Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Robust processing of airborne laser scans to plant area density
profiles

We present a new algorithm for the estimation of the plant area density (PAD) profiles and plant area index (PAI) for forested areas based on data from airborne lidar. The new element in the algorithm is to scale and average returned lidar intensities for each lidar pulse, whereas other methods do not use the intensity information at all, use only average intensity values, or do not scale the intensity information, which can cause problems for heterogeneous vegetation. We compare the performance of the new algorithm to three previously published algorithms over two contrasting types of forest: a boreal coniferous forest with a relatively open structure and a dense beech forest. For the beech forest site, both summer (full-leaf) and winter (bare-tree) scans are analyzed, thereby testing the algorithm over a wide spectrum of PAIs. Whereas all tested algorithms give qualitatively similar results, absolute differences are large (up to 400 % for the average PAI at one site). A comparison with ground-based estimates shows that the new algorithm performs well for the tested sites. Specific weak points regarding the estimation of the PAD from airborne lidar data are addressed including the influence of ground reflections and the effect of small-scale heterogeneity, and we show how the effect of these points is reduced in the new algorithm, by combining benefits of earlier algorithms. We further show that low-resolution gridding of the PAD will lead to a negative bias in the resulting estimate according to Jensen’s inequality for convex functions and that the severity of this bias is method dependent. As a result, the PAI magnitude as well as heterogeneity scales should be carefully considered when setting the resolution for the PAD gridding of airborne lidar scans.
Evolution of New Variants/Mutants of JE Virus, Its Effect on Neurovirulence, Antigenicity, Host Immune Responses and Disease Transmission in Endemic Areas

This paper highlights various reasons of evolution of new mutants/variants of JE virus and its effects on neurovirulence, antigenicity, host immune responses, and disease transmission in endemic areas. Virus is reorganizing its genome by making sequence alterations, single site mutations, cluster specific reversions, and amino acid substitutions in neutralizing antigenic sites mainly in N′ glycosylation sites and epitopic regions of S and E proteins. Virus is regularly changing gene order, gene density by making substitution point mutations in important structural genes which make virus envelope proteins. Further, JE virus acquiring new genetic variations and adaptabilities through genetic recombination of wild strains with vaccine strains and assimilating new lethal genes that lead to emergence of molecular variants/mutants. These newly emerged JE virus genotypes have attained the ability to escape the immune defense and show wider resistance against vaccines and therapeutic agents. Thus new strains did significant elevation in the level of neurovirulence, antigenicity and pathogenesis. It is causing very high mortalities in various infant groups and imposing lifelong irreversible disorders in survivors and showing a regular trend of emergence and reemergence in endemic areas. The present review article emphasizes methods to suppress virus replication, reversion of neurovirulence, attenuation and an utmost need of more potential vaccines against cross reactive heterologous genotypes of JE virus to control disease transmission and mortalities occurring in endemic areas.
Molecular systematics of Craterellus : cladistic analysis of nuclear LSU rDNA sequence data

Considerable taxonomic confusion exists regarding many species of Cantharellus. Several taxa have been classified in either Cantharellus or Craterellus depending on which morphological characters were emphasised. Recent phylogenetic studies based on sequence analyses suggest that some species now classified in Cantharellus should be in Craterellus. We extracted DNA from dried herbarium specimens and amplified, sequenced and cladistically analysed approximately 650 bp of the 5' end of the nuclear large subunit ribosomal DNA gene. Our data confirm earlier results and provide molecular evidence for the classification of additional Cantharellus species (Ca. ignicolor and Ca. lutescens) within Craterellus. Furthermore, the data enable us to predict that all Leptocantharellus-like species currently classified within Cantharellus are more accurately classified within Craterellus. The species complexes of Cr. tubaeformis and Cr. cornucopioides were also investigated. These analyses did not support the monophyly of Ca. tubaeformis but the hypothesis that colour varieties of Cr. cornucopioides represent separate species was rejected.
A study on the scales and age estimation of the grey golden mullet, Liza aurata (Risso, 1810), in the lagoon of Messolonghi (W. Greece)

