Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improvement of the Characteristics of Steamed Bread by Supplementation of Recombinant alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase Containing xylan-binding domain

ABSTRACT Current study investigated the potential to increase the activity of α-L-arabinofuranosidase (TmAra) from Thermotoga marotima on insoluble arabinoxylan (IAX) through fusion to a family 6 xylan-binding domain (CtXBD6) from Clostridium thermocellum. CtXBD6 was fused to the carboxyl terminus of TmAra, and active forms of both TmAra and TmAraCtXBD6 were produced in E. coli and purified to homogeneity for biochemical characterization. TmAraCtXBD6 had similar temperature and pH profiles to TmAra with a decrease in the thermostability and pH stability at pH 7.0–8.2. It exhibited stronger IAX-binding and hydrolytic activity than TmAra. TmAra and TmAraCtXBD6-treated IAX were added to wheat flour to investigate the rheological and textural properties of the finished product. IAX alone had significant increase in dough development time (DDT) and dough stability (DS) and decrease in the softening degree (SD), crumb firmness (CF) and specific volume (SV). On adding TmAra and TmAraCtXBD6 to treat IAX texture, SV and DS improved but decreased DDT, SD, and CF. TmAraCtXBD6 reduced CF and increased SV, and had higher springiness, cohesiveness, and crumb chewiness than TmAra. These results demonstrated that the fusion of CtXBD6 into arabinofuranosidase enables the increase in catalytic performance on insoluble AX substrates, which can be used as more efficient biocatalysts that can improve the quality of AX-rich products.
Student-oriented teaching practices and educational equality: a population-based study

espanolIntroduccion. La evidencia ha sido escasa sobre la posible relacion de las practicas de ensenanza con la igualdad educativa de los estudiantes. Este trabajo investigo (i) si las practicas de ensenanza orientada al alumno estan asociadas con los resultados de aprendizaje en matematicas, y (ii) si la de ensenanza orientada al alumno podria aumentar la igualdad en los resultados de aprendizaje entre estudiantes de diferente trasfondo. Metodo. Utilizamos los datos finlandeses de PISA 2012 (N = 5052-5660),que proporcionan una muestra representativa a nivel nacional de los estudiantes finlandeses de 15 anos. Los datos se analizaron utilizando modelos de ecuaciones estructurales. Resultados.La practica frecuente de la ensenanza orientada al alumno se ha asociado con peor resultados de aprendizaje en matematicas. El efecto de la practica frecuente de la ensenanza orientada al alumno fue especialmente negativo entre los estudiantes con factores de riesgo (es decir, familia desestructurada, pobreza familiar, bajo nivel de estudios de la madre, condicion de inmigrante, previos comportamientos de absentismo escolar). Nuestros analisis adicionales mostraron que la frecuente practica de ensenanza basada en la indagacion tambien estaba relacionada con peores resultados de aprendizaje en las ciencias naturales. Discusion y conclusion. En conclusion, las practicas de ensenanza orientada al alumno parecen estar vinculadas con peores resultados de aprendizaje de los estudiantes en centros de educacion secundaria. La ensenanza orientada al alumno puede ampliar la brecha en los resultados de aprendizaje entre estudiantes de diferentes trasfondos EnglishIntroduction. Evidence has remained scarce whether teaching practices might be linked to students’ educational equality. This study investigated (i) whether student-oriented teaching practices are associated with students’ learning outcomes in mathematics, and (ii) whether student-oriented teaching might increase equality in learning outcomes between students with different backgrounds. Method. We used the Finnish PISA 2012 data (N=5052-5660) that provides a nationally representative sample of the Finnish 15-year-old students. The data were analyzed using structural equation models. Results. Frequent student-oriented teaching practices were associated with students’ weaker learning outcomes in mathematics. The effect of frequent student-oriented teaching practices was especially negative among students with risky backgrounds (i.e. risky family structure, low family wealth, low maternal education, immigrant status, student’s previous truancy behavior at school). Our additional analyses showed that also frequent inquiry-based teaching practices were related to weaker learning outcomes in science. Discussion and Conclusion. In conclusion, student-oriented teaching practices appear to be linked with students’ weaker learning outcomes in comprehensive school. Student-oriented teaching may expand the gaps in learning outcomes between students coming from different backgrounds.
Severe Hepatotoxicity and Nephrotoxicity of Gasoline (Petrol) on Some Biochemical Parameters in Wistar Male Albino Rats

