Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Daily Changes in Ultraviolet Light Levels Can Synchronize the Circadian Clock of Bumblebees (Bombus terrestris)

Endogenous circadian clocks are synchronized to the 24-h day by external zeitgebers such as daily light and temperature cycles. Bumblebee foragers show diurnal rhythms under daily light:dark cycles and short-period free-running circadian rhythms in constant light conditions in the laboratory. In contrast, during the continuous light conditions of the arctic summer, they show robust 24-h rhythms in their foraging patterns, meaning that some external zeitgeber must entrain their circadian clocks in the presence of constant light. Although the sun stays above the horizon for weeks during the arctic summer, the light quality, especially in the ultraviolet (UV) range, exhibits pronounced daily changes. Since the photoreceptors and photopigments that synchronize the circadian system of bees are not known, we tested if the circadian clocks of bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) can be entrained by daily cycles in UV light levels. Bumblebee colonies were set up in the laboratory and exposed to 12 h:12 h UV + :UV− cycles in otherwise continuous lighting conditions by placing UV filters on their foraging arenas for 12 h each day. The activity patterns of individual bees were recorded using fully automatic radiofrequency identification (RFID). We found that colonies manipulated in such a way showed synchronized 24-h rhythms, whereas simultaneously tested control colonies with no variation in UV light levels showed free-running rhythms instead. The results of our study show that bumblebee circadian rhythms can indeed be synchronized by daily cycles in ambient light spectral composition. (Author correspondence: r.stanewsky@qmul.ac.uk)
The KlGpa1 Gene Encodes a G-Protein α Subunit That Is a Positive Control Element in the Mating Pathway of the Budding Yeast Kluyveromyces lactis

ABSTRACT The cloning of the gene encoding the KlGpa1p subunit was achieved by standard PCR techniques and by screening a Kluyveromyces lactis genomic library using the PCR product as a probe. The full-length open reading frame spans 1,344 nucleotides including the stop codon. The deduced primary structure of the protein (447 amino acid residues) strongly resembles that of Gpa1p, the G-protein α subunit from Saccharomyces cerevisiae involved in the mating pheromone response pathway. Nevertheless, unlike disruption ofGpa1 from S. cerevisiae, disruption ofKlGpa1 rendered viable cells with a reduced capacity to mate. Expression of a plasmidic KlGpa1 copy in a ΔKlgpa1 mutant restores full mating competence; hence we conclude that KlGpa1p plays a positive role in the mating pathway. Overexpression of the constitutive subunit KlGpa1p(K364) (GTP bound) does not induce constitutive mating; instead it partially blocks wild-type mating and is unable to reverse the sterile phenotype of ΔKlgpa1 mutant cells. K. lactis expresses a second Gα subunit, KlGpa2p, which is involved in regulating cyclic AMP levels upon glucose stimulation. This subunit does not rescue ΔKlgpa1 cells from sterility; instead, overproduction of KlGpa2p slightly reduces the mating of wild-type cells, suggesting cross talk within the pheromone response pathway mediated by KlGpa1p and glucose metabolism mediated by KlGpa2p. The ΔKlgpa1 ΔKlgpa2 double mutant, although viable, showed the mating deficiency observed in the single ΔKlgpa1 mutant.
Cluster varieties from Legendrian knots

Author(s): Shende, V; Treumann, D; Williams, H; Zaslow, E | Abstract: © 2019 Duke University Press. All rights reserved. Many interesting spaces-including all positroid strata and wild character varieties- are moduli of constructible sheaves on a surface with microsupport in a Legendrian link. We show that the existence of cluster structures on these spaces may be deduced in a uniform, systematic fashion by constructing and taking the sheaf quantizations of a set of exact Lagrangian fillings in correspondence with isotopy representatives whose front projections have crossings with alternating orientations. It follows in turn that results in cluster algebra may be used to construct and distinguish exact Lagrangian fillings of Legendrian links in the standard contact three space.
A Selective Corrective Exercise to Decrease Falling and Improve Functional Balance in Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease

Background: Posture instability and unsteady gait disorders in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) usually contribute to fall-related fractures. Fall-related trauma in PD is the most common reason for injury. Despite providing modern care for PD patients (PP) in the recent years, anti-PD drugs have no effect on falling. There is an urgent need to administer exercise interventions to reduce falls and related injuries in the rehabilitation program of PP. Objectives: To explore the effect of a selective 10-week corrective exercise with an emphasis on gait training activities (GTA) on the number of falls (NOFs), fear of falling, functional balance, timed up and go (TUG) test among PD patients. Patients and Methods: A purposeful sampling was performed on PP who had fallen or were at risk of falling in 2014. The study intervention consisted of a 10-week (3 sessions each week, each lasting 60 min) corrective exercise program. Participants were randomly allocated to control and two exercise groups; the exercise group with balance pad (EGBP) or exercise group with no balance pad (EGNBP). The analysis of variance (ANOVA) and paired t-test were used for comparison between the groups (P ≤ 0.05). Results: Administrating a selective corrective exercise in exercise group with balance pad (EGBP) showed a significant difference in number of falls (NOF), Fall Efficacy Scale-international (FES-I), Berg balance scale (BBS) (and timed up and go) TUG (P = 0.001); while administrating the same exercise in exercise group with no balance pad (EGNBP) showed no significant difference in NOF (P = 0.225) and a significant difference in FES-I (P = 0.031), BBS (P = 0.047) and TUG (P = 0.012). The control group showed no significant difference in each of the dependent variables. Conclusions: Performing a selective corrective exercise on balance pad improves falling and functional balance in idiopathic PD.
Trade-Off between Factors Influencing Quality of the Summary

Our summarization approach is based on the assumption that quality of the summary is influenced by a set of factors, dependent on lexical and grammatical features of text units selected and arranged while composing the summary. The system has been developed with taking into account six factors influencing the final quality: compliance with the genre "summary", relevance, focusing, compliance with the requested granularity, topic coverage, and cohesion-based ordering. Preliminary selected text units get positive or negative scores depending on the relative impact of features that are responsible for the respective factors. Balancing the impacts of different text features was performed on empirical basis. After initial ranking of text units by the first four factors, they are ordered so that to achieve higher coverage and cohesion. The top-ranked passages, whose total words number does not exceed the required size, are submitted as the resulting summary.
A compact dual-band filter using S-shaped stepped impedance resonators

In this paper, we propose a compact dual band bandpass filter (BPF) using S-shaped stepped impedance resonators (SIRs). By appropriately selecting the impedance ratio of the SIR the harmonic frequencies can be tuned for generating the dual-passband response. Using this structure, the bandwidth of each passband can be controlled independently by adjusting the coupled spacing and coupled length. The BPF has good dual- passband performance at 2.4/5.2 GHz and has a very smaller area in comparison of previous works.
Efficient Video Retrieval by Motion Trajectory

This paper presents an automatic motion trajectory based surveillance video retrieval system with an efficient and flexible trajectory matching technique based on turning function. Raw trajectories of moving objects are extracted by automatic tracking and described by MPEG-7 motion trajectory descriptor with first order interpolating function. Efficient matching is performed for translation invariant and translation-rotation invariant video retrieval in spatial model and spatio-temporal model. In spatial model, turning function is introduced to represent the trail of motion. In spatio-temporal model, velocity function is used to represent the motion of object. Results of experiment on a prototype video database indicate a promising performance of the system.
Overlay Network Symbiosis: Evolution and Cooperation

Simultaneous overlay networks compete for physical network resources and disrupt each other. If they could establish cooperative relationships, the collective performance can be improved and they can coexist peacefully and comfortably. Taking inspiration from biology, in this paper we present a model of symbiotic overlay networks. Coexisting overlay networks dynamically evolve, interact with each other, and change their internal structures. Overlay networks in a symbiotic condition, i.e., mutualism, eventually establish the strong relationship and finally fuse into one. We first analyze characteristics of an overlay network which evolves based on three different models, i.e., the preferential attachment, random, and combination of them, by using mathematical analysis and simulation experiments. Next, we evaluate the effect of interconnecting two overlay networks from the viewpoint of the cost and the benefit
OpenFunction: Data Plane Abstraction for Software-Defined Middleboxes

