Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Electric Vehicle Fleet Integration in a Virtual Power Plant With Large-Scale Wind Power

This article puts forward to build a novel virtual power plant (VPP) with electric vehicle (EV) fleet integration to smooth wind power output. First, the VPP framework and coordination mode are designed. Second, a novel configuration and optimization approach for storage size is developed by using wavelet packet decomposition (WPD) and particle swarm optimization algorithms, among which the exact mathematical formulation for the optimum WPD decomposed layers is first presented. Next, a coordinated control strategy for EV fleet and ultracapacitor is proposed to optimize their power output and prolong the battery lifetime by raising the depth of discharge and maximizing energy distribution of EV fleet. The results prove the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Parasitic assemblages on leafminers: a comparison of structure and function among host orders

In this study we ask whether parasitic complexes of leafminers display differences associated to host order, by comparing species number, taxonomic composition, parasitism rates and host ranges in parasitoid assemblages associated with lepidopteran and dipteran leafminers, in Chaco Serrano woodlands, central Argentina. Parasitoid assemblage size did not significantly differ between host orders, but dipteran hosts suffered higher parasitism rates. Lepidopteran hosts recruited a higher proportion of species and individuals of Braconidae, whereas dipteran leafminers were attacked by a higher proportion of Pteromalidae. We found clear effects of host taxonomic affiliation on the associated parasitoid fauna.
Differentially Expressed Genes During Accessory Sex Gland Seasonal Development in Eriocheir sinensis

Abstract In order to elucidate the functional and molecular mechanisms employed during accessory sex gland seasonal development, we performed suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) experiments in the crab, Eriocheir sinensis, by constructing forward and reverse cDNA libraries enriched with up- or down-regulated transcript genes. A total of 175 ESTs were obtained from 180 randomly picked clones in the two libraries, with an average insert size of 450 bp, and a cloning efficiency > 90%. Comparative sequence analysis of ESTs with sequences reported in public genomic databases identified 88 unigenes, 35 of which were homologous to reported proteins, with the remainder unidentified. Unigene Annotation identified some unigenes via the Gene Ontology classification. Some of these unigenes had greater activity in the early stage of gland development, with an inferred function in cellular processes (involved in cell proliferation and differentiation), and the other genes with inferred functions in protein synthesis, energy metabolism, and signal transduction were more prevalent during the peak stage of gland development. Hence, genes elevated during the early stage may play roles in the process of rapid cell growth, while those elevated during the peak stage may play important roles in protein synthesis and secretion, as well as sperm capacitation and fertilization. SSH results were validated by the real-time PCR analysis of five candidate genes, whose expression correlated well with the SSH results, and exhibited relative expression levels that were five fold greater than those observed in the SSH libraries, confirming the SSH success.
Arteriolar Calibre and Area of Supply in the Cat Retina

The calibre of the arterioles in the cat’s retina was determined by fluorescein angiography, and the area of their distribution was determined by post mortem Indian ink injection and planimetry in different zones set out at increasing distances from the disc. It was observed that vessels with similar width have a different area of supply, increasing from the disc towards the periphery in the ratio 1:3.2:5.4. This is explained by the anatomical variations observed by different workers in the distribution of the capillary network, ganglion cells and the nuclear layers, their density and number decreasing from the centre towards the periphery
Seed quality assessment

Abstract Growers expect high-quality, genetically pure seed. As a result, seed companies maintain quality control programmes that monitor seed from harvest to purchase. An array of ‘traditional’ seed quality tests, including mechanical tests and tests of genetic purity, seed germination and vigour, and seed health tests, is used, and seed quality assessment techniques continue to evolve. Advances in molecular genetics are allowing the release of new varieties differing essentially in one gene. New molecular biology approaches offer the potential to identify these subtle genetic differences. Advances in seed enhancements, such as pelleting, priming and pregermination, require increased scrutiny of seed quality before and after the enhancement process. New developments in computer imaging for improved purity and germination/vigour analyses are being developed. These novel approaches to seed quality assessment become important as new genetic improvements are conveyed in the seed at increased cost to the grower.
Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria reduce adverse effects of salinity and osmotic stress by regulating phytohormones and antioxidants in Cucumis sativus

We assessed the role of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) strains viz. Burkholdera cepacia SE4, Promicromonospora sp. SE188 and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus SE370 in counteracting salinity and drought stress to cucumber plants. The control plants had stunted growth, while PGPR-treated plants had significantly higher biomass and chlorophyll contents under salinity and drought stress. The ameliorative effects of PGPR-application were also evidenced by the increased water potential and decreased electrolytic leakage. The PGPR-applied plants had reduced sodium ion concentration, while the potassium and phosphorus were abundantly present as compared to control under stress. Oxidative stress was mitigated by PGPR through reduced activities of catalase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, and total polyphenol as compared to control. The control plants showed up-regulation of stress-responsive abscisic acid as compared to PGPR application, while salicylic acid and gibberellin 4 were significantly higher in PGPR. In conclusion, the PGPR application might be used in marginalized agricultural lands to increase crop productivity.
Treatment of Noncirrhotic Portal Hypertension Secondary to Portal Vein Thrombosis With Endovascular Mesocaval Shunt Creation

