Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interactive effects of ozone and soil volume on Plantago major

summary Plantago major L. ssp. major usually grows on trampled paths, tracks and gateways, and its root system is often restricted by compaction or by a limited volume of soil. In this heterogeneous environment, individuals close to each other will experience variable degrees of root restriction. As some populations of P. major have been demonstrated to be sensitive to ozone, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of root restriction on the response of P. major to ozone. It was hypothesized that root restriction should reduce the effects of ozone. If this is true it would have implications for evolution of ozone resistance. A single population of P. major was grown in controlled-environment chambers and exposed to either charcoal/Purafil-filtered air or to ozone (70 nl O3 l−1for 7 h d−1). Plants were grown in pots of four different volumes: 0.175 1; 0.3651; 2.2801; and 5.8301. Four harvests were performed, at 21, 37, 51 and 91 d from germination. At the final harvest, the total nitrogen content of leaf tissue was analysed and compared with that of plants collected from the field. Stomatal conductance (gs) and net carbon assimilation (A) rate were also recorded during development. Plants grown in the smallest pots exhibited severely impaired growth, lower gs and lower A than non-restricted plants. Root growth was less impaired than shoot growth. However, only plants in the smallest pots resembled those found in the field, which implies that realistic assessment of ozone effects on this species should involve a degree of root restriction. Appearance and leaf nitrogen content of leaves suggested that root restriction may have caused nitrogen deficiency. Contrary to the initial hypothesis, exposure to ozone reduced the growth of plants in all sizes of pot. Stomatal conductance was consistently lower in plants exposed to O3, but there was no effect of ozone on A.
Litter-mediated allelopathic effects of kudzu (Pueraria montana) on Bidens pilosa and Lolium perenne and its persistence in soil.

This study investigated the allelopathic effects of kudzu litter on the seed germination and early growth of Bidens pilosa and Lolium perenne. The bioassays, with various concentrations (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 g L−1) of aqueous kudzu litter leachate, significantly affected the germination percentages and radicle growth of both species. These parameters decreased progressively when the seedlings were exposed to increasing concentrations of leachate. The root and shoot length, dry weight, and chlorophyll concentration of the B. pilosa and L. perenne seedlings also were significantly affected when they were grown in leachate-amended soil. However, the chlorophyll fluorescence values of the seedlings subjected to different concentrations of aqueous kudzu litter leachate indicated that the mere presence of leachate in the soil was not stressful for the plants. The seedlings of both species were under stressful conditions only when they were grown in the soil that was treated with higher concentrations of leachate (30, 40, or 50 g L−1). A 6 week decomposition study of the kudzu litter in soil was conducted to observe the retention of phenolic content in the soil. The results showed that, although the concentration of dissolved organic carbon decreased with increasing decomposition, the phenolic concentration was not significantly affected when the observation period ended. This suggests that the phytotoxic properties of kudzu litter remain stable in soil systems for a considerable amount of time after incorporation into the soil.
Influence of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocol on Postoperative Inflammation and Short-term Postoperative Surgical Outcomes After Colorectal Cancer Surgery

Purpose Many studies have shown that the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols improve postoperative surgical outcomes. The purpose of this study was to observe the effects on postoperative inflammatory markers and to explore the effects of a high degree of compliance and the use of epidural anesthesia on inflammation and surgical outcomes. Methods Four hundred patients underwent colorectal cancer surgery at 2 hospitals during 2 different periods, namely, from January 2006 to December 2009 and from January 2017 to July 2017. Data related to the patient’s clinicopathological features, inflammatory markers, percentage of compliance with elements of the ERAS protocol, and use of epidural anesthesia were collected from a prospectively maintained database. Results The complication rate and the length of hospital stay (LOS) were less in the ERAS group than in the conventional group (P = 0.005 and P ≤ 0.001, respectively). The postoperative white blood cell count and the duration required for leukocytes to normalize were reduced in patients following the ERAS protocol (P ≤ 0.001). Other inflammatory markers, such as lymphocyte count (P = 0.008), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (P = 0.032), and C-reactive protein level (P ≤ 0.001), were lower in the ERAS protocol group. High compliance ( ≥ 70%) was strongly associated with the complication rate and the LOS (P = 0.008 and P ≤ 0.001, respectively). Conclusion ERAS protocols decrease early postoperative inflammation and improves short-term postoperative recovery outcomes such as complication rate and the LOS. High compliance ( ≥ 70%) with the ERAS protocol elements accelerates the positive effects of ERAS on surgical outcomes; however, the effect on inflammation was very small.
On necessary and sufficient conditions for strong hyperbolicity in systems with constraints

