Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Plant-Derived Sucrose Is a Key Element in the Symbiotic Association between Trichoderma virens and Maize Plants1[C][W]

Fungal species belonging to the genus Trichoderma colonize the rhizosphere of many plants, resulting in beneficial effects such as increased resistance to pathogens and greater yield and productivity. However, the molecular mechanisms that govern the recognition and association between Trichoderma and their hosts are still largely unknown. In this report, we demonstrate that plant-derived sucrose (Suc) is an important resource provided to Trichoderma cells and is also associated with the control of root colonization. We describe the identification and characterization of an intracellular invertase from Trichoderma virens (TvInv) important for the mechanisms that control the symbiotic association and fungal growth in the presence of Suc. Gene expression studies revealed that the hydrolysis of plant-derived Suc in T. virens is necessary for the up-regulation of Sm1, the Trichoderma-secreted elicitor that systemically activates the defense mechanisms in leaves. We determined that as a result of colonization of maize (Zea mays) roots by T. virens, photosynthetic rate increases in leaves and the functional expression of tvinv is crucial for such effect. In agreement, the steady-state levels of mRNA for Rubisco small subunit and the oxygen-evolving enhancer 3-1 were increased in leaves of plants colonized by wild-type T. virens. We conclude that during the symbiosis, the sucrolytic activity in the fungal cells affects the sink activity of roots, directing carbon partitioning toward roots and increasing the rate of photosynthesis in leaves. A discussion of the role of Suc in controlling the fungal proliferation on roots and its pivotal role in the coordination of plant-microbe associations is provided.
Instabilities of a steady, barotropic, wind-driven circulation

We explore the stability characteristics of a single, barotropic, wind-driven gyre as a function of the strength of the wind forcing and the size and shape of the basin. We find steady solutions for the barotropic flow in a basin driven by a steady wind stress over a range of values of the Reynolds number and the strength of the wind stress. For those solutions that are close to the stability boundary, we examine the form of the most unstable normal mode. We find that for sufficiently weak forcing, the form of the first instability seen is an instability of the western boundary current. However, for larger values of the forcing, the first instability to set in, as the Reynolds number is reduced, is centered on a standing meander that forms on the continuation of the boundary current after it has left the boundary. Both types of instability are oscillatory. There are several different modes of standing meander instability each associated with Rossby wave-like disturbances in the eastern half of the basin. Each of these modes is most unstable when its frequency is close to a resonance with a basin mode with similar spatial scales.
Carotenoids in Aquatic Ecosystems and Aquaculture: A Colorful Business with Implications for Human Health

The colourful carotenoid pigments are known as biological active compounds that have beneficial effects on the metabolism of animals and humans. Carotenoids provide protection against several stressors, including UV radiation, reactive oxygen species and free radicals, have important roles in vision, and act as precursors of transcription regulators and in the immune system. Studies on human nutrition point to the relevance of consuming functional foods instead of supplementing the human diet with the desired nutrients. This stresses the importance of obtaining dietary items with high quality nutritional value for human consumption. The various biological roles of carotenoids in aquatic animals ascribes them a major role in aquaculture where they are routinely added to ensure the development and health of fish such as salmon, trout and red porgy, and of shellfish like shrimp and lobster. In aquaculture, it is widely recognised that fish larvae dramatically increase their survival rate when reared on live feeds (e.g. rotifers, Artemia sp. and copepods) containing carotenoids. Ultimately, pigmentation provided by carotenoids is one of the relevant quality attributes of the aquatic animal for consumer acceptability and market value. Appropriate feeds for aquaculture are thus required to provide the carotenoids necessary for the desired pigmentation. In this review, we discuss the role of carotenoids in aquatic food webs, both in the wild and in aquaculture, and its relevance for human health.
The role of the risk management database in the risk management process

The role of the risk management database is to help document and communicate risk information. In this regard, standardized risk management databases lead to a common understanding of risk management information. While risk information is similar from program to program, program characteristics, such as the organizational components, program goals and objectives, and major program threats, require significant variations in the risk management process. To support aspects of the risk management process other than documentation and communication (e.g., identification, analysis, handling, tracking), the risk management database should be tailored to meet the needs of the program. This paper examines each step in the risk management process and discusses how the risk management database should be tailored to facilitate process execution.
RFID based prepaid energy meter and home automation with reporting

This paper presents radio frequency identification (RFID) based prepaid energy meter and home automation system with an android application running at subscriber's mobile station. The energy meter is credited though RFID technology and the automation of different appliances are controlled by the subscriber via an android mobile application. The subscribers may check their current credit, consumed units, current load and they can manage appliances remotely. We have also introduced a load management system, when load exceeds a certain defined level then appliances are automatically shut down. An automatic theft detection mechanism has also been set in place for the system.
Field screening tests on molluscicides against Biomphalaria glabrata in flowing water.

