Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Variability in functional brain network connectivity is associated with differences in newborn infants’ affect and behavior

Variability in functional brain network connectivity has been linked to individual differences in cognitive, affective, and behavioral traits in adults. However, little is known about the developmental origins of such brain-behavior correlations. The current study examined functional brain network connectivity and its link to behavioral temperament in newborn infants (N = 75) using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Specifically, we measured long-range connectivity between cortical regions approximating fronto-parietal, default mode, and homologous-interhemispheric networks. Our results show that connectivity in these functional brain networks varies across infants and maps onto individual differences in behavioral temperament. Specifically, connectivity in the fronto-parietal network was positively associated with regulation and orienting behaviors, whereas connectivity in the default mode network showed the opposite effect on these behaviors. Our analysis also revealed a significant positive association between the homologous-interhemispheric network and infants’ negative affect. The current results suggest that variability in long-range intra-hemispheric and cross-hemispheric functional connectivity between frontal, parietal and temporal cortex is associated with individual differences in affect and behavior. These findings shed new light on the brain origins of individual differences in early-emerging traits.
Model predictive control based on machine learning techniques for paste tailing production

Paste tailing production is a relatively new issue in the mining industry. Dealing with high solid concentration levels make thickener operation particularly difficult and challenging to control. Model Predictive Control is one of the main techniques used in industrial processes. Traditionally, predictive strategies have been based on linear descriptions of the system under study. However, processes like paste production and thickener operation are highly non-linear and subject to strong disturbances from upstream operation. Machine Learning algorithms have been used for the past decades to address said issues and to generate better descriptions of systems. Random Forests regression has seen significant commercial and experimental success in the past years. However, its use for time series prediction, forecasting and control is scarce. The present investigation proposes a Random Forest Model Predictive Controller for the paste production process. The main objective is designing, implementing and validating a purely data-driven controller through simulation of a particular thickening process. The main output corresponds to a general purpose toolbox that connects the mentioned Machine Learning algorithm and predictive control. The proposed strategy is compared to three other benchmark control techniques, one of which is also a predictive controller. The results show that the new controller has better performance regarding disturbance rejection and setpoint tracking. Overall results prove that the strategy chosen could be used for real operation.
Estradiol-17β Induces Lasting Sex Reversal at Male-Producing Temperatures in Kinosternid Turtles

Abstract In turtles with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), estradiol applied to eggs incubated at male-producing temperatures produces female hatchlings. In other vertebrate taxa, estradiol administration during embryogenesis often induces only temporary or incomplete feminization, and sensitivity to estradiol can vary among taxonomic families. In the present study, we treated eggs of Kinosternon scorpiodes and Sternotherus odoratus incubated at male-producing temperatures with estradiol-17β and examined reproductive morphology of offspring. Furthermore, to determine whether sex reversal resulting from estradiol application in turtles with TSD is lasting, we maintained juvenile K. scorpiodes in the lab for up to three years prior to dissection. We found normal ovarian morphology and Müllerian duct development in a significantly greater proportion of the hatchling S. odoratus and juvenile K. scorpiodes that had been treated with estradiol during embryogenesis than in the untreated group. Results further suggest that estradiol-induced sex reversal seen in TSD turtles is both permanent and ubiquitous and may shed light on the evolution of sex-determining mechanisms in vertebrates.
Studies on water damage in mungbean. II. Electrical conductivity of seed leachate as an assay of level of damage

Weather-damaged seeds of mungbean are unsuitable for the production of bean sprouts and some other food uses. The breeding of resistant cultivars requires an understanding of the weathering process and the use of suitable criteria for measuring the degree of weather damage. The aim of this research was to describe the effect of weathering on the electrical conductivity of leachate from exposed seeds and to evaluate this technique as a means of discriminating among levels of weather damage. Seeds were weathered in the field or immersed in water in the laboratory for varying durations during one or more cycles of wetting and drying. Leachate conductivities generally increased with increasing visual damage and decreasing viability of seeds. When measurements of conductivity were delayed, the results appeared to be confounded by the extent to which solutes were lost during previous exposure/s to weathering. Measurements soon after immersion tended to reduce this effect and to better reflect the level of weather damage in seeds of mungbean. It was concluded that leachate conductivity technique can provide a reliable assay of weather damage in mungbean. When seeds have been exposed to severe weathering, however, the relationship breaks down, and the technique can give misleading results.
Effect of fading on the k‐coverage of wireless sensor networks

