Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Validation and Reliability of the Korean Version of the Sport Anxiety Scale-2

Abstract The main purpose of the present study was to examine the validation and reliability of the Korean version of the Sport Anxiety Scale (SAS-2Kr) by evaluating its factorial invariance across gender. A total of 303 Korean collegiate athletes (198 males and 105 females) from 9 sports participated in the study, and they completed the demographic questionnaire and the SAS-2Kr containing 15 items to measure multidimensional trait anxiety and individual differences in the cognitive and somatic anxiety experienced by athletes. The results of this study indicated that the construct validity in the SAS-2Kr was well established in that the values of the standardized factor loadings, composite reliability, and average variance extracted values were above the recommended cutoff points. The multiple-sample confirmatory factor analyses showed the SAS-2Kr could be generalizable across gender in college samples. The results also indicated that the SAS-2Kr supported the original 3-factor model of SAS-2 in English consisting of somatic anxiety, worry, and concentration disruption, and thus this study provides useful information for researchers to understand the athletes’ tendency to experience anxiety reactions in sport situations. Suggestions for future research on competitive trait anxiety are provided in the discussion section.
Expression Profiles and Functional Characterization of Two Odorant-Binding Proteins From the Apple Buprestid Beetle Agrilus mali (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)

Abstract The apple buprestid beetle, Agrilus mali Matsumura (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), can respond to various volatiles, but the underlying mechanism of odorant perception for this insect is poorly understood. Here, we cloned A. mali's odorant-binding proteins 3 (AmalOBP3) and 8 (AmalOBP8) and characterized their expression patterns and binding profiles. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses showed that AmalOBP3 and AmalOBP8 were distributed in the classic and minus-C OBP subfamily, respectively. AmalOBP3 was specifically and abundantly expressed in antennae of both sexes. AmalOBP8 displayed high transcript levels in antennae of both sexes, abdomens of males, and wings of both sexes. Both AmalOBPs exhibited much higher expression in male antennae than in female antennae, suggesting that they could be important in perception of male-specific olfactory cues (e.g., some sex pheromones). Out of the 40 odorant ligands tested, AmalOBP3 and AmalOBP8 bound to 15 and 21 different odorants, respectively, indicating a distinct and selective binding profile for them. Both AmalOBPs seemed to have very strong binding affinity to aliphatic alcohols and aldehydes with 12 to 15 carbon atoms. Alcohols, esters, and terpenoids were more likely to be good ligands for both AmalOBPs than aldehydes and alkanes. Together with its broad expression in different tissues, strong binding with higher numbers of putative ligands for AmalOPB8 means that this protein can have more extensive functional roles in chemosensation of A. mali. Our results provide insights into the molecular basis of chemosensation in A. mali, as well as a basis for developing detection, monitoring, and management tools for this serious pest.
RDF Keyword Search Using a Type-based Summary

Keyword search enjoys great popularity due to succinctness and easy operability for exploring RDF data. SPARQL has been recommended as the standard query language that can retrieve any answers users need from available RDF data. Thus, keyword search based on keywords-to-SPARQL attracts more and more attention. However, existing solutions have main limitations that the summary index used for translation is incomplete and thus results returned are wrong or short of some answers. To address these issues, we propose an original RDF keyword search paradigm based on the translation of keyword queries to SPARQL queries. We present a new type-based summary which summarizes all the inter-entity relationships from RDF data in order to prune search space. We exploit an efficient search algorithm to quickly find the top-k subgraphs connecting all entering keyword elements. Then, a transforming algorithm is leveraged to translate the top-k subgraph into top-k SPARQL queries that are eventually executed by a SPARQL query engine. The experiments show that our approach takes shorter query response time and more accurate results are achieved than the existing techniques.
Medaka extended one‐generation reproduction test evaluating 4‐nonylphenol

