Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Dynamic Changes of Brassica napus Seed Microbiota across the Entire Seed Life in the Field

The seed microbiota is an important component given by nature to plants, protecting seeds from damage by other organisms and abiotic stress. However, little is known about the dynamic changes and potential functions of the seed microbiota during seed development. In this study, we investigated the composition and potential functions of the seed microbiota of rapeseed (Brassica napus). A total of 2496 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) belonging to 504 genera in 25 phyla were identified, and the seed microbiota of all sampling stages were divided into three groups. The microbiota of flower buds, young pods, and seeds at 20 days after flowering (daf) formed the first group; that of seeds at 30 daf, 40 daf and 50 daf formed the second group; that of mature seeds and parental seeds were clustered into the third group. The functions of seed microbiota were identified by using PICRUSt2, and it was found that the substance metabolism of seed microbiota was correlated with those of the seeds. Finally, sixty-one core ASVs, including several potential human pathogens, were identified, and a member of the seed core microbiota, Sphingomonas endophytica, was isolated from seeds and found to promote seedling growth and enhance resistance against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, a major pathogen in rapeseed. Our findings provide a novel perspective for understanding the composition and functions of microbiota during seed development and may enhance the efficiency of mining beneficial seed microbes.
Optimal investment with transaction costs and dividends for an insurer

This paper investigates the optimal investment problems for an insurer whose reserve process is approximated by a diffusion model. The insurer is allowed to invest its wealth in the financial market consisting of one risk-free asset (bond) and one risky asset (stock). There are charges which equal to a fixed percentage of the amount transferred between the two assets. Under different criteria, we consider two optimization problems: one is maximizing the expected discounted utility of the dividends; the other is maximizing the insurer’s expected utility of the terminal wealth. We obtain that the optimal investment strategies are bang-bang strategies in both of the two problems. Numerical examples are given to illustrate our results.
Automatic Activation of the Self in a Persuasion Context

a Anick Bosmans is a Doctoral Candidate, Research Centre for Consumer Psychology and Marketing, Hoveniersberg 24, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. E-mail: Anick.Bosmans@rug.ac. be b Patrick Van Kenhove is Professor at University of Ghent, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration and at the Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School, Department of Marketing, Hoveniersberg 24, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. E-mail: Patrick.VanKenhove@rug.ac. be c Peter Vlerick is Professor at University of Ghent, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Department of Personnel Management, Work and Organizational Psychology, Henri Dunantlaan 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. E-mail: Peter.Vlerick@rug.ac. be d Hendrik Hendrickx is Visiting Professor at University of Ghent, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Department of Marketing, and Director of the Research Centre for Consumer Psychology and Marketing. Hoveniersberg 24, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. E-mail: Hendrik.Hendrickx@rug.ac. be
Efficient Computation of Isometry-Invariant Distances Between Surfaces

We present an efficient computational framework for isometry-invariant comparison of smooth surfaces. We formulate the Gromov-Hausdorff distance as a multidimensional scaling-like continuous optimization problem. In order to construct an efficient optimization scheme, we develop a numerical tool for interpolating geodesic distances on a sampled surface from precomputed geodesic distances between the samples. For isometry-invariant comparison of surfaces in the case of partially missing data, we present the partial embedding distance, which is computed using a similar scheme. The main idea is finding a minimum-distortion mapping from one surface to another, while considering only relevant geodesic distances. We discuss numerical implementation issues and present experimental results that demonstrate its accuracy and efficiency.
Low in # ation , pass-through , and the pricing power of " rms

