Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
From seed germination to established seedlings: a comparative evaluation in five shrub species and implications for seed‐based restoration in arid lands

In a context of global desertification, direct seeding of native species is emerging as a hopeful technique to achieve large‐scale arid land restoration. Although low percentages of establishment have been reported for direct seeding in arid lands, it has been more cost‐effective than outplantings for some species. Therefore, in order to determine the most suitable species for direct seeding we evaluated potential germination in laboratory trials (ex situ), and seedling emergence and establishment in the field (in situ) for five shrub species from the most arid region of Argentina called “Monte. ” Direct seeding was performed in three alternative environmental conditions: (1) abandoned oil‐drilling platforms, (2) bare soil patches, and (3) under the canopy of shrubs patches in cattle ranching areas. In the three cases, four soil treatments were applied: hydrogel, soil enrichment with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and clay pot irrigation. Seedling emergence and establishment after the first period of extreme weather conditions (summer) were higher in severely degraded sites (oil‐drilling platforms). In this particular condition, seedling emergence and establishment presented the highest values for Ephedra ochreata (64.8–82.8% and 26.8–46.4%, respectively) and the lowest values for Larrea divaricata (6.78–24.8% and 2.8–6.4%, respectively). These results show that direct seeding offers potential possibilities to restart processes of assisted succession in arid lands and that species selection is a key stage/phase in direct seeding success.
CERTAIN RADIALLY DILATED CONVOLUTION AND ITS APPLICATION

Using some interesting convolution, we flnd kernels re- covering the given function f. By a slight change of this convolution, we obtain an identity fllter related to the Fourier series in the discrete time domain. We also introduce some techniques to decompose an impulse into several dilated pieces in the discrete domain. The detail examples deal with speciflc constructions of those decompositions. Also we ob- tain localized moving averages from a decomposition of an impulse to make hybrid Bollinger bands, that might give various strategies for stock traders.
Parabolic Fixed Points of Kleinian Groups and the Horospherical Foliation on Hyperbolic Manifolds

We use dynamical approach to study parabolic fixed points of Kleinian groups Γ ⊂ Iso(ℍn). Let ℋ be the horospherical foliation on the unit tangent bundle SM of manifold M = Γ\ℍn with constant negative curvature. We construct examples Γ ⊂ Iso(ℍ4) which show that horosphere based at parabolic fixed point w ∈ ∂ℍ4 can project to leaf ℋx ⊂ SM of complicated structure: it can be locally closed and not closed; not locally closed and non-dense in the non-wandering set Ω+ ⊂ SM of ℋ; dense in Ω+ (this is equivalent to w being a horospherical limit point). Using the natural duality, one gets the corresponding examples of Γ-orbits on the light cone. We give an elementary proof of the fact that conical limit point w ∈ ∂ℍn cannot be a parabolic fixed point.
Mycosynthesis of Metal-Containing Nanoparticles—Synthesis by Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes and Their Application

Fungi contain species with a plethora of ways of adapting to life in nature. Consequently, they produce large amounts of diverse biomolecules that can be generated on a large scale and in an affordable manner. This makes fungi an attractive alternative for many biotechnological processes. Ascomycetes and basidiomycetes are the most commonly used fungi for synthesis of metal-containing nanoparticles (NPs). The advantages of NPs created by fungi include the use of non-toxic fungus-produced biochemicals, energy efficiency, ambient temperature, pressure conditions, and the ability to control and tune the crystallinity, shape, and size of the NPs. Furthermore, the presence of biomolecules might serve a dual function as agents in NP formation and also capping that can tailor the (bio)activity of subsequent NPs. This review summarizes and reviews the synthesis of different metal, metal oxide, metal sulfide, and other metal-based NPs mediated by reactive media derived from various species. The phyla ascomycetes and basidiomycetes are presented separately. Moreover, the practical application of NP mycosynthesis, particularly in the fields of biomedicine, catalysis, biosensing, mosquito control, and precision agriculture as nanofertilizers and nanopesticides, has been studied so far. Finally, an outlook is provided, and future recommendations are proposed with an emphasis on the areas where mycosynthesized NPs have greater potential than NPs synthesized using physicochemical approaches. A deeper investigation of the mechanisms of NP formation in fungi-based media is needed, as is a focus on the transfer of NP mycosynthesis from the laboratory to large-scale production and application.
Helmet-mounted displays: why haven't they taken off?

