Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Iron–Lysine Mediated Alleviation of Chromium Toxicity in Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) Plants in Relation to Morpho-Physiological Traits and Iron Uptake When Irrigated with Tannery Wastewater

Chromium (Cr) is among the most widespread toxic trace elements found in agricultural soils due to various anthropogenic activities. However, the role of micronutrient-amino chelates on reducing Cr toxicity in crop plants was recently introduced. In the current experiment, the exogenous application of micronutrients [iron (Fe)] chelated with amino acid [lysine (lys)] was examined, using an in vivo approach that involved plant growth and biomass, photosynthetic pigments and gaseous exchange parameters, oxidative stress indicators and antioxidant response. The uptake and accumulation of Fe and Cr were determined under different levels of tannery wastewater (33, 66, 100%) used along with the exogenous supplementation of Fe-lys (5 mM) to Spinacia oleracea plants. Results revealed that tannery wastewater in the soil decreased plant growth and growth-related attributes, photosynthetic apparatus and Fe contents in different parts of the plants. In contrast, the addition of different levels of tannery wastewater to the soil significantly increased the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and electrolyte leakage (EL), which induced oxidative damage in the roots and leaves of S. oleracea plants. However, S. oleracea plants increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), which scavenge the over-production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Cr toxicity can be overcome by the supplementation of Fe-lys, which significantly increased plant growth and biomass, improved photosynthetic machinery and increased the activities of different antioxidative enzymes, even in the plants grown under different levels of tannery wastewater in the soil. Furthermore, the supplementation of Fe-lys increased the contents of essential nutrients (Fe) and decreased the contents of Cr in all plant parts compared to the plants cultivated in tannery wastewater without application of Fe-lys. In conclusion, the application of Fe-lys is an innovative approach to mitigate Cr stress in spinach plants, which not only increased plant growth and biomass but also decreased the Cr contents in different plant organs.
Toxoplasma gondii genotyping from free-range chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) in a rural area of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

ABSTRACT Free-range chickens may ingest oocysts of T. gondii present in the environment and consequently harbor virulent strains of this parasite in different tissues, without any clinical signs. Isolation of T. gondii through bioassays on mice and cats from naturally infected chicken tissues has been described in several countries, demonstrating the importance of free-range chickens in the transmission of this parasite. The aim of this study was the genotypic characterization of T. gondii isolates obtained from naturally infected free-range chickens in a rural area of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Brain and heart tissue from 12 chickens seropositive for T. gondii were processed using peptic digestion technique for parasite isolation. From 12 samples subjected to mouse bioassay, nine isolates were obtained. RFLP-PCR genotypic characterization was performed using 11 genetic markers: SAG1, 5'-3'SAG2, alt.SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1 and Apico. Genetic characterization of the isolates revealed the presence of five atypical genotypes according to ToxoDB (# 11, # 55, # 64, # 140 and # 163). Our results showed a wide genetic diversity of T. gondii in free-range chickens in this region.
On the relationship between offshore geodetic coverage and slip model uncertainty

<p>Characterizing the time-dependent slip evolution along subduction megathrusts during seismic cycles is a key step to unfold the recurrence patterns of and hazard imposed by great earthquakes. However, having adequate geodetic observations in the appropriate locations is essential for reliably modelling both interseismic coupling and coseismic slip. The 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake as a well-known trench breaking and tsunamigenic megathrust seismic event clearly demonstrated the limitations of the distributed slip models using land-limited geodetic instruments. In this study, we have set up a scaled analogue megathrust model to produce analogue earthquakes while Digital Image Correlation (DIC) and the Analogue Geodetic Slip Inversion Technique (AGSIT) have been applied to retrieve the model surface velocities (incremental displacement) and model coseismic slip distribution, respectively. We generated more than 20 slip models for a series of events by sequentially disregarding trenchward rows of virtual GPS stations (vGPSs) for slip modelling thereby systematically reducing simulated offshore coverage. The analogue earthquakes have been categorized to two different sets as non-trench-breaking and trench-breaking ruptures. Here we show how slip models of analogue earthquakes change as a function of offshore coverage quantitatively and qualitatively. The sensitivities with respect to a potential bimodality of slip distribution and up-dip limit of the slip distribution model have also been assessed. </p><p>&#160;</p>
Characterizing Computational Thinking for Tertiary Education Learning

