Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Some components of the air‐spora in Jamaican banana plantations

SUMMARY The air in several Jamaican banana plantations was sampled from July 1960 to September 1961 with an automatic volumetric spore trap. In dry weather, many fungi showed typical diurnal periodicity. Group I fungi (Deightoniella, Nigrospora, Cordana, Corynespora, Zygosporium and Zygophiala) first appeared shortly after 06.00 hr. , reached a peak before 09.00 hr. and then showed a rapid fall. Group II fungi (Cladosporium, Alternaria, Curvularia, Cerebella, Pithomyces, Periconiella, Memnoniella, Ustilago and others) and pollens had peak concentrations between 09.00 and 14.00 hr. Groups I and II formed the majority of the spore catch during daylight, but they were practically absent between 20.00 and 06.00 hr. Group III fungi (represented chiefly by ascospores, especially of Leptosphaeria spp., basidiospores and splash-dispersed types) first appeared near 20.00 hr. , attained a maximum between midnight and 06.00 hr. and a minimum during daylight. In dry weather, Cladosporium conidia accounted for 23% of the total catch; coloured fusiform spores for 18%; coloured basidiospores for 16%; unclassified minute spores (including Sporobolomyces) for 14%; and Deightoniella only 0.2%. During rain, the typical dry-air-spora decreased and was replaced to varying extents by group III ascospore types and splash-dispersed spores. When, after rain, the plantation dried out during daylight, group III fungi decreased while groups I and II briefly reappeared before the typical night-time flora developed. When rain was continuous during daylight, groups I and II were rare; ascospores and splash-dispersed spores dominated the traces. All fungi occurred in low concentrations during heavy rain, periods of drought and strong wind. With rain or under-tree irrigation or both, the following days had varying increases of all group I fungi and certain group II fungi, probably because favourable humidity conditions caused increased sporulation.
Prediction of Cardiac Disease using Supervised Machine Learning Algorithms

The healthcare industry is dealing with billions of patients all over the world and producing massive data. The machine learning-based models are dissecting the multidimensional medical datasets and generating better insights. In this study, a cardiovascular dataset is classified by using several state-of-the-art Supervised Machine Learning algorithms that are precisely used for disease prediction. The results indicate that the Decision Tree classification model predicted the cardiovascular diseases better than Naive Bayes, Logistic Regression, Random Forest, SVM and KNN based approaches. The Decision Tree bequeathed the best result with the accuracy of 73%. This approach could be helpful for doctors to predict the occurrence of heart diseases in advance and provide appropriate treatment.
Factors Affecting the Growth of Microgreen Table Beet

There are very few reports on the production of microgreens, a new category of salad crops, the shoots of which are harvested at the seedling stage. A series of cultural studies was conducted with the objective of lessening greenhouse production time and lowering production costs of microgreen table beet (Beta vulgaris L.). Sowing seed balls at a commercially recommended rate (201 g·m−2; 11,256·seed balls·m−2) resulted in greater shoot fresh weight·m−2 at 15 days after planting than sowing seed balls at lower rates, although individual shoots were lighter. Sowing seed balls that were germinated before sowing (pregerminated) in fine-grade exfoliated vermiculite moistened with 150% water (wt. per vermiculite dry wt.) for 5 days at 20°C resulted in 26% greater shoot fresh weight·m−2 at 15 days after planting than sowing nontreated seed balls. Combining preplanting fertilization of the peat-lite with calcium nitrate at 2000 mg·L−1 of N (150 mL·L−1of medium) with daily postplanting solution fertilization with 150 mg·L−1 of N led to a further increase in shoot fresh weight·m−2 of 21% (nontreated seed balls) and 22% (pregerminated seed balls) compared to other fertilization regimes (excluding the check). Germinating, and extruding, seed balls in hydrophilic polymer (hydroxyethyl cellulose gel) advanced microgreen growth but not to the extent achieved with vermiculite as the pregermination medium. Irrespective of seed ball treatment, producing microgreens in troughs using the hydroponic nutrient film technique, compared to production in trays containing peat-lite, increased shoot fresh weight·m−2. Depending on seed ball treatment, economic yield was increased 33% to 98% by 7 days after planting and 75% to 144% by 15 days after planting. The greatest shoot fresh weight·m−2 at 15 days after planting (10.14 kg·m−2) was achieved using seed balls pregerminated in moist vermiculite and subsequent growth using the nutrient film technique.
Assessing genetic diversity and structure of fragmented populations of eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) and western white pine (P. monticola) for conservation management

