Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phytoremediation: Curing soil problems with crops

Among the different contaminants in the environment, heavy metals (HMs) are unique due to the fact that they cannot be broken down to non-toxic forms. According to the reports published worldwide, these metals are released into the environment by both natural and anthropogenic sources, especially, mining and industrial activities, and automobile exhausts (for lead). They leach into underground waters, moving along water pathways and eventually depositing in the aquifer, or are washed away by run-off into surface waters thereby, resulting in water and subsequently soil pollution. The HM contamination is increasing day by day because of increase in population, industrialization and urbanization. Therefore, posing a serious threat to health and environment. Researchers worldwide have used different methods for removing these hazardous elements. Although, these methods for cleaning up of contaminated environment including soil and water are usually expensive and do not give optimum results. Currently, phytoremediation is an effective and affordable technology used to remove inactive metals and metal pollutants from contaminated soil and water. It includes phytoextraction, rhizofiltration, phytostabilization, phytovolatization, and phytodegradation/ phytotransformation. This technology is ecofriendly and exploits the ability of plants to remediate pollutants from contaminated sites. More than 400 plant species have been identified to have potential for soil and water remediation. Among them, Thlaspi, Brassica, Sedum alfredii H. , and Arabidopsis species have been mostly studied. Our paper aims to cover the causes of HM pollution and phytoremediation technology, including HM uptake mechanism and several reports describing its application at field level.
Prevalence of Entamoeba histolytica among Children attending Healthcare Centres at Amran Governorate, Yemen

The prevalence of Entamoeba histolytica parasite is considered as a big challenge that interrupts the public health. The lack of hygienic practices, treated water, and health education due to the high level of poverty are the major factors associated with the prevalence of amoebiasis disease in Yemen. Consequently, this study aimed to find the prevalence of E. histolytica among children attending the healthcare centres of Amran Governorate, Yemen. A total of 271 specimens were chosen from infected children aged between 1-14 years attending healthcare centres in the period between January to June 2019. The collected specimens were examined by direct microscopical examination, saline sedimentation, and formalin-ether concentration. The results showed that 166 (61.25%) specimens were positive for E. histolytica while 105 (38.75%) specimens were negative. The highest prevalence of amoebiasis was 85 (62.04%) recorded among children from rural areas compared to 81(60.45%) children from urban areas. In the urban area, it was found that the overall rates of infection between males (57.14%) and females (58.21%) were similar. Also, a higher prevalence rate (81.25%) was recorded among males aged between 8 to 14 years. The number of infected age groups was equal in both gender in the rural area. The results based on gender revealed 53.1% of infected children were male and 46.99% were female. The associated factors with the highest prevalence of E. histolytica infection were recorded among parents of children with the illiterate status of education, children drinking water from the uncovered water source, and the children who did not wash hands after defecation. Different strategies that include health education programs, treatment of the drinking water, personal hygienic practices, and increased community awareness about infection transmission warrant to enhance the control of intestinal parasitism and morbidity caused by E. histolytica parasite.
Effects of Host Size on Oviposition and Development of the Endoparasitoid, Microplitis mediator Haliday

Effects of host size on oviposition and development of Microplitis mediator, the endoparasitoid of Helicoverpa armigera were studied in laboratory. Host size had significant influence on oviposition of the female parasitoid, and the parasitization rate decreased as the host size increased. 54.03% of the parasitized host larvae had body weight of 2-6mg, 95.51% of the parasitized host larvae were less than 14mg in weight, and the host larvae over 14mg were difficult to be parasitized. Linear regression and correlation procedures were used to quantify the ralationship among parameters. The host weight at time of parasitizing was positively related with the cocoon weight of the parasitoid and the cocoon weight of parasitoid was positively related with adult weight of parasitoid. The longevity of adult was positively related with the weight of parasitoid adult, but the host weight at time of parasitizing was negatively related with egg and larval duration of the parasitoid. However, the host weight didn′t significantly affect cocoon duration.
Sources and application methods of boron in Eucalyptus crop

