Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Navigating Like a Fly: Drosophila melanogaster as a Model to Explore the Contribution of Serotonergic Neurotransmission to Spatial Navigation

Serotonin is a monoamine that acts in vertebrates and invertebrates as a modulator promoting changes in the structure and activity of brain areas relevant to animal behavior, ranging from sensory perception to learning and memory. Whether serotonin contributes in Drosophila to human-like cognitive abilities, including spatial navigation, is an issue little studied. Like in vertebrates, the serotonergic system in Drosophila is heterogeneous, meaning that distinct serotonergic neurons/circuits innervate specific fly brain regions to modulate precise behaviors. Here we review the literature that supports that serotonergic pathways modify different aspects underlying the formation of navigational memories in Drosophila.
Comparative genomic analysis of Ralstonia solanacearum reveals candidate avirulence effectors in HA4-1 triggering wild potato immunity

Ralstonia solanacearum is the causal agent of potato bacterial wilt, a major potato bacterial disease. Among the pathogenicity determinants, the Type III Secretion System Effectors (T3Es) play a vital role in the interaction. Investigating the avirulent T3Es recognized by host resistance proteins is an effective method to uncover the resistance mechanism of potato against R. solanacearum. Two closely related R. solanacearum strains HA4-1 and HZAU091 were found to be avirulent and highly virulent to the wild potato Solanum albicans 28-1, respectively. The complete genome of HZAU091 was sequenced in this study. HZAU091 and HA4-1 shared over 99.9% nucleotide identity with each other. Comparing genomics of closely related strains provides deeper insights into the interaction between hosts and pathogens, especially the mechanism of virulence. The comparison of type III effector repertoires between HA4-1 and HZAU091 uncovered seven distinct effectors. Two predicted effectors RipA5 and the novel effector RipBS in HA4-1 could significantly reduce the virulence of HZAU091 when they were transformed into HZAU091. Furthermore, the pathogenicity assays of mutated strains HA4-1 ΔRipS6, HA4-1 ΔRipO1, HA4-1 ΔRipBS, and HA4-1 ΔHyp6 uncovered that the absence of these T3Es enhanced the HA4-1 virulence to wild potato S. albicans 28-1. This result indicated that these T3Es may be recognized by S. albicans 28-1 as avirulence proteins to trigger the resistance. In summary, this study provides a foundation to unravel the R. solanacearum-potato interaction and facilitates the development of resistance potato against bacterial wilt.
Preisach model study of the connection between magnetic and microstructural properties of soft magnetic materials

The application of Preisach modelling to the study of the microstructure-hysteresis interplay in soft magnetic materials is reviewed. It is shown that mean-field effects are mainly due to the change of the total domain wall surface energy along the hysteresis loop. The reconstruction of the Preisach distribution from a proper set of experimental data is discussed and the microstructural evolution of the reconstructed distribution in partially crystallized FeCoB amorphous alloys is presented. Finally, the problem of dynamic hysteresis effects in rapidly-quenched 6.5% SiFe alloys is discussed in the frame of a recently proposed dynamic generalization of the Preisach model.
Application of Higham-Cheng algorithm to the generalised eigenproblem in computational electromagnetics

The generalised eigenproblem Ax~=/spl lambda/Bx~ is very often encountered in computational electromagnetics. Its solution is easily obtained when the matrices A and B are Hermitian and B is positive definite. However, the errors introduced by the discretisation process can deteriorate the properties of the matrices A and B in such a way that common techniques can no longer be used. The Higham-Cheng algorithm is proposed as a method to solve the generalised eigenproblem in these last cases. A brief account of the method is given and the algorithm is applied to two classical electromagnetic problems.
Estimation of the work of adhesion between ITO and polymer substrates: a surface thermodynamics approach

Indium tin oxide (ITO) is one of the most widely used semiconductor among transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) due to their electrical conductivity and optical transparency properties. Since the development of low temperature deposition methods, coating of ITO on polymer substrates especially for use in flexible electronics has been a popular topic. The existence of adequate adhesion strength between ITO and polymer is critical in producing a successful film. Nowadays, polycarbonate (PC), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polyethyleneterephtalate (PET) are frequently used as substrates for such coatings. However, there may be other polymeric alternatives that have a potential to be used for this purpose in the future. To evaluate these alternatives, work of adhesion (Wa) knowledge between ITO and polymers is necessary, and it has not been handled systematically previously. In this study, the interphase interaction parameters and Wa values between ITO and various polymers were calculated based on the Dupré, Fowkes and Girifalco-Good equations. PC, PMMA, PET, polystyrene (PS), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), Nylon 66, polypropylene (PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), polyvinyl fluoride (PVF), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polytrifluoroethylene (PTrFE) and polyperfluoroalkylethyl acrylate (PPFA) were considered as substrate material. Surface free energy (SFE) components calculated by acid-base, geometric mean and harmonic mean approaches for polymeric substrates were used during the calculations. In the present study, the polymers that can be used as substrates were evaluated in terms of adhesion ability to ITO, the significance of calculation methods on Wa values were also investigated simultaneously. It was determined that the Wa between ITO and polymer substrates was directly related with the total SFE value of the polymers.
BIANCHI TYPE-V COSMOLOGICAL MODELS WITH CONSTANT DECELERATION PARAMETER IN SCALAR-TENSOR THEORY

