Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multiple quantitative trait loci contribute tolerance to bacterial canker incited by Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae in kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis)

Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) Biovar 3, a virulent, canker-inducing pathogen is an economic threat to the kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) industry worldwide. The commercially grown diploid (2x) A. chinensis var. chinensis is more susceptible to Psa than tetraploid and hexaploid kiwifruit. However information on the genetic loci modulating Psa resistance in kiwifruit is not available. Here we report mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) regulating tolerance to Psa in a diploid kiwifruit population, derived from a cross between an elite Psa-susceptible ‘Hort16A’ and a tolerant male breeding parent P1. Using high-density genetic maps and intensive phenotyping, we identified a single QTL for Psa tolerance on Linkage Group (LG) 27 of ‘Hort16A’ revealing 16-19% phenotypic variance and candidate alleles for susceptibility and tolerance at this loci. In addition, six minor QTLs were identified in P1 on distinct LGs, exerting 4-9% variance. Complete tolerance in the F1 population is attained by additive effects from ‘Hort16A’ and P1 QTLs providing evidence that divergent genetic pathways fend-off virulent Psa strain. Two different bioassays further identified new QTLs for tissue-specific responses to Psa. Transcriptome analysis of Psa-tolerant and susceptible genotypes in field revealed hallmarks of basal defense and provided candidate RNA-biomarkers for screening Psa tolerance.
Immunotherapy: a new hope for patients with a prognostically unfavourable histological type of lung carcinoma

Článek pojednává o nových možnostech léčby nemalobuněčného karcinomu plic v pokročilém, tedy metastazujícím stadiu. Kazuistika popisuje případ pacientky s pokročilým metastazujícím pleomorfním karcinomem plic, která byla léčena pembrolizumabem. Výsledky terapie tímto tzv. blokátorem kontrolních bodů imunitní reakce jsou zřetelné na přiložených CT scanech hrudníku. Následně jsou rozebrána indikační kritéria této terapie a naznačena možná budoucnost a širší použití imunoterapie v onkologické léčbě. Klíčová slova: karcinom plic, imunoterapie, pembrolizumab.
Deteção de vírus entéricos em amostras de água natural superficial e de água para consumo humano

Water-related infectious diseases are important causes of morbidity and mortality. Enterovirus and Hepatitis A and E viruses are, among others, representative of the enteric viruses, which are disease-causing agents mainly transmitted by the oral-fecal route, through water. The objective of this study is to search for enteric viruses by reverse transcription followed by Real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), in samples of natural surface water and in drinking water. It is also intended to evaluate the eventual association of these viruses with other fecal contamination indicators, and the efficacy of the water treatment plants in their elimination. It was confirmed the adequacy of the methodology implemented since, in the 15 samples analyzed so far, Hepatitis A virus and Enterovirus RNAs were detected in natural surface water samples, in two and three samples, respectively. Both viruses RNAs were detected in one of these samples. No viral nucleic acids were detected in drinking water samples. Fecal coliforms (microbial indicators of fecal contamination) were detected in natural water samples, but not in drinking water samples. Viral RNA and coliform detection only partially co-occurred.
Root traits of herbaceous crops: Pre‐adaptation to cultivation or evolution under domestication?

Agricultural fields are commonly characterized by high nutrient and water availabilities, which are favourable for plant growth. Such conditions might promote the evolution of resource‐acquisitive strategies. We asked whether crop plants show root traits typical of resource‐acquisitive strategies and whether this strategy is primarily a result of their evolution under domestication or of the early selection of successful candidates for domestication. We studied a set of 30 crop species and their wild progenitors. We set up a greenhouse experiment to measure five root traits: root thickness, root tissue density, specific root length (SRL), root mass fraction (RMF) and root length ratio. In addition, we compiled data from other wild herbaceous species, growth in similar conditions to this experiment, to place the root traits of our crops in the context of wider botanical variation. Wild progenitors had thicker and less dense roots, with higher RMF and lower SRL, than other wild herbs. Thicker and less dense roots are indicative of fertile soils, which suggest that wild progenitors could have been adapted for success in agricultural conditions. Additionally, we found that domestication generally increased total plant dry mass, but none of the root traits evolved consistently towards a more resource‐acquisitive strategy after domestication across all species. Root trait values differed between progenitors and crop species for most pairs surveyed, but this occurred in diverse directions depending on crop species. Such differences were independent of phylogeny, functional group or variability in the domestication processes, such as timing of the domestication event or organ under focal artificial selection. Our comparative study revealed that the root phenotype exhibited by wild progenitors (thick roots with low density and SRL), when compared with other wild herbs, was in accordance with plants typical of fertile habitats. However, none of the root traits reacted to domestication in accordance with evolution towards faster growth strategies. Thus, the adaptation of crop root phenotypes to the fertile conditions of agricultural fields might be largely determined by early choices of wild species, rather than by further evolution under domestication.
A New State Record for Triatoma sanguisuga (Leconte) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) from Wyoming, U.S.A.

