Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes in Plasma Concentrations of Immunoreactive Inhibin and Estradiol-17β in the Golden Hamster Superovulated by Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG)

In the present study, we investigated changes in plasma concentrations of inhibin, estradiol-17β, progesterone and FSH in the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) superovulated by equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) treatment. In addition, the hamsters were injected at various times with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to determine the follicular development after treatment with eCG. After treatment with 30 IU eCG at 1100 h on day 1 of the estrous cycle (day 1=day of ovulation), superovulation (36.5 ± 1.1 v.s. 13.5 ± 0.4 in controls treated with saline) occurred on the expected next day 1. Plasma concentrations of inhibin and estradiol-17β increased and plasma concentrations of FSH decreased in the animals given 30 IU eCG. Plasma concentrations of progesterone also increased after eCG treatment; however, they decreased to control levels within 48 h after eCG injection. The number of follicles capable of ovulating after hCG administration was dramatically increased within 36 h after eCG injection (43.4 ± 3.4). Thereafter, the number of follicles capable of ovulating decreased to about a half of the peak value during the next 6 h period, then increased gradually to the numbers of ovulations observed on the next day 1. Plasma inhibin and estradiol-17β were augmented and plasma concentrations of FSH were suppressed in the animals in which follicular development was stimulated, though there is a difference in the changing pattern between plasma inhibin and estradiol-17β. The present results also suggest that plasma concentrations of inhibin may be an indicator for the number of developing follicles and estradiol-17β may be an indicator for follicular maturation.
Allozyme Diversity in Cultivated Crops

Estimates of genetic diversity maintained by plant species and its distribution within and among populations allows plant geneticists to predict, in a general way, the evolutionary potential of species. Single-gene markers, particularly allozymes, have been used to measure the genetic diversity of species. In this paper, the plant allozyme literature was reviewed to compare levels of genetic variation maintained by crop and non-crop species. Crop species (plant species intentionally cultivated by humans) have more allozyme diversity as a whole than other seed plant species, although the mean genetic diversity partitioned within populations of crop species was similar to that of other plant species. Populations of crop species were more genetically heterogeneous, an observation that was probably due to the higher proportion of crops that reproduce by self fertilization. Dicotyledonous crops have much less genetic diversity than monocotyledonous crops at the species and the population level and exhibit more inter-population genetic differentiation. Annual and perennial crop species had similar levels of genetic diversity and partitioned genetic diversity in similar ways. Predominantly selfing crops had somewhat less genetic diversity than outcrossing or mixed-mating species. Selfing crops exhibited more population-to-population variation in genetic diversity and allele frequency differences were much greater among their populations. High population-to-population variation in genetic diversity increases the importance of empirical data for the design of sampling protocols.
Determination of the total antioxidant capacity and total polyphenol content of commercially available green tea

Epidemiological evidence has shown that populations consuming diets rich in polyphenols have lower incidence of CHD, stroke, chronic inflammation and cancer. Tea (Camellia sinensis), one of the most commonly consumed beverages in the world, is a rich source of polyphenolic compounds. The main manufactured teas include green, oolong and black varieties. Black tea is more commonly consumed in the UK; however, research suggests that the typical method of black tea consumption, with the addition of milk, may reduce the available antioxidants. In recent years there has been a proliferation in the number of commercially available green teas. These teas are potentially a rich source of polyphenols and other antioxidant compounds. The objective of the present study was to analyse and compare the total antioxidant capacity and polyphenol content of different varieties of commercially available green tea. Ten brands of tea were selected. In all experiments tea preparations were made according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Each tea was infused in 200 ml of boiling water (90 C). The total antioxidant capacity of the tea samples was determined via the FRAP assay. Total polyphenols (TP) were assessed via the Folin Ciocalteau method and expressed in mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE) per serving (200 ml).
Production of Cellulase-Free Polygalacturonase Preparation by Sclerotium rolfsii for Bioscouring of Cotton