Summary A detailed study was made of the scales on the golden grey mullet Liza aurata in the lagoon of Messolonghi (W. Greece), in order to examine the suitability of scales for ageing. From a total of 1048 specimens of 9–59 cm total length (TL), the estimated ages ranged from 0+ to 8+ years, with only females at ages 7+ and 8+. The scale reading was reliable, the annuli recognizable and each annulus radius easily measured. There was a great overlapping in the annulus radius between the ages 1+ and 4+, indicative of extended spawning time and differences in growth of yearly recruits. The scale radius (Rmax) was strongly related with TL by the pooled equation: TL = 1.5501Rmax0. 77, with no significant differences between the sexes. From examination of the monthly variation in the distance of the outermost annulus from the scale margin, it was determined that the annulus is formed in February. No annuli were detected in fish of less than 20 cm TL.
Experimental Models of the Variation of HFE-7100 and HFE-7000 Electric Properties With Temperature

HFE-7000 and HFE-7100 have shown a promising importance in the electrohydrodynamic (EHD) domain. Their dielectric properties are investigated in a temperature range between −20 and 60 °C for relative permittivity and electric conductivity and between −20 and 80 °C for breakdown voltage. The aim is to electrically characterize these liquids and to develop experimental models to be used in numerical simulations. Mathematical models of electric properties are essential for understanding the physical phenomena that can affect the performance of EHD systems. The development of these models can then help design more reliable EHD devices and optimize their performance.
Impact of antennectomy, eye blinding and tibial comb coating on the predatory behaviour of Rhynocoris kumarii Ambrose and Livingstone (Het., Reduviidae) on Spodoptera litura Fabr. (Lep., Noctuidae)

The predaceous reduviid Rhynocoris kumarii uses its antennae, eyes and tibial comb to predate tobacco cutworm Spodoptera litura (Fabr). A delayed arousal response was observed in the antennectomized, eye blinded and tibial comb‐coated predators. The predators whose entire antennae had been removed showed significant delayed approach but the approach response was not affected significantly in the blinded and tibial comb‐coated reduviid predators. Capturing response was significantly affected in pedicel and entire antennae‐removed predators, and blinded and tibial comb‐coated predators. Antennectomy, eye blinding and tibial comb coating did not cause any impact in the act of paralysing the prey. Progressive reduction in sucking duration and the number of sucking sites were observed as a function of sequential segment‐wise removal of antennae. A reduction in the sucking duration and number of sucking sites were also observed in blinded and tibial comb coated predators.
Drug repurposing against Parkinson's disease by text mining the scientific literature

Drug repurposing involves the identification of new applications for existing drugs. Owing to the enormous rise in the costs of pharmaceutical R&D, several pharmaceutical companies are leveraging repurposing strategies. Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide, affecting approximately 1–2 percent of the human population older than 65 years. This study proposes a literature-based drug repurposing strategy in Parkinson's disease. ,The literature-based drug repurposing strategy proposed herein combined natural language processing, network science and machine learning methods for analyzing unstructured text data and producing actional knowledge for drug repurposing. The approach comprised multiple computational components, including the extraction of biomedical entities and their relationships, knowledge graph construction, knowledge representation learning and machine learning-based prediction. ,The proposed strategy was used to mine information pertaining to the mechanisms of disease treatment from known treatment relationships and predict drugs for repurposing against Parkinson's disease. The F1 score of the best-performing method was 0.97, indicating the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The study also presents experimental results obtained by combining the different components of the strategy. ,The drug repurposing strategy proposed herein for Parkinson's disease is distinct from those existing in the literature in that the drug repurposing pipeline includes components of natural language processing, knowledge representation and machine learning for analyzing the scientific literature. The results of the study provide important and valuable information to researchers studying different aspects of Parkinson's disease.
A preliminary mass balance model of primary productivity and dissolved oxygen in the Mississippi River Plume/Inner Gulf Shelf Region