Os solos de Cerrado apresentam baixo teor de boro (B) no solo, sendo comum a suplementacao deste elemento atraves da adubacao via solo e/ou foliar. Portanto, e importante definir qual o melhor modo de aplicacao e fonte de B para o bom desenvolvimento do eucalipto. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi comparar o efeito de fontes de B com alta e baixa solubilidade na cultura do eucalipto, bem como a aplicacao foliar do micronutriente. O experimento foi conduzido em uma area com latitude 20o 34’ S e longitude 51o 50’ O e altitude de 305 m, no periodo de 01/2012 a 02/2014. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos casualizados com seis tratamentos e cinco repeticoes, dispostos em um esquema fatorial de 3 x 2, sendo: 0 kg ha-1 de B, 1 kg ha-1 de B utilizando como fonte o acido borico (alta solubilidade, 17% B) ou1 kg ha-1 de B utilizando como fonte o borogran (baixa solubilidade, 10% B), aplicados no sulco de plantio, com ou sem aplicacoes de acido borico via foliar na dose de 0,5% de acido borico na calda com volume de 250 L ha-1. Com a omissao de B via foliar houve incremento em altura de plantas nos tratamentos que receberam a aplicacao do micronutriente no plantio, diferindo significativamente da testemunha. Porem, ambas as fontes, independente da solubilidade, apresentaram resultados semelhantes. As duas aplicacoes de B via foliar foram suficientes para que houvesse incremento em altura de plantas, quando comparadas aos tratamentos que nao receberam aplicacao de B no plantio, aos 21 meses. Aos 24 meses apos o plantio foi constatado aumento no teor foliar de B nos tratamentos que receberam aplicacao foliar. No entanto, esta nao incrementou o crescimento, DAP e volume de madeira do clone de eucalipto. A aplicacao de B no plantio, independente da fonte utilizada, assim como aplicacao foliar do elemento, foram suficientes para reduzir os sintomas de deficiencia de B. Com relacao as fontes utilizadas no plantio, na dose de 1 kg ha-1 de B, ambas apresentaram resultados semelhantes para altura de planta, DAP e volume de madeira.
Species-Area Parameter Estimation: Testing the Null Model of Lack of Relationship

The species-area curve from island biogeography theory has been applied to many non-oceanic situations. We study problems of statistical estimation for this curve using the flora of upland and lowland forest islands in south-eastern Wisconsin. These forest data do not fit the hypothetical curve; in both cases the slope does not differ significantly from zero. Explanations for this result are offered and are explored using Monte Carlo sampling of several ranges of island size. The zero slopes of the field data are judged to be 'real' in that they are not likely to be subsamples of a larger population with wider range of island sizes and nonzero slope. Factors other than size, such as disturbance and forest edge, probably contribute to the total number of plant species in these islands. We conclude that sampling and statistical problems need to be considered when applying the species-area relationship.
Unpeeled cassava root meal in diets for laying hens

An experiment was conducted to determine the extent to which unpeeled cassava root meal could be included in diets for laying hens. Harco pullets were raised in standard battery cages in 12 groups of 17 birds each. Each of 4 diets comprising 0, 10, 20, and 30% unpeeled cassava root meal, was fed to three replicate groups for four weeks. There were no significant differences as a result of unpeeled cassava root meal inclusion in the diets on hen-day production per cent and feed conversion values. Egg quality traits showed no significant differences for both external and internal traits. It was concluded that unpeeled cassava root meal could replace maize totally as a source of energy in diets for laying hens without affecting productive performance and egg quality traits, providing it is properly processed and adequate protein and essential amino acid levels are included.
Triazole–containing zinc(II)dipicolylamine-functionalised peptides as highly selective pyrophosphate sensors in physiological media

A small family of linear bis[zinc(II)dipicolylamine] (bis[Zn(II)-DPA])-functionalised peptidic anion receptors has been prepared where the Zn(II)-DPA binding sites have been installed via either a reductive amination reaction or a copper(I)-catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction. The latter reaction connects the Zn(II)-DPA binding site and the peptide backbone through a 1,2,3-triazole linkage. Subsequent anion binding studies using indicator displacement assays were conducted to elucidate the effect of the triazole linker on the anion-binding properties of these novel receptors and it was found that the triazole-containing receptors exhibited stronger affinity and slightly improved selectivity for pyrophosphate over adenosine triphosphate and adenosine diphosphate compared to the analogous receptors which did not bear the triazole linker.
Amaranthus tricolor L. leaf yields affected by salinity, harvesting stage and harvesting methods

