Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of a physical education-based behavioural skill training program on cognitive antecedents and exercise and sport behaviour among adolescents: a cluster-randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT Background: School-based physical education has been associated with a multitude of potential learning outcomes. Representatives of a public health perspective suggest that promoting physical activity in and outside the context of school is an important endeavour. While the importance of behavioural skill training to improve (motor) learning is well documented in both general and physical education, the promotion of behavioural skills to foster physically active lifestyles constitutes a rather neglected area in physical education research. Purpose: To examine whether a standardized physical education-based behavioural skill training program has the potential to positively impact on adolescents’ self-reported exercise and sport participation, as well as cognitive antecedents involved in the regulation of exercise and sport behaviour. Research design: Cluster-randomized controlled trial. Methods: A sample of 143 secondary school students (50% girls, aged 14–18 years) attending academic high schools in German-speaking Switzerland were assigned class-wise to the intervention (behavioural skill training) and control condition (conventional physical education lessons). Data were assessed prior and after completion of the 7-week intervention program, which was composed of four 20-min lessons and two reflection phases. Exercise and sport behaviour and cognitive antecedents (exercise/sport intention, motivation, implementation intentions, coping planning, self-efficacy) were assessed via self-reports. A multilevel mixed effects linear regression procedure was used to test the main hypotheses. The regression analyses were adjusted for clustering of school classes, and controlled for baseline levels of the outcome measure and potential confounders. Results: Compared to a control condition, the intervention program resulted in significant improvements with regard to introjected motivation (p < .05), coping planning (p < .001) and self-efficacy (p < .01). The intervention also had a positive impact on adolescents’ self-reported sport/exercise behaviour (p < .001). Improvements in exercise/sport intention (p < .05), coping planning (p < .01), and self-efficacy (p < .01) were associated with increased levels of self-reported exercise/sport participation. Conclusion: Behavioural skill training as part of compulsory physical education has the potential to improve cognitive antecedents of exercise and sport behaviour and to foster adolescents’ exercise and sport participation. Enhancing behavioural skills might be one way in which school physical education can contribute to the creation of more physically active lifestyles among adolescents.
Zeolite-Supported Ni Catalysts for CO2 Methanation: Effect of Zeolite Structure and Si/Al Ratio

The urgent need to reduce CO2 emissions requires the development of efficient catalysts for the conversion of CO2 into chemicals and fuels. In this study, a series of nickel catalysts supported on ITQ-2 and ZSM-5 zeolites have been prepared, characterized and tested in the hydrogenation reaction of CO2 towards methane. Specifically, two ITQ-2 and two ZSM 5 zeolites with different aluminum content have been studied. For both types, the higher Si/Al ratio of the material, the more active the catalyst due probably to its higher hydrophobicity. The largest difference was found for the ITQ-2 samples, being the CO2 conversion for the sample with a greater Si/Al ratio 50 points higher at 350 ◦C. Comparing both zeolite structures, while similar catalytic results were obtained with the samples with lower Si/Al ratio, a distinctly higher activity was found for the ITQ-2 zeolite without aluminum, pure silica. Therefore, this result suggests that the presence of aluminum is of particular relevance. Among the studied materials, the catalyst supported on the delaminated ITQ-2 zeolite without Al was the most active catalyst. Its higher activity was mainly attributed to the smaller crystallite size of nickel supported on the large external surface area presented by this zeolite.
Effect of some herbal extracts on growth performance and liver enzymes in broilers

Objective: After the ban in 2006 of the use of antibiotic growth promoters, the search for an alternative led to the utilization of plants like Moringa oleifera Lam. The present study was carried out to determine the effect of Moringa and Echinacea supplementation on drinking water on growth performance and liver function. Methods: One hundred and fifty one-day-old chicks (Cobb strain) were randomly allotted to three experimental groups G1 (basic diet, control group), G2 (basic diet + watering of Echinacea herbal extract), and G3 (basic diet + watering of Moringa herbal extract). The liver function test was performed through the detection of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in plasma. Results: The herbal mixture groups (G2 and G3) significantly (P<0.05) improved the growth performance while no significant difference in serum levels of liver function enzymes AST and ALT as compared to the control group. Conclusion: With these results, we could conclude that replacing antibiotic growth promoters with herbal supplements is safe and improve the growth performance of broilers.
The invisibility cloak: Chitin binding protein of Verticillium nonalfalfae disguises fungus from plant chitinases

