Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Seeds Collected from Different Ziziphus joazeiro Plants Are Differently Affected by Gibberellic Acid

Ziziphus joazeiro is a tree endemic to Caatinga, Northeastern Brazil, with great economic potential. However, its commercial production is still limited due to low and non-uniform germination of seeds. Recently we demonstrated that gibberellic acid (GA3) stimulates the emergence and uniformity of seedlings in this species. In its natural habitat, however, great morphological diversity between Z. joazeiro trees is found, suggesting great genetic variability. Therefore, it was necessary to test if the GA3 effect is a general response. We collected seeds from four plants maintained in a collection. The plants were selected according to contrasting morphological characteristics. After breaking impermeability with 98% sulfuric acid, the seeds were treated with 2 mmol L−1 GA3 or a control with distillated water for 24 h. Effects ranged from great, low, and no effect of GA3 stimulating the percentage and rapidity of emergence between genotypes tested. For reforestation, thus, the GA3 treatment of Z. joazeiro seeds might reduce its genetic variability; but for economic production, it will be an adequate and simple treatment to increase the quantity and uniformity of seedlings.
Semisupervised Deep State-Space Model for Plant Growth Modeling

The optimal control of sugar content and its associated technology is important for producing high-quality crops more stably and efficiently. Model-based reinforcement learning (RL) indicates a desirable action depending on the type of situation based on trial-and-error calculations conducted by an environmental model. In this paper, we address plant growth modeling as an environmental model for the optimal control of sugar content. In the growth process, fruiting plants generate sugar depending on their state and evolve via various external stimuli; however, sugar content data are sparse because appropriate remote sensing technology is yet to be developed, and thus, sugar content is measured manually. We propose a semisupervised deep state-space model (SDSSM) where semisupervised learning is introduced into a sequential deep generative model. SDSSM achieves a high generalization performance by optimizing the parameters while inferring unobserved data and using training data efficiently, even if some categories of training data are sparse. We designed an appropriate model combined with model-based RL for the optimal control of sugar content using SDSSM for plant growth modeling. We evaluated the performance of SDSSM using tomato greenhouse cultivation data and applied cross-validation to the comparative evaluation method. The SDSSM was trained using approximately 500 sugar content data of appropriately inferred plant states and reduced the mean absolute error by approximately 38% compared with other supervised learning algorithms. The results demonstrate that SDSSM has good potential to estimate time-series sugar content variation and validate uncertainty for the optimal control of high-quality fruit cultivation using model-based RL.
WOLT: Auto-Configuration of Integrated Enterprise PLC-WiFi Networks

Power Line Communication (PLC) based WiFi extenders can improve WiFi coverage in homes and enterprises. Unlike in traditional WiFi networks which use an underlying high data rate Ethernet backhaul, a PLC backhaul may not support high data rates. Specifically, our measurements show that arbitrarily affiliating users to PLC-WiFi extenders or based on their WiFi channel qualities alone may lead to poor network performance due to the differences in PLC link capacities. Thus, in this paper we build a framework, WOLT, to solve the problem of assigning users to the appropriate PLC-WiFi extenders to increase the aggregate network throughput in an enterprise setting, where one may expect a relatively large number of power outlets. WOLT accounts for both the qualities of the two concatenated links viz., the PLC and WiFi links. It hinges on estimating the best capacity offered by the PLC links, and accounting for these while assigning users. It incorporates a polynomial-time algorithm that assigns only a subset of the users to maximize the aggregate throughput on the PLC links, and then assigns the remaining users such that the degradation in the aggregate throughput is minimized. WOLT is evaluated through simulations and real testbed experiments with commodity PLCWiFi extenders, and improves aggregate throughput by more than 2.5x compared to a greedy user association baseline.
Variation in net primary productivity and biomass of forests in the high mountains of Central Himalaya

