Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Use of a Commercial Organic Biostimulant for Bedding Plant Production

A commercial product (ROOTS") was tested as a growth biostimulant The material contained marine algal extracts (Ascophyllum nodosum), humic acid, thiamine and aswrbate. Greenhouse tests were conducted with numerous cultivars of vegetable and flowering bedding plants. Treahnents took place at the time of sowing, when the first true leaves were well-developed and then 14 days later. The biostimulant promoted earlier germination and produced transplants with increased root lengths and shoot heights. The product would appear to offer promise for bedding plant producers.
Cytotoxic Effects Of The Phytochemical (+)-α-Viniferin In Swiss Albino Mice

A good quantity of (+)α-viniferin is consumed by people in northeast India through phytomedicines. Anticancer, antifungal and thelminth activities of the phytoproduct are established, however, cytotoxic ef fect in consumers, if any, is not known. Therefore, in vivo cytotoxic potential of (+)α-viniferin was evaluated by exposing the Swiss albino mice to 1mg, 2mg and 5 mg (+)-α-viniferin/kg body weight (b.w.) per day continuously for 14 days. Mic e exposed to 1mg (+)αviniferin showed a significant increase in platelet count, serum creatinine, and alkaline phosphatase activity, whereas, alanine tra nsaminase and aspartate transaminase were recorded to be significantly high at t e exposure dose of 2 mg. Total WBC count, revealed to increased significantl y when mice exposed to 5 mg (+)-α-viniferin. A highly significant increase in lympho cyte count in the spleen was also observed in the mice exposed to 2 mg per k g b.w. Ultrastructural observations revealed distortion of surface topogra phy of liver and intestinal lumen, vacuolization of liver cells and disintegrat ion of intestinal microvilli in the phytochemical exposed mice. An increase in proinfla mmatory cytokines like interleukin-1β, Interleukin-6 and Tumour Necrosis Factor alpha we re also recorded in the treated mice. Thus, (+)α-viniferin revealed to be toxic to animals if consumed 2 mg/kg b.w. continuously for 14 days.
Autumnal Processing of Dissolved Organic Matter in a Small Woodland Stream Ecosystem

A bstract . A mass-balance approach was used to construct a dissolved organic matter (DOM) budget for Roaring Brook, a small New England stream, in autumn. Total litter input to the stream ecosystem during the 77-day study period was 345 g/m2, 21 % of which occurred as lateral transport. Nearly 17% of litter input was released to the water as DOM within 3 days of entry. This leachate input represents 42% of total DOM input to the 1260-m study section. The remainder entered by way of inflowing surface and subsurface water. Autumn uptake of DOM was equivalent to 77% of leachate input and 33% of total DOM input. Approximately 88% of DOM removed from the water column is retained within the system and at least 67% is energetically degraded by consumer respiration in autumn. Based upon total annual energy budgets for similar streams, we estimate that DOM utilization in autumn accounts for from 7% to 11% of annual ecosystem respiration in Roaring Brook.
Uptake and partitioning of 32P and 65Zn by white clover as affected by eleven isolates of mycorrhizal fungi

Abstract We compared the effect of eleven mycorrhizal fungi populations (Glomus spp.) from two different climatic regions (Iran vs. Switzerland) on the uptake and partitioning of 32P and 65Zn by white clover (Trifolium repens L. var. Milkanova). Fungi significantly differed in the colonization of roots with hyphae, vesicles or arbuscules and in their effect on the uptake of 32P or 65Zn by white clover. Fungi also differed in their effects on the percentages of 32P or 65Zn transported to the plant tops. There was no relationship between the uptake of 32P and that of 65Zn in plants colonized by different fungi. Isolates Z7 and Q12 (from Iran) were superior to Swiss isolates for their effect on the uptake of zinc (Zn) by white clover. Among the Swiss isolates, that from Langwiese and Hausweid resulted in the highest and lowest partitioning of both 32P and 65Zn to the plant tops, respectively. We conclude that the effectiveness of vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae in uptake of phosphorus (P) and Zn may be nutrient specific and that some fungal isolates may also affect the relative partitioning of P and Zn between plant roots and tops.
Unsupervised Opinion Summarization as Copycat-Review Generation

