Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diversity of Coral Reef Fishes in the Western Indian Ocean: Implications for Conservation

Communities of coral reef fishes are changing due to global warming and overfishing. To understand these changes and inform conservation, knowledge of species diversity and distributions is needed. The western Indian Ocean (WIO) contains the second highest coral reef biodiversity hotspot globally, yet a detailed analysis of the diversity of coral reef fishes is lacking. This study developed a timed visual census method and recorded 356 species from 19 families across four countries in the WIO to examine patterns in species diversity. Species richness and composition differed most between the island countries of Madagascar and Comoros and both these locations differed from locations in Tanzania and Mozambique which were similar. These three regional groupings helped define WIO ecoregions for conservation planning. The highest species richness was found in Tanzania and Mozambique, and the lowest and most different species composition was found in Comoros. Biogeography explains these differences with naturally lower species diversity expected from the small, oceanic, and isolated islands of Comoros. Present day ocean currents maintain these diversity patterns and help explain the species composition in northeast Madagascar. Species distributions were driven by 46 of the 356 species; these provide guidance on important species for ongoing monitoring. The results provide a benchmark for testing future changes in reef fish species richness.
Theoretical Insights into the Solvation, Electronic, Chemical Properties and Molecular Docking of Some Thiazole Derivatives

Abstract In the present work, the chemical and electronic properties of a series of thiazole derivatives are presented by means of quantum chemical calculations. Solvation effects in different solvents are determined and for TH9 with acetonitrile the solvent energy is positive (120.80 kcal/mol) and for all other derivatives in different solvents, the solvent energy is less than 5 kcal/mol. Solvation free energies values suggest that chloroform and DMSO solvents may be better for the solubilization of thiazole. NLO and chemical properties are also found for all derivatives and compared. Biological activity is predicted and the binding affinity values from docking studies are reported along with amino acid interaction.
MiR-612, miR-637, and miR-874 can Regulate VEGFA Expression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Lines

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNA molecules acting as important posttranscriptional gene and protein expression regulators in cancer. The study goal was to examine VEGFA (vascular endothelial growth factor A) expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines upon transfection miR-612, miR-637, or miR-874. Methods: MiR-612 mimics, miR-637 mimics, or miR-874 inhibitors were transfected using Lipofectamine RNAiMax in both HCC cell lines, HepG2 and HuH-7. Real-time PCR, Western blotting, and ELISA methods were used to evaluate VEGFA regulation by the miRNAs. Results: Gene and protein expression levels of VEGFA were down-expressed in both cell lines, HepG2 and HuH-7, transfected with miR-612 or miR-637. Transfection with miR-874 inhibitor showed an increase in VEGFA gene expression in HepG2 and HuH-7 cell lines; however, no regulation was observed on VEGFA protein expression by miR-874 inhibition. Correlation analysis between miRNAs and VEGFA protein expression showed that miR-637 and miR-874 expression present inversely correlated to VEGFA protein expression. Conclusions: VEGFA was down-regulated in response to hsa-miR-612 or hsa-miR-637 overexpression; however, the modulation of VEGFA by miR-874 was observed only at the gene expression and thus, needs further investigation.
The use of social customer relationship management by building contractors: evidence from Tasmania

Despite its ever-increasing popularity with consumers and businesses, many organizations are still unsure how to effectively use social media in a marketing context. One way in which building firms can use social media is as a customer relationship management (CRM) tool to improve customer engagement and satisfaction (known as social CRM). In order to explore how social CRM (SCRM) can be used, and is being used by building firms, semi-structured interviews with accredited building practitioners were utilized to collect data on SCRM use in the sector. The data were analysed to determine the factors that influence social media use, the extent of SCRM use, and the ways in which building contractors are using SCRM. It was found that builders are using social media to manage client relationships, but to a limited extent due to the complex nature of the builder–client relationship and a lack of perceived trustworthiness. Building firms favoured a transactional approach to social media use, and preferred not to use formal social media strategies. Builders are also reluctant to use social media to assist them in segmenting customers by their value to the firm. For effective social media use, builders may consider two main issues: SCRM strategy and customer-value segmentation to develop profitable customer relationships.
Host Species-Dependent Transmission of Tomato Leaf Curl New Delhi Virus-ES by Bemisia tabaci

The tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) is a bipartite, single-stranded begomovirus that was first identified in India in 1995 affecting solanaceous crops. A different strain, named ToLCNDV-ES, was introduced in Spain in 2012 and causes severe symptoms in zucchini crops. Virus transmission experiments with the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, were used to compare the transmission parameters in zucchini and tomato plants. The minimum acquisition access period and inoculation access period of ToLCNDV-ES transmission was similar in zucchini and tomato. However, the transmission efficiency was significantly higher in zucchini (96%) compared to tomato (2%). The maximum retention of the virus in the vector was 16 days. B. tabaci feeding on, or recently emerged from infected zucchini plants, accumulated more virus than those from infected tomato, as determined by real-time PCR. A total of 20% of B. tabaci that were recently emerged from infected zucchini, and none from infected tomato, were able to transmit the virus to virus-free zucchini. The results may explain the different incidences of ToLCNDV-ES in zucchini and tomato crops in Spain. But they are also relevant for ToLCNDV-ES management of crops and the role of the trade and transport of infected plant material, when small-sized immature stages of B. tabaci could be a source of infection.
Artificial intelligence changes the way we work: A close look at innovating with chatbots

An enhanced understanding of the innovative use of artificial intelligence (AI) is essential for organizations to improve work design and daily business operations. This study's purpose is to offer insights into how AI can transform organizations' work practices through diving deeply into its innovative use in the context of a primary AI tool, a chatbot, and examining the antecedents of innovative use by conceptualizing employee trust as a multidimensional construct and exploring employees' perceived benefits. In particular, we have conceptualized employee trust in chatbots as a second‐order construct, including three first‐order variables: trust in functionality, trust in reliability, and trust in data protection. We collected data from 202 employees. The results supported our conceptualization of trust in chatbots and showed that three dimensions of first‐order trust beliefs have relatively the same level of importance. Further, both knowledge support and work–life balance enhance trust in chatbots, which in turn leads to innovative use of chatbots. Our study contributes to the existing literature by introducing the new conceptualization of trust in chatbots and examining its antecedents and outcomes. The results can provide important practical insights regarding how to support innovative use of chatbots as the new way we organize work.
What Shapes The Gut Microbiome of Lizards From Different Habitats?

Host-gut microbiota interactions are complex and can have a profound impact on the ecology and evolution of both counterparts. Several host traits such as taxonomy, diet and social behavior, and external factors such as prey availability and local environment are known to influence the composition and diversity of the gut microbiota. In this study, we investigated the influence of taxonomy, sex, host size, locality/habitat on gut microbiota diversity in five lizard species from two different sites in Portugal. We also analyzed the potential levels of microbial transmission between species that live in sympatry and syntopy. We studied Podarcis bocagei and Podarcis lusitanicus from northern Portugal (Moledo); and two invasive species, Podarcis siculus and Teira dugesii, and the native Podarcis virescens from Lisbon. We used a metabarcoding approach to characterize the bacterial communities from the cloaca of lizards, sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rRNA. Habitat/locality was found to be the main driver of the differences in composition and structure of gut bacterial communities of the studied lizards, with host effects more evident at finer taxonomic scales. Additionally, lizards from urbanized environments had higher microbiome diversity than lizards from rural areas. We detected a significant positive correlation between size and gut bacterial alpha-diversity in the invasive species P. siculus, which could be due to higher exploratory behaviours. Moreover, estimates of bacterial transmission indicate that P. siculus may have acquired a high proportion of local microbiota. These findings indicate that a diverse array of host and environmental factors can influence lizards gut microbiota.
MobiReader : a wearable, assistive smartphone peripheral for reading text