Helmet-Mounted Display (HMD) technologies have been developing for over 3 decades and have been studied for multiple applications ranging from military aircraft, to virtual reality, augmented reality, entertainment and a host of other ideas. It would not be unreasonable to assume that after this much time they would be employed in our daily lives as ubiquitously as the common desktop monitor. However, this is simply not the case. How can this be when they can be used in so many ways for so many tasks? Throughout this work we will look at some of the reasons why as well of some of the ways they can be used.
A Retrospective Analysis of Culture-Confirmed Enterococci Bloodstream Infections in South Africa, 2016–2020: A Cross-Sectional Study

(1) Background: The emergence of multidrug resistance enterococci is a major public health concern. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of enterococci isolated from blood cultures over a five-year period (2016–2020) at public hospitals in South Africa. (2): Methods: A retrospective analysis of clinical enterococci isolated from bloodstream infection samples at the South African public hospitals was conducted. The ESKAPE dataset from January 2016 to December 2020 was obtained from the central data warehouse (CDW) at the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS). (3): Results: Following de-duplication, a total of 130,352/306,592 organisms isolated from blood cultures were identified as ESKAPE pathogens. In this study, K. pneumoniae (25%; 33,082/130,352), was the most frequently isolated pathogen from blood cultures, followed by S. aureus (23%; 29,922/130,352) and enterococci (16%; 21,339/130,352). Of the enterococci cases, about 43% (9132/21,339) of cases were from the infants aged (<1-year old) and 32% (6745/21,339) from the adult patients. No changes observed in vancomycin, teicoplanin, and linezolid susceptibility; however, E. faecium and E. faecalis blood culture isolates remained highly susceptible (>97%) to these antibiotics. (4): Conclusions: The current study revealed a significant increase of E. faecalis and E. faecium blood culture isolates as compared to the previous national ESKAPE data. Low vancomycin resistance was observed. Continuous monitoring of antimicrobial resistant Enterococcus species is warranted in South Africa.
Identification of Chalcone Isomerase Family Genes and Roles of CnCHI4 in Flavonoid Metabolism in Camellia nitidissima

Camellia nitidissima is a woody plant with high ornamental value, and its golden-yellow flowers are rich in a variety of bioactive substances, especially flavonoids, that are beneficial to human health. Chalcone isomerases (CHIs) are key enzymes in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway; however, there is a scarcity of information regarding the CHI family genes of C. nitidissima. In this study, seven CHI genes of C. nitidissima were identified and divided into three subfamilies by phylogenetic analysis. The results of multiple sequence alignment revealed that, unlike CnCHI1/5/6/7, CnCHI2/3/4 are bona fide CHIs that contain all the active site and critical catalytic residues. Analysis of the expression patterns of CnCHIs and the total flavonoid content of the flowers at different developmental stages revealed that CnCHI4 might play an essential role in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway of C. nitidissima. CnCHI4 overexpression significantly increased flavonoid production in Nicotiana tabacum and C. nitidissima. The results of the dual-luciferase reporter assay and yeast one-hybrid system revealed that CnMYB7 was the key transcription factor that governed the transcription of CnCHI4. The study provides a comprehensive understanding of the CHI family genes of C. nitidissima and performed a preliminary analysis of their functions and regulatory mechanisms.
Complex scaling and the distribution of scattering poles