In this work, we study constant-coefficient first order systems of partial differential equations and give necessary and sufficient conditions for those systems to have a well-posed Cauchy problem. In many physical applications, due to the presence of constraints, the number of equations in the PDE system is larger than the number of unknowns, thus the standard Kreiss conditions can not be directly applied to check whether the system admits a well-posed initial value formulation. In this work, we find necessary and sufficient conditions such that there exists a reduced set of equations, of the same dimensionality as the set of unknowns, which satisfy Kreiss conditions and so are well defined and properly behaved evolution equations. We do that by studying the systems using the Kronecker decomposition of matrix pencils and, once the conditions are met, finding specific families of reductions which render the system strongly hyperbolic. We show the power of the theory in some examples: Klein Gordon, the ADM, and the BSSN equations by writing them as first order systems, and studying their Kronecker decomposition and general reductions.
Over-expressed rice ADP-ribosylation factor 1 (RARF1) induces pathogenesis-related genes and pathogen resistance in tobacco plants

A cDNA encoding RARF1 (rice ADP-ribosylation factor 1) was isolated from fungal elicitor-treated rice suspension culture cells by mRNA differential display. RARF1 transcripts accumulated in response to hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and salicylic acid (SA) and rapidly in cells inoculated with an avirulent pathogen. Constitutively over-expressed RARFI under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter (CaMV 35S) triggered spontaneous induction of lesion mimics, induced an array of pathogenosis-related (PR) genes, reduced susceptibility to a fungal pathogen, and caused accumulation of SA. From these data, we deduced that RARF1 might be a component of various plant defence signalling pathways involved in inducing the expression of a subset of PR genes.
Profiling of Essential Oils Components and Polyphenols for Their Antioxidant Activity of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Grown in Different Environmental Conditions

In the present study, the yield, the chemical composition, and the antioxidant activities of the essential oils (EOs) of eight medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) cultivated under two environmental conditions characterized by a different altitude (namely mountainous and plain) were evaluated. Cultivation at different environmental conditions resulted in significant differences in the chemical composition and antioxidant activity for most of the studied species. In particular, high altitudes resulted in increased phenolic compounds’ content and antioxidant activity for artemisia plants, while specific parameters increased in the case of spearmint (total phenols) and rosemary (flavonoids). In contrast, in pelargonium, all the tested parameters were positively affected in the plain area, whereas, for laurel and sage, only flavanols remained unaffected. EO yield in mountainous pelargonium and spearmint decreased while, in mountainous laurel, pelargonium and spearmint increased when compared to plain areas. In addition, the major EO constituents’ content for most of the species were affected by environmental conditions. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were variably correlated with total phenols, flavonoids, and flavanols, depending on the species and the altitude. Lastly, in limited cases, antioxidant activity (DPPH or FRAP values) was positively correlated with some EO components (e.g., borneol and β-pinene in artemisia and laurel plants grown in the plain, respectively, or 1,8-cineole in mountainous grown verbena plants). In conclusion, environmental conditions (altitude) affected antioxidants’ content and EO yield and composition of the studied MAPs. These findings can be used to introduce cultivation of MAPs in specific ecosystems for the production of high added value products.
Application of a Molecular Method for the Identification of a Gigaspora margarita Isolate Released in a Field

