Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differential Responses of Nitrate/Ammonium Use to Bicarbonate Supply in Two Brassicaceae Species under Simulated Karst Habitat

In the karst habitats with nitrate-abundant and ammonium-rare soil, the bicarbonate supply plays a crucial role in both inorganic carbon and nitrogen assimilation in various plant species. Consequently, two carbon sources, carbon dioxide (CO2) and bicarbonate (HCO3−), and two nitrogen sources, namely nitrate (NO3−) and ammonium (NH4+) are available for plants. However, variations in the absorption and utilization of nitrate, ammonium, and inorganic carbon during bicarbonate supply in different plants are not well-depicted. In this study, we evaluated the nitrate/ammonium use efficiency and their contributions to the total nitrogen assimilation/utilization capacity at different bicarbonate levels using a bidirectional stable nitrogen isotope tracer approach. The inorganic carbon assimilation, such as the photosynthesis, carbon/nitrogen enzymatic activities, carbon/nitrogen content, nitrogen assimilation/utilization capacity, and nitrate/ammonium contributions to plant growth, were also evaluated to decipher the responses of both carbon and nitrogen metabolism to bicarbonate supply in karst habitats. With the increasing bicarbonate level, Orychophragmus violaceus (Ov) was found to be more available for nitrate to total nitrogen assimilation and utilization than Bn (Brassica napus). Further, it enhanced the contributions of nitrate and nitrogen accumulation/utilization capacity and inorganic carbon assimilation, increasing photosynthesis, carbon/nitrogen enzymatic activities, and carbon accumulation, and promoted the growth in Ov. Though the highest bicarbonate level was conducive to ammonium utilization and water use efficiency in both Ov and Bn, it inhibited total inorganic carbon and nitrogen assimilation, leading to growth suppression in Bn compared to Ov. Moreover, considering the optimistic responses of both carbon and nitrogen assimilation to the high bicarbonate supply in nitrate-abundant, as well as ammonium-rare, environments, we conclude that Ov was more adaptable to the karst habitats. This study provides a novel approach to elucidate the responses of nitrate/ammonium utilization and inorganic carbon assimilation to bicarbonate. Furthermore, the current study reveals the complex interactions among different carbon–nitrogen metabolism pathways in various plants and their adaptations to karst habitats.
On the influence of density waves on galactic magnetic fields

The growth rate for the bisymmetric magnetic field in the two-dimensional swing-excitation model (Chiba M. and Tosa M., 1990, Mon. Not. Roy. Astr. Soc., 244) is derived. A possible explanation of the observed correlation between the magnetic field strength and the strength of the density wave shock is proposed. Three different mechanisms of magnetic field amplification by a density wave are elucitated
On the evolution of the invariants of the velocity gradient tensor in single-square-grid-generated turbulence

Direct numerical simulations were performed to investigate the topological evolution of turbulence generated by a single square grid. Immediately behind the single square grid (i.e., in the irrotational dissipation region), the conditional mean trajectories (CMTs) of R and Q are distinctly different from those in homogeneous isotropic turbulence (HIT), where R and Q are the third and second invariants, respectively, of the velocity gradient tensor. In this region, the non-local influence of the pressure Hessian is dominant, which causes irrotational viscous dissipation. The anisotropic part of the pressure Hessian may be responsible for the irrotational viscous dissipation found at the turbulent/nonturbulent interface in turbulent jets [C. B. da Silva and J. C. F. Pereira, “Invariants of the velocity-gradient, rate-of-strain, and rate-of-rotation tensors across the turbulent/nonturbulent interface in jets,” Phys. Fluids 20, 055101 (2008) and Watanabe et al., “Vortex stretching and compression near the turbulent/non-turbulent interface in a planar jet,” J. Fluid Mech. 758, 754 (2014)]. In the transition region, the CMTs of R and Q gradually acquire an evolution pattern similar to that in HIT. The expansion of the (R, Q) map at Q > 0 is associated with the effects of the restricted Euler term. Finally, in the fully turbulent region, the CMTs of R and Q demonstrate a clockwise evolution toward a point close to the origin. However, the cyclic spiraling seen in HIT is not found. The lack of the cyclic evolution may be attributed to the considerably large effect of the viscous term owing to the relatively small local Reynolds number. On average, the combined influences of the restricted Euler term and anisotropic part of the pressure Hessian contribute to the generation of small-scale motions, and the viscous term tends to remove small-scale motions.
On Pillay's conjecture for orientable definable groups

