Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Conjugated Polyamines in Root Plasma Membrane Enhanced the Tolerance of Plum Seedling to Osmotic Stress by Stabilizing Membrane Structure and Therefore Elevating H+-ATPase Activity

Polyamines are small positively charged molecules in plants and play important functions in many biological processes under various environmental stresses. One of the most confounding problems relating to polyamines (PAs) in stresses is the lack of understanding of the mechanisms underlying their function(s). Furthermore, a limited number of studies have addressed this issue at the sub-cellular level, especially in tree plants under drought stress. Therefore, in this research, by simulating natural drought stress with polyethylene glycol (PEG) osmotic stress, the relationship between the levels of conjugated polyamines and the activity of H+-ATPase in the plasma membrane was elucidated with the roots of two plum (Prunus salicina L.) cultivars, which were different in drought tolerance, as experimental materials. Furthermore, free PA levels and the activities of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC) and transglutaminase (TGase), which were closely associated with the levels of free and conjugated PAs, were also detected. Results showed that under osmotic stress, the increases of the levels of non-covalently conjugated (non-CC) spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm), covalently conjugated (CC) putrescine (Put) and Spd in the plasma membrane of drought-tolerant Ganli No. 5 were more significant than those of drought-sensitive Suli No. 3, indicating that these conjugated PAs might be involved in the tolerance of plum seedlings to stress. Furthermore, the conjugated PAs were closely correlated with plum seedling growth, water retention capacity, plasma membrane damage degree, and hydrogen (H+)-ATPase activity in the plasma membrane. To get more complementary pieces of evidence, we subjected plum seedlings to combined treatments of PEG and exogenous PA (Spd and Spm), and an inhibitor of SAMDC [methylglyoxal-bis (guanylhydrazone), (MGBG)] or TGase (o-phenanthroline). These results collectively suggested that non-CC Spd and Spm, CC Put and Spd in plasma membrane might function in enhancing the tolerance of plum seedlings to osmotic stress by stabilizing membrane structure and therefore elevating H+-ATPase activity.
Substantial variability in morphological scaling among bumblebee colonies

Differences in organ scaling among individuals may play an important role in determining behavioural variation. In social insects, there are well-documented intraspecific differences in colony behaviour, but the extent that organ scaling differs within and between colonies remains unclear. Using 12 different colonies of the bumblebee Bombus terrestris, we aim to address this knowledge gap by measuring the scaling relationships between three different organs (compound eyes, wings and antennae) and body size in workers. Though colonies were exposed to different rearing temperatures, this environmental variability did not explain the differences of the scaling relationships. Two colonies had differences in wing versus antenna slopes, three colonies showed differences in wing versus eye slopes and a single colony has differences between eye versus antenna slopes. There are also differences in antennae scaling slopes between three different colonies, and we present evidence for putative trade-offs in morphological investment. We discuss the utility of having variable scaling among colonies and the implication for understanding variability in colony fitness and behaviour.
HW-TSC’s Participation in the WMT 2021 Efficiency Shared Task

This paper presents the submission of Huawei Translation Services Center (HW-TSC) to WMT 2021 Efficiency Shared Task. We explore the sentence-level teacher-student distillation technique and train several small-size models that find a balance between efficiency and quality. Our models feature deep encoder, shallow decoder and light-weight RNN with SSRU layer. We use Huawei Noah’s Bolt, an efficient and light-weight library for on-device inference. Leveraging INT8 quantization, self-defined General Matrix Multiplication (GEMM) operator, shortlist, greedy search and caching, we submit four small-size and efficient translation models with high translation quality for the one CPU core latency track.
S0021859621000885jrv 523..534