A molecular technique for the identification of the Gigaspora margarita isolate CK based on the detection of a DNA sequence of 235 bp as its diagnostic marker was evaluated to investigate the survival and establishment of introduced arbuscular mycorrizal fungi (AMF) in a field ecosystem. In March 2001, roots and rhizosphere soil of Eragrostis curvula and Miscanthus sinensis were collected from the Mizunashi River at Mt. Fugendake (Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan), where plant seeds and AMF including G. margarita CK had been introduced for reforestation after the occurrence of repeated pyroclastic flows. We detected the marker sequence from DNA preparations of E. curvula roots and Gigaspora spores in the rhizosphere. This clearly showed that the isolate occurred at both hyphal and sporal stages. It was shown that the isolate survived and developed a life cycle in the revegetation area for 4 years. It was confirmed that the method was effective for tracing the isolate in samples collected from field ecosystems.
Metabolism and DNA-Binding of 3-Nitrobenzanthrone in Primary Rat Alveolar Type II Cells, in Human Fetal Bronchial, Rat Epithelial and Mesenchymal Cell Lines

Abstract 3-Nitrobenzanthrone (NBA) is a suspected human carcinogen and has been identified in diesel exhaust and in airborne particulates. Human exposure to NBA is thought to occur primarily via the respiratory tract and bronchial as well as alveolar epithelial cells are believed to be primary targets for lung carcinogenesis. Nitroarenes require metabolic activation to DNA binding metabolites to become genotoxic carcinogens. In this study the metabolism of NBA as well as its metabolic intermediate 3-nitrosobenzanthrone was investigated in cultures of rat lung alveolar type II cells, in human fetal bronchial (HFBE) and rat bronchial epithelial (R3/1) as well as mesenchymal Rwd009 cells. 3-Aminobenzanthrone (ABA) was identified as the major metabolite from both substrates, but also small amounts of 3-acetyl-ABA were observed during short term incubations (6 to 24 h) with NBA. Inhibition studies with allopurinol in alveolar type II cells indicate that the cytosolic enzyme xanthine oxidase contributes substantially to the biotransformation of NBA. 32−Postlabeling analysis of DNA adducts in these cells demonstrates the formation of 5 and 6 different adducts after exposure of the cells with NBA and 3-nitrosobenzanthrone, respectively. Different oligonucleotides were modified with N−acetoxy-N−acetyl-3-ABA and used as reference materials for postlabeling analysis. Based on co-chromatography experiments, the presence of N−acetoxy-ABA-dA adducts in alveolar type II epithelial cells could be excluded. In conclusion, it was shown that metabolic conversion of NBA is associated with DNA adduct formation in rat alveolar type II epithelial cells. The formation and covalent DNA binding of reactive NBA metabolites may provide the rational for a mechanism of lung carcinogenesis based on direct genotoxicity.
GOSHAWK DIET IN A MEDITERRANEAN AREA OF NORTHEASTERN SPAIN

ABSTR•CT. --The diet of the goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) is described throughout the year in La Segarra, a Mediterranean area of Catalonia (NE Spain) where one of the densest goshawk populations recorded in Europe was found. Red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa), European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), wood pigeon ( Columba palumbus), jay ( Garrulus glandarius), magpie (Pica pica), thrushes (Turdus spp.) and red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) formed the bulk of the goshawk diet. Nestling and fledgling birds were very important during the breeding period, but the rabbit was the main source of biomass for most of the year, especially in winter. In the breeding season, pairs in heavily forested areas captured more squirrels and less rabbits than those in lightly forested areas. Changes in the diet involving a decrease in rabbit consumption and an increase in the proportion of red-legged partridge were detected following a rabbit population crash caused by the viral haemorrhagic disease.
Studies on the European hare. 39. Population dynamics and habitat selection of the European hare on poplar monocultures in northern Italy

Drive censuses were carried out in March and November of each year from 1981 to 1987 to assess the spring and autumn densities of European hare Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778, in a protected area (375 ha) covered with popular groves in the middle Po plain (northern Italy). Besides line-transect censuses were made in 1986 and 1987 to record seasonal changes.
Effect of cassava varieties on oviposition and development of larger grain borer-Prostephanus truncatus horn (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae)