Field screening is a critical phase of molluscicidal evaluations and tests for this purpose require careful standardizing.e The tests should be simple, both for general efficiency and to allow for the testing of maximum numbers of compounds per unit of time. Only small amounts of chemical should be required and other costs must be minimal. The plan of the test should provide information on different combinations of time and concentration, the effectiveness of chemical formulations, techniques of application, effects of the environment on the formulation, downstream efficiencies in flowing water, and toxic effects on biota on a long-term basis. These objectives have been achieved in varying degrees by a limnited number of investiga-tors.f-iThe report presented here gives the results of field screening tests on 6 compounds and describes the stream situations under which the results were obtained. This study was reported previously in abstract.
Event-based personal retrieval

People who work in a research, academic or business envi ronment often have personal information collections which are large enough to need retrieval aids. A major difference between personal information retrieval and normal docu ment retrieval is that the items to be retrieved are often associated with events in the searcher's life and can be retrieved by their relationship to other events as well as by content. This paper describes some of the background to event-based retrieval and then describes a prototype graph ical event-based retrieval system.
Heterozygous and homozygous mutations in PITX3 in a large Lebanese family with posterior polar cataracts and neurodevelopmental abnormalities.

PURPOSE The PITX3 gene, which codes for a homeobox bicoidlike transcription factor is responsible for dominant cataract and anterior segment mesenchymal dysgenesis in humans. In the current study, a family with autosomal dominant posterior polar cataract (PPC) and a PITX3 mutation that cosegregates with the disease was examined. Also studied were two siblings who were homozygous for the PITX3 mutation who had microphthalmia and significant neurologic impairment. METHODS A genome-wide screen, linkage analysis in the PITX3 chromosomal region 10q25, haplotype analysis, and sequencing of the PITX3 gene were performed on 28 affected and 14 unaffected member of a three-generation Lebanese family. RESULTS Genome-wide linkage analysis showed a lod score of 3.56 at theta = 0.00 on chromosome 10 at area q25. Analysis of the haplotypes and phenotypes confined the disease locus to a region on 10q25 between the markers D10S1239 and D10S1268. A candidate gene, PITX3, maps to that region. Sequencing of the PITX3 gene revealed a heterozygous G deletion mutation in 25 of the 42 family members. In addition, two siblings from a consanguineous marriage were found to be homozygous for the deletion. CONCLUSIONS This is the first report of homozygous PITX3 mutations in humans. The phenotype in these individuals highlights the role of PITX3 in ocular and central nervous system (CNS) development.
A cryptic lysis gene near the start of the Qβ replicase gene in the +1 frame

The maturation/lysis (A2) protein encoded by the group B single‐stranded RNA bacteriophage Qβ mediates lysis of host Escherichia coli cells. We found a frameshift mutation in the replicase (β‐subunit) gene of Qβ cDNA causes cell lysis. The mutant has a single base deletion 73 nucleotides (nt) 3′ from the start of the replicase gene with consequent translation termination at a stop codon 129–131 nt further 3′. The 43‐amino acid C‐terminal part of the 67‐amino acid product encoded by what in WT (wild‐type) is the +1 frame, is rich in basic amino acids This 67‐aa protein can mediate cell lysis whose characteristics indicate that the protein may cause lysis by a different mechanism and via a different target, than that caused by the A2 maturation/lysis protein. Synthesis of a counterpart of the newly discovered lysis product in wild‐type phage infection would require a hypothetical ribosomal frameshifting event. The lysis gene of group A RNA phages is also short, 75 codons in MS2, and partially overlaps the first part of their equivalently located replicase gene, raising significant evolutionary implications for the present finding.
Recent progress in the recognition of objects from range data

After a brief summary of range acquisition techniques, some of the progress made with three-dimensional data in the field of computer vision is examined. The present state of three-dimensional object recognition using range data is surveyed. Some work involving three-dimensional object recognition using intensity images is also included when it is applicable to, or extendable to, recognition with range data. <<ETX>>
Inheritance and morphology of exencephaly, a neonatal lethal recessive with partial penetrance, in the house mouse.

