Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nitro: A Nondormant Alfalfa Variety for Maximum Single Year Production

ITRO’ is a nondormant alfalfa that was released “ in 1986 by the University of Minnesota’s Agricultural Experiment Station and the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service. Nondormant means that this alfalfa does not prepare for winter by storing carbohydrates in the roots. Thus, the variety will not consistently overwinter. Because Nitro does not store carbohydrates in the roots during the fall of the year, it can use this energy for topgrowth. This feature distinguishes Nitro from the dormant and moderately dormant varieties that are now being grown in the northern states of this country. Nitro can provide four to six weeks more topgrowth and nitrogen fixation than the traditional dormant varieties. Nitro was also selected for larger roots and increased concentration of nitrogen in these roots. These features make Nitro a better plowdown alternative than traditional dormant and semi-dormant alfalfas, since Nitro can return more nitrogen-rich leaves, stems, and roots to the soil. Nitro is an annual alfalfa that can be used as a high quality forage crop, a fall plowdown green manure crop, or it can be used combining both of these practices. However Nitro is managed, establishment procedures that maximize forage production in the first year must be implemented. To produce maximum forage yields, Nitro should be planted as early as possible, at a depth of ! A to ! h in. in a firm seedbed. Nitro alfalfa, as do other alfalfas, will also experience an increase in emergence when the planting unit has press wheels or rollers to ensure good soil-seed contact. Generally, establishment methods that have worked well on dormant alfalfa varieties will also work well with Nitro. Nitro alfalfa can be established with a companion crop, soloseeded with a herbicide, or soloseeded without a herbicide. Since Nitro can only be expected to produce for one growing season, the forage should be removed before any companion crop reaches the head stage. By reducing the competition, more and higher quality alfalfa forage can be produced. When Nitro is soloseeded without a herbicide, the first cutting should be taken when the weeds are vegetative; this practice will also allow for the highest quality forage production. The option of plowing the crop in the fall without harvesting is not economical because the forage is worth much more as
Modeling Direct and Indirect Action on Cell Survival After Photon Irradiation under Normoxia and Hypoxia

The demand for personalized medicine in radiotherapy has been met by a surge of mechanistic models offering predictions of the biological effect of ionizing radiation under consideration of a growing number of parameters. We present an extension of our existing model of cell survival after photon irradiation to explicitly differentiate between the damage inflicted by the direct and indirect (radicals-mediated) action of ionizing radiation. Within our approach, we assume that the oxygenation status affects the indirect action. The effect of different concentrations of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), an effective radical scavenger, has been simulated at different dose levels in normoxic and hypoxic conditions for various cell lines. Our model is found to accurately predict experimental data available in literature, validating the assumptions made in our approach. The presented extension adds further flexibility to our model and could act as basis for further developments of our model.
Balanço de cálcio e fósforo e estudo dos níveis desses minerais em dietas para codornas japonesas (45 a 57 semanas de idade)

This experiment was conducted aiming to verify the effect of four levels of calcium (Ca) and available phosphorus (aP) in the diet on the performance, quality of eggs and the mineral excretion in Japanese quails during the final third of the production cycle. A total of 384 quails at 313 days of age was used. They were distributed in a complete random design in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme composed of four levels of calcium (2.0, 2.5, 3.0, and 3.5%) and two levels of available phosphorus (0.15 and 0.35%), so each combination was evaluated in six replicates of eight birds. The experimental diets were isoprotein (19.31% CP), isocaloric (2,800 kcal/kg) and isoaminoacids. It was evaluated the production, weight, mass, height and diameter of the eggs, ration consumption, feed conversion, viability, specific weight, the components of eggs (weight and percentage of shell, albumen and yolk), the balance of calcium and total phosphorus and excretion of mineral matter. There was no interaction between the used levels of calcium and available phosphorus. The increase in the level of calcium in the diet linearly improved the conversion by dozen and it reduced the consumption. It also promoted an increase on the specific weight, on the weight and on the percentage of shell and linear reduction on the weight of yolk and it increased the calcium content in the excreta. The viability and content of phosphorus in the excreta increased as the available phosphorus increased, whereas the other variables were not influenced by the levels of calcium and available phosphorus in the diet. The levels of 3.5% of calcium and 0.15% of available phosphorus are sufficient to provide good productive performance and satisfactory maintenance of the quality of eggs of Japanese quails in the final third of laying (45 to 57 weeks of age), and they correspond to a daily consumption of 899 mg of calcium and 40 mg of available phosphorus per bird.
Role of GUCA1C in Primary Congenital Glaucoma and in the Retina: Functional Evaluation in Zebrafish

Primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) is a heterogeneous, inherited, and severe optical neuropathy caused by apoptotic degeneration of the retinal ganglion cell layer. Whole-exome sequencing analysis of one PCG family identified two affected siblings who carried a low-frequency homozygous nonsense GUCA1C variant (c.52G > T/p.Glu18Ter/rs143174402). This gene encodes GCAP3, a member of the guanylate cyclase activating protein family, involved in phototransduction and with a potential role in intraocular pressure regulation. Segregation analysis supported the notion that the variant was coinherited with the disease in an autosomal recessive fashion. GCAP3 was detected immunohistochemically in the adult human ocular ciliary epithelium and retina. To evaluate the ocular effect of GUCA1C loss-of-function, a guca1c knockout zebrafish line was generated by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated the presence of GCAP3 in the non-pigmented ciliary epithelium and retina of adult wild-type fishes. Knockout animals presented up-regulation of the glial fibrillary acidic protein in Müller cells and evidence of retinal ganglion cell apoptosis, indicating the existence of gliosis and glaucoma-like retinal damage. In summary, our data provide evidence for the role of GUCA1C as a candidate gene in PCG and offer new insights into the function of this gene in the ocular anterior segment and the retina.
Efficacy of occlusal splints in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Abstract Objective This systematic review aimed to assess the efficacy of occlusal splints in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). Material and Methods This systematic review was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Four databases (Medline via Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase and Scopus) were searched, the last search was conducted on April 2020. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) employing the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) or Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) as diagnostic criteria and including occlusal splint as one of the experimental groups were included in the present study. The data from the included studies were extracted and assessed for risk of bias. Results Eleven studies were included. The sample size ranged from 12 to 96 subjects. The male to female ratio was 0 to 25%. The mean length of follow-up was 4 months. Occlusal splint had a positive effect on mandibular movements in all included studies. Seven studies showed a positive effect of occlusal splint on chronic pain reduction and pain intensity, while two others showed improvement of temporomandibular joint clicking sounds and locking of the jaws. Moreover, improvements in mouth opening, depression, and anxiety symptoms, were reported in four studies. Conclusions An occlusal splint can be considered as a non-invasive treatment approach for patients with TMD, especially those with signs and symptoms of restriction of mandibular movement and pain. Moreover, the present findings highlighted an urgent need of a standardised consensus regarding the prognostic evaluation of TMD.
Investigation of Stomata Densities in Pea ( Pisum sativum L.) Lines/Cultivars

This study was conducted to determine, if stomata density can be used as a criterion in cultivar differentiation or not. In this study, density of stomatas in stipula and abaxial and adaxial surface of leaflets was determined in the flowering and pod set period of 23 pea cultivars and lines that were sowed as wintertime for 2 years. The effect of years on the stomata density in other parts sections except for the stomata numbers in stipula and leaflet adaxial surface were determined on the level of statistical significance. In pod setting period, stomata numbers were higher compared to the flowering period. Stomata number in leaf section of the 5 cultivars used in the trial is in general higher than those of the lines. The determination of year x genotype interaction in the study shows that there is not enough evidence for using this characteristic for cultivar differentiation.
Interspecific Crossability and Inheritance in Pelargonium

Different Pelargonium hybrids are of great importance to horticulture. Breeding; for F1 hybrid and clonal eultivars is particularly prevalent in Europe, Japan and North America. The results of a great deal of breeding research are scattered throughout different journals and published in several different languages. The aim of this review is to summarize the results of research on interspecific crosses and the inheritance of flower and leaf colour, plant habit, resistance and floret type.
Effect of some parental and environmental factors on some reproductive traits of Japanese quails

Abstract The present study was undertaken to determine the influence of parental and environmental factors (body weight, laying period, egg weight and light) on some reproductive characteristics of the Japanese quail. Data pertaining to 2413 eggs obtained from 40 male and 40 female Japanese quails were studied using a logistic regression model. Hatchability was determined to decrease with parent body weights falling below the population mean. Fertility and hatchability were determined to decrease with the ageing of breeder pairs. The relationship between egg weight and fertility was demonstrated to be insignificant, yet the best hatchability was determined in eggs weighing 11-12 grams (P<0.01). Both fertility and hatchability were determined to decrease with increasing light intensity (P<0.01).
Protein quality in ready‐to‐use supplementary foods for moderate wasting

