Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of Bt-transgenic rice (SHK601) on soil ecosystems in the rhizosphere during crop development.

In contrast to other transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crops (e.g. Bt maize and cotton), risk assessments of Bt rice on soil ecosystem are few. To assess the influence of Bt rice on rhizosphere soil ecosystems, soil samples from Bt, non-Bt and controls were taken at seedling, tillering, booting, heading and maturing stages. The activities of dehydrogenases, invertase, phenol oxidases, acid phosphatases, ureases and proteases showed no significant differ ences between Bt and non-Bt rice. A Biolog system was used to evaluate the effect of Bt rice on functional diversity of microbial communities. Although there were differences in carbon substrate utilization between Bt and non-Bt rice at seedling, tillering and heading stages, these differences were transient and not persistent. Denaturing gradi ent gel electrophoresis (DGGE) fingerprint patterns showed that Bt rice had little effect on the dominant rhizo sphere bacterial, fungal and actinobacterial communities. The richness and consistency of microbial communities according to carbon substrate utilizations and DGGE band patterns did not differ significantly between Bt and nonBt rice, and were close to that of control soil. There was no evidence to indicate apparent effects of Bt rice on soil enzyme activities, microbial community composition and functional diversity in this study.
Attenuation of Adhesion, Biofilm Formation and Quorum Sensing of Campylobacter jejuni by Euodia ruticarpa

Thermophilic campylobacters are a major cause of bacterial food‐borne diarrhoeal disease. Adherence and biofilm formation are key elements of Campylobacter jejuni persistence in unfavourable environmental conditions. The phytochemical analysis of Euodia ruticarpa fruit ethanol solution extract (EREE) indicated that the major compounds were evodiamine (1), rutaecarpine (2) and evocarpine (9). E. ruticarpa fruit ethanol solution extract, compounds 1 and 2 as well as a mixture of quinolinone alkaloids with 41.7% of 9 were tested for antibacterial, antibiofilm and antiquorum sensing activities against C. jejuni. Minimal inhibitory concentrations varied from 64 to 1024 µg/mL. A mutant strain that lacks the functional gene coding for the CmeB efflux pump protein was the most susceptible. Interestingly, in addition to the wild‐type (NCTC 11168) and cmeB mutant, also a mutant that lacks autoinducer‐2 production (luxS) was able to adhere (1 h) and to produce a biofilm (24, 48 and 72 h). The subinhibitory concentrations of all preparations at least partly inhibited C. jejuni adhesion and biofilm formation with the most visible effect of the quinolinone alkaloid fraction. Using a Vibrio harveyi luminescence assay, the inhibition of autoinducer‐2 production was observed in the wild‐type and cmeB mutant after 48 h with the most visible effect of EREE and its fraction Q. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hysteresis modeling and go-to control of deformable mirrors in adaptive optics

We propose a model-based approach to provide “open-loop” control, or precise go-to capability, for piezo actuated deformable mirrors (DMs) used in adaptive optics. Our DM model consists of a two-dimensional, linear partial differential equation known as the thin plate equation to describe the DM facesheet which is coupled to nonlinear scalar ordinary differential equations to describe the hysteretic actuators. Our control approach is carried out in two stages. In the first stage we compute actuator loads that drive the DM facesheet to a prescribed shape. The second stage involves the solution of “inverse” ordinary differential equations that provide the command voltages that induce actuator loads computed in the first stage. This work is significant in that it may enhance predictive and feed-forward control schemes in adaptive optics. Standard integral controllers, operating in closed loop, may also benefit since the gain may be increased.
Simplicity and Finiteness of Discrete Spectrum of the Benjamin-Ono Scattering Operator

A spectral analysis is done on the $L$ operator of the Lax pair for the Benjamin--Ono equation. Simplicity and finiteness of the discrete spectrum are established as are needed for the Fokas and Ablowitz inverse scattering transform scheme. A crucial step in the simplicity proof is the discovery of a new identity connecting the $L^2$ norm of the eigenvector to its inner product with the scattering potential. The proof for finiteness is an extension of the ideas involved in the Birman--Schwinger bound for Schrodinger operators.
Decline in HIV infectivity following the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy

