Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biochemical Approach for Virulence Factors’ Identification in Xanthomonas Oryzae Pv. Oryzae

Bacterial blight caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) leads to a substantial yield reduction of up to 50% in most rice-growing regions. Host plant resistance is an effective control method, and more than 30 resistance genes have been identified in rice genotypes. To understand the interaction of the pathogen in a susceptible reaction of the host plant, Xoo culture filtrate and treated culture filtrates were used to treat two rice genotypes using four strains Mai1, PXO88, Dak1 and Dak16. The study revealed that Xoo culture filtrate, heated culture filtrate and proteinase K treated culture filtrate induced typical bacterial blight symptoms on rice genotypes IRBB4 and FKR14 with a maximum lesion length of about 23.1 cm for culture filtrate. Heated culture filtrate phytotoxicity effects on both rice genotypes was with highest lesion length of about 6.9 cm, while 13.4 cm was the maximum length induced by a proteinase K treated fraction. After ethyl acetate treatment of the culture filtrate, a considerable reduction of the phytotoxicity was observed. Therefore we suggest that a low molecular-weight toxin may be present in the ethyl acetate extract should not play a major role in Xoo virulence and speculate that EPS, Xylanase, polygalacturonase, proteinaceouse contribute to Xoo virulence.
DISSECTING THE PROPERTIES OF OPTICALLY THICK HYDROGEN AT THE PEAK OF COSMIC STAR FORMATION HISTORY

We present the results of a blind survey of Lyman limit systems (LLSs) detected in absorption against 105 quasars at z ∼ 3 using the blue sensitive MagE spectrograph at the Magellan Clay telescope. By searching for Lyman limit absorption in the wavelength range λ ∼ 3000–4000 Å, we measure the number of LLSs per unit redshift ℓ(z) = 1.21 ± 0.28 at z ∼ 2.8. Using a stacking analysis, we further estimate the mean free path of ionizing photons in the z ∼ 3 universe . Combined with our LLS survey, we conclude that systems with log NH i ⩾ 17.5 cm−2 contribute only ∼40% to the observed mean free path at these redshifts. Furthermore, with the aid of photoionization modeling, we infer that a population of ionized and metal poor systems is likely required to reproduce the metal line strengths observed in a composite spectrum of 20 LLSs with log NH i ∼ 17.5–19 cm−2 at z ∼ 2.6–3.0. Finally, with a simple toy model, we deduce that gas in the halos of galaxies can alone account for the totality of LLSs at z ≲ 3, but a progressively higher contribution from the intergalactic medium is required beyond z ∼ 3.5. We also show how the weakly evolving number of LLSs per unit redshift at z ≲ 3 can be modeled either by requiring that the spatial extent of the circumgalactic medium is redshift invariant in the last ∼10 Gyr of cosmic evolution or by postulating that LLSs arise in halos that are rare fluctuations in the density field at each redshift.
Ageing mallee eucalypt vegetation after fire: insights for successional trajectories in semi-arid mallee ecosystems

A critical requirement in the ecological management of fire is knowledge of the age-class distribution of the vegetation. Such knowledge is important because it underpins the distribution of ecological features important to plants and animals including retreat sites, food sources and foraging microhabitats. However, in many regions, knowledge of the age-class distribution of vegetation is severely constrained by the limited data available on fire history. Much fire-history mapping is restricted to post-1972 fires, following satellite imagery becoming widely available. To investigate fire history in the semi-arid Murray Mallee region in southern Australia, we developed regression models for six species of mallee eucalypt (Eucalyptus oleosa F.Muell. ex. Miq. subsp. oleosa, E. leptophylla F.Muell. ex. Miq., E. dumosa J. Oxley, E. costata subsp. murrayana L. A. S. Johnson & K. D. Hill, E. gracilis F.Muell. and E. socialis F.Muell. ex. Miq.) to quantify the relationship between mean stem diameter and stem age (indicated by fire-year) at sites of known time since fire. We then used these models to predict mean stem age, and thus infer fire-year, for sites where the time since fire was not known. Validation of the models with independent data revealed a highly significant correlation between the actual and predicted time since fire (r = 0.71, P 35 years since fire). Nevertheless, this approach enables examination of post-fire chronosequences in semi-arid mallee ecosystems to be extended from 35 years post-fire to over 100 years. The predicted ages identified for mallee stands imply a need for redefining what is meant by ‘old-growth’ mallee, and challenges current perceptions of an over-abundance of ‘long-unburnt’ mallee vegetation. Given the strong influence of fire on semi-arid mallee vegetation, this approach offers the potential for a better understanding of long-term successional dynamics and the status of biota in an ecosystem that encompasses more than 250 000 km2 of southern Australia.
Risk factors and outcome of neonatal jaundice in a tertiary hospital

