Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Community-Based Culture Collection for Targeting Novel Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria from the Sugarcane Microbiome

The soil-plant ecosystem harbors an immense microbial diversity that challenges investigative approaches to study traits underlying plant-microbe association. Studies solely based on culture-dependent techniques have overlooked most microbial diversity. Here we describe the concomitant use of culture-dependent and -independent techniques to target plant-beneficial microbial groups from the sugarcane microbiome. The community-based culture collection (CBC) approach was used to access microbes from roots and stalks. The CBC recovered 399 unique bacteria representing 15.9% of the rhizosphere core microbiome and 61.6–65.3% of the endophytic core microbiomes of stalks. By cross-referencing the CBC (culture-dependent) with the sugarcane microbiome profile (culture-independent), we designed a synthetic community comprised of naturally occurring highly abundant bacterial groups from roots and stalks, most of which has been poorly explored so far. We then used maize as a model to probe the abundance-based synthetic inoculant. We show that when inoculated in maize plants, members of the synthetic community efficiently colonize plant organs, displace the natural microbiota and dominate at 53.9% of the rhizosphere microbial abundance. As a result, inoculated plants increased biomass by 3.4-fold as compared to uninoculated plants. The results demonstrate that abundance-based synthetic inoculants can be successfully applied to recover beneficial plant microbes from plant microbiota.
The Sociometer: A Wearable Device for Understanding Human Networks

In this paper, we describe the use of the sociometer, a wearable sensor package, for measuring face-to-face interactions between people. We develop methods for learning the structure and dynamics of human communication networks. Knowledge of how people interact is important in many disciplines, e.g. organizational behavior, social network analysis and knowledge management applications such as expert finding. At present researchers mainly have to rely on questionnaires, surveys or diaries in order to obtain data on physical interactions between people. In this paper, we show how noisy sensor measurements from the sociometer can be used to build computational models of group interactions. Using statistical pattern recognition techniques such as dynamic Bayesian network models we can automatically learn the underlying structure of the network and also analyze the dynamics of individual and group interactions. We present preliminary results on how we can learn the structure of face-to-face interactions within a group, detect when members are in face-to-face proximity and also when they are having a conversation. We also measure the duration and frequency of interactions between people and the participation level of each individual in a conversation.
FARM: a feedback-based adaptive resource management for autonomous hot-spot convergence system

We present a novel and comprehensive resource management solution for the autonomous hot-spot convergence system (AHSCS) that uses sensor web. This solution is in response to a call for solution at the WPDRTS 2002. The proposed solution involves system analysis and design and developing a new resource management methodology, which we call Feedback-based Adaptive Resource Management (FARM). The FARM methodology combines the advantages of feedback control scheduling, path-based scheduling, value-based scheduling, and survivability strategies to provide dependable (predictable, reliable, and secure) services to the AHSCS.
Avaliação da produtividade na síndrome de burnout

Presenteeism is characterized by employees that, despite being physically present at work, have their performance reduced due to physical and psychological weakness. Objectives: To evaluate the impact of presenteeism on the development at burnout among nurses at a public hospital. Methods: It was used Burnout Maslash Inventory. Four common emotional symptoms of the burnout, stress, sadness, anxiety and lack of energy, were all selected randomly. Using the methods for investigation of presenteeism, both Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire General Health (WPAI-GH) and Scale Presence Stanford (SPS-6), it was possible to explore the impact of emotional symptoms on employees’ productivity. Results: Among 57 individuals, there were 36 cases (63%) with an alteration in the dimensions of burnout. According to WPAI-GH, the employees with presenteeism were significantly higher than the number of absenteeism (74 versus 14%). Among the employees with burnout, 83% referred presenteeism by emotional symptoms in the last seven days, which indicated 31% loss in productivity of hours worked higher than the group without burnout, which indicated 57% of presenteeism and 19% loss of working hours (p=0.07). After the review of SPS-6 there was statistically significant difference in the score of the work completed (p=0.019) and total score (p=0.0087) between groups with and without burnout. Conclusions: The emotional symptoms reported by employees affect significantly the performance of employees with burnout, interfering on their ability to concentrate and to complete work-related tasks. The methods used in the productivity research proved to be effective and complementary
A Knowledge based Decision Making Tool to Support Cloud Migration Decision Making

