Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Managing resistance evolution to transgenic Bt maize in corn borers in Spain

Abstract Since 1998, genetically engineered Bt maize varieties expressing the insecticidal Cry1Ab protein (i.e. event MON 810) have been grown in the European Union (EU), mainly in Spain. These varieties confer resistance against the European and Mediterranean corn borer (ECB and MCB), which are the major lepidopteran maize pests in the EU, particularly in Mediterranean areas. However, widespread, repeated and exclusive use of Bt maize is anticipated to increase the risk of Cry1Ab resistance to evolve in corn borer populations. To delay resistance evolution, typically, refuges of non-Bt maize are planted near or adjacent to, or within Bt maize fields. Moreover, changes in Cry1Ab susceptibility in field populations of corn borers and unexpected damage to maize MON 810, due to corn borers, are monitored on an annual basis. After two decades of Bt maize cultivation in Spain, neither resistant corn borer populations nor farmer complaints on unexpected field damage have been reported. However, whether the resistance monitoring strategy followed in Spain, currently based on discriminating concentration bioassays, is sufficiently sensitive to timely detect early warning signs of resistance in the field remains a point of contention. Moreover, the Cry1Ab resistance allele frequency to Bt maize, which has recently been estimated in MCB populations from north-eastern Spain, might exceed that recommended for successful resistance management. To ensure Bt maize durability in Spain, it is key that adequate resistance management approaches, including monitoring of resistance and farmer compliance with refuge requirements, continue to be implemented and are incorporated in integrated pest management schemes.
Semiconducting Polymers Containing Tellurium: Perspectives Toward Obtaining High-Performance Materials

The development of high-carbon-content polymers for optoelectronics is an area of intense research; however, carbon-rich materials have certain limitations that arise from their composition. Some of these limitations can be overcome by the judicious incorporation of heavier elements which do not significantly change the carbon content to a point where it adversely affects cost and processability. Here we examine the use of tellurium as a heavy atom in the design of optoelectronic polymers. Group 16 atom (O, S, Se, Te) substitution is a promising strategy for the development of high performance materials for organic electronic applications. The use of tellurium in place of selenium or sulfur in conjugated polymers lends new properties to these materials such as red-shifted optical absorption, high polarizability, high dielectric constant, and strong intermolecular interactions. These properties are favorable for organic photovoltaics (OPVs) and organic field effect transistors (OFETs). In particular, exten.
Determinants of Birth Intervals Using Prentice-Williams-Peterson-Gap Time Model: Tehran Case Study

Background: Total fertility rate (TFR) in Iran decreased from the year 2000 and recently Iran has experienced fertility rates below replacement level. Birth interval is one of the most important determinants of fertility levels and plays a vital role in population growth rate. Due to the importance of this subject, the aim of this study was analyzing three birth intervals using three Survival Recurrent Event (SRE) models. Materials and Methods: In a 2017 cross-sectional fertility survey in Tehran, 610 married women, age 15-49 years, were selected by multi-stage stratified random sampling and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The effects of selected covariates on first, second and third birth intervals were fitted to the data using the Prentice-WilliamsPeterson-Gap Time (PWP-GT) SRE model in SAS 9.4. Results: Calendar-period had a significant effect on all three birth intervals (P<0.01). The Hazard Rate (HR) for a short birth interval for women in the most recent calendar-period (2007-2017) was lower than for the other calendarperiods. Women’s migration influenced second (P=0.044) and third birth intervals (P=0.031). The HR for both birth intervals in migrant women was 1.298 and 1.404 times shorter, respectively than non-migrant women. Women’s employment (P=0.008) and place of residence (P<0.05) also had significant effects on second birth interval; employed women and those living in developed, completely-developed and semi-developed areas, compared to unemployed women and those living in developing regions, had longer second birth intervals. Older age at marriage age increased the HR for a short third birth interval (P<0.01). Conclusion: The analysis of birth interval patterns using an appropriate statistical method provides important information for health policymakers. Based on the results of this study, younger women delayed their childbearing more than older women. Migrant women, unemployed women and women who live in developing regions gave birth to their second child sooner than non-migrant employed women, and women who lived in more developed regions. The implementation of policies which change the economic and social conditions of families could prevent increasing birth intervals and influence the fertility rate.
DIGITAL BREAST TOMOSYNTHESIS AND FULL-FIELD DIGITAL MAMMOGRAPHY IN BREAST CANCER DETECTION ASSOCIATED WITH FOUR ASYMMETRY TYPES.