This study describes the biomass and net primary productivity of the forests of Central Himalaya occurring in areas where vegetation ranges from close-canopy broad-leaved forest to stunted open-canopy timberline vegetation. The for- ests studied were Acer cappadocicum forest at 2750 m, Betula utilis forest at 3150 m, and Rhododendron campanulatum forest at 3300 m altitude in Central Himalaya. With the rise in altitude the forest biomass decreased from 308.3 ton/ ha in Acer forest to 40.5 ton/ha in Rhododendron forest. The de- crease in net primary productivity was less steep, from 19.6 ton/ha/yr in Acer forest to 10.0 ton/ha/yr in Rhododendron forest. The production efficiency of leaves (net production per unit leaf weight) in these forests is higher than in low altitude broad-leaved forests of Central Himalaya, i.e. from 2.89 in Acer forest to 3.41 g net production/g leaf biomass/yr, against 0.81-1.55 at lower altitudes.
Evaluation of environmentally-friendly crop management systems based on very early sowing dates for winter oilseed rape in France

Notre objectif est l'evaluation de nouveaux itineraires techniques du colza bases sur des semis tres precoces, afin d'ameliorer le bilan environnemental de cette culture sans affecter son bilan economique. Sur un reseau de 36 essais pendant 3 annees en France, les nouveaux itineraires techniques se sont averes plus efficaces que les itineraires techniques actuellement recommandes au niveau des performances environnementales : absorption, au cours de l'automne, de la quasi totalite de l'azote mineral du sol meme apres epandage d'effluent organique ; teneur en nitrate de l'eau percolee inferieure a 50 mg.l -1 ; reduction de l'emploi de molluscicides, meme en annee de forte infestation de limaces. En terme de marge brute, les resultats moyens furent favorables aux semis tres precoces qui permirent, sur la majorite des essais, un rendement superieur ou egal a celui des semis a date normale. Une typologie des essais reliant la difference de rendement entre les deux itineraires techniques a differents facteurs limitants (implantation de la culture, phoma, nutrition azotee), est utilisee afin de definir le domaine de validite des nouveaux itineraires techniques.
Genetic differences in the copper nutrition of cereals. I. Differential responses of genotypes to copper

Seven wheat genotypes, one or barley and one of oats were compared for their sensitivity to sub optimal supplies of copper, and their ability to recover from copper deficiency when copper was applied at defined stages of growth Copper deficiency delayed maturity, reduced the straw yield and severely depressed the gram yield In all genotypes. Genotypes differed considerably in their expression of deficiency symptoms, and In then- responses to the rate and time of copper application. For all genotypes, the supply of copper needed for maximum grain yield was significantly higher than that for maximum shoot growth. Halberd wheat and Clipper barley were less sensitive to copper deficiency than wheat cultivars Gabo, Glaive, Pinnacle, Chotilerma, UP-301, Duramba, and oats cultivar Avon. Genotypes with relatively higher yield potential were less sensitive to copper deficiency than those with lower yield potential, and the ability of hexaploid wheal to recover from deficiency increased with the increase in the number of days to heading of the normal plants There was no apparent association between dwarfness and sensitivity to copper deficiency in wheat.
How Propaganda Techniques Leverage Their Advantages: A Cross-national Study of the Effects of Chinese International Propaganda on the U.S. and South Korean Audiences

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to explore the effects of recent Chinese international propaganda by adopting a conditional process analysis of U.S. and South Korean audiences. Our study yields three major findings. First, perceived credibility plays a significant role as a mediator between new propaganda and its persuasive effect. Second, both the perceived credibility of a message and its persuasive effect are moderated by the nationality of the audience (American or Korean in our study). Third, the indirect persuasive effect of a piece of Chinese international propaganda, as mediated through its perceived credibility, is further moderated by the nationality of the audience (i.e., American or Korean). This paper thus stands to contribute to cross-national studies of the media effect of international propaganda by identifying factors associated with perceived credibility and the persuasive effect and assessing the influence of propaganda on public attitudes in other nations.
Phylogeny of the Liliales (Monocotyledons) with special emphasis on data partition congruence and RNA editing