Conclusions: Use of HAART by infected persons in a community appears to reduce their infectiousness and therefore may provide an important HIV prevention tool. ceptive anal intercourse partners. Conservatively assuming a constant prevalence of HIV infection between 1994 and 1999, HIV infectivity decreased from 0.120 prior to widespread use of HAART, to 0.048 after the widespread use of HAART – a decline of 60% (P = 0.028).
Quantity or quality - predictability and experience: A case study in human-robot interaction

Human-robot collaboration is essential when the robot operates in unstructured environments which change dynamically and require high perception capabilities. The design of such collaborative systems requires the system to be predictable, i.e., the system's response should be repeatable and as close as possible to the response expected by its users. This should enable users to comprehend and learn how the system operates and foresee the system's responses to their commands and actions. We present a study of remote controlling a robot. This study investigated the expectations, perception, behavior and preferences of users while issuing a “forward” movement command. The study aimed to determine if users expect and prefer a system response that is identical in the distance of movement (repeated quantity), or an adaptive movement whose size depends on the environment (i.e., repeated rule, such as movement until another command, until junctions and/or obstacles). Speech was the only modality of interaction in the two experiments performed. The results show that the movement manner adaptable to the environment is preferred. Although the manner of movement (set step size vs. continuous movement, stopping at junctions vs. not stopping) may affect the overall performance, especially in the learning stage, these differences are not always perceived by the users. Results indicate that a robot's response could be qualitatively similar rather than identical in quantity or quality (the direction is constant, but the movement and feedback manners may vary). Furthermore, the overall gained user experience compensates for minor variations in the system's response.
Ties that bind, can also strangle: the Brexit threat and the hardships of reforming the EU

ABSTRACT This article links insights from research on European Union (EU) decision-making and on differentiated integration to the recent negotiations about the future United Kingdom (UK)–EU relationship. We argue that since a Brexit would overturn well-established statics of EU decision-making, EU member states reacted differently to the British demands. States that feared a weakening of their position after a Brexit were more willing to grant concessions to the UK. This largely applies to most northern member states. In contrast, most other member states appeared more reluctant to meet the British expectations. First, these states hoped to improve their standing inside the EU after a Brexit. Second, reflecting deeper structural tensions, the British demands would have entailed higher prices for these member states. Anticipating heterogeneity between the other member states, and thus the stability enhancing mechanisms of the joint decision trap, the UK downscaled its demands before the European Council of February 2016. In consequence, the negotiations on the terms of Britain’s EU membership did not result in a grand overhaul of the EU, but rather in symbolic concessions aimed at pleasing British domestic politics without severely harming other member states’ interests.
A simple pen-type device based interaction for the low cost calculation power

This paper proposes a method of recognition blinking LED from images for a robust and simple interaction. The proposed method uses time-series changes of the brightness values. A switch and LEDs are attached to the pen-type device. The LEDs blink while the switch is pressed and at constant intervals. Brightness image converted to low-resolution image. The features of the brightness values change in the time axis direction for each pixel are analyzed. Finally the pixel, which shows similar aspect of the features of the LED brightness change, is recognized as the tip of the pen-type device. Since the proposed method does not use color information, it is robust against illumination variation. Small calculation power is required for whole recognition procedures. In this paper, the proposed method using the time-series changes of the brightness values is described. The quantitative evaluation on recognition rate is performed and the effectiveness of the propose method is shown in this paper.
Endosomal and AP-3-Dependent Vacuolar Trafficking Routes Make Additive Contributions to Candida albicans Hyphal Growth and Pathogenesis

