Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Alteration of pro‐apoptotic and anti‐apoptotic gene expression in breast cancer cell lines (1047.7)

A subset of human triple‐negative breast cancer cell lines exhibit aberrant DNA hypermethylation that is associated with DNA methyltransferase hyperactivity, overexpression of DNMT3b, and methylation‐dependent silencing of numerous genes. These breast cancer cell lines are resistant to standard chemotherapeutic agents, but can be sensitized to chemotherapy with demethylating drugs (5aza). In this study, we surveyed expression of 328 genes associated with apoptosis and survival in Hs578T cells using BioRad Prime PCR Pathway Plates. This analysis identified several pro‐apoptotic genes that are not expressed (undetected) or expressed at negligible levels in Hs578T cells, including FASLG, IGF1, CD27, and BIK. Epigenetic silencing of these genes (directly or indirectly) would convey a survival advantage to the cancer cells through elimination of pro‐apoptotic signaling. These pro‐apoptotic genes and/or members of their pathways have been shown to be subject to methylation‐dependent silencing in cancer cells. In addition, several anti‐apoptotic genes were found to be abundantly expressed in Hs578T cells, including HSPB1 and NPM1. It is not known if epigenetic mechanisms contribute to overexpression of anti‐apoptotic genes in breast cancer. The contributions of aberrant DNA hypermethylation to the silencing of pro‐apoptotic genes (and/or activation of anti‐apoptotic genes) as a mechanism of chemotherapeutic resistance was explored further using a panel of breast cancer cell lines. The results suggest that treatment of triple‐negative breast cancer cell lines that display aberrant DNA hypermethylation with demethylating agents (like 5aza) sensitizes them to standard chemotherapeutic drugs (Doxorubicin, Paclitaxel, 5‐fluorouracil) by reactivation of pro‐apoptotic genes. This experimental observation forms the basis for designing new treatment approaches for patients with triple‐negative breast cancer that combine epigenetic and cytotoxic drugs.
Female agreement over male attractiveness is not affected by cost of mating with experienced males

The extent to which females differ in their mating preferences has important consequences for the evolution of male sexual traits; yet, the way in which female mating preferences vary remains largely unexplored in most animal taxa. Even less is known about the implications of this variation to female fitness. Here, we examine the degree of between-female agreement in the mating preferences of the cockroach, Nauphoeta cinerea, and relate this variation to differences in female reproduction. Using a repeated-measures design, we mated a series of males sequentially to 5 different females. We found that females were largely in agreement in their mating preferences with a significant, albeit low (0.094 ± 0.061), repeatability of male attractiveness as assessed by different females. This is surprising given that females experienced a consistent reduction in offspring production when mating to more experienced males and suggests that females have a limited ability to detect male mating history. This cost may, in part, be offset by a longer gestation time when mating with more experienced males, which is known to extend female longevity in this species. There appears to be good reason for females to agree in their mate choice in this species. Across males, we found a significant negative correlation between male attractiveness and gestation time, suggesting that females actively discriminate against males that accelerate gestation. We discuss the implications of our findings to the operation of sexual selection in N. cinerea. Copyright 2008, Oxford University Press.
The Presentation and Treatment Response of Catatonia in Patients Admitted to the Psychiatric Inpatient Unit at Jimma University Medical Center, Ethiopia

Background Catatonia is among the most mysterious and poorly understood neuropsychiatric syndrome. It is underresearched and virtually forgotten but still a frequent neuropsychiatric phenotype in both developed and low-income countries. Catatonia is associated with a number of medical complications like pulmonary embolism, dehydration, or pneumonia if it is not treated and managed adequately. In Ethiopia, however, almost no studies are available to describe the symptoms and the response to treatment in patients with catatonia. The aim of this retrospective study was therefore to describe the symptom profile of catatonia and to evaluate the treatment and outcome of catatonia in patients admitted to the psychiatric inpatient unit at Jimma University, Ethiopia. Method Detailed treatment records of all inpatients were reviewed for the period from May 2018 to April 2019. All patients with catatonia at the inpatient unit of Jimma University Medical Center were assessed with the Bush-Francis Catatonia Rating Scale (BFCRS), and all comorbid psychiatric diagnoses were made according to the criteria of the Diagnostic Statistical Manual V. The presence and severity of catatonia were assessed by using the BFCRS at baseline and at discharge from the hospital. Result In the course of one year, a total of 18 patients with the diagnosis of catatonia were admitted. The mean age of the participants was 22.8 years (SD 5.0; range: 15 to 34 years). The most common diagnosis associated with catatonia was schizophrenia (n = 12; 66.7%), followed by severe depressive disorders (n = 4; 22.2%). Mutism, posture, and withdrawal were registered in all patients (n = 18, 100%). All patients received an injection of diazepam and had improved at discharge. Conclusion Our study provides further evidence that catatonia is most commonly associated with schizophrenia, followed by major depressive disorder, and that mutism, posturing, and withdrawal are the most common signs and symptoms of catatonia.
LGRs in Skeletal Tissues: An Emerging Role for Wnt‐Associated Adult Stem Cell Markers in Bone

