Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Management of nitrogen and sulphur fertiliser for improved bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) quality

Abstract A change from the use of fertilisers containing sulphur (S) to predominantly urea for supply of nitrogen (N) to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crops, and the generally low S status of New Zealand soils has coincided with a decline in the quality of wheat flour. Increased farinograph dough work input (WI) and increased extensigraph resistance have emerged with current crop management practices. The dynamics of N and S uptake were studied in a factorial experiment with four commercial wheat cultivars known to differ in yield potential, grain N content, and dough rheological properties. Treatments consisted of three levels of N fertiliser (nil, early application of 150 kg N/ha in three splits, and 150 early + 100 kg N/ha applied at anthesis) and two S levels (nil and 50 kg S/ha at emergence). N fertiliser strongly increased N uptake in vegetative parts and grain. In contrast, there was little effect of S fertiliser on grain yield or grain N and S concentration or uptake. However, S fertiliser treatment did raise the level of S uptake in vegetative plant material. S treatment reduced the N: S ratio. However, N treatment consistently had a greater influence than S fertiliser on mixing requirement (WI and water absorption) and extensigraph tests. Opportunities to manage S nutrition during crop growth in order to influence dough or baking characteristics existed only under high N management. In this situation, there was a significant reduction in WI following S fertiliser application. Cultivar choice was the single best option for achieving the required flour characteristics. Flour from wheat cultivars ‘Monad’ and ‘Otane’ had strong dough rheological properties suggesting they were well suited to breadmaking. WI was higher in ‘Monad’ than ‘Otane’ even though grain S concentrations were lower. The differences in WI could partially be explained by their grain N: S composition. This was, in turn, influenced by the level of soil mineral N and sulphate.
Are eulittoral assemblages suitable for detecting the effects of sewage discharges in Atlantic and Mediterranean coastal areas?

Abstract The search for cost-effective indicators able to detect anthropogenic impacts is an essential prerequisite to plan mitigation interventions, which can prevent further deterioration of coastal areas. Eulittoral assemblages are accessible for sampling, and their dominant species are easy to identify and widely distributed. This study assessed the potential of eulittoral assemblages to reflect environmental perturbations related to sewage discharge across different environmental and geographical locations. Sampling occurred in impacted (near sewage discharge) and control areas, on both Atlantic and Mediterranean shores. Multivariate analyses showed that the structure of eulittoral invertebrate assemblages differed significantly between control and impacted areas for the Mediterranean, but not for the Atlantic case study. Macroalgae responses to sewage discharge were found on the Mediterranean shore with a significantly higher abundance of Chlorophyta near the outfall. Limpet populations of the genus Patella appear to be affected by sewage discharge. The response of limpet populations differed between Atlantic and Mediterranean shores, probably due to among-species differences of ecological traits. Our results suggest that the response of eulittoral assemblages and limpets to sewage discharge might be strictly context-dependent, thus limiting their potential to serve as general indicators in monitoring the effects of this source of human impact over large spatial scales.
The Burry shellfishery and oystercatchers: using a behaviour-based model to advise on shellfishery management policy

The Burry inlet, South Wales, supports a licensed cockle Cerastoderma edule fishery and occasional mussel Mytilus edulis fishery. It is also an important overwintering ground for oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus. In recent years mussels have settled over parts of some cockle beds, preventing cockle fishery there and leading to a request by shellfishers to remove this 'mussel crumble'. Conservation managers, however, were concerned that the mussel crumble might be providing a high-quality food source for the oystercatchers, making its removal detrimental to the birds. A behaviour-based model of oystercatcher feeding on cockles and mussels was parameterised for the inlet and its predictions tested against the distribution of birds across the shellfish beds and the amount of time they spent feeding. The model was then used to explore whether the birds were currently food-limited and what would be the effects on their mortality rate and body condition if the mussel crumble were to be removed, thereby re-exposing underlying cockle beds. The model predicted successfully the proportion of birds feeding on the different types of food and the number of hours birds spent feeding on neap tides. It was predicted that, at current bird population sizes, there would have to be a 50% reduction in shellfish stocks and the areas of shellfish beds from 2000-01 levels to cause noticeable extra emigration or mortality. A given area of mussel bed was predicted to be able to support more birds than the same area of cockle bed, but the greater area of the cockle beds meant that they were more important than mussels in determining the number of birds supported by the inlet. The simulated removal of mussel crumble to expose underlying cockles had no effect on predicted bird mortality and body condition at 2000-01 shellfish stock levels. However, there were circumstances under which the mussel crumble was predicted to increase the inlet's capacity to support birds, particularly when the area of existing cockle and mussel beds was substantially reduced.
Inheritance of coffee bean sucrose content in the interspecific cross Coffea pseudozanguebariae × Coffea liberica 'dewevrei'.