Single Amaranthus tricolor seedlings were transplanted into containers filled with 5 I river sand and were fertigated with a ‘drain to waste’ system. Plants were grown in the open under warm summer conditions. Four to six daily applications of nutrient solutions at electrical conductivity (EC) levels of 1,2,4 and 8 mS cm−1 were made. In a first study, two harvesting stages were used and plants were uprooted 30 and 45 days after transplanting (DAT). In a second study, two cutting heights were used at three stages. Leaves and side-shoots as well as leaf calcium and protein contents were monitored. Interactions between EC levels and harvesting stages affected most of the parameters. The optimum EC level for a high shoot: root ratio was 4 mS cm−1 30 DAT compared to 8 mS cm−1 45 DAT, indicating that the plants adapted in time to saline conditions. The highest leaf mass was recorded at 4 mS cm−1 for both cutting heights but at 8 mS cm−1, the 25% cutting height produced significantly better yields than the more severe (50%) cutting height, illustrating that this crop can adapt to saline conditions, especially with a less severe (25%) harvesting procedure. Increased EC levels increased leaf protein content, thus increasing the value of this hardy leaf crop.
Cloning, expression, and function of laminin in neuronal guidance

The proper guidance of migrating growth cones during development relies on the balance of multiple guidance cues in the embryonic environment. In addition to guidance cues, growth cones are in contact with other substrates that may contribute to the pathfinding of neurons. For example, in the developing insect peripheral nervous system, pioneer neurons migrate on and between layers of the basal lamina, which consists of a network of many different proteins. Previous studies have demonstrated that one basal lamina molecule, laminin, promotes outgrowth of many classes of neurons in vitro. Laminin is a major component of the basal lamina and is a potent promoter of neurite outgrowth in vitro. In order to determine the role of laminin in neuronal development, grasshopper laminin subunit genes were cloned. Laminin was found to be expressed by hemocytes and laminin protein was abundant in the basal lamina throughout the embryo. Laminin expression was coincident with the outgrowth and guidance of the Tibial (Til) pioneer neurons in the developing limb bud. Laminin deposition in the basal lamina was conferred by hemocytes that migrate within the lumen of the limb with no apparent trajectory. In spite of this, laminin immunoreactivity in the basal lamina was uniform and is available as a substrate for axonal outgrowth. In this study, the simple grasshopper nervous system was used to investigate the role of laminin in neuronal pathfinding. The role of two sites on laminin was investigated using subunit specific antibodies and peptides as blocking reagents in vivo. While reagents aimed at a cell adhesion motif on the (3 chain did not affect T i l pathfinding, antibodies and peptides that block the nidogen binding site on laminin resulted in stalled Ti 1 axon migration, predominantly at the precise location in the trochanter, where they
Influence of Stage and Derivation of Bovine Embryos on Formation of Embryonic Stem (ES) Like Colonies

The objective of this study was to investigate the formation of bovine embryonic stem (ES) like colonies according to different stage (morula or blastocyst) and derivation (in vivo or in vitro fertilization) of bovine embryos. The zona pellucidae of morula stage embryos were removed manually by stainless steel blade (BIO-CUT, FEATHER), and blastomeres were disaggregated by trypsin. Thereafter, blastomeres were seeded onto mitomycin C-treated mouse embryonic fibroblasts feeder layers cultivated in DMEM containing 20%FBS, glucose, sodium bicarbonate, non-essential amino acid and β-mercaptoethanol. On the other hand, inner cell masses (ICM) were isolated from blastocyst stage embryos by BIO-CUT and seeded onto the same medium as described above. At 7 day after seeding, the formation rate of ES like colonies were determined. When morula stage embryos were used, ES like colony was not observed neither in vivo nor in vitro. In contrast,when blastocyst stage embryos were used, the formation rate of ES like colonies in vivo and in vitro were 16.0% and 17.1% respectively. There was no significant difference between these 2. In conclusion, our experiment demonstrated that blastocyst stage embryos were suitable for obtaining ES like colonies on our culture method.
Winter and breeding-season energetics of nonmigratory white-crowned sparrows

