Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Herbicide-tolerant sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) plants: an unconventional method of weed removal

Unnecessary weed growth in sugarcane fields forces plants to compete for nutrients and sunlight for survival, which most often leads to significant yield losses. As chemical herbicides cannot differentiate between crop plants and weeds, the development of herbicide-tolerant crops is anticipated. Four sugarcane varieties, CPF-234, CPF-213, HSF-240, and CPF-246, were used to develop glyphosate herbicide tolerance. A glyphosate-tolerant gene of 1368 bp cloned directionally under the 35S promoter with the \Beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene was used as the transgene. Through the biolistic transformation of sugarcane, calli of all cultivars were transformed with glyphosate-tolerant gene constructs. Efficient regeneration conditions were optimized on 1.5-2.5 mg/L kinetin, 1.5-2.5 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), and 1 mg/L gibberellic acid (GA3). The transformants exhibited the best shoot regeneration on a medium containing 2 mg/L kinetin, 2 mg/L BAP, 2 mg/L GA3, and 1 mg/L indole-3-acetic acid. Based on initial screenings through GUS assay, the transformation efficiency was 22%, 32%, 17%, and 13% for cultivars 246, 234, 213, and 240, respectively. In transformed sugarcane plants, the transgene of 1368 bp was amplified. ELISA with gene-specific coated monoclonal IgG confirmed the transgene protein expression. It was revealed that all acclimatized transgenic sugarcane plants survived the glyphosate spray application of 900 mL/0.404 ha, except for the control nontransformed plants. However, at spray application of 1100 mL/0.404 ha, transgenic plants having the transgene protein OD of 0.2 to 1.0 did not survive, while those that had a transgene protein OD range of between 1.0 and 2.0 did. In addition, weeds growing alongside transgenic sugarcane plants turned brown and subsequently died at glyphosate spray applications of both 900 and 1100 mL/0.404 ha.
Exploring the approaches in the implementation of BIM-based MEP coordination in the USA

The design coordination of Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) systems is a manual process conducted during preconstruction phase of building projects. The difficulties associated with the conventional MEP coordination process have resulted in extensive efforts to enhance the process through utilization of BIM technology. The widespread adoption of BIM technology by AEC (architecture/engineering/construction) firms has given rise to new means and methods of conducting MEP coordination. However, there is limited knowledge about various approaches that are currently practiced as BIM- based coordination. Also, there is a need to identify information items and metrics needed to properly capture and measure the effect of BIM on enhancing coordination process. The major objective of this study is to capture the underpinnings of BIM-based coordination process as currently practiced by AEC firms in the U.S. A nationwide survey was conducted to capture the subject matter experts’ opinions in the following areas of BIM-based coordination: (1) Current approaches of conducting coordination using BIM; (2) Information items collected to monitor coordination process; (3) Factors affecting coordination production rate; (4) Metrics used by AEC companies to measure production rate; and (5) Identified best practices leveraged by companies to enhance BIM utilization in the coordination process. The findings of this study indicated that “remote coordination” and “regular coordination” are the most widely used BIM-based coordination approaches. Number of clashes resolved in each meeting, BIM competency of team members, and number of trades attending meetings were identified as the most commonly collected information items by AEC firms throughout the MEP coordination process. Team experience level, preliminary design quality, and MEP system complexity were found as the most important factors that impact the MEP coordination process. Several best practices were recommend by participants in this study to improve the efficiency of MEP coordination process. These strategies were described under the four different phases of an MEP project: initiation and planning, 3D modeling, MEP coordination, and construction and installation. The results of this study are expected to enhance our knowledge about differences among various BIM-based coordination approaches, their popularity among practitioners, and their effects on the coordination progress. The findings of this research will help AEC firms by describing information requirements for establishing a procedure to track, measure, and compare MEP coordination progress across different construction projects.
Experimental and theoretical analysis of a rigid rotor supported by air foil bearings

The popularity of compressors utilizing foil bearings is increasing. Their mechanical design is challenging, and an accurate prediction of the bearing coefficients is important. A mathematical model taking into account the foil structure, and the detailed geometry of a three pad foil bearing are presented. The steady state solution and dynamic coefficients are obtained through zeroth and first order perturbed equations respectively. Analysis of the foil structure reveals the importance of distinguishing between a static foil stiffness for the zeroth order equation and a dynamic stiffness for the first order equation. Calculated bearing coefficients are compared to experimental results obtained from a dedicated test rig. Generally, good agreement is observed and minor discrepancies for the damping coefficients are discussed.
The Cuticular Hydrocarbons Profiles in the Colonial Recognition of the Neotropical Eusocial Wasp, Mischocyttarus cassununga (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

