Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Identification of Zygotic and Nucellar Individuals Produced from Several Citrus Crosses Using SSRs Markers

Turkey is an important citrus-producing country. However, new cultivars are needed to sustain citrus production and ensure its competitiveness against other crops. There are currently several citrus breeding programs that aim to help overcome the lack of local commercial varieties and to contribute to Turkey’s competitive capacity in the citrus market. In this study, we report the utilization of molecular markers in one such breeding program. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were employed to eliminate nucellar individuals from a hybrid population produced by crossing. The crosses included ‘Fremont’ and ‘Robinson’ mandarins as the female parents and ‘Midknight Valencia’, ‘Rhode Red Valencia’, and ‘Valencia Late’ oranges and ‘Rio Red’ grapefruit cultivars as the male parents. Seedlings with the same banding patterns as the female parent were identified as nucellar seedlings by 11 SSR primers. Primers AG14 and TAA03 were found to be more effective at identifying zygotic individuals than other primers. ‘Fremont’ and ‘Robinson’ mandarins produced 36.91% and 31.09% of nucellar seedlings, respectively. As a pollen parent, ‘Rio Red’ grapefruit had a higher ratio of zygotic seedlings compared to ‘Midknight Valencia’, and can be recommended in breeding programs. Comparative analysis of different citrus fruits in the breeding programs allowed us to design an efficient hybridization scheme for this study.
Role of cellular immunity in the pathogenesis of immune thrombocytopenic purpura in children

Objective This study aimed to determine CD4+, CD8+ T cells, CD4/CD8, CD4+ 25+ cells, and regulatory T cells (CD4+ CD25+ Fox P3+) in children with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Background ITP is an immune-mediated hemorrhagic condition characterized by the production of autoantibodies against platelet antigens. Primary immune thrombocytopenia is characterized by isolated thrombocytopenia with normal bone marrow or increased bone marrow megakaryocytes; if this condition persists for more than 12 months, it is known as chronic immune thrombocytopenia. Regulatory T cells play a major role in controlling immune homeostasis and preventing autoimmunity. Immune thrombocytopenic patients show decreased numbers of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ regulatory T cells. Patients and methods The study included 45 children: 15 children with acute ITP, 15 children with chronic ITP, and 15 controls. Three microliters of venous blood samples were obtained. A complete blood count was performed first. Flow cytometric analysis of lymphocytes was carried out to detect CD3+, CD8+, CD4+, CD4+ 25+ cells, and regulatory T cells (CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+). Results No significant difference was recorded between the three groups in CD4+, CD8+, CD4+ 25+ cells, or the CD4/CD8 ratio. A significantly lower percentage of regulatory T cells was found in chronic patients in comparison with the controls (P = 0.00) and a significantly lower percentage of regulatory T cells was found in chronic patients in comparison with acute patients (P = 0.00), but no significant difference was recorded between acute patients and control (P > 0.05) in regulatory T cells. Conclusion The present study showed that regulatory T cells are significantly lower in chronic immune thrombocytopenic patients, indicating its role in the pathogenesis of ITP.
Open Symphony: Creative Participation for Audiences of Live Music Performances

Most contemporary Western performing arts practices restrict creative interactions from audiences. Open Symphony is designed to explore audience-performer interaction in live music performances, assisted by digital technology. Audiences can conduct improvising performers by voting for various musical "modes. " Technological components include a web-based mobile application, a visual client displaying generated symbolic scores, and a server service for the exchange of creative data. The interaction model, app, and visualization were designed through an iterative participatory design process. The system was experienced by about 120 audience and performer participants (35 completed surveys) in controlled (lab) and real-world settings. Feedback on usability and user experience was overall positive, and live interactions demonstrate significant levels of audience creative engagement. The authors identified further design challenges around audience sense of control, learnability, and compositional structure. This article is part of a special issue on multimedia for enriched music.
Why is Abundance of Herbaceous Legumes Low in African Savanna? A Test with Two Model Species

Although fire is frequent in African savanna ecosystems and may cause considerable loss of nitrogen (N), N2‐fixing herbaceous legumes—which could be expected to benefit from low N conditions—are usually not abundant. To investigate possible reasons for this scarcity, we conducted a pot experiment using two common plants of humid African savannas as model species, the legume Cassia mimosoides and the C4 grass Hyperthelia dissoluta. These species were grown at different levels of water, N and phosphorus (P), both in monoculture and in competition with each other. In the monocultures, yields were significantly increased by the combined addition of N and P in pots receiving high water supply. In pots with interspecific competition, the legume grew poorly unless P was added. Foliar δ15N values of legume plants grown in mixtures were considerably lower than those in monocultures, suggesting that rates of symbiotic N‐fixation were higher in the presence of the grass. Grass δ15N values, however, were also lower in mixtures, while N concentrations were higher, indicating a rapid transfer of N from the legume to the grass. We conclude that the main reason for the low abundance of C. mimosoides is not low P availability as such, but a greater ability of H. dissoluta to compete for soil N and P, and a much higher N‐use efficiency. If other C4 grasses have a similar competitive advantage, it could explain why herbaceous legumes are generally sparse in African savannas. We encourage others to test these findings using species from other types of savanna vegetation.
The carbon costs of mitigating high‐severity wildfire in southwestern ponderosa pine