In a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN), coverage performance of the network is affected by multiple factors such as source power, sensitivity of sensors, and the quality of the channel between the source and the sensors. In most existing works on WSNs, only path‐loss of the wireless channel is considered, that with further assumption of absence of obstacles in the sensing region of a sensor, results in circular‐type of coverage for each node. However, in some WSN applications, the channel is not line‐of‐sight and exhibits multipath fading. In this paper, effect of the multipath fading on k‐coverage of randomly deployed WSNs is analytically investigated via techniques from stochastic geometry. More specifically, the k‐coverage probability is analytically derived under Rayleigh, Rician, and Nakagami fading assumptions. Numerical results are also presented to compare the derived k‐coverage probability with the commonly used k‐coverage models that do not consider the fading effect. These results reveal the level of the k‐coverage degradation due to multipath fading compared to the case of no fading (fixed range), which in some cases is shown to be very significant.
Structural basis of αE-catenin–F-actin catch bond behavior

Cell-cell and cell-matrix junctions transmit mechanical forces during tissue morphogenesis and homeostasis. α-Catenin links cell-cell adhesion complexes to the actin cytoskeleton, and mechanical load strengthens its binding to F-actin in a direction-sensitive manner. This so-called catch bond behavior is described by a model in which force promotes a transition between weak and strong actin-bound states. We describe the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the F-actin-bound αE-catenin actin-binding domain, which in solution forms a 5-helix bundle. Upon binding to actin, the first helix of the bundle dissociates and the remaining four helices and connecting loops rearrange to form the interface with actin. Deletion of the N-terminal helix produces strong actin binding in the absence of force. Our analysis explains how mechanical force applied to αE-catenin or its homolog vinculin favors the strongly bound state, and the dependence of catch bond strength on the direction of applied force.
A CRISPR-based genome-wide screen for adipogenesis reveals new insights into mitotic expansion and lipogenesis

In response to excess nutrients, white adipose tissue expands by both generating new adipocytes and by upregulating lipogenesis in existing adipocytes. Here, we performed a genome-wide functional genomics screen to identify regulators of adipogenesis in the mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocyte model. The pooled screening strategy utilized FACS to isolate populations based on lipid content by gating for fluorescence intensity of the lipophilic, green fluorescent BODIPY dye. Additionally, the approach categorized if genes functioned during mitotic expansion or lipogenesis. Cellular mechanisms regulating the rate of protein translation and protein stability were found critical for adipogenesis and lipogenesis. These protein-directed mechanisms were further supported by proteomic analyses, which demonstrated that essential changes in protein abundance driving 3T3-L1 adipogenesis were not driven by transcription. We exemplify this theme by showing that the hypusination pathway, a conserved regulator of translation initiation, is critical to translate adipogenic inducers of mitotic expansion and that the neddylation/ubiquitin pathway modulates insulin sensitivity to regulate lipogenesis.
Visualization of giant virus particles using BONCAT labeling and STED microscopy

Giant DNA viruses of the phylum Nucleocytoviricota are being increasingly recognized as important regulators of natural protist populations. However, our knowledge of their infection cycles is still very limited due to a lack of cultured virus-host systems and molecular tools to study them. Here, we apply bioorthogonal noncanonical amino acid tagging (BONCAT) to pulse label the marine heterotrophic flagellate Cafeteria burkhardae during infection with the lytic giant virus CroV. In absence of CroV, we report efficient incorporation of the L-methionine analog L-azidohomoalanine (AHA) into newly synthesized proteins of the methionine prototrophic C. burkhardae. During CroV infection, AHA was predominantly found in viral proteins, and single CroV virions were imaged with stimulated emission depletion (STED) super-resolution microscopy. CroV particles incorporated AHA with 95-100% efficiency while retaining their infectivity, which makes BONCAT/STED a powerful tool to study viral replication cycles in this ecologically relevant marine bacterivore. Significance Giant DNA viruses are the dominant class of protist-infecting viruses, yet the vast majority of described giant virus-protist systems remain uncultured. One of the better studied cultured systems is composed of the stramenopile Cafeteria burkhardae (previously C. roenbergensis), the giant Cafeteria roenbergensis virus (CroV) and the virophage mavirus. C. burkhardae is a widespread marine phagotrophic protist that plays an important role in regulating bacterial populations. In addition to being grazed upon by larger zooplankton, C. burkhardae populations are controlled by the lytic giant virus CroV. In turn, CroV is parasitized by the virophage mavirus that increases host population survival in the presence of CroV and forms a mutualistic symbiosis with its host. Despite being of fundamental ecological and evolutionary interest, this tripartite host-virus-virophage system suffers from a lack of molecular tools. Here, we show that CroV particles can be fluorescently labeled and imaged by super-resolution microscopy. To achieve this we established robust procedures for analyzing protist and viral populations and implemented the use of bioorthogonal noncanonical amino acid tagging (BONCAT) in a marine unicellular flagellate.
Development of a genetically-encoded oxytocin sensor

