Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cold atom clocks and their applications in precision measurements

Cold atom clocks have made remarkable progresses in the last two decades and played critical roles in precision measurements. Primary Cs fountain frequency standards have achieved a total uncertainty of a few parts in 1016, and the best optical clock has reached a type B uncertainty below 10−18. Besides applications in the metrology, navigation, etc., ultra-stable and ultra-accurate atomic clocks have also become powerful tools in the basic scientific investigations. In this paper, we focus on the recent developments in the high-performance cold atomic clocks which can be used as frequency standards to calibrate atomic time scales. The basic principles, performances, and limitations of fountain clocks and optical clocks based on signal trapped ion or neutral atoms are summarized. Their applications in metrology and other areas are briefly introduced.
Germination and seed persistence of Amaranthus retroflexus and Amaranthus viridis: Two emerging weeds in Australian cotton and other summer crops

Redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) and slender amaranth (Amaranthus viridis L.) are becoming problematic weeds in summer crops, including cotton in Australia. A series of laboratory and field experiments were performed to examine the germination ecology, and seed persistence of two populations of A. retroflexus and A. viridis collected from the Goondiwindi and Gatton regions of Australia. Both populations of A. retroflexus and A. viridis behaved similarly to different environmental conditions. Initial dormancy was observed in fresh seeds of both species; however, germination reached maximum after an after-ripening period of two months at room temperature. Light was not a mandatory prerequisite for germination of both species as they could germinate under complete darkness. Although both species showed very low germination at the alternating day/night temperature of 15/5 C, these species germinated more than 40% between ranges of 25/15 C to 35/25 C. Maximum germination of A. retroflexus (93%) and A. viridis (86%) was observed at 35/25 C and 30/20, respectively. Germination of A. retroflexus and A. viridis was completely inhibited at osmotic potentials of -1.0 and -0.6 MPa, respectively. No germination was observed in both species at the sodium chloride concentration of 200 mM. A. retroflexus seedling emergence (87%) was maximum from the seeds buried at 1 cm while the maximum germination of A. viridis (72%) was observed at the soil surface. No seedling emergence was observed from a burial depth of 8 cm for both species. In both species, seed persistence increased with increasing burial depth. At 24 months after seed placement, seed depletion ranged from 75% (10 cm depth) to 94% (soil surface) for A. retroflexus, and ranged from 79% to 94% for A. viridis, respectively. Information gained from this study will contribute to an integrated control programs for A. retroflexus and A. viridis.
The interplay of migration and cultural similarity between countries: Evidence from Facebook data on food and drink interests

Migration has been proposed as one of the factors that shape cultural similarities across countries. However, studying the relationship between culture and migration has been challenging, in part because culture is difficult to quantify. The traditionally used survey questionnaires have a number of drawbacks, including that they are costly and difficult to scale to a large number of countries. To complement survey data, we propose the use of passively-collected digital traces from social media. We focus on food and drink as markers of a country’s culture. We then measure similarities between countries in terms of food and drink interests using aggregated data from the Facebook Advertising Platform. Methodologically, we offer approaches to measure the similarity between countries with both symmetric and asymmetric indices. Substantively, we assess the association between migration cultural similarity between countries by comparing our measure of cultural similarity with international migration data. In most countries, larger immigrant populations are associated with more similar food and drink preferences between their country of origin and the country of destination. Our results suggest that immigrants contribute to bringing the culture of their home countries to new countries. Moreover, our study identifies considerable variability in this pattern across countries.
The effect of reproductive, hormonal, nutritional and lifestyle on breast cancer risk among black Tanzanian women: A case control study

Purpose This study aimed to determine the effect of reproductive, hormonal, lifestyle and nutritional factors on breast cancer development among Tanzanian black women. Methodology We undertook a case-control study age-matched to ±5years in 2018 at Muhimbili National Hospital. The study recruited 105 BC patients and 190 controls giving it 80% power to detect an odds ratio of ≥2 at the alpha error of <5% for exposure with a prevalence of 30% in the control group with 95% confidence. Controls were recruited from in patients being treated for non-cancer related conditions. Information regarding hormonal, reproductive, nutritional and lifestyle risk for breast cancer and demography was collected by interviews using a predefined data set. Conditional multinomial logistic regression used to determine the adjusted odds ratio for variables that had significant p-value in the binomial logistic regression model with 5% allowed error at 95% confidence interval. Results The study recruited 105 cases and 190 controls. Only old age at menopause had a significant risk, a 2.6 fold increase. Adolescent obesity, family history of breast cancer, cigarette smoking and alcohol intake had increased odds for breast cancer but failed to reach significant levels. The rural residency had 61% reduced odds for developing breast cancer though it failed to reach significant levels. Conclusion Older age at menopause is a significant risk factor for the development of breast cancer among Tanzanian women. This study has shed light on the potential role of modifiable risk factors for breast cancer which need to be studied further for appropriate preventive strategies in similar settings.
Indirect Connections in a Supply Chain: Visualisation and Analysis

