Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
OsmiRNA5488 Regulates the Development of Embryo Sacs and Targets OsARF25 in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Small RNAs are a class of non-coding RNAs that typically range from 20 to 24 nucleotides in length. Among them, microRNAs (miRNAs) are particularly important regulators for plant development. The biological function of the conserved miRNAs has been studied extensively in plants, while that of the species-specific miRNAs has been studied in-depth. In this study, the regulatory role of a rice-specific OsmiRNA5488 (OsmiR5488) was characterized with the miR5488-overexpressed line (miR5488-OE) and miR5488-silenced line (STTM-5488). The seed-setting rate was notably reduced in miR5488-OE lines, but not in STTM-5488 lines. Cytological observation demonstrated the different types of abnormal mature embryo sacs, including the degeneration of embryo sacs and other variant types, in miR5488-OE lines. The percentage of the abnormal mature embryo sacs accounted for the reduced value of the seed-setting rate. Furthermore, OsARF25 was identified as a target of OsmiR5488 via RNA ligase-mediated 3′-amplifification of cDNA ends, dual luciferase assays, and transient expression assays. The primary root length was decreased with the increases in auxin concentrations in miR5488-OE lines compared to wild-type rice. Summarily, our results suggested that OsmiR5488 regulates the seed-setting rate and down-regulates the targeted gene OsARF25.
Retention and Water Needs of Natural Grass Turf of Football Fields

The paper contains a detailed assessment of three full-size football fields constructed in 2019-2022 to meet the basic conditions for proper operation and maintenance. As a result of field and laboratory tests on permeability and retention capacity of the fields' base and drainage layers, they were found to meet the requirements set out in the standard DIN 18035. It ensures that rainwater and snowmelt are quickly drained from the turf's surface. The grass turfs of the football fields under study meet the conditions for properly performing one of the basic care treatments – irrigation. The base layer can retain an average of 10.3 mm of water in comfortable water availability conditions, depending on the football field. It is the value of a single dose net, which should be used for sprinkler irrigation of grass turf of football fields. However, considering the drainage layer, this dose could be increased to 12.5 mm. Considering the percentage content of generally available water and assuming less comfortable water availability conditions, the appropriate doses net are 12.5 mm on average. In comparison, for both layers together, they are 15.4 mm on average.
Risk Factors of Postoperative Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery

Background and Objectives. Hospital-acquired pneumonia is one of the complications that may occur in the postoperative period in patients undergoing heart valve surgery, which may result in prolonged hospitalization, development of respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation or even death. This study investigated the preoperative risk factors of postoperative pneumonia after heart valve surgery. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective study in a group of consecutive patients with hemodynamically significant valvular heart disease undergoing valve surgery. The primary endpoint at the in-hospital follow-up was hospital-acquired pneumonia after heart valve surgery. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess which variables were predictive of the primary endpoint, and odds ratios (ORdis) were calculated with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Multivariate analysis was based on the results of single-factor logistic regression, i.e., in further steps all statistically significant variables were taken into consideration. Results: The present study included 505 patients. Postoperative pneumonia occurred in 23 patients. The mean time to diagnosis of pneumonia was approximately 3 days after heart valve surgery (±2 days). In multivariate analysis, preoperative level of high-sensitivity Troponin T (hs-TnT) (OR 2.086; 95% CI 1.211–3.593; p = 0.008) and right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) (OR 1.043; 95% CI 1.018–1.067; p 0.004) remained independent predictors of the postoperative pneumonia. Of the patients with postoperative pneumonia, 3 patients died due to the development of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Conclusions: Preoperative determination of serum hs-TnT concentration and echocardiographic measurement of the RVSP parameter may be useful in predicting postoperative pneumonia in patients undergoing heart valve surgery.
Mesozoic biota-bearing depositional successions in the Lingyuan basin,western Liaoning,and their ages:A discussion

On the basis of detailed field investigations of the depositional successions containing two Meso-zoic biotas and related strata in the Lingyuan basin,western Liaoning,the authors have essentially ascer-tained the geological setting and structural features of the locations of the two biotas and correlated the Mesozoic biota-bearing depositional successions with the Mesozoic in their surrounding areas.This research suggests that the strata containing the Jehol biota in the Xitaizi and Maozishan areas correspond with the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation.However,intensive work remains to be done to determine the accu-rate age of the strata containing the Daohugou biota.
Analysis of Plasmodium falciparum Mitochondrial Electron Transport Chain Activity Using Seahorse XFe96 Extracellular Flux Assays

The mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) is a multi-component pathway that mediates the transfer of electrons from metabolic reactions that occur in the mitochondrion to molecular oxygen (O2). The ETC contributes to numerous cellular processes, including the generation of cellular ATP through oxidative phosphorylation, serving as an electron sink for metabolic pathways such as de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis and for maintaining mitochondrial membrane potential. Proper functioning of the mitochondrial ETC is necessary for the growth and survival of apicomplexan parasites including Plasmodium falciparum, a causative agent of malaria. The mitochondrial ETC of P. falciparum is an attractive target for antimalarial drugs, due to its essentiality and its differences from the mammalian ETC. To identify novel P. falciparum ETC inhibitors, we have established a real-time assay to assess ETC function, which we describe here. This approach measures the O2 consumption rate (OCR) of permeabilized P. falciparum parasites using a Seahorse XFe96 flux analyzer and can be used to screen compound libraries for the identification of ETC inhibitors and, in part, to determine the targets of those inhibitors. Key features • With this protocol, the effects of candidate inhibitors on mitochondrial O2 consumption in permeabilized asexual P. falciparum parasites can be tested in real time. • Through the sequential injection of inhibitors and substrates into the assay, the molecular targets of candidate inhibitors in the ETC can, in part, be determined. • The assay is applicable for both drug discovery approaches and enquiries into a fundamental aspect of parasite mitochondrial biology.
Simultaneous Quantification Method of Flavonoids in Jeju Native Citrus from Different Harvest Times Using a High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–Diode Array Detector (HPLC–DAD)

In Jeju-native Citrus, flavonoids are the main contributors to the various types of biological activity, such as antioxidant, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory activity. Thus, we developed simultaneous quantification methods for the analysis of ten bioactive flavonoids in Jeju Citrus fruits (Dangyuja, Gamja, Jigak, Sadugam, and Soyuja) harvested at six different time points using a high-performance liquid chromatography–diode array detector (HPLC-DAD). Separation was performed using a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min, a column temperature of 40 °C, a mobile phase buffer of 0.5% acetic acid, and a detection wavelength of 278 nm. The established analytical method showed good linearity (R2 ≥ 0.9997), precision (inter-day < 0.599%, intra-day < 0.055%), and accuracy (recoveries 92.30–108.80%). The HPLC–DAD method was subsequently applied to analyze flavonoids in Citrus samples. Overall, the quantification results indicated that the compositions and content of flavonoids differed for each Citrus species. The harvesting period also influenced the changes in flavonoid content within each Citrus species. The analytical results with chemometrics revealed that higher flavonoid levels in early-harvested Citrus were derived from the improved fruit size and reduced flavonoid synthesis during maturation. This study provides a practical and reliable method for the analysis of ten flavonoids that can be further utilized in the quality assessment of Jeju Citrus.
A comparative assessment of digital platform worker protection in the EU and ASEAN

The rapid rise of the digital platform economy, connecting workers with employers, has transformed labor markets globally. This paper explores the regulatory approaches and policies safeguarding digital platform workers in the European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). While the EU demonstrates comprehensive labor protections, ASEAN's diverse economies present a tapestry of approaches. This analysis aims to provide valuable insights for policymakers, scholars, and stakeholders, shedding light on the evolving landscape of labor rights and the future of work in the digital age. This study uses a comparative research design to assess digital platform worker protection in the EU and ASEAN, highlighting differences, similarities, and emerging trends. It involves reviewing official documents and legislative texts from both regions to identify relevant policies and initiatives. This paper found that "digital labor" extends beyond the vast digital landscape, impacting various activities and transforming traditional tasks into digital processes managed by algorithms and automation. Platform workers in regions like the EU and ASEAN face challenges, including extended unpaid waiting times, lack of social security access, unpredictable earnings, and the downside of flexibility. The EU addresses these issues through comprehensive legislative efforts, emphasizing transparency, algorithmic oversight, and clear employment status definitions. In contrast, ASEAN's structure, based on consensus and voluntary cooperation, poses challenges. A binding regional agreement is challenging due to diverse socio-economic and cultural landscapes. Therefore, a non-binding declaration, supported by comprehensive guidelines, may offer a more practical approach. This declaration, symbolizing collective commitment, along with guidelines on best practices, could guide member states in tailoring their national policies to protect platform workers better.
Liquid Desiccant Air Conditioning System for Flat Plate Solar Collector with Nanofluids Regenerator

