Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ROLE OF OsWAK 124 , A RICE WALL-ASSOCIATED KINASE , IN RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL HEAVY METAL STRESSES

Members of the Arabidopsis cell wall-associated kinase (WAK) family play important roles in both development and stress responses. There are about one hundred and twenty fiveOsWAKs annotated in the rice genome but their functions in rice growth and development are largely unknown. In this paper, we reported a functional role of the OsWAK124 (Os12g0266200) in rice heavy metal responses. Confocal GFP experiments located OsWAK124 in the cell wall and analyses of OsWAK124 promoter⸬GUS transgenic lines suggested that OsWAK124 promoter is primarily active at the meristematic tissues under normal growth condition. Under stress conditions, however, OsWAK124 promoter activity is induced in non-meristematic tissues, such as leaf, stem and root, and the activity in the meristematic tissues is further enhanced. Various transgenic rice lines carrying either RNA interference (RNAi) or overexpression constructs were generated. Transgenic lines were tested for their responses to various stress conditions including salicylic acid, NaCl, AlCl3, CuSO4 and CdSO4. Our analyses showed that rice seedlings overexpressing OsWAK124 are more resistant to the three tested heavy metals (Al, Cu, and Cd), which suggested that OsWAK124, like some Arabidopsis WAK members, plays a role in environmental heavy metal stress responses.
Anisotropic excitonic effects in the energy loss function of hexagonal boron nitride

The anisotropy of the valence energy-loss function of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is shown to be largely enhanced by the highly inhomogeneous character of the excitonic states. The energy loss with momentum transfer parallel to the BN layers is dominated by strongly bound, quasi-two-dimensional excitons. In contrast, excitations with momentum transfer perpendicular to the layers are influenced by weakly bound three-dimensional excitons. This striking phenomenon is revealed by a combined study using high-precision nonresonant inelastic x-ray scattering measurements supported by ab initio calculations. The results are relevant in general to layered insulating systems.
Why study ancient DNA damage

e genetic codes that are carried within organic material can be investigated in order to generate information that cannot otherwise be obtained through conventional macroscopic or microscopic analyses. Insights into past genetics can be obtained using DNA recovered from contemporary (i.e. modern) samples, although these rely to a large extent on the application of theoretical models to the data. us they naturally suffer from model-related weaknesses, e.g. through the use of oversimplified or unrealistic parameters. By contrast, the recovery and analysis of DNA from older specimens provides a direct window into the past and allows inferences to be drawn from data generated from samples scattered in time and space. At the most basic level, this might involve the taxonomic identification of a particular specimen. In an evolutionary context, such data can be used to investigate the taxonomic relationship between specimens or for the recreation of past population dynamics (Shapiro et al. 2004). In a human archeological context, ancient DNA (aDNA) has recently been used to identify the appearance, migration and decline of human genetic groups (Haak et al. 2005). One defining characteristic of ancient DNA is that it is in at least a partially degraded state. e precise level of damage and its biochemical nature varies from one sample to another (Pääbo 1989; Hoss et al. 1996; Hansen et al. 2006; Binladen et al. 2006). In some cases (often cold-preserved specimens) the samples and their DNA are in an excellent state of preservation, while in others the DNA is damaged to such an extent that it can no longer be analysed. By comparison with the total number of ancient DNA studies that are undertaken, the study of ancient DNA damage is a neglected area despite this being a universal phenomenon in ancient DNA research. Two questions are central to aDNA damage research: How does the damage affect the DNA templates, and thus ultimately the conclusions we draw from the sequences obtained from ancient samples, and can we repair the damage in order to regenerate useful templates? We present in this paper a review of the current state of knowledge with regard to the above questions.
FUNGAL VOLATILE CHEMICALS IN THE AIR AND THEIR EFFECTS ON HEALTH

Various mixtures of gas-phase, carbon compounds volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by fungi are able to diffuse through the atmosphere and soils due to their small size. Fungal VOCs may contribute to a controversial medical diagnosis called ‘sick building syndrome’ or ‘building related illness’ (BRI). Both atopic and normal people exhibit statistically significant physiological and psychological effects when exposed to the odorant compounds emitted by fungi, so it has been hypothesized that these odorants may cause or contribute to BRI. Mold odors are caused by mixtures of VOCs, low molecular mass compounds with high vapor pressure that exist in the gaseous state at room temperature. Different species and strains of filamentous fungi produce different VOC profiles. Approximately 250 VOCs have been identified from fungi where they occur as mixtures of simple hydrocarbons, heterocycles, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, phenols, thioalcohols, thioesters and derivatives. The diverse functions of fungal VOCs can be developed for use in biotechnological applications for biofuel, biocontrol and mycofumigation. Volatiles represent a new frontier in bioprospecting, and the study of these gas-phase compounds promises the discovery of new products for human exploitation and will generate new hypotheses in fundamental biology
Nonlinear quantum Langevin equations for bosonic modes in solid-state systems

