Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High throughput screening for mode-of-action on NaV1.7

Voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSC) play a pivotal role in initiating and propagating action potentials in excitable cells. The family of VGSC consists of 9 known, human α-subunits (NaV1.19) that exhibit a high degree of sequence homology. Similar biophysical and pharmacological properties among the different subtypes are a result of this homology (Yu & Catterall, 2003). VGSC has long been in the focus of drug development as their activity was linked to neuronal disorders including epilepsy and chronic pain. The relevance of these channels was further boosted by recent studies that have revealed further roles of VGSC in health and disease such as autism, migraine, multiple sclerosis, cancer as well as muscle and immune system dysfunctions (Eijkelkamp et al., 2012).
A FEM FORMULATION FOR OPEN FIELD PROBLEMS BASED ON EDGE ELEMENTSAND AN EXPANSION IN CYLINDRICAL HARMONICS

A Finite Element formulation for the solution of two-dimensional open filed problems is proposed. The structure to be analyzed is enclosed in a circular contour-C and a vector electric field formulation based on hybrid node/edge elements is employed inside C, while the field outside C is expanded into an infinite sum of circular harmonics. The weighting factors of the expansion are evaluated by enforcing the field continuity conditions on the contour-C. A generalized eigenvalue problem is finally formulated for the propagation constant along the axial direction (β-formulation), which is solved employing the QZ decomposition algorithm.
Vole cycles and predation in temperate and boreal zones of Europe

Summary 1. Graham & Lambin (2002) have reported on a weasel-reduction experiment, concluding that the impact of weasel predation on field vole survival was neither sufficient nor necessary to initiate and drive the cyclic decline of field vole populations in Kielder Forest, northern England. They also stated that their findings contradict conclusively the specialist predator hypothesis put forward to explain population cycles of voles in North Europe. 2. Straightforward inferences from Kielder Forest to the northern boreal zone are misleading, because the population cycles of voles in Kielder Forest differ essentially from North European vole cycles. The low amplitude of the vole cycles in Kielder Forest, their restricted spatial synchrony in comparison to northern Europe and the virtual lack of interspecific synchrony in Kielder Forest suggest that there are essential differences between the mechanisms responsible for the two types of cyclic fluctuations of voles. 3. The weasel-reduction experiment may provide a misleading picture on the role of predators, even in the Kielder Forest cycle. The experimental reduction of weasels alone may not stop the population decline of voles, because competing larger predators are expected to increase their hunting in the weasel-reduction areas. The small spatial scale of the experiment, which produced only slight, short-term differences in weasel densities between reduction and control areas, also suggests that other predators could have compensated easily for the weasels that were removed. 4. We propose a new version of the predation hypothesis to explain low-amplitude population cycles of voles in temperate Europe, including the Kielder Forest. The interaction between generalist predators and vole populations might account for these cycles because generalists can have a functional response that is destabilizing in the neighbourhood of the equilibrium point. As most generalists are orders of magnitude larger than weasels, and thus need much more food for survival, generalist-driven cycles should be characterized by high prey minima, as observed in Kielder Forest.
Distributional ecology of Gymnostoma australianum (Casuarinaceae), a putative palaeoendemic of Australian wet tropic forests

The small, tropical Australian rainforest tree Gymnostoma australianum (L. Johnson) is presently only known from five sites in the environs of Thornton Peak, in north-eastern Queensland. Aggregated populations of these trees occur in open sites along rocky stream banks at various altitudes from sea level to 1200 m, and amongst granite outcrops and fern fields at high altitudes. Trees are tolerant of shallow, acidic soils but do not occur where light is limiting. The population of trees occurring on a mid-stream island in Noah Creek form monospecific stands on the central rocky portion of the island. This population is subject to moderate levels of disturbance during flooding. Lost individuals are likely to be replaced by conspecifics as seedling growth under adults is plentiful. Although disturbance enables current populations to persist, the species does not appear to be a coloniser of disturbed habitats. Gymnostoma australianum is more accurately described as a habitat specialist, occurring in marginal, low nutrient sites within various types of rain forest. These sites are narrow in range both geographically and ecologically. This restricts the expansion of current populations and has probably influenced population expansion in the past. Therefore, the hypothesis that the species, or its ancestor, was a recent immigrant from northern tropical Malesian forests was rejected. The current distribution of the species is more likely to represent the persistence and expansion of trees from local refugia.
Joint Stabilization and Direction of 360 Degrees Videos

