Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multi-spatiotemporal heterogeneous legacy effects of climate on terrestrial vegetation dynamics in China

ABSTRACT Investigating vegetation–climate interactions is critical for understanding behavioral patterns of terrestrial ecosystems and formulating food security strategies. However, the multi-spatiotemporal legacy effects of climate on terrestrial vegetation remain unclear. In this study, we examined the dynamic trends of vegetation distribution and climatic factors at multiple temporal and spatial scales. Moreover, using cross-wavelet transform, wavelet coherence transform, and partial correlation analysis, a paradigm framework was established to determine the multi-spatiotemporal legacy effect of climate on vegetation in China in 2000–2019, as well as the response of different vegetation types. The results indicate a significant greening trend in China, accompanied by a warming and wetting pattern over the past 20 years. The phase difference of the wavelet coherence transform in the time-frequency domain revealed remarkable legacy effects and regional variations, indicating a complicated relationship between vegetation and climate. Meanwhile, different vegetation types exhibited heterogeneous responses of legacy effect of precipitation and temperature on multi-spatiotemporal scales; moreover, the lag time in spring was shorter than that in summer and autumn. The average legacy effect on different vegetation types was approximately 1–2 months. Therefore, the heterogeneity of the legacy effects is a complicated process of dynamic variation, which can be summarized as the comprehensive characteristics of vegetation response to climate with regional discrepancy, ecosystem category, and multi-temporal scale. These findings advance our understanding regarding the preference of vegetation to hydrothermal conditions across biomes and ecosystems and provide a future framework for elucidating the dynamic response of vegetation to other more complex factors in this warmer world. Furthermore, our results emphasize that multi-spatiotemporal legacy effects should be incorporated into the vegetation–climate interaction model and the formulation of macro-environmental management policies.
Measurement System for Wafer Bonding Strength

Abstrcat Some measurement methods of wafer bonding strength were summarized. The principle of crack-opening method was analyzed and the system parameters and function were presented. A design idea was used to develope the testing system. Some key technique modules including precision positioning, micro-vision, IR measurement and control system are studied respectively. A wafer bonding strength measurement system are designed based on integrating all the modules. Finally, the feasibility of the system is tested by some contrast experiments with different bonding samples.
Ka‐band phased patch array antenna integrated with a PET‐controlled phase shifter

In this article, a 4 × 4 linear‐phased patch array antenna, consisting of four 1 × 4 patch subarrays and a true time‐delay multiline phase shifter, is proposed on a thin film liquid crystal polymer substrate at Ka‐band. The patch antenna is designed with a gain of 6 dBi at 35 GHz and a bandwidth of 23% centered at 35 GHz. To enhance the gain and symmetrize the beam patterns of the 4 × 4 array, a 1 × 4 patch subarray in the E‐plane was designed and characterized. The subarray produces an enhanced gain of 11 dBi and a wide beamwidth of ±38° in the H‐plane for beam steering. The proposed phase shifter comprises a 1 × 4 microstrip line power splitter and a piezoelectric transducer‐controlled phase perturber. A large phase variation of up to 370° and a low insertion loss of less than 2 dB were demonstrated for the phase shifter at Ka‐band. The integrated phased array attains a gain of 15.6 dBi, and a continuous true‐time delay beam steering of up to 33 ± 1° from 31 to 39 GHz. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 26:199–208, 2016.
Morphological and molecular identification of fungi for their association with postharvest fruit rots in some selected citrus species

