Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF NATIVE EGYPTIAN CURDLAN PRODUCING AGROBACTERIUM ISOLATE 1

One hundred and eighty bacterial isolates were isolated from different soil samples and different crown galls from some plants (grape, apple, peach) grown in Egyptian soil in different area. Gram stains were applied on all isolates and the results showed that 120 isolates were Gram negative and 60 strains were Gram positive. The Gram negative isolates were selected for pathogenicity tests and were used to infect some hosts (grape, tomato and kalanchoe). The results showed that about 60 isolates cause infections of the above mentioned plants, these isolates were subjected to grow on some selective media as aniline blue medium and Congo red medium to detect curdlan producer isolates. The results obtained indicated that seven isolates give positive reaction toward curdlan production, three isolates were selected for production of curdlan after some chemical analysis and the most potent isolate was selected for optimization and identification. The potent isolate have been identified by morphological, biochemical and phylogenetic analyses. Kew words: Isolation, Screening, Identification, Agrobacterium and curdlan
, Mikko Selective Attention Increases Both Gain and Feature Selectivity of the Human Auditory Cortex

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Pulsars and Gravitational Wave Detection

Abstract The number of known millisecond pulsars has dramatically increased in the last few years. Regular observations of these pulsars may allow gravitational waves with frequencies ∼10−9 Hz to be detected. A ‘pulsar timing array’ is therefore complimentary to other searches for gravitational waves using ground-based or space-based interferometers that are sensitive to much higher frequencies. In this review we describe (1) the basic methods for using an array of pulsars as a gravitational wave detector, (2) the sources of the potentially detectable waves, (3) current limits on individual sources and a stochastic background, and (4) the new project recently started using the Parkes radio telescope.
On the Robustness of Regression Type Classifiers

Six regression type binary classifiers based on linear and logistic models have been evaluated using a complex simulation experiment. The classifiers were compared with respect to the robustness to unexpected changes of the models that describe data in training and test sets. The simple logistic regression has appeared to be the best one in these circumstances. Keywords–Binary classification; Regression type classifiers; Robustness.
Production of superconducting 1.3-GHz cavities for the European X-ray Free Electron Laser

The production of over 800 1.3-GHz superconducting (SC) cavities for the European X-ray Free Electron Laser (EXFEL), the largest in the history of cavity fabrication, has now been successfully completed. In the past, manufacturing of SC resonators was only partly industrialized; the main challenge for the EXFEL production was transferring the high-performance surface treatment to industry. The production was shared by the two companies RI Research Instruments GmbH (RI) and Ettore Zanon S.p.A. (EZ) on the principle of “build to print”. DESY provided the high-purity niobium and NbTi for the resonators. Conformity with the European Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) was developed together with the contracted notified body TUEV NORD. New or upgraded infrastructure has been established at both companies. Series production and delivery of fully-equipped cavities ready for cold rf testing was started in December 2012, and finished in December 2015. More than half the cavities delivered to DESY as specified (referred to “as received”) fulfilled the EXFEL specification. Further improvement of low-performing cavities was achieved by supplementary surface treatment at DESY or at the companies. The final achieved average gradient exceeded the EXFEL specification by approximately 25%. In the following paper, experience with the 1.3-GHz cavity production for EXFEL is reported and the main lessons learned are discussed.
Potential of Indigenous Methanotrophic Bacteria as a Biological Control Agent Against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae Causing Diseases on Rice

Methanotrophic bacteria inhabit the rhizosphere and potentially inhibit the growth of pathogens. Therefore, they have potential utility as biological control agents. This study aimed to analyze 10 isolates of indigenous Methanotrophic bacteria with the potential to act as biological control agents for Xanthomonas oryzae pv . oryzae. Analysis of antagonistic activity was conducted by the direct inhibition method on media using the following parameters: the time to formation of a clear zone, the diameter of the clear zone, and the index of inhibition. The study recommended two isolates as biological control agents that can be combined to inhibit the growth of Xanthomonas oryzae pv . oryzae .
The TWA 3 Young Triple System: Orbits, Disks, Evolution