Recently there has been a signi"cant decline in the degree to which "rms &pass through' changes in costs to prices, a decline that is frequently characterized as a reduction in the &pricing power' of "rms. The decline appears to be associated with the decline in in#ation in many countries. The decline has important implications for monetary policy because it a! ects both forecasts of in#ation and the e! ects of changes in monetary policy on in#ation. Some have argued that the decline in pricing power helped to keep in#ation low in the face of apparently strong demand pressures in the United States in the late 1990s. This paper puts forth the view that the decline in pass-through or pricing power is due to the low in#ation environment that has recently been achieved in many countries. First, a microeconomic model of price setting is used to show that lower pass-through is caused by lower perceived persistence of cost changes. Evidence is then presented showing that in#ation is positively correlated with persistence of in#ation, suggesting that the low in#ation itself has caused the low pass-through. An economy-wide model consistent with the micromodel is then presented to illustrate how such changes in pricing power a! ect output and in#ation dynamics in favorable ways, but can disappear quickly if monetary policy and expectations change. ( 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. JEL classixcation: E31; E52; F41
Complexes of .NO with nucleophiles as agents for the controlled biological release of nitric oxide. Vasorelaxant effects.

Selected nucleophile/nitric oxide adducts [compounds which contain the anionic moiety, XN(O-)N = O] were studied for their ability to release nitric oxide spontaneously in aqueous solution and for possible vasoactivity. The diversity of structures chosen included those in which the nucleophile residue, X, was that of a secondary amine [Et2N, as in [Et2NN(N = O)O]Na, 1], a primary amine [iPrHN, as in [iPrHNN(N = O)O]Na, 2], a polyamine, spermine [as in the zwitterion H2N(CH2)3NH2+(CH2)4N[N(N = O)O-](CH2)3NH2, 3], oxide [as in Na[ON(N = O)O]Na, 4], and sulfite [as in NH4[O3SN(N = O)O]NH4, 5]. The rate constants (k) for decomposition in pH 7.4 phosphate buffer at 37 degrees C, as measured by following loss of chromophore at 230-260 nm, were as follows: 1, 5.4 x 10(-3) s-1; 2, 5.1 x 10(-3) s-1; 3, 0.30 x 10(-3) s-1; 4, 5.0 x 10(-3) s-1; and 5, 1.7 x 10(-3) s-1. The corresponding extents of nitric oxide release (ENO) were 1.5, 0.73, 1.9, 0.54, and 0.001 mol/mol of starting material consumed, respectively, as determined from the integrated chemiluminescence response. Vasodilatory activities expressed as the concentrations required to induce 50% relaxation in norepinephrine-constricted aortic rings bathed in pH 7.4 buffer at 37 degrees C (EC50) were as follows: 1, 0.19 microM; 2, 0.45 microM; 3, 6.2 microM; 4, 0.59 microM; and 5, 62 microM. Vasorelaxant potency (expressed as 1/EC50) was strongly correlated with the quantity of . NO calculated from the physicochemical data to be released in the interval required to achieve maximum relaxation at the EC50 doses (r = 0.995). This suggests that such nucleophile/. NO adducts might generally be useful as vehicles for the nonenzymatic generation of nitric oxide, in predictable amounts and at predictable rates, for biological purposes. The particular significance for possible drug design is underscored in the very favorable potency comparison between several of these agents and the established nitrovasodilators sodium nitroprusside and glyceryl trinitrate (EC50 values of 2.0 and greater than 10 microM, respectively) in parallel aortic ring tests.
Geology, Fluid Inclusion Characteristics and H–O–C Isotopes of Large Lijiagou Pegmatite Spodumene Deposit in Songpan–Garze Fold Belt, Eastern Tibet: Implications for ore Genesis