The medaka extended one‐generation test (MEOGRT) was developed as a multigenerational toxicity test for chemicals, particularly endocrine‐disrupting chemicals. Briefly, 3 generations of Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) are exposed to a chemical over a 20‐wk period: 3 wk in the parental generation (F0), 15 wk in the first generation (F1), and 2 wk in the second generation (F2). The present study reports the first MEOGRT results concerning branched isomer mixtures of 4‐nonylphenol (NP). Adult F0 medaka exposed to NP at 5 actual concentrations (1.27, 2.95, 9.81, 27.8, 89.4 µg/L) were unaffected in terms of reproduction, although vitellogenin in the male liver was increased dose‐dependently at concentration of 2.95 µg/L and higher. In F1, in contrast, total egg (fecundity), fertile egg, and fertility decreased as NP increased; lowest‐observed‐effect concentrations (LOECs) for total egg, fertile egg, and fertility were 1.27, 1.27, 27.8 µg/L, respectively. In F1, but not in F0, secondary sex characteristics (i.e., anal fin papillae in males) were suppressed at 27.8 µg/L NP. Vitellogenin induction in adult male fish was slightly weaker in F1 than it was in F0, however. Gonadal sex abnormality and sex reversal occurred at 27.8 and 89.4 µg/L NP in F1 subadults. At 89.4 µg/L NP, all genotypic F1 males in breeding pairs had female phenotype, and some even demonstrated spawning. Concentrations of NP lower than 89.4 µg/L did not affect F2 survival or hatching. The highest detected NP level in environmental freshwater in Japan was approximately a half of the LOEC (1.27 µg/L for F1 fecundity); in other countries, however, environmental concentrations above the LOEC are reported, suggesting that NP may be affecting fish populations. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3254–3266. © 2017 SETAC
Dual chromatin recognition by the histone deacetylase complex HCHC is required for proper DNA methylation in Neurospora crassa

Significance Modifications of chromatin proteins (e.g. histones) and DNA play vital roles in genome function. Both hypo- and hypermethylation of DNA are associated with human diseases, including cancers, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Using the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa, one of the simplest eukaryotes with DNA methylation, we report a DNA methylation pathway that depends partially on the histone deacetylase complex HCHC [heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1)–chromodomain protein 2 (CDP-2)–histone deacetylase 1 (HDA-1)– CDP-2/HDA-1–associated protein (CHAP)]. Genome-wide DNA methylation analyses revealed both hypo- and hyper-DNA methylation in strains with defective HCHC components. We show the interrelationship of HCHC components and genetically dissect the proteins to define domains critical for proper DNA methylation and centromeric silencing. This work provides insights into the crosstalk between DNA methylation and histone modifications. DNA methylation, heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1), histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methylation, histone deacetylation, and highly repeated sequences are prototypical heterochromatic features, but their interrelationships are not fully understood. Prior work showed that H3K9 methylation directs DNA methylation and histone deacetylation via HP1 in Neurospora crassa and that the histone deacetylase complex HCHC is required for proper DNA methylation. The complex consists of the chromodomain proteins HP1 and chromodomain protein 2 (CDP-2), the histone deacetylase HDA-1, and the AT-hook motif protein CDP-2/HDA-1–associated protein (CHAP). We show that the complex is required for proper chromosome segregation, dissect its function, and characterize interactions among its components. Our analyses revealed the existence of an HP1-based DNA methylation pathway independent of its chromodomain. The pathway partially depends on CHAP but not on the CDP-2 chromodomain. CDP-2 serves as a bridge between the recognition of H3K9 trimethylation (H3K9me3) by HP1 and the histone deacetylase activity of HDA-1. CHAP is also critical for HDA-1 localization to heterochromatin. Specifically, the CHAP zinc finger interacts directly with the HDA-1 argonaute-binding protein 2 (Arb2) domain, and the CHAP AT-hook motifs recognize heterochromatic regions by binding to AT-rich DNA. Our data shed light on the interrelationships among the prototypical heterochromatic features and support a model in which dual recognition by the HP1 chromodomain and the CHAP AT-hooks are required for proper heterochromatin formation.
THz Rectangular Patch Microstrip Antenna Design Using Photonic Crystal as Substrate

