Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Partial resistance to yellow rust in introduced winter wheat germplasm at north of Pakistan.

Thirty-seven winter wheat lines introduced from Oklahoma State University, along with local check were studied to assess their partial resistance level, at Hazara Agricultural Research Station (HARS), Abbottabad. Pathotypes of Puccinia striiformis West. tritici (Pst) prevalent at the site were found virulent on all of the introduced winter wheat lines. Partial resistance level was assessed through final rust severity (FRS), area under rust progress curve (AURPC) and coefficient of infection (CI). A considerably high disease pressure was observed with a maximum FRS up to 95% recorded for line F5-34. Six lines were having FRS value more than 70%, while remaining 24 lines along with local check were having FRS value less than 70%. Seventeen lines were having higher AURPC values while remaining 21 lines were having AURPC values ranging from 300 to 1100, marked to be partially resistant. Based on CI value, four lines (F5-64, F5-71, F5-15 and OK00611W) were marked as highly partially resistant, having CI value up to 20; F5-4, F5-21, F5-69, F5-78, F5-103, F5-122, F5-141, OK99212, OK00608W, Intrada and Ghaznavi, with CI value 21-40, were marked as moderately resistant; and F5-5, F5-9, F55-38, F5-70, F5-83, F5-99, F5-110, F5139, OK95616-56, OK98G508W, OK00421, OK00514 and OK00618W, with CI value 41-60, were designated to have low level of partial resistance. Line OK00611W performed better, producing maximum grain yield with an increase of 2736 kg ha -1 over the local check as well as having better level of partial resistance. Cluster analysis of the OSU introduced winter wheat lines revealed four major groups/cluster, based on partial resistance parameters and grain yield. Considerable diversity was observed for level of partial resistance of these introduced winter wheat breeding lines, which may be advanced further for manipulation in breeding or inheritance studies.
Dynamic Capabilities as Determinants of Supply Chain Performance in Small to Medium Enterprises in Gauteng Province

The objective of the study is to investigate dynamic capabilities, service quality and relationship longevity as determinates of supply chain performance in small to medium enterprises in Gauteng province by focusing on small and medium enterprises in the Vaal region. The study will contribute to the body of knowledge by addressing dynamic capabilities as determinates of supply chain performance in small to medium enterprises. The study employs a quantitative method of data collection. Permission was sought from SME owners. Once permission was granted, the questionnaires were sent out to SME owners. A total 425 participates were chosen to participate in this study. The researcher used the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 24.0) and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS 24.0) to analyse the data. Sample data from SME owners/managersof Vaal region was collected for the final data analysis of this project. The sample data were analysed by performing a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM). The principal finding of this study reveals that dynamic capabilities, relationship longevity and service quality have an impact on supply chain performance. The conclusions and implications of the research findings are provided and recommendations are suggested.
The Implementation of Brainstorming Method in Developing Higher Order Thinking Skills (Hots) to The Students in Teaching Reading (An Experimental Research for The Second Year of Students at Man 1 Banda Aceh in Academic Year 2017/2018)

This study was conducted based on the fact that the thinking ability of Indonesian students, especially at the level of higher order thinking skills as well as analyzing, understanding, creating a new idea and applying the knowledge in literacy is below the average.Hence, this research was led to investigate the effect of using brainstormingmethod to develop higher order thinking skillsin teaching reading to the studentsof MAN 1 Banda Aceh and to know the students’ perception toward the implementation of brainstorming method to develop HOTS in learning reading. This experimental research involved one class to be given the treatment which was class XI-Bahasa in MAN 1 Banda Aceh in the academic year 2017/2018totaling 33 students. The data were obtained through pre-tests,posttestand the questionnaire. The findings of this research showed that the students’ higher order thinking skills improve as a result of implementing brainstorming method. This can be understood from the t-test result, where the calculated value of t-scoreis higher than t-table (5.09>2.74). In addition, the result of the questionnaire indicated that majority of students were happy learning reading by using brainstorming method and most of them believed that brainstorming method could facilitate them to accomplish the questions at the level of HOTS in learning reading. In conclusion,the implementation of brainstorming method in teaching reading generates meaningful progress todevelop higher order thinking skills of the students of MAN 1 Banda Aceh.
Estudo comparativo da estrutura da comunidade bentônica de duas represas com diferenças no grau de eutrofização.