An inherited exencephaly in the mouse is described, using embryos at 11-17 days gestation. The cephalic portion of the neural tube remains open on the dorsal surface, the bony vault of the brain fails to develop, and the tissues of the brain are exposed; the development of these tissues, which is somewhat variable, is described. There is strong evidence that the condition is due to a single recessive gene, xn, with full viability until birth. Penetrance is twice as high in females as in males, and it varies overall according to the genetic milieu studied, from 33% to 84%. These features, and the absence of pleiotropic effects and of genetic evidence of associated chromosomal anomalies, make its inheritance different from that of exencephalies so far described.
Mapping and characterization of the interaction domains of human papillomavirus type 16 E1 and E2 proteins

The papillomavirus E1 and E2 proteins are both necessary and sufficient in vivo for efficient origin-dependent viral DNA replication. The ability of E1 and E2 to complex with each other appears to be essential for efficient viral DNA replication. In this study, we used the yeast two-hybrid system and in vitro binding assays to map the domains of the human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) E1 and E2 proteins required for complex formation. The amino-terminal 190-amino-acid domain of HPV16 E2 was both required and sufficient for E1 binding. The carboxyl-terminal 229 amino acids of E 1 were essential for binding E2, and the amino-terminal 143 amino acids of HPV16 E1 were dispensable. Although the ability of the E1 minimal domain (amino acids [aa] 421 to 649) to interact with E2 was strong at 4 degrees C, it was significantly reduced at temperatures above 25 degrees C. A larger domain of E1 from aa 144 to 649 bound E2 efficiently at any temperature, suggesting that aa 144 to 420 of E1 may play a role in the HPV16 E1-E2 interaction at physiological temperatures.
Association of the AKR 1 C 3 polymorphism with cancer risk : a meta-analysis and systematic review

A number of studies investigating the association between AKR1C3 gene polymorphisms and the risks of cancer have yielded conflicting results. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of AKR1C3 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms on risk of all cancer types. A literature search was conducted to identify the relevant studies from PubMed, EMbase, OVID, and CMB databases. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the strength of association. This meta-analysis included a total of 12 studies. In the combined results, no significant association was observed between the AKR1C3 rs12529 polymorphism with cancer risks. But the results of subgroup analysis of rs12529 showed a significant association in Asians (allele G vs allele C, OR=1.64, 95% CI 1.13-2.38, P=0.009; CG+GG vs CC, OR=1.78, 95% CI 1.03-3.07, P=0.04). In addition, significant association was observed between rs3763676 with cancer risk (GA+GG vs AA, OR=1.20, 95% CI 1.031.40, P=0.02). In regard to rs4881400, rs2245191 and rs12387, no significant association was observed between these polymorphisms with cancer risk. Results of the current meta-analysis suggest that rs12529 G allele might be associated with increased risk of cancer in Asians but not in other populations. In addition, carrying the rs3763676 G allele may be a potential risk factor of cancer. While rs4881400, rs2245191 and rs12387 polymorphisms were not associated with cancer risk. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these results.
Spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma and review of literature

A 68‐year‐old man presented with multiple hepatocellular carcinoma, which was considered to be unresectable at the first admission in January 1994. Pathological diagnosis was made by biopsy of the one lesion among them. From January 1994 to December 1997, 10 transarterial chemoembolizations and six percutaneous ethanol injection therapies were performed on the tumours in the cirrhotic liver. In February 1998 the tumour situated in the right lobe began to increase in size. The maximum tumour diameter was 6.3 cm measured by computed tomography (CT). In the beginning of May 1998 moderate ascites was present and mild hepatic encephalopathy was noticed. The patient was in the terminal stage of hepatocellular carcinoma and no further treatment was possible at that time. However, serum α‐fetoprotein and protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist II dramatically decreased in June 1998. The CT scan also showed that the tumour had completely regressed without specific treatment. In February 1999 a new biopsy‐proven hepatocellular carcinoma, 2 cm in diameter, developed in the lateral segment of the liver. It was well treated by percutaneous ethanol injection therapy. The patient was alive in good condition without any symptoms or tumour recurrence in June 1999. It was concluded that a rare case of spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma had occurred.
Exploiting spatial phase in deconvolution of structured stochastic textures

The phase of natural images represents structural information related to edges and contours, and plays a more important role than magnitude in this regard. The phase of stochastic textures is, however, commonly assumed to be random due to the consideration of a stochastic texture as a random process. In this study we show that phase information in textures can indeed be useful. We analyze the phase of 2D signals and propose a texture deconvolution algorithm, based on the magnitude and phase properties of textures. The algorithm is compared to a state-of-the-art algorithm.
Classification of Issues in the Public Space Using Their Textual Description and Geo-Location Masterarbeit

Vandalism, environmental pollution or other damage to community property are among the daily problems, local communities have to deal with. In some countries governments use their residents to take on these problems. After spotting something that needs to be fixed, citizens can use a free smartphone app to take a picture, select a location and an issue type and send the issue to the city council. This way issues from different categories like e.g. litter on the street, broken street lights or potholes can be sent directly to the department which is in charge of the respective issue category. Past experience with these apps however has shown that often, users are unwilling to provide the correct category when reporting an issue. This led to additional work load for civil servants who had to manually forward the reports to the correct department. Therefore, in this thesis it is examined in which way issue reports can best be automatically assigned to the correct category. The presented approach makes use of the textual description, the creation time and the geo-spatial context of the reported issues and is evaluated on two different data sets.
Performance Comparison of Duobinary and DQPSK Modulation Formats for Mixed 10/40-Gb/s WDM Transmission on SMF and LEAF Fibers

