Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Patterns of Patch Colonization and Expansion In the Non-Native Annual Grass Microstegium vimineum (Poaceae)

Abstract Identifying the areas most vulnerable to a species' invasion within a habitat or region is crucial to managing and minimizing that species' eventual effect. The exotic annual grass Microstegium vimineum often occurs in the greatest density along disturbed corridors, such as waterways and trails, within otherwise undisturbed forests. We tested the hypothesis that such linear features within forests are correlated with invasion patterns. We surveyed linear transects along intermittent streams and foot trails through eight upland forests of different ages, as well as control transects within each forest that were distant from any type of linear feature. We documented significantly larger and denser patches of M. vimineum along transects in young forests than those in old stands. Streams and trails were similarly more invaded than control transects, and M. vimineum was distributed much more patchily away from such corridors. Isolated individual patches of M. vimineum (along neither streams nor trails) demonstrated the potential to expand at approximately 1 m over 1 y, although 11% of plants appeared farther than 2 m from their parent patch. Although germinants appeared downslope of the parent patch two to four times more frequently than upslope, the mean distance of spread was equivalent in both directions. Control efforts should focus on excluding the species from corridors that could allow entry, particularly in older forests.
Effect of sex and systems of production on the hematological and serum biochemical characters of helmeted guinea fowls (Numida meleagris pallas) in South Eastern Nigeria.

A study was conducted to establish the blood characteristics of helmeted guinea fowl as well as to evaluate the sex and system of management effect on their hematology and serum biochemistry. Sex had a significant effect on the hematological components. Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) and Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH), with males being significantly (P 0.05) was recorded on Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Count (MCHC), White Blood Cell count (WBC), Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, Monocytes, Esinophils and Basophils. Systems of production had a significant effect (P 0.05) was recorded on other biochemical characters. System of production had a significant effect on SGPT only, with birds kept in extensive system having a significantly higher (P 0.05) system of production was recorded in the rest. These findings has revealed the activities of male and female guinea fowls as it affects hematology and serum biochemistry as well as the effects of intensive or extensive systems of production on their blood parameters.
Effects of the insecticide dursban® 4E (active ingredient chlorpyrifos) in outdoor experimental ditches: II. Invertebrate community responses and recovery

This article describes the long-term effects on the macro invertebrate and zooplankton community in outdoor experimental ditches after a single application of the insecticide chlorpyrifos. Nominal concentrations of 0.1, 0.9, 6, and 44 μg/L of chlorpyrifos were applied to two mesocosms each, while four served as controls. Both macroinvertebrates and zooplankton were sampled from 4 weeks before to 55 weeks after treatment. The macroinvertebrate and zooplankton data sets were combined into one data set and analyzed using the multivariate ordination technique “redundancy analysis. ” The method provided a clear description of the effects on the invertebrate community in time while still showing the effects at the species level. Crustacea and Insecta showed a rapid, concentration-dependent decrease in numbers after insecticide application (direct effects). An increase in gastropods and Oligochaeta was found, suggesting indirect effects. The start of recovery of the invertebrate populations affected was found to depend not only on the susceptibility of the taxa but also on ecological characteristics, such as the length of the life cycle. A no-observed-effect concentration of 0.1 μg/L could be derived both at the species and the community level. Safe concentrations, based on no-observed-short-term-effect levels for some characteristic indigenous taxa susceptible to chlorpyrifos, also appeared to protect the total invertebrate community in the long term. The invertebrate community at all treatment levels was considered to have recovered after 24 weeks posttreatment.
High Expression of FcγII (CD32) Receptor on Monocytes in Dengue Infected Patients

