Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Disease complex in coffee involving Meloidogyne arabicida and Fusarium oxysporum

Coffee corky-root disease, also called corchosis, was first detected in 1974 in a small area of Costa Rica where the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne arabicida is the dominant species. An epidemiological study revealed a constant association between Meloidogyne spp. and Fusarium sp. in cases of corky root. No corky root appears to have been reported in association with Meloidogyne exigua, which is the prevalent root-knot nematode on coffee in Costa Rica. Fusarium spp. are often cited as components of disease complexes in association with nematodes. Combined inoculations using M. arabicida or M. exigua with Fusarium oxysporum under controlled conditions showed that only the combination with M. arabicida produced corky-root symptoms on Coffea arabica cvs Caturra or Catuai. Fusarium oxysporum alone was nonpathogenic. Meloidogyne exigua or M. arabicida alone caused galls and reduction in shoot height, but no corky-root symptoms. When cultivars susceptible and resistant to M. arabicida were studied under field conditions for 5 years, all the susceptible cultivars exhibited corky-root symptoms on 40–80% of their root systems. Cultivars that were resistant to M. arabicida but not to M. exigua showed no corky root. These observations lead to the conclusion that corky-root disease has a complex etiology, and emphasize the dominant role of M. arabicida as a predisposing agent to subsequent invasion by F. oxysporum. Consequently, genetic resistance to M. arabicida appears to provide an effective strategy against the disease.
Some Nematodes From the Moor House National Nature Reserve, Westmorland

Information is given on nematodes collected over a period of two years from a British montane moorland area with predominantly acid peat soils. Thirty-eight genera and twenty-eight species were indentified, but although these vary in their distribution on the different habitats studied, no strictly moorland nematode fauna was found.
Resin ducts of Pinus halepensis Mill.–Their structure, development and pattern of arrangement

The primary resin ducts in the axis of plants of Pinus halepensis Mill, consist of two separate systems the pattern of which is correlated with the vascular systems of the organs in which they appear. These systems are: (1) ducts of the roots and the hypocotyl; (2) ducts of all the branches and juvenile leaves or scaleS. Both systems are produced by the apical meristemS. In the needles there is a third system of primary resin ducts situated in the mesophyll. These ducts are produced only to a small extent by the apical meristem of the needle and mainly by its intercalary meristem. In addition to these primary ducts of the needle, which form a separate system for each needle, at the base of the needle there may be ducts of secondary origin which are situated within the vein. These are continuous with secondary ducts of the brachyblast axis. The secondary ducts constitute one system in the secondary xylem and phloem of the roots, branches and needle bases. They are formed by the cambium. In the xylem there are vertical and radial ducts which together form co-planar radial networkS. Each radial duct starts from a vertical duct. The first location of the stimulus for the formation of the two types of ducts is discussed. In the phloem there are only radial ducts, continuous with the radial ducts of the xylem. The cavities of the radial phloem and xylem ducts are not continuous, as there are no intercellular spaces in the region of the cambium. The innermost vertical ducts of the secondary xylem form a kind of transitional type, in respect of their response to internal and external factors, between the primary resin ducts and the bulk of the secondary resin ducts.
Characterization of primary immune response in Ghanaian local, Sasso T-44 and broiler chickens to sheep red blood cell antigens

Animals should have the capacity to adapt to changing environmental pressures to ensure sustainable productivity. The easier an animal can adapt to disease burdens without extra cost to the farmer, the more profitable the enterprise becomes. Effective immune response protects organisms against disease insults and contributes to improved productivity. Primary immune response of Ghanaian local, Sasso T-44 and broiler chickens to sheep red blood cell (SRBC) antigens was measured 5 days post-inoculation. Antibody levels were determined by haemagglutination. Local ecotypes and Sasso T-44 chicken were superior to broilers in terms of their ability to respond to antigens. Female chickens produced more antibodies in response to increased concentration of SRBC antigens while the opposite was true in the male population. Further investigation of the genetic correlation between production performance and immune response of various chicken breeds will help establish the effect of, for example, high growth rate of broilers on their immunological status.
Insecticidal activity of garlic juice in two dipteran pests

