Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Daily multiwavelength Swift monitoring of the neutron star low-mass X-ray binary Cen X-4: evidence for accretion and reprocessing during quiescence

We conducted the first long-term (60 d), multiwavelength (optical, ultraviolet, UV, and X-ray) simultaneous monitoring of Cen X-4 with daily Swift observations from 2012 June to August, with the goal of understanding variability in the low-mass X-ray binary Cen X-4 during quiescence. We found Cen X-4 to be highly variable in all energy bands on time-scales from days to months, with the strongest quiescent variability a factor of 22 drop in the X-ray count rate in only 4 d. The X-ray, UV and optical (V band) emission are correlated on time-scales down to less than 110 s. The shape of the correlation is a power law with index γ about 0.2–0.6. The X-ray spectrum is well fitted by a hydrogen neutron star (NS) atmosphere (kT = 59–80 eV) and a power law (with spectral index � = 1.4–2.0), with the spectral shape remaining constant as the flux varies. Both components vary in tandem, with each responsible for about 50 per cent of the total X-ray flux, implying that they are physically linked. We conclude that the X-rays are likely generated by matter accreting down to the NS surface. Moreover, based on the short time-scale of the correlation, we also unambiguously demonstrate that the UV emission cannot be due to either thermal emission from the stream impact point, or a standard optically thick, geometrically thin disc. The spectral energy distribution shows a small UV emitting region, too hot to arise from the accretion disc, that we identified as a hotspot on the companion star. Therefore, the UV emission is most likely produced by reprocessing from the companion star, indeed the vertical size of the disc is small and can only reprocess a marginal fraction of the X-ray emission. We also found the accretion disc in quiescence to likely be UV faint, with a minimal contribution to the whole UV flux.
Diallel analysis of maize hybrids for agronomic and bromatological forage traits

The aim of this study was to evaluate a diallel of maize hybrids for traits related to forage production and nutritional value. Six commercial hybrids were used as parents. The crosses were made according to a complete diallel design, obtaining the F1 and reciprocal crosses. The evaluations were performed in the main and second crop seasons in the 2010/2011 crop year at the Center for Technological Development in Agriculture of the Federal University of Lavras, located in Lavras, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The experimental precision indicated by the coefficient of variation was good for all the traits measured. Significant differences were not observed among the crosses for traits related to the nutritional value of the forage. For fresh matter yield and dehusked ear yield, the general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) effects were significant. Sowing in the second crop season reduced the yield and nutritional value of the forage. The interaction among the crosses and sowing seasons was not significant. For the beginning of an intrapopulational breeding program, the parent BM 3061 stands out by showing high estimates of GCA for the grain and forage yields.
Investigation of Legionella Pneumophila in Hot Water Systems in Morocco

Legionnaires’ disease, the pneumonic form of legionellosis, usually is acquired by inhalation or aspiration of Legionella from contaminated environmental sources. Potable water is an important source of both nosocomial and community acquired Legionella infections. The species of Legionella are widely distributed in water environments. Legionella pneumophila is a relatively common cause of pneumonia. In patients with community-acquired pneumonia, the incidence ranges from 2 -15%. Legionella pneumophila serogroups were differently distributed according to heater type, water temperature, suggesting that Legionella strains may have a different sensibility and resistance to environmental factors and different ecologic niches. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence colonization of Legionella pneumophila in hot water distribution systems of hospitals and hotels and factories in Morocco and to examine the possible association with bacterial contamination and physic chemical parameters.
Drought can be more critical in the shade than in the sun: a field study of carbon gain and photo‐inhibition in a Californian shrub during a dry El Niño year

Diurnal courses of leaf water potential, gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence were measured in natural sun and shade populations of Heteromeles arbutifolia throughout the seasons of an unusually dry El Nino year in Central California. The onset of drought resulted in decreased stomatal conductance and net photosynthesis in both sun and shade plants. However, the decline in leaf water potential was much greater and carbon gain was much more strongly limited by the development of drought stress in the shade than in the sun. Photorespiratory energy dissipation was significantly higher in the sun than in the shade in spring and autumn, but not during the summer. Pre-dawn photochemical efficiency (F(v)/F(m)) was significantly higher in the shade than in the sun during the spring but the differences disappeared during the summer and autumn. The strong irradiance in the open field site studied led to a chronic but only mild reduction in F(v)/F(m), with values around 0.79. Summer sunflecks led to a sustained photo-inhibition in shade plants, which exhibited a significant reduction in pre-dawn F(v)/F(m) of 10% with the onset of drought. Photo-inhibition became relatively more important for carbon gain in the shade than in the sun due to the low photochemical efficiency under the low light that follows sunflecks. Sun plants of H. arbutifolia exhibited a rather efficient photoprotection against strong irradiance conferred by both the architecture of the crown and the physiology of the leaves. There is evidence that El Nino events and the associated droughts have become more frequent and severe. Counter-intuitively, the effects on plant performance of such extreme droughts could be more critical in the shade than in the sun.
Using Technology Acceptance Model in Understanding Academics' Behavioral Intention to Use Blackboard Learning Management System