abstract: Kissing bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) are blood-feeding ectoparasites found primarily in the tropics and subtropics of the Americas. These bugs are vectors of Trypanosomatidae to their mammalian hosts, including humans. The distribution of Triatoma spp. in the Nearctic region is still not fully known, and their relevance as possible vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi to humans and animals is of growing concern. We report the first record of Triatoma sanguisuga from Wyoming, the northern-most reported collection in the western United States, and include collection records for Triatoma protracta in Colorado that were previously unclear.
OBTENCIÓN Y CARACTERIZACIÓN MOLECULAR DE CEPAS DE Bacillus subtilis DEFICIENTES EN GENES QUE SINTETIZAN DINUCLEÓTIDOS CÍCLICOS

Los nucleotidos de senalizacion son una de las multiples estrategias que los microorganismos han desarrollado para interactuar y responder a los estimulos del medio ambiente. El c-di-AMP es un dinucleotido ciclico que ha sido asociado al crecimiento celular, la supervivencia y la regulacion de la virulencia en las bacterias, principalmente Gram-positivas. El genoma de Bacillus subtilis posee genes que codifican para tres sintetasas de c-di-AMP (DAC) que se expresan en distintas etapas del ciclo de vida de esta bacteria. Al detectar condiciones inapropiadas para su crecimiento, B. subtilis activa una diversidad de respuestas, incluyendo la esporulacion, la respuesta general al estres, la competencia celular y la mutagenesis asociada al estres o a la fase estacionaria. Evidencia previa demostro una relacion entre el estres nutricional y la desregulacion de las DAC y otras proteinas que interaccionan con el c-di-AMP. Para investigar un posible papel del c-di-AMP y las DAC DisA y CdaA en los eventos de mutagenesis asociados a la fase estacionaria, en este estudio se utilizaron enfoques moleculares para la obtencion de cepas de Bacillus subtilis YB955 deficientes en los genes disA, cdaA y disA cdaA.
Fast Signal Retrieval of Sonar in the Presence of Impulse Noise

This work develops two fast echo signal retrieval algorithms for sonar, which are able to efficiently work in the presence of impulse noise. First, using spatial sparsity of sonar echo signal, an ${\ell _{2,1}}$-norm optimization model with lasso form is formulated in impulse noise environment. Then, in order to recover original signal quickly, a direct gradient ${\ell _{2,1}}$-norm algorithm is employed to solve the optimization problem, where the solution has closed form but two variables need to be initialized. Further, the original problem is transformed into a constrained minimization problem and then Lagrange multiplier method is used to find the solution. Experimental results show that the proposed two methods have similar mean square error (MSE) performance compared with traditional method using CVX optimization tool, however, computational complexities are greatly reduced.
Freshwater crabs as predators and prey: the case of Ptychophallus uncinatus Campos and Lemaitre, 1999 (Brachyura, Pseudothel phusidae) from Costa Rica, Central America