O presente projeto teve como objetivo determinar e comparar a estrutura da comunidade de invertebrados bentonicos em duas represas com diferentes graus de eutrofizacao. As represas estudadas foram as represas Ponte Nova e Bariri, ambas construidas pelo barramento do rio Tiete. As coletas foram feitas em sistemas de amostragem para cada represa. Ambas as represas sao ambientes polimiticos, com anoxia do hipolimnio em janeiro. As concentracoes dos compostos nitrogenados, fosfatados e de clorofila a revelam que a represa Bariri e um ambiente hipereutrofizado. Os invertebrados bentonicos foram coletados com uma draga Van Veen (378 cm²) e lavados em peneira com 210 pm de abertura de malha. No total foram identificados 36 taxons na represa Ponte Nova e 39 na represa Bariri pertencentes as Ordens Ephemeroptera, Diptera, Odonata e Trichoptera (Classe Insecta), alem de representantes das Classes Oligochaeta e Hirudinea (Filo Anellida) e Classes Gastropoda e Bivalvia (Filo Mollusca). Na represa Ponte Nova o grupo com maior riqueza foi a familia Chironomidae (Diptera) com 21 representantes, seguida por Oligochaeta com 10 especies. Em Bariri, Oligochaeta foi o grupo com maior riqueza, representada por 16 especies, e Chironomidae, representado por 13 taxons. Numericamente, Chaoborus (Diptera) foi o principal componente da fauna bentonica da represa Ponte Nova, correspondendo a 77% dos organismos coletados, enquanto que Bariri, Branchiura sowerbyi (Oligochaeta) foi o principal representante, correspondendo a 47,6%. Durante o periodo de estudo foram registradas maiores densidades de zoobentonicos na represa Bariri, variando entre 1024,1 e 1657,0 ind.m-2 , comparados com 562,3 e 850,0 ind.m-2 em Ponte Nova. Em relacao a distribuicao batimetrica, Chaoborus habitou preferencialmente a regiao profunda de ambas represas, enquanto que Chironomidae e Mollusca, a regiao litorânea. Para os Oligachaeta, observou-se que na represa Ponte Nova este grupo teve preferencia pelas areas mais rasas, enquanto que em Bariri, as maiores densidades foram obtidas nas zonas profundas.Comparando-se os valores obtidos para os indices de diversidade de Shannon-Wiener e da relacao Oligochaeta/Chironomidae verificou-se que este ultimo foi o que melhor caracterizou a condicao de trofia dos ambientes estudados.
Individual Variation in Behavioural Reactions to Unfamiliar Conspecific Vocalisation and Hormonal Underpinnings in Male Chimpanzees

It has been established that various species exhibit personality, defined as intra-individual consistency and inter-individual variation in behavioural phenotypes. For example, certain individuals may demonstrate consistently greater behavioural reactions and elevated stress responses. We conducted playback experiments and hormonal analyses on male chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in captivity to investigate the patterns and proximate mediators of individual variations in behavioural reactions. We found intra-individual consistency and inter-individual variation in behavioural reactions (intensive vigilance towards the direction of speakers) to vocalisations by unfamiliar chimpanzees. This behavioural reaction was positively correlated with changes in salivary cortisol concentration, suggesting that stress is a proximate factor mediating the variation in behavioural reactions. The males who were highly responsive to the conspecific vocalisation also exhibited high behavioural reactions towards the neutral broadcast stimulus (the jungle crow’s Corvus macrorhynchos ‘ka’ vocalisation). This observation is consistent with the notion that male chimpanzees vary in intrinsic behavioural tendency to different stimuli.
Financial and economic analysis of stingless bee farming in Malaysia