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation can be very beneficial to decrease high portal pressure and its consequent dreadful complications, such as variceal hemorrhage. However, some anatomical limitations such as portal vein thrombosis can make TIPS technically impossible to perform. Here, we describe a case of a 72-year-old female patient who previously had a Roux-En-Y choledochojejunostomy, which was complicated by portal vein thrombosis. The patient subsequently developed portal hypertension, and this was successfully treated with endovascular mesocaval shunt creation, given that TIPS was not a viable option.
Evaluation of Physiological and Biochemical Responses against to Salinity in Local Rice (Oryza sativa L.) under in vitro Conditions

In a local rice cultivar (Karacadag), physiological and biochemical changes caused by different salt types (NaCI, CaCI2, MgCI2) and their concentrations (25, 50, 75, 150, 300 mM) were investigated under stress conditions. The germination percentage was not affected at low concentrations in each of 3 types salt tested but it decreased significantly as the concentration increased. In development stages of seedling, it was determined that as the concentration increased in all salt types, plant growth and relative water content (RWC) decreased. Salinity was mostly affected the photosynthetic pigment contents of the plants and there was a difference significantly between the results according to the salt concentration. In general, it was determined that malondialdehyde (MDA) content increased depending on the concentration in all salt types that tested. The highest cell membrane damage was found in the 75 mM application of CaCI2 with 4.1820 μmol /g MDA. As a result, it was determined that germination and seedling development stages were negatively affected in the salt types tested, especially at high concentrations.
Sparsity-Aware Adaptive Turbo Equalization for Underwater Acoustic Communications in the Mariana Trench

Reliable acoustic communication between submersibles and surface vessels plays a critical role in deep-sea exploration. Adaptive turbo equalization can effectively combat the selective fading of underwater acoustic channels, thereby becoming one of the enabling technologies for single-carrier deep-sea vertical acoustic communications. Existing adaptive turbo equalizer designs are usually based on a minimum-mean-squared-error criterion or a minimum-mean-absolute-error criterion. These criteria are inherently suboptimal with respect to the achievable symbol error rate (SER). In this article, an improved proportionate normalized minimum-SER (IPNMSER) algorithm is proposed for adaptive turbo equalization in deep-sea vertical acoustic communications. The proposed algorithm utilizes the minimum-SER (MSER) criterion to derive the equalizer update equations, aiming to minimize the system's SER directly. In addition, because the deep-sea vertical channel has a sparse structure, which leads to a sparse equalizer, a sparsity-aware proportionate-type approach is therefore incorporated into the framework of the MSER criterion to achieve faster convergence. To investigate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, we conducted a deep-sea vertical acoustic-communication experiment in the Challenger Deep of the Mariana Trench. The results demonstrated that the proposed IPNMSER algorithm can outperform a conventional normalized MSER algorithm and other well-known proportionate-type algorithms, achieving error-free detection for all data blocks over a vertical communication range of approximately 10500 m.
The incidence of viruses in wild Brassica nigra in Dorset (UK)

Summary Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, the frequency of occurrence of six viruses was determined in Brassica nigra collected from five coastal sites in Dorset, spanning approximately 24 km. During 1998–2000, the viruses detected were: Turnip mosaic virus (genus Potyvirus) (TuMV), Turnip yellow mosaic virus (genus Tymovirus) (TYMV), Turnip crinkle virus (genus Carmovirus) (TCV), Turnip rosette virus (genus Sobemovirus) (TRoV), Beet western yellows virus (genus Polerovirus) (BWYV) and Cauliflower mosaic virus (genus Caulimovirus) (CaMV). Multiple infections were detected in some individuals (48/447). TuMV was detected infrequently over the three-year period (5/597). A representative isolate of each virus was tested for its effects on glasshouse-grown individuals from different half-sib families of B. nigra from four of the sites. Whether inoculated manually or via aphids (Myzus persicae), TuMV caused a rapid (within 10 days) lethal systemic necrosis in the B. nigra seedlings except when they were near flowering at the time of inoculation. Each of the other viruses invaded systemically but were not lethal. Indeed, BWYV systemically invaded 13/19 glasshouse-grown B. nigra seedlings but did not produce any visible symptoms. Otherwise, the isolates tested differed in their pathogenicity and in the symptoms they produced in infected B. nigra. With TYMV or TCV viral antigen concentration was closely linked to pathogenicity; for TRoV or CaMV, there was little or no difference in virus concentration between plants with and without symptoms. Substantial and reproducible differences were observed in sensitivity/susceptibility among B. nigra genotypes from different sites in Dorset challenged with the same virus isolate.
Systematic position of the moss genus Trachyphyllum A.Gepp (Pylaisiadelphaceae) plus additions to its distribution in the Neotropics