BACKGROUND: Pathogenesis of severe dengue infection has not been elucidated. Immune complex of pre-existing antibodies and heterotypic dengue virus bind to FcγII (cluster of differentiation (CD32)) receptor (FcγIIR) on monocyte facilitates entry and replication of dengue virus. Aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of FcγIIR on monocytes in patients infected with dengue and in healthy subjects.METHODS: This study used a cross-sectional design that included patients infected with dengue who were hospitalized in Dr. Sardjito General Hospital, Panembahan Senopati Hospital, and Sleman Hospital, who met the inclusion criteria and selected consecutively. Examinations were completed using a lyse, no-wash method of flow cytometry. Computerized statistical analysis was conducted and was considered to be significant if p<0.05. RESULTS: Sixty-five study subjects were divided into healthy subjects (24 subjects) and patients with dengue infection (41 subjects). There were no significant differences in hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct) values between the groups, but differences were found in the number of leukocytes, absolute number of monocytes and platelet count (p<0.001, 0.002 and <0.001, respectively). The mean expression of FcγIIR monocytes in patients with dengue infection (208.77±32.06 median fluorescent intensity (MFI)) and the healthy subjects (124.03±47.76 MFI) with p<0.0001. CONCLUSION: The mean expression of FcγIIR monocytes in patients with dengue infection was higher than in healthy subjects.KEYWORDS: dengue infection, FcγII (CD32) receptor monocyte, flow cytometry
Guidance

Taking responsibility is why you became Chartered Financial Analysts: to learn how to analyse information, to make difficult valuation and credit decisions, and to bear the risks and reap the rewards that result. You rely on accurate and full disclosure by the companies you analyse. Without it, you could not do your jobs; and, indeed, financial markets could not do theirs of bringing together savers and investors to allocate capital efficiently. With more CFA Charter holders per capita than any other major jurisdiction, Canada is favoured by such an emphasis on fundamental analysis at the core of our system.
A Modified Soil Quality Index to Assess the Influence of Soil Degradation Processes on Desertification Risk: The Apulia Case

Apulia is one of the most prone Italian regions to soil alteration phenomena, due to geographical and climatic conditions and also to human activities’ impact. In this study, in order to investigate regional soil degradation processes, following the “European Directive for Soil Protection”, the ESA’s method has been adopted. It is based on the use of an indicator’s set to assess the desertification risk. This approach simplifies the diagnosis and monitoring of soil degradation processes, defining their status and trend. Special attention has been given to Soil Quality Index (SQI) determined by six predisposing indicators (parent material, soil texture, rock fragment, soil depth, drainage and slope grade). The integration in the SQI calculation of two additional soil parameters (organic matter content and soil salinity) has been considered particularly significant. In fact, through the evaluation of a so “modified SQI” and the Apulia land use too, it could be possible to assess the role of agriculture management on soil degradation processes, which predisposing regional area to desertification threat. Moreover this approach provides short, but accurate, information thanks to GIS integration, which defines phenomena in detail, offering helpful planning tools.
Beta diversity of geometrid moths (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) in an Andean montane rainforest

Abstract. Turnover in species composition of the extremely species‐rich family Geometridae (Lepidoptera) was investigated along an elevational gradient ranging from 1040 m to 2677 m above sea level. Moths were sampled using weak light traps (30 W) in three field periods in 1999 and 2000 in an Andean montane rainforest in the province of Zamora‐Chinchipe in southern Ecuador. A total of 13 938 specimens representing 1010 species were analysed. Similarities of ensembles of all geometrid moths and of the subfamilies Ennominae and Larentiinae were calculated using the NESS index (with mmax). Ordinations performed using nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and correspondence analysis depicted a gradual change of the ensembles along the altitudinal gradient. Extracted ordination scores significantly correlate with altitude (−0.97 ≤ r ≤ −0.95, P < 0.001) and with ambient air temperature (0.93 ≤ r ≤ 0.97, P < 0.001). Temperature is therefore assumed to be the most important abiotic determinant responsible for the species turnover among the moths. Matrix correlation tests were performed in order to compare faunal matrices with matrices derived from available environmental factors. Both tree diversity and vegetation structure significantly correlate with faunal data, but tree diversity explains considerably more of the data variability (range: Mantel r = 0.81–0.83, P < 0.001) than vegetation structure (range: Mantel r = 0.35, P < 0.005 to r = 0.43, P < 0.001). Tree diversity also changes gradually and scores of the first NMDS dimension are highly significantly correlated with altitude (r = 0.98, P < 0.001). A common underlying factor such as ambient temperature might also be responsible for such vegetation changes. Additionally, simulated model data was developed that assumed a constant turnover of moth species and equal elevational ranges of all species involved. Despite the simplicity of the models, they fit empirical data very well (Mantel r > 0.80 and P < 0.001 in all models).
An Analysis of Classification Error for the Revised Current Population Survey Employment Questions

