Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Yield Analysis and Adaptation for Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT) and Non-Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT) Cotton Varieties in the Kingdom of Eswatini

Cotton in Eswatini contributes 2.1 % of the country’s Gross Domestic Product owing to low cotton yield due to high pest pressure. Eswatini farmers grow Alba QM 301 a conventional non Bt variety which is affected by bollworm. Cotton is no longer profitable and farmers are quitting the industry, yet it is the only source of livelihood in drought prone areas of Eswatini. Countries like India and South Africa have replaced conventional cotton with high yielding Bt or genetically modified cotton.The study analyses yield and adaptation of Bt cotton under rain fed condition.Bt cotton hybrid was evaluated under field condition for adaptation and yield performance in 2016 and 2017 season. Two Bt cotton varieties JKCH 1947 Bt and JKCH 1050 Bt were tested against the local variety Alba Plus QM 301 and JKC 724 both Non Bt (NBt). JKCH 1947 recorded significantly higher seed cotton yield per ha of 3070 kg/ha on the first year. It was closely followed by JKCH 1050 with a yields of 2955 kg/ha.The number of boll per plant was also significant higher compared the control. Alba Plus QM 301 and JKC 724 both Non Bt (NBt) recorded the lower yields of 2066 and 821 kg/ha respectively, under the same condition with less number of bolls per plant. Similar observations were recorded on the second year, JKCH1947 and JKCH 1050 recording 1765kg/ha and 1865kg/ha respectively. A similar trend was observed onthe number of bolls per plant,higher number of bolls were recorded in JKCH 1050 Bt followed by JKCH 1947 Bt. Alba Plus QM 301 NBt and JKC 724 NBt recorded fewer boll in both years. All varieties showed good adaptability to local environment with good plant stand.
Comparison of MUSIC and matched filter delay estimators in DS-CDMA

This paper focuses on the initial code phase estimation, also called acquisition, in the asynchronous multiuser CDMA system. The performance of the subspace-based MUSIC (Multiple Signal Classification) estimator is compared to the conventional matched filter. Simulation results for a communication system with ten users each having a 2-path Rayleigh fading channel and raised-cosine shaped chip waveform are presented. It is shown that the celebrated near-far resistance and the overall performance of MUSIC is maintained only at the signal-to-noise ratios higher than normally realizable in practical systems.
Grain Yield Performance of Biofortified Climbing Common Bean Genotypes (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.) Evaluated Across Different Agro-ecologies in Tanzania

Assessment study on yield performance and consumer preferences characteristics of iron and zinc fortified bean genotypes was conducted between 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons at different agro-ecologies of Tanzania. The objective of the study was to improve nutrition and income of smallholder farmers through growing and selling of high yielding and iron bean genotypes. The experiments consisted of five high iron enhanced climbing common bean genotypes namely: MAC 44 (80.3 mg/kg), RWV (78 mg/kg), MAC9 (64 mg/kg), MAC49 (66.6 mg/kg) and Selian (35.2 mg/kg). These planting materials were planted in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications in Arusha at ARI-Selian farm, Lambo in Kilimanjaro, ARI-Uyole in Mbeya and in Kagera at ARI-Maruku. The sites ARI-Selian and Maruku represented mid altitude agro-ecologies, ARI Uyole (high altitude) and Lambo site is low agro-ecology. Grain yield and disease reaction scores data was collected and analysed using GenStat 15 th edition software. Results showed significance difference (P≤0.05) for grain yield and diseases. Grain yield ranged from 1538kg/ha to 4314 kg/ha. Genotype RWV1129 produced 3091 kg/ha in 2014/2015 where as MACC44 yielded relatively higher (3530kg/ha than RWV1129 at Selian site in 2015/2016 season. The farmers’ participatory variety selection approach used in selecting of new improved bean genotypes depicted high yield, high market demanded, and resistant to diseases as the key important criteria. Genotypes MACC44 and RWV 1129 were the best genotypes accepted by farmers due to their high yield, and high market value. Therefore, the study recommended them to be registered and released as nutritionally improved varieties for farmers’ cultivation and consumption thereby to relief the iron deficient vulnerable groups in Tanzania. Keywords: Climbing bean, Biofortification, Performance, Iron and Zinc DOI : 10.7176/JBAH/9-4-06
Molecular diversity of the 5S nuclear ribosomal DNA in Campeiostachys with StHY haplome constitution