Aims Many pine populations in Canada have fragmented distributions resulting from the effects of glaciations, overharvesting and white pine blister rust infections. Forest fragmentation can modify gene flow and reduce genetic diversity. Selective logging can reduce the density of trees, thereby altering mating patterns and increasing inbreeding. The hypothesis of the present study is that forest fragmentation will not increase inbreeding and will have no effect on genetic diversity parameters in the Canadian Pinus moniticola and P. strobus populations targeted because of (i) the long life span of the pine species, (ii) outbreeding and self-incompatibility of P. monticola and P. strobus and (iii) wind pollination resulting in high gene flow among populations. We studied the genetic diversity of P. strobus across its range in Canada, and we completed a detailed analysis of the genetic structure of P. monticola populations from western Canada using microsatellites genetic markers. Methods Seed samples from 10 P. monticola populations and 10 P. strobus populations were collected from western and eastern Canada, respectively. The mother trees included in seed lots were representative of each stand. Genomic DNA extracted from each sample was amplified with microsatellite primers. The intra- and interpopulation genetic diversity parameters were assessed using Popgene and Genepop softwares and the genetic distances among populations within each species using the PowerMarker software. Important findings Pinus monticola and P. strobus exhibited moderate to high genetic diversity. Also, both species showed low levels of inbreeding despite the geographic isolation and small stand size. Gene flow estimates were high and population differentiation values were relatively low for these fragmented forest sites.
9 Functions and Origins of Retroviral Transforming Genes

I. INTRODUCTION Retroviruses first attracted the attention of experimentalists because of their ability to produce tumors in animals (Rous 1911; Gross 1970), and they were recognized by the late 1950s as useful reagents for analysis of the oncogenic process because of the efficiency with which transformation could be induced and scored in cell culture (Temin and Rubin 1958). Nevertheless, there was no genetic definition of virus components responsible for such biological effects until 1970 (Martin 1970; Vogt 1971; Bader 1972) and no biochemical or immunological definition of the products of retroviral oncogenes until 1977 (Brugge and Erikson 1977). However, during the past 4 years, there has been an extraordinary proliferation of new information about retroviral transforming genes. Several technical advances have propelled this fruitful activity: improved methods for biochemical analysis of viral genomes and mRNAs (Chapters 4 and 5); successful culturing of a variety of cell types, particularly hematopoietic cells (Chapter 8); cloning of retroviral DNA (Chapters 4 and 5); and the production of effective antisera combined with refined procedures for biochemical analysis of proteins (this chapter and Chapter 6). As tales unfolded about the nature and origins of transforming genes of widely used viruses, such as Rous sarcoma virus (RSV), many investigators turned to viruses that had been less commonly studied or even ignored since their original isolation. A. Viruses with and without onc As one consequence of this catholic approach, it is now possible to perceive a major division between two types of tumor-inducing retroviruses. On the one.
Effect of Treating Pepper with Benzothiadiazole Derivative and Non-pathogenic Xanthomonas campestris Pathovars on the Level of Disease Caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

1 Abstract: This study was carried out to determine the effect of CGA 245704 (a Benzothiadiazole derivative) and two non-pathogenic Xanthomonas campestris strains on white mold disease of pepper caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Pretreatment of pepper seedlings with the bacterial strains did not reduce the disease severity of white mold. Application of CGA 245704 followed by a subsequent inoculation of the plants with the fungus resulted in significant decrease in disease severity. No inhibition of ascospore germination of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum isolate Ss6 but reduced germ tube length, radial growth of mycelium and number of sclerotia on culture medium amended with CGA 245704 was observed. The decrease in disease severity following treatment with CGA 245704 might be the result of both resistance induction and fungistatic effect.
Molecular taxonomy of Osedax (Annelida: Siboglinidae) in the Southern Ocean