Einstein’s field equations are obtained for Bianchi type-V space-time filled with perfect fluid, and are investigated within the framework of scalar-tensor theory of gravitation proposed by Saez and Ballester. By using a special law of variation for Hubble’s parameter, a constant value of the deceleration parameter was obtained. Two different physically viable models of the universe are obtained and one is found to be consistent with the recent observations of type Ia supernovae. Physical and kinematical properties of the models are also discussed. PACS numbers: 98.80. Es, 98.80. Jk UDC 524.83
A Case Study in Exploratory Functional Data Analysis: Geometrical Features of the Internal Carotid Artery

This pilot study is a product of the AneuRisk Project, a scientific program that aims at evaluating the role of vascular geometry and hemodynamics in the pathogenesis of cerebral aneurysms. By means of functional data analyses, we explore the AneuRisk dataset to highlight the relations between the geometric features of the internal carotid artery, expressed by its radius profile and centerline curvature, and the aneurysm location. After introducing a new similarity index for functional data, we eliminate ancillary variability of vessel radius and curvature profiles through an iterative registration procedure. We then reduce data dimension by means of functional principal components analysis. Last, a quadratic discriminant analysis of functional principal components scores allows us to discriminate patients with aneurysms in different districts.
Adult neurogenesis in the telencephalon of the lizard Podarcis liolepis

In adult lizards, new neurons are generated from neural stem cells in the ventricular zone of the lateral ventricles. These new neurons migrate and integrate into the main telencephalic subdivisions. In this work we have studied adult neurogenesis in the lizard Podarcis liolepis (formerly Podarcis hispanica) by administering [3H]-thymidine and bromodeoxyuridine as proliferation markers and euthanizing the animals at different survival times to determine the identity of progenitor cells and to study their lineage derivatives. After short survival times, only type B cells are labeled, suggesting that they are neural stem cells. Three days after administration, some type A cells are labeled, corresponding to recently formed neuroblasts. Type A cells migrate to their final destinations, where they differentiate into mature neurons and integrate into functional circuits. Our results after long survival periods suggest that, in addition to actively dividing type B cells, there is also a type B subpopulation with low proliferative activity. We also found that new neurons incorporated into the olfactory bulb are generated both in situ, in the walls of the anterior extension of the lateral ventricle of the olfactory bulbs, but also at more caudal levels, most likely in anterior levels of the sulcus ventralis/terminalis. These cells follow a tangential migration toward the olfactory bulbs where they integrate. We hypothesized that at least part of the newly generated neurons would undergo a specialization process over time. In support of this prediction, we found two neuronal populations in the cellular layer of the medial cortex, which we named type I and II neurons. At intermediate survival times (1 month) only type II neurons were labeled with [3H]-thymidine, while at longer survival times (3, 6, or 12 months) both type I and type II neurons were labeled. This study sheds light on the ultrastructural characteristics of the ventricular zone of P. liolepis as a neurogenic niche, and adds to our knowledge of the processes whereby newly generated neurons in the adult brain migrate and integrate into their final destinations.
Magnetically-Assisted Microfluidic Printing for the Fabrication of Anisotropic Skeletal Muscle Structure

Microfluidic printing provides a novel tool to facilitate the bulk assembly of cell-aligned microfibers for the fabrication of artificial skeletal muscle structure. However, due to the poor controllability for the deposition position of the microfiber, it is still difficult to realize the anisotropic assembly. In this letter, we developed a magnetically-assisted microfluidic printing system to solve this problem. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were encapsulated in the microfluidic spun microfibers, and a spiral magnet was designed as a microfiber deposition substrate. A robotic visual servoing was utilized to control the orifice posture of the microfluidic spinning system relative to the axis direction of the spiral magnet, and then the spun microfibers were continuously deposited layer by layer to form an anisotropic assembly structure. Our proposed method demonstrates that the magnetic attraction mechanism is a novel microfiber-specific micromanipulation strategy for stable deposition in liquid environment. Furthermore, the preliminary cell experiments show that our method has high biocompatibility to be further used in the fabrication of anisotropic skeletal muscle tissue.
Effect of fermentation on structural properties and antioxidant activity of wheat gluten by Bacillus subtilis