Forests provide climate change mitigation benefit by sequestering carbon during growth. This benefit can be reversed by both human and natural disturbances. While some disturbances such as hurricanes are beyond the control of humans, extensive research in dry, temperate forests indicates that wildfire severity can be altered as a function of forest fuels and stand structural manipulations. The purpose of this study was to determine if current aboveground forest carbon stocks in fire‐excluded southwestern ponderosa pine forest are higher than prefire exclusion carbon stocks reconstructed from 1876, quantify the carbon costs of thinning treatments to reduce high‐severity wildfire risk, and compare posttreatment (thinning and burning) carbon stocks with reconstructed 1876 carbon stocks. Our findings indicate that prefire exclusion forest carbon stocks ranged from 27.9 to 36.6 Mg C ha−1 and that the current fire‐excluded forest structure contained on average 2.3 times as much live tree carbon. Posttreatment carbon stocks ranged from 37.9 to 50.6 Mg C ha−1 as a function of thinning intensity. Previous work found that these thinning and burning treatments substantially increased the 6.1 m wind speed necessary for fire to move from the forest floor to the canopy (torching index) and the wind speed necessary for sustained crown fire (crowning index), thereby reducing potential fire severity. Given the projected drying and increase in fire prevalence in this region as a function of changing climatic conditions, the higher carbon stock in the fire‐excluded forest is unlikely to be sustainable. Treatments to reduce high‐severity wildfire risk require trade‐offs between carbon stock size and carbon stock stability.
Management of hoppers in rice through host nutrition _ A novel approach

Experiments were carried in pot culture and field to analyse the effect of induced resistance on hopper pests of rice.The biological traits viz.,oviposition period ,adult emergence, growth index, adult longevity were studied based on standard procedures on plants imposed with treatments including neem cake, FYM , Azospirillum, phosphobacterium , silicate solublising bacteria and lignite fly ash. The combination of FYM, three biofertilizers, lignite fly ash and neem cake applied in splits significantly reduced the incidence GLH (59.13%),WBPH (63.12%) and BPH(74.545%) as compared to NPK applied as inorganic form. There has been a significant difference existed among treatments in oviposition period of BPH and WBPH and it ranged from 5.67 to 8.70 and 5.10 to 7.00 days respectively. The nymphal period was lengthened in the treatments viz., FYM, biofertilizers and neem cake as basal and in splits and FYM, biofertilizers, lignite fly ash and neem cake as basal and in splits and it was 15.01, 15.23, 15.87 and 15.92 days respectively as against 11.74 days in NPK applied plants. Longevity of BPH and WBPH varied from 5.00 to 7.15 and 3.70 to 6.15 days respectively.The presence of higher phenol (3.5 and 2.85 mg/ g in stem and leaf), tannin (5.65 and 4.50 mg/g in stem and leaf) and silica (6.20 and 6.46 mg/g in stem and leaf) in the effective treatments imparted induced resistance through antibiosis mechanism to rice pests which was evidently proved in the biological traits tested.
Determination of chemical composition and shelf life of shad (Alosa tanaica Grimm, 1901) in refrigeration conditions

This study, was carried out to determine the shelf life and chemical composition of stored shad (Alosa tanaica Grimm, 1901) in refrigerator conditions (4 ±0.5° C). Crude fat, crude ash, crude protein and moisture were 13 ±0.5%, 1.3 ±0.4%, 17 ±0.2%, 68 ±0.6% at the begining of the fresh shad, respectively. The quality of shad fish during storage were evaluated by pH, TVB-N, TBA, sensory and microbiological analysis. According to the results of sensory analysis, be-ginning to lose the consumability property after the 4th day and inconsumable at 7th day of sto-red shad fish were determined by panelists. As a result of chemical analysis the amount of TVB-N at 0. day 7.4 ± 0.1 mg/100g and 7th day of stored was determined 37.2 ±0.4 mg/100 g, TBA value at 0. days 2.15 ± 0.3 mg /kg MDA and 7. day 15.22 ± 0.9 mg /kg determined as malondialdehyde, the pH value at 6. day was 7.3 respectively. Made as a result of microbiolo-gical analysis of bacterial load at 0. day 0.47 ± 0.09 log CFU /g and 6. day 6.3 ± 0.1 log CFU/g, respectively, and consumption was found to exceed the limit value. In a survey of con-ditions as a result of the refrigerator (4 ± 0.5°C) to maintain the shad (Alosa tanaica Grimm, 1901), the shelf life of 6 days.
Swimming and jumping ability of 10 Great Plains fish species