The state-of-the-art OpenFlow technology only partially realized SDN vision of abstraction and centralization for packet forwarding in switches. OpenFlow/P4 falls short in implementing middlebox functionalities due to the fundamental limitation in its match-action abstraction. In this paper, we advocate the vision of Software-Defined Middleboxes (SDM) to realize abstraction and centralization for middleboxes. We further propose OpenFunction, an SDM reference architecture and a network function abstraction layer. Our SDM architecture and OpenFunction abstraction are complementary to existing SDN and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) technologies. SDM complements SDN as SDM realizes abstraction and centralization for middleboxes, whereas SDN realizes those for switches. OpenFunction complements OpenFlow as OpenFunction addresses network functions whereas OpenFlow addresses packet forwarding. SDM also complements NFV in that SDM gives NFV the ability to use heterogenous hardware platforms with various hardware acceleration technologies.
Legendre Polynomials based biometric authentication using QRS complex of ECG

In this paper we propose a new Legendre Polynomials based ECG biometric technique that can efficiently be used for person indentification and authentication. we apply high-order Legendre Polynomials on QRS Complex of ECG which is considered one of the most unique signature bearing parts. We show that coefficients generated from various degrees of polynomial matchings are unique for the same person but We show that coefficients generated from various degrees of polynomial matchings are unique for the same person but are significantly different from others. We also show that even with a 4th degree ploynomial fit person authenitication/identification is possible with high degree of accuracy. This is an interesting result as we can achieve significant reduction of key sizes when coefficients generated by these fits are used as unique keys for authentication and verification of subjects.
Statistical Techniques for Automatically Inferring the Semantics of Verb-Particle Constructions

This paper describes an investigation of some potential features for a statistical approach to inferring the semantics of verb-particle constructions from corpus data. Verb-particles cause particular problems for the computational semantic analysis of language, because their meaning often cannot be derived through the usual compositional methods of analysis. Two novel techniques are presented which promise to provide information about the nature and extent of composition. The first of these measures the extent to which the verb or particle of any given verb-particle may be replaced with a verb or particle of a similar semantic class to form other verb-particles that are attested in the data. The intuition here is that if it reflects systematic patterns in this way then it is more likely that the verb or particle concerned have their simplex meaning. The second technique measures the degree of semantic relatedness between the verb-particle and its component verb. The intuition here is that if a verb-particle is semantically similar to the verb then it is more likely that the verb contributes its simplex meaning. These two features are then combined and used as training data for a classifier using appropriately annotated data.
Noninvasive Determination of Spatially Resolved and Time-Resolved Tissue Perfusion in Humans During Nitric Oxide Inhibition and Inhalation by Use of a Visible-Reflectance Hyperspectral Imaging Technique

Background—Vascular disease is commonly associated with reduced local synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) and impaired tissue perfusion. We introduce a novel noninvasive, visible-reflectance, hyperspectral imaging technique for quantifying the percentage of hemoglobin existing as oxyhemoglobin (HbO2) as an index of skin tissue perfusion. Methods and Results—To simulate vascular endothelial dysfunction, NG-monomethyl-l-arginine (L-NMMA) was infused into the brachial arteries of 9 healthy subjects for 5 minutes to inhibit forearm NO synthesis, first with the subject breathing room air and subsequently during NO inhalation at 80 ppm for 1 hour. Blood flow was measured by venous occlusion plethysmography, and the percentage of HbO2 perfusing skin tissue was imaged noninvasively with a visible-reflectance hyperspectral technique. L-NMMA reduced blood flow by 31.7±4.9% and percentage of HbO2 by 6.5±0.1 (P =0.002 and P <0.001 versus baseline, respectively). With subjects inhaling NO, blood flow fell during L-NMMA infusion by only 10.9±7.3%, and the percentage of HbO2 decreased by 3.6±0.1 (P =0.007 and P <0.001, respectively, versus room air L-NMMA responses). Conclusions—Visible-reflectance hyperspectral imaging demonstrates (1) a significant decline in the percentage of HbO2 in skin tissue when blood flow is reduced after inhibition of forearm NO synthesis and (2) restoration of HbO2 toward basal values with improved blood flow during inhalation of NO. This imaging method may provide an effective approach for time-resolved noninvasive monitoring of skin hemoglobin oxygen saturation and assessment of responses to therapeutic interventions in patients with vascular disease.
Comparison of Intracorporeal Reconstruction after Laparoscopic Distal Gastrectomy with Extracorporeal Reconstruction in the View of Learning Curve

