Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Soil carbon stocks and bulk density: spatial or cumulative mass coordinates as a basis of expression?

Accounting for CO2 fluxes by determining changes in stocks of soil carbon (C) as a result of land use change is an option for complying nations under the Kyoto Protocol. The 1996 IPCC guidelines for C accounting recommend that soil C stocks to a depth of 30 cm be used in such accounting. However, the soil bulk density often changes with land use and the soil C per unit ground area to a fixed depth will also change even without any change in the mass fraction of C in dry soil. This problem will generally arise when soil C accounting is taken to a fixed depth (i.e. uses ‘spatial coordinates’). For accuracy in determining the land use change effects on soil C, soil sampling should be referred to a fixed dry soil mass per unit ground area (i.e. use ‘cumulative mass coordinates’). There has been intermittent literature‐discussion about this issue over several decades. Methods to accomplish C accounting on a mass coordinate basis, none of them accurate or efficient, have been suggested. Here, we propose a simple, accurate methodology for determining soil C stocks using cumulative mass coordinates, which does not involve repeat sampling trips, nominal specification of the location of boundaries between soil horizons, or independent sampling for determining soil bulk densities. Each core is taken a little (say 10 cm) below the nominal mass/depth required and the retrieved core is sliced into two at a point a little above the nominal mass/depth (say 10 cm above). An accurate determination of the depth of the core or slice is not needed, but an accurate determination of the dry mass of soil above and below the slice‐point is required. Linear interpolation between these two measurements is then used to estimate the cumulative soil C per unit ground area to the target dry soil mass per unit ground area. Even though this method eliminates the need for reporting soil bulk densities for C accounting, it is urged that the bulk densities and density changes still be routinely reported. This is because such information is of fundamental importance for understanding and predicting the movement of fluids and substances carried in them within the soil and between the soil and the environment. Hence, these data are likely to be of fundamental importance in developing our future understanding and predictive capacity of soil C changes with land use change.
Growth, physiological characteristics and total flavonoid content of Glechoma longituba in response to water stress

The dried over-ground parts of the plant Glechoma longituba are one of the important ingredients used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In this study, five different watering treatments, namely 95 to100% (T1), 80 to 85% (T2), 65 to 70% (T3), 50 to 55% (T4) and 35 to 40% (T5) of field capacity were used to investigate the effects of water deficiency on the growth, physiological characteristics and total flavonoid content of G. longituba. The study found that epidermis, palisade tissue, spongy tissue and vascular cylinder thickness peaked in the T2 treatment and then decreased in the other treatments in anatomy structure of leaf. And anatomical structure analysis of the stem revealed that the thickness of the cortex and the vascular cylinder were the highest in the T2 treatment, too. Water stress increased the thickness of the vessel walls in the xylem and the size of the parenchyma cells in the cortex, whereas it decreased the size of the parenchyma cells in the pith. As the water stress intensified, the resulting changes found in physiological indices suggested that water stress stimulated the level of redox activity. In addition, the yield of total flavonoids in the T2 treatment was higher than in the other treatments. Our results suggested that 80 to 85% of field capacity is the most suitable watering treatment for the growth of G. longituba. This procedure would be suitable for the domestication of G. longituba. Key words: Glechoma longituba, water treatment, physiological characteristics, total flavonoids.
Memory parameterized FIR filtering for digital phase-locked loop

: In this letter, a new ﬁ ltering method for digital phase-locked loops (DPLLs) is proposed. The proposed method is based on ﬁ nite impulse response (FIR) ﬁ ltering, which estimates the state variables of a system using recent ﬁ nite measurements. FIR ﬁ ltering requires the optimal selection of a design parameter, the memory size, which has been cumbersome. A method to compute the optimal memory size has been proposed; however, it is ine ﬀ ective when the noise information is uncertain. Thus, in this letter, a memory parameterized FIR ﬁ lter (MPFF) is proposed to solve this problem, and the DPLL simulation results are presented for performance demonstra-tion.
Delirium following vascular surgery: increased incidence with preoperative b-blocker administration Le delirium apres une chirurgie vasculaire: incidence accrue lors de l'administration preoperatoire de b-bloquants