Even the simplest product can have complex supply chains, if they were mapped down to the producers of raw materials. Most supply chains involve a combination of products made specifically for that particular supply chain and those that are bought from standard stock and catalogues, as well as enabling products (AINSI/EIA-632, 1998), that are required for the development, production, test and deployment of the product and its support, maintenance and later disposal of the product. This paper discusses the use DSMs and network displays to visualise and analyse supply chains to support designer in:
Engagement in local and collaborative wildfire risk mitigation planning across the western U.S.—Evaluating participation and diversity in Community Wildfire Protection Plans

Since their introduction two decades ago, Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs) have become a common planning tool for improving community preparedness and risk mitigation in fire-prone regions, and for strengthening coordination among federal and state land management agencies, local government, and residents. While CWPPs have been the focus of case studies, there are limited large-scale studies to understand the extent of, and factors responsible for, variation in stakeholder participation—a core element of the CWPP model. This article describes the scale and scope of participation in CWPPs across the western United States. We provide a detailed account of participants in over 1,000 CWPPs in 11 states and examine how levels of participation and stakeholder diversity vary as a function of factors related to planning process, planning context, and the broader geographic context in which plans were developed. We find that CWPPs vary substantially both by count and diversity of participants and that the former varies as a function of the geographic scale of the plan, while the latter varies largely as a function of the diversity of landowners within the jurisdiction. More than half of participants represented local interests, indicating a high degree of local engagement in hazard mitigation. Surprisingly, plan participation and diversity were unrelated to wildfire hazard. These findings suggest that CWPPs have been largely successful in their intent to engage diverse stakeholders in preparing for and mitigating wildfire risk, but that important challenges remain. We discuss the implications of this work and examine how the planning process and context for CWPPs may be changing.
New developments in the biology of fibroblast growth factors.

The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family is composed of 18 secreted signaling proteins consisting of canonical FGFs and endocrine FGFs that activate four receptor tyrosine kinases (FGFRs 1-4) and four intracellular proteins (intracellular FGFs or iFGFs) that primarily function to regulate the activity of voltage-gated sodium channels and other molecules. The canonical FGFs, endocrine FGFs, and iFGFs have been reviewed extensively by us and others. In this review, we briefly summarize past reviews and then focus on new developments in the FGF field since our last review in 2015. Some of the highlights in the past 6 years include the use of optogenetic tools, viral vectors, and inducible transgenes to experimentally modulate FGF signaling, the clinical use of small molecule FGFR inhibitors, an expanded understanding of endocrine FGF signaling, functions for FGF signaling in stem cell pluripotency and differentiation, roles for FGF signaling in tissue homeostasis and regeneration, a continuing elaboration of mechanisms of FGF signaling in development, and an expanding appreciation of roles for FGF signaling in neuropsychiatric diseases. This article is categorized under: Cardiovascular Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology Neurological Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology Congenital Diseases > Stem Cells and Development Cancer > Stem Cells and Development.
VIGS Goes Viral: How VIGS Transforms Our Understanding of Plant Science.

Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) has developed into an indispensable approach to gene function analysis in a wide array of species, many of which are not amenable to stable genetic transformation. VIGS utilizes the posttranscriptional gene silencing (PTGS) machinery of plants to restrain viral infections systemically and is used to downregulate the plant's endogenous genes. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms of DNA- and RNA-virus-based VIGS, its inherent connection to PTGS, and what is known about the systemic spread of silencing. Recently, VIGS-based technologies have been expanded to enable not only gene silencing but also overexpression [virus-induced overexpression (VOX)], genome editing [virus-induced genome editing (VIGE)], and host-induced gene silencing (HIGS). These techniques expand the genetic toolbox for nonmodel organisms even more. Further, we illustrate the versatility of VIGS and the methods derived from it in elucidating molecular mechanisms, using tomato fruit ripening and programmed cell death as examples. Finally, we discuss challenges of and future perspectives on the use of VIGS to advance gene function analysis in nonmodel plants in the postgenomic era. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Plant Biology, Volume 73 is May 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews. org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Draft Genome Sequences of Two Streptomyces Isolates Obtained from Volcanic Soils in the Philippines

