Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Agrobacterium tumefaciens Integrates Transfer DNA into Single Chromosomal Sites of Dimorphic Fungi and Yields Homokaryotic Progeny from Multinucleate Yeast

ABSTRACT The dimorphic fungi Blastomyces dermatitidis and Histoplasma capsulatum cause systemic mycoses in humans and other animals. Forward genetic approaches to generating and screening mutants for biologically important phenotypes have been underutilized for these pathogens. The plant-transforming bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens was tested to determine whether it could transform these fungi and if the fate of transforming DNA was suited for use as an insertional mutagen. Yeast cells from both fungi and germinating conidia from B. dermatitidis were transformed via A. tumefaciens by using hygromycin resistance for selection. Transformation frequencies up to 1 per 100 yeast cells were obtained at high effector-to-target ratios of 3,000:1. B. dermatitidis and H. capsulatum ura5 lines were complemented with transfer DNA vectors expressing URA5 at efficiencies 5 to 10 times greater than those obtained using hygromycin selection. Southern blot analyses indicated that in 80% of transformants the transferred DNA was integrated into chromosomal DNA at single, unique sites in the genome. Progeny of B. dermatitidis transformants unexpectedly showed that a single round of colony growth under hygromycin selection or visible selection of transformants by lacZ expression generated homokaryotic progeny from multinucleate yeast. Theoretical analysis of random organelle sorting suggests that the majority of B. dermatitidis cells would be homokaryons after the ca. 20 generations necessary for colony formation. Taken together, the results demonstrate that A. tumefaciens efficiently transfers DNA into B. dermatitidis and H. capsulatum and has the properties necessary for use as an insertional mutagen in these fungi.
Extracorporeal circulation exacerbates microvascular permeability after endotoxemia.

BACKGROUND Extracorporeal life support without prior inflammatory stimuli results in a modest increase in microvascular permeability. Initiating ECLS after shock, sepsis, or hypoxia results in marked increases in interstitial fluid and total body water. We sought to determine whether an inflammatory stimulus prior to initiating ECLS increases microvascular permeability to protein. METHODS An anesthetized canine lymphatic fistula model was used to study Starling forces. LPS + ECLS received 1 mg/kg LPS 1 h prior to initiating ECLS, and the group ECLS received saline vehicle. To determine mesenteric microvascular permeability, mesenteric venous pressure was elevated to 32 +/- 1 mm Hg to reach a minimal lymph protein concentration (C(L)). With simultaneous measurement of plasma protein concentration (C(P)), the reflection coefficient, sigma, was calculated using the formula sigma = 1 - C(L)/C(P). Transvascular protein clearance and filtration coefficient (K(f)) were calculated from the measured Starling variables. After a steady state was achieved, normothermic right atrial-to-femoral artery ECLS was initiated and continued for 2 h and then discontinued. Measurements were continued for 30 min after ECLS was discontinued. Measurements were continued for 30 min after ECLS was discontinued. Within-group comparisons were made with ANOVA and Fisher's LSD, and between-group comparisons were made with Student's t tests where appropriate. RESULTS The reflection coefficient (sigma) decreased significantly from 0.77 +/- 0.02 to 0.53 +/- 0.07 with LPS + ECLS and was lower compared to ECLS alone (0.77 +/- 0.02 to 0.65 +/- 0.03). Transvascular protein clearance increased to a greater extent in LPS + ECLS from 266 +/- 46 to 819 +/- 125 microl/min compared to ECLS alone (284 +/- 49 to 819 +/- 125 microl/min) (P = 0. 06). K(f) increased in both groups after initiation of ECLS, but to a significantly greater extent in LPS + ECLS at 60 min (30.7 +/- 2.2 microl/min/mm Hg/g in ECLS and 50.0 +/- 8.9 microl/min/mm Hg/g in LPS + ECLS). Ileal tissue water increased in both groups, but there were no differences between groups. CONCLUSIONS Initiation of ECLS after exposure to LPS increases ileal microvascular permeability to protein and water to a greater extent than ECLS alone.
Adaptive Capacity Level Shapes Social Vulnerability to Climate Change of Fishing Communities in the South Brazil Bight

Understanding the social vulnerabilities and community strategies to adapt to environmental changes are crucial for the development of actions to enhance both community conservation and survival. With the aim to identify the drivers of vulnerability to climate change among different coastal communities a comprehensive multi-scale vulnerability framework was here adopted. Eight selected fishing communities representative of the South Brazil Bight (SBB) area were surveyed at the household level. A total of 151 fishers were interviewed. Quantitative indicators were calculated at the community-level, and their drivers identified, allowing for comparisons of the overall vulnerability score. Findings revealed that remoteness and the lack of climate change-related institutional support increase vulnerability among fishing communities in the region. On the other hand, community organization, leadership, research partnerships, community-based co-management, and livelihood diversification reduce vulnerability. Our analysis focused on social vulnerability to climate change in regional fishing communities and provides a better understanding of these effects in coastal zones, the factors explaining vulnerability and some perspectives on resilient and adaptable systems. Learning from comparisons at the ecosystem level may be applied to coastal regions elsewhere.
The influence of information sharing and collaboration on the extent of innovation activities

