Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Salinity tolerance in plants. Quantitative approach to ion transport starting from halophytes and stepping to genetic and protein engineering for manipulating ion fluxes

Ion transport is the fundamental factor determining salinity tolerance in plants. The Review starts from differences in ion transport between salt tolerant halophytes and salt-sensitive plants with an emphasis on transport of potassium and sodium via plasma membranes. The comparison provides introductory information for increasing salinity tolerance. Effects of salt stress on ion transport properties of membranes show huge opportunities for manipulating ion fluxes. Further steps require knowledge about mechanisms of ion transport and individual genes of ion transport proteins. Initially, the Review describes methods to measure ion fluxes, the independent set of techniques ensures robust and reliable basement for quantitative approach. The Review briefly summarizes current data concerning Na+ and K+ concentrations in cells, refers to primary thermodynamics of ion transport and gives special attention to individual ion channels and transporters. Simplified scheme of a plant cell with known transport systems at the plasma membrane and tonoplast helps to imagine the complexity of ion transport and allows choosing specific transporters for modulating ion transport. The complexity is enhanced by the influence of cell size and cell wall on ion transport. Special attention is given to ion transporters and to potassium and sodium transport by HKT, HAK, NHX, and SOS1 proteins. Comparison between non-selective cation channels and ion transporters reveals potential importance of ion transporters and the balance between the two pathways of ion transport. Further on the Review describes in detail several successful attempts to overexpress or knockout ion transporters for changing salinity tolerance. Future perspectives are questioned with more attention given to promising candidate ion channels and transporters for altered expression. Potential direction of increasing salinity tolerance by modifying ion channels and transporters using single point mutations is discussed and questioned. An alternative approach from synthetic biology is to create new regulation networks using novel transport proteins with desired properties for transforming agricultural crops. The approach had not been widely used earlier; it leads also to theoretical and pure scientific aspects of protein chemistry, structure-function relations of membrane proteins, systems biology and physiology of stress and ion homeostasis. Summarizing, several potential ways are aimed at required increase in salinity tolerance of plants of interest.
Requerimientos germinativos y modelización de la emergencia de plántula de Portulaca oleracea L. (Verdolaga).

Knowledge about factors modulating germination and emergence processes makes it possible to design predictive models, a useful tool for weed management decisions. For this purpose, several experiments have been done to study the germination behabiour of Portulaca oleracea and to model the emergence of the weed in the field. Results indicate that: Seeds of Portulaca oleracea, Zavalla biotype, exhibits a strong dependence irradiance for germination to proceed under any thermal regime, whether alternate or constant. Recently dispersed seeds do not exhibit dormancy and they have a high viability (ca.90%). Cardinal temperatures are: Base Temperature (.) C; Optimum Temperature (.) C; and Maximum Temperature (.) C The weather threshold is -1,13 MPa. Total field emergence-span is completed at about 200 HGDD (Hydro growing degrees). Validated field emergence model provides a very reasonable prediction on the dynaniics of seedling emergence~ It is considered robust enough for timing in case the application of postemergence herbicides or for making decisions regarding the persistence of soil-applied herbicides in no-till corn or soybeans crops.
c-kit ligand and Flt3 ligand: stem/progenitor cell factors with overlapping yet distinct activities.

HEMATOPOIESIS IS A life-long process responsible for replenishing both hematopoietic progenitor cells and mature blood cells from a pool of pluripotent, long-term reconstituting stem cells. [1][1] The daily turnover in a normal adult of approximately 1012 blood cells is tightly regulated, involving,
Numerical Investigation of Strength-reducing Mechanisms of Mantle Rock During the Genesis Flood

This paper reports our efforts to model the effects of grain size, recrystallization, creep, and texture on overall rock strength within the Earth’s mantle during the Genesis Flood. Our study uses experimental rheological data obtained from the mineralogical literature for olivine, which is an important mantle mineral. We apply an Internal State Variable (ISV) constitutive model within the framework of the TERRA finite element code to capture the subscale structures and their associated dynamics, strength, and viscosity effects during the Flood episode. Our numerical investigations, in both 2D and 3D, that include the improved deformation model reveal even more clearly that the potential for mantle instability enabled an episode of catastrophic plate tectonics to occur. This mantle instability arises from the extreme weakening behavior resulting from the relationship between microstructural features (herein texture, recrystallization, and grain size) and thermomechanical properties (e.g., stress and viscosity) under the conditions of temperature, pressure, and strain rate within the mantle during the Genesis Flood. It is our conviction that such an episode played a major role in the global Flood described in Genesis 7-8.
Metallic Nanoparticle Manipulation using Optoelectronic Tweezers