The large, newly discovered Lijiagou pegmatite spodumene deposit, is located southeast of the Ke'eryin pegmatite ore field, in the central Songpan–Garze Fold Belt (SGFB), Eastern Tibet. The Lijiagou albite spodumene pegmatites are unzoned, granite‐pegmatites of the subtype LCT (Lithium, Cesium, and Tantalum) and consist of medium‐ to coarse‐grained spodumene, lepidolite, microcline, albite, quartz, muscovite, and accessory amounts of beryl, cassiterite, columbite–tantalite and zircon. Secondary fluid inclusions in quartz and spodumene include two‐phase aqueous inclusions (V + L), mono‐phase vapor inclusions (V); three‐phase CO2‐rich CO2–H2O inclusions (CO2 + V + L) and less abundant liquid inclusions (L). The homogenization temperature of the fluid inclusions are low (257.3 to 204.3°C in early stage, 250.3 to 199.6°C in middle stage, 218.7 to 200.6°C in late stage). Fluid inclusions were formed during the long cooling period from the temperature of the pegmatite emplacement. Liquid–vapor–gas boiling was extensive during the middle and late stages. The salinity of the corresponding stages are 15.4 to 13.0 wt. % NaCl equiv. , 12.5 to 9.1 wt. % NaCl equiv. and 9.8 to 7.8 wt. % NaCl equiv. , respectively. δ18O values of fluid are 7.2 to 5.2‰, 5.6 to 3.9‰ and 2.7 to −0.2‰ from early to late stages; and δD range from −75.1 to −76.8‰, −59.0 to −73.5‰ and −61.6 to −85.5‰ respectively. The δ13C of CO2 values are −5.6 to −6.6‰, −8.5 to −19.9‰, −11.8 to −18.7‰ from early to late stages, suggesting that CO2 in the fluids were probably sourced from a magmatic system, possibly with some mixing of CO2 dissolved in groundwater. δD and δ18O values of fluid indicate that the fluids were originally magmatic water and mixed with some meteoric water in late stage. The magma evolution sequence in the Ke'eryin orefield, from the central two‐mica granite through the Lijiagou deposit out to the distal pegmatites, with the ages gradually decreasing, indicates that the Ke'eryin complex rocks are the product of multistage magmatic activity. The large Lijiagou spodumene deposit is a typical magmatic, fractional crystallization related pegmatite deposit.
Neuroprotective effects of postconditioning on lipid peroxidation and apoptosis after focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats.

AIM Apoptosis after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury leads to the process of cell death. The deal therapeutic approach would target the apoptosis after I/R. Ischemic postconditioning is a recently discovered neuroprotective strategy that involves the application of brief mechanical reperfusion with a specific algorithm at the onset of reperfusion following an ischemic period. MATERIAL AND METHODS Transient MCAo was performed on male SD (275+/-25 g) rats with intraluminal thread insertion for 2 hrs. Rats (n:36) were treated with postconditioning after 60 minutes of occlusion. The postconditioning algorithm was 30 secs of brief reperfusion followed by 30 secs of MCAo and this cycle was repeated 3 times at the onset of reperfusion. RESULTS After I/R injury, % change of the malonyldialdehyde (MDA) levels in the cortex, which is an index of lipid peroxidation, was found significantly higher in the I/R group. On the other hand postconditioning upregulated Bcl-2 and Bax translocation to the mitochondria, and caspase-3 activity and also reduced oxidative stress levels. CONCLUSION These findings indicated this neuroprotective effect is most likely achieved by antiapoptotic mechanisms through caspase pathways.
Noninvasive measurements of arterial stiffness: Repeatability and interrelationships with endothelial function and arterial morphology measures

Background Many noninvasive arterial assessment techniques have been developed, measuring different parameters of arterial stiffness and endothelial function. However, there is little data available comparing different devices within the same subject. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the repeatability and interrelationships between 3 different techniques to measure arterial stiffness and to compare this with forearm-mediated dilation. Methods Carotid-radial pulse wave velocity was measured by the Sphygmocor (SPWV) and Complior (CPWV) devices, cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) was measured by the VaSera device, vascular structure and function was assessed using ultrasonography and evaluated for reliability and compared in 20 apparently healthy, college-aged men and women. Results The intraclass correlation coefficient and standard error of the mean for the Sphygmocor (R = 0.56, SEM = 0.69), Complior (R = 0.62, SEM = 0.69), and VaSera (R = 0.60, SEM = 0.56), indicated moderate repeatability. Bland-Altman plots indicated a mean difference of 0.11 ± 0.84 for SPWV, 0.13 ± 1.15 for CPWV, and −0.43 ± 0.90 for CAVI. No significant interrelationships were found among the ultrasound measures and SPWV, CPWV, and CAVI. Conclusions The three noninvasive modalities to study arterial stiffness reliably measures arterial stiffness however, they do not correlate with ultrasound measures of vascular function and structure in young and apparently healthy subjects.
An Analysis of Phase Transition in NK Landscapes