Cuticular hydrocarbons are chemical messengers with fundamental role in information transfer on the nestmate recognition, physical or behavioral caste, age, task specialization and reproductive status among individuals of colony. In basal (primitively) eusocial wasps, the role of cuticular hydrocarbons in the colonial recognition has been extensively studied in genus Polistes (Polistinae) and Stenogastrinae. Although the genus Mischocyttarus (Polistinae) is a large group of neotropical eusocial wasps, the cuticular hydrocarbons were only investigated in a few species. This study aimed to verify whether the cuticular hydrocarbons can discriminate the intercolonial identity in Mischocyttarus cassununga . Our results showed that the cuticular hydrocarbons can play a role in intercolony recognition.
Seasonality and zonation in the reproductive biology and population structure of the shrimp Alvinocaris stactophila (Caridea: Alvinocarididae) at a Louisiana Slope cold seep

Ecological patterns in deep-sea chemosynthetic environments are often considered to be independent of variations in photosynthetic primary production. This study examines spatial and temporal variation in the population structure and reproductive development of the caridean shrimp Alvinocaris stactophila at the Brine Pool cold seep on the Louisiana Slope. To assess spatial variation, samples were collected by submersible from different locations at the Brine Pool mussel bed in November 2003. The proportion of males in samples declined from the outer to the inner zone of the mussel bed, while the proportion of female shrimp carrying eggs increased. This zonation may result from congregation of large ovigerous females towards the inner zone, where sulphide flux from underlying sediments may be absent or reduced. To examine temporal variation in reproductive development, oocyte size-frequency distributions were compared between August 1997, March 2002, February 2003, November 2003 and July 2004. All oocytes in early spring samples were small and previtellogenic, while summer samples contained larger vitellogenic oocytes. The largest oocytes were found in large non-ovigerous females from the autumn, while ovigerous females from the same season contained the smallest oocytes in this study. Embryos in the autumn exhibited no differentiation, in contrast to well-developed embryos from early spring that hatched into zoea larvae. These features indicate seasonal and iteroparous reproduction in A. stactophila, with females carrying embryos from autumn to early spring and releasing planktotrophic larvae to exploit a seasonal peak in surface productivity and its export.
The nature of the HE0450−2958 system

Magain et al. argued that the host galaxy of the quasar in HE0450−2958 is substantially underluminous given the quasar brightness. Using kinematical information from the spectra of the quasar and the companion galaxy, an ultraluminous infrared galaxy, we test the hypothesis that the black hole powering the quasar was ejected from the companion galaxy during a merger. We argue that the ejection model is unlikely, since the kick velocity required to remove the black hole from the galaxy is 500 km s −1 , inconsistent with the presence of narrow emission-line gas at the same redshift as the quasar nucleus. We also show that the quasar in HE0450−2958 has the spectral characteristics of a narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy and calculate a mass for its black hole that is roughly an order of magnitude smaller than that estimated by Magain et al. The predicted luminosity of the host galaxy is then consistent with the upper limits inferred by those authors.
Do Islamic Banks Have Greater Market Power?

The aim of this paper is to investigate whether Islamic banks have greater market power than conventional banks, as they might benefit from a captive client base. To measure market power, we compute Lerner indices for a sample of banks from 17 countries where Islamic and conventional banks coexist over the period 2000–2007. We also use the Rosse-Panzar model to measure the degree of competition for each type of banks. We find that Islamic banks do not have greater market power than conventional banks. We attribute the competitive behavior of Islamic banks to differences in norms and incentives.
Combining ability and heritability for host resistance to Aspergillus flavus and Aflatoxin accumulation in tropical mid-altitude maize

Aflatoxins are toxic, and highly carcinogenic secondary metabolites of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. They pose a serious health hazard to humans and animals that consume contaminated grain. Recently, the National Maize Breeding Program at National Crop Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) incorporated breeding for resistance to A. flavus infection and aflatoxin accumulation in its initiative to improve maize grain quality in Uganda. The breeding strategy had three major components: (i) identifying locally adapted, elite germplasm with resistance to A. flavus and reduced aflatoxin accumulation, (ii) improving locally adapted, elite germplasm for host resistance, and (iii) formation of new populations for pedigree breeding. To identify sources of resistance, we first compared effectiveness of media plating and media free techniques for assessment of kernel infection rate (KIR) on various germplasm. We generated 144 three-way test crosses and screened them together with their parental inbred lines and 4 single cross testers for host resistance to A. flavus and reduced aflatoxin accumulation. Using line by tester analysis, we identified 5 resistant inbred lines and 7 hybrids. We used the resistant inbred lines to make crosses with new sources of resistance from International Center for Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT) and International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in diallel design. To strengthen this work, we conducted a survey to assess farmers’ knowledge on A. flavus and aflatoxins and their management practices. Results obtained provided us with a foundation for development and deployment of new germplasm with resistance to A. flavus and aflatoxin accumulation for improved grain quality for both domestic consumption and export.
Yield and nutritive value of the silage of corn intercropped with tropical perennial grasses

