Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Magnetic Induction Wireless Communications for Autonomous-Underwater-Vehicle-Assisted Underwater IoT

Leveraging the mobility of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to collect and deliver data among different underwater devices enables numerous underwater Internet-of-Things (UW-IoT) applications. However, the most versatile underwater acoustic communications (UACs) may not be suitable in the AUV-assisted UW-IoT scenarios, considering the high cost and high power consumption of acoustic transducers, as well as high error rates of UACs due to the complex underwater acoustic channel conditions. Alternatively, we propose to apply the low-power magnetic induction (MI)-based wireless communications for AUV data dissemination and collection. Due to the mobility of AUVs and the underwater turbulence, MI channels between AUVs and other underwater devices are no longer stable and static, which poses great challenges to establish reliable MI links. To tackle this problem, we investigate the dynamic MI wireless communications in this article. We first mathematically characterize the dynamic MI channel when an AUV approaches its target for data collection. Based on this dynamic channel model, the dynamic communication range and available bandwidth of MI are derived. We also build an MI wireless communication system that can work within a dynamic range. The communication performances are evaluated through numerical simulations as well as underwater experiments.
Macroarray-based gene expression analysis in Tetrahymena pyriformis

Summary A cDNA library was constructed for the aquatic ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis, and one hundred and fifty-three clones were used for gene expression analysis in a filter array hybridization assay. Expression levels for individual genes ranged from easily detectable to below the detection threshold of the assay. Ten cDNAs showed relatively intense hybridization signals, and two of these were chosen for further analysis. One of these genes, Tp177, was characterized in detail, i.e. its transcribed and putative promoter regions were completely defined and analyses carried out to identify potential gene regulatory elements. Partial nucleotide sequences were derived from fifty-seven cDNA clones and compared to the GenBank sequence database. Twenty-six of these clones showed significant similarity to genes in GenBank (eleven of these represented ribosomal proteins), while the remainder, including clone Tp177, represented novel sequences.
Antagonistic Potential of Streptomyces Associated with the Gut of Marine Ornamental Fishes

Nearly 87 isolates of Streptomyces were found to be associated with the gut of marine ornamental fishes namely Chaetodon collare (Red tail butterfly) and Archamia fucata (Orange-lined cardinal). Among them, only seven strains showed bioactivity against Vibrio cholerae. The seven strains were characterized by conventional methods and the studies strongly suggested the strains belong to the genus Streptomyces sp. The culture extracts of the seven strains were initially screened for antibacterial activity by spot inoculation method which exhibited more than 10 mm of inhibition zone against Vibrio cholerae. In vitro screening of the submerge culture extracts showed more than 10 to 30 mm of inhibition zone against Vibrio cholerae. The production of bioactive substances from the active extracts was confirmed by UV spectral analysis by the absorbance peaks that ranged from 239 to 326 nm and the TLC (Rf values) ranging from 0.46 to 0.78. The results indicated that Streptomyces strains isolated from gut of marine ornamental fishes produced potential bioactive metabolites against Vibrio cholerae.
Growth and Root NO3- and PO43- Uptake Capacity of Three Desert Species in Response to Atmospheric CO2 Enrichment

In a phytotron experiment, we examined growth and rates of NO-3 and PO3-4 uptake in seedlings of two desert C3 shrubs (Larrea tridentata and Prosopis glandulosa) and a desert C4 perennial grass (Bouteloua eriopoda) grown under CO2 partial pressures of 35 or 70 Pa. Plants were grown in soil but uptake studies were conducted on roots of intact seedlings placed in nutrient solutions containing both NO-3 and PO3-4. Elevated CO2 increased total biomass by 69 and 55% in Larrea and Prosopis seedlings and by 25% in Bouteloua. NO-3 and PO3-4 uptake rates were more than doubled in Bouteloua at high compared to ambient CO2. In contrast, CO2 enrichment inhibited root NO-3 uptake capacity in Larrea by about 55% without a significant effect on PO3-4 absorption rate; rates of NO-3 and PO3-4 and uptake in Prosopis were insensitive to CO2 treatment. Elevated CO2 enhanced the proportion of biomass allocated to the fine roots in Bouteloua but markedly reduced this fraction in Larrea and Prosopis. Foliar N concentration of both shrubs decreased in response to elevated CO2, but was unaffected in Bouteloua. We suggest that compensatory changes in root size and activity are critical in determining interspecies variation in plant nutrient relations under high CO2.
Assessment of the biosafety of the bioinsecticide-Agerin on different biological systems