The influence of cassava varieties on the developmental biology of Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) was investigated. This beetle was reared on flour varieties of cassava, namely: Danwari, Nwugo, Aburu-Asua and Ant-Ota. More eggs were lad in Danwari (132.0 +- 6.1 egg) than in other cassava variety. The least number of eggs laid was in Nwugo (118.3+-4.5) in No-choice experiment. In Free-choice test, the highest number of eggs was recorded in Aburu-Asua (64.0 + 17 eggs) and the lowest (41.6 +- 31 eggs) on Anti-Ota. The average total developmental period in, Aburu-Asua, Nwugo, Danwari and Ant-Ota were 32.5 +- 0.4, 30.6 +- 0.2, 28.5 +- 0.1 and 34.7 +- 0.1 days respectively. The low oviposition preference for Nwugo was attributed to the presence of oviposition deterrents in this variety, which might have protected it against the beetle attack. Keywords : Cassava, Oviposition, Larger grain borer, Coleoptera, Bostrichidae
Genetic diversity and gene flow between the wild olive (oleaster, Olea europaea L.) and the olive: several Plio‐Pleistocene refuge zones in the Mediterranean basin suggested by simple sequence repeats analysis

Aim The oleaster is believed to have originated in the eastern Mediterranean, implying that those in the western Mediterranean basin could be feral. Several studies with different molecular markers (isozymes, random amplified polymorphic DNA, amplified fragment length polymorphism) have shown a cline between the eastern and the western populations, which supports this hypothesis. To reconstruct the post‐glacial colonization history and establish a relationship between olive and oleaster populations in the Mediterranean basin, analyses were carried out on the genetic variation of chloroplast DNA (chlorotype) and at 12 unlinked simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci, sampling a total of 20 oleaster groves.
Essential Oils from Five Southern Brazilian Species of Myrcia (Myrtaceae)

Abstract Essential oils from fresh leaves of five Myrcia species collected in the southern region of Brazil were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Seventy compounds representing 87.5% to 97.0% of the oils were identified. Two samples comprised mainly of monoterpenes with linalool being the most abundant compound in M. acuminatissima oil (22.3%), whereas α- and β-pinenes represented 36.3% of M. bombycina oil. The three other oil samples were found to be rich in sesquiterpenes. The oil of M. fallax contained a high percentage of α-bisabolol (83.8%), while M. glabra oil was characterized by the presence of selinenes (15.2%) and valerianol (13.2%). Finally, the oil of M. multiflora was found to be the most complex with germacrene D (8.7%) and β-caryophyllene (7.5%) being the two major constituents.
Phylogenetic analyses of various euglenoid taxa (euglenozoa) based on 18s rdna sequence data

18S rRNA genes (SSU rDNA) of five newly sequenced species were used as molecular markers to infer phylogenetic relationships within the euglenoids. Two members of the order Euglenales (Lepocinclis ovata Playfair, Phacus similis Christen), two of the order Eutreptiales (Distigma proteus Ehrenberg,, D. curvata Pringsheim) and Gyropaigne lefévrei Bourelly et Georges of the order Rhabdomonadales were used in parsimony, maximum likelihood, and distance analyses. All trees derived from SSU rRNA data strongly supported the monophyletic origin of the Euglenozoa, with kinetoplastids as sister clade to the euglenoids and Petalomonas cantuscygni Cann et Pennick diverging at the base of the monophyletic euglenoid lineage. The data also supported the theory that phagotrophic euglenoids arose prior to osmotrophs and phototrophs. A lineage of Peranema trichophorum Ehrenberg and all sequenced Euglenales formed a sister clade to the osmotrophs. This suggests that the evolution of phototrophy within the euglenoids radiated from a single event.
Fiscal Rules: Historical, Modern, and Sub-National Growth Effects