Abstract Representatives of the genus Trachyphyllum are shown to form a monophyletic group. The presence of papillae at both ends of leaf cells, investigated here using SEM, is suggested as a possible synapomorphy. The position of the genus at the family level is discussed and changed to Pylaisiadelphaceae. In addition, the geographic distribution of Trachyphyllum in the New World is updated.
Dead wood dynamics in declining balsam fir and spruce stands in New Brunswick, Canada

Forest management prescriptions increasingly incorporate snag and downed dead wood (DDW) guidelines. This study utilizes permanent inventory plots to determine dead wood dynamics in 33 balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill. ) – spruce (Picea spp.) (BFSP) and 17 spruce – balsam fir (SPBF) stands in New Brunswick, Canada. Stands were declining, unmanaged, and had a history of recurrent spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.)) outbreaks and aerial insecticide spraying. Fixed-area sampling matched remnants of 1165 dead trees and 864 corresponding pieces of DDW to plot trees that died over the last 15–18 years with known year and cause of death. Declining BFSP stands had the highest accumulation of dead wood (196 m3/ha) compared with SPBF and nondeclining BFSP (122 m3/ha and 77 m3/ha, respectively). Dead wood dynamics were influenced by cause of death, as a function of differences in tree height at death affecting snag decay, fragmentation, and fall. One-half of all dead trees never made a significant c.
Design and Implementation of Automated Clinical Whole Body Parametric PET With Continuous Bed Motion

We described workflows and methodologies for fully automated parametric imaging using clinical positron emission tomography (PET) systems with continuous bed motion (CBM) which aim to enable physicians to practice parametric PET routinely. The key components of our implemented methods include automatic generation of image-derived blood input functions, accurate tracking of slice imaging time during CBM acquisitions, and parametric image formation with advanced algorithms. Locations of the left ventricle and the descending aorta were automatically detected from high resolution anatomical images and registered to dynamic PET images to generate blood input functions. A method to accurately track dynamic scans and calculate time information for whole body CBM parametric PET was implemented based on bed position tags. This approach of calculating time information based on finely sampled bed position tags can be applied to flexible scan modes with various scan speeds over different body regions. We applied the calculated slice time information for whole body parametric imaging using a linear Patlak model. Parametric images were reconstructed with a nested expectation maximization (EM) algorithm. We demonstrated that parametric images generated by our automated workflow can provide quantitative parameters in addition to standardized uptake value images. We presented results for a uni-direction dynamic scan from a Biograph mCT system and a bi-direction dynamic scan from a Biograph Vision system.
Soroprevalência de aglutininas anti-Leptospira spp. em ovinos nas Mesorregiões Sudeste e Sudoeste do Estado Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

The presence of anti-Leptospira agglutinins in 1.360 samples of ovine sera was determined. Clinically healthy sheep with more than one year of age, raised in pasture in 136 farms of 18 counties, 10 located in the southeast Mesorregions and 8 in the southwest Mesorregions of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, between the months of January and March of 1999. Were used sera tested by the Microscopic Agglutination Technique (MAT), from the 1.360 samples of serum tested, 466 (34.26%) were positive and the titers of anti-Leptospira spp. agglutinins varied from 100 to 3.200. The serovars founded were: hardjo (Norma), 210 (28.4%), sentot, 152 (16.8%); hardjoprajitno, 133 (14.5%); fortbragg, 73 (6.3%); wolffi, 39 (4.7%); pyrogenes, 25 (1.8%); australis, 21 (1.6%); pomona, 20 (1.6%); sejroe, 19 (2.2%); castellonis, 18 (1.8%); hebdomadis, 17 (1.3%); icterohaemorrhagiae, 16 (0.5%); grippotyphosa, 9 (0.7%); canicola , 8 (0.6%); tarassovi, 7 (0.6%), bratislava, 4 (0.29%), autumnalis, 3 (0.2%). The results demonstrate that Leptospira spp are disseminated in the majority of the farms that raise sheep in the southeast and southwest Mesorregions of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Peritrophic membrane structure of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes after infection with dengue virus type 2 (D2-16681)