Opinion summarization is the task of automatically creating summaries that reflect subjective information expressed in multiple documents, such as product reviews. While the majority of previous work has focused on the extractive setting, i.e., selecting fragments from input reviews to produce a summary, we let the model generate novel sentences and hence produce abstractive summaries. Recent progress in summarization has seen the development of supervised models which rely on large quantities of document-summary pairs. Since such training data is expensive to acquire, we instead consider the unsupervised setting, in other words, we do not use any summaries in training. We define a generative model for a review collection which capitalizes on the intuition that when generating a new review given a set of other reviews of a product, we should be able to control the “amount of novelty” going into the new review or, equivalently, vary the extent to which it deviates from the input. At test time, when generating summaries, we force the novelty to be minimal, and produce a text reflecting consensus opinions. We capture this intuition by defining a hierarchical variational autoencoder model. Both individual reviews and the products they correspond to are associated with stochastic latent codes, and the review generator (“decoder”) has direct access to the text of input reviews through the pointer-generator mechanism. Experiments on Amazon and Yelp datasets, show that setting at test time the review’s latent code to its mean, allows the model to produce fluent and coherent summaries reflecting common opinions.
Misoprostol complications in second-trimester termination of pregnancy among women with a history of more than one cesarean section

Objective This study aims to investigate the complications due to misoprostol administration for second-trimester termination of pregnancy among women with history of 2 or more cesarean scarring. Methods The cohort of this retrospective study included 678 subjects who required second-trimester pregnancy termination, from 2013 to 2015 and treated with vaginal misoprostol of 100 to 400 µg. The subjects were divided into 3 groups based on their history of cesarean sections: without a history of cesarean section, with a history of one cesarean section, and with a history of more than one cesarean section and uterine scaring. Results The results showed that the success rate of misoprostol administration for pregnancy termination was 95.72%. The rate of bleeding as a complication was significantly higher in subjects with a history of more than one cesarean section than in other participants (risk ratio [RR], 2.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11–4.0). The incidence of uterine rupture was higher in the group with a history of more than one cesarean section than in other groups. However, no significant difference was observed between the groups (RR, 1.44; 95% CI, 0.27–7.6). There was a significant relationship between the need for other auxiliary treatments in the pregnancy termination and the history of uterine scarring (RR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.23–9.1). Conclusion The present study showed that pregnancy termination using smaller divided dose of misoprostol in patients with previous history of cesarean scarring may be associated with lower incidence of uterine rupture.
PARTIAL PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF POLYPHENOL OXIDASE FROM FRESH‐CUT CHINESE WATER CHESTNUT

The characteristics of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) from Chinese water chestnut (CWC) and its potential inhibitors for browning reactions were investigated. PPO was isolated from fresh-cut CWC and was purified on a Sephadex G-100 column, with a yield of total activity close to 10%. The molecular weight, Michaelis constant (K[subscript m]), substrate specificity, optimal pH and temperature of CWC PPO were examined. Kinetic studies indicated that the K[subscript m] and V[subscript max] values of CWC PPO for catechol were 10.32 mmol[solidus]L and 6.452 [multiplication] 10[superscript 4] U[solidus]min, respectively. The optimal pH and temperature for CWC PPO was 6.5 and 40C, respectively. Among the browning inhibitors tested, 4-hexylresorcinol, at a concentration of 0.3 mmol[solidus]L, showed the strongest inhibition (70%) against the PPO activity of CWC, followed by 3.0 mmol[solidus]L N-acetyl-L-cysteine with an inhibition of 53%.
Comparison of Calcium Metabolism in Various Bones of Growing Chicks in Varying States of Vitamin D Supplementation