Bacillus subtilis has been extensively studied for its ability to inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms and its high protease activity. In this study, Bacillus subtilis was used to ferment gluten and assess the effects of the fermentation process on the physicochemical, microstructure and antioxidant properties of gluten. The results of Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and circular chromatography (CD) showed a significant decrease in the content of α-helix structures and a significant increase in the content of β-sheet structures in gluten after fermentation (p < 0.05). Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed that glutenin was degraded into small molecular peptides with a molecular weight of less than 26 kDa after 24 h of fermentation; meanwhile, the fermentation process significantly increased the free amino acid content of the samples (p < 0.05), reaching 1923.38 μg/mL at 120 h of fermentation, which was 39.46 times higher than that at 24 h of fermentation (p < 0.05). In addition, the fermented back gluten has higher free radical scavenging activity and iron reduction capacity. Therefore, fermented gluten may be used as a functional food to alleviate oxidative stress. This study provides a reference for the high-value application of gluten.
Enhancing Innovation Performance in the Hotel Industry: The Role of Employee Empowerment and Quality Management Practices

This research investigates employee empowerment’s role in the relationship between quality management practices (QMPs) and innovation performance at five-star hotels in Jordan. A total of 400 workers who work in five-star hotels in Jordan were given a questionnaire with 29 questions that measured QMPs, employee empowerment, and innovation performance. The obtained data were analyzed by PLS-SEM. The results show that quality policy (QP) has an insignificant influence on employee empowerment and innovation performance, while quality commitment (QC) and quality education and training (QET) have a positive and significant influence on employee empowerment and innovation performance. The results also reveal that employee empowerment has a positive influence on innovation performance. Finally, employee empowerment as a mediator variable was not working on the relationship between QP and innovation performance but showed a significant role as a partial mediator between QC and innovation performance as well as QET and innovation performance. Discussion, theoretical and managerial implications for future research, and limitations are presented.
Development of a Real-Time 6-DOF Motion-Tracking System for Robotic Computer-Assisted Implant Surgery

In this paper, we investigate a motion-tracking system for robotic computer-assisted implant surgery. Failure of the accurate implant positioning may result in significant problems, thus an accurate real-time motion-tracking system is crucial for avoiding these issues in computer-assisted implant surgery. Essential features of the motion-tracking system are analyzed and classified into four categories: workspace, sampling rate, accuracy, and back-drivability. Based on this analysis, requirements for each category have been derived to ensure that the motion-tracking system meets the desired performance criteria. A novel 6-DOF motion-tracking system is proposed which demonstrates high accuracy and back-drivability, making it suitable for use in computer-assisted implant surgery. The results of the experiments confirm the effectiveness of the proposed system in achieving the essential features required for a motion-tracking system in robotic computer-assisted implant surgery.
Sleep Apnea Detection Using Wavelet Scattering Transformation and Random Forest Classifier

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a common sleep-breathing disorder that highly reduces the quality of human life. The most powerful method for the detection and classification of sleep apnea is the Polysomnogram. However, this method is time-consuming and cost-inefficient. Therefore, several methods focus on using electrocardiogram (ECG) signals to detect sleep apnea. This paper proposed a novel automated approach to detect and classify apneic events from single-lead ECG signals. Wavelet Scattering Transformation (WST) was applied to the ECG signals to decompose the signal into smaller segments. Then, a set of features, including higher-order statistics and entropy-based features, was extracted from the WST coefficients to formulate a search space. The obtained features were fed to a random forest classifier to classify the ECG segments. The experiment was validated using the 10-fold and hold-out cross-validation methods, which resulted in an accuracy of 91.65% and 90.35%, respectively. The findings were compared with different classifiers to show the significance of the proposed approach. The proposed approach achieved better performance measures than most of the existing methodologies.
Electrical characterization of AgNPs-PVA nanocomposites thin film-based heterojunction diode

The purpose of this work is to study the results of electrical measurements carried out of nano metal-semiconductor heterojunctions based on Poly Vinyl Alcohol (PVA)to examine the possibilities of either an Ohmic contacts or rectifying behavior like a Schottky junction. The PVA doped silver nanoparticles (AgNPs-PVA)were confirmed and characterized by using x-ray Diffraction (XRD),Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC). A thorough investigation of the predominant conduction mechanism, dielectric relaxation, and current-voltage behavior of a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)–Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) nanocomposite film has been presented. With two activation energies, Ag nanoparticles have been demonstrated to improve the conductivity and dielectric permittivity of films. In the sample, a non-Debye type asymmetric behavior has been found, which may be analyzed using a modified Cole-Cole model. The temperature dependence of the a.c. conductivity σ ac and power law exponent s is reasonably interpreted by the Correlated Barrier Hopping (CBH) and Small Polaron Tunnelling (SPT) models at low and high frequency ranges, respectively. The junctions were created by spin coating and characterized of evaluated according to their I-V characteristics. Non-Ohmic electrical behavior was observed. The phenomenon supposed to be partly responsible for such nonlinearity is existence of thin barrier layer on the surface of dried polymer nanocomposites, through which charge carriers could pass by tunneling. This Schottky diode manufactured of an AgNPs-PVA nanocomposite was electrically characterized and investigated. However, deeper discussion will be necessary to illuminate all the circumstances leading to understand this behavior.
Activation of telomerase activity and telomere elongation of host cells by Theileria annulata infection

