Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CONTROLS OF GRASS AND SHRUB ABOVEGROUND PRODUCTION IN THE PATAGONIAN STEPPE

We studied the temporal dynamics of aboveground net primary production (ANPP) and senescence in a semiarid steppe representative of the Occidental District of Patagonia. We focused on the association of ANPP and senescence with climatic fluctuations at annual and seasonal scales. We estimated annual ANPP based on biomass harvests of grasses and shrubs (the dominant functional groups) at the peak of the growing season (January). The ANPP and senescence of grasses alone were also estimated for several periods within each year. The mean annual ANPP of the studied community for 10 years was 56 g·m 22 ·yr 21 , and the coefficient of variation was 26%. Grass and shrub mean annual ANPP had similar levels. Annual shrub production was associated with cumulative precipitation for the whole year, whereas annual grass production was not associated with precipitation. The average seasonal dynamics of grass ANPP showed its peak during spring, and there was no grass production during late summer and early fall. The peak green biomass of grass was achieved in early summer. Average senescence rates were more constant throughout the year, except for winter, when senescence was almost interrupted. Winter grass ANPP was positively as- sociated with fall temperature, spring grass ANPP was positively related to winter precip- itation, and summer grass ANPP was positively related to spring precipitation. Grass se- nescence during spring was negatively related to precipitation in the same season. Our results highlight the importance of separating functional types in productivity stud- ies. The differential effect of precipitation on grass and shrub ANPP masked the association when these functional groups were pooled. ANPP association with climatic variables in the Occidental District of the Patagonian steppe shifted from precipitation alone to pre- cipitation and temperature when the temporal scale of analysis changed from annual to
Probiotics function mechanistically as delivery vehicles for neuroactive compounds: Microbial endocrinology in the design and use of probiotics

I hypothesize here that the ability of probiotics to synthesize neuroactive compounds provides a unifying microbial endocrinology‐based mechanism to explain the hitherto incompletely understood action of commensal microbiota that affect the host's gastrointestinal and psychological health. Once ingested, probiotics enter an interactive environment encompassing microbiological, immunological, and neurophysiological components. By utilizing a trans‐disciplinary framework known as microbial endocrinology, mechanisms that would otherwise not be considered become apparent since any candidate would need to be shared among all three components. The range of neurochemicals produced by probiotics includes neurochemicals for which receptor‐based targets on immune and neuronal elements (intestinal and extra‐intestinal) have been well characterized. Production of neurochemicals by probiotics therefore allows for their consideration as delivery vehicles for neuroactive compounds. This unifying microbial endocrinology‐based hypothesis, which may facilitate the selection and design of probiotics for clinical use, also highlights the largely unrecognized role of neuroscience in understanding how microbes may influence health.
Performance Optimization of Au-Free Lateral AlGaN/GaN Schottky Barrier Diode With Gated Edge Termination on 200-mm Silicon Substrate

In this paper, a further leakage reduction of AlGaN/GaN Schottky barrier diodes with gated edge termination (GET-SBDs) has been achieved by optimizing the physical vapor deposited TiN as the anode metal without severe degradation of ON-state characteristics. The optimized GET-SBD multifinger power diodes with 10 mm anode width deliver ~4 A at 2 V and show a median leakage of 1.3 μA at 25 °C and 3.8 μA at 150 °C measured at a reverse voltage of -200 V. The temperature-dependent leakage of Si, SiC, and our GaN power diodes has been compared. The breakdown voltage (BV) of GET-SBDs was evaluated by the variation of anode-to-cathode spacing (LAC) and the length of field plate. We observed a saturated BV of ~600 V for the GET-SBDs with LAC larger than 5 μm. The GET-SBD breakdown mechanism is shown to be determined by the parasitic vertical leakage current through the 2.8 μm-thick buffer layers measured with a grounding substrate. Furthermore, we show that the forward voltage of GET-SBDs can be improved by shrinking the lateral dimension of the edge termination due to reduced series resistance. The leakage current shows no dependence on the layout dimension LG (from 2 to 0.75 μm) and remains at a value of ~10 nA/mm. The optimized Au-free GET-SBD with low leakage current and improved forward voltage competes with high-performance lateral AlGaN/GaN SBDs reported in the literature.
In vivo effect of growth hormone on the expression of connexin‐43 in bovine ovarian follicles

