Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Regional water resource implications of bioethanol production in the Southeastern United States

The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 mandates US production of 136 billion L of biofuel by 2022. This target implies an appropriation of regional primary production for dedicated feedstocks at scales that may dramatically affect water supply, exacerbate existing water quality challenges, and force undesirable environmental resource trade offs. Using a comparative life cycle approach, we assess energy balances and water resource implications for four dedicated ethanol feedstocks – corn, sugarcane, sweet sorghum, and southern pine – in two southeastern states, Florida and Georgia, which are a presumed epicenter for future biofuel production. Net energy benefit ratios for ethanol and coproducts range were 1.26 for corn, 1.94 for sweet sorghum, 2.51 for sugarcane, and 2.97 for southern pine. Corn also has high nitrogen (N) and water demand (11.2 kg GJnet−1 and 188 m3 GJnet−1, respectively) compared with other feedstocks, making it a poor choice for regional ethanol production. Southern pine, in contrast, has relatively low N demand (0.4 kg GJnet−1) and negligible irrigation needs. However, it has comparatively low gross productivity, which results in large land area per unit ethanol production (208 m2 GJnet−1), and, by association, substantial indirect and incremental water use (51 m3 GJnet−1). Ultimately, all four feedstocks require substantial land (10.1, 3.1, 2.5, and 6.1 million ha for corn, sugarcane, sweet sorghum, and pine, respectively), annual N fertilization (3230, 574, 396, 109 million kg N) and annual total water (54 400, 20 840, 8840, and 14 970 million m3) resources when scaled up to meet EISA renewable fuel standards production goals. This production would, in turn, offset only 17.5% of regional gasoline consumption on a gross basis, and substantially less when evaluated on a net basis. Utilization of existing waste biomass sources may ameliorate these effects, but does not obviate the need for dedicated primary feedstock production. Careful scrutiny of environmental trade‐offs is necessary before embracing aggressive ethanol production mandates.
Resilient and Sensitive Key Points of the Photosynthetic Machinery of Coffea spp. to the Single and Superimposed Exposure to Severe Drought and Heat Stresses

This study unveils the single and combined drought and heat impacts on the photosynthetic performance of Coffea arabica cv. Icatu and C. canephora cv. Conilon Clone 153 (CL153). Well-watered (WW) potted plants were gradually submitted to severe water deficit (SWD) along 20 days under adequate temperature (25/20°C, day/night), and thereafter exposed to a gradual temperature rise up to 42/30°C, followed by a 14-day water and temperature recovery. Single drought affected all gas exchanges (including Amax ) and most fluorescence parameters in both genotypes. However, Icatu maintained Fv/Fm and RuBisCO activity, and reinforced electron transport rates, carrier contents, and proton gradient regulation (PGR5) and chloroplast NADH dehydrogenase-like (NDH) complex proteins abundance. This suggested negligible non-stomatal limitations of photosynthesis that were accompanied by a triggering of protective cyclic electron transport (CEF) involving both photosystems (PSs). These findings contrasted with declines in RuBisCO and PSs activities, and cytochromes (b559 , f, b563 ) contents in CL153. Remarkable heat tolerance in potential photosynthetic functioning was detected in WW plants of both genotypes (up to 37/28°C or 39/30°C), likely associated with CEF in Icatu. Yet, at 42/30°C the tolerance limit was exceeded. Reduced Amax and increased Ci values reflected non-stomatal limitations of photosynthesis, agreeing with impairments in energy capture (F0 rise), PSII photochemical efficiency, and RuBisCO and Ru5PK activities. In contrast to PSs activities and electron carrier contents, enzyme activities were highly heat sensitive. Until 37/28°C, stresses interaction was largely absent, and drought played the major role in constraining photosynthesis functioning. Harsher conditions (SWD, 42/30°C) exacerbated impairments to PSs, enzymes, and electron carriers, but uncontrolled energy dissipation was mitigated by photoprotective mechanisms. Most parameters recovered fully between 4 and 14 days after stress relief in both genotypes, although some aftereffects persisted in SWD plants. Icatu was more drought tolerant, with WW and SWD plants usually showing a faster and/or greater recovery than CL153. Heat affected both genotypes mostly at 42/30°C, especially in SWD and Icatu plants. Overall, photochemical components were highly tolerant to heat and to stress interaction in contrast to enzymes that deserve special attention by breeding programs to increase coffee sustainability in climate change scenarios.
CLONING AND EXPRESSION OF THE COAT PROTEIN GENE OF BARLEY YELLOW DWARF VIRUS-PAV IN ESCHERICHIA COLI

