Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Collisions of solitary waves in condensates beyond mean-field theory

Bright solitons in a Bose-Einstein condensate contain thousands of identical atoms held together despite their only weakly attractive contact interactions. Solitons nonetheless behave like a compound object, staying whole in collisions. The effective potential governing their collisions is however strongly affected by inter-soliton quantum coherence in the many-body wave function. We show that separate solitons decohere due to phase diffusion, dependent on their effective ambient temperature, after which their initial mean-field relative phases are no longer well defined or relevant for collisions. In this situation, collisions which occur predominantly repulsive can no longer be described within mean field theory. When considering the time-scales involved in recent soliton experiments where non-equilibrium phenomena play an important role, these features can consistently explain the predominantly repulsive collision dynamics observed in most condensate soliton train experiments.
Application of Blockchain Technology in Pet Medical Industry

According to the development status of the pet diagnosis and treatment industry, it can be found that the industry is still on the rise at present, but the island phenomenon of information in the traditional medical industry information system also exists. The authenticity and timeliness of information interaction cannot be guaranteed, and Problems such as difficulties about industry chaos and data access also limit the development of the industry. This paper puts forward a model of pet medical data sharing based on block chain, and it has many characteristics, such as safety reliable, decentralized applies to resolve such problems as pet medical industry data sharing. The existing consensus mechanism has been improved, and then the solutions of the model and the possible impacts are discussed and analyzed by comparing the problems of the industry.
Political Budget Cycles Revisited: Testing the Signalling Process

A widespread view in the 'political budget cycles' literature is that incumbent politicians seek to influence voters' perceptions of their competence and/or preferences by using the composition of the fiscal budget as a signalling tool. However, little is known about whether voters actually receive and perceive the signal in that way. To empirically assess the relevance of the signalling channel at the municipal level, we conducted a survey among 2,000 representative German citizens in 2018. Only a small fraction of voters feel well-informed about the fiscal budget signal and use the information it contains to decide whether to vote for the incumbent politician. Persons paying more attention to the signal sent by local politicians live in smaller municipalities, are more satisfied with their economic situation, are more educated, and do not feel that they are being electorally targeted. Our analysis suggests that the municipal voting decision, at least in Germany, is a more complex process than is commonly assumed in political budget cycle models.
Managing the human–chatbot divide: how service scripts influence service experience

PurposeBrands are increasingly considering the use of chatbots to supplement, or even replace, humans in service interactions. Like humans, chatbots can follow certain service scripts in their encounters, which can subsequently determine the customer experience. Service scripts are verbal prescriptions that seek to standardize customer service interactions. However, while the role of service scripts is well documented, despite the increasing use of chatbots as a service mechanism, less is known about the effect, on consumers, of different service scripts presented during chatbot service encounters.Design/methodology/approachAn experimental scenario was developed to test the research hypotheses. Respondents were randomly allocated to scenarios representing a 2 (service interaction: human, chatbot) × 2 (service script: education, entertainment) design. A total of 262 US consumers constituted the final sample for the study.FindingsThe findings indicate that when employing an education script, a significant positive effect occurs for human service agents (compared to chatbots) in terms of both satisfaction and purchase intention. These effects are fully mediated by emotion and rapport, showing that the bonds developed through the close proximity to a human service agent elicit emotion and develop rapport, which in turn influence service outcomes. However, this result is present only when an educational script is used.OriginalityThis paper contributes to the emerging service marketing literature on the use of digital services, in particular chatbots, in service interactions. We show that differences occur in key outcomes dependent on the type of service script employed (education or entertainment). For managers, this study indicates that chatbot interactions can be tailored (in script delivered) in order to maximize emotion and rapport and subsequently consumer purchase intention and satisfaction.
Relation of Iron, TIBC and Oxidative Stress with Glycosylated Haemoglobin in Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycaemia with disturbances of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. Scientific evidences suggest that high iron storage may play a role in pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. Excess iron accumulation induces organ damage due to the overproduction of ROS through Fenton reaction. Thus, the aim of this study was to find out the relation between serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC) and oxidative stress (OS) with glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. The study consisted of 90 subjects, which were divided into 3 different groups; Group 1 compromised of 30 healthy individuals, Group 2 included 30 T2DM patients with normal glycemic control and Group 3 included 30 T2DM patients with poor glycemic control. Blood samples were collected from the three groups and fasting plasma glucose (FPG), post-prandial plasma glucose (PPPG), HbA1c, Iron, TIBC, Hemoglobin (HB), Malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) levels were analysed. We found, that mean levels of FPG, PPPG, HbA1c, Iron and MDA were significantly higher (p < 0.05) and mean levels of TIBC, SOD and CAT were significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in group 3 as compared to group 2 and group 1. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) observed in iron, TIBC and Hb levels between group 1 and group 2. We found a significant positive correlation of Iron and MDA with HbA1c and significant negative correlation of TIBC, SOD and CAT with HbA1c in group 3. In our study we found significant positive correlation of HbA1c with MDA and iron that indicates poor glycemic control leads to increased glycation of haemoglobin and other heme containing proteins. It causes more release of iron that leading to production of oxidative stress and thereby it might plays significant role in early appearance of diabetic complications.
Within‐ and among‐population variation in infectivity, latency and spore production in a host–pathogen system

