Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Glucosinolate Biosynthetic Genes of Cabbage: Genome-Wide Identification, Evolution, and Expression Analysis

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) is a vegetable rich in glucosinolates (GSLs) that have proven health benefits. To gain insights into the synthesis of GSLs in cabbage, we systematically analyzed GSLs biosynthetic genes (GBGs) in the entire cabbage genome. In total, 193 cabbage GBGs were identified, which were homologous to 106 GBGs in Arabidopsis thaliana. Most GBGs in cabbage have undergone negative selection. Many homologous GBGs in cabbage and Chinese cabbage differed in expression patterns indicating the unique functions of these homologous GBGs. Spraying five exogenous hormones significantly altered expression levels of GBGs in cabbage. For example, MeJA significantly upregulated side chain extension genes BoIPMILSU1-1 and BoBCAT-3-1, and the expression of core structure construction genes BoCYP83A1 and BoST5C-1, while ETH significantly repressed the expression of side chain extension genes such as BoIPMILSU1-1, BoCYP79B2-1, and BoMAMI-1, and some transcription factors, namely BoMYB28-1, BoMYB34-1, BoMYB76-1, BoCYP79B2-1, and BoMAMI-1. Phylogenetically, the CYP83 family and CYP79B and CYP79F subfamilies may only be involved in GSL synthesis in cruciferous plants. Our unprecedented identification and analysis of GBGs in cabbage at the genome-wide level lays a foundation for the regulation of GSLs synthesis through gene editing and overexpression.
Improved rest frequencies for the submillimetre-wave spectrum of SiN

The submillimetre-wave spectrum of the SiN radical has been investigated in the laboratory using a source-modulation microwave spectrometer equipped with a negative glow discharge cell. SiN was produced in a SiCl4/N2 discharge plasma. Twenty-one new fine and hyperfine components up to N = 17−16 were observed reaching a frequency as high as 740 GHz. The new laboratory measurements provide much improved rest frequencies in the submillimetre spectral region useful for the identification of SiN lines in hot core sources and circumstellar shells.
Genetic-Algorithm-Based Design of Large-Mode- Area All-Solid Anti-Resonant Fiber With Normal Dispersion and Single-Mode Operation in the 2 μm Wavelength Region

Recent years have witnessed much progress in the development of fiber lasers in the 2 μm region. Yet, to date, their power levels are limited by modulation instability and soliton formation attributed to the strong anomalous dispersions of fused silica in this wavelength region. Further power scaling requires a novel design of an all-solid silica active fiber that features normal dispersion by compensating the material dispersion with the waveguide dispersion. At the same time, a large mode area, low losses, single mode operation and robustness need to be maintained. In this paper, we propose an all-solid anti-resonant fiber (AS-ARF) design that meets these demands. We demonstrate that normal dispersion can be achieved in AS-ARFs at 2 μm by exploiting the Kramers-Kronig relation. To balance the desired dispersion with the other performance parameters, we optimize the design of the AS-ARFs using a genetic algorithm. The optimized AS-ARF has a mode field area of 1170 μm2 and normal dispersion over the spectrum from 1.96 μm to 2.04 μm. Within this spectrum, the maximum confinement loss (CL) of the fundamental mode (FM) is 16 dB/km and the minimum CL of the higher order modes (HOMs) is over 100 dB/km. The HOMs can be easily coupled out by bending the fiber while the FM stays in the core. For example, the CLs are over 2 × 104 dB/km for the HOMs and below 200 dB/km for the FM at 2 μm at a bending radius of 20 cm. Moreover, the properties of the proposed AS-ARF remain favorable even under large geometric variations, showing good tolerance to manufacturing errors. We expect the proposed AS-ARF to further stimulate the development of high-power fiber lasers in the 2 μm region.
A Robust Global Exponential Stabilization of Uncertain Affine MIMO Nonlinear Systems with Mismatched Uncertainties by Multivariable Sliding Mode Control