To detect the genomic constitutions and investigate the evolutionary relationships between Campeiostachys Drobov and Elymus L. species, we have cloned and analyzed 271 5S nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences from 27 accessions of these species, mostly of Chinese origin. We identified Long H1, Short S1, and Long Y1 unit classes in nine Campeiostachys or Elymus species. The identification of the three orthologous unit classes was confirmed by the neighbor‐joining tree of each unit class from PAUP and the phylogeny tree of three unit classes from MrBayes. The results suggested that these Elymus species comprise StYH haplomes and should be included in Campeiostachys. The phylogeny tree showed a clear separation between the S1 unit class and Y1 unit class. However, Y1 unit class sequences formed a sister clade to the S1 unit class, implying that although the St and Y haplomes might have some affinity, they are distinct from one another. The phylogeny tree also indicated that the five species in sect. Turczaninovia (C. dahurica var. cylindrica, C. dahurica var. dahurica, C. dahurica var. tangutorum, E. purpuraristatus, and E. dahuricus Turcz. ex Griseb. var. violeus C. P. Wang & H. L. Yang) might share a more recent common ancestor, whereas the four species in sect. Elymus (C. nutans, E. breviaristatus (Keng) Keng ex Keng f. , E. sinosubmuticus (Keng) Keng f. , and E. atratus (Nevski) Hand. ‐Mazz. ) share a close relationship. By identifying only one type of unit class for each haplome, we propose that the 5S nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences of species within Campeiostachys might have undergone haplome‐specific concerted evolution.
Diallel analysis of yield and its important components in aromatic rice (Oryza Sativa L.)

Eight parents of aromatic rice were crossed in half diallel mating design without reciprocal including parents. The parents were evaluated for eleven different characters. Genetic analysis was done through Griffing’s Method II Model I. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among parents and their crosses for all the characters. Combining ability analysis revealed that gca and sca variance were highly significant for most of the characters studied in F1 generation. Amongst the parental lines, Basmati Kasturi was a good general combiner for plant height at maturity, total number of spikelets per panicle, total number of filled grains per panicle and grain yield per plant in F1 generation while the most promising specific combiners for grain yield per plant were Basmati x Chakhao Angangba and Basmati Kasturi x Basmati 370.
On the capacity of finite state channels and the analysis of convolutional accumulate-m codes

What are the fundamental limits of communications channels and channel coding systems? In general, these limits manifest themselves as thresholds which separate what is possible from what is not. For example, the capacity of a communications channel is a coding rate threshold above which reliable communication is not possible. At any coding rate below capacity, however, reliable communication is possible. Likewise, all fixed rate coding schemes have channel noise thresholds above which the probability of decoding error cannot be made arbitrarily small. When the channel noise is below the threshold, many of the same coding systems can operate with very small error probability. In this dissertation, we consider the noise thresholds of Convolutional Accumulate- m (CA-m) codes, the capacity of finite state channels (FSCs), and the information rates achievable via joint iterative decoding of irregular low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes over channels with memory. CA-m codes are a class of turbo-like codes formed by serially concatenating a terminated convolutional code with a cascade of m interleaved rate-1 “accumulate” codes. The first two chapters consider these codes from two different perspectives. First, the sequence of m encoders is analyzed as a Markov chain to show that these codes converge to random codes, which are nearly optimal, as m goes to infinity. Next, a detailed threshold analysis is performed for both maximum likelihood and iterative decoding of long CA-m codes with finite m. A FSC is a discrete-time channel whose output depends on both the channel input and the channel state. A simple Monte Carlo method is introduced which estimates the achievable information rate of any FSC driven by finite memory Markov inputs. Until recently, there has been no practical method of estimating the capacity of a FSC. This Monte Carlo method enables one to compute a non-decreasing sequence of lower bounds on the capacity. The joint iterative decoding of irregular LDPC codes over channels with memory is also considered. For a class of erasure channels with memory, we derive a closed form recursion that can be used to verify necessary and sufficient conditions for successful decoding.
A modified model reference adaptive control algorithm for DC servomotor