Purpose: The availability of fresh Citrus fruits is limited by their susceptibility to invasion by microbial pathogens which leads to cause serious postharvest losses. The present study was carried out to isolate and morphologically identify postharvest fungal associations from selected Citrus fruit species (C. sinensis, C. limon, C. crenatifolia and C. medica) and to confirm their identity by molecular characterization. Research Method: Postharvest fungal associations of selected Citrus fruit species were isolated, and identification was done based on morphological characteristics. Confirmation of fungal associations was done through phylogenetic analysis of newly generated ITS sequencing data. Further, frequency of occurrence of each fungal isolate was calculated in three different districts in Sri Lanka. Findings: From the morphological and molecular identification, Collectrichum fructicola, Collectrichum gloeosporioides, Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Aspergillus niger and Pestalotiopsis sp. were recorded from C. sinensis. Neofusicoccum parvum, Collectrichum gigasporium and Aspergillus clavatus were isolated from C. crenatifolia. Further, Lasiodiplodia theobromae and L. pseudotheobromae were the only fungal association isolated from C. limon and C. medica fruit species, respectively. It is worthwhile noting that this is the first report of association of the C. gigasporium and Pestalotiopsis sp. from Citrus fruits in Sri Lanka. Research Limitations: Since this research was mainly focused on the isolation and identification of the potential fungal associations, pathogenicity evaluation could not be carried out. Findings of potential disease causative agents in citrus will be valuable for agriculture sector, to adopt and practice effective strategies to minimize postharvest losses of citrus fruits.
Bioproduction of 2-Phenylethanol through Yeast Fermentation on Synthetic Media and on Agro-Industrial Waste and By-Products: A Review

Due to its pleasant rosy scent, the aromatic alcohol 2-phenylethanol (2-PE) has a huge market demand. Since this valuable compound is used in food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, consumers and safety regulations tend to prefer natural methods for its production rather than the synthetic ones. Natural 2-PE can be either produced through the extraction of essential oils from various flowers, including roses, hyacinths and jasmine, or through biotechnological routes. In fact, the rarity of natural 2-PE in flowers has led to the inability to satisfy the large market demand and to a high selling price. Hence, there is a need to develop a more efficient, economic, and environmentally friendly biotechnological approach as an alternative to the conventional industrial one. The most promising method is through microbial fermentation, particularly using yeasts. Numerous yeasts have the ability to produce 2-PE using l-Phe as precursor. Some agro-industrial waste and by-products have the particularity of a high nutritional value, making them suitable media for microbial growth, including the production of 2-PE through yeast fermentation. This review summarizes the biotechnological production of 2-PE through the fermentation of different yeasts on synthetic media and on various agro-industrial waste and by-products.
Vertical profiles of leaf photosynthesis and leaf traits and soil nutrients in two tropical rainforests in French Guiana before and after a 3-year nitrogen and phosphorus addition experiment

Abstract. Terrestrial biosphere models typically use the biochemical model of Farquhar, von Caemmerer, and Berry (1980) to simulate photosynthesis, which requires accurate values of photosynthetic capacity of different biomes. However, data on tropical forests are sparse and highly variable due to the high species diversity, and it is still highly uncertain how these tropical forests respond to nutrient limitation in terms of C uptake. Tropical forests often grow on soils low in phosphorus (P) and are, in general, assumed to be P rather than nitrogen (N) limited. However, the relevance of P as a control of photosynthetic capacity is still debated. Here, we provide a comprehensive dataset of vertical profiles of photosynthetic capacity and important leaf traits, including leaf N and P concentrations, from two 3-year, large-scale nutrient addition experiments conducted in two tropical rainforests in French Guiana. These data present a unique source of information to further improve model representations of the roles of N, P, and other leaf nutrients in photosynthesis in tropical forests. To further facilitate the use of our data in syntheses and model studies, we provide an elaborate list of ancillary data, including important soil properties and nutrients, along with the leaf data. As environmental drivers are key to improve our understanding of carbon (C) and nutrient cycle interactions, this comprehensive dataset will aid to further enhance our understanding of how nutrient availability interacts with C uptake in tropical forests. The data are available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5638236 (Verryckt, 2021).
Polyphenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant content of honey coupled with chemometric method: geographical origin classification from Amhara region, Ethiopia