In this paper, the efiects of two dimensional photonic band gap crystals (electro- magnetic crystal) substrate on the performance of a rectangular microstrip patch antenna at THz (0.64{0.8THz) frequency are simulated. Photonic crystal has been used as substrate material for high gain and highly directional resonant antenna. The bandwidth and gain of the designed antenna is 13.36% and 3.852dB respectively which is very interesting result for this small di- mension antennas. The simulation has been performed using CST Microwave Studio, which is a commercially available electromagnetic simulator based on flnite difierence time domain tech- nique.
Role of insulin and nutritional factors in intestinal glycoprotein fucosylation during postnatal development.

This study deals with the role of insulin in the regulation of the intestinal glycoprotein fucosylation process during postnatal development in the rat. Circulating insulin level was found to increase at weaning time in parallel with α-1,2-fucosyltransferase activity and with the appearance of α-1,2-fucoproteins in brush-border membranes. Insulin treatment of young suckling rats induced a precocious increase in fucosyltransferase activity and in the biosynthesis of its substrate (GDP-fucose), but the sensitivity to insulin disappeared after weaning. The insulin level was lower in 22-day-old rats that received prolonged nursing (on a high-fat diet) compared with age-matched normally weaned rats (on a high-carbohydrate diet), whereas the appearance of α-1,2-fucoproteins and the increase in activity of α-1,2-fucosyltransferase were delayed, as was the decrease in the degradation of GDP-fucose. In 22-day-old animals that received prolonged nursing and insulin treatment, the α-1,2-fucosyltransferase activity reached a level close to that observed in age-matched weaned rats, and several α-1,2-fucoproteins appeared in brush-border membranes with a molecular mass similar to that found in weaned rats. These results suggest that changes in insulin levels at weaning time (as caused, in the present case, by dietary modifications) may be responsible for the regulation of the glycoprotein fucosylation process, essentially by increasing fucosyltransferase activity.
Interactively Picking Real-World Objects with Unconstrained Spoken Language Instructions

Comprehension of spoken natural language is an essential skill for robots to communicate with humans effectively. However, handling unconstrained spoken instructions is challenging due to (1) complex structures and the wide variety of expressions used in spoken language, and (2) inherent ambiguity of human instructions. In this paper, we propose the first comprehensive system for controlling robots with unconstrained spoken language, which is able to effectively resolve ambiguity in spoken instructions. Specifically, we integrate deep learning-based object detection together with natural language processing technologies to handle unconstrained spoken instructions, and propose a method for robots to resolve instruction ambiguity through dialogue. Through our experiments on both a simulated environment as well as a physical industrial robot arm, we demonstrate the ability of our system to understand natural instructions from human operators effectively, and show how higher success rates of the object picking task can be achieved through an interactive clarification process.
Region specific knock-out reveals distinct roles of chromatin modifiers in adult neurogenic niches

ABSTRACT Histone methyltransferases (HMTs) are present in heterogeneous cell populations within the adult brain including neurogenic niches. Yet the question remains whether loss of HMTs and the resulting changes in histone methylation alter cell fate in a region-specific manner. We utilized stereotaxic injection of Cre recombinant protein into the adult neurogenic niches, the subventricular zone (SVZ) adjacent to the lateral ventricle and the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus. We confirmed that Cre protein was enzymatically active in vivo and recombination events were restricted to the vicinity of injection areas. In this study, we focus on using Cre mediated recombination in mice harboring floxed HMT: enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) or suppressor of variegation homolog (Suv4-20h). Injectable Cre protein successfully knocked out either EZH2 or Suv4-20h, allowing assessment of long-term effects in a region-specific fashion. We performed meso-scale imaging and flow cytometry for phenotype analysis and unbiased quantification. We demonstrated that regional loss of EZH2 affects the differentiation paradigm of neural stem progenitor cells as well as the maintenance of stem cell population. We further demonstrated that regional loss of Suv4-20h influences the cell cycle but does not affect stem cell differentiation patterns. Therefore, Cre protein mediated knock-out a given HMT unravel their distinguishable and important roles in adult neurogenic niches. This Cre protein-based approach offers tightly-controlled knockouts in multiple cell types simultaneously for studying diverse regulatory mechanisms and is optimal for region-specific manipulation within complex, heterogeneous brain architectures.
Predicted Effects of Interfacial Roughness on the Behavior of Selected Ceramic Composites