The present study was carried out to determine the severe hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity of gasoline on liver, kidney, hematological and oxidative stress parameters in wistar male albino rats. Preliminary toxicity study to determine the volume of gasoline that could cause toxicity was carried out using 56 healthy male albino rats. The calculated LD50 is 0.75ml of gasoline per kg body weight of the animals. Another set of 20 male albino rats were grouped into two groups and used for the biochemical analysis: Group A animals were the control group and Group B animals were administered with 0.5ml of gasoline per kg body weight. Preliminary toxicity study shows that group B rats exhibited changes in behavioural pattern such as restlessness, salivation, coma, respiratory distress, sedation and death. The results of this study shows that WBC values were significantly increased (P<0.05) in group B animals compared to group A animals. The result of this study shows that HGB, RBC and HCT values were significantly reduced (P<0.05) in the group administered with gasoline (group B) compared to the healthy group (group A). All the plasma liver biomarker enzymes: AST, ALT, ALP and GGT were significantly increased (P<0.05) in group B rats compared to group A rats. This is an indication of impaired liver function. The plasma total bilirubim value increased in group B rats while their plasma total protein values significantly reduced (P<0.05) when compared to group A rats. The liver histopathological examination also confirmed that administration of gasoline caused liver inflammation and cirrhosis in group B animals. Administration of gasoline to group B animals caused significant reduction (P<0.05) in the activities of SOD, CAT and GSH values of the liver homogenate. The MDA values were significantly high in group B rats compared to group A rats. This signifies the existence of hepatic lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress in group B animals.
Patterns of Maxillary Canine Impaction in Iraqi Population

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of maxillary canine impaction and whether the impacted canine cases have had a potentially good or poor prognosis if interceptive treatment was practiced at earlier ages. Material and Methods: 1755 panoramic radiographs of patients, aged 13 to 60 years, attending the University of Babylon, College of Dentistry for the period from November 2016 to July 2018 were collected and assessed for the presence of impacted maxillary canines. Subsequently, four suggested prognostic factors for each impacted canine were analyzed and recorded. Results: The prevalence of maxillary canine impaction was 119 (6.78%) with 89 unilateral impaction and 30 bilateral impaction resulting in a total of 149 impacted canines. Regarding the gender, impaction was more evident in females 70 than in males 49 with no statistical significant difference. For the side, impaction was more prevalent on the left (77) than on the right (72), also with no statistical difference (p>0.05). Following the analysis of the four prognostic factors, most of the cases, 117 (78.5%) had at least one prognostic factor to be poor. Although 82 (55%) of the cases had at least one prognostic factor to be good, only 4 had all the prognostic factors to be good. Conclusion: Although the cases that had a potentially good prognosis were little (4 cases), interceptive extraction of primary canines would mostly be beneficial for these patients as it will minimize the treatment time, cost and complications.
Reefal microbial crusts found in Middle Holocene reef from Okinawa Island, the Ryukyu Archipelago