An apparatus for generating a noise sound, which is equipped in industrial electric cars with little or no driving sound and generates an appropriate amount of noise sound so that the nearby cars or pedestrians can notice their approch in a narrow pathway or stock room. The apparatus has a cornical air collector installed in the car, a shutter installed rotatably in the air collector and controls the flow amount of air passing through the air collector, and a U-shaped tube installed apart by a predetermined distance from a small diameter portion of the air collector and generates the noise sound by the air discharged from the air collector.
The Charge and Phase State of Liposomes Dramatically Affects the Binding of Mannosylated Chitosan

Liposomal complexes with mucoadhesive polymers, e.g., mannosylated chitosan, are considered as prospective antituberculosis drug delivery systems. The properties of such complexes can be critically affected by the charge and phase state of liposomes. The aim of our work was to study the interaction of mannosylated chitosan with liposomes of various compositions and to identify the key patterns of this process. We tracked the interaction by titrating the liposomes with an increasing base-molar excess using the DLS method and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Sorption isotherms were obtained using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and linearized in the Scatchard coordinates to evaluate the dissociation constant (Kdis). The inclusion of cardiolipin (CL) in the lipid composition helps to reduce the Kdis of the complexes by an order of magnitude of 3.8 × 10−4 M and 6.4 × 10−5 M for dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and DPPC:CL 80:20 (weight ratio), respectively. Preheating at 37 °C of gel-like anionic liposomes helps to reduce the Kdis to 3.5 × 10−5 M. Anionic liposomes, both in liquid crystal and in the gel-like state, form multipoint non-covalent complexes with chitosan–mannose conjugates due to the partial neutralization of the charges on the surface of the vesicles. Meanwhile, neutral liposomes in both states form unstable heterogeneous complexes, probably due to the predominant sorption of the polymer on the vesicles. Complex formation provides preferable binding with the model mannose-binding receptor concanavalin A and sustained pH-sensitive release of the antituberculosis drug moxifloxacin.
Empirical study of turning and merging of pedestrian streams in T-junction

Agent-based models are becoming indispensable tools in building design, safety assessments as well as management of emergency egress. However, reliable calibrations of these models should be mandatory before they are used in practice. To improve the database for model calibration we present results from two experiments at a T-junction and a corner. In such structures the dynamics of pedestrian streams is complex and up to now not studied systematically. To understand it deeply, series of well-controlled laboratory experiments are conducted. The Voronoi method, which is used to analyze the experiments, allows high resolution and small fluctuation in time and space. From the results, it is found that the fundamental diagrams of pedestrian flow in T-junction are not the same before and after merging. At the same density, the velocities of pedestrians before merging are smaller than that after merging. To analyze whether turning or merging of the stream is responsible for this discrepancy, we compare the fundamental diagrams of pedestrian flow in T-junction with the flow at a single corner. The fundamental diagrams of the streams in front and behind the corner agree well and are also in accordance with that from T-junction flow after merging. Besides, space-resolved measurements for the density, velocity profiles are obtained using Voronoi method. These maps offer important information about dangerous spots and thus enable to improve egress management and facility design.
Financial Drivers of Domestic Outsourcing: Case Study of Food Services in the San Francisco Bay Area

