Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Constraints on the Top-Quark Charge from Top-Pair Events

The top quark is the electroweak isospin partner of the bottom quark and is expected to have an electric charge of + 2/3 e. We present a measurement that discriminates between two top quark charge hypotheses using the muon+jets final state of toppair events detected with the CMS experiment. The measurement is performed with proton-proton collisions at √ s = 7 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb−1. We exploit charge correlations between high-pT muons from W boson decays and soft muons from B-hadron decays in b jets to constrain the top-quark charge. A normalised asymmetry of the events categorised with a charge of either +2/3 e or −4/3 e is calculated. The scenario with an exotic top quark charge of −4/3 e would correspond to an asymmetry between the two categories of A = −1. This can be excluded with high significance and the measured asymmetry of Ameas = 0.97 ± 0.12(stat.)± 0.31(sys.) agrees nicely with the standard-model expectation of A = +1.
Globalisation and Nigerian Economy: Diagnosis and Prognosis

The impact of globalisation on Nigerian economy is the thrust of this paper. The work uses vector autoregression method because of the variables’ interrelatedness, time series data of 1970-2013 were analysed. The results of the analysis show that globalisation has no significant impact on Nigerian economic development. It is empirically evident that each of Per Capita Income, Inflation Rate, Import Volume, Export Volume, Exchange Rate, Interest Rate and Globalisation is interrelated with one another. The work therefore emphasises the need for stable and efficient economic infrastructure in Nigeria so as to tackle the challenges of this global trend called globalisation. This will pave way for efficient investment, production and finance in the face of the global mechanism and avoid arbitrariness of the powerful international market players. Hence, Nigerian economy has an ample chance of reaping the benefit of globalised market.
YIELD PERFORMANCE, CARBON ASSIMILATION AND SPECTRAL RESPONSE OF TRITICALE TO WATER STRESS

SUMMARY Water stress is arguably the most limiting factor affecting cereal productivity in the world and its effects are likely to increase due to climate change. It is therefore imperative to have a wide-ranging understanding of water stress effects on crop physiological processes so as to better manage, improve and adapt crops to future climates. A field study was carried out to investigate the influence of four moisture levels on the following: (1) flag leaf CO2 assimilation and flag leaf carbon content; (2) the utility of flag leaf spectral reflectance to monitor leaf water status and as an indicator of biomass and grain yield; and (3) biomass and grain yield performance of four spring triticale genotypes in a dry winter environment (steppe, arid climate). The experiment was carried out in a factorial arrangement of four moisture levels and four spring type triticale genotypes). Soil moisture level significantly influenced biomass accumulation, grain yield, CO2 assimilation, flag leaf carbon content and spectral reflectance. Grain yield levels ranged from 0.8 to 3.5 t ha−1 in 2013 and 1.8 to 4.9 t ha−1 in 2014. CO2 assimilation was significantly higher under well-watered (WW) conditions (9.92 µmol m−2 s−1 in 2013; 11.64 µmol m−2 s−1 in 2014) and decreased gradually with moisture level to 1.82 and 4.74 µmol m−2 s−1 under severe stress (SS) in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Flag leaf carbon content was significantly higher under water limited conditions compared to WW. Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalised Difference Water Index (NDWI) and Water Index (WI) were significant and positively correlated to biomass and grain yield. WI was particularly strongly correlated to biomass (0.72***) and grain yield (0.55***). However, no clear varietal effects were detected. This study revealed that carbon tends to accumulate in flag leaves under water stress and that flag leaf carbon content is influenced more by the export capacity of the flag leaves than on CO2 assimilation rate. WI was found to be superior index in monitoring water stress in triticale compared to NDVI and NDWI. Above all, spring triticale proved to be adaptable to steppe (dry) climate of Limpopo and that livestock farmers in the province can successfully grow triticale for silage under MS conditions.
Corrigendum