Modern agriculture needs proper solutions to face the current trend of pesticides and fertilizers reduction. One of the available leverages to support this transition is the use of bioproducts that are more environmentally friendly and less hazardous for human health. Among them, blue biotechnology and more precisely seaweed and microalgae gain interest every year in the scientific community. In agriculture, seaweeds (Macroalgae) have been used in the production of plant biostimulants while microalgae still remain unexploited. Microalgae are widely described as renewable sources of biofuels, bioingredients and biologically active compounds, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), carotenoids, phycobiliproteins, sterols, vitamins and polysaccharides, which attract considerable interest in both scientific and industrial communities. They affect agricultural crops for enhancement of plant growth, seedling growth. They can also improve nutrient incorporation, fruit setting, resistance properties against pests and diseases, improving stress management (drought, salinity and temperature). The present review aimed at the interest of blue biotechnology in agronomy, with a specific focus on microalgae, their biological activities and their possible application in agriculture as a potentially sustainable alternative for enhanced crop performance, nutrient uptake and resilience to environmental stress. This review does not only present a comprehensive study of microalgae as plant biostimulants but also as biofertilizers, with a particular emphasis on future challenges these solutions will have to deal with, microalgae being able to synthesize secondary metabolites with potential biopesticidal action.
Advanced deviation correcting system of fabric strips based on repetitive control

In the fabric strip production process,a periodical S-shape deviation of the strip often occurred.Focusing on this issue,through analyzing the mathematical model of the strip unwinding web guiding system,and according to the good performance of the repetitive control in tracking periodic signal,this paper presents an advanced deviation correcting system based on adaptive repetitive control and feedforward control.The composition and working principle of the system are described.The design method of the advanced deviation correcting algorithm is introduced.The MatLab simulation results have verified its advantages in correcting the periodical S-shape deviation.In addition,this paper introduces the realization of the embedded repetitive deviation controller with MCF52235 chip as its core.This system also can be applied in the intermediate and rewinding web guiding system.
Scenario-Driven Assessment of Cyber Risk Perception at the Security Executive Level

—The motivation for corporate leadership to engage with cyber risks is increasingly clear. Stories can be seen of cyber incidents which have crippled large-scale businesses, potentially for extended periods of time and at signiﬁcant cost. Our contribution here explores a much under-researched area — perceptions of cybersecurity and cyber risk at the highest levels of an organisation — with the aim of developing a structured, scenario-driven and repeatable exercise for executive decision-makers. We attempt to understand why cyber risk perception is an important concept but equally a challenging one to grasp. We address this by demonstrating an approach to risk articulation, in terms of systematically constructed scenarios, and assess whether this resonates with decision-makers. As part of this, we also attempt to assess cyber-risk decision-makers for their perception of wider business risks and stakeholders.
Design and Analysis of Miniature Type Impulse Based UWB Transmitter in 90 nm CMOS for Medical Application

Ultra-wideband (UWB) has piqued interest for uses in target location, radar, and wireless communications, particularly in the medical field. The major feature that makes IR-UWB system more popular is that it does not require carrier signals always. IR-UWB can operate with narrow Gaussian monocycle pulses to represent information. In light of these benefits, this work proposes a new ultra-wide band (UWB) transmitter system based on impulses that has a low power consumption and a simple architecture. The designed transmitter is implemented using 90nm CMOS technology and simulated in Cadence tools. A voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), a simple on-off keying (OOK) modulator, a Gaussian pulse generator, a differentiator and a differential amplifier make up the transmitter. The sketched UWB transmitter operates under a low power supply and the transmitter generates 359.44 mV output pulse swing and the pulse width of 100 ps for the Gaussian pulse. The given topology is functional and suited for usage in short-range wireless communication and medical applications due to its enhanced output voltage and low power consumption when compared to other circuits.
Green Synthesis of Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks: A Review of Their Characterization and Industrial and Medical Applications

