Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes in cytokinins and cytokinin oxidase activity in developing maize kernels and the effects of exogenous cytokinin on kernel development

Temporal changes in cytokinin levels, mitotic activity and cytokinin oxidase activity were determined within kernels at the same stage of physiological development in single ears of field-grown maize (Zea mays L.). Cytokinins were qualitatively and quantitatively characterized by immunoaffinity chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and radioimmunoassay (RIA). Zeatin (Z), zeatin riboside (ZR) and isopentenyladenosine (iPA) all reached their maximum concentrations 9 days after pollination (DAP). The mitotic activity within the endosperm also peaked at 9 DAP. Cytokinin oxidase was present in kernels at basal levels from 3-6 DAP, then increased substantially through 10 DAP. Comparison of oxidase activity in kernels which are maturing normally and those which will abort, revealed major differences. In aborting apical kernels, the enzyme activity remained at basal levels from 4-10 DAP and only increased slightly trough 15 DAP. In median kernels, which develop normally, oxidase activity increased significantly by 5 DAP and reached a peak 4-fold higher than the basal level by 9 DAP. The differences in cytokinin oxidase activity between kernels which are maturing normally and those which will abort was so pronounced that cytokinin oxidase levels can be considered an indicator of normal kernel development. Stem infusion of benzylaminopurine (BA), but not Z or ZR, into intact plants at pollination increased the kernel number per ear at maturity by up to 30% and in some cases the total kernel weight per ear. The increase was due to a reduction in apical kernel abortion
The Association Between the Voluntary Disclosure of Interim Reports and Company Characteristics in Jordan

This research examines the potential association between the voluntary disclosure of reports published every six months and a company’s characteristics. The focus is on selected variables that could influence the voluntary disclosure of information by ASE listed companies in Jordan. The estimation approach of the GMM dynamic panel system has used data selected from 120 ASE listed companies over a five-year period (2012 to 2016). This research also investigates the relationship between voluntary disclosure and the selected companies’ attributes, such as audit committees and the audit firm’s size as well as the company’s size, profitability, leverage, industry type, number of employees, and whether it is foreign owned or shariah approved.The results of this study showed significant differences between the selected companies in the following areas: company size, industry type, company profitability, shariah approval, audit committees, audit company size and voluntary disclosure. The study found also that there is a significant relationship between voluntary disclosure and company size, profitability, type of industry, audit firm size, the audit committee and whether the company is shariah approved. Keywords: Jordan, voluntary disclosure, half-yearly financial reporting, interim financial reports. JEL Classification: M420, G380, M410 DOI : 10.7176/EJBM/11-32-02 Publication date: November 30 th 2019
Molecular characterization of a lipase induced in Botrytis cinerea by components of grape berry cuticle

A lipase (EC 3.1.1.3) produced by Botrytis cinerea was detected using specific antilipase antibodies during infection of grapevine leaves. The lipase production occurred during the early phases of B. cinerea parasitism; no lipase was detected in non-inoculated leaves. Lipase induction in B. cinerea by different grape berry cuticle components (cuticular waxes, native cutin, cutin hydrolysate) was studied in culture. Wax esters and free fatty acids were found to induce the lipase after 24 h of growth. The amino acid composition of the lipase indicated that this enzyme is enriched in hydrophobic residues. NH2-terminal and eight internal amino acid sequences of the lipase were determined and compared with lipolytic enzymes from other fungi. The possible role of the lipase in the penetration of host surfaces during plant infection is discussed.
Säume wirken sich positiv auf die Gliedertiere aus

Im Rahmen des Teilprojektes «Wirkung neu angelegter Saume auf die Laufkafer- und Spinnenfauna» wurden die Auswirkungen der Saume auf die Bodenarthropoden, insbesondere Laufkafer und Spinnen, untersucht. Im Klettgau (SH) und in Litzibuch (AG) wurden jeweils zwei Saume und als Vergleichselemente zwei Buntbrachen und zwei Wegrandstreifen herangezogen. Die ausgewahlten Bioindikatoren Laufkafer und Spinnen, sowie als Beifange Wanzen und Zikaden, wurden mit Bodenfallen erfasst. An 12 Standorten konnten insgesamt 21’000 Laufkafer aus 93 Arten, 11’000 Spinnen aus 100 Arten, 44 Wanzenarten mit 1’691 Individuen sowie 29 Zikadenarten mit 270 Individuen festgestellt werden. Im Vergleich mit den Buntbrachen und mit den Wegrandstreifen nahmen die Saume eine mittlere Stellung ein. Die Saume boten sowohl den fur Brache typischen Arthropodenarten als auch Grunlandspezialisten einen Lebensraum an. Sie stellen eine wertvolle Erganzung zu Buntbrachen und Wiesen dar. Ausserdem tragen sie somit zur Erhohung und Erhaltung der Artenvielfalt von Laufkafern, Bodenspinnen, Bodenwanzen sowie Zikaden in der Agrarlandschaft bei.
Gross Anatomical, Histomorphological and Biometrical Study of the Cornea in Adult Marwari Goat (Capra hircus)

