Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Restoration of upland hay meadows over an 11‐year chronosequence: an evaluation of the success of green hay transfer

Grassland restoration has become a key tool in addressing the drastic losses of seminatural grassland since the mid‐twentieth century. This study examined the restoration by green hay transfer of upland hay meadows, a particularly scarce and vulnerable habitat, over an 11‐year chronosequence. The community composition of 18 restoration meadows was compared with that of donor reference sites in two study areas in the Pennine region of northern England. The study investigated: differences in community composition between donor and restoration meadows; transfer of upland hay meadow target species; and the effect of time and isolation from neighboring meadows on the community composition of the restoration meadows. Results showed that restoration meadows differed from donor meadows in that some target species were easily transferred whilst others were not found in the restoration meadows, or were at low levels of cover. Time had a significant effect on the community composition of the restoration meadows, but the similarity between restoration sites and donor sites did not increase with time, and the effect of isolation was not significant. The study showed that the green hay transfer method increases botanical diversity and is an important first step in meadow restoration. However, further restoration activity, such as seed addition, is likely to be required if restoration sites are to resemble closely the reference donor sites.
HERENCIA DE LA RESISTENCIA DEL TRIGO (Triticum aestivum L.) HUITES F95 A ROYA AMARILLA CAUSADA POR Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici W.

Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important cereals in the world, its production in recent years was affected by yellow rust (RA), caused by the Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici fungus. Planting resistant varieties has allowed to counteract the effects of the disease in some parts of the world. Adult plants of the Mexican variety Huites F95 bread wheat have shown resistance to yellow rust (RPA) since their release. The hypothesis of this study was that minor genes confer resistance to yellow rust in the Huites F95 variety. The objective was to determine the type of resistance and estimate the number of genes that condition it. To that end, a population of 198 recombinant inbred lines (RIL) was generated by crossing Huites F95 and Avocet-YrA. The phenotypic characterization was carried out in Toluca, Mexico State, in the Spring-Summer cycles of 2013, 2014 and 2015, and in El Batan, Texcoco, Mexico State, during Spring-Summer 2015. Artificial epidemics were created using a mixture of MEX96.11, MEX08.13, CMEX14.25 and MEX14.191 races of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici. Temperature and humidity were favorable for the development of the disease in the four evaluation environments. The resistance of Huites F95 to RA was found to be quantitative and caused by the effect of minor genes. The X2 analysis indicated the presence of four to five genes that confer RPA to yellow rust. Huites F95 does not have race- specific resistance to the races evaluated, but the adult plant has high resistance to several races in the main wheat regions of the country, and it is a parent that can be incorporated into global breeding programs and contribute to achieving durable resistance to yellow rust.
Evaluation of the Impact of the Copperwork “Glogow” on the Total Content of Manganese and Its Mobile Forms in the Vicinity of Arable Soils