Potential effects of interfacial roughness in ceramic composites were studied using a model that included the progressively increasing contribution of roughness with relative fiber/matrix displacement during debonding of the fiber/matrix interface. A parametric approach was used to study interfacial roughness in conjunction with other parameters such as the strength, radius, and volume fraction of the fiber. The progressive roughness contribution during initial fiber/matrix sliding caused a high effective coefficient of friction, as well as an increased clamping stress, which led to rapidly changing friction with increasing debond length. Calculated effects implied a potentially significant contribution to the behavior of real composite systems and the necessity for explicit consideration in the interpretation of experimental data to understand composite behavior correctly. In a tension test, the Poisson`s contraction of the fiber may negate the effects of roughness, allowing an effective constant shear stress ({tau}) approximation. This was evaluated using a piecewise linear approximation to the progressive roughness model in an analysis of composite stress-strain behavior; for the Nicalon/SiC system, the effective {tau} value was lower than the values that would be obtained from fiber pushout tests and/or matrix crack spacings.
Physicochemical Characterization and Antioxidant Activity of Humic Acids Isolated from Peat of Various Origins

Although humic acids (HAs) from peat exhibit various therapeutic properties, there is little information available concerning their physicochemical and antioxidant properties. To address this issue, nine different types of peat, including oligotrophic, mesotrophic, and minerotrophic peat samples, were used for isolation of HA fractions by basic (HAb) and pyrophosphate (HAp) extractions. Physical parameters of the HAs were analyzed by UV-Vis, fluorescent, infrared (IR), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Average Mr of the fractions ranged from 17.2 to 39.7 kDa, while their humification index (HIX) varied from 0.49 to 1.21. HAp fractions had a higher content of aromatic structures compared to HAb fractions. Moreover, HAp fractions had a significantly higher content of phenolic OH groups (3.6 ± 0.5 mmol/g) versus HAb (3.1 ± 0.5 mmol/g). All HA fractions exhibited antioxidant activity in radical scavenging and electrochemical assays, and their EPR signal had a single line with g = 2.0035, which is consistent with semiquinone type radicals. Furthermore, the HIX was found to be important in determining the number of semiquinone-type free radicals in the HA structures. Overall, these data provide a molecular basis to explain at least part of the beneficial therapeutic properties of peat-derived HAs.
Bacteriophages of the Urinary Microbiome

ABSTRACT Bacterial viruses (bacteriophages) play a significant role in microbial community dynamics. Within the human gastrointestinal tract, for instance, associations among bacteriophages (phages), microbiota stability, and human health have been discovered. In contrast to the gastrointestinal tract, the phages associated with the urinary microbiota are largely unknown. Preliminary metagenomic surveys of the urinary virome indicate a rich diversity of novel lytic phage sequences at an abundance far outnumbering that of eukaryotic viruses. These surveys, however, exclude the lysogenic phages residing within the bacteria of the bladder. To characterize this phage population, we examined 181 genomes representative of the phylogenetic diversity of bacterial species within the female urinary microbiota and found 457 phage sequences, 226 of which were predicted with high confidence. Phages were prevalent within the bladder bacteria: 86% of the genomes examined contained at least one phage sequence. Most of these phages are novel, exhibiting no discernible sequence homology to sequences in public data repositories. The presence of phages with substantial sequence similarity within the microbiota of different women supports the existence of a core community of phages within the bladder. Furthermore, the observed variation between the phage populations of women with and without overactive bladder symptoms suggests that phages may contribute to urinary health. To complement our bioinformatic analyses, viable phages were cultivated from the bacterial isolates for characterization; a novel coliphage was isolated, which is obligately lytic in the laboratory strain Escherichia coli C. Sequencing of bacterial genomes facilitates a comprehensive cataloguing of the urinary virome and reveals phage-host interactions. IMPORTANCE Bacteriophages are abundant within the human body. However, while some niches have been well surveyed, the phage population within the urinary microbiome is largely unknown. Our study is the first survey of the lysogenic phage population within the urinary microbiota. Most notably, the abundance of prophage exceeds that of the bacteria. Furthermore, many of the prophage sequences identified exhibited no recognizable sequence homology to sequences in data repositories. This suggests a rich diversity of uncharacterized phage species present in the bladder. Additionally, we observed a variation in the abundances of phages between bacteria isolated from asymptomatic “healthy” individuals and those with urinary symptoms, thus suggesting that, like phages within the gut, phages within the bladder may contribute to urinary health.
Release of iron from bonding nails in torrent control check dams and its effect on wood decomposition by Fomitopsis pinicola