This study assessed the in vivo effects of recombinant growth hormone (rGH) administration on the expression of connexin‐43 (Cx43) in bovine ovarian follicles. Two independent experiments were carried out using either estrous unsynchronized or synchronized multiparous Aberdeen Angus cows. rGH‐treated animals were inoculated with a single dose of hormone (500 mg, intramuscular) while control animals were inoculated with hormone diluent. Five and 14 days after treatment (Experiments 1 and 2, respectively), ovarian Cx43 and apoptosis expression were assessed using immunohistochemistry. In both experiments primary, secondary, and tertiary follicles from rGH‐treated and control groups distinctly expressed Cx43 protein. Primordial and atretic follicles were Cx43‐negative. Interestingly, the number of Cx43 dots per granulosa cell did not show significant variation at different folliculogenesis stages neither in the rGH‐treated nor in the control group. In unsynchronized animals, Cx43‐positive follicles per total number of follicles ratio showed an interaction between stage of folliculogenesis and treatment due to significant differences between treatment groups in the early secondary follicle stage. In synchronized animals, there were significant differences between treatment groups and folliculogenesis stage. In both experiments, atretic follicles showed apoptosis‐related DNA‐fragmentation as determined by terminal uridin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Tertiary follicles presented moderate TUNEL staining. Our results show significant increment in the number of ovarian follicles expressing the gap junction subunit Cx43 after in vivo rGH treatment. Therefore, we conclude that growth hormone can modulate in vivo gap junction assembly at early stages of folliculogenesis. Mol. Reprod. Dev. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Difficulties in tracking the long-term global trend in tropical forest area

The long-term trend in tropical forest area receives less scrutiny than the tropical deforestation rate. We show that constructing a reliable trend is difficult and evidence for decline is unclear, within the limits of errors involved in making global estimates. A time series for all tropical forest area, using data from Forest Resources Assessments (FRAs) of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, is dominated by three successively corrected declining trends. Inconsistencies between these trends raise questions about their reliability, especially because differences seem to result as much from errors as from changes in statistical design and use of new data. A second time series for tropical moist forest area shows no apparent decline. The latter may be masked by the errors involved, but a “forest return” effect may also be operating, in which forest regeneration in some areas offsets deforestation (but not biodiversity loss) elsewhere. A better monitoring program is needed to give a more reliable trend. Scientists who use FRA data should check how the accuracy of their findings depends on errors in the data.
Distributing 3D manufacturing simulations to realize the Digital Plant

In the field of Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) solutions are required for the simulation of entire production environments including all hardware and software components inside an installation. In this regard, the so-called Digital Plant became more and more important. Several tools based on simulation techniques exist which support the developing of new production automation solutions and factories. In contrast to this, we introduce an innovative approach to realize the Digital Plant. Rest upon 3D graphical simulation we are able to process enlarged simulation models using distributed computing of the complex environment. The flexibility of the evolved interface between simulator's instances facilitates the coupling of other simulation tools to our system. Adapted from the identical interface we connect real controller systems to the partitions to simulate production control. The integration of the different software components extends the use of manufacturing simulation. In this article, we focus on distributing and simulating complex models to establish the base of the Digital Plant.
Assessing the Financial Vulnerability of Emerging Markets

The consequences of the recent financial crises during the last two decades showed how important it is to monitor financial performance and try to predict a coming crisis. In an effort to predict a coming crisis, the authors calculate a vulnerability index based on a number of financial and economic indicators. This chapter analyzes the financial vulnerability of sixteen emerging countries as these countries are more vulnerable to financial fluctuations. The findings show that Peru, Russia, Indonesia, and Thailand are less vulnerable to a crisis, whereas, South Africa, Turkey, India, Egypt, and Hungary are more vulnerable to a crisis.
Acceleration of a gain-clamped semiconductor optical amplifier by the optical speed-up at transparency scheme

