Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ASASSN-15oi: a rapidly evolving, luminous tidal disruption event at 216 Mpc

We present ground-based and Swift photometric and spectroscopic observations of the tidal disruption event (TDE) ASASSN-15oi, discovered at the center of 2MASX J20390918-3045201 ($d\simeq216$ Mpc) by the All-Sky Automated Survey for SuperNovae (ASAS-SN). The source peaked at a bolometric luminosity of $L\simeq1.9\times10^{44}$ ergs s$^{-1}$ and radiated a total energy of $E\simeq5.0\times10^{50}$ ergs over the $\sim3.5$ months of observations. The early optical/UV emission of the source can be fit by a blackbody with temperature increasing from $T\sim2\times10^4$ K to $T\sim6\times10^4$ K while the luminosity declines from $L\simeq1.9\times10^{44}$ ergs s$^{-1}$ to $L\simeq2.8\times10^{43}$ ergs s$^{-1}$, requiring the photosphere to be shrinking rapidly. The optical/UV luminosity decline is broadly consistent with an exponential decline, $L\propto e^{-t/t_0}$, with $t_0\simeq35$ days. ASASSN-15oi also exhibits roughly constant soft X-ray emission that is significantly weaker than the optical/UV emission. Spectra of the source show broad helium emission lines and strong blue continuum emission in early epochs, although these features fade rapidly and are not present $\sim3$ months after discovery. The early spectroscopic features and color evolution of ASASSN-15oi are consistent with a TDE, but the rapid spectral evolution is unique among optically-selected TDEs.
Combining visible and infrared radiometry and lidar data to test ice clouds optical properties

Combining visible and infrared radiometry and lidar data to test ice clouds optical properties A. Bozzo, T. Maestri, and R. Rizzi Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Bologna, Italy now at: University of Edinburgh, School of GeoSciences, Edinburgh, UK Received: 5 December 2009 – Accepted: 6 March 2010 – Published: 18 March 2010 Correspondence to: R. Rizzi (rolando.rizzi@unibo.it) Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union.
Estimating the eﬀects of uncertainty over the business cycle

In this paper I provide empirical evidence that uncertainty shocks have strong asymmetric e ects on economic activity depending on the phase of the business cycle. In particular, the impulse responses estimated with the local projection method on a smooth-transition model show that in recessions uncertainty shocks strongly dampen industrial production, increase unemployment and reduce prices. In an expansion the e ects are reversed, and uncertainty shocks appear to have positive macroeconomic e ects. One possible explanation is that during expansions uncertainty fosters investments and economic activity through the "growth options" channel, while in recessions it reduces investments via the "wait-and-see" channel.
Risk of Cold-Hardy Apple Cultivars for Injury From the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

Abstract An invasive species, the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), has emerged as a serious pest of orchard crops in the United States with the highest economic losses to date in Mid-Atlantic apple, Malus domestica Borkh. (Rosales: Rosaceae). If populations continue to grow and spread in the Midwest, H. halys has the potential to become a significant apple pest in the region. The purpose of this study was to assess the risk for injury from H. halys to several popular cold-hardy apple cultivars (Haralson, Honeycrisp, and Zestar! ) grown in the Midwestern United States utilizing both field no-choice tests and laboratory choice tests at multiple timings. Results from the field no-choice tests revealed a greater risk for Honeycrisp from H. halys injury compared with Zestar! in mid-August. Results from the laboratory choice tests revealed a greater risk for injury by H. halys for Honeycrisp compared with Zestar! at all timings tested and a greater risk for Haralson compared with Honeycrisp at a later timing. These results echo previous findings in that relative maturity of the fruit seems to play a role in determining the risk of an apple cultivar to H. halys injury. These results also serve as the first assessment of the potential impact of H. halys on different cold-hardy apple cultivars, which will help guide growers in cultivar selection and identifying which apple cultivars should be prioritized for scouting and management efforts.
Extraplanar H ii Regions in Spiral Galaxies. I. Low-metallicity Gas Accreting through the Disk-halo Interface of NGC 4013

