Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Landscapes of facilitation: how self-organized patchiness of aquatic macrophytes promotes diversity in streams.

Spatial heterogeneity plays a crucial role in the coexistence of species. Despite recognition of the importance of self-organization in creating environmental heterogeneity in otherwise uniform landscapes, the effects of such self-organized pattern formation in promoting coexistence through facilitation are still unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of pattern formation on species interactions and community spatial structure in ecosystems with limited underlying environmental heterogeneity, using self-organized patchiness of the aquatic macrophyte Callitriche platycarpa in streams as a model system. Our theoretical model predicted that pattern formation in aquatic vegetation - due to feedback interactions between plant growth, water flow and sedimentation processes - could promote species coexistence, by creating heterogeneous flow conditions inside and around the plant patches. The spatial plant patterns predicted by our model agreed with field observations at the reach scale in naturally vegetated rivers, where we found a significant spatial aggregation of two macrophyte species around C. platycarpa. Field transplantation experiments showed that C. platycarpa had a positive effect on the growth of both beneficiary species, and the intensity of this facilitative effect was correlated with the heterogeneous hydrodynamic conditions created within and around C. platycarpa patches. Our results emphasize the importance of self-organized patchiness in promoting species coexistence by creating a landscape of facilitation, where new niches and facilitative effects arise in different locations. Understanding the interplay between competition and facilitation is therefore essential for successful management of biodiversity in many ecosystems.
Effect of Organic and Mineral Fertilizer Inputs on Soil and Maize Grain Yield in an Acid Ultisol in Abakaliki-South Eastern Nigeria

In sustainable agricultural systems, recycling of nutrients is a major component of nutrient management. We conducted an experiment in Abakaliki South Eastern Nigeria in 2007 to investigate the effects of organic amendments (poultry droppings (PD), burnt rice husk dust, (BRHD), Unburnt rice husk dust (UBRHD) and inorganic fertilizer (NPK) on soil properties and their residual effect tested in 2008. Additions of amendments failed to significantly (P 0.5mm). Similarly, significant improvements were observed in soil total N (%), OC (%), avail P and CEC (Cmol /kg). The highest relative yields of 2.10 and 1.23 mgha in the first and second seasons, 1 were obtained in PD and UBRHD-amended plots, respectively. Results of the study also show significantly higher maize yield and improved soil properties in UBRHD and BRHD in the second season compared to PD and NPK indicating longer residual effect.Maize grain yield correlated positively with soil organic carbon, CEC, aggregate stability and bulk density indicating that these parameters contributed to final grain yield.Results of the study showed that organic and inorganic fertilizers are effective in restoring the productivity of degraded soils.
Heat Shock Response in Yeast Involves Changes in Both Transcription Rates and mRNA Stabilities

We have analyzed the heat stress response in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae by determining mRNA levels and transcription rates for the whole transcriptome after a shift from 25°C to 37°C. Using an established mathematical algorithm, theoretical mRNA decay rates have also been calculated from the experimental data. We have verified the mathematical predictions for selected genes by determining their mRNA decay rates at different times during heat stress response using the regulatable tetO promoter. This study indicates that the yeast response to heat shock is not only due to changes in transcription rates, but also to changes in the mRNA stabilities. mRNA stability is affected in 62% of the yeast genes and it is particularly important in shaping the mRNA profile of the genes belonging to the environmental stress response. In most cases, changes in transcription rates and mRNA stabilities are homodirectional for both parameters, although some interesting cases of antagonist behavior are found. The statistical analysis of gene targets and sequence motifs within the clusters of genes with similar behaviors shows that both transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulons apparently contribute to the general heat stress response by means of transcriptional factors and RNA binding proteins.
In vivo bone strain and finite‐element modeling of the craniofacial haft in catarrhine primates

Hypotheses regarding patterns of stress, strain and deformation in the craniofacial skeleton are central to adaptive explanations for the evolution of primate craniofacial form. The complexity of craniofacial skeletal morphology makes it difficult to evaluate these hypotheses with in vivo bone strain data. In this paper, new in vivo bone strain data from the intraorbital surfaces of the supraorbital torus, postorbital bar and postorbital septum, the anterior surface of the postorbital bar, and the anterior root of the zygoma are combined with published data from the supraorbital region and zygomatic arch to evaluate the validity of a finite‐element model (FEM) of a macaque cranium during mastication. The behavior of this model is then used to test hypotheses regarding the overall deformation regime in the craniofacial haft of macaques. This FEM constitutes a hypothesis regarding deformation of the facial skeleton during mastication. A simplified verbal description of the deformation regime in the macaque FEM is as follows. Inferior bending and twisting of the zygomatic arches about a rostrocaudal axis exerts inferolaterally directed tensile forces on the lateral orbital wall, bending the wall and the supraorbital torus in frontal planes and bending and shearing the infraorbital region and anterior zygoma root in frontal planes. Similar deformation regimes also characterize the crania of Homo and Gorilla under in vitro loading conditions and may be shared among extant catarrhines. Relatively high strain magnitudes in the anterior root of the zygoma suggest that the morphology of this region may be important for resisting forces generated during feeding.
2 Second-Harmonic Imaging of Collagen