This change results in part from correspondence withMrQuQingming (Uppsala University), following the publication ofMurdock et al. (2013). Qu submitted a Communication Arising to Nature concerning Murdock et al. (2013) and was instructed to forward his manuscript to us for response, as is normal practice with that journal. In hismanuscript Qu queried the difference between our digitally segmented, tomographic model of Proconodontus and our schematic diagram of the same (Murdock et al., 2013, Figs. 3 and 4), and presented his own diagram based on our tomographic model. Responding, we explained that the original schematic was focussed on emphasising the structural homologies, not the detailed morphogenesis, of paraand euconodonts. This correspondence, and specifically Qu’s diagram, formed part of the basis for our new schematic (Murdock et al., 2014, Fig. 1D) but this was not acknowledged in the original version of this paper.
Assessing the Visual Comfort, Visual Interest of Sunlight Patterns, and View Quality under Different Window Conditions in an Open-Plan Office

ABSTRACT Sunlight is a multisensory phenomenon that can enhance occupant’s comfort, health, and connection to the outside environment through its dynamic luminous and thermal attributes. One gap in the existing literature on sunlight exposure is in addressing the visual interest of sunlight patterns and its potential effects on visual comfort. This study employed an experimental procedure where 33 office workers were subjected to three different window and sunlight patterns: fractal pattern, striped pattern, and clear at an office building over three days (one condition per day). Subjective ratings and physical environmental measurements were collected and analyzed to understand differences among the three conditions. Results showed no significant differences in visual comfort or visual interest of sunlight patterns among the three conditions. Desk layout influenced visual interest and view quality ratings. The fractal and striped patterns negatively influenced view quality compared to the clear condition. These results suggest that the shape of window and sunlight patterns might have limited to no impact on visual comfort and interest in offices when workers are preoccupied performing typical office work.
Etymological Elaboration in Chéngyǔ 成语 Teaching

As a sub-type of Chinese idioms, chengyu 成语 play an important role in Chinese teaching. This study tested the effectiveness of etymological elaboration in relation to the type of instruction (direct or indirect), the degree of transparency of the chengyu, and the participants’ proficiency level. 48 post-elementary and 53 pre-intermediate learners were divided into three groups, one control and two experimental groups. The experimental groups attended to a 30-minute treatment, then a post-test was submitted to all the participants. Statistical and qualitative analysis revealed that indirect instruction was significantly more effective than direct instruction, independently from the participants’ competence level, and that opaque chengyu were more easily retained than transparent chengyu.
Chronostratigraphic framework and provenance of the Ossa-Morena Zone Carboniferous basins (southwest Iberia)

Carboniferous siliciclastic and silicic magmatic rocks from the Santa Susana–São Cristovão and Cabrela regions contain valuable information regarding the timing of synorogenic processes in SW Iberia. In this region of the Ossa-Morena Zone (OMZ), late Carboniferous terrigenous strata (i.e., the Santa Susana Formation) unconformably overlie early Carboniferous marine siliciclastic deposits alternating with volcanic rocks (i.e., the Toca da Moura volcano-sedimentary complex). Lying below this intra-Carboniferous unconformity, the Toca da Moura volcano-sedimentary complex is intruded and overlain by the Baleizão porphyry. Original sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) U–Pb zircon are presented in this paper, providing chronostratigraphic and provenance constraints since available geochronological information is scarce and only biostratigraphic ages are currently available for the Santa Susana–São Cristovão region. Our findings and the currently available detrital zircon ages from Paleozoic terranes of SW Iberia (Pulo do Lobo Zone – PLZ – South Portuguese Zone – SPZ – and OMZ) were jointly analyzed using the K–S test and multidimensional scaling (MDS) diagrams to investigate provenance. The marine deposition is constrained to the age range of ca. 335– 331 Ma (Visean) by new U–Pb data for silicic tuffs from the Toca da Moura and Cabrela volcano-sedimentary complexes. The Baleizão porphyry, intrusive in the Toca da Moura volcano-sedimentary complex, yielded a crystallization age of ca. 318 Ma (Bashkirian), providing the minimum age for the overlying intra-Carboniferous unconformity. A comparison of detrital zircon populations from siliciclastic rocks of the Cabrela and Toca de Moura volcano-sedimentary complexes of the OMZ suggests that they are derived from distinct sources more closely associated with the SPZ and PLZ than the OMZ. Above the intra-Carboniferous unconformity, the Santa Susana Formation is the result of the recycling of distinct sources located either on the Laurussian side (SPZ and PLZ) or Gondwanan side (OMZ) of the Rheic suture zone. The best estimate of the crystallization age of a granite cobble which was found in a conglomerate from the Santa Susana Formation yielded ca. 303 Ma (Kasimovian– Gzhelian), representing the maximum depositional age for the terrestrial strata. The intra-Carboniferous unconformity seems to represent a stratigraphic gap of approximately 12– 14 Myr, providing evidence of the rapid post-accretion and collision uplift of the Variscan orogenic belt in SW Iberia (i.e., the OMZ, PLZ, and SPZ). Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union. 1292 M. F. Pereira et al.: Carboniferous chronostratigraphy of the Ossa-Morena Zone
Breeding Behavior and Taxonomic Relationships of the Curlew Sandpiper