We report on trapping of single and multiple spherical gold nanoparticles with 60 to 250 nm diameters using optoelectronic tweezers (OET). Thanks to the low optical intensities required for stable trapping (20 ¿W over 1.7 ¿m spot), we estimate the temperature increase in OET-trapped nanoparticles due to absorption to be ¿T ≪ 0.1°C, making OET-trapped nanoparticles suitable for biological imaging and sensing applications. In addition, we observe translational velocities of 68 ¿m/s and demonstrate trapping of both single and multiple nanoparticles in a single trap.
RICA: a ring-based information collection architecture in wireless sensor networks

We propose a novel data collection architecture, called Ring-based Information Collection Architecture (RICA), for sensor networks. In the RICA scheme, sensors are organised into a ring. According to our study, the transmission delay time of data collection in a ring is only a half of that in PEGASIS, in which sensors are organised into a chain. We present a ring construction algorithm for RICA, which can reduce the average transmission distance between every pair of adjacent sensors. In addition, we also propose another scheme, called L-RICA, to further reduce the transmission delay time of RICA. L-RICA makes use of a layered-ring architecture for concurrent transmissions. Simulation results show that RICA indeed has longer-life time and lower Energy × Delay than both the cluster-based scheme (e.g. LEACH) and the chain-based scheme (e.g. PEGASIS). Compared to other layered architecture, L-RICA outperforms the chain-based binary and chain-based three-level schemes.
Preparing Graduate Students for Virtual World Simulations: Exploring the Potential of an Emerging Technology

At Seton Hall University (SHU), developing skill-building scenarios that increase management competencies is a priority for both the on-campus and the online Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) programs. Realizing a need to provide online students with similar learning opportunities to those available to on-campus students, Anne M. Hewitt and Susan Spencer, faculty members in the online MHA program, worked with Danielle Mirliss and Riad Twal, staff members from SHU's Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center (TLT Center), to investigate simulation options using virtual worlds like Second Life to replicate the tabletop exercise experience. The resulting exercise, which promises to offer online students the same realistic training experience traditionally provided by an in-person tabletop exercise, provided pilot participants with a training experience that improved their mastery of important concepts. However, we found that challenges involving student support and technology access must be addressed before virtual world simulations can be implemented successfully.
Irrigation Governance in Developing Countries: Current Problems and Solutions

The evolution of water governance and societal perception in large, public irrigation systems in developing countries has triggered successive waves of reforms since the 1980s. Among them are Participatory Irrigation Management, Irrigation Management Transfer, Public-Private Partnerships or Market Instruments. Reforms have generalized the implementation of Water Users Associations (WUAs) in continuous interaction with a public Irrigation Agency. This paper set out to review recurrent problems and reported solutions in the governance of irrigated areas in developing countries and to relate solutions to problems in a case study context. The combination of literature review and the experience of the authors permitted identification and characterization of eight problems and eight solutions. A semi-quantitative approach was designed to relate solutions to problems in case study WUAs. The approach is based on the definition of a generic problem-solution matrix and a WUA-specific problem vector. The solution vector indicates the adequacy of each solution to a case study WUA. It can be obtained by multiplying the problem vector with the problem-solution matrix. Application of this approach to seven case study WUAs demonstrated its potential. Local fine-tuning of the coefficients defining the problem-solution matrix seems required to draw conclusions effectively guiding decision-making.
Using automated performance modeling to find scalability bugs in complex codes

Many parallel applications suffer from latent performance limitations that may prevent them from scaling to larger machine sizes. Often, such scalability bugs manifest themselves only when an attempt to scale the code is actually being made-a point where remediation can be difficult. However, creating analytical performance models that would allow such issues to be pinpointed earlier is so laborious that application developers attempt it at most for a few selected kernels, running the risk of missing harmful bottlenecks. In this paper, we show how both coverage and speed of this scalability analysis can be substantially improved. Generating an empirical performance model automatically for each part of a parallel program, we can easily identify those parts that will reduce performance at larger core counts. Using a climate simulation as an example, we demonstrate that scalability bugs are not confined to those routines usually chosen as kernels.
Lane marking detection based on waveform analysis and CNN

Lane markings detection is a very important part of the ADAS to avoid traffic accidents. In order to obtain accurate lane markings, in this work, a novel and efficient algorithm is proposed, which analyses the waveform generated from the road image after inverse perspective mapping (IPM). The algorithm includes two main stages: the first stage uses an image preprocessing including a CNN to reduce the background and enhance the lane markings. The second stage obtains the waveform of the road image and analyzes the waveform to get lanes. The contribution of this work is that we introduce local and global features of the waveform to detect the lane markings. The results indicate the proposed method is robust in detecting and fitting the lane markings.
Triglyceride Levels Are Closely Associated with Mild Declines in Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rates in Middle-Aged and Elderly Chinese with Normal Serum Lipid Levels