The interstellar thick disks of galaxies serve as the interface between the thin star-forming disk, where feedback-driven outflows originate, and the distant halo, the repository for accreted gas. We present optical emission line spectroscopy of a luminous, thick disk H ii region located at z = 860 pc above the plane of the spiral galaxy NGC 4013 taken with the Multi-Object Double Spectrograph on the Large Binocular Telescope. This nebula, with an Hα luminosity ∼4–7 times that of the Orion nebula, surrounds a luminous cluster of young, hot stars that ionize the surrounding interstellar gas of the thick disk, providing a measure of the properties of that gas. We demonstrate that strong emission line methods can provide accurate measures of relative abundances between pairs of H ii regions. From our emission line spectroscopy, we show that the metal content of the thick disk H ii region is a factor of ≈2 lower than gas in H ii regions at the midplane of this galaxy (with the relative abundance of O in the thick disk lower by −0.32 ± 0.09 dex). This implies incomplete mixing of material in the thick disk on small scales (hundreds of parsecs) and that there is accretion of low-metallicity gas through the thick disks of spirals. The inclusion of low-metallicity gas this close to the plane of NGC 4013 is reminiscent of the recently proposed “fountain-driven” accretion models.
A class of states supporting diffusive spin dynamics in the isotropic Heisenberg model

The spin transport in the isotropic Heisenberg model in the sector with zero magnetization is generically super-diffusive. Despite that, we here demonstrate that for a specific set of domain-wall-like initial product states it can instead be diffusive. We theoretically explain the time evolution of such states by showing that in the limiting regime of weak spatial modulation they are approximately product states for very long times, and demonstrate that even in the case of larger spatial modulation the bipartite entanglement entropy grows only logarithmically in time. In the limiting regime we derive a simple closed equation governing the dynamics, which in the continuum limit and for the initial step magnetization profile results in a solution expressed in terms of Fresnel integrals.
The Nehari Manifold for p-Laplacian Equation with Dirichlet Boundary Condition

Abstract. The Nehari manifold for the equation −∆pu(x) = λu(x)|u(x)| + b(x)|u(x)|u(x) for x ∈ Ω together with Dirichlet boundary condition is investigated in the case where 0 < γ < p. Exploiting the relationship between the Nehari manifold and fibrering maps (i.e., maps of the form of t → J(tu) where J is the Euler functional associated with the equation), we discuss how the Nehari manifold changes as λ changes, and show how existence results for positive solutions of the equation are linked to the properties of Nehari manifold.
Fabrication and Photovoltaic Characteristics of Coaxial Silicon Nanowire Solar Cells Prepared by Wet Chemical Etching

Nanostructured solar cells with coaxial p-n junction structures have strong potential to enhance the performances of the silicon-based solar cells. This study demonstrates a radial junction silicon nanowire (RJSNW) solar cell that was fabricated simply and at low cost using wet chemical etching. Experimental results reveal that the reflectance of the silicon nanowires (SNWs) declines as their length increases. The excellent light trapping was mainly associated with high aspect ratio of the SNW arrays. A conversion efficiency of ∼7.1% and an external quantum efficiency of ∼64.6% at 700 nm were demonstrated. Control of etching time and diffusion conditions holds great promise for the development of future RJSNW solar cells. Improving the electrode/RJSNW contact will promote the collection of carries in coaxial core-shell SNW array solar cells.
Can Public and Private Sanctions Discipline Politicians? Evidence from the French Parliament

This paper investigates the effects of sanctions on the behavior of deputies in the French National Assembly. In 2009, the Assembly introduced small monetary sanctions to prevent absenteeism in weekly standing committee meetings (held on wednesday mornings). Using a rich monthly panel dataset of parliamentary activity for the full 2007-2012 legislature, we study the reactions of deputies to (i) the mere eligibility to new sanctions, (ii) the actual experience of a salary cut, and (iii) the public exposure of sanctioned deputies in the media. First, our diff-in-diff estimates show very large disciplining effects of the policy in terms of committee attendance, and positive or null effects on other dimensions of parliamentary work. Second, exploiting the timing of exposure to actual sanctions (monthly salary cuts versus staggered media exposure), we find that deputies strongly increase their committee attendance both after the private experience of sanctions and after their public exposure. These results suggest that monetary and reputational incentives can effectively discipline politicians without crowding out intrinsic motivation. Abstract This paper investigates the effects of sanctions on the behavior of deputies in the French
Maximal toxicity of cloned CytA δ-endotoxin from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis requires proteolytic processing from both the N- and C-termini

