Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Carbohydrate Dynamics in Maize Leaves and Developing Ears in Response to Nitrogen Application

Maize grain yield is considered to be highly associated with ear and leaf carbohydrate dynamics during the critical period bracketing silking and during the fast grain filling phase. However, a full understanding of how differences in N availability/plant N status influence carbohydrate dynamics and processes underlying yield formation remains elusive. Two field experiments were conducted to examine maize ear development, grain yield and the dynamics of carbohydrates in maize ear leaves and developing ears in response to differences in N availability. Increasing N availability stimulated ear growth during the critical two weeks bracketing silking and during the fast grain-filling phase, consequently resulting in greater maize grain yield. In ear leaves, sucrose and starch concentrations exhibited an obvious diurnal pattern at both silking and 20 days after silking, and N fertilization led to more carbon flux to sucrose biosynthesis than to starch accumulation. The elevated transcript abundance of key genes involved in starch biosynthesis and maltose export, as well as the sugar transporters (SWEETs) important for phloem loading, indicated greater starch turnover and sucrose export from leaves under N-fertilized conditions. In developing ears, N fertilization likely enhanced the cleavage of sucrose to glucose and fructose in the cob prior to and at silking and the synthesis from glucose and fructose to sucrose in the kernels after silking, and thus increasing kernel setting and filling. At the end, we propose a source-sink carbon partitioning framework to illustrates how N application influences carbon assimilation in leaves, transport, and conversions in developing reproductive tissues, ultimately leading to greater yield.
Does Takeover Activity Affect Stock Price Crash Risk? Evidence from International M&A Laws

We exploit the staggered initiation of merger and acquisition (M&A) laws across countries as a plausibly exogenous shock to the threat of takeover to examine whether the market for corporate control has a real effect on firm-level stock price crash risk. Using a difference-in-differences regression on a large sample of firms from 32 countries, we find that stock price crash risk significantly decreases following the passage of M&A laws. This effect is stronger for firms domiciled in countries with poorer investor protection and information environments and for firms with weaker firm-level governance. Further, financial reporting opacity and overinvestment significantly decrease in the post-M&A law periods. Our study suggests that an active takeover market has a disciplining effect on managerial bad news hoarding and leads to lower future crash risk.
Recommendations for euthanasia of experimental animals: Part 2

Working party: Mrs Bryony Close (Chair), Dr Keith Banister, Dr Vera Baumans, Dr Eva-Maria Bernoth, Dr Niall Bromage, Dr John Bunyan, Professor DrWolff Erhardt, Professor Paul Flecknell, Dr Neville Gregory, Professor Dr Hansjoachim Hackbarth, Professor David Morton & M r Clifford Warwick Correspondence to: Mrs BClose, Battleborough Croft, Battleborough Lane, Brent Knoll, Highbridge, SomersetTA9 4DS, UK
Reconnection‐Driven Dynamics at Ganymede's Upstream Magnetosphere: 3‐D Global Hall MHD and MHD‐EPIC Simulations

The largest moon in the solar system, Ganymede, is the only moon known to possess a strong intrinsic magnetic field and a corresponding magnetosphere. Using the latest version of Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF), we study the upstream plasma interactions and dynamics in this sub‐Alfvénic system. Results from the Hall magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) and the coupled MHD with embedded particle‐in‐cell (MHD‐EPIC) models are compared. We find that under steady upstream conditions, magnetopause reconnection occurs in a nonsteady manner, and the energy partition between electrons and ions is different in the two models. Flux ropes of Ganymede's radius in length form on the magnetopause at a rate about 3 min and create spatiotemporal variations in plasma and field properties. Upon reaching proper grid resolutions, the MHD‐EPIC model can resolve both electron and ion kinetics at the magnetopause and show localized nongyrotropic behavior inside the diffusion region. The estimated global reconnection rate from the models is about 80 kV with 60% efficiency, and there is weak evidence of ∼1 min periodicity in the temporal variations due to the dynamic reconnection process.
Local Grid Refinement in New Zealand's Earth System Model: Tasman Sea Ocean Circulation Improvements and Super‐Gyre Circulation Implications