We report the discovery of three new species of Osedax in the deep Southern Ocean, expanding the diversity and geographical range of this genus of bone‐eating worms. Osedax rogersi sp. n. and Osedax crouchi sp. n. were found on a whale skeleton at 1444 m in the Kemp Caldera in the East Scotia Sea during the Chemosynthetic Ecosystems of the Southern Ocean (ChEsSo) project. The recently described species, Osedax antarcticus, found on whale bones implanted at a depth of 550–650 m off Smith Island in the Bransfield Strait, was also found inhabiting the whale skeleton in the Kemp Caldera. Osedax crouchi as well as another new species Osedax nordenskjoeldi sp. n. have also been found on the implanted whale bones off Smith Island. These two localities are approximately 1800 km apart demonstrating a wide distribution of species within the genus. We describe the three new species, O. rogersi, O. crouchi and O. nordenskjoeldi and report the second record of O. antarcticus. We also present a new phylogenetic analysis for Osedax, including data examining genetic connectivity between the Scotia Arc and the Bransfield Strait.
Application of toxic agents in the study of the ecological resistance of intertidal red algae

Biebl (1939a, b) has found that algae from various ecological groups show marked differences in their resistance to changes in the temperature of the surrounding sea water. He regards this temperature effect as an important factor influencing the distribution of different intertidal algae and points out that a change of only 2° C may prove critical with certain species. One of us (A.D.B.) has studied the resistance of sporelings of various common inter-tidal red algae to changes in environmental temperature and has obtained results similar to those of Biebl.
Soil carbon sequestration in a pine forest after 9 years of atmospheric CO2 enrichment

The impact of anthropogenic CO2 emissions on climate change may be mitigated in part by C sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems as rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations stimulate primary productivity and ecosystem C storage. Carbon will be sequestered in forest soils if organic matter inputs to soil profiles increase without a matching increase in decomposition or leaching losses from the soil profile, or if the rate of decomposition decreases because of increased production of resistant humic substances or greater physical protection of organic matter in soil aggregates. To examine the response of a forest ecosystem to elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations, the Duke Forest Free‐Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) experiment in North Carolina, USA, has maintained atmospheric CO2 concentrations 200 μL L−1 above ambient in an aggrading loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantation over a 9‐year period (1996–2005). During the first 6 years of the experiment, forest‐floor C and N pools increased linearly under both elevated and ambient CO2 conditions, with significantly greater accumulations under the elevated CO2 treatment. Between the sixth and ninth year, forest‐floor organic matter accumulation stabilized and C and N pools appeared to reach their respective steady states. An additional C sink of ∼30 g C m−2 yr−1 was sequestered in the forest floor of the elevated CO2 treatment plots relative to the control plots maintained at ambient CO2 owing to increased litterfall and root turnover during the first 9 years of the study. Because we did not detect any significant elevated CO2 effects on the rate of decomposition or on the chemical composition of forest‐floor organic matter, this additional C sink was likely related to enhanced litterfall C inputs. We also failed to detect any statistically significant treatment effects on the C and N pools of surface and deep mineral soil horizons. However, a significant widening of the C : N ratio of soil organic matter (SOM) in the upper mineral soil under both elevated and ambient CO2 suggests that N is being transferred from soil to plants in this aggrading forest. A significant treatment × time interaction indicates that N is being transferred at a higher rate under elevated CO2 (P=0.037), suggesting that enhanced rates of SOM decomposition are increasing mineralization and uptake to provide the extra N required to support the observed increase in primary productivity under elevated CO2.
Responses of Cereals to Fertilizers in Northern Nigeria. I. Sorghum