IN 1962, a small population of Curlew Sandpipers (Calidris ferruginea) appeared near Barrow, Alaska, in early June and nesting occurred. This afforded a most unexpected opportunity for us to gather comparative data as part of our earlier and continuing studies of congeners of this species breeding commonly in northern Alaska. These include the Pectoral Sandpiper, C. melanotos (Pitelka, 1959), the White-rumped Sandpiper, C. fuscicollis (Holmes and Pitelka, 1962), and others on which studies are progressing, such as the Dunlin, C. alpina (Holmes, MS). Portenko (1959), in presenting his observations on Curlew Sandpipers in Siberia and in reviewing the Russian and other European literature, has shown that little is known concerning the breeding behavior of this species, particularly its displays. Accordingly, it is our objective here to report our observations of C. ferruginea, including all details useful for later comparisons with other species. Our taxonomy follows that of the B.O. U. Check-list (1952) and Kozlova (1962); for additional comments, see pp. 377-378.
Adaptability and storability of CIP potato clones under long-day conditions of Central Asia

After the breakdown of the USSR, potato seed and production systems collapsed in all central Asian republics resulting in a loss of valuable Russian and local varieties and consequent import of poorly adapted cultivars. In an effort to assist NARS of Central Asia, CIP supplied advanced potato clones for evaluation of their varietal potential under long day conditions as a means to support local farm-based and formal seed systems, among them some germplasm materials from the Lowland Tropic Virus Resistant (LTVR) population. In Uzbekistan, the most promising clones identified in three years’ multilocation trials were as follows: 390478.9, early bulking, 388676.1, 397073.16, 391180.6, mid-early and 397077.16, medium maturing, with multilocation adaptability, while 388615.22 was early bulking and 392797.22 (UNICA) was mid-early maturing. The latter two clones showed the best performance in the lowlands during the first and second growing season, respectively. Storability was assessed under traditional and controlled atmospheric conditions and clones classified according to their dormancy period. Clone 397073.16 had the most noticeable apical dominance and the longest sprout length in both storage methods. A positive correlation existed between weight loss and the length of the longest sprout for all the clones, under the traditional storage method. The highest weight losses were reported for clone 397069.11 (8.84%) under controlled storage conditions and 397073.16 (8.03%) under traditional store conditions at 53 and 45 days from dormancy release, respectively. The study indicated that under traditional storage conditions, varieties with longer dormancy period and slower rate of sprout growth have limited weight loss during storage and, therefore, better keeping quality.
Financial Innovation and Financial Performance in Financial Institutions in Uganda

This study investigates the influence of financial innovation on financial performance in financial institutions in Uganda during 2008-2014. Financial innovation dimensions examined included product innovation, process innovation, client mix innovation, distribution channel innovation and innovation culture. Financial performance was measured using ROA and ROE. To accomplish the research objectives, the quantitative research method (questionnaire and secondary data) was adopted. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 in which correlation and multiple regression analyzes were performed. Results showed that the relationship between financial innovation and financial performance is positive (r = 0.1397, p = 0.0514).
A systematic review on the effects of Lesson Study and Learning Study on teachers and students

Purpose – There has been rapid proliferation of Lesson Studies and Learning Studies over the world. Do they really help teachers’ professional development and student learning? The purpose of this paper is to review studies from 2000 to 2010 on Lesson Study and Learning Study to unravel their benefits on teachers and students. Design/methodology/approach – Relevant studies were screen and extracted on available electronic databases to evaluate outcome of Lesson Study and Learning Study. The results were based on nine studies which examined the achievement of Learning Study and Lesson Study. Findings – All reviews identified positive evidence supporting the benefits of Lesson Study and Learning Study as powerful tool to help teachers examine their practices and enhance student learning. Although all nine studies showed positive effects of Lesson Study and Learning Study on teaching, learning or both, different outcome measures were employed and the study designs varied in qualities. Originality/value – More well-controlled studies with consistent and validated outcome measures were recommended in the future to address the shortand long-term effects of Lesson Study on students, teachers, and school level. Efforts should be focussed on unveiling the relationship between what is taught and what is learned. Studies using these approaches with more vigorous procedures in randomization and blinding should be implemented.
Image-Based Assessment of the Modulation Transfer Function of Optical Remote Sensing Instruments