This paper describes the development of New Zealand's Earth System Model (NZESM) and evaluates its performance against its parent model (United Kingdom Earth System Model, UKESM) and observations. The main difference between the two earth system models is an embedded high‐resolution (1/5°) nested region over the oceans around New Zealand in the NZESM. Due to this finer ocean model mesh, currents such as the East Australian Current, East Australian Current Extension, Tasman Front, and Tasman Leakage, and their volume and heat transports are better simulated in the NZESM. The improved oceanic transports have led to a reduction in upper ocean temperature and salinity biases over the nested region. In addition, net transports through the Tasman Sea of volume, heat and salt in the NZESM agree better with previously reported estimates. A consequence of the increased cross‐Tasman Sea transports in the NZESM is increased temperatures and salinity west of Australia and in the Southern Ocean reducing the meridional sea surface temperature gradient between the subtropics and sub‐Antarctic. This also leads to a weakening of the westerly winds between 60°S and 45°S over large parts of the Southern Ocean, which reduces the northward Ekman transport, reduces the formation of Antarctic Intermediate Water, and allows for a southward expansion of the Super‐Gyre in all ocean basins. Connecting an improved oceanic circulation around New Zealand to a basin‐wide Super‐Gyre response is an important step forward in our current understanding of how local scales can influence global scales in a fully coupled earth system model.
Tail Risk Transmission: A Study of Iran Food Industry

This paper extends the extreme downside correlation (EDC) and extreme downside hedge (EDH) methodology to model the interdependence in the sensitivity of assets to the downside risk of other financial assets under severe firm-level and market conditions. The model is applied to analyze both systematic and systemic exposures in the Iranian Food Industry. The empirical application investigates (1) which company is the safest for investors to diversify their investment, and (2) which companies are the “transmitters” and “receivers” of downside risk. We study the return series of 11 companies and the Food Industry index publicly listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange. The data covers daily close prices from 2015–2020. The result shows that Mahram Manufacturing is the safest to hedge equity risk, and Glucosan and Behshahr Industries are the riskiest, while Gorji Biscuit is central to risk transmission, and Pegah Fars Diary is the main “receiver” of risk in turbulent times.
Impact of Selected Chemical and Botanical Insecticides on Trissolcus grandis (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae), a Parasitoid of Eurygaster integriceps (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae)

Abstract The lethal effects of three synthetic (deltamethrin + thiacloprid, lambda-cyhalothrin, deltamethrin) and two botanical (Palizin®, Sirinol®) insecticides were assayed in laboratory conditions against adult and immature stages of Trissolcus grandis (Thomson), an egg parasitoid of Eurygaster integriceps Puton (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae). Contact bioassays determined that the synthetic insecticides caused 100% mortality of the adult wasps, while the two botanical insecticides had no lethal effects on the adults. The highest level of emergence of T. grandis females from E. integriceps eggs treated with the synthetic insecticides was observed after treatment with lambda-cyhalothrin, and the lowest adult emergence occurred following treatment of the eggs with deltamethrin + thiacloprid. Exposure of E. integriceps eggs with Sirinol impacted parasitoid emergence, but the lowest mean percentage of emergence of adults was from eggs treated when the parasitoids were second instars or pupae. Treatment of eggs with Palizin had no impact on the emergence of adults or on the activity of the parasitoid after emergence. Of these materials assayed, Palizin appears to be an excellent candidate for use in integrated pest management programs for E. integriceps.
Transmission line fault identification and classification with integrated FACTS device using multiresolution analysis and naïve bayes classifier

