Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spatial and Temporal Coordination of oskar mRNA Localization and Translation During Drosophila Oogenesis

In the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, accumulation of osk mRNA at the posterior pole of the oocyte and local translation initiate assembly of the pole plasm, which is required for germ cell formation and posterior patterning of the embryo. I have used fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in combination with immunofluorescence and laser scanning confocal microscopy to examine the spatial and temporal control of osk transcript localization and translation. Drosophila oocytes develop within cysts of 16 interconnected cells. One cell in each cyst differentiates to form the oocyte while the remaining cells form nurse cells that produce RNAs and proteins that are transported to the oocyte. osk mRNA is produced by the nurse cells and accumulates in the oocyte throughout oogenesis, but is only specifically localized to the posterior pole and translated during mid to late oogenesis. My studies help define distinct steps in the osk mRNA localization process. An early step in posterior localization is removal of osk mRNA from most of the cortex, leading to accumulation in the oocyte interior. This process requires microtubules, the microtubule motor protein Kinesin I, the actin binding protein Tropomyosin, and the RNA binding protein Staufen. Transcript then moves from the oocyte interior to the posterior pole through a microtubule independent process. The genes cappuccino, chickadee, spire, armitage, maelstrom, par-1 and gurken are all required for this next step in osk mRNA localization. The final capturing or tethering osk mRNA at the cortex requires an intact actin filament system, but additional components of this anchoring system remain to be identified. I also find that osk mRNA first begins to accumulate at the posterior pole during oogenesis stage 8, but protein is not detectable until stage 9. In addition, grk and par-1 mutations that block osk mRNA localization to the posterior pole and lead to transcript accumulation in the interior do not prevent translation; again, Osk protein production is only observed during stage 9 and later. These observations indicate that posterior localization is neither
Effect of Cyclodextrins on the Biofilm Formation Capacity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1

Quorum sensing (QS) is a population-density-dependent communication process of microorganisms to coordinate their activities by producing and detecting low-molecular-weight signal molecules. In pathogenic bacteria, the property controlled by QS is often related to infectivity, e.g., biofilm formation. Molecular encapsulation of the QS signals is an innovative method to prevent the signals binding to the receptors and to attenuate QS. Cyclodextrins (CDs) may form an inclusion complex with the signals, thus reducing the communication (quorum quenching, QQ). A systematic study was performed with α-, β-cyclodextrin, and their random methylated, quaternary amino and polymer derivatives to evaluate and compare their effects on the biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. To examine the concentration-, temperature- and time-dependency of the QQ effect, the CDs were applied at a 0.1–12.5 mM concentration range, and biofilm formation was studied after 6, 24, 48 and 72 h at 22 and 30 °C. According to the results, the QS mechanism was significantly inhibited; the size of the cavity, the structure of the substituents, as well as the monomeric or polymeric character together with the concentration of the CDs have been identified as key influencing factors of biofilm formation. Statistically determined effective concentration values demonstrated outstanding efficiency (higher than 80% inhibition) of α-CD and its random methylated and polymer derivatives both on the short and long term. In summary, the potential value of CDs as inhibitors of QS should be considered since the inhibition of biofilm formation could significantly impact human health and the environment.
An analysis of the self-excited torsional vibrations of the electromechanical drive system

This paper presents a dynamic analysis of torsional vibrations of the railway drive system. A dynamic electromechanical drive model has been created and then integrated with the railway wheelset-rail system to simulate self-excited torsional vibrations of the considered system. Results of this analysis are used in order to investigate the drive system’s sensitivity to torsional oscillations. Here, the dynamic electromechanical interaction between the electric driving motor and the rotating wheelset is considered. This investigation has proved that the torsional stiffness and damping of drivetrain system strongly affect amplitudes of the selfexcited vibrations. A self-excited vibrations affecting on an energy consumption of the electric motor of the considered system are studied
Online distributed nonlinear regression via neural networks

In this paper, we study the nonlinear regression problem in a network of nodes and introduce long short term memory (LSTM) based algorithms. In order to learn the parameters of the LSTM architecture in an online manner, we put the LSTM equations into a nonlinear state space form and then introduce our distributed particle filtering (DPF) based training algorithm. Our training algorithm asymptotically achieves the optimal training performance. In our simulations, we illustrate the performance improvement achieved by the introduced algorithm with respect to the conventional methods.
On the regularity of the complex Monge-Ampère equations

We shall consider the regularity of solutions for the complex Monge-Amp`ere equations in C n or a bounded domain. First we prove interior C 2 estimates of solutions in a bounded domain for the complex Monge-Amp`ere equations with the assumption of an L p bound for (cid:2) u , p > n 2 , and of a Lipschitz condition on the right-hand side. Then we shall construct a family of Pogorelov-type examples for the complex Monge-Amp`ere equations. These examples give generalized entire solutions (as well as viscosity solutions) of the complex Monge-Amp`ere equation det( u i ¯ j ) = 1 in C n .
Solution of the Phase Change Stefan Problem With Time-Dependent Heat Flux Using Perturbation Method

