Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In situ olive mill residual co-composting for soil organic fertility restoration and by-product sustainable reuse

The addition of organic matter in the form of compost improves overall physical, chemical and biological properties of soils but, to be really sustainable, the composting process should be carried out using the by-products available in situ. Two different soils of a Mediterranean olive orchard, one managed traditionally (NAS) and the other amended with compost (AS), were investigated in a two-year experiment. Increases in total organic matter, total nitrogen and pH, were detected in AS if compared to NAS. Significant increases in total and specific microbial counts were observed in AS, with a clear amelioration of microbiological soil quality. The results demonstrated that soil amendment using compost deriving from olive mill by-products can be an important agricultural practice for supporting and stimulating soil microorganisms and, at the same time, for re-using these byproducts, so avoiding their negative environmental impact.
Validity and Reliability of the Instruments to Measure Colorectal Cancer Screening Benefits and Barriers—Turkish Version

Background Perceptions of benefits and barriers are important determinants in understanding colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) behaviors. There is a need for standardized Turkish tools that measure the benefits and barriers of fecal occult blood test (FOBT) and colonoscopy (COL). Objective The aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the “Instruments to Measure CRCS Benefits and Barriers. ” Methods This methodological study was carried out in 2 stages in primary care and in 394 adults between the ages of 50 and 70 years. In the first stage, some items of the scales demonstrated low/unacceptable corrected item-total and factor loadings, and in the second stage, it was decided to add emoji-based facial scales, which include emoji expressions. Results Results with the emoji-based facial scales included internal consistency coefficients of 0.85 for FOBT benefits, 0.79 for FOBT barriers, 0.84 for COL benefits, and 0.86 for COL barriers; the item-total correlations of FOBT varied between 0.39 and 0.73, whereas those of COL varied between 0.38 and 0.76. The factor loadings of all items were higher than 0.40. Conclusions The emoji-based facial scale for CRC Screening Benefits and Barriers is a valid and reliable tool for measuring the benefits and barriers perceptions of 50- to 70-year-old Turkish adults. Implications for Practice The Instruments to Measure CRCS Benefits and Barriers–Turkish version can provide insights for nurses and healthcare professionals to understand individuals’ perceived FOBT and COL benefits and barriers and to develop effective interventions to increase CRCS rates.
Leontodon and Scorzoneroides (Asteraceae, Cichorieae) in Italy

Abstract Sandro Pignatti's Flora d'Italia was published in 1982. In this work, the genus Leontodon was edited by the late Helga Pittoni (Graz). Since then, a large amount of new data about the systematics and taxonomy of Leontodon s.l. have been acquired. The most important new aspect is that, based on molecular data, the former subgenera Leontodon and Oporinia are now regarded as separate genera, Leontodon s.str. and Scorzoneroides, respectively. Moreover, new assessments of some critical taxa resulted in some new names as compared to the first edition of the Flora d'Italia. The changes presented here are not only discussed in comparison with the first edition of the Flora d'Italia but also with regard to its predecessor (Fiori 1927) and to Flora Europaea (Finch and Sell 1976). Apart from a discussion of changes in nomenclature and taxon delimitation, identification keys are presented to distinguish between the genera Leontodon and Scorzoneroides, and to identify their Italian members.
Comparison of the Effect of Acids in Solvent Mixtures for Extraction of Phenolic Compounds From Aronia melanocarpa

Thirty-two different solvent mixtures containing methanol and acid (acetic, formic, and hydrochloric); methanol, water, and acid; and pure methanol were tested for their efficiency for extraction of phenolic compounds from aronia (Aronia melanocarpa) belonging to the groups of anthocyanins, flavonols, and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives. Thirteen compounds were detected and quantified in the extracts using HPLC/DAD/ESI-MS n . The yield of each compound and group was evaluated with regard to the extraction solvent composition. Extraction mixtures containing HCl were superior to the ones containing acetic or formic acid for the extraction yield of total phenolic compounds, which was especially pronounced for anthocyanins. The solvent mixture containing methanol/water/HCl (90:8:2, v/v/v) gave best results for the qualitative and quantitative assay of anthocyanins. However, this solvent mixture caused O-methylation of 3- and 5-caffeoylquinic acids transforming them to 3- and 5-feruloylquinic acids, respectively, during extraction. This peculiar finding must be taken into account during sample preparation for the analysis of polyphenols in any sample. It was observed that this O-methylation is specific for dihydroxycinnamic acid compounds containing neighboring hydroxyl groups. These results suggest the need for a detailed study of the behavior of various polyphenolic compounds during extraction with solvent mixtures containing methanol/HCl since it is very often used for the analysis of anthocyanins.
Prevalence of gestational thrombocytopenia and its effect on maternal and fetal outcome