The present study was carried out on cornea of the adult Marwari goat (Capra hircus), irrespective of sex. The cornea was elliptical in shape with horizontal diameter greater than the vertical diameter. The mean value of the thickness of the cornea was 0.852±0.03 mm. The cornea was composed of anterior epithelium, subepithelial basement membrane, corneal stroma/substantia propria, Descemet’s membrane and endothelium. Anterior epithelium (stratified squamous non-keratinized) was the outermost layer of the cornea and was composed of 5 to 9 rows of epithelial cells. The mean value of the total thickness of the corneal section was 716.39±13.84 μ. The mean values of the thickness of the epithelial layers, thickness of stroma, thickness of the Descemet’s membrane and thickness of endothelium of the cornea were 77.20±1.45 μ, 626.74±12.02 μ, 10.70±0.33 μ and 2.08±0.10 μ, respectively.
Brand placement prominence: good for memory! Bad for attitudes?

ABSTRACT This article presents two laws about the effects of brand placement on audience reactions. Brand placement is the compensated inclusion of brands or brand identifiers within media programming. The first law states that brand placement prominence has a positive effect on brand memory. This effect has been found for placements in audiovisual media. However, placement prominence has a negative effect on brand attitude under specific circumstances. The second law states that brand placement can affect attitudes and behavior without memory of the placement. This means that brand placement can have implicit effects. Implications of these brand placement laws are discussed.
Antifungal potential of Bacillus vallismortis R2 against different phytopathogenic fungi.

The cash crops grown in an agro-climatic region are prone to infection by various fungal pathogens. The use of chemical fungicides over the years has resulted in emergence of resistant fungal strains, thereby necessitating the development of effective and environmental friendly alternatives. The natural antagonistic interactions among different microbial populations have been exploited as an eco-friendly approach for controlling fungal pathogens resistant to synthetic chemicals. Morphologically distinct bacterial cultures (150), isolated from rhizospheric soils of wheat, rice, onion and tomato plants were screened for their antifungal potential against seven phytopathogenic fungi prevalent in the State of Punjab (India). The bacterial isolate R2, identified as Bacillus vallismortis, supported more than 50% inhibition of different phytopathogenic fungi ( Alternaria alternata, Rhizoctonia oryzae, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium moniliforme, Colletotrichum sp, Helminthosporium sp and Magnaporthe grisea ) in dual culture plate assay. The thin layer chromatography based bio-autography of acid-precipitated biomolecules (APB) indicated the presence of more than one type of antifungal molecule, as evidenced from zones of inhibition against the respective fungal pathogen. The initial analytical studies indicated the presence of surfactin, iturin A and fengycin-like compounds in APB. The antifungal activity of whole cells and APB of isolate R2 was evaluated by light and scanning electron microscopy. The wheat grains treated with APB and exposed to spores of A. alternata showed resistance to the development of black point disease, thereby indicating the potential application of R2 and its biomolecules at field scale level.
The Social Function of Allo-marking in the European Badger (Meles meles)

The adaptive significance of sociality in European badgers (Meles meles) is often explained on the basis of ecological factors, but little is known about their social interactions. Here, we investigate how allo-marking of conspecifics with subcaudal gland secretions might serve as a behavioural mechanism to create a shared group-odour, thus functioning simultaneously to maintain group cohesion, and as an individual advertisement signal. The odour of subcaudal secretions, which encodes group-membership and individual-specific information, is partly generated by the bacterial flora in the subcaudal pouch. Studying the interactions of 40 different adults from two social groups, we analysed 3021 instances of allo-marking, which may be either mutual, i.e. two badgers pressing their subcaudal pouches against each other simultaneously (155 events) or sequential, i.e. one badger marking the body of another individual (2866 events). Sequential marking is significantly more frequent than mutual marking, although both occur significantly more often during the mating season and the cub-rearing season than at other times. Whereas mutual marking appears to be independent of individual-specific parameters, sequential allo-marking is strongly influenced by sex, age, and reproductive status. We propose that mutual marking generates a common group-smell by facilitating the exchange of pouch bacteria, thus aiding in group-cohesion, while sequential marking serves two purposes, to distribute the common group-smell, and to advertise individual-specific, fitness-related information. Strong correlation of the frequencies of sequential and mutual allo-marking as well as the allo-grooming behaviour between particular clusters of group members suggests the existence of sub-groups within badger groups.
Designing a shipboard line transect survey to estimate cetacean abundance off the Azores Archipelago, Portugal

