Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Response of Maize Productivity and Resource Use Efficiency to Combined Application of Controlled‐Release Urea and Normal Urea under Plastic Film Mulching in Semiarid Farmland

1 ABSTRACT Controlled-release urea is considered to enhance crop yields while reducing labor costs from fertilizer dressing, but the impacts can range widely depending on water availability in soil. Therefore, we conducted a 3-yr field study to evaluate the potential role of controlled-release urea in improving productivity and resource use efficiency of maize in semiarid areas in China. Treatments were established as two mulching modes (plastic film mulching [FM] and no mulching [NM]) and three nitrogen application modes (no nitrogen fertilizer [CK], a 1:2 ratio of controlled-release urea to common urea [CRU], and common urea only [U]). Higher temperature and soil water content under FM treatments significantly accelerated maize growth and development, as indicated in terms of a larger leaf area index before silking, greater biomass accumulation, and greater grain yield. More robust plants with controlled-release urea under mulching can better absorb and utilize deep soil water to increase water use efficiency (WUE). Mean shoot biomass, grain yield, and WUE during the three experimental years were 35.3, 19.0, and 12.4% higher in mulching with CRU treatments than in NM with controlled-release urea treatments, respectively. Significant interactions existed for yield and WUE among surface mulching (SM), nitrogen fertilizer (NF), and sampling year (Y) in the three experimental years, except for SM × NF for WUE. These results demonstrate that a mixture of controlled-release urea and U at an appropriate ratio under SM can provide a better water/temperature/nitrogen conditions for maize growth to realize relatively high yield with labor and time savings in semiarid farmland.
Topography, Spectral Characteristics, and Extra-to-Intracranial Propagation Pathways of EMG

Objective Intracranial EEG (iEEG) plays an increasingly important role in neuroscientific research and can provide informative control signal for brain-machine interfaces (BMI). While it is clear that electromyographic (EMG) activity of extracranial origin reaches intracranial recordings, the topographic and spectral characteristics of intracranial EMG have been scarcely investigated. It is currently unclear how these characteristics compare to those of physiological brain activity. Little is also known about the exact pathways of extra- to intracranial volume conduction, including the role of craniotomy defects. Methods In 5 epilepsy patients under invasive pre-neurosurgical EEG monitoring, we examined chewing-related effects (ChREs) as a source of intracranial EMG activity and compared those effects with physiological brain activity of 9 patients during several behavioural tasks. These included speech production, finger movements, and music perception. Further, we analyzed the association of craniotomy defects (burr-holes and saw-lines) and the intracranial EMG-effects based on the individual post-operative images. Results ChRE presented with a spatially smooth distribution across almost all intracranial electrodes with the maximum below the temporal muscle. In contrast, the responses of neural origin were spatially more focalized. ChREs were broad-banded and had a higher spectral power and affected higher frequencies than event-related neural activity. ChRE were largely independent of the individual configuration of craniotomy defects. However, we found indications that the silicone sheet, in which electrocorticography (ECoG) electrodes are embedded, attenuates EMG influences, when sufficiently large. Conclusion The present work is the first comprehensive evaluation of topographic and spectral characteristics of EMG effects in iEEG based on a large sample of subjects. It shows that chewing-related EMG can affect iEEG recordings with higher power than typical physiological brain activity, especially in higher spectral frequencies. As the topographic pattern of ChRE is largely independent of the individual position of craniotomy defects, a direct pathway of volume conduction through the intact skull plays an important role for extra- to-intracranial signal propagation. Intracranial EMG activity related to natural behavior should be accounted for in neuroscientific and BMI applications, especially when based on high-frequency iEEG components. A detailed knowledge of EMG properties may help to design both EMG-reducing algorithms and ECoG grids with a high shielding factor. Highlights First comprehensive description of chewing-related EMG artifacts in iEEG recordings EMG artifacts and brain activity have distinct topographic and spectral iEEG characteristics Chewing EMG reaches the brain with higher spectral power than task-related brain activity Chewing-related EMG artifacts are largely independent of the the position of craniotomy defects
Translation inhibition from a distance: the small RNA SgrS interferes with a ribosomal protein S1-dependent enhancer

