Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic Engineering: A Promising Tool to Engender Physiological, Biochemical, and Molecular Stress Resilience in Green Microalgae

As we march into the 21st century, the prevailing scenario of depleting energy resources, global warming and ever increasing issues of human health and food security will quadruple. In this context, genetic and metabolic engineering of green microalgae complete the quest toward a continuum of environmentally clean fuel and food production. Evolutionarily related, but unlike land plants, microalgae need nominal land or water, and are best described as unicellular autotrophs using light energy to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) into algal biomass, mitigating fossil CO2 pollution in the process. Remarkably, a feature innate to most microalgae is synthesis and accumulation of lipids (60–65% of dry weight), carbohydrates and secondary metabolites like pigments and vitamins, especially when grown under abiotic stress conditions. Particularly fruitful, such an application of abiotic stress factors such as nitrogen starvation, salinity, heat shock, etc., can be used in a biorefinery concept for production of multiple valuable products. The focus of this mini-review underlies metabolic reorientation practices and tolerance mechanisms as applied to green microalgae under specific stress stimuli for a sustainable pollution-free future. Moreover, we entail current progress on genetic engineering as a promising tool to grasp adaptive processes for improving strains with potential biotechnological interests.
Tetrahedral mesh generation with good dihedral angles using point lattices

Three-dimensional meshes are frequently used to perform physical simulations in science and engineering. This involves decomposing a domain into a mesh of small elements, usually tetrahedra or hexahedra. The elements must be of good quality; in particular there should be no plane or dihedral angle close to 0 or 180 degrees. Automatically creating such meshes for complicated domains is a challenging problem, especially guaranteeing good dihedral angles, a goal that has eluded researchers for nearly two decades. By using point lattices, notably the body centered cubic lattice, we develop two tetrahedral mesh generation algorithms that, for the first time, come with meaningful guarantees on the quality of the elements. For domains bounded by an isosurface, we generate a tetrahedral mesh whose dihedral angles are bounded between 10.7 and 164.8 degrees, or (with a change in parameters) between 8.9 and 158.8 degrees. The algorithm is numerically robust and easy to implement because it generates tetrahedra from a small set of precomputed stencils. The algorithm is so fast that it can be invoked at each time step of a simulation, possibly in real time for small meshes. The tetrahedra are uniformly sized on the boundary, but in the interior it is possible to make them progressively larger. This combination of features makes the algorithm well suited for dynamic fluid simulation. If the isosurface is a smooth 2-manifold with bounded curvature, and the tetrahedra are sufficiently small, then the boundary of the mesh is guaranteed to be a geometrically and topologically accurate approximation of the isosurface. For polyhedral domains, Delaunay refinement is a common mesh generation technique that produces guaranteed-quality tetrahedra with one exception: sliver-shaped tetrahedra that can have dihedral angles arbitrarily close to 0 and 180 degrees. We show how slivers away from the boundary can be avoided by inserting lattice points while maintaining the Delaunay property of the mesh. It is possible to control the size of tetrahedra, this time both in the interior and on the boundary, and a user may input a set of points which must be vertices of the output mesh. The resulting dihedral angles are guaranteed to be between 30 and 135 degrees, except near the boundary. Most angle bounds are obtained by recursive bisection of the space of possible tetrahedron configurations together with interval arithmetic. They are guaranteed by computer-assisted proofs.
New dimensionless number for superhydrophobicity study of micron/submicron patterned surfaces

This paper reports a systematic study of geometric effect of roughness on hydrophobicity by a series of post arrays ranging from several hundreds microns to submicron. These devices were fabricated using projection/contact photolithography and etched by Deep RIE with different heights. A 1 µm parylene C layer was then deposited on these devices to improve hydrophobicity and the apparent contact angles were measured. It was found that the apparent contact angle increases with increasing the height of posts and there is a best diameter for each series of devices with a same spacing. With the help of dimensional analysis, all the measured apparent contact angles can be collapsed by a new dimensionless number, Bulk Aspect Ratio (BAR). In addition to a small solid fraction, the superhydrophobic surfaces were found with a bulk aspect ratio larger than 4.
Single‐walled carbon nanotube/ultrahigh‐molecular‐weight polyethylene composites with percolation at low nanotube contents