As a reason factor affecting the present problematic advancement of beekeeping industry in Malaysia, the issues of high interest in rearing stingless bees (Trigona) is alternatively emerged by the local beekeepers. The Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry stated that the stingless honey bees may be a national super food due to its benefits to human bodies as there is a high demand in honey. Hence, the government tries to find ways to increase production in meeting the local demand as well as making it possible for export. Nevertheless, the recent information about financial, economic and policy approaches of stingless bees farming, are still limited. Therefore, the study initially aims to investigate socio-economic and cost-benefit analysis; financial appraisal; and level of competitiveness, comparative advantage and government policy of stingless bees farming in Malaysia. The study used primary data as input-output accounting figure from the existing farms and employed 124 stingless beekeepers as number observation. The data analysis applied cost benefit analysis, capital budgeting techniques and Policy Analysis Matrix (PAM). The finding showed the stingless bees farming’ benefits outweigh its costs, while labor cost constituted as a predominant concern in the cost of production and a high capital expenditure was expended by hive investment. Then, the Peninsula beekeeping farm generated highly profitable business, whilst Sarawak region showed efficient cost in the input-output, cost-benefit ratio and break-even analysis. Based on long term project assessment, the project was financially viable and swiftly recovered up its initial investment. The project also may sustained any possible risks in changing of certain micro-economic variables. Furthermore, the result of PAM model concluded that the industry achieved considerable competitiveness level at domestic and international market; indeed the resource use domestically was inexpensive. However, the government still did not intervene and let the industry run independently. Even though, some policies have been affected to some parts in Peninsular Malaysia, the effect on the market liberalization was not highly visible to the whole stingless bees farming in Malaysia. Therefore, the assistance from the government through a policy intervention is urgently needed.
Electrophoretic variation of isozymes in plumules of rice (Oryza saliva L.) - a key to the identification of 76 alleles at 24 loci

A simple and efficient method has been developed for studying isozyme variation in rice. It involves starch gel electrophoresis of crude rice plumule extracts, followed by staining of 13 enzymes. It permits monitoring the variation at 24 polymorphic loci distributed on at least 8 chromosomes. Technical procedures are described, and the zymograms obtained from materials containing all known alleles are shown. A total of 76 alleles can be readily identified.
Optimization of culture conditions for lichen Usnea ghattensis G. Awasthi to increase biomass and antioxidant metabolite production.

Summary The aim of this study is to optimize the culture conditions for lichen Usnea ghattensis G. Awasthi in order to increase biomass and antioxidant metabolite production. The cultured lichen consisted of usnic acid produced by mycobionts and photobionts after 2 to 3 months of inoculation. Cultures grown in the media with excess carbon sources showed significant increment in the biomass growth, usnic acid production and total polyphenol mass fraction after six months of inoculation. The methanol extract of six-month-old cultures grown in the malt-yeast extract (MYE) medium containing 0.01 mol/L of sucrose and 0.01 mol/L of polyethylene glycol showed a significantly high inhibition of lipid peroxidation activity up to 89 %. A significant correlation (R 2 =0.89) of p<0.01 was also found between total polyphenol mass fraction and the inhibition of lipid peroxidation in this lichen species.
MELIHAT MOTIVASI BELAJAR MATEMATIKA SISWA DARI KOMPETENSI GURU SELAMA PEMBELAJARAN

Guru menjadi faktor utama penunjang pendidikan formal karena bagi siswa guru sering dijadikan tokoh dalam upaya mengidentifikasi diri. Karena itu kompetensi guru menjadi salah satu yang paling berperan penting dalam pendidikan terutama dalam memotivasi siswa pada proses belajar mengajar matematika. Motivasi dalam belajar matematika akan membantu ketajaman berpikir secara logis (masuk akal) dan membantu memperjelas pada penyelesaian masalah matematis. Penelitian ini bertujuan Untuk mengetahui pengaruh Kompetensi Guru terhadap motivasi belajar siswa pada pembelajaran matematika. Jenis penelitian yang digunakan adalah penelitian korelasional untuk melihat sejauh mana variasi pada satu variabel berkaitan dengan variasi pada satu atau lebih variabel lain. Teknik pengumpulan data dalam penelian ini menggunakan angket. Angket yang diberikan kepada guru matematika untuk melihat kompetensi guru matematika dan angket yang diberikan kepada siswa untuk melihat motivasi belajar siswa dalam pembelajaran matematika. Populasi pada penelitian ini adalah seluruh guru matematika SMA di Aceh Tengah dan seluruh siswa SMA kelas XII dengan sampel yang dipilih secara purposive sampling yaitu 5 orang guru dan 25 orang siswa. Analis data dalam penelitian ini menggunakan regresi sederhana dan melihat kooefisien determinasi untuk menentukan besar pengaruhnya. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian yang dilakukan diperoleh kesimpulan bahwa terdapat hubungan kompetensi guru dengan motivasi belajar siswa dalam pembelajaran matematika.
Dietary vitamin A and iron metabolism in the rat