In spatially structured populations, host–parasite coevolutionary potential depends on the distribution of genetic variation within and among populations. Inoculation experiments using the plant, Silene latifolia, and its fungal pathogen, Microbotryum violaceum, revealed little overall differentiation in infectivity/resistance, latency or spore production among host or pathogen populations. Within populations, fungal strains had similar means, but varied in performance across plant populations. Variation in resistance among seed families indicates the potential for parasite‐mediated selection, whereas there was little evidence for local pathogen genotype × plant genotype interactions assumed by most theoretical coevolution models. Lower spore production on sympatric than allopatric hosts confirmed local fungal maladaptation already observed for infectivity. Correlations between infectivity and latency or spore production suggest a common mechanism for variation in these traits. Our results suggest low variation available to this pathogen for tracking its coevolving host. This may be caused by random drift, breeding system or migration characteristic of metapopulation dynamics.
Effect of Drought Stress during Grain Filling on Yield and Its Components, Gas Exchange Variables, and Some Physiological Traits of Wheat Cultivars

Terminal drought stress during grain filling period has recently become more common in the semiarid Mediterranean regions, where wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) is grown as an important winter cereal crop. The objective of this experiment was to study the effect of terminal drought stress on grain yield, gas exchange variables, and some physiological traits of nine bread wheat cultivars. An experiment was carried out in a split-plot arrangement using randomized complete blocks design with three replications during the 2010-2011 season at the research farm of Razi University, Iran. Based on the results obtained, post anthesis water deficit significantly decreased grain yield, biomass, 1,000 grain weight, and harvest index of wheat cultivars. Under terminal drought stress and control treatments, there were significant differences between cultivars in terms of all traits studied. Also, terminal drought stress decreased leaf net photosynthesis rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration rate, Chlorophyll a, b, and a/b, and increased leaf temperature and sub-stomatal CO 2 concentration. Cultivars differed in their response to water stress. In general, tolerant cultivars showed a higher Pn and gs and leaf water content under both moisture conditions compared with susceptible ones. A greater reduction in gs and transpiration rate and smaller reduction in P n under stress condition led to a remarkably higher photosynthetic water use efficiency of the tolerant cultivars. Finally, it can be concluded that planting wheat variety DN-11 in areas with post-anthesis water stress was recommendable for maximizing grain yield.
Rodent Models of Amyloid-Beta Feature of Alzheimer’s Disease: Development and Potential Treatment Implications