In this paper, a systematic design of a robust nonlinear multivariable variable structure controller based on state dependent nonlinear form is presented for the control of MIMO uncertain affine nonlinear systems with mismatched uncertainties and matched disturbance. After a MIMO uncertain affine nonlinear system is represented in the form of state dependent nonlinear system, a systematic design of a robust nonlinear variable structure controller is presented. To be linear in the closed loop resultant dynamics, the linear sliding surface is applied. A corresponding diagonalized control input is proposed to satisfy the closed loop global exponential stability and the existence condition of the sliding mode on the linear sliding surface, which will be investigated in Theorem 1. Through a design example and simulation study, the usefulness of the proposed controller is verified.
Surface influence upon vertical profiles in the atmospheric near-surface layer

Observations from two towers situated in flat, tree-covered terrain (z0 lying between 0.4 and 0.9 m) have been used to investigate the flux-profile relations in the height range z/z0 from 5 to 85, where z is the height above the zero-plane displacement. The analysis confirms a lower height limit (at z = z*) to the validity of the Monin and Obukhov functions ϕM, H(z/L) in unstable conditions and, by implication, of the logarithmic wind law in neutral conditions. We find z*/z0 ≃ 35 and 150 for wind at the denser and less dense (lower z0) surfaces, whilst for temperature z*/z0 ≃ 100. The level z* corresponds with the top of the transition layer, within which it is assumed the profiles depend additionally upon a length scale zs, related to surface wake generation. On the assumption that z* α zs, modification of the profiles in the transition layer is then described through a function o(z/z*) whose explicit form is derived from length-scale considerations in a region of wake-shear interaction. The observed non-dimensional profiles ϕ° are well represented by ϕ° ≃ 0. 5ϕ(z/L)exp(0.7z/z*) Both for wind and temperature. For wind at both surfaces, the depth z* is approximately constant in unstable conditions and equal to 3δ, δ being the tree spacing. We tentatively conclude that δ is the relevant surface length scale zs characterizing the wake field and depth of penetration z*.
Human-in-the-Loop Adaptive Control of a Soft Exo-Suit With Actuator Dynamics and Ankle Impedance Adaptation

Soft exo-suit could facilitate walking assistance activities (such as level walking, upslope, and downslope) for unimpaired individuals. In this article, a novel human-in-the-loop adaptive control scheme is presented for a soft exo-suit, which provides ankle plantarflexion assistance with unknown human-exosuit dynamic model parameters. First, the human-exosuit coupled dynamic model is formulated to express the mathematical relationship between the exo-suit actuation system and the human ankle joint. Then, a gait detection approach, including plantarflexion assistance timing and planning, is proposed. Inspired by the control strategy that is used by the human central nervous system (CNS) to handle interaction tasks, a human-in-the-loop adaptive controller is proposed to adapt the unknown exo-suit actuator dynamics and human ankle impedance. The proposed controller can emulate human CNS behaviors which adapt feedforward force and environment impedance in interaction tasks. The resulting adaptation of actuator dynamics and ankle impedance is demonstrated with five unimpaired subjects and implemented on a developed soft exo-suit. The human-like adaptivity is performed by the exo-suit in several human walking speeds and illustrates the promising potential of the novel controller.
Energy-Efficient Bayesian Inference Using Bitstream Computing

Uncertainty quantification is critical to many machine learning applications especially in mobile and edge computing tasks like self-driving cars, robots, and mobile devices. Bayesian Neural Networks can be used to provide these uncertainty quantifications but they come at extra computation costs. However, power and energy can be limited at the edge. In this work, we propose using stochastic bitstream computing substrates for deploying BNNs which can significantly reduce power and costs. We design our Bayesian Bitstream Processor hardware for an audio classification task as a test case and show that it can outperform a micro-controller baseline in energy by two orders of magnitude and delay by an order of magnitude, at lower power.
Reconstruction in optical tomography using the PN approximations

In this paper, we consider the inverse problem of reconstructing the absorption and scattering coefficients of the radiative transfer equation (RTE) from measurements of photon current transmitted through a scattering medium in the frequency domain. We consider an output least-squares formulation of this problem and derive the appropriate forward operators and their Fréchet derivatives. For efficient implementation, we use the second-order form of the RTE and discuss its solution using a finite element method. The PN approximation is used to expand the radiance in spherical harmonics, which leads to a large sparse matrix system that can be efficiently solved. Examples are shown in the low-scattering case where the diffusion approximation fails.
Disability, fatigue and peripheral neuropathy in adolescents with perinatal HIV infection

