Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biocontrol Traits Correlate With Resistance to Predation by Protists in Soil Pseudomonads

Root-colonizing bacteria can support plant growth and help fend off pathogens. It is clear that such bacteria benefit from plant-derived carbon, but it remains ambiguous why they invest in plant-beneficial traits. We suggest that selection via protist predation contributes to recruitment of plant-beneficial traits in rhizosphere bacteria. To this end, we examined the extent to which bacterial traits associated with pathogen inhibition coincide with resistance to protist predation. We investigated the resistance to predation of a collection of Pseudomonas spp. against a range of representative soil protists covering three eukaryotic supergroups. We then examined whether patterns of resistance to predation could be explained by functional traits related to plant growth promotion, disease suppression and root colonization success. We observed a strong correlation between resistance to predation and phytopathogen inhibition. In addition, our analysis highlighted an important contribution of lytic enzymes and motility traits to resist predation by protists. We conclude that the widespread occurrence of plant-protective traits in the rhizosphere microbiome may be driven by the evolutionary pressure for resistance against predation by protists. Protists may therefore act as microbiome regulators promoting native bacteria involved in plant protection against diseases.
Psychological and Physiological Stress in Hens With Bone Damage

Abnormalities in bone development in humans and non-humans can lead to impaired physical and psychological health; however, evidence is lacking regarding the role of individual psychosocial factors in the development of poor bone conditions. Addressing this lack of knowledge, we used low-productive laying hens (n = 93) and assessed behavioral responses to an open-field test [at 17, 18, 29, 33 weeks of age (wa)], an aerial predator test (at 39 wa), and a social reinstatement test (at 42 wa). Bone condition was assessed using a palpation technique on five occasions (at 16, 29, 33, 45, 58 wa), with half of the hens experiencing damage (deviations, fractures, or both) at 29 wa and all hens by 58 wa. Corticosterone (CORT) concentration in feathers (at 16, 33, 58 wa) and body weight (at 23, 47, 58 wa) were also investigated. We hypothesized that lighter birds (at 23 wa) with higher CORT (at 16 wa) and open field-induced fear collected before the onset of lay (at 17 and 18 wa) are associated with a worse bone condition when in lay. We also hypothesized that those birds with more damage at the peak of laying (at 29 wa) would be lighter at 47 and 58 wa and more fearful by showing higher open field-induced (at 29 and 33 wa) and predator-induced fear responses, however, acting less socially toward conspecifics. These hens were also expected to have higher CORT (at 33 and 58 wa). Our results show no association between open-field fear level and fear behavior, CORT concentration, or body weight on the one hand (all measured before starting to lay) and bone damage at 29 wa on the other. When in lay, bone damage was associated with more pecking and less crossing zones when faced with an open-field situation at 29 wa and improved sociality at 42 wa. This study provides the first evidence of a relationship of bone health with fear, sociality, and stress response. When in poor bone condition, our hens had enhanced psychological stress measured by fear behavior reactivity but not physiological stress measured as feather CORT concentration.
NOX-Dependent Signaling Dysregulation in Severe COVID-19: Clues to Effective Treatments

The ongoing pandemic disease named by the World Health Organization (WHO) coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2), the seventh confirmed RNA single strand beta coronavirus infecting the human beings. According to theWHO, to date (November, 1
Optimal Control and Temperature Variations of Malaria Transmission Dynamics

Malaria is a Plasmodium parasitic disease transmitted by infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Climatic factors, such as temperature, humidity, rainfall, and wind, have significant effects on the incidence of most vector-borne diseases, including malaria. 'e mosquito behavior, life cycle, and overall fitness are affected by these climatic factors. 'is paper presents the results obtained from investigating the optimal control strategies for malaria in the presence of temperature variation using a temperature-dependent malaria model. 'e study further identified the temperature ranges in four different geographical regions of sub-Saharan Africa, suitable for mosquitoes. 'e optimal control strategies in the temperature suitable ranges suggest, on average, a high usage of both larvicides and adulticides followed by a moderate usage of personal protection such as bednet. 'e average optimal bednet usage mimics the solution profile of the mosquitoes as the mosquitoes respond to changes in temperature. Following the results from the optimal control, this study also investigates using a temperature-dependent model with insecticidesensitive and insecticide-resistant mosquitoes the impact of insecticide-resistant mosquitoes on disease burden when temperature varies. 'e results obtained indicate that optimal bednet usage on average is higher when insecticide-resistant mosquitoes are present. Besides, the average bednet usage increases as temperature increases to the optimal temperature suitable for mosquitoes, and it decreases after that, a pattern similar to earlier results involving insecticide-sensitive mosquitoes. 'us, personal protection, particularly the use of bednets, should be encouraged not only at low temperatures but particularly at high temperatures when individuals avoid the use of bednets. Furthermore, control and reduction of malaria may be possible even when mosquitoes develop resistance to insecticides.
Numerical Simulation of Thrombolysis in Robot-Assisted Retinal Vein Cannulation

