Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimization of applied irrigation water and nitrogen fertilizer for barley in a semi‐arid region: a case study in Iran

This study was conducted to estimate the optimal amounts of water and nitrogen of barley production under water‐ and land‐limited conditions. Two years of field experiments were performed with two treatments using a spilt plot design with three replications. The treatments included four levels of irrigation regimes (0, 50, 75 and 100% of water requirement) as the main plots and four nitrogen fertilizer levels (0, 70, 140 and 210 kg N ha−1) as the subplots. Straw yield income was about 35% of total income, indicating the important role of both grain and straw yield in the economic analysis. The optimal amounts of water and nitrogen considering the rainfall and residual amount of nitrogen in the soil were estimated using a generalized reduced gradient nonlinear method as 0.758 m and 236 kg N ha−1 for maximum income per unit area, while these values were obtained as 0.758 m and 232 kg N ha−1 for maximum profit under land‐limited and 0.56 m and 293 kg N ha−1 for maximum profit under water‐limited conditions, respectively. The results show that the highest profit was obtained under land‐limited, maximum income and water‐limited criteria, respectively. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Anomer selective formation of l-menthyl α-D-glucopyranoside by α- glucosidase-catalyzed reaction

l-Menthol was glucosylated by the α-glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.20) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae using maltose as glucosyl donor. When 50 mg of l-menthol and 1M maltose in 10 mM citrate–phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) were incubated for 24 h at 30°C, a menthylglucoside was selectively obtained as a product. The molar conversion yield based on supplied menthol was 4.5%. The product was identified as l-menthyl α-D-glucopyranoside (α-MenG) by 13C-NMR analysis.
Investigating Brain Network Changes and Their Association With Cognitive Recovery After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Longitudinal Analysis

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result in acute cognitive deficits and diffuse axonal injury reflected in white matter brain network alterations, which may, or may not, later recover. Our objective is to first characterize the ways in which brain networks change after TBI and, second, investigate if those changes are associated with recovery of cognitive deficits. We aim to make initial progress in discerning the relationships between brain network changes, and their (dys)functional correlates. We analyze longitudinally acquired MRI from 23 TBI patients (two time points: 6 days, 12 months post-injury) and cross-sectional data from 28 controls to construct white matter brain networks. Cognitive assessment was also performed. Graph theory and regression analysis were applied to identify changed brain network metrics after injury that are associated with subsequent improvements in cognitive function. Sixteen brain network metrics were found to be discriminative of different post-injury phases. Eleven of those explain 90% (adjusted R2) of the variability observed in cognitive recovery following TBI. Brain network metrics that had a high contribution to the explained variance were found in frontal and temporal cortex, additional to the anterior cingulate cortex. Our preliminary study suggests that network reorganization may be related to recovery of impaired cognitive function in the first year after a TBI.
Comparative histopathology of some Diptera and Crustacea of aquatic alpine ecosystems, after treatment with Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis

Species of Diptera (larval Culicidae, Chironomidae and Simuliidae) and Crustacea (cladoceran adults) that are representative of the fauna of aquatic alpine ecosystems are routinely treated with Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) for mosquito control. The toxicity of Bti on these organisms was investigated. Bioassays indicated that Bti used at the concentration for operational field application is deleterious to all dipteran species, but not to Cladocera. Histopathological observations reveal that, in all cases, the midgut epithelium is affected by Bti treatment. However, the vulnerability of epithelial cells to the microbial insecticide is different from one cell‐type to another, clear cells being more vulnerable than dark cells. Because of the concentration of clear cells within the anterior midgut of dipteran larvae, this region appears to be the first to show symptoms of intoxication through enhancing a natural process of cell turnover. The relative importance of such a vulnerable region in the midgut of dipteran larvae may account for the general efficacy of Bti to these species. Its harmlessness to Cladocera may be correlated to the relative scarcity of clear cells and their patchy distribution along the whole midgut together with important cellular renewal capacity of the epithelium.
Sequence analyses of Wheat dwarf virus isolates from different hosts reveal low genetic diversity within the wheat strain