Stream fragmentation can be detrimental to lotic fish species by preventing important life history movements. The maximum swimming speed and jumping ability of 10 stream fish species were evaluated to describe potential water velocity and height barriers to fish movement. A 10-L swim tunnel was used to test maximum swimming performance and an artificial waterfall with an adjustable weir was used to test jumping performance. All tested fish were between 30 and 100 mm total length. Mean maximum swimming velocity ranged from 37.5 ± 1.2 cm/s for mosquitofish to 65.0 ± 1.7 cm/s for largemouth bass and jumping ability ranged from 0 cm for bluegill to 13 cm for green sunfish. Differences in swimming and jumping ability demonstrate how limits to dispersal can be taxa specific and therefore, impact the conservation of rare species and management of exotic species. The values determined in this study can be useful in creating models to predict barriers to fish passage.
Combining ability analysis for seed yield and its components in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.).

Twenty four lines were crossed with two testers in an L x T mating design to estimate the combining ability for seed yield in sunflower. Non-additive genetic variance played a preponderant role in the inheritance of all the characters studied viz., days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height, head diameter, volume weight, hundred seed weight and seed yield per plant. The lines 27, 436 and tester 234A can be considered as superior parents in the present study as they recorded high per se performance with positively significant general combining ability effect for seed yield/plant. Among the 48 hybrids evaluated, crosses viz., 234A x 436, 234A x 440 and 234A x 235 were considered as superior hybrids as they recorded high per se performance and significant sca effect for seed yield/plant.
Biophysical studies of membrane protein structure and function

Membrane proteins play a key role in numerous physiological processes such as transport, energy transduction in respiratory and photosynthetic systems, and signal transduction, and are of great pharmaceutical interest, comprising more than 60p of known drug targets. However, crystallisation of membrane proteins, and G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in particular, still relies heavily on the use of protein engineering strategies, which have been shown to hamper protein activity. Here, a range of biophysical methods were used to study the structure and function of two membrane proteins, a prokaryotic peptide transporter, PepT So and a GPCR, neurotensin receptor 1 (NTS1), using different membrane reconstitution methods to study the proteins in a native-like environment. Firstly, using the pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) method of double electron-electron resonance (DEER) the conformation of PepT So reconstituted into lipid bilayers was assessed and compared to previous structural data obtained from crystallography and modelling. The influence of the membrane potential and the presence of substrate on the conformational heterogeneity of this proton-coupled transporter were investigated. Secondly, NTS1 purification was optimized for biophysical study. Cysteine mutants were created and a labelling protocol was developed and optimized for fluorophore and nitroxide labelling studies. NTS1 was then studied by continuous-wave EPR, to assess the influence of ligand on local protein dynamics, and to assess the structure of a receptor segment known as helix 8, that was proposed to be an α-helix, but was only observed to be helical in one of the NTS1 crystallographic studies. Ensemble and single-molecule Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET), and DEER were combined to study the dimerisation behaviour of NTS1, showing novel dynamics of the interfacial associations. Finally, the signalling mechanism of NTS1 was also investigated using microscale thermophoresis (MST) to assess the affinity of the receptor for G protein in vitro in the absence of ligand, or in the presence of agonist or antagonist. MST measurements were performed in detergent and in nanodiscs of different lipid compositions, to assess the influence of the lipid environment on receptor function. In summary, this thesis demonstrates the potential of biophysical techniques to study various aspects of membrane protein structure and function in native-like lipid systems, complementing e.g. structural data obtained from crystallographic studies with functional data for membrane proteins in more native environments, as well as shedding light on protein dynamics. The work presented here provides novel insights into PepTSo transport, and in particular into NTS1 structure, signalling, and oligomerisation, opening up several avenues for future research.
Fitness, developmental instability, and the ontogeny of fluctuating asymmetry in Daphnia magna

Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) is the most commonly used measure of developmental instability. The relation between FA and individual fitness remains controversial, partly due to limited knowledge on the mechanisms behind variation in FA. To address this, we investigated the associations between FA, growth and reproduction as well as the ontogeny of FA in a clonal population of Daphnia magna. FA was not correlated with growth and reproduction, either at the between- or the within-individual level, in a high (N = 48 individuals) or in a low (N = 52 individuals) food-quantity regime. There were therefore no indications of functional effects of FA or of phenotypic trade-offs between developmental stability, growth and reproduction. Individual asymmetries varied randomly in sign and magnitude between subsequent molts (N = 19 individuals, 9–11 instars), but the levels of FA were generally lowest at intermediate ages. No feedback between right and left sides was detected. This suggests that FA only reflects the most recent growth history, that developmental instability may increase in old age, and that FA depends on processes operating on each side of the body independently. The results also suggest that FA differences within and among individual Daphnia are largely random, with limited biological significance. © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2006, 88, 179–192.
Changes in the management of British forests between 1945 and 2000 and possible future trends: Changes in British forest management