The peritrophic membrane (PM) is a non-cellular tissue involved in the protection of midgut epithelium from mechanical damage and insults from pathogens. This study was carried out to determine the involvement of PM in mosquitoes after infection with dengue virus. Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes were fed sucrose and human blood with and without dengue virus type 2 (D2-16681), and collected at 0.5, 1, 6, and 12 h, respectively. Specimens were prepared for examination under light and electron microscopy. The results showed that PM was produced only in the blood-fed mosquitoes. The infected blood meal induced the mosquitoes to produce PM in their midgut earlier and thicker than in mosquitoes with blood alone. The initial evidence of PM occurred at 1 h post-blood meal (PBM) as a matrix-like structure. By 6 h PBM, PM had become a layer, which persisted at 12 h. Among mosquitoes fed with blood alone, this structure was found only from 6 and 12 h PBM. Dengue virus type 2 induced different modifications of mosquito PM construction and structures, confirmed under an electron microscope.
Métodos de preservação e crescimento de Xanthomonas campestris pv. viticola em meio de cultura variando temperatura, pH e concentração de NaCl

The phytopathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. viticola (Xcv) induces grapevine (Vitis vinifera) bacterial canker, causing severe losses in Brazil. Four preservation methods [dried paper strips (DPS), periodic transfer (PT), sterile distiled water (SDW) and dried leaves (DL)] were compared for storing two Xcv strains over a 12-month periods. Viability and pathogenicity were evaluated every month and estimated by bacterial growth and area under the disease incidence curve (AUDIC). Both the DPS and SDW methods maintained 100% of cell viability to and showed higher AUDIC values for 11 months. The PT did not permit growth at 30 days while DL maintained cell viability for up to five months. The growth of two Xcv strains in liquid culture medium at varying temperatures (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 35, 40 and 45°C), pH (5.0; 5.,5; 6.0; 6.5; 7.0; 7.5; 8.0; 8.5 and 9.0) and NaCl concentration (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7%) was evaluated with spectrophotometer. The Xcv growth was observed from 5 to 35 °C, with optimum growth from 27 to 29 °C. The Xcv did not grow at zero and 40 °C. The optimum pH for Xcv growth was 7.5. The pathogen growth declined from 3.0% NaCl and was null at 6.0%.
Investigating the Factors Influencing Pedestrian–Vehicle Crashes by Age Group in Seoul, South Korea: A Hierarchical Model

Walking is the most natural form of moving in everyday life. However, the urban environment is not always safe for walking. Hence, it is appropriate to create pedestrian safety-oriented neighborhood environments to promote walkability. This study identifies factors that can affect the severity of pedestrian injuries by considering and comparing the individual characteristics of pedestrian crashes and the built environment of neighborhoods using a hierarchical model. The main results of this study are as follows. Those under 18 and over 65 years of age, which are recognized as vulnerable road users, are more affected by the neighborhood environments than other age groups. Parks, convenience stores, and restaurants are likely to play a significant role in reducing the severity of pedestrian injuries. However, for pedestrians under 18 years of age, convenience stores that students often visit after school are likely to increase the severity of pedestrian injuries. The severity of pedestrian injuries is likely to be lower at non-signalized crosswalks and intersections than at signalized crosswalks and intersections. The study is expected to contribute to existing literature on the topic and guide policy makers and planners to arrive at consensus approaches when making decisions on how to build pedestrian safety-oriented neighborhoods.
SAR Image Despeckling Employing a Recursive Deep CNN Prior

—Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images are inherently affected by speckle noise, for which deep learning-based methods have shown good potential. However, the deep learning-based methods proposed until now directly map low-quality images to high-quality images, and they are unable to characterize the priors for all the kinds of speckle images. The variational method is a classic model optimization approach that establishes the relationship between the clean and noisy images from the perspective of a probability distribution. Therefore, in this article, we propose the recursive deep convolutional neural network (CNN) prior model for SAR image despeckling (SAR-RDCP). First, the data-ﬁtting term and regularization term of the SAR variational model are decoupled into two subproblems, i.e., a data-ﬁtting block and a deep CNN prior block. The gradient descent algorithm is then used to solve the data-ﬁtting block, and a predenoising residual channel attention network based on dilated convolution is used for the deep CNN prior block, which combines an end-to-end iterative optimization training. In the experiments undertaken in this study, the proposed model was compared with several state-of-the-art despeckling methods, obtaining better results in both the quantitative and qualitative evaluations.
A Long-Term Evaluation of Trout Habitat Development and Its Relation to Improving Management-Related Research

Abstract Responses of a wild brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) population to instream habitat development in a 0.7 km reach of Lawrence Creek were monitored for 7 years and compared to population data for the 3-year period prior to development. Mean annual biomass of trout, mean annual number of trout over 15 cm (legal size), and annual production increased significantly during the 3 years following development, but more impressive responses were observed during the second 3 years. Maximum number and biomass and number of legal trout did not occur until 5 years after completion of development. The peak number of brook trout over 20 cm was reached the sixth year after development. Where long-term studies of aquatic systems are needed to evaluate effects of environmental perturbations, it may be desirable to deliberately delay collection of posttreatment data. Such a start-pause-finish sequence of research would provide more valid and less costly evaluations and utilize the time of researchers more effici.