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide and causes severe financial and social burdens. Despite much research on the pathogenesis of AD, the neuropathological mechanisms remain obscure and current treatments have proven ineffective. In the past decades, transgenic rodent models have been used to try to unravel this disease, which is crucial for early diagnosis and the assessment of disease-modifying compounds. In this review, we focus on transgenic rodent models used to study amyloid-beta pathology in AD. We also discuss their possible use as promising tools for AD research. There is still no effective treatment for AD and the development of potent therapeutics are urgently needed. Many molecular pathways are susceptible to AD, ranging from neuroinflammation, immune response, and neuroplasticity to neurotrophic factors. Studying these pathways may shed light on AD pathophysiology as well as provide potential targets for the development of more effective treatments. This review discusses the advantages and limitations of these models and their potential therapeutic implications for AD.
Relationship of Cisplatin-Related Adverse Health Outcomes With Disability and Unemployment Among Testicular Cancer Survivors

Abstract Background Few data exist on the relationship of cisplatin-related adverse health outcomes (AHOs) with disability, unemployment, and self-reported health (SRH) among testicular cancer survivors (TCS). Methods A total of 1815 TCS at least 1 year postchemotherapy underwent clinical examination and completed questionnaires. Treatment data were abstracted from medical records. A cumulative burden of morbidity score (CBMPt) encompassed the number and severity of platinum-related AHOs (peripheral sensory neuropathy [PSN], hearing loss, tinnitus, renal disease). Multivariable regression assessed the association of AHOs and CBMPt with employment status and SRH, adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Unemployment was compared with a male normative population of similar age, race, and ethnicity. Results Almost 1 in 10 TCS was out of work (2.4%, disability leave; 6.8%, unemployed) at a median age of 37 years (median follow-up = 4 years). PSN (odds ratio [OR] = 2.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01 to 8.26, grade 3 vs 0, P = .048), renal dysfunction defined by estimated glomerular filtration rate (OR = 12.1, 95% CI = 2.06 to 70.8, grade 2 vs 0, P = .01), pain (OR = 10.6, 95% CI = 4.40 to 25.40, grade 2 or 3 vs 0, P < .001), and CBMPt (OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.03 to 2.08, P = .03) were associated with disability leave; pain strongly correlated with PSN (r2 = 0.40, P < .001). Statistically significantly higher percentages of TCS were unemployed vs population norms (age-adjusted OR = 2.67, 95% CI = 2.49 to 3.02, P < .001). PSN (OR = 2.44, 95% CI = 1.28 to 4.62, grade 3 vs 0, P = .006), patient-reported hearing loss (OR = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.04 to 3.17, grade 2 or 3 vs 0, P = .04), and pain (OR = 3.75, 95% CI = 2.06 to 6.81, grade 2 or 3 vs 0, P < .001) were associated with unemployment. Increasing severity of most cisplatin-related AHOs and pain were associated with statistically significantly worse SRH. Conclusions Our findings have important implications regarding treatment-associated productivity losses and socioeconomic costs in this young population. Survivorship care strategies should include inquiries about disability and unemployment status, with efforts made to assist affected TCS in returning to the workforce.
Thiol : fumarate reductase (Tfr) from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum

Most methanogenic Archaea contain an unusual cytoplasmic fumarate reductase which catalyzes the reduction of fumarate with coenzyme M (CoM-S-H) and coenzyme B (CoB-S-H) as electron donors forming succinate and CoM-S-S-CoB as products. We report here on the purification and characterization of this thiol :fumarate reductase (Tfr) from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (strain Marburg). The purified enzyme, which was composed of two different subunits with apparent molecular masses of 58 kDa (TfrA) and 50 kDa (TfrB), was found to catalyze the following reactions : (a) the reduction of fumarate with CoM-S-H and CoB-S-H (150 U/mg); (b) the reduction of fumarate with reduced benzyl viologen (620 U/mg); (c) the oxidation of CoM-S-H and CoB-S-H to CoM-S-S-CoB with methylene blue (95 U/mg); and (d) the reduction of CoM-S-S-CoB with reduced benzyl viologen (250 U/mg). The flavoprotein contained 12 mol non-heme iron and approximately the same amount of acid-labile sulfur/mol heterodimer. The genes encoding TfrA and TfrB were cloned and sequenced. Sequence comparisons with fumarate reductases and succinate dehydrogenases from Bacteria and Eucarya and with heterodisulfide reductases from M. thermoautotrophicum and Methanosarcina barkeri revealed that TfrA harbors FAD-binding motifs and the catalytic site for fumarate reduction and that TfrB harbors one [2Fe-2S] cluster and two [4Fe-4S] clusters and the catalytic site for CoM-S-H and CoB-S-H oxidation.
Embryonic Stem Cells: from Blastocyst to in vitro Differentiation

