Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In Situ Distribution and Speciation of Toxic Copper, Nickel, and Zinc in Hydrated Roots of Cowpea1[W][OA]

The phytotoxicity of trace metals is of global concern due to contamination of the landscape by human activities. Using synchrotron-based x-ray fluorescence microscopy and x-ray absorption spectroscopy, the distribution and speciation of copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn) was examined in situ using hydrated roots of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) exposed to 1.5 μm Cu, 5 μm Ni, or 40 μm Zn for 1 to 24 h. After 24 h of exposure, most Cu was bound to polygalacturonic acid of the rhizodermis and outer cortex, suggesting that binding of Cu to walls of cells in the rhizodermis possibly contributes to the toxic effects of Cu. When exposed to Zn, cortical concentrations remained comparatively low with much of the Zn accumulating in the meristematic region and moving into the stele; approximately 60% to 85% of the total Zn stored as Zn phytate within 3 h of exposure. While Ni concentrations were high in both the cortex and meristem, concentrations in the stele were comparatively low. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the in situ distribution and speciation of Cu, Ni, and Zn in hydrated (and fresh) plant tissues, providing valuable information on the potential mechanisms by which they are toxic.
Salivary Microbiota and Metabolome Associated with Celiac Disease

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate the salivary microbiota and metabolome of 13 children with celiac disease (CD) under a gluten-free diet (treated celiac disease [T-CD]). The same number of healthy children (HC) was used as controls. The salivary microbiota was analyzed by an integrated approach using culture-dependent and -independent methods. Metabolome analysis was carried out by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry–solid-phase microextraction. Compared to HC, the number of some cultivable bacterial groups (e.g., total anaerobes) significantly (P < 0.05) differed in the saliva samples of the T-CD children. As shown by community-level catabolic profiles, the highest Shannon's diversity and substrate richness were found in HC. Pyrosequencing data showed the highest richness estimator and diversity index values for HC. Levels of Lachnospiraceae, Gemellaceae, and Streptococcus sanguinis were highest for the T-CD children. Streptococcus thermophilus levels were markedly decreased in T-CD children. The saliva of T-CD children showed the largest amount of Bacteroidetes (e.g., Porphyromonas sp., Porphyromonas endodontalis, and Prevotella nanceiensis), together with the smallest amount of Actinobacteria. T-CD children were also characterized by decreased levels of some Actinomyces species, Atopobium species, and Corynebacterium durum. Rothia mucilaginosa was the only Actinobacteria species found at the highest level in T-CD children. As shown by multivariate statistical analyses, the levels of organic volatile compounds markedly differentiated T-CD children. Some compounds (e.g., ethyl-acetate, nonanal, and 2-hexanone) were found to be associated with T-CD children. Correlations (false discovery rate [FDR], <0.05) were found between the relative abundances of bacteria and some volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The findings of this study indicated that CD is associated with oral dysbiosis that could affect the oral metabolome.
Optimization of supercontinuum generation in photonic crystal fibers for pulse compression

A theoretical study of super generation in photonic crystal fiber and its application to pulse compression is presented. The evolution of the spectrum can be divided into three stages: initial broadening below a certain threshold propagation distance, dramatic broadening to a supercontinuum at a threshold distance, and, finally, saturation of the spectral width on propagation. It is found that the group delay and group-delay dispersion of the supercontinum are sensitive to the input pulse peak power after further propagation at the third stage. Fluctuations from the input pulse are amplified and translated into fluctuations and time shift of the compressed pulses. There exists an optimum compressed distance at which compressed pulses with negligible fluctuation and time shift can be obtained.
Experimental test of seven widely-adopted MPPT algorithms

