Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of the metal chips disintegration method on the physical and mechanical properties of metal powders obtained

This paper presents the results obtained in comparative grinding studies of alloy metal chips using a ball mill and a vibrating mill. A comparison of the effective viscosity, bulk and tapped density in narrow size classes demonstrated higher rheological properties of the vibration grinding product and significant differences in the distribution of indicators by the size classes, depending on the grinding method. The specific yield and energy consumption indicators were established, which confirmed the superiority of vibration grinding over ball mill grinding. A visual assessment of the shape and surface condition of the ground particles is presented, conducted using a scanning electron microscope.
Studies on the effect of individual plant growth regulators on in vitro culture of Taraxacum officinale

Taraxacum officinale is well known for its medicinal properties. Using different combinations of auxins and cytokinins, callus induction and regeneration has been reported previously. However, studies on the effect of individual plant growth regulators are limited. In the present study, individual effect of auxins (2,4-D and NAA) and cytokinins (kinetin, BAP and TDZ) on callus induction and plant regeneration was tested. Leaf and root explants cultured on MS medium plus 0.5 mg/L 2,4-D produced greenish white and light brown friable callus and those cultured on NAA induced pigmented callus. This is the first report on the induction of pigmented callus in T. officinale using NAA alone. Kinetin caused direct shoot regeneration whereas BAP and TDZ induced direct as well as indirect shoot regeneration. Regenerated plantlets were acclimatized successfully at 20±2 °C. Scanning electron microscopy revealed differences in stomata and leaf surface of in vitro and acclimatized plantlets.
Characterisation of a novel interaction partner for Atg16L1 and its role in regulating autophagy

Macroautophagy (hereafter referred to as autophagy) is a highly conserved eukaryotic cellular response to starvation, resulting in the formation of double-membrane vesicles known as autophagosomes. These sequester cytoplasmic contents to the lysosome, where they are degraded to generate amino acids which can be used for protein synthesis during periods of nutrient deprivation. Membrane targeting of LC3, the major structural protein of the autophagosome, is essential for autophagy. LC3 is processed from its cytosolic form (LC3-I) to its lipidated form (LC3-II) in a series of ubiquitin-like conjugation events. Of particular importance is Atg16-like-1 (Atg16L1), which through its interactions with Atg5-Atg12, specifies the site of LC3 incorporation into the expanding autophagosomal membrane. In this study tools have been generated for the study and characterisation of Atg16L1 domains in cell culture. Atg16L1 -/- MEFs have also been generated and used for reconstitution experiments, which confirm that the coiled-coil domain of Atg16L1 is sufficient to restore autophagy in response to starvation and to a surrogate pathogen. A novel interaction between Atg16L1 and the serine/threonine kinase MEKK4 has been characterised in this study. Existing research has established an interaction between the pathogen recognition receptors NOD1/2 and Atg16L1. The NOD receptors are activated by bacterial peptidoglycan (PG), which has been shown to drive autophagy. Interestingly, MEKK4 inhibits NOD2 signalling by binding the downstream adaptor protein RIP2, leading to the hypothesis that MEKK4 may play a role in autophagy. The interaction was verified by co-immunoprecipitation, with domain analysis indicating that MEKK4 binds to the linker region of Atg16L1. The kinase activity of MEKK4 was also required for the interaction. The complex between Atg16L1 and MEKK4 persisted during starvation induced autophagy. Lipidation of LC3 in response to starvation required expression of MEKK4, with a redistribution of LC3 to large perinuclear aggregrates that co-localised with p62 and ubiquitin in siRNA silenced cells and CRISPR/Cas MEKK4 knockout cells. The aggregates were also able to recruit LC3 I, indicating a role of aggresome-like induced structures (ALIS). This thesis documents an interaction between Atg16L1 and MEKK4 that is vital for LC3 processing. The potential role for MEKK4 in regulating autophagy through Atg16L1 is discussed and experiments proposed to further explore this interaction in the context of autophagy.
Measurement of bone exercise : osteogenic features of loading

