Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary insights into Bean common mosaic necrosis virus and Cowpea aphid borne mosaic virus using global isolates and thirteen new near complete genomes from Kenya

Plant viral diseases are one of the major limitations in legume production within sub Saharan Africa (SSA), as they account for up to 100 % in production losses within smallholder farms. In this study, field surveys were conducted in the western highlands of Kenya with viral symptomatic leaf samples collected. Subsequently, next-generation sequencing was carried out. The main aim was to gain insights into the selection pressure and evolutionary relationships of Bean common mosaic necrosis virus (BCMNV) and Cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus (CABMV), within symptomatic common beans and cowpeas. Eleven near complete genomes of BCMNV and two for CABMV sequences were obtained from SSA. Bayesian phylogenomic analysis and tests for differential selection pressure within sites and across tree branches of the viral genomes was carried out. Three distinct well-supported clades were identified across the whole genome tree, and were in agreement with individual gene trees. Selection pressure analysis within sites and across phylogenetic branches suggested both viruses were evolving independently, but under strong purifying selection, with a slow evolutionary rate. These findings provide valuable insights on the evolution of BCMNV and CABMV genomes and their relationship to other viral genomes globally. These results will contribute greatly to the knowledge gap surrounding the phylogenomic relationship of these viruses, particularly for CABMV, for which there are few genome sequences available, and support the current breeding efforts towards resistance for BCMNV and CABMV.
The Driftless Oaks: A new network of tree-ring chronologies to improve regional perspectives of drought in the Upper Midwest, USA

New and updated multi-century tree-ring chronologies from living oak trees, remnants, and archeological beams from across the Driftless Area of southwest Wisconsin and northeast Iowa, USA, were developed to fill a spatial gap in the network of available tree-ring chronologies. We produced a robust 303-year summer drought reconstruction (June–August Palmer’s Modified Drought Index (PMDI): r 2 = 0.45) that identified clusters of extreme droughts and pluvials (PMDI ≤ –4.0 or ≥ 4.0) in the early 1700s and more even distributions of drought conditions, with the exception of the post 1930s period when drought became relatively infrequent. Compared to the Living Blended Drought Atlas (LBDA) and the North American Drought Atlas (NADA), our reconstruction more accurately represented moderate moisture conditions across the Driftless Area, the NADA and LBDA more closely represented extreme pluvials, and our reconstruction and the LBDA better represented extreme drought years. The three reconstructions largely captured the same high-frequency variability in drought conditions and differed most at low frequencies. Significant correlations were identified between our reconstruction and corn (r = 0.30, n = 91, p = 0.002) and soybean (r = 0.25, n = 81, p = 0.012) yields, with the strength of the correlations increasing over recent decades suggesting a tighter coupling of interannual climate variability and crop productivity in the region. Superposed epoch analyses indicated significantly wetter conditions in the Driftless Area two years after major volcanic eruptions. In the context of long-term climatic variability, the Driftless Oaks drought reconstruction demonstrated that drought and pluvial conditions more extreme than those experienced during the instrumental record have occurred in the past.
Prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease in Relatives of Chronic Hemodialysis Patients

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in first and second degree relatives of Hemodialysis patients. Background: Early detection and intervention of chronic kidney disease (CKD) may prevent or delay the progression and achieve improved patient outcomes. Family members of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients are considered as a high-risk population for CKD. The aim of this work is to screen and estimate the prevalence of chronic kidney disease in first and second degree relatives of hemodialysis patients. Methods: This is an observational prospective study carried out in Nephrology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Menoufia University Hospital during January 2019 to January 2020. First and second degree relatives of ESRD were included. Relatives with known CKD risk factors or relative to ESRD with known hereditary disease were excluded. Serum creatinine and estimated eGFR, albumin creatinine ratio (ACR) and abdominal ultrasound were done twice with 3 months apart to screen for CKD. Results: 321 persons from first and second degree relatives of chronic hemodialysis patients were included. CKD prevalence was 5.6% Comparison between CKD group and non CKD showed no statistically significant difference as regard age, Gender, Smoking, BMI, and degree of relatives. There were highly significant difference between the studied groups as regard serum creatinine, bloodurea, eGFR and ACR. Relatives of ESRD patients of unknown etiology showed highly significant difference to develop CKD (44.4%) compared to non CKD group 11.5% with P value < 0.0001. Conclusions: Prevalence of CKD in relatives—without any CKD risk factors—to ESRD was 5.6%. Family members of ESRD should be screened for CKD, especially relatives to ESRD of unknown etiology.
Experimental Methodology: Experiments in Practice Conducting Evaluations Using Multiple Trials

