Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improved electrocompetence and metabolic engineering of Clostridium pasteurianum reveals a new regulation pattern of glycerol fermentation

Clostridium pasteurianum produces industrially valuable chemicals such as n‐butanol and 1,3‐propanediol from fermentations of glycerol and glucose. Metabolic engineering for increased yields of selective compounds is not well established in this microorganism. In order to study carbon fluxes and to selectively increase butanol yields, we integrated the latest advances in genome editing to obtain an electrocompetent Clostridium pasteurianum strain for further engineering. Deletion of the glycerol dehydratase large subunit (dhaB) using an adapted S. pyogenes Type II CRISPR/Cas9 nickase system resulted in a 1,3‐propanediol‐deficient mutant producing butanol as the main product. Surprisingly, the mutant was able to grow on glycerol as the sole carbon source. In spite of reduced growth, butanol yields were highly increased. Metabolic flux analysis revealed an important role of the newly identified electron bifurcation pathway for crotonyl‐CoA to butyryl‐CoA conversion in the regulation of redox balance. Compared to the parental strain, the electron bifurcation pathway flux of the dhaB mutant increased from 8 to 46% of the overall flux from crotonyl‐CoA to butyryl‐CoA and butanol, indicating a new, 1,3‐propanediol‐independent pattern of glycerol fermentation in Clostridium pasteurianum.
Complex naturalistic stimuli are prioritized by attention when maintained in visual working memory

Recent studies suggest that a stimulus actively maintained in working memory (WM) automatically captures visual attention when subsequently perceived. Such a WM-guidance effect has been consistently observed for stimuli defined by simple features, such as colour or orientation, but studies using more complex stimuli provide inconclusive results. Therefore, we investigated whether the WM-guidance effect occurs also for naturalistic stimuli, whose identity is defined by multiple features and relations among them, specifically for faces and houses. The experiment consisted of multiple blocks in which participants (N = 28) either memorized or merely saw (WM or exposure condition, respectively) a template stimulus and then performed several dot-probe trials, with pairs of stimuli (template and control) presented laterally as distractors and followed by a target-asterisk. Evidence for attentional prioritization of the memorized stimuli was found in the reaction-times (RT) analysis, but not in the analysis of the N2pc ERP component, which raises questions concerning the attentional mechanism involved. Further, in an exploratory ERP analysis we found evidence for a very early (100-200 ms post-stimulus) prioritization specific to the memorized faces, which is in line with the sensory recruitment theory of WM.
Private Sector Policy Making: Business Background and Politicians’ Behavior in Office

Candidates often tout their private sector experience when running for public office. But do businessperson politicians actually govern differently? This paper argues that given their preferences and managerial expertise, businesspeople in office adopt policies favorable to the business community and improve government efficiency. To test these claims, I collect data on over 33,000 Russian mayors and legislators and investigate policy outcomes using detailed municipal budgets and over a million procurement contracts. Using a regression discontinuity design, I find that businessperson politicians increase expenditures on roads and transport, while leaving health and education spending untouched. Prioritizing economic over social infrastructure brings immediate benefits to firms, while holding back long-term accumulation of human capital. Businesspeople also do not reduce budget deficits, but rather adopt less competitive methods for selecting contractors, particularly in corruption-ripe construction. In all, businessperson politicians do more to make government run for business, rather than like a business.
Working capital management and financial performance of UK listed firms: a contingency approach

Existing empirical research findings generally suggest that working capital management (WCM) affects and the firms' financial performance. This paper adopts contingency theory framework to investigate how the relationship between WCM and financial performance is affected by the firms' environment, resources and management capability. Our sample consist of an unbalanced panel of 802 firms listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) from 2004 to 2014 on which a dynamic panel data analysis was performed using a series of interactive models to estimate the relationship. The findings suggest that the impact of WCM on financial performance changes to reflect number contingency variables such as environmental, resources and management capabilities of the firm. These findings are significant because they demonstrate for the first time how the firms' ability to enhance performance through investment in working capital is influenced by contingent factors such as environmental, resource and management capabilities of the firm. Our results are also important as they show that contingency theory helps to provide an understanding on the conditions under which investment in working capital can be an effective tool in enhancing financial performance and the relevant contingencies.
Composted Manure and Straw Amendments in Wheat of a Rice-Wheat Rotation System Alter Weed Richness and Abundance

