Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PPARα: its role in the human metabolic syndrome

The metabolic syndrome, also known as ‘syndrome X’ or ‘insulin-resistance syndrome’, has emerged as a constellation of risk factors that markedly increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The metabolic syndrome is characterized by central obesity, elevated blood pressure, insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes mellitus and atherogenic dyslipidemia. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is strongly associated with the metabolic syndrome and recently both a proinflammatory state and a prothrombotic state have been added as independent components of this syndrome. Since the prevalence of diabetes and obesity is rising at an alarming rate, the incidence of this morbid syndrome is also expected to continue to grow, both in the USA and worldwide, and will likely impact heavily on the incidence of CVD, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality around the world. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)α is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, that i.
In planta Agrobacterium mediated gene transfer by infiltration of adult Arabidopsis thaliana plants

Nous presentons une nouvelle methode de transformation in situ par Agrobacterium. Cette approche est basee sur l'infiltration sous vide de plantes d'Arabidopsis par une souche d'Agrobacterium contenant un vecteur binaire. Les plantes caracterisees apres leur developpement presentaient des secteurs vegetatifs transformes parmi des secteurs non transformes. En moyenne jusqu'a 5 transformants par paire inoculee ont ete selectionnes dans la descendance des plantes infiltrees. Leur analyse genetique et moleculaire suggere que la transformation a lieu tardivement, lors du dveloppement floral, car tous les transformants sont hemizygotes et possedent des sites differents d'insertion de l'ADN-T [. ]
ESTIMATED BIOMASS AND PRODUCTIVITY OF NATURAL VEGETATION ON THE TIBETAN PLATEAU

We developed a methodology for linking together data from forest and grassland inventories and ecological research sites, and provided a comprehensive report about live biomass and net primary productivity (NPP) on the Tibetan Plateau, the "Third Pole" of the earth where little information about plant biomass and production had been available outside China. Results were as follows. (1) The total live biomass of the natural vegetation in the Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province was estimated its 2,17 Gg dry mass, of which 72.9% was stored in forests where spruce-fir accounted for 65.1% (2) The total annual NPP of the natural vegetation in these two administrative regions, was estimated as 0.57 Gg dry mass. of which grasslands and forests accounted for 69.5% and 18.1%, respectively. (3) The alpine spruce-fir forests of the Tibetan Plateau had the highest maximum live biomass of the spruce-fir forests globally. with values up to 500-1600 Mg DM/ha (including both aboveground and belowground biomass), (4) The QZNPP model generally predicted NPP well for most of the biomes on the plateau, and simulated the various Chinese vegetation divisions. Model results showed a positive reinforcing effect of monsoon climate in China where the warmest season coincides with the wettest season. (5) The live biomass map for 117 counties of Xizang (Tibet) and Qinghai and the Potential NPP map for the whole plateau both showed the same decreasing trend from Southeast to northwest.
Allometric Equations for Ashe Juniper (Juniperus ashei) of Small Diameter