A deterministic, mass balance model for phytoplankton, nutrients, and dissolved oxygen was applied to the Mississippi River Plume/Inner Gulf Shelf (MRP/IGS) region. The model was calibrated to a comprehensive set of field data collected during July 1990 at over 200 sampling stations in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The spatial domain of the model is represented by a three-dimensional, 21-segment water-column grid extending from the Mississippi River Delta west to the Louisiana-Texas border, and from the shoreline seaward to the 30–60 m bathymetric contours. Diagnostic analyses and numerical experiments were conducted with the calibrated model to better understand the environmental processes controlling primary productivity and dissolved oxygen dynamics in the MRP/IGS region. Underwater light attenuation appears relatively more important than nutrient limitation in controlling rates of primary productivity. Chemical-biological processes appear relatively more important than advective-dispersive transport processes in controlling bottom-water dissolved oxygen dynamics. Oxidation of carbonaceous material in the water column, phytoplankton respiration, and sediment oxygen demand all appear to contribute significantly to total oxygen depletion rates in bottom waters. The estimated contribution of sediment oxygen demand to total oxygen-depletion rates in bottom waters ranges from 22% to 30%. Primary productivity appears to be an important source of dissolved oxygen to bottom waters in the region of the Atchafalaya River discharge and further west along the Louisiana Inner Shelf. Dissolved oxygen concentrations appear very sensitive to changes in underwater light attenuation due to strong coupling between dissolved oxygen and primary productivity in bottom waters. The Louisiana Inner Shelf in the area of the Atchafalaya River discharge and further west to the Texas border appears to be characterized by significantly different light attenuation-depth-primary productivity relationships than the area immediately west of the Mississippi Delta. Nutrient remineralization in the water column appears to contribute significantly to maintaining chlorophyll concentrations on the Louisiana Inner Shelf.
Effect of NaCl salinity on the growth, metabolites, and antioxidant system of Microcystis aeruginosa

The physiological and biochemical adaptations of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa, grown in a saline environment, were estimated. M11 cultures were exposed to variable salt concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 g NaCl L−1). The cell density and chlorophyll contents decreased with increasing salinity. The carbohydrate and protein contents were enhanced under lower salinities. The data demonstrated that M. aeruginosa could endure an osmotic potential of 4.0 g NaCl L−1, whereas growth was inhibited under hypersaline conditions above 2.0 g NaCl L−1. The antioxidant activities were evaluated, with salt stress exacerbating membrane lipid peroxidation as indicated by an increasing malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Obvious alterations in the antioxidant enzymes were diverse between the hypo and hypersalinities. Under the hyposaline treatments, high contents of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were detected, whereas hypersaline treatments induced a decrease compared to the control. Accordingly, salinity might be a controlling factor inhibiting cyanobacterial blooms in saline lakes of the Mongolia–Xinjiang plateau, China.
Influence of gibberellin treatment on flowering and fruiting patterns in mango

