoes to incur more feeding damage during the dark phase. Mites, especially T. evansi, relax effector production during the dark phase. Further investigation of the effects of a small group of putative secreted effector proteins on plants did not find (direct) evidence that these mite proteins decrease plant palatability via an effect on defenses. The yeast-two-hybrid screens revealed predominantly plant target-proteins associated with different aspects of SA-mediated defenses, the effect of SHOT proteins on defenses may be post-translational. Finally, it was shown that plants have plastic control over reproduction and can speed up fruit and seed production when conditions are unfavorable.
Influence of dual nitrogen and phosphorus additions on nutrient uptake and saturation kinetics in a forested headwater stream

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) can limit autotrophic and heterotrophic metabolism in lotic ecosystems, yet most studies that evaluate biotic responses to colimitation focus on patch-scale (e.g., nutrient diffusing substrata) rather than stream-scale responses. In this study, we evaluated the effects of single and dual N and P additions on ambient nutrient uptake rates and saturation kinetics during two biologically contrasting seasons (spring, autumn) in Walker Branch, a temperate forested headwater stream in Tennessee, USA. In each season, we used separate instantaneous pulse additions to quantify nutrient uptake rates and saturation kinetics of N (nitrate) and P (phosphate). We then used steady-state injections to elevate background stream water concentrations (to low and then high background concentrations) of one nutrient (e.g., N) and released instantaneous pulses of the other nutrient (e.g., P). We predicted that elevating the background concentration of one nutrient would result in a lower ambient uptake length and a higher maximum areal uptake rate of the other nutrient in this colimited stream. Our prediction held true in spring, as maximum areal uptake rate of N increased with elevated P concentrations from 185 µg m−2 min−1 (no added P) to 354 µg m−2 min−1 (high P). This pattern was not observed in autumn, as uptake rates of N were not measurable when P was elevated. Further, elevating background N concentration in either season did not significantly increase P uptake rates, likely because adsorption rather than biotic uptake dominated P dynamics. Laboratory P sorption assays demonstrated that Walker Branch sediments had a high adsorption capacity and were likely a sink for P during most pulse nutrient additions. Therefore, it may be difficult to use coupled pulse nutrient additions to evaluate biotic uptake of N and P in streams with strong P adsorption potential. Future efforts should use dual nutrient addition techniques to investigate reach-scale coupled biogeochemical cycles (C–N–P, and other elemental cycles [e.g., Fe, Mo]) across seasons, biomes, and land-use types and over longer time periods.
Biodiversity of Soil Microorganisms and their Effects on Disease Management at Black Pepper Farms in Gia Lai Province

Research on soil ecological systems, such as the soil characteristics and properties of the soil micro-flora system, is essential in the sustainable production of black pepper (Piper nigrum L.). The role of using beneficial microorganisms in the sustainable production of black pepper is in increase because many people are being aware of the hazards associated with consuming products with chemical substances. Twenty-seven soil samples were collected from Chu Se, Chu Prong and Duc Co district of Gia Lai province to determine the relationships between the ecological system, pathogenic fungi and nematodes in black pepper farms. The obtained results showed that the soil micro flora community was quite diverse. The average total density microorganism in Duc Co district, Chu Prong district and Chu Se district was of 8.41x10 CFU/g, 6.76x10 CFU/g and 8.91x10 6 CFU/g, respectively. The density of average total beneficial microorganisms in Duc Co district, Chu Prong district and Chu Se district was of 20.03x10 CFU/g, 14.25x10 CFU/g and 17.62x10 4 CFU/g, respectively. The use of organic fertilizers is common to the farms where high microbial densities were recorded. The relationship between the density of beneficial Original Research Article Nguyen et al.; AJOB, 9(4): 1-11, 2020; Article no.AJOB. 59463 2 microorganisms (Nitrogen fixing bacteria, Phosphorus soluble bacteria, Cellulose degradation bacteria) and the density of fungal pathogens and nematodes was negatively correlated with R = 0.84 and R = 0.81 respectively. The results of correlation analysis showed that the density of beneficial microorganisms in the soil and the incidence of diseases in orchards were negatively correlated (R = 0.69). This study proposes that the correlation between the basic factor of soil ecological system with pathogenic fungi and nematodes plays a very important role in biological control and the sustainable production of black pepper.
Swift Large-scale Examination of Directed Genome Editing (SLEDGE Hammer)