Neonatal jaundice is a common cause of newborn hospital admission. The risk factors, the characteristics and outcomes related to neonatal jaundice in Bangladesh has not been studied so far. This study addressed the outcomes, characteristics and risks of the jaundiced newborn admitted into hospital. The babies who had significant jaundice and required phototherapy and /or exchange transfusion were investigated. A detailed history of delivery with gestational age was noted and clinical examination of the admitted newborn was done. Birth weight was recorded. The investigations included complete blood count, ABO and Rh compatibility, serum bilirubin, glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and ultrasonography (USG) of brain. The newborns were closely monitored for the prognosis. The requirement of individualized phototherapy and exchange transfusion were also noted. Finally, the outcomes were recorded. Overall, 60 (m v. f = 58.3 v. 41.7%) newborns were found who developed significant jaundice and were investigated. Of them, 35% had gestational age less than 32wks and only 32% had equal to or greater than 35wks. Regarding delivery, 83.3 % had the history of caesarean section. ABO- and Rh– incompatibilities were found in 13.3% and 3.3%, respectively. Septicemia was diagnosed among 26.7% though blood culture yielded growth only in 20%. Compared with the higher gestational age-group (? 35 wks) the lower group (<32 wks) showed significantly higher rate of septicemia (12.5 v. 68.8%, p<0.005). G6PD deficiency was found in only one (1.7%) case. Birth asphyxia was found as a concomitant factor in three patients. Exchange transfusion was done only in 2 (3.3%) babies. Among them one was preterm IDM with septicemia and other had G6PD deficiency. None of these babies developed kernicterus. Five (8.3%) babies died, all of them had septicemia and one baby also had intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) with PDA. The study revealed that a substantial number of neonatal jaundice had the history of lower gestational age in Bangladeshi newborns; and the lower gestational age is significantly associated with septicemia and possibly with hyperbilirubinemia. More study is needed to establish the study findings. DOI: 10.3329/imcj.v4i2. 6500 Ibrahim Med. Coll. J. 2010; 4(2): 70-73
Consumer preferences for wooden furniture in Croatia and Slovakia

During the last decade, the Slovak and Croatian furniture industry markets have experienced changes that have made these markets more interesting for domestic and foreign investors. Furniture manufacturers and retailers are still trying to determine the best ways to adjust to customer demands, and understanding the furniture preferences of customers would provide beneficial information to the furniture industry. The purpose of this study, which was conducted in 2016, was to improve the knowledge regarding differences in the preferences of customers for furniture materials, attributes, and styles when purchasing furniture in Slovakia and Croatia. The findings showed that Slovak and Croatian respondents differ in their preferences for furniture materials, as well as the factors that influence their purchasing decisions when buying interior and exterior furniture. Overall, it was found that wood as the furniture material, compared with the surveyed substitutes, was widely preferred among the Croatian and Slovak respondents.
FACTORS AFFECTING THE ADOPTION OF TILLAGE SYSTEMS IN KANSAS

Concerns about environmental degradation due to agriculture have gained importance as it is associated with soil erosion, health hazards, and ground water pollution. Environment-friendly land use practices have been developed to gain a wide range of environmental benefits including reduced soil erosion, reduced nutrient runoff from crop and livestock facilities, increased biodiversity preservation efforts, and restoration of wetlands and other native ecosystems. No-till is one such practice where soil erosion, nutrient runoff and environmental degradation can be reduced to a certain extent. This study evaluated the factors affecting the adoption of tillage systems in Kansas. A survey was conducted with a total of 135 participants from four different locations in the state of Kansas between August 2006 and January 2007. The adoption process was modeled as a two-step econometric models consisting of perception and adoption equations to estimate the impacts of demographic variables and farmers’ familiarity with and participation in certain conservation programs. The results for the perception models showed that the farm operators’ perceptions regarding whether BPM installation and management is unfair to producers or not and whether environmental legislation is often unfair to producers do not vary systematically across farm size, producers’ familiarity and participation in conservation programs, or other demographics considered in the study. On the other hand, their perceptions regarding how polluted their water supplies varied by their thoughts on relative profitability across various tillage practices, their primary occupation, and their familiarity with conservation programs. Specifically, the results suggested that those who regarded no-till practices to be more profitable than other tillage practices or whose primary occupation was farming-related tended to believe that ground water was not polluted, and those who were less familiar with available conservation programs tended to believe that surface water s were not polluted. The adoption model results suggested that farmers with greater operating acreage, those who perceived that no-till was more profitable than other tillage systems, and those with greater familiarity with and participation in existing conservation programs were more likely to adopt more conservation tillage systems, all else equal. Further, perceptions of fairness of environmental regulations or the level of pollution did not impact the tillage choices. TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures.vi List of Tables . vii Acknowledgements . viii CHAPTER 1: Conservation Tillage Systems . 1 1.
Liquid Hole-Multipliers: A potential concept for large single-phase noble-liquid TPCs of rare events