A stem cell is a specific kind of cell that has the unique capacity to renew itself and to give rise to specialized cell type. In terms of potentially, stem cells can be classified in three types: • Totipotent: is the ability to form all cell types, including the extra-embryonic tissues. In mammals, the fertilized egg, zygote and the first 2, 4, 8, 16 blastomeres from the early, are examples of totipotent cells. • Pluripotency: is the ability to differentiate into several cell types derived from any of the three germ layers (ectoderm, mesoderm, endoderm), but they are unable to produce extra-embryonic tissues. Cells from the inner cell mass of blastocyst are pluripotent. • Multipotent: cells can form a small number of tissues that are restricted to a particular germ layer origin: e.g. blood cells or bone cells. In according to their source, stem cells are categorized in embryonic or adult (Fig. 1): • Embryonic stem cells (ES cells) are derived from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst (an early stage embryo) and have a high proliferative capabilities and differ from other stem cells because they have the ability to generate derivatives of all three germ layers. Embryonic stem cells have been shown to contribute to all cell lineages, including the germ line, following microinjection studies in murine embryos which give rise to chimeras (Bradley et al., 1984; Nagy et al., 1990). In vitro, murine ES cells can be propagated indefinitely in an undifferentiated state, under specific culture conditions they can differentiated into specific cell types. • Adult stem cells are undifferentiated cells found among differentiated cells of a specific tissue, including bone marrow (de Haan, 2002), skin (Watt, 2001), intestinal epithelium (Potten, 1998), liver (Theise et al., 1999), retina (Tropepe et al., 2000), central nervous system (Okano, 2002), pancreas (Ramiya et al., 2000) and skeletal muscle (Seale et al., 2001). They typically can differentiate into a relatively limited number of cell types. There is no doubt that stem cells have the potential to treat many human afflictions, including cancer, diabetes, neurodegeneration, as well as for studying basic developmental biology, and intensive screening of drug and toxic (Watt and Driskell, 2010).
Urinary Recovery of Dicyandiamide (DCD) Pulse-Dosed into the Rumen of Non-Lactating Dairy Cows, and the Effects of Applying Urine with DCD to Lysimeters on Nitrous Oxide and Nitrate Leaching in Ireland

Urine excreted by dairy cows is a source of nitrogen (N) to the sward. The N content of urine is high, up to 1000 kg N/ha and is usually in excess of sward requirements. Surplus N is usually lost through a number of pathways including nitrate (NO3) leaching and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. Dicyandiamide (DCD), a nitrification inhibitor, has been shown to reduce NO3 leaching and N2O emissions when applied as a fine particle suspension (FPS) to grazed paddocks. The objectives of the study were to: (1) quantify the recovery of DCD in the urine when DCD was pulse-dosed DCD into the rumen of non-lactating dairy cows; and (2) to examine the effects of urine collected from dairy cows pulse-dosed with DCD on N2O emissions and NO3 leaching using lysimeters.
Regulation of CD8 T cell dysfunction during a chronic viral infection