Purpose The intracorporeal reconstruction after laparoscopic gastrectomy can minimize postoperative pain, and give better cosmetic effect, while it may have technical difficulties and require the learning curve. This study aimed to analyze the surgical outcome of intracorporeal reconstruction according to the surgeon's experience comparing with extracorporeal procedure. Materials and Methods From January 2009 to September 2011, intracorporeal reconstruction in laparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer was performed for 71 patients (Intra group). During same period, 231 patients underwent laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy (Extra group). These patients were classified into initial (1st to 20th case of intra group), intermediate (21th to 46th case), and experienced (after 47th case) phases. Results Intracorporeal procedures included 35 cases of Billroth-I, 30 Billroth-II and 6 Roux en Y reconstructions. In the initial phase, operation time (P=0.022) were significantly longer for the patients of intra group than them of extra group. Although the difference was not significant, the length of hospital stay was longer and complication rate was higher in the intra group. In intermediate and experienced phases, there was no difference between two groups in operation time and hospital stay. In these phases, complication rate was lower in the intra group than the extra group (3.9% versus 9.7%). The pain scale was significantly lower post operation day 5 in the intra group. Conclusions Intracorporeal reconstruction after laparoscopic distal gastrectomy was feasible and safe, and the technique was stabilized after 20th case if the surgeon has sufficient experiences when we compared it with extracorporeal reconstruction.
Is Policy Too Important to be Left to Empiricists? Lessons of the 2012 Nobel Prize in Economics

Fifty years ago, a paper entitled 'College Admissions and the Stability of Marriage' was published in a somewhat obscure journal, the American Mathematical Monthly (currently a 'B' journal, according to the Australian Business Deans Council). The research program and policy developments that have flowed from that abstract and apparently slight seven-page paper recently led to the award of the 2012 Nobel Prize for Economics to one of its authors, Lloyd Shapley. (Shapley's co-author, David Gale, died in 2008.) Shapley shared the Nobel Prize 'for the theory of stable allocations and the practice of market design' with US economist Alvin Roth, who has been responsible for much of the applied work that has built on Gale and Shapley's insights. The history of the path leading from the abstract Gale/Shapley insights to the design of resource allocation mechanisms in 2012 is a fascinating and instructive one for many reasons. This article tries to give the reader an idea of what this literature is about, and of the many ways in which Matching Theory has led to real improvements in the design of operational resource-allocation mechanisms.
Compact Propositionalizations of First-Order Theories

We present new insights and algorithms for converting reasoning problems in monadic First-Order Logic (includes only 1place predicates) into equivalent problems in propositional logic. Our algorithms improve over earlier approaches in two ways. First, they are applicable even without the unique-names and domain-closure assumptions, and for possibly infinite domains. Therefore, they apply for many problems that are outside the scope of previous techniques. Secondly, our algorithms produce propositional representations that are significantly more compact than earlier approaches, provided that some structure is available in the problem. We examined our approach on an example application and discovered that the number of propositional symbols that we produced is smaller by a factor of than traditional techniques, when those techniques can be applied. This translates to a factor of about increase in the speed of reasoning for such structured problems.
Improved back end for integer PCA and wavelet transforms for lossless compression of multispectral images