Unlike the CytA toxin from native Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) crystals, the inclusions of cloned CytA produced by Bti IPS 78/11 in the presence of the 20 kDa ‘helper’ protein require a reducing agent in addition to a highly alkaline pH for complete solubilization. Activation of the solubilized CytA with a range of proteases produced 25-22 kDa products. SDS-PAGE analysis and N-terminal amino acid sequencing revealed that CytA was processed very similarly at both termini by proteinase K or by Anopheles or Culex gut extracts. Trypsin, by contrast, processed CytA predominantly at the N-terminus. In vitro cytolytic assays against Aedes aegypti cells, and haemolytic assays against rat erythrocytes, showed that CytA processed at both termini by proteinase K was the most active form. Thus CytA, like other Bt δ-endotoxins, is processed to a well-defined protease-resistant product and this processing enhances the toxicity in vitro and possibly in vivo.
Associations between maternal characteristics and health, survival, and performance of dairy heifers from birth through first lactation

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to investigate whether health, survival, and performance of dairy heifers from birth through first lactation are associated with parity and health status of their dams. Holstein heifers (n = 1,811) derived from artificial insemination were categorized as (1) daughters of primiparous cows that, consequently, were nonlactating heifers during gestation (Prim-NoL; n = 787); (2) daughters of multiparous cows that did not have any clinical diseases in the previous lactation (Mult-NoCD; n = 638); and (3) daughters of multiparous cows that had at least one clinical disease in the previous lactation (Mult-CD; n = 386). Clinical diseases of the multiparous dams included retained placenta, metritis, mastitis, lameness, and digestive and respiratory problems. Data collected for evaluation of daughters included genotypic and phenotypic characteristics at birth, morbidity, reproductive performance, and culling from birth through 305 d in milk of first lactation. Orthogonal contrasts were used to evaluate the effect of the parity of the dam (Prim-NoL vs. Mult-NoCD + Mult-CD) and the effect of clinical disease occurrence in the previous lactation among multiparous dams (Mult-NoCD vs. Mult-CD). Compared with daughters of multiparous cows, daughters of Prim-NoL were lighter at birth (36 vs. 41 kg), had greater genetic merit for production traits (e.g., genomic estimated breeding value for milk yield: 875 vs. 746 kg), were less likely to leave the herd (17 vs. 28%) and to lose pregnancy as a heifer (9 vs. 14%), calved earlier (703 vs. 711 d old), were less likely to have clinical diseases as a first lactation cow (30 vs. 37%), and had reduced performance in the first lactation when considering their genetic merit (e.g., 305-d yield of energy-corrected milk: 11,270 vs. 11,539 kg). Compared with daughters of Mult-NoCD, daughters of Mult-CD were less likely to have digestive problems as a heifer (17 vs. 27%) and clinical disease as a first lactation cow (32 vs. 42%), but were also more likely to leave the herd as a heifer (32 vs. 25%) even though genetic merit for production traits were similar (e.g., genomic estimated breeding value for milk: 744 vs. 749 kg). In conclusion, both parity and health status of the dam in the previous lactation were associated with morbidity, survival, and performance of their daughters from birth through 305 d in milk of the first lactation and might represent factors affecting developmental programming of dairy heifers in utero.
Biochemical and structural characterization of murine GBP7, a guanylate binding protein with an elongated C-terminal tail.

