Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Manual for the Artificial Insemination of Queen Bees

6 In Search of the Best Strains of Bees Brother Adam 1983 267 Bee Breeding & Queen 122 Artificial Insemination of Queen Bees O. Mackensen 1948 243 Mating in 150 A Manual of BeeKeeping J. Hunter 1879 280 Bee World Vol.62. Alta Genetics Artificial Insemination Instructional Video. Add to EJ Playlist Learn Inseminare artificiala matca --Artificial insemination of queen bee. Add to EJ Playlist Just get your "how-to" video, manual and AI kit at Miniature-S.
Validation of Molecular Karyotyping Techniques for Rapid Prenatal Diagnosis of Common Aneuploidies

BACs-on-Beads (BoBs) technology and Quantitative fluorescent PCR (QF-PCR) are recent molecular karyotping methods which have been used for prenatal diagnosis of the most common aneuploidies. Both of them are rapid, cost-effective and suitable for automation and can detect most abnormalities diagnosed by conventional karyotyping. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of bote molecular-based techniques for the detection of chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X and Y. The results obtained from 22 prenatal samples in which BACs-on-Beads technology (KaryoLite TM BoBs and Prenatal TM BoBs), QF-PCR and conventional karyotype had been performed. We found that concordant KaryoLite TM BoBs, Prenatal TM BoBs, QF-PCR and karyotype results were obtained in 95.5% (21/22) of the commonaneuploidies. Only a 49,xxxxx sample could not be detected by BoBs assay and QF-PCR. In conclusions, BoBs technology and QF-PCR are the reliable methods to detect common aneuploidies and should replace conventional sytogenetic analysis whenever prenatal testing is performed solely because of an increased risk of chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X and Y. Cytogenetic follow-up of molecular karyotyping findings is recommended to rule out mosaicism, ,aternal cell contamination, balanced rearrangement and polyploidy.
Population Dynamics of Xylosandrus compactus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) on Coffea canephora in the Lake Victoria Crescent Agroecological Zone of Uganda

We studied the seasonal population dynamics of Xylosandrus compactus on Coffea canephora for 24 months from June 2013 to May 2015 at the National Coffee Research Institute, Mukono, Uganda. Every month, we randomly sampled 20 infested twigs from different coffee trees on each of three experimental blocks, and dissected them to count different stages of X. compactus per twig. We recorded monthly mean temperature and total rainfall. Seasonal fluctuations in numbers of different life stages of X. compactus inside C. canephora twigs over time were analysed with a general linear model. Ambient temperature and rainfall were used to predict changes in monthly mean counts by means of a multiple linear regression. The population of X. compactus varied significantly across months and its major peak occurred from May to August. This variability was poorly explained by prevailing weather conditions with only the number of dead females correlated negatively with mean monthly temperature. Therefore, it may be suitable to apply management interventions against X. compactus on C. canephora in Uganda prior to May–August of each year to prevent the pest from attaining damaging levels. Further research is necessary to better understand the effect of weather variables on population dynamics of this insect pest.
Evaluating the Antimicrobial Efficacy of Chemically Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles

Rapid increase in antibiotic-resistant microorganisms are making essential to synthesize new antimicrobial agents. Silver nanoparticle", has apprehended the attention of the researchers because of its acknowledged antimicrobial activity. This study is mainly emphasized on chemical based synthesis of silver nanoparticles and its evaluation as antibacterial agent against different pathogenic bacterial strains. The antimicrobial abilities were tested against Gram Positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Gram negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. All strains were inoculated consistently onto sterile Muller-Hinton Agar petri plates (lawn inoculation method). Wells of 06 mm diameter were bored into the agar medium by using sterilized borer. 100 µl silver nanoparticles solution (200ppm) was added into each well and after incubation of 24hrs at 37°C and different levels of inhibition zones were measured. Tetracycline assisted as positive control. The determinations were done in triplicate and the mean values ± SD were presented in graphical form. The inhibition zones (diameters in mm) measured for Gram positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus was 27.7 ± 0.62 mm and Bacillus cereus was 24.1 ± 0.80 mm where as for Gram negative bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was 15.8 ± 0.41 mm, Klebsiella pneumoniae was 28.2 ± 1.07 mm and Escherichia coli was 29.4± 0.56 mm. Against tetracycline 26mm, 24mm, 26mm, 28 mm, and 27 mm respectively. Silver nanomaterials are appreciated as key in the future era to many technological, medical and environmental challenges in the field of catalysis, medicine, water treatment etc. Our study reveals that silver nanoparticle shows a moral antibacterial activity in contrast to other antimicrobial agents. K e y w o r d s Silver nanoparticles, Antibacterial, Zone of inhibition, Chemical synthesis, Sodium borohydride
The Role of Dimension in Graph Convolutional Networks

Graph convolutional networks are a popular representation learning method for graphs, wherein an input graph is mapped to a d -dimensional embedding vector , yielding a latent representation. We continue the project of theoretically elucidating the roles of various aspects of GCN architectures by studying the power and limitations of GCNs in distinguishing random graph models based on embedding vectors of sample graphs. In the present work, we show how the embedding dimension affects the set of pairs of models that can be distinguished from one another. We additionally extend the theory to the setting of graphs with vertex colors that are potentially locally correlated to graph structure. We also consider the application of GCNs to multi-hypothesis testing and use channel capacity results to show a lower bound on how the embedding dimension must scale with respect to the number of hypotheses and the signal-to-noise ratio in order to guarantee a probability of error tending to 0 .
COVID-19 Solar Disinfectant in Kuthambakkam, India – A Model of the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development in Marginalised Communities

Using the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD) as an analytical tool, this work examines the sustainability decision making in an Indian village. Kuthambakkam – through the efforts of Elango Rangasamy – has become a site of value for understanding how sustainable development concepts can be applied successfully in an actual developing world scenario. The FSSD, including the concepts of ‘The Funnel’, back-casting and the principle based definition are used to analyse the Kuthambakkam case. This identifies how the decision-making process and actions in the panchayat provide a unique and valuable model of leadership for sustainability – with well-being as a goal. A decentralised, solar-powered disinfectant production method pioneered by Elango is the main project that is examined for this article. The model is currently operated by women’s self help groups in several locations within and nearby to the village – including a large scale production at a vital vegetable market. As the priority of the leadership – or end goal of the funnel – is the well-being of disadvantaged people, the results show superior alignment with sustainability principles compared to decisions made by leaders in corporations and the developed world.
IDENTIFICATION OF TARGETS AND AUXILIARY PROTEINS OF PYR/PYL/RCAR ABA RECEPTORS: PROTEIN PHOSPHATASES TYPE 2C (PP2Cs) AND C2-DOMAIN ABA-RELATED PROTEINS (CARs).