Metal organic frameworks (MOF) are a class of hybrid networks of supramolecular solid materials comprising a large number of inorganic and organic linkers, all bound to metal ions in a well-organized fashion. Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) are a sub-group of MOFs with imidazole as an organic linker to metals; it is rich in carbon, nitrogen, and transition metals. ZIFs combine the classical zeolite characteristics of thermal and chemical stability with pore-size tunability and the rich topological diversity of MOFs. Due to the energy crisis and the existence of organic solvents that lead to environmental hazards, considerable research efforts have been devoted to devising clean and sustainable synthesis routes for ZIFs to reduce the environmental impact of their preparation. Green chemistry is the key to sustainable development, as it will lead to new solutions to existing problems. Moreover, it will present opportunities for new processes and products and, at its heart, is scientific and technological innovation. The green chemistry approach seeks to redesign the materials that make up the basis of our society and our economy, including the materials that generate, store, and transport our energy, in ways that are benign for humans and the environment and that possess intrinsic sustainability. This study covers the principles of green chemistry as used in designing strategies for synthesizing greener, less toxic ZIFs the consume less energy to produce. First, the necessity of green methods in today’s society, their replacement of the usual non-green methods and their benefits are discussed; then, various methods for the green synthesis of ZIF compounds, such as hydrothermally, ionothermally, and by the electrospray technique, are considered. These methods use the least harmful and toxic substances, especially concerning organic solvents, and are also more economical. When a compound is synthesized by a green method, a question arises as to whether these compounds can replace the same compounds as synthesized by non-green methods. For example, is the thermal stability of these compounds (which is one of the most important features of ZIFs) preserved? Therefore, after studying the methods of identifying these compounds, in the last part, there is an in-depth discussion on the various applications of these green-synthesized compounds.
The Role of Graphitic Carbon Nitride in the Formulation of Copper-Free Friction Composites Designed for Automotive Brake Pads

In this study, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4, labelled as gCN) was tested in the formulation of copper-free (Cu-free) friction mixtures, which are potentially interesting for brake pad manufacturing. Three formulations of friction composites were prepared starting from a common Cu-free master batch: (i) without graphite, (ii) with graphite and (iii) with gCN. The mixtures were pressed in the form of pins by hot-press moulding. The friction-wear performance of the prepared pins was investigated using a pin-on-disc (PoD) test at room temperature (RT), high temperature (HT) (400 °C) and, again, at room temperature (H-RT). The values of the friction coefficient (µ) for the composites with gCN (or graphite) were as follows: (i) RT test, µRT = 0.52 (0.47); (ii) HT test, µHT = 0.37 (0.37); (iii) RT after the HT tests, µH-RT = 0.49 (0.39). With respect to wear resistance, the samples with graphite performed better than the samples without this solid lubricant. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report regarding the evaluation of the role of gCN in friction composites designed for automotive brake lining applications. The results indicate the main role of gCN as a soft abrasive.
On the Effectiveness of Image Processing Based Malware Detection Techniques

Abstract The number of cyberattack incidents is undeniably growing by the day, with malware attacks being the significant contributor. Whether it is from worms, Trojan horses, or ransomware, malware analysis and detection techniques have undoubtedly a vital role in protecting the cyber world. Due to the limitations and time-consuming nature of other static and dynamic analysis strategies, researchers have looked into image processing-based malware analysis and detection methodologies in the recent past. The executables are converted to grayscale or color images, and image processing techniques are being used to classify them into benign and malicious categories and across their corresponding families. This paper presents a detailed study on malware executable images and their effectiveness in detecting and classifying malicious samples, focusing on different executable to image conversion strategies, feature engineering approaches, and the classification models in use. A detailed insight on the performance overview and future perspective of various image-based malware detection methods is also presented.
Exhaustive Exercise Increases Spontaneous but Not fMLP-Induced Production of Reactive Oxygen Species by Circulating Phagocytes in Amateur Sportsmen