Management schemes dedicated to the conservation of wildlife populations rely on the effective monitoring of population size, and this may require the accurate and precise estimation of this parameter. Line transect distance sampling can be an effective approach for estimating abundance. Little information is available regarding cetacean abundance in the Azores. This paper had two aims: 1) to design a line transect shipboard survey to estimate the absolute abundance of the most common cetaceans off the Azores; and 2) to provide a set of potential survey effort scenarios to policy makers and environmental managers. Three survey scenarios are assessed, and one detailed survey design is presented. A total of 8,800 km of survey effort is recommended; at this level the expected coefficient of variation of estimates is less than 0.3 for most species. However, if logistic constraints prevent this, at least 5,000 km of survey effort should be used to achieve minimum sample size requirements; this is estimated to take 36 days of effort. It is also recommended to conduct a pilot survey. This would provide more detailed information that could be used to improve the survey design of what would be the first survey of this magnitude ever to be implemented in the Azores.
A Case Study in an Engineering Company: Evaluation of Performances

Abstract Lane Engineering (LE) is an engineering firm whose main line of business is production and precise engineering. The main purpose of this study was to make a strategic analysis of LE. The study adopted and enhanced a case study which was conducted as part of a project work in Near East University in 2017. The company materials were collected by the Ph.D. student coauthor from the available public and private information sources of the company. The analysis of the study incorporated the use of the Balanced score card which is essential to determine the performance of an organization and the drivers for future performance. The Value chain was also used for the study to assess value added by separate activities in their organisation to increase competitive advantage.Also, respective suggestions other conceptual and academic issues that can be related with technology and innovation management in reality, as in the following order. Received: August 19, 2018, Accepted: October 18, 2018, Published: November 10, 2018 Copyright: © 2018 IMISC Chiganze, Medeni. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Development of a high throughput assay to optimize hematopoietic differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) offer the potential to develop in vitro protocols for the generation of any human somatic cell. In order for protocols to allow for both comprehension of underlying developmental mechanics and future clinical application, they will need to rely upon efficient differentiation of cells without the reliance upon animal-derived components. This thesis presents the development of a 96-well plate culture system that allows 4-color, flow cytometry based high throughput screening of defined, serum-free hESC differentiation conditions. In the first portion, broad applicability is proven by demonstrating highly efficient differentiation toward the three primary germ layers. Using four separate biomarkers, we were able to distinguish between ectoderm, endoderm, mesoderm and pluripotent hESCs. We demonstrated the ability to perform both cytokine screens and siRNA-mediated knockdown in this assay. In the second portion, we establish conditions to apply this assay to study hematopoietic differentiation. We performed numerous cytokine and inhibitor screens to develop a stepwise protocol that generates high yields of primitive megakaryocyte-erythromyeloid progenitors and megakaryocytes after 8 and 11 days of embryoid body differentiation, respectively. This work provides a novel tool to streamline the development of hESC differentiation protocols and advances the hematopoietic field towards future hESC-derived therapies. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Bioengineering First Advisor Scott L. Diamond
A Stereometric Analysis of Karyokinesis, Cytokinesis and Cell Arrangements during and following Fourth Cleavage Period in the Sea Urchin, Lytechinus variegatus

Fourth cleavage of the sea urchin embryo produces 16 blastomeres that are the starting point for analyses of cell lineages and bilateral symmetry. We used optical sectioning, scanning electron microscopy and analytical 3‐D reconstructions to obtain stereo images of patterns of karyokinesis and cell arrangements between 4th and 6th cleavage. At 4th cleavage, 8 mesomeres result from a variant, oblique cleavage of the animal quartet with the mesomeres arranged in a staggered, offset pattern and not a planar ring. This oblique, non‐radial cleavage pattern and polygonal packing of cells persists in the animal hemisphere throughout the cleavage period. Contrarily, at 4th cleavage, the 4 vegetal quartet nuclei migrate toward the vegetal pole during interphase; mitosis and cytokinesis are latitudinal and subequatorial. The 4 macromeres and 4 micromeres form before the animal quartet divides to produce a 12‐cell stage. Subsequently, macromeres and their derivatives divide synchronously and radially through 8th cleavage according to the Sachs‐Hertwig rule. At 5th cleavage, mesomeres and macromeres divide first; then the micromeres divide latitudinally and unequally to form the small and large micromeres. This temporal sequence produces 28‐and 32‐cell stages. At 6th cleavage, macromere and mesomere descendants divide synchronously before the 4 large micromeres divide parasynchronously to produce 56‐ and 60‐cell stages.
Influence of Different Concentrations of Calcium Pectate on Ripening of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.)

