Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How different is similar – exploring development of Ceropegia sandersonii pitfall flowers to elucidate convergent evolution of floral synorganization

Background: Lantern plants from the genus Ceropegia (Apocynaceae-Asclepiadoideae) have radially symmetric pitfall flowers that are an outstanding example of functional floral complexity with high synorganization of specialized organs. The evolutionary origin and development of these complex flowers is unclear, and the genetic background of floral organ formation is unknown. Flowers with similar deceptive pollination strategies and floral traits convergently evolved in non-related plant lineages. The partially bilaterally flattened trap flowers of pipevines are functionally similar to Ceropegia pitfall flowers; many orchid taxa evolved complex fully bilaterally flattened flowers with specialized organs to trap pollinators. This study is the first to investigate the genetic background of pitfall flower development in Ceropegia, and to explore (i) convergent evolution of extremely synorganized and complex flowers as well as (ii) the homology of a highly specialized floral organ, the gynostegial corona. Methods: We obtained transcriptomes from C. sandersonii early floral buds and mature sepals, petals, and gynostegia, and analyzed differential expression of selected MADS-box genes in buds and mature floral organs using RT-PCR. In addition, we studied floral ontogeny and vascularization using SEM and 3D X-ray micro-CT scanning. Results: We identified ten phases of floral development from primordia to mature flowers, and for the first time visualized the vascular system of mature Ceropegia pitfall flowers in a 3D-model. We identified 14 MADS-box gene homologs, representing all major MADS-box gene classes, in the floral transcriptomes of Ceropegia. Vascular bundle patterns, as revealed by 3D X-ray micro-CT scanning, in combination with high expression of GLOBOSA and AGAMOUS indicate a staminoid origin of this highly specialized floral organ which starts developing from stage seven onwards. Interestingly, AGAMOUS-LIKE6 was neither expressed in early floral buds nor in any mature floral organ, in line with the radial symmetry of all Ceropegia floral organs. Conclusion: We detected differential expression of MADS-box genes involved in Ceropegia floral organ identity and propose a new ABCDE-model for parachute flowers. We compare this with current models of unrelated plants with similar floral traits but (partially) bilaterally flattened flowers, i.e. Aristolochia fimbriata and Erycina pusilla. With this comparative approach we lay the foundation for understanding the genetic mechanisms driving convergent evolution of highly specialized deceptive trap flowers.
Evaluation of Evaporation Paradox at Tharandt

In the evaporation of water has been generally decreasing in most parts of the world with increasing air temperature, which is called the ‘evaporation paradox’. At Tharandt, Germany from 2004 to 2013 on annual basis the so-called ‘evaporation paradox’ had not existed because air temperature had not shown increasing trend. However, when we exclude Class A pan evaporation (E p ) in to consideration, indeed, it had existed on the summer half-year (Figure 1). Abstract In the past decades pan water evaporation has been generally decreasing in most parts of the world with increasing air temperature; which is called the ‘evaporation paradox’. In this article, evaporation paradox was checked at Tharandt, Germany for the years from 2004 to 2013. The annual as well as summer half-year trends of air temperature as well as Class A pan evaporation (E p ), potential evapotranspiration (PET), and reference evapotranspiration (ET o ) was analyzed using liner regression model. Generally, the so-called ‘evaporation paradox’ had not existed at Tharandt on annual basis. Because although PETs and ET o had shown annual as well as summer half-year decreasing trends, air temperature had not shown increasing annual trends. However, when we had not considered E p , indeed, it had existed on the summer half-year based on PETs and ET o estimates. Decreasing trend of shortwave or solar radiation and increasing trend of relative air humidity might have caused the decreasing trends of PETs and ET o . The summer half-year E p had shown nearly constant trend over the ten years; however, the cause for the nearly constant trend of summer half-year E p was not understood. Also, when 2013 was excluded, the annual as well as the summer half-year trends of PETs remained decreasing; however, the summer half-year trend of E p and ET o showed changes. Moreover, in all cases, the trends were not statistically significant. Thus, if data is available, using more than ten years of data is needed to evaluate the exact trends of ET o and E p . E p Class A Pan Evaporation; SHY: Summer Half-Year (April-September); PETs: Potential Evapotranspiration (PET) estimated according to Haude, Wendling, and Penman; E p : Evaporation Schemes: ET o : Reference Evapotranspiration
Large-Scale Synthesis and Mechanism of β-SiC Nanoparticles from Rice Husks by Low-Temperature Magnesiothermic Reduction