Oxytocin (OXT) is a neuropeptide originating in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus, with a role in influencing various social behaviors. However, pinpointing its actions only during the time animals are performing specific behaviors has been difficult to study. Here we developed an optogenetic gene expression system designed to selectively label neuronal populations activated by OXT in the presence of blue-light, named “OXTR-iTango2”. The OXTR-iTango2 was capable of inducing gene expression of a reporter gene in both human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells and neurons in a quantitative manner. In vivo expression of OXTR-iTango2 selectively labeled OXT-sensitive neurons in a blue-light dependent manner. Furthermore, we were able to detect a subset of dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) that receive OXT activation during social interaction. Thus, we provide a genetically-encoded, scalable optogenetic toolset to target neural circuits activated by OXT in behaving animals with a high temporal resolution.
MOBILE ROBOT OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE BASE ON DEEP REINFORCEMENT LEARNING

Obstacle avoidance is one of the core problems in the field of mobile robot autonomous navigation. This paper aims to solve the obstacle avoidance problem using Deep Reinforcement Learning. In previous work, various mathematical models have been developed to plan collision-free paths for such robots. In contrast, our method enables the robot to learn by itself from its experiences, and then fit a mathematical model by updating the parameters of a neural network. The derived mathematical model is capable of choosing an action directly according to the input sensor data for the mobile robot. In this paper, we develop an obstacle avoidance framework based on deep reinforcement learning. A 3D simulator is designed as well to provide the training and testing environments. In addition, we developed and compared obstacle avoidance methods based on different Deep Reinforcement Learning strategies, such as Deep Q-Network (DQN), Double Deep Q-Network (DDQN) and DDQN with Prioritized Experience Replay (DDQN-PER) using our simulator.
Environmental controls and habitat connectivity of phototrophic microbial mats and bacterioplankton communities in an Antarctic freshwater system

Freshwater ecosystems are considered hotspots of biodiversity in Antarctic polar deserts. Anticipated warming is expected to change the hydrology of these systems due to increased meltwater and reduction of ice cover, with implications for environmental conditions and physical connectivity between habitats. Using 16S rRNA sequencing, we evaluated the structure of microbial mat and planktonic communities within a connected watershed in the McMurdo Wright Valley, Antarctica to determine the roles of connectivity and habitat conditions in controlling microbial assemblage composition. We examined benthic and planktonic samples from glacial Lake Brownworth, the perennially ice-covered Lake Vanda, and the Onyx River, which connects the two. In Lake Vanda, we found distinct microbial assemblages occupying sub-habitats at different lake depths, while the communities from Lake Brownworth and Onyx River were structurally similar between them. Despite the higher connectivity between bacterial communities in the shallow parts of the system, environmental filtering dominated over dispersal in driving bacterial community structure. Functional metagenomics predictions identified genes related to degradation of halogenated aromatic compounds in surface microbial mats exposed to changes in water regimes, which progressively disappeared with increasing depth. Shifting environmental conditions due to increasing connectivity, rather than dispersal, may become the dominant drivers of bacterial diversity and functioning in Antarctic freshwater ecosystems.
Cross-contamination with tamoxifen induces transgene expression in non-exposed inducible transgenic mice.

Inducible transgenic mouse models that impose a con- straint on both temporal and spatial expression of a given transgene are invaluable. These animals facilitate experiments that can address the role of a specific cell or group of cells within an animal or in a particular window of time. A common approach to achieve inducibility involves the site-specific recombinase 'Cre', which is linked to a modified version of one of various steroid hormone-binding domains. Thus, the expression of Cre is regulated such that a functional nuclear transgene product can only be generated with the addition of an exogenous ligand. However, critical requirements of this system are that the nuclear localization of the transgene product be tightly regulated, that the dosage of the induc- ing agent remains consistent among experimental animals and that the transgene cassette cannot express in the absence of the inducing agent. We used the Cre ER(T2) cassette, which is regulated by the addition of the estrogen antagonist tamoxifen to determine whether cross-contami-
Multi-Mode E-Skin Integrating Capacitive-Piezoelectric Sensors for Static-Dynamic Mechanoresponse with Wide Sensing Range

Emulating human somatosensory response requires integrated (dynamic and static) mechanoresponsive capabilities that demand multimode implementation. Here, we introduce a multimode mechanoreceptor for detecting dynamic stimuli using piezoelectric sensing-mode (P-mode) and static stimuli using capacitive mode (C-mode). For P-mode, the piezoelectric layer is sandwiched between electrodes to mimic dynamic response and to respond to static stimuli μ-pyramidal shaped capacitive device is integrated. This synergetic effect allows for a broader detection range of 1 kPa to 140 kPa, which is simply missing in their standalone responses (C-mode: 1 kPa-to-25 kPa @ 30fF/kPa and P-mode: 20 kPa-to-140 kPa @ 150 mV/kPa). Our method simplifies the sensory integration for modern e-skins. A real-time human grabbing and holding activity validates its functionality for static/dynamic stimuli.
Would environmental diversity be a good surrogate for species diversity