Purpose To determine if there is an association between perioperative administration of beta-blockers and postoperative delirium in patients undergoing vascular surgery. Methods After Institutional Review Board approval, data were retrospectively collected on patients who underwent vascular surgery in an academic hospital during the period January 2006 to January 2007. Patients with preoperative altered level of consciousness, carotid endarterectomy, or discharge within 24 h of surgery were excluded from the study. Identification of delirium was based on evaluation of the level of consciousness with the NEECHAM Confusion Scale and/or a chart-based instrument for delirium. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent perioperative predictors of postoperative delirium. Beta-blockers were tested for a potential effect. Results The incidence of postoperative delirium was 128/ 582 (22%). Independent predictors included age (OR 1.04, 95% CI [1.02‐1.07]), history of cerebrovascular accident/ transient ischemic attack (OR 2.64, 95% CI [1.57‐4.55]), and depression (OR 3.56, 95% CI [1.53‐8.28]). Open aortic reconstruction was associated with an OR of 5.34, 95% CI (2.54‐11.2) and amputation with an OR of 4.66, 95% CI (1.96‐11.09). Preoperative beta-blocker administration increased the odds of postoperative delirium 2.06 times (95% CI [1.18‐3.6]). Statin administration reduced the odds of delirium by 44% (95% CI [0.37‐0.88]). The model was reliable (Hosmer‐Lemeshow test, P = 0.72) and discriminative (area under the receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve = 0.729). Conclusions Preoperative administration of beta-blockers is associated with an increased risk of postoperative delirium after vascular surgery. Conversely, preoperative statin administration is associated with a lower risk of postoperative delirium. A randomized prospective controlled trial is required to validate these findings.
Advanced Syntax and Compilation for Probabilistic Production Rules with PRM

Widely adopted for more than 20 years in industrial ﬁelds, business rules oﬀer the opportunity to non-IT users to deﬁne decision-making policies in a simple and intuitive way. When used conjointly with probabilistic graphical models (PGM) their expressiveness increase by introducing the notion of probabilistic production rules (PPR). In this paper we will present a new syntax for PPR making their use easier for business users and showcase how we managed to adapt to the compilation toolchain of an industrial rule engine accordingly.
Proof of Concept and Evaluation of Eye Gaze Enhanced Relevance Feedback in Ecological Context

The major method for evaluating Information Retrieval systems still relies nowadays on the “Cranfield paradigm", supported by test collections. This sheds light on the fact that human behaviour is not considered central to Information Retrieval. For instance, some Information Retrieval systems that need users feedback to improve results relevance can not completely be evaluated with classical test collections (since the interaction itself is not a part of the evaluation). Our goal is to work toward the integration of specific human behaviour in Information Retrieval. More precisely, we studied the impact of eye gaze analysis on information retrieval. The hypothesis is that acquiring the terms read by a user on the result page displayed may be beneficial for a relevance feedback mechanism, without any explicit intervention of the user. We have implemented a proof of concept which allows us to experiment with this new method of interaction with a search engine. The contributions of our work are twofold. First, the proof of concept we created shows that eye gaze enhanced relevance feedback information retrieval systems could be implemented and that its evaluation gives interesting results. Second, we propose the basis of a evaluation platform for Information Retrieval systems that take into account users behaviour in ecological contexts.
Lipid composition of plasma membranes from barley leaves and roots, spinach leaves and cauliflower inflorescences