Wooden check dams for torrent control consist of logs nailed with steel fastenings, which are subject to corrosion. We studied the distribution of iron adjacent to bonding nails within the wood by energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis (EDX) and atom emission spectroscopy (AES). Th e eff ect of iron on wood decomposition was tested using the brown rot fungus Fomitopsis pinicola. Th e zone of iron accumulation surrounding the nails exceeded 10 cm in most cases. In the wood adjacent to the nail surface, an iron concentration of 0,5-6% of the dry mass was found. In the wood decomposition experiment, iron had an inhibitory eff ect on decay at concentrations above 0,5%. At lower concentrations, wood decay was signifi cantly enhanced. Th e implications of these fi ndings for constructive improvements of crib dams and further research needs are discussed.
Modulation of integrin activation and signaling by &agr;1/&agr;1′-helix unbending at the junction

Summary How conformational signals initiated from one end of the integrin are transmitted to the other end remains elusive. At the ligand-binding &bgr;I domain, the &agr;1/&agr;1′-helix changes from a bent to a straightened &agr;-helical conformation upon integrin headpiece opening. We demonstrated that a conserved glycine at the &agr;1/&agr;1′ junction is crucial for maintaining the bent conformation of the &agr;1/&agr;1′-helix in the resting state. Mutations that facilitate &agr;1/&agr;1′-helix unbending rendered integrin constitutively active; however, mutations that block the &agr;1/&agr;1′-helix unbending abolished soluble ligand binding upon either outside or inside stimuli. Such mutations also blocked ligand-induced integrin extension from outside the cell, but had no effect on talin-induced integrin extension from inside the cell. In addition, integrin-mediated cell spreading, F-actin stress fiber and focal adhesion formation, and focal adhesion kinase activation were also defective in these mutant integrins, although the cells still adhered to immobilized ligands at a reduced level. Our data establish the structural role of the &agr;1/&agr;1′ junction that allows relaxation of the &agr;1/&agr;1′-helix in the resting state and transmission of bidirectional conformational signals by helix unbending upon integrin activation.
4Pi live cell imaging

One distinctive advantage of light microscopy over electron microscopy is it ability to selectively image sub-cellular details three-dimensionally in living cells. Live cell imaging is the domain of light microscopy. In this thesis a live cell imaging setup relying on 4Pi fluorescence microscopy is presented. To speed up the imaging process and record cellular processes of the order of a few seconds a new method of multifoci-generation via the stacking of birefringent crystals is implemented. The axial optical sectioning ability of the system is ~120 nm and the recording of an average-sized 3D data stack is accomplished in less than 10 seconds. The microscope’s applicability to live cell imaging is verified by recording both mitochondrial fusion and fission events in live yeast and the movement of PML bodies in live human U2OS cells. To push the limits of applicability of the system further, second harmonic generation is tested as an alternative label-free coherent contrast mechanism and binary amplitude filters are successfully applied. Second harmonic generation turns out to be an imaging technique confined to specific applications. With the implementation of amplitude filters 4Pi microscopy of aqueous tissue becomes convenient and broadly applicable.