Summary As part of a programme to improve production of the main food crops of Northern Nigeria, trials were carried out to investigate the effect of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer on the grain yield of sorghum. Five fertilizer response areas have been defined and estimates have been made of the most profitable combinations and levels of phosphorus and nitrogen to use in each area. Fertilizers produced the greatest increase in yield in the two response areas which cover the north of the country.
Rise and demise of cold‐climate Picea abies forest in Sweden

summary The study focuses on structural and compositional dynamics of high-elevation (boreal) mixed Picea-Betula forest in the Swedish Scandes. Data from seven years' monitoring of crown condition (defoliation), seed viability, soil and air temperatures, a tree-ring chronology and the age structure of Picea are presented. Real long-term dynamism of the tree cover was inferred from radiocarbon dates of buried subfossil wood. At all time-scales, the forest has responded sensitively to thermal variability. Picea seed viability, demography and radial growth correlated positively with summer temperature. The current Picea population largely results from warming during the first half of the 20th century. However, cooler climate in the past c. five decades has led to reduced population and radial growth as well as accelerating crown defoliation. This decline is related primarily to winter soil temperatures. The mechanism of needle loss is deduced to be winter desiccation and resulting cavitation of the xylem. It is hypothesized that previous similar episodes have been balanced by periods of spruce expansion. The successional history leading up to the present stage includes fire disturbance and subsequent cooling during the Little Ice Age, which prolonged and consolidated the early post-fire Betula phase. Pinus was incapable of penetrating these unusually dense birch stands, whereas the shade-intolerant spruce could establish progressively as climate warmed. This course of structural and compositional dynamism relates to complex interactions of disturbance, climate change and reproductive responses.
Evaluation of milk production and some blood parameters in lactating autochthonous goat extensively reared in Molise region

Abstract The trial, lasted 7 months and was performed on 60 lactating autochthonous goat populations (Montefalcone and Valfortorina) extensively reared in Molise Region. Goat milk yield and composition, and pasture chemical and floristic composition were recorded monthly. At the beginning (30d), at half (105d) and at the end (210d) of trial body weight and body condition score (BCS) were recorded; besides jugular blood samples were taken at 30, 105 e 210 d to determined the following parameters: glucose, total protein, albumin, urea, triglycerides, total and HDL cholesterol, NEFA, calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium. The two populations showed a milk yield of 275 kg e 258 kg (Montefalcone e Valfortorina goat, respectively) throughout 180 days of lactation, which was similar or higher than mean milk yield of other goat breeds (Sarda, Ionica, Argentata dell’Etna). BCS increased significantly (P<0.01) during lactation in both populations. Blood parameters displayed significant changes (P<0.01) during the trial in Montefalcone goat for glucose, albumin, urea, triglycerides, total and HDL cholesterol, NEFA, sodium and potassium instead Valfortorina goat showed significant differences in total protein, urea, total and HDL cholesterol, NEFA, magnesium, sodium (P<0.01) and albumin and potassium (P<0.05). In both population, milk yield and quality showed promising results for autochthonous goats preservation.
Uncertain Scenario Based MicroGrid Optimization via Hybrid Levy Particle Swarm Variable Neighborhood Search Optimization (HL_PS_VNSO)

Within the MicroGrid environment, the Energy Resource Management (ERM) problem becomes highly complex due to the uncertainty related to the Renewable Generation (RG) such as Photovoltaic power generation (PV), Electric Vehicle (EV) trip with Grid to Vehicle (G2V) or Vehicle to Grid (V2G), Energy Market price and load demand with Demand Response (DR) programs. Each of these issues should be tackled while optimizing revenues and reducing the running costs of Virtual Power Player (VPP) that collects each of these types of energy resources from the MicroGrid. This article presents a new hybrid optimization algorithm called “Hybrid Levy Particle Swarm Variable Neighborhood Search Optimization” (HL_PS_VNSO) to solve the ERM problem. Its key aspect is the hybridization of the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and the Variable Neighborhood Search Optimization (VNS) algorithm with the enhanced step length using Levy Flight. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is measured by a 25-bus MicroGrid with 500 uncertain scenarios of the aforementioned uncertainty. The results of HL_PS_VNSO are compared with the most advanced optimization algorithms. The findings show that HL_PS_VNSO’s results are superior for the Average Ranking Index (A.R.I) and Ranking Index (R.I). For effective comparative analysis of algorithms, the traditional statistical method called One-way ANOVA Tukey Analysis is used. The results from this analysis also prove the superiority of HL_PS_VNSO over the most advanced optimization algorithms.
Effect of Algal Biofilm and Operational Conditions on Nitrogen Removal in Wastewater Stabilization Ponds