Cloud computing represents a paradigm shift in the way that IT services are delivered within enterprises. Cloud computing promises to reduce the cost of computing services, provide on-demand computing resources and a pay per use model. However, there are numerous challenges for enterprises planning to migrate to a cloud computing environment as cloud computing impacts multiple aspects of enterprises and the implications of migration to the cloud vary between enterprises. This paper discusses the development of an holistic model to support strategic decision making for cloud computing migration. The proposed model uses a hybrid approach to support decision making, combining the analytical hierarchical approach (AHP) with Case Based Reasoning (CBR) to provide a knowledge based decision support model and takes into account five factors identified from the secondary research as covering all aspects of cloud migration decision making. The paper discusses the different phases of the model and describes the next stage of the research which will include the development of a prototype tool and use of the tool to evaluate the model in a real life context.
Direct Gamete Sequencing Reveals No Evidence for Segregation Distortion in House Mouse Hybrids

Understanding the molecular basis of species formation is an important goal in evolutionary genetics, and Dobzhansky-Muller incompatibilities are thought to be a common source of postzygotic reproductive isolation between closely related lineages. However, the evolutionary forces that lead to the accumulation of such incompatibilities between diverging taxa are poorly understood. Segregation distorters are believed to be an important source of Dobzhansky-Muller incompatibilities between Drosophila species and crop plants, but it remains unclear if these selfish genetic elements contribute to reproductive isolation in other species. Here, we collected viable sperm from first-generation hybrid male progeny of Mus musculus castaneus and M. m. domesticus, two subspecies of rodent in the earliest stages of speciation. We then genotyped millions of single nucleotide polymorphisms in these gamete pools and tested for a skew in the frequency of parental alleles across the genome. We show that segregation distorters are not measurable contributors to observed infertility in these hybrid males, despite sufficient statistical power to detect even weak segregation distortion with our novel method. Thus, reduced hybrid male fertility in crosses between these nascent species is attributable to other evolutionary forces.
Responses of Endothelial Cell and Astrocyte Matrix-Integrin Receptors to Ischemia Mimic Those Observed in the Neurovascular Unit

Background and Purpose— Apposition of endothelial cells and astrocyte foot processes to the basal lamina matrix is postulated to underlie the cerebral microvessel permeability barrier. Focal cerebral ischemia induces rapid loss of select matrix-binding integrins from both cell compartments in the nonhuman primate. This study is the first to examine the conditions underlying integrin loss from these cell-types during ischemia in vitro and their relation to the changes in vivo. Methods— The impact of normoxia or standardized oxygen-glucose deprivation on integrin expression by murine primary cerebral endothelial cells and astrocytes grown on matrix substrates (collagen IV, laminin, and perlecan) of the basal lamina were quantitatively assessed by flow cytometry. Results— Endothelial cell expression of the &bgr;1 and &agr;5 subunits significantly increased on all matrix ligands, whereas astrocytes displayed modest significant decreases in &agr;5 and &agr;6 subunits. Oxygen-glucose deprivation produced a further significant increase in subunit &bgr;1 expression by both cell types, but a clear decrease in both &agr;1 and &agr;6 subunits by murine astrocytes. Conclusions— Ischemia in vitro significantly increased endothelial cell &bgr;1 expression, which is consistent with the increase in &bgr;1 transcription by microvessels peripheral to the ischemic core. The loss of &agr;1 and &agr;6 integrins from murine astrocytes is identical to that seen in the nonhuman primate in vivo. These findings establish both isolated murine cerebral endothelial cells and astrocytes as potential integrin response cognates of microvascular cells of the neurovascular unit in primates, and allow determination of the mechanisms of their changes to ischemia.
Multilingual multilayer perceptron for rapid language adaptation between and across language families