To mix single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with a polymer and to achieve low percolation thresholds, a low-viscosity liquid has been required in order to achieve sufficiently good dispersion. In this article, data are presented which show that percolation occurs at ∼0.14 wt % carbon nanotubes and the dispersion procedure does not involve dispersing the SWCNTs in a low-viscosity liquid. Specifically, ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene powder was mixed with a powder containing nanotubes and catalyst support, e.g., the powder contains 93% silica and 7% SWCNTs. The powder blend is compression molded into sheets using high pressure and temperature. Because of the very high viscosity of the resin, the nanotube/silica mixture largely stays segregated at the interface as shown by scanning electron microscopy. A significant drop in tensile properties (modulus, tensile strength, and elongation at break) occurs with filler incorporation. Non isothermal crystallization measurements indicate that this filler does not nucleate crystallinity when mixed in this manner; although there is a definite sharpening of the melt endotherm indicating that crystallites with smaller lamellar thicknesses are reduced significantly with filler addition. The addition of filler also slightly reduces the overall fractional crystallinity measured after a constant cooling rate. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
Avoiding unnecessary write operations in STT-MRAM for low power implementation

Spin Transfer Torque (STT) is a promising emerging memory technology because of its various advantages such as non-volatility, high density, virtually infinite endurance, scalability and CMOS compatibility. Despite all these features, high write current is still a challenge for its widespread use. When writing a value that is already stored, a significant current flows through the Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ) cell which is almost the same as that required to flip the stored data. This increases the total power consumption of the memory. To address this issue, we propose a technique which can avoid unnecessary write operations with bit-level granularity. Our technique can save 68.9% of the total write power consumption with a minor area overhead (0.68 %) and only a small timing penalty (1.33 %).
Situation awareness in crowdsensing for disease surveillance in crisis situations

Crowdsensing can provide real time and detailed information about rapidly evolving crisis situations to facilitate rapid response and effective resource allocation. But while challenges such as heterogeneity of data content and quality, asynchronicity, and volume call for robust data integration and interpretation capabilities, situation awareness in crowdsensing for crisis management remains a largely unexplored area of research. In this paper we extend the mobile4D smartphone-based disaster reporting and alerting system with a situation awareness data interpretation and integration layer and demonstrate its application to the problem of tracking cholera outbreaks. The communication workflow in mobile4D-SA supports interaction between crowdsensed information, system predictions, and multifaceted communication between authorities and affected people on the ground.
Comparison of non-overlap winding radial flux PM hub drives for EVs

The design choices that affect the performance and cost of non-overlapping concentrated-coil permanent magnet machines for EV hub drives are investigated. It is shown that the torque per I2R copper loss performance of the machine cannot be judged on the winding factor of the machine. Wide open stator slot machines with rectangular preformed coils and, thus, low manufacturing costs perform surprisingly better than what was expected. A prototype 10 kW machine was built and tested to confirm the FE results specifically in the high speed range.
Fast on Average, Predictable in the Worst Case: Exploring Real-Time Futexes in LITMUSRT

This paper explores the problem of how to improve the average-case performance of real-time locking protocols, preferably without significantly deteriorating worst-case performance. Motivated by the futex implementation in Linux, where uncontended lock operations under the Priority Inheritance Protocol (PIP) do not incur mode-switching overheads, we extend this concept to more sophisticated protocols, namely the PCP, the MPCP and the FMLP+. We identify the challenges involved in implementing futexes for these protocols and present the design and evaluation of their implementations in LITMUSRT, a real-time extension of the Linux kernel. Our evaluation shows substantial improvements in the uncontended case (e.g., A futex implementation of the PCP lowers lock acquisition and release overheads by up to 75% and 92%, respectively), at the expense of some increases in worst-case overhead on par with Linux's existing futex implementation.
Impact of atmospheric cycling on the release of iron and manganese into seawater from Saharan soil particles

Atmospheric transported dust is a major source of iron, manganese and other nutrients to the ocean. During atmospheric transport, dust containing iron and manganese undergoes cloud processes that can increase the reactivity and solubility of iron and manganese species when they enter into seawater. Saharan sieved soils were artificially atmospherically weathered with different low pH treatments, using simple dilute acids and also cycling through a typical cloud pH range. Formation of nano-particulate iron (ferrihydrite) occurred, and was identified using high-resolution microscopy, together with a measured increase in the fraction of amorphous iron species that were leachable from the processed soil. Both treated and untreated soils were then mixed with filtered stored North Atlantic seawater in the laboratory and also with freshly collected seawater from the NE Atlantic whilst at sea. Initial release of iron from artificially treated Niger soil reached 6 nM and from artificially treated Niger Mali soil reached 3.5-10 nM (depending on the different experimental variables). This was significantly greater than from un-weathered particles ~1-1.5 nM at the soil concentrations used (10 mg). For Mn all the dissolvable metal was removed during the cloud pH cycling and was not retained on the particles due to slower oxidation and scavenging than with the Fe. However, significantly more manganese ~ 60 nM from acid treated Mali soil and ~30 nM from acid treated Niger soil was released into seawater compared to the manganese released from the untreated soil (30 nM and 22 nM for Mali and Niger soil respectively). Low pH soil treatment led to increased release of Mn in the cloud water that stayed in solution for at least 5 days. This cloud-released Mn will therefore enter the ocean surface in a soluble form. These data show the major impact of atmospheric processing on dissolution of Fe and particularly Mn from Saharan sieved soils that are transported through the troposphere to the surface ocean.
An Analysis of Unstirred Layers in Series with "Tight" and "Porous" Lipid Bilayer Membranes