In these years the technology progress has allowed to increase renewable energies utilization and in the same time has contributed to raise large scale distributed generation applications. In particular the solar generation is growing and in the next future it will be always more considerable. Therefore it is important to optimize its production under different conditions (for example climatic situations), because the output characteristic of photovoltaic generators is nonlinear and changes with solar irradiation and cell's temperature. This paper presents a comparative study of seven widely-adopted MPPT algorithms; their performance is experimentally evaluated in presence of solar irradiance variations.
Simulation and observations of annual density banding in skeletons of Montastraea (Cnidaria: Scleractinia) growing under thermal stress associated with ocean warming

We present a model of annual density banding in skeletons of Montastraea coral species growing under thermal stress associated with an ocean‐warming scenario. The model predicts that at sea‐surface temperatures (SSTs) <29°C, high‐density bands (HDBs) are formed during the warmest months of the year. As temperature rises and oscillates around the optimal calcification temperature, an annual doublet in the HDB (dHDB) occurs that consists of two narrow HDBs. The presence of such dHDBs in skeletons of Montastraea species is a clear indication of thermal stress. When all monthly SSTs exceed the optimal calcification temperature, HDBs form during the coldest, not the warmest, months of the year. In addition, a decline in mean‐annual calcification rate also occurs during this period of elevated SST. A comparison of our model results with annual density patterns observed in skeletons of M. faveolata and M. franksi, collected from several localities in the Mexican Caribbean, indicates that elevated SSTs are already resulting in the presence of dHDBs as a first sign of thermal stress, which occurs even without coral bleaching.
Matching the Message

The experiments presented here examine how managers and executives can improve the effectiveness of their negative written communications (i.e., refusal of employees’ requests) by incorporating the concept of fit into their message framing. By applying regulatory focus theory, the authors suggest that an outcome-based fit between the message and the recipient leads to more favorable work outcomes. The results of Experiment 1 show that employees retain greater feelings of psychological empowerment when they receive a written refusal framed in terms that match (versus mismatch) their current regulatory focus. Moreover, data from Experiment 2 demonstrate that employees perceive a written refusal as more fair when it is framed in terms that match (versus mismatch) their activated regulatory focus. However, this effect was not found when an employee’s request was approved, an observation that stresses the importance of regulatory fit in negative managerial communications specifically. Finally, this article discusses management implications for designing successful negative written managerial communications.
Protein sequences involved in the mitochondrial import of the 3,5,3′‐L‐triiodothyronine receptor p43

The major effect of T3 on mitochondrial activity has been partly explained by the discovery of p43, a T3‐dependent transcription factor of the mitochondrial genome. P43 is imported into mitochondria in an atypical manner which is not yet fully understood. Our aim was to characterize the p43 sequences inducing its mitochondrial import, using in organello import experiments with wild‐type or mutated proteins and validation in CV1 cells. We find that several sequences define the mitochondrial addressing. Two alpha helices in the C‐terminal part of p43 are actual mitochondrial import sequences as fusion to a cytosolic protein induces its mitochondrial translocation. Helix 5 drives the atypical mitochondrial import process, whereas helices 10/11 induce a classical import process. However, despite its inability to drive a mitochondrial import, the N‐terminal region of p43 also plays a permissive role as in the presence of the C‐terminal import sequences different N‐terminal regions determine whether the protein is imported or not. These results can be extrapolated to other mitochondrial proteins related to the nuclear receptor superfamily, devoid of classical mitochondrial import sequences. J. Cell. Physiol. 227: 3768–3777, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The effects of label design characteristics on perceptions of genetically modified food