Many bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) efficiently inhibit translation of target mRNAs by forming a duplex that sequesters the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence or start codon and prevents formation of the translation initiation complex. There are a growing number of examples of sRNA-mRNA binding interactions distant from the SD region, but how these mediate translational regulation remains unclear. Our previous work in Escherichia coli and Salmonella identified a mechanism of translational repression of manY mRNA by the sRNA SgrS through a binding interaction upstream of the manY SD. Here, we report that SgrS forms a duplex with a uridine-rich translation-enhancing element in the manY 5’ untranslated region. Notably, we show that the enhancer is ribosome-dependent and that the small ribosomal subunit protein S1 interacts with the enhancer to promote translation of manY. In collaboration with the chaperone protein Hfq, SgrS interferes with the interaction between the translation enhancer and ribosomal protein S1 to repress translation of manY mRNA. Since bacterial translation is often modulated by enhancer-like elements upstream of the SD, sRNA-mediated enhancer silencing could be a common mode of gene regulation.
Biochemical, Biophysical, and Functional Analyses of Two Isoforms of the SnRK2 inhibitor AtSCS

SNF1-related protein kinases 2 (SnRK2s) are key signaling elements that regulate abscisic acid (ABA)-dependent plant development and responses to environmental stresses. Our previous data showed that the SnRK2-interacting Calcium Sensor (SCS) is an inhibitor of SnRK2 activity. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the use of alternative transcription start sites located within AtSCS gene results in two in-frame transcripts and subsequently two proteins, which differ only by the sequence position of the N-terminus. We described the longer AtSCS-A earlier, and now we describe the shorter AtSCS-B and compare both isoforms. The two forms differ significantly in their expression profiles in plant organs and in response to environmental stresses, in calcium binding properties, and conformational dynamics in the presence and absence of Ca2+. The results show that only AtSCS-A has the features of a calcium sensor. Both forms inhibit SnRK2 activity, but differ with respect to calcium dependence, as AtSCS-A requires calcium for inhibition, while AtSCS-B does not. Analysis of Arabidopsis plants stably expressing 35S::AtSCS-A-c-myc or 35S::AtSCS-B-c-myc in the scs-1 knockout mutant revealed that in planta both forms are negative regulators of the SnRK2 activity induced in response to ABA and regulate plant defense against water deficit. Moreover, the data present biochemical, biophysical, and functional properties of EF-hand-like motifs in plant proteins. One sentence Summary Two isoforms of SnRK2-interacting calcium sensor are expressed in Arabidopsis; they differ in calcium binding properties, but both of them inhibit SnRK2s and subsequently fine tune ABA signaling.
The Middle Permian South Ash Pasture Assemblage of North-Central Texas: Coniferophyte and Gigantopterid Herbivory and Longer-Term Herbivory Trends

Premise of research. The South Ash Pasture (SAP) Flora is an unusual gymnosperm-dominated plant assemblage from the Middle Permian (Guadalupian) of Texas. It is the first Guadalupian Epoch flora from this geographic region and among the few Middle Permian floras ever to be analyzed for insect herbivory. Methodology. We analyzed 756 fossil plant specimens for evidence of insect herbivory. Such evidence included insect damage diversity, damage frequency, and herbivorized surface area. Analyses of insect damage are compared with five analogous herbivory studies from the latest Pennsylvanian and Cisuralian of Texas. Pivotal results. The two dominant leaf taxa at SAP are the abundant early voltzian broad-leaved conifer Johniphyllum multinerve and the comparatively rare gigantopterid Euparyphoselis gibsonii. These species exhibit vastly different types of herbivory, sharing only three of the 22 total damage types. Compared with the other Permian insect herbivory studies, this study of the SAP assemblage demonstrates moderately low levels of insect herbivory but a nearly full complement of herbivore functional feeding groups. Conclusions. The herbivorous insect assemblages were taxonomically distinct for J. multinerve and E. gibsonii. The distinctions between these two taxa are reflected in their different levels of apparency to herbivores, life-history traits, and herbivore defense mechanisms. The low herbivory intensity at SAP is likely due to differences in habitat, seasonality, and/or floral composition among assemblages.
Observations and Reflections of the Higher Education Teachers on the Quality of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education in Ethiopia