360° video provides an immersive experience for viewers, allowing them to freely explore the world by turning their head. However, creating high-quality 360° video content can be challenging, as viewers may miss important events by looking in the wrong direction, or they may see things that ruin the immersion, such as stitching artifacts and the film crew. We take advantage of the fact that not all directions are equally likely to be observed; most viewers are more likely to see content located at ``true north'', i.e. in front of them, due to ergonomic constraints. We therefore propose 360° video direction, where the video is jointly optimized to orient important events to the front of the viewer and visual clutter behind them, while producing smooth camera motion. Unlike traditional video, viewers can still explore the space as desired, but with the knowledge that the most important content is likely to be in front of them. Constraints can be user guided, either added directly on the equirectangular projection or by recording ``guidance'' viewing directions while watching the video in a VR headset, or automatically computed, such as via visual saliency or forward motion direction. To accomplish this, we propose a new motion estimation technique specifically designed for 360° video which outperforms the commonly used 5-point algorithm on wide angle video. We additionally formulate the direction problem as an optimization where a novel parametrization of spherical warping allows us to correct for some degree of parallax effects. We compare our approach to recent methods that address stabilization-only and converting 360° video to narrow field-of-view video.
Direct mate choice maintains diversity among sympatric cichlids in Lake Victoria

Mate choice may play an important role in animal speciation. The haplochromine cichlids of Lake Victoria are suitable to test this hypothesis. Diversity in ecology, coloration and anatomy evolved in these fish faster than postzygotic barriers to gene flow, and little is known about how this diversity is maintained. It was tested whether recognizable forms are selection-maintained morphs or reproductively isolated species by investigating in the field reproductive timing, location of spawning sites, and mate choice behaviour. There was a large interspecific overlap in timing of breeding and location of spawning sites, which was largest in members of the same genus. Behavioural mate choice of such closely related taxa was highly assortative, such that it is likely that they are sexually isolated species and that direct mate choice is the major force that directs gene flow and maintains form diversity. The results differ from what is known about recent radiations of other lacustrine fish groups where speciation seems to be driven by diverging microhabitat preferences or diverging timing of reproduction, but are in agreement with predictions from models of speciation by diverging mate preferences.
Temporal dynamics of soil organic carbon after land‐use change in the temperate zone – carbon response functions as a model approach

Land‐use change (LUC) is a major driving factor for the balance of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and the global carbon cycle. The temporal dynamic of SOC after LUC is especially important in temperate systems with a long reaction time. On the basis of 95 compiled studies covering 322 sites in the temperate zone, carbon response functions (CRFs) were derived to model the temporal dynamic of SOC after five different LUC types (mean soil depth of 30±6 cm). Grassland establishment caused a long lasting carbon sink with a relative stock change of 128±23% and afforestation on former cropland a sink of 116±54%, 100 years after LUC (mean±95% confidence interval). No new equilibrium was reached within 120 years. In contrast, there was no SOC sink following afforestation of grasslands and 75% of all observations showed SOC losses, even after 100 years. Only in the forest floor, there was carbon accumulation of 0.38±0.04 Mg ha−1 yr−1 in afforestations adding up to 38±4 Mg ha−1 labile carbon after 100 years. Carbon loss after deforestation (−32±20%) and grassland conversion to cropland (−36±5%), was rapid with a new SOC equilibrium being reached after 23 and 17 years, respectively. The change rate of SOC increased with temperature and precipitation but decreased with soil depth and clay content. Subsoil SOC changes followed the trend of the topsoil SOC changes but were smaller (25±5% of the total SOC changes) and with a high uncertainty due to a limited number of datasets. As a simple and robust model approach, the developed CRFs provide an easily applicable tool to estimate SOC stock changes after LUC to improve greenhouse gas reporting in the framework of UNFCCC.
Adding 3D-structural context to protein-protein interaction data from high-throughput experiments

Abstract In the past decade, automatisation has led to an immense increase of data in biology. Next generation sequencing techniques will produce a vast amount of sequences across all species in the coming years. In many cases, identifying the function and biological role of a protein from its sequence can be a complicated and time-intensive task. The identification of a protein’s interaction partners is a tremendous help for understanding the biological context in which it is involved. In order to fully characterise a protein-protein interaction (PPIs), it is necessary to know the three-dimensional structure of the interacting partners. Despite optimisation efforts from projects such as the Protein Structure Initiative, determining the structure of a protein through crystallography remains a timeand cost-intensive procedure. The primary aim of the research described in this dissertation was to produce a World Wide Web resource that facilitates visual exploration and validation (or questioning) of data derived from functional genomics experiments, by building upon existing structural information about direct physical PPIs. Secondary aims were (i) to demonstrate the utility of the new resource, and (ii) its application in biological research. We created a database that emphasises specifically the intersection between the PPIs-results emerging from the structural biology and functional genomics communities. The BISC database holds BInary SubComplexes and Modellable Interactions in current functional genomics databases (BISC-MI). It is publicly available at http://bisc.cse. ucsc.edu.
Effect of pH, salinity and temperature on the growth of six species of marine phytoplankton