The potential for using gibberellins (GAS) to modify time of flowering and fruit maturity in mango was investigated. Winter spraying of mango trees grown in the coastal subtropics of Queensland (latitude 27OS) with gibberellin A3 (GA3) or GA4 solutions caused a delay in flowering time of up to 4 weeks, depending on cultivar (Kensington Pride, Glenn, Early Gold) and concentration (50-200 mg/L). There was also a general reduction in number of panicles, particularly at higher GA concentrations. Similar experiments with GA3 on cvv. Kensington Pride and Keitt in tropical North Queensland (latitude 17¦S) did not show any effect either on time or extent of flowering. Fruit yield was highly correlated with the proportion of terminal buds that flowered. Consequently, GA treatments caused significant yield reductions in cv. Kensington Pride, especially at 200 mg/L where only 23% of terminal buds flowered. Fruit size was inversely related to yield, and yield was influenced by tree size. Delayed flowering also resulted in later fruit maturation, by up to 2 weeks. With Early Gold, late-flowering panicles retained 3 times more fruit than those which flowered early, which was possibly related to differences in night temperatures before or at anthesis. Delays in flowering time, which lead to somewhat lesser delays in fruit maturation, can be achieved with suitable GA treatments, but concentration and timing of application are critical if flowering and, hence, yields are not to be reduced. The potential use of this treatment in commercial mango orchards is discussed in relation to extending the fruit production season.
Effects of Government Payments on Agricultural Productivity: The Case of South Korea

The South Korean government provides large amounts of its total agricultural budget on direct payments to increase farm productivity due to the importance of the agricultural sector in South Korea. Providing direct payments can positively influence farm productivity by liquidating farm credit in input markets, while it can negatively affect farm productivity by distorting farmers’ behaviors. Therefore, it is necessary to rigorously assess the effect of direct payments on productivity. This study investigated the impact of direct payments on farm productivity with a better estimation strategy, using a farm-level panel dataset from the Korean Farm Household Economy Survey. We first derived an individual farm-level productivity measure using a control function approach. We then estimated the effect of direct payments on farm productivity using the propensity score matching method. Our results showed that direct payments were associated with an increase in agricultural productivity by about 12 percent on average. The results imply that direct payments play an important role in farm production. Given that the South Korean government is currently revising the direct-payment system, our results have implications for the design of the new direct-payment system and deserve attention from policy makers.
Determination Methods of Ultimate Displacement Values of Tunnel Based on Bearing Capacity of Primary Supporting Structure

The limit states of a primary supporting structure were used to represent the limit states of the tunnel, and the analytical methods of Catastrophe Theory and bearing capacity were respectively used to determine the ultimate displacement values of the tunnel. The calculated results indicate that the ultimate displacement values obtained from the two methods are close to one another, and it is suggested to use the analytical method of bearing capacity, which is with explicit mechanical basis and small values. On surrounding rock, the effects of such parameters as resistance coefficient and side pressure coefficient were analyzed, and the results show that the effects of two parameters on the ultimate bearing capacity of the structure are great, but small on its ultimate displacement values. This paper proposed the determination method of the ultimate displacement values of a tunnel. The method directly correlates with the parameters of the primary supporting structure of the tunnel and is with explicit and reliable calculated results. Therefore, the application of the method can be spread to the determination of the ultimate displacement values of a tunnel in its displacement monitoring.
Automated Modal Identification Based on Improved Clustering Method

The automated modal identification has been playing an important role in online structural damage detection and condition assessment. This paper proposes an improved hierarchical clustering method to identify the precise modal parameters by automatically interpreting the stabilization diagram. Two major improvements are provided in the whole clustering process. The modal uncertainty is first introduced in the first stage to eliminate as many as possible mathematical modal data to produce more precise clustering threshold, which helps to produce more precise clustering results. The boxplot is introduced in the last stage to assess the precision of the clustering results from a statistical perspective. Based on an iterative analysis of boxplot, the outliers of the clustering results are found out and eliminated and the precise modal results are finally produced. The Z24 benchmark experiment data are utilized to validate the feasibility of the proposed method, and comparison between the previous method and the improved method is also provided. From the result, it can be concluded that the modal uncertainty is more effective than the other modal criteria in distinguishing the mathematical modal data. The modal results by clustering process are not precise in statistic and the boxplot can find out the outliers of the clustering results and produce more precise modal results. The improved automated modal identification method can automatically extract the physical modal data and produce more precise modal parameters.
Rapid Sustainability Modeling for Raptors by Radiotagging and DNA-Fingerprinting