As the term computational thinking was just introduced into Malaysian education landscape in early 2017, the knowledge about it is still limited. Therefore, a literature review mapping has been done in order to identify its features and global research pattern related to this skill. IEEEXplore, Science Direct, and Web of Science were selected as the main sources of the articles out of 13 other repositories. The total of 325 articles were found by using computational thinking with punctuation marks " " as keywords via selected repositories. Out of this total, 109 articles have met the criteria and only 86 articles were referred together with another 30 additional multi-type references. Finally, 66 features were generated from 29 referred articles related to the characterization of computational thinking skill. Among these features, three with the highest frequency were identified. It made up of two features that often assessed at tertiary education level namely algorithm and abstraction as well as two other features that are said as the true essence of the skill namely abstraction and decomposition with one of them is overlapped. Therefore, these three features are suggested to be in the list of variables of any research related to tertiary education learning.
Review of GaN Nanowires Based Sensors

This paper presents a review of the recent advances of GaN based nanowires sensors. GaN has gained substantial interest in the research area of wide band gap semiconductors due to its unique electrical, optical and structural properties. GaN nanostructured material exhibits many advantages for nanodevices due to its higher surface-to-volume ratio as compared to thin films. GaN nanostructured material has the ability to absorb ultraviolet (UV) radiation and useful in many optical applications. Recently, GaN nanostructured based devices have gained much attention due to their various potential applications specially in nanowires sensors. GaN nanowires sensors have been used in many devices such as gas sensors, biosensors, and pressure sensors. The recent aspects of GaN based nanowires sensors are presented and discussed. The performance of several sensors based devices which have been demonstrated on GaN is reviewed. The structural, electrical, and optical properties are also reviewed.
Mapping the Research Landscape of Strategic Human Resource Management in Nonprofit Organizations: A Systematic Review and Avenues for Future Research

A decade after key theoretical developments in strategic human resource management (SHRM) in nonprofit organizations (NPOs), we still lack a comprehensive understanding of the disparate strands of empirical evidence. Furthermore, this growing field requires integration and synthesis of new themes and conceptual developments. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of SHRM studies in NPOs published between 2008 and 2017. Our review of 74 articles synthesizes a fragmented body of research and maps out the relationships into a more integrated whole. By mapping the research landscape, we provide insights into the tensions NPOs face between external pressures and values, highlighting the underexplored role of managerial discretion in shaping NPOs’ differing responses. Our review expands the resource orientation to include a social capital dimension and identifies new empirical manifestations of human resource management (HRM) types. We offer avenues for research on content, process, outcomes of SHRM, and discuss how the interplay across key themes can inform the development of the field.
Anti-cytomegalovirus Immunoglobulin G Is Linked to CD4 T-cell Count Decay in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Elite Controllers

Abstract Elite controllers (ECs) are people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who spontaneously control viral replication without antiretroviral therapy. We observed that elevated anti-cytomegalovirus (CMV) immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels correlated with annual CD4 T-cell count decay in ECs independently of age, sex, and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) type. Elevated anti-CMV titers may favor disease progression in ECs.
Applying GANs for Generating Image with Varied Facial Attributes from Sketch

The rapid development of GANs and its variants has shown remarkable progress in synthesizing realistic images. Image-to-image translation becomes a potent research topic due to its wide application. The translation of face sketch to color images greatly contributes to digital image processing industry. It could also help confirm the identity of the suspect or lost persons. In this paper, a model is implemented by applying GANs for generating an image with varied facial attributes from sketch. The architecture consists of two separate GANs, implemented with Pix2Pix and StarGan2 as bases. The output realistic images can be generated with manipulating a single facial attribute including, wavy hair, straight hair, and wearing glasses.
Two-photon excited fluorescence imaging of cell spindles for developmental biology

By integrating two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) technique into confocal optical system, TPEF images of zygote spindles of ICR (Internal Control Region) rats have been obtained in high resolution for the first time. Experimental results demonstrate the validity of TPEF as an efficient probe in investigating cell spindles at early embryonic developmental stage.
Structure and drivers of ocean mixing north of Svalbard in summer and fall 2018