It is known that exercise strengthens bone and can prevent bone loss. However, the optimal amount and intensity of exercise beneficial to bones is not known, because there have been no long-term methods to evaluate the osteogenic features of exercise. The aim of the study was to reveal the determinants of physical activity or exercise beneficial for the bone, using novel accelerometer-based measurement of bone loading. Additionally, the study tested the applicability of a previously developed bone exercise regimen in Japanese women, using the same measurement technology. Acceleration data obtained in two exercise trials were analyzed. The subjects were healthy women aged 25–50 years who participated in 12-month high-impact exercise trials either in Finland or in Japan. The individual daily bone loading was assessed with a waist-worn accelerometer-based bone exercise recorder. Vertical acceleration peaks caused by impacts on the ground were recorded. Different key characteristics of the acceleration peaks were analyzed. A Daily Impact Score was developed to describe individual daily osteogenic loading. Bone mineral density was measured with dual x-ray absorptiometry at the proximal femur and lumbar spine, and cross-sectional geometry of mid-femur was assessed with spiral computed tomography. Calcaneus was assessed with quantitative ultrasound. Bone changes were analyzed with respect to the acceleration data. The results showed that the number of impacts during the first six months of exercise was associated with the 12-month bone changes at the hip and midfemur. The slope, area and energy of the acceleration signal were significant determinants of bone density changes. The threshold of acceleration slope for improving bone mineral density at the hip was 100 g/s, which can be achieved during exercise including fast movements such as running and jumping. Daily Impact Score was able to describe the osteogenic potential of daily mechanical loading with a single score. The results also showed that bone exercise can be applied to Japanese premenopausal women. A brief high-impact exercise program with 50 jumps prevented bone loss at the femoral neck. The study gives new information on the measurement of bone-specific exercise. This information can be used in designing new feasible training programs for women to prevent osteoporosis and fracture risk factors.
COMPETITION BETWEEN A PROCHLOROPHYTE AND A CYANOBACTERIUM UNDER VARIOUS PHOSPHORUS REGIMES: COMPARISON WITH THE DROOP MODEL

The ecophysiology and competitive behavior of the prochlorophyte Prochlorothrix hollandica Burger‐Wiersma, Stal et Mur, and the cyanobacterium Planktothrix agardhii Anagn. et Kom. were investigated in phosphorus‐limited continuous cultures. When the species were exposed to successive saturating pulses of P, the maximal P uptake rate decreased linearly with an increase in the P cell quota. Prochlorothrix had a higher maximal P uptake rate, a lower half‐saturation constant for P uptake, higher maximal cell quota for P, and slightly lower minimal cell quota for P than Planktothrix. These data indicate that Prochlorothrix is an affinity and storage strategist, at least when compared to Planktothrix. On the other hand, Prochlorothrix had a lower maximal growth rate than Planktothrix. On the basis of these ecophysiological parameters, we developed a Droop model to predict the time course and outcome of competition under various P regimes. The model predictions were in line with the results of competition experiments under three different P‐limited conditions (continuous P supply, 4‐day pulse period, 12‐day pulse period). Prochlorothrix competitively displaced Planktothrix under both a constant and a pulsed P supply, and competitive displacement of Planktothrix was slowest in the experiment with a 12‐day pulse period. In the pulsed experiments, the mean filament lengths and chl a fluorescence of the species oscillated at the same frequency as the pulse additions. In contrast to the Droop model, the predictions of the Monod model were not in line with the outcome of the competition experiments. Our results demonstrate that Prochlorothrix is a very good competitor for P and that the time course and outcome of competition for P in a variable environment can be predicted on the basis of the P uptake and storage characteristics of the species.
Partial Leaf Chemical Profiles of a Desert Watermelon Species (Citrullus colocynthis) and Heirloom Watermelon Cultivars (Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus)

Whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius)) and aphids (Aphis gossypii Glover and Myzus persicae (Sulzer)) are serious threats to watermelon by direct feeding and by transmitting viruses of important virus diseases. The desert watermelon Citrullus colocyn- this (L.) has been shown to exhibit resistance to these insect pests and could be a useful source for breeding resistance into watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus (Thunbs) Matsum & Nakai). Using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), we found differences among the chemical profiles of two U.S. PIs of C. colocynthis, one PI of C. lanatus var. citroides, and two heirloom watermelon (C. lanatus var. lanatus) cultivars ('Charleston Gray' and 'Mickey Lee'). Flavonoid and caffeic acid derivatives were identified in the leaf extracts by a combination of ultraviolet (UV) and mass spectrometry (MS) spectral analyses. Four phenolic derivatives of caffeic and/or ferulic acid were found to be essentially unique to C. colocynthis. Total flavonoid content was found to be approximately four to 18 times higher inC. colocynthis accessions and seven to nine times higher in C. lanatus var. citroides as compared with watermelon cultivars. Caffeoyl- glucose was also identified in the leaves of watermelon cultivars for the first time. Leaf sugar concentrations (198 to 211 mgdL -1 ), read from a glucometer, were statistically the same among the various germplasm entries. These results will help in the development of pest-resistant watermelon.
Inhibition of Phagosome Maturation by Mycobacteria Does Not Interfere with Presentation of Mycobacterial Antigens by MHC Molecules1

Pathogenic mycobacteria escape host innate immune responses by surviving within phagosomes of host macrophages and blocking their delivery to lysosomes. Avoiding lysosomal delivery may also be involved in the capacity of living mycobacteria to modulate MHC class I- or II-dependent T cell responses, which may contribute to their pathogenicity in vivo. In this study, we show that the presentation of mycobacterial Ags is independent of the site of intracellular residence inside professional APCs. Infection of mouse macrophages or dendritic cells in vitro with mycobacterial mutants that are unable to escape lysosomal transfer resulted in an identical efficiency of Ag presentation compared with wild-type mycobacteria. Moreover, in vivo, such mutants induced CD4+ Th1 or CD8+ CTL responses in mice against various mycobacterial Ags that were comparable to those induced by their wild-type counterparts. These results suggest that the limiting factor for the generation of an adaptive immune response against mycobacteria is not the degree of lysosomal delivery. These findings are important in the rational design of improved vaccines to combat mycobacterial diseases.
Machines that Learn with Limited or No Supervision: A Survey on Deep Learning Based Techniques

The ability to learn with limited supervision has been the foundation for many machine learning wonders. Here, we draw connections to deep learning based solutions, which have revolutionized research in visual understanding, from their conventional hand-crafted counterparts. Our discussion aims to provide answers to two fundamental questions, namely, what can we learn with limited supervision and how can we learn it. We revisit representation learning, distribution learning, and knowledge transfer techniques, and lay out a taxonomy of emerging unsupervised methods while highlighting some of their applications.
Homoplasy and the evolution of dinosaur locomotion

Abstract In this paper, I survey hindlimb and pelvic anatomy across non-avian dinosaurs and analyze these within a cladistic framework to quantify patterns of change within the locomotor apparatus. Specifically, I attempt to identify where homoplasy constitutes parallelism and may thereby be used to infer similar selective pressures on hindlimb function. Traditional methods of discrete character optimization are used along with two methods for evaluating changes in continuous characters in a phylogenetic context (squared-change parsimony and clade rank correlation). Resultant patterns are evaluated in light of the biomechanics of locomotion and the relationship between form and function in extant terrestrial vertebrates. Although non-avian dinosaurian locomotor morphology is strikingly uniform, these analyses reveal the repeated derivations of several morphological features that have potential relevance for hindlimb locomotor function. Anterior and posterior iliac expansion, a medially oriented femoral head, and an elevated femoral lesser trochanter each evolved independently multiple times within Dinosauria. These changes probably reflect enlargement of several hindlimb muscles as well as a general switch in their predominant function from abduction-adduction (characteristic of “sprawling” limb postures) to protraction-retraction (characteristic of parasagittal, or “erect,” limb postures). Several “avian” characteristics are shared with more basal theropods, and many were acquired convergently in other dinosaurian lineages. The evolution of the avian hindlimb therefore represents a cumulative acquisition of characters, many of which were quite far removed in time and function from the origin of flight.
Eficiência e resposta à aplicação de nitrogênio de genótipos de feijão comum cultivados em várzea tropical do Estado do Tocantins