The lives of most temperate-latitude birds are organized on an annual cycle that includes reproduction, molt, dispersal and/or migration, and winter maintenance. How food and energy requirements vary with stage of the annual cycle, and which stage (if any) constitutes an energy bottleneck, are poorly known, but two alternative hypotheses have generally been recognized (Masman et al. 1989). The "reallocation hypothesis" holds that abundant food and moderate temperatures during the breeding season result in decreased thermoregulatory and foraging costs, which allows energy to be reallocated to breeding. This hypothesis predicts little seasonal variation in field metabolic rate (FMR). The "increased-demand hypothesis" holds that breeding results in a substantial increase in the energy demand of adults. By breeding during the season with maximum food availability, parent birds are able to meet their increased energy demands. This hypothesis predicts that FMR should reach a seasonal maximum during the breeding season. Early attempts to deduce the annual cycle in FMR by extrapolating laboratory metabolic measurements to the field produced conflicting patterns. Kendeigh (1973) derived a monthly energy budget for central Illinois House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) in which FMR attained an annual maximum of 117 kJ day-' in January and February and then gradually decreased to an annual nadir of 83 kJ day-' in August. The seasonal change in FMR in Kendeigh's analysis was driven largely by seasonal variation in basal metabolic rate and thermostatic costs. In contrast, Farner (1980) derived an annual energy budget for a migratory race of Whitecrowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii) in which FMR was 100 kJ day-' during the winter and breeding seasons. Subsequent studies that estimated FMR using more direct techniques revealed a diversity of patterns (see Weathers and Sullivan 1993), with some species following the House Sparrow model and others showing little seasonal change in FMR. Which pattern is followed appears to be related to diet in that FMR increases little during the breeding season in species with energetically economical foraging modes, whereas FMR of species that feed on mobile animal prey is higher during the breeding season than during winter (Weathers and
Elements in scalp hair and nails indicating metal body burden in polluted environment

Heavy metals in biological samples namely hair and nails taken at random were examined in subjects occupationally or otherwise exposed to Pb, Cd, Cu, Mn, Zn, Fe, Ni, Ca, Mg and Cr metals and in controls from subjects working in different environments such as tooth powder manufacturing unit, lead battery unit, locomotive workshop, welding unit and roadways workshop. The significant levels between exposed and unexposed subjects in hair and nails have been computed by student 't' test at p < 0.05. The Pearson Moment Correlation analysis of the data for these ten elements revealed significant positive correlation between Cr/Ni, Fe/Mn, Fe/Cr and Ni/Fe in hair of exposed subjects; Cr/Pb, Mn/Cd, Zn/Cd, Zn/Mn, Ni/Pb, Fe/Pb, Cr/Ni, Cr/Fe and Fe/Ni in hair of unexposed subjects; Cr/Cd, Ca/Cd, Ca/Mn, Ca/Cr, Ni/Cd, Ni/Mn, Ni/Cr,Ni/Ca,Fe/Cr and Ni/Fe in nails of exposed subjects and Cu/Cd, Cr/Cd, Cr/Cu, Zn/Cd, Zn/Cu, Zn/Cr, Ca/Cd, Ca/Cu, Ca/Cr, Ca/Zn, Mg/Cd, Mg/Cu, Mg/Cr, Mg/Ca, Ni/Cd, Ni/Cu, Ni/Cr, Ni/Ca, Ni/Mg/, Ni/Zn, Fe/Cr, Fe/Ni and Fe/Cd in nails of unexposed subjects. This behaviour has been explained in context to the type of exposure.
Determination of baseline toxicity of some insecticides to greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) population from North-Western Indian Himalayas

