Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adrenomedullin Gene Delivery Reduces in Spontaneously Hypertensive Blood Rats Pressure

Adrenomedullin (ADM) is a potent vasoactive peptide. In this study, we explored the effects of a continuous supply of ADM by somatic gene delivery on spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). DNA constructs containing the human ADM cDNA fused to either the cytomegalovirus promoter (CMV-cADM) or Rous Sarcoma virus 3"-long terminal repeat (RSV-cADM) were intravenously injected into SHR through the tail vein. Expression of human ADM in SHR was identified in the kidney, adrenal gland, heart, and lung by radioimmunoassay and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction followed by Southern blot analysis. A single injection of ADM plasmid DNA in young adult SHR (7 wk old) caused a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure for up to 5 wk (p < 0.05). A second injection of CMVcADM 5 wk after the first delivery resulted in a further reduction in blood pressure for another 3 wk (p < 0.001). A maximal blood pressure reduction of 22 mmHg in SHR was observed 7 wk after injection of CMV-cADM plasmid DNA (185 ± 1.7 mmHg, n = 6, p < 0.001), and a reduction of 15 mmHg was observed after injection of RSV-cADM (192 ± 2.7 mmHg, n = 6, p < 0.001), as compared with control rats given vector DNA (207 ± 2.4 mmHg, n = 6). Similarly, injection of CMV-cADM plasmid DNA in adult SHR (10 wk old) resulted in a significant reduction in blood pressure for up to 6 wk. Antibodies to either human ADM or its plasmid DNA were not detected in rat sera after the second injection. These studies indicate that intravenous injection of the human ADM gene in hypertensive rats results in expression of the foreign gene and induces a long-lasting reduction in blood pressure. (Hypertens Res 1997; 20: 269-277)
Automatic detection of petiole border in plant leaves

Plants are our source of oxygen and nutrients on earth. Therefore, conservation of biodiversity is vital for the survival of other species. With the developing technology, plant species can be examined more closely. Image processing, which is a subject of computer science, has an important role in this field. In this study, an image processing–based method has been developed to automatically separate the petiole region of the plant leaves. To determine the boundary line of the petiole region, the cumulative pixel distributions of the input images in binary format according to the X- and Y-axis are analyzed. Accordingly, optimum thresholds and petiole boundary points are determined. The proposed method was tested on 795 leaf images from 90 different plant species that grow both as trees and shrubs in the Czech Republic. According to the results obtained in experimental studies, it is thought that the proposed method will make an important contribution especially in studies such as automatic classification of plants and leaves and determination of plant species in botanical science.
Distributed Control of Cooperative Vehicular Platoon With Nonideal Communication Condition

An optimized control approach for the distributed cooperative vehicular platoon was proposed in this paper, considering actuator delay and nonideal communication condition. A hierarchical structure is used to model the vehicular platoon, where the desired acceleration is optimized by CACC controller and the longitudinal tracking controller is proposed to follow it. In the design process of CACC controller, a parameter space approach and linear quadratic regulator (LQR) method are applied to guarantee the string stability and optimized performance. The influence of communication time delay and dropout rate is revealed by the changing of string stable region. Analytical results are verified by numerical simulations of a six-vehicle platoon where the leading vehicle follows the FTP-75 drive cycle speed profile. Furthermore, a Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) test is carried out with Carsim to simulate a high-fidelity vehicle dynamic model and dedicated short range communication (DSRC) modems as hardware in the loop as well as the control unit to achieve the inter-vehicle communication. The results show that the designed CACC platooning controller exhibits favorable performance in highway driving scenarios. The platooning vehicles display excellent car-following behavior with high accuracy, driving comfort and safety.
The Thermomechanical Finite Element Analysis of 3003-H14 Plates Joined by the GMAW Process

The gas metal arc welding (GMAW) process was used to weld 3003-H14 plates under restricted and unrestricted thermal expansion. Experimental and numerical analysis were conducted to determine the relation between weld thermal cycles and residual stresses. A customized data acquisition system with K-type thermocouples was used to measure the weld thermal cycles, while residual stresses were determined by the hole drilling method. Thermo-mechanical simulation models for the two restricted conditions were implemented from the experimental data obtained. A double ellipse heat distribution geometry was used to model the heat moving source by using the finite element method. Thermal rates and peak temperatures were approximated by the finite element model with 2% difference, with respect to the experimental weld thermal cycles. Longitudinal and transverse normal residual stresses determined by the finite element model showed a good comparison with experimental measurements. The larger residual stresses were in the transverse direction for both clamping conditions, which indicated that working loading paths along the lateral direction of the welded plate are more influenced by the post-welding residual stresses.
Mechanisms of Competition in Bio fi lm Communities

