Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sex-Ratio Distortion Caused by Meiotic Drive in Mosquitoes

Meiotic-drive genes have been described in two species of mosquito, Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus. In both species, a Y (M)-linked gene causes a change in sex ratio in favor of males. More is known about the Distorter gene (D) in A. aegypti, but thc gene in C. quinquefasciatus appears to be similar. D is located on the right arm of the sex chromosome, is marked with the intercalary Giemsa C-band when present, and is linked closely to the sex locus or region. D undergoes meiotic drive only when in coupling with M, the male-determining gene, which does not recombine with the centromere. Sensitivity to the MD haplotype is controlled at m, the female-determining gene. Therefore, m is considered to be the responder. The m haplotype is polymorphic for sensitivity to MD (mr1, mr2, ms1-ms6). Sensitivity is influenced, in some strains, by a second sex-linked gene t (tolerance to Distorter). Another sex-linked gene, A, enhances the effect of D. Meiotic drive is associated with breaks on the sex chromosomes, First seen at diplotene, mainly at four discrete positions, 90% of these breaks occur on the X (m) chromosome, They usually appear on a chiasmic arm of the bivalent, with the result that most acentric fragments remain attached to the unbroken homologue by a chiasma. Examination of developing spermatozoa in Distorter males reveals extreme sperm depletion, a high degree of abnormality (e.g., multiple axonemes), and an increased DNA content up to the 4C level. Surprisingly, however, the effective fertility of these males is hardly reduced. Evidently, spermatozoa are produced in nondistorter males in vast excess. The Distorter gene has been found in populations from Africa, America, Australia, and Sri Lanka. Resistance to it is much more widespread. The presence of natural resistance argues against the use of D for population control, but its effect has been shown to be enhanced in the presence of certain translocations and the A gene, causing it to become effective in field cage trials, even in the presence of some resistance. There is also experimental support for using D to bring about changes in populations ("population replacement").
Pathogen-related signal transduction pathways of dendritic cells: Perspectives for cancer immunotherapy

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a crucial role in translating innate to adaptive immunity. DC-based cancer immunotherapy has been under evaluation; however, its clinical benefits remain limited. A better understanding of DCs is, therefore, needed to improve clinical outcomes. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) were initially identified as molecules that recognize and bind pathogen-associated molecular pat- terns (PAMPs) leading to DC maturation. The TLR signaling pathway leads to the activation of NF-� B, which initiates the transcription of proinflammatory cytokine genes. As the sensors of RNA viruses in the cellular cytoplasm, RNA helicases containing retinoic acid- inducible gene-I (RIG-I) have been shown to recognize the viral RNA genome, and recent studies have demonstrated that these helicases strongly induce the upregulation of type I interferons. We recently demonstrated that RNA viruses strongly activated DCs, and this find- ing is expected to aid in the development of improved DC-based cancer immunotherapy. We then proposed DC-based "immunostimula- tory RNA virotherapy" as a novel therapeutic approach. The janus kinases (JAKs) and the signal transducers and activators of transcrip- tion (STATs) are key molecules in a major signaling pathway for modulating DC function; suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCSs) inhibit this pathway. Some recent studies have suggested that the suppression of SOCS family proteins in DCs modulates immune re- sponses, including anticancer immunity. Here, we review recent progress in the elucidation of the mechanisms of signal transduction pathways in DCs; it is hoped that such inves- tigations will eventually lead to a variety of DC-based cancer immunotherapies.
The New Peasantries: Struggles for Autonomy and Sustainability in an Era of Empire and Globalization By J. D. van der Ploeg. London: Earthscan (2008), pp. 356, £ 20.99 (PB). ISBN 9781844078820.