Robot-assisted retinal cannulation is an eye surgical procedure which can dissolve the obstruction by using robot to inject anticoagulant into occluded vessel. The current research on the critical parameters of cannulation for human is scarce because of the immature technology. Considering the influence of microneedle, this work investigated the effects of drug concentration, injection velocity, injection position, and size of clot on cannulation by theoretical analysis and finite element analysis. For finite element analysis, the multiphysics continuum model was established to demonstrate species transport and reaction which simulates the entire lytic process of the occlusive clot, and four cell zones were established to describe the generation of plasmin (PLS) with the addition of tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) and fibrinolysis of clot by importing subroutines into each cell zone under the conditions of constant clot size and variable size, respectively. The results imply that the most efficient value of tPA concentration is 50 nM, injection velocity is 60 mm/s for clot length of 0.1 mm, and the best position to insert the cannula is 0.5 mm in front of the thrombus. For different clot lengths of 0.1 mm to 0.6 mm, the optimal range of tPA concentration and injection velocity is from 20 nM to 70 nM and from 40 mm/s to 60 mm/s, respectively, and explores the reasonable injection position of 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm in front of clot in a vein of 100 μm. This conclusion can be used to perform robot-assisted cannulation surgery to improve fibrinolytic efficiency.
REACTION OF HOCL WITH AMINO ACIDS AND PEPTIDES : EPR EVIDENCE FOR RAPID REARRANGEMENT AND FRAGMENTATION REACTIONS OF NITROGEN-CENTRED RADICALS

EPR spin trapping together with UV–VIS spectroscopy has been employed to examine the reaction of HOCl with amino acids and some small peptides. Evidence has been obtained for the formation and subsequent decomposition of short-lived chloramine derivatives from free amine groups present on both amino acid side-chains and at the N-terminus. Radical formation, detected by EPR spin trapping, occurs concurrently with chloramine decomposition. This process is enhanced by, but does not require, the presence of added Fe2+. With some substrates nitrogen-centred (aminyl, RNH˙ or RNH2˙+) radicals, formed from cleavage of the N–Cl bond of the chloramine, can be detected. These initial aminyl radicals undergo a variety of hydrogen atom abstraction, rearrangement and fragmentation reactions to give carbon-centred species. Evidence has been obtained for both inter- and intra-molecular (1,2- and 1,5-) hydrogen atom abstraction reactions, decarboxylation and β-scission processes. The last of these only occurs to a significant extent where the resulting radical is highly stabilised, for example, by aromatic substituents, and results in loss of the amino acid side-chain. Studies with N-acetyl derivatives and peptides are consistent with reaction of HOCl at amide (peptide) bonds to give transient chloramides which rapidly decompose to give (undetected) amidyl [˙N(R)C(O)R′] radicals. These species undergo rapid 1,2-hydrogen atom shift reactions to give (stabilised) α-carbon radicals with most peptides. Evidence has also been obtained for the occurrence of hydrogen atom abstraction and decarboxylation reactions with these substrates.
Analyzing global trends of different cloud types and their potential impacts on climate by using the ISCCP D2 dataset

The International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) D2 dataset is used to study the global distribution of low, middle and high cloud amounts and their trends of 1983–2001. Evidences have shown that global warming has accelerated over the past 20 a and the 1990s was the warmest decade in the instrumental records since 1861. Trends of various clouds amounts over this period are analyzed by employing the linear regression method. The results show that global mean total cloud amounts, in general, have tended to reduce over the past 20 a. But there are slightly increasing by about 2% before 1987 and decreasing by about 4% since then. Cloudiness trends of both low and high clouds decrease while increase for the middle cloud. And there exist remarkable discrepancies in different regions. The preliminary analyses suggest that it is likely that the cloud change occurring over the past 20 a is a positive feedback to global warming.
Humic acid–proton equilibria: A comparison of two models and assessment of titration error

Summary Charge development curves, obtained by potentiometric titration of ten soil–derived humic acids, are described using two modelling approaches: a simple electrostatic model with limited functional group heterogeneity (model A), and an implementation of an alternative from the literature, model V, incorporating up to 12 functional group types. Both models provide excellent descriptions of charge dependence on pH and ionic strength. However, for model A, 11 fitted parameters were required to describe the data across the full range of ionic strength (0.01–3.0), compared with seven for model V. Although model A required more parameters, it was conceptually simpler than model V, requiring only two functional group types, which may have advantages in describing the formation of metal complexes. Error in the determination of humic charge from titration data was shown to increase markedly for data obtained at pH<3. The apparently anomalous trends in humic charge at low pH reported in the literature are explained in terms of this error. Investigation of the kinetics of protonation and deprotonation reactions of humic acids suggested that titration hysteresis was the result of dis–equilibrium, especially at high pH. The use of a 7-day batch titration technique, instead of continuous titration apparently eliminated hysteresis from the data.
Measures of Spatial and Demographic Disparities in Access to Urban Green Space in Harbin, China

