Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Scanning Electron Microscopic Aids for Identification of Larval and Post-Larval Bivalves

ABSTRACT The identification of bivalve larvae and early postlarvae in plankton and benthic samples has long been a challenge, hampering both basic and applied research efforts in marine, estuarine, and freshwater environments. The usefulness of published optical micrographs of the early life-history stages of bivalves is limited because of the great morphological similarity of the imaged articulated shells, particularly at the early (straight-hinge) developmental stages. While a number of techniques have been refined in recent years and show promise for use in routine identifications of larval and post-larval bivalves (e.g., single-step nested multiplex polymerase chain reaction; in situ hybridization protocols through color coding with taxon-specific, dye-labeled DNA probes; coupled fluorescence in situ hybridization and cell sorting; and image analysis techniques using species-specific shell birefringence patterns under polarized light), no adequate comprehensive reference source exists that accurately depicts the morphology and morphometry of the shells of larval and post-larval stages of target bivalve species in a consistent format to assist in identification of such stages. To this end, scanning electron micrograph (SEM) sequences are presented of the disarticulated shell valves of laboratory-reared larval and post-larval stages of 56 species of bivalve molluscs from a wide spectrum of marine, estuarine, and freshwater habitats. Emphasis is placed on the usefulness of the morphology and morphometrics of consistently-oriented, disarticulated shell valves and associated hinge structures in discriminating the early life-history stages of these various bivalve species. Although the scanning electron micrograph sequences presented accurately depict the gross morphologies/ morphometrics and hinge structures of the disarticulated shell valves of the larvae and/or postlarvae of the 56 species of bivalves, it is important to emphasize that a scanning electron microscope is not necessary to observe even fine hinge structures associated with the early ontogenetic stages of these species. Such structures are readily visible using a wide range of optical compound microscopes equipped with high-intensity reflected light sources, although the disarticulated shell valves must be viewed in several planes of focus to discern the often subtle details seen clearly in the scanning electron micrographs. These morphological characters provide researchers with invaluable aids for the routine identification of the early life-history stages of these species isolated from plankton and benthic samples.
Fine mapping of a major QTL controlling early flowering in tomato using QTL-seq

Abstract: Early flowering is one of the major earliness traits in tomato and is also an important agronomical trait in crop plants; thus, this trait is important for plant breeding and crop improvement. With the innovation of rapid and cost-effective technologies, quantitative trait locus (QTL)-seq has become the preferred method of performing QTL identification. In the present study, we identified a candidate QTL of an early flowering trait in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) using QTL-seq. Two DNA pools of the extreme phenotype of the F2 progeny from crosses between the ‘Bone MM’ cultivar (early flowering, P1) and ‘071-440’ cultivar (late flowering, P2) were bulked for sequencing and an alignment analysis. We observed 220 single nucleotide polymorphism markers, seven candidate QTLs, and genes that may be associated with early flowering located between 1.6 and 71.8 Mb on chromosome 1. Using traditional QTL analysis, the location of one QTL was confirmed in the physical region between 23.5 and 25.3 Mb, which corresponded to the region identified using QTL-seq, and was referred to as EF1 (Solyc01g017060). A real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that EF1 was the most highly expressed among the candidate genes and significantly expressed in early flowering parents and furthermore, we found that EF1, which had a similar sequence to the Ycf2 gene, may relate to the early flowering phenotype.
PNP Models with the Same Positively Charged Valence

A steady-state Poisson-Nernst-Planck model with n ion species is studied under the assumption that n - 1 positively charged ion species have the same valence and there is only one negatively charged ion species. By re-scaling, this model can be viewed as a standard singularly perturbed system. Based on the explicit formulae for the solutions of its limit slow system and singular perturbation methods, the existence of the solutions is analyzed.
Ambiguous Rhetoric and Legislative Accountability

Work on candidate positioning suggests that ambiguous statements help candidates by broadening their appeal and providing leeway to take different positions once in office. While experimental research has explored the electoral effects posited by the first, empirical testing of the second is lacking. As such, we use two original survey experiments (a national sample and a convenience sample) to show that contrary to conventional wisdom, ambiguity may not shield a legislator from the backlash that comes from eventually taking a position with which voters disagree. In addition, we find that a candidate’s rhetorical strategy matters most for social and cultural issues that represent core beliefs and values. In sum, our work makes important advances in the study of the longer-term effects of campaign rhetoric and suggests that if an issue cannot be avoided, there may be little to gain from attempting to obscure one’s intended position.
Effects of Age, Breed and Scrotal Circumference Interactions on Sperm Morphology of Bulls Raised on Commercial Farms in Zambia

