Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of Protein-based Tools to Image and Modulate Ca2+ Signaling

Optogenetics has emerged as a branch of biotechnology that combines genetic engineering with optics to observe intracellular changes as well as control cellular function. Despite recent progress, there still remains the need for an optogenetic tool that can specifically control Ca. Such a tool would greatly facilitate the study of highly Ca-dependent cellular processes that are regulated both spatially and temporally. Ca signaling regulates many cellular processes in both healthy and diseased cells. The ability to modulate the shape, duration, and amplitude of Ca signaling is important for elucidating mechanisms by which endogenous Ca concentrations are maintained. In this thesis, we used optogenetic approaches to explore a number of strategies to control Ca influx through store-operated Ca entry (SOCE) mediated by Stim1 and Orai1. To better study Ca signaling in live cells, protein-based biosensors can be developed to monitor intracellular Ca changes. To aid in this, we developed a computational modeling tool called FPMOD to improve both new and existing biosensor designs. Although FPMOD was initially intended for evaluating biosensor designs, other
“Income vs. education” revisited – the roles of “family face” and gender in Chinese consumers' luxury consumption

PurposeThe transgenerational influence of inherited family capital on consumers' luxury consumption has been studied recently in the mature luxury market. However, little research explores this topic in the emerging luxury market. In China's Confucian culture, “family face” as part of “family inheritance” has been conceptualized as a factor driving luxury consumption. However, this hypothesis has not been empirically tested. The current research, therefore, seeks to examine the impact of economic and cultural capital on Chinese consumers' luxury consumption within the family inheritance context and the roles that face concern and gender play to reveal the particularities of a specific emerging luxury market.Design/methodology/approachA sample of 324 Chinese consumers was recruited in Shanghai. With the full sample, the author first assessed the effects of economic and educational capital (both personal and family sources) and face concern on luxury consumption using regression analyses. Next, the author conducted the regression analyses again by gender.FindingsUnlike trends in the mature luxury market, Chinese consumers' educational levels do not drive their luxury consumption, and the transgenerational influence of economic and cultural capital functions as a negative factor. Influenced by the patrilineal tradition, higher levels of luxury consumption to compensate for parents' lower income and educational levels and to enhance family face are found only in the male consumer group, but not in the female group.Originality/valueThis research contributes to expanding the current understanding of emerging luxury markets and how the Confucian tradition influences Chinese consumers' luxury consumption through gender role norms.
Variation of carbon uptake from forest species in Mexico: a review

Currently, assessing carbon content in forest species is considered essential for programs designed to mitigate global warming. Although in Mexico these studies are becoming more numerous, we still do not know the state of the art in this scientific field. To our knowledge there is a lack of a systematic synthesis of the current condition of carbon sequestration from forest species in Mexico. This would be a useful baseline for scientists interested in further developing carbon studies. The aim of the present study is to analyze the variations of carbon uptake in Mexican forest species. From a comprehensive literature review of indexed journals and specialized databases, this study records the efforts made to record carbon storage rates in Mexican forests based on species, tree components, regions and ecosystems. The results identify those areas that are frequently the subject of research, as well as where opportunities exist and where efforts should be targeted, particularly in rainforests that have been the subject of very few research studies. This study to generate the first Mexican data base that summarizes state of the art data on the topic under study and contributes to a better understanding of potential functional relationships between diversity and carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems in Mexico.
Dried Watermelon Rind Mash Diet Increases Plasma l-Citrulline Level in Chicks

Heat stress is an increasing concern in poultry industry as it can cause a rise in the body temperature of chickens. Recently, we reported that l-citrulline (l-Cit) is a potential hypothermic agent that could improve thermotolerance in chicks. However, synthetic l-Cit has not yet been approved for inclusion in animal diets. l-Cit was first isolated from watermelon. Watermelon rind (WR), an agricultural waste product, contains more l-Cit than the flesh of the fruit. In the current study, the chemical composition and l-Cit content of WR dried powder (WRP) were determined. WRP was mixed with water at a ratio of 4:5 (wt/v) to make WRP mash, and then mixed with a commercial starter diet to prepare a 9% WRP mash diet. The WRP mash diet was fed to 3- to 15-day-old chicks and daily food intake, body weight, and changes in rectal temperature were measured. At the end of the experiment, blood was collected from the chicks to analyze plasma l-Cit and other free amino acids. The chemical analysis of WRP revealed a variety of components including 19.1% crude protein. l-Cit was the most abundant free amino acid in WRP (3.18 mg/g). Chronic supplementation of the WRP mash diet significantly increased compensatory food intake, plasma l-Cit, l-ornithine, and l-tyrosine in chicks. WRP mash diet did not affect the body temperature of the chicks. In conclusion, WRP mash diet supplementation increased plasma l-Cit concentration in chicks. The increase in plasma l-Cit concentrations suggest that WR could be used as a natural source of l-Cit in chicks to ameliorate the adverse effects of heat stress.
Evaluation of cytoplasmic male sterile lines of chilli pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) and their utilization in heterosis breeding