Reefal microbial crusts (RMCs) are fine-grained, non-skeletal carbonate crusts coating coralgal reef frameworks, and are locally common in late Quaternary reef deposits. They are interpreted as microbial carbonates produced by the growth and metabolism of benthic bacterial communities. Key questions remain concerning their uneven spatio-temporal distributions, formation process and controlling factors; the crusts have not yet been reported in the Ryukyu Archipelago. Here we report the first occurrence of brownish, few-centimeter-thick, fine-grained, non-skeletal crusts in a Middle Holocene reef core recovered at Naha New Port Pier, off the western coast of Okinawa Island, the Ryukyu Archipelago. The outer morphology of the crusts is either knobby or flat. The meso-scale fabric of the crusts is generally clotted and structureless, while a few crusts are weakly laminated or digitate. The slab core shows a biological succession from a bioeroded coral oriented upward, overlain by thin crusts of coralline algae and encrusting foraminifers, ending in a brownish, fine-grained, non-skeletal crust. Surface elemental mapping shows that the crusts are composed mainly of Ca and Mg (i.e., Mg-containing carbonate). X-ray diffraction analysis indicates that the crusts are composed predominantly of high-magnesium calcite, subordinate with aragonite and quartz. Petrographic observations show that the crusts are made mainly of peloidal micrite with irregular voids (cavities), associated with silt-sized bioclastic and siliciclastic grains. The crusts develop within a particular core depth and age range (4.6 - 6.1 m depth; ca. 7 ka), from which the crusts change downward and upward into encrusting bryozoan and foraminiferal crusts filled with micrite. Based on our observations, compared with previous studies, we conclude that brownish, non-skeletal carbonate crusts found in this study are RMCs, similar to those found in the last glacial, last deglacial and Holocene deposits other coral reef regions (e.g., Tahiti and Great Barrier Reef). The RMCs likely developed in a low light/darker, semi-enclosed environment within primary cavities of high-energy, shallow-water coralgal frameworks. Since the study area is located adjacent to a river mouth and directly exposed to terrigenous sediment input from river runoff, multiple, local and global environmental factors associated with Holocene transgression and reef formation likely influenced the development of RMCs in the study area.
Comparison of physiological parameters in healthy and sub-clinical ketosis affected cows before and after treatment with propylene glycol

The study was undertaken to study the comparison of physiological parameters in Healthy and Sub-clinical Ketosis affected cows before and after treatment with propylene glycol in and around Bengaluru. Recently calved cows (within 0 – 2 months) were subjected to blood BHBA estimation and cases with blood BHBA level between the range of 1400 µmol/L to 2500 µmol/L were selected as positive for subclinical ketosis. Whereas, blood BHBA level less than 1000 µmol/L were selected as negative for subclinical ketosis and these animals were selected as control group. Animal found positive for subclinical ketosis were treated with Propylene glycol 200 ml per day orally for 5 days. There was no significant difference in the values of temperature, pulse and respiratory rates of subclinical ketosis animals when compared to healthy group before and after treatment and there was a significant decrease in Rumeno-reticular motility of subclinical ketosis cows compared with healthy group before treatment. Following therapy non-significant increase in rumeno-reticular motility was observed. The blood BHBA in subclinical ketosis animals were significantly (P≤ 0.05) higher compared to the healthy animals before treatment. After treatment the blood BHBA significantly (P≤ 0.05) decreased compared to the values of before treatment. When healthy animals were compared with SCK animals there was non-significant decrease in milk yield per day before treatment and after treatment milk yield was significantly increased which could be due to increase in the blood glucose, reduction in BHBA and also due to the improvement in the overall metabolic status of the animal.
Restoration of North American Salt Deserts: A Look at the Past and Suggestions for the Future

North American salt deserts are typically characterized by slow-growing Atriplex shrubs and perennial grasses with biological soil crusts (BSC) important in shrub interspaces. Disturbance due to heavy livestock use, wildfire, and recreation and energy development has increased the need for restoration of salt deserts in the western United States. However, restoration often fails due to invasive annual species and poor native plant establishment. In addition to a literature review, we surveyed restored salt desert sites in National Conservation Areas and other public lands in western Colorado ranging in age (3–63 yr) and restoration methods to assess approaches that were more or less successful. We used non-parametric ordination techniques to compare plant communities to environmental and restoration explanatory variables. Restored communities tended to move toward reference condition over time, but soil type, seeding, and type of disturbance also influenced plant community recovery. Overgrazed sites passively restored by long-term livestock exclusion were most similar to reference sites, while sites affected by wildfire and soil-related disturbances were most different from reference with non-native invasive annual grass (primarily Bromus tectorum) and forbs being common. These undesirable species were also more abundant on seeded sites than non-seeded or references sites, although mixes with a higher proportion of native species tended to improve outcomes. Results suggest that disturbance type and management approaches can have a large impact on restoration success in Intermountain West salt deserts, though many questions require further research.
Seed size regulates plant dispersal distances in flowing water