Molecules that have no center of symmetry are able to convert light to its second harmonic, at twice the frequency and half the wavelength. This only happens with any efficiency at very high light intensities such as are given by a pulsed laser, and because the efficiency of the process depends on the square of the intensity, it will be focal plane selective in exactly the same way as two-photon excitation of fluorescence. Because of its unusual molecular structure and its high degree of crystallinity, collagen is, by far, the strongest source of second harmonics in animal tissue. Because collagen is also the most important structural protein in the mammalian body, this provides a very useful imaging tool for studying its distribution. No energy is lost in second-harmonic imaging, so the image will not fade, and because it is at a shorter wavelength than can be excited by two-photon fluorescence, it can be separated easily from multiple fluorescent probes. It is already proving useful in imaging collagen with high sensitivity in various tissues, including cirrhotic liver, normal and carious teeth, and surgical repair of tendons.
Test procedures for biochar analysis in soils

Biochar is a product of the heating of organic matter under conditions of restricted oxygen. Biochar contains pyrogenic carbonaceous material (PCM) as well as inorganic ash constituents and, in some cases, partially or completely unpyrolysed organic matter. As a result, biochars can vary widely in their chemical composition and persistence under natural environmental conditions (Chapters 5–10). The chemical characteristics of biochars therefore overlap with all other materials across the PCM continuum that are variously known as char, charcoal, black carbon, soot, microcrystalline graphite and elemental carbon (Schmidt and Noack, 2000; see Chapters 1 and 6 for discussion). PCM occurs naturally in soils where biomass burning is a natural feature of the ecosystem (savannas, grasslands and some forests, and indeed can make up more than 50 per cent of total soil organic carbon (SOC) in some soils (e.g. Lehmann et al, 2008; Figure 24.1). PCM can also be abundant in soils where there have been significant historic (Schmidt et al, 2000), or prehistoric (Glaser and Birk, 2012) anthropogenic inputs of PCM to the soil. Natural PCM in a modern soil may therefore have been present in that soil for centuries to millennia. Over time this PCM becomes comminuted into the finer particle sizes (Skjemstad et al, 1999; Nocentini et al, 2010) and can undergo significant chemical alteration, particularly on particle surfaces (Kaal et al, 2008a; Ascough et al, 2011). Therefore the presence of indigenous PCM in many soils complicates the measurement and isolation of biochar added to soil, because indigenous PCM may or may not be similar, both physically and chemically, to biochar purposefully added to the soil.
Suitable Locations for Electric Vehicles Charging Infrastructure in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Governments have begun to pursue alternatives within the transport sector to reduce its environmental footprint and the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure is an adequate way of promoting the penetration of the electric vehicle. In this study, we sought to identify the best locations for EVCI in Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil. To achieve this objective, based on the opinion of a group of EV specialists, a Multiple-criteria Decision analysis Method coupled with a geographic information system tool was used. The result shows that RJ would need around 2,000 EVCI- concentrated in a reduced area of the city- to support the penetration of 1% of EVs by 2025.
Innovative Solutions for Slope Stability Reinforcement and Characterization: Vol. I

Soil slope instability concerning highway infrastructure is an ongoing problem in Iowa, as slope failures endanger public safety and continue to result in costly repair work. Characterization of slope failures is complicated, because the factors affecting slope stability can be difficult to discern and measure, particularly soil shear strength parameters. While in the past extensive research has been conducted on slope stability investigations and analysis, this research consists of field investigations addressing both the characterization and reinforcement of such slope failures. The current research focuses on applying an infrequently-used testing technique comprised of the Borehole Shear Test (BST). This in-situ test rapidly provides effective (i.e., drained) shear strength parameter values of soil. Using the BST device, fifteen Iowa slopes (fourteen failures and one proposed slope) were investigated and documented. Particular attention was paid to highly weathered shale and glacial till soil deposits, which have both been associated with slope failures in the southern Iowa drift region. Conventional laboratory tests including direct shear tests, triaxial compression tests, and ring shear tests were also performed on undisturbed and reconstituted soil samples to supplement BST results. The shear strength measurements were incorporated into complete evaluations of slope stability using both limit equilibrium and probabilistic analyses. The research methods and findings of these investigations are summarized in Volume 1 of this report. Research details of the independent characterization and reinforcement investigations are provided in Volumes 2 and 3, respectively. Combined, the field investigations offer guidance on identifying the factors that affect slope stability at a particular location and also on designing slope reinforcement using pile elements for cases where remedial measures are necessary. The research findings are expected to benefit civil and geotechnical engineers of government transportation agencies, consultants, and contractors dealing with slope stability, slope remediation, and geotechnical testing in Iowa.
Metamodels of a gas turbine powered marine propulsion system for simulation and diagnostic purposes