The sucrose content of coffee bean is an important component of the coffee flavour: the higher the sucrose content in green beans, the more intense coffee cup flavour: Beans of the anciently cultivated cultivar Coffea liberica‘dewevrei’ have low levels of sucrose compared with beans of the wild species Coffea pseudozanguebariae. In the present study, the inheritance of the sucrose accumulation in the interspecific cross C. pseudozanguebariae×C. liberica‘dewevrei’ was examined. The sucrose content was measured in mature beans of both parental species, and in F1 and backcross hybrids using high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled to pulsed amperometric detection. The sucrose accumulation in all but one hybrid, showed genetic additivity. A segregation distortion was identified in the offspring of the backcross to C pseudozanguebariae. There was no year effect and only a low genotype × year interaction. Consequences for breeding, in relation to the coffee cup taste improvement, are discussed.
The diversity of woodland vegetation in Central Albania along an altitudinal gradient of 1300 m

Abstract The woodland vegetation of Central Albania is studied and discussed along an altitudinal gradient in the Dajti National Park (DNP). The plant species combinations recorded in 168 plots were classified and subjected to indirect gradient analysis using environmental variables of geology, soil, topography, disturbance and grazing impact. The transect over more than 1300 m reflects the biogeographically intermediate paramediterranean vegetation zonation and the relatively humid Mediterranean “hygric series” at its eastern margins. It reveals the total range of woodland types known to occur in Central Albania, thus stressing the representativity of the area regarding biodiversity and biogeography, and its importance for nature conservation. Along the elevation gradient, we found three plant communities of the mesomediterranean Quercetalia ilicis, five of the supramediterranean Quercetalia pubescentis and five of the montane or oromediterranean Fagetalia sylvaticae.
A comparative thermophysiological study on water-deprived goats and camels

This study aimed to characterise and compare the thermophysiological adaptation of goats and camels to water deprivation under hot environmental conditions. A total of five male Aardi goats (25±3.2 kg BW; 10±2 months old) as well as five male Majaheem camels (340±16.6 kg; 22±2 months old) were used in this study. This study was performed during summer season and lasted for 6 weeks. During the De-hydration period, water was withheld for 72 hours. The results revealed that core body temperature (T c) of both species had monophasic circadian rhythms with a rhythm's oscillation of 0.67°C in goats and 0.45°C in camels during the Eu-hydration period. Water deprivation accompanied with heat stress affected the circadian rhythm of T c in both species, but the effect was delayed in camels compared to goats. In addition, camels exhibited smaller oscillation of T c rhythm (0.98oC) than goats (1.53oC), which might indicate a better thermoregulatory system of camels. Water deprivation for 72 hours increased most of the measured haematological and biochemical parameters in both species, but camels exhibited smaller percentage changes compared to goats. These results demonstrate the greater capability of camels, compared to goats, to tolerate water deprivation under hot environmental conditions.
Properties of aseptically packed ultra-heat-treated milk: Electron microscopic examination of changes occurring during storage