Silicon carbide (SiC) nanomaterials have many applications in semiconductor, refractories, functional ceramics, and composite reinforcement due to their unique chemical and physical properties. However, large-scale and cost-effective synthesis of SiC nanomaterials at a low temperature is still challenging. Herein, a low-temperature and scalable process to produce β-phase SiC nanoparticles from rice husks (RHs) by magnesiothermic reduction (MR) at a relative low temperature of 600 °C is described. The SiC nanoparticles could inherit the morphology of biogenetic nano-SiO2 in RHs with a size of about 20–30 nm. The MR reaction mechanism and role of intermediate species are investigated. The result shows that SiO2 is first reduced to Mg2Si in the rapid exothermic process and the intermediate product, Mg2Si, further reacts with residual SiO2 and C to produce SiC. Moreover, the SiC shows considerable electromagnetic wave absorption with a minimum reflection loss of −5.88 dB and reflection loss bandwidth < −5 dB .
Characterization of Nuclear Explosive Melt Debris

The fate and transport of radionuclides away from nuclear test centers is driven by the release potential of the host matrix under saturated or partially saturated conditions. The objective of the present investigation is to return data on the composition, crystallinity and texture of residual nuclear explosion melt debris as it affects the potential mobility of constituent radionuclide species. Drill-back cores were collected from six underground nuclear events sponsored by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Results indicate that nuclear explosive debris in all cases consists of diverse mixtures of glass, silicates and subordinate oxides. Both crystalline and vitreous debris exhibits measurable radioactivity. The volatile species are likely surface deposited on the abundant fracture surfaces created in the crystalline matrices while the refractory species are volume incorporated in the melt glass itself. All of the samples contain the fission products Ru, Sb, Cs, Ce and Eu. Comparison of the major element composition of glasses incorporated in the nuclear explosive melt debris and natural volcanic glass from the Nevada Test Site indicates little variation. Iron, contributed by the device, is enriched in the explosive glasses. Depletion of sodium in the explosive glasses may involve a loss of alkalis but is more likely an analytical artifact. Single event data indicates the explosive glass and natural glass may be directly compared. Higher concentrations of alkalis, alkaline earths and alumina indicate the presence of feldspathic minerals. For the purposes of characterization, natural volcanic glass compositions mimic that produced by underground nuclear explosions.
Video-based Stained Glass

This paper presents a method to generate stained-glass animation from video inputs. The method initially segments an input video volume into several regions considered as fragments of glass by mean-shift segmentation. However, the segmentation predominantly results in over-segmentation, causing several tiny segments in a highly textured area. In practice, assembling significantly tiny or large glass fragments is avoided to ensure architectural stability in stained glass manufacturing. Therefore, we use low-frequency components in the segmentation to prevent over-segmentation and subdivide segmented regions that are oversized. The subdividing must be coherent between adjacent frames to prevent temporal artefacts, such as flickering and the shower door effect. To temporally subdivide regions coherently, we obtain a panoramic image from the segmented regions in input frames, subdivide it using a weighted Voronoi diagram, and thereafter project the subdivided regions onto the input frames. To render stained glass fragment for each coherent region, we determine the optimal match glass fragment for the region from a dataset consisting of real stained-glass fragment images and transfer its color and texture to the region. Finally, applying lead came at the boundary of the regions in each frame yields temporally coherent stained-glass animation.
Effect of Flare Reaction to Intra-Articular Hyaluronan Injection on Cartilage Boundary Lubricating Ability of Human Synovial Fluid