OBJECTIVE The aim: Comparing sensitivity and specificity of digital breast tomosynthesis and full-field digital mammography in breast cancer detection associated with four different types of asymmetries according to BI-RADS Atlas. PATIENTS AND METHODS Materials and methods: Study included 201 patients with four types of asymmetries according BI-RADS atlas (asymmetry - 81 (40,3%), focal asymmetry - 82 (40,8%), global asymmetry - 36 (17,9%) and developing asymmetry - 2 (1,0%)) who underwent full-field digital mammography, digital breast tomosynthesis and hand-held full breast ultrasound from January 2017 to June 2018. The general rate of breast cancer for the 201 patients with asymmetries was 8 cases (4,0%) (IBC, n=6 (3,0%); DCIS, n=2 (1,0%) other findings associated with asymmetries were non-malignant, n=10 (5,0%) (sclerosing adenosis, n=5 (2,5%); fibroadenomatosis, n=3 (1,5%); simple cyst, n=1 (0,5%); radial scar associated with papilloma, typical ductal hyperplasia and sclerosing adenosis, n=1 (0,5%). RESULTS Results: Analysis of the results showed that sensitivity of digital breast tomosynthesis was 75.0% [95% CI, 34.91% to 96.81%] and specificity was 94.8% [95% CI, 90.68% to 97.49%] which was superior to full-field digital mammography sensitivity 50.0% [95% CI, 15.70% to 84.30%] and specificity 91.19% [95% CI, 86.27% to 94.78%] for breast cancer detection associated with different types of asymmetries. CONCLUSION Conclusions: Using of digital breast tomosynthesis in assessment of breast asymmetries can improve sensitivity and specificity in breast cancer detection and reduce number of unnecessary biopsies and short-interval follow-up examinations.
Assessing methods for geometric distortion compensation in 7 T gradient echo functional MRI data

Echo planar imaging (EPI) is widely used in functional and diffusion‐weighted MRI, but suffers from significant geometric distortions in the phase encoding direction caused by inhomogeneities in the static magnetic field (B0). This is a particular challenge for EPI at very high field (≥7 T), as distortion increases with higher field strength. A number of techniques for distortion correction exist, including those based on B0 field mapping and acquiring EPI scans with opposite phase encoding directions. However, few quantitative comparisons of distortion compensation methods have been performed using human EPI data, especially at very high field. Here, we compared distortion compensation using B0 field maps and opposite phase encoding scans in two different software packages (FSL and AFNI) applied to 7 T gradient echo (GE) EPI data from 31 human participants. We assessed distortion compensation quality by quantifying alignment to anatomical reference scans using Dice coefficients and mutual information. Performance between FSL and AFNI was equivalent. In our whole‐brain analyses, we found superior distortion compensation using GE scans with opposite phase encoding directions, versus B0 field maps or spin echo (SE) opposite phase encoding scans. However, SE performed better when analyses were limited to ventromedial prefrontal cortex, a region with substantial dropout. Matching the type of opposite phase encoding scans to the EPI data being corrected (e.g., SE‐to‐SE) also yielded better distortion correction. While the ideal distortion compensation approach likely varies depending on methodological differences across experiments, this study provides a framework for quantitative comparison of different distortion compensation methods.
miR-181d promotes pancreatic beta cell dysfunction by targeting IRS2 in gestational diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVES Hyperglycemia that develops during pregnancy is a diagnostic criterion of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Current studies have shown that the expression of miRNA-181d is significantly enhanced in the glomeruli of type 2 diabetic. However, the relationship between miR-181d and GDM has never been reported before. MATERIAL AND METHODS The serum samples were collected from patients with GDM and subjected to qRT-PCR to verify the potential altered the miR-181d expression. In an in vitro GDM model, the miR-181d expression was induced by high glucose treatment, a miR-181d inhibitor was transfected into INS-1 cells to reduce miR-181d expression. Then, the level of insulin mRNA, cell viability, and content of total insulin were analyzed through ELISA, CCK-8 assay, and qRT-PCR assay. The relative apoptosis rates were detected by Annexin-V/PI assays. Finally, the shIRS2 transfection was performed to test whether in pancreatic β cells, IRS2 had similar insulin-enhancing functions as the miR-181d inhibitor. RESULTS MiR-181d expression level was positively correlated with fasting blood glucose levels and the inhibition of miR-181d reduced insulin resistance, enhanced cells viability and suppressed high-glucose-induced apoptosis. In addition, the suppression of miR-181d improved the functions of INS-1 cells by targeting IRS2. CONCLUSIONS In summary, this study indicated that miR-181d modulated the process of insulin signaling and cell viability and apoptosis in pancreatic β cells by targeting IRS-2, suggesting that miR-181d inhibition is a potential target for GDM therapy.
Septic Shock: A Race against Time.

