Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parallel Evolution of Sex-Linked Genes across XX/XY and ZZ/ZW Sex Chromosome Systems in the Frog Glandirana rugosa

Genetic sex-determination features male (XX/XY) or female heterogamety (ZZ/ZW). To identify similarities and differences in the molecular evolution of sex-linked genes between these systems, we directly compared the sex chromosome systems existing in the frog Glandirana rugosa. The heteromorphic X/Y and Z/W sex chromosomes were derived from chromosomes 7 (2n = 26). RNA-Seq, de novo assembly, and BLASTP analyses identified 766 sex-linked genes. These genes were classified into three different clusters (XW/YZ, XY/ZW, and XZ/YW) based on sequence identities between the chromosomes, probably reflecting each step of the sex chromosome evolutionary history. The nucleotide substitution per site was significantly higher in the Y- and Z-genes than in the X- and W- genes, indicating male-driven mutation. The ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous nucleotide substitution rates was higher in the X- and W-genes than in the Y- and Z-genes, with a female bias. Allelic expression in gonad, brain, and muscle was significantly higher in the Y- and W-genes than in the X- and Z-genes, favoring heterogametic sex. The same set of sex-linked genes showed parallel evolution across the two distinct systems. In contrast, the unique genomic region of the sex chromosomes demonstrated a difference between the two systems, with even and extremely high expression ratios of W/Z and Y/X, respectively.
Microparticle flow generation by a ferroelectric plasma source

The paper presents the experimental results of the investigation of microparticle emission from a Ba–Ti-based ferroelectric sample subjected to a driving pulse with a slow rise time and a fast fall time. It was found that the formation of incomplete discharges on the surface of the ferroelectric is accompanied by the emission of an intense positively charged microparticle flow. This microparticle flow (density, velocity distribution, momentum and average microparticle charge) was studied using electrical and optical diagnostics at different distances from the front surface of the ferroelectric sample and at several time delays with respect to the fast fall of the driving pulse. It was shown that microparticles are positively charged at about 6×10−15 C; they have an average size of about 5 μm, a density of about 7×104 cm−2 and an average velocity of about 6×103 cm s−2. The mechanism of the formation of these microparticles and the application of microparticle flows as a propellant for a small thruster are discussed.
The forcing connected detour number of a graph

For two vertices u and v in a graph G = (V, E), the detour distance D(u, v) is the length of a longest u—v path in G.A u—v path of length D(u, v) is called a u—v detour. A set ⊆ V is called a detour set of G if every vertex in G lies on a detour joining a pair of vertices of S.The detour number dn(G) of G is the minimum order of its detour sets and any detour set of order dn(G) is a detour basis of G.A set ⊆ V is called a connected detour set of G if S is detour set of G and the subgraph G[S] induced by S is connected. The connected detour number cdn(G) of G is the minimum order of its connected detour sets and any connected detour set of order cdn(G) is called a connected detour basis of G.A subset T of a connected detour basis S is called a forcing subset for S if S is theuniquecon-nected detour basis containing T. A forcing subset for S of minimum cardinality is a minimum forcing subset of S. The forcing connected detour number of S, denoted by fcdn(S), is the cardinality of a minimum forcing subset for S. The forcing connected detour number of G, denoted by fcdn(G),is fcdn(G) = min{fcdn(S)},where the minimum is taken over all connected detour bases S in G. The forcing connected detour numbers ofcertain standard graphs are obtained. It is shown that for each pair a, b of integers with 0 ≤ a
Microfluidic pumps employing surface acoustic waves generated in ZnO thin films