This compact book outlines the history of agriculture and its interaction with humankind at different times in different regions of the world, concentrating on the growing and preparation of crops for food and drink and moving from the hunter gatherers (still to be found in the Kalahari tribesman and Eskimo) of 10 000 years ago to the highly sophisticated mechanical/chemical-driven technology of the present. An introduction is followed by three parts, the first of which (Chapters 2 to 6) focuses on the basis of cropping and food/drink production. Chapter 3 ‘What Crops to Grow? ’ highlights the global dominance and attributes for food and drink of eight grain crops – wheat, rice, maize, barley, oats, rye, sorghum and millet – all members of the grass family selected from hundreds of thousands of plant species. Part II examines the rise and fall of five ancient societies (Sumerians, Egyptians, Chinese, Bantu of Africa and Maya) each with unique agricultural practices, whilst part III switches to technological advances in western societies (Athenian and Roman Empires, feudal Europeans, British, Development of Science and Technology and Americans). A short epilogue on the development and likely future of biofuels, particularly in the USA, emphasizes that a number of essential technological challenges need to be overcome for both grain and non-grain ethanol production. At the end of each chapter key sources of information are listed, some of which can be accessed on the internet. This stimulating and easy to read book should appeal to a general readership, including agriculturalists, anthropologists, historians and food technologists.
Degradation Techniques of Hemicellulose Fraction from Biomass Feedstock for Optimum Xylose Production: A Review

The utilization of xylose, one of the C-5 sugars released from hemicellulose deconstruction of biomass feedstock, is intensively studied, in particular for producing valuable fermentation products. More xylose in the initial fermentation broth is highly expected to induce more final products formed. The techniques for lignocellulose fractionation to obtain the expected xylose amount are widely developed. Nevertheless, these are slightly different from the methods for glucose production. The production of glucose is initiated by delignification to facilitate enzyme accessibility in degrading cellulose to glucose. The delignification process, however, requires harsh conditions causing further decomposition of xylose corresponded to the formation of inhibitors detected in the spent liquor of pretreatment. Hence, xylose recovery needs particular treatments and the corresponding condition. Several strategies offered attributed to xylose production involved in conventional treatment using dilute acid and other promising methods such as an autohydrolysis, solid acids, steam explosion, inorganic salt, and ionic liquid. Post-treatments by enzymatic or acid hydrolysis of xylooligosaccharides dissolved in the liquid fraction are also considered to enhance xylose recovery. This review provides such techniques and the challenges frequently arising during xylose yield optimization performed. Each method has specific benefits and drawbacks that are also addressed in this paper.
Hypotheses about Emotional Development in the Theory of Constructed Emotion: A Response to Developmental Perspectives on How Emotions Are Made

In her recent book, Why Trust Science? , the historian of science Naomi Oreskes suggests that science is a valid guide for learning how the world works only when diverse and self-critical communities of scientists are able to come to consensus over the data. Consensus, in turn, rests on the process of critical interrogation (also called “transformational interrogation”; Longino, 1990, in Oreskes, 2019): scientists must have a shared interest in learning the truth (rather than being right) and must be open to skeptical questions, direct criticism, and disconfirming evidence. From this perspective, any commentary on one’s scientific work, even a critical commentary, is a gift that offers the opportunity for discovery (Barrett, 2020). I approached Sullivan and Minar’s commentary (this issue) on my book, How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain, in this spirit. How Emotions Are Made describes a framework of hypotheses and data supporting the theory of constructed emotion (Barrett, 2017), which proposes that instances of emotion are not wired into your brain from birth but are constructed by your brain, as needed, in a context-specific fashion. The theory proposes that you are continually faced with ambiguous, noisy information from your eyes, ears, nose, and other sensory organs, including those of the core systems within your body. Your brain, in constant conversation with your body and the surrounding world, is continuously imposing meaning on those sense data, selecting what is relevant and ignoring the rest, in the service of regulating your body. My students and collaborators propose that in every waking moment, your brain uses your past experience to construct hypotheses – as prediction signals – and compares those signals to the cacophony of arriving sense data. Your brain is not asking (figuratively speaking), “what are these sense data? ” It is asking “what, in my past experience, is similar to this trajectory of sensory data? ” Objects and events that are similar to one another in some way form a category, and a representation of a category is a concept, so the proposal is that your brain is constructing predictions, as ad hoc, situated concepts (or situated conceptualizations), to guide your actions and give your sensations meaning. The theory of constructed emotion is not well named, because the hypotheses we propose are not specific to the domain of emotion – the theory is, more broadly, a framework for asking questions about how your brain works, with inputs from your body and the world, to create your
Extra-pulmonary tuberculosis incidence, trends and predictions in Monastir, Tunisia (2000-2030)