The purpose of this paper is to establish sharp polynomial bounds on the number of scattering poles for a general class of compactly supported self-adjoint perturbations of the Laplacian in R', n odd. We also consider more general types of bounds that give sharper estimates in certain situations. The general conclusion can be stated as follows: The order of growth of the poles is the same as the order of growth of eigenvalues for corresponding compact problems. From the few known cases, however, the exact asymptotics are expected to be different. The scattering poles for compactly supported perturbations were rigorously defined by Lax and Phillips [13]. In a more general setting they correspond to resonances, the study of which has a long tradition in mathematical physics. In the Lax-Phillips theory they appear as the poles of the meromorphic continuation of the scattering matrix and coincide with the poles of the meromorphic continuation of the resolvent of the perturbed operator. Because of the latter characterization, they can be considered as the analogue of the discrete spectral data for problems on noncompact domains. The problem of estimating the counting function
Examining Vaccine Sentiment on Twitter and Local Vaccine Deployment during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Understanding local public attitudes toward receiving vaccines is vital to successful vaccine campaigns. Social media platforms may help uncover vaccine sentiments during infectious disease outbreaks at the local level, and whether offline local events support vaccine-promotion efforts. Communication Infrastructure Theory (CIT) served as a guiding framework for this case study of the San Diego region examining local public sentiment toward vaccines expressed on Twitter during the COVID-19 pandemic. We performed a sentiment analysis (including positivity and subjectivity) of 187,349 tweets gathered from May 2020 to March 2021, and examined how sentiment corresponded with local vaccine deployment. The months of November and December (52.9%) 2020 saw a majority of tweets expressing positive sentiment and coincided with announcements of offline local events signaling San Diego’s imminent deployment of COVID-19 vaccines. Across all months, tweets remained mostly objective (never falling below 63%). In terms of CIT, considering multiple levels of the Story Telling Network in online spaces, and examining sentiment about vaccines on Twitter may help scholars to explore the Communication Action Context, as well as cultivate positive community attitudes to improve the Field of Health Action regarding vaccines. Real-time analysis of local tweets during development and deployment of new vaccines may help monitor local public responses and guide promotion of immunizations in communities.
Application of a simple model for ice growth to the Lake St. Moritz, Switzerland

Abstract We present a Simple Lake Ice Model to calculate the growth rate of lake ice in a cold and relatively dry climate. The focus is on Lake St. Moritz, Switzerland, which has an area of 0.78 km2 and is about 45 m deep. In winter the lake is extensively used for recreational purposes, including horse racing with thousands of spectators. Safety on the ice cover is essential, and there is a great need to have a simple tool with which the growth rate of the ice layer can be calculated for given meteorological conditions. The approach is based on a simple formulation of the upper temperature of the ice layer, which depends on air temperature and snow cover. Input data are the date on which the lake freezes over, daily mean air temperatures and snow depth. For the winter 2021/22 calculated ice growth compares well with ice thickness measurements. We demonstrate that grooming of the snow has a significant positive effect on the ice thickening rate. We also evaluate the sensitivity of the simulated ice thickness to increasing mean temperature.
3D Porous Collagen Matrices—A Reservoir for In Vitro Simultaneous Release of Tannic Acid and Chlorhexidine

The treatment of wounds occurring accidentally or as a result of chronic diseases most frequently requires the use of appropriate dressings, mainly to ensure tissue regeneration/healing, at the same time as treating or preventing potential bacterial infections or superinfections. Collagen type I-based scaffolds in tandem with adequate antimicrobials can successfully fulfill these requirements. In this work, starting from the corresponding hydrogels, we prepared a series of freeze-dried atelocollagen type I-based matrices loaded with tannic acid (TA) and chlorhexidine digluconate (CHDG) as active agents with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity and also as crosslinkers for the collagen network. The primary aim of this study was to design an original and reliable algorithm to in vitro monitor and kinetically analyze the simultaneous release of TA and CHDG from the porous matrices into an aqueous solution of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4, 37 °C) containing micellar carriers of a cationic surfactant (hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, HTAB) as a release environment that roughly mimics human extracellular fluids in living tissues. Around this central idea, a comprehensive investigation of the lyophilized matrices (morpho-structural characterization through FT-IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, swelling behavior, resistance against the collagenolytic action of collagenase type I) was carried out. The kinetic treatment of the release data displayed a preponderance of non-Fickian–Case II diffusion behavior, which led to a general anomalous transport mechanism for both TA and CHDG, irrespective of their concentrations. This is equivalent to saying that the release regime is not governed only by the gradient concentration of the releasing components inside and outside the matrix (like in ideal Fickian diffusion), but also, to a large extent, by the relaxation phenomena of the collagen network (determined, in turn, by its crosslinking degree induced by TA and CHDG) and the dynamic capacity of the HTAB micelles to solubilize the two antimicrobials. By controlling the degree of physical crosslinking of collagen with a proper content of TA and CHDG loaded in the matrix, a tunable, sustainable release profile can be obtained.
Motivasi dan Bentuk Kegiatan Mahasiswa dalam Menghafal Alquran; Studi Kasus Rumah Qur’an Tarqiyah