Theoretical understanding of phase change heat transfer problems is of much interest for multiple engineering applications. Exact solutions for phase change heat transfer problems are often not available, and approximate analytical methods are needed to be used. This paper presents a solution for a one-dimensional (1D) phase change problem with time-dependent heat flux boundary condition using the perturbation method. Two different expressions for propagation of the phase change front are derived. For the special case of constant heat flux, the present solution is shown to offer key advantages over past papers. Specifically, the present solution results in greater accuracy and does not diverge at large times unlike past results. The theoretical result is used for understanding the nature of phase change propagation for linear and periodic heat flux boundary conditions. In addition to improving the theoretical understanding of phase change heat transfer problems, these results may contribute toward design of phase change based thermal management for a variety of engineering applications, such as cooling of Li-ion batteries.
HELIOSTAT FIELD EFFICIENCY TEST OF BEAM DOWN CSP PILOT PLANT EXPEREMINATAL RESULTS

A test for studying the performance of individual heliostats of the beam down pilot plant was performed. The goal of this test is to get better understanding of the features as well as the issues associated with the unique heliostats used in this plant. The method for comparing the flux distribution maps is first presented; this method is meant for analyzing a large amount of data automatically and without having to inspect each flux map individually. Three parameters where chosen to assess each flux map, they are a measure of 1) overall DNI resource utilization 2) concentration quality of the heliostat and 3) centering of the flux map. This method is then applied to the experimental data obtained by testing the heliostat field for six days and a summary of the results is presented at the end.
Rottlerin Stimulates Exosome/Microvesicle Release Via the Increase of Ceramide Levels Mediated by Ampk in an In Vitro Model of Intracellular Lipid Accumulation

Exosomes/microvesicles originate from multivesicular bodies that allow the secretion of endolysosome components out of the cell. In the present work, we investigated the effects of rottlerin, a polyphenol, on exosome/microvesicle secretion in a model of intracellular lipid trafficking impairment, and elucidated the mechanism of action. In a model of lipid trafficking impairment in C6 glia cells, rottlerin increased ceramide levels, while decreasing hexosylceramide content. This was accompanied by increased exosome/microvesicle secretion, thereby reducing the concentration of lipids in the endolysosomal compartment. The reduction of hexosylceramide levels by rottlerin was attributed to the increase of β-glucosidase (glucosylceramidase) activity, and the effects of rottlerin were abrogated by β-glucosidase inhibitors such as isofagomine D-tartrate and AMP-deoxynojirimycin. Moreover, treatment with ML-266, a potent activator of the β-glucosidase enzyme, recapitulated the effects of rottlerin on the sphingolipid profile and exosome/microvesicle secretion. Finally, inhibition of AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) using compound C prevented both exosome/microvesicle secretion and the elimination of endolysosome lipids, which were promoted by rottlerin. The results showed that the decrease in intracellular lipid deposition induced by rottlerin was mediated by β-glucosidase activation and exosome/microvesicle release via the AMPK pathway. Rottlerin consumption could represent an additional health benefit in lysosomal deposition diseases.
CARACTERÍSTICAS EMPREENDEDORAS E DESEMPENHO DA VITIVINICULTURA NA REGIÃO DA CAMPANHA GAÚCHA DO BRASIL

No meio rural, o aumento da concorrência e a disputa por novos mercados têm demandado dos produtores certas características comportamentais, tais como inovar, assumir riscos calculados e tomar decisões diante de incertezas, isto é, um comportamento empreendedor. Com isso, o estudo buscou analisar a relação de características empreendedoras e o desempenho de vitivinicultores da região da Campanha Gaúcha do Brasil. Com uma abordagem quantitativa, aplicaram-se questionários para 57 produtores de uva da região da Campanha Gaúcha, sendo os dados analisados por estatística descritiva, teste de hipóteses e regressão linear múltipla. Nos resultados, constatou-se relação entre as características empreendedoras e o desempenho econômico-financeiro e mercadológico dos produtores de uva, com destaque à característica “Inovação e Planejamento”. Além disso, o estudo traz um panorama da produção vitivinícola da Campanha Gaúcha, a qual possui capacidade para inovação e desenvolvimento regional. O estudo contribui ao relacionar o comportamento empreendedor e o desempenho do agronegócio da produção de uvas, sendo que o modelo teórico elaborado no estudo propicia sua futura utilização em diferentes contextos agropecuários.
Effects of the integrated use of effective micro-organisms, compost and mineral fertilizer on greenhouse-grown tomato