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to 1) quantify proteoglycan 4 (PRG4) and hyaluronan (HA) content in osteoarthritic (OA) synovial fluid (SF) after a flare reaction to intra-articular (IA) HA injection and 2) assess the cartilage boundary lubricating ability of PRG4-deficient flare-SF, with and without supplementation with PRG4 ± HA. Methods: Seven SF samples from 5 OA patients who returned to the clinic within 11 days of initial IA HA were included in this study. PRG4 and HA concentration were measured by sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, and HA molecular weight (MW) was measured by 1% agarose gel electrophoresis. Five flare samples that were identified as having low PRG4 concentration were selected for cartilage-cartilage boundary lubricating ability tests. Results: PRG4 and HA concentrations in flare-SF ranged from below normal to super-physiological. HA MW in these samples was shifted towards the lower range in the 3.1 – 6.1 and 0.5 – 1.1 MDa ranges (p = 0.02, 0.005) only. The kinetic coefficient of friction in PRG4-deficient flare-SF was not altered compared to normal SF, and no changes were observed with PRG4 or PRG4+HA supplementation (p = 0.70 – 1.0). Conclusion: SF can exhibit altered boundary lubricant composition after a flare reaction to IA HA. Despite a decrease in PRG4 concentration in some samples, normal cartilage boundary lubricating ability was retained, possibly due to sufficient high MW HA content. This suggests that maintaining normal composition of both PRG4 and HA through biotherapeutic treatment may preserve SF lubricating function and therefore contribute to joint preservation and health.
Efficacy, Use, and Acceptability of a Web-Based Self-management Intervention Designed to Maximize Sexual Well-being in Men Living With Prostate Cancer: Single-Arm Experimental Study

Background Sexual dysfunction is a frequent side effect associated with different prostate cancer treatment approaches. It can have a substantial impact on men and their partners and is associated with increased psychological morbidity. Despite this, sexual concerns are often not adequately addressed in routine practice. Evidence-based web-based interventions have the potential to provide ongoing information and sexual well-being support throughout all stages of care. Objective The aim of this study is to examine the efficacy of a web-based self-management intervention designed to maximize sexual well-being in men living with prostate cancer and explore user perspectives on usability and acceptability. Methods We used a single-arm study design, and participants were provided with access to the 5-step intervention for a period of 3 months. The intervention content was tailored based on responses to brief screening questions on treatment type, relationship status, and sexual orientation. Efficacy was assessed by using two-tailed, paired sample t tests for comparing the mean differences between pre- and postintervention measurements for exploring the participants’ self-reported knowledge and understanding, sexual satisfaction, and comfort in discussing sexual issues. Usability and acceptability were determined based on the program use data and a postintervention survey for exploring perceived usefulness. Results A total of 109 participants were recruited for this study. Significant postintervention improvements at follow-up were observed in the total scores (out of 20) from the survey (mean 12.23/20 points, SD 2.46 vs mean 13.62/20, SD 2.31; t88=9.570; P=.001) as well as in individual item scores on the extent to which the participants agreed that they had sufficient information to manage the impact that prostate cancer had on their sex life (mean 2.31/4 points, SD 0.86 vs mean 2.57/4, SD 0.85; t88=3.660; P=.001) and had the potential to have a satisfying sex life following treatment (mean 2.38/4 points, SD 0.79 vs mean 3.17/4, SD 0.78; t88=7.643; P=.001). The median number of intervention sessions was 3 (range 1-11), and intervention sessions had a median duration of 22 minutes (range 8-77). Acceptable usability scores were reported, with the highest result observed for the question on the extent to which the intervention provided relevant information. Conclusions This study provides evidence on the efficacy of a tailored web-based intervention for maximizing sexual well-being in men living with prostate cancer. The results indicate that the intervention may improve one’s self-perceived knowledge and understanding of how to manage sexual issues and increase self-efficacy or the belief that a satisfactory sex life could be achieved following treatment. The findings will be used to refine the intervention content before testing as part of a larger longitudinal study for examining its effectiveness.
Generation of Encrypted FSK RF Signals for Secured Communication Inspired with High Frequency Technique