The present experiments were designed to evaluate the effective thickness of the unstirred layers in series with native and porous (i.e., in the presence of amphotericin B) lipid bilayer membranes and, concomitantly, the respective contributions of membranes and unstirred layers to the observed resistances to the diffusion of water and nonelectrolytes between aqueous phases. The method depended on measuring the tracer permeability coefficients for the diffusion of water and nonelectrolytes (PDDi, cm sec-1) when the aqueous phase viscosity (η) was increased with solutes having a unity reflection coefficient, such as sucrose or dextran. The effective thickness of the unstirred layers (αt, cm) and the true, or membrane, permeability coefficients for diffusion of water and nonelectrolytes (Pmmi, cm sec-1) were computed from, respectively, the slope and intercept of the linear regression of 1/PDDi on η. In both the native and porous membranes, αt was approximately 110 x 10-4 cm. The ratio of Pf, the osmotic water permeability coefficient (cm sec-1) to P mmH2O was 1.22 in the native membranes and 3.75 in the porous membranes. For the latter, the effective pore radius, computed from Poiseuille's law, was approximately 5.6 A. A comparison of Pmmi and PDDi, indicated that the porous membranes accounted for 16, 25, and 66% of the total resistance to the diffusion of, respectively, H2O, urea, and glycerol, while the remainder was referable to the unstirred layers.
High VEGF-D and Low MMP-2 Serum Levels Predict Nodal-Positive Disease in Invasive Bladder Cancer

Background To investigate stromal variables including angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) in the serum of patients with urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB) and to evaluate their association with histopathological characteristics and clinical outcome. Material/Methods Protein levels of vascular endothelial growth factors-A, -C, -D (VEGF-A/-C/-D), their receptors- VEGF-R2 and -R3 (VEGF-R2/-R3), and matrix metalloproteinases 2, -3, and -7 (MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-7) were quantified in the blood serum samples of 71 patients with UCB before radical cystectomy (RC). Samples of patients with non-invasive UCB or no history of UCB were investigated as controls (n=20). Protein levels in the serum were measured using a flow cytometric cytokine assay. Results A positive association for VEGF-D (p<0.001) and an inverse association for MMP-2 (p=0.017) were observed in patients with positive lymph node (LN) status at the time of RC. VEGF-A (p<0.001), VEGF-C (p<0.001), MMP-2 (p<0.001), and MMP-7 (p=0.005) serum levels were different in serum of patients with invasive UCB compared with non-invasive UCB or healthy individuals. None of the serum markers were associated with disease progression. Conclusions High VEGF-D and low MMP-2 serum levels predict LN metastasis in patients with UCB at the time of RC. VEGF-A, VEGF-C, MMP-2, and MMP-7 serum levels varied significantly between invasive and non-invasive disease as well as in comparison with healthy individuals. Clinical implementation of these marker serum measurements may be valuable to select high-risk patients with more invasive or nodal-positive disease.
Metabolism, Macromolecular Synthesis, and Nuclear Behavior of Cryptococcus albidus at 37 C

The temperature-sensitive events which prevent Cryptococcus albidus from growing at 37 C were investigated. Cultures incubated at 37 C immediately after inoculation did not increase in optical density nor in cell numbers, and by 24 h 90% of cells in such cultures were deformed and dead. When cultures in log phase were shifted from 23 to 37 C the optical density increased but the cell numbers did not. Morphological observations revealed that the increase in turbidity at 37 C represented enlargement and distortion of cells without appreciable replication. Uptake and incorporation of 14C-leucine were similar at 23 and 37 C. There was no difference in 14CO2 evolution from cells at either temperature. Uptake and incorporation of adenine-8-14C into RNA was slightly lower in cells incubated at 37 C. There was, however, a 60% reduction in incorporation of adenine-8-14C into DNA after 3 hr at 37 C. Nuclear staining revealed that nuclear migration did not occur in cells incubated at 37 C. Thus the data indicate that both adenine incorporation into DNA and nuclear migration prior to nuclear division by C. albidus are temperature sensitive.
Hydrophobic Effects on a Molecular Scale