Higher education in Ethiopia, like it is the case elsewhere, is expected to seek, explain and disseminate knowledge. Beyond this, it is expected to play an active role in the socio-economic and cultural transformation of the society. More specifically, the higher education institutions are expected to produce graduates capable of bringing about change and improvement in the society. There has been serious concern about the quality of teaching and learning that takes place in these institutions. The gap between the societal expectations and the actual performance of the higher education institutions in Ethiopia became a serious concern among many people. The management and teachers of the higher education institutions in the country carried out series of observations and deliberations on the quality of teaching and learning at this level. This paper attempts to examine and explain the reaction of the Ethiopian Higher education Institutions to this situation. In particular, the paper examines the way teaching and learning experiences are organized; the approaches that are adopted; the institutional support made available for the teachers and learners and related issues in the higher education in Ethiopia. Observations and reflections of teachers in selected higher education institutions, statistical reports and related documents are used as the source of data. Observations and reflections of the higher education teachers depict the overall situation of quality of teaching and learning in higher education particularly in government higher education institutions. The participants of pedagogical training programs organized by the National Pedagogical Training for the higher education teachers were requested to write their observations concerning quality of teaching and learning in their respective institutions. The higher education teachers identified several problems that affect quality of teaching and learning in higher education institutions. Dominance of the lecture method, Poor Guidance and Counseling services, Lack of Pedagogical training. Lack of experience and qualification of teachers, Attitude towards education course and teaching, evaluation mechanisms and limitations in the area of research as well as shortage of facilities were identified as problems across most higher education institutions. The paper suggests some actionable alternatives to the problems. * Assistant Professor, Institute of Educational Research, Addis Ababa University
Microsite enhancements for soil stabilization and rapid biocrust colonization in degraded drylands

In dryland ecosystems, natural recovery of biological soil crusts (biocrusts) following disturbance may be slow or inhibited, necessitating active restoration practices. While biocrusts can be readily propagated under environmentally controlled conditions, rehabilitation in the field is complicated by environmental stresses which may be particularly acute in degraded, destabilized soils with harsh climatic conditions at the soil surface. In this study, we first present the results of a field trial at a severely degraded rangeland site examining the stabilizing effects of various soil amendments (polysaccharide glues and polyacrylamides) in combination with biocrust inoculum. We found that a psyllium compound was the only amendment to maintain effectiveness after 19 months, and the only treatment that maintained biocrust inoculum throughout the trial. In a subsequent short‐term experiment where plots were shaded and watered, we examined how biocrust inoculation rate (0, 20, and 40% initial cover) and the psyllium‐based amendment affected biocrust growth. After 4 months, visible biocrust cover in inoculated plots was greater than in controls, but only chlorophyll a exhibited a dosage‐response to inoculum application rate, indicating preferential establishment of cyanobacteria. Psyllium did not affect biocrust development but did improve soil stability. Shade and watering buffered against temperature extremes (up to 15°C) and increased the duration of moist surface conditions necessary for biocrust growth by up to 30%, mimicking conditions more common in the fall and winter months. Our results suggest that inducing early successional biocrusts on a highly degraded site is possible with suitable microclimate conditions.
Malnutrition screening in community living older adults: towards better service delivery models

i DEDICATION . iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . v CERTIFICATION . vi PUBLICATIONS . vii TABLE OF CONTENTS . x LIST OF FIGURES . xiv LIST OF TABLES . xv CHAPTER
Brain Functional Connectivity Correlates of Response in the 7.5% CO2 Inhalational Model of Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Pilot Study