Wheat dwarf virus (WDV) causes disease in wheat (Triticum aestivum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) in many parts of Europe. The host range also includes many species of the family Poaceae. WDV is only transmitted by the leafhopper Psammotettix alienus. During a five-year period (2001–2005), grass samples were collected in central Sweden in the vicinity of fields with WDV-infected winter wheat. Screening with ELISA and PCR identified WDV in a low number of samples (8/1098) from only three grass species: Apera spica-venti, Avena fatua and Poa pratensis. In addition, triticale was found to be positive. Fourteen WDV isolates from Avena fatua, Apera spica-venti, Triticum aestivum, Lolium multiflorum, Poa pratensis, triticale and the insect vector Psammotettix alienus, were partially sequenced (ca. 1200 nucleotides), providing the first published WDV sequences from the insect vector. All isolates belonged to the wheat strain of WDV and the genetic diversity was low. Phylogenetic analyses showed no clear grouping according to geographical location or host species. The results suggest that the same WDV genotypes are infecting both wheat and grasses in Sweden. Interestingly, one group of isolates (subtype B) formed a distinct clade in the phylogenetic tree. Subtype B was always found in mixed infection with the main genotype. Complete sequencing of a subtype B isolate showed that it was 98·6% identical to a typical wheat isolate from the same plant.
The vertebrate-specific VENTX/NANOG gene empowers neural crest with ectomesenchyme potential

Vertebrate-specific ventx/nanog genes are essential for vertebrate neural crest multipotency and ectomesenchyme formation. During Cambrian, unipotent progenitors located at the neural (plate) border (NB) of an Olfactoria chordate embryo acquired the competence to form ectomesenchyme, pigment cells and neurons, initiating the rise of the multipotent neural crest cells (NC) specific to vertebrates. Surprisingly, the known vertebrate NB/NC transcriptional circuitry is a constrained feature also found in invertebrates. Therefore, evidence for vertebrate-specific innovations endowing vertebrate NC with multipotency is still missing. Here, we identified VENTX/NANOG and POU5/OCT4 as vertebrate-specific innovations. When VENTX was depleted in vivo and in directly-induced NC, the NC lost its early multipotent state and its skeletogenic potential, but kept sensory neuron and pigment identity, thus reminiscent of invertebrate NB precursors. In vivo, VENTX gain-of-function enabled NB specifiers to reprogram embryonic non-neural ectoderm towards early NC identity. We propose that skeletogenic NC evolved by acquiring VENTX/NANOG activity, promoting a novel multipotent progenitor regulatory state into the pre-existing sensory neuron/pigment NB program.
Educational Data Mining Applications and Techniques

Educational data mining (EDM) uses data mining techniques to analyze huge amounts of student data in the educa-tional environments. The main purpose of EDM is to analyze and solve educational issues and, consequently, improve educational processes. With the emergence of EDM applications in the educational environments, several techniques have been identified to implement these applications. This paper reviews the relevant studies in EDM including datasets and techniques used in those studies and identifies the most effective techniques. The most prevalent applications include predicting student performance, detecting undesirable student behaviors, grouping students and student modeling. These applications aim to help decision makers in the educational institutions to understand student situations, improve students’ performance, identify learning priorities for different groups of students and develop learning process. The prediction accuracy is selected as the evaluation criteria for the effectiveness of educational data mining techniques. The results show that Bayesian Network and Random Forest are the most effective techniques for predicting student performance, Social Network Analysis is the best technique for detecting undesirable student behaviors, Clustering and Social Network Analysis are the most effective techniques for grouping students and student modeling, respectively. This study recommends conducting more comprehensive and extended studies to evaluate the effectiveness of EDM techniques with an extended evaluation criteria.
Electrophoretic Identification of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar), Brown Trout (S. trutta), and Their Hybrids