The experiments presented in this thesis were carried out to simulate the interrelationship between vitamin A and iron metabolism, which has been illustrated in human studies in third world countries and to elucidate underlying mechanisms. Effects of manipulation with dietary vitamin A on vitamin A and iron status were studied in rats. Recurrent effects on iron metabolism with moderate vitamin A deficiency were: iron accumulation in spleen and bone; reduction in total ironbinding capacity, a measure of transferrin and reduced total liver iron, caused by a reduction in liver weight. These effects were reversed by vitamin A supplementation for 10-12 days. Mild vitamin A deficiency produced anaemia followed by increased iron absorption. When vitamin A status further deteriorated, haemoglobin concentrations rose, due to haemoconcentration. Rats with chronic vitamin A deficiency may be less affected by haemoconcentration. But there was no anaemia in mature female rats with stable low plasma retinol levels. As to the mechanism by which vitamin A might influence iron metabolism, we have speculated that with vitamin A deficiency, blood cell synthesis is impaired, leading to increased destruction of malformed red blood cells and increased iron stores in the macrophages of bone marrow and spleen. In addition synthesis of transferrin might be impaired, possibly at the level of transferrin glycosylation. These hypotheses could not be confirmed by measuring transferrin glycosylation and indicators of red blood cell synthesis and breakdown in rats fed diets deficient in vitamin A. Alternatively, transferrin synthesis might be regulated by vitamin A at the level of gene transcription. With the use of a gene bank, candidate retinoic acid response elements for transferrin and erythropoietin were located. However, it was not possible to confirm a role for vitamin A in transferrin gene transcription by using cultured liver cells incubated with all- trans and 9- cis retinoic acid. Finally, evaluating the rat as animal model it can be deducted from these studies that for optimal standardization of experiments with young growing rats involving nutrients such as vitamin A and iron, diets fed to their dams should also be defined and controlled.
Studies on arteriosclerotic pathologies, haematology, immunology and lipids of captive Atlantic bluefin tuna

ix Preliminary investigations indicated that disease prevalence in captive ABT is very low. Epidermal mucus is an important interface between fish and their environment and comprises immunological components which act as a first barrier against pathogen entry or colonisation. Mucus was collected from captive ABT and analysed for innate immune components. The presence of IgM was detected in the mucus of ABT by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and several different enzymes were detected with an API-ZYM kit assay. Zymography experiments confirmed the presence of protease-like enzymes in the mucus, while enzyme assays quantified alkaline phosphatase, protease, esterase and cathepsin B activities. Lysozyme levels were high. The mucus agglutinated sheep erythrocytes but did not demonstrate complement or bacteriolytic activity. There is restricted information on the fatty acid composition of farmed ABT or how this is influenced when the fish are held under commercial aquaculture conditions. This study investigated the FA composition of farmed ABT, its variation by dorsal muscle region and the correlation between dietary FA composition with that of the fish. Analysis of flesh samples retrieved from farmed ABT did not reveal significant differences in the FA composition of experimental sub-groups irrespective of size, time held in captivity or diet. These results indicate that FA metabolism in ABT is substrateselective. Gene expression measurements from several organs of ABT showed that expression of Δfad5 and elovl5, genes involved in FA metabolism, were highest in the brain followed by the liver but no expression of these genes was detected in the spleen. The findings of this research address aspects of health evaluation and nutritional status in farmed ABT and are discussed in terms of farming practice. Conclusions from some of these studies suggest that the practice of holding wild-captured stock in cages for periods of up to 18 months does not result in significant impact on ABT.
Selective Coupling of G Protein βγ Complexes to Inhibition of Ca2+ Channels*