Based on the experimental evidence that impurities contribute to the dissipation properties of solid-state open quantum systems, we provide here a description in terms of nonlinear quantum Langevin equations of the role played by two-level systems in the dynamics of a bosonic degree of freedom. Our starting point is represented by the description of the system/environment coupling in terms of coupling to two separate reservoirs, modelling the interaction with external bosonic modes and two level systems, respectively. Furthermore, we show how this model represents a specific example of a class of open quantum systems that can be described by nonlinear quantum Langevin equations. Our analysis offers a potential explanation of the parametric effects recently observed in circuit-QED cavity optomechanics experiments.
Automatic Ecosystem Identification Using Psychoacoustical Features

The recent changes in worldwide ecosystems require constant monitoring and actions to prevent habitat destruction and mass extinction of species. The development of Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) techniques has allowed the study of ecosystem dynamics, producing no harm to them. In this study, a relation between psychoacoustical features and ecosystem degradation was explored. Psychoacoustical features are used mainly for urban soundscapes categorization and they are based on human subjective perception of sound; however, they provide a starting framework for linking soundscape to spatial structure. To map soundscape to ecosystem health, an artificial neural network (ANN) and three different types of support vector machines (SVM) were tested for automatic ecosystem type identification using the selected features. Three out of four models leaded to good results, but as future work, it is suggested to adapt psychoacoustical features to a more neutral auditory system so the analysis includes more species perception of the ecosystem soundscape.
Highly-controlled synthesis of organic layers on mesoporous silica: their structure and application to toxic ion adsorptions

Since the discovery of ordered mesoporous silica, control of the structure of organic layers at the mesoscopic level has become a topic of growing interest for the modification of silica surfaces. In addition, the microstructure of functional groups on the surface also produces new problems specific to mesoporous silica. Our interest in this field consists in revealing potential problems in the synthesis of modified mesoporous silica for achieving a uniform structure, developing new synthetic routes to highly-functionalized solids and elucidating the mechanism where they work as an adsorbent. All these objectives will be described both on the mesoscopic and microscopic scales. The comparison of in-advance silane synthesis with post on-surface modification is related mainly to the uniformity in the molecular structure of the functional groups. On the other hand, the differences emerging from the comparison between grafting and direct co-condensation are often attributed to the uniformity in the dispersion of the organic groups. The density of the functional groups, which is often regarded as an important specification of the material, is discussed in detail, especially in terms of the mesoscopic uniformity, the method of dispersion (explored by changing the numbers of the functional groups per organic chain or per unit surface area and by changing the stage of synthesis where the modification is carried out) and the distribution on the solid. A refined direct co-condensation method, functionalization associated with templating, has several advantages in the exposure of all functional groups as well as in selective modification of the internal pore surface. The performance of ion adsorption is discussed in relation to the structural differences caused by the choice of synthetic method, small differences in the adsorption sites and the mesopore framework structures.
New Perspective of the Relation between the Public Expenditure and Economic Growth in China: Evidence from provincial panel data

This paper focuses on the relation between the public expenditures and the economic growth in China's transition economy and builds two econometric models according to a new economic growth theory framework based on the three hypotheses this paper made. Then, with the panel data of 29 provinces (1991-2004) in China, this paper finds that, in China, the total public expenditure and the exhaustive expenditure of the public sector have positive effects on the economic growth. And there is also a positive relationship between the public sector's transfer expenditure and the economic growth, which is much weaker than the previous two.
Risk Reduction of SSO and Enhance the Stability in DFIG Control Systems Using Multi-Input Multi-Output State Space Methodology

Doubly-fed induction generators (DFIGs) have gained widespread acceptance in modern wind energy conversion systems. The stability and dynamics of power systems involving DFIGs have recently become salient issues. With the use of high power voltage source converters (VSCs)-based DFIG wind farms connected to series capacitors, sub-synchronous dynamics usually exist which reduces the overall damping and results in unstable dynamics. This paper investigates the sub-synchronous interactions (SSIs) by using eigenvalues and modal analysis tools, proposes sub-synchronous damping controller, which is integrated to the grid side converter as well as rotor side converter. Furthermore, this SSI damping controls are designed using multi-input multi-output (MIMO) approach. This provides greater flexibility in using several measurements and control inputs. Thus, this robust technique is able to properly damp the sub-synchronous resonance in a power system with series-compensated line.
The Time-Space Structure of the Asian-Pacific Summer Monsoon: A Fast Annual Cycle View*