Remote sensing produces large amounts of digital data that is collected into databases. Since a variety of applications utilize multispectral data, the data cannot be compressed with lossy methods for some user communities. In this paper, we propose improvements for the combination of two reversible methods for the lossless compression of multispectral images. Our improvements are three-fold: number of bits allocated to the coefficients from PCA is not constant but it is based on heuristics, difference between consecutive coefficients are entropy-coded, also the back-end is modified so that all bands are separately entropy coded, i.e. instead of one entropy coder we used several. Depending on the AVIRIS image, the actual compression ratios, calculated from the files sizes, were in the range from 3.05 to 3.21.
ESTIMATION OF COMPONENTS OF VARIATION OF MORPHOLOGICAL TRAITS AND YIELD IN A-GENOME WHEAT POPULATIONS

Recombinant inbred lines (RIL) population (F7) of two A-genome progenitors i.e. T. monococcum and T. boeoticum were evaluated for various yield affecting parameters. For all the traits under study enlisting components of variance, genetic advance and heritability were observed to be showing highly significant differences (P ≤ 0.01). Trend of high phenotypic coefficients of variation (PCV) estimates for all the traits under study in all genotypes exhibited the impact of environment. Amongst the yield traits, a minor difference between GCV and PCV was detected for heading time (3.96, 4.36) booting time (3.55, 3.96), flowering time (2.31, 2.56). Huge difference between GCV and PCV was noticed for emergence percentage (16.83, 26.50), flag leaf length (19.26, 28.77) flag leaf sheath length (7.67, 15.08), flag leaf diameter (11.04, 22.51) and grain yield (10.43, 22.94) specifying the environmental impact. Reasonable heritability coupled with high genetic advance was observed for emergence percentage (0.40), booting time (0.81), heading time (0.82), flowering time (0.81), flag leaf length (0.45) and grain yield per plant (0.21) representing that these traits were under the control of additive genetic effects. We have demonstrated the genetic variation in diploid genome blood of wheat through this study which will considerably expand the potential of its genome being used for resistances to various disasters opening the possibility of achieving higher yields.
Concentration and application order effects of sodium benzoate and eugenol mixtures on the growth inhibition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Zygosaccharomyces bailii.

UNLABELLED Growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Zygosaccharomyces bailii cells was monitored in the presence of sodium benzoate and eugenol alone or combined. The two antimicrobials' concentration, addition order, and timing were varied to determine and quantify any additive inhibitory effect on the yeasts. The yeast growth was also followed in the presence of ethanol, which served as solubilizer, at pertinent concentrations. The growth patterns are depicted as adjusted optical density compared with time curves. They all had sigmoid shape, described mathematically by a shifted logistic model that had an almost perfect fit to the data. The model's 3 parameters accounted for the curve's asymptote, the location of its inflection point and slope, which are rough measures of the overall growth level and its degree of suppression, the time to reach the peak growth rate and its retardation, and the overall growth rate, respectively. Maximum growth inhibition was achieved when the sodium benzoate and eugenol were administered together or alone in full dose. When each was administered alone but in 2 half dose additions, their efficacy dropped. When they were used together but added sequentially with a 24 h pause, their administration order had a noticeable effect on the treatment's efficacy, which depended on their respective concentrations. These observations are presented in a slightly modified version of the "hurdle" ideogram. They suggest that sequencing the administration of antimicrobials can be a simple tool to probe their mode of activity and quantify their efficacy. PRACTICAL APPLICATION Reducing the amount of additives in foods is a goal pursued by many branches of the food industry. In microbial growth suppression, a promising way to accomplish such a reduction is through the administration of 2 or more antimicrobials, preferably natural, exploiting their synergism. To search for effective combinations, in respect to type and concentration, one needs an insight into their mode of activity. Sequencing their administration, as demonstrated with 2 antimicrobials and 2 common yeasts that are involved in beverage spoilage, has offered a simple way to probe into certain aspects of the effect of antimicrobial combinations on microorganisms. The presented algebraic growth model enables to quantify, separately, the growth overall suppression, its retardation, and lowering its peak rate. The proposed modified version of the "hurdles paradigm" helps to visualize the differences in the antimicrobials' general mode of activity and how it is affected by their sequencing.