Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Taxonomy and biogeography of Diapensia (Diapensiaceae) based on chloroplast genome data

Diapensia L. is the second largest genus of Diapensiaceae. The taxonomic treatment within Diapensia and relationships within Diapensiaceae have been disputed. Chloroplast genome sequence data have proved to be useful for plant phylogenetic analyses and species delimitation. In this study, we de novo sequenced and assembled 22 chloroplast genomes of 15 species of Diapensiaceae, including all recognized species of Diapensia with multiple samples. A super‐matrix containing a total of 107 genes and 18 taxa was constructed for phylogenetic analyses to resolve phylogenetic relationships among genera of the family and within Diapensia. The resulting phylogenetic tree showed the following strongly supported relationships: (Galax, (Pyxidanthera, (Berneuxia, ((Schizocodon, Diapensia), and Shortia s.s. )))). The dated phylogeny and reconstructed lineage‐through‐time plot for the family indicated rapid diversification in the Neogene and an acceleration of diversification rate after c. 8 Ma. Biogeographic analysis suggested that Diapensia originated in the Northeast Asian mountains approximately 6.06 Ma, followed by northward dispersal to the Arctic and southwestward dispersal to the Himalaya–Hengduan Mountains. Phylogenetic relationships within Diapensia were well resolved. Based on the phylogenetic results, we proposed to reinstate the species status of Diapensia bulleyana Forrest ex Diels, and raised D. purpurea f. albida to the species rank (D. albida [W. E. Evans] J. F. Ye comb. & stat. nov.). The distribution ranges of all species delineated based on the phylogenetic results were revised accordingly based on specimen occurrences. Our study adds new examples for the power of plastid genome data for resolving phylogenetic relationships and clarifying taxonomic disputes among closely related species.
Evaluation of selected metal nanoparticles on hatching and survival of larvae and fry of Indian major carp, rohu (Labeo rohita)

Different laboratory synthesized metal nanoparticles viz. Copper oxide (CuO), Zinc oxide (ZnO) and silver doped titanium dioxide (Ag-TiO2) were studied for their effect on hatching and survival of larvae and fry of Indian major carp, rohu, Labeo rohita both in direct application in tank water & coated onto tanks. Among these nanoparticles, CuO and ZnO nanoparticles exhibited highest percentage of hatching in both direct addition (78.0 ± 3.1% and 78.05 ± 4.2%, respectively) and coating onto tanks (58.6 ± 2.1% and 61.2 ± 2.7%, respectively) at 1 mg mL−1 while least percentage of hatching was recorded in Ag-TiO2 nanoparticles irrespective of its concentration & mode of supplementation. Highest survival of L. rohita fry (50.13 ± 2.2%) was observed after 15 days post hatching in CuO coated tanks followed by ZnO coated tanks (38.6 ± 2.8%) while least was recorded in Ag-TiO2 coated tanks (22.53 ± 3.0%). However in control tanks coated with Poly-Urethane base with hardener and uncoated control tanks, the survival was 42.4 ± 1.2% and 41.36 ± 1.8% respectively. Further, significantly lower microbial load of water was recorded in CuO nanoparticles coated tanks (1.5 × 1010 CFU L−1) as compared to uncoated control tanks (1.1 × 1016 CFU L−1) without affecting water quality parameters. On the other hand, in Ag-TiO2 coated tanks, significantly lower microbial load (1.0 × 106 CFU L−1) as compared to uncoated control tanks at 15 days post hatching was recorded. However, Ag-TiO2 was toxic to L. rohita larvae & fry both in direct application and coating onto tanks. Considering the beneficial effects of CuO nanoparticle application, it has the scope of being used in a more eco-friendly way in hatchery operations.
The Hawaii Infrared Parallax Program. IV. A Comprehensive Parallax Survey of L0–T8 Dwarfs with UKIRT