Bacterial biofilms are dense and often mixed-species surface-attached communities in which bacteria coexist and compete for limited space and nutrients. Here we present the different antagonistic interactions described in biofilm environments and their underlying molecular mechanisms, along with ecological and evolutionary insights as to how competitive interactions arise and are maintained within biofilms. One general law, leading to the advancement of all organic beings, namely, multiply, vary, let the strongest live and the weakest die. CHARLES DARWIN, The Origin of Species (1)
Annual variation of methane emissions from forested bogs in West Siberia (2005–2009): a case of high CH 4 and precipitation rate in the summer of 2007

Abstract. We have been conducting continuous measurements of CH 4 and CO 2 on a network of towers (JR-STATION: Japan–Russia Siberian Tall Tower Inland Observation Network) located in taiga, steppe, and wetland biomes of Siberia. Here we describe measurements from two forested bog sites, Karasevoe (KRS; 58°15′ N, 82°25′ E) and Demyanskoe (DEM; 59°47′ N, 70°52′ E), in West Siberia from 2005 to 2009. Although both CH 4 and CO 2 accumulation (ΔCH 4 and ΔCO 2 ) during nighttime (duration of 7 h beginning 21:30 LST) at KRS in July 2007 showed an anomalously high concentration, the higher ratios of ΔCH 4 /ΔCO 2 compared with those in other years indicate that a considerably more CH 4 flux occurred relative to the CO 2 flux in response to large precipitation recorded in 2007 (~2.7 mm d −1 higher than the climatological 1979–1998 base). Estimated seasonal CH 4 fluxes based on the ratio of ΔCH 4 /ΔCO 2 and the CASA 3-hourly CO 2 flux for the 2005–2009 period exhibited a seasonal variation with a maximum in July at both sites. Annual values of the CH 4 emission from the forested bogs around KRS (approx. 7.8×10 4 km 2 ) calculated from a process-based ecosystem model, Vegetation Integrative Simulator for Trace gases (VISIT), showed inter-annual variation of 0.54, 0.31, 0.94, 0.44, and 0.41 Tg CH 4 yr −1 from 2005 to 2009, respectively, with the highest values in 2007. It was assumed in the model that the area flooded with water is proportional to the cumulative anomaly in monthly precipitation rate.
On the Performance of Bayesian Approaches in Small Samples: A Comment on Smid, McNeish, Miocevic, and van de Schoot (2020)

ABSTRACT This journal recently published a systematic review of simulation studies on the performance of Bayesian approaches for estimating latent variable models in small samples. The authors of this review highlighted that Bayesian approaches can perform poorly (i.e., by exhibiting bias) when the prior distributions are not thoughtfully constructed on the basis of previous knowledge. In this comment, we question whether the bias is the most important criterion when the sample size is small. We argue that the variability is more important and should therefore not be ignored. Moreover, because one of the most important selling points of Bayesian approaches was not addressed in the article, we argue that although somewhat biased, Bayesian approaches allow for more accurate estimates (i.e., a smaller mean squared error) than Maximum Likelihood (ML) in small samples, and we show one such approach that is more accurate than ML.
Metallic nanoparticles embedded in a dielectric matrix: growth mechanisms and percolation

We present a study of the preparation and structural characterization of granular Ag-ZrO2, Co-ZrO2, and Au-ZrO2 thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) in a wide range of volume fraction x of metal (0.08 < xAg < 0.28, 0.06 < xCo < 0.40, and 0.08 < xAu < 0.55). High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) showed regular distribution of spherical Au, Co, and Au nanoparticles having very sharp interfaces with the amorphous matrix. The structural results are compared aiming to stress the effect of the actual microstructure on the percolation threshold. Two different mechanisms of particle growing as a function of the metal content are evidenced: nucleation and particle coalescence, with their relative significance depending strongly on the type of metal, giving rise to very different values of the percolation threshold (xc(Ag)∼0.28, xc(Co)∼0.35, and xc(Au)∼0.55).
Brauer class over the Picard scheme of curves

We study the Brauer class rising from the obstruction to the existence of a tautological line bundle on the Picard scheme of curves. If we consider the universal totally degenerate curve with a fixed dual graph, then, using symmetries of the graph, we give bounds on the period and index of the Brauer classes. As a result, we provide some division algebras of prime degree, serving as candidates for the cyclicity problem.
Enhancement of Hippocampal Spatial Decoding Using a Dynamic Q-Learning Method With a Relative Reward Using Theta Phase Precession