The detached fruit of Lycopersicon esculentum L. has been selected for the present ripening study. Lycopersicon esculentum L. seeds were obtained from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Lycopersicon esculentum L. was grown in the green house of the Botany Department of Annamalai University. The mature green fruits were harvested whenever required for the experimental study. The unripe mature green fruits were stored in the laboratory of Botany Department at room temperature of 28 ± 2°C with a humidity of 85 per cent. The mature green fruits took about five days for their complete ripening. The fruits were treated with Calcium pectate of different micro molar concentration (50, 70, and 100 µM). All the experiments were conducted daily with seven replicates. The pericarp of the fruit was used to study the ripening process. The present investigation was aimed to study the effect of calcium pectate on the ripening of Lycopersicon esculentum L. The fruits were treated with different micro molar concentration of (50, 70 and 100 μM) calcium pectate. The colour changes from green to yellow with in the 4 day the 5 th day the fruit got split into several valves with over ripening.
Enhancing the content of beneficial fatty acids in beef and consequences for meat quality.

Scollan, N. D. , Richardson, I. , De Smet, S. , Moloney, A. P., Doreau, M. , Bauchart, D. , Nuernberg, K. 2005. Enhancing the content of beneficial fatty acids in beef and consequences for meat quality, In: Indicators of Milk and Beef Quality, (European Association for Animal Production scientific series; 112), Hocquette, J. F. , Gigli, S. (eds.), Wageningen Academic Publishers, pp. 151-162
Dissecting the role and regulation of MRL function in Drosophila

The Mig10/RIAM/Lpd (MRL) family of adapter proteins have been recognised in transducing signals derived from growth factor receptors to alterations in cell motility and adhesion via changes in actin dynamics. Reduction in the levels of MRL proteins results in diminished cell division rates, growth retardation, an increase in monomeric (G): filamentous (F) actin ratios, loss of cell migration, and lethality. Conversely, overexpression of MRL proteins reduces the ratio of G:F actin, thereby promoting Serum Response Factor (SRF) signalling, lamellipodia formation, cellular invasion and coordinated cell growth and proliferation. Members of the MRL family all share common structural characteristics, most notably the presence of highly conserved central Ras-association (RA) and Pleckstrin homology (PH) domains in addition to an N-terminal Talin binding site and multiple C-terminal SH3 and proline rich motifs capable of interacting with Ena/VASP and Profilin. This report extends previous work carried out on Pico, the Drosophila MRL homologue, by demonstrating physical interactions with Chickadee (Profilin), Rhea (Talin), Ras, and Protein Phosphatase 1 (PP1). Many of these binding partners were found to co-localise with Pico within highly dynamic membrane ruffles during Drosophila cell spreading, while only Enabled (Ena/VASP) co-localised at the periphery of cells once they had reached a maximal size and spreading had ceased, pointing to the existence of distinct Pico-associated complexes. This work also details the presence of a highly conserved MAPK-binding site adjacent to the RA domain which had not been previously recorded in the literature. Site-directed mutagenesis revealed this MAPK-binding motif to be required for Pico's interactions with the Erk1/2 homologue Rolled, while conservation of MAPK binding ability was demonstrated in both human Lpd and RIAM orthologues. Further analysis showed that Rolled might phosphorylate Pico at a serine residue (Ser 819) previously identified by high-throughput phosphoproteomics, which may in turn promote Pico's interactions with PP1. Wing growth assays performed using site-directed Pico mutants indicated that PP1 plays a role in negative regulation of Pico-mediated growth, although the relevant targets of the phosphatase remain to be identified. Interestingly, reporter gene experiments confirmed that Pico induced SRF-dependent gene expression in ii Drosophila cells while ectopic SRF signalling has been found to increase expression of rolled, suggesting the potential existence of a Rolled/PP1 mediated negative feedback loop regulating Pico functionality.
Natural enemies of the South American pampas grasses Cortaderia spp. in New Zealand.

The South American pampas grasses Cortaderia selloana and C. jubata (Poaceae) are serious weeds in New Zealand, particularly in pine plantations and in indigenous plant communities, where it successfully invades bare ground (including cliffs). A national survey of pampas grasses in New Zealand was initiated in 2008 to identify any herbivores (and their associated predators and parasitoids) and fungal pathogens present. The survey revealed a wide range of native and introduced invertebrates associated with pampas in New Zealand but no specialised pampasfeeding invertebrates were found. The most obvious foliage damage was caused by the larvae of the native flax notcher moth, Tmetolophota steropastis. Plant pathogens found included a range of previously recorded, generalist grass pathogens. Assessment will be made of the biological control potential for the insects and pathogens recovered from pampas.
Adult literacy in the Roma community: two case studies

The paper presents the results of two literacy projects with Roma adults form Bulgaria and Sweden. The Roma were literate in their mother tongue – the Romani language and the ecological approach to the literacy process was used. The approach assumes that the cultural background and cultural environments of learners should be used as a main tool in the literacy process. The results of the two projects were not only that adult Roma had acquired literacy skills in Romani, but also that they had got the knowledge of their history and identity issues.