Abstract METABOLISM of calcium in the chick can be studied most usefully by estimating the ash percent, calcium content and distribution of the administered radiocalcium present in some individual bones. These procedures have been applied in the biological assay of vitamin D potency. In most such cases, the tibia has been used for analysis (Tolle, 1940; Baird and Barthen, 1941; DeWitt et al., 1942; Migicovsky and Emslie, 1950; Migicovsky and Nielsen, 1951; Keane et al., 1956; A. O. A. C, 1960; Itoh and Hatano, 1960; and Martin and Patrick, 1962a, b). The humerus and sternum have been used by Martin and Patrick (1962a), and some investigations for vitamin D assays have been developed using toe bones (Baird and MacMillan, 1942; Evans and Carver, 1944; Evans and St. John, 1944; and Campbell et al., 1945a, b) or beak (Wei et al., 1954). It seems that the tibia has been selected on the…
Against the Gravity as a Jenga Tower? Asset Growth and Stock Price Crash Risk

Does growth lead to stock price crashes? In this study, we find that total asset growth positively relates to future crash risk and the relationship is robust for various asset, liability, and equity components of the balance sheet. Consistent with the managerial empire-building incentive, agency problems tend to accentuate the asset growth-crash risk relationship while accounting conservatism attenuates the relationship, suggesting that not all growth is harmful. We also find corroborating evidence from overinvestment estimation and a quasi-natural experiment that reduces managers’ empire building incentive. Despite the popularity of studying asset growth and future stock returns in the literature, our focus on higher moments of returns sheds light on the consequences of bloated balance sheets for stock prices.
Online Marketing of Real Estate Products in Emerging Economies: The Case of Abeokuta Property Marketenter

The aim of this study is to examine the impact of online marketing of Real Estate Products (REP) in Abeokuta Nigeria with a view to providing information that will enhance real estate management practice in emerging property markets. Man in a bid to satisfy the basic need for shelter, engages in transactions on REP at varying dimensions. The use of traditional approaches to such transactions is being gradually phased out and replaced with digitalized approaches via the internet especially in developed economies. Questionnaire survey was conducted to determine the impact of this new approach to marketing REP in one of the African emerging property markets. The relevant population for this study comprised of all the twenty Estate Surveying and Valuation firms in Abeokuta metropolis. Questionnaire were administered on the managers of these firms out of which only 17 were properly filled and returned for analysis thereby representing 85% response rate. Both descriptive statistical tools as well as the Relative Importance Index (RII) were used in analyzing the data obtained for the study. Findings from the study indicated that the most preferred social media tool used for online marketing of REP in the study area was Facebook. Other online media tools in order of preferences were LinkedIn, Whatsapp, Instagram and skype. The study further revealed that these social media tools have significant impact on marketing of REP in the study area. Hence the need for all Estate Surveying and Valuation Firms in emerging markets to accept the global paradigm shifts to online marketing of REP as against the traditional approaches so as to enhance productivity in the real estate sector.
Genotoxicity of the Organophosphorus Insecticide Malathion based on Human Lymphocytes in Culture

The organophosphorus insecticide malathion is extensively used in commercial and agricultural control of insects. The potential of the compound as a genotoxic agent was determined on the basis of chromosome damage and rates of sister chromatid exchanges in human lymphocyte culture. Four treatments (5, 20, 40 and 50μg/ml), a solvent control and an untreated control were used in three replications for 4-hr and 24-hr exposures to assess the damage to chromosomes. Three treatments (5, 20 and 50μg/ml) and the solvent control, in one replication, were used to determine the rates of sister chromatid exchanges. A trend of higher rates of chromosomal aberrations was observed reaching statistical significance generally at the higher concentrations. The sister chromatid exchange rates were highly significantly elevated at 20μg/ml or higher concentration. Malathion therefore should be viewed as a potentially genotoxic agent, particularly for those who comein contact with the compound repeatedly.
Real-time embedded video denoiser prototype