Abstract Sustainable use of wildlife is crucial to ensuring persistence of natural resources. We used age-specific survival and breeding data to parameterize a demographic model for a harvested Kazakh saker falcon (Falco cherrug) population by radiotagging juveniles and estimating adult turnover with DNA-fingerprinting during 1993–1997. We gathered similar data during 1990–1998 to model populations of British buzzards (Buteo buteo), and during 1980–1998 to model populations of Swedish goshawks (Accipiter gentilis). Leg-bands and implanted microtransponders provided ways to test for bias and to estimate the harvest of sakers for falconry. Despite an estimated minimum first-year survival of only 23%, the observed productivity of 3.14 young per clutch would sustain a saker population (i.e., λ = 1) with a breeding rate (at laying) of only 0.63 for adults or with a residual juvenile yield of 37% if all adults breed. Higher first-year survival rates for goshawks and buzzards correlated with juvenile yields of up to 71%, but no more than half as many individuals if adults also were harvested. An annual population decline of 40% for sakers in southern Kazakhstan could be explained by observed productivity of only 0.71 young per clutch if there was also an estimated harvest of 55% of adults. This study shows that demographic models such as these can now be built rapidly if nestlings are fitted with reliable and safe radiotags and adult turnover is estimated from genetic analyses or other techniques.
Isolation of a cationic peroxidase from cultured peanut cells.

Medium that had supported the growth of a peanut cell suspension culture was found to be a rich source of peroxidase. Precipitation with acetone and ammonium sulfate, followed by a pH shift and ion exchange chromatography, led to the isolation of a single cationic peroxidase isozyme of high specific activity and high RZ of 2.91. The isolated peroxidase was shown to be a single peptide chain.
Integrating multiple sources of data on migratory timing and catchability to estimate escapement for steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

We evaluated the influence of biological, physical, and year effects on catchability, survey life, and departure timing for a winter-run steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) population and compared the performance of alternate escapement models. Date of entry and gender explained 65% of the variability in survey life, and there was no evidence for differences in survey life among years. The median date of departure for male spawners occurred 2 weeks later relative to females, and a gender-based departure model was strongly supported. Departure timing was significantly different among years (p < 0.05), but the maximum difference in median departure dates was only 11 days. The ratio of horizontal visibility to discharge explained 50% of the variation in catchability, and there was weak support for a model that accounted for effects associated with courtship and spawning behaviour. There was strong support for an escapement model that assumed survey life and catchability relationships were common among years. Joi.
Home range and habitat use of the olive sea snake, Aipysurus laevis, on the Great Barrier Reef , Australia

Short-term movements of 12 olive sea snakes, Aipysurus laevis, were tracked using ultrasonic transmitters fed to snakes. This species restricts itself to a home range of about 1500-1800 m2. Three indi- viduals displaced from their home ranges did not home to them. The home range often is linear along a reef face where the reef abuts open sand. Snakes forage by investigating crevices in coral or rock but do not linger over open sand. Home ranges of individuals broadly overlap No territoriality was displayed.
In patients with an acute asthma exacerbation, does a single intramuscular corticosteroid injection reduce recurrent exacerbations versus five days of oral corticosteroid treatment?

nificant decrease in body weight (–0.2 kg, P5.10) and in body mass index (–0.1 kg/m, P5.08). This difference was not seen after the six-week low whole grain arm. No difference was noted in plasma glucose, total cholesterol, or body fat percentage between either the high or low whole grain intervention and baseline. Patients experienced 10% more incidence of diarrhea and loose stools during the high whole grain period than the low whole grain period (P5.02). In 2019, The American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology published guidelines on lifestyle management to reduce cardiovascular risk. The DASH diet was given a grade A recommendation for lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. The DASH diet pattern emphasizes fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains, and limiting salt intake. Although the guidelines focused more on a general eating pattern, whole grain consumption while limiting refined carbohydrates was recommended to decrease cholesterol.