Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The immune evasion roles of Staphylococcus aureus protein A and impact on vaccine development

While Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria are part of the human commensal flora, opportunistic invasion following breach of the epithelial layers can lead to a wide array of infection syndromes at both local and distant sites. Despite ubiquitous exposure from early infancy, the life-long risk of opportunistic infection is facilitated by a broad repertoire of S. aureus virulence proteins. These proteins play a key role in inhibiting development of a long-term protective immune response by mechanisms ranging from dysregulation of the complement cascade to the disruption of leukocyte migration. In this review we describe the recent progress made in dissecting S. aureus immune evasion, focusing on the role of the superantigen, staphylococcal protein A (SpA). Evasion of the normal human immune response drives the ability of S. aureus to cause infection, often recurrently, and is also thought to be a major hindrance in the development of effective vaccination strategies. Understanding the role of S. aureus virulence protein and determining methods overcoming or subverting these mechanisms could lead to much-needed breakthroughs in vaccine and monoclonal antibody development.
Wage Differentials in the Post Liberalized Labor Market in Paksitan

ABSTRACT:In this paper, we investigate the wage differentials that exist in the post-liberalized labor market in Pakistan. The increasing wage differential contradicts standard labor theories and models. The literature also confirms the existence of wage differentials across different labor markets both in industrialized and non-industrialized countries. The firms compensate the workers both on their observable and unobservable characteristics. The mincer equation used in its semi-logarithmic decomposed form to derive wage differentials. The weighted adjusted standard deviation technique is used for further decomposition of the level and regional variations in sectoral wage gaps, as suggested by Horrace and Oaxaca. The sectoral heterogeneity, skill characteristics and regional dispersions derived by using the micro labor force data sets spread over thirty years. The results confirm the existence of inter-industry wage differentials. However, the size varies across the regions, levels of education, and types of occupations. A substantial difference in the wage gap observed in firms both in the formal and informal sectors. The financial services firms pay higher than the average national wage followed by firms in utility services, the services sector, and the mining sector. The firms in the agricultural sector pay lower than the average national wage. The dispersion in wages has risen to the magnitude of almost 25 percent over the last three decades. Firms pay higher wages to high-skill workers, while industries requiring jobs with low skills pay lower wages. The wage differentials in various regions are attributable to the persistent and relative backwardness of provinces. The high-skilled occupations in general are likely to have more benefits than those involving low-skilled workers. Individual and household characteristics account for almost 50 percent of variation regardless of the sectoral affiliation. The increase in the minimum wage, with targeted social policies in educational attainment, increased participation of women, and provision of social services in the informal sector may reduce the gap in wage difference.
Electroassisted Incorporation of Ferrocene within Sol–Gel Silica Films to Enhance Electron Transfer

The sol–gel method is a straightforward technique that allows electrode modification with silica thin films. Furthermore, the silica pores could be functionalized to enhance the electrical conductivity and reactivity of the silica films. In this context, silica thin films were functionalized with ferrocene species. This functionalization was performed by electroassisted accumulation, generating a micro-structured composite electrode (Fc@SiO2 electrode). These modified electrodes were characterized by electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical methods, pointing out that ferrocene species were confined with high stability within the microporous silica thin film, demonstrating the good adsorption capacity of the silica. While the spectroelectrochemical characterization indicates that only a fraction of the confined species within the silica films were electroactive, the electrochemical results demonstrate that the Fc@SiO2 film enhances the electrochemical response of cytochrome c in a solution, which gives rise to further applications of these films for redox-controlled release and electrochemical detection of other redox-active proteins.
Trajectory Tracking Control for Differential-Driven Unmanned Surface Vessels Considering Propeller Servo Loop

This article addresses the robust trajectory tracking control strategy of differential-driven unmanned surface vessels, with the propeller servo loop taken into consideration. The proposed strategy takes duty cycles of propeller motors as control input and thereby can be directly applied in practice without any modification. Compared to the existing methods, the proposed method provides the framework of position control considering propeller servo loop and improves robustness to external disturbances. The controller design procedure is divided into three stages through backstepping technique. Disturbance observers are constructed to provide estimations of composite disturbances, which guarantee robustness in the presence of external disturbances and model uncertainties. An auxiliary system is introduced to handle the input saturation of duty cycles. With a linear growth condition of the output of propeller motors, a rigorous proof is presented to show tracking errors are uniformly ultimately bounded. Simulation and experiments illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.
The 1980 eruptions of Mount St. Helens: Physical and chemical processes in the stratospheric clouds