A novel concept is proposed for large-volume single-phase noble-liquid TPC detectors for rare events. Both radiation-induced scintillation-light and ionization-charge are detected by Liquid Hole-Multipliers (LHM), immersed in the noble liquid. The latter may consist of cascaded Gas Electron Multipliers (GEM), Thick Gas Electron Multiplier (THGEM) electrodes or others, coated with CsI UV-photocathodes. Electrons, photo-induced on CsI by primary scintillation in the noble liquid, and event-correlated drifting ionization electrons are amplified in the cascaded elements primarily through electroluminescence, and possibly through additional moderate avalanche, occurring within the holes. The resulting charge-signals or light-pulses are recorded on anode pads or with photosensors – e.g. gaseous photomultipliers (GPM), respectively. Potential affordable solutions are proposed for multi-ton dark-matter detectors; open questions are formulated for validating this dream.
Integrability and Reliability of Smart Wearables in Virtual Reality Experiences: A Subjective Review

Virtual Reality (VR) is now an affordable technology that is starting to penetrate the mass market. While cardboard is the most distributed system, it lacks interaction to provide really engaging experiences. Providing low cost solutions to enhance VR experiences is crucial. We hypothesized that the integration of a smart wristband in a VR experience, provide a reliable and comfortable enough setup to add a biofeedback loop to a game. We created a physiologically enhanced game and coupled it with a smart wristband capable of monitoring one's heart rate. We tested our game with and without biofeedback and compared the reported novelty. We observed a high interest of the participants for the integration of smart wearables in VR. We highlighted the stability of our setup, even in mobility and the reported absence of discomfort created by the addition of the wristband.
Soil dry aggregate size distribution: effects of soil type and land use.

Soil structure is an important physical property of soil and has a great impact on the environment and agriculture. Dry aggregate size distribution and related soil structure indices are essential parameters in understanding the structural state of the soil. This study was conducted to determine the effects of different soil types and land uses on structure parameters and to relate them to selected soil properties. The investigation was performed on five soil types (Arenosols, Fluvisols, Chernozems, Gleysols and Solonetz), each from three different locations and under three different land uses (cropland, meadow and forest), so that a total of 135 undisturbed soil samples were collected. Dry sieving analysis was performed to obtain eight aggregate size classes (ASCs) (>10, 10-5, 5-3, 3-2, 2-1, 1-0.5, 0.5-0.25 and 10, 5-3 and 3-2 mm ASCs. Chernozems and Gleysols have more favorable structure than Arenosols, Fluvisols and Solonetz. Long term cultivation leads to the deterioration of soil structure and the formation of clods. Forest soils have a significantly better structure than soils under meadows and croplands. The application of principal component analysis and regression models identifies water retention at -33 kPa, bulk density and pH value as for the most important factors in predicting dMWD and dGMD.
An Introduction to Economic Evaluation in Occupational Therapy: Cost-Effectiveness of Pre-Discharge Home Visits after Stroke (HOVIS)

Introduction: Occupational therapy interventions, such as home visits, have been identified as being resource-intensive, but cost-effectiveness analyses are rarely, if ever, carried out. We sought to estimate the cost-effectiveness of occupational therapy home visits after stroke, as part of a feasibility study, and to demonstrate the value and methods of economic evaluation. Method: We completed a cost-effectiveness analysis of pre-discharge occupational therapy home visits after stroke compared with a hospital-based interview, carried out alongside a feasibility randomized controlled trial. Our primary outcome was quality-adjusted life years. Full cost and outcome data were available for 65 trial participants. Findings: We found that the mean total cost of a home visit was £183, compared with £75 for a hospital interview. Home visits are shown to be slightly more effective, resulting in a cost per quality-adjusted life year of just over £20,000. Conclusion: Our analysis is the only economic evaluation of this intervention to date. Home visits are shown to be more expensive and more effective than a hospital-based interview, but our results are subject to a high level of uncertainty and should be treated as such. Further economic evaluations in this field are encouraged.
Optimal Noise Level for Imperceptible Vibrotactile Stimulation during a Force Stability Task