The occurrence of manganese in soils depends eg on its content in the parent rock as well as on the soil-formation process determining its profile distribution. Moreover clay soils are richer in this metal than sandy soils.The properties and transformations of manganese compounds are defined by redox conditions as well as the reaction and the content of organic substance and calcium carbonate. The aim of the present research was to determine the total contents of manganese and its mobile forms in the profiles of Luvisols in the vicinity of the Copperworks “Glogow”. The research material was made up of the profiles of arable Luvisols located at different distances from the Copperworks “Glogow”. There were made four soil test pits located at varied distances from the emitter: P1 – 6.8 km (southwards), P2 – 6.6 km (south-eastwards), P3 – 5.7 km (eastwards) and P4 – 6.5 km (southwards). In the soil samples from each genetic horizon the following soil analyses were made: texture using Cassagrande method with the modification by Pruszynski, pH in H2O and in the KCl solution (1 mol/dm ) using potentiometric method, Corg using Tiurin method, content of CaCO3 by Scheibler volume method [3]. The total content of manganese was defined with the AAS method following the mineralization in the mixture of HF and HClO4 acids and the content of mobile manganese forms, according to the modified sequence analysis by Miller et al (1986). The soils investigated were classified as the subtype of Haplic Luvisols showing the reaction ranging from slightly acid to alkaline and the content of Corg in horizons Ap from 6.7 g kg to 31.2 g kg. The total content of manganese ranged from 102.40 g kg to 332.80 mg kg. The Mn-richest horizons were the humus horizons, while Mn lowest contents were observed in the horizons of the parent rock in all the profiles investigated. In the sequential analysis the most important share (about 41 %) in the total content of manganese was reported for fraction IV (connected with organic matter) and fraction VI – connected with crystalline iron oxides (24 %) and fraction III – with free manganese oxides (15 %). The share of fractions 1, 2 and 5 was below 5 % of the total content of the metal. A considerable content of Mn fractions connected with organic matter and iron and manganese oxides points to its temporary immobilization, which DOI: 10.2428/ecea.2012. 19(04)042 ECOL CHEM ENG A. 2012;19(4-5):403-410 1 Faculty of Soil Scinces and Soil Protection, University of Technology and Life Sciences in Bydgoszcz, ul. Bernardynska 6, 85–029 Bydgoszcz, Poland, phone: +48 52 374 95 12, email: hanna.jaworska@utp.edu. pl is connected with the changes in the redox potential. The total contents do not exceed the geochemical background level, which allows for considering the soils of that region to be unpolluted with manganese.
Kecernaan In Vitro Jerami Padi Fermentasi Dengan Menggunakan Berbagai Level Inokulum Aspergillus niger dan Lactobacillus plantarum

Pemanfaatan sisa hasil pertanian (jerami padi) sebagai pakan dasarmenjadi hal yang strategis untuk dikembangkan guna memenuhi kebutuhan pakan berserat bagi ternak sapi potong. Mikrobia selulolitik dan bakteri asam laktat merupakan salah satu sumber inokulum yang dapat meningkatkan kualitas jerami padi sebagai pakan dasar berserat. Penelitian dilakukan dengan tujuan untuk mendapatkan sumber karbon yang tepat untuk pertumbuhan Aspergillus niger (AN) dan Lactobacillus plantarum (LP). Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan menfermentasi jerami padi menggunakan AN dan LP. Perlakuan sumberkarbon yang diberikan dua macam substrat, yaitu molasses dan dedak. Perlakuan level AN sebesar 0, 5, 10, dan 15%. Pemberian LP sebesar 10% pada setiap perlakuan. Fermentasi dilakukan selama 21 hari,sedang nilai kecernaannyadievaluasi dengan menggunakan metode in vitro Tilley and Terry dan Gas Tes t. Variabel yang diamati dalam penelitian ini adalah pH, asam laktat,BK, BO, PK, SK, NDF, ADF, dan TDN. Data yang diperoleh dianalisis menggunakan analisis varian rancangan acak lengkap ( Completely Randomized Design/CRD ) pola searah dan pola faktoril (2 x 3), bila terdapat pengaruh nyata dilanjutkan dengan uji DMRT ( Duncan’s Multiple Range Test ). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan penggunaan Aspergillus niger dan Lactobacillus plantarum untuk fermentasi jerami padi yang terbaik adalah 15% Aspergillus nige r dan 10% Lactobacillus plantarum dari bahan kering. Penggunaan substrat molases lebih baik jika dibandingkan dengan dedak, hal ini terlihat dari hasil analisis PK, SK, LK, ADF, dan hasil uji fisik jerami padi fermentasi.
A Unified Framework for Dopamine Signals across Timescales

Rapid phasic activity of midbrain dopamine neurons are thought to signal reward prediction errors (RPEs), resembling temporal difference errors used in machine learning. Recent studies describing slowly increasing dopamine signals have instead proposed that they represent state values and arise independently from somatic spiking activity. Here, we developed novel experimental paradigms using virtual reality that disambiguate RPEs from values. We examined the dopamine circuit activity at various stages including somatic spiking, axonal calcium signals, and striatal dopamine concentrations. Our results demonstrate that ramping dopamine signals are consistent with RPEs rather than value, and this ramping is observed at all the stages examined. We further show that ramping dopamine signals can be driven by a dynamic stimulus that indicates a gradual approach to a reward. We provide a unified computational understanding of rapid phasic and slowly ramping dopamine signals: dopamine neurons perform a derivative-like computation over values on a moment-by-moment basis.
Maize nested introgression library provides evidence for the involvement of liguleless1 in resistance to northern leaf blight