Abstract. The Arctic Ocean is a major sink for heat and salt for the global ocean. Ocean mixing contributes to this sink by mixing the Atlantic- and Pacific-origin waters with surrounding waters. We investigate the drivers of ocean mixing north of Svalbard, in the Atlantic sector of the Arctic, based on observations collected during two research cruises in summer and fall 2018. Estimates of vertical turbulent heat flux from the Atlantic Water layer up to the mixed layer reach 30 W m−2 in the core of the boundary current, and average to 8 W m−2, accounting for ∼1 % of the total heat loss of the Atlantic layer in the region. In the mixed layer, there is a nonlinear relation between the layer-integrated dissipation and wind energy input; convection was active at a few stations and was responsible for enhanced turbulence compared to what was expected from the wind stress alone. Summer melting of sea ice reduces the temperature, salinity and depth of the mixed layer and increases salt and buoyancy fluxes at the base of the mixed layer. Deeper in the water column and near the seabed, tidal forcing is a major source of turbulence: diapycnal diffusivity in the bottom 250 m of the water column is enhanced during strong tidal currents, reaching on average 10−3 m2 s−1. The average profile of diffusivity decays with distance from the seabed with an e-folding scale of 22 m compared to 18 m in conditions with weaker tidal currents. A nonlinear relation is inferred between the depth-integrated dissipation in the bottom 250 m of the water column and the tidally driven bottom drag and is used to estimate the bottom dissipation along the continental slope of the Eurasian Basin. Computation of an inverse Froude number suggests that nonlinear internal waves forced by the diurnal tidal currents (K1 constituent) can develop north of Svalbard and in the Laptev and Kara seas, with the potential to mix the entire water column vertically. Understanding the drivers of turbulence and the nonlinear pathways for the energy to turbulence in the Arctic Ocean will help improve the description and representation of the rapidly changing Arctic climate system.
Machine Learning-Based Network Sub-Slicing Framework in a Sustainable 5G Environment

Nowadays, 5G network infrastructures are being developed for various industrial IoT (Internet of Things) applications worldwide, emerging with the IoT. As such, it is possible to deploy power-optimized technology in a way that promotes the long-term sustainability of networks. Network slicing is a fundamental technology that is implemented to handle load balancing issues within a multi-tenant network system. Separate network slices are formed to process applications having different requirements, such as low latency, high reliability, and high spectral efficiency. Modern IoT applications have dynamic needs, and various systems prioritize assorted types of network resources accordingly. In this paper, we present a new framework for the optimum performance of device applications with optimized network slice resources. Specifically, we propose a Machine Learning-based Network Sub-slicing Framework in a Sustainable 5G Environment in order to optimize network load balancing problems, where each logical slice is divided into a virtualized sub-slice of resources. Each sub-slice provides the application system with different prioritized resources as necessary. One sub-slice focuses on spectral efficiency, whereas the other focuses on providing low latency with reduced power consumption. We identify different connected device application requirements through feature selection using the Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm. The K-means algorithm is used to create clusters of sub-slices for the similar grouping of types of application services such as application-based, platform-based, and infrastructure-based services. Latency, load balancing, heterogeneity, and power efficiency are the four primary key considerations for the proposed framework. We evaluate and present a comparative analysis of the proposed framework, which outperforms existing studies based on experimental evaluation.
Extreme rainfall in East Africa, October 2019–January 2020 and context under future climate change

The 2019 October-December rains over East Africa were one of the wettest seasons on record, with many locations receiving more than double the climatological rainfall, leading to floods and landslides across the region. Above average rainfall continued into January 2020. The persistently high rainfall also contributed to the locust plagues that affected much of East Africa in January 2020. Wet conditions in East Africa are typically associated with El Nino and/or positive Indian Ocean Dipole events. In October-December 2019 a warm anomaly was present in the western Indian Ocean while a cool anomaly was present in the eastern Indian Ocean (a positive Indian Ocean Dipole); conditions known to give above average rainfall over East Africa. The warm anomaly in the western Indian Ocean persisted into January 2020. Seasonal and monthly forecasts correctly predicted above average rainfall during the October-December season. January rainfall is found to be correlated with sea surface temperatures over the western Indian Ocean. Climate model projections suggest that strong positive Indian Ocean Dipole events and wet October-December seasons may become more frequent under future climate change, with associated increased risks of floods.
Total column ozone in New Zealand and in the UK in the 1950s

Abstract. Total column ozone measurements reach back almost a century. Historical column ozone data are important not only for obtaining a long-term perspective of changes of the ozone layer but arguably also as diagnostics of lower-stratospheric or tropopause-level flow in time periods of sparse upper-air observations. With the exception of a few high-quality records such as that from Arosa, Switzerland, ozone science has almost exclusively focused on data since the International Geophysical Year (IGY) in 1957–1958, although earlier series exist. In the early 2000s, we digitised and re-evaluated many pre-IGY series. Here we add a series from Wellington, New Zealand, from 1951 to 1959. We re-evaluated the data from the original observation sheets and performed quality control analysis, and here we present the data. The day-to-day variability can be used to assess the quality of reanalysis products, since the data cover a region and time period with only few upper-air data. Comparison with total column ozone in the reanalyses ERA-PreSAT (which assimilates upper-air data) and 20CRv3 and CERA-20C (which do not assimilate upper-air data) shows high correlations with all three. Although trend quality is doubtful (no calibration information and no intercomparisons are available), combining the record with other available data (including historical data from Australian locations) allows a 70-year perspective of ozone changes over the southern mid-latitudes. The series will be available from the World Ozone and Ultraviolet Data Centre. Finally, we also present a short series from Downham Market, UK, covering November 1950 to October 1951, and publish it with further historical data series that were previously described but not published.
The Influence of Husband Support to the Event of Unmet Need in the Fertilizer Age in the Work Area of the Bangkelekila Community Health Center of North Toraja Regency

