Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intra-Landrace Variability of Two Landraces in Ghana

Information about landrace diversity has practical implications for its preservation, efficient management and effective utilization in breeding programmes. The objectives of the study were to (i) compare molecular and agronomic diversity estimates of two divergent landraces (AA007/92 and AA098/92) and (ii) assess the correlations between distance estimates of the two landraces based on molecular (AFLP) markers and morphological traits. In the molecular study, six highly informative Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) primer combinations produced 198 bands in landrace AA007/92 of which 163 (82.3%) were polymorphic while 204 bands with 163 (80%) polymorphic bands were produced in landrace AA098/92. Jaccard's similarity coefficients ranged from 0.05 to 0.83 for AA007/92 and 0.20 to 0.75 for AA098/92, while Euclidean distance estimates ranged from 1.90 to 18.80 for AA007/92 and 2.30 to 14.41 for AA098/92, indicating high molecular and phenotypic variability within the landraces. There was no significant association between agronomic performance and the genetic diversity estimates from AFLPs. Yield components such as ear diameter, cob size, and kernel size (length and width) and vegetative characters such as ear and plant heights and days to anthesis and silking were the most important for discriminating among plants within the landraces studied. The landraces constitute individuals with diverse genetic backgrounds and, therefore, the high molecular and phenotypic variability detected makes them good source materials for breeding for drought- tolerant improved maize varieties in Ghana.
Premarital Sexual Practices, Consequences and Associated Factors among Regular Undergraduate Female Students in Ambo University, Oromia Regional State, Central Ethiopia,2015

Background: Significant numbers of adolescents are involved in sexual activities at an early age which exposes them to the risk of unintended pregnancy, abortion and STIs. Even though, the reproductive health problem of young people is critical among both sexes, adolescent’s girls are more affected because of their biological, economic and social vulnerability. Therefore, this study was designed to assess the prevalence, consequences and associated factors of premarital sex among female students in Ambo University. Methods and materials: An institutional based crosssectional study was conducted with qualitative inquiry from January to February 2015. Quantitative data were collected from 650 randomly selected female students in Ambo University using a pretested structured questionnaire. The qualitative data were generated through focus group discussions among purposely selected discussants. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was estimated using multivariable logistic regression to identify independent predictors of premarital sex while thematic framework analysis was employed for the qualitative data. Results: About 90 (53.9%) of sexually active respondents reported that they started sex after joining the University. Twenty Eight (16.8%) of sexually active respondents have got pregnant prior to the study period and 15(53.6%) reported history of abortion. The proportion of respondents screened for HIV/AIDS were 56.8% and among this 1.6% had positive results. In the multivariate analysis students who didn’t discussed sexual related issue with their parents [AOR: 7.16; 95% CI (4.39-11.68)], being alcohol consumer [AOR: 3.70; 95% CI (2.04-6.73)] and attending romantic videos/films [AOR: 9.95 (7.69-49.87)] were independent predictors of premarital sex. Conclusion: Significant number of young females had started sex very early and involved in high risk sexual behavior without condom and family planning methods. These kinds of findings call for family life time education including parent-youth communication education.
The Tax-Adjusted Q Model with Intangible Assets: Theory and Evidence from Temporary Investment Tax Incentives

We propose a tax-adjusted q model with physical and intangible assets and estimate the effect of bonus depreciation in the United States in the early 2000s. We find that investment responds moderately to tax incentives; however allowing for heterogeneity reveals that intangible-intensive firms are more responsive than physical-intensive firms and their differences increase with firm size. Accounting for intangible assets increases the estimated total investment response from 3.7 to 14.3 percent among the largest 500 firms. Our results imply that understanding the behavior of large and intangible-intensive firms has important implications for the design and evaluation of investment policy.
Differential susceptibility of Morettini pears to blue mold caused by Penicillium expansum

Pear fruit (Pyrus communis L. cv Beurre Precoce Morettini) developing on the outside of canopy and exposed to sunlight acquires a bright redness on the exposed side, compared to the green peel fruit that develop within the canopy. At harvest, the main physicochemical parameters of the red and green side of the fruit, including firmness, brix and titratable acidity, were similar in pears harvested at the same day and stage of maturity. However, it was observed that fruits with a red side or that mostly green showed a different response to biotic stress, namely to pathogenic fungi attack. Actually, after 7 days under shelf-life conditions, red fruits demonstrated to be more resistant than green ones when challenged with a postharvest Penicillium expansum inoculation. Significant differences were observed in antioxidant activity and total phenolic compounds between both sides of the fruits. Several polyphenols related to mechanisms of induced resistance against fungal plant pathogens were identified in the extracts, such as catechin, quercetin, quinic acid or caffeoylquinic acid. These results suggest that the accumulation of phenolic compounds triggered by sun exposure may be one of the mechanisms responsible for the increased resistance of red-skinned Morettini pears.
The Predictive Validity of CBM Writing Indices for Eighth-Grade Students

Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) is an alternative to traditional assessment techniques. Technical work has begun to identify CBM writing indices that are psychometrically sound for monitoring older students’ writing proficiency. This study examined the predictive validity of CBM writing indices in a sample of 447 eighth-grade students. Regression analyses revealed that simple fluency measures were not adequate for assessing secondary students’ writing. A more complex fluency measure, the number of correct punctuation marks, and an accuracy-based measure, the percentage of correct word sequences, were the best predictors of a written expression test for eighth-grade students. However, overall results of the current study provided only limited support for the use of CBM to assess writing skill at the secondary level.
Essential oil studies and RAPD markers in sUV-B treated Cymbopogon flexuosus (Nees ex Steud) wats.

The wild plants of Cymbopogon flexuosus (Nees ex Steud) Wats were subjected to sUV-B treatment to analyze essential oil variation and DNA polymorphism. Significant difference in essential oil yield and citral content was observed. Plants treated with sUV-B for different intervals of time (15min, 30min, 1h, 1.5h, 2.0h, 2.5h, 3.0h, 3.5h and 4.0h) along with control were subjected to RAPD analysis with 10 random decamer primers. Five primers (OPA-01, OPA-09, OPY-18, OPY-09 and OPG-10) produced polymorphism generating 57 amplicons, of which 27 were polymorphic and 30 were monomorphic in nature. Primer OPA-01 showed highest polymorphism (60%) and OPA-09 showed lowest polymorphism (12.5%). High genetic similarity was observed in treatment with 1.5h and 2.5h and least genetic similarity in treatment with 3.5h and control plants. Dendrogram constructed on genetic similarity coefficient showed two clusters viz., cluster I and II. The study indicates the significant variation at intraspecies level with respect to essential oil yield, citral content and DNA polymorphism in sUV-B treated plants which can be further exploited for developing high yielding chemotypes in C. flexuosus.
Response of a mixed grass prairie to an extreme precipitation event

Although much research has been conducted to measure vegetation response to directional shifts in climate change drivers, we know less about how plant communities will respond to extreme events. Here, we evaluate the response of a grassland community to an unprecedented 43 cm rainfall event that occurred in the Front Range of Colorado in September, 2013 using vegetation plots that had been monitored for response to simulated precipitation changes since 2011. This rain caused soils to stay at or above field capacity for multiple days, and much of the seed bank germinated following the early autumn event. Annual introduced grasses, especially cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), and several introduced forbs demonstrated strong positive increases in cover the following growing season. Native cool season grasses and native forbs showed limited changes in absolute cover despite continued high soil water availability, while native warm season grasses increased in cover the following summer. Treatments that previously altered the amounts and seasonality of rainfall during the 2011–2013 interval showed legacy effects impacting cover responses of introduced species and warm-season native grasses. Resin bag estimates of inorganic nitrogen flux resulting from the event indicated twice as much nitrogen movement compared to any previous collections during the 2011–2013 interval. Nitrogen additions to a subset of plots made in spring of 2014 demonstrated that the relative cover of introduced species could be further increased with additional soil nitrogen. Collectively, these results support the contention that extreme precipitation events can favor species already benefiting from other environmental change drivers.
Artisanal mining: an economic stepping stone for women

Artisanal mining is about reaping the riches of the earth to make a living. Artisanal mining is the informal, and more primitive type of small-scale mining. It is usually characterized by individuals or groups who very inefficiently exploit superficial mineral deposits, often illegally and with simple equipment. Artisanal mining is also about women who take employment which involves dangerous working conditions and seldom leads to economic security. Artisanal mining is, furthermore, about women venturing into new and challenging territories and subsequently changing their role. This article on women and artisanal mining is a vignette that underscores all the obstacles to women's fulfilment. These critical and cross-sectoral obstacles are, to cite a few, economic exclusion, discrimination in terms of access to land and natural resources, the increasing feminization of poverty and the lack of recognition of women's valuable work. Two-pronged action is recommended: to give women themselves hope and recognition for their isolated efforts, and that their endeavours are acknowledged breakthroughs; and to reshape the environment, which is oppressing these women, to create a new one.
Energy dissipation over large-scale roughness for both transition and uniform flow conditions

