Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Elucidating the role of network topology dynamics on the coil-stretch transition hysteresis in extensional flow of entangled polymer melts

Dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations are performed on coarse-grained replicas of linear, monodisperse entangled polyethylene melts [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] undergoing both steady-state and transient planar elongational flow (PEF). The fidelity of the DPD simulations is verified by direct comparison of flow topological and rheological properties of a 334-particle chain liquid against the united-atom [Formula: see text] liquid, simulated using nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD). These DPD simulations demonstrate that a flow-induced coil-stretch transition (CST) and its associated hysteresis caused by configurational microphase separation, as observed in previous NEMD simulations of PEF, can be replicated using a more computationally efficient coarse-grained system. Results indicate that the breadth of the CST hysteresis loop is enlarged for the longer molecule liquid relative to the shorter one. Furthermore, relaxation simulations reveal that reducing the applied flow Deborah number ([Formula: see text]) from a high value corresponding to a homogeneous phase of highly stretched molecules to a [Formula: see text] within the biphasic region results in a two-stage relaxation process. There is a fast initial stratification of the kinetically trapped highly stretched chains into regions of highly extended and less extended chains, which displays similar behavior to a system undergoing a spinodal decomposition caused by spatial configurational free energy fluctuations. After a short induction period of apparently random duration, the less extended chain regions experience a stochastic nucleation event that induces configurational relaxation to domains composed of coiled molecules over a much longer time scale, leaving the more highly extended chains in surrounding sheetlike domains. The time scales of these two relaxation processes are of the same order of magnitude as the Rouse and disengagement times of the equilibrium liquids.
Trauma in Animal Protection and Welfare Work: The Potential of Trauma-Informed Practice

Simple Summary Professions that involve caring for others can present emotionally challenging and traumatic situations that may have negative effects on a worker’s mental health. This is also true for workers in the animal protection sector, particularly for those who participate in animal surrenders and removals, and witness both human and animal suffering. Changes are needed to mitigate and prevent these negative effects. To explore the challenges experienced by animal protection and welfare workers and better understand the changes that need to be made, we interviewed 11 individuals who work in the animal protection and welfare sector and have experience with the surrender and/or removal of animals. We found that the participants experienced many challenges that affected their mental health. We recommend that trauma-informed practices be implemented in the animal protection and welfare sector in order to manage and prevent job-related stress and trauma. We suggest that trauma-informed practices will help to develop both individual and organizational resilience, and result in a more compassionate experience for both workers and animal guardians. Abstract Those who work in the animal protection and welfare (APW) sector are consistently exposed to human and animal suffering, particularly those who witness animal surrenders and seizures. Continued exposure to suffering can result in stress, anxiety, burnout, and compassion fatigue, which are detrimental to individual and organizational well-being. The aim of this study was to understand the challenges experienced by Canadian APW workers, and to explore how trauma-informed approaches can be implemented to help mitigate these challenges. To achieve this, we utilized purposive sampling to seek workers in the APW sector who had experience with animal surrender and/or seizure. Telephone interviews were conducted with 11 participants. Participants reported experiencing many challenges that negatively impacted their mental health; this article summarizes them by focusing on two key themes drawn from the narratives of the participants: feeling unprepared and forced strength. Trauma-informed practices are explored as a means to prevent compassion fatigue and burnout, and to increase the resilience of individuals and organizations. We suggest trauma-informed practices help APW workers manage job-related stressors while also providing a more compassionate experience for animal guardians. Further, we propose that trauma-informed practices are a crucial component in facilitating respectful relationships with the communities that APW organizations serve.
PLA Nanofibers for Microenvironmental-Responsive Quercetin Release in Local Periodontal Treatment

The management of periodontitis remains a vital clinical challenge due to the interplay between the microorganisms of the dental biofilm and the host inflammatory response leading to a degenerative process in the surrounding tissues. Quercetin (QUE), a natural flavonol found in many foods, including apples, onions and tea, has exhibited prolonged and strong antibiofilm and anti-inflammatory effects both in vitro and in vivo. However, its clinical application is limited by its poor stability and water solubility, as well as its low bioavailability. Thus, in the present study, electrospun polylactic acid (PLA) nanofibers loaded with different amounts (5–10% w/w) of QUE were produced to rapidly respond to the acidic microenvironment typical of periodontal pockets during periodontal disease. This strategy demonstrated that PLA-QUE membranes can act as a drug reservoir releasing high QUE concentrations in the presence of oral bacterial infection (pH < 5.5), and thus limiting Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and Streptococcus mutans biofilm maturation. In addition, released QUE exerts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on P. gingivalis Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human gingival fibroblast (HGFs). The reported results confirmed that PLA-QUE membranes could inhibit subgingival biofilm maturation while reducing interleukin release, thereby limiting host inflammatory response. Overall, this study provided an effective pH-sensitive drug delivery system as a promising strategy for treating periodontitis.
Empowering JUNO physics by means of an ancillary photodetection system