Due to the restriction of Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV)-PAV particles to the phloem tissue and very low virus titers, purification of the virus is difficult. The aim of this study was to prepare antibody against viral coat protein without purifying the virus. To produce recombinant coat protein, the coding sequence was first amplified from a PAV full-length cDNA clone by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), ligated into a vector (pBluescript SK+) to check the sequence, and subcloned into an expression vector (pGEX-2T). It was then transformed into Escherichia coli DH5α by electroporation. The open reading frame 3 (ORF3) was linked in-frame to the gene encoding glutathione-Stransferase (GST; 26 kDa) and expression induced by IPTG. The expressed coat protein was purified by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) for use as an immunogen. The antisera to BYDV-PAV recombinant coat protein reacted in Western blot analysis with partially purified BYDV-PAV. These antisera were also used to detect BYDV-PAV by immunogold electron microscopy of thin section of barley tissues. The results indicated that BYDV-PAV coat protein can be produced in high yields by E. coli, which provides the ability of simple purification, and because of proper antigencity, can be exploited for diagnostic applications.
Rapid Communication Modeling impacts on populations: fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) exposure to the endocrine disruptor 17b-trenbolone as a case study

Evaluation of population-level impacts is critical to credible ecological risk assessments. In this study, a predictive model was developed to translate changes in fecundity of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) in a short-term laboratory toxicity test to alterations in population growth rate. The model uniquely combines a Leslie population projection matrix and the logistic equation. Application of the model requires only a life table for the organism of interest, a measure of carrying capacity for the given population, and an estimation of the effect of a stressor on vital rates. The model was applied to investigate population dynamics for fathead minnow exposed to the androgen receptor agonist 17b-trenbolone. Organismal-level responses for fathead minnows exposed to varying levels of 17b-trenbolone were used to determine projected alterations in a population existing in a small body of water containing varying concentrations of the androgen. Fathead minnow populations occurring at carrying capacity and subsequently exposed to 0.027mg/L of 17b-trenbolone exhibited a 51% projected decrease in average population size after 2 years of exposure. Populations at carrying capacity exposed to concentrations of 17b-trenbolone X0.266mg/L exhibited a 93% projected decrease in average population size after 2 years of exposure. Overall, fathead minnow populations exposed to continued concentrations of 17b-trenbolone equal to or greater than 0.027mg/L were projected to have average equilibrium population sizes that approached zero. Published by Elsevier Inc.
STRUCTURE OF THE CAPSULAR AND EXTRACELLULAR POLYSACCHARIDES PRODUCED BY THE DESMID SPONDYLOSIUM PANDURIFORME (CHLOROPHYTA) 1

The filamentous desmid Spondylosium panduriforme (Heimerl) Teiling var. panduriforme f. limneticum (West & West) Teiling (Desmidiaceae), strain 072CH‐UFCAR, is surrounded by a well‐defined, mucilaginous capsule consisting of a capsular polysaccharide (CPS). This microalga also produces an extracellular polysaccharide (EPS), which can be isolated from the culture medium. Analysis of the carbohydrate composition of the two polymers by gas chromatography showed that they were different. Both were composed, of galactose, fucose, xylose, arabinose, rhamnose, and glucose but in different amounts. For example, glucuronic acid accounts for 24% of the EPS material but only traces were found in the CPS. Significant differences were also found during methylation analysis. Fucose appeared to have a higher degree of branching in the EPS than in the CPS. These branches were located on C‐3 and could be the position for the attachment of the glucuronic acid units in the EPS. The glucuronic acid was present as 1→4‐linked and terminal units. A possible explanation for the formation of the EPS is suggested.
A Survey on 3D Face Recognition based on Geodesics