Objective. To explore the effects on perceptions of labelling food for genetically modified content. Background: there is increasing public pressure for the compulsory labelling of genetically modified food content on all food products, and yet little is known about how the design and content of such food labels will influence product perceptions. The current research draws upon warning label research – a field in which the effect of label design manipulations on perceptions of, and responses to, potential or perceived risks is well documented. Method. Two experiments are reported that investigate how label design features influence the perception of genetically modified foods. The effects of label colour (red, blue and green), wording style (definitive vs. probabilistic and explicit vs. non-explicit) and information source (government agency, consumer group and manufacturer) on hazard perceptions and purchase intentions were measured. Results. Hazard perceptions and purchase intentions were both influenced by label design characteristics in predictable ways. Any reference to genetic modification, even if the label is stating that the product is free of genetically modified ingredients, increased hazard perception, and decreased purchase intentions, relative to a no-label condition. Conclusion. Label design effects generalise from warning label research to influence the perception of genetically modified foods in predictable ways. Application. The design of genetically modified food labels.
77 GHz MILLIMETER WAVE ANTENNA ARRAY WITH WILKINSON DIVIDER FEEDING NETWORK

A 77GHz microstrip antenna array with a small surface providing high side and grating lobe suppression is presented. This may serve as a starting point for 77GHz automotive radar applications. Multiple Wilkinson dividers guarantee both impedance matching at the input port (TX) as well as low return loss for the incoming (RX) signal. Phase shifting is done by adjusting the level of the Wilkinson dividers or by meandered sections of transmission line. The in∞uence of the radiation caused by the feeding network is analyzed and the absolute degradation in side lobe suppression is derived in this paper.
Virus-specific memory and effector T lymphocytes exhibit different cytokine responses to antigens during experimental murine respiratory syncytial virus infection

Mice sensitized to the G (attachment) or F (fusion) glycoproteins of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) expressed different patterns of cytokine production and lung pathology when challenged by intranasal infection with RSV. Five days after challenge, mice sensitized to G glycoprotein produced high levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-5 in the lungs and spleens and developed extensive pulmonary eosinophilia, while mice sensitized to F glycoprotein produced IL-2 and developed a mononuclear cell infiltration. Memory lymphocytes isolated 2 weeks after intranasal challenge of mice primed to the G or F glycoprotein secreted only IL-2 and gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) when stimulated with RSV. IL-4 and IL-5 production characteristic of Th2-type effectors in the lung was observed only after multiple rounds of in vitro stimulation of RSV G-specific memory T lymphocytes with antigen. Also IFN-gamma production appeared to play only a minor role in the expression of pulmonary pathology characteristic of Th1 or Th2 T-lymphocyte responses, because mice genetically deficient in IFN-gamma production by gene disruption displayed the same pattern of pulmonary inflammation to RSV infection after priming to RSV F or G as conventional mice. These results suggest that effector T lymphocytes exhibit a different pattern of cytokine production than memory T-lymphocyte precursors precommitted to a Th1 or Th2 pattern of differentiation. Furthermore, these observations raise the possibility that the cytokine response of human memory T lymphocytes after a single exposure to antigen in vitro may not accurately reflect the cytokine response of differentiated effector T lymphocytes at the site of infection in vivo.
Pivotal role of nuclear factor κB signaling in anti‐CD40–induced liver injury in mice

Nuclear factor κB (NF‐κB) has a central role in coordinating the expression of a wide variety of genes that control immune responses and is also recognized as an antiapoptotic transcription factor. Here, we focused on the role of the NF‐κB signaling pathway in the interaction between inflammatory cells and hepatocytes in liver inflammation. We found that pretreatment of mice with adenoviruses expressing a mutant form of the inhibitor κB superrepressor (Ad5IκB), a NF‐κB inhibitor, reduced the migration of inflammatory cells and cytokine and chemokine expression in the liver 12 hours after a single intravenous injection of an anti‐CD40 antibody (αCD40) compared with mice infected with control adenoviruses (Ad5LacZ). We also confirmed reductions in cytokine production by macrophages, T cells, and natural killer (NK) cells in the liver of Ad5IκB‐treated mice by FACS analysis. However, αCD40 treatment in Ad5IκB‐infected mice induced elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase at 24 hours, and the liver injury was associated with massive hepatocyte apoptosis. Furthermore, interferon gamma (IFN‐γ) production by NK cells and T cells was increased and stimulated tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α) production by macrophages in the Ad5IκB‐infected liver. Moreover, the liver injury was completely suppressed by the administration of anti–IFN‐γ and anti–TNF‐α. These results suggest that inhibition of NF‐κB activity suppressed αCD40‐induced liver inflammation at an early phase, resulting in a reduction in cytokine and chemokine production, whereas it sensitized hepatocytes to TNF‐α–induced apoptosis and exacerbated liver injury at the late phase. In conclusion, NF‐κB exerts pivotal activities at inflammatory sites, and caution should be exercised in NF‐κB–targeted therapy of liver disease. (HEPATOLOGY 2004;40:1180–1189.)
Molecular Mechanism of microRNA396 Mediating Pistil Development in Arabidopsis1[W]