S shock is a life threatening condition that is not always responsive to proper antibiotic therapy and vasopressors, thereby leading to the rapid decline and death of the patient. We report a case of a 28-year-old female admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with group A streptococcal (GAS) community acquired pneumonia (CAP). Within hours of her admission she developed severe septic shock with severe global myocardial dysfunction. Profound septic and cardiogenic shock did not respond to high dose vasopressors, and as a last resort and desperate measure to keep the patient alive, extracorporeal support was initiated with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO).
W436, a novel SMART derivative, exhibits anti‐hepatocarcinoma activity by inducing apoptosis and G2/M cell cycle arrest in vitro and in vivo and induces protective autophagy

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is considered one of the most common primary liver cancers and the second leading cause of cancer‐associated mortality around the world annually. Therefore, it is urgent to develop novel drugs for HCC therapy. We synthesized a novel 4‐substituted‐methoxybenzoyl‐aryl‐thiazole (SMART) analog, (5‐(4‐aminopiperidin‐1‐yl)‐2‐phenyl‐2H‐1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐yl) (3,4,5‐trimethoxyphenyl) methanone (W436), with higher solubility, stability, and antitumor activity than SMART against HCC cells in vivo. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanisms by which W436 inhibited cell growth in HCC cells. We observed that W436 inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 and Hep3B cells in a dose‐dependent manner. Importantly, the anticancer activity of W436 against HCC cells was even higher than that of SMART in vivo. In addition, the antiproliferative effects of W436 on HCC cells were associated with G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis via the activation of reactive oxygen species‐mediated mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. W436 also induced protective autophagy by inhibiting the protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin pathway. At the same time, W436 treatment inhibited the cell adhesion and invasion as well as the process of epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition Taken together, our results showed that W436 had the promising potential for the therapeutic treatment of HCC with improved solubility, stability, and bioavailability.
A PPENDIX D R ANDOM AND P SEUDORANDOM N UMBER G ENERATION

D.1 THE USE OF RANDOM NUMBERS . 2 Randomness . 2 Unpredictability . 4 D.2 PSEUDORANDOM NUMBER GENERATORS (PRNGS) . 4 Linear Congruential Generators . 5 Cryptographically Generated Random Numbers . 8 Cyclic Encryption . 8 DES Output Feedback Mode . 10 ANSI X9.17 PRNG . 10 Blum Blum Shub Generator . 12 D.3 TRUE RANDOM NUMBER GENERATORS . 14 Skew . 15 D.4 REFERENCES . 15
The Prediction of ROE : Fundamental Signals , Accounting Recognition , and Industry Characteristics