In this paper, we analyze the decision version of the NK landscape model from the perspective of threshold phenomena and phase transitions under two random distributions, the uniform probability model and the fixed ratio model. For the uniform probability model, we prove that the phase transition is easy in the sense that there is a polynomial algorithm that can solve a random instance of the problem with the probability asymptotic to 1 as the problem size tends to infinity. For the fixed ratio model, we establish several upper bounds for the solubility threshold, and prove that random instances with parameters above these upper bounds can be solved polynomially. This, together with our empirical study for random instances generated below and in the phase transition region, suggests that the phase transition of the fixed ratio model is also easy.
Joint Beamforming and Power Control for MIMO Relay Broadcast Channel with QoS Constraints

This paper considers the two-hop relay broadcast channel (BC) in a wireless cellular network where the downlink transmission from the base station (BS) to mobile users is assisted by a fixed relay station (RS). Assuming both the BS and RS equipped with multi-antennas, we consider joint optimization of beamforming weights and power allocations at the BS and RS so as to minimize their weighted sum-power consumption under the minimum signal-to-interference-noise-ratio (SINR) constraints at user terminals. We extend the two well-known criteria for design of linear precoding in the conventional MIMO-BC without relay, namely, the SINR balancing and the channel-inversion, to the MIMO relay BC. First, an iterative SINR-balancing algorithm is proposed that in each iteration optimizes transmit parameters at one station (BS or RS) with those at the other fixed. Secondly, a joint BS and RS channel-inversion algorithm is proposed together with a novel technique termed "eigenmode switching" at the RS. Simulation results show that optimized joint beamforming and power control are able to achieve substantial power savings for the MIMO relay BC.
Therapeutic Implications of Targeting AKT Signaling in Melanoma

Identification of key enzymes regulating melanoma progression and drug resistance has the potential to lead to the development of novel, more effective targeted agents for inhibiting this deadly form of skin cancer. The Akt3, also known as protein kinase B gamma, pathway enzymes regulate diverse cellular processes including proliferation, survival, and invasion thereby promoting the development of melanoma. Accumulating preclinical evidence demonstrates that therapeutic agents targeting these kinases alone or in combination with other pathway members could be effective for the long-term treatment of advanced-stage disease. However, currently, no selective and effective therapeutic agent targeting these kinases has been identified for clinical use. This paper provides an overview of the key enzymes of the PI3K pathway with emphasis placed on Akt3 and the negative regulator of this kinase called PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10). Mechanisms regulating these enzymes, their substrates and therapeutic implications of targeting these proteins to treat melanoma are also discussed. Finally, key issues that remain to be answered and future directions for interested researchers pertaining to this signaling cascade are highlighted.
Cardioprotective effect of endogenous pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide on Doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy in mice.

BACKGROUND Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is known as a cytoprotective polypeptide. PACAP and its receptors are expressed in the heart, but it is unclear whether PACAP exerts its protective effect on the myocardium in vivo. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether endogenous PACAP has a cardioprotective effect on Doxorubicin (Dox)-induced cardiomyopathy. METHODS AND RESULTS Dox was intraperitoneally injected to induce cardiomyopathy in wild type (WT) and PACAP knockout (ie, PACAP+/- and PACAP-/-) mice. The survival rates up to 15 days of PACAP+/- mice and PACAP-/- mice were significantly less than that of WT mice. Cardiac function, measured by echocardiography, was significantly lower in PACAP+/- mice than in WT mice at day 10. Morphological examination of sections of myocardium showed degenerative change and fibrosis in PACAP+/- mice at day 10. Serum reactive oxygen metabolites (a marker of oxidative stress), the number of 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine-positive nuclei and TdT-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) positive nuclei in the myocardium were higher in PACAP+/- mice than WT mice. However, continuous subcutaneous administration of PACAP38 was able to prevent the myocardial damage typically caused by Dox injection in PACAP+/-. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that endogenous PACAP might attenuate Dox-induced myocardial damage and that its mechanism of action is likely to be associated with the reduction of oxidative stress and mediated via anti-apoptotic effects.
How perceived usefulness leads to green purchase intention with a mediating effect