A phylogenetic analysis of the monocot order Liliales was performed using sequence data from three mitochondrial (atp1, cob, nad5) and two plastid genes (rbcL, ndhF). The complete data matrix includes 46 terminals representing all 10 families currently included in Liliales. The two major partitions, mitochondrial and plastid data, were congruent, and parsimony analysis resulted in 50 equally parsimonious trees and a well resolved consensus tree confirming monophyly of all families. Mitochondrial genes are known to include RNA edited sites, and in some cases unprocessed genes are replaced by retro‐processed gene copies, that is processed paralogs. To test the effects on phylogeny reconstruction of predicted edited sites and potentially unintentionally sampled processed paralogs, a number of analyses were performed using subsets of the complete data matrix. In general, predicted edited sites were more homoplasious than the other characters and increased incongruence among most data partitions. The predicted edited sites have a non‐random phylogenetic signal in conflict with the signal of the non‐edited sites. The potentially misleading signal was caused partially by the apparent presence of processed paralogs in Galanthus (Amaryllidaceae), part of the outgroup, but also by a deviating evolutionary pattern of predicted edited sites in Liliaceae compared with the remainder of the Liliales. Despite the problems that processed paralogs may cause, we argue that they should not a priori be excluded from phylogenetic analysis.
Empirical hypothesis to explain the restricted distribution of Hyalella azteca (Amphipoda) in anthropogenically acidified lakes

A simple and speculative model is proposed to explain the restricted distribution of Hyalella azteca (Amphipoda) within acidified Ontario lakes. The model integrates field chemical and ecological data with results from laboratory toxicological experiments. Frequent spring depressions of pH to below 5.0, measured in the littoral zone of Plastic Lake during 1982, were predicted to cause a mortality of 35.2% to a theoretically constructed amphipod population. A time trend simulation suggested that population decline of H. azteca in similar anthropogenically acidified lakes could be caused by such direct mortality due to short-term pH fluctuations. Assumptions and factors not considered by the model which could exacerbate or mitigate the effects of acidic snowmelt to H. azteca are discussed.
Roadside Fixed-Object Collisions, Barrier Performance, and Fatal Injuries in Single-Vehicle, Run-Off-Road Crashes

Objectives: To quantify the odds of fatal injuries associated with drivers involved in single-vehicle, run-off-road (SVROR), injury crashes. Methods: An in-service safety evaluation was carried out using multivariate logistic regression models. Results: The odds of motorist death was lower for w-beam guardrail crashes as compared to tree, pole, and concrete barrier crashes. On the other hand, there was no statistically significant difference between the odds of motorist death in concrete barrier crashes as compared to tree or pole crashes. The odds of motorist death were lower for curbs and collision-free crashes as compared to tree, pole, and barrier crashes. Thus, obstacles should be removed whenever possible and barriers installed only whenever absolutely necessary. The lack of vehicle containment (in barrier crashes) was found: (i) to tend to occur on higher-posted-speed-limit roads and result in a higher percentage of fatal crashes, (ii) to be more prevalent with the less rigid barrier type, and (iii) to result in a consistently higher percentage of fatal crashes under the concrete barrier category. Conclusions: Findings not only support state-of-the-art roadside design guidelines and crash-testing criteria, but they may also be useful in evaluating proposed roadside safety improvements.
Release and Quantitation of a Leucocyte Derived Protein (L1)