We investigate the physical and chemical properties of the stratospheric clouds produced by the recent eruptions of the Mount St. Helens volcano. The large and diverse set of observational data collected in the high-altitude plumes of the May 18, May 25, and June 13, 1980, eruptions is organized and analyzed for evidence of the processes at work. The data are used to guide and constrain detailed model simulations of the volcanic clouds. For this purpose a comprehensive one-dimensional model of stratospheric sulfate aerosols, sulfur precursor gases, and volcanic ash and dust is utilized. The model accounts for gas-phase and condensed-phase (heterogeneous) chemistry in the clouds, aerosol nucleation and growth, and cloud expansion. Computational results are given for the time histories of the gaseous species concentrations, aerosol size distributions, and ash burdens of the eruption clouds. The long-term buildup of stratospheric aerosols in the Northern Hemisphere, and the persistent effects of injected chlorine and water vapor on stratospheric ozone, are also investigated. We conclude that SO2, water vapor, and ash were probably the most important substances injected into the stratosphere by the Mount St. Helens volcano, both with respect to their widespread effects on composition and their impact on climate. Despite the seemingly large magnitude of the Mt. St. Helens eruption, we also find that the volcano had little influence on the climate (≲0.05 K surface cooling in the Northern Hemisphere) or on stratospheric ozone (<0.2% maximum hemispherical depletion). The remaining problems in the field of volcanic cloud physics and chemistry, and the requirements for future experimental work, are also discussed.
Studies of Mantle Convection in Japan.

The geodynamic studies carried out in Japan during the period of 1982-1992 have been reviewed. The studies include (1) estimates of mantle viscosity from the data of post glacial rebound, (2) numerical studies on the effects of heterogeneous distribution of heat producing elements on mantle convection, (3) numerical studies on the effects of heterogeneous distribution of major elements on mantle convection, (4) numerical studies on the influences of temperature-dependence and anisotropy of viscosity on mantle convection, and (5) numerical studies on the effects of the phase-transitions in the transition layer on mantle convection.
Quantifying CO2 Emissions and Carbon Sequestration from Digestate-Amended Soil Using Natural 13C Abundance as a Tracer

The untapped potential for carbon sequestration in agricultural soils represents one of the most cost-effective tools for climate change mitigation. Increasing soil organic matter also brings other agronomic benefits such as improved soil structure, enhanced water-and-nutrient-retention capacity, and biological activity. Broadly, soil organic carbon storage is achieved by increasing carbon inputs (plant residues and organic amendments) and reducing carbon outputs (soil loss mechanisms, decomposition). With a focus on carbon inputs—more specifically, organic amendments—as leverage to increase soil organic carbon, we compared the respiration rates and carbon storage of incubated soil cores amended with maize straw, manure, two digestates and the solid fraction of digestate. Using the variation in the natural 13C abundance found in C4 and C3 plants as a tracer, we were able to partition the CO2 emissions between the exogenous organic matter materials elaborated from maize (C4) and native soil organic carbon (C3). The addition of digestate resulted in an additional 65 to 77% of remaining organic carbon after 92 days. The digestate-derived CO2 was fitted to a second-order kinetic carbon model that accounts for the substrate C that is assimilated into the microbial biomass. The model predicted a carbon sequestration potential of 56 to 73% of the total applied organic carbon after one to two years. For the solid fraction, the results were higher, with 89% of the applied organic carbon after 92 days and a sequestration potential of 86%. The soil priming ranged from −19% to +136% in relation to the unamended control soil, highlighting a surprisingly wide spectrum of results that warrants the need for further research on soil–digestate interactions.
A regional estimate of convective transport of CO from biomass burning

We present a regional-scale estimate of the fraction of biomass burning emissions that are transported to the free troposphere by deep convection. The focus is on CO and the study region is a part of Brazil that underwent intensive deforestation in the 1980's. The method of calculation is stepwise, scaling up from a prototype convective event, the dynamics of which are well-characterized, to the vertical mass flux of carbon monoxide over the region. Satellite-derived observations of the area extent of pollution from biomass burning and convective cloud cover are used in the scaling. Given uncertainties in CO emissions from biomass burning and the representativeness of the protoype event, it is estimated that 10–40 percent of CO emissions from the burning region may be rapidly transported to the free troposphere over the burning region. These relatively fresh emissions will produce O3 efficiently in the free troposphere where O3 has a longer lifetime than in the boundary layer.
A 3D model retrieve method integrating shape distribution and self-organizing feature map

Shape Distribution is fast, simple, and robust method in 3D model retrieve. This method, however, only considers distances between the objects' shape distribution histograms and ignores the information included. As the result, the retrieval precision is low. To enhance the retrieve efficiency, a novel method which integrates Shape Distribution and Self-Organizing Feature Map (SOFM) is proposed. The models' shape distribution histograms are established by Shape Distribution and transformed into the proper format of SOFM. The similar models are grouped in neighboring neurons of SOFM by using competitive learning approach. In addition, the dissimilar models are indexed in far away neurons. With the given query model, SOFM classifies it into the proper cluster and exports the retrieval results. A case study is presented and the results show that the retrieval precision of the proposed method is higher than that of the Shape Distribution method.
Effect of coning motion and blowing on the asymmetric side forces on a slender forebody