Rock chutes are natural river training structures and are efficient energy dissipaters too. From the hydraulic and environmental point of view, rock chutes have become important structures in the natural river morphology. A physical study was conducted and flow properties were measured over rough bed materials of a rock chute, which was assembled at the PITLAB center of the University of Pisa, Italy. Experiments were performed for slopes varying between 0.18≤ S ≤0.38, 0.03 < dc/H < 0.54 and for ramp lengths Lr between 1.17 m ≤Lr≤3.6 m. This paper presents the energy dissipation characteristics of the two-phase flows in the presence of two different base materials. In addition, the dissipative process was also analyzed in the presence of reinforcing boulders located on the base material. The findings showed that energy dissipation rate slightly increases with the boulder concentrations for the tested slopes and materials. The experiments were conducted for different rock chute lengths in order to understand its effect on the energy dissipation. An empirical expression is developed for determining the energy dissipation characteristics over different base materials in different ramp length conditions in twophase flows. Results have been compared with the results obtained for stepped chutes and found a similar decreasing trend of dissipation rate for dc/Lr ≤0.1.
Relationship between Quality Parameters and the Overall Appearance in Lettuce during Storage

Fresh-cut and whole iceberg lettuce were stored in refrigerated condition and the main sensory (overall appearance: OA, browning index: BI), physical (colour variation: E*), chemical (respiration activity: RA, ammonia content: A) and biochemical (total chlorophyll: TC, antioxidant activity: AA, total phenols: TP, o-quinones: o-q, polyphenol oxidase: PPO, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase: PAL and peroxidase: POD) traits were followed during the trial. Significant relationships among these parameters were assessed by principal component analysis (PCA) in order to find the main traits related to OA, in fresh-cut lettuce. Results from PCA showed that OA was inversely correlated with BI (r=-1.00), E* (r= -0.98), A (r= -0.94), AA (r= -0.86), TP (r= -0.82), o-q (r= -0.89), and PAL (r= -0.80). Moreover, OA was positively related with RA (r= 1.00) and PPO activity (r= 0.96). Ammonia resulted significantly correlated with the main sensory, physical, chemical and biochemical parameters. Thus, this parameter, with E* could be used as indicator of the product quality and acceptability in control quality procedures. In conclusion, rating scale used to estimate OA, resulted a valid method to evaluate the iceberg lettuce quality, since it showed significant relationships with the main analytical parameters.
GENETIC VARIABILITY INDUCED BY GAMMA IRRADIATION AND ITS MODULATION WITH GIBBERELLIC ACID IN M 2 GENERATION OF CHICKPEA ( CICER ARIETINUM L . )

Seeds of three chickpea genotypes viz., Noor 91 (white), Punjab 91 (brown) and C 141 (black) were treated at 40, 50 and 60 Kr separately and post mutagenically with gibberellic acid (GA3). Plant height, number of primary and secondary branches, pods per plant, seeds per pod and grain yield in M2 generation were significantly effected due to genotypes, treatments and also by their interaction. Plant height decreased nonsignificantly with both treatments except at 50 Kr of gamma irradiation. Primary branches increased significantly with gamma irradiation as compared to control. Post mutagenic application of GA3 significantly decreased the number of primary branches at 50 and 60 Kr to that of gamma irradiation. Gamma irradiation significantly decreased number of secondary branches as compared to control. Post mutagenic application of GA3 stimulated the secondary branches at 40 and 50 Kr as compared to irradiated population. Pods per plant significantly increased with gamma irradiation as compared to control. GA3 application significantly decreased the pods per plant at 40 and 60 Kr which increased at 50 Kr to that of while gamma irradiation. Seeds per pod remained unchanged with gamma irradiation as compared to control while it increased significantly with GA3. Gamma irradiation which increased the grain yield significantly as compared to control. Combined treatment stimulated the grain yield at 50 and 60 Kr to that of irradiated population.
Study of flagellin profiling in multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDRPA) isolated from burn wound infections, Tehran, Iran

Nosocomial infections of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDRPA) are a growing concern in hospitalized patients in burn centers. The aim of this study was to investigate the flagellin profiling and antibiotic susceptibility of P. aeruginosa isolated from burn wound infections. During 8 month study, 73 clinically P. aeruginosa isolates collected from patients hospitalized in burn ward. P. aeruginosa isolates were identified using standard laboratory procedures. In vitro susceptibility of clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa to 6 antimicrobial agents were investigated by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI 2012) Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion assay. The frequency of different type of flagellin was investigated by using specific primers and by PCR method. The resistance rates of our isolates to 6 tested antimicrobial agents were relatively high. Imipenem has good activity while tobramycin and ciprofloxacin do not have any effect on P. aeruginosa isolates. Of 73 isolates 59 (80.8%) were multidrug resistant. Twenty eight of 73 isolates were resistant to all antibiotics. Agarose gel electrophoresis of chromosomal DNA exhibited that 59 isolates (80.8%) of P. aeruginosa had type A flagellin while only 14 isolates (19.2%) had type b flagellin. Given the antibiotic failure treatment, it appears that alternative ways such as immunity to prevent of these infections could be informative. Our survey of flagellin profiling of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa isolates exhibited high frequency of type a flagellin as a major virulence factor has important role of immunity against infections caused by MDRPA. Functional surveillance of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa in order to prevention of resistance dissemination is necessary.
Coevolution of volcanic catchments in Japan

