Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Soybean (Glycine max L.) Genotypes undre Salt Stress

Three advanced lines (SB02, SB05, SB07) along with one tolerant (Lokon) and one susceptible check (Asswt) of soybean (Glycine max L.) were assessed for salt tolerance in terms of morpho-physiological traits and molecular markers (SSR). The experiment was conducted at seedling stage with four salinity treatments namely 0, 8, 12 and 16 dSm-1 following Completely Randomized design. All the genotypes displayed considerable reduction in their morphological traits, least affecting the tolerant one. None of the genotypes were survived at 12 and 16 dSm-1 stress condition. Among the lines tested, SB-02 and SB-05 were identified as salt tolerant at 8 dSm-1 based on salinity susceptibility index (SSI) scoring. These genotypes suffered less in reduction of leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD) and increase of Na+/K+ than the susceptible genotypes. For all the traits viz. shoot length, root length, total length, shoot fresh weiht, root fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root dry weight, total fresh weight, total dry weight, percent live leaves, chlorophyll content and Na+/K+ ratio, the phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than that of genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV). All the traits studied showed medium to high heritability ranging between 43.81% (SPAD) to 96.65% (shoot length). The genotypes were grouped into two clusters considering both Euclidian distance and Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean analysis. Lokon, SB-02 and SB-05 are on the same cluster as tolerant, and SB-7 and Asset on the other as susceptible to salt stress. The molecular pattern using by SSR marker displayed an average number of 3.33 alleles per locus with PIC (Polymorphism Information Content) values ranged from 0.2688 (sat_655 and satt728) to 0.7680 (sat_210). The highest gene diversity was observed in sat_210 and satt237 and the lowest in sat_655 and satt728 with a mean diversity of 0.5733. The genotypes Lokon, SB-02 and SB-05 could be suggested as a potential germplasm source of QTL (Quantitative Trait Loci) analysis for the development of salt tolerant soybean variety. Ann. Bangladesh Agric. (2020) 24(2): 33-46
COL6A6 inhibits the proliferation and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer through the JAK signalling pathway

Background Collagen type VI alpha 6 chain (COL6A6) plays a vital role in maintaining cell structural integrity and regulating cell function. It has been proven to be a tumor suppressor gene and molecular therapeutic target. However, the mechanism of COL6A6 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been elucidated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between COL6A6 and NSCLC. Methods We analyzed the expression of COL6A6 in NSCLC using public databases and verified the findings in NSCLC tissues and cells. The protein expression of COL6A6 was evaluated by Western blot. The CCK8 and Transwell assays were used to assess the invasion ability of NSCLC cells after COL6A6 knockdown. At the same time, we discussed the role of the JAK signalling pathway that may be related to COL6A6. Results Bioinformatics analysis showed that COL6A6 expression was downregulated in NSCLC, and its high expression was associated with a better prognosis of NSCLC. In vitro, the expression of COL6A6 in NSCLC tissues was significantly lower than that in adjacent tissues. Furthermore, COL6A6 knockout accelerated the proliferation, invasion, and migration of NSCLC cells and activated the JAK signalling pathway. Conclusions Our study illustrates that COL6A6 is a tumor suppressor gene in NSCLC and is involved in NSCLC tumorigenesis by regulating the JAK signalling pathway. Therefore, COL6A6 holds promise as a molecular therapeutic target for NSCLC.
Level and distribution of heavy metals in Miri River, Malaysia