Abstract 1 Botanical products excluding pyrethroids constitute a small, but growing portion of the U.K. pesticides market. With increasing legislative pressure upon chemical pesticides such as organophosphates, interest in this sector is increasing steadily. 2 Garlic Allium sativum L. juices and extracts form the basis of several commercially available pest control products, but the performance of these products is variable, possibly due to lack of quality control upon batches of materials in the manufacturing process. 3 Some garlic products designed for use in the food industry are subjected to rigorous batch‐control to ensure organoleptic consistency. We studied the insecticidal efficacy of a commercially produced food grade garlic juice using two target dipteran pests, Delia radicum (L.) and Musca domestica L. 4 Exposure of the two species to different concentrations of garlic juice revealed variability in insecticidal effect across life stages. LC50 values recorded for D. radicum were: eggs (7‐day exposure) 0.8%; larvae (24‐h exposure) 26.4%; larvae (48‐h exposure) 6.8%; and adults (24‐h exposure) 0.4%. LC50 values recorded for M. domestica were: eggs (7‐day exposure) 1.6%; larvae (24‐h exposure) 10.1%; larvae (24‐h exposure) 4.5%; and adults (24‐h exposure) 2.2%. 5 Mortality rates caused by the garlic juice were comparable with those obtained with the organophosphate pesticide Birlane®, indicating parity of effect at various concentrations depending on life stage. 6 We conclude that this product may provide an effective, naturally‐derived insecticide for use in agricultural systems against dipteran pests.
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS): pros and cons for investors

Abstract Accounting in shaped by economic and political forces. It follows that increased worldwide integration of both markets and politics (driven by reductions in communications and information processing costs) makes increased integration of financial reporting standards and practice almost inevitable. But most market and political forces will remain local for the foreseeable future, so it is unclear how much convergence in actual financial reporting practice will (or should) occur. Furthermore, there is little settled theory or evidence on which to build an assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of uniform accounting rules within a country, let alone internationally. The pros and cons of IFRS therefore are somewhat conjectural, the unbridled enthusiasm of allegedly altruistic proponents notwithstanding. On the ‘pro’ side of the ledger, I conclude that extraordinary success has been achieved in developing a comprehensive set of ‘high quality’ IFRS standards, in persuading almost 100 countries to adopt them, and in obtaining convergence in standards with important non-adopters (notably, the US). On the ‘con’ side. I envisage problems with the current fascination of the IASB (and the FASB) with ‘fair value accounting’. A deeper concern is that there inevitably will be substantial differences among countries in implementation of IFRS, which now risk being concealed by a veneer of uniformity. The notion that uniform standards alone will produce uniform financial reporting seems naive. In addition, I express several longer run concerns. Time will tell.
Validation of Daily Growth Increments in Otoliths from Thryssa aestuaria (Ogilby), a Tropical Anchovy from Northern Australia

Age and growth parameters were determined for the tropical anchovy Thryssa aestuaria from northern Queensland, Australia. Larval and juvenile forms of T. aestuaria, believed to be a single cohort recruited in the spring of 1990, were sampled between October 1990 and January 1991. Counts of growth rings in sagittal otoliths were determined for specimens from three of these samples. Comparisons of the different ring counts of fish from successive samples with the number of days elapsed between samples suggested that the growth rings examined were deposited daily. Two specimens of T. aestuaria marked with tetracycline hydrochloride in aquaria were found to deposit growth rings in the sagitta at a rate of one ring per day. Problems associated with reading daily growth rings in tropical anchovies are discussed in light of the results of this study. Growth in T. aestuaria is discussed in relation to reported growth information for other species of tropical anchovies.
EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE AND PHOTOPERIOD ON GROWTH AND DORMANCY OF BETULA PAPYRIFERA