In this paper, we present our latest investigations of multilingual Multilayer Perceptrons (MLPs) for rapid language adaptation between and across language families. We explore the impact of the amount of languages and data used for the multilingual MLP training process. We show that the overall system performance on the target language is significantly improved by initializing it with a multilingual MLP. Our experiments indicate that the more languages we use to train a multilingual MLP, the better is the initialization for MLP training. As a result, the ASR performance is improved, even if the target language and the source languages are not in the same language family. Our best results show an error rate improvement of up to 22.9% relative for different target languages (Czech, Hausa and Vietnamese) by using a multilingual MLP which has been trained with many different languages from the GlobalPhone corpus. In the case of very few training or adaptation data, an improvement of up to 24% relative in terms of error rate is observed.
Two-Dimensional NUFFT-Based Algorithm for Fast Near-Field Imaging

A fast and accurate algorithm for near-field imaging is presented. First, a two-dimensional (2-D) nonuniform fast Fourier transformation (NUFFT) is directly applied to the near-field scattered data. Second, the circular wavefront curvature is compensated by mapping the NUFFT images to a new rectified grid. The 2-D NUFFT-based algorithm directly exploits the data collected over a polar grid and accordingly avoids the polar to rectangular interpolation. Through numerical simulations, we show that the 2-D NUFFT-based algorithm can provide accurate images with lower sidelobes and is much faster than the near-field tomographic method.
An Economic Model of Friendship: Homophily, Minorities and Segregation

We develop a model of friendship formation that sheds light on segregation patterns observed in social and economic networks. Individuals come in different types and have type-dependent benefits from friendships; we examine the properties of a steady-state equilibrium of a matching process of friendship formation. We use the model to understand three empirical patterns of friendship formation: (i) larger groups tend to form more same-type ties and fewer other-type ties than small groups, (ii) larger groups form more ties per capita, and (iii) all groups are biased towards same-type relative to demographics, with the most extreme bias coming from middle-sized groups. We trace each of these empirical observations to specific properties of the theoretical model and highlight the role of choice and chance in generating homophilous behavior. Finally we discuss welfare implications of the model.
Techno-Economic Comparison of Onshore and Offshore Underground Coal Gasification End-Product Competitiveness

Underground coal gasification (UCG) enables utilization of coal reserves, currently not economically exploitable due to complex geological boundary conditions. Hereby, UCG produces a high-calorific synthesis gas that can be used for generation of electricity, fuels, and chemical feedstock. The present study aims to identify economically-competitive, site-specific end-use options for onshore- and offshore-produced UCG synthesis gas, taking into account the capture and storage (CCS) and/or utilization (CCU) of produced CO 2 . Modeling results show that boundary conditions favoring electricity, methanol, and ammonia production expose low costs for air separation, low compression power requirements, and appropriate shares of H 2 /N 2 . Hereby, a gasification agent ratio of more than 30% oxygen by volume is not favorable from the economic and CO 2 mitigation viewpoints. Compared to the costs of an offshore platform with its technical equipment, offshore drilling costs are marginal. Thus, uncertainties related to parameters influenced by drilling costs are negligible. In summary, techno-economic process modeling results reveal that air-blown gasification scenarios are the most cost-effective ones, while offshore UCG-CCS/CCU scenarios are up to 1.7 times more expensive than the related onshore processes. Hereby, all investigated onshore scenarios except from ammonia production under the assumed worst-case conditions are competitive on the European market.
Light-scattering investigations on dilute nonionic oil-in-water microemulsions