The 7.5% CO2 inhalational model (‘CO2 challenge’) can be used to explore potential treatments for generalized anxiety disorder. However, it remains unknown how inter-individual variability in the functional architecture of negative affective valence systems might relate to the anxiogenic response to CO2 challenge. In this pilot study, we explored how connectivity in systems associated with processing potential threat (“anxiety”) correlated with behavioural measures of anxiety following prolonged CO2 inhalation. The negative affective valence system was identified using a passive emotional face perception task. Spherical regions of interest were created from peak voxels of significant brain activation when 100 young adult participants viewed emotional faces compared with black and white concentric circles during a functional MRI scan. Using these regions of interest, generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI) analysis was undertaken to explore task-evoked functional connectivity in a separate group of 13 healthy volunteers. Within 7 days of the scan, these participants underwent CO2 challenge and results from the gPPI analysis were correlated with CO2 outcome measures. Exposure to CO2 challenge significantly increased subjective anxiety, negative affect, systolic blood pressure and heart rate. Functional connectivity between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and right amygdala was positively correlated with heart rate. Increased connectivity between the vmPFC and the right amygdala, and decreased connectivity between the midcingulate cortex (MCC) and the left amygdala, correlated with subjective anxiety during CO2 challenge. Response to CO2 challenge was related to task-evoked functional connectivity between regions known to be important in processing potential threat. Further studies are required to assess whether this translates into clinical populations. Measures of functional connectivity within emotional processing networks could be potential biomarkers to enable stratification of healthy volunteers, and to examine correlates of response, in trials using experimental medicine models.
Impact of gender/sex on academic examination related stress symptom profile in special reference to sleep among medical students

OBJECTIVE : This study was done to examine the prevalence of psycho-physiological parameters and pattern of parameters among male and female students due to examination stress and to study the impact of gender/sex on academic examination related stress symptom profile in special reference to sleep and insomnia among medical students during one medical academic examination of first year student. MATERIALS AND METHODS : This class room based study was carried out on one hundred and fifteen first-year students [88 male and 27 female]. A self-administered questionnaire established Stress Scale to assess on stress related neuro behavioral physiological parameters like sleep, appetite, ability to concentration, decision making. was given to students to before an academic examination and the prevalence of symptoms of stress were assessed and compared among both male female students in special reference to sleep problems. RESULT : There were 115 positive responses out of 150 students suggesting significant stress. The positive stress among students was 76% i.e. 76% of study group have significant stress related to examination. The most common symptoms were problems related to sleep i.e. Insomnia, bodily pains, poor concentration, decision making, worrying among both male and females group among all sleep and pain were significantly high among female group. Abnormal sleep habits, with a statistically significant increase in female students (p =). Their Abnormal sleep pattern defined as subjective feeling of insufficient sleep duration, delayed sleep onset, and occurrence of napping episodes during the day. CONCLUSION : 76% of students were documents significant stress during examination period. A high prevalence of abnormal sleep pattern i.e. Insomnia was found among both male and female group of students and significant more among female students. Because of examination related stress and insomnia some students were prone to benzodiazepine group of drugs and later on may become dependent on such drugs. Instead of such unhealthy coping strategies, healthy coping strategies /skills are recommended for coping such problems i.e. relaxation, meditation, yoga, pranayam, light music and some spiritual prayers.
Bioinformatics a Tool for Biosystematics Studies of Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl. Complex