In the present day, developed economies that function on the basis of knowledge indicate better economic performance. Many studies have shown that one prerequisite for economic growth is the availability of information and new findings – when the conditions of creativity and high technology are also present (not only for companies but also for regions and entire economies). Economic players face ever increasing pressure to find these resources while respecting restricting conditions such as time (innovation must be introduced in the market very quickly) and cost. Another frequently emphasized prerequisite is the effectiveness with which the factors of production are used – in addition to the ability to cooperate with other market players or partners in business networks. Therefore, this paper's goal is to analyze how the availability of information, information sharing and cooperation influence the extent of innovation activities in enterprises. The analysis was conducted by using CIS data for Germany, Slovenia, Portugal and Bulgaria in years 2010–2012. The results indicate that companies try to obtain information from various partners as well as from documents and use them to create innovations. The most frequently used sources of information are different within countries according to their innovation performance. For our analyses, own multiple linear regression models were used.
Mendelian Randomization Analysis Reveals a Causal Effect of Urinary Sodium/Urinary Creatinine Ratio on Kidney Function in Europeans

Salt restriction was recommended in clinical practice guideline for chronic kidney disease (CKD) treatment, but its effect on kidney outcomes remains conflicting. We aimed to test the causal effect of salt intake, using estimated 24-h sodium excretion from spot urinary sodium/urinary creatinine (UNa/UCr) ratio as a surrogate, on renal function using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR). Genetic instruments for UNa/UCr were derived from a recent genome-wide association study of 218,450 European-descent individuals in the UK Biobank. Kidney outcomes were creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFRcrea) (N = 567,460) and CKD (eGFRcrea < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2, N cases = 41,395, N controls = 439,303) from the CKDGen consortium. Cystatin C-based eGFR (eGFRcys) and eGFRcrea single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were used for sensitivity analyses. MR revealed a causal effect of UNa/UCr on higher eGFRcrea [β = 0.14, unit change in log ml/min/1.73 m2 per UNa/UCr ratio; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.07 – 0.20, P = 2.15 × 10–5] and a protective effect against CKD risk (odds ratio = 0.24, 95% CI = 0.14 to 0.41, P = 1.20 × 10–7). The MR findings were confirmed by MR-Egger regression, weighted median MR, and mode estimate MR, with less evidence of existence of horizontal pleiotropy. Consistent positive causal effect of UNa/UCr on eGFRcys was also detected. On the other hand, bidirectional MR suggested inconclusive results of CKD, eGFRcrea, eGFRcrea (BUN associated), and eGFRcys on UNa/UCr. The average 24-h sodium excretion was estimated to be approximately 2.6 g per day for women and 3.7 g per day for men. This study provides evidence that sodium excretion, well above the recommendation of <2 g per day of sodium intake, might not have a harmful effect on kidney function. Clinical trials are warranted to evaluate the sodium restriction target on kidney function.
Thermostable trypsin conjugates for high‐throughput proteomics: synthesis and performance evaluation

Conjugating bovine trypsin with oligosaccharides maltotriose, raffinose and stachyose increased its thermostability and suppressed autolysis, without affecting its cleavage specificity. These conjugates accelerated the digestion of protein substrates both in solution and in gel, compared to commonly used unmodified and methylated trypsins.
Learning Effective Navigational Strategies for Active Monocular Simultaneous Localization and Mapping

Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) refers to the problem of mapping an unknown environment that the robot is operating in and localizing itself in the unknown environment at the same time. Out of the various methods of performing SLAM, using a single monocular camera as the sole sensory input is highly preferred due to its simplicity and low power consumption. Range sensors such as laser range finders, depth cameras etc require much more power to operate and performing SLAM with them is more computationally intensive as compared to SLAM with a single camera. However, when compared to trajectory planning methods using depth-based SLAM, Monocular SLAM in loop does need additional considerations. One main reason being that for a robust optimization of the map and robot trajectory, using Bundle Adjustment (BA) in the case of most monocular SLAM methods, the SLAM system needs to scan the area for a reasonable duration to gather more information about the area to improve the map and pose estimates. Additionally, due to the way monocular SLAM methods work, they do not tolerate large camera rotations between successive views and tend to breakdown. Other reasons for Monocular SLAM failure include ambiguities in decomposition of the Essential Matrix, feature-sparse scenes and more layers of non linear optimization apart from BA. Learning a complex task such as low-level robot manoeuvres while preventing failure of monocular SLAM is a challenging problem for both robots and humans. The data-driven identification of basic motion strategies in preventing monocular SLAM failure is a largely unexplored problem. In this thesis, a computational model is devised for representing and inferring strategies for the problem, formulated as a Markov Decision Process (MDP), where the reward function models the goal of the task as well as information about the strategy. Reinforcement Learning (RL) is used with an intuitive, handcrafted reward function to generates fail safe trajectories wherein the SLAM generated outputs (scene structure and camera motion) do not deviate largely from their true values. This model is expanded on by treating it as an expert and try to learn an underlying true reward function for the given task at hand using Inverse Reinforcement Learning (IRL). Quintessentially, the framework successfully learns the otherwise complex relation between motor actions and perceptual inputs and uses this knowledge to generate trajectories that do not cause failure of SLAM. It also learns how a few chosen parameters affect the task at hand. This complex relation is almost intractable to capture in an obvious mathematical formulation. The framework allows one to identify the way in which a few chosen parameters affect the quality of monocular SLAM estimates. The estimated reward function was able to capture expert demonstration information and the inherent expert
Molecular underpinnings and biogeochemical consequences of enhanced diatom growth in a warming Southern Ocean

Significance Phytoplankton contribute to the Southern Ocean’s (SO) ability to absorb atmospheric CO2 and shape the stoichiometry of northward macronutrient delivery. Climate change is altering the SO environment, yet we know little about how resident phytoplankton will react to these changes. Here, we studied a natural SO community and compared responses of two prevalent, bloom-forming diatom groups to changes in temperature and iron that are projected to occur by 2100 to 2300. We found that one group, Pseudo-nitzschia, grows better under warmer low-iron conditions by managing cellular iron demand and efficiently increasing photosynthetic capacity. This ability to grow and draw down nutrients in the face of warming, regardless of iron availability, has major implications for ocean ecosystems and global nutrient cycles. The Southern Ocean (SO) harbors some of the most intense phytoplankton blooms on Earth. Changes in temperature and iron availability are expected to alter the intensity of SO phytoplankton blooms, but little is known about how these changes will influence community composition and downstream biogeochemical processes. We performed light-saturated experimental manipulations on surface ocean microbial communities from McMurdo Sound in the Ross Sea to examine the effects of increased iron availability (+2 nM) and warming (+3 and +6 °C) on nutrient uptake, as well as the growth and transcriptional responses of two dominant diatoms, Fragilariopsis and Pseudo-nitzschia. We found that community nutrient uptake and primary productivity were elevated under both warming conditions without iron addition (relative to ambient −0.5 °C). This effect was greater than additive under concurrent iron addition and warming. Pseudo-nitzschia became more abundant under warming without added iron (especially at 6 °C), while Fragilariopsis only became more abundant under warming in the iron-added treatments. We attribute the apparent advantage Pseudo-nitzschia shows under warming to up-regulation of iron-conserving photosynthetic processes, utilization of iron-economic nitrogen assimilation mechanisms, and increased iron uptake and storage. These data identify important molecular and physiological differences between dominant diatom groups and add to the growing body of evidence for Pseudo-nitzschia’s increasingly important role in warming SO ecosystems. This study also suggests that temperature-driven shifts in SO phytoplankton assemblages may increase utilization of the vast pool of excess nutrients in iron-limited SO surface waters and thereby influence global nutrient distribution and carbon cycling.
Cultural scripts surrounding young people’s sexual and romantic relationships in the Western Highlands of Guatemala

Abstract Guatemala has one of the world’s highest teenage pregnancy rates and 92% of young people report not using contraception for first sex. We conducted narrative-based thematic analysis of a sample of narratives (n = 40; 15 male-authored, 25 female-authored) on HIV and sexuality, submitted to a 2013 scriptwriting competition by young people aged 15–19 years from Guatemala’s Western Highlands. Our objective was to identify dominant cultural scripts and narratives that deviated positively from that norm with a view to informing the development of educational curricula and communication materials promoting youth sexual and reproductive health. The narratives are characterised by romantic themes and melodramatic plotlines: three in four had tragic endings. Rigid gender norms and ideologies of enduring love make female characters blind to the potential consequences of unprotected sex and vulnerable to betrayal and abandonment. Unprotected sex is the norm, with contraception and sexually transmitted infection protection mentioned rarely. In the four positively deviant narratives, female and male characters’ interaction is based on mutual respect, dialogue and genuine affection. The narratives reveal opportunities for action to increase sexual health knowledge and access to services and to challenge harmful cultural scripts, potentially by leveraging the positive value attached to romantic love by authors of both sexes.
The iron status of children and youth in a community mental health clinic is lower than that of a national sample.