We focus on the prediction of book return-on-equity [ROE]. In particular, based on recent accounting and industrial organization literature, we compare the predictive power for ROE of three types of information variables: 1) fundamental signals in the financial statements aggregated as a fundamental score of the firm, 2) accounting recognition variables based on the book-to-market [BTM] ratio of the firm (delayed and biased recognition), and 3) variables that measure the characteristics of the firm's industry (concentration and barriers-to-entry) and the market share of the company. The analyses show that the three sets of information variables considered contain variables that provide predictive power for future ROE incremental to current ROE. First, the aggregated fundamental signals predict future ROE up until four years into the future. Second, the accounting recognition variables also predict future ROE beyond current ROE. However, the two components of BTM that capture accounting recognition provide different information for future ROE. Delayed recognition is positively related to future ROE and biased recognition negatively. Third, market share predicts future ROE in the presence of the other information variables and current ROE up until three years into the future. In contrast, concentration and barriers-to-entry provide no predictive power. Overall, the conclusion of our analyses is that all three sets of variables capture some piece of information about future ROE incremental to current ROE and to each other.
A P ] 1 8 D ec 2 01 0 The Effect of Differential Recruitment , Non-response and Non-recruitment on Estimators for Respondent-Driven Sampling

Respondent-driven sampling is a widely-used network sampling technique, designed to sample from hard-to-reach populations. Estimation from the resulting samples is an area of active research, with software available to compute at least four estimators of a population proportion. Each estimator is claimed to address deficiencies in previous estimators, however those claims are often unsubstantiated. In this study we provide a simulation-based comparison of five existing estimators, focussing on sampling conditions which a recent estimator is designed to address. We find no estimator consistently outperforms all others, and highlight sampling conditions in which each is to be preferred.
Green positioning : succeed with right content messages a review

This theoretical paper summarises arguments and findings pertaining to the impact of green product positioning strategies upon green perception. Substantive literature supports that the legitimacy of green claims is enhanced by combined use of definitive (rational) and symbolic (emotional) claims. The emotional and rational responses vary in their impact time period. Consumers have the environmental consciousness/attitude but fail to reflect it in their actions/behaviour. This attitude/behaviour gap exists due to lack of confidence in environmental claims. Also the role of regulatory authority in scrutinizing the form and content of green messages is important in eliminating deceptive claims. Legitimate green claims enhance green purchase confidence among consumers already possessing environment values. This paper is divided into five parts. Part I discusses elements of green positioning. Part II throws insight into how green perception determines the green consumer’s buying behaviour, part III sums up the ineffectiveness of green positioning strategies and discusses possible reasons for the behaviouraction gap. Part IV gives possible outcomes of this study in context to green positioning and its impact on psycho graphics and part V concludes and offers possible insights into better positioning, future marketing and academic prospects in the field of green content promotion. © 2014 Elixir All rights reserved. Elixir Marketing Mgmt. 68 (2014) 22439-22444 Marketing Management Available online at www.elixirpublishers. com (Elixir International Journal)
A G ] 2 4 M ay 2 02 1 On the extreme rays of the cone of 3 × 3 quasiconvex quadratic forms : Extremal determinants vs extremal and polyconvex forms

This work is concerned with the study of the extreme rays of the convex cone of 3 × 3 quasiconvex quadratic forms (denoted by C3). We characterize quadratic forms f ∈ C3, the determinant of the acoustic tensor of which is an extremal polynomial, and conjecture/discuss about other cases. We prove that in the case when the determinant of the acoustic tensor of a form f ∈ C3 is an extremal polynomial other than a perfect square, then the form must itself be an extreme ray of C3; when the determinant is a perfect square, then the form is either an extreme ray of C3 or polyconvex; and finally, when the determinant is identically zero, then the form f must be polyconvex. The zero determinant case plays an important role in the proofs of the other two cases. We also make a conjecture on the extreme rays of C3, and discuss about weak and strong etremals of Cd for d ≥ 3, where it turns out that several properties of C3 do not hold for Cd for d > 3, and thus case d = 3 is special. These results recover all previously known results (to our best knowledge) on examples of extreme points of C3 that were proved to be such. Our results also improve the ones proven by the first author and Milton [Comm. Pure Appl. Math., Vol. 70, Iss. 11, Nov. 2017, pp. 2164-2190] on weak extremals in C3 (or extremals in the sense of Milton) introduced in [Comm. Pure Appl. Math., Vol. XLIII, 63-125 (1990)]. In the language of positive biquadratic forms, quasiconvex quadratic forms correspond to nonnegative biquadratic forms and the results read as follows: If the determinant of the y (or x) matrix of a 3× 3 nonnegative biquadratic form in x,y ∈ R3 is an extremal polynomial that is not a perfect square, then the form must be an extreme ray of the convex cone of 3×3 nonnegative biquadratic forms (C3); if the determinant is identically zero, then the form must be a sum of squares; if the determinant is a nonzero perfect square, then the form is either an extreme ray of C3, or is a sum of squares. The proofs are all established by means of several classical results from linear algebra, convex analysis (geometry), real algebraic geometry, and the calculus of variations.
Secure storage of data in cloud