BACKGROUND: Gestational thrombocytopenia (GT) is considered as the most common cause of thrombocytopenia in pregnancy and accounts for about 75% of cases. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the study are (1) to estimate the prevalence of GT among antenatal patients at Vardhman Mahavir Medical College (VMMC) and Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi, India, and (2) to study the fetomaternal outcome in mild, moderate, and severe GT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective observational study done in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, VMMC and Safdarjung hospital in New Delhi, India, for a period of 6 months. All antenatal women underwent complete hemogram with manual platelet count in the third trimester. Those with platelet count 150 × 109/L were included and divided into three groups on the basis of platelet count. Maternal and fetal outcome was observed. Cord blood was sent for neonatal platelet count. Follow-up was done in these cases till 6 weeks postpartum. RESULTS: The prevalence of GT was 12.82%. Fetomaternal outcome was favorable. A total of five (2.5%) patients suffered from abruption. Postpartum hemorrhage was present in about 7 cases (3.5%). Blood transfusion including platelet transfusion was needed in around 13 cases (6.5%). There was no maternal mortality. Only 6 (3%) neonates were having thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 150 × 109/L) regardless of degree of maternal thrombocytopenia. Twenty-six (13%) neonates were admitted in nursery for monitoring; among these, 11 (5.5%) neonates' ventilation was needed. There was no neonatal death. CONCLUSION: Better fetomaternal outcome is seen in GT, so a vigilant and careful monitoring can prevent any adverse event.
Leaf‐Level Physiology, Biomass, and Reproduction of Phytolacca americana under Conditions of Elevated CO2 and Altered Temperature Regimes

The effects of increasing air temperature and changing daily temperature regime under conditions of elevated CO2 on the physiology, biomass, and reproduction of a C3 plant species were investigated. Phytolacca americana L. (Phytolaccaceae) was grown under either ambient (370 μmol mol−1) or elevated (700 μmol mol−1) CO2 at three air temperature regimes (day/night temperatures of 26°/20°C, T1; 30°/24°C, T2; and 28°/24°C, T3). Length of day/night temperature exposure was adjusted so that average daily temperature was 22°C in T1 and 26°C in T2 and T3. Daily temperature regime was different for T2 and T3: plants in T2 experienced a higher maximum daily temperature but for a shorter daily duration than plants in T3. Elevated CO2 increased photosynthetic rate, total biomass, and root‐to‐shoot ratio (RSR) and decreased stomatal conductance and transpiration as well as allocation to reproduction. In contrast, elevated temperatures had no effect on photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, or total biomass, but they decreased RSR and increased transpiration, reproductive biomass, and allocation. Both elevated CO2 and increased temperatures advanced timing of flowering. The plant‐level transpiration rate exhibited a unique response to each of the daily temperature regime treatments. These results indicate that elevated CO2 and increased temperatures elicit different responses at the physiological and whole‐plant levels in P. americana, with little interaction between the CO2 and temperature effects. Furthermore, some evidence indicates that a changing daily temperature regime may be an important factor determining plant responses to warming temperatures and should be incorporated into predictions of plant and ecosystem responses to future climate change.
HYDROGEN SULFIDE EVOLUTION DUE TO PANTOTHENIC ACID DEFICIENCY IN THE YEAST REQUIRING THIS VITAMIN, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE EFFECT OF ADENOSINE TRIPHOSPHATE ON YEAST CYSTEINE DESULFHYDRASE

Baker's yeast showed periodical changes in cysteine (CyH) desulfhydration activity with cell growth, and the crude extract from young pantothenate-deficient (PaA-) cells had 1.6 times higher activity than that of pantothenate-sufficient (PaA+) cells of the same growth phase. PaA- cells were also stronger in sulfite reductase activity as examined in 0.6M phosphate buffer. PaA- cells were thus endowed with H2S producibility, although the yeast had more intensive CyH synthetase activity than CyH desulfhydrase one, irrespectively amount of pantothenate supplied. Of pooled amino acids, a larger amount of serine was found in PaA+ cells while CyH only in PaA-cells. A DEAE-cellulose column chromatography of the crude extract enabled separation of unstable CyH desulfhydrase from stable CyH synthetase, and each enzyme, which resembled each other in property, was purified to almost homogeneous level. In Km for CyH desulfhydration activity, CyH desulfhydrase had exceedingly lower value (3.4×10-4M) than CyH synthetase (reversed) (2.0×10-2M), and thus the former enzyme seemed likely to take a predominant part in cell CyH desulfhydration.Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as well as S-adenosylmethionine could inhibit CyH desulfhydrase at acid pH while ATP stimulates it at alkaline pH, although ATP was inert to CyH synthetase. A sigmoid curve was depicted in the activity-substrate concentration relation at pH 6.9, and 14C-ATP-enzyme complex was obtained from a mixture of CyH desulfhydrase protein and 14C-ATP when incubated at 30° for 30min. Thus ATP-effect seems likely to occur on the basis of allosteric inhibition, presumably playing a modulating role in prevention of CyH once synthesized from its degradation in yeast sulfur metabolism. A possible mechanism for H2S evolution due to PaA deficiency in PaA-requiring yeast was presented.
Australian tropical forest canopy crane: New tools for new frontiers