Several mechanisms couple heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G proteins) to cellular effectors. Although α subunits of G proteins (Gα) were the first recognized mediators of receptor-effector coupling, Gβγ regulation of effectors is now well known. Five Gβ and 12 Gγ subunit genes have been identified, suggesting through their diversity that specific subunits couple selectively to effectors. The molecular determinants of Gβγ-effector coupling, however, are not well understood, and most studies of G protein-effector coupling do not support selectivity of Gβγ action. To explore this issue further, we have introduced recombinant Gβγ complexes into avian sensory neurons and measured the inhibition of Ca2+ currents mediated by an endogenous phospholipase Cβ- (PLCβ) and protein kinase C-dependent pathway. Activities of Gβγ in the native cells were compared with enzyme assays performed in vitro. We report a surprising selective activation of the PLCβ pathway by Gβγ complexes containing β1 subunits, whereas β2-containing complexes produced no activation. In contrast, when assayed in vitro, PLCβ and type II adenylyl cyclase did not discriminate among these same Gβγ complexes, suggesting the possibility that additional cellular determinants confer specificity in vivo.
Molecular mechanism underlying the anti-tumoral activity of lactoferrin

Lactoferrin (Lf) is an iron-binding glycoprotein found in many biological fluids, being particularly abundant in milk. Originally viewed as a milk protein involved in the regulation of iron homeostasis, Lf is now considered a multifunctional protein to which more and more physiological roles have been attributed. These include anti-tumoral, anti-microbial, immunomodulatory, among other properties. Regarding its anti-tumoral activity, Lf has been reported to be effective against a variety of human cancers both by in vitro an in vivo studies. Its well-tolerability has also been attested in some human clinical trials. Therefore, Lf administration is an emerging strategy in cancer therapeutics that is expected to become widespread. In this way, the elucidation of molecular mechanisms underlying Lf cytotoxicity to cancer cells has become an important research field. Although some cellular mechanisms have already been proposed such as apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest, angiogenesis and metastasis inhibition, the true molecular mechanism remains elusive. In the present work, we aimed to unveil the mechanism of action and the cellular target(s) of Lf on cancer cells. For that purpose, three breast cell lines with different genetic backgrounds were used, namely an invasive, a non-invasive and a non-tumorigenic. In this study we focus on bovine Lf (bLf) as it has been considered a safe nutraceutical for various applications. Results showed that these cells exhibit different susceptibilities to bLf, which prompted us to implement several biochemical and analytical approaches, including flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy and spectrofluorimetry in order to dissect the bLf’s target(s) and molecular mechanism operating in the sensitive cells. Results obtained throughout this work allowed us to identify a novel Lf activity and to propose a molecular mechanism regarding its antitumoral activity, which may have important implications on cancer therapeutics, particularly on the therapy of highly metastatic tumors.
Topology, Geometry and Morphology of the Dark Matter Web

Spatial distribution of dark matter displays a variety of intricate three dimensional structures on the largest scales in the Universe, notably the massive haloes, long tubular filaments, flattened walls and the vast under-dense voids. Galaxies embedded in the dark matter structures have illuminated the rich geometry of these structures currently known as the cosmic web. Cosmological N-body simulations are indispensable tools for understanding the evolution of the dark matter web. Recent developments in the numerical analysis of these simulations have hinted towards incorporating the dynamical information of gravitational clustering of collisionless dark matter. This is inferred from a six-dimensional Lagrangian sub-manifold – comprising of initial and final coordinates of the dark matter particles. Velocity multistream field derived from this sub-manifold sheds new light on the nature of gravitational collapse. Geometrical, topological, morphological and heuristic diagnostic tools used in this novel parameter space reveal features of the dark matter distribution. For instance, a single void structure not only percolates the multistream field in all the directions, but also occupies over 99 per cent of all the single-streaming regions. On the other hand, connected filaments display a rapid topological transition to isolated islands at high multistream values. Hessian analysis delineates structures with different shapes: tubular, sheet-like, or globular – enabling detection of the dark matter haloes without ad hoc parameters related to matter density or distance field.