Effect of AGREIN on the mitotic behavior was studied in Vicia faba. AGREIN was tested by the following concentrations "1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 " g/L which showed high rats of aberrations in most phases of mitotic division and the highest incidence of aberration was 26% after treating with the highest concentration comparing with the control. As for the effect of AGREIN on the meiotic behaviors of Vicia faba, the rate of aberration increased with increasing the concentration on both the first and the second meiosis and the highest percentage obtained was 46% with the highest concentration comparing with the control. AGERIN induced considerable alterations in the electrophoritic profiles of the seed proteins of Vicia faba. The maximum number of bands was 17. Comparison between the treated samples and the control revealed the existence of some variations in the protein banding pattern between the treated samples on the mice treated with doses of "1.5, 2.5 and 3.5" g/L of AGREIN. The electrophoresis patterns of mice liver protein indicated that the maximum number of bands was 24 and some protein bands existed in control and disappeared in the treated groups and vice versa. Tumer suppressor gene p53 was affected by treating the mice with the three doses of AGERIN which revealed the occurrence of mutation. Such mutation could reflect a serious hazard to those handling this bio-insecticide.
Influence of cultural conditions for improved production of bioactive metabolites by Streptomyces cheonanensis VUK-A isolated from coringa mangrove ecosystem

The influence of culture conditions and the effect of environmental factors on the growth and production of bioactive metabolites by Streptomyces cheonanensis VUK-A was the focus of this study. The strain exhibited broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive, Gram-negative, unicellular and multicellular fungi. The optimum pH and temperature for bioactive metabolite production were 7 and 30°C respectively. Production of bioactive metabolites by the strain was high in asparagine glucose broth as compared to other media tested. Studies on nutritional factors revealed that highest antimicrobial metabolite production was obtained when lactose and peptone at 1% and 0.25% were used as carbon and nitrogen sources respectively. Ninty six hours of incubation was found to be the optimum for bioactive metabolite production by the strain. As the strain exhibited potent antimicrobial activity, it may be explored for biotechnological purposes.
New Discoveries Enabled by the Emergence of High‐Resolution, Long‐Term Interdisciplinary Ocean Observations

This review describes the author's path leading toward a career in science and four decades of experiences. Some of the important people influencing my intellectual development are mentioned. Crossings of disciplinary boundaries were keys to novel research efforts. In particular, new areas of research such as geophysical fluid dynamics and bio‐optics were embraced and used to advantage. Likewise, identifying and utilizing relevant new technologies enabled unprecedented interdisciplinary high‐resolution, long‐term measurements at depth in the ocean. Early on, my group utilized satellite‐based as well as in situ data sets to advantage. In addition, with colleagues, we conducted modeling as well as observational studies. A few examples of resulting scientific breakthroughs involving interdisciplinary observations are presented. In addition, our time‐space diagrams for ocean processes and platforms have been utilized for ocean experimental design and modeling. Finally, some career advice for future generations and my unconventional teaching methods using therapy dogs are discussed.
Isolation and Molecular Characterization of Lumpy Skin Disease Virus from Kalubia Governorate

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) was isolated from skin biopsies collected from clinically infected cattle at Kalubia governorate. The virus was isolated on chorio-allantoic membrane (CAM) of embryonated chicken eggs (ECEs) and identified by agar gel precipitation test (AGPT) and indirect fluorescent antibody technique (IFAT) using specific antisera against LSDV. Further electron microscopic (EM) examination and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for putative fusion protein gene have been adopted. Nucleotide sequencing of fusion protein gene indicated that the isolate was genetically related to the reference LSDV Neethling vaccinal strain.
Estimates of pollen dispersal and capture within Amphibolis antarctica (Labill.) Sonder and Aschers. ex Aschers. meadows

The hydrodynamic micro-climate created within seagrass meadows and their immediate surroundings has implications for pollen transport and settling within seagrass meadows. Quantitative estimates of plant and meadow architecture, flowering and pollination biology of Amphibolis antarctica indicated that the position of male and female flowers on a shoot coincided with areas of high turbulence in the canopy. A model on pollen dispersal and capture in an Amphibolis meadow was derived from both plant structure (meadow architecture) and in situ three dimensional velocity measurements. On a purely hydrodynamic basis, high pollen capture is expected in a more energetic and turbulent environment. However, the model results showed that the combination of flow dynamics and plant structure, i.e., plant-flow interactions, are more favorable for pollen capture in an area of less favorable conditions, e.g., less energetic. This suggests that, as a response to their hydrodynamic environment, the same species of seagrass may have differing meadow and plant structures, such as different shoot length and shoot density.
Induction of phenolics, lignin and key defense enzymes in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) roots in response to elicitors