Heavy metal pollution in water resources has become a serious and hazardous environmental problem all over the world because of its non-biodegradability, emanating from multiple sources, easy accumulation, and biological toxicity. This research was carried out to study the level and distribution of heavy metals at different sampling locations (upstream, midstream, and downstream), at different depths (0.5 m and 1.5 m from surface water level), and during low tide and high tide conditions in the Miri River of Miri City in Malaysia. The river water samples were collected and analyzed for Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The concentration of Ca was found to be the highest in the Miri River, followed by Mg and Fe, and with traces of Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn. An increase in the concentration of heavy metals, such as Cu, Mg, and Ni, was observed while flowing from upstream to downstream of the Miri River. Concentrations of heavy metals, such as Ca, Mg, Cu, and Zn, were clearly lower at 1.5 m depth than at 0.5 m depth. High tides in the river decrease the concentration of heavy metals, such as Ca, Cu, Mn, and Ni, compared to low tides. From this research, it gets clear that using the Miri River water for domestic and recreational purposes, washing, and fishing is detrimental to human health and the environment.
The influencing factors of the willingness to screen for prostate cancer in middle-aged and elderly men:A qualitative study

Objective To explore the factors influencing the willingness to screen for prostate cancer in middle-aged and elderly men, and to provide a basis for improving the status of insufficient prostate cancer screening in my country, and to improve the overall prognosis and quality of life of prostate cancer patients in my country. Methods Using phenomenological research methods to conduct semi-structured in-depth interviews with 21 middle-aged and elderly men, using MAXQDA software and Colaizzi's seven-step analysis method for coding, analysis and subject extraction. Results Based on the theoretical framework of planned behavior, the influencing factors of the willingness to screen for prostate cancer in middle-aged and elderly men can be refined into three themes of behavior attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control, and 12 sub-themes of its sub-themes. Conclusion The willingness of middle-aged and elderly men to screen for prostate cancer is affected by many factors. Medical and health workers should adopt a variety of comprehensive interventions to guide the reasonable screening of middle-aged and old men to promote their prostate cancer screening behaviors.
“My Friends Would Believe My Word”: Appropriateness and Acceptability of Respondent-Driven Sampling in Recruiting Young Tertiary Student Men Who Have Sex with Men for HIV/STI Research in Nairobi, Kenya

(1) Background: We conducted formative research to assess the appropriateness and acceptability of respondent-driven sampling (RDS) in recruiting tertiary student men who have sex with men (TSMSM) into a prospective human immunodeficiency virus/sexually transmitted infection (HIV/STI) biobehavioral survey in Nairobi, Kenya. (2) Methods: Between September and October 2020, semi-structured qualitative interviews were held with service providers from organizations that serve MSM (n = 3), and TSMSM (n = 13). Interviews were conducted in English, audio-recorded and transcribed, then thematically analyzed using NVivo version 11. (3) Results: Service providers reflected that RDS was appropriate due to the large though concealed networks of TSMSM. TSMSM perceived RDS to be acceptable based on their large social network sizes and the trust that existed amongst themselves. TSMSM were concerned about participating due to the risk of being outed as MSM and hence emphasized that researchers needed to assure them of their confidentiality and include MSM as part of the study team to encourage participation. (4) Conclusions: RDS was perceived as both an appropriate and acceptable sampling method. Use of RDS should be considered as a strategy for recruiting young, marginalized populations for HIV/STI research.
Precancerous lesions of the cervix — aetiology, classification, diagnosis, prevention

The present review introduces the aetiology and classification of cervical precancers. The principles of diagnosis based on colposcopy are reviewed. The indications for colposcopy and targeted biopsy are steps in the diagnostic process of cervical precancers. Prophylaxis of these diseases prevents cervical cancer as high-grade precancerous lesions represent a direct precursor to cervical cancer. The basics of primary and secondary prevention, the types of screening, and the behaviour of the already-alerted patients after different screenings are presented.
Helping the child or the adult? Systematically testing the identifiable victim effect for child and adult victims

ABSTRACT Is the identifiable victim effect (IVE; helping a single identified victim more than a statistical victim) stronger for child victims than adult victims? In this paper, we test the effect of identifying a victim and whether that victim is a child or adult on helping motivation and donation behaviors. In three studies (N = 1508) with different samples from different countries, we find no main effect of identifiability on any of our measures, and no support that the IVE mainly occurs for children. However, we find an age effect; child victims receive more help (studies 1a-1b) or evoke a greater motivation to help (study 2) than adult victims.
Deep Learning Based Antenna Design and Beam-Steering Capabilities for Millimeter-Wave Applications