The optical speed-up at transparency principle has been successfully applied to a gain-clamped semiconductor optical amplifier yielding a remarkable acceleration in the gain recovery of the device as well as to the disappearance of the typical relaxation oscillations stemming from the coupling between the internal lasing mode and the carrier density. A record gain recovery time of 13 ps has been measured with an available gain of still 16 dB. A small-signal analysis of the semiconductor laser amplifier rate equations properly reproduces the acceleration of the recovery time and the disappearance of the relaxation oscillations. These results apply to semiconductor lasers in general.
The good body: when big is better.

An important cultural question is, "What is a 'good'--desirable, beautiful, impressive--body? " The answers are legion; here I examine why bigger bodies represent survival skill, and how this power symbolism is embodied by behaviors that guide larger persons toward the top of the social hierarchy. bigness is a complex concept comprising tallness, boniness, muscularity and fattiness. Data show that most people worldwide want to be big--both tall and fat. Those who achieve the ideal are disproportionately among the society's most socially powerful. In the food-secure West, fascination with power and the body has not waned, but has been redefined such that thinness is desired. This apparent anomaly is resolved by realizing that thinness in the midst of abundance--as long as one is also tall and muscular--still projects the traditional message of power, and brings such social boons as upward mobility.
Precise assignment of the light-strand promoter of mouse mitochondrial DNA: a functional promoter consists of multiple upstream domains

Using deletion mutagenesis we localized the promoter for the light strand of mouse mitochondrial DNA to a 97-base-pair region, from -88 to +9 nucleotides of the transcriptional initiation site. Within this region the light-strand promoter could be dissected into at least three different functional domains. The specificity region, a maximum of 19 base pairs between -10 and +9 of the transcriptional initiation site, was essential and sufficient for accurate transcriptional initiation. A second region, extending to -29 nucleotides from the initiation site, facilitated the formation of a preinitiation complex between the template DNA and factor(s) present in the mitochondrial RNA polymerase fraction and was required for efficient transcription. A third, ill-defined upstream region, which extended up to -88 nucleotides from the initiation site, appeared to influence template transcriptional efficiencies in competition assays. Without the specificity domain, the upstream regions were incapable of supporting any transcription. The presence of multiple upstream domains was confirmed by disrupting nucleotide sequences in the upstream region by using linker insertion and linker replacement techniques.
FINANCIAL STRUCTURE, FIRMS’ INVESTMENTS AND THE CHANNELS OF MONETARY POLICY IN INDONESIA

Using Tobin’s q and Euler equations estimated by a novel technique of Blundell and Bond’s system MM, this paper investigate the role of financial factors (cash flow and leverage) in investment spending of Indonesian listed companies during 1993- 1997. Overall, the results suggest the existence of financial constraints and agency costs for Indonesian firms in raising external funds. However, agency costs vary across firms according to whether the firms are members of large business groups owning foreign exchange banks and their financial conditions (leverage and pay out ratio). These results provide indirect support to the existence of the credit channel of monetary policy which recently becomes a hot debate in the aftermath of the recent Asian financial crisis. A microeconomic aspects of both banks and firms. Specifically, the degree of financial frictions should be monitor using various indicators such as firms’ financial leverage, firms’ access to bank loans and bank’s willingness to lend. JEL Classification : E44, G31
Robust saliency detection via corner information and an energy function