We present parallaxes, proper motions, and J-band photometry for 348 L and T dwarfs measured using the wide-field near-infrared camera WFCAM on the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope. This is the largest single batch of infrared parallaxes for brown dwarfs to date. Our parallaxes have a median uncertainty of 3.5 mas, similar to most previous ground-based infrared parallax surveys. Our target list was designed to complete a volume-limited parallax sample of L0–T8 dwarfs out to 25 pc spanning declinations −30° to +60° (68% of the sky). We report the first parallaxes for 165 objects, and we improve on previous measurements for another 53 objects. Our targets include 104 objects (mostly early-L dwarfs) having Gaia DR2 parallax measurements with which our parallaxes are consistent. We include an extensive comparison of previous literature parallaxes for L and T dwarfs with both our results and Gaia DR2 measurements, identifying systematic offsets for some previous surveys. Our parallaxes confirm that 14 objects previously identified as wide common proper motion companions to main-sequence stars have distances consistent with companionship. We also report new photometry for our targets, including the first measurements for 193 of our targets and improvements over previously published photometry for another 60 targets. Altogether, our parallaxes will enable the first population studies using a volume-limited sample spanning spectral types L0–T8 defined entirely by parallaxes.
Characterization of aged champagne wine aroma by GC-O and descriptive profile analyses

Le but du travail est de caracteriser l'evolution de l'arome du champagne au cours du vieillissement et de comparer sous ce rapport le vieillissement accelere a 40 °C au vieillissement normal. Les methodes mises en oeuvre a cet effet sont l'analyse sensorielle, et les techniques GC-O et GC-MS. La representativite des extraits a ete etudiee au prealable par tests triangulaires et tests de similarite. Les profils descriptifs ont ete etablis par un panel d'experts sur des echantillons jeunes et vieillis. L'intensite des notes florale et fruitee diminue au cours du vieillissement, celles des notes boisee et d'evolution augmentent. On observe cependant des differences sensorielles entre les produits des deux types de vieillissement. La technique de GC-O montre que le vieillissement normal met en jeu trois processus : la reaction de Strecker qui produit du 3-(methylthio)-1-propanal et furaneol d'ethyle a partir des acides amines, la formation d'eugenol, et l'oxydation de composes d'arome tres sensibles tels que le furaneol. En revanche, ces trois reactions sont moins importantes dans le vieillissement accelere, qui fait intervenir surtout quatre autres reactions : la degradation d'acides gras insatures pour produire le cis-3-hexenol, la formation de 2, 3-butanodione et de guaiacol, et le metabolisme de la phenylalanine en benzaldehyde. Ainsi, bien qu'un certain nombre de reactions se retrouvent identiques dans les deux types de vieillissement, le chauffage du champagne ne conduit pas a des produits proches de ceux obtenus par vieillissement normal.
Spatio-temporal analysis of snow cover and effect of terrain attributes in the Upper Ganga River Basin, central Himalaya

Abstract Continuous monitoring of snow cover area (SCA) in space and time is a vital input to estimate the snow/glacier melt runoff, glacial mass balance and other hydrological studies. The present study aims to find out the spatio-temporal variation of SCA and inter-relationship between snow accumulation and topography in the Upper Ganga River Basin (UGRB) including Bhagirathi, Alaknanda, Mandakini and Pindar River sub-basins, central Himalaya using MODIS Terra (MOD10A2) data. SCA is found ∼32.33% to the total basin area of ∼18724 km2 in UGRB. The Average of 12 year shows that Bhagirathi River Basin has maximum SCA∼33.25%, whereas Pindar river basin has minimum SCA ∼17.50% among these four sub-basins. Maximum rate of change of SCA is found in the Mandakini River Basin. Slope class 20°–30°has more favorable conditions for snow accumulation. North and north-west aspect has higher snow accumulation with maximum positive attribution in January and minimum in July.
Development of novel and sensitive sensors based on microcantilever of atomic force microscope