miR396 affects pistil development by suppressing its target genes and cotranscription complex. The precise control of gene regulation, and hence, correct spatiotemporal tissue patterning, is crucial for plant development. Plant microRNAs can constrain the expression of their target genes at posttranscriptional levels. Recently, microRNA396 (miR396) has been characterized to regulate leaf development by mediating cleavage of its GROWTH-REGULATING FACTOR (GRF) targets. miR396 is also preferentially expressed in flowers. However, its function in flower development is unclear. In addition to narrow leaves, pistils with a single carpel were also observed in miR396 overexpression plants. The dramatically reduced expression levels of miR396 targets (GRF1, GRF2, GRF3, GRF4, GRF7, GRF8, and GRF9) caused pistil abnormalities, because the miR396-resistant version of GRF was able to rescue miR396-overexpressing plants. Both GRF and GRF-INTERACTING FACTOR (GIF) genes are highly expressed in developing pistils, and their expression patterns are negatively correlated with that of miR396. GRF interacted with GIF to form the GRF/GIF complex in plant cell nucleus. miR396 suppressed the expression of GRF genes, resulting in reduction of GRF/GIF complex. gif single mutant displayed normal pistils, whereas gif triple mutant gif1/gif2/gif3 produced abnormal pistils, which was a phenocopy of 35S:MIR396a/grf5 plants. GRF and GIF function as cotranscription factors, and both are required for pistil development. Our analyses reveal an important role for miR396 in controlling carpel number and pistil development via regulation of the GRF/GIF complex.
Pediatric aplastic anemia and refractory cytopenia: A retrospective analysis assessing outcomes and histomorphologic predictors

Pediatric acquired aplastic anemia (AA) is a bone marrow disorder that is difficult to distinguish from inherited bone marrow failure syndromes and hypocellular refractory cytopenia of childhood (RCC). Historically, patients with hypocellular RCC have been given the diagnosis of AA. To assess the clinical and histologic distinction between RCC and AA, we performed a retrospective analysis of 149 patients previously diagnosed with AA between 1976 and 2010. We evaluated event free survival (EFS), overall survival (OS), response rates to immunosuppressive therapy, treatment‐related toxicities and clonal evolution. The 5‐year EFS and OS were 50.8% ± 5.5% and 73.1% ± 4.7%, respectively. Patients with very severe AA had worse OS compared to patients with severe and moderately severe AA. Seventy‐two patients had diagnostic pathology specimens available for review. Three pediatric hematopathologists reviewed and reclassified these specimens as AA, RCC or Other based on 2008 WHO Criteria. The concordance between pathologists in the diagnosis of AA or RCC was modest. RCC was associated with a trend toward improved OS and EFS and was not prognostic of immunosuppression therapy treatment failure. There was a low rate of clonal evolution exclusively associated with moderately severe AA. Our findings indicate that a diagnosis of RCC is difficult to establish with certainty and does not predict outcomes, calling into question the reproducibility and clinical significance of the RCC classification and warranting further studies. Am. J. Hematol. 90:320–326, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Soil Microbial Dynamics in Costa Rica: Seasonal and Biogeochemical Constraints