Accessing printed text in mobile situations is inconvenient for people with visual impairments. Existing smartphone technologies often require refined aiming and focusing actions that prove difficult for the target user group to perform. In an attempt to mitigate these issues, the FingerReader was developed to assist in reading printed text. This thesis discusses the evolution of the FingerReader to the MobiReader, a mobile version of its predecessor meant to extend its potential as a pocketable, assistive reading device. The remainder of this document discusses the implementation and technical components of the MobiReader for the Android platform and reports its evaluation in a user study. Thesis Supervisor: Pattie Maes Title: Professor of Media Arts and Sciences
Improving the nutritional properties of Brassica L. vegetables by spontaneous fermentation

Introduction. Brassica L. vegetables are rich in fiber, minerals, and bioactive compounds. Lactic fermentation can improve their nutritional value. The goal of this study was to evaluate phytase, calcium, phytic acid, total phenolic content, and antioxidants during spontaneous fermentation of white cabbage, red cabbage, and Chinese cabbage. Study objects and methods. The research featured samples of water extract, methanol extract, and brine. The procedure involved monitoring lactic bacteria and pH during cabbage fermentation. Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) scavenging assay and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) assay were used to measure the antioxidant activity and Folin-Ciocalteau method to determine total phenolic content in the water and methanol extracts. In the brine samples, we studied calcium, phytic acid, and phytase activity. Results and discussion. The samples of white and red cabbage displayed the highest phytase activity on days 5–10 and had a maximal decrease of phytic acid and increase of calcium concentration, while in Chinese cabbage these processes occurred gradually throughout the fermentation. The total phenolic content in the brine and extracts was very similar for all the cultivars throughout the fermentation process. A continuous release from the solid phase to brine could be observed during the first ten days of fermentation. DPPH and CUPRAC assays revealed a similar phenomenon for the total phenolic content. The antioxidant capacity decreased in the water and methanol extracts and increased in the brine. At the end of fermentation, the red cabbage samples demonstrated a significant increase in the total phenolic content and total antioxidant activity, which was less prominent in the Chinese cabbage. The samples of white cabbage, on the contrary, showed a decrease in these parameters. Conclusion. Fermentation made it possible to increase the concentration of free calcium in white, red, and Chinese cabbages, as well as improve the antioxidant capacity of red and Chinese cabbages.
Distress among Korean Cancer Survivors: A Latent Profile Analysis

This study aimed to classify cancer survivors’ latent profile analysis (LPA) according to the problem list and identify the differences in distress between subgroups. Furthermore, this study identified differences between subgroups based on their demographic and clinical characteristics. A self-reported cross-sectional survey was administered to 446 adult cancer survivors in Korea. A distress thermometer and problem list were used, and four domains of the problem list were used to perform LPA and create subgroups. Quade’s non-parametric analysis of covariance was used to determine the difference in distress between the profiles. The three identified subgroups of the problem list were: “low problem group” (36.7%), “high problem group” (49.1%), and “family only low problem group” (14.2%). The analysis showed that there was a difference in the distress level according to the sub-profile of the problem list (F = 43.69, p < 0.001). In interventions for distress, integrative interventions that are not limited to one area are necessary, and cultural characteristics as well as the problem list relevant to cancer survivors should be considered.
Landscape appreciation of systematic structure properties in even-even nuclei along the valley of stability