detector JUNO aims to detect the disappearance of reactor antineutrinos at an average baseline of 53 km, with the primary goal of determining the neutrino mass ordering and performing a sub-percent measurement of three of the neutrino oscillation parameters. This physics program is rooted in the detector’s unprecedented capability to detect 1345 photoelectrons (p.e)/MeV of deposited energy, yielding a 3% energy resolution at 1 MeV. The main photodetection system comprises 17,612 20-inch “large” photomultipliers (LPMTs), each of which experiences an illumination varying over two orders of magnitude. To help calibrating the LPMT response in such a demanding environment, JUNO will be instrumented with additional 25,600 custom-made 3" "small" photomultipliers (SPMTs). They will operate in photon-counting regime by detecting at most 1 PE per neutrino interaction, hence providing a complementary energy estimator with a novel dual calorimetry technique. In addition, the SPMT system is designed to provide a semi-independent measurement of the “solar” oscillation parameters, to aid the measurement of supernova neutrinos, to study the proton decay and to improve the muon track reconstruction, whose performance is pivotal for background rejection. Like the LPMTs, the SPMTs together with their power and readout systems, will have to operate under water for over 20 years, posing challenging constraints on the design, reliability and implementation of this major subsystem of JUNO. In this talk, we will present the innovative design of the JUNO SPMT system, its impact on physics, and the current status of SPMT production and testing.
Cytotoxicity against Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HepG2) Cells and Anti-Oxidant Activity of Selected Endemic or Medicinal Plants in Sri Lanka

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most fatal cancer globally with limited treatment options. Plants and herbs have been used to treat cancer and other diseases for a long time by traditional practitioners in Sri Lanka. In the present study, leaf and bark extracts of selected plants were investigated for cytotoxic properties on HepG2 cells. Anti-oxidant activity and total phenolic and flavonoid contents were also determined. Plant extracts that exerted cytotoxic effects on the HepG2 cell line with IC50 <100 μg/mL were tested on normal liver epithelial cells (THLE-3). Out of the 56 extracts, 21 exhibited potent cytotoxic effects (IC50 < 100 µg/mL) on HepG2 cells after 48 h exposure, and 12 were less toxic (IC50 > 100 μg/mL) to THLE-3 normal liver cells. Six extracts exhibited potent radical scavenging activity with EC50 < 100 μg/mL against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, while 17 extracts showed potent anti-oxidant activity (Trolox equivalents > 100 mg/g) against ferric reducing anti-oxidant power (FRAP) assay. Out of the 56 extracts, 15 had total phenolic content above 100 mg/g of gallic acid equivalents, and 4 had flavonoid content above 100 mg/g of quercetin equivalents. Among the extracts screened, hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and methanol extracts of Allophylus cobbe leaves (IC50 – 9.388, 6.8, 19.95, and 11.3 μg/mL, respectively), Madhuca longiflora bark (IC50 – 14.42 μg/mL), methanol extract of Munronia pinnata bark (IC50 – 52.06 μg/mL), and hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and methanol extracts of Adenanthera bicolor (IC50 – 45.86, 27.35, 24.56, and 61.83 μg/mL, respectively) exerted potent cytotoxicity against HepG2 with less toxicity (IC50 > 100 μg/mL) to THLE-3 cells after 48 h of incubation. These findings provide a direction to isolate possible anti-cancer compounds for hepatocellular carcinoma.
Characterization of broad-spectrum biocontrol efficacy of Bacillus velezensis against Fusarium oxysporum in Triticum aestivum L.

Fungi are the most important phytopathogens that cause yield losses. The mycotoxins released by fungi cause spoilage of stored food consumed by humans and feed supplied to animals. Fungi-antagonistic microbes are gaining attention as potential biocontrol agents (BCAs). This study was designed to isolate bacterial isolates from different crops and evaluate their in vitro antifungal assay against three phytopathogens, plant growth promoting (PGP) characteristics, molecular identification, and in vivo efficiency against the most devastating phytopathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum Schltdl. In the in vitro experiment, the 3 isolates BA, GL-1, and 5a out of 360 isolates showed more than 60% inhibitory activity against the selected fungi in this study. On the basis of 16S rRNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, BA isolate was identified as Bacillus velezensis. All three isolates produced indole acetic acid (IAA), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), and cellulase enzymes, while the BA and GL-1 isolates also produced siderophores and the BA isolate also produced ammonia. BA was selected on basis of not only Biocontrol efficacy but also maximum PGPR activity compared to GL-1 and 5a. In vivo assay, the isolate BA showed a significant decrease in disease severity caused by Fusarium oxysporum by 64.97% after 100 days of inoculation on wheat (FD-08) seedlings in a greenhouse assay and enhanced the shoot root height, fresh and dry mass. The wide-ranging antagonistic action of Bacillus velezensis isolated from the phyllosphere of wheat crops showed promising fungicidal and plant growth-promoting capabilities, suggesting it can be used as a biofungicide.
A Putative Quantum Transition in Zinc Atoms of Flavivirus Polymerase

