Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Caffeine fostering of mycoparasitic fungi against phytopathogens

Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethixanthine) is a typical purine alkaloid produced in more than 80 plant species. Its biological role is considered to strengthen plant's defense capabilities, directly as a toxicant to biotic attackers (allelopathy) and indirectly as an activator of defense system (priming). Caffeine is actively secreted into rhizosphere through primary root, and possibly affects the structure of microbe community nearby. The fungal community in coffee plant rhizosphere is enriched with particular species, including Trichoderma family, a mycoparasite that attacks and kills phytopathogens by coiling and destroying their hyphae. In the present study, the caffeine response of 8 filamentous fungi, 4 mycoparasitic Trichoderma, and 4 prey phytopathogens, was examined. Results showed that allelopathic effect of caffeine on fungal growth and development was differential, being stronger on pathogens than on Trichoderma species. Upon confronting, the prey immediately ceased the growth, whereas the predator continued to grow, indicating active mycoparasitism to have occurred. Caffeine enhanced mycoparasitism up to 1.7-fold. Caffeine thus functions in a double-track manner against fungal pathogens: first by direct suppression of growth and development, and second by assisting their natural enemy. These observations suggest that caffeine is a powerful weapon in the arms race between plants and pathogens by fostering enemy's enemy, and we propose the idea of "caffeine fostering" as the third role of caffeine.
Mice with an adipocyte-specific lipin 1 separation-of-function allele reveal unexpected roles for phosphatidic acid in metabolic regulation

Lipin 1 is a coregulator of DNA-bound transcription factors and a phosphatidic acid (PA) phosphatase (PAP) enzyme that catalyzes a critical step in the synthesis of glycerophospholipids. Lipin 1 is highly expressed in adipocytes, and constitutive loss of lipin 1 blocks adipocyte differentiation; however, the effects of Lpin1 deficiency in differentiated adipocytes are unknown. Here we report that adipocyte-specific Lpin1 gene recombination unexpectedly resulted in expression of a truncated lipin 1 protein lacking PAP activity but retaining transcriptional regulatory function. Loss of lipin 1-mediated PAP activity in adipocytes led to reduced glyceride synthesis and increased PA content. Characterization of the deficient mice also revealed that lipin 1 normally modulates cAMP-dependent signaling through protein kinase A to control lipolysis by metabolizing PA, which is an allosteric activator of phosphodiesterase 4 and the molecular target of rapamycin. Consistent with these findings, lipin 1 expression was significantly related to adipose tissue lipolytic rates and protein kinase A signaling in adipose tissue of obese human subjects. Taken together, our findings identify lipin 1 as a reciprocal regulator of triglyceride synthesis and hydrolysis in adipocytes, and suggest that regulation of lipolysis by lipin 1 is mediated by PA-dependent modulation of phosphodiesterase 4.
A Scalable High-Voltage Output Driver for Low-Voltage CMOS Technologies

A monolithic implementation of series connected MOSFETs for high-voltage switching applications is presented. Using a single low-voltage control signal to trigger the bottom MOSFET in the series stack, a voltage division across parasitic and inserted capacitances in the circuit is used to turn on the entire stack of devices. This voltage division both statically and dynamically safeguards the individual MOSFETs over the entire switching period. Because the output voltage is balanced across each device in the stack for the entire switching period, stress to the oxide and hot-carrier degradation are minimized, even in the event of transient over voltages. This circuit, termed the Stacked MOSFET, is ntimes scalable, allowing for the on-die control of voltages that are ntimes the fabrication processes rated operating voltage. The governing equations for this circuit are derived and reliable operation is demonstrated through simulation and experimental implementation in a 0.35-mum SOI CMOS process. The realized prototype is shown to handle 2times the nominal process operating voltage at a switching frequency of 20 MHz with an input-to-output delay of only 5.5 ns
Design and development of a portable flash X-ray source driven by battery powered compact Marx generator

