Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Foraging success is differently affected by local climate in two syntopic forest-dwelling salamanders

Amphibians are small ectothermic vertebrates with high permeable skins that are highly constrained by environmental conditions, such as humidity and temperature. Therefore, terrestrial salamanders regulate their surface activity, including foraging, to minimize evaporative water loss. The influence of local micro-climatic factors on the foraging success of European forest dwelling salamanders has rarely been analysed in detail. We examined the role of local climatic conditions on the foraging success, measured by the total number of prey items, of two syntopic forest-dwelling salamanders: Strinati’s cave salamander, Speleomantes strinatii (family Plethodontidae), and Northern spectacled salamander, Salamandrina perspicillata (family Salamandridae). We evaluated the effects of rainfall, temperature and body size on the foraging success of these two species, in eight sampling sites in the Northern Apennines of Italy, for a total of 11 salamander populations. Our findings show that different climatic variables affected the two species differently. Salamandrina perspicillata foraged more intensively during periods of prolonged rainfall with higher temperatures. On the contrary, S. strinatii foraging success was negatively influenced by rising temperature, while rainfall seemed to have no significant effect. Interestingly, body size increased success in S. perspicillata but not in S. strinatii. Overall, our findings show that, when foraging in the same environment, these two species are conditioned by different climatic factors possibly due to their differences in overall body size and their ability to resist dehydration.
Investigating Possible Synergism in the Antioxidant and Antibacterial Actions of Honey and Propolis from the Greek Island of Samothrace through Their Combined Application

Several honeybee products are known for their functional properties, including important antioxidant and antimicrobial actions. The present study examines the antioxidant activity (AA), total polyphenolic content (TPC), and antibacterial action of honey and propolis samples collected from the Greek island of Samothrace, which were applied in vitro either individually or in combination in selected concentrations. To accomplish this, the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity and the Folin–Ciocalteu assays were employed to determine the AA and TPC, respectively, while the antibacterial action was investigated against each one of four important pathogenic bacterial species causing foodborne diseases (i.e., Salmonella enterica, Yersinia enterocolitica, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes) using the agar well diffusion assay. Compared to honey, propolis presented significantly higher AA and TPC, while its combined application with honey (at ratios of 1:1, 3:1, and 1:3) did not increase these values. Concerning the antibacterial action, Y. enterocolitica was proven to be the most resistant of all the tested bacteria, with none of the samples being able to inhibit its growth. S. enterica was susceptible only to the honey samples, whereas L. monocytogenes only to the propolis samples. The growth of S. aureus was inhibited by both honey and propolis, with honey samples presenting significantly higher efficacy than those of propolis. Νo synergism in the antibacterial actions was observed against any of the tested pathogens. Results obtained increase our knowledge of some of the medicinal properties of honey and propolis and may contribute to their further exploitation for health promotion and/or food-related applications (e.g., as preservatives to delay the growth of pathogenic bacteria).
The OB Zoo: A Digital Atlas of Peculiar Spectra

A digital atlas of 20 high‐luminosity, peculiar OB spectra in the 3800–4900 Å range is presented. The atlas is organized and discussed in terms of the following four categories: WN‐A or WNL stars, OB Iape or very late WN (WNVL) stars, iron stars, and B‐supergiant luminous blue variables (LBVs). Several objects in the earlier categories are also active or quiescent LBVs. Some (but not all) of these objects have been well studied, and extensive references are provided, as are comprehensive spectral‐line identifications. Several new morphological relationships among the objects have been recognized through this presentation. In particular, attention is drawn to the occurrence of spatial pairing between nearly identical, unusual spectra, which may have implications for a particular mode of massive‐star formation. This small sample includes one or both members of at least five such pairs. Physical explanations of these peculiar, likely transitional spectra and the relationships among them are essential for a complete understanding of massive stellar evolution.
Experimental evaluation of performance for micro wind turbines by using permanent magnets

Permanent magnet synchronous generators with interior rotor (IR-PMSGs) have been widely preferred in micro wind turbines (MWTs). Customers demand high output power of the MWTs. Therefore, in this study, performance analyses and optimizations of two IR-PMSG rotors were practically carried out to increase the output power of the MWTs by employing N35 and N42 Neodymium-Iron-Boron (NdFeB) permanent magnets (PMs) with same geometry used on IR-PMSG rotor surfaces. For this purpose, two IR-PMSG rotors were designed with same geometry and applied to a pole shifting reduction technique to decrease their cogging torque on the IR-PMSGs as well. According to the obtained results, comparing the performances of the IR-PMSGs with both N35 and N42 NdFeB PMs on a MWT with regards to their power coefficients, an increase of 18.6% in power coefficient of the IR-PMSG with N42 NdFeB PMs was calculated.
CULTURAL AND IDENTITY VIEWS IN TRANSNATIONAL SEASONAL WORKERS: A CASE STUDY