Metal ions are coordinated in many proteins, and zinc ions are an obligatory attribute of several important protein families. Rna-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) in viruses of flavivirus genus contains two zinc atoms located in the two specific zinc binding sites. A reason which can explain a presence of zinc ions in the proteins is not as clear as for ions of another metals. A quantum transition in zinc ions is allowed and by a proposed suggestion it is utilized to arrange synchronous transformations of the coordinating proteins via a quantum entanglement. Molecular dynamics experiments which were conducted for flavivirus NS5 protein suggest that the conformation of the RdRp domain in NS5 is highly sensitive to the bond lengths between the zinc atoms and their four coordinating atoms. We hypothesize that a change of conformation is required for the functioning of the viral replicative complex and that it is the quantum transition in the zinc atoms which slightly changes the bond lengths; thus assisting the switch between the conformations. The deterministic induction of the transition in a virus replication can be explained by a quantum entanglement of the zinc atoms with some another quantum system.
Estimating the elasticity properties of arterial phantoms using fiber-based laser doppler vibrometry

The viscoelasticity of arterial walls is an important parameter to use when diagnosing cardiovascular disease. Recently, the index of arteriosclerosis has been clinically evaluated by looking at factors such as pulse transit time and ankle branchial pressure index. However, the indirect method does not reflect the actual real properties of arterial walls, which may lead to misdiagnosis. Therefore, just looking at pulse transit time is not a satisfactory parameter to evaluate arterial viscoelasticity. In this research, we used a Lamb wave velocity dispersion model to estimate the viscoelastic material properties of arterial phantoms. The arterial walls were composed of a thin layer plate merged in a water fluid in which the vibrations are induced by an external vibrator excitation such as a Lamb wave. A mechanical actuator was used to create a repetitive 50Hz to 200Hz low-frequency air-puff excitation to excite the harmonic mechanical waves in the latex pipe wall. The velocity of the traveling waves was measured by a fiber-based laser doppler vibrometer. The laser doppler vibrometer was the incorporation of a circulator which allowed for uni-directional transmission of electromagnetic waves, so that only the probe could achieve the purpose of emitting and receiving light. Moreover, the system was mounted on a linear translation stage and the traveling waves velocity were measured at multiple points. Then, the wave velocities were calculated by calculating the signal phase difference between the different measured positions. The viscoelastic property of the latex pipe was used to calculate the Lamb wave velocity by using a Lamb wave dispersion model. In conclusion, we propose a novel method to measure the viscoelastic properties of arterial walls in-vitro with high accuracy. Simulated experiments were performed to validate the proposed method. Our new proposed method has the potential to more accurately diagnose cardiovascular diseases for both home health care and for clinical medicine.
Application and Monitoring of Oxidative Alginate–Biocide Hydrogels for Two Case Studies in “The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera”

The removal of biological colonization on building materials of cultural heritage is a difficult challenge, as the treatment must completely eliminate the biological patina without altering the treated substrate and possibly delaying new colonization. With the aim of searching for systems to minimize the biocide impact on the substrate, the environment and the operators, different alginate–oxidizing biocide hydrogels were previously tested and optimized in the laboratory and here selected for application in situ. The churches “San Pietro Barisano” and “Madonna dei Derelitti”, located in the Sassi of Matera (UNESCO World Heritage Site in Basilicata region, Italy), were chosen as case studies. They differ in terms of both the environmental conditions and the microorganisms responsible for colonization. Colorimetric measurements and microscopic investigation proved the efficacy of biocide hydrogels in removing biopatinas and in restoring the original chromaticity of the selected treated surfaces of both sites. After the biocidal treatments, new protective acrylic coatings were applied to prevent recolonization and minimize the loss of material grains. Samples collected, immediately after and two years later, established the absence of biological colonization, demonstrating the long-term efficacy of the proposed restoration protocol.
Contextual understanding of care ethics in social entrepreneurship

ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to add a contextual understanding of care ethics to the nascent literature on ethics in social entrepreneurship. To this end, an interpretive study of social bricoleur entrepreneurs in rural India is presented and the constitutive effects of the enactment of care ethics are articulated. First, this enactment is examined as a relational practice between social entrepreneurs and local communities. Then, the notion of formative context is used to analyse how this enactment has expressions of human agency that constitute the societal context. Further, it is shown that context is not something that exists on its own but is instead enacted in the caring practices of social entrepreneurs. The micro-level practices of relating and the macro-level societal structures become malleable in the enactment of care ethics. This study has two major contributions. First, by departing from the notion of ethics as a characteristic of an individual, it shows how social entrepreneurs give and receive care through mutuality and human interaction. Second, by adding the analysis of sensemaking and formative context to care ethics, it deepens the understanding of context as conditions that facilitate the enactment of care ethics and is constituted by that enactment.
Deciphering Haplotypic Variation and Gene Expression Dynamics Associated with Nutritional and Cooking Quality in Rice