Abstract Native species of juniper are encroaching on grasslands throughout the Great Plains. Prescribed fire is often used to treat or prevent the early stages of encroachment, but little information is available about the contribution of small junipers to overall fuel loads. I sampled 33 individuals of Ashe juniper (Juniperus ashei) from grasslands on Fort Hood Military Reservation, Texas. The relationship between size and above-ground biomass differed for small and larger trees. I focused most of my analyses on small trees (<15 cm in basal diameter), which are most likely to burn in a prescribed fire. Allometric equations based on basal diameter (BD) or basal diameter and height (BD2H) predicted total biomass better than equations using only tree height, canopy area, or canopy volume (r2 = 0.95–0.97 versus r2 = 0.71–0.77). Living and total biomass for smaller fuel-classes (<25 mm in diameter) were more accurately predicted than dead biomass and larger fuel-classes (r2 = 0.94–0.98 versus r2 = 0.75–0.87). Only equations based on BD2H could model the entire range of trees sampled adequately (BD of 1.7–38.4 cm; height of 0.65–4.60 m). These equations will allow nondestructive estimation of biomass of Ashe juniper and thereby improve predictions of behavior and effects of fire based on estimations of fuel load. Resumen Las especies nativas de enebro están invadiendo los pastizales de las Grandes Planicies. A menudo el fuego prescrito es utilizado para prevenir las etapas tempranas de invasión, sin embargo es escasa la información disponible sobre la contribución de enebros pequeños a la carga de combustible total. Muestreé 33 individuos de enebros de monte (Juniperus ashei) en pastizales de Fort Hood Military Reservation, Texas. La relación entre el tamaño y la biomasa arriba de la tierra difirió entre árboles pequeños y grandes. Enfoqué la mayoría de los análisis sobre los árboles pequeños (<15 cm de diámetro basal), los cuales tienen una mayor probabilidad de quemarse durante un fuego prescrito. Las ecuaciones alométricas basadas en el diámetro basal (DB) o en el diámetro basal más la altura (DB2A) predijeron mejor la biomasa total que las ecuaciones basadas sólo en la altura del árbol, en el área o en el volumen del dosel (r2 = 0.95–0.97 versus r2 = 0.71–0.77). La biomasa viva y total para las clases de combustible del menor tamaño (<25 mm de diámetro) fueron predichas de manera más precisa que la biomasa muerta para las clases de combustible mayores (r2 = 0.94–0.98 versus r2 = 0.75–0.87). Sólo las ecuaciones basadas en DB2A podrían modelar adecuadamente el rango completo de árboles muestreados (DB de 1.7–38.4 cm; altura de 0.65–4.60 m). Estas ecuaciones permitirán realizar estimaciones no destructivas de la biomasa del enebro de monte, permitiendo mejorar las predicciones sobre el comportamiento y los efectos del fuego en base a las estimaciones de la carga de combustible.
Transaction Obstacle and Its Governance: A Case Study on the “Stumbling Blocks” of Entrepreneurship

Through case study, this essay focuses on “transaction obstacle” which blocks entrepreneurship, and finds that entrepreneurs may establish complete business system by detecting and governing those key transaction obstacles. Therefore, the essay hypothesizes that transaction obstacle is a key construct in entrepreneurial process and the excellence of transaction obstacle governance is positively correlated with entrepreneurial success. The research initially presents both the concept of transaction obstacle and the concept of transaction obstacle governance, and thus adds new knowledge to the entrepreneurial process theory.
High‐dose mode of death in Tribolium

This study reports the first demonstration within a single insect genus (Tribolium) of both the acute, or lethal‐midlethal, dose‐independent pattern of mortality, and the hyperacute, dose‐dependent pattern, after appropriate doses of ionizing radiation. This demonstration provides resolution of apparently contradictory reports of insect responses in terms of doses required to cause lethality and those based on survival time as a function of dose. A dose‐dependent mortality pattern was elicited in adult Tribolium receiving high doses, viz., 300 Gy or greater; its time‐course was complete in 10 days, before the dose‐independent mortality began. Visual observations of heavily‐irradiated Tribolium suggested neural and/or neuromuscular damage, as had been previously proposed by others for lethally‐irradiated wasps, flies, and mosquitoes. Results of experiments using fractionated high doses supported the suggestion that the hyperacute or high‐dose mode of death is the result of damage to nonproliferative tissues. Relative resistance of a strain to the hyperacute or high‐dose mode of death is not necessarily correlated with resistance to the midlethal mode, which is believed to be the result of damage to the proliferative cells of the midgut.
Antennular morphology of the cypris larvae of the mangrove barnacle Fistulobalanus albicostatus (Cirripedia: Thoracica: Balanomorpha)

Previous studies on the ultrastructure of barnacle cypris larvae suggest that cypris morphology, especially the antennules which play a key role in selecting the final substratum for settlement, may show variations between species existing in different habitats. In the present study, the cypris morphology of the barnacle Fistulobalanus (Balanus) albicostatus, which predominantly lives on trunks of mangrove trees was investigated using scanning electron microscopy and compared with that of species from other habitats that have already been described. The antennular segments II and III of F. albicostatus each bear one post-axial seta. The third segment consists of an attachment disc surrounded by a thin cuticular velum and the fourth segment exhibits four sub-terminal setae and five terminal setae. The morphology of the cypris antennules of F. albicostatus is similar to other balanomorph barnacles which inhabit hard shores, revealing that the antennular morphology does not have diagnostic variations between species from the different intertidal habitats. The morphology of the caudal rami (used in the evaluation of the substratum microtopography), however, appears to vary among barnacles living on different substrata.
Prediction of Soil Macronutrients Using Machine Learning Algorithm