Highly purified plasma membranes (PM) were obtained from barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Kristina) leaves and roots, spinach (Spinacia oleracea L. cv. Viking II) leaves, and cauliflower (Brassica oleracea) inflorescences by partitioning in an aqueous polymer two-phase system. The sterol and polar lipid composition of the PM, including the fatty acid composition of the glycerolipids, was determined. Dominating lipids were free sterols, glucocerebroside, phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), although large variations in content were observed between the PM of the different species and organs. Thus, the spinach leaf PM contained only 7% (mol %) free sterol compared to over 30% free sterol in the other PM analysed, with the barley root PM as the other extreme (57% free sterol). On the other hand, sterol derivatives were more abundant in the spinach leaf PM, containing 13% acylated sterol glycosides. Cerebroside constituted 16% of the lipids in the barley leaf PM but only 3% in cauliflower. The phospholipids PC and PE ranged from 25 and 24%, respectively, in the spinach leaf PM to 8 and 7%, respectively, in the barley root PM. As a result of the large variations in sterol and phospholipid content, the ratio of free sterol to phospholipid varied from 2.2 in the barley root PM to only 0.1 in the spinach leaf PM. Sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol were the completely dominating sterols in the barley and cauliflower PM, whereas the unique sterol composition of spinach was dominated by spinasterol. Palmitic (16:0), linoleic (18:2) and linolenic (18:3) acid were the major glycerolipid fatty acids. The fatty acid composition of the barley root PM was the most saturated (44% 16:0, 13% 18:3), whereas that of the cauliflower PM was the most unsaturated (21% 16:0,42% 18:3). Thus, very large variations were observed in both total lipid and fatty acid composition of the PM investigated, which represent both mono— and dicotyledons, as well as both photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic tissue. The consequences of this large diversity in composition of the lipid bilayer for the function of integral PM proteins are discussed.
Breeding for improvement of functional traits in dairy cattle

Abstract Selection programs for increasing milk production per cow have been very successful over time. This success has been partially due to the consideration of few other traits. Unfortunately, many traits related to costs of production and cattle functionality (i.e., “functional traits”), such as fertility and health, are antagonistically correlated with milk yield. Therefore, the average merit for these traits has decreased over time. The decline in functionality, along with increased awareness of the costs of production and animal well-being, has spurred interest in breeding for improvement in functional traits. Unfortunately, factors such as low heritability and lack of data make the selection for functionality more difficult than for production. Research has been able to overcome some of these limitations, at least to some extent, through the development and application of advanced statistical analyses and through indirect selection on genetically correlated traits. Possibilities exist in the future for additional refinement of selection procedures for improvement of functional traits. Computing capacities are continually increasing and more complex but statistically appropriate analysis methods are being developed. Furthermore, genome scans have identified chromosomal regions that have putative associations with functional traits. The bovine genome has been recently sequenced, so the possibility to identify the genes affecting functional traits exists, at least in theory. With low heritabilities and difficulties in measurement, functional traits are the ideal candidates for the application of marker-assisted selection.
Population size, catchment area, and sex-influenced differences in autumn and spring swarming of the brown long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus)

Swarming by bats is defined as intense autumnal flight activity in and near underground hibernation sites and is considered to be associated with mating, but this behaviour may also serve to allow bats to assess potential hibernacula. To test if swarms consist of resident bat populations from the surrounding area or transitional bat populations migrating between summer and winter areas, I measured activity patterns and the distribution of day roosts of swarming brown long-eared bats (Plecotus auritus (L., 1758)) at two abandoned mines in southwestern Poland. Swarming occurred from mid-August to mid-October, and also in March and April. The maximum population of swarming bats was estimated to be about 500 individuals. The sex ratio was male-biased and was more skewed in spring than in autumn. Bats frequently travelled to the swarming site from day roosts as far away as 31.5 km. They usually stayed for several hours before returning to a day roost without visiting other hibernacula. Males roosted closer to .
Cloning of cDNAs encoding cell‐wall hydrolases from pear (Pyrus communis) fruit and their involvement in fruit softening and development of melting texture