Plant disease resistance is largely governed by complex genetic architecture. In maize, few disease resistance loci have been characterized. Near-isogenic lines (NILs) are a powerful genetic tool to dissect quantitative trait loci (QTL). We analyzed an introgression library of maize near-isogenic lines (NILs), termed a nested NIL (nNIL) library for resistance to northern leaf blight (NLB) caused by the fungal pathogen Setosphaeria turcica. The nNIL library was comprised of 412 BC5F4 NILs that originated from 18 diverse donor parents and a common recurrent parent, B73. Single nucleotide polymorphisms identified through genotyping by sequencing (GBS) were used to define introgressions and for association analysis. NILs that conferred resistance and susceptibility to NLB were comprised of introgressions that overlapped known NLB QTL. Genome-wide association analysis and stepwise regression further resolved five QTL regions, and implicated several candidate genes, including Liguleless1 (Lg1), a key determinant of leaf architecture in cereals. Two independently-derived mutant alleles of lg1 inoculated with S. turcica showed enhanced susceptibility to NLB. In the maize nested association mapping population, leaf angle was positively correlated with NLB in five recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations, and negatively correlated with NLB in four RIL populations. This study demonstrates the power of a nNIL library combined with high density SNP coverage to resolve QTLs. Furthermore, the role of lg1 in leaf architecture and in resistance to NLB has important applications in crop improvement. Significance Statement (120 words) Understanding the genetic basis of disease resistance is important for crop improvement. We analyzed response to northern leaf blight (NLB) in a maize population consisting of 412 near-isogenic lines (NILs) derived from 18 diverse donor parents backcrossed to a recurrent parent, B73. NILs were genotyped by sequencing to detect introgressed segments. We identified NILs with greater resistance or susceptibility to NLB than B73. Genome-wide association analysis, coupled with stepwise regression, identified 5 candidate loci for NLB resistance, including the liguleless1 gene. The LIGULELESS1 transcription factor is critical in development of the leaf ligular region and influences leaf angle. We found that liguleless1 mutants are significantly more susceptible to NLB, uncovering a pleiotropic role for liguleless1 in development and disease resistance.
Ictal recruitment of anterior nucleus of thalamus in human focal epilepsy

The thalamic nuclei play diverse roles in the initiation, propagation, and termination of temporal lobe seizures. The role of the anterior nucleus of the thalamus (ANT) - a node that is integral to the limbic network is unclear. The objective of this study was to characterize temporal and - spectral patterns of ANT ictal recruitment in drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). We hypothesized that seizures localized to the temporolimbic network are likely to recruit ANT, and the odds of recruitment were higher in seizures that had altered consciousness. Ten patients undergoing stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG) were recruited prospectively to record field potentials from the ANT. Using epileptogenicity index and line length, we computed the number of seizures that recruited the ANT (recruitment ratio), the recruitment latencies between the ANT and the epileptogenic zone (EZ), and latency of ANT recruitment to clinical manifestation for seventy-nine seizures. We observed that seizures localized to mesial temporal subregions (hippocampus, amygdala, anterior cingulate) have a higher predilection for ANT recruitment, and the recruitment was faster (ranged 5-12 secs) and preceded clinical onset for seizures that impaired consciousness. Seizures that recruited ANT lasted significantly longer (t=1.795, p=0.005). Recruitment latency was inversely correlated to seizure duration (r=-0.78, p=0.004). Electrical stimulation of the EZ induced seizures, in which early recruitment of ANT was confirmed. Stimulation of ANT did not induce a seizure. Finally, we tested the hypothesis that spectral and entropy-based features extracted from thalamic field potentials can distinguish its state of ictal recruitment from other interictal states (including awake, sleep). For this, we employed classification machine learning that discriminated thalamic ictal state from other interictal states with high accuracy (92.8%) and precision (93.1%). Among the features, the emergence of the theta rhythm (4-8 Hz) maximally discriminated the endogenous ictal state from other interictal states of vigilance. These results prompt a mechanistic role for the ANT in the early organization and sustaining of seizures, and the possibility to serve as a target for therapeutic closed-loop stimulation in TLE.
VARIATION OF WING SHAPE, SEXUAL DIMORPHISM AND DIRECTIONAL ASYMMETRY IN NATURE POPULATION OF THE POECILOBOTHRUS REGALIS (MEIGEN, 1824) (DIPTERA, DOLICHOPODIDAE)

