Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Removal of Copper (II) Ions from Aqua Growth Medium by Red Yeast

Copper is a natural fungicide and is the active component of various pesticides. We detected uptake of higher concentration of the copper ions and responses to this stress in combination with presence hydrogen peroxide as a source of free radicals were studied on the three red yeast strains of species Rhodotorula glutinis (two strains) and Sporobolomyces roseus (one strain). The maximum Cu sorption was observed at the cells of strain Rhodotorula glutinis CCY 20-2-33 (25,18 mg/g dry weight) and at their exopolymers which accumulated the amount 10.22 mg/g dry weight. The remaining copper was sorbed onto the fibrillar part of cell wall (3.75 mg/g dry weight). The presence peroxide (oxidative stress) in cultivation medium decreased of the toleration of yeasts to Cu2+ ions and cells were able to take up less of about 17 % (from 3mM on 2,5 mM), although total uptake was lower about 11.01-15.96 %. We found that the strains of Rhodotorula glutinis are able to uptake about 44 % more copper ions (25.18-24.32 mg/g dry weight) in compared with strain of Sporobolomyces roseus (16.92 dry weight). However, the addition of peroxide into the cultivation medium the addition of affecting trade changes by reduce of the ability to uptake Cu2+ ions. The exopolymers and fibrillar part of cell wall these yeast were used as biopolymers with high sorption ability for metals.
Table of equivalent populations of North American small mammals

During 1943, 110 titles concerning population densities and home ranges of about 60 species of North American small mammals, covering most of the titles on the subject through 1941, were summarized by the writer. Because many such studies seemed to have been designed for eventual comparison and could each therefore profit by being fitted into its proper place in a scale, that summary was intended to compare methods and results of censuses and to draw such conclusions about comparative populations as seemed warranted by the diversity of census methods used. Based upon apparent intent and purpose, censuses fall into the following groups: A. Those intended to discover the population on some given area, the chief interest being in the number of individuals at hand, but not the area or their relationship to the area. B. Those intended to discover the population on a given area of apparently uniform type of vegetable, cover, soil, etc. the purpose being either (1) to estimate the number of individuals at hand by means of a convenient breakdown of the area by habitat types or, (2) to obtain a general ecological picture of the cover type in question. C. Those intended to discover the number of individuals in areas which they actually occupy during the census period, or, in other words, economic densities as defined by Elton, 1932. Censuses A and B are commonly used by game managers and forest and preserve supervisors. Class B is commonly used by ecologists.
“Let’s Get Out of Here!”: Cognitive Motivation and Maximizing Help Teams Solving an Escape Room

Contemporary teams often face complex problem-solving tasks. We theorized that two individual differences previously neglected in team research (cognitive motivation and maximizing) would be helpful for teams facing such situations. We tested this assertion on 81 teams participating in an escape-room simulation in which teams were locked into a pre-arranged room and had to solve various complex problems to escape the room as quickly as possible. The findings show that the average of the team members’ cognitive motivation had a positive direct relation to team performance, while maximizing had a positive indirect relation to team performance via cooperation.
Transformation of organic matter in a Barents Sea sediment profile: coupled geochemical and microbiological processes

Process-based, mechanistic investigations of organic matter transformation and diagenesis directly beneath the sediment–water interface (SWI) in Arctic continental shelves are vital as these regions are at greatest risk of future change. This is in part due to disruptions in benthic–pelagic coupling associated with ocean current change and sea ice retreat. Here, we focus on a high-resolution, multi-disciplinary set of measurements that illustrate how microbial processes involved in the degradation of organic matter are directly coupled with inorganic and organic geochemical sediment properties (measured and modelled) as well as the extent/depth of bioturbation. We find direct links between aerobic processes, reactive organic carbon and highest abundances of bacteria and archaea in the uppermost layer (0–4.5 cm depth) followed by dominance of microbes involved in nitrate/nitrite and iron/manganese reduction across the oxic-anoxic redox boundary (approx. 4.5–10.5 cm depth). Sulfate reducers dominate in the deeper (approx. 10.5–33 cm) anoxic sediments which is consistent with the modelled reactive transport framework. Importantly, organic matter reactivity as tracked by organic geochemical parameters (n-alkanes, n-alkanoic acids, n-alkanols and sterols) changes most dramatically at and directly below the SWI together with sedimentology and biological activity but remained relatively unchanged across deeper changes in sedimentology. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The changing Arctic Ocean: consequences for biological communities, biogeochemical processes and ecosystem functioning’.
Case Analysis II: City Union Bank: Residual Income Approach to Valuation