With the development of computer vision technology, the research on three-dimensional face recognition has been carried out in many aspects and there have been a large number of works on face recognition algorithms and applications. As an important intrinsic geometry structure on the surface, geodesic is becoming an inﬂuential mathematical tool of three-dimensional face recognition. After introducing the concept and algorithms of geodesic and 3D face data acquisition and database, this paper elaborates the basic idea and summarizes algorithms of 3D face recognition based on geodesics both in small expression variation with isometric deformation and in large expression variation with non-isometric deformation. At last, the paper points out the future research direction of 3D face recognition. The three-dimensional face recognition method based on geodesics is important to judge the similarity of the face, the public security criminal investigation, the conﬁrmation of kinship and anthropological research. Thus, it has prominent theoretical value and practical signiﬁcance.
Template Protection based on Chaotic Map and DNA Encoding for Multimodal Biometrics at Feature Level Fusion

Multimodal biometrics becomes the current development trend of the bio-metric recognition technology because of its better applicability, higher security and better performance. Compared with unimodal biometric templates, multimodal biometric template contains more sensitive information. So the safety of the multimodal biometric template needs to be more concerned. This paper proposes a novel template protection algorithm based on chaotic map and DNA encoding for multimodal biometric at feature level fusion. Each original multimodal biometrics template is permuted by diﬀerent chaotic sequence produced by the master key and user identiﬁcation number. Then DNA encoding and complementary substitutions are imported to further confuse the information of the template. Experiment results show that the proposed algorithm signiﬁcantly improves the original system performance of the classic feature level fusion methods and ensures the security of multimodal biometric template.
Genetic Diversity and Relationships among Verbascum Species in Iraq by RAPD-PCR Technique

th March, 2014 This study was aimed to determine the genetic diversity and relationships among 20 local Verbascum species by using the Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique. To achieve this, Total genomic DNA of Verbascum plant was extracted from leaves using two different methods, by CTAB method using 2-3 g of leaves, with purity of 1.5-1.9, and also by using commercial kit, PCR reactions were carried out using 17 random decamere-nucleotide primers. Percentage of monomorphic and polymorphic bands varies for each primer used with each species and the lowest numbers of polymorphic bands were 2 with OPX16, which showed the polymorphism (50%), produced 4 bands which only 2 were polymorphic. OPA5 and OPW13 showed the highest number of bands (9) and all are polymorphic (100%). From total of 119 alleles that detected, 103 were polymorphic (86.55%) and 16 monomorphic Moreover. A total of 119 polymorphic bands were scored and used for the analysis of genetic distances. Band sizes varied between 100 and 1900 bp. According to the results of genetic distance and relationships illustrated, the ability to resolve genetic variation among different Verbascum species may relate to the number of polymorphic bands detected with marker technique. Dendrogram was constructed using UPGMA cluster analysis and depicted genetic relationships among 20Verbascum species, showed the 2 major clusters depending on their ancestor and their morphological traits. The information generated from this study can be used in the future for Verbascum breeding and improvement programs.
Questioning Learning

This paper draws on observation data from 54 teaching episodes in Year 2 and Year 6 whole-class teaching. It describes the findings of the analysis and illustrates how ‘interactive’, whole-class teaching is characterised by questions requiring predetermined answers. Speculative questions, which invite opinions, hypotheses and imaginings, or process questions, which invite children to articulate their understanding occupy little of the classroom talk arena. Despite national initiatives to develop greater use of whole-class teaching with higher levels of interactivity, teachers use questioning to maintain control and to support their teaching, rather than pupil learning. The paper raises important issues about the nature of interactivity in whole-class teaching and about the role questions play in supporting and extending pupils’ learning experiences.
Neuronal lineage‐specific induction of phospholipase Cε expression in the developing mouse brain