Access to urban green space (UGS) is associated with the enhancement of health and disparities in access generate issues of spatial equity and socioenvironmental justice. The aim of this study is to measure spatial accessibility and investigate access disparities to UGSs in urban areas of Harbin, China. A Gaussian-based two-step floating catchment area method and spatial autocorrelation analysis were used to measure the accessibility and evaluate its distribution patterns in residential tracts. Bivariate correlation was employed to examine the statistical relations between demographic characteristics of residential tracts and green space access. The results show that most residential tracts have minimal green space access within walking distance, while a few have limited access within cycling distance. Additionally, spatial disparities were found with low-accessibility tracts clustering in the center of the city, while high-accessibility tracts were located in northern and southern suburbs. Demographic disparities were also identified in the study: females have less access to UGS than males, areas with a high birth rate generally have more access, and population density is negatively associated with UGS access. The findings not only indicate that Harbin has an uneven distribution and disproportionate provision of UGS for urban residents but also identify which areas and population groups within the city are disadvantaged in access to UGS and thus provide suggestions for future construction and provision of UGS.
Knowledge and Practice of Episiotomy among Midwives at Adeoyo Maternity Hospital Ibadan Oyo State Nigeria

Background & Aim: Although there are records of episiotomy being used for more than a century. However, in the 1950s, the practice of episiotomy was common among midwives around the world and this practice was widespread until it began to be questioned by research findings in the 1980s. Despite the body of knowledge, episiotomy is still a common midwifery practice. The thrust of this study is to examine the knowledge and practice of episiotomy among midwives at Adeoyo Maternity Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria Method: A cross sectional design was adopted and sample size of 150 calculated using Slovin formula was used. 150 questionnaires were distributed to the midwives in the selected wards of the hospital. Reliability of the instrument was done via testretest method with a coefficient of stability of 0.774. The data were analyzed using Chi-square and Analysis of Variance via the Statistical Product Service Solution (SPSS) at 0.05 level of significant. Result: About 70% of the respondents with over 11 years of experience are between age 36 years and above (p = 0.000) while about 70% of the respondents with less than 10 years of experience are Registered Nurse/ Registered midwives (RN/RM). There is no significant difference on the rate of giving episiotomy between respondents with more than 11 years’ experience and the respondents with less than 10 years’ experience (pvalue = 0.395). There is no difference in knowledge of episiotomy between the respondents with more than 11 years of experience and the respondents with less than 10 years’ experience ( pvalue = 0.167) Conclusion: The rate of giving episiotomy is declining as midwives improve their knowledge about delivery and this can be achieved through continuous education and research oriented practice.
Information Flow Between Spot and Futures Market-The Role of Algorithmic Traders

We inspect the intraday lead-lag relationship between the spot and stock futures market for a sample set of 160 stocks in National Stock Exchange (NSE) of India using six months of data during Jan-Jun 2015. Instead of looking at the relationship between the price movements of the two markets, we look at the order imbalance in these two markets to establish the direction of information flow. We show that information in the futures market leads the spot market by one minute. We split the order imbalance due to the different category of traders. We find that algorithmic and high-frequency traders are not informed, and the information flow is primarily established through non-algorithmic traders. The results are consistent even during periods of extreme price movements.
Topochemical investigation on tension wood fibres of Acer spp., Fagus sylvatica L. and Quercus robur L.

Abstract Topochemical detection of lignin and phenolic compounds was carried out at subcellular level in tension wood fibres of maple (Acer spp.), beech (Fagus sylvatica) and oak (Quercus robur) by means of cellular UV-microspectrophotometry (UMSP) and confocal Raman microscopy. UMSP field scans at 278 nm revealed the presence of aromatic compounds in the gelatinous layer (G-layer) in tension wood of all three species. Characterisation of the detected substances by point measurements from 240 nm to 400 nm revealed a plausible relationship to by-products from the lignin biosynthesis pathway. Raman spectra, recorded from different regions within the G-layer, showed a high affinity to spectra of lignins. The degree of aromatic compounds in the G-layer of oak tension wood fibres was approximately three-fold higher than that in maple and beech. Moreover, the oak G-layer showed an accumulation of aromatic compounds towards the cell lumen up to 50% higher than that detected in the secondary cell wall. UMSP and Raman microscopy are considered valuable complementary methods for topochemical investigation on a subcellular level.
The Use of a High Temperature Wind Tunnel for MT-SOFC Testing—Part I: Detailed Experimental Temperature Measurement of an MT-SOFC Using an Avant-Garde High Temperature Wind Tunnel and Various Measurement Techniques