Primary freshwater crabs are an important component of the food web in aquatic ecosystems, but our knowledge about the role of these decapods as predators and as prey is far from complete. Here we report observations of the feeding habits of the pseudothelphusid crab Ptychophallus uncinatus Campos & Lemaitre, 1999, made in 2013 during exploratory observations after sunset in the dusk and darkness of the early evening within the Veragua Rainforest Research & Adventure Park, Limon Province, in the Atlantic drainage of Costa Rica. We observed a case of cannibalism where an adult P. uncinatus was feeding on a smaller crab. Furthermore, P. uncinatus was observed to prey on an insect larva, a frog, and a lizard on three separate occasions. Additionally, a spider of the family Ctenidae was discovered feeding on a specimen of P. uncinatus . These observations revealed novel information about the role of P. uncinatus as both a predator and as an item of prey in a Neotropical freshwater ecosystem.
Avaliação da zinco protoporfirina (ZPP) em ruminantes domésticos

RESUMO Nos sistemas de criação de ruminantes, a anemia crônica pode levar a grandes prejuízos econômicos, sendo decorrente da deficiência de ferro no organismo. Quando este se torna indisponível para ser incorporado à hemoglobina, forma-se um composto denominado zinco protoporfirina (ZPP), que pode ser um marcador precoce para a anemia, útil, portanto, para seu diagnóstico. Porém, para a utilidade dessa mensuração, é necessário que se conheçam os valores normais de ZPP para cada espécie. Assim, foram utilizados 30 bezerros, 30 caprinos e 30 ovinos, todos saudáveis, nos quais foram mensurados esses valores. Essa mensuração foi determinada em amostras de sangue refrigeradas, coletadas com EDTA, obtendo-se valores em hemácias não lavadas e lavadas. A lavagem visou à eliminação de substâncias interferentes nessas medidas. A média da ZPP nas amostras não lavadas foi de 80,9µmol ZPP/mol de heme nos bezerros; 55,09µmol ZPP/mol de heme nos caprinos e 73,76µmol ZPP/mol de heme nos ovinos. Após a lavagem, os valores foram 61,4µmol ZPP/mol de heme; 43,92µmol ZPP/mol de heme e 59,36µmol ZPP/mol de heme, nos bezerros, caprinos e ovinos, respectivamente. Devido à praticidade da técnica, essa pode ser empregada para a detecção precoce da anemia ferropriva, sendo recomendada a prévia lavagem das hemácias.
Development of a Novel System for Speaker Verification

In speaker Verification we are verifying the person by extracting the features from his/her sound and then classifying to prove that is he/her is valid speaker or not, who is claiming that he is. This is the most useful and well-known biometric recognition techniques in those fields and area in which security is our first priority. In this paper we have designed a speaker verification system which is giving good results when we mutate our classifier up to 50 thousand time. We take voice samples of different speaker and extract characteristics by MelafrequencyaCepstrumacoefficient (MFCC) and classify the features through Cartesianagenetic programing evolved artificial neuralanetwork (CGPANN). The designed system has better accuracy than existing system for speaker verification.
Image-based Phenotyping and Disease Screening of Multiple Populations for resistance to Verticillium dahliae in cultivated strawberry Fragaria x ananassa

Verticillium dahliae is a highly detrimental pathogen of soil cultivated strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa). Breeding of Verticillium wilt resistance into commercially viable strawberry cultivars can help mitigate the impact of the disease. In this study we describe novel sources of resistance identified in biparental strawberry populations, creating a wealth of data for breeders to exploit. Pathogen-informed experiments have allowed the differentiation of subclade-specific resistance responses, through studying V. dahliae subclade II-1 specific resistance in the cultivar ‘Redgauntlet’ and subclade II-2 specific resistance in ‘Fenella’ and ‘Chandler’. A large-scale low-cost phenotyping platform was developed utilising automated unmanned vehicles and near infrared imaging cameras to assess field-based disease trials. The images were used to calculate disease susceptibility for infected plants through the normalized difference vegetation index score. The automated disease scores showed a strong correlation with the manual scores. A co-dominant resistant QTL; FaRVd3D, present in both ‘Redgauntlet’ and ‘Hapil’ cultivars exhibited a major effect of 18.3 % when the two resistance alleles were combined. Another allele, FaRVd5D, identified in the ‘Emily’ cultivar was associated with an increase in Verticillium wilt susceptibility of 17.2%, though whether this allele truly represents a susceptibility factor requires further research, due to the nature of the bi-parental cross. Markers identified in bi-parental populations were validated across a set of 92 accessions to determine whether they remained closely linked to resistance genes in the wider germplasm. The resistant markers FaRVd2B from ‘Redgauntlet’ and FaRVd6D from ‘Chandler’ were associated with resistance across the wider germplasm. Furthermore, comparison of imaging versus manual phenotyping revealed the automated platform could identify three out of four disease resistance markers. As such, this automated wilt disease phenotyping platform is considered to be a good, time saving, substitute for manual assessment.
A Light-Weight Artificial Neural Network for Speech Emotion Recognition using Average Values of MFCCs and Their Derivatives