Elicitors are capable of mimicking the perception of a pathogen by a plant, thereby triggering induction of a sophisticated defense response in plants. In this study, we investigated an induced resistance in eggplant in respect to cell wall strengthening and defense enzyme activation affected by four elicitors such as, chitosan (CHT), salicylic acid (SA), methyl salicylate (MeSA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA). The increase in total phenolic content of eggplant roots by the elicitors was significantly higher. Lignin deposition in the cell wall of eggplant roots was increased 5, 4, 3 and 3 times by SA, CHT, MeJA and MeSA at 96 h of elicitation, respectively. Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity showed an increase of 4.7, 3.7, 3.5 and 3.2 times by SA, CHT, MeJA and MeSA at 36 h of elicitation, respectively. Highest activity of peroxidase (POD) was observed at 24 h after elicitation under the precise influence of CHT and SA. The activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) and catalase (CAT) were also increased several folds by the elicitors. Accumulation of phenolics and lignin in high amounts, together with higher level activity of major defense enzymes in response to the elicitors, may bolster eggplants in mounting practical and effective resistance against Ralstonia solanacearum, the devastating wilt pathogen. Key words: Catalase, chitosan, cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase, lignin, methyl jasmonate, methyl salicylate, phenylalanine ammonia lyase, peroxidase, salicylic acid, Solanum melongena.
Species composition and diversity of fish larvae in the Subtropical Convergence Zone of the Sargasso Sea from morphology and DNA barcoding

Specific regions of otherwise oligotrophic oceans seem to attract fish spawning and sustain significant abundances of fish larvae. The Sargasso Sea in the North Atlantic subtropical gyre is known as the spawning area of the Atlantic eels, but numerous other fish species also spawn in the area. In order to evaluate spatial variability of larval fish in the region, we examined species diversity, composition and abundances at eight stations in the Subtropical Convergence Zone (STCZ) using morphological identification and DNA barcoding. From a total of approximately 3500 specimens collected, at least 154 species from 50 families could be identified. The family Myctophidae had the highest species richness, with at least 32 species represented. The myctophids Lepidophanes gaussi, Bolinichthys indicus, Notolychnus valdiviae and Ceratoscopelus warmingii were the four most abundant species. Other common species included the three eels: Nemichthys scolopaceus, Ariosoma balearicum and Anguilla anguilla. Larval fish species composition differed substantially between the relatively closely spaced stations on either side of prominent hydrographic fronts in the study area, presumably because of the strong environmental gradients. Common eel species were concentrated between the fronts whereas common myctophids were of highest abundance at the outer edges of the fronts. The abundances of most species were generally enhanced in the vicinity of the fronts. The use of combined morphological and DNA-barcoding identification methods facilitated species identification, and we could document substantially higher levels and a larger degree of spatial variability in species diversity of fish larvae than previously shown for oligotrophic ocean areas.
Ultrastructure of Bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. ex J.C. Wendl.)

Micro-structures of bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris), a source of innumerable uses to man for ages were investigated in this study. B. vulgaris lacks secondary thickening as opposed to what is obtained in trees, but possesses numerous vascular bundles consisting of xylem, phloem and fibre caps which are embedded in parenchymatous tissues. Both light microscope and scanning electron microscope were used in this study. Transverse sections of about 20 micrometers thick were prepared on a Reichert microtome. Slides were examined under a Zeiss microscope (Standard 25) ×80 magnification, attached to a digital camera. Electron microscopy was performed using small blocks (3 mm) attached to stubs using electron-conductive carbon paste. The samples were sputter-coated for 3 min with gold. The results showed that each vascular bundle was composed of a protoxylem vessel, two metaxylem vessels and phloem with some sieve tubes. The absence of sieve tubes in some samples might indicate that sieve tubes are dissolved as the culm grows older. The study further showed the position of phloem which is usually located in the direction of the peripheral region, while protoxylem vessels are found away from the peripheral region of bamboo. Therefore the position of the metaxylem and protoxylem vessels can give a clue to identifying the outer and inner parts of bamboo at the transverse section especially when the phloem is difficult to identify. SEM micrographs revealed sculptured arrangement of wood cells in a three-dimensioned perspective and thick-walled parenchyma cells different from micrographs from a light microscope. Photomicrographs were taken using a DC-12DX digital camera mounted on a Navite XSZ-20 Series light microscope at 80×. For SEM, observations of sections were carried out using a Jeol JSM 6390LV SEM at 15 kV and EDX, Nora system six. Anatomical descriptions were based on International Association Wood Anatomists (IAWA) codes.
LS-SVM Based Modeling and Model Predictive Control for a Water-Hydraulic Artificial Muscle Actuator