Background. As taxonomic character of wing venation in dolichopodid flies is often used in taxonomic studies, more detailed observation including variation in shape and pattern of sexual dimorphism between different generations and between sides of individuals has the potential to shed light on evolutionary trends in the family. Materials and methods. A geometric morphometric analysis was conducted to examine the patterns of wing shape variation in the individual population of Poecilobothrus regalis (Meigen, 1824). ANOVA was used to estimate significance of differences among generations, sexes and sides. CVA was performed to allocate these differences. Degree of asymmetry was computed as difference between sizes of left and right wings. Assessment of differences between values of asymmetry in the groups was taken using t-test. Results. An analysis of the data using the Procrustes method found significant intergenerational differences in wing size and shape, and it was shown that the intergenerational shape variation was partly explained by the allometry. Statistic comparison of the amount and pattern of sexual shape dimorphism among three generations reveals no significant differences. In three cases, significant directional asymmetry was found. Conclusion. A comparison of the intergenerational and intra-generational pattern of shape variation and variation, attributed to directional asymmetry, showed their considerable correspondence. There was no significant evidence that level of fluctuating asymmetry may be a measure of the ability of individuals to cope with environmental conditions.
Study on the efficacy of dsRNAs with increasing length in RNAi-based silencing of the Fusarium CYP51 genes

Previously, we have demonstrated that transgenic Arabidopsis and barley plants, expressing a 791 nucleotide (nt) dsRNA (CYP3RNA) that targets all three CYP51 genes (FgCYP51A, FgCYP51B, FgCYP51C) in Fusarium graminearum (Fg), inhibited fungal infection via a process designated as host-induced gene silencing (HIGS). More recently, we have shown that spray applications of CYP3RNA also protect barley from fungal infection via a process termed spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS). Thus, RNAi technology may have the potential to revolutionize plant protection in agriculture. Therefore, successful field application will require optimization of RNAi design necessary to maximize the efficacy of the RNA silencing construct for making RNAi-based strategies a realistic and sustainable approach. Previous studies indicate that silencing is correlated with the number of siRNAs generated from a dsRNA precursor. To prove the hypothesis that silencing efficiency is correlated with the number of siRNAs processed out of the dsRNA precursor, we tested in a HIGS and SIGS approach dsRNA precursors of increasing length ranging from 400 nt to 1500 nt to assess gene silencing efficiency of individual FgCYP51 genes. Concerning HIGS-mediated disease control, we found that there is no significant correlation between the length of the dsRNA precursor and the reduction of Fg infection on CYP51-dsRNA expressing Arabidopsis plants. Importantly and in clear contrast to HIGS, we measured a decrease in SIGS-mediated Fg disease resistance that significantly correlates with the length of the dsRNA construct that was sprayed, indicating that the size of the dsRNA interferes with a sufficient uptake of dsRNAs by the fungus.
Escape behaviour of female field crickets is not affected by male attractiveness, but shows consistent patterns within individuals