Phospholipase C is a key enzyme of intracellular signal transduction in the central nervous system. We and others recently discovered a novel class of phospholipase C, phospholipase Cε, which is regulated by Ras and Rap small GTPases. As a first step toward analysis of its function, we have examined the spatial and temporal expression patterns of phospholipase Cε during mouse development by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Around embryonic day 10.5, abundant expression of phospholipase Cε is observed specifically in the outermost layer of the neural tube. On embryonic day 12 and later, it is observed mainly in the marginal zone of developing brain and spinal cord as well as in other regions undergoing neuronal differentiation, such as the retina and olfactory epithelium. The phospholipase Cε‐expressing cells almost invariably express microtubule‐associated protein 2, but hardly express nestin or glial fibrillary acidic protein, indicating that the expression of phospholipase Cε is induced specifically in cells committed to the neuronal lineage. The expression of phospholipase Cε persists in the terminally differentiated neurons and exhibits no regional specificity. Further, an in vitro culture system of neuroepithelial stem cells is employed to show that abundant expression of phospholipase Cε occurs in parallel with the loss of nestin expression as well as with the induction of microtubule‐associated protein 2 expression and neuronal morphology. Also, glial fibrillary acidic protein‐positive glial lineage cells do not exhibit the high phospholipase Cε expression. These results suggest that the induction of phospholipase Cε expression may be a specific event associated with the commitment of the neural precursor cells to the neuronal lineage.
Strategies for de novo DNA sequencing.

The development of improved sequencing technologies hasenabled the field of genomics to evolve. Handling andsequencing of large numbers of samples require an increasedlevel of automation in order to obtain high throughput andconsistent quality. Improved performance has lead to thesequencing of numerous microbial genomes and a few genomes fromhigher eukaryotes and the benefits of comparing sequences bothwithin and between species are now becoming apparent. Thisthesis describes both the development of automated purificationmethods for DNA, mainly sequencing products, and a comparativesequencing project.The initially developed purification technique is dedicatedto single stranded DNA containing vector specific sequences,exemplified by sequencing products. Specific capture probescoupled to paramagnetic beads together with stabilizing modularprobes hybridize to the single stranded target. After washing,the purified DNA can be released using water. When sequencingproducts are purified they can be directly loaded onto acapillary sequencer after elution. Since this approach isspecific it can be applied to multiplex sequencing products.Different probe sets are used for each sequencing product andthe purifications are performed iteratively.The second purification approach, which can be applied to anumber of different targets, involves biotinylated PCR productsor sequencing products that are captured using streptavidinbeads. This has been described previously, buthere theinteraction between streptavidin and biotin can be disruptedwithout denaturing the streptavidin, enabling the re-use of thebeads. The relatively mild elution conditions also enable therelease of sensitive biotinylated molecules.Another project described in this thesis is the comparativesequencing of the 40 kbcagpathogenicity island (PAI) in fourHelicobacter pyloristrains. The results included thediscovery of a novel gene, present in approximately half of theSwedish strains tested. In addition, one of the strainscontained a major rearrangement dividing thecagPAI into two parts. Further, information about thevariability of different genes could be obtained.Keywords:DNA sequencing, DNA purification, automation,solid-phase, streptavidin, biotin, modular probes,Helicobacter pylori,cagPAI.
AUTOMATED SPEECH RECOGNITION SYSTEM WITH NOISE CONSIDERATION