Discharge of nutrient rich wastewater causes eutrophication of surface water; therefore wastewater treatment before discharge is required. Wastewater stabilization ponds are low cost technology used by developing countries but not effective in nitrogen removal due to low nitrifier biomass in the water column. Introduction of surface area for attachment of nitrifiers has therefore been proposed. This thesis reports the performance of pilot scale wastewater stabilization ponds fitted with baffles. The effect of baffles on nitrogen removal under tropical and two operational conditions was investigated. Under TKN/BOD ratio of 0.67, the baffled ponds performed better in nitrogen removal than the control pond. Total nitrogen mass balances showed that nitrification-denitrification, algal uptake and sedimentation were principle nitrogen removal mechanisms in biofilm waste stabilization ponds This study shows the potential of biofilms in improving nitrogen removal in wastewater stabilization ponds. The BOD and TSS concentrations were sufficiently low to permit for reuse in irrigation. If the objective is reuse and optimization of resources, the effluents from the ponds had sufficient nitrogen content for use in agriculture.
Glucosinolate profiles in Broccoli: Variation in levels and implications in breeding for cancer chemoprotection

Ten broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. (Botrytis Group)) accessions were grown in several environments to estimate glucosinolate (GS) variability associated with genotype, environment, and genotype × environment interaction and to identify differences in the stability of GSs in broccoli florets. Significant differences in genetic variability were identified for aliphatic GSs but not for indolyl GSs. The percentage of GS variability attributable to genotype for individual aliphatic compounds ranged from 54.2% for glucoraphanin to 71.0% for progoitrin. For total indolyl GSs, the percentage of variability attributable to genotype was only 12%. Both qualitative and quantitative differences in GSs were detected among the genotypes. Ten-fold differences in progoitrin, glucoraphanin, and total aliphatic GS levels were observed between the highest and lowest genotypes. Only two lines, Eu8-1 and VI-158, produced aliphatic GSs other than glucoraphanin in appreciable amounts. Differences in stability of these compounds among the cultivars were also observed between fall and spring plantings. Results suggest that genetic factors necessary for altering the qualitative and quantitative aliphatic GS profiles are present within existing broccoli germplasm, which makes breeding for enhanced cancer chemoprotectant activity feasible. (Wattenberg, 1985). Bioactive breakdown products from indi- vidual GSs differ in their potency as inducers of these enzymes
Biopulping : an overview of developments in an environmentally safe paper-making technology

Treatment of wood chips with lignin-degrading fungi prior to pulping has been shown to have great potential for mechanical as well as chemical pulping on a laboratory scale. Ceriporiopsis subvermispora, when grown on aspen or loblolly pine for 4 weeks, was found to be superior to other fungi. On aspen there was an energy savings of 47%, and an increase in burst and tear indices of 22% and 119%, respectively. With loblolly pine, energy savings amounted to 37%, while burst and tear indices increased by 41% and 54%, respectively. The weight loss was only 6%, but a decrease in optical properties had to be accepted. After sulfite cooking of wood chips pretreated for 2 weeks, the Kappa number decreased by 30% with hard- and softwood. Tensile and tear indices decreased by only 10%, while the brightness of unbleached pulp increased by 4% with birch. Information obtained by immunoelectron microscopy and differential staining led to the conclusion that the biopulping effect obtained after 2 weeks of incubation cannot be explained by the direct action of enzymes on lignin or polysaccharides. Instead, a low molecular mass agent is considered to be responsible for the biopulping effect. These results have changed the aims of biopulping from an emphasis on removing the bulk of lignin to an emphasis on a short-term process, lasting 2 weeks and yielding a low mass loss. Data on these kinetics of fungal development and the degree of asepsis will help to scale-up the process. An advanced chip pile is assumed to be the most feasible process design, rather than a controlled enclosed reactor.