We studied 14 enzyme systems of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), brown trout (S. trutta), and their F1 hybrids. Five enzymes, namely glucosephosphate isomerase, malic enzyme, phosphoglucomutase, superoxide dismutase, and xanthine dehydrogenase, were diagnostic in providing reliable separation of the species and their hybrids. The most anodal locus of glucosephosphate isomerase exhibited adequate activity also in adipose fin biopsies, thus allowing the identification of live fish.
The use of (GACA)4 PCR to sex Old World vultures (Aves: Accipitridae)

A PCR method was developed employing a single primer (GACA)4 to sex Black vultures (Aegypius monachus), Lappet‐faced vultures (Torgos tracheliotus), and Griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus). Using the (GACA)4 primer several PCR products were generated. One or more PCR products displayed a sex‐specific pattern, i.e. they were only present in females (probably corresponding to repetitive DNA on the W chromosome) but absent in males. The sex ratio of 85 Griffon vultures from Spain was almost 1.
Sex determination in Mexican-beaded lizard specimens (Heloderma alvarezi and Heloderma horridum) employing contrast radiography method

Abstract Background: Alternatives to gross external anatomical sex determination are often required, peculiarly in species displaying poor or absent gross sexual dimorphism, such as the beaded lizard. This study evaluates results of hemipenile contrast radiography accuracy as compared to ultrasonography of the same beaded lizard (Heloderma alvarezi and Heloderma horridum). Methods: Eleven captive adult beaded lizards (4 H. alvarezi and 7 H. horridum), underwent hemipenis contrast radiography, and results compared with coelomic ultrasound. Results: By ultrasound, 2 lizards were females and 9 were males. By contrast hemipenis radiography, 2 animals were females and 9 were males. In this sample, there was a Kappa concordance of 1. Conclusions and clinical relevance: In this species, contrast hemipenis radiography proved to be a reliable diagnostic tool for hemipenes identification, and sex determination with all test specimens. Further studies including a larger number of animals and different lizard species are warranted.
The antioxidative effect of lipophilized rutin and dihydrocaffeic acid in fish oil enriched milk

The antioxidative effect of phenolipids was evaluated in fish oil enriched milk emulsions as a model for a complex food system. Two different phenolipids modified from dihydrocaffeic acid (with C8 or C18:1) and rutin (with C12 or C16) were evaluated. Both dihydrocaffeate esters and rutin laurate showed significantly better antioxidant properties in milk emulsion compared with the original phenolics. However, rutin palmitate only performed slightly better as antioxidant than rutin. The results with rutin indicated that a cut-off effect exists in relation to the alkyl chain length with respect to optimal antioxidant activity in milk emulsions. Thus, the optimal alkyl chain length is at least below 16 carbon atoms, and maybe even less for rutin esters. For dihydrocaffeate esters it was not possible to conclude on a cut-off effect in relation to alkyl chain length and antioxidative effect due to the almost similar antioxidant effect of the two phenolipids. However, there was a tendency towards octyl dihydrocaffeate being slightly more efficient than oleyl dihydrocaffeate. Practical application: The finding that phenolipids are better antioxidants in milk emulsions than the original phenolic acid provides new knowledge that can be used to develop new antioxidant strategies to protect foods against lipid oxidation. However, the results indicate that both optimization of alkyl chain length for each type of phenolic, and optimization for each type of emulsion will be necessary in order to get the best oxidative stability of an emulsion with these phenolipids. Use of efficient antioxidants may lower the amount of antioxidant needed to protect against lipid oxidation and may in addition decrease the costs.
Interactions between parasites and pollutants in yellow perch (Perca flavescens) in the St. Lawrence River, Canada: implications for resistance and tolerance to parasites