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the effect of interaction of age, breed and scrotal circumference (SC) on the sperm morphological characteristics of bulls raised on commercial farms in Zambia. A total of 365 bulls comprising of 164 Boran, 139 Bonsmara, 35 Tuli, 12 Santagetrudis, 5 Holstein Friesian (HF) and 10 Sussex bulls were studied. Semen was collected once using an electro-ejaculator after which eosin-nigrosin stained semen smears were made. Thereafter, the eosinnigrosin stained semen smears were examined under a microscope for abnormal spermatozoa. The interaction between age categories and the Boran bulls did not differ from the interaction of Sussex bulls older than 72 months (mo) of age in predicting sperm abnormalities (P>0.05). However, Bonsmara and Sussex bulls older than 72 mo of age had lower percentages of sperm abnormalities (P<0.05). Interaction of age and Tuli bulls showed high midpiece and tail defects (dag defects and simple coiled tails), total abnormal sperm, major defects and the Proximal cytoplasmic droplets (PCD), (P<0.05). Santagetrudis bulls between 48 and 60 mo of age showed an increase in the midpiece defects, total abnormal sperm, major defects and the PCD, (P<0.05), but lower than those of the interaction between age and the Tuli bulls. Higher coiled tails were found due to the interaction between age and HF bulls compared to age and the Tuli bulls (P<0.05). The interaction between age and SC had an effect on sperm abnormalities, (P<0.05). The study suggested that the interactions of age, breed and SC are important sources of variation in sperm morphology. However, further research is needed to determine the effect of minor nutritional differences on the sperm morphological characteristics on the farms.
The Role of WISHE in the Rapid Intensification of Tropical Cyclones

This study examines the role of surface heat fluxes, particularly in relation to the wind-induced surface heat exchange (WISHE) mechanism, in the rapid intensification (RI) of tropical cyclones (TCs). Sensitivity experiments with capped surface fluxes and thus reduced WISHE exhibit delayed RI and weaker peak intensity, while WISHE could affect the evolutions of TCs both before and after the onset of RI. Before RI, more WISHE leads to faster increase of equivalent potential temperature in the lower levels, resulting in more active and stronger convection. In addition, TCs in experiments with more WISHE reach a certain strength earlier, before the onset of RI. During the RI period, more surface heat fluxes could provide convective instability in the lower levels, and cause a consequent development in the convective activity. More efficient intensification in a TC is found with higher surface heat fluxes and larger inertial stability, leading to a stronger peak intensity, more significant and deeper warm core in TC center, and the axisymmetrization of convection in the higher levels. In both stages, different levels of WISHE alter the thermodynamic environment and convective-scale processes. In all, this study supports the crucial role of WISHE in affecting TC intensification rate for TCs with RI.
Resistance of Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) to the Dinitroaniline Herbicides

Trifluralin-resistant Palmer amaranth populations were confirmed at eight locations within two of the ten-county cotton growing region of South Carolina. Different levels of resistance to six dinitroaniline herbicides were observed, but no resistance was observed to herbicides from nine other chemical groups. Five to six times more trifluralin was required to control a resistant than a susceptible biotype under field conditions.
Managers’ Open Innovation and Business Performance in SMEs: A Moderated Mediation Model of Job Crafting and Gender

There is growing acceptability in redesigning jobs to achieve goals and objectives nowadays. Employees who indulge in exploiting and exploring opportunities for the business tend to craft their jobs, which can help to enhance business performance. This study aims to examine that how ambidextrous managers in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) craft their tasks as a strategy for open innovation to enhance business performance. This study also attempts to assess the moderating role of gender in evaluating the relationship. Simple random sampling is used to administer a structured questionnaire to 650 operations managers employed in service-sector SMEs. The findings reveal that, when male managers involve in explorative and exploitative activities, they tend to craft their jobs more as compared to females. In turn, when jobs are redesigned, it brings a positive impact on business performance as perceived by the managers. The study provides implications for the policy makers with regard to device measures to enhance the job crafting capacity of managers with specific attention to female managers in the case of small and medium enterprises. The present study provides a novel explanation of the relationship between manager ambidextrous behavior and business performance through the mediation of job crafting among top managers working in small and medium organizations, with an overarching view of gender.
Investigating Urban Growth and the Dynamics of Urban Land Cover Change Using Remote Sensing Data and Landscape Metrics