We have characterized the spectroscopic orbit of the TWA 3A binary and provide preliminary families of probable solutions for the TWA 3A visual orbit, as well as for the wide TWA 3A–B orbit. TWA 3 is a hierarchical triple located at 34 pc in the ∼10 Myr old TW Hya association. The wide component separation is 1. ″55; the close pair was first identified as a possible binary almost 20 years ago. We initially identified the 35-day period orbital solution using high-resolution infrared spectroscopy that angularly resolved the A and B components. We then refined the preliminary orbit by combining the infrared data with a reanalysis of our high-resolution optical spectroscopy. The orbital period from the combined spectroscopic solution is ∼35 days, the eccentricity is ∼0.63, and the mass ratio is ∼0.84; although this high mass ratio would suggest that optical spectroscopy alone should be sufficient to identify the orbital solution, the presence of the tertiary B component likely introduced confusion in the blended optical spectra. Using millimeter imaging from the literature, we also estimate the inclinations of the stellar orbital planes with respect to the TWA 3A circumbinary disk inclination and find that all three planes are likely misaligned by at least ∼30°. The TWA 3A spectroscopic binary components have spectral types of M4.0 and M4.5; TWA 3B is an M3. We speculate that the system formed as a triple, is bound, and that its properties were shaped by dynamical interactions between the inclined orbits and disk.
Reliability criteria in quantitative texture analysis with experimental and simulated orientation distributions

Quantitative texture analysis reliability factors are examined from an experimental point of view, using real-sample and modelled orientation distribution refinements. The classical RP factors of texture analysis are shown to depend on the texture strength, and their representation of the various textures is not homogeneous. The surface-weighted RP w homologues exhibit lower texture strength dependency and better homogeneities, but still do not allow for comparison of refinements operated on samples with different textures. New factors, R w , weighted by the counting statistics, show the lowest dependency and best homogeneity. From R w1 (R w0 ) curves a new criterion is established, which allows the detection of poorly refined orientation distributions. This study highlights a unique entropy-to-texture index relationship, which also gives a new criterion for testing refinement reliability, and proposes two different ranges in which to apply the texture index and the entropy factors.
Exploring the Effects of Self-efficacy on Vocabulary Learning Strategies

This study examined the effects of self-efficacy on language learning strategies by focusing on vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs). A group of 281 EFL learners from two universities participated in the study. They completed the Vocabulary Size Test (Nation & Beglar, 2007), questionnaires on self-efficacy, and an open-ended question about their use of VLSs. The learners were divided into three groups based on their responses to the self-efficacy questionnaire. The effect of self-efficacy was then examined by utilizing text mining. The results show that the effects of self-efficacy were observed in the participants’ open-ended responses. It also became clear that those with high self-efficacy were active users of VLSs, they employed deep strategies, and they were metacognitively superior to participants with medium and low efficiency. Those with medium self-efficacy were also active users of VLSs, but they used shallow strategies compared with the high self-efficiency group. Those with low self-efficacy tended to be passive users of VLSs. The pedagogical implications of the current study are discussed mainly in terms of incorporating self-efficacy and self-regulation enhancing instructions into vocabulary teaching.
catechol-O-methyltransferase gene ( COMT ) and cognitive function from hildhood through adolescence

Genetic variation in the catechol-O-methyltransferase gene (COMT) can influence cognitive function, and this effect may depend on developmental stage. Using a large representative British birth cohort, we investigated the effect of COMT on cognitive function (verbal and non-verbal) at ages 8 and 15 years taking into account the possible modifying effect of pubertal stage. Five functional COMT polymorphisms, rs6269,
Impact of Low Resolution on Image Recognition with Deep Neural Networks: An Experimental Study

Abstract Due to the advances made in recent years, methods based on deep neural networks have been able to achieve a state-of-the-art performance in various computer vision problems. In some tasks, such as image recognition, neural-based approaches have even been able to surpass human performance. However, the benchmarks on which neural networks achieve these impressive results usually consist of fairly high quality data. On the other hand, in practical applications we are often faced with images of low quality, affected by factors such as low resolution, presence of noise or a small dynamic range. It is unclear how resilient deep neural networks are to the presence of such factors. In this paper we experimentally evaluate the impact of low resolution on the classification accuracy of several notable neural architectures of recent years. Furthermore, we examine the possibility of improving neural networks’ performance in the task of low resolution image recognition by applying super-resolution prior to classification. The results of our experiments indicate that contemporary neural architectures remain significantly affected by low image resolution. By applying super-resolution prior to classification we were able to alleviate this issue to a large extent as long as the resolution of the images did not decrease too severely. However, in the case of very low resolution images the classification accuracy remained considerably affected.
A Least Squares Finite Element Method for the Extended Maxwell System