Immunological methods have been developed for quantitation of a protein, provisionally called L1, which constitutes about 5% of the total protein in granulocytes. The protein has a mol wt of about 51000 daltons and an isoelectric point of about 6.3–6.5. It is readily released from leucocytes during storage and following immunological injury to the cell membrane. The concentration of L1 in normal plasma is about 300 ng/ml, but levels above the normal mean + 5 SD were found in 23 out of 30 patients with various malignant diseases and in 4 patients with septicaemia. It is suggested that plasma levels of L1 may reflect the rate of leucocyte turnover in vivo and that the L1 release phenomenon may be used for studies on leucocyte reactions in vitro.
An assessment of medication safety practices in selected public health facilities in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Medication errors occur frequently and have significant clinical and financial consequences, which could be preventable. Unsafe medication practices and errors have been found to be amongst the leading cause of injury and avoidable harm in both developed and developing countries. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended implementation of basic solutions to improve medication safety. This study assessed the presence of basic medication safety practices in four (4) public health facilities in Kaduna State, Nigeria. A validated survey tool was adopted which contains sections that assessed practices such as look-alike, sound-alike (LASA) medications, transitions in care, use of information technology, drug information and other practices. A structured interview was conducted with each head of Pharmacy department of the facilities after obtaining their consent. Only one facility had a medication safety committee, none of the facilities had a list of LASA medications nor a list of error proneabbreviations. Only one facility involved pharmacists in obtaining medication histories and none of the facilities uses ‘high risk’ warning label on diluted electrolyte solutions. Basic practices to improve medication safety were not implemented in the facilities. Effort must be put in place for the adoption of medication safety practices. Regulations and policies need to be implemented regarding these practices. Keywords: Medication safety; Health facilities; Kaduna State; Nigeria; Medication errors
ISOZYMES AS MARKERS FOR DIFFERENTIATING SUNFLOWER GENOTYPES / ISOENZIMAS COMO MARCADORES PARA DIFERENCIACIÓN DE GENOTIPOS DE GIRASOL / ISOENZYMES EN TANT QUE MARQUEURS DE DIFFÉRENCIATION DE GÉNOTYPES DE TOURNESOL

SUMMARY Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) being a cross pollinated crop, genetic adulteration is a vested problem and varietal descriptions are cumbersome. In order to identify genotypes and to establish phylogenetic relationships an investigation was carried on sunflower hybrids/parental lines/varieties using isoenzyme variation. The data on six isoenzymes were analyzed using Popgene software (Yeh, 1997). Genotypes which were morphologically closely related were found to be unrelated at the biochemical level. Hybrid KBSH-42 could be distinguished from the rest of the hybrids for the absence of pgi-2 and pgi-3. Alleles g6pdh-l, me-1 and skdh-3 served as markers in distinguishing the genotypes. Thus the results obtained could be used in fingerprinting the genotypes. RESUMEN Debido a que el girasol (Helianthus annuus L.) es una planta de polinización abierta, la contaminación genética representa un problema constante, y la descripción de variedad resulta complicada. Para identificar los genotipos y establecer las relaciones filogenéticas entre ellos, se ha investigado la variabilidad de isoenzimas en los híbridos, los linajes parentales y las variedades de girasol. Los datos sobre seis isoenzimas fueron analizados por medio del software Popgene (Yeh, 1997). Se estableció que los genotipos que eran estrechamente vinculados en el nivel morfológico, no estaban vinculados en el nivel bioquímico. El híbrido KBSH-42 se diferenciaba de los demás, por la carencia de alelo pgi-2 y pgi-3. Los alelos g6pdh-l, me-1 y skdh-3, podían servir de marcadores que diferenciaron los genotipos investigados. Esto significa que los resultados obtenidos pueden utilizarse para el análisis genético de genotipos, finger printing. RÉSUMÉ Comme le tournesol (Helianthus annuus L.) est une plante fécondable par croisement, la contamination génétique est un problème constant et la description variétale est complexe. Une recherche a été faite sur la variabilité des isoenzymes dans les hybrides, les lignes parentales et les sortes de tournesol dans le but d’identifier les génotypes et d’établir une relation phylogénétique entre eux. Des données sur six isoenzymes ont été analysées à l’aide du logiciel Popgene (Yeh, 1997). Il a été établi que les génotypes qui étaient étroitement liés au niveau morphologique ne l’étaient pas au niveau biochimique. L’hybride KBSH-42 se différenciait des autres par l’absence d’allèles pgi-2 et pgi-3. Les allèles g6pdh-1, me-1 et skdh-3 ont pu servir de marqueurs qui différenciaient les génotypes examinés. Cela signifie que les résultats obtenus peuvent être utilisés dans l’analyse des génotypes par “finger printing”.
A Comparative Study of Three Brassicaceae Vegetables Grown in Canakkale: Determination of Total Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity of Pulp and Juice Samples of Radish (Raphanus sativus L.), Cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var capitata L) and Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L.)