Duobinary and DQPSK modulation formats are considered as the best candidates for deployment of 40 Gb/s technology on existing 10 Gb/s WDM transmission systems. We show here that DQPSK modulation format is more adapted for mixed 10/40-Gb/s WDM transmission on SMF whereas duobinary is particularly efficient on LEAFtrade fiber.
Influence of waterdrop sizes on the growth of discharge

Streamer is not only the prelude of leader discharge development, but also the important stage of lightning. In order to understand the influence of water droplet sizes on the initiation and growth of discharge, three kinds of mist with different size droplets are applied to study this influence. Based on the measurement of droplet sizes in three mist and directly comparative analyses of the percentages of the discharge path on mist or air in a non-uniform field, at atmospheric pressure, it can be concluded that mist with droplets smaller than 10 µm suppresses the lightning discharge, and has the negative impact on the first step of discharge; mist with droplets greater than 10 µm has the inhibited effect on the starting and growth of positive discharge, but has the contrary effects on negative discharge. These droplets in mist distort the electrostatic field, interact with ions, electrons or photons, and produce corresponding enhancements or decreases in ionization and excitation as the avalanche front encounters them, but the details of different degree alterations on avalanches highly correlate with the droplet sizes.
Rodentolepis straminea (Cestoda: Hymenolepididae) in an urban population of Apodemus sylvaticus in the UK

Abstract The presence of the cyclophyllidean cestode Rodentolepis straminea (Cestoda: Hymenolepididae), was confirmed by molecular DNA analysis from a wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) population inhabiting urban woodland in Salford, Greater Manchester (UK) with a prevalence of 27.8%. It would appear that the only previously published record of this species in A. sylvaticus in the British Isles is that from south-west Ireland, where 24% of the wood mice examined were infected with R. straminea. This species has been recorded in studies on A. sylvaticus in continental Europe. The current report represents a new record for R. straminea on mainland Britain and a first study of helminth parasites in an urban wood mouse population.
Can Preschoolers be Health Messengers to Promote Breast Health among Chinese Americans

Women’s limited knowledge about breast cancer screening (BCS), combined with differences in Eastern and Western disease prevention concepts, may contribute to late-stage breast cancer diagnosis among minorities. Children can be conduits of knowledge transfer to adults. This pilot study tested the use of a culturally-tailored theatrical preschool performance in increasing Chinese American women’s knowledge of BCS guidelines. Chinese preschool children relayed BCS guidelines through a culturally-tailored theatrical performance. Data were collected from 177 Chinese American women (84% foreign-born) who completed pre- and post-performance surveys. Findings suggested that promoting BCS guidelines through a culturally-tailored preschool theatrical performance significantly increased participants’ knowledge of the guidelines. Interventions involving young children as change agents to deliver simple health messages such as BCS guidelines are feasible and promising to increase knowledge and desired behavioral change within the target population. Further empirical investigations are warranted in larger randomized controlled trials.
A Fully Superconducting Homopolar DC Machine

With the development of superconductors and carbon brush technique, the fully superconducting homopolar dc machine (FSHDM) is promising to realize. In this paper, the principle and performances of FSHDM are discussed, and a 35-kW FSHDM has been designed and analyzed. Through theoretical analysis and finite elements analysis, the FSHDM is found to be with competitive high power density when it is compared with the conventional homopolar dc machine.
Compatible solute addition to biological systems treating waste/wastewater to counteract osmotic and other environmental stresses: a review

Abstract This study reviews the addition of compatible solutes to biological systems as a strategy to counteract osmolarity and other environmental stresses. At high osmolarity many microorganisms accumulate organic solutes called “compatible solutes” in order to balance osmotic pressure between the cytoplasm and the environment. These organic compounds are called compatible solutes because they can function inside the cell without the need for special adaptation of the intracellular enzymes, and also serve as protein stabilizers in the presence of high ionic strength. Moreover, the compatible solutes strategy is regularly being employed by the cell, not only under osmotic stress at high salinity, but also under other extreme environmental conditions such as low temperature, freezing, heat, starvation, dryness, recalcitrant compounds and solvent stresses. The accumulation of these solutes from the environment has energetically a lower cost than de novo synthesis. Based on this cell mechanism several studies in the field of environmental biotechnology (most of them on biological wastewater treatment) employed this strategy by exogenously adding compatible solutes to the wastewater or medium in order to alleviate environmental stress. This current paper critically reviews and evaluates these studies, and examines the future potential of this approach. In addition to this, a strategy for the successful implementation of compatible solutes in biological systems is proposed.