In this study, the authors propose a distinctive bottom-up visual saliency detection algorithm based on a new background prior and a new reinforcement. Inspired by genetic algorithm, the final map is obtained with three steps. First of all, the authors construct a background-based saliency map by manifold ranking via superior image corners selected by convex-hull as background prior, which is different from most of the existing background prior-based methods treated all image boundaries as background. Then, a better result is obtained by ranking the relevance of the image elements with foreground seeds extracted from the preliminary saliency map. Furthermore, a novel optimisation framework is introduced with the intention of refining the map, which integrates an energy function with a guided filter. Experimental results on three public datasets indicate that the proposed method performs favourably against the state-of-the-art algorithms.
Ciprofloxacin-Resistant Salmonella enterica Serotype Typhimurium, China

We characterized 44 Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium isolates from Tongji Hospital outpatients in Wuhan, China, May 2002–October 2005. All 31 ciprofloxacin-resistant isolates were also resistant to >8 other antimicrobial drugs and carried >2 mutations in GyrA and 1 mutation in ParC. Class 1 integrons were identified in 37 isolates.
Kasabach–Merritt Syndrome: Identification of Platelet Trapping in a Tufted Angioma by Immunohistochemistry Technique Using Monoclonal Antibody to CD61

Abstract: Kasabach–Merritt syndrome (KMS) consists of large and rapidly growing vascular tumors associated with thrombocytopenia, generalized petechiae, and bleeding. The cause of the thrombocytopenia is thought to be related to the trapping of platelets by the abnormal endothelium of the tumor. We report an infant with KMS that developed in association with a large tufted angioma. In this case we directly demonstrated platelet trapping in the vascular lumen of the tumor by an immunohistochemical technique using a monoclonal antibody against CD61, a marker of platelets and megakaryocytes.
CORPORATE REPUTATION INFLUENCES CONSUMER SATISFACTION AND LOYALTY: EVIDENCE FROM CELLULAR INDUSTRY OF PAKISTAN

Research suggests that it takes five times more expenses to attract new customer than to retain existing consumer. The growing concern of corporations in today’s competitive environment is to retain consumers. As a result, plenty of researches have been conducted to identify the approaches to satisfy and retain consumers. The current study examines the affects of corporate reputation on consumer satisfaction and consumer loyalty. The primary data has been collected from the consumers of cellular industry in Pakistan. The rationale behind selecting respondents from cellular industry is the intense competition, which is enduring in the cellular companies of Pakistan. The study used SPSS and AMOS to analyze the data. The correlation analysis, regression analysis, reliability analysis and model fit index analysis has been used to test hypotheses and interpret some interesting results. The study found significantly positive associations of corporate reputation on consumer satisfaction and consumer loyalty. The study also found strongly positive affects of consumer satisfaction on consumer loyalty for the case of cellular industry of Pakistan. The study proposes some useful recommendations for policy makers in the area.
Host factors and genetic susceptibility to infections due to intracellular bacteria and fastidious organisms.

While genetic polymorphisms play a paramount role in tuberculosis (TB), less is known about their contribution to the severity of diseases caused by other intracellular bacteria and fastidious microorganisms. We searched electronic databases for observational studies reporting on host factors and genetic predisposition to infections caused by intracellular fastidious bacteria published up to 30 May 2014. The contribution of genetic polymorphisms was documented for TB. This includes genetic defects in the mononuclear phagocyte/T helper cell type 1 (Th1) pathway contributing to disseminated TB disease in children and genome-wide linkage analysis (GWAS) in reactivated pulmonary TB in adults. Similarly, experimental studies supported the role of host genetic factors in the clinical presentation of illnesses resulting from other fastidious intracellular bacteria. These include IL-6 -174G/C or low mannose-binding (MBL) polymorphisms, which are incriminated in chronic pulmonary conditions triggered by C. pneumoniae, type 2-like cytokine secretion polymorphisms, which are correlated with various clinical patterns of M. pneumoniae infections, and genetic variation in the NOD2 gene, which is an indicator of tubal pathology resulting from Chamydia trachomatis infections. Monocyte/macrophage migration and T lymphocyte recruitment defects are corroborated to ineffective granuloma formation observed among patients with chronic Q fever. Similar genetic polymorphisms have also been suggested for infections caused by T. whipplei although not confirmed yet. In conclusion, this review supports the paramount role of genetic factors in clinical presentations and severity of infections caused by intracellular fastidious bacteria. Genetic predisposition should be further explored through such as exome sequencing.
The TanDEM-X mission: A new measurement of the earth's topography and much more