‘La France’ pear (Pyrus communis L.) fruit stored at 1°C for 1 month (short-term storage) before transfer to 20°C softened and developed a melting texture during ripening, whereas fruit stored for 5 months (long-term storage) before transfer to 20°C softened but did not develop a melting texture. To clarify the mechanisms involved in fruit softening and textural changes, the cDNAs encoding cell-wall hydrolases were isolated by RT-PCR, and their expression and localization were investigated in ‘La France’ pears. Genes encoding three polygalacturonases (PG; EC 3.2.1.15), four pectin methylesterases (PME; EC 3.1.1.11), one α-arabinofuranosidase (ARF; EC 3.2.1.55), three β-galactosidases (GAL; EC 3.2.1.23), and two endo-1,4-β-d-glucanases (Cel; EC 3.2.1.4) were isolated. Among these 13 isolated genes, PcPG1 was the only gene for which the mRNA expression levels increased in both the short- and long-term stored fruits. This suggested that PcPG1 is involved in fruit softening rather than in the development of the melting texture. In contrast, the expression levels of PcPG3, PcPME1, PcPME2, PcPME3, PcGAL1, PcGAL2, and PcCel2 increased during ripening only in the short-term stored fruit. These genes might thus be involved in the development of the melting texture.
Do You Get What You Pay for? Salary and Ex Ante Player Value in Major League Baseball

The last few years have seen a resurgence of very long, very expensive guaranteed contracts in Major League Baseball. Commentators who examine the outcomes of earlier long-term contracts generally conclude that teams greatly overpay in these situations. These assessments suffer from the use of perfect hindsight, however. In this article, we estimate the economic gain that could be anticipated at the time of signing of a contract. We forecast the player’s expected future productivity in terms of winning based on recent performance at the time of the contract signing and adjusted for player aging. We translate this expected performance into a stream of expected marginal revenues using estimates of the team-specific value of a marginal win and discount these to present value at the time of signing. The economic cost of the contract to the team is measured by the discounted stream of guaranteed future salaries across the contract horizon. Comparing these benefits and costs indicates that teams overpay on average and more so for longer contracts. Some part of this is likely explained by benefits beyond the effect of games won.
Proteomic understanding of intracellular responses of recombinant chinese hamster ovary cells adapted to grow in serum‐free suspension culture

To understand the intracellular responses in recombinant Chinese hamster ovary (rCHO) cells adapted to grow in serum‐free suspension culture, a proteomic approach was employed. After rCHO cells producing erythropoietin were adapted to grow in suspension culture with the two different serum‐free media (SFM4CHO™ and SF‐L1), proteome analyses were carried out using 2‐D PAGE and based on spot intensities, 58 high‐intensity protein spots were selected. Of the 58 protein spots, which represented 34 different kinds of proteins, 55 were identified by MALDI‐TOF‐MS, and MS/MS. Compared with the results in serum‐containing medium, six proteins, four de novo synthesis of nucleotides‐related proteins (dihydrolipoamide S‐acetyltransferase, transaldolase, inosine‐5′‐monophosphate dehydrogenase 2, and lymphoid‐restricted membrane protein) and two molecular chaperones (heat shock protein 70 kDa and 60 kDa [HSC70, HSP60]) were significantly increased in SFM4CHO™. From the results of proteomic analysis, HSP60 and HSC70, which were increased in both SFM, were selected as candidate proteins for engineering and rCHO cell lines overexpressing these genes were constructed. Cells overexpressing HSP60 and/or HSC70 showed 10–15% enhanced cell concentration during serum‐free adaptation and 15–33% reduction in adaptation time. Taken together, identification of differentially expressed proteins in rCHO cells by a proteomic study can provide insights into understanding the intracellular events and clues to find candidate genes for cell engineering for improved performance of rCHO cells during adaptation to serum‐free suspension culture. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog. , 2011
Explaining Potentially Unfair Clauses to the Consumer with the CLAUDETTE tool

This paper presents the latest developments of the use of memory network models in detecting and explaining unfair terms in on-line consumer contracts. We extend the CLAUDETTE tool for the detection of potentially unfair clauses in online Terms of Service, by providing to the users the explanations of unfairness (legal rationales) for five different categories: arbitration, unilateral change
Detection of Gait Asymmetry Using Indoor Doppler Radar