Parasites were examined in yellow perch, Perca flavescens (Mitchill, 1814), from four localities ranging in degree of pollution in the St. Lawrence River, Quebec, Canada, to examine the effects of the most prevalent parasite species on expression of biomarkers of oxidative stress. Various biomarkers appeared to be affected by the infection levels of Apophallus brevis Ransom, 1920 and genus Diplostomum von Nordmann, 1832. For certain biomarkers, interactions between infection level and pollution type were detected for A. brevis, Diplostomum spp. , and genus Ichthyocotylurus Odening, 1969. Activity of glutathione reductase in gill tissue decreased with increasing numbers of A. brevis, but only at the two most polluted localities. Catalase activity in kidney increased with numbers of Diplostomum spp. at the polluted localities, but not at the two least contaminated sites. Results suggest that parasites may affect expression of biomarkers of pollution and that pathogenicity of parasites may be enhanced under p.
Ship Speed Optimization Considering Ocean Currents to Enhance Environmental Sustainability in Maritime Shipping

Enhancing environmental sustainability in maritime shipping has emerged as an important topic for both firms in shipping-related industries and policy makers. Speed optimization has been proven to be one of the most effective operational measures to achieve this goal, as fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of a ship are very sensitive to its sailing speed. Existing research on ship speed optimization does not differentiate speed through water (STW) from speed over ground (SOG) when formulating the fuel consumption function and the sailing time function. Aiming to fill this research gap, we propose a speed optimization model for a fixed ship route to minimize the total fuel consumption over the whole voyage, in which the influence of ocean currents is taken into account. As the difference between STW and SOG is mainly due to ocean currents, the proposed model is capable of distinguishing STW from SOG. Thus, in the proposed model, the ship’s fuel consumption and sailing time can be determined with the correct speed. A case study on a real voyage for an oil products tanker shows that: (a) the average relative error between the estimated SOG and the measured SOG can be reduced from 4.75% to 1.36% across sailing segments, if the influence of ocean currents is taken into account, and (b) the proposed model can enable the selected oil products tanker to save 2.20% of bunker fuel and reduce 26.12 MT of CO2 emissions for a 280-h voyage. The proposed model can be used as a practical and robust decision support tool for voyage planners/managers to reduce the fuel consumption and GHG emissions of a ship.
Unravelling the Swelling Behaviour and Antibacterial Activity of Palm Cellulose Nanofiber-based Metallic Nanocomposites

The development of functional antimicrobial metal oxide nanocomposite systems based on nanocellulose has been the subject of extensive research in recent years. In addition to its sustainability, biodegradability and non-toxic properties, nanocelullose present an extremely high surface area favoring the selective growth and immobilization of ultrafine metal oxide nanoparticles on the cellulosic surface. In this study, oil palm biomass-derived cellulose nanofiber (CNF) decorated with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocomposites were produced via ultrasound-assisted in situ co-precipitation approach. The morphology and chemical composition of the as-synthesized ZnO/CNF composites were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR). FE-SEM images revealed the fibrous morphology of nanocomposites with a good distribution of ZnO NPs. The FT-IR analysis confirmed a strong interaction between surface functional groups of CNF and ZnO nanoparticles. The swelling behavior of composites was found to be improved with addition of ZnO nanoparticles in the CNF matrix. The hybrid ZnO-CNF exhibited pronounced antibacterial properties against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The findings of present study support the possibility of using this palm CNF-based metallic nanocomposites as nanofillers for wound care application.
Avifaunal diversity of some selected water bodies of Khanapur Taluka, Belagavi District, Karnataka, India

An observation on avian species composition, density, and diversity was carried out at three selected water bodies of Khanapur Taluka, Belagavi District, for a period of 11 months in 2014. During the study, a total of 28 species belonging to 12 families from five orders were recorded. Of these, Ciconiiformes was represented by seven families followed by Coraciiformes by two families while Anseriformes, Charadriiformes and Gruiformes were represented by one family each. Among the three water bodies studied, maximum species composition (26 species) was recorded from Nandgad pond which also hosts Lesser Adjutant Stork and Wooly-necked Stork categorized as ‘Vulnerable’ and Painted Stork, River Tern and Oriental White Ibis as ‘Near Threatened’ by the IUCN Red List. Bidi Minor Irrigation Tank stands second with 17 species while the minimum was recorded at Hebbal Minor Irrigation Tank with 11 species. Based on our observation, a smaller habitat with habitat heterogeneity can attract more assemblages of avifauna and also result in increased species richness and diversity.
Registration of three cyst nematode resistant sugarbeet germplasms: C603, C603-1, and C604