This paper summarizes the achievements of the TanDEM-X mission with respect to its main mission goal as well as to its secondary mission objectives. While the primary mission goal has been the generation of a new global digital elevation model (DEM) of the Earth's surface with unprecedented accuracy, a variety of secondary objectives have been defined which constitute an important asset of this challenging mission. Based on the bi-static interferometric capabilities of TanDEM-X with up to four phase centers, a number of innovative technological experiments have been carried out and new applications demonstrated paving the way for future multi-static SAR missions with advanced techniques and technologies.
Television-Related Head Injuries in Children

Objective The objective of the study was to describe the epidemiology, cranial computed tomography (CT) findings, and clinical outcomes of children with blunt head trauma after television tip-over injuries. Methods We performed a secondary analysis of children younger than 18 years prospectively evaluated for blunt head trauma at 25 emergency departments (EDs) in the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network from June 2004 to September 2006. Children injured from falling televisions were included. Patients were excluded if injuries occurred more than 24 hours before ED evaluation or if neuroimaging was obtained before evaluation. Data collected included age, race, sex, cranial CT findings, and clinical outcomes. Clinically important traumatic brain injuries (ciTBIs) were defined as death from TBI, neurosurgery, intubation for more than 24 hours for the TBI, or hospital admission of 2 nights or more for the head injury, in association with TBI on CT. Results A total of 43,904 children were enrolled into the primary study and 218 (0.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.4% to 0.6%) were struck by falling televisions. The median (interquartile range) age of the 218 patients was 3.1 (1.9–4.9) years. Seventy-five (34%) of the 218 underwent CT scanning. Ten (13.3%; 95% CI, 6.6% to 23.2%) of the 75 patients with an ED CT had traumatic findings on cranial CT scan. Six patients met the criteria for ciTBI. Three of these patients died. All 6 patients with ciTBIs were younger than 5 years. Conclusions Television tip-overs may cause ciTBIs in children, including death, and the most severe injuries occur in children 5 years or younger. These injuries may be preventable by simple preventive measures such as anchoring television sets with straps.
COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF GENETIC VARIABILITY IN CRYPTOLEPIS BUCHANANII , TYLOPHORA HIRSUTA AND WATTAKAKA VOLUBILIS

Asclepiadaceae is an economically important family with great medicinal value. However, very little work has been carried out on the genetic variability of Asclepiadaceae members especially on some medicinally important species like Tylophora hirsuta, Wattakaka volubilis and Cryptolepis buchananii. Keeping in view the importance of these species, a study was designed to explore the genetic diversity of these 3 species of Asclepiadaceae and the plant material was collected from Quaid-i-Azam university campus, Islamabad. To assess the genetic variability and polymorphism among these species, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were used. Sixty RAPD primers from OPA, OPC, OPF and OPG series were used; only 8 primers of OPC series gave amplification. Maximum polymorphism at interspecific and intraspecific levels was shown by OPC9 and minimum polymorphism was observed in OPC5. The data was analyzed using NTSYS software pc version 2.02. Low genetic diversification was observed at intraspecific and interspecific level. Moreover, during cluster analysis Tylophora hirsuta and Wattakaka volubilis were found to be present in the same cluster showing a close relationship whereas Cryptolepis buchananii appeared in a separate cluster.
Empirical solvation models can be used to differentiate native from near‐native conformations of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor

Several hydration models for peptides and proteins based on solvent accessible surface area have been proposed previously. We have evaluated some of these models as well as four new ones in the context of near‐native conformations of a protein. In addition, we propose an empirical site–site distance‐dependent correction that can be used in conjuction with any of these models.