Dispersal is an essential component of plant life, especially under the current threats of anthropogenic habitat fragmentation and climate change. For many wetland species, water is a key dispersal vector, as it can presumably disperse seeds long distances and towards suitable sites for establishment. Seed dispersal distance is affected by stream characteristics and seed traits. Yet, the effect of relevant seed traits, such as size, remains largely unknown. Here, we report on an experimental field study examining the effect of seed size on dispersal distance in lowland streams. We released cork seed mimics of different sizes in four Dutch lowland streams in restored and channelized sections. After 24 hr, we recorded their entrapment location, entrapment mechanism, and the vegetation type in which they were caught. Large seeds generally dispersed over longer distances than smaller seeds. This effect of seed size is likely caused by the different entrapment mechanisms—net trapping, surface tension, and wake trapping—which were highly correlated with seed size. Especially net trapping was responsible for the capture of a large proportion of small seed mimics in vegetation such as aquatic and riparian grasses, starwort, and reed. Due to the prevalent occurrence of these vegetation types in lowland streams, particularly during summer, smaller seeds are more likely to become entrapped and, hence, disperse less far. Our analysis on existing seed data reveals that water‐dispersed riparian plants have relatively large seeds and are thereby evolutionarily adapted to long‐distance dispersal. Furthermore, our results indicate that median dispersal distances are 0.02–1.8 km (99‐percentile <8.5 km) in lowland streams in summer. In winter, less vegetation is present in and surrounding the streams, which leads to median dispersal distances of 0.12–14.2 km (99‐percentile <65 km). Synthesis. This study demonstrates that (a) large seeds generally disperse further than smaller seeds in lowland steams and (b) distances depend strongly on stream vegetation. This information should inform future restoration, for instance, by planning efforts to coincide with times or conditions of open water which are more favourable for the dispersal of target plant species—especially those with small seeds (<10 mm).
Response of different date of planting on growth, yield and economics of potato (Solanum tuberosum L) genotypes under Northern hill region of Chhattisgarh

Field experiment was conducted in kharif season of 2018 at Instructional Farm of Potato Research Station, Mainpat, Chhattisgarh to study the effect of different date of planting on productivity and economics of potato (Solanum tuberosum L) genotypes under rainfed conditions. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design with three date of planting viz., 10th July (D1), 20th July (D2) and 30th July (D3) in the main-plot treatments with three genotypes viz., Kufri Pukhraj (V1), Kufri Khyati (V2), Kufri Jyoti (V3), in the sub-plot treatments. The result showed that the potato planting on 10th July were recorded significantly higher plant height (75.00 cm), number of shoots plant-1(8.63), compound leaves plant-1(42.25), leaf area index (3.71), dry matter accumulation plant-1(43.84), number of tuber plant-1(13.84), total yield (16.21 t ha-1), net return (179294) and B:C ratio (3.07) as compared to other dates of planting. Among the genotypes Kufri Pukhraj (V1) was recorded significantly superior performance in all growth parameters, yield attributes, total yield, net return and B:C ratio followed by Kufri Jyoti and Kufri Khyati. The interaction effect of dates of planting and genotypes was showed significant variation and Kufri Pukhraj yielded more total tuber (15.68 t ha-1) with 10th July (D1) date of planting.
Evaluation of EURO-CORDEX and Med-CORDEX precipitation simulations for the Carpathian Region: Bias corrected data and projected changes