Bioinformatics has been a major tool in the revolution of plant systematics in recent times. The diversity of fruit shapes in Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) standl. species has been of great concern because of its fruit complexity. This study is based on the application of rubisco enzyme using rbcL marker because of its conservativeness and its ability to discriminate below the specific level hence its usage to sequence the chloroplast genome with ABI, PRISM 377 DNA sequencer. The sequences obtained were viewed using MEGA X software and subsequently subjected to validation through National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) using Nucleotide Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST N). The result obtained showed that all the sequences belong to Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) standl. with percentages ranging from 95% to 100% for query cover sequences and 98% to 100% for identity sequences. From the taxonomic report obtained sequence A, C, G, H, J, Q has the highest hits of 44 on Lagenaria siceraria out of 109 total value, sequence O and R has the highest hits of 44 on Lagenaria siceraria out of the total value of 111, sequence V has the highest hits of 44 on Lagenaria siceraria out of 119 total value and sequence X finally has the highest value hits of 44 on Lagenaria sceriania out of 105 total value, based on this report, phylogenetic tree was constructed to show the level of relatedness of the different fruit diversity of L. siceraria complex. This work therefore has aided in the molecular characterization of Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) standl. landraces found in Nigeria.
Nanopore sequencing for the detection and the identification of Xylella fastidiosa subspecies and sequence types from naturally infected plant material

Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) is a polyphagous gram-negative bacterial plant pathogen that can infect more than 300 plant species. It is endemic in America while, in 2013, Xf subsp. pauca was for the first time reported in Europe on olive tree in the Southern Italy. The availability of fast and reliable diagnostic tools is indispensable for managing current and future outbreaks of Xf. In this work, we used the Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) device MinION platform for detecting and identifying Xf at species, subspecies and Sequence Type (ST) level straight from infected plant material. The study showed the possibility to detect Xf by direct DNA sequencing and identify the subspecies in highly infected samples. In order to improve sensitivity, Nanopore amplicon sequencing was assessed. Using primers within the set of the seven MLST officially adopted for identifying Xf at type strain level, we developed a workflow consisting in a multiple PCR and an ad hoc pipeline to generate MLST consensus after Nanopore-sequencing of the amplicons. The here-developed combined approach achieved a sensitivity higher than real-time PCR allowing within few hours, the detection and identification of Xf at ST level in infected plant material, also at low level of contamination. Originality Significance Statement In this work we developed a methodology that allows the detection and identification of Xylella fastidiosa in plant using the Nanopore technology portable device MinION. The approach that we develop resulted more sensitive than methods currently used for detecting X. fastidiosa, like real-time PCR. This approach can be extensively used for X. fastidiosa detection and it may pave the road for the detection of other tedious vascular pathogens.
The Burden of Caregiverand Related Factorsof Oncology

Abstract Background: Caregivers of patients with leukemia facing with problems such as little chance of recovery in patients and probability of relapse and patient dependency and high responsibility such as increasing the Leading to increased burden and mental, physical, emotional and social symptom.This study aimed to determine the burden and related factors in caregiver of patients with leukemia. Methods: In descriptivestudy60caregiversof the patients hospitalizedin oncology of Shah Vali Hospital of Yazd city selected by non-random sampling . demographic questionnarrie and caregiver burden scale was completed. Caregiver burden scale validity with content validity and reliability of caregiver burden scale with Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, were calculated92.data analysis were done Spss soft ware whit Pbt-Test, ANOVA and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: 82.3% Caregivers were female, 30% caregivers were Spouse, 50% caregivers were children . The average of burden in all samples was high. Highest average of burden was related to the care of spouses. There was direct relationship between disease duration (r=0.5) ,age of care giver and age of patient (r =0.6)with burden. caregivers with low socioeconomic status (p=0.04) and patient in 3 phase (p=0.03) were reported high burden. Conclusion: Because of high burden in caregivers of patients with leukemia, identify factors affecting the incidence of pressure care and their needs and design appropriate interventions to reduce stress and improve quality of life in caregivers and improve quality of care is necessary. Keywords: Burden, Informal Caregiver, Leukemia