The design, construction and operational characteristics of a portable flash X-ray source driven by battery-powered compact Marx is reported. The novel configuration of compact Marx utilizes hollow capacitors in successive stages to enhance the erection reliability. The characteristic impedance of this system is ~200Ω. At discharge of ~22kV, >200kV output pulse of 60ns duration (FWHM) with rise time of <;5ns (10%-90%) is produced. The pulser requires Nitrogen gas pressurization up to 3atm for operation at maximum rating. The Marx generator assembly is fitted in to a stainless steel tube of 10cm diameter and 1.2m length. While using a demountable sealed X-ray tube of matched impedance, this device produces an X-ray pulse of approximately ~30ns duration and has maximum energy of ~200keV. This true tabletop device is able to produce dose up to 100mR per shot, measured at the distance of 30cm from output window. The focal spot size has been passively confirmed to be in the sub-millimeter (<;1mm) range.
Altered DNA Polymerase ι Expression in Breast Cancer Cells Leads to a Reduction in DNA Replication Fidelity and a Higher Rate of Mutagenesis

The recently discovered human enzyme DNA polymerase ι (pol ι) has been shown to have an exceptionally high error rate on artificial DNA templates. Although there is a considerable body of in vitro evidence for a role for pol ι in DNA lesion bypass, there is no in vivo evidence to confirm this action. We report here that pol ι expression is elevated in breast cancer cells and correlates with a significant decrease in DNA replication fidelity. We also demonstrate that UV treatment of breast cancer cells additionally increases pol ι expression with a peak occurring between 30 min and 2 h after cellular insult. This implies that the change in pol ι expression is an early event after UV-mediated DNA damage. That pol ι may play a role in the higher mutation frequencies observed in breast cancer cells was suggested when a reduction in mutation frequency was found after pol ι was immunodepleted from nuclear extracts of the cells. Analysis of the UV-induced mutation spectra revealed that >90% were point mutations. The analysis also demonstrated a decreased C→T nucleotide transition and an increased C→A transversion rate. Overall, our data strongly suggest that pol ι may be involved in the generation of both increased spontaneous and translesion mutations during DNA replication in breast cancer cells, thereby contributing to the accumulation of genetic damage.
The effect of rTMS over left and right dorsolateral premotor cortex on movement timing of either hand

It has been suggested that the left dorsolateral premotor cortex (dPMC) controls timing abilities of either hand. To further clarify its functional significance for movement timing, low‐frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) was applied over the left and right dPMC, respectively, while subjects performed an auditorily paced finger‐tapping task with each hand. rTMS over the left dPMC decreased tapping accuracy of both hands, whereas no behavioural effects occurred following right dPMC stimulation. To elucidate the time window in which left dPMC TMS disturbs synchronization abilities, pairs of TMS pulses were applied over the left dPMC and the left anterior parietal cortex serving as control condition. TMS pulses were applied randomly at 40 ms, 80 ms, 120 ms, 160 ms, 200 ms and 240 ms before pacer onset, as taps precede the pacing signal for about 20–60 ms. Again, the analysis revealed that TMS over the left dPMC disturbed synchronization abilities of either hand; however, this effect was shown at different times suggesting that the left dPMC affects the right M1 via at least one additional relay station. The present data support the hypothesis that the left dPMC is crucial for accurate timing of either hand. Additionally, they reveal a piece of evidence that the left dPMC affects the left hand not via a direct left dPMC–right M1 connection.
Nutritional imbalance suppresses migratory phenotypes of the Mongolian locust (Oedaleus asiaticus)