This paper is present a novel approach for solving the pending under-reach problem encountered by distance relay protection scheme in the 3rd zones protection coverage for a midpoint STATCOM compensated transmission lines. The propose transmission line model is develop in Matlab for analyzed feature extraction using Discrete Wavelet multiresolution analysis approach. Extracted feature from standard deviation and entropy energy contents of SLG transient faults current at location beyond the integrated STATCOM used for machine learning algorithm model building using WEKA software. The Naïve Bayes classifier model perform best with robustness prediction and detection of faults with quick convergence even with less training data. The outperformance of the proposed classifier has been 100 % for the relay algorithm modification for under-reach problem elimination in 3rd zones protection coverage.
Applying Distributed Manufacturing to Product-Service System Design: A Set of Near-Future Scenarios and a Design Tool

Product-Service Systems (PSS), if properly designed and implemented, represent a promising approach to sustainability. However, there is a number of organisational, cultural and regulatory barriers that hinder the widespread PSS implementation. In this paper, the authors investigated Distributed Manufacturing (DM) as a promising production model which can be applied to PSS to address some of its implementation barriers and improve its sustainability. To that end, existing PSS implementation barriers were collected and coupled with systematically analysed favourable DM features to describe a set of PSS+DM near-future scenarios, addressing the complete PSS lifecycle. Scenarios were then integrated into the PSS+DM Design Tool aiming to support idea generation for PSS implementation. The tool was tested with students, PSS and/or DM experts, manufacturing companies and design practitioners through two rounds of workshops in order to evaluate its completeness, effectiveness and usability and define recommendations for improvements. Based on the results, the improved final version of the PSS+DM Design Tool was developed, presenting the potential to support idea generation to improve sustainable PSS implementation through integrating DM features in each PSS lifecycle stage.
Effects of dietary zinc level on growth performance, lipolysis and expression of genes involved in the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase-β/AMP-activated protein kinase pathway in juvenile Pacific white shrimp

The present study evaluated the effects of dietary Zn level on growth performance, serum and hepatopancreas metabolites, expression of genes involved in lipid and energy metabolism, and the signalling pathway of dietary Zn-induced lipolysis. Five isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were formulated to contain different Zn levels: 46·4 (basal diet), 77·2, 87·0, 117·1 and 136·8 mg/kg, respectively. The results indicated that shrimp fed the diet containing Zn at 117·1 mg/kg had higher weight gain and specific growth rate, and the lowest feed intake and feed conversion rate, than shrimp fed the other diets. The deposition rate of Zn in whole body significantly decreased with increasing dietary Zn level. Dietary Zn prevented the accumulation of free radicals and improved antioxidant activities by increasing Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase and reducing malondialdehyde in hepatopancreas. Dietary Zn supplementation enhanced lipase activity and adiponectin, which could promote TAG breakdown and fatty acid oxidation and lead to reduced lipid in hepatopancreas. The mRNA expressions ofob-rb,adipor,camkkβ,ampk,cd36,mcdandcpt1involved in Zn-induced lipid catabolism were up-regulated, and the expressions ofsrebp,acc,fasandscd1were down-regulated. The mRNA levels of SLC39 family genes (zip3,zip9,zip11andzip14) in hepatopancreas were up-regulated with increasing dietary Zn level. The results demonstrated that dietary Zn level could significantly affect growth performance, tissue deposition of Zn, lipid metabolites and expression of genes involved in lipogenesis and lipolysis inLitopenaeus vannamei.
UFMylation and TRAMP-like complexes are required for hepatitis A virus pathogenesis

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is a positive-sense RNA virus causing acute inflammation of the liver. Here, using a genome-scale CRISPR screen in a human hepatocyte cell line, we provide a comprehensive picture of the cellular factors, which are exploited by HAV during replication. We identified genes involved in sialic acid and ganglioside biosynthesis, the eukaryotic initiation factor complex and the ESCRT pathway. Additionally, we found all components of the cellular machinery for UFMylation, a ubiquitin-like protein modification, and showed that optimal translation of the HAV genome depends on UFM1 conjugation of the ribosomal protein RPL26. Furthermore, we demonstrated that components related to the yeast Trf4/5-Air1/2-Mtr4 polyadenylation (TRAMP) complex, are required for viral translation, independent of regulating HAV poly(A) tails. Finally, pharmacological inhibition of the TRAMP-like complex decreased HAV replication in hepatocyte cells and human liver organoids, thus providing a strategy for host-directed therapy of HAV infection.
Acetic acid improves drought acclimation in soybean: An integrative response of photosynthesis, osmoregulation, mineral uptake and antioxidant defense.