This paper examines drivers of domestic outsourcing through a case study of food services. It demonstrates that outsourcing is not necessarily motivated by clients’ desire to reduce costs or improve efficiency, and suggests that in some cases outsourcing may cost more than inhouse production. Instead, this study points to other kinds of financial incentives to outsource food services. For tech companies, an important incentive is to limit employee headcount in order to improve productivity metrics and thereby increase a company’s appeal to financial stakeholders. For universities, an important incentive is to obtain financing for facilities improvements from contractor companies.
Fabricación y caracterización eléctrica de diodos de unión p-n de arseniuro de galio

Se fabricaron diodos de unión p-n de arseniuro de galio por la técnica de depósito químico en fase vapor usando materiales organometálicos (MOCVD). Se caracterizaron y analizaron curvas de corriente eléctrica contra voltaje en polarización directa, I-V. Mediante las caracterizaciones eléctricas se comprobó la realización de la unión pn, esto es, las curvas I-V muestran un comportamiento exponencial, también de las curvas I-V se obtuvo el factor de idealidad. El factor de idealidad nos dice que mecanismos de conducción está ocurriendo en el diodo de unión p-n y, este mostró que los mecanismos de conducción se presentaron principalmente en la región de deserción o región libre de portadores de carga, lo cual es común en diodos fabricados de arseniuro de galio con un gran ancho de banda prohibida y baja concentración de portadores de carga en ambas capas tipo p y tipo n.
Financial Shared Services Empower the Real Economy: The Evidence from China

As a product of digital technology, financial shared services can be deeply integrated into enterprise operation and management, which is significant to accelerate the financial transformation of real enterprises and achieve high-quality development. Based on this, this paper examines whether and how financial shared services empower the real economy, using data from listed companies in China from 2008 to 2017 as a sample. The research results show that financial shared services can significantly improve enterprise value and thus empower the real economy, and the optimization of operational efficiency is an important path for financial shared services to empower the real economy. Further research finds that the empowering effect of financial shared services on the real economy mainly exists in enterprises with many subsidiaries, large scale, and high labor intensity. This paper not only bridges the gap between financial shared services and micro-enterprise related research but also provides references and lessons for how to implement financial shared services in the real economy.
Status quo bias in behavioral economics and its applications

The question of how individuals making decisions is of crucial interest in the field of economics and many other subjects. Evidences indicate that coming to the real-world decisions, many of people may tend to just stick with the default option instead of calculating the exact expected utility and making the most rational choices. In this paper, I will focus on this phenomenon and the psychological principles behind this. Results of empirical experiments and three specific applications including political elections, organ donations, school choices will be discussed.
BRAF and MEK Targeted Therapies in Pediatric Central Nervous System Tumors

Simple Summary This review is divided into two parts. The first analyzes the mechanisms of two important cellular pathways that are involved in tumoral proliferation, differentiation, migration, and angiogenesis: RAS/RAF/MEK/MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR. The second part focuses on the currently available experience regarding targeted therapies against the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in pediatric CNS tumors, with the hope of offering a practical guide for consultation. Abstract BRAF is a component of the MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways that play a crucial role in cellular proliferation, differentiation, migration, and angiogenesis. Pediatric central nervous system tumors very often show mutations of the MAPK pathway, as demonstrated by next-generation sequencing (NGS), which now has an increasing role in cancer diagnostics. The MAPK mutated pathway in pediatric CNS tumors is the target of numerous drugs, approved or under investigation in ongoing clinical trials. In this review, we describe the main aspects of MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways, with a focus on the alterations commonly involved in tumorigenesis. Furthermore, we reported the main available data about current BRAF and MEK targeted therapies used in pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLLGs), pediatric high-grade gliomas (pHGGs), and other CNS tumors that often present BRAF or MEK mutations. Further molecular stratification and clinical trial design are required for the treatment of pediatric CNS tumors with BRAF and MEK inhibitors.
Differences In Glycosylated Hemoglobin To Conventional Cardiovascular Risk Factors In Obesity