OBJECTIVE Iron plays a key role in brain function, and a deficiency of iron has been implicated in various cognitive, motor, and psychiatric disorders. Because of recent evidence that iron deficiency may be related to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other psychiatric disorders, the goal of this study was to compare the iron status of children and youth seen in a community mental health clinic with a national sample of same-aged subjects. METHODS In this study, a consecutive series of 108 patients (79 males) referred to a community mental health clinic was compared with a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) sample on measures of iron status. Wilcoxon sign rank and median tests were used to compare distributions of ferritin. Quantile regression was performed to compare the ferritin level in the two samples while adjusting for demographic differences. Chi squared (χ2) was used to compare rates of low hemoglobin in the two samples. RESULTS The iron status of the clinic sample, as measured by ferritin levels (median=23 μg/L), was significantly lower than that of the national sample (median=43 μg/L). After adjustment for age, gender, and race, the clinic sample was found to have 19.2 μg/L lower ferritin than the national sample (95% CI from 7.6 to 30.9, p value=0.001). There were also significantly more subjects in the clinic sample with low hemoglobin than in the national sample. There were no differences in ferritin levels between those patients in the clinic sample with and without an ADHD or other specific psychiatric diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS The ferritin levels of children and youth in a mental health clinic sample were significantly lower than those of the same-aged subjects in a national sample. Therefore, compromised iron status may be an additional biological risk factor for cognitive, behavioral, and psychiatric problems in pediatric populations served by the community mental health clinic.
Identification of Ixodide ticks of cattle in and around Hararamaya district, Eastern Ethiopia

We conducted a survey to determine the prevalence of Ixodide ticks, their predilection sites and relation to breed, sex, and age group of animals. A total of 560 animals were examined of which 186 (33.21%) found infested with one or more ticks. Among the total 1446 ticks collected three generas; Amblyomma, Boophilus, and Rhipicephalus, and five species identified. The relative prevalence of each species was Amblyomma variegatum (38.87%), Amblyomma coherence (8.30%), Boophilus decoloratus (31.54%), Rhipicephalus pulchellus (6.64%), and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi (14.66%). A.variegatum and A. coherence shows higher preference to axial, scrotum/ udder, and groin & belly. B. decoloratus species were found prominently on the back & neck. R. evertsi evertsi and R. pulchelus showed high preference to the under tail and peri-anal &vulva regions of the body. The male to female sex ratio of the collected ticks was found 1.96:1, showing higher proportion of male than their counter parts. The prevalence of tick infestation was found significantly higher (P 0.05).
Union Membership in France: An Empirical Study

The purpose of this study is to examine the determinants of unionisation among French employees. Special emphasis is placed on the impact of contextual factors relating to the sector and workplace. The analysis, based on two different datasets, is carried out using two-level (individual and sector) logistic regression models. Beyond the effects of individual factors such as age, education or type of job contract, the results indicate that the probability of being a union member is significantly higher in sectors with high proportions of mature and large establishments, and whose volume of activity is increasing (or at least stable). The workplace context also clearly matters. The presence of unions in the establishment and a tense social climate are both factors which increase membership.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING TRADITIONAL FISHERMEN IN MAINTAINING THE RESILIENCE OF MARINE AREAS IN THE CONTEXT OF INDONESIAN STATE DEFENSE

Purpose of the study: The purpose of this study is to empirically examine the factors that influence traditional fishermen in maintaining the resilience of marine areas in order to defend the country and examine the model of causality relationships that are formed as well as the influence of causality between these variables. Methodology: The study was conducted in the Depok coastal area, Bantul - Yogyakarta with traditional fishermen as the respondents who are members of the Mina Bahari Fishermen Cooperative. Hypothesis testing was based on Partial Least Square. Main Findings: This study found: (1) 15 reflexive indicator statements form 7 latent variables that directly to construct a hypothesis; (2) a state defence model is formed; (3) hypothesis testing model shows that the seven proposed hypotheses are accepted, namely: a) Knowledge of environmental security has a positive influence on attitudes towards environmental security; b) Attitudes towards environmental security and environmental influences have a negative influence on actions against security disturbances; c) Understanding the environment has a positive influence on environmental awareness; d) Environmental awareness, environmental influences, and actions against security disturbances have a positive influence on participation in the environment. Applications of this study: This study helps inform the stakeholders establish coastal resilience program by incorporating the fishermen in the coastal areas. Novelty: Few studies paid attention toward traditional fishermen to keep marine resilience in Indonesia.
A Stub Tapped Branch-Line Coupler for Dual-Band Operations

This letter presents a stub tapped branch-line coupler for dual-band applications. In the new design, a tapped stub is used to realize 90deg phase change at two frequencies. Both the characteristic impedance and the length of the proposed branch lines are adjusted accordingly compared with the conventional structure. Explicit design equations are derived using the ABCD-matrix. To verify the design concept, a microstrip coupler operating at 0.9 and 2GHz is fabricated and measured on a Rogers' RO4003 board