ABSTRACT Perinatally HIV-infected adolescents (PHIVA) experience many physical sequelae, but little is known about their levels of disability, fatigue or peripheral neuropathy. This study aimed to determine these sequelae through a cross-sectional analysis in a population of PHIVA and HIV-negative adolescents, based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Outcome measures used were the HIV-related Fatigue Scale, World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 and the Brief Peripheral Neuropathy Screen, to measure fatigue, level of disability and peripheral neuropathy, respectively. Of the 249 participants assessed, 59% (n = 147) were PHIVA, and the mean age of the participants was 12 years. Clinical data for the PHIVA group showed that the majority (87.1%) were virally suppressed. When compared to the HIV-negative group, PHIVA presented with significantly greater levels of fatigue intensity [1.2(SD±0.5) vs. 1.5(SD±0.9) p = 0.022] and disability [9.2(±6.8) vs. 11.5(±8.9) p = 0.023], with specific limitations in mobility, self-care and participation. No significant differences in peripheral neuropathy were found. In conclusion, PHIVA face challenges with disability and fatigue highlighting the necessity of comprehensive management for this population.
Locking‐free discontinuous finite elements for the upper bound yield design of thick plates

This work investigates the formulation of finite elements dedicated to the upper bound kinematic approach of yield design or limit analysis of Reissner–Mindlin thick plates in shear‐bending interaction. The main novelty of this paper is to take full advantage of the fundamental difference between limit analysis and elasticity problems as regards the class of admissible virtual velocity fields. In particular, it has been demonstrated for 2D plane stress, plane strain or 3D limit analysis problems that the use of discontinuous velocity fields presents a lot of advantages when seeking for accurate upper bound estimates. For this reason, discontinuous interpolations of the transverse velocity and the rotation fields for Reissner–Mindlin plates are proposed. The subsequent discrete minimization problem is formulated as a second‐order cone programming problem and is solved using the industrial software package MOSEK. A comprehensive study of the shear‐locking phenomenon is also conducted, and it is shown that discontinuous elements avoid such a phenomenon quite naturally whereas continuous elements cannot without any specific treatment. This particular aspect is confirmed through numerical examples on classical benchmark problems and the so‐obtained upper bound estimates are confronted to recently developed lower bound equilibrium finite elements for thick plates. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A 0.33–2.61-GHz Rectifier With Expanded Dynamic Input Power Range Using Microstrip Impedance Compression Circuit

In this brief, an ultra-broadband rectifier with expanded dynamic input power range (IPR) for both wireless power transfer (WPT) and radio frequency energy-harvesting (RFEH) is proposed and analyzed. Expanded dynamic IPR and broadband impedance matching are realized by utilizing a microstrip transmission line impedance compression circuit (MTLICC) with the topology of the paralleled voltage doubler. A proof-of-concept prototype shows a dynamic IPR of 8.5–23.5 dBm, a frequency range of 0.33–2.61 GHz (fractional bandwidth of $155\%$ ), PCE is greater than 50%, and a peak PEC of 79.7% (achieved at an input-power level of 19 dBm). The measurement results are in good agreement with the simulation. Covering most 3G/4G/5G/ISM frequency bands, this design is promising for RF power transmission and energy harvesting in the age of the Internet of Things systems.
Reducing technology-mediated service exclusion by providing human assistant support for senior citizens: evidence from China

ABSTRACT This study explored how the allocation of human assistants in a technology-mediated service setting could reduce the exclusion of senior citizens from such services. Our methodology is based on social support and protection motivation theories. Using a two-phase study with a mixed-methods approach, we firstly conducted 25 semi-structured interviews to develop the research model. The model was then empirically validated using survey data from 285 Chinese senior citizens. The results revealed that senior citizens experienced defense motivation and avoidance behavior when facing technology-mediated services. However, perceived emotional support from a human assistant enhanced their evaluation of coping factors, further reducing their defense motivations and avoidance behaviors. Perceived instrumental support had a greater impact, as it both reduced their assessment of threat factors and enhanced their evaluation of coping factors. Finally, future time perspective moderated the effects of perceived support on threat and coping appraisal processing.
Development of a Daily Living Self-Efficacy Scale for Older Adults in Japan