Tuberculosis (TB) is global public health problem and up to 25% of TB cases present extrapulmonary involvement. The incidence of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is increased worldwide. Our study aimed to give an update on the epidemiology, current trends of EPTB from 2000 to 2017 and to predict future trajectories of EPTB up to 2030 in Monastir, Tunisia. We performed an observational study from 2000 to 2017. Data were collected by the regional direction of primary health care. Incidence was estimated by the crude incidence rate (CIR). Poisson regression model was used to calculate the slope 'b' in order to describe trends and was performed to estimate incidence projection for 2030. Data were verified and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 22.0 software. During 18 years, 997 cases of TB were declared in Monastir. Almost 51% (n = 509) were EPTB. Sex ratio was 1.68. The main EPTB forms were lymph nodes in 234 (23.5%) cases, followed by pleural TB in 35 (3.5%) cases and bone and joints in 31 (3.1%) cases. CIR was 5.62/100,000 inhabitants (inh) for EPTB with a highest incidence in patients aged 60 years and above. A positive trend was showed for EPTB with a (b = 0.05; p < 0.0001) especially for lymph node localization. Up to 2030, EPTB would be increasing with an estimated incidence rate of 9.11/100,000 inh. Regarding lymph node TB, cases may continue to rise with an estimated incidence rate of 7.96 /100,000 inh. Despite the availability of a treatment and knowledge on prevention measures, EPTB remains a public health problem. Thus, investigating and identifying patients at higher risk is needed in order to improve its management. Updated epidemiology is important for healthcare experts to improve planning policies attributed to EPTB. Our results are a tool for decision-makers to assess the efficiency of TB control programs.
Hydrodynamics of dispersed media : articles based on presentations made at the 4th EPS Liquid State Conference on the Hydrodynamics of Dispersed Media held in Arcachon, France, 24-27 May 1988

Preface. Introduction. Part I. Wetting Phenomena. Introduction. Liquid flow in foams as affected by rheological surface properties: a contribution to a better understanding of the foaming behaviour of liquids (A. Prins). Spreading kinetics (J.F. Joanny). Dynamics of wetting - experimental findings (M.A. Cohen-Stuart, J.J. Elmendorp and S.M. Trorian). Thin wetting films (D. Beaglehole et al.). Spreading and evaporative processes in thin films (M. Sujanani and P.L. Wayner). Wetting of fibers, magnetic and Van der Waals fluids (J.-C. Bacri et al.). Part II. Suspensions. The rheology of colloidal dispersions in relation to their microstructure (C.G. de Kruif). Microrheological aspects of particle interactions in flowing suspensions (T.G.M. van de Ven). Diffusion and rheology in concentrated suspensions by Stokesian dynamics (G. Bossis and J.F. Brady). Simulation of random and ordered systems using experimental and numerical methods (A.T. Skjeltorp and P. Meakin). Filtration and porous media (D. Houi). Part III. Miscible and Immiscible Multiphase Flow in Porous Media. Invasion percolation in porous media under gravity (J.F. Gouyet et al.). Fractal characterization of flow in random porous media (A. Coniglio). On the theory of imbibition surfaces in porous media (R. Bruinsma). Experiments on diphasic flows: front dynamics in model porous media (J. Feder, K.J. Maloy and T. Jossang). Transient non-gaussian tracer dispersion in porous media (J.-C. Bacri et al.). Dispersion in heterogeneous media (J.F. Brady). Visualisation techniques in porous media (R. Lenormand).
WHO EMRO | Estimation du coût de la prise en charge du cancer broncho‐pulmonaire en Tunisie