Abstract Recently, the development of sensors based on microfabricated cantilevers of atomic force microscope (AFM) has attracted considerable attention from the designers of novel physical, chemical, and biological sensors. Many kinds of sensors have been developed talking the advantages of its high-resolution imaging, force measurement and force sensitivity, such as immunosensor and DNA biosensor and the sensors for detection of intermolecular interaction. This paper reviews the progress made in this field and discusses the signal transfer principles by which the design of the sensor is achived. * Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 20135010), the Major State Basic Research Development Program of china (2002CB513100-10), National High-Tech Project (2003AA302250) and Key project of Hunan Province Technology Plan (0399Y1006).
Feral Brown rats, Rattus norvegicus, in South Georgia (South Atlantic Ocean)

Brown rats were introduced to the sub-antarctic island of South Georgia probably around 1800. They are now widespread and abundant, particularly on the north coast. The population is divided into discrete units by the rugged topography of the island, particularly the many glaciers. Rats are found mostly in dense stands of coastal tussock grass which provides both shelter and food. They dig burrows in the tussock stools and make nest chambers in the leaf canopy. Tussock, which is rich in carbohydrate, forms the main part of their diet throughout the year. Perimylopid beetles are regularly eaten, and the rats forage on the sea-shore. Carrion is eaten where available and the rats prey on ground-nesting birds. Breeding is probably seasonal, as litters were found only from December to February. The rats have adapted successfully to the rigorous South Georgia climate, but are dependent on tussock grass for their survival. They have made rather little impact on the vegetation. Dove prions, diving petrels and some large petrels are preyed on but breeding colonies of these birds can coexist with rats. The Antarctic pipit rarely if ever nests in rat-infested areas. No management procedures would be possible.
Unsupervised Deep Transfer Learning-Based Change Detection for HR Multispectral Images

To overcome the limited capability of most state-of-the-art change detection (CD) methods in modeling spatial context of multispectral high spatial resolution (HR) images and exploiting all spectral bands jointly, this letter presents a novel unsupervised deep-learning-based CD method that can effectively model contextual information and handle the large number of bands in multispectral HR images. This is achieved by exploiting all spectral bands after grouping them into spectral-dedicated band groups. To eliminate the necessity of multitemporal training data, the proposed method exploits a data set targeted for image classification to train spectral-dedicated Auxiliary Classifier Generative Adversarial Networks (ACGANs). They are used to obtain pixelwise deep change hypervector from multitemporal images. Each feature in deep change hypervector is analyzed based on the magnitude to identify changed pixels. An ensemble decision fusion strategy is used to combine change information from different features. Experimental results on the urban, Alpine, and agricultural Sentinel-2 data sets confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Reconstructing Pliocene West Pacific Warm Pool Hydroclimate Using In Situ Microanalyses on Fossil Planktic Foraminifer Shells

A controversial aspect of Pliocene (5.3–2.6 Ma) climate is whether El Niño‐like (El Padre) conditions, characterized by a reduced trans‐equatorial sea‐surface temperature (SST) gradient, prevailed across the Pacific. Evidence for El Padre is chiefly based on reconstructions of sea‐surface conditions derived from the oxygen isotope (δ18O) and Mg/Ca compositions of shells belonging to the planktic foraminifer Trilobatus sacculifer. However, fossil shells of this species are a mixture of multiple carbonate phases—pre‐gametogenic, gametogenic (reproductive), and diagenetic calcites—that formed under different physiological and/or environmental conditions and are averaged in conventional whole‐shell analyses. Through in situ measurements of micrometer‐scale domains within Pliocene‐aged shells of T. sacculifer from Ocean Drilling Program Site 806 in the western equatorial Pacific, we show that the δ18O of gametogenic calcite is 0.6–0.8‰ higher than pre‐gametogenic calcite, while the Mg/Ca ratios of these two phases are the same. Both the whole‐shell and pre‐gametogenic Mg/Ca records indicate that average early Pliocene SSTs were ~1°C warmer than modern, with present‐day SSTs being established during the latest Pliocene and early Pleistocene (~3.0–2.0 Ma). The measurement of multiple calcite phases by whole‐shell δ18O analyses masks a late Pliocene to earliest Pleistocene (3.6–2.2 Ma) decrease in seawater δ18O (δ18Osw) values reconstructed from in situ pre‐gametogenic δ18O and Mg/Ca measurements. Our novel δ18Osw record indicates that sea‐surface salinities in the west Pacific warm pool were higher than modern prior to ~3.5 Ma, which is consistent with more arid conditions under an El Padre state.
Investigation of Residual Bearing Capacity of Corroded Reinforced Concrete Short Columns under Impact Load Based on Nondestructive Testing