ABSTRACT The Amhara region of Ethiopia is endowed with honey of diverse varieties and qualities. However, there is a lack of information on its secondary metabolite content and antioxidant nature. For this study, 47 fresh honey samples were collected from seven administrative zones throughout three provinces in the Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia. The honey samples’ restorative nature was evaluated by the quantitative determination of phenolic content and antioxidant capabilities using standard colorimetric methods. The finding showed that the mean values of total polyphenol content based on gallic acid equivalent (GAE) ranged from 17.03 to 42.04 mg GAE per 100 g of honey. The mean value of the entire flavonoid content using catechin equivalent (CE) was from 3.20 to 7.40 mg CE, and when using quercetin equivalent (QE), it ranged from 1.67 to 5.08 mg QE, per 100 g of honey sample. The ascorbic acid equivalent antioxidant content (AEAC) of the honey samples – ranged from 16.23 to 26.5 9 mg AEAC per 100 g of the honey samples. The percent antioxidant activities (% AA) of the honey samples—ranged from 23.74 to 40.11%. There was a strong positive correlation between phenolic content and antioxidant properties. Amber-colored honey enjoyed the highest value on the stated parameters based on the samples’ colors, while the white-colored samples registered the least value. Based on the findings, it is concluded that the region’s honey has a magnificent therapeutic nature. Using the principal component analysis (PCA) model, the top three principal components described 96.63% of the total variations. The linear discriminant analysis (LDA) model has an average of 68.1% discriminant power. The LDA model was cross-validated by the leave-one-out cross-validation approach, and 70.21% of it clustered adequately. In the biplot analysis, honey sample distribution based on their color clustered better than the geographic origin and climate factors.
VV: a viewer for the evaluation of 4D image registration

We propose an open source and cross platform medical image viewer, named VV, designed for qualita tive evaluation of images registration, in particular for deformable registration of 4D CT images. VV can display multiple spatio-temporal image sequences (2D+t or 3D+t) and contains several tools for comparing images using transparency or fusion, for visualizing deformation ﬁelds, for deﬁning landmarks. It is used in the ﬁeld of radiation therapy to help researchers and clinicians evaluate deformation in 4D CT images of the thorax. It is implemented in C++, with ITK, VTK and QT open source version, runs on Linux and windows and is freely available to the community.
Transition Flight Control System Design for Fixed-Wing VTOL UAV: A Reinforcement Learning Approach

Tilt-rotor vertical takeoﬀ and landing aerial vehicles have been gaining popularity in urban air mobility applications because of their ability in performing both hover and forward ﬂight regimes. This hybrid concept leads energy eﬃciency which is quite important to obtain a proﬁtable and sustainable operation. However, inherent dynamical nonlinearities of the aerial platform requires adaptation capability of the control systems. In addition, transition ﬂight phase should be planned carefully not only for a proﬁtable operation but also for a safe transition between ﬂight regimes in the urban airspace. In this paper, transition ﬂight phase of a tilt-rotor vertical-takeoﬀ-and-landing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is studied. Low-level ﬂight control systems are designed based on adaptive dynamic inversion methodology to compensate aerodynamic eﬀects during the transition phase. Reinforcement learning method is utilized to provide safety and energy eﬃciency during the transition ﬂight phase. An actor-critic agent is utilized and trained by using deep deterministic policy gradient algorithm to augment the collective channel of the UAV. This augmentation on the collective input is used to adjust ﬂight path angle of the UAV which results in adjusting the angle of attack when pitch angle is zero. By using this relationship, it is proposed to generate aerodynamic lift force and perform transition ﬂight with minimum altitude change and energy usage. Simulation results show that the agent reduces the collective signal level as the aerodynamic lift force is created in the descent ﬂight phase. This aﬀects overall system eﬃciency, reduces operational costs and makes the enterprise more proﬁtable.
Single-Event Transients in a Commercially Available, Integrated Germanium Photodiode for Silicon Photonic Systems