This paper deals with liquid desiccant air conditioning using solar flat plate collector. The problem in the use of liquid desiccant air conditioning is energy utilization for regeneration, corrosiveness and carryover. To overcome these developments of a dehumidifier for corrosion- resistant and solar regenerated are advised. A dehumidifier is made of stainless steel tubes of 316L type and stacked in aluminium fins to maintain the desiccant solution temperature. In this experiment, calcium chloride solution (CaCl2 -H2 O) is used. The solar flat plate collector is used for heating water using closed-loop of thermosiphon as regeneration. The flow rate for air is fixed at 10CFM and concentration of calcium chloride is 35% by mass is used. The inlet parameters considered are in the experiments solution volume flow rate, inlet temperature, inlet relative humidity, regeneration temperature, and desiccant solution temperature. The performance parameters are the absolute humidity reduction, outlet temperature and dehumidifier and enthalpy effectiveness. The experiments show that for a fixed Ta, inlet and RH% as solution volume flow rate increases, there is increase in absolute humidity reduction. The temperature of the dehumidified air is reduced compared to that of inlet air, if this air is passed over the pad used for the evaporating cooler. It is seen that the increase in relative humidity from 68.88% to 92.8% for the flow rate of 20 L/min and fixed inlet air temperature, increases absolute humidity reduction from 5.56 to 13.3 g/kg. The increase in solution temperature reduces the absolute humidity reduction due to solution vapor pressure increases and dehumidifier effectiveness. When the solution temperature changes from 31.5 to 34 0 C, there are reductions in the absolute humidity reduction and dehumidifier effectiveness by 34.4% and 13.04% respectively.
Social and location based routing in delay tolerant networks

Delay tolerant networks (DTNs) are a special type of wireless mobile networks, which may lack continuous network connectivity. Routing in DTNs is very challenging, as it must handle network partitions, long delays, and dynamic topology in such networks. Recently, the consideration of social characteristics of mobile nodes provides a new angle of view in the design of DTNs routing protocols. In many DTNs, a multitude of mobile devices are used and carried by people (e.g. pocket switched networks and vehicular networks), whose behaviors are better described by social models. This opens the new possibilities of social-based routing, in which the knowledge of social characteristics is used for making better forwarding decision. However, the social relations do not necessarily reflect the true device communication opportunities in a dynamic DTN. On the other hand, the increasing availability of location technologies (GPS, GSM networks, etc.) enables mobile devices to obtain their locations easily. Consider that an individual's location history in the real world implies his/her social interests and behaviors to some extent, in this dissertation, we study new social based DTN routing protocols, which utilize location and/or social features to achieve efficient and stable routing for delay tolerant networks. We first incorporate the location features into the social-based DTN routing methods to improve their performance by treating location similarity among nodes as possible social relationship. Then, we discuss the possibility and methods to further improve routing performance by adding limited amount of throw-boxes into the networks to aid the DTN relay. Several throw-boxes based routing protocols and location selection methods for throw-boxes are proposed. All pro- posed routing methods are evaluated via extensive simulations with real life trace data (such as MIT reality, Nokia MDC, and Orange D4D).
3D refractive index reconstruction from phaseless coherent optical microscopy data using multiple scattering-based inverse solvers—a study

Reconstructing 3D refractive index profile of scatterers using optical microscopy measurements presents several challenges over the conventional microwave and RF domain measurement scenario. These include phaseless and polarization-insensitive measurements, small numerical aperture, as well as a Green’s function where spatial frequencies are integrated in a weighted manner such that far-field angular spectrum cannot be probed and high spatial frequencies that permit better resolution are weighed down. As a result of these factors, the non-linearity and the ill-posedness of the inverse problem are quite severe. These limitations have imposed that inverse scattering problems in the microscopy domain largely consider scalar wave approximations and neglect multiple scattering. Here, we present first inverse scattering results for optical microscopy setup where full-wave vectorial formulation and multiple scattering is incorporated. We present (a) how three popular inverse scattering solvers from microwave domain can be adapted for the present inverse problem, (b) the opportunities and challenges presented by each of these solvers, (c) a comparative insight into these solvers and contrast with the simpler Born approximation approach, and (d) potential routes to improve the performance of these solvers for the hard inverse problem of optical microscopy.
Genotypic and antimicrobial susceptibility of Streptococcus agalactiae causing bovine mastitis in the central region of Thailand