How glorious it is to be a memorizer of the Quran because it is placed by Allah SWT in a glorious place and can practice the Quran in daily life, but if it is not based on a strong motivation then this noble activity cannot be realized properly. This study aims to analyze the motivation of students at the Rumah Qur’an Tarqiyah in memorizing the Quran. This study uses a qualitative method with a case study approach. Sources of data were taken from five informants through in-depth interviews selected by purposive sampling technique, all informants were students who were taking part in the Quran memorization program at the Rumah Qur’an Tarqiyah. All interviews were analyzed thematically, used the Miles and Huberman technique. The research findings show seven student motivations in memorizing the Quran. The seven motivations are: i) wanting to keep the Quran, ii) getting intercession, iii) giving glory to parents, iv) wanting to be a hafiz that airs on television, v) parents’ encouragement, vi) teachers’ encouragement, vii) memorizing more the surah of the Quran. The results of this study are used as initial data for future researchers in examining this topic with different contexts and issues.
Detection and Characterization of Feline Calicivirus Associated with Paw and Mouth Disease

Simple Summary Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a common viral pathogen affecting domestic cats, which is responsible for diverse clinical presentations, commonly including upper respiratory tract signs, oral ulcerations, and a fever. In addition, FCV infection can be associated with severe pneumonia, lameness, and virulent systemic disease. In this study, we clinically and pathologically describe a rare case of FCV-associated paw and mouth disease in a febrile household cat. The FCV strains detected in the animal and in an overtly healthy cohabiting cat were analyzed to assess the phenotype and antigenic properties. Abstract Feline calicivirus (FCV) infection in cats can led to several diverse clinical presentations, ranging from mild upper respiratory signs to virulent systemic disease. Herein, we report a paw and mouth disease case in a 7-year-old household cat due to an FCV infection. An asymptomatic cat living in the same household was also infected with FCV. Clinical and pathological investigations were combined with the molecular and phenotypical characterization of the FCV strains. The RNA of the FCV was detected using qualitative and quantitative reverse transcription (RT)-PCR assays, and FCV antigen was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. After the whole genome analysis, the strains detected in the two cats appeared to be genetically diverse from FCVs previously detected in association with paw and mouth disease and with virulent systemic disease. Interestingly, the isolates obtained in this study were resistant to low pH conditions and slightly susceptible to bile salts, but they were susceptible to a trypsin treatment, revealing a phenotype pattern that is different from that which has been observed for respiratory FCVs.
Ocean Acidification-Mediated Food Chain Transfer of Polonium between Primary Producers and Consumers