Selon les données du registre des cancers du Nord de la Tunisie, le cancer broncho‐pulmonaire (CBP) est le premier cancer de l’homme. Il représente 25 % des cancers chez l'homme, et le nombre annuel de nouveaux cas de cancer broncho‐pulmonaire pendant la période 2009‐2013 a été estimé à 2000 en moyenne. Ce chiffre correspond à un taux d’incidence standardisé de 38 cas pour 100 000 habitants. Selon les projections du registre des cancers du Nord de la Tunisie, ce nombre passerait à 3800 et l’incidence standardisée serait de 46 pour 100 000 habitants durant la période 2019‐2024 (1). Le tabagisme, principal facteur de risque du CBP, reste encore très fréquent en Tunisie avec une prévalence de 50 % chez les hommes de plus de 25 ans (2), ce qui indique que l’épidémie nous menace avec une augmentation sans cesse croissante du nombre de cancers bronchiques dans les prochaines décennies. De par sa fréquence, le CBP est considéré comme grave, avec une proportion d’extension à distance de l’ordre de 40 % et un taux de survie à 1 an estimé à 15 % (3). Le diagnostic et la prise en charge précoces constituent les principales méthodes pour améliorer la qualité de vie et allonger la durée de survie des patients, d’autant plus qu’aucun moyen de dépistage efficace et spécifique n’est disponible. Les évolutions thérapeutiques du CBP, et notamment la place prépondérante de la chimiothérapie, ont eu un impact majeur sur l’évolution rapide des coûts de prise en charge, et la maîtrise des dépenses engendrées par le CBP devient un enjeu majeur pour les systèmes de santé. Ainsi, l’évaluation médico‐économique des thérapeutiques et des stratégies médicales devient indispensable dans les maladies chroniques nécessitant des prises en charge coûteuses pour une efficacité modeste, comme les cancers broncho‐pulmonaires (4). Très peu d’études sur le coût de la prise en charge du CBP ont été menées dans les pays en développement et au Moyen‐Orient. En Tunisie, en raison des contraintes budgétaires auxquelles fait face notre système de soins, l’analyse de la charge économique de la prise en charge du CBP s’avère indispensable. L’ objectif de notre étude était d’estimer les coûts directs de la prise en charge du CBP et d’identifier les postes de dépenses les plus importants.
GridMOSI VO: a grid enabled research infrastructure in modelling, simulation and optimisation

The GridMOSI project funded by the National Research of Excellence Programme aimed at providing Grid enabled solutions for high performance modelling, simulation and optimisation problems. The adopted project approach is in line with current orientations at the national and European levels in building up advanced research infrastructures based on the eInfrastructure concept. The paper presents the components of the GridMOSI pilot architecture, stressing on the project Grid infrastructure (coordination of administration and operation activities - DrC. Alexandru STANCIU - ICI Bucharest) and the gridified applications in the following fields: computer-aided advanced system modelling and control - scientific coordinator Dr. V. SIMA, ICI Bucharest; unconstrained optimisation - Dr. N. ANDREI, ICI Bucharest; complex numerical modelling and MDO in industrial applications - Dr. C. NAE, National Institute for Aerospace Research Bucharest; evolutionary multiobjective optimisation - Prof.dr. Dana PETCU, West University of Timisoara; applications scheduling using genetic algorithms - Prof.dr. V. CRISTEA, University "Politehnica" of Bucharest; cryptographic and cryptanalytic algorithms - Prof.dr. Rodica POTOLEA, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca. The GridMOSI project results configure an open framework that should be further extended in both Grid capacity and application diversity respects.
Ecg in biometric recognition: time dependency and application challenges