A theoretical approach is developed to quantify hydrophobic hydration and interactions on a molecular scale, with the goal of insight into the molecular origins of hydrophobic effects. The model is based on the fundamental relation between the probability for cavity formation in bulk water resulting from molecular-scale density fluctuations and the hydration free energy of the simplest hydrophobic solutes, hard particles. This probability is estimated using an information theory (IT) approach, incorporating experimentally available properties of bulk water: the density and radial distribution function. The IT approach reproduces the simplest hydrophobic effects: hydration of spherical nonpolar solutes, the potential of mean force (PMF) between methane molecules, and solvent contributions to the torsional equilibrium of butane. Applications of this approach to study temperature and pressure effects provide new insights into the thermodynamics and kinetics of protein folding. The IT model relates the hydr.
Challenges for public relations: working in an international framework

Western models of public relations tend to dominate the discipline, but the efficiency of such models in light of global public relations and the richness of alternative – particularly South East Asian – approaches will be interrogated in this paper. There are few scholars who take a critical approach to public relations practice, or consider the significance and practice of public relations in non-Western and developing nation contexts. Those who do tend to approach international public relations as an opportunity that offers the multinational company competitive advantage and sound image management in international markets, rather than as the potential for developing ethical and reciprocally meaningful communication practices. This paper aims to address issues of globalisation and the demands of ethical approaches and social responsibility by developing a context-sensitive orientation to the discipline. The complexities resulting from the internationalising of the field, specifically in terms of education and professional practice, will be explored and illuminated through reference to case studies in SE Asia and Australia.
Creating chimeric molecules by PCR directed homologous DNA recombination.

For many experiments aimed at the elucidation of protein structure-function relationships, two DNA fragments from different sources have to be joined to generate a chimeric molecule. In most cases this can be achieved by using a variety of conventional cloning techniques. More recently Yon and Fried (1) introduced the PCR with 'linking oligo' as a generally applicable strategy for any gene fusion project. Here we demonstrate that in those cases where the DNA fragments contain overlapping identical sequences, they can be joined by a simple standard polymerase chain reaction (2). We show that a PCR containing the two templates I and II, whereby the 3'-end of template I has to be identical to the 5'-end of template II, and two oligonucleotide primers, each one being specific for the unique part of only one template, produces a defined chimeric molecule containing the unique sequence elements of both templates. This 'recombination PCR' was applied for generating a full length cDNA for human uteroglobin (hUG). The two templates used were a genomic subclone of the hUG gene containing exon I, 5'-flanking sequences, and part of the first intron (template I, M.W. unpublished) and the 5'-truncated hUG cDNA from Singh et al. (3) (template II). Both templates have overlapping identical sequences 62 bp long and could be used in the form of supercoiled plasmids. The primer PI was complementary to the 5'-end of the hUG message of template I, whereas the primer PH was complementary to the 3'-end of the cDNA of template II (see fig., step 1). After 30 cycles of PCR (20 sec at 94°C, 60 sec at 62°C, 15 sec at 72°C) only the reaction containing both templates together produced the expected 384 bp fragment (fig., lanes 3 and 4), whereas the reactions containing template I or II alone failed to amplify any fragment (lanes 5-7). The identity of the amplified fragment with the expected one was verified by subcloning and sequencing. The experiment suggests the occurrence of multiple 'premature' Taq polymerase pause or termination sites during the early cycles of amplification (fig., step 1). This explains that e.g. primer PI extended on template I into the region identical to both templates is now able to anneal to template II (step 2), gets further extended (step 3), and yields the upper strand of a chimeric molecule having at its 5'-end a sequence unique to template I and at its 3'-end a sequence unique to template II. As soon as one strand of the chimeric molecule is synthesized it gets exponentially amplified via primers PI and PH (step 4). Step 2 of the reaction sequence is more complex because alternatively to extended primer PI, extended primer PH can switch from template II to I. In addition not only the input plasmids can serve as templates but also 'complete' extension products from primers PI and PH. In accordance with our proposed reaction sequence the amplification could be made more directed by linearizing template I at a PstI site which defines a short main extension product of primer PI on template I that can efficiently switch to template H for further extension.
Property-based testing of SPARQL queries

In this paper we describe a property-based testing tool for SPARQL. Given a SPARQL query, the tool randomly generates test cases which consist on instances of an ontology. The tool checks the well typed-ness of the SPARQL query as well as the consistency of the test cases with the ontology axioms. With this aim, a type system has been defined for SPARQL. Test cases are later used to execute the SPARQL query. The output of the SPARQL query is tested with a Boolean property which is defined in terms of membership of ontology individuals to ontology classes. The testing tool reports counterexamples when the Boolean property is not satisfied.