A flnite element method based on the flrst order system LL ⁄ (FOSLL ⁄ ) approach is derived for time harmonic Maxwell's equations in three dimensional domains. The flnite element solution is a potential for the original fleld in a sense that the original fleld U is given by U = L ⁄ u. The Maxwellian boundary data appears as natural boundary condition. Homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions for the potential must be imposed, and they are circumvented with weak enforcement of boundary conditions and it is proved that the sesquilinear form of the flnite element system is elliptic in the space where the Dirichlet boundary conditions are satisfled weakly.
The acid-catalyzed interaction of melanin with nitrite ions. An EPR investigation

Abstract The interaction of synthetic dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) melanin (DM) with nitrite ions, NO2−, in the pH 3.6–7.0 range, has been investigated using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). We found that especially at pH <5.5 (from ca. 5.5 to 3.6) the reaction of DM with nitrite generated large quantities of new melanin radicals, which implies the involvement of nitrous acid, HNO2, in the radical formation process. Measurements carried out at constant pH of 3.6 showed that the melanin signal increased together with nitrite concentration, reaching a plateau level which was more than fourfold larger compared to the initial signal amplitude observed in a nitrite-free buffer of the same pH. The effects of nitrite and DM concentrations on the melanin-free radical content were also investigated. It is proposed that the radicals are generated by one electron oxidation of melanin ortho-hydroquinone groups to ortho-semiquinones by HNO2 or related nitrogen oxides such as NO2• radicals. The possible involvement of nitric oxide (•NO) and peroxynitrite (ONOO−) in DM oxidation was also examined. In air-free solutions, nitric oxide per se did not generate melanin radicals; however, in the presence of oxygen a marked increase in the melanin EPR signal intensity was observed. This result is interpreted in terms of the generation of radicals via the oxidation of DM by peroxynitrite. Our findings suggest that melanin can function as a natural scavenger of nitrous acid and some nitrous acid-derived species. This property may be relevant to physiological functions of melanin pigments in vivo.
HS Cal software for the calibration of the Hargreaves-Samani equation

Abstract: The objective of this work was to develop a software (HS Cal) to calibrate the Hargreaves-Samani equation for specific periods of the year, in global, seasonal, and monthly time scales, as well as to compare the performance of calibrated and non-calibrated equations. The software was developed in order to use raw data provided by Banco de Dados Meteorológicos para Ensino e Pesquisa (BDMEP). All calibrations outperformed the original Hargreaves-Samani equation, especially with the use of seasonal and monthly calibrations. The HS Cal software can easily calibrate the Hargreaves-Samani equation, allowing the identification of the best form of this equation for a given site.
Patterns of antiepileptic drug use and seizure control among people with epilepsy in a suburban community in Southeast Nigeria

Background Epilepsy is characterized by episodic and unpredictable seizure recurrences which are often amenable to medical treatment. Simple and readily available medications can be used to control seizures in epilepsy. However, in many communities in developing countries seizure control among people living with epilepsy is still poor. Method We assessed the patterns of antiepileptic drug use and seizure control among persons living with epilepsy in a suburban community in Southeast Nigeria found in a two phase cross-sectional study. Detailed information on epilepsy treatment, seizure control and patterns of antiepileptic drug use (AED) by those diagnosed with epilepsy was determined by use of a semi-structured interviewer administered questionnaire. Further verification of the type of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) was done by drug inspection. Result The total of 29 cases of active epilepsy comprising 16 (55.2%) males and 13 (44.8%) females were found. Those receiving AEDs at the time of survey were 7 (24.1%), 11(37.9%) who had previously used AEDs had stopped and the remaining 11 (37.9%) were AEDs naive. Carbamazepine monotherapy was used by 57.1% (n=4) while phenobarbitone was used by 42.9% (n=3). The antiepileptic drugs were prescribed in all these cases by medical personnel. Over 82% of the persons with active epilepsy found were having more than one seizure per month. Conclusion Active epilepsy was prevalent in this suburban community with only 24.1% (n=7) of them receiving treatment with AEDs. Seizure control was poor even among those receiving AEDs and carbamazepine monotherapy was most commonly used AEDs.
Effects of farm and landscape management on bird and butterfly conservation in western Honduras

