Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
RhoBTB3 Regulates Proliferation and Invasion of Breast Cancer Cells via Col1a1

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in women worldwide, despite medical and technological advancements. The RhoBTB family consists of three isoforms: RhoBTB1, RhoBTB2, and RhoBTB3. RhoBTB1 and RhoBTB2 have been proposed as tumor suppressors in breast cancer. However, the roles of RhoBTB3 proteins are unknown in breast cancer. Bioinformatics analysis, including Oncomine, cBioportal, was used to evaluate the potential functions and prognostic values of RhoBTB3 and Col1a1 in breast cancer. qRT-PCR analysis and immunoblotting assay were performed to investigate relevant expression. Functional experiments including proliferation assay, invasion assay, and flow cytometry assay were conducted to determine the role of RhoBTB3 and Col1a1 in breast cancer cells. RhoBTB3 mRNA levels were significantly up-regulated in breast cancer tissues as compared to in adjacent normal tissues. Moreover, RhoBTB3 expression was found to be associated with Col1a1 expression. Decreasing RhoBTB3 expression may lead to decreases in the proliferative and invasive properties of breast cancer cells. Further, Col1a1 knockdown in breast cancer cells limited the proliferative and invasive ability of cancer cells. Knockdown of RhoBTB3 may exert inhibit the proliferation, migration, and metastasis of breast cancer cells by repressing the expression of Col1a1, providing a novel therapeutic strategy for treating breast cancer.
What is a dingo – origins, hybridisation and identity

Controversy about the nomenclature and taxonomy of dingoes has sparked interest in their complex identity. At the root of taxonomy debates are differences in the species concepts employed, differing opinions about the domestication status of dingoes (and their ancestors) and a simplistic handling of the complex evolutionary relationship between wolves, dingoes and domestic dogs. I explore the relationship of dingoes to village dogs, modern breed dogs and wolves using genome-wide SNP data and discuss the implications of these findings to the ongoing debate about dingo identity and nomenclature. Importantly, despite controversy about what to call dingoes and whether they are a full species, these animals represent an important, distinct and unique evolutionary unit worthy of high conservation priority, as a native species. There is growing concern about the spread of domestic dog genes into dingo populations, particularly in southeastern Australia, and the impact this has on conservation goals. However, the discovery of biogeographic subdivision within dingoes raises questions about the accuracy of the current methods used for estimating dog vs dingo ancestry. I caution scientists and wildlife managers to carefully consider the limitations of current ancestry estimate methods when assessing DNA test results. Future work using genome-wide DNA technology to improve dingo ancestry estimates will be fundamental to ongoing debate about what dingoes are, how to identify dingoes and how to conserve them.
The Effect of Adsorption on Energy Transport at a Solid-Vapour Interface

The Effect of Adsorption on Energy Transport at a Solid–Vapour Interface Andrew W. F. Clark Master’s of Applied Science Graduate Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering University of Toronto 2014 An apparatus was configured to measure steady-state energy transport between ethanol vapour and a polished copper surface. The magnitude of energy transport increased with pressure until the ratio of the vapour pressure to its saturation pressure reached 0.2. The adsorption of ethanol on copper was measured and the energy transport was found to strongly increase with adsorption until approximately 4 μmol/m was adsorbed, after which the dependence of energy transport on adsorption became weak. An interfacial temperature discontinuity was measured and decreased with the amount of adsorption in a manner opposite to the energy transport. The magnitude of energy transport was found to strongly correlate to the fraction of adsorption sites on the copper occupied by at least one ethanol molecule. The temperature discontinuity demonstrated a strong correlation to the fraction of vacant adsorption sites. The amount of adsorption per se cannot account for the heat flux behaviour at the interface over the entire pressure range examined.
The Determinants of House Prices in Malaysia

This paper studied how house prices were affected by macroeconomic factors from Q1 2009 to Q4 2018. The short and long-run effects of real income, nominal interest rates, inflation rate and stock prices on house prices in Malaysia were examined with the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) of a restricted error correction model (ECM). It was discovered that the selected macroeconomic factors were cointegrated with house prices. Income, represented by real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), significantly affected house prices in the short and long-run. Inflation and interest rate, proxied by Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Overnight Policy Rate (OPR), respectively, affected house prices significantly in the long-run. The stock market, tracked by Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI), had no significant impact on house prices signifying no wealth effect. Through the findings of an inelasticity of demand and an undesirable result of monetary policies, this paper concluded that more effective solutions needed to be carried out to ensure affordability of house ownership in Malaysia.
A wideband circularly polarized S‐shaped slot antenna