The reduced accuracy of the revised classification of unemployed persons in the Current Population Survey (CPS) was documented in Biemer and Bushery (2000). In this paper, we provide additional evidence of this anomaly and attempt to trace the source of the error through extended analysis of the CPS data before and after the redesign. The paper presents an novel approach decomposing the error in a complex classification process, such as the CPS labor force status classification, using Markov Latent Class Analysis (MLCA). To identify the cause of the apparent reduction in unemployed classification accuracy, we identify the key question components that determine the classifications and estimate the contribution of each of these question components to the total error in the classification process. This work provides guidance for further investigation into the root causes of the errors in the collection of labor force data in the CPS possibly through cognitive laboratory and/or field experiments. 1. Paul P. Biemer, 3040 Cornwallis Road, PO Box 12194 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194, U.S.A.
CHARACTERISATION OF THE COAT PROTEIN GENE OF DASHEEN MOSAIC VIRUS INFECTING ELEPHANT FOOT YAM

A strain of Dasheen mosaic virus (DsMV) from Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (Elephant foot yam) plants showing leaf mosaic, puckering and shoestringing was characterized by RT-PCR and amplification of a 1.2 kbp fragment encoding the coat protein (CP) gene and the 3’ untranslated region (UTR). BLAST analysis of the cloned DNA amplicon of DsMV-Amp1 revealed at least 80% nucleotide sequence identity with other DsMV isolates from different hosts and geographic origins. The CP gene and the 3’ UTR of DsMV-Amp1 consisted of 942 and 260 nucleotides, respectively. The highest nucleotide sequence identity (89%) was with DsMV-ch from Caladium from the USA, and the deduced CP amino acid sequence had 92-98% identity with other DsMV isolates. Nucleotide sequence identity of 82-85% was also found with Vanilla mosaic virus (VMoV), whereas the identity with Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV), Hardenbergia mosaic virus (HaMV) and Watermelon mosaic virus (WMV) ranged from 74 to 79%. Several potential threonine- and asparagine-rich N-glycosylation motifs and a DVG motif potentially involved in aphid transmission were found in the CP of DsMVAmp1. This is the first characterization of DsMV from A. paeoniifolius plants in India.
INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT IN EUROPEAN APPLE ORCHARDS

Research on integrated pest management (IPM) in apple orchards has generated a wealth of literature worldwide, but comprehensIve reviews are rare (60, 121, 183). Apple IPM, "a multidisciplinary, ecological approach to the management of pest populations, which uses a variety of control tactics compatibly in a single pest management system" (182, p. 41), is difficult to describe on paper. The major reason is the great complexity and geographic variability of the perennial apple orchard ecosystem (105, 173, 210). Specialist reviews (89, 115, 151, 179, 180, 199) often deal with various pome fruit pests, but they usually emphasize the advancement of knowledge instead of practical integration of that knowledge. This review describes recent advances in European apple IPM, with the emphasis on the promotion of biological pest control. To be clear, I have chosen both a scene and a perspective. The scene is the high density apple orchard, the perspective the hierarchical appreciation of natural enemies.
Phylogeographical structure in the coastal species Senecio rodriguezii (Asteraceae), a narrowly distributed endemic Mediterranean plant

Aim Our goals were (1) to assess the levels of chloroplast DNA variation in a narrowly distributed plant restricted to continental islands, (2) to ascertain whether a phylogeographical structure is present in plants restricted to coastal linear systems, and (3) to interpret the results in the light of the known palaeogeography of these islands.
An in vitro comparative antibacterial study of different concentrations of green tea extracts and 2% chlorhexidine on Enterococcus faecalis