Summary Changes in the appearance of casein micelles and fat globules in ultra-heat-treated (UHT) milk were comparatively slight within a 14-month storage period although closer inspection often revealed the beginnings of some of the changes observed after even longer storage. Within this period the milks remained liquid and no evidence for any proteolytic breakdown was seen on electrophoretio examination. After 34 months the milks had all gelled and there was evidence of a small amount of proteolytic breakdown. Electron microscopic changes were striking and depended on storage temperature. At 4 °C the casein micelles in the gel phase had become very ‘spiky’ and long tendrils often bridged micelles, forming extensive networks. At room temperature and at 30 °C this tendril formation was less marked and the average micelle size was considerably greater than in freshly processed milk. There was also clear evidence for the coalescence of micelles. After storage at 37 °C the micelles were much larger than in the other samples, often exceeding 0·4 mμ in diam.
DHEA and Immune Function: Activities and Mechanism of Action

Optimum function of an individual's immune system throughout their life is intimately dependent upon the production and pleiotropic activities of a well-balanced network of protein cytokines and growth factors. While these molecules are intimately involved in the proliferation, differentiation, and survival of the various types of lymphoid cells asso ciated with the immune system, their diverse bio logic activities also extend to the regulation of a variety of physiologic processes by many distinct tissues and organ systems. Age, stress, environmen tal factors, and many infectious agents subvert nor mal host defenses by their capacity to facilitate a detrimental remodeling of a host's cytokine produc tion in response to a particular exogenous stimula tion. Dysregulation in the cytokine network can, therefore, lead to altered cellular responsiveness and result in a lowered capacity to elicit protective effec tor responses. Abnormalities in cytokine expression may also lead to the promotion of autoreactive host responses and autoimmunity.
Interaction Between α and β‐Adrenergic Receptor Agonists Modulating the Slow Ca2+‐activated K+ Current ‐ IAHP in Hippocampd Neurons

Noradrenaline inhibits the Ca2+‐activated K+ current IAHP, which underlies the slow afterhyperpolarization and spike frequency adaptation in hippocampal and neocortical neurons. The resulting increase in excitability probably contributes to the state control of the forebrain during arousal and attention. The modulation of IAHP by noradrenaline has previously been shown to be mediated by β1 receptors, cyclic AMP and protein kinase A, but not by α receptors. We have now tested the possibility that a receptors also contribute to IAHP modulation through interaction with β receptors, by the use of whole‐cell recordings in CA1 pyramidal cells of rat hippocampal slices. The α‐receptor agonist 6‐fluoro‐noradrenaline strongly potentiated the effect of isoproterenol on IAHP. The synergistic effect of 6‐fluoro‐noradrenaline and soproterenol was blocked by the β‐receptor antagonist timolol, but the receptor type mediating the effect of 6‐fluoro‐noradrenaline could not be unequivocally identified by using α‐receptor antagonists. The effect of high concentrations of noradrenaline on IAHP was only partly blocked by the β‐receptor antagonist timolol, and was further reduced by blocking α receptors, again suggesting a contribution from α receptors. In contrast, the effect of low concentrations of noradrenaline seemed to be potentiated by the α‐receptor antagonist phentolamine in 57% of the cells, suggesting concentration dependent antagonistic interaction between α and β receptors. Further tests indicated that the cross‐talk between 6‐fluoro‐noradrenaline and isoproterenol occurs upstream from cyclic AMP production, and that protein kinase A serves as a final common path for the modulation of IAHP by noradrenaline, and by the combination of 6‐fluoro‐noradrenaline and isoproterenol.
Measurement of Oxidation in Fish Oil and its Effect on Vitamin E Nutrition of Rainbow Trout (Salmo gairdneri)