Abstract Despite the seemingly intricate and multifold time–space structure of the mean Asian–Pacific summer monsoon (APSM), its complexity can be greatly reduced once the significance of fast annual cycles has been recognized and put into perspective. The APSM climatology is characterized by a slowly evolving seasonal transition (slow annual cycle) superposed by pronounced singularities in the intraseasonal timescale, termed the “fast annual cycle” in this study. The fast annual cycles show nonrepetitive features from one episode to another, which are often divided by abrupt change events. The APSM fast annual cycles are composed mainly of two monsoon outbreaks, each marking a distinctive dry–wet cycle. The first cycle spans from the middle of May to early July and the second cycle from late July to early September. When the first cycle reaches its peak in mid-June, a slingshot-like convection zone, described as the grand-onset pattern, rules an area from the Arabian Sea to the Indochina Peninsula then b.
Enhancement of Microbicidal Activity in the Tiger Shrimp Penaeus Monodon Via Immunostimulation

ABSTRACT We studied the clearance ability of hemolymph drawn from the tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon immersed in a viable cell suspension of Vibrio vulnificus. Results show that Vibrio cells were largely eliminated from shrimp hemolymph within 12 h following invasion and completely undetectable at 24 h. We also examined the anti-E. coli activity of plasma, phenoloxidase (PO) activity, as well as the production of superoxide anion (O2-) by shrimp hemocytes following treatment with each of these 3 immunostimulants. Resultant survival indexes show that some plasma, but not all, exhibits anti-E. coli activity. However, such an activity in all plasma tested could be enhanced by beta-glucan or zymosan up to 24 h following treatment, and slightly enhanced at 6 h following treatment with a Vibrio antigen. PO activity and O2- generation were stimulated by all 3 immunostimulants. Enhanced PO activities were observed from 5 min to 24 h following treatment, with the highest activity occurring at 3 h; the activity recovered to normal on day 3. Increased O2 production was observed from 3-12 h in both glucan- and zymosan-treated shrimp, and at 6 h in shrimp treated with Vibrio antigen. These results show that: (1) some microbicidal reactions may be involved in the clearance of invasive V. vulnificus from shrimp hemolymph; (2) the 3 immunostimulants have the ability to enter shrimp via immersion treatment, thus leading to activation of both the plasma-related factors and hemocytes and the strengthening of PO activity and O2− production; and (3) these enhanced microbicidal reactions exhibit a rapid response that is short in duration.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF DOG TRACTION FOR THE ANALYSIS OF PREHISTORIC ARCTIC SOCIETIES

Abstract: Dog traction was a central element of Eskimo cultures from Greenland to Southwestern Alaska, yet has received relatively little attention from northern archaeologists. This mode of transportation likely emerged in the last 1500 years and was a necessary element in the mobile subsistence strategies and social networks of historic Eskimo societies. An understanding of the effects of adopting dog traction is necessary for analyzing prehistoric societies that preceded and came after its development. The increased mobility conferred by the use of dogs likely had effects on functional and stylistic variability in archaeological assemblages, the costs of resources and means of procurement, settlement strategies, and other aspects of Eskimo culture.
Twistor inspired techniques in QCD

I present a short review of the new twistor inspired techniques in perturbative QCD, which are the result of Witten’s conjecture of a duality between twistors and string theory. I give an introduction to the main two tree‐level techniques, the BCFW recursion and the CSW formalism, and show how the idea of using on‐shell QCD amplitudes evaluated for complex momenta can lead to efficient techniques to perform analytic computations. Finally, I briefly discuss how these ideas can be applied to loop calculations if they are combined to the generalized unitarity approach.
Adaptation of Australia’s Marine Ecosystems to Climate Change: Using Science to Inform Conservation Management

