Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intracellular Localization and Gene Expression Analysis Provides New Insights on LEA Proteins’ Diversity in Anhydrobiotic Cell Line

Simple Summary Polypedilum vanderplanki (sleeping chironomid) is widely known for its ability to withstand complete desiccation in a state of anhydrobiosis. The genome of this insect contains a number of hugely expanded paralogous gene groups, including 27 genes that encode late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins. An important question regarding such paralogous genes is whether they are functionally specialized or not. Previously, we found that PvLEA proteins in C-terminal fusions with green fluorescent protein (AcGFP1) have four distinct localization types in mammalian cells. In the current paper, we studied PvLEA expression and localization in both N- and C-terminal fusions with AcGFP1 in anhydrobiotic Pv11 cells, derived from P. vanderplanki. We found that all but two PvLea genes are expressed in Pv11 cells and are upregulated during anhydrobiosis-inducing trehalose treatment similarly to the larvae of P. vanderplanki during the real induction of anhydrobiosis. We found that the localization of PvLEA proteins in N-terminal fusions with AcGFP1 is highly uniform in Pv11 cells and the Sf9 insect cell line. We observed an inconsistency of PvLEA localization between different cell cultures and between N- and C-terminal fusions, that needs to be taken into account when using PvLEA in the engineering of anhydrobiotic cell lines. Abstract Anhydrobiosis, an adaptive ability to withstand complete desiccation, in the nonbiting midge Polypedilum vanderplanki, is associated with the emergence of new multimember gene families, including a group of 27 genes of late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins (PvLea). To obtain new insights into the possible functional specialization of these genes, we investigated the expression and localization of PvLea genes in a P. vanderplanki-derived cell line (Pv11), capable of anhydrobiosis. We confirmed that all but two PvLea genes identified in the genome of P. vanderplanki are expressed in Pv11 cells. Moreover, PvLea genes are induced in Pv11 cells in response to anhydrobiosis-inducing trehalose treatment in a manner highly similar to the larvae of P. vanderplanki during the real induction of anhydrobiosis. Then, we expanded our previous data on PvLEA proteins localization in mammalian cells that were obtained using C-terminal fusions of PvLEA proteins and green fluorescent protein (GFP). We investigated PvLEA localization using N- and C-terminal fusions with GFP in Pv11 cells and the Sf9 insect cell line. We observed an inconsistency of PvLEA localization between different fusion types and different cell cultures, that needs to be taken into account when using PvLEA in the engineering of anhydrobiotic cell lines.
Estimating national excess mortality from subnational data: application to Argentina

ABSTRACT This paper presents a method to estimate excess mortality where national data are missing for some or all of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic period, but subnational data exist, such as in Argentina. By making use of the stability of the regional distribution of deaths, data on deaths in Córdoba province were used to project excess deaths in Argentina from March 2020 up to the end of 2021. The number of excess deaths was estimated at 134 504, which is 14.8% higher than the reported number of COVID-19 deaths in Argentina for the same time period.
Some proposals for incident prediction models in in-response project

This research is a part of the authors collaboration in the European project IN-RESPONSE (INcident RESPonse with ON-line innovative Sensing) in Drive Program. This project is at this point a 2 years project that began in January 1.996. The goal of the project consists on the physical development of a system for Incident Management in urban motorways, that might be available at the local Traffic Control Center. Sites involved in the definition of the tool are: Valencia, Thessaloniki, Munchen, Eindhoven, Paris and Oslo.
AGC-3 Experiment Irradiation Monitoring Data Qualification Final Report

The Graphite Technology Development Program will run a series of six experiments to quantify the effects of irradiation on nuclear grade graphite. The third experiment, Advanced Graphite Creep 3 (AGC 3), began with Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) Cycle 152B on November 27, 2012, and ended with ATR Cycle 155B on April 23, 2014. This report documents qualification of AGC 3 experiment irradiation monitoring data for use by the Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) Technology Development Office (TDO) Program for research and development activities required to design and license the first VHTR nuclear plant. Qualified data meet the requirements for data collection and use as described in the experiment planning and quality assurance documents. Failed data do not meet the requirements. Trend data may not meet the requirements, but may still provide some useable information. All thermocouples (TCs) functioned throughout the AGC 3 experiment. There was one interval between December 18, 2012, and December 20, 2012, where 10 NULL values were reported for various TCs. These NULL values were deleted from the Nuclear Data Management and Analysis System database. All temperature data are Qualified for use by the VHTR TDO Program. Argon, helium, and total gas flow data were within expectedmore » ranges and are Qualified for use by the VHTR TDO Program. Total gas flow was approximately 50 sccm through the AGC 3 experiment capsule. Helium gas flow was briefly increased to 100 sccm during ATR shutdowns. At the start of the AGC 3 experiment, moisture in the outflow gas line was stuck at a constant value of 335.6174 ppmv for the first cycle (Cycle 152B). When the AGC 3 experiment capsule was reinstalled in ATR for Cycle 154B, a new moisture filter was installed. Moisture data from Cycle 152B are Failed. All moisture data from the final three cycles (Cycles 154B, 155A, and 155B) are Qualified for use by the VHTR TDO Program. « less
Gut Microbiota Research in Bipolar Disorder and Possible Implications for Precision Psychiatry: A Systematic Review