In this study, a deep neural network (DNN) is implemented to soft computation of the dual-band circularly polarized bone-shaped patch antenna (BSPA) at 28 GHz and 38 GHz for 5G applications. Via a simulated database of 150 BSPAs, a DNN model is constructed on a 5-layer system using an adaptive learning rate algorithm. The framework and hyper-parameters of the DNN model are optimized in the training phase of a hybrid algorithm combining strengths of both particle swarm optimization (PSO) and a modified version of the gravitational search algorithm (MGSA-PSO). To generate the database for training and testing the model, 150 BSPAs with different geometrical are simulated in terms of the resonant frequency using a precise electromagnetic analysis platform. A fabricated BSPA operating at 28 GHz and 38 GHz is used to test and verify the DNN model. Then, the application of DNN with back-propagation algorithm and weighted MGSA-PSO algorithm is used for beam-steering the main beam pattern of the designed uniform circular antenna array with side-lobe level <= −30 dB by estimating the appropriate feeding phases of the 16 elements. Several illustrative examples are placed to beam-steer the pattern in the desired direction to check the validity of the technique.
Digital Compensation of SOA-Induced Nonlinearities in Field-Modulated Direct-Detection Systems

In this work we experimentally demonstrate the compensation of nonlinearities introduced by a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) operating as a power booster in a field-modulated direct detection fiber-optic system transmitter. We show that a combination of digital pre-compensation to deal with SOA nonlinearities, and digital post-compensation after Kramers-Kronig receiver for mitigating the impacts of chromatic dispersion and signal-signal beat interference (SSBI) is an effective scheme to gain ∼3dB in ROSNR in presence of SOA nonlinearity at 3dB of gain compression.
The Dignity of Middle Adult Palliative Patients at Home in Bantul

BACKGROUND: The condition of middle adult patients with palliative disease is prone to experiencing physical weakness and psychological suffering, disrupting dignity. As a caregiver at home, the family plays an essential role in providing support to maintain patient dignity. AIM: This study aims to determine the image of the dignity of the middle adult patient with palliative care needs by family at home. METHODS: This research is a qualitative study with a phenomenological approach. Participants were seven people with the purposive sampling method. Data collection methods were conducted using in-depth interviews and semi-structured observation. Research instruments included interview guidelines, field notes, and an observation form. Data validity used reference material, rich and thick description, and peer debriefing. Data analysis included data collection, data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion. RESULTS: The results showed that the dignity of patients was considered by six themes; self-esteem went up and down, the meaning of illness and death, family response to the patient, sources of decision-making, an image of the quality of life, and future wishes. CONCLUSION: This study had six themes depicting the dignity of patients that consisted of subthemes. The themes included self-esteem went up and down, the meaning of illness and death, family response to the patient, sources of decision-making, an image of the quality of life, and future wishes.
Containment Control of Double-Integrator Multi-Agent Systems With Time-Varying Delays

This article mainly considers the containment control problem of multi-agent systems (MASs), where the time-varying communication delays are taken into consideration and the multiple leaders are stationary or dynamic. Specially, when leaders are stationary, the communication delays among agents are nonuniform, which is rarely considered in existing papers. Furthermore, when leaders are dynamic, we derive the sufficient conditions for the case with uniform time-varying communication delays. In both cases, all followers are included into the convex hull spanned by leaders with proposed control protocol, in which we get the sufficient conditions by using Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional. At last, the effectiveness is verified by simulations.
An Effective and Lightweight Countermeasure Scheme to Multiple Network Attacks in NDN