Objective To investigate the relationship between lipid profiles [including total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)] and a mild decline in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in subjects with normal serum lipid levels. Design and Methods In this study, we included 2647 participants who were ≥40 years old and had normal serum lipid levels. The Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation was used to estimate the GFR. A mildly reduced eGFR was defined as 60–90 mL/min/1.73 m2. First, multiple linear regression analysis was used to estimate the association of lipid profiles with the eGFR. Then, the levels of each lipid component were divided into four groups, using the 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles as cut-off points. Finally, multiple logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association of different lipid components with the risk of mildly reduced eGFR. Results In the group with a mildly reduced eGFR, TG and LDL-C levels were significantly increased, but HDL-C levels were significantly decreased. After adjusting for age, gender, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), smoking and drinking, only TC and TG were independently related to the eGFR. Additionally, only TG showed a linear relationship with an increased risk of a mildly reduced eGFR, with the highest quartile group (TG: 108–150 mg/dl [1.22–1.70 mmol/L]) having a significantly increased risk after adjusting for the above factors. Conclusions Triglyceride levels are closely associated with a mildly reduced eGFR in subjects with normal serum lipid levels. Dyslipidemia with lower TG levels could be used as new diagnostic criteria for subjects with mildly reduced renal function.
Ewing sarcoma breakpoint region 1 prevents transcription-associated genome instability

Ewing Sarcoma break point region 1 (EWSR1) is a multi-functional RNA-binding protein that is involved in many cellular processes, from gene expression to RNA processing and transport. Translocations into its locus lead to chimeric proteins with tumorigenic activity, that lack the RNA binding domain. With crosslinking and immunoprecipitation we have found that EWSR1 binds to intronic regions that are present in polyadenylated nuclear RNAs, which include the translocation-prone region of its own locus. Reduced EWSR1 expression leads to gene expression changes that indicate reduced proliferation. By fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with break-apart probes that flanked the translocation-prone region within the EWSR1 locus we found that reduced EWSR1 expression increases the frequency of split signals, indicative of DNA double strand breaks (DSB). The response in phosphorylated histone H2AX and p53-binding protein 1 (53BP1) double-stained foci to the topoisomerase poison camptothecin in cells treated with a control shRNA and with sh-EWSR1 further suggests that EWSR1 functions in the prevention of DNA DSBs. Our data reveal a new function of the EWSR1 member of the FET family and suggest a connection between the RNA-binding activity of EWSR1 and the instability of its own locus that may play a role in malignancy-associated translocations.
Correlation between erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein level in patients with rheumatic diseases

Objectives Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and serum level of C-reactive protein (CRP) are the acute phase reactants most commonly determined in patients with rheumatic diseases. The indices are affected by different factors, but both of them are applied for evaluation of the disease activity in patients with inflammatory disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Material and methods The authors compared the results of ESR and CRP, which were carried out during routine diagnosis in 200 patients admitted to the Department of Rheumatology. Results A significant correlation between ESR and CRP was found (ESR after 1 h/CRP: correlation coefficient 0.6944, ESR after 2 h/CRP: correlation coefficient 0.6126). There was no difference in ESR or CRP between male and female patients, and patients older than 40 years had higher ESR and CRP. Conclusions The obtained results support the usefulness of both indices in the clinical practice of rheumatologists.
Imbalanced Classification for Fault Detection in Monitored Critical Infrastructures

Safety and reliability are among the most crucial factors for the critical infrastructures (CIs). For this reason, they are typically closely monitored and large amounts of data have been collected. Due to their importance, CIs are designed to be highly reliable such that fault cases are rare in the Bigdata set. This renders the fault detection an imbalanced binary classification task. In this work, we developed accurate data mining classifier to tackle this problem. The imbalance ratio of the data can be more than 200.
Economic benefits of photovoltaic-based systems for residential customers participating in open electricity markets

Small-scale distributed photovoltaic (PV) generation, in which PV panels are installed on residential customers' rooftops, has been envisaged as an approach to increase renewable energy participation. In this paper, we have presented a method to determine the economic benefits obtained by residential customers who can freely purchase and sell electricity from an open electricity market, when PV panels are installed on their rooftops with and without support from electrical storage. By using our method, the number of PV panels that can be optimally installed on rooftops for maximum economic benefits can be determined. Further, since PV costs are expected to decrease over the next decade, we have extended the methodology to model progressive piecemeal installations of PV panels over many years. We applied our methodology to the case of a Finnish customer participating in the Nordic electricity market. Although installing PV panels is not beneficial for Finnish residential customers today considering the current LCOE prices, customers obtain long-term benefits from using PV panels, and these benefits improve with the inclusion of batteries.
Recursive Least Squares adaptive filters for ultrasonic signal deconvolution