This case study is a follow up on a previous article and explores the adaptation strategies of a seasonal worker in Midwestern United States. The extensive literature on Latinos in the US does not analyze such transnational, growing communities in Midwestern cities. The complex definitions of identity, literacy and bilingualism added two more layers to the conflicted concepts of transnationalism and respeto to adapt to a foreign culture as defined by Farr (2006). Although the participant is recognized bilingual by himself and others, his definition of belonging to a culture does not allow him to see as neither fully Hispanic nor American. A partnership between community members would help integrate individuals in similar circumstances to an area not as demographically diverse as other North American cities.
Second to fourth digit ratio (2D:4D), impulsivity and aggression levels in patients with opiate use disorder and alcohol use disorder

ABSTRACT Objective To compare the ratio of the right and left second and fourth digits (2D:4D), aggression, and impulsivity levels in opiate use disorder (OUD), alcohol use disorder (AUD), and healthy controls. Methods Eighty-four patients diagnosed with OUD, 58 patients diagnosed with AUD, and 58 healthy volunteers were included. Participants administered the sociodemographic data form, Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11), and Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ). Results Healthy controls’ right-hand 2D:4D ratio was higher than the OUD and AUD groups (respectively; p < .001, p < .001). The right-hand 2D:4D ratio was similar between OUD and AUD (p = .542). Left-hand 2D:4D ratio of healthy controls was higher than OUD and AUD groups (respectively; p < .001, p < .001). The left-hand 2D:4D ratio was similar between OUD and AUD (p = .429). The BIS-11 scores of the healthy controls were lower than OUD and AUD groups (respectively; p < .001, p < .001). It was found similar in the AUD and OUD groups (p = .264). The BPAQ scores of the healthy controls were lower than the OUD group and the AUD group (respectively; p < .001, p < .001). It was found similar in the AUD and OUD groups (p = .973). Conclusion It was found that the 2D:4D ratio of both hands in OUD and AUD patients is lower than that of healthy volunteers. The 2D:4D ratio can be an indicator of addiction, regardless of the type of substance used.
A Bibliometric Analysis of Electrospun Nanofibers for Dentistry

Electrospun nanofibers have been widely used in dentistry due to their excellent properties, such as high surface area and high porosity, this bibliometric study aimed to review the application fields, research status, and development trends of electrospun nanofibers in different fields of dentistry in recent years. All of the data were obtained from the Web of Science from 2004 to 2021. Origin, Microsoft Excel, VOSviewer, and Carrot2 were used to process, analyze, and evaluate the publication year, countries/region, affiliations, authors, citations, keywords, and journal data. After being refined by the year of publication, document types and research fields, a total of 378 publications were included in this study, and an increasing number of publications was evident. Through linear regression calculations, it is predicted that the number of published articles in 2022 will be 66. The most published journal about electrospun dental materials is Materials Science & Engineering C-Materials for Biological Applications, among the six core journals identified, the percent of journals with Journal Citation Reports (JCR) Q1 was 60%. A total of 17.60% of the publications originated from China, and the most productive institution was the University of Sheffield. Among all the 1949 authors, the most productive author was Marco C. Bottino. Most electrospun dental nanofibers are used in periodontal regeneration, and Polycaprolactone (PCL) is the most frequently used material in all studies. With the global upsurge in research on electrospun dental materials, bone regeneration, tissue regeneration, and cell differentiation and proliferation will still be the research hotspots of electrospun dental materials in recent years. Extensive collaboration and citations among authors, institutions and countries will also reach a new level.
Mechanism Study on Nanoparticle Negative Surface Charge Modification by Ascorbyl Palmitate and Its Improvement of Tumor Targeting Ability