The common bean is a crop with big socioeconomic interest in many countries, being a crop with high nutrient demand, mainly nitrogen which is uptaken in big amounts. Thus, it is necessary the adoption of cultivars which are efficient and responsive to nitrogen use. So, this study was carried out in order to evaluate the nitrogen use efficiency and response of common bean genotypes grown in irrigated lowland soil at State of Tocantins. The study was carried out in two trials (high and low nitrogen level) in a completely randomized blocks design, being evaluated 25 genotypes in three replications. To simulate environments with low and high N level, doses of 0 and 120 kg ha-1 of N were utilized respectively. The genotypes were sorted about nitrogen use efficiency though their grain yield. There is difference about nitrogen use efficiency and response to nitrogen application among the evaluated genotypes. Key-words: Phaseolus vulgaris, nutritional stress, genotypes evaluation
Diversionary behaviour of Bridled Terns Sterna anaethetus

During a brief visit to Recif Island, Seychelles (4°35′S 55°46′E), a small (13.2 ha), largely rocky islet, Bridled Terns Sterna anaethetus were seen indulging in behaviour that does not appear to have been previously recorded. Recif supports breeding populations of seven seabird species—Wedge-tailed Puffinus pacificus and Audubon’s Shearwaters P. lherminieri, Sooty S. fuscata and Bridled Terns, Common Anous stolidus and Lesser Noddies A. tenuirostris, and White Terns Gygis alba—and is visited by White-tailed Tropicbirds Phaethon lepturus (which may breed) and frigatebirds (Lesser Fregata ariel and possibly Greater F. minor) that soar above the hilltop, presumably taking advantage of uprising air. The visit, 26–28 June 2002, was timed to coincide with the Sooty Tern breeding season in Seychelles (Feare 1976), and eggs of this species were just beginning to hatch. The noddies and White Terns were also breeding: Common Noddies with eggs; Lesser Noddies with eggs, but most with chicks; and White Terns with eggs. By chance, Bridled Terns, which breed in Seychelles approximately every eight months (Diamond 1976), were also incubating, and a few eggs hatched during the visit. During the afternoon of 27 June, a Bridled Tern was watched for c. five minutes as it flew in front of one of four frigatebirds soaring over the hill. The tern’s flight was fluttering, with rapid but irregular wing-beats. The tern remained about one frigatebird body length in front, and it fluttered from side to side while remaining within the frigatebird’s wingspan. The frigatebird did not appear to react to the tern’s behaviour, but at the end of this period of observation, the frigatebird wheeled away, and the Bridled Tern transferred its attention to another frigatebird that had been soaring behind the first, repeating the fluttering flight in front of this second bird. These two birds were watched for a further five minutes, but observations then had to stop because of the need for other studies.
HERBAL REMEDIES OF ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY: A LITERARY REVIEW

Herbs and berry crops have been shown to enclose sk y-scraping levels of antioxidant compounds. Plants are a superior basis of biologically vigorous compounds k nown as phytochemicals. Oxidative stress occurs when the formation of free radicals increases. Antioxidants have been reported to avert oxidative injure caused by free radical. A lot of preceding narrative rumour indica ted that natural antioxidants possess a wide range of biological activities, together with inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, direct or indirect scavenging of free radicals and alteration of intra cellular redox reactions. Antioxidant systems decre ase or thwart detrimental effects of the ROS. There is at this time enormous interest in natural antioxidants and their role in human health and nutrition.
A computationally efficient method for determining the aerodynamic performance of kites for wind energy applications