In this research work, machine learning algorithms were applied to find the relationship between independent variables and dependent variables for soil data analysis. The independent variables include moisture, temperature, soil pH, Cation Exchange Capacity(CEC) whereas, the dependent variables include Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK). This research concludes relationships between Phosphorus, Potassium, soil pH and CEC; Nitrogen and soil moisture and temperature using machine learning(ML) algorithms so as to deduce NPK content of soil. A comparative analysis with obtained results from each ML method is also presented. Machine learning algorithms are best performed on data with multiple independent variables. The values computed for nitrogen relationship were more accurate than PK relationship values. The accuracy of data set I was less than data set II. A large data set would produce more accurate results for both data sets.
Tree-Inspired Water Harvesting

In this work, we were motivated to develop novel devices for water harvesting inspired by natural trees, and to understand their collection e ciency and working principles. We accomplished that with scale-model and large-scale fog harps, floating leaves, and synthetic trees. Fluids mechanics, physics, and thermodynamics were applied to solve the problems and rationalize the results. Redwood-inspired fog harps were designed with stainless steel vertical wires, using 3D-printing and laser-cutting techniques. Fog harps always harvested more water than any of the meshes, tested both under heavy fog and light fog conditions. The aerodynamic e ciency, deposition e ciency, and sliding e ciency were calculated to compare the fog harvesting performance. These findings provide insight into the new design of fog harvesters with high-e ciency fog harvesting performance, and future development of large fog harps, applied into regions even with light fog conditions, as an economically viable means. synthetic trees were fabricated with a nanoporous ceramic disk and silicone tubes. This tree system was tested in an environmental chamber (6 cm short trees) or a plant growth chamber (3m tall trees), both with controlled ambient humidities. The system pressure was calculated with Darcy’s equation, Poiseuille equation and Laplace equation. The stable transpiration can happen to any scalable tree, which pumps water up an array of large tubes. Our synthetic trees, like natural trees, have the ability to lift water across a wide range of water temperatures and ambient humidities. They can be used as the large-scale evaporation-driven hydraulic pump, for example, pumped storage hydropower, filtration, underground water extraction. Tree-Inspired Water Harvesting Weiwei Shi General Audience Abstract The purpose of this work is to investigate and characterize novel techniques for water harvesting that are inspired by natural trees. We are interested in two modes of water harvesting in particular: fog harps and synthetic trees. Fog harps were comprised of only vertical wires, inspired by the parallel structures of redwoods, which can capture and shed o↵ fog droplets e ciently. Fog harps harvested more water than the traditional mesh nets, both under heavy fog and light fog conditions. Redwood-inspired fog harps have the high-e cient fog harvesting performance. They can be set up at coastal deserts to collect water from fog, where there is scarce rainfall but plenty of fog, like Chile, Peru and South Africa. Synthetic trees were designed with nanoporous disk (leaf) and tubes (xylem conduits), inspired by the transpiration process in natural trees. This transpiration-powered pump can lift water against the gravity at large scales, driven by the water evaporating from the nanopores. They can be used as the large-scale evaporation-driven hydraulic pump, for example, pumped storage hydropower, filtration, underground water extraction. Dedicated to my dear parents . 我的爸爸妈妈
Scaling from individuals to networks in food webs