Satellites with passive optical sensors are widely used for remote sensing of the Earth’s surface, with applications ranging from cartography to the monitoring of natural resources. The optical components of the sensor generate images of the reflected solar radiation by the Earth’s surface in different spectral channels between 400 and 2500 nm. The quality of the resulting images is defined by the instrument spectral, radiometric, and spatial responses. In the later case, the spatial response conditions the spatial resolution of the images, and it is defined by the Modulation Transfer Function (MTF). In this work, two methods to assess the MTF of the optical instrument using in-flight satellite images are implemented. On of them allows to estimate the MTF response from sharp contrast edges, while the other uses pulse targets identified within the image. Once the performance of both algorithms is validated with ideal simulations and the Reference Dataset provided by the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), MTF estimations of the European Space Agency Sentinel-2 Multispectral Imager are carried out. The obtained results are similar to those reported at the official Data Product Quality Report of the agency. Finally, the effect of the geometric correction on the final spatial quality of the image has been analyzed for Sentinel-2 images.
INFINITESIMAL HILBERTIANITY OF LOCALLY CAT(κ)-SPACES

We show that, given a metric space (Y, d) of curvature bounded from above in the sense of Alexandrov, and a positive Radon measure μ on Y giving finite mass to bounded sets, the resulting metric measure space (Y, d, μ) is infinitesimally Hilbertian, i.e. the Sobolev space W 1,2(Y, d, μ) is a Hilbert space. The result is obtained by constructing an isometric embedding of the ‘abstract and analytical’ space of derivations into the ‘concrete and geometrical’ bundle whose fibre at x ∈ Y is the tangent cone at x of Y. The conclusion then follows from the fact that for every x ∈ Y such a cone is a CAT(0) space and, as such, has a Hilbert-like structure.
Melatonin attenuates the inflammatory response via inhibiting the C / EBP homologous protein-mediated pathway in taurocholate-induced acute pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a serious disease characterized by the activation of trypsin, autodigestion, edemas, hemorrhages and necrosis. However, the mechanisms of regulating the apoptosis and inflammation of acinar cells in AP remain unclear. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related molecule, c/EBP homologous protein (cHOP), has proapoptotic and pro‐inflammatory properties, in addition to regulating ER stress responses. In the present study, a lentivirus-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) approach was used to specifically knockdown the expression of cHOP in the pancreatic tissue of Sprague-dawley rats to investigate the potential role of cHOP during AP, which was induced by the retrograde injection of 5% taurocholate into the biliopancreatic duct of rats. Pre-treatment with melatonin was further used to identify the potential anti‐inflammatory mechanisms in AP. Pancreatic tissues were procured for western blot analysis, histological examination, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical staining. ER stress was rapidly activated in the early stage and increased over time in the rat AP model. However, the silencing of cHOP expression markedly inhibited apoptosis and ER stress, reducing the activation of nuclear factor-κB and inflammation injury in AP. Melatonin also exhibited anti‐inflammatory and apoptotic effects, and significantly decreased the expression of cHOP. Thus, it can be concluded that the cHOP-mediated pathway serves an important role in the development of AP, and that melatonin can reduce pancreatic damage via the inhibition of cHOP expression.
Dynamic distribution of ryanodine receptors in cardiac muscles