This study aims to determine the effect of husband support on contraceptive use based on age, education, parity, and culture. This research was conducted with a cross-sectional design, involving 267 couples of childbearing age by means of the Cluster Random Sampling. Data collection using a questionnaire. Bivariate analysis using Chi-Square test. The results of this study indicate that 66 people (24.7%) of the total respondents included in the unmet need. The results of data analysis showed that there was an influence between husband's support and the unmet need in fertile age couples with a value of p = 0,000 (<0.05). Age, shows that based on healthy reproduction there is an influence of husband support on the occurrence of unmet need with a value of p = 0.002 (<0.05) and unhealthy reproduction there is an influence of husband support on the occurrence of unmet need with a value of p = 0.001 (<0.05). Education, shows that based on higher education there is an influence of husband support on the unmet need event with a value of p = 0,000 (<0.05) and based on low education there is an influence of husband support on the unmet need event with a value of p = 0.004 (<0.05). Parity, shows that based on safe parity there is an influence of husband support for the unmet need event with a value of p = 0.002 (<0.05) and insecure parity there is the effect of husband support for the unmet need event with a value of p = 0.001 (<0.05). Culture shows that based on supportive culture there is an influence of husband support on unmet need with a value of p = 0.002 (<0.05) and a culture that does not support the influence of husband support on the occurrence of unmet need with a value of p = 0.001 (<0.05).
Exploring management control system typologies: an organisation-level view

Purpose Management controls are the processes and mechanisms managers use to influence the behaviour of individuals and groups towards the organisation’s objectives and goals. Discrete management controls and management control system (MCS) frameworks have been extensively researched, but there is little research on organisation-level MCS types. This study aims to identify organisation-level MCS types. Design/methodology/approach This study draws on the MCS type literature, the competing values framework and the upper echelons theory to form organisation effectiveness and top management team constructs to characterise firms. Cluster analysis was used to group a sample of 318 firm-years into MCS types. Findings This study reports a theory-based measurement construct that is initially validated with new empirical data. The authors found from the empirical data four different categories of firms based on the general type of their MCSs labelled clan, adhocracy, market and hierarchy. Originality/value This study makes two contributions to the MCS literature. Firstly, it presents a theory-based measurement construct to identify organisational and top management attributes that can be used to classify organisations’ overall MCS types. Secondly, it demonstrates how information from annual reports and other publicly available data sources can be used to identify the overall MCS types of organisations.
The relationship between muscle mitochondrial nutritional overloading and insulin resistance

The incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance is growing rapidly. Multiple organs including the liver, skeletal muscle and adipose tissue control insulin sensitivity coordinately, but the mechanism of skeletal muscle insulin resistance has not yet been fully elucidated. However, there is a growing body of evidence that lipotoxicity induced by mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle is an important mediator of insulin resistance. However, some recent findings suggest that skeletal mitochondrial dysfunction generated by genetic manipulation is not always correlated with insulin resistance in animal models. A high fat diet can provoke insulin resistance despite a coordinate increase in skeletal muscle mitochondria, which implies that mitochondrial dysfunction is not mandatory in insulin resistance. Furthermore, incomplete fatty acid oxidation by excessive nutrition supply compared to mitochondrial demand can induce insulin resistance without preceding impairment of mitochondrial function. Taken together we suggested that skeletal muscle mitochondrial overloading, not mitochondrial dysfunction, plays a pivotal role in insulin resistance.
Measuring and Modelling the Epithelial Mesenchymal Hybrid State in Cancer: Clinical Implications

The epithelial-mesenchymal (E/M) hybrid state has emerged as an important mediator of the elements of cancer progression facilitated by epithelial mesenchymal plasticity (EMP). We review here the evidence for the presence and prognostic potential of E/M hybrid state in carcinoma, modelling predictions and validations studies to demonstrate stabilised E/M hybrid intermediates along the spectrum of EMP, and computational approaches for characterising and quantifying EMP phenotypes, with particular attention to the emerging realm of single-cell approaches through RNA sequencing and protein-based approaches.