: In the real world environment, Speech recognition is one of the most progressing research area. The quality as well as performance of automated speech recognition is disturbed by noises exist in the speech signals. Noises are inevitable in the speech that is transferred via external medium containing noise. In the previous research, it is resolved with the help of Multivariate Autoregressive Spectrogram Modeling (MARSM). On the other hand, in the previous method, noise reduction in the speech recognition is carried out by means of taking the greater energy coefficients as well as the signal with greater correlation. By concentrating on these, it is presumed that the noise existence is evaded significantly. In the research system, it is solved by means of presenting the new technique known as Background Noise concerned Automated Speech Recognition System (BN-ASR). In the presented system, Noise reduction is carried out with the help of the Normalized data nonlinearity (NDN)-LMS adaptation technique. This technique could adaptively remove the noises exist in the signals. Subsequent to noise reduction feature extraction is carried out with the help of the technique called Synchrony-Based Feature Extraction that will foresee the averaged localized synchrony response of the noise filter. At last, for the precise recognition of speech signals, Hybrid Particle Swarm Optimization-Artificial Neural Network (HPSO-ANN) is introduced. In the matlab simulation environment, the complete implementation of the research method is performed and it is clear that the research technique results in providing the best possible outcome compared to the previous research techniques.
Changing climate and historic-woodland structure interact to control species diversity of the ‘Lobarion’ epiphyte community in Scotland

Abstract Question: How will changing climate and habitat structure interact to control the species diversity of lichen epiphytes? Location: Scotland. Method: Species richness (=diversity) of the epiphyte lichen community known as Lobarion (named after Lobaria pulmonaria) was quantified for 94 Populus tremula stands across Scotland, and compared in a predictive model to seven climate variables and eight measures of woodland structure. An optimum model was selected and used to project Lobarion diversity over the geographic range of the study area, based on IPCC climate change scenarios and hypothetical shifts in woodland structure. Results: Species diversity of the Lobarion community was best explained by three climate variables: (1) average annual temperature; (2) autumn and winter precipitation; in combination with (3) historic-woodland extent. Projections indicate a positive effect of predicted climate change on Lobarion diversity, consistent with the physiological traits of cyanobacterial lichens comprising the Lobarion. However, the general response to climate is modified significantly by the effect on diversity of historic-woodland extent. Conclusions: Historic-woodland extent may exert an important control over local climate, as well as impacting upon the metapopulation dynamics of species in the Lobarion. In particular, a temporal delay in the response of Lobarion species to changed woodland structure is critical to our understanding of future climate change effects. Future Lobarion diversity (e.g. in the 2050s) may depend upon the interaction of contemporary climate (e.g. 2050s climate) and historic habitat structure (e.g. 1950s woodland extent). This is supported by previous observations for an extinction debt amongst lichen epiphytes, but suggests an extension of simple climate-response models is necessary, before their wider application to lichen epiphyte diversity.
The Placebo of Place: Terroir Effects in the Blind and Sighted Quality Assessments of South African Varietal Wines

Abstract Purpose: Proceeding from previous studies of South African terroir that have sought to distinguish and authenticate quality wines of origin by virtue of their chemistry, this paper seeks to differentiate wine-producing territories by hedonic quality. Design: Using a database of paired sighted and blind tastings of popular South African cultivars (cabernet, chardonnay, chenin blanc, merlot, pinotage, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc and shiraz) over the period January 2000 to January 2006, a series of 16 multiple linear regression models is developed to explain blind and sighted quality ratings from the perspective of terroir, whilst controlling for production-side factors of cost and scale. Findings: This paper: 1) reveals how certain wine appellations produce a particular and predictably consistent level of wine quality, while others do not; 2) illustrates the extent to which blind and sight-based versions render different combinations of terroir effects; and 3) demonstrates that while the former is stunted by its limited statistical significance and a crude level of ward differentiation, the latter reveals a far clearer, richer and more finely calibrated suite of terroir. The sighted approach is, however, flawed by an inherent neurological bias fuelled by the prior knowledge of each ward-of-origin and a number of other extrinsic cues proxied by the sighted quality metric. These findings appear consistent with Priilaid's work (2006) on wine's placebo effect, and in particular, his assertion that place of origin is a significant cue confounding one's appreciation of a wine's intrinsic merit. Originality: For the first time, blind and sighted tasting results are collated into one database and statistically interrogated for terroir effects.