Low-speed wind tunnel tests are conducted over a 3 5 caliber tangent-ogive nose and cylindrical afterbody undergoing coning motions and subjected to pneumatic vortex control via blowing near the nose. Several different motions, angles of attack, blowing modes and blowing rates were investigated. For cases with no blowing, it is discovered that sectional side force increases in a direction opposite to nose motion, regardless of position relative to the coning axis, until the axial position nears that where the vortex pattern naturally switches sides in steady state. At = 45°, constant blowing is successful at reducing motion effects and recovery time of the flow. Blowing is least successful when its effects compete with the motion, and it is rendered ineffective at a = 55° when attempting to reinforce the motion of the nose. Delayed blowing can cause the flow to return very slowly to steady state, especially at a = 55°. The blowing may probably be made more successful by moving the blowing port further forward.
Regional geochemical mapping and health in the United Kingdom

Geochemical atlases based on the analysis of sediments from surface tributary drainage have been published for Northern Ireland, and England & Wales; the data are smoothed by computer and show regional patterns for the distribution of 20 and 21 elements respectively. Atlases for parts of Scotland present point-source data for up to 25 elements in stream sediments; additional data have been obtained for pan concentrates and stream waters. Regional surveys to provide point-source information are continuing and it is intended that they will in due course cover the whole of the United Kingdom. Research has been successfully undertaken into the applications of geochemical maps to problems of plant and animal health and production, and maps are currently used to delineate areas of potential trace element deficiency and heavy metal excess, particularly where problems may be of a sub-clinical nature. Applications to human health are illustrated with examples of metal anomalies in old mining areas in Derbyshire (Pb) and Somerset (Cd, Zn). Geochemical atlases continue to provide valuable sources of multi-element data for area selection in food, water and medical surveys, and comprise useful base-line information for epidemiological studies.
WATER USE REDUCTIONS FROM RETROFIHNG INDOOR WATER FIXTURES

ABSTRACT: A water use model was developed to estimate water savings from installation of low-flow showerheads and toilet displacement devices in residential housing. The model measures household water use in per capita terms with adjustments for age of occupants, household income, if occupants responsible for direct payment of water bill, and type of water fixtures. Detailed data on 308 single family residences involved with a pilot retrofit program in the Seattle, Washington, area were analyzed. We estimated per capita indoor water use to decline by 6.4 and 2.1 percent from complete installation of low-flow showerheads and toilet displacement devices, respectively.
Middle and Late Pleistocene Mammalian Faunas in Japan

The Middle and Late Pleistocene mammalian faunas of Japan are described with new opinions on their succession and relation to the continental faunas. Although fossil materials assignable to early Middle Pleistocene are seemingly scarce in Japan, the fauna of that time is considered to have been transitional between the Early and Middle Pleistocene ones. On the other hand, fossil records which are younger than early Middle Pleistocene are abundant from the mainlands of Japan; viz. the Honshu-Shikoku-Kyushu area.In the middle Middle Pleistocene, the fauna of this area contained a considerable number of taxa which are extant today in the area (about 50%). It was also characterized by a high proportion of endemic species and the predominance of temperate forest elements. From this time to the late Middle Pleistocene, several species disappeared from the fauna; at the same time, immigrants from the continent were scarce. The faunal characters of the late Middle Pleistocene were basically identical with those of the preceding time.In the early Late Pleistocene, no mammal seems to have immigrated from the neighboring continent, and faunal composition was almost consistent with that of the late Middle Pleistocene. The elements of that fauna still persisted in the late Late Pleistocene, apart from the extinction of a few forms. In addition to the fact mentioned above, immigration from the northern part of the continent was recognized in the late Late Pleistocene, although it was restricted to a few large herbivore forms and to a short time duration.The introduction of the continental faunas to the mainlands of Japan during Middle and Late Pleistocene times was not so remarkable as previously inferred. Therefore it becomes doubtful that the faunas of the area were drastically replaced by the immigration of the Choukoutien, Wanhsien and Loess faunas of China during those times.
Identification of immune-related biomarkers in peripheral blood of schizophrenia using bioinformatic methods and machine learning algorithms