In the present study, the influence of pH, salinity and temperature on the growth of three species of cyanobacteria, two species of diatoms and one species of planktonic green alga was investigated. The isolates preferred near neutral to alkaline pH. The growth was comparatively lower at pH 6.3. The high pH levels adversely affect the growth of isolates and significantly reduced at pH 10.6. All isolates were able to grow at all salinities except the diatom Skeletonema costatum which did not show any growth at 40 ppt. The best growth was obtained at 16 ppt and 25 ppt indicated that isolated species prefer alkaline condition for their optimum growth. At higher salinity of 40 ppt, the growth was drastically decreased. All isolates showed best growth at 20˚C and 30˚C. The growth has ceased at 40˚C and 50˚C. These factors are useful for establishing the appropriate culture conditions for optimizing the growth and also helpful to understand their response to varying environmental factors. Some of the species could be considered for the production of high value compounds and are employed in mariculture.
Behavior of gray whales summering near St. Lawrence Island, Bering Sea

The behavior of gray whales was studied near St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, in July and September 1982. Most behavior involved apparent benthic feeding, as evidenced by mud plumes around surfacing whales and kittiwakes landing near whales at the surface. There was little socializing by whales in July, but more in late September. Numbers of blows per surfacing, durations of surfacings, and durations of dives were all correlated. Percent of time at the surface was about 21% in July and 23% in September. There were fewer blows per surfacing, shorter surface times, and shorter dive times when whales were not feeding than when they were feeding. Intervals between successive blows were longer in nonfeeding whales; however, the blow rate (number of blows per minute) did not differ between feeding and nonfeeding whales. Number of blows per surfacing and duration of surfacing increased with increasing water depth (from < 20 to 80 m). Dive duration did not change appreciably with depth in July, but did so in Septembe.
Skłonność gospodarstw domowych do oszczędzania a wiedza finansowa

Due to the challenges facing saving processes in Poland and as a result of thorough literature review this paper aims to verify the following main hypothesis: Household propensity to save is related to the level of financial knowledge and following detailed hypotheses: H1. Household attitudes to personal finance management are related to the level of financial knowledge H2. Household attitudes to voluntary saving for retirement are related to the level of financial knowledge H3. Savings possessing is related to the level of financial knowledge. By means of the logistic regression method applied to the empirical data gathered with Computer-Assisted Web Interviews (CAWI) of 1264 households from the Mazowieckie Voivodeship all three detailed hypotheses has been positively verified. Ipso facto the main hypothesis may be construed as true. In the logistic regression models the following explanatory variables were used: the level of financial knowledge of the household head in his/her self-assessment and control variables (income, education, sex, marital status, place of residence, age of the household head, number of people in the household). The relationship between the control variables and the propensity to save varies and depends on the considered aspect of the propensity to save. The results obtained indicate that the level of financial knowledge is a stronger predictor of attitudes towards saving than education. This confirms the need to include not only the level of education, but also the state of financial knowledge in the research of households behavior on the financial market. Taking into account the challenges facing saving processes in Poland and results of the study, it should be stated that educational activities aimed to reduce the deficiencies in the financial knowledge are justified and recommended.
EGG-LAYING DEFECTIVE MUTANTS OF THE NEMATODE

We have isolated 145 fertile mutants of C. elegons that are defective in egg laying and have characterized 59 of them genetically, behaviorally and pharmacologically. These 59 mutants define 40 new genes called egl, for egg-laying abnormal. Most of the other mutants are defective in previously identified genes. The egl mutants differ with respect to the severity of their egg-laying defects and the presence of behavioral or morphological pleiotropies. We have defined four distinct categories of mutants based on their responses to the pharmacological agents serotonin and imipramine, which stimulate egg laying by wild-type hermaphrodites. These drugs test the functioning of the vulva, the vulval and uterine muscles and the hermaphrodite-specific neurons (HSNs), which innervate the vulval muscles. Mutants representing 14 egl genes fail to respond to serotonin and to imipramine and are likely to be defective in the functioning of the vulva or the vulval and uterine muscles. Four mutants (representing four different genes) lay eggs in response to serotonin but not to imipramine and appear to be egg-laying defective because of defects in the HSNs; three of these four were selected specifically for these drug responses. Mutants representing seven egl genes lay eggs in response to serotonin and to imipramine. One egl mutant responds to imipramine but not to serotonin, The remaining egl mutants show variable or intermediate responses to the drugs. Two of the HSN-defective mutants, egl-1 and her-l(n695), lack HSN cell bodies and are likely to be expressing the normally male-specific program of HSN cell death. Whereas egl-1 animals appear to be defective specifically in HSN development, her-l(n695) animals exhibit multiple morphological pleiotropies, displaying partial transformation of the sexual phenotype of many cells and tissues. At least two of the egl mutants appear to be defective in the processing of environmental signals that modulate egg laying and may define new components of the neural circuitry that control egg laying.
Shackling of poultry: is it a welfare problem?