A total of 17 cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) lines were evaluated under the low (E1 and E3) and the high (E2 and E4) temperature regimes of 2014-15 and 2015-16. Based on pollen sterility and pollen release score, 10 lines namely CMS4611A, CMS4614A, CMS4622A, CMS4624A, CMS4626A, CMS46213A, CMS463D2A, CMS463D13A, CMS463D14A and CMS463L5A have been identified as temperature stable. The lines showed normal fruit and seed setting ability under the open pollination conditions, and have commercially acceptable fruit traits. The marker analysis of three selected CMS Aand their respective CMS B-lines showed that the genome recovery of the recurrent parent in CMS4611A, CMS4626A and CMS463D13A was estimated to be 98.8, 98.9 and 96.6%, respectively. Three CMS lines and 20 potential restorer lines were evaluated in a Line × tester mating design to estimate combing ability and heterosis over the better parent and two standard checks over three environments viz. the early season (E1), the main season (E2) and the late season (E3). Over the environments, the estimates due to GCA lines, GCA testers and SCA crosses were significant for all the 15 plant growth, yield and quality traits, except due to GCA lines for number of primary branches plant -1 . The magnitude of the additive variance (σ 2 A) was more than the non-additive variance (σ 2 D) for all the traits studied except for number of primary branches plant -1 in E2, E3, and across the three environments; and for plant height, plant spread and number of fruits plant -1 in E3. The CMS line CMS463D13A and the testers SL 475, IS 268, PP 402, FL 201 and C 142 were identified for use in breeding to develop high yielding genotypes with superior horticultural traits for early, main and late season environments. Hybrids were identified for different crop seasons and for different purposes. Pooled across the environments, the cross CMS463D13A × IS 268 was good specific combiner for total yield palnt 1 , number of primary branches plant -1 , fruit weight, number of seed fruit -1 , capsaicin content and SHU, and involved good × good GCA parents. The maximum mean better parent heterosis over environments was exhibited for total yield plant -1 (35.29%), followed by number of primary branches plant -1 (17.96%), number of seed fruit -1 (12.46) and number of fruits plant -1 (11.43%). The crosses CMS463D13A × SL 475, CMS463D13A × VR 523, CMS463D13A × YL 581 and CMS463D13A × IS 268 performed consistently superior over environments in respect of per se and standard heterosis for total yield plant -1 , fruit weight and fruit length, and CMS463D13A × SL 475 for total yield plant -1 , capsaicin content and SHU. These crosses are recommended for multilocation testing.
Origin of b-Carotene-Rich Plastoglobuli in Dunaliella bardawil 1(C)(W)(OPEN)

The halotolerant microalgae Dunaliella bardawil accumulates under nitrogen deprivation two types of lipid droplets: plastoglobuli rich in b-carotene (bC-plastoglobuli) and cytoplasmatic lipid droplets (CLDs). We describe the isolation, composition, and origin of these lipid droplets. Plastoglobuli contain b-carotene, phytoene, and galactolipids missing in CLDs. The two preparations contain different lipid-associated proteins: major lipid droplet protein in CLD and the Prorich carotene globule protein in bC-plastoglobuli. The compositions of triglyceride (TAG) molecular species, total fatty acids, and sn-1+3 and sn-2 positions in the two lipid pools are similar, except for a small increase in palmitic acid in plastoglobuli, suggesting a common origin. The formation of CLD TAG precedes that of bC-plastoglobuli, reaching a maximum after 48 h of nitrogen deprivation and then decreasing. Palmitic acid incorporation kinetics indicated that, at early stages of nitrogen deprivation, CLD TAG is synthesized mostly from newly formed fatty acids, whereas in bC-plastoglobuli, a large part of TAG is produced from fatty acids of preformed membrane lipids. Electron microscopic analyses revealed that CLDs adhere to chloroplast envelope membranes concomitant with appearance of small bCplastoglobuli within the chloroplast. Based on these results, we propose that CLDs in D. bardawil are produced in the endoplasmatic reticulum, whereas bC-plastoglobuli are made, in part, from hydrolysis of chloroplast membrane lipids and in part, by a continual transfer of TAG or fatty acids derived from CLD.
Variation in Carbohydrate Reserves and Dry Matter Production of Bush Tea (Athrixia phylicoides) Grown under Different Environmental Conditions