During fungal infections, plant cells secrete chitinases that digest chitin in the fungal cell walls. The recognition of released chitin oligomers via lysin motif (LysM)-containing immune receptors results in the activation of defence signalling pathways. We report here that Verticillium nonalfalfae, a hemibiotrophic xylem-invading fungus, prevents this recognition process by secreting a CBM18 (carbohydrate binding motif 18)-chitin binding protein, VnaChtBP, which is transcriptionally activated specifically during the parasitic life stages. VnaChtBP is encoded by the Vna8.213 gene which is highly conserved within the species, suggesting high evolutionary stability and importance for the fungal lifestyle. In a pathogenicity assay, however, Vna8.213 knockout mutants exhibit wilting symptoms similar to the wild type fungus, suggesting that Vna8.213 activity is functionally redundant during fungal infection of hop. In binding assay, recombinant VnaChtBP binds chitin and chitin oligomers in vitro with submicromolar affinity and protects fungal hyphae from degradation by plant chitinases. Using a yeast-two-hybrid assay, homology modelling and molecular docking, we demonstrated that VnaChtBP forms dimers in the absence of ligands and that this interaction is stabilized by the binding of chitin hexamers with a similar preference in the two binding sites. Our data suggest that, in addition to chitin binding LysM (CBM50) and Avr4 (CBM14) fungal effectors, structurally unrelated CBM18 effectors have convergently evolved to prevent hydrolysis of the fungal cell wall against plant chitinases.
Screening of Alectra vogelii ecotypes on legume and non-legume crop species in Malawi

The parasitic angiosperm Alectra vogelii Benth. is a growing problem in Malawi, particularly with the current emphasis on legume crops. Therefore, a screen-house study was conducted to determine the virulence of different ecotypes of A. vogelii and to confirm infestation on non-legume crops. Alectra vogelii collections were sourced from three agro-ecological zones and tested against groundnut, Bambara nut, soybean, chickpea, pigeon pea, common bean, green gram, quinoa, sunflower and flax grown in pots infested with A. vogelii. Number of days to first A. vogelii emergence, periodic A. vogelii shoot counts at 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 weeks after planting, and crop biomass parameters at 100 d after sowing were recorded. Alectra vogelii source × crop species interaction significantly (p < 0.05) affected number of days to first A. vogelii emergence on Bambara nuts, pigeon pea and flax, but not on the other crop species. Alectra vogelii parasitises soybean, groundnut, bean, Bambara nut and cowpea, but not sorghum, millet and pigeon pea. However, weekly A. vogelii shoot counts were significantly affected by crop species. The study indicated that Nthawajuni pigeon pea, flax and notable host legumes suffered A. vogelii infestation. Therefore, screening for resistance in crops to suppress the weed should be conducted.
Molecular detection of antibiotic resistance and virulence gene determinants of Enterococcus species isolated from coastal water in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

ABSTRACT Enterococci are a group of significant disease-causing bacteria, which have developed resistance to several conventionally used antibiotics. Of the 67 confirmed Enterococcus species from Kidd’s Beach, 40 (59.7%) were E. faecium, 19 (28.4%) were E. faecalis. The highest level of resistance was observed against rifampicin (83.6%) followed by erythromycin (64.2%), tetracycline (52.2%), linezolid (46.3%), tetracycline (46.3%), and vancomycin (32.8%). Ninety-six per cent of the Enterococcus spp. was found to be multi-drug resistant. MAR indices vary from 0.3 to 0.9. Two virulence determinants (ace and gelE) were detected and six resistance determinants were identified as follows: ermB (19%), tetM (30%), tetL (19%), gyrA (13%), ampC (1.5%) and Van C2/3 (4.5%). The presence of enterococci (E. faecium and E. faecalis) in Kidd’s Beach waters harbouring virulence genes that facilitate multiple antibiotic resistance signifies a possible health threat for beach goers.
Phenology and Synchrony of Scymnus coniferarum (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) with Multiple Adelgid Species in the Puget Sound, WA, USA

The hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), Adelges tsugae, is an invasive pest of Tsuga spp. in eastern North America. Scymnus coniferarum is a predaceous beetle that was collected from HWA in the western United States. Limited knowledge of this insect in its native habitat led to studies to evaluate its potential for biological control of HWA. Seasonal abundance was sampled at six sites in Tacoma, WA, twice monthly, for one year on different host trees of potential adelgid prey. Tree species included Pseudotsuga menziesii, Pinus contorta, Pinus monticola, and Tsuga heterophylla. Scymnus coniferarum adults were found on all conifer species, except P. menziesii. Each conifer species supported a different adelgid species, suggesting S. coniferarum feeds on multiple adelgid species. More S. coniferarum were found on pine than hemlock. DNA barcoding of S. coniferarum found two distinct clusters that differed by 6% divergence. Beetles in each cluster were co-habiting the same conifer species, and they could not be distinguished morphologically. Further taxonomic studies are needed to understand the significance of DNA barcode sequence divergence. Because S. coniferarum was more frequently associated with pine adelgids than HWA, and because of remaining taxonomic uncertainty, S. coniferarum may not be suitable for HWA biological control.
Decadal effects of thinning on understory light environments and plant community structure in a subtropical forest