Objectives: Older adults tend to experience decreased enjoyment and fulfillment in life, social interactions, and independent living, with aging. These situations often result in lower levels of daily living self-efficacy in activities, which is one of the factors resulting in a decline in the quality of life (QOL) among older individuals. For this reason, interventions that help maintain daily living self-efficacy among older adults may also help maintain a good QOL. The objective of this study was to develop a daily living self-efficacy scale for the elderly that can be used to evaluate the effects of interventions aimed at enhancing self-efficacy. Methods: An expert meeting involving specialists in dementia treatment and care was held, to prepare a draft for a daily living self-efficacy scale. In the meeting, previous studies on self-efficacy among older adults, which were collected in advance, were reviewed, and the experiences of the specialists were discussed. Based on the reviews and discussions, a draft of a daily living self-efficacy scale comprising 35 items was prepared. This study on daily living self-efficacy was conducted from January 2021 to October 2021. The internal consistency and concept validity of the scale were evaluated based on the assessment data. Results: The mean age ± standard deviation of the 109 participants was 84.2 ± 7.3 years. The following five factors were extracted based on factor analysis: Factor 1, “Having peace of mind”; Factor 2, “Maintaining healthy routines and social roles”; Factor 3, “Taking personal care of oneself”; Factor 4, “Rising to the challenge”; and Factor 5, “Valuing enjoyment and relationships with others”. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient exceeded 0.7, thereby suggesting sufficiently high internal consistency. Covariance structure analysis confirmed sufficiently high concept validity. Conclusions: The scale developed in this study was confirmed to be sufficiently reliable and valid, and when used during dementia treatment and care to assess the levels of daily living self-efficacy among older adults, it is expected to contribute to the improvement of QOL among older adults.
Exogenous abscisic acid prolongs the dormancy of recalcitrant seed of Panax notoginseng

The seeds of Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen are typically characterized by their recalcitrance and after-ripening process and exhibit a high water content at harvest as well as a high susceptibility to dehydration. Storage difficulty and the low germination of recalcitrant seeds of P. notoginseng are known to cause an obstacle to agricultural production. In this study, the ratio of embryo to endosperm (Em/En) in abscisic acid (ABA) treatments (1 mg·l−1 and 10 mg·l−1, LA and HA) was 53.64% and 52.34%, respectively, which were lower than those in control check (CK) (61.98%) at 30 days of the after-ripening process (DAR). A total of 83.67% of seeds germinated in the CK, 49% of seeds germinated in the LA treatment, and 37.33% of seeds germinated in the HA treatment at 60 DAR. The ABA, gibberellin (GA), and auxin (IAA) levels were increased in the HA treatment at 0 DAR, while the jasmonic acid (JA) levels were decreased. ABA, IAA, and JA were increased, but GA was decreased with HA treatment at 30 DAR. A total of 4,742, 16,531, and 890 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between the HA-treated and CK groups, respectively, along with obvious enrichment in the ABA-regulated plant hormone pathway and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. The expression of pyracbactin resistance-like (PYL) and SNF1-related protein kinase subfamily 2 (SnRK2s) increased in the ABA-treated groups, whereas the expression of type 2C protein phosphatase (PP2C) decreased, both of which are related to the ABA signaling pathway. As a result of the changes in expression of these genes, increased ABA signaling and suppressed GA signaling could inhibit the growth of the embryo and the expansion of developmental space. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that MAPK signaling cascades might be involved in the amplification of hormone signaling. Meanwhile, our study uncovered that the exogenous hormone ABA could inhibit embryonic development, promote dormancy, and delay germination in recalcitrant seeds. These findings reveal the critical role of ABA in regulating the dormancy of recalcitrant seeds, and thereby provide a new insight into recalcitrant seeds in agricultural production and storage.
Geographical Parthenogenesis in Alpine and Arctic Plants