For many species, migration evolves to allow organisms to access better resources. However, the proximate factors that trigger these developmental changes, and how and why these vary across species, remain poorly understood. One prominent hypothesis is that poor-quality food promotes development of migratory phenotypes and this has been clearly shown for some polyphenic insects. In other animals, particularly long-distance bird migrants, it is clear that high-quality food is required to prepare animals for a successful migration. We tested the effect of diet quality on the flight behaviour and morphology of the Mongolian locust, Oedaleus asiaticus. Locusts reared at high population density and fed low-N grass (performance-enhancing for this species) had enhanced migratory morphology relative to locusts fed high-N grass. Furthermore, locusts fed synthetic diets with an optimal 1 : 2 protein : carbohydrate ratio flew for longer times than locusts fed diets with lower or higher protein : carbohydrate ratios. In contrast to the hypothesis that performance-degrading food should enhance migration, our results support the more nuanced hypothesis that high-quality diets promote development of migratory characteristics when migration is physiologically challenging.
Ancient DNA Analysis of the Delta F508 Mutation

When working with highly degraded DNA, validating the results of a slightly polymorphic system always complicates the analysis because of the difficulties in recognizing contamination and artifacts. Recognition can be greatly simplified by employing a multiplex reaction that coamplifies the fragments together with several highly polymorphic markers, for instance, short tandem repeats. In this work, we successfully included newly designed oligonucleotide primers for the detection of delta F508, the most frequent mutation causing cystic fibrosis, in the commercial AmpFlSTR Profiler Plus™ PCR Amplification Kit (PE Applied Biosystems). This coamplification enabled us to test the hypothesis of a heterozygote advantage associated with cystic fibrosis—specifically, higher resistance to toxin-mediated diarrheas—in a Sicilian skeletal sample of individuals who died in a cholera epidemic in 1837. The proposed method should also be suitable for the genetic characterization of other slightly polymorphic loci tested on human and animal ancient DNA; it should permit simple authentication of results by comparing the fingerprints obtained from independent amplifications repeated several times.
A Seed-Based Segmentation Method for Scene Text Extraction

Scene text extraction, i.e., segmenting text pixels from background, is an important step before the text can be recognized. It is a challenging problem due to the cluttered background and the variation of lighting. In this paper, we propose a seed-based segmentation method that can automatically judge the text polarity, extract seed points of text and background, and segment texts by semi-supervised learning (SSL). First, we estimate the text polarity and the stroke width using gradient local correlation. Then, all the points in the middle of stroke edge pairs satisfying the width and polarity are taken as foreground seeds, and the points in the middle of the edge pairs with opposite polarity are taken as background seeds. The whole image is then segmented into text and background using an SSL algorithm. Owing to the accurate estimate of text polarity and extraction of seed points, the proposed method yields good segmentation performance. Experimental results on the KAIST dataset demonstrate the superiority of the method.
Optimizing Synaptic Conductance Calculation for Network Simulations

High computational requirements in realistic neuronal network simulations have led to attempts to realize implementation efficiencies while maintaining as much realism as possible. Since the number of synapses in a network will generally far exceed the number of neurons, simulation of synaptic activation may be a large proportion of total processing time. We present a consolidating algorithm based on a recent biophysically-inspired simplified Markov model of the synapse. Use of a single lumped state variable to represent a large number of converging synaptic inputs results in substantial speed-ups.
Einfluss einer asphärischen, aberrationskorrigierenden, monofokalen IOL auf die Patientenzufriedenheit im Rahmen der alltäglichen Tätigkeiten: Heidelberger „Daily-Tasks-Evaluation“-Fragebogen