Due to the limitation of memory and computational power in the embedded system, this work proposes a novel approach to create a useful set of features for improving speech emotion recognition (SER) system. Typically, Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients ( MFCCs) i s w idely u sed a s f eatures of SER system. In order to reduce the number of parameters and computational burden in SER applications, average values of MFCCs that are concatenated with delta and delta-delta coefficients a re u sed a s t he f eatures f or a n a rtificial neural network model (ANN) in classification. The results demonstrate that the use of the proposed features are comparable to the state-of-the-art methods with 87.8% for the EmoDB database and 82.3% for the RAVDESS database, respectively. Moreover, the number of parameters used in the classification m odel has been significantly reduced.
Energetic Consequences for a Northern, Range-Edge Lizard Population

Lizards at the northern, cool edge of their geographic range in the northern hemisphere should encounter environmental conditions that differ from those living near the core of their range. To better understand how modest climate differences affect lizard energetics, we compared daily feeding and metabolism rates of individual Sceloporus occidentalis in two populations during mid-summer. Chuckanut Beach (CB) was a cool, maritime climate in northern Washington State, and Sondino Ranch (SR) was a warmer, drier climate in southern, inland Washington. We found no difference between populations in daily energy expenditure (DEE), as calculated from doubly labeled water estimates. The CB population, however, had significantly higher prey availability and rate of daily energy intake (DEI) as estimated from fecal pellet masses. Consequently, CB lizards had higher size-adjusted body masses than lizards from SR. Within CB, during midsummer, DEE was similar to DEI. Within the SR population, DEE trended higher than DEI during mid-summer, but was not significantly different. We found no population differences in lizard activity, active body temperature, or preferred body temperature. Hence, we infer the longer activity season for the SR population may compensate for the low food availability and high daily energy cost of midsummer. Moreover, for the CB population, we infer that cooler temperatures and higher food availability allow the lizards to compensate for the shorter activity. We also suggest the CB population may benefit from the predicted warmer temperatures associated with climate change given the similar activity-period body temperatures and DEE between these lizard populations assuming food availability is sufficient.
Knowledge and practice of adults attending primary health care centers regarding major coronary heart disease risk factors in Basrah city

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are common in the general population, affecting the majority of adults past the age of 60 years. The prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) is approximately one-third to one-half that of total CVD. Knowledge of CHD risk factors has been identified as a prerequisite for changes in behavior and is often targeted by prevention programs. Objective: The study aimed to study the knowledge of risk factors and the practice of CHD related behaviors among individuals > 18 years of age attending PHC centers in Basrah city center and to find out the sociodemographic factors that affect such knowledge and practice. Methods: The study involved 423 male and female aged 18 years and above, attending 6 primary health care centers in Basrah city. Data were collected through direct interview of the participants by the investigators, using a special questionnaire form prepared for the purpose of the study. Results: The results of the study showed that 77.3% of the participants had good level of knowledge (know at least 7 risk factors). The most common knowledgeable risk factors by the participants were stress, smoking, fatty diet and obesity in descending order. Older age groups, high educated persons, governmental employees and participants with history of coronary heart disease related illness were more likely to have higher knowledge score. Practicing diet modification and regular exercise were prevalent in 23.5% and 12.8% of the participants respectively. Conclusions: The knowledge level of risk factors for CHD in selected PHC centers in Basrah seems to be good, however, the practice of CHD preventive behaviors was quite poor, this necessitates the need for public health education programs.
Gleichgewicht und Kinetik der Komplexierung von Nickel(II)ionen mit Huminsäure und Salicylsäure als Modellsubstanz