Previous research has indicated that a substantial portion of native flora and fauna may persist in agricultural mosaics in the Neotropics. However, understanding the relative importance of different habitat factors and management practices at different scales for sustaining this biodiversity has proven somewhat elusive. In addition, most such research has taken place in only a few fairly well-studied landscapes, thus limiting our ability to infer broader patterns that might be transferred to unstudied locales. This study expands the geographic breadth of prior research by evaluating bird and butterfly assemblages in an agricultural landscape in the Rio Copan watershed of western Honduras. The study also provides a systematic assessment of the relative influence of categorical and continuous habitat variables across a range of scales likely to be significant for birds and butterflies. Overall, we recorded 145 tree species, 139 bird species, and 119 butterfly species. Birds and butterflies displayed contrasting responses to land cover: birds were most strongly associated with dense vegetation in broadleaf forests, forest fallows, shade-grown coffee farms, and live fences, while butterflies were most abundant in live fences, pastures, and riparian forests. Bird assemblages were heavily skewed toward common and non-forest-dependent species, likely due to the young age and high disturbance level of forest plots. In contrast, butterfly assemblages contained a substantial proportion of forest-dependent species, which were observed in forests as well as pastures and live fences. Contrary to expectations, categorical land cover descriptors were more effective at explaining faunal assemblage patterns than continuous habitat descriptors related to vegetation and landscape context. In addition, plot scale (25–100 m) habitat features had a greater influence on faunal assemblages than did neighborhood scale (200–3000 m) landscape composition or structure, although differences in management intensity at the scale of the entire watershed (5–20 km) also exerted a strong influence on conservation outcomes.
Leaf area index from litter collection: impact of specific leaf area variability within a beech stand

Litter fall collection is a direct method widely used to estimate leaf area index (LAI) in broad-leaved forest stands. Indirect measurements using radiation transmittance and gap fraction theory are often compared and calibrated against litter fall, which is considered as a reference method, but few studies address the question of litter specific leaf area (SLA) measurement and variability. SLA (leaf area per unit of dry weight, m2·g‐1) is used to convert dry leaf litter biomass (g·m‐2) into leaf area per ground unit area (m2·m‐2). We paid special attention to this parameter in two young beech stands (dense and thinned) in northeastern France. The variability of both canopy (closure, LAI) and site conditions (soil properties, vegetation) was investigated as potential contributing factors to beech SLA variability. A systematic description of soil and floristic composition was performed and three types of soil were identified. Ellenberg's indicator values were averaged for each plot to assess nitrogen soil content. SLA of beech litter was measured three times during the fall in 23 plots in the stands (40 ha). Litter was collected bimonthly in square-shaped traps (0.5 m2) and dried. Before drying, 30 leaves per plot and for each date were sampled, and leaf length, width, and area were measured with the help of a LI-COR areameter. SLA was calculated as the ratio of cumulated leaf area to total dry weight of the 30 leaves. Leaves characteristics per plot were averaged for the three dates of litter collection. Plant area index (PAI), estimated using the LAI-2000 plant canopy analyser and considering only the upper three rings, ranged from 2.9 to 8.1. Specific leaf area of beech litter was also highly different from one plot to the other, ranging from 150 to 320 cm2·g‐1. Nevertheless, no relationship was found between SLA and stand canopy closure or PAI. On the contrary, a significant relationship between SLA and soil properties was observed. Both SLA and leaf area had the lowest values in the most hydromorphic soil with the highest nitrogen content. On the other hand, the highest values of SLA and leaf area were observed on the plots with the lowest nitrogen content. This spatial variability of SLA was taken into account to estimate LAI from litter collected at eight plots. For our study site, we conclude that neglecting SLA spatial variability is at the source of 8‐24% error in the calculation of LAI.
Theoretical Framework and Hypotheses Boundary Spanning Theory

While supply chain (SC) exploitation and exploration have been playing an increasingly important role in supply chain management, there is a dearth of research examining their antecedents and outcomes. In this research, we examine how SC exploitation and exploration impact firm performance. Specifically, drawing upon the boundary spanning theory, we theorize how top management, as boundary spanners, and three types of information technology (IT) capabilities, as boundary objects, enable SC exploitation and exploration. Our research hypotheses are tested using data collected from 157 firms in China. We found that both SC exploitation and exploration have significantly positive effects on firm performance. Also, top management participation directly affects both SC exploitation and exploration. In addition, IT business partnerships and external IT linkages positively affect both SC exploitation and exploration, whereas IT infrastructure is not significantly related to either SC exploitation or exploration. Contributions and implications of this study are discussed.