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund: Im Rahmen einer prospektiven Studie wurde der Einfluss einer asphärischen aberrationskorrigierenden Intraokularlinse (IOL) auf die Patientenzufriedenheit im Rahmen der Ausführung alltäglicher Tätigkeiten sowie die funktionellen Ergebnisse klinisch ausgewertet. Patienten/Methoden: 21 Patienten im Alter von 50 bis 83 Jahren, die mit einer asphärischen IOL (Tecnis ZCB00, Abbott Medical Optics) versorgt wurden, wurden 2 bis 4 Monate nach erfolgreicher Kataraktoperation bez. der subjektiven Zufriedenheit, der Sehqualität und deren Auswirkung auf die Ausübung täglicher Aktivitäten befragt, wobei auch die Sehschärfe und Refraktion gemessen wurde. Die Patienten wurden gebeten, den Heidelberger Patientenfragebogen DATE (Daily Tasks Evaluation) auszufüllen. Ergebnisse: Alle Patienten haben angegeben, die gleiche Operation einem Verwandten oder im engen Bekanntenkreis weiterzuempfehlen und 93,8 % der Patienten sind mit dem Ergebnis der Operation zufrieden. Signifikante Unterschiede zwischen prä- und postoperativen Ergebnissen wurden in der Refraktion gefunden (p ≤ 0,03), mit einem durchschnittlichen Vorhersagefehler von + 0,21 ± 0,43 dpt. Der unkorrigierte Fernvisus sowie der korrigierte Fernvisus zeigten einen signifikanten Visusanstieg (p < 0,01), mit einem postoperativen korrigierten Fernvisus von 0,0 logMAR oder besser in 97,1 % der Augen. Schlussfolgerung: Die Implantation der asphärischen IOL im Rahmen der Kataraktextraktion erlaubt die Wiederherstellung der Sehfunktionen mit einer optimierten optischen Qualität. Die hohen Werte der DATE-Ergebnisse sprechen für eine hohe Zufriedenheitsrate der Patienten.
The influence of the “acting white” phenomenon in the achievement experiences of academically successful African American college students

This study investigates the “acting White” phenomenon. Of 40 African American university students who participated in completing questionnaires, 11 were chosen to share their experiences with “acting White” in one to one and a half hour interviews. Six participants have been featured in this work, three males and three females, ages ranging from 20-50+. The study participants came from diverse Black backgrounds, including one of Jamaican descent, two of Nigerian ancestry, and three African Americans whose childhood homes ranged from Georgia to Utah. The participants also came from homes with parents and grandparents who had achieved various levels of education. Although family members had attained degree levels from high school to graduate schools, all participants asserted that the significance of education was promoted while growing up. The participants’ attitudes toward education were similarly positive. All participants cited a source of support which encouraged them to persevere when faced with accusations of “acting White. ” The unique backgrounds from which the participants came (e.g., cultural heritage and the educational attainment of parents and grandparents) influenced each individual’s experience of the “acting White” phenomenon.
Independent primary-side controller applied to wireless chargers for electric vehicles

Electric vehicles rely on batteries that need to be frequently recharged. As an alternative to conductive charging, wireless chargers provide a higher reliability to pollution and electric failures and they also extend the situations and places where the recharge could be available without user's intervention (e.g. parking spaces, on-road). In order to optimize the performance of a wireless charger, its configuration should be dynamically adapted to the varying battery's electrical features. Towards this goal, controllers are incorporated into the system to modify the behavior of some switching devices belonging to the power electronics blocks. This paper presents a controller that acts in the DC/DC structure placed in the primary side. As a novelty, the controller infers the instantaneous battery power demands by exclusively measuring voltage and current in the primary side. In this way, there is no need for communicating (via wired or wireless links) the primary and the secondary sides. The simulation results show the ability of the controller to adapt to different battery states.
Improvising 5-HT7R homology model for design of high affinity ligands: model validation with docking, embrace minimization, MM-GBSA, and molecular dynamic simulations