ABSTRACT Abscisic acid (ABA) signaling plays a critical role in regulating root growth and root system architecture. ABA-mediated growth promotion and root tropic response under water stress are key responses for plant survival under limiting water conditions. In this work, we have explored the role of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) PYR/PYL/RCAR receptors (PYRABACTIN RESISTANCE1 (PYR1)/PYR1 LIKE (PYL)/REGULATORY COMPONENTS OF ABA RECEPTORS) for root ABA signaling. As a result, we discovered that PYL8 plays a nonredundant role for the regulation of root ABA sensitivity. Unexpectedly, given the multigenic nature and partial functional redundancy observed in the PYR/PYL family, the single pyl8 mutant showed reduced sensitivity to ABA-mediated root growth inhibition. This effect was due to the lack of PYL8-mediated inhibition of several clade A phosphatases type 2C (PP2Cs), since PYL8 interacted in vivo with at least five PP2Cs, namely HYPERSENSITIVE TO ABA1 (HAB1), HAB2, ABAINSENSITIVE1 (ABI1), ABI2, and PP2CA/ABA-HYPERSENSITIVE GERMINATION3 as revealed by tandem affinity purification and mass spectrometry proteomic approaches. Membrane-delimited abscisic acid (ABA) signal transduction plays a critical role in early ABA signaling, but the molecular mechanisms linking core signaling components to the plasma membrane are unclear. We show that transient calciumdependent interactions of PYR/PYL/RCAR ABA receptors with membranes are mediated through a 10-member family of C2-domain ABA-related (CAR) proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana. Specifically, we found that PYL4 interacted in an ABA-independent manner with CAR1 in both the plasma membrane and nucleus of plant cells. CAR1 belongs to a plant-specific gene family encoding CAR1 to CAR10 proteins, and bimolecular fluorescence complementation and coimmunoprecipitation assays showed that PYL4-CAR1 as well as other PYR/PYL-CAR pairs interacted in plant cells. The crystal structure of CAR4 was solved, which revealed that, in addition to a classical calcium-dependent lipid binding C2 domain, a specific CAR signature is likely responsible for the interaction with PYR/PYL/RCAR receptors and their recruitment to phospholipid vesicles. This interaction is relevant for PYR/PYL/RCAR function and ABA signaling, since different car triple mutants affected in CAR1, CAR4, CAR5, and CAR9 genes showed reduced sensitivity to ABA in seedling establishment and root growth assays. In summary, we identified PYR/PYL/RCAR-interacting partners that mediate a transient Ca2+-dependent interaction with phospholipid vesicles, which affects PYR/PYL/RCAR subcellular localization and positively regulates ABA signaling.
Spanish Language Development through Phonological Awareness in the Learning Process for Non-Native Spanish Speakers

This study was designed to discover how the awareness of Spanish vowel sounds helps nonnative Spanish speaking students develop phonological proficiency to improve their pronunciation, their confidence, and self-esteem when speaking in Spanish. Therefore, this study focus on the process of how students obtain the knowledge about Spanish vowels and vowel combination sounds to help them develop an authentic and articulated Hispanic accent. The purpose of this study was to help a group of 17 10 th grade students develop phonological awareness in the process of learning and acquiring Spanish as their second language. The main goal was to encourage this group of students to master phonological skills in pronouncing new words and reading out loud by themselves and in
Assessing anti-predator decisions of foraging eastern chipmunks under varying perceived risks: the effects of physical and social environments on vigilance

Animals foraging under risk have to trade-off resource acquisition and predator avoidance. Environmental factors can modulate the level of risk and should thus influence the expression of anti-predator behaviours such as vigilance. In this study, we investigated the effects of physical and social environments on eastern chipmunks’ (Tamias striatus) vigilance, by varying the perceived risk through playback experiments of alarm calls and neutral environmental sounds, and by integrating habitat and weather characteristics, as well as neighbour density. Chipmunks showed higher levels of vigilance when foraging in more open habitats, under high wind conditions, when they heard alarm calls and when surrounded by a high neighbour density. The effects of wind intensity and neighbour density on vigilance were also stronger during the broadcast of alarm calls rather than neutral sounds. Our results emphasize how both the physical and social environments can modify risk perception and therefore risk-taking decisions of foraging individuals.
The impact of low interest rates on banks’ non-performing loans

The paper examines the impact of a low interest rate environment on banks’ credit risk measured by the non-performing loan (NPL)/total loans ratio. We analyse a unique sample of annual data on 823 banks from the Eurozone, Denmark, Japan, Sweden, and Switzerland for the 2011-2017 period, which also covers the period of zero and negative rates. We conclude that after 1 year of low interest rates, the NPL ratio increases. Our results are mostly consistent with the findings of previous research, and the majority of differences can be explained by the changes in the economic environment during the period with low interest rates.
Spatial ecology of jaguars, pumas, and ocelots: a review of the state of knowledge