Guanylate-binding proteins (GBPs) constitute a family of interferon-inducible guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) that are key players in host defense against intracellular pathogens ranging from protozoa to bacteria and viruses. So far, human GBP1 and GBP5 as well as murine GBP2 (mGBP2) have been biochemically characterized in detail. Here, with murine GBP7 (mGBP7), a GBP family member with an unconventional and elongated C-terminus is analyzed. The present study demonstrates that mGBP7 exhibits a concentration-dependent GTPase activity and an apparent GTP turnover number of 20 min-1. In addition, fluorescence spectroscopy analyses reveal that mGBP7 binds GTP with high affinity (KD = 0.22 µM) and GTPase activity assays indicate that mGBP7 hydrolyzes GTP to GDP and GMP. The mGBP7 GTPase activity is inhibited by incubation with γ-phosphate analogs and a K51A mutation interfering with GTP binding. SEC-MALS analyses give evidence that mGBP7 forms transient dimers and that this oligomerization pattern is not influenced by the presence of nucleotides. Moreover, a structural model for mGBP7 is provided by homology modeling, which shows that the GTPase possesses an elongated C-terminal (CT) tail compared with the CaaX motif-containing mGBP2 and human GBP1. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that this tail has transmembrane characteristics and, interestingly, confocal microscopy analyses reveal that the CT tail is required for recruitment of mGBP7 to the parasitophorous vacuole of Toxoplasma gondii.
Genetic Confirmation of the requirement for PQQ in alcohol metabolism in Rhodobacter sphaeroides

ABSTRACT Rhodobacter sphaeroides can use many alcohols as carbon and/or energy sources. The breakdown of these alcohols requires enzymes containing cofactors which facilitate electron transfer. Previous research indicates that one type of enzyme used by R. sphaeroides for this purpose may be the pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ)-containing alcohol dehydrogenase(s). The purpose of this research is to disrupt the PQQ biosynthetic genes in a R. sphaeroides strain and to determine if this strain can grow on alcohols. Towards this goal, a cloning strategy has been developed to remove a portion of the PQQ biosynthetic genes and replace this DNA with an antibiotic resistance gene. The plasmids containing both the antibiotic resistance gene and PQQ genes have been purified. Restriction sites for both of these plasmids have been identified and used to isolate desired DNA. Recombinant DNA techniques have been used to construct the desired DNA sequence. The modified version of the PQQ genes will be placed into a strain of Escherichia coli, which will be conjugated with R. sphaeroides. The mutant R. sphaeroides strain will then be tested to confirm exchange of the modified genes. Growth of R. sphaeroides on media containing different alcohols as a sole carbon source will be used to determine the role of PQQ genes in the metabolism of various alcohols. In this report, preliminary data is presented and progress towards these goals is discussed.
Cloning the Unclonable: Physically Cloning an FPGA Ring-Oscillator PUF

This work presents a novel technique to physically clone a ring oscillator physically unclonable function (RO PDF) onto another distinct FPG A die, using precise, targeted aging. The resulting cloned RO PDF provides a response that is identical to its copied FPGA counterpart, i.e., the FPGA and its clone are indistinguishable from each other. Targeted aging is achieved by: 1) heating the FPGA using bitstream-Iocated short circuits, and 2) enabling/disabling ROs in the same FPGA bitstream. During self heating caused by short-circuits contained in the FPGA bitstream, circuit areas containing oscillating ROs (enabled) degrade more slowly than circuit areas containing non-oscillating ROs (disabled), due to bias temperature instability effects. This targeted aging technique is used to swap the relative frequencies of two ROs that will, in turn, flip the corresponding bit in the PUF response. Two experiments are described. The first experiment uses targeted aging to create an FPGA that exhibits the same PUF response as another FPGA, i.e., a clone of an FPGA PUF onto another FPGA device. The second experiment demonstrates that this aging technique can create an RO PUF with any desired response.
Use of Blood Lipid Indicators as a Screening Tool of Insulin Resistance among Individuals in Low-Income Country Sides of China: A Multiethnic Region Study