This paper investigates the damage and residual bearing capacity of corroded reinforced concrete (RC) short columns after impact and presents a method for evaluating the residual bearing capacity of RC short columns by nondestructive testing. Firstly, accelerated corrosion test and drop hammer impact test were carried out to obtain specimens under different impact loads and corrosion rates. Then, the damage caused by corrosion and impact loads was evaluated by supersonic wave aided nondestructive test. Through the damage factor, the influence of corrosion rate and impact loads on the specimen was revealed, and the calculation method of corrosion rate and impact velocity was proposed. Finally, according to the bearing capacity test results, the influence factors of reinforcement, concrete, and impact were introduced into the bearing capacity calculation equation. Considering the relationship between the residual bearing capacity of RC short columns and the damage factor, an improved formula for calculating the residual bearing capacity of corroded RC short columns under impact loads was proposed. This work lays the foundation for further research on mechanical properties of corroded RC structures under impact loads.
Restoration of afforested upland streams—what are we trying to achieve?

1. Commercial forestry in Britain poses particular problems for ecological restoration because it is dominated by cultivation of exotic conifer species in areas already modified by human activity. 2. Current forest management guidelines advocate maintenance of a buffer area, either open or lightly wooded with broadleaved trees, along watercourses. Alternative restoration programmes for streams in afforested upland areas have three potential goals: restoration of the stream to its form prior to afforestation; restoration to its presumed form prior to initial human intervention in the landscape; or maintenance of optimum river channel and riparian habitat diversity. 3. The first two would require intensive, continuous management, and would probably not be achievable. The last is, however, feasible and, furthermore, could incorporate the planted conifer species. Where conifers are already present in the riparian zone, their maintenance as an undisturbed buffer area would create a stream habitat complementary to open or broadleaf dominated stretches elsewhere, and would require very little management. 4. We propose that such stands of conifers should be removed from the commercial sphere of the forest and allowed to mature and regenerate, minimizing disturbance and contributing to the structural diversity of the aquatic system in afforested areas. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of Drought Resistance for Texas Bluegrass, Kentucky Bluegrass, and Their Hybrids

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.; KBG) has good turf quality with adequate irrigation, but moderate to low drought resistance. Interspecific hybridization of Kentucky bluegrass with Texas bluegrass (Poa arachnifera Torr.; TBG), a drought resistant grass native to Texas, has been made to transfer genes of drought resistance from TBG to KBG. The objectives of this study were (i) to investigate whether the hybrids have improved drought resistance compared with either TBG or KBG by examining physiological responses to drought stress; and (ii) to determine major physiological factors associated with recuperative ability of those plants from drought stress. Plants were exposed to drought stress by withholding irrigation for 42 d in a greenhouse. The experiment consisted of 29 fourth-generation backcrossed hybrids, one third-generation hybrid (BDF), two KBG parents ('C-74', 'Midnight'), and one TBG parent. The genotypes classified into three cluster groups of drought resistance (high, moderate, and low) based on the responses of relative water content (RWC), electrolyte leakage (EL), and photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) to drought stress. The RWC and Fv/Fm declined with drought stress, but were maintained at higher levels in the high resistance group than the other group, while EL increased during drought and was lower in the high resistance group. Texas bluegrass, Midnight KBG, and two hybrids were ranked highest in drought resistance. Other hybrids varied in drought resistance, with more hybrids of BDF × Midnight ranked in the high drought resistance group than the hybrids of BDF x C-74. Among all physiological parameters examined, EL was the most sensitive indicator to drought stress, as demonstrated by its most rapid increase in response to the stress. High Fv/Fm and retaining of green leaves during drought stress contributed to fast recovery from drought stress following rewatering.
Dimensionless Analysis of Micro Pirani Gauges for Broad Pressure Sensing Range