In der Dissertation wurde die Statik und Kinetik der Komplexierung von Nickel(II)ionen an Huminsaure untersucht. Huminsaure ist ein strukturell sehr komplexes Polymer. Daher dient Salicylsaure, die ein Baustein der Huminsaure ist, als Modellsubstanz. Stopped-flow-Experimente mit wassrigen Salicylsaure- und Nickel(II)-Losungen liefern reproduzierbare Ergebnisse und erlauben die geschlossene Interpretation eines einfachen Reaktionsschemas. Die Interpretation eines erweiterten Reaktionsschemas ergibt weitere Informationen zum Reaktionsmechanismus, jedoch konnen nicht alle Konstanten im erweiterten Schema bestimmt werden. Die Komplexierungsreaktion von Nickel(II)ionen mit Huminsaure wird mit folgenden statischen Messmethoden beobachtet: photometrische Titration mit Murexid, Titration mit einem Protonenindikator und potentiometrische Titration. Die Auswertungen der statischen Messungen ergeben: 1. Nickel(II)ionen binden uberwiegend einzahnig an Huminsaure, 2. verschiedene Messmethoden zeigen einheitliches Komplexierungsverhalten, 3. Nickel(II)ionen binden schwach an Huminsaure, 4. Es wird keine Sattigungskonzentration erreicht. Die kinetischen Messungen der Nickelkomplexierung von Huminsaure erfolgen in Anlehnung an die stopped-flow-Messungen mit der Salicylsaure. Eine qualitative Zuordnung der beobachteten drei Relaxationseffekte ist moglich. Der schnellste Effekt wird durch Vergleich mit Salicylsaure der Reaktion von Nickel(II)ionen mit phenolischen Gruppen in Nachbarstellung zu Carboxylatgruppen zugeordnet. Der mittlere Effekt wird der Konformationsanderung der Huminsaure nach der Bindung zugeordnet. Der langsamste Effekt liegt im Zeitbereich der Reaktion von Kohlendioxid mit Wasser. Zusatzlich ergibt die Amplitudenauswertung, dass noch ein vierter, schnellerer Effekt vorhanden ist. Dieser wird durch Vergleich mit Polycarbonsauren der Reaktion von Nickel(II)ionen mit Carbonsauregruppen der Huminsaure zugeordnet.
Physiological genomics of dietary adaptation in a marine herbivorous fish

Adopting a new diet is a significant evolutionary change and can profoundly affect an animal’s physiology, biochemistry, ecology, and its genome. To study this evolutionary transition, we investigated the physiology and genomics of digestion of a derived herbivorous fish, the monkeyface prickleback (Cebidichthys violaceus). We sequenced and assembled its genome and digestive transcriptome and revealed the molecular changes related to important dietary enzymes, finding abundant evidence for adaptation at the molecular level. In this species, two gene families experienced expansion in copy number and adaptive amino acid substitutions. These families, amylase, and bile salt activated lipase, are involved digestion of carbohydrates and lipids, respectively. Both show elevated levels of gene expression and increased enzyme activity. Because carbohydrates are abundant in the prickleback’s diet and lipids are rare, these findings suggest that such dietary specialization involves both exploiting abundant resources and scavenging rare ones, especially essential nutrients, like essential fatty acids.
Responding to ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) in the UK: woodland composition and replacement tree species

Common ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) is an important timber species that is widespread in broadleaved woodlands across Europe, where it is currently declining due to the fungal pathogen (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (T. Kowal) Baral et al., 2014) causing ash dieback. Using the UK as our case study, we assess: (1) likely woodland composition following ash dieback and (2) choice of replacement species for production planting. The greatest impacts on woodland composition will occur where ash forms a larger proportion of the canopy. In such woodlands, larger gaps formed from the loss of ash, are likely to be filled by sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) and beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) under current climatic conditions and where there is little management intervention. Native woodland policy regarding sycamore and beech may need to be reviewed in UK-designated woodlands where these species are considered non-native. For actively managed production woodlands, 27 replacement tree species for ash are considered, some of these are non-native and present options for continuing production forestry objectives on former ash sites. An assessment of replacement species shows there is no single species that can substitute for the wide range of site conditions associated with the good growth of ash. In deciding to replace ash with another tree species, the decision on selection should be made based on particular site conditions and woodland objectives.