In Named Data Networking, cache pollution, cache poisoning and interest flooding are three popular types of attacks that can drastically degrade the network performance. However, previous methods for mitigating these attacks are not sufficiently effective or efficient. Also, they cannot simultaneously handle the three attacks, or the case that core routers or edge routers are compromised. To handle these problems, we propose an effective and lightweight countermeasure scheme. It consists of token-based router monitoring policy (TRM), hierarchical consensus-based trust management (HCT), and popularity-based probabilistic caching and caching replacement policy (PPC). In TRM, each edge router monitors and evaluates each data requester’s probability of launching the cache pollution attack and each data provider’s probability of launching the cache poisoning attack, and accordingly assigns, rewards and penalizes tokens to them to control their data request and data provision activities. Thus, the interest flooding attack can also be mitigated by limiting the consumption of tokens. In HCT, each core router manages its directly connected edge routers using TRM, and the core routers trust each other through adopting the concept of consensus in Blockchain. Thus, the edge and core routers executing monitoring and evaluation are trustable. PPC uses probabilistic caching and caching replacement based on the popularity of received content to further mitigate the attacks and reduce caching and data verification overhead. Results from simulation experiments demonstrate that our proposed scheme has better performance, in terms of interest satisfaction ratio and average end-to-end delay than current mechanisms.
Cotranscriptional RNA strand exchange underlies the gene regulation mechanism in a purine-sensing transcriptional riboswitch

RNA folds cotranscriptionally to traverse out-of-equilibrium intermediate structures that are important for RNA function in the context of gene regulation. To investigate this process, here we study the structure and function of the Bacillus subtilis yxjA purine riboswitch, a transcriptional riboswitch that downregulates a nucleoside transporter in response to binding guanine. Although the aptamer and expression platform domain sequences of the yxjA riboswitch do not completely overlap, we hypothesized that a strand exchange process triggers its structural switching in response to ligand binding. In vivo fluorescence assays, structural chemical probing data, and experimentally informed secondary structure modeling suggest the presence of a nascent intermediate central helix. The formation of this central helix in the absence of ligand appears to compete with both the aptamer’s P1 helix and the expression platform’s transcriptional terminator. All-atom molecular dynamics simulations support the hypothesis that ligand binding stabilizes the aptamer P1 helix against central helix strand invasion, thus allowing the terminator to form. These results present a potential model mechanism to explain how ligand binding can induce downstream conformational changes by influencing local strand displacement processes of intermediate folds that could be at play in multiple riboswitch classes.
Introduction to Estimation

One of the major applications of statistics is estimating population parameters from sample statistics. For example, a poll may seek to estimate the proportion of adult residents of a city that support a proposition to build a new sports stadium. Out of a random sample of 200 people, 106 say they support the proposition. Thus in the sample, 0.53 of the people supported the proposition. This value of 0.53 is called a point estimate of the population proportion. It is called a point estimate because the estimate consists of a single value or point. The concept of degrees of freedom and its relationship to estimation is discussed in Section B. " Characteristics of Estimators " discusses two important concepts: bias and precision. Point estimates are usually supplemented by interval estimates called confidence intervals. Confidence intervals are intervals constructed using a method that contains the population parameter a specified proportion of the time. For example, if the pollster used a method that contains the parameter 95% of the time it is used, he or she would arrive at the following 95% confidence interval: 0.46 < π < 0.60. The pollster would then conclude that somewhere between 0.46 and 0.60 of the population supports the proposal. The media usually reports this type of result by saying that 53% favor the proposition with a margin of error of 7%. The sections on confidence intervals show how to compute confidence intervals for a variety of parameters. Prerequisites • Chapter 3 Measures of Central Tendency • Chapter 3: Variability Learning Objectives 1. Define statistic 2. Define parameter 3. Define point estimate 4. Define interval estimate 5. Define margin of error One of the major applications of statistics is estimating population parameters from sample statistics. For example, a poll may seek to estimate the proportion of adult residents of a city that support a proposition to build a new sports stadium. Out of a random sample of 200 people, 106 say they support the proposition. Thus in the sample, 0.53 of the people supported the proposition. This value of 0.53 is called a point estimate of the population proportion. It is called a point estimate because the estimate consists of a single value or point. Point estimates are usually supplemented by interval estimates called confidence intervals. Confidence intervals are intervals constructed using a method that contains the population parameter a specified proportion of the time. For …
Evaluation of Anticonvulsant Activity of Chloroform Root Extract of Aconitum Heterophyllum