An industrial crane was installed in the Daintree lowland rainforest in 1998 to provide a new means of accessing the canopy. Approximately 0.95 ha of forest, including 680 trees of 82 species with a diameter at breast height of greater than 10 cm, are accessible using the crane. The site was hit by a Category 3 Cyclone in 1999 and has shown a remarkable rate of recovery. The crane has been used for a very wide range of research including tree physiology and ecology, interactions with vertebrate and invertebrate biodiversity and studies of carbon and water fluxes. Results from studies on this crane and 11 other cranes around the world are changing views of the importance of the rainforest canopy.
Effective control of varroatosis using powdered thymol

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés. Effective control of varroatosis using powdered thymol F Chiesa, M d’Agaro
Species-level and community-level data analyses reveal spatial differences and temporal change in the crustacean zooplankton of a large Canadian lake (Lake Simcoe, Ontario)

Consensus-building univariate and multivariate data analyses were used to identify patterns in space and time over seven years among 12 sampling stations in a 720 km2 hardwater Canadian lake (Lake Simcoe, Ontario, Canada). There were 15 copepods and 26 cladoceran species identified in samples collected throughout the May-October periods of 1986-1992 from Lake Simcoe. Eleven crustacean zooplankters accounted for 88% of the total average density of all recorded species in the lake. Most of these (the main exceptions being Eubosmina coregoni and Daphnia pulicaria) are ubiquitous taxa with wide environmental tolerances. Multivariate analyses of these data identified spatial differences and a temporal trend in community composition. The use of Cao et al.’s (1997a) "CY-dissimilarity" measure combined with Ward's Linkage clustering algorithm and non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination resulted in several clearly defined groups of sampling units (SUs), which apparently were separated predominantly on the basis of variables related to space (sampling station) and time (year). The 7-year record suggested several lines of evidence for trends in community structure. Averaged over all stations, the yearly intra-station dissimilarities steadily increased 78% by 1992. The greatest rates of increase in yearly intra-station dissimilarity with 1986 baselines were found for the deeper sampling stations. These whole community-level trends were the net results of a many different patterns of change identified in species-level analyses. Such patterns included increasing densities over the 7-year period of Daphnia longiremis and Diaphanosoma birgei and declining densities of Daphnia pulicaria. Many other taxa showed highest values in the middle years of the study. Community-level temporal trends were least evident at sampling locations in the shallower and warmer Cook’s Bay, despite clear trends in several individual species. A significantly greater representation by large-bodied zooplankton species in the latter years of the study was consistent with declining stocks of rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) and lake herring (Coregonus artedii), suggesting the associated relaxation of predation pressure as a possible cause. Several species indicative of eutrophic states (Acanthocyclops vernalis, Chydorus sphaericus and Bosmina longirostris) were common in the samples. The scarcity of the calanoid Senecella calanoides and the absence of another classic oligotrophic indicator calanoid, Limnocalanus macrurus in the Lake Simcoe samples suggests impairment of their deep, cold-water habitat and is consistent with the modelled historical loss of hypolimnetic dissolved oxygen in Lake Simcoe.
Microsatellite Polymorphism and Genetic Relationship in Dog Breeds in Korea

Microsatellite polymorphism and their genetic relationships were estimated using genotype information of 183 dogs from 11 microsatellite loci. The breeds include the indigenous Korean breeds Jindo dog (30), Poongsan dog (20) and Miryang dog (44) together with Chihauhau dog (31) and German Shepherd dog (58). Jindo dogs showed the highest expected heterozygosity (0.796′0.030) and polymorphic information contents (0.755) in all populations. The phylogenetic analysis showed the existence of two distinct clusters supported by high bootstrap values: the Korean native dogs and other dogs. They clearly show that Poongsan dog and Miryang dog are closely related to each other when compared with Jindo dog. Microsatellite polymorphism data was shown to be useful for estimating the genetic relationship between Korean native dogs and other dog breeds, and also can be applied for parentage testing in those dog breeds.
Rove beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) in Ontario, Canada soybean agroecosystems: assemblage diversity, composition, seasonality, and habitat use