Structural properties of even-even nuclei along the β-stability line are systematically analyzed and investigated by means of our improved potential-energy-surface (PES) approach. The equilibrium deformations obtained from the PES minima are compared with available experimental data and other theoretical results. From a brand-new angle of view, taking the nuclei on the stability line as footholds, we systematically present two-nucleon separation energies and half lives in the corresponding isotopic chains. Very regular laws can be seen, especially below Z = 84. The observed trends and anomalous behaviors are briefly discussed. The energy difference between theory and experiment for the binding energies and two-nucleon separation energies indicates that the improved PES calculations with our fitting macroscopic model parameters are relatively in better agreement with experiments. Based on the systematic law of two-nucleon separation energies, the bound limit of even-even nuclei is crudely estimated along the stability line.
Cell wall’s mesoscale organization in Deinococcus radiodurans

S-layers are highly-ordered coats of proteins localized on the cell surface of many bacterial species. In these structures, one or more proteins form elementary units that self-assemble into a crystalline monolayer tiling the entire cell surface. Here, the cell wall of the radiation-resistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans was studied by high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy finding the crystalline regularity of the S-layer clearly extended into the layers below. The cell wall appears to be highly packed and resulting from a three-dimensional crystalline distribution of proteins complexes organized in close continuity but allowing different degrees of voidness along the cell wall thickness. These insights grade S-layers to mesoscale hubs behaving as structural and functional architraves essential for the entire cell body.
Development of Stereo NIR-II Fluorescence Imaging System for 3D Tumor Vasculature in Small Animals

Near-infrared-II (NIR-II, 1000–1700 nm) fluorescence imaging boasts high spatial resolution and deep tissue penetration due to low light scattering, reduced photon absorption, and low tissue autofluorescence. NIR-II biological imaging is applied mainly in the noninvasive visualization of blood vessels and tumors in deep tissue. In the study, a stereo NIR-II fluorescence imaging system was developed for acquiring three-dimension (3D) images on tumor vasculature in real-time, on top of the development of fluorescent semiconducting polymer dots (IR-TPE Pdots) with ultra-bright NIR-II fluorescence (1000–1400 nm) and high stability to perform long-term fluorescence imaging. The NIR-II imaging system only consists of one InGaAs camera and a moving stage to simulate left-eye view and right-eye view for the construction of 3D in-depth blood vessel images. The system was validated with blood vessel phantom of tumor-bearing mice and was applied successfully in obtaining 3D blood vessel images with 0.6 mm- and 5 mm-depth resolution and 0.15 mm spatial resolution. The NIR-II stereo vision provides precise 3D information on the tumor microenvironment and blood vessel path.
Prolyl Carboxypeptidase Maintains Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Signaling and Is a Potential Therapeutic Target in Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Simple Summary Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive cancer type with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Our research has revealed that a protein called prolylcarboxypeptidase (PRCP) is a potential therapy target for TNBC. We found that high levels of PRCP in tumors coincides with worse prognosis in TNBC patients. Inhibition of PRCP with a small molecule inhibitor blocked TNBC cell and tumor growth and inhibited the activity of several receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), proteins that are located on the surface of cells and that are important for cancer development and progression. Our findings suggest that PRCP is a novel prognostic factor for TNBC and that specific inhibitors of PRCP could be developed for TNBC treatment. Abstract TNBC is an aggressive cancer sub-type with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. New therapeutic targets are needed to improve outcomes in TNBC patients. PRCP is a lysosomal serine protease that cleaves peptide substrates when the penultimate amino acid is proline. A role for PRCP in TNBC or other cancers, and its potential as a therapy target has not yet been tested. In the current study, we found high tumor expression of PRCP associates with worse outcome and earlier recurrence in TNBC patients. Knockdown of PRCP or treatment with a small molecule PRCP inhibitor blocked proliferation and survival in TNBC cell lines and inhibited growth of TNBC tumors in mice. Mechanistically, we found PRCP maintains signaling from multiple receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), potentially by promoting crosstalk between RTKs and G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Lastly, we found that the PRCP inhibitor caused synergistic killing of TNBC cells when combined with the EGFR and ErbB2 inhibitor lapatinib. Our results suggest that PRCP is potential prognostic marker for TNBC patient outcome and a novel therapeutic target for TNBC treatment.
Low-profile wide-beamwidth circularly-polarised patch antenna on a suspended substrate