The paper presents the application of artificial neural network for simulation and diagnostic purposes applied to a gas turbine powered marine propulsion plant. A simulation code for the propulsion system, developed by the authors, has been extended to take into account components degradation or malfunctioning with the addition of performance reduction coefficients. The above coefficients become input variables to the analysis method and define the system status at a given operating point. The simulator is used to generate databases needed to perform a variable selection analysis and to tune response surfaces for both direct (simulation) and inverse (diagnostic) purposes. The application of the methodology to the propulsion system of an existing frigate version demonstrate the potential of the approach.
Reliability of heart rate mobile apps in young healthy adults: exploratory study and research directions

Recently, a number of smartphone apps appeared that allow for heart rate measurements basing on the photoplethysmography principle. In fact, almost every smartphone now has a camera with flash that could be used for that. Some studies appeared on the reliability of some of those apps, with heterogeneous results. The present study aims at adding up evidence in particular during physical activity, by comparing three apps on two different platforms (IOs and Android), on a broad range of heart rates. As gold standard, heart rate has been measured with a traditional heart rate monitor. The results suggest that heart rate apps might be used for measuring heart rate for fitness aims for many individuals, but further research is needed to i) analyse influence of smartphone features; ii) identify personal factors hindering measurements and iii) verify reliability on different measurement sites.
Ebolaviruses Associated with Differential Pathogenicity Induce Distinct Host Responses in Human Macrophages

ABSTRACT Ebola virus (EBOV) and Reston virus (RESTV) are members of the Ebolavirus genus which greatly differ in their pathogenicity. While EBOV causes a severe disease in humans characterized by a dysregulated inflammatory response and elevated cytokine and chemokine production, there are no reported disease-associated human cases of RESTV infection, suggesting that RESTV is nonpathogenic for humans. The underlying mechanisms determining the pathogenicity of different ebolavirus species are not yet known. In this study, we dissected the host response to EBOV and RESTV infection in primary human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs). As expected, EBOV infection led to a profound proinflammatory response, including strong induction of type I and type III interferons (IFNs). In contrast, RESTV-infected macrophages remained surprisingly silent. Early activation of IFN regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and NF-κB was observed in EBOV-infected, but not in RESTV-infected, MDMs. In concordance with previous results, MDMs treated with inactivated EBOV and Ebola virus-like particles (VLPs) induced NF-κB activation mediated by Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in a glycoprotein (GP)-dependent manner. This was not the case in cells exposed to live RESTV, inactivated RESTV, or VLPs containing RESTV GP, indicating that RESTV GP does not trigger TLR4 signaling. Our results suggest that the lack of immune activation in RESTV-infected MDMs contributes to lower pathogenicity by preventing the cytokine storm observed in EBOV infection. We further demonstrate that inhibition of TLR4 signaling abolishes EBOV GP-mediated NF-κB activation. This finding indicates that limiting the excessive TLR4-mediated proinflammatory response in EBOV infection should be considered as a potential supportive treatment option for EBOV disease. IMPORTANCE Emerging infectious diseases are a major public health concern, as exemplified by the recent devastating Ebola virus (EBOV) outbreak. Different ebolavirus species are associated with widely varying pathogenicity in humans, ranging from asymptomatic infections for Reston virus (RESTV) to severe disease with fatal outcomes for EBOV. In this comparative study of EBOV- and RESTV-infected human macrophages, we identified key differences in host cell responses. Consistent with previous data, EBOV infection is associated with a proinflammatory signature triggered by the surface glycoprotein (GP), which can be inhibited by blocking TLR4 signaling. In contrast, infection with RESTV failed to stimulate a strong host response in infected macrophages due to the inability of RESTV GP to stimulate TLR4. We propose that disparate proinflammatory host signatures contribute to the differences in pathogenicity reported for ebolavirus species and suggest that proinflammatory pathways represent an intriguing target for the development of novel therapeutics.
Pharmacological and Genetic Reversal of Age-Dependent Cognitive Deficits Attributable to Decreased presenilin Function