SUMMARY Cultivation media for the production of both a cellulase containing and a cellulase-free polygalacturonase (PG) preparation by a highly productive strain of Sclerotium rolfsii (CBS 350.80) were developed. These enzyme preparations both contained a PG activity higher than 500 IUmL−1 and were applied in a bioscouring sequence of knitted cotton at various activity levels. The progress of bioscouring was evaluated by weight loss, water absorption time and determination of residual pectin. Released sugars have been determined and compared to bioscouring effects. No significant differences among the tested preparations were obtained for water absorption and pectin removal. However, considerably higher weight losses were observed for the preparations containing cellulase. A minimal enzyme dosage of 100 IUg−1 cotton was necessary to achieve suitable scouring results under the applied conditions.
Approximate Reformulation a Recent Non-Renormalizable QFT’s Methodology and Einstein’s Gravity

We revisit, advancing a useful approximation, a recently formulated QFT treatment that successfully overcomes any troubles with infinities for non-renormalizable QFTs [J. Phys. Comm. 2 115029 (2018)]. Such methodology was able to successfully deal, in non-relativistic fashion, with Newton’s gravitation potential [Annals of Physics 412, 168013 (2020)]. Our present approximation to the QFT method of [J. Phys. Comm. 2 115029 (2018)] is based on the Einstein’s Lagrangian (EG) elaborated by Gupta [1], save for a different constraint’s selection. This choice allows one to avoid the lack of unitarity for the S matrix that impaired the proceedings of Gupta and Feynman. Moreover, we are able to simplify the handling of such constraint by eliminating the need to involve ghosts for guarantying unitarity. Our approximation consists in setting the graviton field ∅μν=γμν∅, where γμν is a constant tensor and ∅ a scalar (graviton) field. The ensuing approximate approach is non-renormalizable, an inconvenience that we are able to overcome in [J. Phys. Comm. 2 115029 (2018)].
Peak pressures on low rise buildings: CFD with LES versus full scale and wind tunnel measurements

This paper focuses on the processes of wind flow in atmospheric boundary layer, to produce realistic full scale pressures for design of low-rise buildings. CFD with LES turbulence closure is implemented on a scale 1:1 prototype building. A proximity study was executed computationally in CFD with LES that suggests new recommendations on the computational domain size, in front of a building model, apart from common RANS-based guidelines (e.g., COST and AIJ). Our findings suggest a location of the test building, different from existing guidelines, and the inflow boundary proximity influences pressure correlation and reproduction of peak loads. The CFD LES results are compared to corresponding pressures from open jet, full scale, wind tunnel, and the ASCE 7-10 standard for roof Component & Cladding design. The CFD LES shows its adequacy to produce peak pressures/loads on buildings, in agreement with field pressures, due to its capabilities of reproducing the spectral contents of the inflow at 1:1 scale.
Dominance, brood size and foraging behaviour during brood-rearing in the lesser snow goose: an experimental study.

We investigated the relationship between brood size and social dominance during the brood-rearing period in Lesser Snow Geese (Anser caerulescens caerulescens) by experimentally manipulating food availability to create high-biomass food patches. A total of 128 social interactions were subsequently observed in experimental areas; the rate of interactions was significantly higher in experimental high-biomass plots (9.6 hr −1 ) than in control, low-biomass, areas (0.4 hr −1 ). During social interactions families (pairs with one or more goslings) were always dominant over pairs without goslings. However, there was no clear dominance hierarchy among families in relation to brood size. Neither aggressiveness (the number of interactions initiated) nor the proportion of successful interactions varied consistently with brood size. We conclude that, during brood rearing, dominance ranking is determined more by individual variation in aggressiveness of adult (parent) birds, rather than by any «motivational» effect of offspring or by brood size per se. Geese fed longer in the high biomass plots (mean 19.2 min per visit) than in control plots (2.9 min), and birds «defended» high biomass areas: 32% of all interactions involved a social unit inside the experimental plot driving off a social unit which was trying to enter the plot from outside. This suggests that geese derived benefits from monopolization of good quality food patches. The behavior of foraging geese varied in relation to food availability: birds took fewer steps per minute during both feeding and non-feeding bouts in the experimental plots and females, but not males, had shorter feeding bouts in experimental plots, i.e., they adopted the vigilant head-up posture more frequently. We suggest that the benefits of utilizing high biomass food patches during brood-rearing include higher intake rates, decreased energetic costs of foraging and reduced predation risk through increased vigilance behavior by parents and greater cohesion of the family unit
Interaction between viral proteins with the transmission of Potyvirus