Peroxide value (PV), anisidine value, and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) number were compared as methods for measuring oxidation in fish oils and fish diets. PV was the method of choice for estimating oxidation in the oil. Methods for measuring moderately oxidized oil after being mixed in the diets are discussed. Analyses of dietary samples revealed that the TBA numbers and percentages of polyunsaturated fatty acids were not greatly altered by the addition of moderately oxidized fish oil and by the long-term storage (24 wk) of the diet at room temperature. However, endogenous α-tocopherol levels in the diet were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced by both the addition of moderately oxidized oil and by 24-wk storage. The level of supplemental DL-α-tocopheryl acetate was not changed by the treatments. Fish fed the experimental diets showed no significant differences in body weight gain, feed/gain ratio, mortality, carcass composition, hematocrit, or plasma glutathione peroxidase activity. However, the α-tocopherol .
Sexual differences in the absolute growth pattern of the Indo-Pacific sandy shore crab Matuta lunaris

The absolute growth pattern of Matuta lunaris (Forskal) is assessed, based on moult increment data and analyses of size frequency distributions. Both sexes show determinate growth with maturity occurring at the terminal puberty moult. However, Matuta lunaris is unusual as the sexes differ markedly in their growth patterns. Males mature at a larger size than females and grow to a larger maximum size. Male growth is characterized by relatively constant moult increments and an unknown and possibly variable number of immature instars with widely overlapping size ranges. In contrast, female growth is characterized by relatively large moult increments and a fixed number of instars, each with restricted size ranges.
Algorithmic Techniques for Necessary and Possible Winners

We investigate the practical aspects of computing the necessary and possible winners in elections over incomplete voter preferences. In the case of the necessary winners, we show how to implement and accelerate the polynomial-time algorithm of Xia and Conitzer. In the case of the possible winners, where the problem is NP-hard, we give a natural reduction to Integer Linear Programming (ILP) for all positional scoring rules and implement it in a leading commercial optimization solver. Further, we devise optimization techniques to minimize the number of ILP executions and, oftentimes, avoid them altogether. We conduct a thorough experimental study that includes the construction of a rich benchmark of election data based on real and synthetic data. Our findings suggest that, the worst-case intractability of the possible winners notwithstanding, the algorithmic techniques presented here scale well and can be used to compute the possible winners in realistic scenarios.
The double Compton process in astrophysical plasmas

We study the double Compton (DC) process for a wide range of particle energies, extending previous treatments well beyond the soft photon limit, employing both numerical and analytical methods. This allows us to investigate the physics of the DC process up to the highly relativistic regime relevant to electromagnetic particle cascades in the early Universe and photon-dominated astrophysical plasmas. Generalized exact analytic expressions for the DC emissivity in the soft photon limit are obtained. These are compared to existing approximations, for the first time studying the ultra-relativistic regime. We also numerically integrate the full DC collision term calculating the DC emissivity at general particle energies. A careful treatment of DC infrared divergences inside astrophysical plasmas, including subtle effects related to the presence of stimulated DC emission, is discussed. The obtained results can be efficiently represented using the code DCpack, which also allows one to compute average emissivities for general incoming electron and photon distributions. This puts the modelling of the DC process inside astrophysical plasmas on a solid footing and should find applications in particular for computations of the cosmological thermalization problem in the early Universe.
Z 0 boson associated b-jet production in high-energy nuclear collisions

The production of vector boson tagged heavy quark jets potentially provides new tools to probe the jet quenching effect. In this paper, we present the first theoretical study on the angular correlations ( ), transverse momentum imbalance ( ), and nuclear modification factor ( ) of boson tagged b-jets in heavy-ion collisions, which was performed using a Monte Carlo transport model. We find that the medium modification of the for + b-jet has a weaker dependence on than that for + jet, and the modification patterns are sensitive to the initial jet distribution. Additionally, with the high purity of the quark jet in + (b-) jet production, we calculate the momentum imbalance and the nuclear modification factor of + b-jet in Pb+Pb collisions. We observe a smaller and larger of + b-jet in Pb+Pb collisions relative to those of + jet, which may be an indication of the mass effect of jet quenching and can be tested in future measurements.
Phosphorus in soils of riparian and non‐riparian wetland and buffer strips in the Waikato area, New Zealand