The challenges that climate change poses for marine ecosystems are already manifesting in impacts at the species, population, and community levels in Australia, particularly in Tasmania and tropical northern Australia. Many species and habitats are already under threat as a result of human activities, and the additional pressure from climate change significantly increases the challenge for marine conservation and management. Climate change impacts are expected to magnify as sea surface temperatures, ocean chemistry, ocean circulation, sea level, rainfall, and storm patterns continue to change this century. In particular, keystone species that form the foundation of marine habitats, such as coral reefs, kelp beds, and temperate rocky reefs, are projected to pass thresholds with subsequent implications for communities and ecosystems. This review synthesises recent science in this field: the observed impacts and responses of marine ecosystems to climate change, ecological thresholds of change, and strategies for marine conservation to promote adaptation. Increasing observations of climate-related impacts on Australia’s marine ecosystems—both temperate and tropical—are making adaptive management more important than ever before. Our increased understanding of the impacts and responses of marine ecosystems to climate change provides a focus for “no-regrets” adaptations that can be implemented now and refined as knowledge improves.
Microwave MEMS devices designed for process robustness and operational reliability

This paper presents an overview on novel microwave micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) device concepts developed in our research group during the last 5 years, which are specifically designed for addressing some fundamental problems for reliable device operation and robustness to process parameter variation. In contrast to conventional solutions, the presented device concepts are targeted at eliminating their respective failure modes rather than reducing or controlling them. Novel concepts of MEMS phase shifters, tunable microwave surfaces, reconfigurable leaky-wave antennas, multi-stable switches, and tunable capacitors are presented, featuring the following innovative design elements: dielectric-less actuators to overcome dielectric charging; reversing active/passive functions in MEMS switch actuators to improve recovery from contact stiction; symmetrical anti-parallel metallization for full stress-control and temperature compensation of composite dielectric/metal layers for free-standing structures; monocrystalline silicon as structural material for superior mechanical performance; and eliminating thin metallic bridges for high–power handling. This paper summarizes the design, fabrication, and measurement of devices featuring these concepts, enhanced by new characterization data, and discusses them in the context of the conventional MEMS device design.
Improved binary similaritymeasures for softwaremodularization

Various binary similarity measures have been employed in clustering approaches to make homogeneous groups of similar entities in the data. These similarity measures are mostly based only on the presence and absence of features. Binary similarity measures have also been explored with different clustering approaches (e.g., agglomerative hierarchical clustering) for software modularization to make the software systems understandable and manageable. Each similarity measure has its own strengths and weaknesses that result in improving and deteriorating the clustering results, respectively. This paper highlights the strengths of some well-known existing binary similarity measures for software modularization. Furthermore, based on these existing similarity measures, this paper introduces the improved new binary similarity measures. Proofs of the correctness with illustration and a series of experiments are presented to evaluate the effectiveness of our new binary similarity measures.
Plain and ion pair thin layer chromatography of some herbicides and related compounds on admixture of silica gel G and barium sulphate in a single solvent system

Some carboxylic acid herbicides and related compounds such as - p-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, benzoic acid, cinnamic acid, β-naphthoxy acetic acid, α-naphthoxy acetic acid, (3-naphthalene acetic acid, indole 3-acetic acid, indole propionic acid and gallic acid have been separated on silica gel G-barium sulphate coatings in different ratio using acetone as mobile phase. The ion pair thin layer chromatography (IPTLC) has shown the better possibilities of separating ternary mixtures of a herbicides and related compounds in comparison to the nonnal phase TLC.
Educational segregation and the gender wage gap in Greece

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent to which differences in the subject of degree studied by male and female university graduates contributes to the gender pay gap in Greece, an EU country with historically large gender discrepancies in earnings and occupational segregation. In addition, the paper explores the reasons underlying the distinct educational choices of men and women, with particular emphasis on the role of wage uncertainty. Design/methodology/approach - Using micro-data from the Greek Labour Force Survey (LFS), Oaxaca-Blinder decompositions are employed to detect the extent to which gender differences in the type of degree studied can explain the male-female pay gap. “Risk-augmented earnings functions” are also used to examine the differential wage premiums offered to men and women in Greece in response to the uncertainty associated with different fields of study. Findings - It is found that the subjects in which women are relatively over-represented (e.g. Education, Humanities) are also those with the lowest wage returns. Gender differences in the type of degree studied can therefore explain an additional 8.4 per cent of the male-female pay gap in Greece. A potential reason for distinct gender educational choices is that women opt for less uncertain educations that consequently command lower wage premiums in the job market. Practical implications - The findings suggest that the promotion of gender equality in Greece should pay closer attention to removing informal barriers to entry for women in educational fields traditionally chosen by men (e.g. more effective careers advice, work-experience placements, matching of young girls with professional “mentors”). Originality/value - The paper is the first to investigate the contribution of individual's field of study to the gender wage gap in Greece. In addition, it includes the first-ever estimations of “risk-augmented earnings equations” for that country.