The soil microbial biomass is largely responsible for the transformation of organic matter and the associated mineralization of important nutrients that regulate plant productivity. While the controls on soil microbial biomass and activity in temperate ecosystems have been well investigated, there is a paucity of such information from tropical rain forest ecosystems. Hence, we used a natural soil gradient (nutrient‐poor oxisols and nutrient‐rich mollisols) to investigate seasonal changes in the size and activity of the soil microbial community in two primary tropical rain forest sites in southwestern Costa Rica. In a nutrient‐poor oxisol, microbial biomass ranged from 952 μg/g in the dry season (February) to 1967 μg/g in the wet season (June). The greater microbial biomass estimates corresponded to greater rates of microbial activity in the oxisol forest; however, the active fraction of the soil microbial biomass remained consistently low, regardless of soil C availability. In addition, while there was very little seasonal variability in microbial C:N ratios, we found extreme variations in seasonal microbial C:P ratios, with the highest microbial C:P ratio occurring when microbial biomass C was at a maximum. Our results suggest the importance of P availability in regulating soil microbial processes and that decomposition during the wet season (of litter accumulated in the previous dry season) may play an important role in driving seasonal changes in microbial biomass and activity.
The Impact of Country-Specific Economic Developments on Ecb Decisions

The discussion about country-specific influence on the interest rate decisions of the European Central Bank does not cease. To investigate the possibility of regional influence on the determination of the policy rate, we estimate Taylor-type reaction functions for the period from 1999 to 2005 and include country-specific variables of the euro zone member states. We do not find convincing evidence that country-specific economic developments influence the decisions of the ECB Governing Council. However, the maximum inflation rate and the minimum economic sentiment of the euro area seem to have an effect on the decisions.
Private Savings and Liquidity Preference: Survey of Zimbabwean Households

Since the 2009 introduction of the multiple currency monetary system and the then formation of a Coalition Government, macroeconomic stability has existed in Zimbabwe. The hyperinflation and perpetually declining real national income were harnessed. The economy has experienced significant growth and remarkably low inflation rates. An unwelcome consequence of the current monetary system in the country has been the inability of the authorities to print money or mint coins and rendering the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe almost obsolete. With increasing economic activity, business and employment, there has been a general rise in the demand for money. This has outstripped the current money balances in the economy. Liquidity challenges have become the norm in the economy since 2009. Savings are therefore generally low and significantly low compared to regional trends. The primary objective of the study is to record the trends and ascertain the determinants of household savings and the drivers of enhanced liquidity preference in Zimbabwe. The study employed a survey of 315 households in Harare and Bulawayo: the two largest metropolitan cities in Zimbabwe. Using the data gathered, an econometric binary logistic model was estimated. The results showed strong correlation between household savings and bank-specific trends such as the rate of debit and credit card use and demographic factors like the ages of depositors. The study also provided conclusions and both micro and macroeconomic policy recommendations to mitigate the problem. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014. v5n10p119
Volatile Organic Compound Detection with FET Sensors and Neural Network Data Processing as a Preliminary Step to Early Lung Cancer Diagnosis

Cancer is currently one of deadliest and most feared diseases in the developed world, and, particularly, lung cancer (LC) is one of the most common types and has one of the highest death/incidence ratios. An early diagnosis for LC is probably the most accessible possibility to try and save patients and lower this ratio. Recently, research concerning LC-related breath biomarkers has provided optimistic results and has become a real option to try and obtain a fast, reliable, and early LC diagnosis. In this paper, a combination of field-effect transistor (FET) sensors and artificial neural networks (ANNs) has been employed to classify and estimate the partial pressures of a series of polar and nonpolar volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in prepared gaseous mixtures. The objective of these preliminary tests is to give an idea of how well this technology can be used to analyze artificial or real breath samples by quantifying the LC-related VOCs or biomarkers. The results of this step are very promising and indicate that this methodology deserves further research using more complex samples to find the existing limitations of the FET-ANN combination.