Nutritional quality improvement of rice is the key to ensure global food security. Consequently, enormous efforts have been made to develop genomics and transcriptomics resources for rice. The available omics resources along with the molecular understanding of trait development can be utilized for efficient exploration of genetic resources for breeding programs. In the present study, 80 genes known to regulate the nutritional and cooking quality of rice were extensively studied to understand the haplotypic variability and gene expression dynamics. The haplotypic variability of selected genes were defined using whole-genome re-sequencing data of ~4700 diverse genotypes. The analytical workflow identified 133 deleterious single-nucleotide polymorphisms, which are predicted to affect the gene function. Furthermore, 788 haplotype groups were defined for 80 genes, and the distribution and evolution of these haplotype groups in rice were described. The nucleotide diversity for the selected genes was significantly reduced in cultivated rice as compared with that in wild rice. The utility of the approach was successfully demonstrated by revealing the haplotypic association of chalk5 gene with the varying degree of grain chalkiness. The gene expression atlas was developed for these genes by analyzing RNA-Seq transcriptome profiling data from 102 independent sequence libraries. Subsequently, weighted gene co-expression meta-analyses of 11,726 publicly available RNAseq libraries identified 19 genes as the hub of interactions. The comprehensive analyses of genetic polymorphisms, allelic distribution, and gene expression profiling of key quality traits will help in exploring the most desired haplotype for grain quality improvement. Similarly, the information provided here will be helpful to understand the molecular mechanism involved in the development of nutritional and cooking quality traits in rice.
Culturable Diversity of Thraustochytrids from Coastal Waters of Qingdao and Their Fatty Acids

Thraustochytrids have gained significant attention in recent years because of their considerable ecological and biotechnological importance. Yet, the influence of seasons and habitats on their culturable diversity and lipid profile remains poorly described. In this study, a total of 58 thraustochytrid strains were isolated from the coastal waters of Qingdao, China. These strains were phylogenetically close to five thraustochytrid genera, namely Botryochytrium, Oblongichytrium, Schizochytrium, Thraustochytrium, and Sicyoidochytrium. Most of the isolated strains were classified into the genera Thraustochytrium and Oblongichytrium. Further diversity analysis revealed that samples collected from nutrient-rich habitats and during summer/fall yielded significantly higher culturable diversity of thraustochytrids than those from low-nutrient habitats and winter/spring. Moreover, sampling habitats and seasons significantly impacted the fatty acid profiles of the strains. Particularly, the Oblongichytrium sp. OC931 strain produced a significant amount (153.99 mg/L) of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), accounting for 9.12% of the total fatty acids, which was significantly higher than that of the previously reported Aurantiochytrium strains. Overall, the results of this study fill the gap in our current understanding of the culturable diversity of thraustochytrids in the coastal waters and the impact of the sampling habitats and seasons on their capacity for lipid accumulation.
Design and Analysis of Asymmetric Rotor Pole Type Bearingless Switched Reluctance Motor

 Abstract— Bearingless switched reluctance motor (BSRM) not only combines the merits of bearingless motor (BM) and switched reluctance motor (SRM), but also decreases the vibration and acoustic noise of SRM, so it could be a strong candidate for high-speed driving fields. Under the circumstances, a 12/14 BSRM with hybrid stator pole has been proposed due to its high output torque density and excellent decoupling characteristics between torque and suspension force. However, this motor has torque dead-zone, which leads to problems of self-start at some rotor positions and large torque ripple during normal operation. To solve the existing problems in the 12/14 type, an asymmetric rotor pole type BSRM is proposed. The structure and design process of the proposed motor is presented in detail. The characteristics of the proposed motor is analyzed and compared with that of the 12/14 type. Furthermore, prototype of the proposed structure is designed, manufactured and experimented. Finally, simulation and test results are illustrated and analyzed to prove the validity of the proposed structure.
Scalable sandbox environments for a Modern Organization

With the growing volume and demand for data, a major concern for an Organization is the creation of collaborative Data-Driven projects. With the amount of data, number of departments and the development of potential use cases, the complexity of creating Multitenant and Collaborative environments for multidisciplinary teams to work and create productive solutions, is becoming more and more important problem. In this work, we describe an approach to building such an environment with scalability, ﬂexibility and productivity in mind. This solution is an integral part of a joint Operational Data Platform for data exploration and processing at large data driven Organizations.