Introduction Streptococcus agalactiae is a highly contagious pathogen that causes bovine mastitis, leading to significant economic losses. This study aimed to (1) identify and characterize S. agalactiae strains responsible for bovine mastitis by examining their phenotypic and genotypic characteristics in Thai dairy-intensive farming areas and (2) determine their susceptibility profiles to antimicrobial agents. Material and methods In total, 100 S. agalactiae isolates obtained from clinical and subclinical mastitis cases from 13 dairy herds located in the central region of Thailand were examined. To confirm the identity of the bacterial pathogens, conventional microbiological procedures recommended by the National Mastitis Council (NMC) and the VITEK® 2 system were employed. Results All 100 isolates were successfully identified as S. agalactiae using the NMC procedure, whereas 94 isolates were identified as S. agalactiae using the VITEK® 2 system. Finally, the S. agalactiae-specific gene dlt S was identified in all the examined isolates using polymerase chain reaction. Capsular polysaccharide (CPS) typing revealed that all strains belonged to CPS type Ia. Multilocus sequence typing identified 33 selected isolates as sequence type 103. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) typing yielded 43 RAPD types, with 6 RAPD clusters identified. These results demonstrated a high level of genetic diversity among S. agalactiae within the studied herds. RAPD analysis suggested that specific S. agalactiae strains could persist in dairy farms for 2–12 months. Furthermore, antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the broth microdilution method. Most strains demonstrated susceptibility to ampicillin, penicillin, penicillin/novobiocin, cephalothin, oxacillin, ceftiofur, and erythromycin. Discussion This study revealed the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of S. agalactiae isolates responsible for bovine mastitis in the central region of Thailand. The rapid identification of S. agalactiae and application of molecular typing methods can provide valuable epidemiological information regarding S. agalactiae causing mastitis in dairy farms. The antimicrobial susceptibility of S. agalactiae indicates that antimicrobial treatment for control and eradication could be a successful protocol. Our findings revealed that a single clonal strain of S. agalactiae affected the 13 studied farms. Further research is needed to explore the feasibility of vaccine development and application.
Local climate sensitivity of the Three Gorges Dam

Two simulations, control and land use change, were performed for an eight week period (2 April–16 May 1990) to determine the net sensitivity of the local climate around the Three Gorges Dam. The analysis indicates that the large reservoir acts as a potential evaporating surface that decreases the surface temperature, cools the lower atmosphere, decreasing upward motion, and increasing sinking air mass. Such sinking results in low level moisture divergence, decreasing cloudiness, and increasing net downward radiation, which increases the surface temperature. However, results indicate that evaporative cooling dominates radiative warming in this initial study. The strong evaporation also supplies moisture to the atmosphere, suggesting an increase in precipitation, but the sinking moist air diverges away from the TGD region with no net change in precipitation. This numerical study represents an initial methodology for quantification of the impact of the Three Gorges Dam on the local climate and a more comprehensive, fine‐scale set of multi‐season simulations with additional observational data is needed for a more complete analysis.
The Effect of an Ultrasonic Field on the Microstructure and Tribological Behavior of ZrB2/ZrC+Ni60A/WC Composite Coating Applied by Laser Cladding

Ni60A/WC composite coating reinforced with ZrB2/ZrC was layered on GTD-111 superalloy by laser cladding. The effect of an ultrasonic field on coating formation, microstructure, microhardness, and wear was investigated and analyzed. The results showed that the resulting coating had pores and microcracks, which were removed when using an ultrasonic field. Ultrasonic fields increased the heat input and increased the dimensions of the coating pool by creating a cavitation effect. The dendrites of the coating microstructure were mainly composed of Zr(B, C) and ZrC blocks and small α-Zr dendrites. The mechanical vibrations resulting from the application of ultrasonic fields caused the crushing of the growing dendrites, and as a result, the grains and dendrites crumbled. By decreasing the grain size, the average hardness increases from 312 HV for coating without an ultrasonic field to 617 HV for coating with 300 W ultrasonic power. The results of the wear test also showed that the sample coated with 300 W of ultrasonic power, with a coefficient of friction of 0.41 and scar wear of 6.8 µm, has the highest wear resistance due to the removal of porosity and the presence of equiaxed grains on the top and bottom of the clad zone.
Augmenting Human Policies using Riemannian Metrics for Human-Robot Shared Control

We present a shared control framework for teleoperation that combines the human and autonomous robot agents operating in different dimension spaces. The shared control problem is an optimization problem to maximize the human’s internal action-value function while guaranteeing that the shared control policy is close to the autonomous robot policy. This results in a state update rule that augments the human controls using the Riemannian metric that emerges from computing the curvature of the robot’s value function to account for any cost terms or constraints that the human operator may neglect when operating a redundant manipulator. In our experiments, we apply Linear Quadratic Regulators to locally approximate the robot policy using a single optimized robot trajectory, thereby preventing the need for an optimization step at each time step to determine the optimal policy. We show preliminary results of reach-and-grasp teleoperation tasks with a simulated human policy and a pilot user study using the VR headset and controllers. However, the mixed user preference ratings and quantitative results show that more investigation is required to prove the efficacy of the proposed paradigm.