Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Establishment of Embryonic Stem Cells and Generation of Genetically Modified Rats

Authentic embryonic stem (ES) cells are derived from the inner cell mass (ICM) of preimplantation blastocysts in rodents. ES cells have been routinely derived since 1981 (Evans & Kaufman, 1981; Martin, 1981). They are capable of generating germline chimeras following injection into blastocysts. A very large number of knockin/knockout mice have been produced so far, leading to significant progress in both basic research and clinical investigation. However, recent reports indicate that the phenotypes of knockout mice sometimes do not correspond to human diseases (Rogers et al., 2008). Thus, the ES cells of other species, especially rats, have been desired for the generation of new animal models for human diseases. In 2008, we successfully established rat ES cells with a chimeric contribution (Ueda et al., 2008). Soon after our report, authentic rat ES cells that could complete a germline transmission were established (Buehr et al., 2008; Li et al., 2008). These reports suggest that a removal of serum from a culture medium is necessary for maintaining the pluripotency of rat ES cells (Kawamata & Ochiya, 2010a). However, despite the assertion in these reports, we recently established high-quality rat ES cells by using a combination of 20% serum and signaling inhibitors. Furthermore, this culture condition enabled the ES cells to receive gene manipulation, leading to obtaining genetically modified rats via germline transmission. We also discovered an indispensable technique during a blastocyst injection process for the generation of germline chimeras (Kawamata & Ochiya, 2010b). This new technology should provide valuable animal models for the study of human diseases by the induction of gene-targeting manipulations in the rat ES cells. In this chapter, we discuss the techniques for the establishment of rat ES cells compared to mouse ES cells and the creation of genetically modified rats.
Bathymetric distribution of Mysidacea in fjords of western Norway

Depth distributions of 20 mysid species sampled between 32 and 1260 m are presented. A total of 113 sledge samples from 67 stations are evaluated. A change in the mysid fauna correlated to depth was found from the shallowest station and down to about 350 m. Below 350 m, fauna differences between fjords were greater than depth-related variations within fjords. Epibenthic species of Erythrops were found throughout the whole bathymetric range and of Pseudomma from 166 to 1260 m. Shallower than 100 m Schistomysis ornata and Leptomysis gracilis dominated by number, while deeper Boreomysis megalops and B. arctica dominated. Possible effects of the fjord sills on the fauna1 distribution are discussed. Bathymetric species groups containing all known mysid species from the studied area are proposed 0 to 50 m containing 13 species, 30 to 100 m containing 5 species, 100 to 350 m containing 5 species. > 250 m containing 9 species.
Electronically Reconfigurable Two-Stage Schiffman Phase Shifter for Ku Band Beam Steering Applications

An electronically reconfigurable phase shifter using two Schiffman sections is performed for beam steering applications in Ku band. The proposed phase shifter consists of only two cascaded coupled-line sections with the reference line removed. This circuit is loaded by varactor diodes that ensure its tunability over a wide bandwidth. By supplying these varactor diodes with suitable bias voltages, a phase shift is continuously adjusted and reached up to 168° at 12.7 GHz with low insertion losses according to the simulations. Thus, the proposed two-stage phase shifter is able to reach a beam steering angle of 28.6° at 12.7 GHz with only one control voltage. The proposed structure exhibits that our phase shifter has a compact size and a large phase shifting range throughout the Ku band. The tunable phase shifter is prototyped and the measurement results are presented.
The genotoxic effect of lead and zinc on bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean)

The effects of lead and zinc treatments on the chromosomes of bambara groundnut was investigated. The seeds of bambara groundnut were placed in Petri dishes in three replicates and allowed to germinate for five days in different concentrations: 25, 50 and 100 mg/L of both lead and zinc nitrates while the control group had distilled water. The total aberrations were examined. The mitotic index was calculated and the results were statistically evaluated by the analysis of variance at 5% significant level. The mitotic index decreased as the concentration increased (p<0.05). The highest mitotic index value was 3.40±0.88 for the control while the least was 1.30±0.48 for the 100 mg/L Pb treatment. The results show the most frequent chromosomal anomalies induced by these heavy metals as stickiness and bridges. Pb is much more genotoxic than Zn, as it induced more aberrations having percentage abnormalities of 92.3% while Zn had 30.0% for the highest concentration tested. Increased metal pollution can lead to some irreversible cytogenetic effects in plants and higher organisms. The study is an attempt to corroborate the toxic effect of lead and zinc on the chromosomes of plants. These results will be useful in environmental monitoring of the cytotoxicity of metals. Key words: Heavy metal, aberrations, genotoxic, cytogenetic, mitotic index.
Spectral centrality measures in temporal networks