The effects of day/night temperatures and photoperiod on the growth and dormancy of paper birch (Betula papyrifera) were studied in seedlings from different geographic origins. The response of Alaskan plants to temperature and photoperiod was distinctly different from other seed sources. Alaskan plants required very long days to prevent cessation of growth while plants from southern seed sources grew on photoperiods as short as 14 hr. Low night temperature (14 C) antagonized the promotive action of long photoperiods in Alaskan plants but had little effect in other seed sources. High day temperatures offset the inhibitory effect of the cool night to a lesser degree in Alaskan plants than in plants from other locations. Dormancy induced by short photoperiods was antagonized (relieved ? ) to a lesser degree by high night temperatures in Alaskan birch than in other seed sources. Betula papyrifera var. humilis from Alaska may be an incipient species since its morphological traits are accompanied by adaptive physiological responses to its environment. These responses are as distinct as its morphological character-
Activation of Wild-Type Cytochrome P450BM3 by the Next Generation of Decoy Molecules: Enhanced Hydroxylation of Gaseous Alkanes and Crystallographic Evidence

The direct hydroxylation of alkanes under mild conditions is a key issue in catalytic chemistry that addresses an increasing number of industrial and economic requirements. Cytochrome P450s are monooxygenases that are capable of oxidizing less reactive C–H bonds; however, wild-type P450s are unavailable for many important nonnative substrates such as gaseous alkanes. Here, we report the enhanced hydroxylation activities and crystallographic evidence for the role of decoy molecules in wild-type P450BM3-catalyzed hydroxylation of gaseous ethane and propane by using the next generation of decoy molecule. A cocrystal structure of P450BM3 and a decoy molecule reveals that an N-perfluoroacyl amino acid (decoy molecule) partially occupies the substrate-binding site of P450BM3. This binding of the decoy re-forms the active site pocket to allow the accommodation of small substrates and simultaneously influences the formation of compound I species by expelling water molecules from the active site.
Conjugated linoleic acids alleviated immunosuppression in broiler chickens exposed to cyclosporin A

Abstract An experiment with 3×2 factorial arrangement was carried out to determine the effects of dietary conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) on immune function in cyclosporin A (CsA)-immunosuppressed chickens. Two hundred and sixteen one-day-old chickens were randomly allocated into six treatments with CLA (80:20 of c9, t11-CLA:t10, c12-CLA) levels (0, 1.0% and 2.0%) and immunosuppression (treated with CsA or saline with olive oil). CsA treatment significantly (P<0.05) decreased peripheral blood lymphocyte proliferation in response to concanavalin A (Con A) mitogen, CD4+ lymphocyte subsets and Interleukin-2 (IL-2) production. CLA diets significantly (P<0.05) increased the relative weight of the bursa, lymphocyte proliferation in response to Con A, IL-2 production and CD4+ lymphocyte subsets. Interaction between CLA and CsA on lymphocyte proliferation in response to Con A and CD4+ lymphocyte subsets was observed, which indicated that c9, t11-CLA may play a primary role in enhancing immune function under both normal physiological and immunosuppressive conditions.
Chemical changes during the development and ripening of the fruit of Cucumis melo (cv. Makdimon)

Changes in the aroma volatiles, free amino acids, sugars, principal acids, and soluble minerals were studied during the development and ripening of the fruit of Cucumis melo L. Reticulatis group cv. Makdimon. Ethyl acetate was the most abundant volatile produced during the final growth stage, but ethanol was the major volatile found in immature fruit. Most of the free amino acids exhibited increases in concentration as the fruit underwent the ripening process. Sucrose, although absent in immature fruit, showed a dramatic increase during ripening to become the major carbohydrate constituent in the ripe fruit. The changes in total soluble solids during ripening showed close correlation with those found for pH, certain amino acids, and the elements sodium and potassium. Sucrose concentration has been shown to be an important fruit quality indicator, so these further correlations suggest that some of these parameters may be significant additional determinants of eating quality. Keywords: Melons; fruit develop.
Comment