Potyviridae is the largest family in plant viruses, in which a group of potyviruses constitutes a very important role in causing diseases in plants. The organisation of the viral genome is positive-sense RNA, ranging in size from 9000 to 12000 bp. The viral genome encodes a large polyprotein that is processed by three virus-encoded proteinases (two proteinases and helper component proteinase) to yield the mature products. This review concentrates on the interaction between viral proteins with the transmission of Potyvirus. Transmission and long-distance movement of Potyvirus is only possible through vector and that time interaction between two viral proteins takes place, named as helper component-proteinase and coat protein. Interaction between NIb, NIa, 6K2 as well as with CI (helicase activity) also involved in the replication of potyviruses. Some researchers developed a yeast two-hybrid system and biomolecular fluorescence complementation system technology which proved the interaction among the viral protein. At last all proteins are correlated with each other and play a very significant role in the transmission of Potyvirus.
Abscisic acid and putrescine accumulation in chilling-tolerant rice cultivars

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) frequently confronts chilling injury at seedling stage when it is grown in early spring in temperate and subtropical areas. Understanding the physiological and genetic bases of chilling resistance should benefit our improvement of tolerance of rice seedlings to the stress. Previous study revealed that an accumulation of abscisic acid (ABA) or polyamines in rice seedlings responding to low temperature may be correlated with the chilling resistance of seedlings. The objective of this study, using rice seedlings with various genetic backgrounds, was to explore the relationships among the capacity of accumulation in ABA, putrescine, and chilling tolerance. Changes in ABA and putrescine levels in shoots and roots of seedlings after chilling treatment (5°C) were measured and compared among 11 rice cultivars ranging from chilling-tolerant to sensitive. On exposure of seedlings to chilling, ABA and putrescine accumulated rapidly in both shoots and roots of chilling-tolerant cultivars. Changes in ABA levels were closely correlated with chilling tolerance of the tested cultivars (r = 0.96 in shoots and 0.92 in roots). Changes of putrescine levels in shoots were also positively correlated with the cultivar resistance to chilling (r = 0.95). Furthermore, among the tested cultivar, there was also a high correlation between the relative changes of ABA and putrescine in shoots. Our results suggest chilling-induced changes in ABA and putrescine levels may be used as physiological markers for chilling tolerance of rice seedlings
Growing up among cultures: intercultural competences, personality, and leadership styles of third culture kids

The world seems to be increasingly in demand of global leaders with a transformational leadership style who do business across borders with intercultural ease. To identify such leaders, this study explores whether third culture kids (TCKs) (n = 121) compared to non-TCKs (n = 116) exhibit a stronger set of multicultural personality traits and intercultural competences, and whether TCKs compared to non-TCKs, via their multicultural personality traits and intercultural competences, prefer transformational leadership more. Results from group comparisons indicated that TCKs display more intercultural sensitivity than non-TCKs. Parallel mediated regression analyses showed that being a TCK, compared to not being a TCK, had a positive indirect effect on their preference for transformational leadership through open-mindedness, while it had a negative indirect effect on their preference for transformational leadership through flexibility and emotional stability.
Diurnal Variation of Non-Arboreal Pollen in the Air in Finland