Summary 1. Food webs, the set of predator–prey interactions in an ecosystem, are a prototypical complex system. Much research to date has concentrated on the use of models to identify and explain the key structural features which characterize food webs. 2. These models often fall into two general categories: (i) phenomenological models which are built upon a set of heuristic rules in order to explain some empirical observation and (ii) population-level models in which interactions between individuals result in emergent properties for the food web. Both types of models have helped to uncover how food-web structure is a product of factors such as foraging behaviour, prey selection and species’ body sizes. 3. Historically, the two types of models have followed rather different approaches to the problem. Despite the apparent differences, the overlap between the two styles of models is substantial. Examples are highlighted here. 4. By paying greater attention to both the similarities and differences between the two, we will be better able to demonstrate the ecological insights offered by phenomenological models. This will help us, for example, design experiments which could validate or refute underlying assumptions of the models. By linking models to data, scaling from individuals to networks, we will be closer to understanding the true origins of food-web structure.
Nitrogen-13 Studies of Nitrate Fluxes in Barley Roots I. COMPARTMENTAL ANALYSIS FROM MEASUREMENTS OF 13N EFFLUX

Lee, R. B. and Clarkson, D. T. 1986. Nitrogen-13 studies of nitrate fluxes in barley roots. I. Compartmental analysis from measurements of 13N efflux. —J. exp. Bot. 37: 1753-1767. The short-lived radio-isotope nitrogen-13 (half-life 10 min) was used as a tracer in studying fluxes of N in the roots of intact barley plants. After supplying the plants with 13N-nitrate for 30 min, efflux of 13N into an unlabelled (wash) solution was followed under steady-state conditions for a further 10 min. Tests with ion exchange resins suggested that all of the 13N released during this period was in the form of nitrate. In addition to nitrate from a surface film of solution and from the free space of the roots, efflux from another compartment was detected, tentatively identified as the cytoplasmic nitrate pool. In plants grown with nitrate as the only external N-source, efflux from this compartment decreased with a rate constant about 0-17 min-1 (half-time ~ 4 min). Adding ammonium sulphate to the wash solution alone did not significantly affect either the initial rate, or the rate constant, of efflux of 13N from these roots. However, 13N efflux decreased more rapidly (rate constant about 0-32 min-1, half-time ~ 2-2 min) in roots grown in, and subsequently washed with, solution containing ammonium nitrate. In barley plants grown with 1-5 mol m*3 nitrate, the cytoplasmic nitrate pool was estimated to contain about 2% of the total nitrate in the roots, corresponding to a cytoplasmic nitrate concentration ~ 26 mol m ~ 3. Nitrate efflux was equivalent to almost 40% of nitrate influx in the roots of these plants.
Systematics of the Australasian endemic wasp genus Syngaster Brullé (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Doryctinae)

The braconid genus Syngaster Brullé is revised and nine species are recognized, six of which are new: S. lepidus Brullé, S. quadricolor (Cameron), S. variegatus (Szépligeti), S. crypticus sp. nov., S. hirtus sp. nov., S. neoguineensis sp. nov., S. polychromus sp. nov., S. stevensi sp. nov., and S. tricolor sp. nov. Host data are only available for S. lepidus which is a parasitoid of cerambycid larvae, notably Phoracantha spp. associated with temperate, subtropical and Mediterranean eucalypt forests in eastern and southern Australia. Other than S. lepidus, S. polychromus is the only other species known from Australia (south‐east Queensland), the remaining seven species all being restricted to mainland New Guinea. Preliminary phylogenetic analysis indicates the genus comprises two species groups with S. lepidus and S. quadricolor forming a polytomy with these. The two Australian species (S. lepidus and S. polychromus) are not monophyletic, nor are the two species that lack an occipital carina (S. tricolor and S. cryptus). Present address: M. Iqbal, Department of Environment & Heritage, Canberra, Australia
Antioxidant Activity and Total Phenolics of Broussonetia papyrifera Flower Extracts

Ethanol and water crude extracts from the flower of Broussonetia papyrifera were investigated for their antioxidant capacity in four different assays, namely, the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, chelation of metal ions (Fe2+), reducing power and inhibition activity of lipid peroxidation in a linoleic acid emulsion system. Among the two extracts, the ethanolextract from B. papyrifera flower showed the most potent radical scavenging activity in each assay, showing 62.88. 9% (at 5 mg/ml) in the DPPH radical scavenging method (at 6 mg/ml) and 61.15% of chelation Fe2+- activity. Total phenolics in the water extracts were higher than that of the ethanol ones. Positive correlations were found between total phenolic content in the B. papyrifera flower extracts and their antioxidant activities. B. papyrifera flowers may have potential as natural antioxidants.
Bioefficacy of herbicides in relation to sowing methods in wheat