Knowledge of the spatial ecology of mammalian carnivores is critical for understanding species’ biology and designing effective conservation and management interventions. We reviewed the available information about the spatial ecology of jaguars Panthera onca, pumas Puma concolor, and ocelots Leopardus pardalis, and we examined how sex and extrinsic variables affect their spatial behaviour. Sixty-one articles addressing home range, home range overlap, daily net displacement (straight-line distance between two locations on consecutive days), and/or distance of dispersal of the three species were included. Meta-analysis, ANOVA, ANCOVA, and beta regression tests were run to analyse differences among species and sexes and to elucidate the influence of other variables, such as latitude and ecoregion, on spatial behaviour. Pumas had on average larger home ranges (mean ± SE: 281.87 ± 35.76 km2) than jaguars (128.61 ± 49.5 km2) and ocelots (12.46 ± 3.39 km2). Intersexual range overlap was higher than intrasexual range overlap in jaguars and pumas. Sex affected the home range size of all three species, but only influenced daily net displacement in ocelots. Ecoregion affected the home range size of all three species but did not significantly affect either the daily net displacement or the dispersal distance of pumas. Latitude affected the home range size of jaguars and pumas. It did not affect daily net displacement or dispersal distance in jaguars and pumas, but did affect daily net displacement in ocelots. Although there was a lack of studies in most countries for the three species, information was particularly lacking in the Neotropics for jaguars and pumas and in North America for ocelots. Researchers usually presented low sample sizes and used different methods to examine the ecological issues considered here. Homogenisation of methods is needed to clarify the ecology of these species and to allow a better understanding of the threats to their populations.
Water use pattern of Pinus tabulaeformis in the semiarid region of Loess Plateau, China

Aim of the study: We analyzed the water-use strategy of P. tabulaeformis and determine the relationships between environmental factors and transpiration rates in the P. tabulaeformis woodlands.Area of study: Loess Plateau region of Northwest China.Material and Methods: Sap flow density of the P. tabulaeformis trees was measured with Granier-type sensors. Stand transpiration was extrapolated from the sap flow measurements of individual trees using the following Granier equation.Main results: The mean sap flow rates of individual P. tabulaeformis trees ranged from 9 L day−1 to 54 L day−1. Photosynthetically active radiation and vapor pressure deficit were the dominant driving factors of transpiration when soil water content was sufficient (soil water content>16%), considering that soil water content is the primary factor of influencing transpiration at the driest month of the year. During the entire growing season, the maximum and minimum daily stand transpiration rates were 2.93 and 0.78 mm day−1, respectively. The mean stand transpiration rate was 1.9 mm day−1, and the total stand transpiration from May to September was 294.1 mm.Research highlights: This study can serve as a basis for detailed analyses of the water physiology and growth of P. tabulaeformis plantation trees for the later application of a climate-driven process model.Keywords: Sap flow; stand transpiration; environmental factor; Pinus tabulaeformis; Loess Plateau.
Diversity, temporal distribution and physiology of the centric diatom Leptocylindrus Cleve (Bacillariophyta) from a southern hemisphere upwelling system