The current case study is about the valuation of City Union Bank (CUB hereafter), one of the oldest private sector banks, predominantly operating from South India. More importantly, the stock of CUB is a darling of the investors as it created unprecedented wealth in the past decade. It is one of those stocks that is followed by an army of analysts and brokerages thereby one can say that the bank’s operations are under scrutiny and lots of information is in the public domain. The protagonist (Avinash Thamada) in the case study is confronted with valuing this stock and the chosen method of valuation is the residual income (RI) approach. Valuation of banks and financial institutions is a challenging task and conventional DCF models have limited application. This is because the bank’s operational and financial decisions are intertwined with one another. Therefore, bank valuation requires applying techniques like Equity cash Flow or RI approaches. Hence, the choice of the methodology adopted by Avinash Thamada is defensible. RI approach caught the attention of academics with the seminal work of Ohlson (1995) and Feltham and Ohlson (1995) while Morgan Stanley Dean Witter is a prolific user of this approach to valuing banking and financial services companies. RI approach is similar to the DCF approach in the sense that both approaches take time of value of money into consideration and the discount rates are extracted from stock prices. This can be appreciated if we look at the RI valuation model given below:
Validity of Cognitive Tests for Non-human Animals: Pitfalls and Prospects

Comparative psychology assesses cognitive abilities and capacities of non-human animals and humans. Based on performance differences and similarities in various species in cognitive tests, it is inferred how their minds work and reconstructed how cognition might have evolved. Critically, such species comparisons are only valid and meaningful if the tasks truly capture individual and inter-specific variation in cognitive abilities rather than contextual variables that might affect task performance. Unlike in human test psychology, however, cognitive tasks for non-human primates (and most other animals) have been rarely evaluated regarding their measurement validity. We review recent studies that address how non-cognitive factors affect performance in a set of commonly used cognitive tasks, and if cognitive tests truly measure individual variation in cognitive abilities. We find that individual differences in emotional and motivational factors primarily affect performance via attention. Hence, it is crucial to systematically control for attention during cognitive tasks to obtain valid and reliable results. Aspects of test design, however, can also have a substantial effect on cognitive performance. We conclude that non-cognitive factors are a minor source of measurement error if acknowledged and properly controlled for. It is essential, however, to validate and eventually re-design several primate cognition tasks in order to ascertain that they capture the cognitive abilities they were designed to measure. This will provide a more solid base for future cognitive comparisons within primates but also across a wider range of non-human animal species.
Modeling the Spread of COVID-19 in Lebanon: A Bayesian Perspective

This article investigates the problem of modeling the trend of the current Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in Lebanon along time. Two different models were developed using Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation methods. The models fitted included Poisson autoregressive as a function of a short-term dependence only and Poisson autoregressive as a function of both a short-term dependence and a long-term dependence. The two models are compared in terms of their predictive ability using mean predictions, root mean squared error, and deviance information criterion. The Poisson autoregressive model that allows capturing both short-term and long-term components performs best under all criterions. The use of such a model can greatly improve the estimation of number of new infections, and can indicate whether disease has an upward/downward trend, and where about every country is on that trend, so that containment measures can be applied and/or relaxed. The Bayesian model is flexible in characterizing the uncertainty in the model outputs. The model is also applicable to other countries and more time periods as data becomes available. Further research is encouraged.
Effects of Uncertainty Visualization on Map-Based Decision Making Under Time Pressure

Most of our daily activities in a highly mobile digital society require timely spatial decision-making. Much of such decision-making is supported by map displays on various devices with different modalities. Spatial information visualized on maps, however, is always subject to a multitude of uncertainties. If space-time decision-makers are not informed about potential uncertainties, misleading, or at worst, life-threatening outcomes might result from map-based decisions. Therefore, data uncertainties should be communicated to decision-makers, especially when they are made with limited time resources and when decision outcomes can have dramatic consequences. Thus, the current study investigates how data uncertainty visualized in maps might influence the process and outcomes of spatial decision-making, especially when made under time pressure in risky situations. Although there is very little empirical evidence from prior uncertainty visualization research that considered decision time constraints, we hypothesized that uncertainty visualization would also have an effect on decision-making under time critical and complex decision contexts. Using a map-based helicopter landing scenario in mountainous terrain, we found that neither time pressure nor uncertainty affected participants decision-making accuracy. However, uncertainty affected participants' decision strategies, and time pressure affected participants' response times. Specifically, when presented with two equally correct answers, participants avoided uncertainty more often at a cost of landing distance (an equally important decision criteria). We interpret our results as consistent with a loss-aversion heuristic and suggest implications for the study of decision-making with uncertainty visualizations.
Population dynamics of coexistence by plant pathogens of the rhizosphere of spring wheat