A low-profile circularly-polarised (CP) patch antenna with wide axial-ratio (AR) beamwidth is proposed. Based on the transmission-line model, the radiation patterns of a CP patch antenna are calculated by modelling the entire patch as two pairs of equivalent parallel slots. Initially, the mechanism of wide-beamwidth CP radiation pattern is investigated. The results show that the |E θ| and |E φ| radiation patterns can be made nearly equalized over a large angular range, if the spacing L between two parallel slots is selected as 0.45 λ 0 (Condition I). For a square patch, the length of each slot must be equal to the spacing L, and it needs to be maintained as one half wavelength at resonance for radiation (Condition II). By using a suspended dielectric substrate, the two above conditions is simultaneously satisfied, resulting to achieve a wide AR beamwidth. After that, the effect of the finite ground size on the 3-dB AR beamwidth is analysed to constitute a practical CP antenna. Finally, the proposed CP antenna is designed and fabricated. Experimental results are in good agreement with the simulated ones in terms of radiation beamwidth, reflection coefficient and AR bandwidth. Practically, the antenna achieves a wide 3-dB AR beamwidth of 120°.
Efficient and Realistic Hair Modeling and Animation Using Sparse Guide Hairs

This paper presents a unified framework for modeling and animating curly hairs. Both modeling and animation start from a sparse set of guide hairs. An initial static sparse hair model is extracted from a superimposed vector field by tracing field lines. It can be effectively interpolated to produce a dense hair model. Random natural or artificial curliness can then be added to the dense model through a parametric hair offset function with a randomized distribution of parameters over the scalp. In addition to challenges in modeling, hair also exhibits strong anisotropic dynamic properties which demand distinct animation techniques for single strands and hair-hair interactions. While a single strand can be modeled as a multibody open chain expressed in generalized coordinates, modeling hair-hair interactions is a more difficult problem. A dynamic model for this purpose is proposed based on a sparse set of guide strands. Long range connections among the strands are modeled as breakable static links formulated as nonreversible positional springs. Dynamic hair-to-hair collision is solved with the help of auxiliary triangle strips among nearby strands. Adaptive guide strands can be generated and removed on the fly to dynamically control the accuracy of a simulation. Fine imagery of the final dense model is rendered by considering both primary scattering and self-shadowing inside the hair volume which is modeled as being partially translucent.
Intelligent Traffic-Monitoring System Based on YOLO and Convolutional Fuzzy Neural Networks

With the rapid pace of urbanization, the number of vehicles traveling between cities has increased significantly. Consequently, many traffic-related problems have emerged, such as traffic jams and excessive numbers and types of vehicles. To solve traffic problems, road data collection is important. Therefore, in this paper, we develop an intelligent traffic-monitoring system based on you only look once (YOLO) and a convolutional fuzzy neural network (CFNN), which record traffic volume, and vehicle type information from the road. In this system, YOLO is first used to detect vehicles and is combined with a vehicle-counting method to calculate traffic flow. Then, two effective models (CFNN and Vector-CFNN) and a network mapping fusion method are proposed for vehicle classification. In our experiments, the proposed method achieved an accuracy of 90.45% on the Beijing Institute of Technology public dataset. On the GRAM-RTM data set, the mean average precision and F-measure (F1) of the proposed YOLO-CFNN and YOLO-VCFNN vehicle classification methods are 99%, superior to those of other methods. On actual roads in Taiwan, the proposed YOLO-CFNN and YOLO-VCFNN methods not only have a high F1 score for vehicle classification but also have outstanding accuracy in vehicle counting. In addition, the proposed system can maintain a detection speed of more than 30 frames per second in the AGX embedded platform. Therefore, the proposed intelligent traffic monitoring system is suitable for real-time vehicle classification and counting in the actual environment.