This paper tried to examine the academics' acceptance for the use of Blackboard learning management system using Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as an analysis approach. Four factors of TAM namely Perceived Ease of Use, Perceived Usefulness, Attitude, Behavior Intention, and Perceived convenience as an additional factor were used as the evaluation model factors to measure the academics’ technology acceptance and a total of six hypotheses were proposed. An online questionnaire was conducted to extract the information from academics of Najran University (NU) and a total of 157 respondents were collected. Our findings illustrated that the five factors mentioned have inter correlated effect to explain the academics’ behavior and Perceived convenience was determined as the key factor. Keywords: Blackboard Learning Management System (BbLMS), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Saudi Arabi a.
Making the Planetary Material Diversity during the Early Assembling of the Solar System

Chondritic meteorites, the building blocks of terrestrial planets, are made of an out-of-equilibrium assemblage of solids formed at high and low temperatures, either in our Solar system or previous generations of stars. For decades this was considered to result from large-scale transport processes in the Sun’s isolated accretion disk. However, mounting evidence suggests that refractory inclusions in chondrites formed contemporaneously with the disk building. Here we numerically investigate, using a 1D model and several physical and chemical processes, the formation and transport of rocky materials during the collapse of the Sun’s parent cloud and the consequent assembling of the Solar Nebula. The interplay between the cloud collapse, the dynamics of gas and dust, vaporization, recondensation, and thermal processing of different species in the disk results in a local mixing of solids with different thermal histories. Moreover, our results also explain the overabundance of refractory materials far from the Sun and their short-formation timescales, during the first tens of kyr of the Sun, corresponding to class 0-I, opening new windows into the origin of the compositional diversity of chondrites.
Development of a Desmocollin-3 Active Mouse Model Recapitulating Human Atypical Pemphigus

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a life-threatening mucocutaneous autoimmune blistering disease. It is often associated with autoantibodies to the desmosomal adhesion proteins Desmoglein 3 (DSG3) and Desmoglein 1 (DSG1). Recently, auto-antigens, such as desmocollins and others have been described in PV and in atypical pemphigus forms such as Pemphigus Herpetiformis (PH), Pemphigus Vegetans (PVeg), and Paraneoplastic Pemphigus (PP). Desmocollins belong to a cadherin subfamily that provides structure to the desmosomes and play an important role in cell-to-cell adhesion. In order to verify the pathogenic activity of anti-Desmocollin 3 (DSC3) antibodies, we developed an active disease model of pemphigus expressing anti-DSC3 autoantibodies or anti-DSC3 and anti-DSG3 antibodies. This approach included the adoptive transfer of DSC3 and/or DSG3 lymphocytes to Rag2−/− immunodeficient mice that express DSC3 and DSG3. Our results show that the presence of anti-DSC3 auto-antibodies is sufficient to determine the appearance of a pathological phenotype relatable to pemphigus, but with features not completely super-imposable to those observed in the DSG3 active model, suggesting that the DSC3 active model might mimic the atypical pemphigus. Moreover, the presence of both anti-DSC3 and anti-DSG3 antibodies determines a more severe phenotype and a slower response to prednisolone. In conclusion, we have developed an adult DSC3 pemphigus mouse model that differs from the DSG3 model and supports the concept that antigens other than desmogleins may be responsible for different phenotypes in human pemphigus.
Study of clinical presentation of falciparum malaria and correlation with laboratory indices of poor prognosis

Background: Severe malaria is a chief cause of death in the North-eastern states of India. The criteria for defining severe malaria have fluctuating over the last many years. Detection of both specific and sensitive clinical features of falciparum malaria to predict death is required to improve clinical management. Therefore, the objective of present study was designed to investigate the clinical presentation of falciparum malaria and correlation with laboratory indices of poor prognosis. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted at the R N T Medical College Udaipur, India. Total 53 malarial patients who tested positive for plasmodium falciparum were included. A detailed clinical presentation, haematological and biochemical variables were scrutinized. SPSS-16 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: Out of 53 patients, 6 (11.3%) patients had (>5%) parasitaemia, 3 (5.66%) patients had schizonts in peripheral blood film, 2 (3.77%) patients had serum creatinine >3.0 mg%, 4 (7.54%) patients had raised SGOT and SGPT and all have been died while 11 (20.75%) patients had haemoglobin <7.1 gm% and amongst these 3 (27.27%) patients were died. Out of 53 patients, 13 patients (24.53%) died. Most of the patients had over lapping features with anemia (13.32%), ARDS, 16.98 %, Jaundice 9.43% and impaired consciousness (32.96%). These four features were responsible for high incidence of mortality in malaria. Conclusions: Decisively 29 (54.71%) patients were having laboratory indices of poor prognosis and amongst them 19 (65.51%) patients were died. Therefore, our findings confirm that patients who had P. falciparum malaria with laboratory indices of poor prognosis had high incidence of mortality.
Population structure correction for genomic selection through eigenvector covariates.