The article of Carrasco and Rossi deals with forecasting with many predictors. This is an important topic in macroeconomics because of the availability of a rich set of information that can be potentially useful for forecasting key macroeconomic indicators. Hence, it is not surprising that macroeconometricians have been at the forefront of the recent developments in big-data analytics (see Diebold 2012; De Mol et al. 2016), by pioneering the empirical application and the theoretical analysis of regularization techniques for high-dimensional econometric modeling. Stock and Watson (1999, 2002a, 2002b) introduced the principal components (PC) regression, De Mol, Giannone, and Reichlin (2008) considered the Ridge (R) penalized regression, and more recently Kelly and Pruitt (2015) studied Partial Least Squares (PLS). These seminal studies and subsequent research have shown that regularization techniques are appropriate tools for the exploitation of large information in macroeconomic forecasting. From a theoretical point of view, it has been shown that, when the number of predictors and the sample size become large, the forecasts obtained by means of different regularization methods all converge to the optimal linear predictions implied by an approximate factor structure. The intuition is that all methods capture the same large and pervasive factors since they all give large weight to the linear combinations of the predictors that explain most of their variance. These results have been confirmed by empirical analysis, which has shown that: (a) macroeconomic predictions are more accurate when many predictors are considered; and (b) different regularization methods produce forecasts that are very similar. Carrasco and Rossi contribute to this literature by showing that the same theoretical and empirical results hold true for an additional method—the Landweber–Fridman—and for an additional set of assumptions—“the ill-posed model. ” They also investigate Generalized Cross-Validation and Mallows’ criteria for setting the degree of shrinkage. The discussion is organized as follows. Section 2 provides additional insights about regularization, with particular focus on the intuition, the interpretation, and the use in macroeconomics. Section 3 complements the empirical analysis of Carrasco and Rossi using an alternative monthly dataset.
Gypsum effects on soil chemical properties under two management systems

The combination of gypsum application and soil management may influence soil chemical properties. In this context, the aim of this paper was to evaluate soil chemical properties under two management systems and residual gypsum in soil after 55 months from treatment application. This experiment was developed in FCA/UFGD in Dourados-MS, Brazil under a randomized block design with subdivided plots and four replications. Main plots, subplots and subsubplots consisted of tillage systems (conventional and no tillage), gypsum application and soil depth (0-0,05, 0,05-0,10, 0,10-0,15, 0,15-0,20 and 0,20-0,30 m), respectively. There were no effects of residual gypsum on calcium levels. The combination of no tillage system and residual gypsum increased potassium and sulfur as well as reduced potential acidity. However, residual gypsum increased soil potential acidity in conventional system. No tillage system increased calcium levels in the depths 0-0.05 and 0.05-0.10 m, organic matter down to 0.05 m, sulfur accumulation in the depths 0.05-0.10 and 0.10-0.15 m, sum of bases and base saturation in the depth 0.05-0.10. Conversely, magnesium levels in the depth 0.10-0.15 m, phosphorus from 0.05 to 0.15 m, potential acidity from 0.05 to 0.10 m and ECC in the depth 0.10-0.15 m were decreased. Effects of residual gypsum increased sulfur and base saturation from 0.20 to 0.30 m, but decreased magnesium and phosphorus levels in the depth 0.05-0.10 m. Soil active acidity and potassium levels were decreased in deeper soil layers.
Lateral organization of aquatic invertebrates along the corridor of a braided floodplain river