This paper reviews the use of multiple trials, defined as multiple sites or multiple arms in a single evaluation and replications, in evaluating social programs. After defining key terms, the paper discusses the rationales for conducting multiple trials, which include increasing sample size to increase statistical power; identifying the most effective program design; increasing external validity; and learning how various factors affect program impact. The paper discusses reasons why program design varies across sites, including adaptations to local environment and participant characteristics and a lack of fidelity to the program design. The paper discusses why programs vary across sites and when it is desirable to maintain consistency. Distinctions are drawn between evaluations of pilots and demonstrations versus ongoing programs, as well as programs where variation is permitted or encouraged versus when a fixed design is desired. The paper includes illustrations drawn from evaluations of demonstrations and ongoing programs.
Challenges and Directions in Zoo and Aquarium Food Presentation Research: A Review

From its foundations in agricultural science, zoo animal nutrition has developed into a biologically informed, evidence-based discipline. However, some facets of nutrition still make use of a more traditional approach, such as the field of zoo presentation. For example, it is common practice to prepare animal diets by chopping them into bite-size chunks, yet there is limited peer-reviewed evidence that explains the benefits and welfare implications of this practice. The chopping and placement of foods can alter desiccation rates, nutrient breakdown, and food contamination, so it is important to evaluate the implications of current practices. Here, the published literature on the behavioral impacts of different food presentation formats (such as clumped and scattered, and chopped and whole) is reviewed, with reference to a range of taxa. The current state of knowledge of the nutritional and microbiological effects of food presentation practices are also reviewed. Relevant research is available on the behavioral effects of some forms of zoo food presentation; however, relatively little research has been conducted on their nutrient composition effects or desiccation rates. Similarly, there are gaps in terms of the species that have been investigated, with a few mammalian taxa dominating the food presentation literature. Future research projects covering social, behavioral, and welfare impacts, and the nutritional and microbiological consequences of food presentation would further evidence-based zoo and aquarium management practices. Similarly, qualitative research surrounding keeper perception of food presentation formats would help to identify challenges and opportunities in this field.
Glechoma longituba (Lamiaceae) alleviates apoptosis in calcium oxalate-induced oxidative stress in kidney proximal tubule epithelial cell line, HK-2

Purpose: To investigate the effects of Glechoma longituba on calcium oxalate (CaOx)-induced stress in HK-2 cells as a possible treatment strategy for nephrolithiasis (kidney stones). Methods: Human kidney HK-2 cells were treated with CaOx and Glechoma longituba at different concentrations. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured. Cell apoptosis and viability were assessed by flow cytometry and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays, respectively, while apoptosis-related proteins were determined using western blotting. The levels of the nuclear factorerythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and NADPH-quinone-oxidoreductase 1 (NQO-1) genes were evaluated using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Using lentivirus, Nrf2 was knocked down in HK-2 cells, and this was confirmed by both qRT-PCR and western blotting. Scramble and si-Nrf2 transfected HK-2 cells were treated with CaOx and Glechoma longituba , and ROS levels and apoptosis were also assessed. Results: CaOx significantly increased the levels of ROS, LDH and MDA, while Glechoma longituba pretreatment attenuated these elevations in a dose-dependent manner. CaOx treatment increased cell apoptosis and decreased cell viability (p < 0.05), while Glechoma longituba pre-treatment abolished these effects in a dose-dependent manner. Glechoma longituba pre-treatment significantly upregulated the expressions of Nrf2, HO-1 and NQO-1 (p < 0.05). In HK-2 cells, Si-Nrf-2 attenuated the effects of Glechoma longituba pre-treatment on cell oxidative stress and apoptosis induced by CaOx. Conclusion: Glechoma longituba pre-treatment attenuates cell apoptosis and oxidative stress induced by CaOx via Nrf2/HO-1 signalling pathway. Thus, the plant is a potential source of agents for the treatment of nephrolithiasis. Keywords: Glechoma longituba , Nephrolithiasis, Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2, Oxidative stress, Apoptosis
Adaptation of the weighted Kaplan-Meier method to time-dependent ROC curves

This study was aimed at adapting the weighted Kaplan-Meier method to time-dependent ROC curve analysis. The performances of these two time-dependent ROC curve methods were compared, in which the Kaplan-Meier estimator and weighted Kaplan-Meier estimator were used. An application was presented for pancreatic cancer patients to evaluate the prognostic ability of the CA19-9 antigen. A simulation study was performed for different scenarios to see the performance of the proposed method. In all situations, it is observed that the AUC values that were obtained by the weighted time-dependent ROC (WTDR) curves more closely approximated the real AUC values than the classical time-dependent ROC (TDR) curve method and has got smaller mean square error rates.
Diffusion of electric vehicles in Brazil from the stakeholders' perspective