Biomedical ultrasound (US) image quality is limited due to the blurring of tissue reflectivity introduced by the transducer point spread function (PSF). Deconvolution techniques can be used to eliminate this effect and to obtain the pure tissue response. In this paper we propose a new enhancement method based on recursive least squares (RLS) adaptive filtering. The method handles the spatial variability of the PSF by means of blind homomorphic characterization of the transducer. The results show that the RLS adaptation increases contrast and resolution by eliminating the spectral shaping of the backscattered echo and thus enhancing the diagnostic capability of US images.
An optimal algorithm for scheduling soft-aperiodic tasks in fixed-priority preemptive systems

A novel algorithm for servicing soft deadline aperiodic tasks in a real-time system in which hard deadline periodic tasks are scheduled using a fixed priority algorithm is presented. This algorithm is proved to be optimal in the sense that it provides the shortest aperiodic response time among all possible aperiodic service methods. Simulation studies show that it offers substantial performance improvements over current approaches, including the sporadic server algorithm. Moreover, standard queuing formulas can be used to predict aperiodic response times over a wide range of conditions. The algorithm can be extended to schedule hard deadline aperiodics and to efficiently reclaim unused periodic service time when periodic tasks have stochastic execution times. <<ETX>>
Anti-Retroviral Treatment Infected Patients before and after Responses to Tuberculosis Antigens in HIV-1 T Cell + and CD8 + Polyfunctional CD4

Tuberculosis (TB) kills 2 million people per year and infection with HIV is the most potent known risk factor for progression to active TB. An understanding of the immune response to TB Ags in HIV-infected patients is required to develop optimal TB vaccines and diagnostics. We assessed polyfunctional (IFN- g 1 IL-2 + TNF- a + ) T cell responses to TB Ags in three groups of HIV-1–infected patients dependent on their TB status, CD4 counts, and anti-retroviral exposure. We found that although the proportion of IFN- g cells in response to TB Ags was higher in patients with low CD4 counts, the responding cells changed from a polyfunctional CD4 + to a monofunctional CD8 + response. The overall polyfunctionality of the cells was restored by 12 mo of anti-retroviral therapy and primarily involved CD4 + T cells with an effector memory phenotype. These ﬁndings have major implications for diagnosis of TB and in vaccine development strategies for TB in HIV-1–infected patients. The Journal of Immunology , 2010, 184: 000–000.
Estilos de liderazgo en el rendimiento financiero y no financiero de las microempresas

La presente investigación tiene como objetivo desarrollar la revisión de literatura de las teorías referentes a los estilos de liderazgo en el rendimiento financiero y no financiero de las microempresas. Para ello se realizó la revisión de artículos científicos y se evaluó su marco teórico y norma societaria aplicable. Se identificó que el estilo de liderazgo transformacional y transaccional tiene relación con el rendimiento organizacional y toma como base la Teoría del Liderazgo de la Gama Completa de Bass, que argumenta que las teorías de liderazgos se centran en la identificación y comprensión de las metas de los seguidores y las percepciones de cómo los líderes recompensan o evalúan su comportamiento. Por otro lado, el rendimiento financiero y no financiero evalúa aspectos relacionados con la productividad, crecimiento de ventas, retorno de activos, participación de mercado, innovación de productos y servicios, calidad de productos y servicios y satisfacción del cliente.
Feasibility study of blood velocity vector estimation using three types of transducer

Ultrasound color Doppler imaging has been a useful technique for obtaining vascular blood flow information. The conventional method, however, suffers from angle dependency when the blood flow is normal to the ultrasound beam direction so that it is difficult to visualize the blood flow. To overcome this angle dependency, various vector Doppler imaging methods with multiple transmit and receive sub-apertures have been proposed and showed an angle independent vessel flow information. However, most of them are evaluated on a linear array transducer. This paper evaluates a vector Doppler algorithm consisting of one transmit (TX) sub-aperture and two receive (RX) sub-apertures based on the convex and phased array transducer. Vessel flow velocity magnitudes and directions obtained by the vector Doppler using the convex and phased array show, for convex transducer mean direction error of 8.6843 degrees and 0.3860 m/s of mean velocity magnitude error and for phased array 16.1693 degrees and 0.0247 m/s mean errors respectively. These result indicate that convex and phased array also provide an reasonable vessel velocity magnitude and flow direction comparing to the vessel information of linear transducer which are errors of 2.9440 degrees and 0.1710 m/s respectively.