Leucine‐rich repeat‐containing G protein‐coupled receptors (LGRs) are adult stem cell markers that have been described across various stem cell niches, and expression of LGRs and their corresponding ligands (R‐spondins) has now been reported in multiple bone‐specific cell types. The skeleton harbors elusive somatic stem cell populations that are exceedingly compartment‐specific and under tight regulation from various signaling pathways. Skeletal progenitors give rise to multiple tissues during development and during regenerative processes of bone, requiring postnatal endochondral and intramembranous ossification. The relevance of LGRs and the LGR/R‐spondin ligand interaction in bone and tooth biology is becoming increasingly appreciated. LGRs may define specific stem cell and progenitor populations and their behavior during both development and regeneration, and their role as Wnt‐associated receptors with specific ligands poses these proteins as unique therapeutic targets via potential R‐spondin agonism. This review seeks to outline the current literature on LGRs in the context of bone and its associated tissues, and points to key future directions for studying the functional role of LGRs and ligands in skeletal biology. © 2020 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
TOLERANCE OF TREE ROOTS TO WATERLOGGING

SUMMARY A study is presented of the growth of rooted cuttings of Lodgepole pine and Sitka spruce into waterlogged soil. Lodgepole pine roots penetrated to depths of 20 cm at 10°C in soil devoid of oxygen, whereas Sitka spruce made only shallow growth into the water-table. The growth rate of the pine roots decreased with depth below the water-table and penetration was greater at 10 °C than at 20 °C. Large gas-filled cavities were found in the stele of the pine roots that penetrated the water-table but were absent from the spruce. When pine roots were allowed to grow into a water-table for 2 cm. and were subsequently inundated to a depth of 10 cm, root tip survival was much better than where non-acclimatized roots were flooded. The results suggest that the deeper penetration of waterlogged soil by Lodgepole pine than Sitka spruce is due to internal oxygen transport in the pine roots; oxygen transport and other possible mechanisms for growth and survival of roots in waterlogged soil are discussed.
How good is the fossil record of arthropods? An assessment using the stratigraphic congruence of cladograms

A total of 179 published cladograms of arthropods was tested for their congruence with the palaeontological record. Congruence for data sets including 510 tetrapod and 157 fish trees was also calculated for comparison. Results provide support for the hypothesis that the fossil record of arthropods is less complete (at levels of stratigraphic and taxonomic resolution pertinent to most macroevolutionary studies) than the records of several other taxa. Differences in tree size, shape, balance and the distribution of first stratigraphic appearances (potential sources of bias) were controlled for by various randomization procedures. Most measures of congruence for arthropods were statistically poorer than those for other groups, even when the sample was divided into broad temporal bins. Many of the most robust and widely reproduced sister groupings of arthropods are attended by ghost ranges of many tens or hundreds of millions of years. Fossils of a number of presently very diverse and abundant arthropod groups are conspicuously absent from the record, despite many spectacular examples of the detailed preservation of others. There is probably no single reason for the apparently poor record of arthropods. Low preservation potential, small size of individuals, small numbers of individuals, and restricted palaeobiogeography almost certainly play a role in particular cases. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Vers la caractérisation des cellules souches de la glande mammaire murine adulte

L’epithelium mammaire est une bicouche composee d’une part de cellules myoepitheliales basales et d’autre part de cellules luminales. Les proprietes si particulieres de la morphogenese post-natale de la glande mammaire, notamment la mise en place du reseau canalaire durant la puberte, et la formation d’alveoles a chaque grossesse, suggerent que des cellules souches resident dans l’epithelium mammaire adulte. Differentes strategies incluant notamment l’analyse de la retention de marqueurs de l’ADN, l’etude du potentiel de developpement in vivo de sous-populations cellulaires et des approches transgeniques, sont utilisees depuis quelques annees pour isoler et caracteriser les cellules souches et progenitrices de l’epithelium mammaire murin. Les caracteristiques moleculaires de ces cellules restent a definir de facon precise mais des progres notables ont deja ete realises pour leur enrichissement et leur identification.
Social parasites in polistine wasps are monophyletic: implications for sympatric speciation

A social parasite uses workers of another social insect species to rear its own progeny. They are often so closely related to their hosts that it has been suggested that they could have evolved sympatrically from them. To address the question of whether social parasites evolved from their hosts we present a partial sequence of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene for nine species of Polistes, comprising all known species of social parasites, their hosts and two outgroups. Parsimony and maximum-likelihood analyses of the data support monophyly for these social parasites. The trees supporting monophyly are significantly shorter than the trees supporting sympatric speciation of parasites from their hosts. These data support the hypothesis that speciation occurred allopatrically and independently of the evolution of social parasitism. Where the social parasite parasitizes more than one species, the two species used are most closely related to each other. Although social parasites are monophyletic and did not evolve sympatrically from their hosts, it is clear that relatedness among species is important in the host–parasite relation.
Physical properties of skin, flesh, and kernel of Canarium odontophyllum fruit.