Abstract. Present-day landscapes have evolved over time through interactions between the prevailing climates and geological settings. Understanding the linkage between spatial patterns of landforms, soils, and vegetation in landscapes and their hydrological response is critical to make quantitative predictions in ungaged basins. Catchment coevolution is a theoretical framework that seeks to formulate hypotheses about the mechanisms and conditions that determine the historical development of catchments and how such evolution affects their hydrological response. In this study, we selected 14 volcanic catchments of different ages (from 0.225 to 82.2 Ma) in Japan. We derived indices of landscape properties (drainage density and slope–area relationship) as well as hydrological response (annual water balance, baseflow index, and flow–duration curves) and examined their relation with catchment age and climate (through the aridity index). We found a significant correlation between drainage density and baseflow index with age, but not with climate. The intra-annual flow variability was also significantly related to catchments age. Younger catchments tended to have lower peak flows and higher low flows, while older catchments exhibited more flashy runoff. The decrease in baseflow with catchment age is consistent with the existing hypothesis that in volcanic landscapes the major flow pathways change over time from deep groundwater flow to shallow subsurface flow. The drainage density of our catchments decreased with age, contrary to previous findings in a set of similar, but younger volcanic catchments in the Oregon Cascades, in which drainage density increased with age. In that case, older catchments were thought to show more landscape incision due to increasing near-surface lateral flow paths. Our results suggests two competing hypotheses on the evolution of drainage density in mature catchments. One is that as catchments continue to age, the hydrologically active channels retreat because less recharge leads to lower average aquifer levels and less baseflow. The other hypothesis is that the active channels do not undergo much surface dissection after the catchments reach maturity.
The Survey of the Causal Relationship between Banking Concentration and Economic Growth

This paper examines the causality between concentration in banking industry and economic growth by using data across 15 countries named in "Iran outlook in 2025", over the period 2004-2011. Our aim is to assess whether the economy grows more or less rapidly in areas where the banking sector is more concentrated. The topic is motivated by the fact that the causality between concentration in banking industry and economic growth has not been examined in Iran and the countries named in Iran Outlook 2025. In order to investigate the relationship, the standard Granger causality test and Hsiao’s version of Granger causality test are employed in this paper. The results show that banking concentration is negatively associated with economic growth. Besides, the evidence suggests that economic growth has a positive effect on bank monopoly power.
On the nature of pre-main sequence candidate stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud

We investigate a sample of 18 Large Magellanic Cloud Herbig Ae/Be candidate stars looking at their (1) spectral types (2) brightness variability mechanism and (3) near infra-red JHK emission. We find that the majority of the target stars have Hα emission, are of spectral type early- to mid-B and lack strong JHK excess emission. Their Balmer decrements are found to be similar to that of Galactic Be stars in general. Their erratic brightness variability is evaluated by using the observed optical color excess and the color gradient from the light curves and is subsequently interpreted as being due to variable dust obscuration or variable bf-ff emission from circumstellar ionized gas. For approximately half of the target stars in our sample the type of variability seems to be dissimilar to the mechanism involving bound-free and free-free emission, but could be interpreted as caused by variable dust obscuration, as we have proposed in earlier studies. It is therefore suggested that they are pre-main sequence objects, despite the fact that they nearly all lack thermal dust emission in the near infra-red; mid/far infra-red observations for these objects are warranted. One star is observed to have JHK excess emission and an inspection of its 7.5 year MACHO light curve confirms its erratic photometric behavior. The object displays deep photometric minima with a quasi-period of 191.3 days, as generally seen in the Galactic pre-main sequence subgroup of the UX Orionis stars.
Phylogenetic Tools in Astrophysics

Multivariate clustering in astrophysics is a recent development justified by the bigger and bigger surveys of the sky. The phylogenetic approach is probably the most unexpected technique that has appeared for the unsupervised classification of galaxies, stellar populations or globular clusters. On one side, this is a somewhat natural way of classifying astrophysical entities which are all evolving objects. On the other side, several conceptual and practical difficulties arize, such as the hierarchical representation of the astrophysical diversity, the continuous nature of the parameters, and the adequation of the result to the usual practice for the physical interpretation. Most of these have now been solved through the studies of limited samples of stellar clusters and galaxies. Up to now, only the Maximum Parsimony (cladistics) has been used since it is the simplest and most general phylogenetic technique. Probabilistic and network approaches are obvious extensions that should be explored in the future.