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of cognitive loss and neurodegeneration in the developed world. Although its genetic and environmental causes are not generally known, familial forms of the disease (FAD) are attributable to mutations in a single copy of the Presenilin (PS) and amyloid precursor protein genes. The dominant inheritance pattern of FAD indicates that it may be attributable to gain or change of function mutations. Studies of FAD-linked forms of presenilin (psn) in model organisms, however, indicate that they are loss of function, leading to the possibility that a reduction in PS activity might contribute to FAD and that proper psn levels are important for maintaining normal cognition throughout life. To explore this issue further, we have tested the effect of reducing psn activity during aging in Drosophila melanogaster males. We have found that flies in which the dosage of psn function is reduced by 50% display age-onset impairments in learning and memory. Treatment with metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) antagonists or lithium during the aging process prevented the onset of these deficits, and treatment of aged flies reversed the age-dependent deficits. Genetic reduction of Drosophila metabotropic glutamate receptor (DmGluRA), the inositol trisphosphate receptor (InsP3R), or inositol polyphosphate 1-phosphatase also prevented these age-onset cognitive deficits. These findings suggest that reduced psn activity may contribute to the age-onset cognitive loss observed with FAD. They also indicate that enhanced mGluR signaling and calcium release regulated by InsP3R as underlying causes of the age-dependent cognitive phenotypes observed when psn activity is reduced.
A cadaveric study of bilateral configuration of posterior bifurcation of posterior communicating artery in Indian population.

INTRODUCTION Various studies have been done regarding variations of circle of Willis, but few literatures are available about the detail configurations on Indian population. Posterior communicating artery is the main collateral channel between the vertebrobasilar and carotid system. It may act as a main source of blood flow via posterior cerebral artery if fetal configuration is present. Aim of the study is to see the bilateral configurations to compare the blood supply of both cerebral hemispheres via posterior cerebral artery in human cadavers. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fifty six formalin fixed brains were used for study. The specimens were classified into 3 types and 21 subtypes according to the configuration of the vessel of both hemispheres. As hemodynamic balance is dependent on the calibre of the vessel, the diameter of the arteries were also taken into consideration. Pearson's correlation had been done. RESULT In present study type I is 57.2%, type II is 37.5% and type III is 5.4%. Incidence of unilateral fetal type posterior cerebral artery is in high percentage (33.9%). Greatest diameter of posterior communicating artery is 3.8mm on right and 3.6mm on left side. Significant correlations also have been found between arterial segments of different types. CONCLUSION It is expected that the study will help to enrich the knowledge about the arterial predominance of origin of posterior cerebral artery of both cerebral hemispheres in normal or variant cases and its effect on perfusion images.
Differential diagnosis and recovery of acute bilateral foot drop in a patient with a history of low back pain: A case report

ABSTRACT Background and Purpose: Acute bilateral foot drop is rare and may be due to peripheral or central lesions. The purpose of this case report was to describe the differential diagnosis and recovery of a patient with low back pain (LBP) that awoke with bilateral foot drop. Case Description: A 39-year-old man with a history of LBP awoke with a steppage gait pattern. Spinal imaging and tapping were negative for sinister pathologies. A subsequent history taken by the physical therapist uncovered that the patient had previously taken a narcotic and slept in a kneeling position to relieve his LBP. Strength and sensory testing revealed isolated impairments in the fibular nerve distribution, and bilateral fibular palsy was suspected and later confirmed with electrophysiological studies. Surgical fibular nerve decompression was performed, and the patient underwent physical therapy. Outcomes: Five months later the patient demonstrated antigravity strength and a partial return of sensation. By 17 months, his Lower Extremity Functional Scale had improved from 17/80 to 78/80, revealing a near complete recovery. Discussion: The patient’s history of LBP was a “red herring” that delayed the diagnosis and caused undue stress to the patient. This case stresses the importance of a thorough history and clinical examination.
A Wideband Dual-Polarized Inductor-End Slot Antenna With Stable Beamwidth

This letter presents a wideband cross-slot antenna (CSA) with inductor loadings for dual polarization. The effects of the ground size on the impedance are investigated. To achieve a compact size, a very small ground having the same hypotenuse length as the slot is used. The inductor loadings are used at both ends of the slot to reduce the size further. Simulated results show that the loaded inductors contribute to a more constant impedance to the frequency response at 1-<italic>λ</italic> mode, and the impedance moves toward the lower frequency with inductors. Based on the constant impedance of the inductor-end slot at 1-<italic>λ</italic> mode, a dual-polarized CSA using two orthogonal slot radiators is designed. Measured results show that the proposed dual-polarized antenna has wide impedance bandwidths of 56.2% from 1.56 to 2.78 GHz and 60.6% from 1.46 to 2.73 GHz for Ports 1 and 2, respectively, with a high isolation of more than 26 dB over the operating bandwidth. The antenna also has a stable broadside gain of 8.05 ± 0.45 dBi and stable half-power beamwidths of 60.5° ± 1.8° in the <italic>E</italic>-plane and 76.1° ± 1.5° in the <italic>H</italic>-plane for Port 1.