Aim : The purpose of this study was to comparatively evaluate the antibacterial property of various concentrations of green tea extracts and 2% chlorhexidine (CHX) against Enterococcus faecalis 0(E. faecalis) in vitro. Materials and Methods: The activity of green tea extract and CHX on E. faecalis was measured on agar plates using the agar diffusion method. In addition, the tube dilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration of green tea extract against E. faecalis. Results: The MIC of green tea extract was found to be 3.5%. The zone of inhibition was found to be concentration dependent. The 2.5% concentration of green tea extract showed 20 mm zone of inhibition, while the 3% concentration demonstrated a 30 mm zone of inhibition. Two percent CHX showed 30 mm zone of inhibition. Conclusion: Three percent concentration of green tea extract showed an antibacterial activity equivalent to 2% CHX against E. faecalis.
Effects of the multiple leaflet gene on agronomical and physiological characters of mungbean (Vigna radiata)

Near-isogenic lines of mungbean (Vigna radiata) were produced from backcrossing two Thai recommended cultivars, KPS 1 and CN 36, with the multiple leaflet line, V 5926, until BC9. The isogenic lines were evaluated against the two recipients at Kasetsart University, Thailand, in the rainy season of 1996 and the dry season of 1997. The effect of the gene controlling the multiple leaflet on physiological and agronomical characters was investigated. Seed yield, plant height, and number of pods per plant were greater in the trifoliate leaflet cultivars than in the multiple leaflet near-isogenic lines, whereas the numbers of seeds per pod and 1000-seed weights were not significantly different. Light saturation and photosynthetic rate did not differ, while light interception and dry matter accumulation were greater in the trifoliate leaflet cultivars than in the multifoliate lines. The leaf area index (LAI) of the trifoliate parents was greater at the vegetative stage but lower at the flowering and young pod stages, due to the greater number of leaflets per plant of the multifoliate lines. After the beginning of the podding stage, the LAI of the multifoliate lines was less than that of the parents, as the number of leaflets per plant of these lines hardly changed while that of the trifoliate parents increased.
Prognostic Factors Influencing Outcome in Unruptured Anterior Communicating Artery Aneurysm after Microsurgical Clipping

Anterior communicating artery (A.com.A) aneurysm projection is an important factor in determining the outcome of aneurysm clipping. The objective of this study was to analyze the outcome of A.com. A aneurysm projection and prognostic factors influencing it and comparing them with Glasgow outcome scale. A retrospective analysis of 47 patients from hospital records who have got admitted in the Banbuntanke Hotokokai Hospital, Nagoya, Japan, from 2014 to 2017, with unruptured A.com. A aneurysm and subsequently operated in the hospital. Demographic factors such as age, sex, and associated with other aneurysms and the morphological characteristics such as aneurysm size, projection, and height were analyzed with postoperative complications and Glasgow outcome scale. Totally 47 cases have been operated in which 26 (55.3%) are female and 21 (44.6%) are male, and the median age is 68 years, 7 (14.89%) patients had middle cerebral artery aneurysm along with A.com. A aneurysm and 1 had internal carotid artery-posterior communicating artery junction aneurysm. Four (8.5%) had chronic subdural hematoma and 1 (2.12%) had epilepsy, 1 (2.12%) case got reoperated, and 1 (2.12%) had hydrocephalus. Moreover, the overall complication rate is 14.89%. For six patients, motor-evoked potential monitoring was used. Forty-six patients had Glasgow outcome scale of 5 and 1 patient had Glasgow outcome scale of 4. There was no mortality in this study. Mean size of the aneurysm was 6.68 mm and the range was 2–25 mm. Mean height was 4.14 mm, 26 (56.52%) A.com. A aneurysm were anteriorly projecting, 9 (19.56%) were superiorly projecting, 8 (17.32%) were inferiorly projecting, and 3 (6.38%) were posteriorly projecting. Morphological parameters such as size, height, and projection were not only highly associated with A.com. A aneurysm rupture and also complications due to clipping of aneurysm.
Calcofluor fluorescence assay for wort β-glucan in a microplate format.