Effective microorganisms (EM), a commercial concoction of microbes that includes yeasts, fungi, bacteria and actinomycetes, have been found to be effective in enhancing crop growth by a number of scholars. The present study was carried out mainly to investigate the effects of effective micro-organisms on growth, yield and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum mill) grown under a controlled environment, along with selected soil properties. Treatments included: control, effective microorganisms, mineral fertilizer, effective microorganisms + mineral fertilizer, compost, compost + effective microorganisms, compost + mineral fertilizer and compost + mineral fertilizer + effective microorganisms. EM application had a negative effect on tomato leaf dry matter yield, number of leaves, number of trusses, fruit yield and number of fruits. The negative effects of EM were ascribed to nitrogen immobilization by the effective microorganisms that could have resulted in reduced nitrogen availability to plants. The lower number of fruits associated with EM application resulted in improved average fruit weight of tomatoes grown in the greenhouse, possibly as a result of more assimilates being partitioned to the few fruits formed. Key words: Tomato, compost, effective microorganisms (EM), mineral fertilizer, yield.
Gaussian Process Regression for Transportation System Estimation and Prediction Problems: The Deformation and a Hat Kernel

Gaussian process regression (GPR) is an emerging machine learning model with potential in a wide range of transportation system estimation and prediction problems, especially those where the uncertainty of estimation needs to be measured, for instance, traffic flow analysis, the transportation infrastructure performance estimation problems and transportation simulation-based optimization problems. The kernel function is the core component of GPR, and the radial basis function (RBF) kernel is the most commonly used one, suitable for tasks without special knowledge about the patterns of data, like trend and periodicity. However, an inappropriate hyperparameter of the kernel function may lead to over-fitting or under-fitting of GPR. During hyperparameter optimization, the usage of the RBF kernel often suffers from the issue of failing to find the optimal hyperparameter. This paper aims to address this problem by promoting the use of the hat kernel, which can reduce the risk of under-fitting. Moreover, we propose the notion of deformation, corresponding to severe over-fitting of a GPR. To further address this issue, we investigate the connection between deformation and the Bayesian generalization error of GPR. Two lower bounds for the hyperparameter of the hat kernel are also proposed to avoid deformation of GPR.
Synthetic threat injection using digital twin informed augmentation

The growing x-ray detection burden for vehicles at Ports of Entry in the US requires the development of efficient and reliable algorithms to assist human operator in detecting contraband. Developing algorithms for large-scale non-intrusive inspection (NII) that both meet operational performance requirements and are extensible for use in an evolving environment requires large volumes and varieties of training data, yet collecting and labeling data for these enivornments is prohibitively costly and time consuming. Given these, generating synthetic data to augment algorithm training has been a focus of recent research. Here we discuss the use of synthetic imagery in an object detection framework, and describe a simulation based approach to determining domain-informed threat image projection (TIP) augmentation.
A Method of Determining Multi-Attribute Weights Based on Single-Valued Neutrosophic Numbers and Its Application in TODIM

In this paper, the TODIM method is used to solve the multi-attribute decision-making problem with unknown attribute weight in venture capital, and the decision information is given in the form of single-valued neutrosophic numbers. In order to consider the objectivity and subjectivity of decision-making problems reasonably, the optimal weight is obtained by combining subjective weights and objective weights. Subjective weights are given directly by decision makers. Objective weights are obtained by establishing a weight optimization model with known decision information, then this method will compare with entropy weight method. These simulation results also validate the effectiveness and reasonableness of this proposed method.
Near-Infrared Organic Fluorescent Nanoparticles for Long-term Monitoring and Photodynamic Therapy of Cancer

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), which utilizes reactive oxygen species to ablate tumor, has attracted much attention in recent years. Photosensitizers with near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence as well as efficient ROS generation ability have been used for precise diagnosis and simultaneous treatment of cancer. However, photosensitizers frequently suffer from low ROS generation ability and NIR fluorescence quenching in aqueous media due to the aggregation. Methods: We prepare an effective AIE active NIR emissive photosensitizer containing rhodanine as electron acceptor and triphenylvinylthiophene as electron donor is prepared, and encapsulate the corresponding photosensitizer into Pluronic F127 to fabricate NIR organic fluorescent nanoparticles. We then evaluate the NIR fluorescence bioimaging and photodynamic therapy ability of TPVTR dots in vitro and in vivo. Results: The yielded organic fluorescent nanoparticles exhibit effective ROS generation ability, bright NIR emission, high photostability, and good biocompatibility. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments confirm that NIR organic fluorescent nanoparticles demonstrate good performances in long-term tracing and photodynamic ablation of tumor. Conclusion: In summary, the synthesized organic fluorescent nanoparticles, TPVTR dots, showed great potentials in long-term cell tracing and photodynamic therapy of tumor. Our study highlights the efficient strategy for developing promising near-infrared organic fluorescent nanoparticles in advancing the field of bioimaging and further image-guide clinical applications.
Security Outage Probability Analysis of Cognitive Networks With Multiple Eavesdroppers for Industrial Internet of Things