ZnO thin film based surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices have been utilized to fabricate microfluidic pumps. The SAW devices were fabricated on nanocrystalline ZnO piezoelectric thin films deposited on Si substrates using rf magnetron sputtering and use a Sezawa wave mode for effective droplet motion. The as-deposited ZnO surface is hydrophilic, with a water contact angle of ∼75°, which prevents droplet pumping. Therefore, the ZnO surface was coated using a self-assembled monolayer of octadecyltrichlorosilane which forms a hydrophobic surface with a water contact angle of ∼110°. Liquid droplets between 0.5 and 1 μl in volume were successfully pumped on the hydrophobic ZnO surface at velocities up to 1 cm s−1. Under acoustic pressure, the water droplet on an hydrophilic surface becomes deformed, and the asymmetry in the contact angle at the trailing and leading edges allow the force acting upon the droplet to be calculated. These forces, which increase with input voltage above a threshold level, are found t.
Demographics and Etiology for Lower Extremity Amputations—Experiences of an University Orthopaedic Center in Germany

Background and Objectives: Currently, the worldwide incidence of major amputations in the general population is decreasing whereas the incidence of minor amputations is increasing. The purpose of our study was to analyze whether this trend is reflected among orthopaedic patients treated with lower extremity amputation in our orthopaedic university institution. Materials and Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective study and included patients referred to our orthopaedic department for lower extremity amputation (LEA) between January 2007 and December 2019. Acquired data were the year of amputation, age, sex, level of amputation and cause of amputation. T test and Chi² test were performed to compare age and amputation rates between males and females; significance was defined as p < 0.05. Linear regression and multivariate logistic regression models were used to test time trends and to calculate probabilities for LEA. Results: A total of 114 amputations of the lower extremity were performed, of which 60.5% were major amputations. The number of major amputations increased over time with a rate of 0.6 amputation/year. Men were significantly more often affected by LEA than women. Age of LEA for men was significantly below the age of LEA for women (men: 54.8 ± 2.8 years, women: 64.9 ± 3.2 years, p = 0.021). Main causes leading to LEA were tumors (28.9%) and implant-associated complications (25.4%). Implant-associated complications and age raised the probability for major amputation, whereas malformation, angiopathies and infections were more likely to cause a minor amputation. Conclusions: Among patients in our orthopaedic institution, etiology of amputations of the lower extremity is multifactorial and differs from other surgical specialties. The number of major amputations has increased continuously over the past years. Age and sex, as well as diagnosis, influence the type and level of amputation.
Microscopic failure behavior of nanoporous gold

Nanoporous metals have recently attracted considerable interest fueled by potential sensor and actuator applications. One of the key issues in this context is the synthesis of high yield strength materials. Nanoporous Au (np-Au) has been suggested as a candidate due to its monolithic character. The material can be synthesized by dealloying Ag-Au alloys, and exhibits an open sponge-like morphology of interconnecting Au ligaments with a typical pore size distribution on the nanometer length scale. Unfortunately, very little is known about the mechanical properties of np-Au besides a length-scale dependent ductile-brittle transition. A key question in this context is: what causes the macroscopic brittleness of np-Au? Is the normal dislocation-mediated plastic deformation suppressed in nanoscale Au ligaments, or is the brittleness a consequence of the macroscopic morphology? Here, we report on the fracture behavior of nanoporous Au studied by scanning electron microscopy. Specifically, we demonstrate the microscopic ductility of nanometer-sized Au ligaments. The observed fracture behavior seems to be general for nanoporous metals, and can be understood in terms of simple fuse networks.
Investigating the radiative effect of Arctic cirrus measured in situ during the winter 2015–2016