After an acute infection or vaccination, antigen-specific CD8 T cells undergo memory differentiation once the pathogen has been completely cleared. Memory CD8 T cells acquire cardinal properties that allow them to confer long-term protection, including antigen-independent homeostasis and self-renewal, rapid reacquisition of effector functions and the ability to mount a rapid, potent secondary response. During a chronic viral infection, however, the pathogen is not cleared, and this appears to drive antigen-specific CD8 T cells down an altered path of differentiation. During chronic viral infection, antigen-specific CD8 T cells become functionally exhausted, in which they progressively lose effector function and upregulate the expression of multiple inhibitory receptors. Specific memory defects also occur, as exhausted CD8 T cells do not use the IL-7/IL-15 pathway efficiently. Antigen load and lack of CD4 help correlate to the severity of dysfunction, and gene expression studies show that the differentiation of exhausted CD8 T cells may be regulated by a unique transcriptional program. However, the exact pathways and mechanisms that directly regulate the differentiation of dysfunctional CD8 T cells during chronic viral infection are not clear. In this work, we examine transcriptional, homeostatic and ‘inflammatory’ vs. antigenic regulation of functional exhaustion. Through a system of partial and total conditional deletion, we identify the transcriptional repressor Blimp-1 as an important regulator of functional exhaustion and repressor of memory differentiation. We also describe a key memory property defect and the mechanism by which exhausted antigen-specific CD8 T cells are maintained during chronic infection. Lastly, we show that prolonged, pathogen-induced ‘inflammation’ alone can alter memory CD8 T cell differentiation, while other signals such as antigen may be necessary to lead to the loss of effector function and high expression of inhibitory receptors that are hallmarks of functional exhaustion. Together, we have identified multiple pathways at different levels of regulation that further our understanding of how functional exhaustion may occur during chronic viral infection. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Immunology First Advisor E. John Wherry
5G Cellular and Fixed Satellite Service Spectrum Coexistence in C-Band

The C-Band (3.4 – 4.2 GHz) is a cornerstone for many satellite services including Fixed Satellite Service (FSS), in particular above 3.6 GHz. The large geographic coverage of C-band satellite beams represents a cost-effective communication solution, while its robustness to weather impairments makes C-band the most suitable band to guarantee high service availability. On the other hand, C-band has long been a top candidate for the deployment of 5G-cellular systems because it is a mid-band spectrum, blending the signal reach of lower bands with the capacity of higher bands. The potential assignment of C-band to the 5G cellular systems is seen as a threat by the satellite operators, who are concerned about the interference that the 5G-cellular system may cause to their services, potentially leading to service interruption and causing a serious economic impact. This paper presents the interference studies of 5G cellular systems operating in the below 6 GHz band in both the adjacent channel and co-channel scenarios. We present a detailed analysis for both 5G-celullar downlink and uplink, considering the impact of out-of-band emissions, potential Low-Noise Block (LNB) saturation at the FSS Earth station receiver and the consequences of the deployment of Active Antenna Systems (AAS) in the terrestrial Base Stations (BSs). The outcomes of this paper aim to shed some light to spectrum regulators and other related stakeholders regarding the impact of the future deployment of 5G-cellular systems in the FSS Earth station receivers operating in C-band. The paper also propose and evaluates potential techniques that can be applied to facilitate the coexistence of both systems, e.g. switching off critical emitters or backing-off their transmit power.
An SLGC Model for Asian Food Image Classification

As a fine-grained classification problem, food image classification faces many difficulties in the specific implementation. Different countries and regions have different eating habits. In particular, Asian food images have a complicated structure, and the related classification methods are still very scarce. There is an urgent need to develop a feature extraction and fusion scheme based on the characteristics of Asian food images. To solve the above problems, we proposed an image classification model SLGC (SURF-Local and Global Color) that combines image segmentation and feature fusion. By studying the unique structure of Asian foods, the color features of the images are merged into the representation vectors in the local and global dimensions, respectively, thereby further enhancing the effect of feature extraction. The experimental results show that the SLGC model can express the intrinsic characteristics of Asian food images more comprehensively and improve classification accuracy.