As biometric recognition becomes increasingly popular, the fear of circumvention, obfuscation and replay attacks is a rising concern. Traditional biometric modalities such as the face, the fingerprint or the iris are vulnerable to such attacks, which defeats the purpose of biometric recognition, namely to employ physiological characteristics for secure identity recognition. This thesis advocates the use the electrocardiogram (ECG) signal for human identity recognition. The ECG is a vital signal of the human body, and as such, it naturally provides liveness detection, robustness to attacks, universality and permanence. In addition, ECG inherently satisfies uniqueness requirements, because the morphology of the signal is highly dependent on the particular anatomical and geometrical characteristics of the myocardium in the heart. However, the ECG is a continuous signal, and this presents a great challenge to biometric recognition. With this modality, instantaneous variability is expected even within recordings of the same individual due to a variety of factors, including recording noise, or physical and psychological activity. While the noise and heart rate variations due to physical exercise can be addressed with appropriate feature extraction, the effects of emotional activity on the ECG signal are more obscure. This thesis deals with this problem from an affective computing point of view. First, the psychological conditions that affect the ECG and endanger biometric accuracy are identified. Experimental setups that are targeted to provoke active and passive arousal as well as positive and negative valence are presented. The empirical mode decomposition (EMD) is used as the basis for the detection of emotional patterns, after adapting the algorithm to the particular needs of the ECG signal. Instantaneous frequency and oscillation features are used for state classification in various clustering setups. The result of this analysis is the designation of psychological states which affect the ECG signal to an extent that biometric matching may not be feasible. An updating methodology is proposed to address this problem, wherein the signal is monitored for instantaneous changes that require the design of a new template. Furthermore, this thesis presents the enhanced Autocorrelation- Linear Discriminant Analysis (AC/LDA) algorithm for feature extraction, which incorporates a signal quality assessment module based on the periodicity transform. Three deployment scenarios are considered namely a) small-scale recognition systems, b) large-scale recognition systems and c) recognition in distributed systems. The enhanced AC/LDA algorithm is adapted to each setting, and the advantages and disadvantages of each scenario are discussed. Overall, this thesis attempts to provide the necessary algorithmic and practical framework for the real-life deployment of the ECG signal in biometric recognition.
Investigation of Characteristics of Dual-band Ladder-type Surface Acoustic Wave for High-power Durability Duplexer

A circuit investigation of dual-band surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters of the ladder type is proposed. The designed filter exhibits a broader bandwidth and a sharper cut-off frequency than the conventional filter composed of the ladder and double-mode SAW (DMS) types. The SAW filters have been widely applied to the antenna duplexer given the progress in mobile communication technology. Furthermore, the SAW filters can be constructed into a wireless sensor system in combination with a SAW sensor. We demonstrate how simulations of laddertype SAW filters based on the 48°YX-LiTaO3 are used to achieve a convenient design of the SAW band-pass filter for a high-power and wireless sensor system. These filters demonstrate the lowest insertion loss, the largest bandwidth, the optimal power durability, and a thirdorder intercept point compared with the interdigital transducer (IDT) and DMS. A simulation of a SAW resonator using the advanced design system (ADS) is performed with the lumped elements. The first passband that is applied to the Tx duplexer is in the range of 823–855 MHz, and the second passband applied to the Rx duplexer is from 867 to 898 MHz. The frequency characteristics of the ladder-type duplexer possess minimum insertion losses of 1.14 dB in the first passband and 0.54 dB in the second passband, which are similar to those of the DMS duplexer. The isolation performance between Tx and Rx is 42.22 dB at 823–898 MHz, which is less than that of the DMS duplexer. The design of the appropriate SAW band pass filter will be simplified through a precise simulation. Furthermore, the dual-band structure with a laddertype SAW can be expected to endure higher power and have a better isolation performance than conventional DMS structures.
Using Ad-Related Network Behavior to Distinguish Ad Libraries

Mobile app ads pose a far greater security threat to users than adverts on computer browsers. This is because app developers must embed a Software Development Kit (SDK), called an ad library or ad lib for short, provided by ad networks (i.e., ad companies) into their app program, and then merge and compile it into an Android PacKage (APK) execution file. The ad lib thus becomes a part of the entire app, and shares the whole permissions granted to the app. Unfortunately, this also resulted in many security issues, such as ad libs abusing the permissions to collect and leak private data, ad servers redirecting ad requests to download malicious JavaScript from unknown servers to execute it in the background of the mobile operating system without the user’s consent. The more well-known an embedded ad lib, the safer the app may be, and vice versa. Importantly, while decompiling an APK to inspect its source code may not identify the ad lib(s), executing the app on a simulator can reveal the network behavior of the embedded ad lib(s). Ad libs exhibit different behavior patterns when communicating with ad servers. This study uses a dynamic analysis method to inspect an executing app, and plots the ad lib behavior patterns related to the advertisement into a graph. It is then determined whether or not the ad lib is from a trusted ad network using comparisons of graph similarities.