We examine how ﬁscal rules inﬂuence economic growth. The results show that constitutional ﬁscal rules promoted growth from the Industrial Revolution until World War II (1789–1950) and also increased modern economic growth (1985–2015). To address selection on unobservables, we conduct a large-scale international survey among 1,224 economic experts in 109 countries. We exploit cross-country diﬀerences in expert preferences as an instrumental variable for the adoption of constitutional ﬁscal rules. The results show that the cumulative long-run eﬀect of permanently adopting constitutional ﬁscal rules on real per capita GDP is 18%. As a complementary strategy to tackle unobservables, we examine sub-national ﬁscal rules, em-ploying a newly collected dataset of 206 regional governments from 10 federal states (1992–2012). The results show that ﬁscal rules also increased economic growth at the sub-national level.
Synthesis of 8-hydroxyquinoline-Amberlite IRC-50 chelator for solid phase extraction of trace metals from groundwater samples

In this work, Amberlite IRC-50 cation exchanger has been chemically functionalized with 8-hydroxyquinoline chelator to enhance its sorption capacity and selectivity toward transition metals. The resin characterized with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and elemental analysis. Under optimum conditions, the sorption capacity values for Mn (II), Cu(II), Co(II) and Ni(II) ions have been increased by 50% or more in comparison with plain resin. The calibration curves for the studied ions were linear over the concentration range from 0 (blank) to 50 ng/ml. with R2 from 0.994–0.999. The LOD values for Mn(II), Cu(II), Co(II) and Ni(II) were 0.024, 0.035, 0.048, and 0.058 ng ml−1 respectively. The sorbent worked well as an efficient SPE material for the studied ions from groundwater real samples prior to their analysis by ICP-MS. The acceptable recovery and accuracy values prove its competence to extract these metals from groundwater matrices.
Declining Trends in Childhood TB Notifications and Profile of Notified Patients in the City of Harare, Zimbabwe, from 2009 to 2018

Globally, childhood tuberculosis (TB among those aged <15 years) is a neglected component of national TB programmes in high TB burden countries. Zimbabwe, a country in southern Africa, is a high burden country for TB, TB-HIV, and drug-resistant TB. In this study, we assessed trends in annual childhood TB notifications in Harare (the capital of Zimbabwe) from 2009 to 2018 and the demographic, clinical profiles, and treatment outcomes of childhood TB patients notified from 2015–2017 by reviewing the national TB programme records and reports. Overall, there was a decline in the total number of TB patients (all ages) from 5,943 in 2009 to 2,831 in 2018. However, the number of childhood TB patients had declined exponentially 6-fold from 583 patients (117 per 100,000 children) in 2009 to 107 patients (18 per 100,000 children) in 2018. Of the 615 childhood TB patients notified between 2015 and 2017, 556 (89%) patient records were available. There were 53% males, 61% were aged <5 years, 92% were new TB patients, 85% had pulmonary TB, and 89% were treated for-drug sensitive TB, 3% for drug-resistant TB, and 40% were HIV positive (of whom 59% were on ART). Although 58% had successful treatment outcomes, the treatment outcomes of 40% were unknown (not recorded or not evaluated), indicating severe gaps in TB care. The disproportionate decline in childhood TB notifications could be due to the reduction in the TB burden among HIV positive individuals from the scale up of antiretroviral therapy and isoniazid preventive therapy. However, the country is experiencing economic challenges which could also contribute to the disproportionate decline in childhood TB notification and gaps in quality of care. There is an urgent need to understand the reasons for the declining trends and the gaps in care.
"No duration without intonation": The interplay of lexical and post-lexical durational differences

Current research in typology has shown that durational effects at the phonetic level can have a profound impact on vowel length. Quantity languages, for instance, often display constraints on final lengthening in order to maintain contrasts between short and long vowels. We contribute to this typology by considering two closely related Italo-Romance varieties, Genoese and Ventimigliese, which differ in one crucial feature, namely vowel length. According to the literature, quantity contrasts should be well-attested in Genoese but not in Ventimigliese. An acoustic analysis based on the duration of stressed syllables suggests that the two varieties may be different not so much in vowel length as in their intonation. Unlike Genoese, Ventimigliese displays longer syllables in the utterance-internal than in the final position. This could be due to the pressure of the Ventimigliese utterance-internal position to adjust to a higher F0. It remains to be seen whether this is due to differences in tone structure. All in all, we claim that only a comprehensive study of prosody and intonation can enlighten durational patterns in language typology.