Abstract In a rice (Oryza sativa L.)-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) rotation system, a study was conducted to determine the effects of different fertilization regimens (no fertilization, replacement of a portion of chemical fertilizer with composted pig manure, chemical fertilizer only, and straw return combined with chemical fertilizer) on the weed communities and wheat yields after 4 and 5 yr. The impact of the long-term recurrent fertilization regimen initiated in 2010 on the composition and diversity of weed communities and the impact of the components and total amount of fertilizer on wheat yields were assessed in 2014 and 2015. Totals of 19 and 16 weed species were identified in experimental wheat fields in 2014 and 2015, respectively, but the occurrence of weed species varied according to the fertilization regimen. American sloughgrass [Beckmannia syzigachne (Steud.) Fernald], water starwort [Myosoton aquaticum (L.) Moench], and lyrate hemistepta (Hemistepta lyrata Bunge.) were adapted to all fertilization treatments and were the dominant weed species in the experimental wheat fields. The greatest number of weed species were observed under the no-fertilization treatment, in which 40% of the weed community was composed of broadleaf weeds and the lowest wheat yields were obtained. With fertilizer application, the number of weed species was reduced, the height of weeds increased significantly, the density of broadleaf weeds was significantly reduced, the biodiversity indices of weed communities decreased significantly, and higher wheat yields were obtained. Only the chemical fertilizer plus composted pig manure treatment and the chemical fertilizer-only treatment increased the density of grassy weeds and the total weed community density. The treatment with chemical fertilizer only also resulted in the highest density of B. syzigachne. Rice straw return combined with chemical fertilizer yielded the lowest total weed density, which suggests that it inhibited occurrence of weeds. The different fertilizer regimens not only affected the weed species composition, distribution, and diversity, but also the weed density. Our study provides new information from a rice-wheat rotation system on the relationship between soil amendments and agricultural weed infestation.
INCIDENCE AND EXPERIMENTAL INFECTION OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM BAILEYI IN CHICKEN

This study was aimed to investigate the incidence of Cryptosporidiosis in 200 fecal samples from slaughtered broiler chicken carcasses in the local markets in some areas of Baghdad city (Al-Hurriya, Al -Kadhimiya and Al-Shuala), during March to May 2017. Three diagnostic techniques used (flotation by Sheather's sugar solution, staining with Modified Zeihl-Neelsen stain, and measuring of isolated Cryptosporidium oocysts by ocular micrometer) to determine the type of Cryptosporidium species, and for conform that the isolated species of parasite from infected cases belong to the C.baileyi. Experimental infection done in, 18 broiler chicken chicks aged one week divided to three groups first (G1) and second (G2) inoculated orally with, (500, 1000) oocysts per chick respectively, while the third group remain as a control (G3), than pathological lesions detected in some internal organs of infected chicks (trachea, intestine and bursa of fabricius). The study recorded a total infection rate 35% (75/200) in slaughtered broiler chicken. The result were revealed that the highest rate of infection occurs in April, reached 46% (23/50), while the lowest rate of infection in June, reached 20% (10/50). The experimental study revealed, the infection was occur in all chicks, of (G1) and (G2), and the first clinical signs appear after 7days post infection (PI) which include diarrhea, dullness, anorexia, and increased consumption of water, which represented the incubation period of the parasite, while the shedding of oocysts in feces started after 6-9days PI.
HETEROFOR 1.0: a spatially explicit model for exploring the response of structurally complex forests to uncertain future conditions – Part 1: Carbon fluxes and tree dimensional growth