ABSTRACT Candida albicans mutants deficient in vacuolar biogenesis are defective in polarized hyphal growth and virulence. However, the specific vacuolar trafficking routes required for hyphal growth and virulence are unknown. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, two trafficking routes deliver material from the Golgi apparatus to the vacuole. One occurs via the late endosome and is dependent upon Vps21p, while the second bypasses the endosome and requires the AP-3 complex, including Aps3p. To determine the significance of these pathways in C. albicans hyphal growth and virulence, aps3Δ/Δ, vps21Δ/Δ, and aps3Δ/Δ vps21Δ/Δ mutant strains were constructed. Analysis of vacuolar morphology and localization of the vacuolar protein Mlt1p suggests that C. albicans Aps3p and Vps21p mediate two distinct transport pathways. The vps21Δ/Δ mutant has a minor reduction in hyphal elongation, while the aps3Δ/Δ mutant has no defect in hyphal growth. Interestingly, the aps3Δ/Δ vps21Δ/Δ double mutant has dramatically reduced hyphal growth. Overexpression of the Ume6p transcriptional activator resulted in constitutive hyphal growth of wild-type, aps3Δ/Δ, and vps21Δ/Δ strains and formation of highly vacuolated subapical compartments. Thus, Ume6p-dependent transcriptional responses are sufficient to induce subapical vacuolation. However, the aps3Δ/Δ vps21Δ/Δ mutant formed mainly pseudohyphae that lacked vacuolated compartments. The aps3Δ/Δ strain was virulent in a mouse model of disseminated infection; the vps21Δ/Δ mutant failed to kill mice but persisted within kidney tissue, while the double mutant was avirulent and cleared from the kidneys. These results suggest that while the AP-3 pathway alone has little impact on hyphal growth or virulence, it is much more significant when endosomal trafficking is disrupted.
Independent Anti‐Angiogenic Capacities of Coagulation Factors X and Xa

Knockout models have shown that the coagulation system has a role in vascular development and angiogenesis. Herein, we report for the first time that zymogen FX and its active form (FXa) possess anti‐angiogenic properties. Both the recombinant FX and FXa inhibit angiogenesis in vitro using endothelial EA.hy926 and human umbilical cord vascular endothelial cells (HUVEC). This effect is dependent on the Gla domain of FX. We demonstrate that FX and FXa use different mechanisms: the use of Rivaroxaban (RX) a specific inhibitor of FXa attenuated its anti‐angiogenic properties but did not modify the anti‐angiogenic effect of FX. Furthermore, only the anti‐angiogenic activity of FXa is PAR‐1dependent. Using in vivo models, we show that FX and FXa are anti‐angiogenic in the zebrafish intersegmental vasculature (ISV) formation and in the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assays. Our results provide further evidence for the non‐hemostatic functions of FX and FXa and demonstrate for the first time a biological role for the zymogen FX. J. Cell. Physiol. 229: 1673–1680, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Status quo of Horticultural Therapy

Horticultural therapy,originated at the end of 17th century,is an intercross subject including horticulture,medicine and psychology.The therapeutic effects of horticulture were recognized in the late 18th century.After the World War II,especially since the foundation of the American Horticultural Therapy Association,both research and application of horticultural therapy have developed greatly.Currently,famous organizations in this field includes the American Horticultural Therapy Association,Thrive and so on.Qualitative research methods were mainly adopted in the beginning,and then experimental statistical methods were added by modern researchers.Researches have confirmed the therapeutic effects of horticultural therapy,but its own theory has not formed.Presently,researchers mostly refer to theory of attention restoration and so on.The research of horticultural therapy in China started very late.Horticulture therapy is promising in China.
The formins FHOD1 and INF2 regulate inter- and intra-structural contractility of podosomes

ABSTRACT Podosomes are actin-rich adhesion structures that depend on Arp2/3-complex-based actin nucleation. We now report the identification of the formins FHOD1 and INF2 as novel components and additional actin-based regulators of podosomes in primary human macrophages. FHOD1 surrounds the podosome core and is also present at podosome-connecting cables, whereas INF2 localizes at the podosome cap structure. Using a variety of microscopy-based methods; including a semiautomated podosome reformation assay, measurement of podosome oscillations, FRAP analysis of single podosomes, and structured illumination microscopy, both formins were found to regulate different aspects of podosome-associated contractility, with FHOD1 mediating actomyosin contractility between podosomes, and INF2 regulating contractile events at individual podosomes. Moreover, INF2 was found to be a crucial regulator of podosome de novo formation and size. Collectively, we identify FHOD1 and INF2 as novel regulators of inter- and intra-structural contractility of podosomes. Podosomes thus present as one of the few currently identified structures which depend on the concerted activity of both Arp2/3 complex and specific formins and might serve as a model system for the analysis of complex actin architectures in cells. Highlighted Article: This study identifies the formins FHOD1 and INF2 as new components of podosomes in primary human macrophages, which regulate inter- and intra-structural contractility at discrete podosome substructures.
Memory efficient implementation of self-corrected min-sum LDPC decoder