Abstract This paper examines the potential for phosphorus (P) release from intensively grazed pasture to waterways. In particular it describes the P release processes occurring in riparian buffer strips. Soil samples at three depths (0–2.5, 2.5–7.5, and 7.5–15 cm) were collected from riparian buffer strips, including wetland and non‐riparian areas at three pasture sites. These soil samples were analysed for total P, plant available P as measured by Olsen P, and soil solution P as measured by 0.01M CaCl2‐extractable P. The P retention capacity and P buffering capacity of the riparian soils were also measured. A significant relationship was found between Olsen P and 0.01M CaCl2‐extractable soil P, indicating that soils with a high plant available P pool (measured as Olsen P) potentially have a high P loss in subsurface flow (as represented by CaCl2‐extractable P). All of the CaCl2‐P concentrations in the top 2.5 cm soil depth at the study sites were higher than the threshold concentration (0.01 mg CaCl2‐P litre–1) considered to stimulate fresh water algal growth. This P could contribute to P losses through leaching and surface runoff. However, soils at lower depths (2.5–7.5 and 7.5–15 cm) were found to have higher P sorption and higher P buffering capacity, thus potentially can trap more (15–45 kg P ha–1) than the surface profile (0–2.5 cm). Subsoils may therefore play an important role in controlling P release. The P release may vary depending on the P sorption characteristic of soils and flow pathways. Development of riparian buffer strips for an effective decrease in P losses from intensively grazed systems should take into account P release characteristics of the soil, the distribution of P in soil profile, and the time necessary for plant available P (i.e., Olsen P) to decline to acceptable levels.
Linear Quadratic Gaussian Mean-Field Controls of Social Optima

This paper investigates a class of unified stochastic linear-quadratic-Gaussian (LQG) social optima problems involving a large number of weakly-coupled interactive agents under a generalized setting. For each individual agent, the control and state process enters both diffusion and drift terms in its linear dynamics, and the control weight might be indefinite in cost functional. This setup is innovative and has great theoretical and realistic significance as its applications in mathematical finance (e.g., portfolio selection in mean-variation model). Using some fully-coupled variational analysis under the person-by-person optimality principle, and the mean-field approximation method, the decentralized social control is derived by a class of new type consistency condition (CC) system for typical representative agent. Such CC system is some mean-field forward-backward stochastic differential equation (MF-FBSDE) combined with embedding representation. The well-posedness of such forward-backward stochastic differential equation (FBSDE) system is carefully examined. The related social asymptotic optimality is related to the convergence of the average of a series of weakly-coupled backward stochastic differential equation (BSDE). They are verified through some Lyapunov equations.
Concentrations of BSA-Binding Proanthocyanidins in Red Wines Produced in Japan

Proanthocyanidin (PA), total phenol (TP) and alcohol concentrations, as well as the spectrophotometric parameters, of 165 commercial Japanese red wines made from Muscat Bailey A (hybrid: Bailey × Muscat Hamburg, MBA), Cabernet Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera, CS), Merlot (V. vinifera, MER), and Zweigeltrebe (V. vinifera, ZR) were measured. MBA wines had extremely low PA concentrations (65 mg catechin equivalent (CAE) /L), as compared to CS (312 mg CAE/L), MER (356 mg CAE/L) and ZR wines (412 mg CAE/L). PA concentration was positively correlated with TP concentration and color intensity. A negative correlation was also observed between PA concentration and color hue value. Although alcohol is known to be important for the extraction of PAs into wine, its concentration showed no correlation with PA concentration.
Continuous time mean–variance–utility portfolio problem and its equilibrium strategy

In this paper, we propose a new class of optimization problems, which maximize the terminal wealth and accumulated consumption utility subject to a mean–variance criterion controlling the final risk of the portfolio. The multiple-objective optimization problem is firstly transformed into a single-objective one by introducing the concept of overall ‘happiness’ of an investor defined as the aggregation of the terminal wealth under the mean–variance criterion and the expected accumulated utility, and then solved under a game-theoretic framework. We have managed to maintain analytical tractability; the closed-form solutions found for a set of special utility functions enable us to discuss some interesting optimal investment strategies that have not been revealed in the literature before.