Objective This study is aimed at evaluating the diagnostic value of blood lipid indicators (BLIs) for insulin resistance (IR) among major ethnic groups in Xinjiang, China, to identify the most valuable indicators and appropriate cut-off points for each ethnic group and to lay the foundation for the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of metabolic diseases in remote rural areas. Methods Overall, 418 Uygurs, 331 Kazakhs, and 220 Hans were randomly included in our study. The homeostasis model assessment was the gold standard for identifying IR. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value, and the nomogram was utilized to analyze the predictive value. The size of the area under the curve (AUC) reflected the accuracy of screening and prediction. Results Differences in races were observed in terms of IR and BLIs, and the Kazakhs had the highest IR level at 5.27 mmol/L. The correlation between IR and BLIs differed among the three races. For the Kazakhs and Hans, all BLIs, except total cholesterol (TC), were correlated to IR. However, for the Uygurs, only the triglyceride (TG) level, TG/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio, and TC/HDL-C ratio were associated with IR. After further adjustment of confounding factors, these indicators were still correlated to IR. BLIs that independently correlated to IR in the three nationalities had a certain diagnostic value for IR. In terms of the AUC size, the TG level was the highest in Uygurs, the TG/HDL-C ratio was the highest for Kazakhs and Hans, and the corresponding best cut-off points for IR were 1.515, 1.230, and 1.495 mmol/L, respectively. In addition, for each race, when the indicators with a certain diagnostic value were combined, the diagnostic value for IR was higher. Conclusion BLIs had a certain diagnostic value for IR and could be used as a screening tool for IR among Uygurs, Kazakhs, and Hans in Xinjiang. These findings are extremely important for the prevention and treatment of IR and metabolic diseases in remote rural areas.
Diagnostic and prognostic value of new bioscore in critically ill septic patients

Abstract Objective To evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of biomarkers and new bioscore in septic patients in intensive care unit (ICU). Materials and methods A study was conducted on septic and non-septic patients in ICU. Diagnostic and prognostic values of C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), Sequential Organ Failure Assessments (SOFA) score and new bioscore were analysed statistically. Results A total of 226 patients were enrolled in the study. In septic patients, PCT, SOFA and bioscore were found significantly increased (p = .007, p = .001 and p = .001, respectively). The AUC value of bioscore was higher than PCT and SOFA in septic patients. SOFA was found to be more significant prognostic marker than bioscore in predicting 28-day mortality. The prognostic value of bioscore and SOFA was similar for predicting 90-day mortality. Conclusions The new bioscore formed by combination of CRP, PCT and SOFA score may be useful in early diagnosis of sepsis.
How Do Synchronous Lung Metastases Influence the Surgical Management of Children with Hepatoblastoma? An Update and Systematic Review of the Literature

Approximately 20% of children with hepatoblastoma (HB) have metastatic disease at diagnosis, most frequently in the lungs. In children with HB, lung metastatic disease is associated with poorer prognosis. Its treatment has been approached with a variety of methods that integrate chemotherapy and surgical resection. The timing and feasibility of complete extirpation of lung metastases, by chemotherapy and/or metastasectomy, is crucial for the surgical treatment of the primary liver tumor, which can vary from major hepatic resections to liver transplantation (LT). In children with unresectable HB, which can be surgically treated only by LT, the persistence of unresectable metastases after neoadjuvant chemotherapy excludes the possibility of recurring to LT with consequent negative impact on patients’ outcomes. Due to limited evidence and experience, there is no consensus amongst oncologists and surgeons across institutions regarding the surgical treatment for HB with synchronous metastatic lung disease. This narrative review aimed to update the current management of pulmonary metastasis in children with HB and to define its role in the decision-making strategy for the surgical approach to primary liver tumours.
Spatial and vertical distribution of bacteria in the Pearl River estuary sediment

In order to investigate the spatial and vertical change of bacteria community structure in the Pearl River estuary sediment, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and multivariate statistical analyses were carried out in this study. Results of multidimensional scaling analyses (MDS) were in good agreement with the DGGE band patterns suggesting that vertical depth had a significant impact on sediment bacterial community structure except sample A2. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was also conducted to infer the relationship between environmental variables and bacterial community structure. Bacterial phylotypes in different stations were closely related uniquely to the overlying water environment. Salinity, pH, ammonium, phosphate and silicate were considered to be the key factors driving the changes in bacterial community composition. The neighbour-joining analysis divided bacteria sequences into eight groups, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Planctomycetales and Cyanobacteria. Sequencing analysis results suggested that Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were the dominant bacterial groups in the four sediment samples.