Phytoplankton and zooplankton are key marine components that play an important role in metal distribution through a food web transfer. An increased phytoplankton concentration as a result of ocean acidification and warming are well-established, along with the fact that phytoplankton biomagnify 210Po by 3–4 orders of magnitude compared to the seawater concentration. This experimental study is carried out to better understand the transfer of polonium between primary producers and consumers. The experimental produced data highlight the complex interaction between the polonium concentration in zooplankton food, i.e. phytoplankton, its excretion via defecated fecal pellets, and its bioaccumulation at ambient seawater pH and a lower pH of 7.7, typical of ocean acidification scenarios in the open ocean. The mass of copepods recovered was 11% less: 7.7 pH compared to 8.2. The effects of copepod species (n = 3), microalgae species (n = 3), pH (n = 2), and time (n = 4) on the polonium activity in the fecal pellets (expressed as % of the total activity introduced through feeding) was tested using an ANOVA 4. With the exception of time (model: F20, 215 = 176.84, p < 0.001; time: F3 = 1.76, p = 0.16), all tested parameters had an impact on the polonium activity (copepod species: F2 = 169.15, p < 0.0001; algae species: F2 = 10.21, p < 0.0001; pH: F1 = 9.85, p = 0.002) with complex interactions (copepod x algae: F2 = 19.48, p < 0.0001; copepod x pH: F2 = 10.54, p < 0.0001; algae x pH: F2 = 4.87, p = 0.009). The experimental data underpin the hypothesis that metal bioavailability and bioaccumulation will be enhanced in secondary consumers such as crustacean zooplankton due to ocean acidification.
On a Recent Parameterization of Mesoscale Eddies

Abstract A recent parameterization of mesoscale eddies by Gent and McWilliams (GMc) represents their effects as advective and diffusive fluxes along isopycnals. The form chosen for the added transport velocity due to eddies flattens isopycnals as in baroclinic instability but implicitly assumes purely viscous dissipation of the available potential energy released. If, however, the energy dissipation occurs in the ocean interior due to a process such as internal wave breaking, it is likely to cause diapycnal mixing. The implied diffusivity is large in a frontal situation, but the analysis of the spindown equation for a quasigeostrophic front shows that it causes only small changes in the frontal evolution. The spindown equation also permits analysis of the relative importance of various terms describing subgrid-scale fluxes of momentum and buoyancy, and may be interpreted in terms of Eliassen–Palm fluxes. Another possibility for the dissipation of the eddy energy that is generated from the mean available p.
A Tutorial on High-Density Power Module Packaging

Transportation electrification in many forms along with continued grid modernization efforts is placing stringent requirements on volumetric and gravimetric power densities for power electronic converters, motor drives, and protection systems. These requirements flow down to more stringent specifications on power module packages that typically comprise these systems. For instance, the PowerAmerica (PA) Institute issued a module challenge in 2021 to develop a 1.7-kV/1600-A power module within a volume of 100 cm3 during case of one year. This article describes, in tutorial fashion, how to approach the design and realization of such an aggressive module. It begins from an overview of an application-driven development process of prototypes for power module, including design, fabrication, and evaluation. Then, the PA module is used as a development example to illustrate the detailed challenges faced in the multidimensional design space and explore the technologies and strategies for high-power, high-density module realization. Consequently, the knowledge involved can be transferred and facilitate the prototype development of new power modules.
A Retrospective Study with a Commercial Vaccine against Lyme Borreliosis in Dogs Using Two Different Vaccination Schedules: Characterization of the Humoral Immune Response

Lyme borreliosis, a multisystemic disease caused by spirochetes of the genus Borrelia, is the most common tick-borne disease in the northern hemisphere. Differently from human medicine, several vaccines are available for dogs. To provide the best protection possible, vaccination schemes should be adapted regularly to meet the needs resulting from an increased tick exposure risk due to an inescapable climate change. In this retrospective study, a total of 183 vaccinations were performed with a commercial, multivalent vaccine against Lyme borreliosis, and vaccinated dogs were monitored over an observation period of 13 months. Dogs were either vaccinated on days 0 and 21 and a booster on day 365 (standard vaccination schedule), or with an additional booster vaccination on day 180. Canine serum samples were then tested for their borrelia-specific antibody levels using a two-tiered test system consisting of a kinetic ELISA followed by a line immunoassay. Dogs vaccinated with the standard vaccination schedule displayed decreasing antibody levels between days 120 and 360, which is probably insufficient to prevent an infection with borreliae. In contrast, the additional booster vaccination received on day 180 intercepts this decline in antibody levels between days 225 and 360, providing a sufficient immunity to prevent infection. The results from this retrospective study allow us to recommend a basic vaccination schedule with an additional booster vaccination on day 180 to ensure the best possible protection for dogs against Lyme borreliosis.