Exposure to drought stress negatively affects plant productivity and consequently threatens global food security. As global climates change, identifying solutions to increase the resilience of plants to drought is increasingly important. Several chemical treatments have recently emerged as promising techniques for various individual and combined abiotic stresses. The present study shows compelling evidence on how acetic acid application promotes drought acclimation responses in soybean by investigating several morphological, physiological and biochemical attributes. Foliar applications of acetic acid to drought-exposed soybean resulted in improvements in root biomass, leaf area, photosynthetic rate and water use efficiency; leading to improved growth performance. Drought-induced accumulation of reactive oxygen species, and the resultant increased levels of malondialdehyde and electrolyte leakage, were considerably reverted by acetic acid treatment. Acetic acid-sprayed plants suffered less oxidative stress due to the enhancement of antioxidant defense mechanisms, as evidenced by the increased activities of superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase. Improved shoot relative water content was also linked to the increased levels of soluble sugars and free amino acids, indicating a better osmotic adjustment following acetic acid treatment in drought-exposed plants. Acetic acid also increased stem/root, leaf/stem and leaf/root mineral ratios, and improved overall mineral status in drought-stressed plants. Taken together, our results demonstrated that acetic acid treatment enabled soybean plants to positively regulate photosynthetic ability, water balance, mineral homeostasis and antioxidant responses; thereby suggesting acetic acid as a cost-effective and easily-accessible chemical for the management of soybean growth and productivity in drought-prone areas. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
The Effect of Binge-Watching on the Subscription of Video on Demand: Results from Randomized Experiments

We analyze outcomes of two randomized field experiments to study the effect of binge-watching on subscription to video on demand. In both cases, we offered access to subscription video on demand (SVoD) to a random set of households for several weeks and used another random set of households as control group. In both cases, we find that the households induced to binge-watch TV shows are less likely to pay for SVoD after the free trials. Our results suggest that induced binge-watchers deplete the content of interest to them very quickly, which reduces their short-term willingness to pay for SVoD. We also show that carefully crafted recommendation reminders aimed at widening the preferences of consumers for content offset the negative effect of binge-watching and lessen the concerns of binge-watchers with lack of content refresh, and thus these reminders may help content providers manage supply costs, which may otherwise become prohibitive with frequent updates to SVoD catalogs.
Ion suppression: A major concern in mass spectrometry

Ion suppression is one form of matrix effect that liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) techniques suffer from, regardless of the sensitivity or selectivity of the mass analyzer used. Ion suppression negatively affects several analytical figures of merit, such as detection capability, precision, and accuracy. The limited knowledge of the origin and mechanism of ion suppression makes this problem difficult to solve in many cases. Over the past decade and a half since the response-reducing phenomenon was exposed, however, protocols have been developed not only to test for its presence but also to account for its effects and eliminate the risk of ion suppression altogether. Because there is no universal solution for the matrix effect, some of the viable options are discussed briefly in this tutorial, which alone or in combination can help regain the quality of LC-MS analysis for the particular matrix-analyte combination. Two commonly used techniques to detect the presence of the matrix effect are illustrated. Modifying instrumental components and parameters, chromatographic separation, and sample preparation are all considered as means of reducing or possibly eliminating ion suppression. A variety of calibration techniques for compensating the effects of the phenomenon also are discussed.
A co-culture model of 3D TAM and 3D CAF combined with biomolecules release for cancer cell migration.