The dryland root rot complex is a collection of root pathogens that significantly affect small grain production in the semiarid regions world-wide. The complex includes Cochliobolus sativus, Fusarium pseudograminearum, Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium ultimum, and Penicillium sp. The purpose of this thesis was to document the interactions among these pathogens that commonly coexist within the wheat rhizosphere. The thesis had two objectives: 1) examine variation in interactions amongst isolates of C. sativus and F. pseudograminearum within the wheat crown and 2) identify interactions among pathogens in the dryland root rot complex (C. sativus, F. pseudograminearum, R. solani, P. ultimum, and Penicillium sp.) in-field, as reflected in plant response variables. For objective 1, wheat in both field and greenhouse settings were inoculated singly and in all pathogen isolate combinations. Both C. sativus and F. pseudograminearum, alone and in combination, reduced yield (P<0.001, P=0.003, respectively), but C. sativus isolates had a greater effect on both yield and emergence (P<0.001). Inoculations with some isolates of C. sativus and F. pseudograminearum were suppressive on populations of each other. Significant variability in suppressiveness was observed among isolates for both species. For objective 2) plant health as measured by emergence, vigor, plant height and yield, was observed in response to inoculations with all single, pairwise, four-pathogen and five-pathogen combinations of C. sativus, F. pseudograminearum, R. solani, P. ultimum, and Penicillium sp. Antagonistic relationships that favored overall plant health were observed between several pathogens, including P. ultimum, Penicillium sp. and C. sativus. These antagonistic interactions affected seedling emergence and plant vigor. Conversely, F. pseudograminearum in combination with R. solani significantly reduced emergence beyond expected (P=0.002). Within the community interaction studies overall, F. pseudograminearum was the dominant pathogen, causing more disease and more consistent disease than any other pathogen, and generating increased damage to emergence when inoculated in the community (P=0.017). In conclusion, interactions among members of the dryland root rot complex is a dynamic process, one that varies by species and pathogen isolate. These interactions are more often antagonistic, with one pathogen suppressing another. Additional studies may improve how disease control measures are deployed in the future.
Development of STS marker linked to elongated uppermost internode (eui-1) gene in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The elongated uppermost internode (eui) gene provides a genetic alternative for GA3 application in hybrid rice seed production by overcoming incomplete panicle exertion of cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) lines. In the present study, a random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) marker, OPAG011000 previously found linked to eui gene, was converted into a sequenced tagged site (STS) marker, SAG011051 by molecular cloning and nucleotide sequencing. Sequence homology search of the RAPD fragment against rice genomic nucleotide database showed 98.0% homology with a portion of nucleotide sequence in the clone P0010D04 (AC130605) on chromosome 5. Based on the consensus results obtained from this study and earlier reports we infer that the internode elongation trait in IR91-1591-3 is controlled by eui-1 locus located within or near the genomic clone P0010D04 on chromosome 5. The STS marker pair amplifies 1051bp and 1100bp fragment in the EUI parent IR91-1591-3 and only 1100bp in the non-EUI parent, which indicated the dominant nature of the marker. Linkage analysis of the STS marker with EUI phenotype showed it to be linked at genetic distance of 3.4 cM. With an objective to identify co-dominant STS marker 23 EST based primers representing five clones were synthesized and used for parental polymorphism. Results indicated only one marker sMRF19 to be polymorphic between the parents. Linkage analysis showed the marker to be located at a genetic distance of 2.4cM from the eui-1 gene. We propose that the co-dominant marker sMRF19 identified in the present study can be used effectively to introgress the eui-1 gene into desired CMS lines for overcoming incomplete panicle exertion problem.
RNA-binding protein network alteration causes aberrant axon branching and growth phenotypes in FUS ALS mutant motoneurons