Schizophrenia is a group of severe neurodevelopmental disorders. Identification of peripheral diagnostic biomarkers is an effective approach to improving diagnosis of schizophrenia. In this study, four datasets of schizophrenia patients’ blood or serum samples were downloaded from the GEO database and merged and de-batched for the analyses of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WCGNA). The WGCNA analysis showed that the cyan module, among 9 modules, was significantly related to schizophrenia, which subsequently yielded 317 schizophrenia-related key genes by comparing with the DEGs. The enrichment analyses on these key genes indicated a strong correlation with immune-related processes. The CIBERSORT algorithm was adopted to analyze immune cell infiltration, which revealed differences in eosinophils, M0 macrophages, resting mast cells, and gamma delta T cells. Furthermore, by comparing with the immune genes obtained from online databases, 95 immune-related key genes for schizophrenia were screened out. Moreover, machine learning algorithms including Random Forest, LASSO, and SVM-RFE were used to further screen immune-related hub genes of schizophrenia. Finally, CLIC3 was found as an immune-related hub gene of schizophrenia by the three machine learning algorithms. A schizophrenia rat model was established to validate CLIC3 expression and found that CLIC3 levels were reduced in the model rat plasma and brains in a brain-regional dependent manner, but can be reversed by an antipsychotic drug risperidone. In conclusion, using various bioinformatic and biological methods, this study found an immune-related hub gene of schizophrenia – CLIC3 that might be a potential diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for schizophrenia.
Robust Speed Control in Nonlinear Electric Vehicles Using H-Infinity Control and the LMI Approach

In this investigation, the robust H∞ control of nonlinear electric vehicles (EVs), powered by permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM), was examined. Emphasis was placed on enhancing the accuracy and robustness of the vehicle speed regulation by incorporating a meticulous H∞method, supplemented by the proficient integration of Linear Matrix Inequality (LMI). A solution predicated on the LMI approach was devised, encompassing two distinct H∞ controllers for both current and speed control. Subsequent to an extensive analysis of the mathematical and control model of the EV, weighting functions were judiciously selected to optimize stability and performance. The proposed methodology offers significant advancements in the domain of EV control strategies and proffers insights into the application of robust control methods. Through comprehensive simulations, the effectiveness of the outlined method was validated, revealing impeccable speed control and ensuring steadfast performance when applied to the dynamic model of an EV equipped with a PMSM motor. This research elucidates the progressive strides made in the realm of EV control tactics and offers profound understandings of robust control methodologies.
Three‐dimensional spatial structures of midlatitude type 1 Es irregularities

[1] Concurrent type 1 and type 2 radar returns from sporadic E (Es) irregularities detected by the Chung-Li VHF radar are analyzed and discussed in this paper. For the present case the mean Doppler velocities of the type 1 echoes lasting ∼8 min are between ∼250 and 302 m/s, smaller than those observed in equatorial and auroral regions. The backscatter from type 1 irregularities is greater than that from type 2 irregularities by ∼6–8 dB. Interferometry analysis indicates that the echo patterns of the type 1 and type 2 irregularities projected in mutually orthogonal planes are striation-like, strongly suggesting that the plasma structure associated with the irregularities is in a form of thin slab. The plasma slab with thickness of ∼1–2.5 km locates in the height range from ∼104 to 107 km. The horizontal extents of the type 1 irregularities in the striation-like echoing region range from 12.7 to 6.8 km in the east-west direction and from at least 7.2 to 5.1 km in the north-south direction. The observational evidences that the slab structure has sharp edges in lateral edges and the type 1 irregularities drift in the meridional direction favor the slab model proposed by Haldoupis et al. [1996] to account for the excitation of the midlatitude type 1 irregularities. However, the other observations, including considerably large zonal extent of type 1 irregularities in the plasma slab and wide coverage of zonal polarization electric field, are unfavorable to the slab model. In addition, we present conclusive evidence in this article to show that the range variation of backscatter from Es irregularities may result directly from the zonal bulk movement of the Es irregularities in the echoing region rather than from the height variation of the irregularities. Therefore great caution should be taken in analyzing the dynamic behavior of Es irregularities from range-time-intensity plot.
Submarine lava flow direction revealed by neutron diffraction analysis in mineral lattice orientation

The ocean crust is formed by the rising of magma from mid‐ocean ridges and voluminous (1–30 km3) flows of lava away from ridge axes. However, our understanding of the emplacement kinematics of submarine lava is often limited to plan view geometries of near‐axis lava. Drilled cores provide in situ access to the intact internal structure of submarine lavas. We used neutron diffraction to study off‐axis lava flows drilled into the uppermost crust of ODP/IODP‐Site 1256 (Cocos Plate). We provide quantitative insights into submarine lava microstructures and strong evidence for a secondary lava injection into the interior of a solidifying flow of lava along the NW‐SE direction parallel to the paleo‐ridge axis of the East Pacific Rise. The dynamics of lava inflow are controlled by crystal abundance and the temperature of the lava‐crystal mixture rather than by local seafloor topography. We provide a description of an in situ shear within submarine lavas revealed by composite shape and lattice preferred orientations, accounting for a dominant laminar nonuniform‐type flow.