The objective of this study is to design a cancer invasion model by making use of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) or tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) and gelatin hydrogel microspheres (GM) for the sustained release of drugs. The GM containing adenosine (A) (GM-A) were prepared and cultured with TAM to obtain 3-dimensional (3D) TAM aggregates incorporating GM-A (3D TAM-GM-A). The GM-A incorporation enabled TAM to enhance the secretion level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). When co-cultured with HepG2 liver cancer cells in an invasion assay, the 3D TAM-GM-A promoted the invasion rate of cancer cells. In addition, the E-cadherin expression level decreased to a significantly great extent compared with that co-cultured with TAM aggregates incorporating GM, whereas the significantly higher expression of N-cadherin and Vimentin was observed. This indicates that the epithelial-mesenchymal transition event was induced. The GM containing transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) were prepared to incorporate into 3D CAF (3D CAF-GM-TGF-β1). Following a co-culture of mixed 3D CAF-GM-TGF-β1 and 3D TAM-GM-A and every HepG2, MCF-7 breast cancer cells, or WA-hT lung cancer cells, the invasion rate of every cancer cells enhanced depending on the mixing ratio of 3D TAM-GM-A and 3D CAF-GM-TGF-β1. The amount of MMP-2 secreted also enhanced, and the enhancement was well corresponded with that of cancer cells invasion rate. The higher MMP secretion assists the breakdown of basement membrane, leading to the higher rate of cancer cells invasion. This model is a promising 3D culture system to evaluate the invasion ability of various cancer cells in vitro.
QSAR study and molecular docking of benzimidazole derivatives inhibitors of p38 kinase

3D-QSAR and Molecular Docking methods were performed on a set of 42 benzimidazolone derivatives considered as inhibitors of the MAPK (Mitogen Activated Protein Kinases) that play critical roles in cell signaling and gene expression. IC 50 of 42 compounds is quantitatively modeled by using Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), and Neuronal Networks (NN). The proposed QSAR model has provided statistically significant results (R MLR = 0.90; R NN =0.92 and R CV =0.91), It is validated by leave-one-out method. The general interaction mode of molecules to the P38 Kinases binding sites was explored by using Molecular Docking techniques. In this paper we are focused on the most active molecules of our set, compound 34, and has been compared by the 4-[5-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-2-(4-methanesulfinyl-phenyl)-3H-imidazol-4-yl]-pyridine that is highly interactive with the site P38 alpha Mitogen Activated Protein kinases.
Misinformation, economic threat and public support for international trade

Abstract The recent surge in protectionist sentiment in countries around the world has rekindled the long-standing debate over the determinants of citizens’ trade policy preferences. We examine the influence of two understudied but increasingly relevant factors – misinformation and economic threat – on support for international trade in the United States. We first show that more than 6–in–10 Americans endorse a salient misperception about Chinese currency manipulation despite extensive evidence to the contrary. Then, based on a preregistered survey experiment, we show that misinformation can be corrected, regardless of whether the threatening frame is present or not. In contrast to these results on factual beliefs, however, we find that trade policy preferences are considerably stable: neither anti-trade misinformation nor an economically threatening frame significantly reduces support for international trade. These findings suggest that political elites’ strategy of ‘playing the China card’ by using misleading and threatening rhetoric is not so effective in mobilizing opposition to trade.
The effect of the ethanol extract from the Dracontium spruceanum rhizome on hematologic and biochemical profiles and performance parameters of broiler chickens

The objective of the research was to evaluate the antioxidant capacity and effect of the ethanol extract from the Dracontium spruceanum rhizome (EERDs) on the blood, biochemical and productive parameters of chickens. To do so, ninety, male, Cobb 500 broiler chickens were used. Once the dehydrated extract was obtained, it was place in the drinking water at concentrations of 0.0, 0.35 and 0.70 mg/mL of EERDs. The birds were distributed into three treatments, five repetitions and each repetition had six chickens. The variance analysis was done with the statistical program InfoStat and the averages of the treatments were analyzed with the 5% Tukey test. The results showed that chickens that consumed drinking water with EERDs presented (p 0.05). The daily food consumption diminished (p 0.05) by the consumption of EERDs in the drinking water. It is concluded that the consumption of EERDs by broiler chickens from 1 to 35 days of age produces greater concentrations of the levels of red blood cells and diminishes the feed intake.