The purpose of the first part of this study was to compare four different temperature measuring methods. The application of these tools for possible temperature monitoring or calibration of monitors of microtubular solid oxide fuel cells (MT-SOFCs) is explored. It was found that a thermographic camera is very useful to visualize the temperature gradient on the outside of a cell, while an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy method was useful for estimating the core temperature of a test cell. A standard thermocouple was also used in combination with the previous two methods. Furthermore, an inexpensive laser guided thermometer was also tested for MT-SOFC temperature measurement. This initial study has opened up a range of questions not only about the effect of the experimental apparatus on the measurement results but also about the radial temperature distribution through a MT-SOFC in a working mode. Both these topics will be further investigated in part II of this study through a computational fluid dynamics study. This should provide additional interesting information about any differences between testing single cells and those within a bundle of cells. The discussed results are expected to be mainly temperature related, which should have direct consequences on power output and optimized gas inlet temperatures.
EARLY ARIKAREEAN (LATE OLIGOCENE) EOMYIDAE (MAMMALIA, RODENTIA) FROM NEBRASKA

Five species of eomyid rodents are recognized from the earliest Arikareean (late Oligocene) Ridgeview local fauna of Nebraska. This is the greatest diversity of Arikareean eomyids of any fauna known from North America. The species recognized are Leptodonotmys douglassi (Burke), Leptodontomys sp. , Neoadjidaumo hemedapus n. gen. et n. sp. , Pentabuneomys engesseri n. sp. , and Zophoapeomys sp. It is suggested that nearly all of these species were derived from earlier North American eomyids. Based on the early occurrence in the Ridgeview fauna, Pentabuneomys and subfamily Apeomyinae likely migrated to Europe from North America near the beginning of the Miocene. Neoadjidaumo is viewed as being derived from earlier North American eomyids but developed some dental morphologies convergent with those of the European Miocene genus Ritteneria Stehlin and Schaub.
Competition in the Cable Television Industry

In this article, we address three policy questions regarding the Portuguese cable television industry. First whether the high concentration in the industry has a technological justi cation. Second what is the level of market power that the cable television rms exercise? Third, what is the impact on prices and welfare of two acquisitions announced recently? We develop a structural model of the cable television industry that includes both a demand and a supply side. The model is estimated for a rich panel of Portuguese rm level data, and used to address these policy questions. The demand is described by a nested logit model model. Consumers have elastic demands. The costs are described by a xed e¤ects cost frontier with a Cobb-Douglas speci cation. Cable television services and broadband access to the internet services are characterized by increasing returns to scale, and economies of scope. Firms exercise more market power than if they played a Nash equilibrium, but less market power than if the colluded perfectly. The two announced acquisitions will have a small impact on prices and welfare. Key Words: Cable Industry, Scale and Scope Economies, Competition, Merger. JEL Classi cation: L13, L43, L96. The opinions expressed in this article reect only the authorsviews, and in no way bind the institutions to which they are a¢ liated. yAdC Autoridade da Concorrência, Rua Laura Alves, n 4, 6, 1050-188 Lisboa, Portugal. Email: jpe.pereira@netcabo.pt. zSTICERD, The London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE, UK. Email: r.c. ribeiro@lse.ac.uk. URL: http://personal.lse.ac.uk/ribeiror/
Experimental evidence for light Ba isotopes favouring aqueous fluids over silicate melts

doi: 10.7185/geochemlet.2036 Barium (Ba) is a fluid mobile element and enriched in the Earth’s crust, which has potential implications for constraining fluid activities during magmatichydrothermal processes. However, the behaviour of Ba and its isotopes during fluid exsolution from magma is poorly known. Here we present an experimental study on determining the Ba partition coefficient (DFLUID-MELT) and equilibrium isotope fractionation factor (αBaFLUID-MELT) between aqueous fluids and silicate melts with different chemical compositions at 700–900 °C and 200 MPa using cold seal pressure vessels. The results show that DFLUID-MELT ranges from 0.02 to 0.20, while ΔBaFLUID-MELT [≈1000 × (α− 1)] ranges from −0.62 ‰ to −0.14 ‰. Both DFLUID-MELT and ΔBaFLUID-MELT positively correlate with temperature, the salinity of fluid and alumina saturation index (ASI) of melt. The finding that light Ba isotopes are enriched in aqueous fluids relative to silicate melts suggests that the fluid exsolution process cannot explain the observed light Ba isotopic compositions of some granites. Moreover, the experimentally determined αBaFLUID-MELT is useful for tracing fluid activities in felsic intrusion-related hydrothermal deposits and in seafloor hydrothermal systems. Received 11 July 2020 | Accepted 5 October 2020 | Published 9 November 2020