Abstract This study presents the result of an investigation into the dynamics of urban growth and urban land cover change in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of the United States using landscape metric and Landsat satellite data over a 30-year period. The goal was to assess the impact of urban growth on the land cover of the area in order to provide baseline information that can support a sustainable urban growth of the area in the future. To achieve this goal, archived Landsat satellite data were classified on a broad scale for four epochs (1988, 1998, 2008 and 2018) and a change detection of the land cover of the area was conducted using the four datasets. To understand the dynamics of the spatial pattern of the change that is taking place in the area, landscape metrics were incorporated into the analysis. The results showed that over the 30-year period, built-up lands doubled its original size, mostly from expansion and infills. Additionally, there was a small decadal increase in entropy values, which indicated that the area is still experiencing sprawl, but on a small scale. These results provided baseline data that can be incorporated into future urban growth plans for the area.
Experimental Methods for Measuring the Breakup Frequency in Turbulent Emulsification: A Critical Review

The growing interest in using population balance modeling to describe emulsification processes has spurred an interest in experimentally measuring the breakup frequency. This contribution classifies, compares, and critically reviews the different methods that have been suggested for measuring the breakup frequency, applicable to emulsification devices. Two major approaches can be seen in previous studies. The first is ‘single drop breakup experiment’-based studies, which estimate the breakup frequency by observing the fate of individual drops. The second approach involves ‘emulsification experiment’-based studies, which combine measured drop-size distributions with assumptions to allow for estimations of the breakup frequency. This second approach can be further subdivided in three types: Parametric determination, inverse self-similarity-based methods, and direct back-calculation methods. Each of these methods are reviewed in terms of their implementation, reliability, and validity. Suggestions of methodological considerations for future studies are given for each class, together with more general suggestions for further investigations. The overall objective is to provide emulsification researchers with background information when choosing which method to use for measuring the breakup frequency and with support when setting up experiments and data evaluation procedures.
Varietal and physico-morphic resistance of okra cultivars against Amrasca biguttula biguttula (Homoptera: Cicadellidae)

Effect of jassid population on different okra varieties was observed on the time frame at different life stages of the plant and effect of physio-morphic characters. Linear mixed models and growth curves were used by keeping plants effect random to account repeated measures data and cubic trend interaction with verities was found to be significant using AIC, BIC and deviance criteria of model selection. Nested designs were used for the area within each plant. Results revealed Arka Anamika (6.96 insects/plant) to be the most resistant cultivar among all the five tested cultivars followed by Super Green (8.11 isnects/plant). Ambika (13.3 insect/plant) was least resistant cultivar among all the five tested cultivars. Host plant resistance was enhanced by the hair density on plant leaves of okra cultivars; cultivars having high density of trichomes showed high resistance towards the jassid infestation. Leaf area differences drive the insect population was also calculated.
Don't Stress Me Now: Assessing the Regulatory Impact of Face-to-Face and Online Feedback Prosociality on Stress During an Important Life Event

This study investigates the interplay between online and face-to-face (FtF) feedback on stress during an important life event. We present data on a two-month, six-wave longitudinal study of 468 Chilean adolescents across three important stages of a competitive national university selection test (Prueba de Selección Universitaria [PSU]) to assess longitudinal and reciprocal relationships. Random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPM) showed that online feedback had a small effect in decreasing stress during the three short-termed waves, before and after the three main events of the test: test taking, test scores, and final selection. No intrapersonal effects were found for FtF feedback on stress, and vice versa. At the interpersonal level, only feedback variables were related. Results suggest that prosocial replies on social media may slightly help to downregulate stress from important life events at the intrapersonal level, an effect which appears to be short-lived (e.g., only a few days), rather than long-lived (e.g., three weeks).
Spatial patterns and determinants of common root-associated fungi in a subtropical forest of China