Fruits are needed in our life as part of nutrition component and have many beneficial effects on human health, e.g. as the source of dietary antioxidants. In Malaysia, Sarawak is one of the states that is rich in many types of flora, e.g. Canarium odontophyllum, which have not been well investigated. This fruit is not well known because it was categorized as underutilized and indigenous species. As part of an investigation, knowledge on the physical properties of fruit is important as the basic information. Therefore, this study was conducted with the objective to determine the physical properties of C. odontophyllum (length, width and thickness, cm), shape (sphericity index, aspect ratio, %) and mass (whole, skin, flesh, kernel, g). The data were obtained from the measurements of physical properties of two different sizes of C. odontophyllum and were stated as mean ± SD for whole fruit and mass fractions (skin, flesh and kernel) of the fruit. Averaged values (mean±SD) of big and small fruits were determined for length (4.10±0.11; 3.74±0.08 cm), width (2.79±0.13; 2.40±0.07 cm), thickness (0.50±0.00; 0.40 ± 0.00 cm), sphericity index (67.37±4.32; 41.28±0.69%), aspect ratio (43.62±0.76; 65.79±2.26 %), whole fruit mass (18.28±1.59; 12.73±0.69 g), skin mass (1.02±0.19; 0.86 g), flesh mass (11.22±0.93; 7.81 g) and kernel mass (6.79 ± 0.81; 5.84 g). These findings can be used as baseline information for further nutritional and processing application of the fruit.
α-Amylase Production by Bacillus cereus MTCC 1305 Using Solid-State Fermentation

Summary Production of a-amylase under solid-state fermentation by Bacillus cereus MTCC 1305 has been investigated using wheat bran and rice flake manufacturing waste as substrates. With wheat bran, highest enzyme production expressed as units per mass of dry substrate ((94±2) U/g) was observed. Production parameters were optimized as inoculum size 10 % (volume per mass) and substrate:moisture ratio 1:1. Among different carbon sources supplemented, glucose (0.04 g/g) showed enhanced enzyme production ((122±5) U/g). Supplementation of different nitrogen sources (0.02 g/g) showed decline in enzyme production. Optimum a-amylase enzyme activity was observed at 55 °C and pH=5. At 75 °C, enzyme showed 90 % activity compared to 55 °C.
Innovation of Undergraduate Education Mode of the Financial Management Major in Big Data Era

The fast development of a new generation of information technology represented by artificial intelligence has brought a far-reaching impact to the financial management activities in enterprises. In the future, big data, artificial intelligence and robot process automation will be widely applied, these promoted the transformation of traditional financial management into intelligent financial management [1]. How to meet the demand of financial management transformation in the big data era is an important issue that all universities and colleges should consider. By integrating OBE educational concept and CDIO engineering education mode, this paper reforms the curriculum system and teaching contents of financial management major of undergraduate education in order to improve students' ability of big data analysis. With the help of school-enterprise cooperation resources and technological advantages, the undergraduate education can cultivate compound and intelligent financial management talents to meet the needs of enterprises in the era of big data
Relocatable addressing model for symbolic execution

Symbolic execution (SE) is a widely used program analysis technique. Existing SE engines model the memory space by associating memory objects with concrete addresses, where the representation of each allocated object is determined during its allocation. We present a novel addressing model where the underlying representation of an allocated object can be dynamically modified even after its allocation, by using symbolic addresses rather than concrete ones. We demonstrate the benefits of our model in two application scenarios: dynamic inter- and intra-object partitioning. In the former, we show how the recently proposed segmented memory model can be improved by dynamically merging several object representations into a single one, rather than doing that a-priori using static pointer analysis. In the latter, we show how the cost of solving array theory constraints can be reduced by splitting the representations of large objects into multiple smaller ones. Our preliminary results show that our approach can significantly improve the overall effectiveness of the symbolic exploration.
Cooperative Domain Ontology Reduction Based on Power Sets