Abstract Although spatial scale, upstream–downstream gradients, environmental variability, and floodplain connectivity and complexity have been recognized as integral components of our understanding of riverine pattern and process, aquatic invertebrate community structure across lateral gradients from headwaters to the lowland of a river has received little empirical documentation. Aquatic invertebrate density, distribution, and richness were investigated at 29 study sites distributed laterally (main channel–floodplain) among 6 geomorphologically distinct river reaches from the headwaters to near the mouth of one of the last seminatural river corridors draining the European Alps, the Tagliamento River in northeastern Italy. Community relationships were examined using multivariate and diversity analyses to investigate patterns of taxonomic richness. Diversity parameters were scaled at the site, reach, and catchment levels to better understand local and regional patterns. Mean invertebrate density increased from 7484 ± 2480 (±1 SE) individuals/m2 in the headwaters to 98,811 ± 18,037 individuals/m2 on the lowland floodplain. Crustacea, Coleoptera, and Ephemeroptera richness increased and nonchironomid Diptera and Plecoptera richness declined along the corridor. Richness (α diversity) and turnover (β diversity) showed no consistent increase or decrease along connectivity gradients within geomorphic reaches along the river corridor, possibly because each reach had unique characteristics. α diversity was similar among geomorphic reaches along the corridor, whereas β diversity between reaches increased as a function of distance between them. Direct gradient analysis indicated high taxa-to-environment concordance along lateral (i.e., floodplain water bodies) and longitudinal (upstream–downstream) dimensions and indicated distinct floodplain communities. These results demonstrate how lateral gradients (floodplain dimension) structure zoobenthic communities and how this structure can change along the longitudinal dimension (upstream–downstream). Our results highlight the importance of off-channel environments to macroinvertebrate community structure and diversity. Conservation, restoration, and preservation measures must consider the lateral dimension along river corridors as integral to maintaining diversity and community structure.
Review Article: Methods for Fault Detection, Diagnostics, and Prognostics for Building Systems—A Review, Part II

This paper is the second of a two-part review of methods for automated fault detection and diagnostics (FDD) and prognostics whose intent is to increase awareness of the HVAC&R research and development community to the body of FDD and prognostics developments in other fields as well as advancements in the field of HVAC&R. The first part of the review focused on generic FDD and prognostics, provided a framework for categorizing methods, described them, and identified their primary strengths and weaknesses (Katipamula and Brambley 2005). In this paper we address research and applications specific to the fields of HVAC&R, provide a brief discussion on the current state of diagnostics in buildings, and discuss the future of automated diagnostics in buildings.
Geostatistics

Geostatistical models and techniques such as kriging and stochastic multi-realizations exploit spatial correlations to evaluate natural resources, help optimize their development, and address environmental issues related to air and water quality, soil pollution, and forestry. Geostatistics: Modeling Spatial Uncertainty, Second Edition presents a comprehensive, up-to-date reference on the topic, now featuring the latest developments in the field.
Seventy-seven years of natural disturbances in a mountain forest area—the influence of storm, snow, and insect damage analysed with a long- term time series

We investigated the effects of site properties, forest structure, and time on snow breakage, insect outbreaks, windthrow, and total damage for predominantly planted forests. A time series of forest damage in southwestern Germany spanning 77 years, from 1925 to 2001, was available along with a database on site properties and forest structure. The stat- istical modeling procedure successively addressed (i) probability of damage occurrence, (ii) timber loss in damaging events, and (iii) interaction among damage agents over time. Logistic and linear regressions were combined with multivari- ate autoregressive techniques. Natural disturbances were responsible for a total timber loss of 3.0 m 3 � ha -1 � year -1 . The dis- tribution of the timber loss values over the years and over sites and stands with different properties was modeled with a standard error of 6.7 m 3 � ha -1 � year -1 . Disturbances are more likely to occur in previously damaged stands. Storm events typically provoke subsequent insect outbreaks between 2 and 6 years later. Large windthrow and snow breakage events tend to occur periodically, once every 10th, 11th, or 15th year. Analysis of disturbances as a time series significantly en- hances understanding of forest risk processes.
Jean Gourd Statement of Research

I believe that research and teaching collectively support one another. Research strengthens teaching; teaching sustains research. As a result, a lot of what drives my research is not only based on my personal interests within the field of computer science, but is also influenced by what I teach and, perhaps more specifically, the feedback that I receive from the students that I teach. I find that my personal interests generally direct my research and that teaching tends to more precisely focus it.