Surface charge polarity and density influence the immune clearance and cellular uptake of intravenously administered lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), thus determining the efficiency of their delivery to the target. Here, we modified the surface charge with ascorbyl palmitate (AsP) used as a negatively charged lipid. AsP-PC-LNPs were prepared by dispersion and ultrasonication of AsP and phosphatidylcholine (PC) composite films at various ratios. AsP inserted into the PC film with its polar head outward. The pKa for AsP was 4.34, and its ion form conferred the LNPs with negative surface charge. Zeta potentials were correlated with the amount and distribution of AsP on the LNPs surface. DSC, Raman and FTIR spectra, and molecular dynamics simulations disclosed that AsP distributed homogeneously in PC at 1–8% (w/w), and there were strong hydrogen bonds between the polar heads of AsP and PC (PO2−), which favored LNPs’ stability. But at AsP:PC > 8% (w/w), the excessive AsP changed the interaction modes between AsP and PC. The AsP–PC composite films became inhomogeneous, and their phase transition behaviors and Raman and FTIR spectra were altered. Our results clarified the mechanism of surface charge modification by AsP and provided a rational use of AsP as a charged lipid to modify LNP surface properties in targeted drug delivery systems. Furthermore, AsP–PC composites were used as phospholipid-based biological membranes to prepare paclitaxel-loaded LNPs, which had stable surface negative charge, better tumor targeting and tumor inhibitory effects.
Strategies for the Identification and Assessment of Bacterial Strains with Specific Probiotic Traits

Early in the 1900s, it was proposed that health could be improved and senility delayed by manipulating gut microbiota with the host-friendly bacteria found in yogurt. Later, in 1990, the medical community reconsidered this idea and today probiotics represent a developed area of research with a billion-dollar global industry. As a result, in recent decades, increased attention has been paid to the isolation and characterization of novel probiotic bacteria from fermented foods and dairy products. Most of the identified probiotic strains belong to the lactic acid bacteria group and the genus Bifidobacterium. However, current molecular-based knowledge has allowed the identification and culture of obligatory anaerobic commensal bacteria from the human gut, such as Akkermansia spp. and Faecalibacterium spp. , among other human symbionts. We are aware that the identification of new strains of these species does not guarantee their probiotic effects and that each effect must be proved through in vitro and in vivo preclinical studies before clinical trials (before even considering it as a probiotic strain). In most cases, the identification and characterization of new probiotic strain candidates may lack the appropriate set of in vitro experiments allowing the next assessment steps. Here, we address some innovative strategies reported in the literature as alternatives to classical characterization: (i) identification of alternatives using whole-metagenome shotgun sequencing, metabolomics, and multi-omics analysis; and (ii) probiotic characterization based on molecular effectors and/or traits to target specific diseases (i.e., inflammatory bowel diseases, colorectal cancer, allergies, among others).
General stability and exponential growth of nonlinear variable coefficient wave equation with logarithmic source and memory term

This paper is concerned with the asymptotic stability and instability of solutions to a variable coefficient logarithmic wave equation with nonlinear damping and memory term. Such model describes wave traveling through nonhomogeneous viscoelastic materials. By choosing appropriate multiplier and using weighted energy method, we prove the exponential decay of the energy. Moreover, we also obtain the instability of the solutions at the infinity in the presence of the nonlinear damping.
An Overview of Interslice and Intraslice Resource Allocation in B5G Telecommunication Networks

We are now in the first phase of the Fifth Generation (5G) network, and its full potential is still a long way to reach. Network operators and manufacturers are preparing to release new 5G end-users services and products. Each service must be performant to meet the need of users. Network Slicing (NS) is now one of the most popular 5G technologies in the research community. For network softwarization, Network Slicing affords flexibility and scalability with embedded Quality of Experience (QoE) and Quality of Services (QoS) features. In this paper, we explore the latest developments in related research fields. We summarize the 3GPP network slicing evolution, the Radio Access Network, and Core Network architectures. We describe background concepts correlated with inter-slice and intra-slice, as well as their management and orchestration architectures. We extend our discussion to the taxonomy of NGWN resource allocation via a deep comparison of the optimization algorithms. Finally, we enrich our study by including open issues and some recommendations for the future.
A Damage Model Reflecting the Interaction between Delamination and Intralaminar Crack for Failure Analysis of FRP Laminates

In this paper, a progressive damage model reflecting the interaction between delamination and intralaminar crack is developed to predict fracture behaviors and the ultimate load-bearing ability of the fiber-reinforced polymer laminates subject to quasi-static load. Initiation and evolution of intralaminar crack in composites are modeled using a continuum damage mechanics model, which has the capability to reliably predict the discrete crack direction by introducing the crack direction parameter while analyzing the multi-failure of FRP composites. Delamination is modeled using a cohesive zone method with the mixed bilinear law. When the continuum damage model and cohesive zone model are used together, the interactive behavior between multiple failure mechanisms such as delamination induced by matrix cracking often seen in the failure of composite laminates is not generally captured. Interaction between delamination and intralaminar crack in FRP composite structures is investigated in detail and reflected in a finite element analysis in order to eliminate the drawbacks of using both models together. Good agreements between numerical results and experimental data are obtained.
MLSLT: Towards Multilingual Sign Language Translation