This article introduces a simple wideband circularly polarized (CP) S‐shaped slot antenna for ISM band wireless communication applications. By using a wide curve S‐shaped slot patch on the top side and a T‐shaped feeding line on the bottom side of the substrate, the wideband CP wave is generated. The overall size of the proposed antenna is 0. 85λ × 0. 85λ × 0. 011λ (λ is the wavelength of the lowest operating frequency) and it has a broad impedance bandwidth of 68.1% between 1.66 and 3.44 GHz for S11 < –10 dB and a 3 dB axial‐ratio bandwidth of 57.1% between 1.68 and 3.06 GHz. Within the axial‐ratio bandwidth, the measured gain of the proposed antenna ranged from 2.1 to 5.4 dBic. The measured results are in good agreement with simulated results. The new type of slot antenna with wide bandwidth and simple structure is a good candidate for various RFID applications.
Comparative Study and GC/MS Analyses of Oleo-Gum Resins extracts obtained from Boswellia papyrifera (Tarak tarak)

Three samples of oleogum resins of Boswellia papyrifera grown in some parts of the Sudan were subjected to screening with the objective of evaluating phytochemical constituents of their extracts (petroleum ether , and methanol) as well as their acid fractions. Gas chromatography/Mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis revealed that the main components in the petroleum ether extracts were sequentially naphtho [1, 2-b] furan-2-one (24.23%), oleic acid (22.39%) and octadecanoic acid (20.45%), whereas the principal chemical compounds in the methanolic extracts were lycopene (13.78%), oleic acid (28.60%) and benzoic acid (26.90%). The dominant molecule in the acid fractions of both Kordofan and Damazine samples was hexadecanoic acid (16.46% and 23.33%, respectively), while that from Nagawa olibanum was oleic acid (15.34%).
Seed dispersal effectiveness by oilbirds (Steatornis caripensis) in the Southern Andes of Colombia

Oilbirds are specialized frugivores that disperse seeds; however, no study has evaluated their seed dispersal effectiveness (SDE). We estimated SDE for nine plant species and tested if high‐altitude plants are more effectively dispersed than lowland species and if there are high SDE scores in non‐breeding periods of oilbirds. The quantity factor was estimated from seed rain data in the main cave of Cueva de Los Guacharos National Park (Colombia). The quality component considered germination chance, the probability that seeds reach suitable habitats (using data from GPS devices on three birds) and the probability of establishment in different habitats (literature review). Our model showed that the habitat with more seedrain was the cave (41%), followed by dense forest and mosaics of crops and forests (both ca. 20%). Seed germination was evidenced in 7 of the species, and the other two indicated viability (using tetrazolium tests). The most dispersed species corresponded to palms (Prestoea acuminata and Geonoma undata), but, in terms of biomass, P. acuminata and Dacryodes olivifera (Burseraceae) were the top species. D. olivifera, G. undata, and P. acuminata showed the highest SDE values. No relationship was found between the probability of arrival to suitable habitats and the altitudinal level of the species, but the oilbirds were more effective dispersing seeds in non‐breeding periods. Despite a large amount of seeds dropped at the caves, oilbirds disperse seed to suitable habitats, move seeds long distances, and disperse large seeds. As some of these ecosystem services are unique, oilbird's conservation seems imperative.
Identifying and Evaluating Vocation-Related Neuro-Musculoskeletal Deficiencies in Professional Musicians: A Review

: A combination of factors exposes musicians to neuro-musculoskeletal disorders, which lead to pain and damage. These involve overuse due to long playing hours, containing repetitive movements under stressful conditions, usually performed in an unnatural posture. Although the evoked disorders are usually non-traumatic, they may often lead to prolonged or even permanent damage. For instance, in upper string players, these include bursitis and tendinopathies of the shoulder muscles, tendonitis of the rotator cuff, injury at the tendon sheaths, medial or lateral epicondylitis (also known as tennis elbow), myofascial pain, and wrist tendonitis (also known as carpal tunnel syndrome, or De Quervein’s syndrome). In cases of intensive performance, a traumatic injury may result, requiring drastic means of intervention such as surgery. It should be pointed out that the upper body and upper extremities are the most commonly affected sites of playing musicians. This review provides a description of the playing-related motor disorders in performing musicians, and of the methodologies used to identify and evaluate these disorders, particularly for violinists and other upper string players.
A Systematic Review of Educational Interventions and Their Impact on Empathy and Compassion of Undergraduate Medical Students