Dilute 3-component nonionic oil-in-water microemulsions formulated with either a polyoxyethylene surfactant (C18∶1E10 or C12E10) or the alkylamine-N-oxide surfactant, DDAO (C12AO), and containing either a triglyceride or an ethyl ester oil have been examined using dynamic and static light-scattering techniques. Analysis of the results showed distinct differences in the tested oils mode of incorporation into the microemulsion droplets, with both the molecular volume of the oil and the hydrophobic chain length of the surfactant being important. For example, microemulsions formulated by C18∶1E10 and containing one of the larger molecular volume oils (that is, either a triglyceride, Miglyol 812, or soybean oil) or the ethyl ester of fatty acid oil, ethyl oleate, exhibited first a decrease and then an increase in hydrodynamic size and surfactant aggregation number, suggesting that the asymmetric C18∶1E10 micelles became spherical upon the addition of a small amount of oil and grew thereafter because of further oil being incorporated into the core of the spherical microemulsion droplet. A similar conclusion of sphericity could not be drawn for microemulsions stabilized by C18∶1E10 and containing one of the oils smaller in molecular volume (namely tributyrin, ethyl butyrate, or ethyl caprylate) where neither the aggregation number nor the hydrodynamic radius changed much upon the addition of oil. This result suggested that these oils were preferentially located in the interfacial surfactant monolayer, behaving in much the same way as a cosurfactant. A different trend of results, however, was seen for microemulsions prepared using C12E10 and C12AO, most likely because these surfactants produced approximately spherical micelles. In this case, the microemulsions containing the oils larger in molecular volume tended to exhibit an increase in surfactant aggregation number and hydrodynamic size, suggesting the growth of spherical micelles, while the smaller oils (in particular ethyl butyrate) caused a significant decrease in surfactant aggregation number incompatible with their being incorporated into the centre of the droplet, suggesting that the oils were being located in the interfacial surfactant monolayer. These results suggest that the various oils are incorporated into the microemulsions in very different ways.
Reconstructing ecosystem functions of the active microbial community of the Baltic Sea oxygen depleted sediments

Baltic Sea deep water and sediments hold one of the largest anthropogenically induced hypoxic areas in the world. High nutrient input and low water exchange result in eutrophication and oxygen depletion below the halocline. As a consequence at Landsort Deep, the deepest point of the Baltic Sea, anoxia in the sediments has been a persistent condition over the past decades. Given that microbial communities are drivers of essential ecosystem functions we investigated the microbial community metabolisms and functions of oxygen depleted Landsort Deep sediments by metatranscriptomics. Results show substantial expression of genes involved in protein metabolism demonstrating that the Landsort Deep sediment microbial community is active. Identified expressed gene suites of metabolic pathways with importance for carbon transformation including fermentation, dissimilatory sulphate reduction and methanogenesis were identified. The presence of transcripts for these metabolic processes suggests a potential for heterotrophic-autotrophic community synergism and indicates active mineralisation of the organic matter deposited at the sediment as a consequence of the eutrophication process. Furthermore, cyanobacteria, probably deposited from the water column, are transcriptionally active in the anoxic sediment at this depth. Results also reveal high abundance of transcripts encoding integron integrases. These results provide insight into the activity of the microbial community of the anoxic sediment at the deepest point of the Baltic Sea and its possible role in ecosystem functioning.
Impact of coronary atherosclerosis on the efficacy of radiofrequency catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation.