In the era of CRISPR gene editing and genetic screening, there is an increasing demand for quick and reliable nucleic acid extraction pipelines for rapid genotyping of large and diverse sample sets. Despite continuous improvements of current workflows, the handling-time and material costs per sample remain the major limiting factors. Here we present a robust method for low-cost DIY-pipet tips addressing these needs; i.e. using a cellulose filter disc inserted into a regular pipet tip. These filter-in-tips allow for a rapid, stand-alone three-step genotyping workflow by simply binding the DNA contained in the primary lysate to the cellulose filter, washing it in water and eluting it directly into the buffer for the downstream application (e.g. PCR). This drastically cuts down processing time to maximum 30 seconds per sample, with the potential for parallelizing and automation. We show the ease and sensitivity of our procedure by genotyping genetically modified medaka and zebrafish embryos (targeted CRISPR/Cas9 knock-out and knock-in) in a 96-well plate format. The robust isolation and detection of multiple alleles of various abundancies in a mosaic genetic background allows phenotype-genotype correlation already in the injected generation, demonstrating the reliability and sensitivity of the filter-in-tips. Furthermore, our method is applicable across kingdoms with samples ranging from cells to tissues (e.g. plant seedlings, adult flies, mouse cell culture and tissue as well as adult fish fin-clips).
Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Staphylococcus aureus , Streptococcus agalactiae and Escherichia coli in Dairy Goats with Clinical and Subclinical Mastitis

| Mastitis is a common disease in lactating goats that widespread throughout the world. This study aims to determine the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Streptococcus agalactiae (S. agalactiae) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) in clinical and subclinical mastitis in does, and to identify the antibiotic susceptibility of the isolated bacteria. A total of 145 milk samples were collected from different farms located around Besut and Setiu districts, Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia. All does were screened for subclinical mastitis using the California Mastitis Test. Signs of clinical mastitis were recorded. The milk samples were inoculated on Mannitol salt agar, blood agar and Eosin-Methylene Blue agar. The isolated bacterial colonies were subjected to Gram’s staining and biochemical tests (catalase, coagulase, oxidase, triple sugar iron and Christie, Atkins, and Munch-Peterson tests) for identification. The susceptibility of S. aureus, S. agalactiae, and E. coli to the antibiotic was tested using disc diffusion assay. The prevalence of clinical and subclinical mastitis was 23% (34/145) and 40% (58/145) respectively. The bacteriological examinations revealed that 15/92 (16.3%), 6/92 (6.5%) and 1/92 (1.1%) of the mastitis samples were positive for S. aureus, S. agalactiae, and E. coli respectively. Overall resistance levels were very low except for S. aureus towards penicillin (22%) and tetracycline (11%) and for S. agalactiae towards penicillin (33.3%). In conclusion, S. aureus was the most frequently isolated organisms from the caprine mastitis followed by S. agalactiae and E. coli in the study area.
Keefektifan Bioinsektisida Berbasis Cendawan Entomopatogen Talaromyces pinophilus dan Minyak Nabati terhadap Hama Penggerek Buah Kopi

Hama penggerek buah kopi (PBKo), Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), merupakan salah satu hama utama penyebab kehilangan hasil pada tanaman kopi. Hama ini secara langsung menyerang buah kopi, baik yang belum maupun yang telah matang. Cendawan entomopatogen merupakan salah satu agens hayati potensial untuk PBKo, aman bagi lingkungan dan tidak mematikan organisme yang bukan sasaran. Penelitian dilaksanakan di Laboratorium Terpadu, Balai Penelitian Tanaman Industri dan Penyegar, Sukabumi, mulai bulan Juni sampai Oktober 2018. Tujuan penelitian adalah untuk menguji keefektifan bioinsektisida berbasis cendawan entomopatogen Talaromyces pinophilus (CETP) dan minyak nabati terhadap hama PBKo. Penelitian menggunakan rancangan acak lengkap dengan 31 perlakuan dan 3 ulangan. Ke-31 perlakuan tersebut terdiri dari 9 formula bioinsektisida berbasis CETP dan minyak nabati, kontrol positif (formula bioinsektisida berbasis CETP dan air), dan kontrol negatif (insektisida kimia Klorpirifos). Peubah yang diamati meliputi: aktivitas enzim CETP, keefektifan minyak nabati sebagai bahan pembawa, mortalitas kumbang PBKo, persentase serangan, persentase buah yang tergerek, dan jumlah lubang gerekan per 10 buah kopi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa formula bioinsektisida berbasis CETP menghasilkan enzim kitinase dan protease yang berpotensi sebagai agens hayati pengendali PBKo secara in vitro . Minyak kedelai dinilai paling efektif sebagai bahan pembawa dalam memformulasi CETP. Formula S69MK30 dan S79MK20 masing-masing dengan konsentrasi 7,50% berpotensi tinggi sebagai agens hayati pengendali PBKo. Formula lainnya yang dinilai cukup potensial adalah S69MKT30 dengan konsentrasi 7,50%.
The determinants of project worker voice in project‐based organisations: An initial conceptualisation and research agenda

The growing projectification trend has brought to the forefront the importance of project-based organizing as a work mode and of project-based organizations as key employers. However, research in certain human resource management (HRM) areas (including voice) has been limited in PBOs, because of the decentralized and changing nature of HRM functions in these types of organizations. In dynamic project organizations, voice is highly important in recruitment, innovation, and improvement; it therefore has to be conceptualized systematically. To this end, we focus on project workers as the key employee group and conceptualize the determining system factors that shape their voice in project-based organizations. The conceptual framework is based on a systematic review of peer-reviewed articles and contributes to employee voice theory as a vehicle for the study of voice in temporary employment relationships.