This paper deals with the position control of DC servomotor. A modified model reference adaptive control (MMRAC) algorithm is proposed. This algorithm preserves all the best features of MRAC such as Lyapunov stability, and asymptotic convergence of the tracking error. In addition, dynamics of DC servomotor, load changes, noises, and disturbances are taken into account and assumed to be completely unknown. The system is examined under various uncertainties such as load variations, noisy measurements and field disturbances. Experimental results have shown that the proposed control algorithm is more robust than time delay control, and conventional PID controller. <<ETX>>
Microfluidic-Induced Sleep: A Spontaneous C. elegans Sleep State Regulated by Satiety, Thermosensation and Mechanosensation

One remarkable feature of behavior is an animal’s ability to rapidly switch between activity states; however, how the brain regulates these spontaneous transitions based on the animal’s perceived environment is not well understood. Here we show a C. elegans sleep-like state on a scalable platform that enables simultaneous control of multiple environmental factors including temperature, mechanical stress, and food availability. This brief quiescent state, we refer to as “microfluidic-induced sleep,” occurs spontaneously in microfluidic chambers, which allows us to track animal movement and perform whole-brain imaging. With these capabilities, we establish that microfluidic-induced sleep meets the behavioral requirements of C. elegans sleep and depends on multiple factors, such as satiety and temperature. Additionally, we show for the first time that C. elegans sleep can be induced through mechanosensory pathways. Together, these results establish a rich model system for studying how animals process multiple sensory pathways to regulate behavioral states.
Protective effects of resveratrol on testicular oxidative stress induced of MK-801 in mice

Gunumuzde MK-801’in sizofreniye sebep olan dozlarinin testiste oksidatif strese de neden oldugu ortaya cikmistir. Bu calisma fare testislerinde MK-801 kullanilarak ortaya cikartilan oksidatif strese karsi resveratrolun koruyucu etkisini arastirmak amaciyla yapilmistir. Testisler agirlik, toplam oksidan-antioksidan seviyeleri, seminifer tubullerin caplari ve epitel dokularinin yukseklikleri, patolojik ve epididimal sperm motilitesi yonunden degerlendirilmistir. Bu amacla 24 fare alinarak grup basina 6’sar fareden olusan 4 grup olusturulmustur. Grup I, kontrolden olusmustur ve bu gruba intraperitoneal yolla %0,9 FTS (10ml/kg) verilmistir. Grup II’ye i.p. yolla MK-801 (1mg/kg), Grup III’e i.p. yolla MK-801 (1mg/kg) ve resveratrol (40mg/kg), Grup IV’e de i.p. olarak resveratrol (40mg/kg) verilmistir. Uygulamalar on dort gun boyunca surmustur. Bu surenin sonunda testisler cikartilmis ve yapilan incelemeler neticesinde testiste ikinci grupta MK-801’in oksidatif strese sebep oldugu saptanmis, testis agirliginda azalma, sperm motilitesinde dusme ve tubullerde patolojik degisiklikler oldugu gorulmustur. Resveratrolun ise oksidatif strese karsi testisi korudugu ortaya konulmustur. Ayrica resveratrol grubunda kontrole gore sperm motilitesinin arttigi gozlenmistir. Sonuc olarak MK-801’in testiste oksidatif strese sebep oldugu ve resveratrolun de koruyucu etkisinin bulundugu ortaya cikarilmistir.
Observations about consensus seeking in a multiple criteria environment