The greenhouse whitefly, Trileurodes vapororiorum (Westwood) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) is a serious pest of herbaceous plants in temperate regions of the world under greenhouses and field situations (Kim et al, 1986; Hill, 1987), The pest incurs losses by direct feeding on cell sap and through production of honeydew on which sooty mould develops which indirectly interferes with photosythesis, Severe infestation turns the leaves pale-green which later fade and dry (Byrne and Bellows, 1991)
INFORMATION PROCESSING BY FORAGERS: EFFECTS OF INTRA-PATCH EXPERIENCE ON THE LEAVING TENDENCY OF LEPTOPILINA HETEROTOMA

(1) In this paper, the relation between the tendency to leave a patch and the experience in that patch is studied, from a functional point of view. (2) The study is based on empirical data rather than the usual a priori modelling. The relative effects of several factors on patch-leaving decisions are estimated from the data and it is tested which factors have significant effects. Afterwards, we discuss the implications of the effects that were found in a functional context. (3) This approach is an important extension to a priori modelling, since it can indicate the relative importance of several aspects of the natural environment in determining the foraging strategy. (4) Experiments were done with the parasitic wasp Leptopilina heterotoma. In the trials, wasps were deposited in a Petri dish containing a patch of yeast with Drosophila larvae. Their behaviour was continuously recorded until they left the patch for more than 60 s. (5) The data were analysed by means of the proportional hazards model (Cox 1972) for factors affecting the leaving tendency of the parasitoids, i.e. the chance per unit of time that the patch was left. (6) It was found that the leaving tendency decreases with the number of ovipositions. (7) Oviposition rates experienced in the patch also have a strong influence on the tendency of the wasps to leave. As expected, the most recently experienced oviposition rates have the strongest effect. Long foraging times between recent ovipositions produce a high leaving tendency. (8) The number of times the patch has been left before, during periods shorter than 60
Characterization of the human gelatinase : a collagen binding domain

Matrix raetalloproteinases (MMPs) can collectively degrade most extracellular matrix components during normal tissue remodeling and have also been implicated in pathological inflammatory diseases and in tumor cell invasive growth. Exploring the MMP-ligand interactions is important in understanding the function of these enzymes. Gelatinase A, like the other MMPs, is composed of distinct functional domains. One domain unique to the gelatinases consists of three fibronectin type II-like modules. The type II modules in fibronectin provide this molecule with gelatin binding properties. Therefore, the hypothesis was formulated that the fibronectin type II-like modules also provide gelatinase A with ligand binding. The tri-modular recombinant collagen binding domain of human gelatinase A (rCBD123) expressed in E. coli bound native type I collagen as well as denatured types I, IV and V collagen, elastin, and heparin. All of the gelatinase A type I collagen binding properties were found to reside in the CBD. However, rCBD123 did not bind several substrates including native type V collagen or fibronectin. Although gelatinase A can degrade basement membrane, rCBD123 did not bind laminin, fibronectin, SPARC, or matrigel. Binding site analysis further revealed that rCBD123 can bind at least two collagen molecules simultaneously. Whereas the major binding site in native type I collagen is in the telopeptide ends, collagen denaturation exposes multiple binding sites. Lysine residues were found to be important molecular determinants for ligand interactions of the CBD. Acetylation of rCBD123 lysine residues abolished heparin binding and reduced binding to collagen. Site-specific substitution of rCBD123 lysines with alanines demonstrated that K357 in the third module is required for heparin binding. Unaltered binding to other ligands by K357A and no change from wildtype protein in secondary structural components, as assessed by circular dichroism spectral analysis, confirmed that the loss of heparin binding was not a result of structural perturbation. These results together with structure modeling of the gelatinase A CBD indicated that two or more modules are required for heparin binding. Another mutant, K263A, demonstrated reduced saturation level binding to collagen but with an unchanged Kd for the interaction pointing to the presence of more
Further Studies on the Evaporation Of Nectar

Further experiments by the author are in agreement with those reported a year ago, all of which indicate that nectar does not become more concentrated within the honeysac of the bee between the flower and the hive entrance, but that the observed rate of nectar concentration can be fully accounted for by evaporation in its several phases, carried on within the hive.