We proposed a population structure correction for genome-wide selection based on covariance analysis via eigenvector (EVG) decomposition. The agreement between the predicted and true breeding values was evaluated by independent cross-validation data sets. Other correction methods such as correction via principal components, best linear unbiased prediction, and deregressed phenotype were also evaluated. Based on different simulation scenarios, the proposed EVG out performed the other methods in the prediction of accuracy.
The Influence of a Meal Replacement Formula on Leptin Regulation in Obese Adults

Background and Purpose: The increasing prevalence of overweight and obese adults warrants improved dietary strategies for weight management and metabolic control. Hence, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a high-protein diet on leptin regulation. Methods: This study was a secondary analysis of data collected from a randomized controlled trial, conducted in 90 overweight adults (age: 47.5 ± 7.5 yrs.; BMI: 31.5 ± 2.3 kg/m2) who were followed over a 24-week control period. Changes in leptin levels were quantified to determine the influence of age, gender, leptin baseline levels, weight loss and intervention type. Participants were randomized into 3 interventions groups: 1) therapeutic lifestyle changes, (LS); 2) standardized meal replacement (Almased®) (MR); and 3) standardized meal replacement accompanied by supervised physical training (MRPT). For the analyses, both diet groups (MR, MRPT) were pooled into one common group and compared to the LS group in a parallel two-group study design with endpoint assessment after 24 weeks of intervention. Results: In total, 83 participants completed the 24-week study. Significant improvements in body composition and metabolic regulation occurred in all intervention participants regardless of their group assignment (LS; MR, MRPT). Participants’ consumption of the meal replacement (MR; MRPT) had an independent, significant effect on serum leptin levels (-15.5 ± 7.5 and -12.5 ± 7.8 vs. -8.7 ± 6.1 ng/ml). Greater body weight reductions were also observed in the diet groups (-8.9 ± 3.9 kg) compared to the LS group (-6.2 ± 4.2 kg). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that meal replacement can safely and effectively produce significant weight loss, which may be in part due to a reduction in plasma leptin levels. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00356785
Shaken and stirred : the Milky Way's dark substructures.

The predicted abundance and properties of the low-mass substructures embedded inside larger dark matter haloes differ sharply among alternative dark matter models. Too small to host galaxies themselves, these subhaloes may still be detected via gravitational lensing or via perturbations of the Milky Way's globular cluster streams and its stellar disc. Here, we use the Apostle cosmological simulations to predict the abundance and the spatial and velocity distributions of subhaloes in the range 106.5–108.5 M⊙ inside haloes of mass ∼1012 M⊙ in Λ cold dark matter. Although these subhaloes are themselves devoid of baryons, we find that baryonic effects are important. Compared to corresponding dark matter only simulations, the loss of baryons from subhaloes and stronger tidal disruption due to the presence of baryons near the centre of the main halo reduce the number of subhaloes by ∼1/4 to 1/2, independently of subhalo mass, but increasingly towards the host halo centre. We also find that subhaloes have non-Maxwellian orbital velocity distributions, with centrally rising velocity anisotropy and positive velocity bias that reduces the number of low-velocity subhaloes, particularly near the halo centre. We parametrize the predicted population of subhaloes in terms of mass, galactocentric distance and velocities. We discuss implications of our results for the prospects of detecting dark matter substructures and for possible inferences about the nature of dark matter.
Genome-Wide Signatures of Selection in Colletotrichum kahawae Reveal Candidate Genes Potentially Involved in Pathogenicity and Aggressiveness