Introduction: A compassionate and patient-centered care leads to improved clinical outcomes. Promoting empathy and compassion of medical students is a forerunner of their well-being, emotional stability, and a patient-centered care. However, there is slender evidence about best educational interventions that can inculcate empathy and compassion skills. Our objective was to conduct a systematic review of research evaluating the associations between spectrum, effectiveness, frequency of teaching modalities and their outcomes on compassion and empathy to highlight best practices. Methods: We searched the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and EBSCO Host on 22nd July 2020. We adapted our search strategy from a previously published systematic review on education for compassion and empathy. Selected studies were required to have used unique educational interventions for promoting empathy and compassion of medical students. The research questions were based on Participants (medical students), Intervention (empathy and/or compassion related teaching), Comparison, and Outcome. Results: We analyzed 24 articles from the initial yield of 2,861. Twenty-two were quantitative studies with a mean of 12.8 on MERSQI. Twelve were randomized controlled trials while 5 measured outcomes with single group pre- and post-tests. There was no association found between duration, frequency and complexity of an educational intervention and its effectiveness. Twenty used multimodality curricula, and of those 18 reported statistically significant positive improvement in empathy, while 3 of 4 single modality were effective. Only three studies looked for long-term effects of educational interventions. Fourteen studies evaluated Kirkpatrick's level one (self-reported knowledge), 2 level three (behavior), and 6 level four (patient outcomes). We identified six major educational constructs of teaching empathy and compassion; communication, mindfulness, early clinical exposure, technology-enhanced learning, comics and arts and culture. Discussion: Our review couldn't identify a standard teaching construct in place and highlighted that different teaching tools carry similar impact in promoting compassion and empathy and a sustainable program rather than a single training activity is essential.
Deep Learning Meets SAR: Concepts, models, pitfalls, and perspectives

Deep learning in remote sensing has received considerable international hype, but it is mostly limited to the evaluation of optical data. Although deep learning has been introduced in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data processing, despite successful first attempts, its huge potential remains locked. In this article, we provide an introduction to the most relevant deep learning models and concepts, point out possible pitfalls by analyzing special characteristics of SAR data, review the state of the art of deep learning applied to SAR, summarize available benchmarks, and recommend some important future research directions. With this effort, we hope to stimulate more research in this interesting yet underexploited field and to pave the way for the use of deep learning in big SAR data processing workflows.
Congruence between molecular and morphological systematics of Alpine non‐biting midges (Chironomidae, Diamesinae)

In mountain regions, climate change is resulting in glacial retreat, causing biodiversity loss in glacial‐fed streams (kryal habitat). Diamesa species (Diptera Chironomidae), the main colonizers of the kryal in the Alps, are the aquatic insects more threatened by extinction. In recent years, DNA barcoding was successfully adopted to delimit species of chironomids and provided species identification. We highlighted that for the Diamesa genus, inconsistencies remain between identification on a morphological and molecular basis, mainly within cinerella and zernyi groups, raising doubts about the validity of head colour as a good diagnostic taxonomic character. Molecular phylogeny reconstruction based on mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase subunits I and II) and one nuclear (ribosomal 18S rRNA) markers revealed that D. bohemani and D. zernyi on one hand, and D. cinerella and D. tonsa on the other hand, represent populations of the same species. Divergence times suggested that the radiation of these alpine species seems to have been driven by the climatic events with the alternation of glacial periods that happened in the Pliocene and Pleistocene. The initial separation of the oriental species D. steinboecki seems to be due to the tectonic movements of the Periadriatic fault system that probably favoured the emergence of lakes and streams, successively colonized by D. steinboecki. This study raises important concerns, from the validity of diagnostic characters used today to identify larval types up to the uncertainty about how many species of Diamesa inhabit the European Alps and what their fate will be within the scenario of climate change.
Urban development project goals and the role of professional ignorance: ambiguous policy objectives and their consequences

Drawing on the literature on professional ignorance, here defined in affirmative terms as the capacity to act regardless of the incompleteness of available information in organizations and professional communities, the article reports empirical material from an urban development project wherein policy makers' instructions are vague and, in certain domains, inconsistent with market conditions. ,Urban development projects regularly include uncertainty and risk taking, and policy makers' stated objectives regarding project goals may be incomplete or merely signal a political ambition. In such situations, first-line project participants need to make decisions as if uncertainties regarding policy objectives are manageable and preferably minimal. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the proposition that professional ignorance is a key mechanism in incomplete or imperfect governance systems. ,Project participants actively questioned policy but acted on the instructions just the same, which is indicative of how professional ignorance is supportive of governance system that relies on first-line market actors and agencies to implement also incomplete or vaguely stated policy objectives. Incomplete policies derive from challenges in political deliberation and bargaining processes, uncertainty regarding the future and shifting preferences among policy makers and constituencies more widely. In practice, incomplete policies regularly include issues for first-level actors (e.g. on the urban development project level) to handle and to reconcile in their day-to-day work. ,On basis of an empirical study of a major urban development project, the study contributes to a growing literature that recognizes the value of professional ignorance in governance systems and in project management practice. The study invites further scholarly research that takes an affirmative of professional ignorance but without overlooking its risks and potential malfunctions.
Fast Falling Weight Deflectometer Method for Condition Assessment of RC Bridges