Reserve carbohydrates are critical for herbage yields, productivity as well as management strategies of bush tea ( Athrixia phylicoides DC). This study was conducted to evaluate carbohydrate accumulation in response to pruning seasons (summer, autumn, winter, and spring) involving different organs grown under different conditions and to determine mean dry matter production of bush tea. Three separate parallel trials were conducted under wild, ﬁeld, and glasshouse conditions. Seasons and different growing sites were considered as treatments. Treatments for all controlled trials (ﬁeld and glasshouse) consisted of seasonal pruning (winter, spring, summer, and autumn). Trials were arranged using a randomized complete block design with 25 single plants as replicates per treatment. Seasonal responses revealed that winter had the highest starch (145.0 mg · g L 1 ) in the stems and reserve carbohydrates (480.6 mg · g L 1 ) in the roots, whereas in the roots sugar (400.6 mg · g L 1 ) was highest in summer. The highest signiﬁcant root reserve carbohydrates occurred in winter (594.6 mg · g L 1 ) and the lowest in autumn (fall) (313.3 mg · g L 1 ). Bush tea plants pruned during winter
Prevalence of sleep disorders among university students and its impact on academic performance

ABSTRACT Sleep disorders can have a critical effect on health and academic performance. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and academic impact of various sleep disorders on university students by gender. This cross-sectional study was conducted between May and September 2019. The prevalence of sleep disorders was assessed using the validated SLEEP-50 Questionnaire. Overall, 637 university students participated in the study (response rate: 100%); of these, 368 (57.8%) were female and 455 (71.4%) were > 20 years old. A total of 433 students (68.0%) had grade point averages (GPAs) of 2–3, whereas 20 (3.1%) had GPAs of < 2. The most common sleep disorders were narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, insomnia, and obstructive sleep apnoea, whereas sleepwalking and nightmares were infrequent. Sleep disorders were significantly associated with low GPA among female students. University students are at risk for sleep disorders, with such disorders associated with decreased academic performance among females.
A proposed description of the natural life cycle of Amblyomma brasiliense (Acari: Ixodidae) in a primary Atlantic rainforest environment in Brazil

Abstract The life cycles, under experimental conditions, of many neotropical ticks including Amblyomma brasiliense Aragão have been elucidated, however relatively little information is available with reference to their life cycles under natural conditions. The present study sought to investigate the natural life cycle of A. brasiliense, an aggressive human biting tick, within the Itatiaia National Park (INP), Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. A total of 245 ticks, collected from wild birds, peccaries (Tayassu pecari) and humans or recovered free-living on forest trails, were included in the analyses. All ticks were identified as A. brasiliense using a combination of morphological and molecular techniques (polymerase chain reaction and nucleotide sequencing). The parasitological data produced in this investigation, were combined with findings from previous studies to elaborate a proposed, natural life cycle for A. brasiliense in the INP, a preserved Atlantic rainforest habitat. It is suggested that, T. pecari serve as primary hosts, with wild birds and small mammals functioning as alternative hosts for immature stages and that humans may act as occasional hosts, possibly in consequence of eco-tourism activities. The molecular analyses performed in this study resulted in the identification and deposition of new sequences for fragments of the mitochondrial genes encoding 12S ribosomal RNA (12S rRNA) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI). The availability of those sequences will be beneficial to other researchers conducting future or retrospective analysis of tick sequencing data. Finally, in common with previous surveys, molecular screening by PCR for the 17kDa and gltA targets provided no evidence for A. brasiliense as a vector of Rickettsia sp.
Corporate social responsibility and organizational commitment: effects of CSR attitude, organizational trust and identification

Drawing from the social identity theory and social exchange theory, the purpose of this study is to examine the intervening mechanisms linking perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) and employees’ affective organizational commitment. It is proposed that organizational trust (OT) and organizational identification (OID) would serially mediate the aforementioned relationship. Furthermore, this paper attempts to understand how employees’ attitude toward the importance of CSR (ICSR), moderates the linkages under the focus of this study. ,This descriptive study was conducted among a sample of 519 employees working in the manufacturing sector in India. Self-reporting standardized questionnaires were administered among the respondents, who were selected through the judgment sampling method. Measurement model analysis was done using IBM AMOS 24.0 and Hayes’ PROCESS macro 3.0 (Models 6 and 84) was used for testing the serial mediation and moderated serial mediation. ,Results revealed a significant indirect effect of all dimensions of CSR on employees’ affective commitment, serially mediated through OT and OID. The conditional indirect effects varied significantly and it was identified that CSR to customers and CSR to employees had a significant conditional indirect effect on affective commitment, through attitude toward the ICSR, OID and OT. However, the conditional indirect effect of CSR to social and non-social stakeholders on affective commitment was not statistically significant. ,This study is pioneering in conceptualizing and empirically testing an integrated theoretical framework that models the influences of perceived CSR, employees’ attitude toward the ICSR, OID and OT on their affective commitment toward the organization. CSR plays a vital role in strengthening the employer-employee relationship and managers should facilitate a work environment that befits the alignment of organizational and individual ethics and values.
Selection of chipper engine size based on business scale and optimised cost of chipping and transportation