ABSTRACT Mutations in RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) have been genetically associated with the motoneuron disease Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Using both human induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and mouse models, we found that FUS-ALS causative mutations have a profound impact on a network of RBPs, including two relevant factors with important roles in neuronal RNA metabolism: HuD and FMRP. Mechanistically, cytoplasmic localization of mutant FUS leads to upregulation of HuD levels through competition with FMRP for HuD 3’UTR binding. In turn, increased HuD levels overly stabilize the transcript levels of its targets, NRN1 and GAP43. As a consequence, mutant FUS motoneurons show altered axon branching and growth upon injury. Abnormal axon branching and regrowth in FUS mutant motoneurons could be rescued by dampening NRN1 levels. Since similar phenotypes have been previously described in SOD1 and TDP-43 mutant models, aberrant axonal growth and branching might represent broad early events in the pathogenesis of ALS.
REAP supplemental fertilizer improves greenhouse crop yield

Background Mine tailings contain rare earth elements, including lanthanum and cerium, and plant micronutrients including iron. Previous studies have demonstrated that fertilizers containing rare earth elements and/or micronutrients can influence plant physiology, nutrient uptake and crop yield. However, applying the right dose of these fertilizers is critical since the concentration range associated with benefits is often narrow, and overapplication can lead to crop yield reductions. This study aimed to quantify the effects of a water-soluble fertilizer, REAP, on the yield of greenhouse crops. Methods In the first experiment, the effects of three concentrations of REAP (100, 250 or 500 ppm) were compared to a control (0 ppm REAP) on growth of lettuce, tomato and pepper growing in soilless media. In the second experiments, the effects of REAP applied at higher rates (500, 1000 and 2000 ppm) were compared to a control (0 ppm REAP) on the growth of lettuce, peppers, tomato and cantaloupe. Results In the first experiment, there were no significant differences in yield between treatments, REAP appeared to promote root development. In the second experiment, there were significant yield increases for all crops treated with REAP. Gas exchange rates and nutrient concentration of tomato plants receiving REAP were not significantly different from the control. These results demonstrated that nutrient elements in REAP, including lanthanum, cerium, and micronutrients, improved the growth and yield of vegetable crops when applied at rates ranging from 500 to 2000 ppm.
Rapid genomic expansion and purging associated with habitat transitions in a clade of beach crustaceans (Haustoriidae: Amphipoda)

Genome sizes vary by orders of magnitude across the Tree of Life and lack any correlation with organismal complexity. Some crustacean orders, such as amphipods, have genome sizes that correlate with body size, temperature, and water depth, indicating that natural selection may constrain genome sizes due to physiological pressures. In this study, we examine the relationship between genome size, repetitive content, and environmental variables on a clade of sand-burrowing amphipods (Haustoriidae) that are distributed across the Gulf of Mexico and the North Atlantic. We uncover a 6-fold genome size variation within a clade that is less than 7 million years old. Unlike previous studies, we find no correlation between genome size and latitude, but do uncover a significant relationship between genome size and body length. Further, we find that the proportion of repetitive content predicts genome size, and that the largest genomes appear to be driven by expansions of LINE elements. Finally, we find evidence of genomic purging and body size reduction in two lineages that have independently colonized warm brackish waters, possibly indicating a strong physiological constraint of transitioning from surf-swept beaches to protected bays. Significance Statement The evolution of genome size has been a long-standing puzzle in biology. In this work, we find that genome sizes may be driven by different selection regimes following shifts to a new habitat. Dramatic genome size changes can occur rapidly, in only a few million years. Data Availability Statement Raw data sheets have been deposited on Dryad: SUBMITTED. Raw sequence reads are available at from NCBI under Bioproject SUBMITTED.
Structure of SARS-CoV-2 ORF8, a rapidly evolving coronavirus protein implicated in immune evasion

The molecular basis for the severity and rapid spread of the COVID-19 disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 is largely unknown. ORF8 is a rapidly evolving accessory protein that has been proposed to interfere with immune responses. The crystal structure of SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 was determined at 2.04 Å resolution by x-ray crystallography. The structure reveals a ~60 residue core similar to SARS-CoV ORF7a with the addition of two dimerization interfaces unique to SARS-CoV-2 ORF8. A covalent disulfide-linked dimer is formed through an N-terminal sequence specific to SARS-CoV-2, while a separate non-covalent interface is formed by another SARS-CoV-2-specific sequence, 73YIDI76. Together the presence of these interfaces shows how SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 can form unique large-scale assemblies not possible for SARS-CoV, potentially mediating unique immune suppression and evasion activities.