Abstract Rove beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) are recognised as important components of agroecosystems and are best known for their contribution to biological control as predators of arthropod pests. Unfortunately, knowledge of their bionomics in North American agroecosystems is sparse. Therefore, soybean-hedgerow agroecosystems in Ontario, Canada, were surveyed in 2009–2010 to identify common, widespread members of the assemblage and characterise their seasonal activity patterns. The potential for refuge habitat in adjacent hedgerows was assessed outside of the growing season. The rove beetle assemblage of soybeans during the growing season was found to be a less diverse subset of that found in surrounding hedgerow areas, especially with respect to native species. Both native and non-native species were common (>1% activity density). Based on literature records, most common species were predaceous, univoltine, and adult overwintering. Most common species exhibited the highest activity density midway through the growing season and all were detected in hedgerow habitats outside the growing season. Comparisons with the staphylinid fauna of other North American agroecosystems revealed several common species to dominate assemblages under a wide variety of conditions. This research provides a framework for future agroecological studies of this poorly understood, but abundant and diverse, assemblage of beetles.
CG4SR: Near Optimal Traffic Engineering for Segment Routing with Column Generation

Segment Routing (SR) is a powerful tool to solve traffic engineering in large networks. It enables steering the traffic along any arbitrary network path while limiting scalability issues as routers do not need to maintain a global state. Mathematical programming approaches proposed so far for SR either do not scale well with the size of topology or impose a strong limit on the number of possible detours (typically at most one). Moreover they do not support Segment Routing fully by ignoring the adjacency segments. This paper leverages column generation, a widely used technique for solving large scale linear programs, combined with a novel dynamic program for solving the pricing problem. Our approach reaches near optimal solutions with gap guarantees by also computing a strong lower-bound tighter than the multi-commodity flow relaxation. It scales even on large topologies and exploits the full expressiveness of SR including adjacency segments. Our experiments compared with existing traffic engineering techniques on various topologies and demand matrices demonstrate the advantages of our approach in terms of scalability, any-time behavior and quality of the solutions.
Risk Prediction Model for Knee Arthroplasty

To overcome the dilemma in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) revision caused by the degeneration of knee articular osteochondral tissue in the untreated compartment, this paper presents and validates a reliable system to evaluate which osteoarthritis patients may suffer revision after having UKA. We conducted a retrospective cohort study by collecting all revision cases available (n = 1) and randomly selecting 74 UKA cases to keep the revision prevalence of almost 14%. The finite element method was first applied to calculate the strain biomechanical features. We then simulated strains of each tissue node induced by the contact force during gait for five movement points through the stance phase of walking. The biological factors such as C-reactive protein and patient’s behaviors such as pre- and post-operative maximum strains change during gait, body mass index (BMI), and age were combined and analyzed with the kernel least mean square (KLMS) method. These data were used to model the relationships among the biomechanical, biological factor, and patient’s behaviors to predict the risk of UKA revision. The five-fold cross-validation was conducted to assess the prediction accuracy. As a result, the average prediction accuracy for correctly predicting UKA revision was 90.69% for all cases, providing substantial evidence that this model can serve as a potential tool in decision-making for UKA surgical planning. Although knee cartilage micro-degeneration cannot be measured directly in vivo to evaluate the risk of UKA revision, the process can be estimated by combining biomechanical, biological factor, and patient’s behaviors in a statistical learning model.
Flavonoids: A Promising Therapy for Obesity Due to the High-Fat Diet

Currently, metabolic diseases are the main public health problem. Obesity is a metabolic imbalance that leads to insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and proinflammatory and prothrombotic states that can trigger type 2 diabetes as well as cardiovascular diseases. Obesity is the excess of adipose tissue and is considered a risk factor to develop metabolic syndrome. The obesogenic environment that is lived promotes the search for specific solutions that help to control, eradicate, or minimize the negative results in health, making use of the properties of flavonoids, as important sources of antioxidants, with anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, and antihypertensive effects. Given the above, the objective of this chapter is to highlight the effects of flavonoids on the modulation of lipolysis and lipogenesis altered by a hyperlipidic diet.
Notes on the taxonomy of Stentor Oken (Protozoa, Ciliophora) and a description of a new species

The taxonomy of a heterotrichous ciliate genus Stentor has been investigated on the basis of the author's old notebooks and photographs of the species found in and around Hiroshima City, Japan. In addition to the ten known species that were found, including the ones synonymized by Foissner and Wolfl (Foissner and Wolfl, 1994), a new species was also present and is described in this article. The results of grafting an organism of one species with another from either the same or a different species are also given. Use of stock-cultured, live specimens is recommended to observe the characters overlooked or disregarded by Foissner and Wolfl (Foissner and Wolfl, 1994) and to perform the grafting experiment which gives subsidiary information on the taxonomic status of the strains concerned.