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a highly disabling condition with a chronic and relapsing nature. Despite the substantial socioeconomic burden associated with BD, there are still significant research gaps in risk stratification, diagnostic accuracy, and treatment selection, all key components of precision psychiatry. One possible strategy to increase the validity of precision psychiatry approaches in BD is to increase our knowledge of disorder-associated gut microbiota perturbations. To this end, we systematically reviewed the evidence on gut microbiota alterations in relation to precision psychiatry approaches on BD. We performed a systematic review on PubMed/MEDLINE and Web of Science to identify original articles investigating the possible clinical applications of microbiota analyses for pragmatic precision psychiatry in BD. A pearl growing strategy was employed to enlarge the scope of this review. The primary search strategy yielded one paper and an additional one was identified through reference tracking. The included studies were observational, with one study of good quality. The identified results justify the efforts devolved in this area of research and underscore the need to expand these investigations through additional larger and properly designed studies.
An activity based competency model for ANSP purchasing professionals : a case study at DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH

With the role of purchasing evolved from a paper pushing function to a strategic and value creating player in global businesses (Espich, 2004), the activities of purchasing professionals today are knowledge- and competence driven. The purpose of this study is to identify the competency needs of purchasing professionals at DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH (DFS), Europe’s largest Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP). It also seeks to explore the role of implicit participant knowledge in the process of competency identification and model development. For these reasons, a mixed-method case study at DFS is conducted. After reviewing the literature, a purchasing competency model is developed from scratch through exploring the target population’s self-image on competency needs and by contrasting these results to the view of purchasing department’s internal customers and management. The so developed model is then verified through participant observations and the identification of the implicit knowledge of competency needs of purchasing professionals. The study contributes to business practice and the theory of competency modeling. It identifies competencies in an area where little is known about competency requirements and explores the need to consider implicit participant knowledge in the model development process. The research outcomes are valuable to solve a real-world problematic situation through developing an activity based, multi-perspective and future oriented competency model. The study provides an example of how the aspect of implicit knowledge can be integrated when studying competencies. Results from this case in Europe’s leading ANSP are likely to be transferrable to other companies in the industry.
Applying the UTAUT Model to Understand Factors Affecting Micro-Lecture Usage by Mathematics Teachers in China

In the last decade, micro-lectures have been widely used to teach mathematics, but only a few studies have examined the factors affecting teachers’ intentions of using micro-lectures. As teachers are key to integrating modern technologies such as micro-lectures into students’ learning processes, knowledge about teachers’ intentions in this regard could be of particular importance. This study aimed to analyze the behavioral intention (BI) of mathematics teachers in using micro-lectures in mathematics in China, and identify the most influential factors involved, for the very first time. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model was used as a design model to investigate teachers’ BIs concerning the use of micro-lectures, and we used an online questionnaire to collect quantitative data. The participants in our research were 174 mathematics teachers from China, 166 of whom provided us with evaluable questionnaire data. Furthermore, partial least squares (PLS) regression was used, and hypothesis testing was performed with the Smart-PLS software. From the results, BI was positively affected by Performance Expectancy (PE), Effort Expectancy (EE), and Social Influence (SI). BI and facility conditions also had positive effects on user behavior; in contrast to other studies, SI had the most significant positive effect on BIs in our study. Our findings could provide insights into both future strategies for successful technology integration in mathematics classes and into mathematics teachers’ intentions towards integrating technologies into mathematics teaching.
Estimation and prediction of the roughness function on realistic surfaces