In our previous article we defined temporal quantities used for the description of temporal networks with zero latency and we showed that some centrality measures (e.g. degree, betweenness, closeness) can be extended to the case of temporal networks. In this article we broaden the scope of centrality measures in temporal networks to centrality measures derived from the eigenvectors of network matrices, namely the eigenvector in-centrality, the eigenvector out-centrality, the Katz centrality, the Bonacich a and (a,b)-centrality, the HITS algorithm (also known as Hubs and Authorities) introduced by Kleinberg, and the PageRank algorithm defined by Page and Brin. We extended our Python library TQ (Temporal Quantities) to include the algorithms from our research. The library is available online. The procedures will also be added to the user friendly program called Ianus. We tested the proposed algorithms on Franzosi’s violence network and on Corman’s Reuter terror news network and show the results.
Variations of esterase isozymes and some soluble proteins in diploids and their induced autotetraploids in plants.

The esterase isozymes and protein profiles of the diploid and corresponding autotetraploid strains of some wild and cultivated plants were investigated using the gel isoelectrofocusing method.The esterase zymogram changed with the age of seedlings. The diploid and autotetraploid strains of Oryza sativa cv. Shinriki-mochi had the same zymogram in one day-old seedlings, but their zymograms showed clear differences in older seedlings.Comparison of the diploid and corresponding autotetraploid strains revealed that three different relationships exist among the zymograms. In the first group, the diploids and autotetraploids had the same pI bands with the same activities. In the second they had the same pI bands, but the activities of some bands were higher in the autotetraploids than in the diploids. In the third group the diploids and autotetraploids had some bands of different pI values. Frequencies of the strains belonging to the three groups were 35, 50 and 15%, respectively.In the protein profile, the same relationships were found in the diploids and their autotetraploids, as were found in the esterase zymogram. The results demonstrate that the duplication of chromosomes by autotetraploidy brought about quantitative and, in certain instances, qualitative differences in the esterase zymogram and protein profile.
Use of red and blue light-emitting diodes (LED) and fluorescent lamps to grow microalgae in a photobioreactor.

High oil content microalgae are a source for biofuel production. They can be produced in open ponds or closed photobioreactors. To efficiently grow such microalgae, illumination for photosynthesis, CO2 consumption, and the pH and nutrient content of the growth medium must be monitored and precisely controlled. In a closed photobioreactor, illumination is the most critical parameter because it is the most expensive factor of algae production and must be operated 24 h per day. In this research, Chlorella kessleri (UTEX 398) microalgae were grown in photobioreactors. All parameters were identical, except the source and intensity of the illumination. The light sources included red light-emitting diodes (LED), blue LED, and fluorescent lights. Growth of the microalgae was observed for seven days and the effects of the three illumination sources on cell count, cell weight, and cell size were determined. In the first experiment, in which the current of all three light sources was the same, red LED produced the highest number of cells with the highest weight while blue LED light produced the largest cells. In the second experiment, in which the light intensity was the same for all three light sources, the highest weight was again achieved with the red LED. Thus, we suggest that most advantageous production system may be to use a red light initially to produce the desired cell concentration, then switch to a blue light to increase cell size.
Aging and Forgetting: Forgotten Information Is Perceived as Less Important Than Is Remembered Information

Recently, researchers have evaluated the mechanisms that contribute to younger adults’ metacognitive monitoring. According to analytic-processing theory, people’s beliefs about their memory are central to their monitoring judgments. Although this theory has received ample support with younger adults, it has yet to be evaluated with older adults. We aimed to address this gap in the literature. Specifically, we evaluated younger and older adults’ beliefs about forgetting, and the role of these beliefs in their judgments about forgotten information. Younger adults tend to recall forgotten information as being less important than remembered information (dubbed the forgetting bias). Moreover, this bias is largely driven by their beliefs about forgotten information. In the present research, we evaluated (a) whether older adults also show a forgetting bias and (b) the contribution of their beliefs to this bias. In Studies 1 and 2, participants completed a value-directed remembering task. Next, participants took a surprise cued-recall test for the values. In Study 2, we evaluated participants’ beliefs by having them make a memory-for-past-test judgment prior to recalling the values. In Study 3, we directly probed participants’ beliefs about the value of forgotten information with a survey. Older and younger adults demonstrated a forgetting bias. Moreover, and consistent with analytic-processing theory, people’s beliefs about forgotten information contributed to this bias. Thus, beliefs are an important mechanism that contribute to both older and younger adults’ metacognitive monitoring.
Analysis of long non-coding RNA expression profiles identifies novel lncRNA biomarkers in the tumorigenesis and malignant progression of gliomas