This article proposes a dimensionless thermal analysis of micro-fabricated membranes as Pirani gauges for pressure measurements. Use of dimensionless numbers simplifies the mode l and facilitates understanding. Our model’s predictions are consistent with experimental results obtained from heated suspended SiO2/SiN membranes with a sub-micrometer separation distance with the substrate (500 nm). Other systems reported in the literature also confirmed the modelling. This framework is a powerful prediction tool as it allows a study of the effects of key parameters on the sensing pressure range, including geometry, material properties and radiative heat fluxes. It also addresses the effect of the operating mode, either constant temperature or constant power. Furthermore, we propose a methodology for rapid design of Pirani gauge arrays to reach a broad range of pressure measurements from atmospheric pressure to high vacuum (10−3 Pa) without microcontroller use. We prove that this new formalism offers a way to optimize the geometry to reach the target application, which essentially depends on the power consumption, material choice and the pressure measurement range.
Combined Delivery of Temozolomide and siPLK1 Using Targeted Nanoparticles to Enhance Temozolomide Sensitivity in Glioma

Introduction Temozolomide (TMZ) is the first-line chemotherapeutic option to treat glioma; however, its efficacy and clinical application are limited by its drug resistance properties. Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1)-targeted therapy causes G2/M arrest and increases the sensitivity of glioma to TMZ. Therefore, to limit TMZ resistance in glioma, an angiopep-2 (A2)-modified polymeric micelle (A2PEC) embedded with TMZ and a small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting PLK1 (siPLK1) was developed (TMZ-A2PEC/siPLK). Materials and Methods TMZ was encapsulated by A2-PEG-PEI-PCL (A2PEC) through the hydrophobic interaction, and siPLK1 was complexed with the TMZ-A2PEC through electrostatic interaction. Th﻿en, an angiopep-2 (A2) modified polymeric micelle (A2PEC) embedding TMZ and siRNA targeting polo-like kinase 1 (siPLK1) was developed (TMZ-A2PEC/siPLK). Results In vitro experiments indicated that TMZ-A2PEC/siPLK effectively enhanced the cellular uptake of TMZ and siPLK1 and resulted in significant cell apoptosis and cytotoxicity of glioma cells. In vivo experiments showed that glioma growth was inhibited, and the survival time of the animals was prolonged remarkably after TMZ-A2PEC/siPLK1 was injected via their tail vein. Discussion The results demonstrate that the combination of TMZ and siPLK1 in A2PEC could enhance the efficacy of TMZ in treating glioma.
Determining Ion Toxicity in Cucumber under Salinity Stress

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), an important vegetable crop, is sensitive to NaCl. Its salinity tolerance can be improved by grafting onto pumpkin rootstocks, which restricts the uptake of Na+, but not of Cl−. Although Na+ seems to be more toxic than Cl− in cucumber, tissue tolerance to Na+ and Cl− is still unclear. In this study, a mixed-salt experiment, designed for equal osmolarity and equimolar concentrations of ions between treatments, was conducted using cucumber genotypes “Aramon” and “Line-759,” which are different in Na+ and Cl− exclusion. This combination of treatments generated various patterns of ion concentrations in leaves for deriving the response curves of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance to ion concentrations. In both cultivars, photosynthesis and stomatal conductance were sensitive to leaf Na+ concentration but insensitive to Cl− concentration. In these genotypes, tissue tolerance to Na+ varied independently of Na+ exclusion. Grafting “Aramon” onto pumpkin rootstock modified the Na+/Cl− ratio in leaves, reduced Na+ uptake, enhanced K+ transport towards the young leaves, and induced Cl− recirculation to the old leaves. These results suggest that (1) cucumber cannot restrict the Na+ accumulation in leaves but is able to avoid overaccumulation of Cl−, and (2) pumpkin rootstock regulates the recirculation of K+ and Cl−, but not Na+.