Canopy-opening disturbance such as thinning has immediate and substantive effects on understory microclimate and therefore the establishment and growth of understory plants. A large number of studies have reported the effects of thinning on tree growth, but few studies have examined long-term effects of thinning on understory light environments and species and functional diversity of understory plants. Even less is known whether the change in understory plant community structure observed following canopy disturbance is short-lived and would diminish as the canopy closes or a long lasting due to legacy effects. We examined the effects of an experimental removal of 25% and 50% of the woody vegetation on understory light availability and variability on understory plant community structure in a subtropical Cryptomeria japonica plantation nine years after the treatment. Differences in availability of understory light among treatments diminished nine years after the experimental vegetation removal (thinning), but variability of understory light was still two times higher in the thinned treatments than the un-thinned control. Species diversity of dominant and common understory plants was lower in the control than in the two thinning treatments, which were not different from each other. Community species and functional composition were also different between the un-thinned control and the two thinning treatments. The thinned plots had proportionally more individuals of grasses and forbs and fewer individuals of ferns. Our results indicate that the effects of thinning on understory light variability last longer than on light availability representing an important and long-lasting alteration of resource heterogeneity. At both species and functional group levels, greater diversity and unique composition in the thinned treatments compared to undisturbed control suggest a link between resource heterogeneity and biodiversity in the forest understory or legacy effects associated with the thinning-induced changes in understory plant community.
Temporal Variation of Seedling Growth and Leaves Type of Four Morphotypes of Lannea Microcarpa Engl.& K. Krause in Burkina Faso

This study evaluated the growth performance and the leaves type of seedlings from different morphotypes of Lannea microcarpa in the central plateau of Burkina Faso.Then, seeds of Lannea microcarpa were collected from four (4) morphotypes based on their botanical characters and noted as NLs: Lannea sp. from Naab-Mayooghin, MLs: from Mamousyorgo 1, MaLs: fromMamousyorgo2, ZLs: fromZiniare. One hundred seeds per morphotypes were used for the seedlings production in nursery through sowing by using a randomized block design. The leaves type of the produced seedlings was investigated by visual observation. Significant differences in the growth traits of the seedlings were found among the four morphotypes (p < 0,05). The height and the collar diameter of the seedlings were found to be higher in NLs, MaLs and ZLs than those in MLs. Regarding the leaves, it was observed different types among the morphotypes. Seeds from NLs and MLs produced seedlings with both compound and simple leaves while those from ZLs and MaLs produced seedlings with only compound leaves. Generally, all morphotypes exhibited a relatively high growth with production of different types of leaves.
Cytogenetic Stability of Young and Long-Term Embryogenic Cultures of Larix sibirica

We present the results of cytogenetic analysis of seven young and long-term cultured embryogenic cell lines (CLs) of Larix sibirica obtained by somatic embryogenesis. All CLs were found to be mixoploid. Three CLs (1, 2 and 6 years of cultivation) were the most stable cytogenetically with 91–96% cells having diploid chromosome number 2n=24, typical for the species. These CLs can be successfully used for the development of planting material and in clonal plantation forestry. At the same time, some embryogenic CLs were shown to possess various chromosome and genome mutations. We found two aneuploidy proliferating CLs (2n=25 and 28) capable of somatic embryo formation. One of the CLs analyzed in a current study was found to be cytogenetically unstable with chromosome numbers ranging from 24 to 35 and containing one-two micronuclei in the interphase cells. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and morphometric analyses of karyotypes of these embryogenic CLs allow an assumption that the trisomy for one or several chromosomes is the most widespread type of genomic disturbances in embryogenic CLs of L. sibirica.
Prevalence and determinants of obesity among adolescent school children of North Kerala

Background: Obesity has emerged as one of the major health problems in recent years. This increasing prevalence has implications in health issues in later parts of life. Life style factors and diet practices are the attributed factors to the development of obesity.Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted among 1011 adolescent school children in Kozhikode corporation area, Kerala, South India after getting necessary permissions. A semi structured questionnaire which contained questions related to socio demographic characters, diet, physical activity and other known risk factors of obesity in adolescents was administered.Results: 76.8% of the study subjects were of normal weight, while 15.5% were underweight (thinness- 9% and severe thinness- 6.5%). 1.9% were obese and 5.8% were overweight. The combined prevalence of overweight and obesity was 7.7%. Nuclear family, better family education, better SES, skipping breakfast and consumption of more sweets were associated with obesity.Conclusions: Preventive and promotive measures to reduce the burden of obesity needs to be initiated from early childhood and must be insisted to the family members also. School based lifestyles and behavioural change measures, encouraging school teachers to actively participate in these measures, active involvement of school children in regular sports activities, periodic anthropometric assessment and intervention when needed along with sensitization of parents towards the consequences of obesity are some of the measures to prevent the rising epidemic.
Numerical Investigation of 2D Turbulent Flow past a Circular Cylinder at Lower Subcritical Reynolds Number