Abstract. The radiative energy budget in the Arctic undergoes a rapid transformation compared with global mean changes. Understanding the role of cirrus clouds in this system is vital, as they interact with short- and long-wave radiation, and the presence of cirrus can be decisive as to a net gain or loss of radiative energy in the polar atmosphere. In an effort to derive the radiative properties of cirrus in a real scenario in this sensitive region, we use in situ measurements of the ice water content (IWC) performed during the Polar Stratosphere in a Changing Climate (POLSTRACC) aircraft campaign in the boreal winter and spring 2015–2016 employing the German High Altitude and Long Range Research Aircraft (HALO). A large dataset of IWC measurements of mostly thin cirrus at high northern latitudes was collected in the upper troposphere and also frequently in the lowermost stratosphere. From this dataset, we select vertical profiles that sampled the complete vertical extent of cirrus cloud layers. These profiles exhibit a vertical IWC structure that will be shown to control the instantaneous radiative effect in both the long and short wavelength regimes in the polar winter. We perform radiative transfer calculations with the uvspec model from the libRadtran software package in a one-dimensional column between the surface and the top of the atmosphere (TOA), using the IWC profiles as well as the state of the atmospheric column at the time of measurement, as given by weather forecast products, as input. In parameter studies, we vary the surface albedo and solar zenith angle in ranges typical of the Arctic region. We find the strongest (positive) radiative forcing up to about 48 W m−2 for cirrus over bright snow, whereas the forcing is mostly weaker and even ambiguous, with a rather symmetric range of values down to -35Wm-2, over the open ocean in winter and spring. The IWC structure over several kilometres in the vertical affects the irradiance at the TOA via the distribution of optical thickness. We show the extent to which IWC profiles with a coarser vertical resolution can reflect this effect. Further, a highly variable heating rate profile within the cloud is found which drives dynamical processes and contributes to the thermal stratification at the tropopause. Our case studies highlight the importance of a detailed resolution of cirrus clouds and the consideration of surface albedo for estimations of the radiative energy budget in the Arctic.
Reduced conservatism of eigenvalue estimation

Provides new techniques to give simple estimates of the eigenvalues of a matrix. In some cases the new results, Theorems 1 and 2, improve those obtained by Gershgorin's theorem. The additional use of Theorems 3 and 4, give less conservative estimates than those using Gershgorin's theorem alone. >
High capacitance-temperature sensitivity and giant dielectric constant in SrTiO3

A dielectric relaxation with a “giant” dielectric constant (e∼104) at low frequencies and a remaining high e(∼5×103) background at high frequencies (>1MHz) are observed in Bi doped SrTiO3 ceramics annealed in a reduced atmosphere. The material possesses a very high capacitance-temperature sensitivity at ∼2K, which is much higher than the values reported in the current literature. The giant dielectric constant at low frequencies is attributed to the “Maxwell-Wagner” interfacial polarization based on the study of the complex-impedance spectrum. The remaining high dielectric constant at high frequencies is tentatively attributed to the “electron-relaxation mode” coupling polarization.
Evaluating the Arterial Stiffness as a Useful Tool in the Management of Obese Children

Childhood obesity speeds up the development of arterial stiffness and progressively increases the values of arterial pressure. The purpose of this study is to investigate the value of using pulse wave analysis (PWA) to measure arterial stiffness as a sign of vascular wall impairment in obese children. The research was focused on 60 subjects: 33 obese and 27 normal-weight. Ages ranged from 6 to 18 years old. PWA includes parameters such as pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (AIx), peripheral and central blood pressure (SBP, DBP, cSBP, cDBP), heart rate, and central pulse pressure (cPP). The device used was a Mobil-O-Graph. Blood parameters were taken from the subject’s medical history, not older than 6 months. A high BMI and a large waist circumference are linked to a high PWV. The levels of LDL-c, triglycerides (TG), non-HDL-c, TG/HDL-c ratio, and total cholesterol-HDL-c ratio significantly correlate to PWV, SBP, and cSBP. Alanine aminotransferase is a reliable predictor of PWV, AIx, SBP, DBP, and cDBP, while aspartate aminotransferase is a significant predictor of AIx, mean arterial pressure (MAP), cSBP, and cPP. 25-OH-Vitamin D negatively correlates with PWV, SBP, and MAP and significantly predicts the MAP. Cortisol and TSH levels are not significant to arterial stiffness in obese children without specific comorbidities and neither is fasting glucose in obese children without impaired glucose tolerance. We conclude that PWA contributes valuable data regarding patients’ vascular health and should be considered a reliable tool in the management of obese children.
Uniform asymptotic Green's functions for efficient modeling of cracks in elastic layers with relative shear deformation controlled by linear springs