Theileria annulata-transformed cells share many phenotypes with cancer cells, including uncontrolled proliferation, immortalization, and dissemination. Telomeres are DNA-protein complex at the end of eukaryotic chromosomes that function to maintain genome stability and cell replicative capacity. Telomere length maintenance is primarily dependent on telomerase activity. In up to 90% of human cancer cells, telomerase is reactivated through expression of its catalytic subunit TERT. However, the effect of T. annulata infection on telomere and telomerase activity in bovine cells has not yet been described. In the present study, we confirmed that telomere length and telomerase activity are upregulated after T. annulata infection in three types of cell lines. This change depends on the presence of parasites. After eliminating Theileria from cells with antitheilerial drug buparvaquone, telomerase activity and the expression level of bTERT were decreased. In addition, inhibition of bHSP90 by novobiocin led to decreased AKT phosphorylation levels and telomerase activity, indicating that the bHSP90-AKT complex is a potent factor modulates telomerase activity in T. annulata-infected cells.
Screening and Identification of Coastal Chilean Thraustochytrids for Arachidonic Acid Production: Biotechnological Potential of Ulkenia visurgensis Lng2-Strain

Thraustochytrids are unicellular heterotrophic marine protists that have been described as producing a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Among them, arachidonic acid (ARA) stands out as a precursor of several mediators of pivotal importance for the immune system. However, the biotechnological potential of thraustochytrids for ARA production has not been developed. The objective of this study is to isolate and identify native strains from different Chilean coastal environments and evaluate in vitro the effect of culture parameters such as C/N ratio (19 and 33) and temperature (15 °C and 23 °C) on biomass production and arachidonic acid content. A total of nine strains were identified and classified into four genera of the Thraustochitridae family. The Lng2 strain with 99% identity belongs to the species Ulkenia visurgenis and was the most prominent one for ARA production. Temperature had an effect on the PUFA profile but not on the ARA content nor on the biomass yield. Additionally, the C/N ratio has been identified as a key parameter. The ARA productivity increased by 92% (from 0.6 to 8.3 ARA mg/g-DW) and its total biomass by 62.7% (from 1.9 to 5.1 g/L) at a high C/N ratio (33) as compared to the control.
The Role of a First Aid Training Program for Young Children: A Systematic Review

Background: Many first aid programs have been conducted in schools, and researchers have identified that interventions improved students’ knowledge, skills, and attitude. This study examines the content, practices, and assessment of first aid interventions at primary schools and evaluates their effectiveness. Methods: A systematic review was undertaken. We searched MEDLINE and Cochrane library databases from January 1990 to December 2021 using the search terms: ‘’first aid’’ AND ‘’primary school children’’. School-based first aid training targeting 6 to 10 years old studies in English were eligible for inclusion. Results: We included 11 studies that were approached by experimental (n = 6) and by observational studies (n = 5). Researchers conducted interventions in Europe (n = 9) and America (n = 2). An essential part of the teaching was hands-on practice. Most studies included in their program cardiopulmonary resuscitation (n = 8) and basic life support (n = 7). The main findings showed that trained children have significantly better knowledge of and skills in first aid than those before or without training. Children under 11 years old were not strong enough to achieve the proper depth of chest compressions. Depth of chest compressions correlates with children’s age, weight, height (n = 2), and body mass index (n = 3). Conclusions The effectiveness of resuscitative or non-resuscitative first-aid training for primary school children improved students’ knowledge and skills. Subsequent research could investigate children’s reactions in actual first aid conditions.
Enhanced phase estimation by implementing dynamical decoupling in a multi-pass quantum metrology protocol

Based on repetitive generation of the Aharonov-Anandan geometric phase, a multi-pass quantum metrology protocol is realized via the electron spin state of a single nitrogen-vacancy defect center in diamond. It is then demonstrated that high-order dynamical decoupling pulse sequences can be implemented in our metrology protocol and hence improve its performance in phase estimation.
Study of the micromagnetic structure of a La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 film

The micromagnetic structure of a La0.7Sr0. 3MnO3 film was studied using magnetic force microscopy and micromagnetic simulations. For a 150 nm thick epitaxial, strain relaxed film grown on SrTiO3 evidence is presented from experiment and simulation that magnetic domains have a typical size of 1 µm at room temperature. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)