The subtype, 5-HT7R has been implicated in neurological disorders and presents itself as a promising target for antidepressant drugs. Design of targeted selective ligands, require a sound knowledge of 3D-receptor structure. In absence of receptor structure, structure-based design of targeted ligands relies on generation of 5-HT7R homology model. In this study, the impact of template choice, alignment, and model building methods on the homology model of 5-HT7R is addressed. The compactness and model quality due to the presence of cholesterol (lipidic receptor) have also been observed. The results suggest good stereochemical quality of the final model. Ramachandran Plot Analysis indicated more than 97.5% amino acid residues in the favorable region. The overall quality factor was 91.8% using ERRAT. The Z-score for backbone confirmation and packing quality were −1.248 and −1.427, respectively, using WHATCHECK. The RMS Z-score for side chain planarity was . 711. Other validation results for the final model include binding site analysis in which Asp162, Val163, Phe343, Phe344, Arg350, Arg367, and Leu370 conserved residues were found in the active site, correlation coefficient of . 82 in ligand-based screening and . 85 in embrace minimization. Further, the model showed good correlation for agonist and antagonist in docking ( ≈ .76, ≈ .82), embrace minimization ( ≈ .73, ≈ .72), and MM-GBSA ( ≈ .69, ≈ .75) studies. The model was subjected to Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation of 20 ns both in ligand-free and ligand-bound receptor (agonist and antagonist) system in order to assess its stability.
Detection of Local Recurrence of Prostate Cancer After Radical Prostatectomy Using Endorectal Coil MRI at 3 T: Addition of DWI and Dynamic Contrast Enhancement to T2-Weighted MRI.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of DWI and dynamic contrast enhancement (DCE) in MRI at 3 T with an endorectal coil in identifying local prostate cancer recurrence after radical prostatectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eighty men underwent MRI for suspected local recurrence. The reference standards were histopathologic result, decrease in prostate-specific antigen level after salvage radiation therapy, and follow-up findings. Using a 5-point scoring system, two reviewers independently interpreted T2-weighted images alone (protocol A), a combination of T2-weighted and DW images (protocol B), a combination of T2-weighted and DCE images (protocol C), and a combination of T2-weighted, DW, and DCE images (protocol D). ROC analysis was used to compare the four protocols. RESULTS Local recurrence was found in 57 of the 80 patients (71.3%). The ROC AUCs for protocols A, B, C, and D were 0.71, 0.72, 0.90, and 0.89 for reader 1 and 0.65, 0.62, 0.84, and 0.83 for reader 2. Protocols C and D had statistically better performance than protocols A and B for both readers (p < 0.001). For local recurrence lesions with a long-axis diameter less than 10 mm visualized with protocol C, protocol B had detection rates of 25.0-29.4% and for lesions measuring 10 mm or greater, 67.9-69.0%. The rates of detection of local recurrence with protocol C or D were 76.5-82.4% for prostate-specific antigen levels less than 0.4 ng/mL, 60-73.3% for 0.4-1.0 ng/mL, and 80-88.0% for greater than 1.0 ng/mL. CONCLUSION Addition of DCE to T2-weighted imaging in 3-T MRI with an endorectal coil improves the accuracy of detection of local cancer recurrence after radical prostatectomy. The addition of DWI is of limited incremental value for detection, especially of small lesions.
Fiber grating Sagnac loop and its multiwavelength-laser application

We introduce a novel simple comb filter, which is based on a Sagnac interferometer with a fiber Bragg grating asymmetrically located in its fiber loop. The filter has advantages of simple design and easy fabrication, low insertion loss and low cost. Two filters with triple bandpasses and dual bandpasses, respectively, were fabricated and applied to an erbium-doped fiber ring laser. Stable triple-wavelength and dual-wavelength laser operations have been demonstrated.
Engineers Who Become Entrepreneurs; How to Study Them through Phenomenology

The role of new technological businesses in economic development and social transformation is undeniable. The study of engineer-entrepreneur as the heart of these businesses is one of the main research areas in the field of entrepreneurship. Engineer-entrepreneur is defined as an engineer establishes a new technology business and manage it based on development of advanced technology and commercialization. Designing a clear methodology for study of engineer-entrepreneurs can be effective not only in creating and growing the businesses of entrepreneur-entrepreneurs, but also in providing better educating entrepreneurship to engineers. So this article systematically reviews the indexed articles in the Scopus database related to the usage of phenomenology in entrepreneurship. The analysis of 78 related articles indicates that the process of applying phenomenological method for study of entrepreneurs is growing. In response to the question of how phenomenology is applied, the results of the reviewed articles were described in seven sections, including the defining of subject, the selection of phenomenological procedure, the selection of participants and sampling, data collection, Analysis, validation, and presentation. This phenomenological method for study of engineer-entrepreneurs is illustrated through a worked example of competency for being engineer-entrepreneur.