Doppler radar systems enable unobtrusive and privacy-preserving long-term monitoring of human motions indoors. In particular, a person's gait can provide important information about their state of health. Utilizing micro-Doppler signatures, we show that radar is capable of detecting small differences between the step motions of the two legs, which results in asymmetric gait. Image-based and physical features are extracted from the radar return signals of several individuals, including four persons with different diagnosed gait disorders. It is shown that gait asymmetry is correctly detected with high probability, irrespective of the underlying pathology, for at least one motion direction.
Recent Progress in the Detection of Bacteria Using Bacteriophages: A Review

Bacteria will likely become our most significant enemies of the 21st century, as we are approaching a post-antibiotic era. Bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, allow us to fight infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria and create specific, cheap, and stable sensors for bacteria detection. Here, we summarize the recent developments in the field of phage-based methods for bacteria detection. We focus on works published after mid-2017. We underline the need for further advancements, especially related to lowering the detection (below 1 CFU/mL; CFU stands for colony forming units) and shortening the time of analysis (below one hour). From the application point of view, portable, cheap, and fast devices are needed, even at the expense of sensitivity.
SARS-CoV-2 may regulate cellular responses through depletion of specific host miRNAs

Cold viruses have generally been considered fairly innocuous until the appearance of the severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in 2019, which caused the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic. Two previous viruses foreshadowed that a coronavirus could potentially have devastating consequences in 2002 [severe acute respiratory coronavirus (SARS-CoV)] and in 2012 [Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)]. The question that arises is why these viruses are so different from the relatively harmless cold viruses. On the basis of an analysis of the current literature and using bioinformatic approaches, we examined the potential human miRNA interactions with the SARS-CoV-2’s genome and compared the miRNA target sites in seven coronavirus genomes that include SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and four nonpathogenic coronaviruses. Here, we discuss the possibility that pathogenic human coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, could modulate host miRNA levels by acting as miRNA sponges to facilitate viral replication and/or to avoid immune responses.
Association of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers with risk of COVID‐19, inflammation level, severity, and death in patients with COVID‐19: A rapid systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract An association among the use of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin‐receptor blockers (ARBs) with the clinical outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is unclear. PubMed, EMBASE, MedRxiv, and BioRxiv were searched for relevant studies that assessed the association between application of ACEI/ARB and risk of COVID‐19, inflammation level, severity COVID‐19 infection, and death in patients with COVID‐19. Eleven studies were included with 33 483 patients. ACEI/ARB therapy might be associated with the reduced inflammatory factor (interleukin‐6) and elevated immune cells counts (CD3, CD8). Meta‐analysis showed no significant increase in the risk of COVID‐19 infection (odds ratio [OR]: 0.95, 95%CI: 0.89‐1.05) in patients receiving ACEI/ARB therapy, and ACEI/ARB therapy was associated with a decreased risk of severe COVID‐19 (OR: 0.75, 95%CI: 0.59‐0.96) and mortality (OR: 0.52, 95%CI: 0.35‐0.79). Subgroup analyses showed among the general population, ACEI/ARB therapy was associated with reduced severe COVID‐19 infection (OR: 0.79, 95%CI: 0.60‐1.05) and all‐cause mortality (OR: 0.31, 95%CI: 0.13‐0.75), and COVID‐19 infection (OR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.66‐1.08) were not increased. Among patients with hypertension, the use of an ACEI/ARB was associated with a lower severity of COVID‐19 (OR: 0.73, 95%CI: 0.51‐1.03) and lower mortality (OR: 0.57, 95%CI: 0.37‐0.87), without evidence of an increased risk of COVID‐19 infection (OR: 1.00). On the basis of the available evidence, ACEI/ARB therapy should be continued in patients who are at risk for, or have COVID‐19, either in general population or hypertension patients. Our results need to be interpreted with caution considering the potential for residual confounders, and more well‐designed studies that control the clinical confounders are necessary to confirm our findings.