The paper reports a case study where two multiple criteria methods were employed to support consensus seeking in groups of student politicians. In the first group the decision-makers (DM) began the session by using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) for their individual decision support, and later on they sought consensus by comparing their final weightings. In the second group the DMs discussed the problem collectively by employing the interval AHP (IAHP), a recently developed extension to the AHP, as a common framework for finding commonly accepted statements about the group's preferences. The outcomes of the sessions and the feedback received from the DMs suggest that the IAHP is less likely to lead to preference anchoring in consensus seeking. <<ETX>>
A Brief Review of Systems Theories and Their Managerial Applications

[Modified excerpt] Systems theory is an interdisciplinary theory about every system in nature, in society and in many scientific domains as well as a framework with which we can investigate phenomena from a holistic approach. Systems thinking comes from the shift in attention from the part to the whole, considering the observed reality as an integrated and interacting unicuum of phenomena where the individual properties of the single parts become indistinct. In contrast, the relationships between the parts themselves and the events they produce through their interaction become much more important, with the result that system elements are rationally connected towards a shared purpose. The systemic perspective argues that we are not able to fully comprehend a phenomenon simply by breaking it up into elementary parts and then reforming it; we instead need to apply a global vision to underline its functioning. Although we can start from the analysis of the elementary components of a phenomenon, in order to fully comprehend the phenomenon in its entirety we have to observe it also from a higher level: a holistic perspective. [Service Science, ISSN 2164-3962 print, ISSN 2164-3970 online, was published by Services Science Global SSG from 2009 to 2011 as issues under ISBN 978-1-4276-2090-3. ]
Bipartitioning circuits using TABU search

VLSI circuit partitioning is an extensively studied problem. Various iterative improvement based heuristics have been, proposed for obtaining reasonably good solutions. In this paper we explore the applicability of TABU search for partitioning of electrical circuits. We briefly describe the TABU search and its application to circuit or graph partitioning. We have generated experimental results on a variety of standard benchmark circuits. Our results match in quality, and at times improve, the tightest known results in the partitioning literature. We have shown extensive comparison with at least six very well known methods for circuit partitioning.
Homeomorphic Model of the Effect of Impact Trauma on the Human Eye

A homeomorphic model of the human eye has been developed to simulate the effect of impact forces on the internal components of the eye. This is the first time a Mass-Spring-Damper (MSD) model has been used to investigate forces and displacements throughout the outer tunic, the vitreous body, and the retina. Whereas most of the existing Finite Element Models (FEM) are extremely complicated in their structure and composition, and takes up to 6-10 hours for a single simulation run, our MSD model, with its inherent computational advantages, completes a single round of simulation within tens of seconds. The model also provides detailed information about the node positions, velocities and force profiles, with a special emphasis on the retina. Moreover, a prediction paradigm was developed to indicate the estimated extent of retinal damage based on the angle and magnitude of the applied forces. Further, a user-friendly GUI was developed to allow additional new investigations into ocular trauma. The results of the model simulations under various force impact conditions were shown to be accurate and consistent with known experimental findings. Thus, our homeomorphic MSD model can be a useful tool for the physician to assess retinal damage non-invasively prior to clinical intervention.
Sex Dimorphism in the Fgf21 Gene Expression in Liver and Adipose Tissues is Dependent on the Metabolic Condition

Fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21) beneficially affects carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Previously, a sex-specific activation of Fgf21 expression was observed in humans and animals with metabolic diseases. It is unknown whether the sex differences in the Fgf21 expression are manifested in response to the natural physiological situations of fasting and refeeding. The aim of this work was to determine liver, White Adipose Tissue (WAT) and Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT) expression of genes related to FGF21 signaling in response to 24 h fasting, 6 h refeeding (after 24 h fasting) and Diet-Induced Obesity (DIO) in C57Bl mice of both sexes. Obesity was induced by the consumption of palatable food for 10 weeks. mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-a and -γ (Pparα, Pparγ), FGF21 (Fgf21), coactivator of FGF receptors (Klb) and transcriptional coactivator (Pgc-1α) were measured by RT-PCR. The study showed that the fasting-induced increases in hepatic Fgf21 gene expression and circulating FGF21 levels, as well as refeeding-induced increases in local WAT and BAT Fgf21 gene expression, were biased toward females. DIO-induced increase in circulating FGF21 levels, as well as in Fgf21 gene expression in the liver and BAT, were biased toward males. Considering that FGF21 is a novel metabolic regulator of energy homeostasis, sex differences in the responses to anabolic and catabolic stimulus could have translational implications for novel therapeutic outcomes.
Imputation of Behavioral Candidate Gene Repeat Polymorphisms in 486,551 Publicly-Available UK Biobank Individuals

Some of the most widely studied polymorphisms in psychiatric genetics include variable number tandem repeat polymorphisms (VNTRs) in SLC6A3, DRD4, SLC6A4, and MAOA. While initial findings suggested large effects, their importance with respect to psychiatric phenotypes is the subject of much debate with broadly conflicting results. Despite broad interest, these loci remain absent from the largest available samples, such as the UK Biobank, limiting researchers’ ability to test these contentious hypotheses rigorously in large samples. Here, using two independent reference datasets, we report out-of-sample imputation accuracy estimates of >0.96 for all four VNTR polymorphisms and one modifying SNP, depending on the reference and target dataset. We describe the imputation procedures of these candidate polymorphisms in 486,551 UK Biobank individuals, and have made the imputed polymorphism data available to UK Biobank researchers. This resource, provided to the community, will allow the most rigorous tests to-date of the roles of these polymorphisms in behavioral and psychiatric phenotypes.
Using LectureTools to enhance student–instructor relations and student engagement in the large class

Positive student–instructor relationships are important for student engagement, motivation, retention and achievement. Yet, as class sizes grow, these relationships can be increasingly difficult to develop. This study explores LectureTools – a web-based student response and learning platform that facilitates communication between instructors and students – as a possible solution to this issue by analysing survey data collected from students in a second-year communication class at a large Canadian university. This study builds on previous evidence that using LectureTools results in an increase in student engagement, attentiveness and level of learning, while expanding on this work to include the concept of student instructor relationships. Ultimately, the functionality of LectureTools was found to facilitate the development of student–instructor relationships in the large class while also enhancing student engagement. Keywords: pedagogical design; undergraduate; mixed method; e-learning; technology (Published: 11 November 2015) Citation: Research in Learning Technology 2015, 23 : 27197 - http://dx.doi. org/10.3402/rlt.v23. 27197
Liberating Learning Object Design from the Learning Style of Student Instructional Designers.

Learning objects are a new form of learning resource, and the design of these digital environments has many facets. To investigate senior instructional design students' use of reflection tools in designing learning objects, a series of studies was conducted using the Reflective Action Instructional Design and Learning Object Review Instrument tools. Analysis revealed that most participants found the reflection questions useful in design but also that intensive use of the tools is needed to free learning object design from the personal learning traits of the designers.
Phasic arousal optimizes decision computations in mice and humans

Neuromodulatory brainstem systems controlling the global arousal state of the brain are phasically recruited during cognitive tasks. The function of such task-evoked neuromodulatory signals is debated. Here, we uncovered a general principle of their function, across species and behavioral tasks: counteracting maladaptive biases in the accumulation of evidence. We exploited that neuromodulatory brainstem responses are mirrored in rapid dilations of the pupil. Task-evoked pupil dilations predicted smaller biases in an auditory detection task performed by humans and mice. In humans, this effect generalized to a more complex, and well-known form of bias: risk-seeking in a value-based (“stock-market”) decision. Across tasks, pupil-linked bias suppressions were specifically due to changes in the accumulation of evidence, indicating that phasic changes in arousal state shape the formation of the decision. Thereby, phasic arousal accounts for a significant component of the trial-to-trial variability overt choice behavior.