Simple Summary Strenuous exercise can alter various functions of circulating phagocytes. We tested whether exhaustive exercise could influence spontaneous and fMLP-induced oxidant production (measured with luminol enhanced whole blood chemiluminescence (LBCL) normalized per phagocyte count) by blood phagocytes in amateur sportsmen. Exhaustive exercise transiently enhanced (no more than one hour from the end of bout) spontaneous oxidants generation by circulating phagocytes, while response to fMLP was decreased up to 24 h post exercise. It is suggested that a short lived increase in spontaneous oxidants production can switch on various mechanisms leading to an increase in antioxidant activity in regularly training subjects. Abstract Strenuous exercise alters the oxidative response of blood phagocytes to various agonists. However, little is known about spontaneous post exercise oxidant production by these cells. In this cross-over trial, we tested whether an exhaustive treadmill run at a speed corresponding to 70% of VO2max affects spontaneous and fMLP-provoked oxidant production by phagocytes in 18 amateur sportsmen. Blood was collected before, just after, and 1, 3, 5 and 24 h post exercise for determination of absolute and normalized per phagocyte count spontaneous (a-rLBCL, rLBCL) and fMLP-induced luminol-enhanced whole blood chemiluminescence (a-fMLP-LBCL, fMLP-LBCL). a-rLBCL and rLBCL increased by 2.5- and 1.5-times just after exercise (p < 0.05) and then returned to baseline or decreased by about 2-times at the remaining time-points, respectively. a-fMLP-LBCL increased 1.7- and 1.6-times just after and at 3 h post-exercise (p < 0.05), respectively, while fMLP-LBCL was suppressed by 1.5- to 2.3-times at 1, 3, 5 and 24 h post-exercise. No correlations were found between elevated post-exercise a-rLBCL, a-fMLP-LBCL and run distance to exhaustion. No changes of oxidants production were observed in the control arm (1 h resting instead of exercise). Exhaustive exercise decreased the blood phagocyte-specific oxidative response to fMLP while increasing transiently spontaneous oxidant generation, which could be a factor inducing secondary rise in antioxidant enzymes activity.
Influential Nodes in the OBOR Fossil Energy Trade Network Based on D-S Theory: Detection and Evolution Analysis

The structure formed by fossil energy trade among countries can be divided into multiple subcommodity networks. However, the difference of coupling mode and transmission mechanism between layers of the multirelationship network will affect the measurement of node importance. In this paper, a framework of multisource information fusion by considering data uncertainty and the classical network centrality measures is build. Then, the evidential centrality (EVC) indicator is proposed, by integrating Dempster–Shafer evidence theory and network theory, to empirically identify influential nodes of fossil energy trade along the Belt and Road Initiative. The initial result of the heterogeneity characteristics of the constructed network drives us to explore the core node issue further. The main detected evidential nodes include Russia, Kazakhstan, Czechia, Slovakia, Egypt, Romania, China, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore, which also have higher impact on network efficiency. In addition, cluster analysis discovered that resource endowment is an essential factor influencing country’s position, followed by geographical distance, economic level, and economic growth potential. Therefore, the above aspects should be considered when ensuring national trade security. At last, the rationality and comprehensiveness of EVC are verified by comparing with some benchmark centralities.
Identifying the driving and moderating factors of Malaysian SMEs’ readiness for Industry 4.0

ABSTRACT Despite the growing importance of SMEs’ readiness for Industry 4.0 (I4.0) to successful digital transformation, limited empirical studies have investigated the factors contributing to the I4.0 readiness of manufacturing SMEs. To fill this gap, this study examines the effect of organisational capabilities, perceived advantages, and market pressure on I4.0 readiness, the moderating effect of financial support, and SMEs’ readiness for I4.0 in Malaysia. This research contributes theoretically by extending the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and integrating it with the Resource-Based View and Dynamic Capability Theory to develop an SME-centric model for I4.0 readiness. Structural Equation Modelling from the Partial Least approach was performed to test the model by drawing on data from 110 manufacturing SMEs in Malaysia. Practically, the findings are instrumental in helping SMEs prepare for digital transformation. Policymakers may use the findings as a tool to identify where to prioritise efforts to accelerate SMEs’ readiness for I4.0.
Hop Count Distribution for Minimum Hop-Count Routing in Finite Ad Hoc Networks