The paper describes a secret data transmission method using high-frequency techniques. The data security system consists of two inter-related parts. One deals with the encryption of binary data using the RSA algorithm on software platform. The other introduces an innovative conception of implementing encrypted FSK signal generation simulated with microwave techniques & technologies. Here, it requires the simultaneous generation of a pair of two independent high-frequency signals with the help of reflex klystron. In this scheme, the high-frequency generator is biased by the repeller voltage and superimposed on a series of RSA encrypted binary data. So the system creates two high frequencies, one representative to the positive and the other one to the negative portion of the data referring in an FSK signal. The new concept has been also verified with the help of simulation and experiment.
Expectativas de Sucesso Profissional de Ingressantes na Educação Superior: Estudo Comparativo

Este estudo teve como objetivo investigar as expectativas de sucesso profissional de estudantes ingressantes na educacao superior, considerando genero, modalidade de ingresso na universidade (sistema universal ou de cotas) e tipo de estudante (trabalhador ou nao). Participaram do estudo 6.913 estudantes de uma universidade publica federal brasileira. Utilizou-se a Escala Brasileira de Expectativas Academicas de Estudantes Ingressantes na Educacao Superior que avalia sete fatores: Formacao Academica de Qualidade, Compromisso Social e Academico, Ampliacao das Relacoes Interpessoais, Oportunidade de Internacionalizacao e Intercâmbio, Perspectiva de Sucesso Profissional, Preocupacao com a Autoimagem e Desenvolvimento de Competencias Transversais. Para este estudo foram considerados os dados relativos ao fator Perspectiva de Sucesso Profissional. Os resultados revelam uma maior expectativa de sucesso profissional para mulheres e estudantes nao trabalhadores e podem subsidiar instituicoes de ensino superior a criarem estrategias e servicos que contribuam para o futuro profissional dos estudantes considerando os distintos perfis discentes.
Development of the reservoir eutrophication model (REM) for South African reservoirs

The reservoir eutrophication model (REM) is commonly used to simulate the trophic status of South African reservoirs. Uncertainty analysis is usually not included in such modelling. This is unfortunate because a false sense of model accuracy may result. Uncertainty analyses conducted in this study suggest that the conventional REM model is too simple and too inflexible to accurately characterise the behaviour of individual South African reservoirs. A more accurate reservoir specific eutrophication model (RSEM) has therefore been developed. The RSEM model is more complicated in that it takes account of more variables and has to be calibrated individually for each reservoir. But the improvement in model accuracy, for predicting both historical and future data justifies this complication
Prekindergarten and Kindergarten Center-based Child Care and Students’ Early Schooling Outcomes