Long non-coding RNAs have been shown to be associated with cancer development and progression, demonstrating potential applications as novel diagnostic or prognostic molecular markers in clinical management and treatment. However, the functional significance of lncRNAs in the development and malignant progression of gliomas is still unclear and needed to be further explored. we first obtained genome-wide lncRNA expression profiles in a large cohort of patients with gliomas from the Gene Expression Omnibus database using microarray probes repurposing method and investigated the lncRNA expression patterns during the tumorigenesis and malignant progression of gliomas. By using differential expression analysis, we identified a large number of lncRNAs that were associated with the tumorigenesis and malignant progression of gliomas in the training dataset and showed their robustness in the testing dataset. Subsequently, we identified a novel four-lncRNA signature which was closely related to the prognosis of patients with GBM. The prognostic value of this signature was verified in the test set of 80 patients. Functional analysis suggested that the four lncRNAs associated with survival of patients with GBM may be involved in cancer-related biological processes and pathways and their deregulation may lead to GBM tumorigenesis and progression. These novel lncRNA biomarkers will improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms during the development and progression of glioma and provide novel diagnostic or prognostic markers and therapeutic targets for gliomas.
An Exemplary View on the Influence of Genotype and Feeding on Growth Performance, Carcass Quality, and Meat Quality in Organic Pig Fattening

In organic pig fattening the choice of a suitable genotype and an adequate diet depends on the marketing goal and influences product quality (carcass and meat quality) and the economic success of the farmer. Carcass quality-dominated, respectively meat quantity-oriented, organic marketing goals require modern genotypes with high body protein synthesis capacity, i.e., low Duroc gene proportions. Diets must be of high nutrient value, meaning high quality amino acid pattern, which result in a more or less high external nutrient input into the organic agricultural system. Meat quality-dominated marketing targets, which have to accept less lean meat-rich carcasses, tolerate genotypes with lower body protein synthesis capacity, i.e., high Duroc gene proportions, and demand more extensive diets with lower amino acid quality up to pure on-farm diets, resulting in a low external input system.
Conformal lower bounds for the Dirac operator of embedded hypersurfaces

We find sharp lower bounds for the first nonnegative eigenvalue of the classical intrinsic Dirac operator of a compact hypersurface bounding a domain in a Riemannian spin manifold. These estimates are given in terms of scalar (spectral) conformal invariants of the enclosed domain which are involved in the solution of the Yamabe problem.
Diversification, Economies of Scope, and Exports Growth of Chinese Firms

In the 1990s, China started a process of structural reforms and of trade liberalization, which was followed by the accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001. In this paper, we analyze trade patterns of Chinese firms for the period 2000-2006, characterized by a notable increase in exports volumes. Theoretically, in a more open economy, firms are expected to move from the production of a set of less-competitive products towards more internationally competitive ones, which implies specialization. We study several stylized facts on the distribution of Chinese firms trade and growth rates, and we analyze whether firms have diversified or specialized their trade patterns between 2000 and 2006. We show that Chinese export patterns are very heterogeneous, that the volatility of growth rates depends on the level of exports, and that volatility is stronger after trade liberalization. Both, diversification in products and destinations have a positive impact on trade growth, but diversification of destinations has a stronger effect. We conclude that the success of Chinese exports is not only due to an increase in the intensive margin, related to the existence of economies of scale, but also due to an increase in the extensive margin, related to the existence of economies of scope.
Paraluffisphaera tuba gen. n., sp. n : a newly-discovered eukaryote

Summary. Paraluffisphaera tuba gen. n. , sp. n. is a very small (~ 3 µm), enigmatic organism, that was isolated from montane grassland in Scotland, and from inland saline water in Spain. The cell surface of this new protist is covered with scales of two types: b ase scales and tubular scales. No flagella or pseudopodia were observed. The gross morphology resembles scale-bearing protists of the genu s Luffisphaera, but the new organism is distinctly different. Like Luffisphaera, Paraluffisphaera should be considered an incertae sedis protist.
Advances in source technology for focused ion beam instruments

Owing to the development of new ion source technology, users of focused ion beams (FIBs) have access to superior performance when compared with the industry standard Ga^+ liquid metal ion source. FIBs equipped with an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) ion source are better able to carry out large volume milling applications by providing up to 2 µA of Xe^+ ions focused into a sub-5 µm spot. However, ICP FIBs are presently limited to 25 nm imaging resolution at 1 pA.The gas field ionization source (GFIS) relies upon an ion source that is the size of a single atom and correspondingly gains high brightness through its very small source size. The high brightness allows the GFIS to produce a very small focused probe size (<0.35 nm for helium), but with comparatively small beam currents (less than 2 pA). The Cs^+ low temperature ion source, still being developed, has a projected sub-nm focal spot size at 1 pA, a maximum current of several nanoamps, and has the potential to offer integrated secondary ion mass spectrometry capabilities.
Efficient Routing Scheme for Mobile Wireless Sensor Networks using Hybrid multi-hop LEACH

A Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) consists of spatially distributed autonomous sensors connected via a (wireless) communications infrastructure to cooperatively monitor, record and store physical or environmental conditions, such as temperature, sound, vibration, pressure, motion or pollutants. This makes it more popular in emerging technologies that are used in our daily life. While WSNs have many benefits, there are also a few drawbacks. A big area of research into WSNs has concentrated on creating routing protocols that are energy efficient. It is a tremendous challenge to design routing protocols for applications of WSNs, which are mobility centric and energy efficient; because of network topology is often being changed. The concept of clustering offers more benefit than the other flat based routing protocols. A common side-effect of the many-to-one traffic pattern is the hot spot issue, which characterizes the majority of wireless sensor networks: nodes having the optimal path to the sink become overloaded with traffic from all other areas of the network which cause it to lose energy at a faster rate than the other nodes. This research work is aimed at evaluating and validating the proposed Mobile Data Collector-based routing protocol (MDC maximum residual energy LEACH) with A Novel Application Specific Network Protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks routing protocol (Hybrid multi-hop LEACH). A computer simulation was employed to obtain the results that have indicated an improvement in the overall energy efficiency of the network.
Micro-grid powered by photovoltaic and micro turbine

In this paper, we propose to study the possibility of using a photovoltaic system combined with a high speed micro-turbine. This hybrid system can work as stand-alone system or grid connected system as it will be a part of a microgrid. Initially, we propose simple dynamic models of photovoltaic and micro turbine systems. Then, we carry out a comparison between simulations and measurements of the two systems. At last, simulation results show the effectiveness of the suggested hybrid system.
Lagrangian Fluid Element Tracking and Estimation of Local Displacement Speeds in Turbulent Premixed Flames

Lagrangian Fluid Element Tracking and Estimation of Local Displacement Speeds in Turbulent Premixed Flames Sarah Ann Ramji Master of Applied Science Graduate Department of Aerospace Science and Engineering University of Toronto 2015 Improved understanding of turbulence-flame interactions in premixed combustion can be achieved using fully 3D time-resolved multi-kHz multi-scalar experimental measurements. These interactions may be represented by the evolution of various Lagrangian quantities described by theoretical Lagrangian Fluid Elements (LFEs). The data used in this work came from two experimental campaigns that used simultaneous T-PIV and OH/CH2O PLIF, at Sandia National Labs and the Air Force Research Lab at WrightPatterson. In this thesis, an algorithm to accurately track LFEs through this 4D experimental space has been developed and verified by cross-correlation with the T-PIV seed particle fields. A novel method to measure the local instantaneous displacement speed in 3D has been developed, using this algorithm to track control masses of fluid that interact with the flame front. Statistics of the displacement speed have been presented, and the effects of local turbulence and flame topological properties on the displacement speed have been studied.
Prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility profiles and case fatality rates of Acinetobacter Baumannii sepsis in a neonatal unit.

INTRODUCTION The burden of sepsis in neonates due to Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) in developing countries is not well reported. The objective of this study was to determine prevalence of culture confirmed sepsis due to A. baumannii, antimicrobial susceptibility and case-fatality rates (CFR) due to this organism. METHODOLOGY A retrospective review of medical and laboratory records of neonates admitted to a tertiary government hospital from a developing country was conducted. Records of neonates with positive microbiological cultures from blood or cerebrospinal fluid due to A. baumannii were reviewed for demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, laboratory findings, antibiotic susceptibility and outcome at hospital discharge. RESULTS There were 399 isolates of A. baumannii cultured from sterile sites, with a prevalence of 4.3/1000 live births or 22.8/1000 admissions, accounting for 13% of all culture confirmed sepsis. Majority of neonates were preterm (91%) with a mean gestational age and birth weight of 30 weeks and 1400 grams respectively. Antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates was 64% to cephalosporins, 21% to aminoglycosides and 17% were extremely-drug resistant (XDR), only susceptible to colistin. The CFR was 32%. Factors associated with mortality were presence of a central venous catheter prior to onset of sepsis (49% vs 31%, p = 0.03); need for mechanical ventilation (62% vs 36%, p = 0.005) and inotropic support (57% vs 17%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS A. baumannii is a significant pathogen causing sepsis in neonates, with 17% of them being XDR. It is associated with high CFR. These findings highlight the need for strict enforcement of infection control and antibiotic stewardship practices.