Hippocampal place cells and interneurons in mammals have stable place fields and theta phase precession profiles that encode spatial environmental information. Hippocampal CA1 neurons can represent the animal's location and prospective information about the goal location. Reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms such as Q-learning have been used to build the navigation models. However, the traditional Q-learning ([Formula: see text]Q-learning) limits the reward function once the animals arrive at the goal location, leading to unsatisfactory location accuracy and convergence rates. Therefore, we proposed a revised version of the Q-learning algorithm, dynamical Q-learning ([Formula: see text]Q-learning), which assigns the reward function adaptively to improve the decoding performance. Firing rate was the input of the neural network of [Formula: see text]Q-learning and was used to predict the movement direction. On the other hand, phase precession was the input of the reward function to update the weights of [Formula: see text]Q-learning. Trajectory predictions using [Formula: see text]Q- and [Formula: see text]Q-learning were compared by the root mean squared error (RMSE) between the actual and predicted rat trajectories. Using [Formula: see text]Q-learning, significantly higher prediction accuracy and faster convergence rate were obtained compared with [Formula: see text]Q-learning in all cell types. Moreover, combining place cells and interneurons with theta phase precession improved the convergence rate and prediction accuracy. The proposed [Formula: see text]Q-learning algorithm is a quick and more accurate method to perform trajectory reconstruction and prediction.
Cyberbullying among University Students: Gendered Experiences, Impacts, and Perspectives

Cyberbullying is an emerging issue in the context of higher education as information and communication technologies (ICT) increasingly become part of daily life in university. This paper presents findings from 1925 student surveys from four Canadian universities. The overall findings are broken down to determine gender similarities and differences that exist between male and female respondents’ backgrounds, ICT usage, experiences with cyberbullying, opinions about the issue, and solutions to the problem. We also examine the continuities between these findings and those of earlier studies on cyberbullying among younger students. Our findings also suggest that gender differences, which do emerge, provide some support for each of the three theoretical frameworks considered for understanding this issue, that is, relational aggression, cognitive-affective deficits, and power and control. However, none of these three models offers a full explanation on its own. The study thus provides information about cyberbullying behaviour at the university level, which has the potential to inform the development of more appropriate policies and intervention programs/solutions to address the gendered nature of this behaviour.
TiCl 4 Pretreatment and Electrodeposition Time Investigations of ZnO Photoelectrodes Preparation for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

TiCl 4 pretreatment is used in the fabrication of high performance photoanodes for dyes-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In this paper, TiCl 4 pretreatment was used on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) before fabricating ZnO films by electrochemical method. The effects of TiCl 4 pretreatment on some important parameters of solar cells, such as short-circuit current (Jsc) and filling factor, were investigated.Themorphology of ZnO films was changed after TiCl 4 pretreatment, which can offer large surface area to absorb muchmore dyes.When the time of electrodepositionwas 3min, the dyes-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based onTiCl 4 pretreatment ZnO films showed more superior photoelectrochemical performance. The parameters of DSSCs are greatly improved. The DSSC based on ZnO films after TiCl 4 pretreatment has a very promising value for fabricating high performance solar cells.
Organizational Effectiveness = Corporate Performance? Why and How Two Research Traditions Need to be Merged

Organizational effectiveness and corporate performance research seem to deal with the same core construct: organizational effectiveness/performance.However, both research traditions have produced separate bodies of literature and have developed different strengths and weaknesses.Organizational effectiveness research has a rich conceptual tradition but recently shows a conspicuous inactivity in terms of empirical studies.Corporate performance research, on the other hand, is active in terms of empirical studies but faces criticism regarding its limited theoretical foundation and its narrow focus.This paper confronts the existing approaches to organizational effectiveness with recent insights in performance research.Based on an examination of their core construct(s), we promote a merger of both research traditions that makes use of their complementary strengths and combines conceptual depths with a vivid empirical orientation.Moreover, we formulate requirements for future progress in the merged area of organizational effectiveness/performance.
Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance Pattern of Salmonella, Shigella, and Intestinal Parasites and Associated Factor among Food Handlers in Dilla University Student Cafeteria, Dilla, Ethiopia