Plants and their pathogens are engaged in continuous evolutionary battles, with pathogens evolving to circumvent plant defense mechanisms and plants responding through enhanced protection to prevent or mitigate damage induced by pathogen attack. Managed ecosystems are composed of genetically identical populations of crop plants with few changes from year to year. These environments are highly conducive to the emergence and dissemination of pathogens and they exert selective pressure for both qualitative virulence factors responsible for fungal pathogenicity, and quantitative traits linked to pathogen fitness, such as aggressiveness. In this study, we used a comparative genome-wide approach to investigate the genomic basis underlying the pathogenicity and aggressiveness of the fungal coffee pathogen Colletotrichum kahawae infecting green coffee berries. The pathogenicity was investigated by comparing genomic variation between C. kahawae and its non-pathogenic sibling species, while the aggressiveness was studied by a genome-wide association approach with groups of isolates with different phenotypic profiles. High genetic differentiation was observed between C. kahawae and the most closely related species with 5,560 diagnostic SNPs identified, in which a significant enrichment of non-synonymous mutations was detected. Functional annotation of these non-synonymous mutations revealed a significant enrichment mainly in two gene ontology categories, “oxidation–reduction process” and “integral component of membrane. ” Finally, the annotation of several genes potentially under-selection revealed that C. kahawae’s pathogenicity may be a complex biological process, in which important biological functions, such as, detoxification and transport, regulation of host and pathogen gene expression, and signaling are involved. On the other hand, the genome-wide association analyses for aggressiveness were able to identify 10 SNPs and 15 SNPs of small effect in single and multi-association analysis, respectively, from which 7 were common, giving in total 18 SNPs potentially associated. The annotation of these genomic regions allowed the identification of four candidate genes encoding F-box domain-containing, nitrosoguanidine resistance, Fungal specific transcription factor domain-containing and C6 transcription factor that could be associated with aggressiveness. This study shed light, for the first time, on the genetic mechanisms of C. kahawae host specialization.
Productivity Shocks and Repayment Behavior in Rural Credit Markets: A Framed Field Experiment

Abstract Improving rural credit markets requires a good understanding of the root causes of market failures and taking necessary steps to address them. This paper investigates the role of productivity shocks in borrowers repayment choices. Using a framed field experiment that simulated a repeated interaction in an input credit market, the analysis finds strong evidence that adverse productivity shocks lead to higher default, even when they do not induce negative returns. This relationship is robust to the presence of an information exchange system enforcing dynamic incentives. The findings suggest that recurrent shocks such as those resulting from the harmful effects of climate change could exacerbate failures in rural credit markets, undermining hard-won progress toward rural financial inclusion.
A New Method to Simulate Free Surface Flows for Viscoelastic Fluid

Free surface flows arise in a variety of engineering applications. To predict the dynamic characteristics of such problems, specific numerical methods are required to accurately capture the shape of free surface. This paper proposed a new method which combined the Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) technique with the Finite Volume Method (FVM) to simulate the time-dependent viscoelastic free surface flows. Based on an open source CFD toolbox called OpenFOAM, we designed an ALE-FVM free surface simulation platform. In the meantime, the die-swell flow had been investigated with our proposed platform to make a further analysis of free surface phenomenon. The results validated the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed method for free surface simulation in both Newtonian fluid and viscoelastic fluid.
Myocardial Blood Flow and Metabolic Rate of Oxygen Measurement in the Right and Left Ventricles at Rest and During Exercise Using 15O-Labeled Compounds and PET

Aims: Simultaneous measurement of right (RV) and left ventricle (LV) myocardial blood flow (MBF), oxygen extraction fraction (OEF), and oxygen consumption (MVO2) non-invasively in humans would provide new possibilities to understand cardiac physiology and different patho-physiological states. Methods: We developed and tested an optimized novel method to measure MBF, OEF, and MVO2 simultaneously both in the RV and LV free wall (FW) using positron emission tomography in healthy young men at rest and during supine bicycle exercise. Results: Resting MBF was not significantly different between the three myocardial regions. Exercise increased MBF in the LVFW and septum, but MBF was lower in the RV compared to septum and LVFW during exercise. Resting OEF was similar between the three different myocardial regions (~70%) and increased in response to exercise similarly in all regions. MVO2 increased approximately two to three times from rest to exercise in all myocardial regions, but was significantly lower in the RV during exercise as compared to septum LVFW. Conclusion: MBF, OEF, and MVO2 can be assessed simultaneously in the RV and LV myocardia at rest and during exercise. Although there are no major differences in the MBF and OEF between LV and RV myocardial regions in the resting myocardium, MVO2 per gram of myocardium appears to be lower the RV in the exercising healthy human heart due to lower mean blood flow. The presented method may provide valuable insights for the assessment of MBF, OEF and MVO2 in hearts in different pathophysiological states.
Towards a Model of Internet Technology Adoption for Not-for-profit Organisations

This paper describes research into the adoption of internet technologies by not-for-profit organisations. Five factors were identified from previous research that may influence the adoption of internet technologies by nonprofit organisations. These factors were perceived external pressure, internal support, organisational readiness (comprised of technical resources, financial resources, knowledge and workforce composition) and the organisation’s compatibility with internet technologies. To investigate the influence of these factors a survey of West Australian community sector organisations was conducted. Surveys were completed by 119 respondents from a range of non-profit organisations. The results of the survey are discussed and an amended internet technology model for not-for-profit organisations is proposed.