Dwarf grain pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. ] population NPM-3 (Reg. no. GP-33, P1 574544), released by the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln in October 1993, is a restorer population for the At cytoplasmic-nuclear male-sterile (cms) system discovered by Hanna (1). The At cms system uses Pennisetum glaucum subsp. monodii cytoplasm, which maintains complete male sterility, with virtually no reversion to male fertility as found with the widely used AI cms system. Male-fertility restorers (Ri) for the At cms system are rare, and none have been made available in agronomically useful dwarf backgrounds. NPM-3 therefore provides a source of agronomically acceptable dwarf plant types from which restorer lines can be derived to produce hybrids utilizing the At cms system. NPM-3 was constituted by random-mating nine dwarf parental lines that had been identified as Ri restorers through testcrosses on male-sterile Tift23DAiE. The male-fertility reactions of the testcrosses were determined in a 1991-1992 nursery and confirmed at Mead, NE, in 1992. The nine Ri restorer lines were chain crossed (i.e., each R* line was crossed with two others) in 1991-1992. The resulting progeny were randommated, maintaining equal maternal representation, in isolation at Mead, in 1992 and 1993 and seeds were bulked in equal quantities to constitute NPM-3. The Rt restorer lines used were derived from crosses made in the grain pearl millet breeding program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln using parental germplasm from the breeding programs at Fort Hays Branch Experiment Station, Kansas State University; Jamnagar Agricultural University, Gujarat, India; Serere Experimental Station, Soroti, Uganda; and breeding stocks from ICRISAT, Patancheru, AP, India, that contained some West African parentage. In 1992, topcrosses were obtained by including six malesterile lines in an isolation plot of NPM-3. Two pairs of isolines, isogenic for the AI and At cms system, made up four of the six male-sterile lines. The other two lines were unrelated AI and At male steriles. Topcross progenies in 1993, exhibited 93, 96, and 97% average restoration of male fertility for the three AI steriles and 7, 10, and 16% average restoration for the AI steriles. No intermediate or partial male fertility was observed on any plants in A» topcross plots. This contrasts with the AI system where occurrence of partial fertility is frequent, which leads to difficulties in developing both sufficiently sterile seed parents and complete restorers (2). Plants of NPM-3 at Mead, NE, were 80 to 120 cm tall and flowered in 62 to 72 d, averaging 4 d later than KS2068A, which was 95 cm tall. Grain color is gray, and average grain weight is 8 to 12 mg seed". NPM-3 has not been evaluated for reaction to pests and diseases. Small quantities of seed may be obtained from the corresponding author.
Oogenesis in cod, Gadus morhua L., studied by light and electron microscopy

The development of the oocytes in the cod, Gadus morhua L. , is described by light and transmission electron microscopy. The oocyte volume increases about 700 times during the stages preceding hydration. The size of the nucleoli increases 35-fold, the cortical alveoli increase 6-fold and the yolk granules increase 70-fold as the oocyte grows. The maximal number of yolk granules is nearly 100000 per oocyte; this number is reduced to less than the half prior to hydration. A significant reduction occurs also in the number of nucleoli at that time. The number of cortical alveoli increases steadily towards hydration. Yolk is deposited in the oocyte as crystalline granules. The lattice is broken down at hydration, leaving the egg transparent. Follicle cells go through a primordial stage and later change to a squamous and to a cuboids shape. The presence of lipid droplets in their interior and the virtual lack of interfollicular spaces are characteristic. The chorion grows to a tripartite structure: an outer thin porous layer, an intermediate homogenous layer and an inner thick helicoidally layer. A mucous substance covers the porous layer. The occurrence of the so-called lamellae in the helicoidal layer is considered a function of the orientation of its micro fibrils and the plane of sectioning, i.e., not caused by alternating chemical arrangements.