ABSTRACT The best chipper engine size was obtained by optimising the chipping operation according to business scale and transportation cost. The total chip supply cost could be reduced by improving the rate of machine utilisation of chippers. From regression analysis, the engine power of chippers expressed well the chipping and transportation costs, and the trade-off relationship between these costs was proved by the model supply chain in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. The chipper with a middle-sized engine, with an engine power of 200–400 kW, was the best choice in the perspective of economy and transportation management while the business scale needed to be at least 20,000 solid m3 year−1. The total supply cost by a chipper with a smaller engine was not the best but it could be recommended to attract small-scale companies that produce less than 10,000 solid m3 year−1. Chippers with a larger engine could be introduced if the business scale was about 50,000 solid m3 year−1. However, even if the chipping cost could be reduced, the supply chain would require larger trucks or trailers on such a large business scale. The shuttle transportation system needs to be improved to reduce the unloading time that occupies one-fifth to one-fourth of a cycle time and empty drives.
Taking Goldschmidt to the Woods: Timberland Ownership and Quality of Life in Alabama*

We use a database of property tax records for 13.6 million acres representing every parcel of privately owned timberland in 48 rural Alabama counties to test two hypotheses inspired by Walter Goldschmidt relating land ownership and quality of life. Our data show private ownership is highly concentrated and 62 percent is absentee owned. We employed Pearson correla- tions alongside Poisson and negative binomial regression models to estimate influence of both concentrated private ownership and absentee ownership of timberland. Our findings support Goldschmidt-inspired hypotheses that concentrated and absentee ownership of timberland exhibit a significant adverse relationship with quality of life as measured by educational attainment, poverty, unemployment, food insecurity, eligibility for free or reduced price lunch at public schools, Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program participation, and population density. Low property taxes in Alabama limit the ability of local governments to generate revenue to support public education or meet other infrastructural or service needs in rural areas. We call on rural sociologists and kindred spirits to pay more attention to the fundamental importance of land ownership which shapes the foundations of power and inequality affecting rural life in America and beyond.
Magnetic field effects on surfactants adsorption on the solid surface as regards of its wettability

The static magnetic field MF (0.44 T) effects on the adsorption of three surfactants: cationic bromide (DTAB) and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and anionic sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) from their 10–3 M solutions were studied on bare and low-temperature air plasma treated glass plates. The surface properties of the adsorbed surfactants layers were determined via the water advancing and receding contact angles measurements and then calculation of the apparent surface free energy. An optical profilometer was used to determine the structure and topography of the adsorbed layers. The DTAB and SDS concentrations were below their critical micelle concentration and that of CTAB very close to its cmc. The results showed that in the case of DTAB solution (much below its cmc) a small decrease in the contact angle appeared while in CTAB (close to its cmc) an increase in the contact angle value was observed if adsorbed in the MF presence. Quite good reproducibility of the contact angle values was obtained. This was not the case for the SDS solution where the contact angle values were scattered. The reason was that the anionic surfactant did not adsorb homogeneously on the negatively charged glass surface. The contact angles and the calculated values of the work of water spreading clearly show that MF influences the structure of the surfactant adsorbed layer which was also supported by the optical profilometry images.
Ensemble forecasting of Corbicula fluminea worldwide distribution: Projections of the impact of climate change

Global biodiversity is at risk owing to climate change, and freshwater ecosystems are expected to suffer the most. In recent years niche-based models (NBMs) have been used to predict species distribution and are an important tool for conservation and management of aquatic ecosystems. In this work, the current and future climatic suitability areas of the invasive species Corbicula fluminea, which has known adverse ecological and economic impacts, were investigated. The species distribution modelling was based on nine algorithms in BIOMOD2, summarized in an ensemble forecasting approach. To model the species distribution, eight climatic parameters related to temperature and precipitation variables were considered. Three time frames (current, 2050 and 2070) were modelled using four increasing CO2 emission scenarios. The performance of individual models was excellent according to the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and good to excellent according to true skill statistics (TSS). Annual mean temperature, minimum temperature of the coldest month and mean temperature of the coldest quarter were the most important variables predicting C. fluminea occurrence. Of the total continental area, 6.6% was predicted to be suitable for C. fluminea in current conditions. In the future, suitable area will increase from the current value of 6.6% to values from 9.4% to 12.6%, according to the 2050 projections and up to 12.7% in 2070 in high emission scenarios. Overall, the results indicate that climate change will favour the expansion of C. fluminea into new river basins, especially at higher latitudes, and that future climatic scenarios may double the suitable area for Corbicula fluminea.