ii Preface . iv Table of Contents . vi List of Tables . x List of Figures . xi List of Abbreviations . xiii Acknowledgements . xiv Dedications. xv 1. Introduction . 1 1.1 Excitation-contraction coupling . 1 1.2 Myocyte architecture . 4 1.2.1 Ryanodine receptors . 7 1.2.1.1 The macromolecular complex of RyR within the SR . 8 1.2.2 L-type calcium channel . 10 1.2.3 The sodium-calcium exchanger . 11 1.2.4 Caveolin 3 . 12 1.2.5 Junctophilin . 13 1.3 Ryanodine receptor’s structure and function . 15 1.3.1 Ultrastructure of the RyR . 16 1.3.1.1 Movements associated with channel gating and coupled gating . 16 1.3.2 RyR arrays . 19 vii 1.3.3 Regulation of RyR2 . 20 1.3.3.1 Calcium, magnesium and ATP . 21 1.3.3.2 FKBP 12 . 23 1.3.3. 3 Calmodulin . 24 1.3.3.4 Phosphorylation . 25 1.3.3.4.1 RyR2 phosphorylation and cardiac disease . 27 1.3.3.4.2 Mechanisms underlying different effects of PKA and CaMKII on RyR2 gating. 29 1.4 Research hypotheses and aims . 31 1.4.1 Chapter 2 . 31 1.4.2 Chapter 3 . 31 1.4.3 Chapter 4 . 31 2. Axial tubules of rat ventricular myocytes form multiple junctions with the SR . 32 2.1 Synopsis . 32 2.2 Introduction . 32 2.3 Methods. 34 2.3.1 EM tissue processing . 35 2.3.2 Preparing sections for single-axis tomography . 36 2.3.3 Image acquisition and tomography . 36 2.3.4 Fluorescence microscopy . 37 2.4 Results . 37 2.5 Discussion . 52 3. The structure and functioning of the couplon in the mammalian cardiomyocyte . 57 viii 3.1 Introduction . 57 3.2 Hypotheses . 61 3.2.1 Couplons are diverse and some are variable amplifiers of ECC . 61 3.2.2 The RyR2 within a couplon form a disordered array . 64 4. Non-uniform and variable arrangements of ryanodine receptors within mammalian ventricular couplons . 71 4.1 Introduction . 71 4.2 Materials and methods . 72 4.2.1 Experimental protocol . 73 4.2.2 Identification and placement of ryanodine receptors . 73 4.2.3 Statistical analyses . 74 4.2.4 Supplemental method . 74 4.2.4.1 Calcium sparks in permeabilized myocytes . 75 4.2.4.2 Phosphorylation . 76 4.2.4.3 Confirmation of RYR2 phosphorylation . 77 4.2.4.4 In situ fixation . 78 4.2.4.5 Preparation for tomography . 78 4.2.4.6 Image acquisition and tomography . 78 4.3 Results . 79 4.4 Discussion . 105 5. General discussion . 111 5.1 Overview . 111 5.2 Merging the finding of this thesis work and its significance to the field . 112 ix 5.2.1 Cellular architecture and calcium release units . 112 5.2.2 Dyadic clefts are not filled with RyR2 . 117 5.2.3 RyR2 do not occur in regular arrays . 119 5.2.4 Non-uniform arrangements . 121 5.2.4.1 Cytoplasmic magnesium . 122 5.2.4.2 The effect of phosphorylation on channel distribution . 123 5.2.5 Channel movement . 128 5.3 Significance . 128 Bibliography . 129
Isoliquiritigenin inhibits the survival of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cells by regulating Akt/mTOR signaling pathway

Purpose: To investigate the effect of isoliquiritigenin (ISL) on diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cells and its underlying mechanism of action.Methods: The DLBCL cell line OCI-Ly19 was used in this study. Cell proliferation was measured by MTT assay. Apoptosis was evaluated using flow cytometry. Phosphorylation of Akt and mTOR was assessed using Western blotting.Results: DLBCL cell proliferation was suppressed by ISL in a concentration-dependent manner. The number of apoptotic cells increased following ISL treatment in a concentration-dependent manner (p < 0.05). ISL treatment also stopped the cell cycle at the G1 phase in a concentration-dependent manner. Western blot analysis indicated that there was no significant Akt and mTOR expression in cells treated with 10, 20, or 50 μM ISL (p < 0.05). However, Akt and mTOR phosphorylation was upregulated following treatment with 10, 20, or 50 μM ISL in a concentration-dependent manner (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The results demonstrate that ISL inhibits DLBCL cell proliferation and promotes cell apoptosis by blocking the cell cycle transition from the G1 to S phase, which is mediated by the inactivation of the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Keywords: Isoliquiritigenin, Cell survival, Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, Akt/mTOR signaling pathway