The marine diatom Leptocylindrus is a major component of phytoplankton blooms in coastal ecosystems and upwelling regions worldwide, however, little is known about this genus in the southern hemisphere. Whilst Leptocylindrus danicus has been reported from south-eastern (SE) Australia since the 1930s, there has been neither unequivocal species identification nor focused examination of the temporal abundance of Leptocylindrus in this region. Such investigations are crucial in the context of climate change and the strengthening of the East Australian Current, which is expected to result in alterations to the seasonal abundance and distribution of Leptocylindrus along the east Australian coast. Thus we also describe the temporal distribution of Leptocylindrus based on 50 years of records, revealing that this diatom is a key component of the seasonal phytoplankton cycle, with greatest abundance in the austral spring and summer. Using light and transmission electron microscopy and molecular phylogenetics based on the nuclear-encoded ITS1–5.8S–ITS2 rDNA region, our study unambiguously revealed three species, L. danicus, Leptocylindrus convexus and Leptocylindrus aporus from 34 clonal isolates from SE Australia, with the majority (82%) of strains identified as L. danicus. Furthermore, we investigated the growth, auxospore and resting spore formation of the most commonly occurring species, L. danicus, under four temperature and irradiance scenarios. The diatom reached maximum growth rates (µMax, 1.71 divisions day−1) under relatively high temperatures (25°C) and light conditions (100 µmol photons m−2 s−1) between days 2 and 7 of the experiment. When temperature and light regimes were reduced (18°C, 50 µmol photons m−2 s−1) auxospores and resting spores were formed. The rapid growth rate and potential of L. danicus to form auxospores are important survival mechanisms in coastal upwelling systems and likely to result in the continued success of this species in Eastern Australia. The ecological, physiological and evolutionary response of this significant diatom group to further ocean warming should be the focus of future investigations.
Predicting Human Enzyme Family Classes by Using Pseudo Amino Acid Composition

Background: Enzymes are biological macromolecules which can act as catalysts and help complex biochemical reactions. They can increase the rate of a reaction by reducing its activation energy. Different enzymes can catalyze different chemical reactions. Objective: With the appearance of vast human protein data, correctly identifying the human enzymes class is extremely important to understand their functions. However, no computational method was developed to predict enzyme functional classes in human. We aimed to develop a computational method to discriminate human enzymes from non-enzymes and further predict the classes of human enzymes. Method: In this paper, the pseudo amino acid composition was proposed to formulate proteins by incorporating rigidity, flexibility and irreplaceability of amino acids. The feature selection technique was used to optimize the feature set. We proposed SVM to perform prediction. Results: The results of five-fold cross-validation test show that the overall accuracies are 72.6% and 46.1%, respectively for discriminating human enzymes from non-enzymes and predicting six classes of human enzymes. Conclusion: The work in this study provides an efficient method on this issue. Especially, three kinds of new characteristics were introduced to incorporate into PseAAC. The results indicate that the three characteristics of amino acids can be used in human enzyme prediction.
A comparative analysis reveals little evidence for niche conservatism in aquatic macrophytes among four areas on two continents

One of the most intriguing questions in current ecology is the extent to which the ecological niches of species are conserved in space and time. Niche conservatism has mostly been studied using coarse-scale data of species' distributions, although it is at the local habitat scales where species' responses to ecological variables primarily take place. We investigated the extent to which niches of aquatic macrophytes are conserved among four study regions (i.e. Finland, Sweden and the US states of Minnesota and Wisconsin) on two continents (i.e. Europe and North America) using data for 11 species common to all the four study areas. We studied how ecological variables (i.e. local, climate and spatial variables) explain variation in the distributions of these common species in the four areas using species distribution modelling. In addition, we examined whether species' niche parameters vary among the study regions. Our results revealed large variation in both species' responses to the studied ecological variables and in species' niche parameters among the areas. We found little evidence for niche conservatism in aquatic macrophytes, though local environmental conditions among the studied areas were largely similar. This suggests that niche shifts, rather than different environmental conditions, were responsible for variable responses of aquatic macrophytes to local ecological variables. Local habitat niches of aquatic macrophytes are mainly driven by variations in local environmental conditions, whereas their climate niches are more or less conserved among regions. This highlights the need to study niche conservatism using local-scale data to better understand whether species' niches are conserved, because different niches (e.g. local versus climate) operating at various scales may show different degrees of conservatism. The extent to which species' niches are truly conserved has wide practical implications, including for instance, predicting changes in species' distributions in response to global change.
Critical development studies and the study of globalization(s): introduction

ABSTRACT Critical Development Studies has long engaged with the study of globalization. However, the ways in which it does so and how these interact and fuse with, or diverge from, others working in the broad field of globalization studies remain avenues to explore. In this Introductory essay, we describe how critical development studies emerged and highlight some of its contributions before presenting an overview of the six papers which comprise this Special Issue.