Imperceptible vibratory noise stimulation has shown to be an effective means of improving stability for both whole body postural control and simple motor control tasks. While the physiological mechanism affording this improvement is uncertain, it is suspected that sensory noise stimulation may elicit a stochastic resonance-like effect within the somatosensory system. A stochastic resonance effect describes the phenomenon in which noise added to a non-linear system improves signal detection rather than degrading it. One hallmark of stochastic resonance is the existence of an optimal noise level which elicits the best system performance. There is disagreement in the literature regarding the presence of an optimal stimulation level for motor stability in humans. The goals of this study were to: 1) determine optimal stimulation level as a function of an individual’s sub-sensory threshold level, and 2) to determine whether performance of a force stability task was significantly better when subjects received stimulation at this identified optimal level compared to other sub-sensory threshold stimulation levels. Eighteen (18) participants completed an isometric finger flexion task with visual feedback while receiving noise stimulation scaled to varying percentages of their individual sub-sensory threshold level. Performance for this force stabilization task was quantified as the root-mean-square (RMS) error between the target force and the actual generated force values. Despite controlling all other signal properties and varying only amplitude, optimal noise stimulation values still varied widely across participants (10-100% sub-sensory threshold level). Statistical modeling revealed a significant improvement in task performance with optimal noise stimulation compared to other sub-sensory stimulation levels (p ≤ 0.019) with estimated marginal mean differences in force errors ranging from 0.13 to 0.23 N. Moderate significant Spearman correlations (rs = 0.49 and rs = 0.56, respectively) were found between finger flexion maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and sub-sensory threshold level and MVC and optimal stimulation level. A strong, significant Spearman correlation (rs = 0.65) was observed between sub-sensory threshold level and optimal stimulation level. Although these correlations do not provide a means to predict optimal stimulation level as a function of these other measures, optimal stimulation level appears to increase with sub-sensory threshold and MVC.
Heights and Development in a Cash-Crop Colony: Living Standards in Ghana, 1870-1980

While Ghana is a classic case of economic growth in an agricultural-export colony, scholars have queried whether it was sustained, and how far its benefits were widely distributed, socially and regionally. Using height as a measure of human well-being we explore the evolution of living standards and regional inequality in Ghana from 1870 to 1980. Our findings suggest that, overall, living standards improved during colonial times and that a trend reversal occurred during the economic crisis in the 1973-83. In a regression analysis we test several covariates reflecting the major economic and social changes that took place in early twentiethcentury Ghana including railway construction, cocoa production, missionary activities, and urbanization. We find significant height gains in cocoa producing areas, whereas heights decreased with urbanization.
Circulation and Energy Theorem Preserving Stochastic Fluids

Abstract Smooth solutions of the incompressible Euler equations are characterized by the property that circulation around material loops is conserved. This is the Kelvin theorem. Likewise, smooth solutions of Navier–Stokes are characterized by a generalized Kelvin's theorem, introduced by Constantin–Iyer (2008). In this note, we introduce a class of stochastic fluid equations, whose smooth solutions are characterized by natural extensions of the Kelvin theorems of their deterministic counterparts, which hold along certain noisy flows. These equations are called the stochastic Euler–Poincaré and stochastic Navier–Stokes–Poincaré equations respectively. The stochastic Euler–Poincaré equations were previously derived from a stochastic variational principle by Holm (2015), which we briefly review. Solutions of these equations do not obey pathwise energy conservation/dissipation in general. In contrast, we also discuss a class of stochastic fluid models, solutions of which possess energy theorems but do not, in general, preserve circulation theorems.
Relative Hamiltonian for Faithful Normal States of a von Neumann Algebra

Let W be a cyclic and separating vector for a von Neumann algebra 5ft and Jr be its modular operator. For any elements Qi,. ,Qn in %R and complex numbers 2r lv. , zn such that Re Zj^>Q and I Re z^l/2, F is shown to be in the domain of A^Q,. A^Qn and \ApQi. A'w«QnV\^\Ql\. \Qn\\Vl A self adjoint operator h=h( ffl is called a Hamiltonian of a faithful normal state p of 9# relative to another faithful state 9) of %R if vectors £„ and £$ representing <p and <p (in the canonical cone F£) is related by f,= £ (-l n = 0 The operator is shown to be an intertwining unitary operator between modular automorphisms a\ and <s\ for states ^ and (pi The relative hamiltonian h(^/^) is unique for given states (p and (p. It exists and satisfies log/1^-h(y? /^)^log/2 if / J ^^^^/2 ^, where ^j^^g means that 0j — 02 is in the canonical cone Vy*. In particular, if /^ then h((p/(/)) exists and satisfies the above inequality. The modular operators As<p and Jff are related by where / is the common modular conjugation operator for %v and ^. The chain rule h(^1/^2)4-h(92/^3) = h(^1/^3) is satisfied. §
Learning Doubly Intractable Latent Variable Models via Score Matching

Most current approaches for learning latent variable models, such as variational methods, require access to a normalized joint distribution. However, for models that do not belong to the standard, widely-studied parametric classes or that are derived from an undirected graphical model, the normalizer is often not readily available. Here we generalize the score matching approach [1] to learn a wide class of latent variable models based on joint exponential family (or maximum-entropy) distributions with arbitrary sufficient statistic vectors. We derive a stochastic gradient based optimization scheme that does not depend on the computation of normalizing constants for either of the joint or the posterior densities.