The last half-century has been an era of historically unprecedented expansion in British forests, which now cover over 12% of the land surface. In the immediate post-War period, the forest composition was evenly divided between conifers and broadleaves. However, several decades of extensive afforestation in parts of the uplands have resulted in conifers comprising over 60% of the forest area and Sitka Spruce Picea sitchensis becoming the commonest species in British forests. Towards the end of the last century, forestry policies began to give prominence to sustainable forest management so that greater emphasis is now being given to aspects such as the restoration and enhancement of native woodlands and the diversification of plantation forests. Because of their age structure, at least 70% of both conifer and broadleaved high forest stands are now entering a closed-canopy stage where the trees compete with each other for light, moisture and nutrients. This is different from the situation in the late 1940s when the appreciable area of young stands in both new woodlands or felled areas would have provided a more open woodland habitat. The prevailing silvicultural system used for many years in all high forest types has been ‘patch clear felling’ but this can be detrimental to visual amenity and cause a sudden change in forest microclimate. There is now increasing interest in the use of continuous cover forestry, which seeks to promote irregular stand structures with intimate species mixtures as a means of avoiding some of the negative impacts of clear felling. Timber production in British forests is increasingly concentrated in the conifer forests and the amount of broadleaved timber harvested has declined sharply in recent years. This decline is another consequence of the lack of active broadleaved management that has been reported in recent ecological surveys. The possible advent of a new woodfuel market may be an opportunity to renew the viability of under-managed woodlands. The next decades are likely to see a greater range of silvicultural systems being practised in British woodlands and the development of more mixed woodland, which may also ensure greater resilience against climate change. Amongst the challenges for the future are the need to obtain a better understanding of the interactions between stand management, resulting forest habitat and the impacts on biodiversity so that foresters and other stakeholders can better predict the outcome from different silvicultural regimes.
Enhancement of Immune Activity of Spirulina maxima by Low Temperature Ultrasonification Extraction

The marine microalga Spirulina maxima was extracted using water or ethanol at 100 or and by ultrasonification in water at . The ultrasonification technique generated the highest yield (19.8%). To be therapeutically useful, the extraction should yield a product with low cytotoxicity and high immunity against skin infections. The cytotoxicity of all extracts (1.0 mg/mL) was below 25%. Moreover, the cytotoxicity of the extract generated by ultrasonification was 5%. Extracts prepared in the described manners could inhibit hyaluronidase activity by up to 40% compared to the control. Increased growth of human B, T and NK cells and an increase in cytokine secretion were observed, confirming the interrelationship between both human immune and skin immune activity. The extract prepared by ultrasonification increased the growth of human B, T and NK cells up to cells/mL, cells/mL and cells/mL, respectively. The extract prepared by ultrasonification also greatly increased the secretion of both IL-6 and . Moreover, it was estimated that protein, Na and leucine occupy a high ratio. Accordingly, this study has confirmed that extracts prepared as described have the potential to effectively increase skin immunity.
Designing high-yielding, high-diversity and low-input temporary grasslands.

Species-rich swards have received increasing interest due to their focus on ecosystem services, animal welfare and product quality. However, in high-yielding swards the proportion of herbs is often limited and there is little knowledge of their management. Seed mixture composition, cutting frequency, fertilization and grazing/cutting strategies were examined over 4 years in 3 experiments to quantify their effects on herbage yield and botanical composition. Inclusion of herbs in the sward gave similar or higher annual yields but swards established with 100% herbs depended on the presence of a driver species. The effects of management differed between species. Herb content in the sward was significantly related to the proportion of herbs in the seed mixture, whereas botanical composition was related to defoliation frequency. Continuous grazing with heifers reduced the proportion of herbs, relative to cutting, and reduced the competitiveness of ribwort plantain, caraway and lucerne, whereas chicory was unaffected. Fertilization with cattle slurry reduced the proportion of legumes and increased most of the nonleguminous species. Herb proportions changed over the 4 years, with plantain decreasing and caraway increasing. Growing weak competitors together, such as salad burnet and dandelion, with one legume showed possibilities for improving the proportion of these species in the sward. In general, it was possible to maintain diversity in the swards but with changing botanical composition over years. However maintaining weak competitors requires a special planting design.