AIMS Coronary atherosclerosis has been associated with the development of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, little is known about the impact of coronary atherosclerosis on the outcome treatment of AF. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of coronary atherosclerosis on the efficacy of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for AF using multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT). METHODS In 125 consecutive patients undergoing RFCA for AF, a pre-procedural MDCT examination (coronary angiography and/or coronary calcium score) was performed to evaluate the presence and severity of coronary atherosclerosis. Furthermore, all patients underwent a comprehensive echocardiographic evaluation to measure the left atrial size and to rule out structural heart disease. After RFCA all patients were regularly evaluated at the outpatient clinic. RESULTS After a mean follow-up of 12 ± 3 months, 78 patients (62%) had maintained stable sinus rhythm and 47 patients (38%) had recurrence of AF. Left atrial volume index was a significant predictor of AF recurrence after RFCA. The presence of coronary atherosclerosis on MDCT did not influence the efficacy of RFCA for AF. CONCLUSIONS The presence of coronary atherosclerosis on MDCT is not associated with a higher risk for AF recurrence after RFCA.
The Virion Host Shut-Off (vhs) Protein Blocks a TLR-Independent Pathway of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Recognition in Human and Mouse Dendritic Cells

Molecular pathways underlying the activation of dendritic cells (DCs) in response to Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) are poorly understood. Removal of the HSV virion host shut-off (vhs) protein relieves a block to DC activation observed during wild-type infection. In this study, we utilized a potent DC stimulatory HSV-1 recombinant virus lacking vhs as a tool to investigate the mechanisms involved in the activation of DCs by HSV-1. We report that the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines by conventional DC (cDC) during HSV-1 infection is triggered by both virus replication-dependent and replication-independent pathways. Interestingly, while vhs is capable of inhibiting the release of cytokines during infection of human and mouse cDCs, the secretion of cytokines by plasmacytoid DC (pDC) is not affected by vhs. These data prompted us to postulate that infection of cDCs by HSV triggers a TLR independent pathway for cDC activation that is susceptible to blockage by the vhs protein. Using cDCs isolated from mice deficient in both the TLR adaptor protein MyD88 and TLR3, we show that HSV-1 and the vhs-deleted virus can activate cDCs independently of TLR signaling. In addition, virion-associated vhs fails to block cDC activation in response to treatment with TLR agonists, but it efficiently blocked cDC activation triggered by the paramyxoviruses Sendai Virus (SeV) and Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV). This block to SeV- and NDV-induced activation of cDC resulted in elevated SeV and NDV viral gene expression indicating that infection with HSV-1 enhances the cell's susceptibility to other pathogens through the action of vhs. Our results demonstrate for the first time that a viral protein contained in the tegument of HSV-1 can block the induction of DC activation by TLR-independent pathways of viral recognition.
Quadratic phase coupling analysis for infrasound vehicle detection

The low attenuation characteristic of infrasound enables it to propagate long distances making it possible for the detection of infrasound sources. In this paper, a comparison in terms of the detection range between an acoustic microphone and an infrasound sensor in the context of vehicle detection is made. We propose to employ the bispectrum based quadratic phase coupling (QPC) analysis to extract characteristic frequencies of the vehicle signal. These frequencies can subsequently be used to detect the presence of the vehicle in order to evaluate the sensors' detection range. Experimental results show that the QPC outperforms the power spectrum estimation method for vehicle detection. In addition, it is found that the infrasound sensor outperforms the microphone in terms of vehicle detection range under the same test condition.
Defective dorsal closure and loss of epidermal decapentaplegic expression in Drosophila fos mutants

Drosophila kayak mutant embryos exhibit defects in dorsal closure, a morphogenetic cell sheet movement during embryogenesis. Here we show that kayak encodes D‐Fos, the Drosophila homologue of the mammalian proto‐oncogene product, c‐Fos. D‐Fos is shown to act in a similar manner to Drosophila Jun: in the cells of the leading edge it is required for the expression of the TGFβ‐like Decapentaplegic (Dpp) protein, which is believed to control the cell shape changes that take place during dorsal closure. Defects observed in mutant embryos, and adults with reduced Fos expression, are reminiscent of phenotypes caused by ‘loss of function’ mutations in the Drosophila JNKK homologue, hemipterous. These results indicate that D‐Fos is required downstream of the Drosophila JNK signal transduction pathway, consistent with a role in heterodimerization with D‐Jun, to activate downstream targets such as dpp.