Background/Context In the United States, there has been an increased trend in parents’ utilization of center-based child care. Yet, though research has examined the effects of attending prekindergarten center-based care or the effects of attending center-based care during the kindergarten school year, little is known about the effects of having attended both. Purpose/Objective This study asks three questions: (a) Do children who attend both prekin-dergarten and kindergarten center-based care have different achievement outcomes, measured at the end of kindergarten? (b) Do children who attend both prekindergarten and kindergarten center-based care have different socioemotional outcomes, measured at the end of kindergarten? (c) Do these relationships differ by individual socio-demographic characteristics? Population/Participants This study utilizes data from the newly released Early Childhood Longitudinal Study – Kindergarten Class of 2011 (ECLS-K:2011). The ECLS-K:2011 represents the most contemporary national-level data available to study the educational experiences of young students in the United States. Information was first collected from kindergartners (as well as parents, teachers, and school administrators) from U.S. kindergarten programs in the year 2010–2011. Research Design This study combines secondary data analyses and quasi-experimental methods. There are two achievement outcomes: reading and math. There are five socioemotional outcomes: externalizing behaviors, internalizing behaviors, self-control, approaches to learning, and interpersonal skills. The study begins with a baseline, linear regression model. To address issues pertaining to omitted variable bias, the study employs various fixed-effects models. Findings The findings for the first research question indicated that academic outcomes do not differ for children in both years of center-based care compared to children who attended only one year of center-based care or none at all. As for the second research question, the findings show that multiple years of center-based care is related to increases in problem behaviors and decreases in prosocial behaviors—outcomes that are worsened by the number of years of center-based care attendance. The findings for the third research question suggest some minor differences between boys and girls in zero, one, or two years of center-based care. Conclusions/Recommendations This study has brought to surface new ways that center-based care attendance might influence children's short-term outcomes. Therefore, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners must base future questions on empirical work concerning how to address children's outcomes across multiple years of care, rather than simply focus exclusively on one year's influence.
Carbon Dioxide Reforming of Methane over Cobalt‐Nickel Bimetal‐Doped Ordered Mesoporous Alumina Catalysts with Advanced Catalytic Performances

Co‐Ni bimetal‐doped ordered mesoporous Al2O3 composite oxides with different Co/(Co+Ni) ratios were designed and fabricated by a one‐pot evaporation‐induced self‐assembly method. The obtained materials, which had an ordered mesostructure and outstanding thermal stability, were investigated as catalysts for the CO2 reforming of CH4. The effects of the Co/(Co+Ni) molar ratios and ordered mesostructure on the catalytic performances were investigated systematically. The ordered mesoporous Co‐Ni bimetallic catalysts exhibited both higher catalytic activities and better anticoke properties than the corresponding monometallic materials because of the Co‐Ni synergistic effect. Furthermore, the ordered mesostructure could promote the catalytic performances significantly by providing gaseous reactants with enough accessible metallic active centers and stabilizing the metallic nanoparticles through the confinement effect of the mesoporous framework. As a result, these mesoporous Co‐Ni bimetallic catalysts had more enhanced catalytic properties and anticoke ability than traditional supported catalysts toward the CO2 reforming of CH4, which promises a series of potential catalyst candidates.
STABILITY OF VORTEX PHASES IN FERROELECTRIC EASY-PLANE NANO-CYLINDERS

ABSTRACT Bounded charges induced by the polarization gradient in finite-size ferroelectrics are known to produce the unfavorable depolarization electric field that suppresses the uniform ferroelectric state. To reduce the depolarization energy the non-uniform vortex (toroidal) state is formed inside ferroelectric nano-particles, nano-disks, and nano-rods. Based on self-consistent solution of Ginzburg-Landau equations coupled with electrostatic equations, we study the multivortex toroidal states appearing in the nanometric easy-plane ferroelectric cylinder. The geometrical textures, critical temperatures and stability regions for these states are calculated.
Managerial Overconfidence, Research and Development, and Earnings Management: Perspective from Capitalization and Expense

Managerial overconfidence, originally disputed in terms of finance and accounting, has been dated back to Malmendier and Tate (2005a,b). Galasso and Simcoe (2011) studied the relationship between CEO overconfidence and innovation, focusing on patents, in which they found that overconfident CEO underestimates risks in R&D activities, resulting in more R&D expenditure. However, little literature concentrates on expense and capitalization of R&D expenditure in China, where new accounting rule applied since 2007, and correspondingly the relationship between overconfidence and preference of expense and capitalization. By Tobit model and GMM model, we found that overconfidence managers have incentives to capitalize on R&D expenditure, because accrual earnings management motivated by capitalized R&D, different from real earning earnings management triggered by expense R&D, which cuts down R&D expense directly to beautify the earnings performance, adjust the proportion of research and development. Therefore, such a preference to capitalize R&D turns the corporation to deal with accrual earnings management instead of real earnings management.