The main objective of the present study is to evaluate the applicability of the standard k-ε turbulence model in engineering practice in the subcritical flow regimes. Also, examine the influence of Reynolds number variation on the flow characteristics are considered. The numerically simulation of the flow characteristics over a smooth uniform cross section circular cylinder with a diameter of 50 mm and 400mm span, placed horizontally perpendicular to the main flow direction at four different Reynolds numbers (Re) based on the cylinder diameter (D) and the undisturbed free-stream velocity in the range Re=(0.5,0.7,0.85 and 1.0) ×105 were performed. The simulated results of the flow properties such as flow stream velocity components, pressure distribution contours, pressure coefficient (Cp) and drag coefficient(CD) around the circular cylinder were consider. The numerical analysis obtain by CFD using ANSYS FLUNET (19.1) with K-ε turbulence model, for solving the 2D (ANSE) governing equation for tested model were consider. The present simulation results validation is obtained by comparing the converged results with published numerical and experimental data.
The four worlds of recognition of indigenous rights

ABSTRACT The demands of indigenous peoples pose radical questions about how we understand the capitalist mode of production, socio-cultural relations and the distribution of political power within a state. This paper presents a systematic study of the way in which these three dimensions (territorial, socio-cultural and political) are addressed in the constitutions of 59 countries in different parts of the world. We identify what we refer to as four worlds of recognition, based on these texts’ distinctive configurations of indigenous rights. We then analyse emblematic cases as a means of better illustrating each of these groups. The paper makes a theoretical–conceptual and empirical contribution by identifying certain clusters of indigenous rights that are present cross-regionally and within regions of the world.
Development of High Yielding Glutinous Cytoplasmic Male Sterile Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Lines through CRISPR/Cas9 Based Mutagenesis of Wx and TGW6 and Proteomic Analysis of Anther

Development of high yielding and more palatable glutinous rice is an important goal in breeding and long-standing cultural interaction in Asia. In this study, the TGW6 and Wx, major genes conferring 1000 grain weight (GW) and amylose content (AC), were edited in a maintainer line by CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Four targets were assembled in pYLCRISPR/Cas9Pubi-H vector and T0 mutant plants were obtained through Agrobacterium mediated transformation with 90% mutation frequency having 28% homozygous mutations without off-target effects in three most likely sites of each target and expression level of target genes in mutant lines was significantly decreased (P < 0.01), the GW and gel consistency (GC) were increased, and the AC and gelatinization temperature (GT) were decreased significantly and grain appearance was opaque, while there was no change in starch content (SC) and other agronomic traits. Mutations were inheritable and some T1 plants were re-edited but T2 generation was completely stable. The pollen fertility status was randomly distributed, and the mutant maintainer lines were hybridized with Cytoplasmic Male Sterile (CMS) line 209A and after subsequent backcrossing the two glutinous CMS lines were obtained in BC2F1. The identified proteins from anthers of CMS and maintainer line were closely associated with transcription, metabolism, signal transduction, and protein biosynthesis. Putative mitochondrial NAD+-dependent malic enzyme was absent in CMS line which caused the pollen sterility because of insufficient energy, while upregulation of putative acetyl-CoA synthetase and Isoamylase in both lines might have strong relationship with CMS and amylose content. High yielding glutinous CMS lines will facilitate hybrid rice breeding and investigations of proteins linked to male sterility will provide the insights to complicated metabolic network in anther development.
Case item creation and video case presentation as summative assessment tools for distance learning in the pandemic era.

Background There is an urgent need for more diverse methods for student evaluation, given the sudden shift to online learning necessitated by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Innovative assessment tools will need to cover the required competencies and should be used to drive self-learning. Self-assessments and peer assessments may be added to the traditional classroom-based evaluations to identify individual insecurities or overconfidence. Identification of these factors is essential to medical education and is a focus of current research. Methods A modified operational assessment was introduced for the evaluation of third-year medical students. This intervention has facilitated sustained education and has promoted interactive student learning. Members of the entering class of 2017 participated in an integrated team and a competency-based online project that involved innovative item creation and case presentation methods. Results The new assessment process has been implemented successfully with positive feedback from all the participants; a usable product has been generated. Conclusions We created new assessment tools in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that have been used successfully at our institution. These tools have provided a framework for integrated and interactive evaluations that can be used to facilitate the modification of traditional assessment methods.