The objective of this work was to compare the yield and nutritive value of the silage of corn intercropped with palisade grass ( Urochloa brizantha 'Marandu') or guinea grass ( Megathyrsus maximus 'Tanzânia') with those of the silage of monocropped corn, as well as to evaluate the pasture established in the intercropping systems during two growing seasons (2010–2011 and 2011–2012), in low-altitude Brazilian Cerrado. The treatments consisted of three cropping systems: monocropped corn, corn intercropped with palisade grass, and corn intercropped with guinea grass, with four replicates. Intercropping decreased corn forage dry matter yield for silage; however, due to the addition of grass, total dry matter yield (corn + grass) was similar between treatments. Intercropping also did not negatively affect corn production components and morphological characteristics. The cropping systems provided silages with good nutritive values, and the inclusion of tropical forages increased the silage fiber contents. Intercropping corn with tropical perennial grasses is a viable option for producing large quantities of silage with good nutritive value. The forage yield (silage + pasture) of these intercropping systems is similar to that of monocropped corn in tropical regions and has the advantage of providing a pasture in the off-season.
Smoke and mirrors? The science of poverty measurement and its application

Measures of poverty are much used, but also much criticised as having limited value in debates on public resource allocation. Some argue that the measures are too conservative and do little more than complicate important issues of inequality and injustice. However, poverty measurement can be sensitive to these concerns if grounded in the field's well-developed theoretical foundation. In South Africa, poverty measures over more than 50 years have consistently taken into account distributional issues and the causes and implications of deprivation, and most South African analyses of poverty have recognised and incorporated the multi-dimensional nature of poverty. Recognising different perceptions of aggregation, time horizon and the role of states and markets is perhaps more important than methodology when assessing what poverty measures can contribute. With proper theorisation, and attention paid to the purpose of poverty diagnostics, measurement is more than sleight-of-hand and can provide both a tool for advocacy and a means to implement policies that promote greater social justice.
Investigation on mycoflora of poultry breeding houses’ air and studying the efficacy of spraying and fumigation on inactivating the airspora

Background: A common concern of the poultry industry is the presence of fungal pathogens in the birds’ environment, which may constitute a considerable health hazard to the birds, farmers, and those living in proximity of the farm. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to assess the mycoflora in the indoor and outdoor environments of poultry breeding houses and studying the efficacy of disinfection methods, including spraying and fumigation, on reducing airspora concentration. METHODS: Indoor air of 12 poultry houses were sampled by exposing Petri dishes containing Sabouraud’s glucose agar after removal of old litter, spraying with disinfectant solutions, and fumigation with formalin plus permanganate. The plates were incubated at 30 °C for seven days and fungi were counted and identified microscopically and macroscopically according to standard mycological methods. RESULTS: A total of 182 and 181 fungal colonies were recovered from indoor and outdoor air of poultry houses, respectively. Candida (30.2%) and Aspergillus (26.9%) species were the most common yeast and mold in the indoor, respectively, whereas Alternaria (37.6%) and Candida (19.3%) species were the most predominant fungi in the outdoor air of poultry houses. Disinfection of the poultry houses using spraying and fumigation methods led to a 38.1% and 75% reduction in airspora concentration (p<0.05), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the findings of the present study, Candida spp and Alternaria spp had the highest indoor and outdoor concentrations in poultry breeding houses’ air, respectively, and fumigation was the most efficient method in reducing airspora.
Psychometric properties of the Greek version of the Test Anxiety Inventory

The present study examined the psychometric properties of the Greek version of Spielberger (1980) self-report measure of test anxiety, the Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI). The total sample consisted of 231 undergraduate stu-dents (124 male, 107 female). The results verified the well established two-factor structure for the TAI. The two factors represented the Worry (TAI-W) and Emotionality (TAI-E) subscales, respectively. Furthermore, on the bases of the confirmatory factor analyses, using either the set of 20 items or the set of 16 items, we found con-vincing support for the existing relationship between the two subscales of the Test Anxiety Inventory. The in-ternal consistency of the twenty-item TAI-T scale and for the eight-item Worry and Emotionality subscales ranged from Cronbach’s α = . 81 to . 94. The G-TAI and its subscales showed differential statistically significant relationships with a self-report measure of cognitive interference.
Determination of aquatic food‐web structure based on compound‐specific nitrogen isotopic composition of amino acids