This paper proposes memory efficient FPGA implementations for layered quasi-cyclic (QC) LDPC decoders, based on the Self-Correcting Min-Sum (SCMS) algorithm. We address the problem of high memory overhead required by layered SCMS based decoders compared to conventional Min-Sum (MS), by proposing two improvements. These require changes in the flow/rule of the conventional SCMS algorithm, in order to avoid storing the signs and the erasure bits of the variable node messages. Three layered LDPC decoders with serial a-posteriori log likelihood ratios (AP-LLR) processing have been implemented: (1) conventional SCMS, (2) SCMS with no check node message signs storage, and (3) SCMS with neither check node message signs nor erasure bits storage. FPGA implementation results for WiMAX (1152, 2304) code show that the third architecture has a resource utilization with 17% less with respect to the one implementing conventional SCMS, and with 11% less than the second architecture. Furthermore, it presents a similar cost to conventional MS, while having a 0.5 dB better error correction capability.
Environmental Trust: A Cross-Region and Cross-Country Study

ABSTRACT Environmental issues such as pollution and access to clean water and concerns like awareness of environmental conditions are pressing global challenges. Despite its importance, however, our understanding of how environmental views connect with trust is understudied. To address this gap in the literature, this article examines the composition, level, and distribution of environmental trust as a latent variable and the factors shaping it. Both cross-region and cross-country comparisons are conducted using structural equation modeling and a unique set of items only available in the 2000 International Social Survey Program (ISSP) data. Important similarities are shown across regions, yet findings for 26 countries individually reveal intriguing differences. Analyses by region and by country advance our collective understanding regarding the presence of universal dynamics shaping environmental trust.
Sendai Virus C Proteins Regulate Viral Genome and Antigenome Synthesis To Dictate the Negative Genome Polarity

ABSTRACT The order Mononegavirales comprises a large number of nonsegmented negative-strand RNA viruses (NNSVs). How the genome polarity is determined is a central issue in RNA virus biology. Using a prototypic species, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), it has been established that the negative polarity of the viral genome is defined solely by different strengths of the cis-acting replication promoters located at the 3′ ends of the genome and antigenome, resulting in the predominance of the genome over the antigenome. This VSV paradigm has long been applied for the Mononegavirales in general without concrete proof. We now found that another prototypic species, Sendai virus (SeV), undergoes a marked shift from the early antigenome-dominant to the late genome-dominant phase during the course of infection. This shift appeared to be governed primarily by the expression of the accessory C protein, because no such shift occurred in a recombinant SeV with the C gene deleted, and antigenomes were dominant throughout infection, generating antigenome-dominant and noninfectious progeny virions. Therefore, we proposed for the first time a trans-regulatory mechanism, the SeV paradigm, to dictate the genome polarity of an NNSV. A series of promoter-swapped SeV recombinants suggested the importance of the primary as well as secondary structures of the promoters in this trans-regulation.
A progressive syndrome of autism, dementia, ataxia, and loss of purposeful hand use in girls: Rett's syndrome: Report of 35 cases