The present investigation has been undertaken to study the anticonvulsant activity of chloroform root extract of Aconitum heterophyllum. The plant Aconitum heterophyllum of family Ranunculaceae is an Ayurvedic herb which is known for its significant medical properties. Experiments were conducted following standard procedures. The chloroform extract of Aconitum heterophyllum were evaluated for their invivo antioxidant and anticonvulsant properties and neurotransmitters level. The anticonvulsant activity of CEAH was evaluated using maximal electroshock induced convulsion and pentylenetetrazole induced convulsion models. Diphenylhydantoin was used as standard for MES and Sodium Valproate was used as standard for PTZ. Extracts treated groups showed higher in vivo antioxidant, and anticonvulsant activities. They also showed higher activity in neurotransmitters level. CEAH exhibited similar anticonvulsant activity that of the standard but with lesser magnitude. The result may be attributed to the chemical constituents such as diterpene alkaloids present in it which may be due to their individual or cumulative effect that enhanced anticonvulsant activity and provided scientific evidence to the ethnomedicinal features of Aconitum heterophyllum. These findings could justify the inclusion of this plant in the management of epilepsy.
Solar Thermochemical Water-Splitting Reaction Enhanced by Hydrogen Permeation Membrane.

The low conversion rate and efficiency always weaken the performance of thermochemical water-splitting reaction. Herein, we, for the first time, conducted the thermodynamic study of a hydrogen permeable membrane (HPM) in an isothermal thermochemical water-splitting reaction driven by solar energy, which has showed a sharply enhanced conversion rate of 87.8% at 1500 oC and 10-5 atm at permeated side (versus 1.26% with oxygen permeation membrane). According to thermodynamic analysis, the first-law thermodynamic efficiency can reach as high as 59.1%. When taking solar-to-electric efficiency and vacuum pump efficiency into account (for converting separation work into solar energy), we simulated the appreciable efficiency of 3.05% at 1500 oC. The numerical model will provide guidance for the actual production of hydrogen by high temperature solar water splitting. Such novel work manifests the great significance of constructing a HPM reactor for efficient solar thermochemical water splitting, which shows a novel approach for high-temperature solar water splitting.
Plant structural and nutritional responses to drought differ among common pasture species

In the face of a changing climate, research indicates that more frequent and severe drought conditions are critical problems that will constrain production of high-quality forage and influence the performance of grazing animals in the future. In addition, the duration of drought and potential trade-offs between plant morphology and nutritional composition may influence plant drought adaptation strategies across pasture species, and the consequences for forage quality are not well understood. Here we present the results of a study investigating the effects of drought on biomass productivity, dead material, leaf:stem biomass allocation and nutritional composition (whole-plant and tissue-specific) across nine diverse pasture species. For this, we conducted a field experiment exposing species to a 6-month period of simulated severe drought (60% rainfall reduction during winter and spring) and samples were collected at multiple harvests. We found that drought had different, harvest-specific effects on plant biomass structure and nutritional composition among pasture species. The severity of drought impacts on productivity, but not on nutritional quality, increased with drought duration. In general, drought strongly reduced productivity, increased the percentage of dead material and had mixed effects (increases, decreases and no effect) on leaf:stem ratio and concentrations of crude protein, non-structural carbohydrates, neutral detergent fibre and lignin. Changes in plant-level nutritional quality were driven by simultaneous changes in both leaf and stem tissues for most, but not all, species. Our findings may be especially helpful for selection of adapted species/cultivars that could minimize potential drought risks on forage, thereby optimising pasture performance under future drought scenarios.