We report here the draft genome sequences of two Streptomyces isolates, namely, UNOB3_S3 and UNOC14_S4, obtained from volcanic soils in Albay, Philippines. The genome assemblies comprised 7.63 Mb and 8.24 Mb, respectively. Genome mining revealed genes and biosynthetic gene clusters that encode putative insecticidal products. ABSTRACT We report here the draft genome sequences of two Streptomyces isolates, namely, UNOB3_S3 and UNOC14_S4, obtained from volcanic soils in Albay, Philippines. The genome assemblies comprised 7.63 Mb and 8.24 Mb, respectively. Genome mining revealed genes and biosynthetic gene clusters that encode putative insecticidal products.
Perspective on the relationship between microbiota dysbiosis and neuroinflammation: probiotics as a treatment option

Introduction: In the 1680s, Antonie van Leewenhoek was the first to observe the differences in the human gut microbiome versus the oral cavity diversity, and it led to the birth of a new term, “microbiota”. Later, the link between the brain and the gut was observed to be facilitated by the vagus nerve, allowing for neurotransmitters secreted in the gastrointestinal tract to travel to the brain, directing signals that influence brain function. The gut microbiome is linked to various diseases ranging from autism spectrum disorder to Parkinson’s disease (PD) and is projected to be the new “disease-causing mechanism,” calling for interventions that can modulate gut microbiota and mitigate brain disorders. Gut dysbiosis is observed before and after the onset of various neurodegenerative diseases and often manifests itself into gut-related diseases such as; gut inflammation, chronic constipation, and colitis. Dysbiosis of the gut can be the outcome of neuroinflammatory s i g n a l i n g , a n d t h e p h e n o m e n o n could poss ib ly become a marker for neurodegenerative diseases. Based on the microbiota and its role in disease conditions, new and emerging therapeutic alternatives such as probiotics (Figure 1) and prebiotics are recommended, including the fiber and the gut bacterial products such as shortchain fatty acids. Probiotics for reducing neuroinflammation: C o m m o n p ro b i o t i c b a c t e r i a w i d e l y researched and marketed to be in dairy p ro d u c t s a re B i f i d o b a c te r i u m s p p . , Lactobacillus acidophilus , and L. casei (Yerlikaya, 2014). Lactobacillus spp. are commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract and the urogenital tract (Hill et al., 2018). These species reduce intestinal infections, decrease allergies, lessen atopic eczema, and alleviate inflammatory bowel disease (Farid E and Nancy C, 2019). Lactobacilli spp. modulate the regulation of genes that encode adheren junction proteins and those that affect the epithelial barrier function. A few of these species can increase human mucin, which has a protective effect on the gastrointestinal tract. Specifically, Lactobacillus acidophilus A4 cell extract was enough to increase mucin 2 expression in HT29 cells (Bermudez-Brito et al., 2012). The protection of junctions in the gastrointestinal tract led to a decreased risk of leaky gut syndrome.
Massive purulent pericardial effusion with ultrasound features of tamponade secondary to non-typhoid Salmonella infection

Purulent pericardial effusions are rare and represent the most severe form of bacterial pericarditis. The authors present a case of a male in his 40s with a massive purulent pericardial effusion due to non-typhoid Salmonella, who presented with ultrasound features of a cardiac tamponade. Invasive non-typhoid Salmonella cardiac infection is a rare but important consideration in immunocompromised individuals. This of particular concern in sub-Saharan Africa, where there is a high prevalence of HIV-infected individuals.
Impedance Reshaping of Grid-tied Inverters to Damp the Series and Parallel Harmonic Resonances of Photovoltaic Systems