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has been recognised as having the potential to benefit a range of industrial sectors substantially. However, widespread development and deployment of IIoT systems are limited for some reasons, the most significant of which are a shortage of spectrum resources and network security issues. Given the heterogeneity of IIoT devices, typical cryptographic security techniques are insufficient since they can suffer from challenges including computation, storage, latency, and interoperability. This paper presents a physical layer security analysis of the underlying cognitive radio networks for IIoT. Through consideration of the spectrum, IIoT devices can opportunistically utilise the primary spectrum, thereby improving spectrum efficiency and allowing access by an increased number of devices. Specifically, we propose two cognitive relay transmission (CRT) schemes, optimal single CRT (O-SCRT) and multiple CRT (MCRT), to improve transmission reliability further. Since it is challenging to obtain channel state information in the wiretap link, we provide a sub-optimal single CRT scheme and derive closed-form expressions of security outage probability by invoking both selection combination and maximal ratio combination techniques at the eavesdropper. To provide a benchmark, the round-robin single CRT scheme is also analyzed. Simulation results are provided to verify our analysis and show that O-SCRT provides the best system security outage performance.
Two-dimensional quantum liquids from interacting non-Abelian anyons

A set of localized, non-Abelian anyons—such as vortices in a px+ipy superconductor or quasiholes in certain quantum Hall states—gives rise to a macroscopic degeneracy. Such a degeneracy is split in the presence of interactions between the anyons. Here, we show that in two spatial dimensions this splitting selects a unique collective state as ground state of the interacting many-body system. This collective state can be a novel gapped quantum liquid nucleated inside the original parent liquid (of which the anyons are excitations). This physics is of relevance for any quantum Hall plateau realizing a non-Abelian quantum Hall state when moving off the center of the plateau.
Non-destructive collisions and the evolution of the orbits of binary asteroid systems in the Main Belt

The effect of collisions on the stability of binary asteroids is discussed. The following mechanisms are taken into account: (1) complete disruption of one of the members of the system and (2) increase of linear momentum imparted by non-disruptive collisions. The latter effect is found to progressively increase the orbital energy of the systems up to the limit of binary gravitational instability. We focus on the case of binary asteroids belonging to the Main Belt. We show that the probability that a binary system ‘evaporates’ before collisional disruption of one of the two members is not negligible. As a consequence, the expected lifetime of a binary system can decrease significantly. Binary ‘evaporation’ causes the two former members to continue to exist as independent asteroids forming a so-called asteroid pair. The efficiency of this mechanism critically depends on the properties of the binary system and on the collisional environment. Several different scenarios have been taken into account concerning the size distribution of possible projectiles in the asteroid Main Belt, while the estimate of the fragmentation threshold in energetic impacts is based on the work of Benz & Asphaug. We estimate the expected average lifetime of a binary system as a function of different parameters including the size of the primary, the size ratio of the members and the orbital properties of the system. Moreover, the expected lifetimes of binary asteroids which are known today have been computed as a function of different possible collisional environments.
Chocolates Bean to Bar e a COVID-19: uma análise dos impactos da pandemia na gestão de empresas de chocolates artesanais brasileiras

A pandemia da COVID-19 impactou diversas esferas da sociedade e alterou dinâmicas na gestão das empresas. O presente estudo tem o objetivo de compreender de que modo a pandemia da COVID-19 afetou a gestão das empresas de chocolate artesanal no Brasil, especificamente as empresas de chocolates bean to bar – ou seja, feitos pelos mesmos produtores desde a amêndoa até a barra de chocolate. Para tanto, desenvolveu-se uma revisão de literatura sobre o mercado de chocolates artesanais no Brasil e as dificuldades enfrentadas por empresas a partir da crise mundial causada pela pandemia da COVID19, que baseou a pesquisa qualitativa. Foram feitas, então, entrevistas semiestruturadas com quatorze membros de quatro associações de chocolates artesanais no Brasil. Os dados coletados foram submetidos à técnica de análise de vídeos de Denzin (2004). A partir das análises, observou-se que as empresas foram impactadas de diferentes maneiras a partir das vivências dos proprietários, da localização de suas fábricas, dos recursos disponíveis e das iniciativas tomadas a partir do conhecimento da crise. A mais significativa mudança na gestão foi a necessidade de adaptação às redes sociais digitais, bem como a profissionalização da presença online e de e-commerce para viabilização da continuidade de operação.