: Artiﬁcial muscle actuators (AMAs) driven by the pressure of tap water are ﬂexible and lightweight and are therefore safe for humans and suitable for wearable power-assist devices. This paper proposes a modeling approach for a water-hydraulic AMA based on least squares support vector machines (LS-SVMs). Modeling tests are carried out on this LS-SVM approach with experimentally acquired data and show that the proposed model can capture the hysteretic characteristics of the water-hydraulic AMA. In addition, we constructed a state-space model of the water-hydraulic AMA into which the proposed LS-SVM-based model was incorporated and propose a model predictive control system based on the state-space model. An experimental comparison of the proposed control system and a control system with an inverse model of the water-hydraulic AMA, used in our previous study, demonstrated that the proposed one exceeds the previous one in control performance.
The risk of osteoporosis in patients with asthma

ABSTRACT It is well-known that use of continuous systemic corticosteroids (SG) affects bone metabolism, bone mineral density (BMD), and ultimately increases the risk of osteoporosis. In patients with asthma, on the other hand, the effects of long-term high-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) on BMD and risk of osteoporotic fractures is controversial. The reasons for this inconsistency could be explained by the fact that only few long-term studies investigating the effect of ICS in patients with asthma exist. The studies are characterized by different study designs and duration of ICS exposure, small study populations, and differences between the used ICS. The aim of this article is to unravel which factors, if any, that contribute to an increased risk of osteoporosis in patients with asthma and to summarize the evidence regarding adverse effects of ICS on bone metabolism, BMD and osteoporotic fractures in patients with asthma.
The Cellular Uptake, Distribution and Toxicity of Poly (lactic-co-glycolic) Acid Nanoparticles in Medicago sativa Suspension Culture

Nanoparticle systems can be used for agricultural purposes including for risk analysis, application of pesticides or fertilizer, and improving gene transfer technology. Here, the entrance of Fluorescein isothiocyanate isomer I (FITC)-loaded poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) into a Medicago sativa (alfalfa) cell suspension by sonication was studied as a model system for gene transfer in plants. The single emulsion solvent evaporation method was used to synthesis of nanoparticles. Particle size, zeta potential and polydispersity index of nanoparticles were measured and morphological investigation was carried out for nanoparticle characterization. The cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of PLGA NPs were determined on alfalfa cells using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and comet assay, respectively. Ultrasound application increases the cellular uptake of PLGA NPs. The best result (82.66%) was obtained at 3 min of sonication. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analyses showed that PLGA NPs up to 100 nm passed through the cell wall and were distributed into the cytoplasm and nucleus. Furthermore, a cytotoxic and genotoxic effect was not observed in the cultured cells exposed to PLGA NPs by sonication. Thus, PLGA NPs system could be used in various agricultural systems in plants. This protocol is an alternative and safe method for gene transfer in plants.
Antenna Placement in a Compressive Sensing-Based Colocated MIMO Radar

Compressive sensing (CS) has been widely used in multiple-input–multiple-output (MIMO) radar in recent years. Unlike traditional MIMO radar, detection/estimation of targets in a CS-based MIMO radar is accomplished via sparse recovery. In this article, for a CS-based colocated MIMO radar with linear arrays, we attempt to improve the target detection performance by reducing the coherence of the associated sensing matrix. Our tool in reducing the coherence is the placement of the antennas across the array aperture. In particular, we choose antenna positions within a given grid. Initially, we formalize the position selection problem as finding binary weights for each of the locations. This problem is highly nonconvex and combinatorial in nature. Instead, we find continuous weight values for each location and interpret them as the probability of including an antenna at the given location. Next, we select antenna locations randomly according to the obtained probability distribution. We formulate the problem for the general case of a MIMO radar with independent transmit and receive arrays for which we propose an iterative algorithm. For the special case of a transceiver array, the solution is obtained through a convex optimization approach. Our experiments show that the proposed method achieves a superior detection performance compared to a uniform random placement of the antennas within the array aperture.
Potential use of endophytic bacteria as biofertilizer for sustainable banana (Musa spp.) Production

Bananas and plantains are of special significance to human society and are ranked as fourth most important food in the world after rice, wheat, and maize. Increased trade in local, regional and international markets has also made them an important cash crop, and in some cases the only source of income for rural populations. In Kenya, production of bananas is constrained by among others declining soil fertility coupled with high cost of fertilizers. A sustainable complementary response to declining soil fertility would be to increase the biological inputs of nutrients by exploitation of microorganisms, which are largely untapped natural resources for plant growth promotion. Endophytic bacteria are known to enhance plant growth in non-leguminous crops and improve their nutrition through nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilisation or siderophore production (iron chelation). Besides biofertilization, endophytic bacteria are also reported to promote plant growth and yield through direct production of phytohormones, or enzymes, or indirectly through biological control of plant pests and diseases or induced resistance response (biotization). In return, the plant protects endophytes and provides them with nutrients in form of photosynthates. Endophytes are increasingly gaining scientific and commercial interest because of this potential to improve plant quality and growth and their close association with internal tissues of host plant. This paper reviews the potential use of endophytic bacteria as biofertilizers for sustainable banana production.