Abstract This study was carried out in Jyvaskyla and Turku, in central and southern Finland, with Burkard spore traps. The average diurnal variation of all non-arboreal pollen types found in sufficient quantities is presented. A high concentration of Artemisia pollen lasting 4–8 hours was found mainly in the morning. The highest concentrations of Brassicaceae, Calluna, Cyperaceae and Rosaceae occurred during the daylight hours, often with no definite peaks. The peak occurrence of Chenopodiaceae, Compositae and Plantago pollen was around 12.00 and of Rumex from 06.00 to 10.00. The diurnal variation of Poaceae pollen varies considerably depending on the species flowering at the time. Peaks occurred mostly in the morning or in the afternoon. The high occurrence period for Urtica pollen was during the midday and in the afternoon.
The Effectiveness of Synthetic Phonics in Developing Reading Fluency among Year 2 Intermediate Pupils

Reading skill is an essential skill that is taught in every language subject in schools. Its importance is irrefutable as it relates closely to the pupils’ academic and future success. Today, many Malaysian pupils are still struggling hard to read with fluency and understanding. It is noticed that educators in schools have been giving limited attention on reading fluency since reading comprehension is the ultimate goal in reading development. Researches show that mastery of reading fluency is required for comprehension to take place subsequently. Therefore, this action research aims to examine the effectiveness of synthetic phonics in developing the reading fluency of the Year 2 intermediate pupils in a sub-urban school in Dalat, Sarawak and their perception towards the intervention. Six pupils were involved in this research. Data were collected through pre-post-tests, classroom observation and structured interviews. Paired T-tests were conducted to determine the significant difference between pre-test and post-test scores of ORF assessments which were analysed in mean, standard deviation and p-value whereas classroom observation and structured interviews were analysed through content analysis. The findings indicated that pupils had improved in their reading fluency after the intervention and had positive perceptions towards the intervention. For further research, more sampling is recommended to generalise the findings.
The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) – transmission, symptoms and treatment

For years, coronaviruses have been regarded as benign pathogens responsible for mild respiratory symptoms resolving spontaneously within a few days However, the emergence of new, highly infectious species increased interest in these pathogens In November 2002, an epidemic caused by a previously unknown, highly infectious coronavirus species (SARS) broke out in one of the Chinese provinces Ten years later, cases of a new respiratory disease caused by MERS coronavirus were reported Both SARS and MERS are classified as zoonotic viruses, which may cause infections in humans and animals Bats are their natural reservoir hosts These viruses had to cross the species border twice, i e first transmission from bats to other mammals (intermediate hosts), followed by transmission from these mammals to humans, to become pathogenic to humans Human-to human transmission of SARS and MERS occurs through close contact (droplets, direct contact) High resistance to environmental factors and the ability to survive in an aerosol are important species-specific pathogenicity-related features of coronaviruses The aim of this paper was to present the characteristics of the new coronavirus known as 2019-nCoV, which emerged in the human population in 2019 We discussed the course of transmission and epidemic outbreak, the symptoms and immune response to infection as well as treatment options and prognosis © Pediatr Med Rodz 2019
Discrimination of Two Phycoerythrin-Pigment Types of Synechococcus and Their Seasonal Succession in the Uwa Sea

We identified phycoerythrin-pigment phenotypes of Synechococcus strains in samples obtained from the Uwa Sea, and investigated the seasonal changes in the pigment-type composition of the Synechococcus community in this sea from January 2001 to March 2002. Two Synechococcus strains (UT01 and UT02) with different flow cytometric signatures were isolated by sorting and subsequent culturing. Excitation spectra showed that these two strains possessed different ratios of phycourobilin (PUB) to phycoerythrobilin (PEB). Flow cytometric signatures of the two types were also different; UT01 showed a higher green to red fluorescence ratio than UT02. The ranges of green to red fluorescence intensity of the strains did not overlap, though the strains were cultured under various light intensities (7-160 μE m-2 s-1). In seawater samples, we could divide Synechococcus into lower-and higher-PUB types based on the ratio. There were two peaks of total Synechococcus abundance in June (2.8×105 cells ml-1) and August (1.6×105 cells ml-1) in the upper layer at a depth of 0 to 15 m. Major types during these two peaks were different; the higher-PUB type contributed 75.6% to the total Synechococcus community in June, and the lower-PUB type, 58.6% in August. This is the first report which describes the seasonal succession of two phycoerythrin-pigment types of Synechococcus in a coastal sea.
Long term changes and recent state of macrozoobenthic communities along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast

The analysis of macrozoobenthic samples collected from 34 stations along the Bulgarian Black Sea shelf at depths ranging from 12 to 83 m yielded 103 taxonomic units. The average abundance established in the present study was over 5000 ind/m2 with nearly 70% dominance of the polychaetes. The number of species, Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H') and Pielou's evenness (J) were the lowest in Varna and Burgas bays, indicating that they are the most ecologically threatened areas along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The quantitative and qualitative data were compared to published data from the pristine period 1954-1957 and from the period 1982-1985 with intensive anthropogenic pressure. The comparison revealed an increase of the share of molluscan species and a decrease of the contribution of crustacean species in the total number of species. A 7-fold increase of the total average abundance was established compared to the pristine period 1954-1957. During the recent period the polychaetes are the most dominant group in the benthic abundance, while during the pristine period 1954-1957 the most abundant were the molluscs with nearly 61% of the total abundance. These changes in the benthic communities are attributed to the process of eutrophication. While in the pelagic environment signs of recovery have been observed, we deem that up to 1997 no such signs are valid for the benthic communities.
Screening of virus specific primers against the Cassava mosaic virus

Abstract Five different Indian cassava mosaic virus (ICMV) specific primers were used to screen the virus from CMD affected samples collected from the different parts of Tamil Nadu. Out of five specific primers, three were designed to amplify the specific viral genes of ICMV and two were used for detection of ICMV. All primers amplified specific regions of the virus in all samples. The specific primer for amplification of coat protein gene of ICMV amplified 800 bp of coat protein gene from both ICMV and Sri Lankan cassava mosaic virus (SLCMV) infected samples invariably. The specific primer for amplifying movement protein (MP) gene amplified about 900 bp of movement protein gene from all CMD infected cassava samples. Likewise, 800 bp of nuclear shuttle protein (NSP) gene was amplified from all the samples. The primer ICMV A amplified 700 bp of PCR product from mosaic diseased cassava samples. A 300 bp product from DNA A of the virus amplified in all samples using the primer ICMV A1.
A STUDY ON EXPECTED SERVICE QUALITY FACTORS BY THE MARKETER IN E-MARKETING IN INDIA

In the present study, the descriptive research design has been administered. Since this research describes the characteristics of the marketers in e-marketing, it is concerned with descriptive in nature. Meanwhile, this study analyze the e-marketing behavior and its antecedents, e-services quality, service failure in e-marketing, its relationship with the profile of the marketers, it seems to be diagnostic in nature. In total, 535 marketers was identified by popular web service providers namely Pronet, Satyam, Airtel and BSNL. Hence the present study has made an attempt to fill up the research gap with the help of proposed research model.
Medium and Large-sized Mammals of the Municipality of Pirajuí, São Paulo, Brazil

Mammals play an important ecological role and are related to several ecological processes. The objective of the study was to list medium and large-sized mammals species which occur in the municipality of Pirajuí, SP. The study was carried out in an urban area, roads that run through rural areas and in small fragments of Atlantic Forest. The data were obtained during a period of three years by different methods: direct observation, footprints records and by camera traps. We recorded 18 medium and large-sized mammals species belonging to 13 families and eight orders, representing 40% of medium and large-sized mammals species that occur in the State of São Paulo. Carnivora was the order with the highest number of representatives, with seven species. Thereby, the study provides important data about the occurrence of certain species of mammals in these often-neglected environments, where the lack of knowledge may lead to a future local extinctions.