Hop count distribution (HCD), generally formulated as a discrete probability distribution of the hop count, constitutes an attractive tool for performance analysis and algorithm design. This paper devotes to deriving an analytical HCD expression for a finite ad hoc network under the minimum hop-count routing protocols. Formulating the node distribution with binomial point process, the network is provided as a bounded area with all nodes randomly and uniformly distributed. Considering an arbitrary pair of source node (SN) and destination node, an innovative and straightforward definition is presented for HCD. In order to derive HCD out, an original mathematical framework, named as the equivalent area replacement method (EARM), is proposed and verified. Under the EARM, HCD is derived by first considering the special case where SN locates at the network center and then extending to the general case where SN is randomly distributed. For each case, the accuracy of our HCD model is evaluated by simulation comparison. Results show that our model matches well with the simulation results over a wide range of parameters. Particularly, the derived HCD outperforms the existing formulations in terms of the Kullback Leibler divergence, especially when SN is randomly distributed.
An Affordance Detection Pipeline for Resource-Constrained Devices

Affordance detection consists in predicting the possibility of a specific action on an object. While this problem is generally defined for fully autonomous robotic platforms, we are interested in affordance detection for a semi-autonomous scenario, with a human in the loop. In this scenario, a human first moves their robotic prosthesis (e.g. lower arm and hand) towards an object and then the prosthesis selects the part of the object to grasp. The main challenges are the indirectly controlled camera position, which influences the quality of the view, and the limited computational resources available. This paper proposes an affordance detection pipeline to overcome framing issues leveraging object detectors and a reduced computational load for the pipeline to run on resource-constrained platforms. Experimental results on two state-of-the-art datasets show improvements in affordance detection with respect to the baseline solution which consists in considering only an affordance detection model. We argue that the combination of the selected models allows achieving a trade-off between performance and computational for embedded, resource-constrained systems.
Design and Layout Considerations of a D-Band SiGe LNA for Radiometric Applications

A D-Band SiGe HBT low-noise amplifier (LNA) is presented in IHP's 0.13-μm SiGe BiCMOS technology. The proposed 3 stage cascode common emitter architecture provides a good balance between gain, noise figure and power consumption. The LNA is centered at 187.5 GHz, near the H2O absorption line (183 GHz), and provides a gain of 29 dB with 3 dB bandwidth of 15 GHz and maximum noise figure of 8.6 dB, making it suitable for radiometric applications. Layout optimization is done with electromagnetic simulations using MOMENTUM planar solver. The effects of unwanted couplings and parasitics on the device performance are characterized and layout considerations are given for an optimal design. Post layout simulations show a Figure of Merit of 358 which is in the state of the art of the LNAs at 183GHz.
Transcultural Validation in Arabic Language of the Thought Occurrence Qestionnaire for Sport (TOQS) Among Student Population in Tunisia

Goal: Design and validation of the short version in Arabic language of the Thought Occurrence Questionnaire for Sport (TOQS) for Tunisian teenagers. Methods: A total of 747 participants who were both female and male learners and practicing several types of school and civil sports completed the adapted Thought Occurence questionnaire for Sport TOQS-Arabic version during two exploratory (n = 197) and confirmatory phases. Results: Examination of the psychometric properties by exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that the factor stability of the three-factor and 17-item structure. In addition, the reliability of the instrument examined by Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the three dimensions of the tool and its total score confirmed good internal consistency. The sensitivity of the instrument has been proven by a two-factor analysis of variance (sports practice * gender) through the differences that are highlighted for these three factors and its total score. Conclusion: The Arabic language version of the TOQS scale can be used to evaluate thought occurrence for populations of children and teenagers in Tunisia and other Arab countries.