Green products are among the most often bought worldwide because of their benefits to the environment. The current study looks at how people value green products, which are emblematic of one of the world economies that is expanding the fastest. From many perspectives, the value of eco-friendly products to Indian consumers is analysed. 321 individuals who were employed or enrolled in school gave the data. In contrast to environmental concern and Trust, which positively impacted how valuable green items were judged, peer pressure had no discernible impact on how valuable products were regarded
Activation of Ventral Tegmental Area Cells by the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis: A Novel Excitatory Amino Acid Input to Midbrain Dopamine Neurons

We examined the role of excitatory amino acids (EAAs) in the activation of midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons evoked by stimulation of the ventromedial and ventrolateral (subcommissural) bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (vBNST). Using anesthetized rats and extracellular recording techniques, we found that 84.8% of ventral tegmental area (VTA) DA neurons were activated synaptically by single-pulse electrical stimulation of the vBNST. In contrast, similar stimulation did not affect the activity of presumed GABA neurons in the VTA. Three characteristic responses were observed in VTA DA neurons: short latency activation (<25 msec; 55.1% of cells), long latency activation (>65 msec; 56% of cells), and inhibition (61.8% of cells, usually followed by long latency excitation). Microinfusion of antagonists of EAA receptors (3 mm kynurenic acid, 100 μm AP-5, or 50 μm CNQX) from a micropipette adjacent to the recording electrode significantly reduced both short and long latency activations evoked in DA neurons by vBNST stimulation. Specific responses were attenuated similarly by AP-5 alone, CNQX alone, or a cocktail of AP-5+CNQX, indicating that joint activation of NMDA plus non-NMDA receptors was required. Stimulation of the vBNST by local microinfusion of glutamate increased the firing and bursting activity of VTA DA neurons. Similar microinfusion of GABA decreased bursting of VTA DA neurons without altering their firing rate. Retrograde and anterograde labeling and antidromic activation of vBNST neurons by VTA stimulation confirmed a direct projection from the vBNST to the VTA. These results reveal that inputs from the vBNST exert a strong excitatory influence on VTA DA neurons mediated by both NMDA and non-NMDA receptors.
Energy efficiency for rectangular ad-hoc wireless networks

Most nodes of ad-hoc wireless networks are battery-powered, therefore the energy capacity limit is one of the critical constraints of ad-hoc wireless networks' development. This paper evaluates a rectangular network model that achieves energy efficiency by optimizing the node radio range based on the Geographical Adaptive Fidelity (GAF) topology management protocol [1]. For the first time we derive the optimal transmission range in a new adjustable-grid model and analyze both static and dynamic traffic scenarios in both equal-grid and adjustable-grid rectangular GAF models, where the results show that the adjustable-grid model is more energy efficient.
Multicast traffic in input-queued switches: optimal scheduling and maximum throughput

This paper studies input-queued packet switches loaded with both unicast and multicast traffic. The packet switch architecture is assumed to comprise a switching fabric with multicast (and broadcast) capabilities, operating in a synchronous slotted fashion. Fixed-size data units, called cells, are transferred from each switch input to any set of outputs in one time slot, according to the decisions of the switch scheduler, that identifies at each time slot a set of nonconflicting cells, i.e., cells neither coming from the same input, nor directed to the same output.First, multicast traffic admissibility conditions are discussed, and a simple counterexample showing intrinsic performance losses of input-queued with respect to output-queued switch architectures is presented. Second, the optimal scheduling discipline to transfer multicast packets from inputs to outputs is defined. This discipline is rather complex, requires a queuing architecture that probably is not implementable, and does not guarantee in-sequence delivery of data. However, from the definition of the optimal multicast scheduling discipline, the formal characterization of the sustainable multicast traffic region naturally follows. Then, several theorems showing intrinsic performance losses of input-queued with respect to output-queued switch architectures are proved. In particular, we prove that, when using per multicast flow FIFO queueing architectures, the internal speedup that guarantees 100% throughput under admissible traffic grows with the number of switch ports.