Brassicaceae that contains well known species from genus Brassica is an important family for crucifers, cabbage etc. The main goal of this study was to investigate the total phenolic contents and antioxidant activities of 25% aqueous ethanol and methanol extracts of selected vegetable pulps such as radish, cab-bage, and cauliflower. These analyses were also applied to the freshly prepared juices. For this purpose, studied vegetables which were grown in villages of Canakkale were obtained from district bazaar in Canakkale. Antioxidant activities of selected vegetables have been determined by using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate) free radical, ABTS ((2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging assay and CUPRAC (cupric reducing antioxidant capacity) method. Total phenolic content was determined by using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. The results show that total phenolic contents in pulp extracts of 25% aqueous ethanol of red cabbage (1071 ± 25.12 mg FAE/100 g) and brussels sprout (594.00 ± 13.93 mg FAE/100 g) have higher than the other used vegetables. The 25% aqueous ethanol extracts of white and red radish pulps showed the greatest IC50 value with DPPH assay (50.00 µg/mL). The higher phenolic content in the ethanol and methanol extracts of red cabbage may contribute to its increasing CUPRAC activity (4.73 ± 0.11 and 4.78 ± 0.11 quercetin equivalent of flavonoid concentra-tion). In addition, black radish juice showed the highest inhibition value with ABTS assay (70.83 ± 1.83%). This study which may be important for food and health applications, also emphasizes the im-portance of the cultivation area and the valuable parts of vegetables.
Creep behavior of polyetherimide semipreg and epoxy prepreg composites: Structure vs. property relationship

In the present study, the creep behavior of polyetherimide semipreg and epoxy prepreg composites was studied using dynamic mechanical analyzer and focused on structure vs. property relationships in glassy, glass transition, and elastomeric regions. The main contribution to the field is to study pre-impregnated materials concerning creep behavior, mainly based on different analytical models, and microstructure. Two different reinforcements were used (carbon fiber and glass fiber) for each matrix. Findley, Burger, and Weibull analytical models were applied with an excellent fit for the most of them. The impregnation quality, verified by C-scan and the void content by acid digestion, shows different impregnation behaviors, mainly for epoxy/CF, which also influenced molecular motion behavior. The creep behavior was mainly influenced by matrix type than reinforcement architecture and void content. In addition, the creep was higher for epoxy in the glassy region; however, in the glass transition region, higher deformation was found for polyetherimide composites. Previous behavior is mainly attributed to higher energy storage in the glassy region which plays a significant role in the dissipation (glass transition energy), resulting in the energy loss or the drop of storage modulus in a narrow temperature range – more abrupt. This behavior was corroborated by time-temperature superposition curves in which the low deformation obtained for polyetherimide composites at low temperatures is maintained only until the glass transition temperature. Epoxy composites showed a higher initial creep deformation, but the values were almost constant with temperature, even when the temperature passes by the glass transition temperature.
Sexual reproduction—A rare occurrence in the life history of the complanate form of Scytosiphon (Scytosiphonaceae, Phaeophyta) from southern Australia

Studies of zooids produced by complanate Scytosiphon thalli throughout the growing season over a period of several years show that the simultaneous production of male and female gametes is rare. Gametogenesis occurs in late winter and spring (August–October). Gametes are negatively phototactic, and the structural and behavioural differences between the sexes are slight. In any mixture of gametes not all engage in mating reactions, and the proportion of gametes which fuse to form zygotes varies considerably. In culture gametes and zygotes develop into ralfsioid sporophytes which are morphologically indistinguishable, but those derived from zygotes give rise to F2 gametophytes under the same conditions (L :D, 10 :h+12° and 20°C) in which parthenosporophytes give rise to sporophytic progeny. The effects of L :D, 8 : and 16 : h (16°C) on the reproduction of sporophytes are also described. The effects of various daylengths on the reproduction of gametophytes in culture are related to seasonal variation in the .