Abstract. Given the multiple abiotic and biotic stressors resulting from global changes, management systems and practices must be adapted in order to maintain and reinforce the resilience of forests. Among others, the transformation of monocultures into uneven-aged and mixed stands is an avenue to improve forest resilience. To explore the forest response to these new silvicultural practices under a changing environment, one needs models combining a process-based approach with a detailed spatial representation, which is quite rare. We therefore decided to develop our own model (HETEROFOR for HETEROgeneous FORest) according to a spatially explicit approach, describing individual tree growth based on resource sharing (light, water and nutrients). HETEROFOR was progressively elaborated within Capsis (Computer-Aided Projection for Strategies in Silviculture), a collaborative modelling platform devoted to tree growth and stand dynamics. This paper describes the carbon-related processes of HETEROFOR (photosynthesis, respiration, carbon allocation and tree dimensional growth) and evaluates the model performances for three broadleaved stands with different species compositions (Wallonia, Belgium). This first evaluation showed that HETEROFOR predicts well individual radial growth (Pearson's correlation of 0.83 and 0.63 for the European beech and sessile oak, respectively) and is able to reproduce size–growth relationships. We also noticed that the net to gross primary production (npp to gpp) ratio option for describing maintenance respiration provides better results than the temperature-dependent routine, while the process-based (Farquhar model) and empirical (radiation use efficiency) approaches perform similarly for photosynthesis. To illustrate how the model can be used to predict climate change impacts on forest ecosystems, we simulated the growth dynamics of the mixed stand driven by three IPCC climate scenarios. According to these simulations, the tree growth trends will be governed by the CO2 fertilization effect, with the increase in vegetation period length and the increase in water stress also playing a role but offsetting each other.
An Investigation on Influence of Depth of Cut, Feed Rate and Work-Piece Overhang on Induced vibration and Surface Roughness During hard Turning of 41Cr4 Alloy Steel using Response Surface Methodology

An aspect of a set of hard turning experiment conducted on 41Cr4 alloy steel to investigate the influence of the machining, cutting tool and work-piece variables on the machining induced vibration and surface roughness is presented. The response surface methodology, based on central composite design of experiment was adopted. Analysis of the response data was performed in the Design Expert 9 environment. The obtained Quadratic regression models were evaluated for the machining induced vibration and surface roughness as functions of the work-piece overhang, feed rate and depth of cut. The influence of the factors on the response variables were established through analysis of variance.The optimal settings of these factors as are required to minimize the response variables were also determine. It was found that the optimum setting of80 mm, for the work-piece overhang; 0.15 mm/rev, for the feed rate; and 2.32666 mm, for the depth of cut would minimize the machining induced vibration of the cutting tool to a value of 0.12 mm/s, and the surface roughness of the specimen work-piece to a value of 5.21111 μmm while keeping other operating factors constant at their intermediate levels within the experimental design space.
A Decade of Empirical Research on Research Integrity: What Have We (Not) Looked At?

Research on research integrity has become a field of its own; yet, a comprehensive overview the field is still missing. We systematically searched SCOPUS, Web of Science, and PubMed for relevant articles published between 2005 and 2015. We extracted the topic, methodology, focus, and citations from each articles. From the 986 articles included, only 342 report empirical data. Empirical papers predominantly targeted researchers and students. Although empirical articles questioning causes for misconduct mostly blamed research systems (e.g., pressure, competition) for detrimental research practices, articles proposing approaches to foster integrity focused on researchers’ awareness and compliance rather than on system changes. Involving nonresearchers and reconnecting what is known to what is proposed may help research on research integrity move forward.
THE IMPACT OF HABITAT DEGRADATION ON SEED DISPERSAL NETWORKS: IMPLICATIONS FOR HABITAT MANAGEMENT IN MONTADO FORESTS