⎯ This study aims to give a brief overview of an ensemble of regional climate model (RCM) simulations with and without bias correction for daily precipitation for the Carpathian Region located in Central/Eastern Europe. Within the international initiative called the Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX), EURO-CORDEX and Med-CORDEX provide RCM simulations targeting Europe as a whole or in a part at the grid resolutions of 0.44 ° (~50 km) and 0.11 ° (~12 km). The ensemble of RCMs provides a huge amount of data, which are, however, prone to biases compared to high-resolution observations. First, the bias correction of the daily precipitation output of EURO-CORDEX and Med-CORDEX RCM ensemble at a common 0.11 ° × 0.11 ° horizontal grid resolution is performed based on the high-resolution, high-quality observational dataset CARPATCLIM. The region covered by the CARPATCLIM dataset can be considered as the Carpathian Region, for which the RCM ensemble (consisting of six members in total at 0.11 ° resolution) of a historical period (1976 − 2005) and under the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 (RCP8.5) over two future time slices (2021 − 2050 and 2070 − 2099) are assessed. within the target region. The analyzed indices are as follows: the frequency of rainy days (RR1, days with a total rainfall of at least 1 mm), heavy precipitation days (RR10, days with a total rainfall of at least 10 mm), highest daily precipitation (RX1), maximum consecutive dry periods (CDD, the duration of the longest period with < 1 mm total daily precipitation), maximum consecutive wet periods (CWD, the duration of the longest period with > 1 mm total daily precipitation). Our results indicate that both the spatial distribution and magnitude of mean changes are similar to those found in previous works based on ENSEMBLES project simulations using a different greenhouse gas emission scenario. Furthermore, the present study also aims to introduce a high-resolution bias-corrected precipitation database, which can serve as input for climate change impact and adaptation studies to be carried out for the Carpathian Region and to provide important information to stakeholders and decision makers at local/regional/national levels.
ADSORPTION OF NPK FERTILISER AND HUMIC ACID ON PALM KERNEL SHELL BIOCHAR

To date, no study has been reported on adsorption capacity (Qe) of palm kernel shell (PKS) biochar for plant nutrients NO3, NH 4 , PO 4 and K+ (NPK) while most biochar adsorption investigations have not considered the effect of dissolved soil organic matter e.g. humic acid (HA). In our study, we produced PKS biochar at different temperatures and holding times and conducted sorption experiments with a commercial NPK fertiliser and HA. HA-coated PKS biochar was investigated for its capability in adsorbing NPK. Equilibrium adsorption experiments showed that NH 4 and HA were adsorbed with no effect for NO3 and PO 4, while K+ concentration in solution increased exponentially over time. The highest Qe of NH 4 (0.522 ± 0.036 mg g-1; p<0.05) and that of HA (0.649 ± 0.073 mg g-1) were observed for 400°C PKS biochar. The best-fitted HA sorption with Freundlich isotherm (R2 = 0.904) reveals a heterogeneous surface and arguably multiple layer sorption of HA. A 55.9% reduction in Qe of NH 4 for HA-coated 600°C PKS biochar suggests that performances observed in the laboratory cannot be directly extrapolated to the field. Furthermore, a realistic mechanistic understanding of PKS biochar sorption efficiency on NPK associated with soil matrix components such as humic substances, microorganisms and colloidal clay particles is essential.
Effect of Feeding Oak (Quercus leucotrichophora) Leaves as Alternative Control of Gastro Intestinal Nematode Infection of Goat in Kumaon Hills

The Kumaon hills at an altitude of 2286 meters (7500 feet) occupy largest land area within the middle or lesser Himalayan region. Goat rearing is an integral part of hill farmer’s nutrition and economy. It is universally accepted as a profitable animal without any threat to ecology. However, animal productivity is quite low mainly due to nutritional inadequacy. The availability of pasture in hilly region is limited to a very short period of the year in rainy season (July to October) only. Other than fodder scarcity, goats severely suffer from heavy gastrointestinal parasitic infection in temperate hills of Himalaya, which adversely affects their health and performance. Worldwide, gastrointestinal nematode, mostly Haemonchus contortus infection (95-97%) remain a major threat for the economic viability of small ruminants (Hostea et al., 2012). H. contortus, an adult parasite can ingest 0.05 ml of blood/helminth/day (Rowe et al., 1988) which leads to marked anemia in the animal and decrease their growth and International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 7 Number 07 (2018) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas. com