Ontology is widely used in the areas of knowledge engineering, web-based data mining, and others. The process of developing and evolving inter-organizational domain ontologies is easy to get much redundant information. PowerSets can be used to reduce the attributes of ontologies. In this paper, "Rule Finding Uniqueness," RFU is proposed for learning a set of rules in order to refine an ontology. The algorithm's primary goal is to generate unique rules that not only cover the initial set but also enhance reasoning. The claimed technique compresses Ontologies after it is already built or during the evolving process of the inter-organizational cooperative domain ontology. The proposed method can also be used to strengthen automatic and semi-automatic operations to develop and evolve ontologies. We can consider this approach as a maintenance operation that could be done periodically based on the ontology evolution frequency rate.
System Dynamics Modeling for Online Encyclopedias Based on Activity Theory

Different from prior empirical studies that usually investigate the unidirectional linear relationships among prominent factors in online Encyclopedias from a static perspective, this study captures a dynamic picture of their interrelations from a perspective of system dynamics. This study proposes a general activity system of online encyclopedias based on Engeström's activity theory and develops a holistic system dynamics model according to the system dynamics method proposed by Forrester. This study enriches our understanding of the intrinsic dynamic of knowledge collaboration in online encyclopedias and demonstrates the gains in understanding system co-evolution achievable by utilizing the system dynamics method in concert with the activity theory.
Do the Urgent Things first! - Detecting Urgency in Spoken Utterances based on Acoustic Features

In the future, spoken dialogue systems will have to deal with more complex user utterances and should react in an intuitive, comprehensible way by adapting to the user, the situation and the context. In rapidly changing situations, like talking to a highly automated car, it is highly relevant to react adequately to quick urgent interjections whether within one utterance or as interruptions of ongoing actions/dialogues. A first step is the detection of urgency in user utterances. Therefore, we developed a user study based on gamification simulating such short-term urgent situations. With this study, we collected data for a first analysis of features from the audio signal, which are promising for detecting urgent utterances. In the game "What is it? " participants had to find a symbol consisting of three characteristics from a set via speech. Their search was regularly interrupted by a time limited urgent task. The data obtained show that features only from the audio signal can be used to distinguish between urgent and non-urgent utterances. Further analysis reveals that certain features of the audio signal represent different phases of the data set better or worse. We distinguish, among other things, between the phases Transition and Decline, which represent the shift from non-urgent to urgent speech and vice versa. These shifts are recognizable and can occur in rapid change. We identified several classification methods to detect successfully urgent speech in each phase.
Simulating Decentralized Platooning for Coordinated Conflict-Free Motion of Mobile Robot Fleets

Intersection platooning has been shown in several studies to provide higher throughput and hence greater productivity for material transfer using fleets of mobile robots, however questions remain about the behavior in a full range of traffic situations as no algorithm has been proven complete. As a result a lower throughput backup system is typically used in practice. A state of-the-art method for decentralized platooning based on an intersection controller has been implemented. A number of test cases are described to probe the performance limits. Furthermore, an outline of a fleet control system which uses only platooning for coordination is described. This will allow edge cases to be investigated in simulation.
Beyond What is Said: Looking for Foundational Principles in VUI Design

As the field of Voice User Interface design continues to grow, more usability issues are found, and efforts made to solve them. We argue that what the field lacks is foundational principles beyond the reach of said efforts, and that the availability of those principles could be closer than we think. If we were to look at interactive sound design overall, could we unlock the potentials of the field by going beyond the current conversational design? Expanding the design scope to include more nonverbal and paralinguistic elements could bring untold developments to the field.
Building User Trust in Recommendations via Fairness and Explanations

Modern Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques, based on the statistical analysis of big volumes of data, are quickly gaining traction across various domains. Recommender Systems are a class of AI techniques that extract preference patterns from large traces of human behavior. Recommenders assist people in taking decisions that range from harmless everyday life dilemmas, e.g., what shoes to buy, to seemingly innocuous choices but with long-term, hidden consequences, e.g., what news article to read, up to more critical decisions, e.g., which person to hire. As more and more aspects of our everyday lives are influenced by automated decisions made by recommender systems, it becomes natural to question whether these systems are trustworthy, particularly given the opaqueness and complexity of their internal workings. These questions are timely posed in the broader context of concerns regarding the societal and ethical implications of applying AI techniques, which have also brought about new regulations, like the EU's "Right to Explanation". In this talk, we discuss techniques for increasing the user's trust in the decisions of a recommender system, focusing on fairness aspects and explanation approaches. On the one hand, fairness means that the system exhibits certain desirable ethical traits, such as being non-discriminatory, diversity-aware, and bias-free. On the other hand, explanations provide human-understandable interpretations of the inner working of the system. Both mechanisms can be used in tandem to promote trust in the system. In addition, we investigate user trust from the standpoint of different stakeholders that potentially have varying levels of technical background and diverse needs.