A field experiment was conducted at Ludhiana during 2009–10 and 2010–11, study the effect of sowing methods and herbicides on weed dynamics and productivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Sowing methods, viz. bed planting, zero till, conventional till and stubbled sowing did not influence densities and dry matter accumulation of narrow-and broad-leaved weeds. Averaged over two seasons, bed planting, zero till and conventional till sowing methods recorded similar wheat grain yield and were statistically superior to stubbed sowing. Wheat grain yield under bed planting, zero till and conventional till methods was 25.4, 46.2 and 40.8% higher as compared to stubbled sowing. Among weed control, post-emergence application of carfentrazone + sulfosulfuron 45 g, metsulfuron + sulfosulfuron 30 g and fenoxaprop-pethyl + metribuzin 275 g/ha recorded complete control of all the narrow-and broad-leaved weeds. Mesosulfuron + iodosulfuron 12 g, sulfosulfuron 25 g, pinoxaden 50 g and clodinafop 60 g/ha recorded effective control of narrow-leaved weeds only. All these herbicidal treatments, except fenoxaprop-p-ethyl + metribuzin 275 g/ha, recorded significantly higher wheat grain yield as compared to unsprayed control. Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl + metribuzin was phototoxic to wheat plants and wheat grain yield was at par to weedy check.
Functional-Morphology of the Chelipeds, Mouthparts and Gastric Mill of Ozius-Truncatus (Milne, Edwards) (Xanthidae) and Leptograpsus-Variegatus (Fabricius) (Grapsidae) (Brachyura)

Field and laboratory observations show that 0. truncatus is a predator on gastropod molluscs, using dimorphic crusher-cutter chelipeds to remove the shell. The soft gastropod body is then presented to the maxillipeds. The third maxillipeds and mandibles tear the food, but the fragments reaching the foregut are still relatively large. The gastric mill ossicles of 0. truncatus are robust, with few setae. L. variegatus is an opportunistic omnivore using equal cutting-scraping chelipeds in an alternating action, mainly in plucking and scraping algae. The food fragments reaching the maxillipeds are finely shredded by the chelipeds. The small food fragments are ingested directly, being pushed into the mouth by the mandibular palps. The maxillipeds and mouthparts do not triturate the food. The gastric mill ossicles of L. variegatus are finely toothed and setose. Analogous functional relationships between ingestion mechanisms and gastric mill occur in Anomura. The need for further studies on Brachyura is stressed.
The Conjugative Transfer of the Multiresistance Gene Between Bacteria is Significantly Promoted by Nano-Alumina

Recently, the potential risks of nanomaterials and the spread of antibiotic resistance have become two important environmental concerns. The conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria is the most important pathway for the acquisition of antibiotic resistance by bacteria. Both environmental and genetic factors influence the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in bacterial populations. The extent to which nanomaterials are able to bring about an increase in antibiotic resistance by regulating the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in bacteria is still unknown. In this paper, an Orthogonal Design L64 (421) was used in duplicate to evaluate the effects of bacterial concentration, nano-alumina concentration, mating time, mating temperature and the interactions of those factors on the conjugation transfer in LB broth. The mechanisms by which nano-alumina promote the horizontal transfer of antibiotic multiresistance features were explored by morphological, biochemical, and molecular biological methods. We have shown that nano-alumina promotes the horizontal conjugative transfer multiresistance genes mediated by RP4 up to 250-fold in LB broth and 100-fold in PBS. And it would appear that the effect of promoting conjugative transfer of nano-alumina exceeds the effects of mating temperature and mating time. We also explored the mechanisms behind this phenomenon and demonstrated that nano-alumina is able to induce oxidative stress, cause the damage of bacterial cell membranes, enhance the transcriptional activity of conjugative genes and depress the global regulatory factor genes expression. The findings in this study support the notion that nano-alumina in the environment could result in ecological hazards. More important, an enhanced rate of plasmid transfer among micro-organisms may have an enormous impact on human health and environmental safety.