Abstract A major challenge for humankind is to reduce global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to avoid the most harmful impacts of climate change. The transport sector is responsible for almost 1/4 of the world’s energy-related emissions, with road transportation representing around 1/5 of the fuel consumption. Electric vehicles (EVs) may help to reduce CO2 emissions, but their diffusion is uncertain due to market barriers. This paper investigates the electric vehicle (EV), which has a smaller ecological footprint, as an alternative capable of meeting the needs of personal transport in Brazil. To carry out this evaluation, the study considers socio-techno-economic and political-environmental-innovation aspects to assess the challenges and opportunities facing the adoption of electric vehicles. The analysis was carried out based on a survey administered to a wide range of stakeholders. A SWOT analysis was performed to understand the most critical factors affecting the future of EVs in Brazil, which is a top-ten automotive manufacturer worldwide and a leader in sugar cane ethanol production. The results suggest light-duty electric vehicles (LDEV) as a first option for low-carbon passengers’ mobility and that EVs expansion will require market regulation, incentive policies and adequate charging infrastructure. Both consumers and society in general will benefit most from the expansion of EVs due to low emissions and total cost of ownership (TCO). The results show where decision-makers should focus their attention.
Numerical simulations of local plasmonic field distortion for multimodal core-shell gold-based nanoparticles

The paper continues [12] the Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) mathematical modeling method application of electric field distortion near the surface of spherical gold nanoparticles functionalized by two shells: water shell as a model substance for a drug and SiO2 as a capsuling silicon polymer. During the simulation, parameters such as particle size, the thickness of surface layers, the wavelength of exciting radiation, and the dependence of the effective amplification of the E component of electromagnetic field on the thickness of the polymer and water layers were investigated. The prospects of the theoretical approach of core-shell complexes for theranostics tasks are shown. The data presented can be used as a basis for controlled chemical synthesis of spherical nanoparticles.
German-Language Spatial Planning Research between Theory and Practice

ABSTRACT This paper examines two leading questions of current German spatial-planning-research. The first question regards the significance of co-authorships in German-language spatial planning research, measuring the extent of interdisciplinarity and cooperation. Compared with other disciplines, stable co-authorships have less importance. The second question pertains to the role of theoretical bases in the journal articles: Large parts of publications in spatial-planning-journals have minimal theoretical foundations. Therefore, even as a practice orientated discipline , spatial planning research must improve the process of knowledge production, such as by building stable co-authorship-networks and a better theoretical foundation of its empirical work.
Depolymerization of proanthocyanidins and application exploration in the field of preparation of flexible materials

Intelligent materials have become an important objective in the development of polymer materials. Here, we depolymerized polymeric proanthocyanidins extracted from larch bark, using a stable composite catalyst, Pd/SO42−/ZrO2, to obtain oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC), which retained the structural proanthocyanidin units and were shown to have excellent antioxidant properties. The OPC were cross-linked with acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR) to produce a thermally induced flexible shape memory material, L-NBR. The polyphenolic structure of the OPC improved the characteristic transition temperature, shape recovery rate and shape fixation rate of NBR, leading to improved tensile properties, thermal stability and resistance to aging. L-NBR has potential for use in fields such as stretchable electrodes, simulated robotic electronic skins and intelligent electronic components, and also provides a new use for renewable biomass resources.
Development of a Hydrological Drought Forecasting Model Using Weather Forecasting Data from GloSea5

This study developed a hydrological drought forecasting framework linked to the meteorological model and land surface model (LSM) considering hydrologic facilities and evaluated the feasibility of the Modified Surface Water Supply Index (MSWSI) for drought forecasts in South Korea. The Global Seasonal Forecast System version 5 (GloSea5) and variable infiltration capacity (VIC) models were adapted for meteorological and hydrological models for ensemble weather forecasts and corresponding hydrologic river and dam inflow forecasts, respectively. Instead of direct use for weather and runoff forecasts, the anomaly between the ensemble forecast and hindcast data for each month was computed. Then, the monthly forecasted weather and runoff were obtained by adding this anomaly and the statistical nominal values obtained from the average monthly runoff during the last 30 years. For the selection of drought index duration, past historical observation data and drought records were used, and the 3-month period of the MSWSI outperformed any other durations in the study area. In addition, the simulated monthly river and dam inflows agreed well with the observed inflows; therefore, the model-driven runoff data from the VIC model were usable for hydrological drought forecasts. A case study result for the 2015–2016 drought event demonstrated that the hydrological drought forecasting framework suggested in this study is reliable for drought forecasting up to a 2-month forecast lead time. It is therefore concluded that the proposed framework linked with GloSea5, the VIC model and MSWSI(3) provides useful information for supporting decision-making related to water supply and management.
Relative effects of climate and litter traits on decomposition change with time, climate and trait variability