Low light or other poor visibility conditions often generate noise on any vision system. However, video denoising requires a lot of computational effort and most of the state-of-the-art algorithms cannot be run in real-time at camera framerate. Noisy video is thus a major issue especially for embedded systems that provide low computational power. This article presents a new real-time video denoising algorithm for embedded platforms called RTE-VD [1]. We first compare its denoising capabilities with other online and offline algorithms. We show that RTE-VD can achieve real-time performance (25 frames per second) for qHD video (960x540 pixels) on embedded CPUs with an output image quality comparable to state-of-the-art algorithms. In order to reach real-time denoising, we applied several high-level transforms and optimizations. We study the relation between computation time and power consumption on several embedded CPUs and show that it is possible to determine find out frequency and core configurations in order to minimize either the computation time or the energy. Finally, we introduce VIRTANS our embedded real-time video denoiser based on RTE-VD.
Mating system, life‐history, and reproduction in Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense; Asteraceae)

Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) (L.) Scop. is an almost perfectly dioecious, perennial plant that can express strong vegetative reproduction by means of its extensive root system. We explore some of the consequences ofthis type ofreproductive strategy on the plant's pollination success, its ability to allocate resources to individual achenes, its ability to abort excess achenes, and on how pollen limitation affects the primary sex ratio of its offspring. Seed set in females is constrained by the availability of pollen. Clumps of female thistle isolated from males by at least 50 m set far fewer achenes per head than females that are interspersed with males. Even when such interspersion occurs, distance to nearest effective pollen donor correlates negatively with fertilization. Achene mass is significantly higher in plants that set fewer seed due to pollen limitation; however, the proportion of achenes that abort is not affected by the availability of pollen. Plants partially compensate for pollen limitation by maintaining stigmas in a receptive stage longer when pollination is sparse. Primary sex ratio is not affected by the availability of pollen; both high- and low-pollen availability treatments produced highly female-biased sex ratios. Natural selection often involves conflicting pressures. Reproductive characters, generally considered to be the most strongly affected by selection (Fisher, 1930), are a case in point. In plants, particular reproductive characters may involve trade-offs associated with allocation of limited resources (i.e., phytoassimilates) between vegetative growth vs. reproduction, vegetative reproduction vs. sexual reproduction, and allocation of resources among individual offspring (few vs. many seeds). Furthermore, a given reproductive strategy may also affect mate availability.
Measuring Asymmetric Volatility And Stock Returns In The Philippine Stock Market

This paper aims to study the relationship between expected stock market returns and conditional volatility in the Philippine stock market index (PSEi). It also aims to investigate the presence of asymmetric effects of good and bad news on conditional volatility. The paper also aims to put to the test the significance of the risk-return trade-off prescribed by traditional finance theory. In contrast to past literature, there are an increasing number of empirical evidence on developed markets claiming a negative relationship between stock market returns and volatility. However, only a few studies were made on emerging markets such as the Philippines. By applying an asymmetric volatility model such as the Exponential GARCH-In-Mean (EGARCH-M) and GJR GARCH (Threshold GARCH) models to the weekly Wednesday returns of the Philippine Stock Exchange Composite Index over the period of January 5, 1994 to December 26, 2012, we found the existence of a negative relationship, although insignificant, between stock market returns and conditional volatility. Our results also showed that conditional volatility reacts to good and bad news asymmetrically. That is, the arrival of bad news was found to have a greater impact on conditional volatility than the arrival of good news. Since the study was conducted on a market-wide level, the researchers surmised that asymmetric volatility may be the result of a down-market effect. We recommend that given the presence of asymmetric volatility, policy makers should continue regulating the financial market to ensure a smooth integration of the Philippine stock market to the world economy.
Evaluation of some melon lines for their resistance against melon aphid,Aphis gossypii Glover