We present a uniform asymptotic solution (UAS) for a displacement discontinuity (DD) that lies within the middle layer of a three‐layer elastic medium in which relative shear deformation between parallel interfaces is controlled by linear springs. The DD is assumed to be normal to the two interfaces between the elastic media. Using the Fourier transform method we construct a leading term in the asymptotic expansion for the spectral coefficient functions for a DD in a three‐layer‐spring medium. Although a closed‐form solution will require a solution in terms of an infinite series, we demonstrate how this UAS can be used to construct highly efficient and accurate solutions even in the case in which the DD actually touches the interface. We compare the results using the Green's function UAS solution for a crack crossing a soft interface with results obtained using a multi‐layer boundary element method. We also present results from an implementation of the UAS Green's function approach in a pseudo‐3D hydraulic fracturing simulator to analyze the effect of interface shear deformation on the fracture propagation process. These results are compared with field measurements. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Molecular Dynamics And Density Functional Studies Of A Body-Centered-Tetragonal Polymorph Of Zno

We report a previously unknown body-centered-tetragonal structure for ZnO. This structure results from a phase transformation from wurtzite in [0001]-oriented nanorods during uniaxial tensile loading and is the most stable phase for ZnO when stress is above 7 GPa. The stress-induced phase transformation has important implications for the electronic, piezoelectric, mechanical, and thermal responses of ZnO. The discovery of this polymorph brings about a more complete understanding of the extent and nature of polymorphism in ZnO. A crystalline structure-load triaxiality map is developed to summarize the relationship between structure and loading.
Low‐frequency hearing sensitivity in the echolocating bat, Eptesicusfuscus

Echolocating bats of the species Eptesicus fuscus use sound at frequencies of 10 to 100 kHz for sonar or for acoustic social communication, and they hear these ultrasonic frequencies very well. Eptesicus also has a lower‐frequency region of auditory sensitivity from 200 Hz to 5 kHz. They may use these lower frequencies to detect and identify insect prey by passive hearing of the insect’s own sounds. The hearing of Eptesicus at low frequencies is tuned to 0.7 to 1.3 kHz, indicating that some specialization of the auditory system, perhaps in the external or middle ear, underlies the capacity to hear these lower frequencies. The results also suggest some specific role for low‐frequency hearing in the bat’s life, and it is known that Eptesicus orients towards the sounds produced by insects under natural conditions.
Two-dimensional analytic theory for toroidal Alfven eigenmodes

A two‐dimensional analysis of the toroidal Alfven eigenmodes (TAE) is presented, based on an integrodifferential equation describing the shear Alfven perturbation of a toroidal plasma equilibrium in terms of coupling among the toroidal Alfven continua with the usual gap structure. Using a method similar to the Van Kampen–Case analysis for the Vlasov equation, exact analytic expressions are derived for the dispersion function and the two‐dimensional eigenmode structure. The dispersion function is expressed in terms of Cauchy‐type integrals, which explicitly expresses the global character of TAE modes and facilitates the calculation of their damping. The continuum‐damped TAE modes are shown to be, in general, not true eigenmodes of the toroidal plasma equilibrium, but rather resonances corresponding to zeros of the analytic continuation of the dispersion function onto unphysical sheets of its Riemann surface. Approximate but explicit expressions for the dispersion relation and the eigenfunction are also obtained in the limit of vanishing inverse aspect ratio.
Time-resolved x-ray spectroscopies: Nonlinear response functions and Liouville-space pathways

A systematic description of coherent ultrafast x-ray spectroscopies in terms of nonlinear response functions and susceptibilities is developed. Correlation-function expressions of charge and current densities provide a unified treatment and classification of information content of the various possible techniques and connect them with their optical counterparts. Applications to pump-probe and four-wave mixing measurements are discussed.
Atomistic study on the strength of symmetric tilt grain boundaries in graphene