The level of β-glucan in worts produced from malted barley is a critical malting quality parameter. Measurement of wort β-glucan levels allows maltsters to determine whether production malts meet commercial specifications, helps brewers avoid production problems due to slow lautering, and enables barley breeders to develop lines with the potential to meet commercial needs. Many laboratories performing routine wort β-glucan analyses use flow injection analysis (FIA) methods or related segmented flow analysis (SFA) methods that measure the increase in fluorescence with Calcofluor binding to β-glucan. Such automated systems are attractive due to low per-sample reagent costs, relatively high sample throughput, and a minimal number of sample processing steps prior to automated analysis, limiting the need for manual operations. However, FIA or SFA methodology requires significant capital investment for instrument acquisition, discouraging its use outside dedicated quality assurance laboratories. Laboratories that routinely analyze relatively few samples often find kits for enzymatic or colorimetric analysis of β-glucans more attractive. Such kits require relatively simple laboratory instrumentation, reducing capital costs, but may involve multiple sample manipulations, increasing the level of technical support necessary to perform the analyses. Per-analysis reagent costs may also be greater for the kits. In this work, we have adapted the Calcofluor fluorescence method to a microplate reader to achieve a simple and cost-effective assay for wort β-glucan that avoids the acquisition costs of FIA or SFA instrumentation.
Laetisaria and Limonomyces species (Corticiaceae) causing pink diseases in turf grasses

Three pink species of Corticiaceae (Basidiomycetes) growing on living grasses are described: Laetisaria fuciformis, the causal organism of the red thread disease and two species classified in the new genus Limonomyces: Limonomyces roseipellis sp. nov. and Limonomyces culmigenus comb. nov. The morphology and disease symptoms of these species are described and their taxonomy discussed.
An unknown oxidative metabolism substantially contributes to soil CO 2 emissions

The respiratory release of CO2 from soils is a ma- jor determinant of the global carbon cycle. It is traditionally considered that this respiration is an intracellular metabolism consisting of complex biochemical reactions carried out by numerous enzymes and co-factors. Here we show that the endoenzymes released from dead organisms are stabilised in soils and have access to suitable substrates and co-factors to permit function. These enzymes reconstitute an extracellular oxidative metabolism (EXOMET) that may substantially con- tribute to soil respiration (16 to 48 % of CO2 released from soils in the present study). E XOMET and respiration from liv- ing organisms should be considered separately when study- ing effects of environmental factors on the C cycle because EXOMET shows specific properties such as resistance to high temperature and toxic compounds.
Censor-Based Cooperative Multi-Antenna Spectrum Sensing with Imperfect Reporting Channels

The present contribution proposes a spectrally efficient censor-based cooperative spectrum sensing (C-CSS) approach in a sustainable cognitive radio network that consists of multiple antenna nodes and experiences imperfect sensing and reporting channels. In this context, exact analytic expressions are first derived for the corresponding probability of detection, probability of false alarm, and secondary throughput, assuming that each secondary user (SU) sends its detection outcome to a fusion center only when it has detected a primary signal. Capitalizing on the findings of the analysis, the effects of critical measures, such as the detection threshold, the number of SUs, and the number of employed antennas, on the overall system performance are also quantified. In addition, the optimal detection threshold for each antenna based on the Neyman-Pearson criterion is derived and useful insights are developed on how to maximize the system throughput with a reduced number of SUs. It is shown that the C-CSS approach provides two distinct benefits compared with the conventional sensing approach, i.e., without censoring: i) the sensing tail problem, which exists in imperfect sensing environments, can be mitigated; and ii) less SUs are ultimately required to obtain higher secondary throughput, rendering the system more sustainable.
Combate ao ácaro rajado Tetranychus urticae Koch, 1836 em algodão, com defensivos químicos

Com o objetivo de se verificar a acao de varios defensivos agricolas contra o acaro rajado do algodao, um campo experimental foi instalado. Os tratamentos e suas quantidades de ingredientes ativos, por hectare, foram: A) testemunha; B) dicofol, 369,6g; C) dicofol, 739,2g; D) propargite, 1.080g; E) silaneofane, 200g; F) bifentrina, 60g; G) abamectina, 7,2g. Resultados otimos nao foram obtidos com nenhum tratamento: todavia, o propargite mostrou resultados relativamente bons apos 03, 06 e 12 dias da pulverizacao e a bifentrina e abamectina somente aos 06 dias.