Abstract There are no guidelines for the optimal protein quality of ready‐to‐supplementary food (RUSF) for moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). This randomized, controlled, double‐blinded, clinical effectiveness trial evaluated two RUSFs in the treatment of MAM. Both foods contained greater than 7% dairy protein, but the protein‐optimized RUSF had a calculated digestible indispensable amino acid score (DIAAS) of 95%, whereas the control RUSF had a calculated DIAAS of 63%. There were 1,737 rural Malawian children 6–59 months of age treated with 75 kcal/kg/day of either control or protein quality‐optimized RUSF for up to 12 weeks. There was no difference in the proportion of children who recovered from MAM between the group that received protein‐optimized RUSF (759/860, 88%) and the group that received control RUSF (766/877, 87%, difference 1%, 95% CI, −2.1 to 4.1, p = 0.61). There were no differences in time to recovery or average weight gain; nor were adverse effects reported. Both RUSFs showed indistinguishable clinical outcomes, with recovery rates higher than typically seen in treatment for MAM. The DIAAS of these two RUSFs was measured using a pig model. Unexpectedly, the protein quality of the optimized RUSF was inferior to the control RUSF: DIAAS = 82% for the protein quality optimized RUSF and 96% for control RUSF. The controlled conditions of this trial suggest that in supplementary food products for MAM, protein quality is not an independent predictor of clinical effectiveness.
Optimization of C:N ratio and minimal initial carbon source for poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) production by Bacillus megaterium.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this research was the optimization of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)—P(3HB)—production in submerged cultures of Bacillus megaterium in a mineral medium using sucrose as carbon source and nitrogen as the limiting substrate. Small-scale experiments were carried out in shake flasks at 30 °C and 160 rpm in order to evaluate the best initial sucrose concentration and carbon:nitrogen ratio to maximize biomass accumulation and biopolymer production. An objective function in terms of residual sucrose and P(3HB) production was proposed in order to optimize the amount of carbon source used and the production of P(3HB). RESULTS: High production of P(3HB) was obtained, with approximately 70% (CDW) accumulation in cells without nitrogen limitation and strongly correlated with the pH of the culture. Scaling-up the system to cultures in a bioreactor, with or without pH control, a reduction of P(3HB) accumulation (around 30% CDW) was observed when compared with shaker cultures, suggesting a possible role of oxygen limitation as a stress signaling for P(3HB) synthesis. CONCLUSIONS: Results of our experiments showed that Bacillus megaterium was able to produce P(3HB) at one of the highest production rates so far reported for this bacterium, making this microorganism very interesting for industrial applications. Comparisons of shaker and bench-scale bioreactor experiments show both the importance of pH and aeration strategies. It is likely that complex aeration strategies linked to cell metabolism will be necessary for further developments using this bacterium. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Early volumetric changes of hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex following medial temporal lobe resection

Previous studies have shown that cognitive demands and physical exercise stimulate adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus and hippocampus. Recent observations in healthy humans and patients with mild cognitive impairment moreover suggest that training‐induced increases in hippocampal volume may be associated with improved memory performance. The corresponding plasticity processes in hippocampal volume may occur on timescales of months to years. For patients with focal lesions in this region, previous functional imaging studies suggest that increased recruitment of the contralateral hippocampus and extratemporal regions may be an important part of the reorganization of episodic memory. However, it is currently unclear whether focal damage to the medial temporal lobe (MTL) induces gray matter (GM) volume changes in the intact contralateral hippocampus and in connected network regions on a shorter timescale. We therefore investigated whether unilateral resection of the MTL, including the hippocampus, induces measurable volumetric changes in the contralateral hippocampus and in the default mode network (DMN). We recruited 31 patients with unilateral left (N = 19) or right (N = 12) hippocampal sclerosis undergoing MTL resection for treatment of drug‐resistant epilepsy. Structural MRI was acquired immediately before and 3 months after surgery. Longitudinal voxel‐based morphometry (VBM) analysis revealed a significant increase of right hippocampal volume following resection of the left anterior MTL. Furthermore, this patient group showed GM volume increases in the DMN. These results demonstrate significant structural plasticity of the contralateral hippocampus, even in patients with a long‐standing unilateral hippocampal dysfunction and structural reorganization processes extending to distant, but functionally connected brain regions.
The use of linear mixed models for analysis of repeated measurements applied to water-soluble carbohydrates in perennial ryegrass for seed production

Abstract Repeated measurements of a response variable in crops or plants receiving different treatments are widely used in agricultural science. In this paper we analyse repeated measurements of the concentration of water-soluble carbohydrates in stem and ear of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) receiving different doses of growth regulators at different times. The objectives were to examine and compare three covariance structures and illustrate their effect on significance levels, the estimates, and standard error of estimates. The three covariance structures tested were unstructured, compound symmetry, and first-order antedependence. The Akaike Information Criterion and the Bayesian Information Criterion were used to find the best covariance structure. The choice of covariance structure had an effect on the significance levels for the stem data, whereas no effect was observed for the ear data. The estimates of the water-soluble carbohydrates concentrations within the stem and ear datasets were similar for all three covariance structures, while the smallest standard errors were obtained using the compound symmetry covariance structure. As it was the goal to do parsimonious modelling more weight was given to the Bayesian information criteria than to the Akaike information criteria. Accordingly, the compound symmetry structure was chosen for the stem data and the unstructured structure was found to be the best structure for the ear data. A model check of the residuals showed that there was no pattern in the residuals.
Aspects of the enhanced biodegradation and metabolism of ethoprophos in soil