The slaughter of poultry differs from the slaughter of all other meat-producing animals in that the live birds are hung upside down in shackles prior to slaughter. There is concern from animal welfare organizations such as the United Kingdom Farm Animal Welfare Council that this practice, although necessary for present methods of humane slaughter, causes possible distress and pain to the birds. This paper reviews the regulations on the provision for the welfare of poultry at slaughter as it affects shackling, the equipment involved in shackling, and the physiological and psychological effect of shackling on birds.
Content-Based video searching and Retrieval Systems-Traditional and Recent approaches

— Video Contents Analysis (VCA) is a new research field that recently emerged . VCA is the processes that analyzes video to extract The desired knowledge and information . Contents may refer to motion ,color, background and objects such as a human face or a car, to mention a few. This thesis investigates the algorithms which were designed for video content analysis such as background, text, and speech and face detection. Those algorithms are on a process of continuous improvement. Algorithms related to background, text, speech and face detection has been analyzed. The most robust one has been identified. Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) which is one of the state-of-art technologies has been implemented in solving the face detection problems. A theoretical model has been designed for the process of face detection and an algorithm slightly modified from recent algorithm has been proposed.
HETEROCYCLES 47. SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF SOME NEW THIAZOLE AURONES AS ANTIPROLIFERATIVE AGENTS

New substituted thiazole aurones 2a-o were synthesized and evaluated for their anticancer activity. A screening of methods based on the oxidative cyclization of ortho-hydroxychalcones, with different agents, was applied in order to find the optimal way for the synthesis of these compounds. The best oxidizing agent proved to be mercury(II) acetate and it allowed the synthesis of the thiazole aurones with yields of 70 86%. All synthesized compounds were purified and characterized by ESI-MS, H NMR, C NMR and IR. The cytotoxicity of the thiazole aurones was determined in a panel of nine cancer cell lines using doxorubicin as control. Compounds 2a, 2i and 2e displayed the best cytotoxic activities. The interactions between aurones 2a-o and topoisomerases I and II were assessed by means of the molecular docking study and their target molecule is predicted to be topoisomerase I. The evaluation of the results revealed the importance of the thiazole ring for establishing a hydrogen bond with His367 and Arg364.
Phenological Growth Stages of the Peanut Plant (Arachis hypogaea L.): Codification and Description according to the BBCH Scale

Following the introduction of the general BBCH scale, the specific BBCH scale for the peanut plant is presented providing crop-specific descriptions and detailed assessment instructions. The phenological development process of the peanut plant is described by periods (principal growth stages) and steps (secondary growth stages). A 2-digit decimal code suitable for data processing in crop production experiments is assigned to each developmental step.
Effects of egg position in artificial incubation of Japanese quail eggs (Coturnix japonica)

Incubation procedures are important for maintenance and improvement of quail egg production. Many factors can interfere with the success of incubation or the quality of hatched chicks. Thus, the objective of this study was to verify the effects of different positions and turning during artificial incubation of Japanese quail eggs on hatchability, egg weight loss, chick weight, and embryonic mortality. Eighty Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) were used for egg collection. Six hundred eggs were divided into four experimental groups (n = 150), according to their position during incubation: vertical position with small end up, vertical position with small end down, horizontal position without turning, and horizontal position with turning. Incubation process was done by automatic hatcheries with temperature of 37.5oC and relative humidity of 60%. All eggs were weighed on their collection day and during incubation period to verify egg weight loss. All quail chicks were weighed at hatch. The eggs incubated in horizontal position with turning had the highest hatchability (77%), while the ones incubated in vertical position with small end up presented the lowest hatchability (8%). Egg position and turning influenced water loss during incubation. The groups with better hatchability presented lower egg weight loss and better hatch weight. The infertility-early embryo death was similar to the late embryo death in the eggs incubated in horizontal position with turning, while in the groups incubated in static position, the late embryo death was higher. The late embryo death was considered the main cause of mortality in the groups incubated in horizontal position without turning (31%), vertical position with small end down (24%) and vertical position with small end up (70%).