In this thesis I use a network approach to study seed dispersal by ants and birds in a traditional agricultural landscape of Portugal: the Montado. Human induced damage to natural habitats has become an area of considerable concern and one of the main causes of damage is farming. During the 20 century a fundamental shift has occurred from low input techniques in synchrony with natural constraints, to intensive management with a disruptive impact on ecosystems. The Montado provides examples of both these extremes and I use the range of habitats it hosts to explore the effect of disturbance on seed dispersal networks. In my first chapter I look at the overlap between seed dispersal by ants and birds. The groups have a minimal overlap in the species dispersed, thus having a complementary function. The species assemblage of both guilds changes as land management changes. In my second chapter I focus on seed dispersal by ants along a gradient of disturbance caused by land use, ranging from a complex forest with low human intervention, to grazed forest and crop fields. The effects were observed at the level of network structure, and mild perturbations improved the provision of this ecosystem function. In my final data chapter I present the results of a field experiment which compared the effect of the removal of an ant species from experimental plots to unmanipulated control plots; the experiment being replicated in three habitats. The networks showed an extraordinary ability to withstand extreme perturbations and retain functionality. The field data are compared to in silico simulations of species removal and while the models predict the loss of rare species, they overestimate the impact of species removal on seed dispersal and network robustness. The results are presented in the context of the conservation and utilization of the Montado.
System Quality in Web-Based Application of Children With Special Needs Service Management

This study aims to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of system quality in web-based aplication of children with special needs service management. System quality indicators include: (1) the application has never experienced interference when used, (2) the application provides complete features, (3) the application can be accessed anywhere and anytime, and (4) the application has a decent display. This research is a development research which procedures referring to Gall, Gall, & Borg, that is: identification of needs, planning, initial product development, expert testing, revision, small-scale field testing, and large-scale field testing. The results obtained are a percentage of 91.67, which means that the system quality in the web-based aplication of children with special needs service management is very feasible and very effective to use.
The Mysterious Green Streaks Below STEVE

Strong thermal emission velocity enhancement (STEVE) is an optical phenomenon of the subauroral ionosphere arising from extreme ion drift speeds. STEVE consists of two distinct components in true‐color imagery: a mauve or whitish arc extended in the magnetic east–west direction and a region of green emission adjacent to the arc, often structured into quasiperiodic columns aligned with the geomagnetic field (the “picket fence”). This work employs high‐resolution imagery by citizen scientists in a critical examination of fine‐scale features within the green emission region. Of particular interest are narrow “streaks” of emission forming underneath field‐aligned picket fence elements in the 100‐ to 110‐km altitude range. The streaks propagate in curved trajectories with dominant direction toward STEVE from the poleward side. The elongation is along the direction of motion, suggesting a drifting point‐like excitation source, with the apparent elongation due to a combination of motion blur and radiative lifetime effects. The cross‐sectional dimension is <1 km, and the cases observed have a duration of ∼20–30 s. The uniform coloration of all STEVE green features in these events suggests a common optical spectrum dominated by the oxygen 557.7‐nm emission line. The source is most likely direct excitation of ambient oxygen by superthermal electrons generated by ionospheric turbulence induced by the extreme electric fields driving STEVE. Some conjectures about causal connections with overlying field‐aligned structures are presented, based on coupling of thermal and gradient‐drift instabilities, with analogues to similar dynamics observed from chemical release and ionospheric heating experiments.
Marine carbonyl sulfide (OCS) and carbon disulfide (CS2): a compilation of measurements in seawater and the marine boundary layer

Abstract. Carbonyl sulfide (OCS) and carbon disulfide ( CS2 ) are volatile sulfur gases that are naturally formed in seawater and exchanged with the atmosphere. OCS is the most abundant sulfur gas in the atmosphere, and CS2 is its most important precursor. They have attracted increased interest due to their direct (OCS) or indirect ( CS2 via oxidation to OCS) contribution to the stratospheric sulfate aerosol layer. Furthermore, OCS serves as a proxy to constrain terrestrial CO2 uptake by vegetation. Oceanic emissions of both gases contribute a major part to their atmospheric concentration. Here we present a database of previously published and unpublished (mainly shipborne) measurements in seawater and the marine boundary layer for both gases, available at https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.905430 (Lennartz et al., 2019). The database contains original measurements as well as data digitalized from figures in publications from 42 measurement campaigns, i.e., cruises or time series stations, ranging from 1982 to 2019. OCS data cover all ocean basins except for the Arctic Ocean, as well as all months of the year, while the CS2 dataset shows large gaps in spatial and temporal coverage. Concentrations are consistent across different sampling and analysis techniques for OCS. The database is intended to support the identification of global spatial and temporal patterns and to facilitate the evaluation of model simulations.
Hypoxic Preconditioning: The Multiplicity of Central Neurotransmitter Mechanisms and Method of Predicting Its Efficiency