Large-eddy simulations are carried out in turbulent open-channel flows to determine the roughness function and the equivalent sand-grain roughness height, ks, over sand-grain roughness and different types of realistic roughness replicated from hydraulic turbine blades. A range of Reynolds numbers and mean roughness heights is chosen, leading to both transitionally and fully rough regimes. The start of the fully rough regime is shown to depend on the roughness type, and ks depends strongly on the surface topography. We then examine several existing correlations that predict ks based on the information of the surface geometry. In the cases where the surface slope is an important parameter, the moments of surface height statistics do not predict the roughness function, while the existing forms of slope-based correlations perform well. The range of applicability of various correlations is shown to vary with the roughness topography, as the critical value of the effective slope, separating the waviness and roughness regimes, is shown to be higher for a realistic surface, compared to the value for the more regular types of roughness that were previously studied.
Genetic Manipulation in Mucorales and New Developments to Study Mucormycosis

The study of the Mucoralean fungi physiology is a neglected field that the lack of effective genetic tools has hampered in the past. However, the emerging fungal infection caused by these fungi, known as mucormycosis, has prompted many researchers to study the pathogenic potential of Mucorales. The main reasons for this current attraction to study mucormycosis are its high lethality, the lack of effective antifungal drugs, and its recent increased incidence. The most contemporary example of the emergence character of mucormycosis is the epidemics declared in several Asian countries as a direct consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, this pressure to understand mucormycosis and develop new treatment strategies has encouraged the blossoming of new genetic techniques and methodologies. This review describes the history of genetic manipulation in Mucorales, highlighting the development of methods and how they allowed the main genetic studies in these fungi. Moreover, we have emphasized the recent development of new genetic models to study mucormycosis, a landmark in the field that will configure future research related to this disease.
Effectiveness of the VR Cognitive Training for Symptom Relief in Patients with ADHD

This study aimed to verify the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) cognitive training by measuring the sense of presence and electroencephalography (EEG) in children with ADHD. A clinical trial was conducted to verify the effect of VR cognitive training on children with ADHD. The experimental group included eight children with ADHD, and the control group included eight healthy children without ADHD. The sense of presence increased significantly after the VR cognitive training in children with ADHD. Also, no significant changes in the alpha, beta, delta, and gamma wave amplitudes were found in both groups after the VR cognitive training. Thus, the VR training content developed in this study can help measure the patients’ behavioral inhibition, increase their sense of presence by inducing interaction with distraction stimuli, and alleviate their symptoms. However, EEG could only be used as an auxiliary means, at the clinician’s judgment, for ADHD diagnosis in children because no significant EEG changes were observed in the experimental or control groups after the VR cognitive training.
Input modality pairings influence dual task costs, but not cognitive load

ABSTRACT According to the distinct cognitive resources view, individuals can complete two tasks in different modalities concurrently, as long as either resource is not overloaded. However, little is known about how task modality impacts individuals’ perceptions of the mental resources necessary for the task (i.e., cognitive load). We compared visual memory task performance and perceived cognitive load when participants completed a visual (same modality) secondary task, auditory (different modality) secondary task, and control condition (no secondary task). Delayed recall performance, but not cognitive load, was worse in the same-modality condition than in the different-modality condition. Performance was worst in the condition where participants reported experiencing the highest level of cognitive load, even if that condition did not include a secondary task. Results partially support the distinct cognitive resources view, indicating a modality effect for delayed recall performance, but not for perceived cognitive load. Implications for multitasking performance and decision-making are discussed.
Universal Trend in the dynamic relaxations of tilted metastable grain boundaries during ultrafast thermal cycle

Nonequilibrium relaxations in a multiplicity of tilted grain boundaries (GBs) subjected to ultrafast thermal driving forces are investigated by atomistic modeling. By scrutinizing the intermediate metastable microstates and their assessable activation barriers in the underlying energy landscape, we demonstrate the energetics and atomic diffusions in tilted metastable GBs are disorder-driven rather than free volume-driven. A critical transition temperature is identified, separating the nonequilibrium GBs’ evolution into a fast-varying stage, and a tuning-ineffective stage, respectively. We further discover a universal correlation between such critical temperature and GBs’ inherent structure energy, which enables predicting the tunability of metastable GBs’ kinetic and mechanical properties. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT IMPACT STATEMENT We report a universal correlation between tilted GBs’ metastable microstates and kinetic properties during extreme thermal processing, suggesting a new strategy of manipulating interface-rich materials’ performance without changing their macroscopic textures.
SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL AREA