The term “Geographical parthenogenesis” describes the phenomenon that asexual organisms usually occupy larger and more northern distribution areas than their sexual relatives, and tend to colonize previously glaciated areas. Several case studies on alpine and arctic plants confirm the geographical pattern, but the causal factors behind the phenomenon are still unclear. Research of the last decade in several plant families has shed light on the question and evaluated some of the classical evolutionary theories. Results confirmed, in general, that the advantages of uniparental reproduction enable apomictic plants to re-colonize faster in larger and more northern distribution areas. Associated factors like polyploidy seem to contribute mainly to the spatial separation of sexual and asexual cytotypes. Ecological studies suggest a better tolerance of apomicts to colder climates and temperate extremes, whereby epigenetic flexibility and phenotypic plasticity play an important role in occupying ecological niches under harsh conditions. Genotypic diversity appears to be of lesser importance for the distributional success of asexual plants. Classical evolutionary theories like a reduced pressure of biotic interactions in colder climates and hence an advantage to asexuals (Red Queen hypothesis) did not gain support from studies on plants. However, it is also still enigmatic why sexual outcrossing remains the predominant mode of reproduction also in alpine floras. Constraints for the origin of apomixis might play a role. Interestingly, some studies suggest an association of sexuality with abiotic stresses. Light stress in high elevations might explain why most alpine plants retain sexual reproduction despite other environmental factors that would favor apomixis. Directions for future research will be given.
Scalar Turbulence within the Canopy Sublayer

The exchange of scalars between the biosphere and the atmosphere has direct bearing on a large number of problems such as climate change, air and water quality, agricultural management and food security, landscape ecology, and decision making for environmental compliances and policy formulation. Near the canopy-atmosphere interface, turbulent fluctuations in scalar concentrations exhibit complex dynamic behaviour that shows some parallels with the transporting turbulent velocity field. However, the statistical properties of scalar turbulence within and just above the canopy can also be partly decoupled from those of the transporting velocity. Here, a unifying framework is proposed that accounts for vertical variations in scalar sources and sinks within the canopy volume, the lack of equilibrium between production and dissipation terms in second-order scalar budget equations, the rapid changes in turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate inside canopies, the relative importance of ejections and sweeps, the role of thermal stratification, and the ‘near-field’ effects of the scalar source on gradient-diffusion theories. Ways in which these same phenomena modify the scalar spectra and scalar-vertical velocity co-spectra within the inertial subrange above the canopy and at scales finer than the wake generation region within the canopy are presented. Finally, the origin of organized eddy structure connected with surface renewal that leads to scalar ramps is briefly discussed. The work draws upon a large number of flume, wind tunnel, and field experiments, and offers novel theoretical scaling arguments as to how coherency in the flow field impacts scalar spectra and scalar-velocity co-spectra at scales smaller than the shear production scales.
Characterization of the MMP9 Gene and Its Association with Cryptocaryon irritans Resistance Traits in Trachinotus ovatus (Linnaeus, 1758)

The MMPs are endogenous proteolytic enzymes that require zinc and calcium as cofactors. MMP9 is one of the most complex matrix metalloproteinases in the gelatinase family and has many biological functions. In mammals, mmp9 is thought to be closely associated with cancer. However, studies in fish have rarely been reported. In this study, to understand the expression pattern of the ToMMP9 gene and its association with the resistance of Trachinotus ovatus to Cryptocaryon irritans, the sequence of the MMP9 gene was obtained from the genome database. The expression profiles were measured by qRT–PCR, the SNPs were screened by direct sequencing, and genotyping was performed. The ToMMP9 gene contained a 2058 bp ORF encoding a putative amino acid sequence of 685 residues. The homology of the ToMMP9 in teleosts was more than 85%, and the genome structure of ToMMP9 was conserved in chordates. The ToMMP9 gene was expressed in different tissues of healthy individuals and was highly expressed in the fin, the gill, the liver and the skin tissues. The ToMMP9 expression in the skin of the infected site and its adjacent sites increased significantly after C. irritans infection. Two SNPs were identified in the ToMMP9 gene, and the SNP (+400A/G) located in the first intron was found to be significantly associated with the susceptibility/resistance to C. irritans. These findings suggest that ToMMP9 may play an important role in the immune response of T. ovatus against C. irritans.