M. B. Araujo (m.araujo@nhm.ac.uk) and C. J. Humphries, Biogeography and Conser7ation Lab. , The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, U.K. SW7 5BD. – P. J. Densham, Dept of Geography, Uni7ersity College London, Bedford Way, London, U.K. WC1H OAP. – R. Lampinen, Botanical Museum, Finnish Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 7, Uni7ersity of Helsinki, FIN-00014 Uni7. of Helsinki, Finland. – W. J. M. Hagemeijer, SOVON, Rijkstraatweg 178, NL-6573 DG Beek-Ubbergen, The Netherlands. – A. J. Mitchell-Jones, English Nature, Northminster House, Peterborough, U.K. PE1 1UA. – J. P. Gasc, Lab. d’Anatomie Comparee, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, 57 rue Cu7ier, F-75231 Paris Cedex 05, France.
Turkish Neonatal Society guideline for the follow-up of high-risk newborn infants

Developments in perinatal and neonatal care have increased the survival rate of high-risk newborns but led to a rise in chronic diseases seen in these infants. A significant number of them attend primary and secondary health care centers after discharge; however, there are very few standard protocols for the long-term follow-up of these babies. Therefore, we aimed to establish a follow-up guideline that emphasizes on universal screening schemes and takes into consideration national data. The guide presented here provides brief recommendations for physicians in light of evidence-based data for the follow-up of high-risk newborn infants. The steps taken to monitor and solve the problems of all high-risk infants may vary. We hope the use of such a standard approach in evaluating each infant in daily routine will improve the life quality of these high-risk infants.
A Novel Conceptual Model of Trust for Online Matchmaking Portals

In India marriage is an important Phase of an individual’s life and marriage gives social adulthood. Matchmaking in India is a face-to-face process with family and relatives where parental involvement is highly preferable. Introduction of technology in matrimonial space have changed traditional time-consuming process and gives more power and control to an individual. To marry they do not have to depend on relative, friends and mediator ‘s suggestions. Today’s youth go online for dating and want more control for partner selection. Virtual platform of matchmaking is an interactive platform that attracts customers to use. Virtual platform of matchmaking offers attractive services and facilities. At present India have more than hundred virtual matchmaking portals and almost all have same features. Sometime similarity misleads the people. Trust is a first vital condition for customer in online environment to start any type of transactions. It is an important factor for selection anything. Lack of customer trust may lead to loss of reputation and revenues. This can be an unrecoverable loss because with lesser number of customers organization cannot be able to generate expected profit. So, it is vital for online matchmaker to address the trust issues for their prospective and existing customer for customer’s happiness and for more benefits to their organization and to customers also. Researcher proposed a conceptual model of trust for virtual matchmaking portals.
Growth and physiological responses of five Malus species to the pH of hydroponic solutions

We characterized the growth and physiological responses of five wild Malus species indigenous to China to acid and alkaline abiotic stresses. At the six-leaf stage, seedlings of Malus sieversii, Malus prunifolia, Malus robusta, Malus mandshurica and Malus hupehensis were transferred to hydroponic systems in which the solution pH was 5.5, 7.0 or 8.5. Fresh and dry weights, plant heights and root lengths were measured over time. After 20 days of treatment, malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), ascorbic acid (AsA), andglutathione (GSH) contents were determined, as well as the rate of superoxide radical (O2.-) generation and antioxidant enzyme activities in the roots. When the pH was raised from 7.0 to 8.5, seedlings of M. sieversiidisplayed significant increases in their growth parameters whereas values for all other traits were significantly decreased. The opposite trend was observed with M. prunifolia and M. hupehensis. When the pH was decreased from 7.0 to 5.5, seedlings of M. sieversii showed a significant decline in their dry weights but a significant improvement in root MDA, H2O2, AsA, and GSH contents, O2. - generation and enzyme activities. In conclusions, these results suggest that growth is not severely inhibited for M. prunifolia, M. mandshurica, andM. hupehensis under acidic conditions (pH 5.5) or alkaline conditions for M. sieversii, M. robusta and M.mandshurica (pH 8.5). In fact, M. sieversii grew better at pH 8.5, whereas growth was significantly inhibited forM. sieversii and M. robusta at pH 5.5 and for M. prunifolia and M. hupehensis at pH 8.5. Key words: Antioxidant enzymes, antioxidants, growth traits, hydroponics pH, Malus species, oxidative stress.