Background: Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) has been used as an index for clinical diagnosis of diabetes which is closely related to the complications of cardiovascular. The purpose of the study was to assess the differences in HbA1c against conventional cardiovascular risk in obese patients. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted on obese patients (BMI > 25). This study included 40 obese patients, whereas those with a history of CVD, thyroid disorders, or currently on lipid-lowering agents were excluded. HbA1c is divided over HbA1c < 5.6 and HbA1c > 5.6 (prediabetes), body mass index (BMI) were measured using standard methods. Laboratory assessment included venous blood samples in a fasted state for the determination of components of the lipid profile [total cholesterol (TC), HDL-C, and TG], HbA1c, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistant (HOMA-IR) using the formula: insulin x fasting glucose / 405, C-reactive protein (CRP), and adiponectin. Result: 40 obese patients participated in the study with an age of 41.7±6.0 years and a BMI of 33.1±5.0 kg/m2, and a significant correlation between HbA1c and age and HOMA-IR. All cardiovascular risk factors tend to increase but increased significantly at age, and TG (p<0.5). Conclusion: In this study, the average HbA1c was significantly correlated with age and HOMA-IR, and all lipid parameters of HbA1c > 5.6 (prediabetes) tended to be higher than normal obesity.
Pushing the Boundaries: Drug-Coated Balloons to Treat a Calcified and Thrombotic Lesion in Acute Coronary Syndrome

Patient: Male, 72-year-old Final Diagnosis: NSTEMI Symptoms: ACS • NSTEMI Medication: — Clinical Procedure: — Specialty: Cardiology Objective: Unusual clinical course Background: Use of drug-coated balloons (DCB) is an important research topic. Many companies are quickly developing new, cutting-edge technologies and means to deliver drugs. Moreover, interest is growing in use of sirolimus-coated balloons, a promising technology in the “leaving nothing behind” era. This, in combination with interest in lesion preparation and intravascular imaging, creates a promising future for DCB for years to come. Case Report: A 72-year-old patient presented with NSTEMI. Coronary angiography showed a subtotal stenosis of the right coronary artery (RCA). PCI was performed on the native RCA and, given the patient’s failure to adhere to the drug regimen, he was treated with a metal-free PCI strategy. After using a novel lesion preparation technique with cutting balloon and high-pressure non-compliant balloon, a novel Sirolimus DCB was used. Final angiography and OCT run showed good luminal gain despite diffuse dissections. To assess vascular healing, we performed coronary angiography 5 weeks later, which demonstrated an excellent result, with absence of residual dissection and further luminal gain compared to the index procedure. Conclusions: The use of a novel lesion preparation technique (cutting balloon and high-pressure highly non-compliant balloon) in combination with guidance by intravascular imaging and the use of a new sirolimus-coated balloon may attract attention in the interventional cardiology community and stimulate discussion on lesion preparation and use of drug-coated balloons.
A Real-World Study on the Day and Night-Time Symptoms Among Greek COPD Patients Who Recently Initiated Treatment with Dual Bronchodilation: The DANICO Study

Purpose The rationale of this study was to investigate the prevalence of daily and night symptoms and quality of sleep in Greek COPD patients as a means to evaluate their response to treatment with the fixed dose combination of aclidinium/formoterol (administered through the Genuair® device). Patients and Methods This study was a multicenter, nationwide, non-interventional, observational study in 2105 patients suffering from COPD, who have recently started treatment with aclidinium/formoterol. Patients were attending to two visits, one baseline and a final visit, 3 months later. Different variables have been collected on either the baseline or the final visit or both: demographics, vital sign measurements, COPD-related medical history parameters, comorbidities, COPD assessment test (CAT), COPD severity based on spirometry measurements, COPD stage based on the ABCD assessment approach proposed by the 2019 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD), COPD treatment report, and severity of early-morning, daytime and night-time COPD-related symptoms. Reasons for prescribing aclidinium/formoterol, satisfaction of patients to the treatment, as well as their compliance have also been recorded. Results After 3 months on aclidinium/formoterol, 50.1% of the patients experienced an improvement in their early-morning symptoms. Furthermore, 49.9% of them experienced an improvement in their daily symptoms, 44.9% improved their night-time symptoms and 43.2% reduced the frequency of overnight sleep disruptions due to COPD symptoms. These favorable outcomes apply mainly to GOLD Groups B–D. Treatment with aclidinium/formoterol improved on average the pre-bronchodilation FEV1% pred by 3.18%, the post-bronchodilation FEV1% pred by 2.78% and reduced CAT score by 5.22 points. Satisfaction with using aclidinium/formoterol across patients was high, as well as compliance to therapy. Conclusion Aclidinium/formoterol provided significant benefits on the quality of life of COPD patients by reducing the morning, daytime and the night-time symptoms and symptom burden in GOLD Groups B–D, and activity impairment under real-life conditions in all GOLD ABCD groups.
Revisión sistemática e implicaciones para el diagnóstico psicopedagógico: comorbilidad Dislexia/TDAH