Ion-induced SETs were captured from a germanium photodiode (PD) in an integrated silicon photonics technology platform. Statistics from 400 ion-strike events were extracted for various optical powers and LETs incident on the PD. The results show that the transient peak decreases with increasing optical power. TCAD simulation results indicate that photo-generated carriers decrease the built-in electric field of the PD, thereby decreasing the transient peak. The photo-generated carriers also increase the probability of Auger recombination, which further reduces the transient peak under illuminated conditions, but this effect is small and does not contribute significantly to the transient peak reduction. Finally, a short case study with an ON–OFF keying modulation scheme is presented to show how these transients have the potential to corrupt bits in realistic communication systems. Furthermore, it is also shown that hardening techniques can be utilized to mitigate bit errors in communication systems that use integrated Ge PDs.
Anti-Allergic Effects of Myrciaria dubia (Camu-Camu) Fruit Extract by Inhibiting Histamine H1 and H4 Receptors and Histidine Decarboxylase in RBL-2H3 Cells

Although Myrciaria dubia (camu-camu) has been shown to exert anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in both in vitro and in vivo studies, its use in allergic responses has not been elucidated. In the present study, the anti-allergic effect of 70% ethanol camu-camu fruit extract was tested on calcium ionophore (A23187)-induced allergies in RBL-2H3 cells. The RBL-2H3 cells were induced with 100 nM A23187 for 6 h, followed by a 1 h camu-camu fruit extract treatment. A23187 sanitization exacerbated mast cell degranulation; however, camu-camu fruit extract decreased the release of histamine and β-hexosaminidase, which are considered as key biomarkers in cell degranulation. Camu-camu fruit extract inhibited cell exocytosis by regulating the calcium/nuclear factor of activated T cell (NFAT) signaling. By downregulating the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, camu-camu fruit extract hindered the activation of both histamine H1 and H4 receptors and inhibited histidine decarboxylase (HDC) expression by mediating its transcription factors KLF4/SP1 and GATA2/MITF. In A23187-induced ROS overproduction, camu-camu fruit extract activated nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) to protect mast cells against A23187-induced oxidative stress. These findings indicate that camu-camu fruit extract can be developed to act as a mast cell stabilizer and an anti-histamine. This work also “opens the door” to new investigations using natural products to achieve breakthroughs in allergic disorder treatment.
Effects of boric acid on ovarian tissue damage caused by experimental ischemia/reperfusion

ABSTRACT We investigated the role of boric acid (BA) in ovarian tissue damage caused by ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in the rat. We established four groups of seven adult female rats: untreated control; ovarian I/R; 15 mg/kg BA; I/R + 15 mg/kg BA. Ovarian levels of lipid peroxidase (LPO), myeloperoxidase (MPO), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured biochemically. Ovaries were evaluated for histopathology and investigated using immunohistochemistry. We detected greater LPO activity and less CAT, SOD and GSH levels in the I/R groups compared to the control group. LPO and MPO levels in ovarian samples for the I/R goup were increased significantly compared to untreated controls. The levels of LPO and MPO in ovarian tissue for the I/R + BA group were not significantly different from controls. SOD and GSH activity in ovarian tissue was increased significantly compared to controls. We found degenerated parenchymal cells, hemorrhage, necrotic parenchyma cells and congestion in the I/R groups. Expression of 8-OHdG was greater in the I/R group than in controls. Although immunostained cells were dense in the ovarian tissue in the I/R group, the number of immunostained cells was decreased by application of BA to the I/R group. BA exhibits a protective effect on ovarian tissue against I/R damage in the rat.
Identification of Potential Key Genes and Molecular Mechanisms of Medulloblastoma Based on Integrated Bioinformatics Approach