In rats, a single moderate hypobaric hypoxia (HBH) increased the resistance to severe hypoxia (SHBH). The HBH efficiency and neurotransmitter mechanisms of its preconditioning action were investigated by biochemical and pharmacological methods. It will be substantiated in the chapter: (1) HBH preconditioning has its own mechanisms that do not depend on an innate resistance to SHBH and prior hypoxic experience of rats; (2) the same preconditioning effect can be achieved by diverse neuronal pathways and synaptic plasticity means; (3) cholinergic and, presumably, serotoninergic, GABAergic and/or glutam- atergic systems of the caudal brainstem, cortex and some other brain structures are involved in HBH realisation; (4) the rate of sensorimotor gating estimated in the model of acoustic startle pre-pulse inhibition (PPI) predicts the efficiency of hypoxic preconditioning and (5) the cholinergic system, including α 7 nicotinic receptors, is involved in the mechanisms of HBH-PPI-dependent preconditioning effects.
Combined effects of drought and CO2 enrichment on foliar metabolites of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars

ABSTRACT Drought invokes a variety of metabolic alterations in plant leaves to cope with stress situations. To understand the effects of CO2 and drought stress for leaf metabolic changes in potato [Solanum tuberosum (L)], two contrasting potato cultivars Harley Blackwell (HB, an early maturing, newer cultivar) and Snowden (SD, an established, full-season cultivar) were tested under water-limited conditions and CO2 enrichment. The results revealed that most of the drought-triggered metabolites were lower in HB compared to SD. However, HB showed quicker adjustments in the metabolic processes such as conversion of starch into soluble sugars and biosynthesis of phenylalanine and other compatible solutes at the early stages of the drought progression. Moreover, the existence of genotypic differences for leaf water potential (LWP) in response to CO2 enrichment was evident. Our study provides insights into the possible metabolic strategies of drought tolerance in potato cultivars under ambient and elevated CO2.
and prostate cancer risk Age dependent associations between androgenetic alopecia

Background: Both prostate cancer and androgenetic alopecia (AA) are strongly age related conditions that are considered to be androgen dependent, but studies of the relationship between them have yielded inconsistent results. We aimed to assess whether AA at ages 20 and 40 are associated with risk of prostate cancer. Methods: At a follow up of the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study men were asked to assess their hair pattern at ages 20 and 40 years relative to eight categories in showcards. Cases were men notified to the Victorian Cancer Registry with prostate cancer diagnosed between cohort enrolment (1990-1994) and follow up attendance (2003-2009). Flexible parametric survival models were used to estimate age varying hazard ratios and predicted cumulative probabilities of prostate cancer by AA categories. Results: Of 9,448 men that attended follow-up and provided data on AA we identified 476 prostate cancer cases during a median follow up of 11 years 4 months. Cumulative probability of prostate cancer was greater at all ages up to 76 years for men with vertex versus no AA at age 40. At age 76 the estimated probabilities converged to 0.15. Vertex AA at 40 was also associated with younger age of diagnosis for prostate cancer cases. Conclusions: Vertex AA at age 40 might be a marker of increased risk of early onset prostate cancer. Impact: If confirmed, these results suggest that the apparently conflicting findings of previous studies might be explained by failure to adequately model the age-varying nature of the association between AA and prostate cancer. of a