Climate and litter quality drive litter decomposition, but there is currently little consensus on their relative importance, likely because studies differ in the duration, the climatic gradients and variability in litter‐trait values. Understanding these drivers is important because they determine the direct and indirect (via vegetation composition) effects of climate change on decomposition and thereby on carbon and nutrient cycling. We studied how microclimate (soil moisture and temperature) and litter traits interactively affect litter mass loss, by using a reciprocal litter translocation experiment along a large climatic gradient in Chile. We followed decomposition for 2 years and used 30 plant species with a wide spectrum of functional‐trait values. Litter traits had a strong impact on litter decomposition across the gradient, while an increase in decomposition with soil moisture was observed only in the wettest climates. Overall, soil moisture increased considerably in importance, relative to trait effects, at later decomposition stages, from c. 15% of the importance of traits after 3 and 6 months to c. 110% after 24 months. Moreover, analysing subsets of the 30 species showed that trait effects on litter decomposition gained in importance when including a greater variation in trait values. Synthesis. The relative effects of litter traits and climate on decomposition depend on the ranges in climate and litter traits considered and change with time. Our study emphasizes the critical role of representative ranges in climate and functional trait values for understanding the drivers of litter decomposition and for improving predictions of climate‐change effects on this important ecosystem process.
Electrical Load Identification for Household Appliances

Electrical energy is one of the leading sources of production and of crucial significance in nowadays life. Energy saving is a key element and hence, efficient management of energy in buildings is pivotal to reduce electricity consumption. For this motive, it is essential to provide individual appliance energy consumption data to homeowners with the use of efficient assets and thus, the overall energy consumption obtained from the house main circuits must be disaggregated into separate device. Electrical load identification helps determine the type of load, operating conditions and electricity consumption of electrical appliances. This work examines different identification techniques based on power signature of household electrical appliances obtained from REDD system which uses a single electricity sensor connected to a building's main circuit to measure aggregated energy consumption. Each distinct algorithm extracts dissimilar features for analysis and classification. Various sets of samples were generated for simulation purposes to evaluate the proposed methods. From results obtained, we were able to identify the appliances chosen for use within a certain level of inaccuracy. The Load Switching Transient (LST), Mean Steady State (MSS) and Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) algorithms have been determined to have overall accuracy of 99.8%, 97.1% and 100% respectively based on the samples generated for simulations. Finally, the DFT method was deemed to be unsuitable for use in practise to its limitations with the other two method preferred despite their drawbacks and lower precision percentages.
Observational learning in simulation-based social work education: comparison of interviewers and observers

ABSTRACT Simulation-based learning is gaining attention in social work education. While research suggests clear pedagogical benefits for those who engage simulated clients as interviewers, little is known about the learning processes among observers of simulation teaching. Using social learning and social cognitive theories as a theoretical framework, we examined observational learning in simulation by comparing the experiences of students who participated as an interviewer versus students who participated as an observer. An online survey was administered to Bachelor and Master of Social Work students (N = 66) to collect quantitative and qualitative responses (N = 107) about their learning experience from the perspective of either an interviewer or an observer. Quantitative analyses revealed that interviewers perceived simulation with SCs to be more beneficial to their clinical learning compared to observers. No other differences were found between the two groups. A thematic analysis of qualitative data showed the following three unique learning processes among observers: (1) emotional distance from practice, (2) observation of the relationship between theory and practice, and (3) vicarious learning from peers. Results suggest that educators leverage student learning opportunities in observing roles and actively engage them during simulation debriefing sessions. Implications for simulation-based education and further research are discussed.
Merits of vision in presence of light scattering using Tiffen ProMist filters

Light scattering caused by Tiffen ProMist photographic filters of various grades at different laser radiation 640 nm, 532 nm and 405 nm was objectively studied and compared. The lack of removal of speckles from the scene of laser radiation scattering did not allow an accurate assessment of the effect of scattering on the decrease in image contrast. Subjective deterioration in visual acuity using various contrast optotypes and contrast sensitivity was assessed by scattering induction using filters up to grade #5. Vision contrast sensitivity diminishes within all studied spatial frequency range 0.5-18 cpd. The degradation of the impact factor to visual acuity without scattering filters when the contrast of the optotype was reduced from 100% to 12.5% for optotypes with black-white letters was up to 30%, which was similar to the level of degradation (25% for a #5 degree filter) from scattering caused by filters modeling cataracts.