Any and all human interference will have effects on the environment in a way. The experts working in development are working hard to have interventions to improve the quality in life of their local community. It could be a city or a town or even a village, this depends on the existing natural conditions, the geographical location, the economic environment that was created and the local community that lives there which actually can be considered the most decisive. The lives of communities, the direction of developments at local levels are largely influenced by local governments, and their decisions often determine the situation of the given settlement for years. In the development of local governments, the protection of the environment and the management of the resources available play a decisive role in economic development. Their interventions primarily and directly serve to strengthen the environmental dimension of sustainability while contributing substantively to the promotion of economic growth. Within the local society, the most open layer of environmental awareness is youth, which in almost all segments of its life strives to take this very important principle into account. The goal of the research is to compile a comparative study on the use of renewable energy sources for a local government and for the population, for young people. In our primary research we examined the attitude of the city and population towards the use of green energy and the impact of local energy development on the local community.
A Case Study in Saudi Arabia: Biodiversity of Maize Seed-Borne Pathogenic Fungi in Relation to Biochemical, Physiological, and Molecular Characteristics

Microbiodiversity is usually correlated with environmental conditions. This investigation is a case study to cover the lack of knowledge on the correlation of biochemical, physiological, and molecular attributes with the distribution of seed-borne pathogenic fungi of maize under the environmental conditions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to help forecast any destructive epidemics. Forty-one fungal species belonging to 24 genera were detected using standard moist blotter (SMB), deep freezing blotter (DFB), and agar plate (AP) techniques. SMB was superior in detecting the maximum numbers (36 species) of seed-borne mycoflora. The pathogenicity assay revealed that, among 18 seed-borne fungal pathogens used, 12 isolates caused high percentages of rotted seeds and seedling mortality symptoms, which were identified molecularly using an internal transcribed spacer sequence. Two Curvularia spp. and Sarocladium zeae were reported for the first time in KSA. The strains showed various enzymatic activities and amino acid profiles under different environmental setups. Temperature and humidity were the environmental variables influencing the fungal pathogenicity. The highest pathogenicity was correlated with the presence and concentration of threonine, alanine, glutamic, aspartic acids, and protein. The study concluded with the discovery of four new phytopathogens in KSA and, further, evidenced a marked correlation among the investigated variables. Nevertheless, more studies are encouraged to include additional physiological properties of the phytopathogens, such as toxigenic activity, as well as extend the fungal biodiversity study to other plants.
Reproductive consequences of transient pathogen exposure across host genotypes and generations

Abstract To maximize fitness upon pathogenic infection, host organisms might reallocate energy and resources among life‐history traits, such as reproduction and defense. The fitness costs of infection can result from both immune upregulation and direct pathogen exploitation. The extent to which these costs, separately and together, vary by host genotype and across generations is unknown. We attempted to disentangle these costs by transiently exposing wild isolates and a lab‐domesticated strain of Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes to the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, using exposure to heat‐killed pathogens to distinguish costs due to immune upregulation and pathogen exploitation. We found that host nematodes exhibit a short‐term delay in offspring production when exposed to live and heat‐killed pathogen, but their lifetime fecundity (total offspring produced) recovered to control levels. We also found genetic variation between host isolates for both cumulative offspring production and magnitude of fitness costs. We further investigated whether there were maternal pathogen exposure costs (or benefits) to offspring and revealed a positive correlation between the magnitude of the pathogen‐induced delay in the parent's first day of reproduction and the cost to offspring population growth. Our findings highlight the capacity for hosts to recover fecundity after transient exposure to a pathogen.
Islamic Work Ethics, Affective Commitment, and Employee’s Performance in Family Business: Testing Their Relationships

A family business is usually managed and run by family members to form and pursue a business vision that will ensure continuity across generations. Subsequently, this study aims to scrutinize and inspect the effect of Islamic work ethics on affective commitment and employee performance. Out of 273 questionnaires that were disseminated to employees of family businesses in Pati, Batang, and Demak districts of Central Java, Indonesia, 147 were filled out and completed questionnaires, reflecting a response rate of 53.8%. Based on the results from the structural equation modeling from AMOS 21, Islamic work ethics were confirmed to be positively and significantly associated with affective commitment and employee performance. The affective commitment was also positively and significantly related to employee performance. Consequently, this study will contribute to expanding the literature on the association between Islamic work ethics, affective commitment, and employee performance in Indonesian family businesses.