The melon aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover Hemiptera: Aphididae , which has a very wide host range including cucurbit species, causes serious direct and indirect damage to many crops. In both greenhouse and open field melon cultivation in Antalya in southwestern Turkey , the control of this pest generally depends on the use of chemical insecticides, resulting in a rapid increase in resistance to a wide range of insecticides. In the present study, a total of 23 melon lines 22 indigenous and 1 exotic belonging to 2 varieties Cucumis melo var. inodorus and C. melo var. reticulatus were evaluated for resistance to the pest. The study consisted of 2 consecutive work packages; in the first stage, 23 melon lines were evaluated for resistance to A. gossypii by using the antixenosis test method under growth chamber conditions at 26/20 °C day/night temperatures, respectively , with a photoperiod of 16:8 h light:dark ; in the second stage, the most resistant 4 lines PI-414723, UNLU, TK15, and ŞUKRUBEY were evaluated once more for resistance against the pest by using the choice-test method in climate chambers at 26 °C and continuous light. N3, which was found to be the most susceptible line in the first stage of the study, served as the control. Counts were made 30 min, 1, 2, 4, and 8 h after the aphids were introduced into the test arena a 15-cm diameter Petri dish including leaf discs 2.5 cm diameter belonging to the 5 lines. The results of the choice test showed that the aphids preferred the PI-414723 line 2 aphids/disc after 8 h less than the 3 other resistant lines. Additionally, aphids preferred to settle on the susceptible control N3 6 aphids/disc after 8 h during the experiment. Overall, the results suggest that first PI-414723 and then ŞUKRUBEY, TK15, and UNLU may be used for the management of A. gossypii.
Antifungal activity of essential oils on mycelial growth of Fusarium oxysporum and Bortytis cinerea

In vitro study of the effect of different volumes of twelve essential oils on the mycelial growth of economically significant phytopathogenic fungi (Fusarium oxysporum and Botrytis cinerea) and it was compared to the effect of a fungicide. The antifungal activity of essential oils is decreased with the duration of incubation and it differs depending on the type of phytopathogenic fungus and the applied volume. The most effective antifungal effect on both tested fungi was in the essential oil of thyme, with lowest values of IC50 while the weakest effect was in essential oils of eucalyptus and lemon, with the highest values of IC50. Certain essential oils, when applied in certain volumes, had the same or even better effect on the inhibition of the growth of mycelium when compared to the tested fungicides.
Dry-season use of space, habitats and shelters by the short-eared rock-wallaby (Petrogale brachyotis) in the monsoon tropics

It is widely recognised that the use of fixed diurnal shelters by rock-wallabies greatly affects their ecology. However, the details of how shelters and surrounding habitats are used, and how similar these characteristics are across rock-wallaby species, remain scarcely understood. The dry season home range, and use of habitats and den sites, of the short-eared rock wallaby (Petrogale brachyotis) were examined at Litchfield National Park, Northern Territory, Australia. We radio-tracked 10 individuals on foot to locate diurnal shelters, and with fixed towers to determine their nocturnal positions. P. brachyotis used a range of rock piles and outcrops for dens, and showed a strong preference for rocky habitats and adjacent woodland. On average, animals used four dens within outcrops, as well as more exposed resting sites. Individual rock-wallabies sometimes shared dens, but there appeared to be male–male intolerance of simultaneous use of dens. Mean home range in the dry season was 18.3 ha, and there was no significant difference in home-range area between sexes. Use of space by P. brachyotis was very similar to that reported for another tropical rock-wallaby species, P. assimilis, and many behavioural traits were also similar to those found in other species of Petrogale.
Effect of temperature on the breeding cycle and spawning success of the New Zealand abalone, Haliotis australis

Abstract Adult Haliotis australis were brought into breeding condition in the hatchery by holding at constant temperature and ad libitum feeding of a mixed diet of seaweeds. Spawnings were achieved after 21 weeks at 15°C. This period was reduced to 14 weeks by raising the holding temperature to 18°C for 2 weeks before testing. More of those H. australis held at 18°C were induced to spawn and they produced a greater number of viable gametes. No spawnings were achieved from those H. australis tested within 1–2 days of collection from the wild.