Background Food-borne disease is mostly caused by unsafe food handling and processing as well as poor hygienic practice. Recently, it is a worldwide and local burden to the human health. It is estimated that about one-third of the world population is affected by food-borne diseases annually and become a global public health problem. Hence, this study aimed to determine the prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, and associated risk factors of Shigella, Salmonella, and intestinal parasites among food handlers in Dilla University, Southern Ethiopia. Methods An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from November to September 2018/2019. A structured questionnaire was used for the collection of data on sociodemographic characteristics. Parasite and bacterial identification, as well as susceptibility testing, was done using standard parasitological and bacteriological procedures. Results Of the total 220 food handlers included in the study, 38.6%, 9.5%, and 3.2% were positive for intestinal parasites, Salmonella, and Shigella species, respectively. A. lumbricoides (11.4%) was the predominant parasite isolated followed by E. histolytica (7.7%). From the total Salmonella isolates, serogroup D was the most frequent isolate and from the total Shigella species, Shigella flexneri was the predominant isolate. In this study, through irregular medical checkups, those who drunk unpasteurized milk and ate raw meat were significantly associated with intestinal parasites. Both Salmonella and Shigella species were highly resistant to ampicillin (81%) and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (>70%). Salmonella isolates are highly sensitive to cefotaxime and ceftriaxone, while Shigella is highly sensitive to ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin. MDR was recorded in 71.4% of all bacterial isolates. Conclusion The presence of a high prevalence of intestinal parasites, Salmonella, and Shigella species that were resistant to the commonly prescribed drugs is a treat to the children and the community at large. Therefore, measures including health education, improvement of safe water supply, sanitation facilities, and continuous monitoring of microbiological and antimicrobial surveillance are crucial.
Evaluation of a Convection-Permitting Modeling of Precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau and Its Influences on the Simulation of Snow-Cover Fraction

Precipitation is a critical input to land surface and hydrology modeling and prediction. Dynamical downscale modeling has added value to representing precipitation, when compared with the performance of coarse-resolution reanalysis and global climate models, over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Convection-permitting modeling (CPM) may even outperform dynamical downscale models (DDMs). In this study, 4-km CPM results were compared to 28-km DDM results for a snow season (1 October 2013–31 May 2014) over the TP. The CPM- and DDM-simulated precipitation, as well as three merged gridded precipitation datasets, were evaluated against in situ observations below 4800 m. The five precipitation datasets (CPM, DDM, CMFD, COPRPH, and TRMM) showed large differences over the TP with underestimation of TRMM and overestimation of CPM and DDM compared to observations. The most significant difference occurred in the Brahmaputra Grand Canyon. Given the substantial uncertainty in observed precipitation at high mountains, snow cover simulated by a high-resolution land data assimilation system was used to indirectly evaluate the above precipitation data using MODIS observations. Simulated snow-cover fraction was greatly underestimated using all the merged precipitation datasets. However, simulations using the DDM- and CPM-generated precipitation as input outperformed those using other gridded precipitation data, showing lower biases, higher pattern correlations, and closer probability distribution functions than runs driven by the merged precipitation. The findings of this study generally support the assumption that high-resolution CPM-produced precipitation has an added value for use in land surface and hydrology simulations in high-mountain regions without reliable in situ precipitation observations.
Predictions of semen production in ram using phenotypic traits by artificial neural network

Concentration of semen production is the most important fertility trait in ram and dimension of testis is a good criterion for identifying the quantity of semen production. Thus, prediction of that trait has important beneficial effect on the timely identification of genetically superior animals. Artificial neural network (ANN) system can be used as a decision making support system in ram industry as well as other industries. It can help breeders to predict future semen production based on phenotypic trait. Data from 24 rams of zandi breed in Tehran, Iran, were used. From 192 available data of phenotypic and semen concentration, 184 records were used for training a back propagation ANN system and 8 randomly chosen record (not used in the training process) were introduced to the trained neural network for evaluation. The result of the simulation showed that there was no significant difference between the observed and the predicted semen production (p > 0.05). The major use of this predictive system is to make accurate selection decision which is based on prior knowledge of the outcomes.
Alcohol and risky sex among MSM Moderating effects of age on the alcohol and sexual risk taking association : An online daily diary study of men who have sex with men

Men who have sex with men (MSM) account for the majority of HIV/AIDS diagnoses and data suggest infection rates are rising. Identification of factors that increase the risk of infection is key to the development of effective prevention programs. Previous research has been inconsistent regarding the link between alcohol consumption and sexual risk taking among MSM. Daily reports of alcohol consumption and sexual behavior were completed for up to 30 days by 143 HIV negative MSM recruited online. This resulted in 2,887 daily reports of number of sex partners and 549 episodes of sex. Independent variables included age, number of standard drinks consumed, and partner type. Outcome variables included sex with a partner, a composite sexual risk variable, and unprotected anal intercourse (UAI). Alcohol consumption significantly increased the odds of having sex and had a significant positive association with the sexual risk composite variable. Age was a significant moderator of the association between alcohol consumption and sexual risk taking, with the effects of alcohol increasing with age. For example, at the 75%tile of age (37 years old), the odds of UAI increase from approximately . 2 to . 35 as the number of alcoholic drinks increases from zero to seven. Partner type did not have significant effects. Daily reports of alcohol consumption had a significant within-person association with sexual risk behaviors, particularly among older MSM. Findings highlight the importance of measuring individual differences as moderators of the association between alcohol and risky