A new computationally efﬁcient method for determination of the aerodynamic performance of kites is proposed in this paper. The model is based on an iterative coupling between a Vortex Element Method (VLM) and 2D sectional airfoil coefﬁcients to introduce the effect of airfoil thickness and effects of viscosity while retaining the strength of the VLM to model physically correct the effect of low aspect ratio and highly non-planar conﬁgurations. The performance of the new method will be assessed by comparison with simulation results from the state of the art incompressible Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solver EllipSys3D on a simpliﬁed kite-like geometry designed from lifting line theory.
Distribution, abundance and composition of coral reef zooplankton, Cahuita National Park, Limon, Costa Rica

The zooplankton distribution, abundance and composition at Cahuita coral reef (Cahuita National Park, 9° 45' N and 82° 49 'W, Costa Rica) were studied in four stations from January to November 1984. The samples were collected monthly using a net witb 0.47m diameter opening and 280J.lm mesh. Copepods were predominant tbroughout tbe year (32-95%), followed by foraminiferans (1-34%), fish larvae and eggs «1-28%), crustacean larvae (2-13.8%) and chaetognatba (1- 6.5%). Mollusc and echinoderm larvae were also presento High densities of zooplankton were obtained in January, August and October, with peak abundance in May. Low densities were found in April and November. Sorne groups like Copepoda, Chaetognatha, crustacean larvae and Polychaeta showed significant differenees in tbeir abundanees from station to station. Amphipoda, Urochordata, mollusc and echinoderm larvae as well as ichtbyoplankton showed no such differences. Comparing tbe rainy and dry season, a significant difference,-Was detected between holo- and merozooplankton abundanees; holozooplankton population dominated botb in number and diversity. The lower diversity of larval forms is assumed to be a result of strong sedimentation and sediment resuspension. The variability of zooplankton abundance and its distribution are influenced by tbe current system tbat predominates in Cahuita. Qualitative analysis suggests tbat too zooplankton sampled in tbe Cahuita coral reef corresponds more lo pelagic-oeeanic zooplankton than to demersal zooplankton. Differenees between the sampling sations may reflect tbe intensity of exchange between tbe reef water and surrounding water.
Fine-scale habitat preferences and habitat partitioning by three mycophagous mammals in tropical wet sclerophyll forest, north-eastern Australia

Fine-scale habitat preferences of three co-occurring mycophagous mammals were examined in a tropical wet sclerophyll forest community in north-eastern Australia. Two of the three mammal species responded to fine-scale variation in vegetation and landform around individual trap locations. At a broad scale, the northern bettong (Bettongia tropica), an endangered marsupial endemic to the Australian wet tropics region, showed a preference for ridges over mid-slopes and gullies, irrespective of forest type. In contrast, the northern brown bandicoot (Isoodon macrourus), a widespread marsupial, displayed a preference for Eucalyptus woodland over adjacent Allocasuarina forest, irrespective of topographic category. The giant white-tailed rat (Uromys caudimaculatus), a rodent endemic to the wet tropics, showed no particular preference for either forest type or topographic category. A multiple regression model of mammal capture success against three principal habitat gradients constructed from 21 habitat variables using principal component analysis indicated strong species-specific preferences for fine-scale vegetation assemblages. Bettongs preferred areas of Eucalyptus woodland with sparse ground cover, low densities of certain grass species, high density of tree stems and few pig diggings. Bandicoots, in contrast, favoured areas in both forest types with dense ground cover, fewer tree stems and greater numbers of pig diggings; that is, characteristics least favoured by bettongs. The striking differences in fine-scale habitat preferences of these two mammals of similar body size and broad habitat requirements suggest a high degree of fine-scale habitat partitioning. White-tailed rats did not show preference for any of the habitat gradients examined.
Ensemble Methods and Efficient Decoding

The performance of automatic speech recognition can often be significantly improved by combining an ensemble of models together. When using ensemble methods, natural questions arise regarding the most effective methods of obtaining diversity and performing combination. Also, there are several methods that can improve the computational efficiency when decoding through the ensemble. This PhD project is focused around addressing each of these issues.