Background Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most occurring brain cancer that mostly happens in childhood age. This cancer starts in the cerebellum part of the brain. This study is designed to screen novel and significant biomarkers, which may perform as potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in MB. Methods A total of 103 MB-related samples from three gene expression profiles of GSE22139, GSE37418, and GSE86574 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Applying the limma package, all three datasets were analyzed, and 1065 mutual DEGs were identified including 408 overexpressed and 657 underexpressed with the minimum cut-off criteria of ∣log fold change | >1 and P < 0.05. The Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and WikiPathways enrichment analyses were executed to discover the internal functions of the mutual DEGs. The outcomes of enrichment analysis showed that the common DEGs were significantly connected with MB progression and development. The Search Tool for Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) database was used to construct the interaction network, and the network was displayed using the Cytoscape tool and applying connectivity and stress value methods of cytoHubba plugin 35 hub genes were identified from the whole network. Results Four key clusters were identified using the PEWCC 1.0 method. Additionally, the survival analysis of hub genes was brought out based on clinical information of 612 MB patients. This bioinformatics analysis may help to define the pathogenesis and originate new treatments for MB.
Motivation and Social Skills in Nursing Students Compared to Physical Education Students

One of the relevant factors that explain human behavior, in the acts that develops in daily life, is motivation. The aim of this study was to determinate the level of motivation and social skills in nursing degree student and compare with the level of motivation of physical education students. A descriptive and correlational study, with a cross-sectional design was used in this research (n= 101; 22.03 + 5.8 years old), using the Spanish version of the Situational Motivation Scale (SIMS). It can be highlighted that there is a predominantly female student population in this campus, with a higher motivational level. The predominant religion is the Christian/Catholic, counting with mean values in identified regulation superior to those of the rest. Regarding social skills, thinking (optimistic or pessimistic), empathy and assertiveness are the skills that influence the degree of motivation of students. Regarding the level of motivation, Nursing students show a medium-high level and Physical Education, a high level. Motivation is intrinsic in nursing students and more extrinsic in Physical Education students, although there are also high levels of intrinsic motivation. Uno de los factores relevantes que explican el comportamiento humano, en los actos que se desarrollan en la vida diaria, es la motivación. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar el nivel de motivación y habilidades sociales en estudiantes de enfermería y compararlo con la motivación de estudiantes universitarios de educación física. Para ello, se realizó un estudio descriptivo y correlacional, con un diseño transversal, en (n=101; 22.03+5.8 años), utilizando la Escala de Motivación Situacional (SIMS). Se puede resaltar que hay una población estudiantil predominantemente femenina, con un mayor nivel de motivación, hecho que se repite en estudiantes de Educación Física. La religión predominante es la cristiana/católica, contando con valores medios en una regulación identificada superior a la del resto. El pensamiento, la empatía y la asertividad son las habilidades que influyen en el grado de motivación de los estudiantes. Existe una relación negativa entre la motivación intrínseca y la pasividad y entre la motivación intrínseca y la agresividad. En cuanto al nivel de motivación, el alumnado de Enfermería manifiesta un nivel medio-alto y el de Educación Física, un nivel alto. La motivación es intrínseca en estudiantes de enfermería y más extrínseca en el alumnado de Educación Física, aunque también, existen altos niveles de motivación intrínseca.
A Back-fire to Forward Wide-Angle Beam Steering Leaky-wave Antenna Based on SSPPs

We demonstrate an efficient back-fire to forward wide-angle beam steering leaky-wave antenna (LWA) based on a large dispersion gradient planar spoof surface plasmon polariton (SSPP) transmission line (TL) with split-ring units. To convert the highly confined SSPP waveguiding mode to a radiation mode, two arrays of metallic patches are periodically arranged on both sides of the SSPP TL. The patches are designed as two combined half-elliptical shapes to mitigate the open stopband effect and enhance the radiation performance. We propose a theoretical method to interpret the mechanism and predict the directional pattern of the LWA. To verify the proposed method, the SSPP TL and LWA prototypes are fabricated and measured. The calculation, simulation and experimental results match well and show that the main beam of the LWA can steer a wide range of 112° from back-fire (-90°) to the forward quadrant of 22° passing through the broadside in 6.3 - 11 GHz, demonstrating a large scanning rate of 2.07°%. Furthermore, the LWA also possesses the advantages of low profile, high average gain (12 dBi), high average efficiency (95%), and low sidelobe level (< -13 dB). This work provides an alternative route to achieving wide-angle LWAs for promising microwave radar and wireless communication applications.