Most of the research to date focuses on bilingual sign language translation (BSLT). However, such models are in-efficient in building multilingual sign language translation systems. To solve this problem, we introduce the multilin-gual sign language translation (MSLT) task. It aims to use a single model to complete the translation between multiple sign languages and spoken languages. Then, we propose MLSLT, the first MSLT model, which contains two novel dy-namic routing mechanisms for controlling the degree ofpa-rameter sharing between different languages. Intra-layer language-specific routing controls the proportion of data flowing through shared parameters and language-specific parameters from the token level through a soft gate within the layer, and inter-layer language-specific routing controls and learns the data flow path of different languages at the language level through a soft gate between layers. In order to evaluate the performance of MLSLT, we collect the first publicly available multilingual sign language understanding dataset, Spreadthesign-Ten (SP-10), which contains up to 100 language pairs, e.g., CSL→en, GSG→zh. Experi-mental results show that the average performance of ML-SLT outperforms the baseline MSLT model and the com-bination of multiple BSLT models in many cases. In ad-dition, we also explore zero-shot translation in sign language and find that our model can achieve comparable performance to the supervised BSLT model on some language pairs. Dataset and more details are at https://mlslt.github. io/.
Economic and political uncertainties and sustainability disclosures in the tourism sector firms

The paper investigates the impact of national-level economic and political uncertainties on the quantity of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) sustainability disclosures by the tourism sector firms. The findings indicate that with the increase in economic and political uncertainties, tourism firms make more of the sustainability disclosures mainly to build good relationships with various stakeholders and to spread good word of mouth about the firm’s contribution to social welfare and environmental conservatism. The findings show the role of sustainability disclosures in moderating the impact of economic uncertainty on firm value during the COVID-19 period and global financial crisis period.
Stability and control of discrete-time jump linear systems

Reading is a hobby to open the knowledge windows. Besides, it can provide the inspiration and spirit to face this life. By this way, concomitant with the technology development, many companies serve the e-book or book in soft file. The system of this book of course will be much easier. No worry to forget bringing the stability and control of discrete time jump linear systems book. You can open the device and get the book by on-line.
Concept and design of super junction devices

The super junction (SJ) has been recognized as the " milestone” of the power MOSFET, which is the most important innovation concept of the voltage-sustaining layer (VSL). The basic structure of the SJ is a typical junction-type VSL (J-VSL) with the periodic N and P regions. However, the conventional VSL is a typical resistance-type VSL (R-VSL) with only an N or P region. It is a qualitative change of the VSL from the R-VSL to the J-VSL, introducing the bulk depletion to increase the doping concentration and optimize the bulk electric field of the SJ. This paper firstly summarizes the development of the SJ, and then the optimization theory of the SJ is discussed for both the vertical and the lateral devices, including the non-full depletion mode, the minimum specific on-resistance optimization method and the equivalent substrate model. The SJ concept breaks the conventional " silicon limit” relationship of Ron∝VB2.5, showing a quasi-linear relationship of Ron∝VB1.03.
Immunomodulatory Activity In Vitro and In Vivo of a Sulfated Polysaccharide with Novel Structure from the Green Alga Ulva conglobata Kjellman

Algae accumulate large amounts of polysaccharides in their cell walls or intercellular regions. Polysaccharides from algae possess high potential as promising candidates for marine drug development. In this study, a sulfated polysaccharide, UCP, from the green alga Ulva conglobata Kjellman was obtained by water extraction, anion-exchange, and size-exclusion chromatography purification, and its structure was characterized by a combination of chemical and spectroscopic methods. UCP mainly consisted of →4)-α/β-l-Rhap-(1→, →4)-β-d-Xylp-(1→ and →4)-β-d-GlcAp-(1→ residues. Sulfate ester groups were substituted mainly at C-3 of →4)-l-Rhap-(1→ and C-2 of →4)-β-d-Xylp-(1→. Partial glycosylation was at C-2 of →4)-α-l-Rhap-(1→ residues. UCP possessed a potent immunomodulatory effect in vitro, evaluated by the assays of lymphocyte proliferation and macrophage phagocytosis. The immunomodulatory activity of UCP in vivo was further investigated using immunosuppressive mice induced by cyclophosphamide. The results showed that UCP markedly increased the spleen and thymus indexes and ameliorated the cyclophosphamide-induced damage to the spleen and thymus. UCP could increase the levels of white blood cells, lymphocytes, and platelets, and improve the hematopoietic inhibition caused by cyclophosphamide. Moreover, UCP significantly promoted the secretions of the immunoglobulin (Ig)G, IgE, and IgM. The data demonstrated that UCP is a novel sulfated polysaccharide and may be a promising immunomodulatory agent.