The control of output impedance of grid-tied inverters is investigated to reshape the impedance network of the distributed photovoltaic(PV) system. Firstly, in the view point of a typical distributed PV system, the series and parallel harmonic resonances in single LCL-based grid-tied inverter and multiple inverters are studied. Besides, the factors that influence on resonances are also quantified. Then, a control strategy is proposed to maintain the impedance of a grid-tied inverter to damp the harmonic resonances in the PV system. In the presented control scheme, with the aid of virtual impedance gain, the output voltage and current of the grid-tied inverter are filtered by Second-Order-Generalized-Integrator based notch filter and fed to reference current part and modulation part, respectively. The introduced virtual impedance can damp the possible harmonic resonances in the cases of virtual resistors are employed. Additionally, the effectiveness of the virtual resistors on resonances damping is also depicted and checked. Finally, simulated results performed on PSCAD/EMTDC and experimental tests from a micro-grid demonstration are indicated to verify the validation and feasibility of the proposed control strategy.
Chronic Pancreatitis Is a Risk Factor for Pancreatic Cancer, and Incidence Increases With Duration of Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION: Observational studies have suggested an increased risk of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in patients with acute and chronic pancreatitis. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the magnitude of this association and summarize the published epidemiological evidence. METHODS: We searched electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Scopus) and reference lists until January 18, 2021. Studies reporting quantitative association between pancreatitis and PDAC were included and assessed for eligibility, data abstraction, and risk of bias. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were pooled using the random-effects model. RESULTS: Twenty-five cohort and case-control studies met inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis of 12 chronic pancreatitis (CP) studies demonstrated an increased risk of PDAC in patients with CP (SIR: 22.61, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 14.42–35.44). This elevated risk persisted in subgroup analysis of studies that excluded patients diagnosed with PDAC within 2 years of CP diagnosis (SIR: 21.77, 95% CI: 14.43–32.720). The risk was higher in hereditary pancreatitis (SIR: 63.36, 95% CI: 45.39–88.46). The cumulative incidence rates of PDAC in CP increased with follow-up duration. Limited evidence in acute pancreatitis indicates higher PDAC risk in the subset of patients eventually diagnosed with CP. PDAC seems to be uncommon in patients with autoimmune pancreatitis, with 8 reported cases in 358 patients with autoimmune pancreatitis across 4 studies. DISCUSSION: There is an increased risk of PDAC in patients with CP, and incidence rates increase with CP disease duration. Our results indicate that PDAC surveillance may be considered in individuals with long-standing CP.
Draft Genome Sequence of a Methanogenic Archaeon from West Spitsbergen Permafrost

Methanobacterium sp. strain VT is a psychrotolerant methanogenic archaeon that was isolated from West Spitsbergen island (Norway) permafrost. This article describes the draft genome sequence of Methanobacterium sp. strain VT. ABSTRACT Methanobacterium sp. strain VT is a psychrotolerant methanogenic archaeon that was isolated from West Spitsbergen island (Norway) permafrost. This article describes the draft genome sequence of Methanobacterium sp. strain VT.
Body Image Dissatisfaction, Breastfeeding Experiences, and Self-Efficacy in Postpartum Women with and Without Eating Disorder Symptoms

Background: Women during the postpartum period undergo significant changes which affect body image, eating behaviors, and, potentially, breastfeeding. There is limited research about relationships among these variables, particularly related to breastfeeding experiences and self-efficacy. Research Aims: To determine: (1) the associations between eating disorder symptoms and body image, breastfeeding self-efficacy, and breastfeeding experiences; and (2) the differences in body image, breastfeeding self-efficacy, breastfeeding experiences, and breastfeeding status of postpartum women with and without clinically significant eating disorder symptoms. Methods: A secondary data analysis using a 2-group correlational, cross-sectional online survey design was used. Participants with infants 2–6 months old who had breastfed their infant at least once (N = 204) were recruited nationally to complete a cross-sectional survey assessing breastfeeding and postpartum physical and mental health using validated measures. Linear and logistic regression evaluated differences between participants with and without eating disorder symptoms regarding their body image, breastfeeding experience and self-efficacy, and breastfeeding status (continued vs. discontinued) at 2 months postpartum. Results: Clinical eating disorder symptoms were reported by 9.8% (n = 20). Participants with clinical eating disorder symptoms reported lower appearance evaluations (B = -0.53, 95% CI [-0.93, -0.14]) and body image satisfaction (B = -0.55, 95% CI [-0.87, -0.23]); reduced odds of breastfeeding at 2 months postpartum (AOR = 0.15, 95% CI [0.04, 0.56]); and lower breastfeeding self-efficacy (B = -7.70, 95% CI [-14.82, -0.58] relative to participants without clinical symptoms. No differences between groups were observed for breastfeeding experiences. Conclusions: Participants with clinically significant eating disorder symptoms are at risk for early breastfeeding discontinuation and lower breastfeeding self-efficacy. Our findings have implications for future research and clinical care practices, including screening for body image concerns and eating disorder symptoms and supporting breastfeeding self-efficacy.
Modern human incursion into Neanderthal territories 54,000 years ago at Mandrin, France

Determining the extent of overlap between modern humans and other hominins in Eurasia, such as Neanderthals and Denisovans, is fundamental to understanding the nature of their interactions and what led to the disappearance of archaic hominins. Apart from a possible sporadic pulse recorded in Greece during the Middle Pleistocene, the first settlements of modern humans in Europe have been constrained to ~45,000 to 43,000 years ago. Here, we report hominin fossils from Grotte Mandrin in France that reveal the earliest known presence of modern humans in Europe between 56,800 and 51,700 years ago. This early modern human incursion in the Rhône Valley is associated with technologies unknown in any industry of that age outside Africa or the Levant. Mandrin documents the first alternating occupation of Neanderthals and modern humans, with a modern human fossil and associated Neronian lithic industry found stratigraphically between layers containing Neanderthal remains associated with Mousterian industries.