The nitrogen isotopic composition (δ15N) of amino acids is potentially useful as an alternative method for estimating the trophic levels of organisms in food webs. However, because this “amino acid method” has been constructed from the observations of only a few case studies of food‐consumer combinations in previous studies, the universality of the approach remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the δ15N signatures of amino acids in 17 photoautotrophs and the trophic relationships during four controlled feeding experiments using green algae, zooplankton, and fish. The results are consistent with those reported in previous studies, implying that the amino acid method can be applied to a variety of organisms. From these and previously published data, we estimate the two factors (β, isotope differences among amino acids in primary producers; Δ, the 15N‐enrichment factor for each trophic level) required to calculate the trophic level. Based on the lowest error (1σ = 0.12) in the estimated trophic level, we conclude that a comparison of the δ15N values for glutamic acid and phenylalanine is most useful in calculating precise estimates of the trophic level, using the following equation: trophic level (TLGlu/Phe) = (δ15NGlu − δ15NPhe − 3.4)/7.6 + 1.
Poisson-Nijenhuis structures

We study the deformation, defined by a Nijenhuis operator, and the dualization, defined by a Poisson bivector, of the Lie bracket of vector fields on a manifold and, more generally, of the Lie bracket on a differential Lie algebra over a commutative algebra. Requiring that the two processes commute, one obtains hierarchies of pairwise compatible Lie brackets on the module and on its dual. Each differential Lie algebra-structure on a module gives rise to a cohomology operator on the algebra of forms over the module, as well as to a graded Lie algebra-structure on the algebra of multivectors (the Schouten algebra). We study the deformation and the dualization of the derivations of the algebra of forms and of the Schouten bracket of multivectors, thus obtaining generalizations of the preceding differential geometric results together with new proofs. Section 2 comprises the study of the Nijenhuis operators on the twilled Lie algebras, an «N-matrix version» of the Kostant-Symes theorem, and an application to Hamiltonian systems of Toda type on semisimple Lie algebras Nous etudions la deformation, definie par un tenseur de Nijenhuis, et la dualisation, definie par un bivecteur de Poisson, du crochet de Lie des champs de vecteurs sur une variete et, plus generalement, du crochet de Lie sur une algebre de Lie differentielle sur une algebre commutative
Paternal Postpartum Depression and Its Relationship With Maternal Postpartum Depression

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 205 couples who were selected using a random cluster sampling in seven health centers affiliated to the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences six to 12 weeks after childbirth. Data was collected from fathers using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and a demographic questionnaire. The Edinburgh questionnaire was also used for the mothers. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and the Pearson correlation as well as the Chi-square and linear regression.
MANAGING LAND FOR THE COMMON GOOD? EVIDENCE FROM A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN AGONA, GHANA

The common and dominant view that customary land tenure systems in Africa are inefficient because they forbid individuation, are not registered, are insecure, discourage access to credit, and provide incentive for free rider problems is examined through a case study of one community in Ghana, West Africa. A ninety-day field study in the case study area explored the extent to which the land tenure system has supported a community-based housing project and how that, in turn, has shaped or constrained infrastructural and socio-economic and political development. The paper reveals that communal ownership in the case study area deviates from the orthodox description of land tenure systems in Africa and escapes the problems associated with the so-called ‘tragedy of the commons’. Abuse by both the corporation and corporators is possible and probable, but not because of custom. Growing processes of modernisation, commodification, and secularisation will undermine this system.
Farmer knowledge, perceptions and management of maize lethal necrosis disease in selected agro-ecological zones of Uganda

A new disease on the African continent called maize lethal necrosis disease (MLND) that has been reported to cause up to 100% losses in neighbouring Kenya, has since spread to Uganda. Production of maize in Uganda is now under threat from this devastating virus disease. Understanding farmers’ knowledge, perceptions and management practices is a prerequisite to establishing an effective disease nmanagement approach to halt its spread in Uganda. A survey of 396 farmers from 14 major maize growing districts in five agro-ecological zones of Uganda was conducted in 2015 aimed at assessing farmers’ current knowledge of maize lethal necrosis disease and practices for its management. Most farmers (58.1%) had not heard or observed MLN in their fields. The study reveals that 56.6% of the farmers interviewed first experienced MLN in the year 2014. There was uncertainty of the cause of MLN symptoms among 56.6% of the farmers. Most farmers observed MLN symptoms at one month after planting. Only 21.7% correctly identified MLN symptoms observed. The main MLN symptom observed by most farmers (60.6%) was chlorotic mottle on leaves. Up to 55.3% of farmers attempted to control MLN with the majority (77.4%) managing it through uprooting and burning the diseased plants, which they indicated was effective in managing MLN. These results suggest that MLN control could be achieved by enhancing farmers’ knowledge and considering successful farmer MLN management practices when developing and promoting management practices for this disease.