Enhanced biodegradation of ethoprophos was evident in a soil from a previously treated field in Northern Greece. However, enhanced biodegradation was specific to ethoprophos and there was no cross-enhancement leading to rapid degradation for any of the other organophosphorus (cadusafos, fenamiphos, fonofos, isazofos) or carbamate (aldicarb, oxamyl) nematicides registered in Greece for the control of potato cyst nematodes. Studies with radio-labelled ethoprophos showed that the adapted microflora in the soil from the previously treated field was able to degrade [propyl-1-14C]ethoprophos rapidly and mineralized about 60% of the initially applied nematicide. When [ethyl-1-14C] ethoprophos was applied, the reduction in extractable radioactivity in the previously treated soil was coupled with evolution of lower amounts of [14C] carbon dioxide and was similar to the amounts produced from the previously untreated soils. It is suggested that degradation of ethoprophos in the soil from the previously treated field proceeds via hydrolysis of the P-S bond in the -S-propyl moiety of the ethoprophos molecule, which is then further mineralized by the adapted micro-organisms. Enhanced biodegradation of ethoprophos in this specific previously treated soil in Northern Greece and under the local environmental conditions was still evident two years after the last ethoprophos field application. It appears that, once established, enhanced biodegradation of ethoprophos can be quite stable. A possible solution to this problem might be the introduction of a rotation scheme where other nematicides like fenamiphos, cadusafos, aldicarb or oxamyl are used as alternatives with ethoprophos application restricted to only once every three or four years. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry
Robust arterial transit time and cerebral blood flow estimation using combined acquisition of Hadamard‐encoded multi‐delay and long‐labeled long‐delay pseudo‐continuous arterial spin labeling: a simulation and in vivo study

Arterial transit time (ATT) prolongation causes an error of cerebral blood flow (CBF) measurement during arterial spin labeling (ASL). To improve the accuracy of ATT and CBF in patients with prolonged ATT, we propose a robust ATT and CBF estimation method for clinical practice. The proposed method consists of a three‐delay Hadamard‐encoded pseudo‐continuous ASL (H‐pCASL) with an additional‐encoding and single‐delay with long‐labeled long‐delay (1dLLLD) acquisition. The additional‐encoding allows for the reconstruction of a single‐delay image with long‐labeled short‐delay (1dLLSD) in addition to the normal Hadamard sub‐bolus images. Five different images (normal Hadamard 3 delay, 1dLLSD, 1dLLLD) were reconstructed to calculate ATT and CBF. A Monte Carlo simulation and an in vivo study were performed to access the accuracy of the proposed method in comparison to normal 7‐delay (7d) H‐pCASL with equally divided sub‐bolus labeling duration (LD). The simulation showed that the accuracy of CBF is strongly affected by ATT. It was also demonstrated that underestimation of ATT and CBF by 7d H‐pCASL was higher with longer ATT than with the proposed method. Consistent with the simulation, the 7d H‐pCASL significantly underestimated the ATT compared to that of the proposed method. This underestimation was evident in the distal anterior cerebral artery (ACA; P = 0.0394) and the distal posterior cerebral artery (PCA; 2 P = 0.0255). Similar to the ATT, the CBF was underestimated with 7d H‐pCASL in the distal ACA (P = 0.0099), distal middle cerebral artery (P = 0.0109), and distal PCA (P = 0.0319) compared to the proposed method. Improving the SNR of each delay image (even though the number of delays is small) is crucial for ATT estimation. This is opposed to acquiring many delays with short LD. The proposed method confers accurate ATT and CBF estimation within a practical acquisition time in a clinical setting.
Martini‐Klinik experience of prostate cancer surgery during the early phase of the COVID‐19 pandemic

In order to restrain an uncontrolled spread of the 2019 Coronavirus-Disease (COVID-19) and to provide sufficient intensive-care unit (ICU) capacity, medical specializations needed to develop new routines and risk-strategy protocols. Those restrictions have also impacted the urologic community. Several medical organisations developed specific information-hubs, blogs and resource centers on how to tackle the COVID-19 situation (1-3). Although the German Society of Urology ("DGU") has published a recommendation to evaluate the need for a timely therapy in prostate cancer (PCa) patients according to D'Amico risk groups on the 2nd of April 2020, up to now no compulsory directives exist regarding omitting radical prostatectomy (RP) during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Serum polyunsaturated fatty acids in infancy are associated with body composition in adolescence

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have been related to the development of adiposity. N‐3 PUFA appears to be protective against obesity risk, while n‐6 PUFA may be associated with greater adiposity. However, most studies have been conducted among adults. The role of PUFA in infancy is unknown.