In this paper, the use of Fast Falling Weight Deflectometer (Fast-FWD) is analyzed as a non-destructive and quick test procedure to evaluate the efficiency of short-span bridges. The Fast-FWD is an instrument that can produce a broadband dynamic force up to an impact value of 120 KN: The impact is constant and replicable, providing accurate action measures of bridge stiffness in a truly short period (30 ms). In this paper, a single-span reinforced concrete bridge is investigated, using the Fast-FWD. The considered bridge, approximately 12.0 m long and 15.5 m wide, was in critical condition. The bridge is in a suburban principal road near to the City of Cagliari in Sardinia (Italy), with an Annual Average Daily Traffic of 13,500 vehicles/day, and was suddenly closed, creating serious problems for urban mobility. In these conditions, the investigation through other standard techniques is time-consuming and labor intensive. For this reason, it is important to introduce methods that can be rapid, accurate and cost-efficient. In this paper, bridge stiffness values obtained during the in situ experimental campaign were compared with finite element models values. The Fast-FWD has the potential to provide engineering information that can help us to better understand bridge condition, in a rapid and cost-effective procedure.
Induction Machine Parameterization From Limited Transient Data Using Convex Optimization

This article identifies the parameters of an induction machine using limited and nonintrusive observations of available input voltages, stator currents, and the rotor speed. Parameter extraction is formulated as a nonconvex estimation problem, which is then relaxed to a convex conic optimization problem. While the resulting relaxation could exhibit a satisfactory performance, there might be cases where the solution of convex relaxation fails to satisfy the dynamic equations of the machine. This is remedied through a local search approach initiated using the solution obtained from the relaxed problem. The proposed method is experimentally verified on a squirrel-cage induction machine with missing measured data. Using the measured signals as the benchmark, time-domain transients produced by the parameters estimated using the proposed method show almost 20% better match compared to time-domain transients produced by the parameters obtained via conventional testing.
On the Application of the Particle Swarm Optimization to the Inverse Determination of Material Model Parameters for Cutting Simulations

The manufacturing industry is confronted with increasing demands for digitalization. To realize a digital twin of the cutting process, an increase of the model reliability of the virtual representation becomes necessary. Thereby, different models are required to represent the experimental behavior of the workpiece material or frictional interactions. One of the most utilized material models is the Johnson–Cook material model. The material model parameters are determined either by conventional or by non-conventional material tests, or inversely from the cutting process. However, the inverse parameter determination, where the model parameters are iteratively modified until a sufficient agreement between experimental and numerical results is reached, is not robust and requires a high number of iterations. In this paper, an approach for the inverse determination of material model parameters based on the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is presented. The approach was investigated by the inverse re-identification of an initial parameter set. The conducted investigations showed that a material model parameter set can be determined within a small number of iterations. Thereby, the determined material model parameters resulted in deviations of approximately 1% in comparison to their target values. It was shown that the PSO is suitable for the inverse material parameter determination from cutting simulations.
Geochemical characteristics of rice uptake of cadmium and its main controlling factors: A case study of the Suxichang(Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou) typical area

On the basis of collecting and testing about 416 couples of rice seeds and the cultivated soil samples from Suxichang typical area of Jiangsu Province, a series of geochemical data related to Cd distribution and other relative elements concentrationssince 2011 was obtained. By studying and analyzing these data, the authors confirmed that rice uptake of Cd from soil is mainly controlled by such geochemical factors as cadmium, zinc, selenium, p H, organic matter(OM) and cation exchange capacity(CEC)within the cultivated soil. Some conclusions have been reached: 1) When the p H is lower than 7.0 in soil and BCF(Bioconcentration Factor) is larger than 10% in milled rice, there exists obvious positive correlative relationship between Cd concentration of milled rice and Cd and Zn content within soil, and their correlation coefficients are above 0.67; bioactivity of cadmium in farmland soils is higher in most cases; there exists more significant correlative relationship between Cd of rice and bioavailable Cd of soil than total Cd within soil if cadmium content from the cultivated soil reflects only exchangeable and weak acid- soluble fraction, with the correlation coefficient larger than 0.7; 2) Se, OM and CEC could inhibit the rice uptake of Cd from the cultivated soil, and there exists a significant negative correlation between Cd concentration of milled rice and Se, OM and CEC concentrations within the soil under some limited conditions, with the correlation coefficients being less than- 0.5; 3) Soil acidification could stimulate the increase of Cd content in the milled rice, when Cd concentration of milled rice is larger than 0.2mg/kg and its OM is equal to 2.5%~6.5%, and there yet exists significant negative correlation between Cd concentration of milled rice and p H in the cultivated soil, with the correlation coefficient smaller than-0.6; 4) the Cd distribution in different rice organs is not uniform, from the roots to the upper rice organs, the Cd content in rice gradually reduced, and it is obvious that root rice organs could play a greater role in absorption of Cd from the cultivated soil during the rice growth.