Spatial patterns of fungal populations are affected by plant distribution, abiotic factors, fungal dispersal ability and inter-species interactions. While several studies have addressed spatial patterns of some mycorrhizal, saprotrophic and pathogenic fungi, the method based on fruit-body surveys is not efficient and unreliable to study the spatial pattern of root-associated fungal species because most fungi in plant roots do not have sporocarps and cannot be identified based only on morphological traits. Our aims are (i) to determine the spatial pattern of common root-associated fungi; (ii) to evaluate whether the abundance and spatial pattern of root-associated fungi and categories of fungi, reflect their biotic and abiotic niche constraints. About 828 soil cores were collected from a 24-ha plot in a subtropical forest and Illumina Miseq was carried out to determine fungal composition in root samples and spatial patterns of 1009 common fungal Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) were studied using point pattern analyses. Biotic (plant community composition) and abiotic niche constraints on the presence/abundance of a fungal OTU was assessed as the n-dimensional niche hypervolumes of biotic and abiotic characteristics. Our results showed that (i) most fungal OTUs were highly spatially aggregated at small scales (less than 30 m), but that the aggregated pattern decreased, while regular and random patterns increased, with the increasing distance; (ii) A significant positive correlation was found between fungal abundance and aggregation intensity of fungal OTUs, indicating that the dominant fungi tended to be more aggregated in natural forests; (iii) Mean abundance and spatial aggregation intensity of ectomycorrhizal and pathogenic fungi were relatively higher than those of saprotrophic fungi, indicating that host plants may play an important role in determining spatial pattern of root-associated fungi; (iv) Spatial patterns of root-associated fungi depended on fungal abundance, fungal functional group, fungal taxa, biotic and abiotic niche hypervolumes of fungal OTUs.
Cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) Leaf Powder Modulates Metabolism of Maize Weevil Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Aims: Maize grains are severely damaged by maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais. Exploiting botanicals against synthetic insecticides as a control strategy has gained prominence in recent decades. The aim of the study was to investigate the potential of cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) to exert some control on S. zeamais. Original Research Article Achiri et al.; EJNFS, 12(9): 9-17, 2020; Article no.EJNFS. 60584 10 Methodology: Maize and S. zeamais were collected from Muea market in Buea, Cameroon. The maize was heat sterilized and all debris removed. Sitophilus zeamais was reared for three generations before use. Ten S. zeamais were stored with 100 g of maize and 0 g, 2 g, 5 g, and 10 g of shade-dried cypress leaf powder was added in three replicates. Data was collected weekly for 5 weeks and analysis of variance was done. The study was conducted in a laboratory of the Teaching and Research farm in the University of Buea, Cameroon, in a randomized complete design. Results: Mortality of S. zeamais was significantly affected (F = 126.67, df = 3, 8, p < .001) by different doses of cypress leaf powder. The mean mortality was 0%, 40.47%, 50.6% and 70.67% for control, 2 g, 5 g and 10 g of cypress leaf powder, respectively. Grain damaged (%) and holed grain were also influenced by cypress leaf powder. The highest grain damaged and holed grain were from the control treatment. A strong positive correlation (r = 0.814, p < .001) was observed between grain damaged and holed grain while a strong negative correlation was observed between mortality and holed grain (r = -0.926, p < .001), and grain damaged (r = -0.913, p < .001). Conclusion: It is revealed that cypress leaf powder can alter some metabolic activities of S. zeamais, thus it can play a role in an integrated pest management program (IPM) of S. zeamais in maize storage.
Acceleration of Chemical Reactions Using a Supercritical Water Microreaction System

Water is an environmentally friendly chemical species that can be employed either as catalyst or as reactant. The use of water has attracted much interest for many acid-catalyzed organic syntheses. These reactions have been studied under hot water conditions with maximum formation of ions. Under these circumstances, long reaction times are required to obtain suitable yields however with poor selectivities given the influence of side reactions. The microreaction system of the present study can heat up a substrate solution very quickly from ambient conditions to the supercritical water state (scH2O) and can then quench rapidly the same solution to sufficiently low temperatures. This allows epsilon-caprolactam production with close to 100% selectivity and 80% yield in a acid free reaction system in less than 1-second reaction time. To justify these results, first principle molecular dynamics calculations and in situ IR measurements are employed as they can be applied to the structural and electronic properties of water in the near critical point region. Close to the critical point at low fluid densities, small clusters, mainly dimers and trimers, are the dominant features with no H-bonds expected. The significant reduction of H-bond strength in H2O, peculiar to near the critical point, leads to the activation of protons or H3O+. Hence, in the scH2O microreaction system, the acidic properties of H2O at the supercritical state are considered as the likely pathway promoter which prevents the hydrolysis and the pyrolysis of cyclohexanone-oxime as well as the pyrolysis of epsilon-caprolactam. It is also observed that dilute acids at supercritical conditions further enhance the epsilon-caprolactam process with close to 100% yield and 100% selectivity.
Cooperating Music Teachers’ Opinions Regarding the Importance of Selected Traits, Behaviors, and Skills as Predictors of Successful Student Teaching Experiences

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of cooperating teachers regarding the importance of certain teacher traits, behaviors, and skills as predictors of a successful student teaching experience. The sample consisted of teachers who had served as cooperating teachers (N = 519). Participants rated a list of 40 teacher traits, behaviors, and skills based on their (perceived) importance as predictors of student teacher success. I constructed ranked lists for each demographic grouping of respondents by the mean score for each item, and these lists were examined using a method put forward by Teachout. Results revealed that the highest-rated items regardless of demographic grouping variables were demonstrating appropriate social behavior, stress management, fostering appropriate student behavior, establishing a positive rapport with others, and enthusiasm. All participant groups rated personal traits, behaviors, and skills as most important; followed by teaching traits, behaviors, and skills; then musical traits, behaviors, and skills. Content analyses of open-ended questions revealed that no items had a universal meaning among participants in this study.