Thirty‐five patients, exclusively girls, from three countries had a uniform and striking progressive encephalopathy. After normal general and psychomotor development up to the age of 7 to 18 months, developmental stagnation occurred, followed by rapid deterioration of higher brain functions. Within one‐and‐a‐half years this deterioration led to severe dementia, autism, loss of purposeful use of the hands, jerky truncal ataxia, and acquired microcephaly. The destructive stage was followed by apparent stability lasting through decades. Additional insidious neurological abnormalities supervened, mainly spastic parapareses, vasomotor disturbances of the lower limbs, and epilepsy. Prior extensive laboratory investigations have not revealed the cause. The condition is similar to a virtually overlooked syndrome described by Rett in the German literature. The exclusive involvement of females, correlated with findings in family data analyses, suggests a dominant mutation on one X chromosome that results in affected girls and nonviable male hemizygous conceptuses.
Risk factors correlated with plantar pressure in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND Plantar pressure is a key factor for predicting ulceration in the foot of a diabetes patient. SUBJECTS AND METHODS We recruited a group of 100 Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes and an age-, sex-, weight-, and height-matched group of 100 Chinese subjects without diabetes. We obtained plantar pressure data using a Footscan(®) gait system (RsScan International, Olen, Belgium) when the subjects with and without diabetes walked barefoot across a sensor platform. We recorded the maximum force, maximum pressure, impulse, pressure-time integral, and loading rate from 10 regions of the foot. We collected the data of 11 history-based variables, 10 anthropometric variables, and three metabolic variables regarding the clinical characteristics of the diabetes patients. RESULTS Weight was identified as a determining factor for high plantar pressure. Height, the Neuropathy Symptom Score (NSS), and ankle-brachial index (ABI) were correlated positively with plantar pressure measurements, respectively. The sex, history of ulcer and callus, intima-media membrane of the lower limb blood vessels, and fasting blood glucose (FBG) could also explain a portion of the variability of the plantar pressure measurements. However, the correlations were low or weak. CONCLUSIONS High plantar pressure in diabetes patients could be predicted, in part, based on weight, height, NSS, ABI, sex, history of ulcer and callus, intima-media membrane of the lower limb blood vessels, and FBG. Therefore, interventions should be taken specifically before high plantar pressure emerges.
Retinoic acid-induced inner ear teratogenesis caused by defective Fgf3/Fgf10-dependent Dlx5 signaling.

BACKGROUND Retinoic acid (RA) is essential for inner ear development. However, exposure to excess RA at a critical period leads to inner ear defects. These defects are associated with disruption in epithelial-mesenchymal interactions. METHODS This study investigates the role of Dlx5 in the epithelial-mesenchymal interactions that guide otic capsule chondrogenesis, as well as the effect of excess in utero RA exposure on Dlx5 expression in the developing mouse inner ear. Control of Dlx5 by Fgf3 and Fgf10 under excess RA conditions is investigated by examining the developmental window during which Fgf3 and Fgf10 are altered by in utero RA exposure and by testing the ability of Fgf3 and Fgf10 to mitigate the reduction in chondrogenesis and Dlx5 expression mediated by RA in high-density cultures of periotic mesenchyme containing otic epithelium, a model of epithelial-mesenchymal interactions in which chondrogenic differentiation of periotic mesenchyme ensues in response to induction by otic epithelium. RESULTS Dlx5 deletion alters expression of TGFbeta(1), important for otic capsule chondrogenesis, in the developing inner ear and compromises the ability of cultured periotic mesenchyme containing otic epithelium, harvested from Dlx5 null embryos, to differentiate into cartilage when compared with control cultures. Downregulation in Dlx5 ensues as a consequence of in utero RA exposure in association with inner ear dysmorphogenesis. This change in Dlx5 is noted at embryonic day 10.5 (E10.5), but not at E9.5, suggesting that Dlx5 is not a direct RA target. Before Dlx5 downregulation, Fgf3 and Fgf10 expression is modified in the inner ear by excess RA, with the ability of exogenous Fgf3 and Fgf10 to rescue chondrogenesis and Dlx5 expression in RA-treated cultures of periotic mesenchyme containing otic epithelium supporting these fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) as intermediary genes by which RA mediates its effects. CONCLUSIONS Disruption in an Fgf3, -10/Dlx5 signaling cascade is operant in molecular mechanisms of inner ear teratogenesis by excess RA.