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to study the mechanical response of various bicrystal graphene consisting of symmetric tilt boundary subject to uniaxial tensile loading at room temperature. We found that the strength of zigzag-oriented graphene increases slightly with mis-orientation angle, while the strength of armchair-oriented graphene deceases slightly with mis-orientation angle. Given that the difference in strength is small, one might conclude that the dependence of strength of graphene sheet containing grain boundaries upon tilt mis-orientation angle is rather weak. The origin for such weak dependence is believed to be that these grain boundaries all consisting of pentagon-heptagon pairs do not resemble nano-cracks, which result in rather heterogeneous stress field around the crack tip and therefore stress gradient plays an important role.
Disturbance Rejection Control for Networked Control Systems Using Subpredictor-Based Extended State Observer

In this article, we consider the disturbance rejection control problem for networked control systems using a subpredictor-based extended state observer. The networked control system is subject to large input and output delays. To handle the time delays, a subpredictor-based extended state observer is proposed to estimate the unknown state and disturbance by dividing the total delay into small pieces. The proposed observer is composed of a set of predictor-based observers connected in series, and each elementary observer is only responsible for compensating the effect of a fraction of the total delay. By using the disturbance compensation technique, we design a sampled-data composite controller to attenuate the influence of external disturbance. The proposed control method can handle the multirate case where the sensor and controller have different sampling and updating rates. It shows that under the proposed control method, the disturbance rejection ability of the control system can be effectively improved in the presence of arbitrary large input and output delays. The simulation results are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control method.
The 1997 reference of diffuse night sky brightness

In the following we present material in tabular and graphical form, with the aim to allow the non-specialist to obtain a realistic estimate of the diffuse night sky brightness over a wide range of wavelengths from the far UV longward of Ly α to the far-infrared. At the same time the data are to provide a reference for cases in which background brightness has to be discussed, including the planning for space observations and the issue of protection of observatory sites. We try to give a critical presentation of the status at the beginning of 1997.
Unit root tests based on inequality-restricted estimators

This study considers the possibility of estimating a Dickey-Fuller regression, constraining the autoregressive parameter to be at most one, and imposing prior knowledge of the sign of the drift parameter. In spite of apparently encouraging asymptotic results, it emerges that no feasible test of the unit root null hypothesis with superior finite sample properties follows from such inequality-restricted estimation.
QTL analysis for ascorbic acid content in strawberry fruit reveals a complex genetic architecture and association with GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase

Abstract Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) fruits are an excellent source of L-ascorbic acid (AsA), a powerful antioxidant for plants and humans. Identifying the genetic components underlying AsA accumulation is crucial for enhancing strawberry nutritional quality. Here, we unravel the genetic architecture of AsA accumulation using an F1 population derived from parental lines ‘Candonga’ and ‘Senga Sengana’, adapted to distinct Southern and Northern European areas. To account for environmental effects, the F1 and parental lines were grown and phenotyped in five locations across Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain). Fruit AsA content displayed normal distribution typical of quantitative traits and ranged five-fold, with significant differences among genotypes and environments. AsA content in each country and the average in all of them was used in combination with 6,974 markers for quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis. Environmentally stable QTLs for AsA content were detected in linkage group (LG) 3A, LG 5A, LG 5B, LG 6B and LG 7C. Candidate genes were identified within stable QTL intervals and expression analysis in lines with contrasting AsA content suggested that GDP-L-Galactose Phosphorylase FaGGP(3A), and the chloroplast-located AsA transporter gene FaPHT4;4(7C) might be the underlying genetic factors for QTLs on LG 3A and 7C, respectively. We show that recessive alleles of FaGGP(3A) inherited from both parental lines increase fruit AsA content. Furthermore, expression of FaGGP(3A) was two-fold higher in lines with high AsA. Markers here identified represent a useful resource for efficient selection of new strawberry cultivars with increased AsA content.