Las evidencias halladas sobre los déficits asociados a los trastornos del neurodesarrollo descartan el modelo explicativo de un solo déficit cognitivo subyacente reconociéndolos como un fenómeno inespecífico y heterogéneo, caracterizado por una alta tasa de comorbilidad que añade barreras al aprendizaje y a la adaptación escolar, a las propias de los trastornos únicos. Se explora la naturaleza de la comorbilidad de la dislexia del desarrollo (DD) con uno de los trastornos con los que concurre más frecuentemente: el trastorno de déficit de atención y/o hiperactividad (TDAH). El objetivo es conocer el estado de la investigación sobre la comorbilidad DD/TDAH en cuanto a los déficits compartidos y diferenciadores que dan lugar a las DEA (Dificultades específicas de aprendizaje) con el fin de contribuir a un diagnóstico psicopedagógico acorde con su complejidad y comorbilidad, identificando los déficits cognitivos diferenciadores de la DD y las características cognitivas de la comorbilidad DD/TDAH. Para ello, se realiza una revisión sistemática según las normas PRISMA de trabajos empíricos, en las bases de datos PubMed, World of Science (WOS) y Scopus en el periodo 2009-2020, que incluyen muestras mixtas para la comparación de déficits cognitivos de dominio general y específico. Se identifican los déficits diferenciadores y los que se solapan en el grupo comórbido, en algunos estudios con carácter meramente aditivo y en otros con efecto agravante, aunque el modelo explicativo más aceptado es el de déficit múltiple. Los resultados se discuten en términos de sus implicaciones para el diagnóstico psicopedagógico, destacando la importancia de una mayor atención a la comorbilidad.
Applications of In Vitro Tissue Culture Technologies in Breeding and Genetic Improvement of Wheat

Sources of new genetic variability have been limited to existing germplasm in the past. Wheat has been studied extensively for various agronomic traits located throughout the genome. The large size of the chromosomes and the ability of its polyploid genome to tolerate the addition or loss of chromosomes facilitated rapid progress in the early study of wheat genetics using cytogenetic techniques. At the same time, its large genome size has limited the progress in genetic characterization studies focused on diploid species, with a small genome and genetic engineering procedures already developed. Today, the genetic transformation and gene editing procedures offer attractive alternatives to conventional techniques for breeding wheat because they allow one or more of the genes to be introduced or altered into an elite cultivar without affecting its genetic background. Recently, significant advances have been made in regenerating various plant tissues, providing the essential basis for regenerating transgenic plants. In addition, Agrobacterium-mediated, biolistic, and in planta particle bombardment (iPB) gene delivery procedures have been developed for wheat transformation and advanced transgenic wheat development. As a result, several useful genes are now available that have been transferred or would be helpful to be transferred to wheat in addition to the current traditional effort to improve trait values, such as resistance to abiotic and biotic factors, grain quality, and plant architecture. Furthermore, the in planta genome editing method will significantly contribute to the social implementation of genome-edited crops to innovate the breeding pipeline and leverage unique climate adaptations.