Cloud computing provides the way to share distributed resource and services that belong to different organizations. Since cloud computing share distributed resources via network in the open environment thus it makes security problems. All types of users who require the secure transmission or storage of data in any kind of media or network. Since, the data transmissions on the internet or over any networks are vulnerable to the hackers attack. I’m in great need of encrypting the data. I propose a method to build a trusted computing environment for cloud computing system. In this method some important security service including authentication, encryption, decryption and compression are provided in the cloud computing system. Need of this software is divided in to three modules: Encryption, Decryption
Evaluation of Underwater Image Haze Removal Techniques

Underwater images have a wide range of applications in different fields. But underwater images have poor visibility, low contrast and diminishing colors. These all problems erupt as a result of the haze present in underwater images which seriously lowers the quality of underwater images. So, underwater image dehazing or haze removal is important. Haze removal is a challenging and complex problem because it is based on unknown depth information. This paper has reviewed various techniques for haze removal in underwater images. Every technique has its own advantages and limitations. This paper has also discussed the methods, advantages and limitations of various underwater image haze
The Impact of Owner Ship Concentration on Financially Distressed Firms Listed on Malaysian Stock Exchange

After the corporate default of major corporations in the past years such as Enron Lehman Brothers etc the study has been a major area for research the default of US based giants has act as a distress and alarming situation for emerging economies with different areas of research regarding corporate defaults this paper focuses on examining the relationship of ownership structure with the performance of a firm through market performance ratios and firms volume of publically listed companies on Malaysian stock exchanges. Results suggested defaulted firms ownership concentration is unable to show significant relationship with the performance of these firms except for the major shareholder. © 2015 Elixir All rights reserved. ARTICLE INFO Article history: Received: 28 May 2015; Received in revised form: 18 November 2015; Accepted: 24 November 2015;
Non-local hydrodynamics of swimming bacteria and self-activated process

Water fluidity is modified, in a nontrivial manner, by the presence of bacteria above a threshold number density. Under such threshold conditions swimming bacterial suspensions impose a coordinated water movement on a length scale of the order (10–100) micrometers compared with a bacterial size of the order of 3 micrometers. This observation leads to fundamental questions concerning the cell-to-cell communication presently known as quorum sensing. The aim of this paper is to study the quorum state using non-local hydrodynamics. We emphasize that densely packed bacteria may be viewed as ‘bacterial fluid’ or ‘living fluid’ similar to that of dense granular systems. The behaviour of the fluid of granular mass is quite different from that of typical fluids. This granularity imposes a second source of fluctuations because grains cannot be treated as points at any length scale. This type of fluctuation is known as non-local noise in contrast to local noise in usual hydrodynamic flow. The non-local hydrodynamical framework is applied here to consider the effect of non-local noise. In this framework of nonlocal hydrodynamics viscosity is generated by self-induced noise. This viscosity leads the actively moving bacteria into the meta-stable states required to support quorum, given the non-local nature of stresses mediated by autoinducers. The shear stress created non-locally within this framework depending on the non-local noise of granularity and the viscosity associated to the this noise can be tested experimentally. The existence of this kind non-chemical self-induced process may be present not only in cell-to-cell bacteria communication but also in eukaryotic cell-to-cell interactions.