Predator avoidance is one of the most important fitness components because predation success is directly linked to prey death. Decision making regarding predator avoidance is influenced by many abiotic and biotic factors because of the trade-off between predator avoidance and other contextual behaviours. Attractive sexual signals may elicit responses not only from potential mates, but also from predators. Therefore, female escape behaviour will be affected by the attractiveness of male signals. I examined the effect of attractiveness of male calling songs on the components of female escape behaviour [i.e., responsiveness to artificial predatory stimuli, alternative escape tactics (jumping or forward locomotion), and locomotor distance] in the field cricket Teleogryllus occipitalis. Although song attractiveness did not affect female escape behaviour, behavioural components showed high inter-individual variation. The results showed that escape behaviour exhibited high repeatability, and the consistency affects decision-making in terms of escape behaviour in field crickets.
Studying the precuneus reveals structure–function–affect correlation in long-term meditators

Understanding the relationship between brain structure, function and self-reports has hardly been addressed until now in meditation research. Here we demonstrate such relationship, using Mindfulness meditation (MM). MM aims to reduce thought-related processes and enhance bodily awareness, thereby reducing identification with thought content and deconstructing maladaptive self-schema. We thus hypothesized that structure of the default mode network (DMN) regions, associated with spontaneous thoughts and self-representation, would negatively correlate with MM experience and self-reported positive affect, while positively correlating with DMN resting-state function. Cross-sectionally comparing a unique group of adept MM practitioners and meditation-naïve matched controls using voxel based morphometry revealed that gray matter (GM) density of the left precuneus (L-Prc) was negatively correlated with MM expertise. Furthermore, GM density of the L-Prc was positively correlated with resting state and task related functional (fMRI) measures within the L-Prc in the MM practitioners, but not in the controls. Finally, the L-Prc’s GM density negatively correlated with positive affect across all participants. Our findings may shed light on understanding structure-function-self reports relationship. While our approach enables studying suggestive correlations in expert MM practitioners, longitudinal studies are required for direct insights concerning the question of causality. Significance statement Understanding the relationship between brain structure and function, individual differences and self-reports, is an important goal of neuroscience. Yet, these factors were hardly investigated together in meditation research. The precuneus is part of the default mode network (DMN) involved in thought related processes. Mindfulness meditation (MM) is a mental practice aiming to reduce thought related processes. Here, by cross-sectionally comparing adept meditators and controls, we found that in the precuneus of MM practitioners, structure associated with function. Overall, structure negatively correlated with practice length, as well as with positive affect scores. The structure-function correlation was only significant in the meditators group, possibly implying that prolonged meditation improved structure and function attunement in the DMN. More generally, this study demonstrates that mental practice can be related to conjoint structural and functional effects, as well as to affective self-reports.
Optimal Multichannel Artifact Prediction and Removal for Brain Machine Interfaces and Neural Prosthetics

Neural implants that electrically stimulate neural tissue such as deep brain stimulators, cochlear implants (CI), and vagal nerve stimulators are becoming the routine treatment options for various diseases. Optimizing electrical stimulation paradigms requires closed-loop stimulation using simultaneous recordings of evoked neural activity in real time. Stimulus-evoked artifacts at the recording site are generally orders of magnitude larger than the neural signals, which challenge the interpretation of evoked neural activity. We developed a generalized artifact removal algorithm that can be applied in a variety of neural recording modalities. The procedure leverages known electrical stimulation currents to derive optimal filters that are used to predict and remove artifacts. We validated the procedure using paired recordings and electrical stimulation from sciatic nerve axons, high-rate bilateral CI stimulation, and concurrent multichannel stimulation in auditory midbrain and recordings in auditory cortex. We demonstrate a vast enhancement in the quality of recording even for high-throughput multi-site stimulation with typical improvements in the signal-to-noise ratio between 20-40 dB. The algorithm is efficient, can be scaled to arbitrary number of sites, and is applicable in range of recording modalities. It has numerous benefits over existing approaches and thus should be valuable for emerging neural recording and stimulation technologies.
A cross-sectional study of mental well-being among undergraduate students in a Medical College, in Central India

Background: Medical education, since its very beginning has been stressful for all those who are involved in it, directly or indirectly. This brings about the development of anxiety or depression or both among the medical students as well as aggravation of the same among those who already have them for some other reason. The apparent factors behind the condition may be a few but an in-depth analysis may reveal several inapparent yet significant factors behind an individual student’ anxious or depressed behavior.