Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Towards bio-inspired fruit detection for agriculture

—Automation presents a potential solution to agricultural challenges such as worker shortages, invasive pest species and decreasing proﬁt margins. Many technical challenges remain including visual detection of soft fruits. State-of-the-art fruit detectors increasingly rely on deep learning models and standard imaging devices which achieve excellent performance but require signiﬁcant effort to train and deploy, limiting their uptake. The fruit-ﬂy species Drosophila suzukii successfully pinpoints a host of soft fruits visually presenting an excellent model system which can inspire a new class of fruit detector using sparse computational and training resource. Here we present an outline of the features of fruit ﬂy vision that appear to underlie their fruit ﬁnding abilities and present a speciﬁcation for a novel robot imaging system to verify hypotheses in real agricultural settings.
Varietal differences in uptake of 32P labelled phosphate in clover plus ryegrass swards and monocultures

SUMMARY Lolium perenne cv. S.23, L. multiflorum cv. RvP, and Trifolium repens cvs S.184 and Olwen, were grown in mixed sward and monoculture during 1979. Whereas in mixtures grass roots absorbed more 32P than clover roots, in monoculture clover generally absorbed more 32P than grass roots. This showed that grass was a very strong competitor for uptake in mixed swards. Clover and grass monocultures absorbed most 32P from 10 or 15 cm depth in the soil, while grass in mixtures absorbed most 32P at 22.5 cm depth. Comparing varieties, in monocultures in June, Olwen was most active in absorbing 32P at 15 cm. In August, Olwen absorbed more at 15 cm and 22.5 cm than S.184 or the grass varieties. Differences in absorption depth between varieties were less in mixtures than in monocultures. S.23 absorbed more 32P in the late season than RvP, both in monoculture and in mixtures. Thus Olwen differed from S. 184 in depth and timing of uptake, whilst S.23 differed from RvP in time of uptake. Such varietal differences could be exploited by manipulation of depth and timing of fertiliser application to increase the precision of sward management.
Shapes of TNOs from New Horizons Lightcurves

1 , A. J. Verbiscer 2 , H. A. Weaver 3 , J. R. Spencer 1 , J. J. Kavelaars 4 , K. N. Singer 1 , J. W. Parker 1 , S. A. Stern 1 , and the New Horizons Geology, Geophysics, and Imaging (GGI) Team. 1 Southwest Research Institute (Boulder, CO; porter@boulder.swri.edu), 2 University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA), 3 Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (Laurel, MD), 4 National Research Council of Canada (Victoria, BC) & Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria (Victoria, BC).
Evaluation of the uncertainty in the measurement of nanoparticle size by dynamic light scattering

Of paramount importance in the field of nanotechnology is the ability to measure reliably the properties of nanomaterials, especially their size. In general, just an estimate of size is not sufficient: a quantitative indication of the quality of the estimate in the form of an assessment of its uncertainty is necessary, as well. For example, standard ISO/IEC 17025:2017 (General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories) stipulates that appropriate methods and procedures shall be used for laboratory activities and for the analysis of data, including the identification and quantification of all contributions to the measurement uncertainties. In order to facilite compliance with requirements such as these, we propose a procedure to establish an uncertainty budget for the measurement of the size of monodispersed nanoparticles in liquid suspension by dynamic light scattering (DLS). We take as a reference the general approach proposed in the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM). To our knowledge, this is the first time correlations that exist between the input quantities to the DLS measurement model are taken into account. An example involving a reference material consisting of 60 nm-nominal polystyrene nanoparticles suspended in water serves to illustrate our proposal.
Probing DNA polymerase activity with stereoisomeric 2′-fluoro-β-D-arabinose (2′F-araNTPs) and 2′-fluoro-β-D-ribose (2′F-rNTPs) nucleoside 5′-triphosphates

2′-Deoxy-2′-fluoro-β-D-ribonucleosides (2′F-rN) and 2′-deoxy-2′-fluoro-β-D-arabinonucleosides (2′F-araN) differ solely in the stereochemistry at the 2′-carbon of the furanose sugar ring. 2′F-rN 5′-.
The Influence of Wave Exposure on Coral Community Development on Man-Made Breakwater Reefs, with a Comparison to a Natural Reef

Breakwaters dominate shorelines in many coastal urban areas, providing substantial hard-bottom habitat upon which diverse and abundant reef communities develop. In recognition of their potential ecological and economic importance, there is increasing interest in understanding how design features can influence community development. We investigated the influence of wave exposure on breakwater coral communities in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Coral community composition, cover, size structure, recruitment, mortality, and growth rates were compared quarterly between two windward and two leeward breakwater sites for 1 yr to explore the influence of wave exposure on coral community development. Comparisons also were made with a natural coral reef to gain an understanding of how community structure and dynamics compare between these habitats. Benthic and water column sediment particle sizes were also analyzed. Leeward breakwaters contained a low-cover coral community dominated by small colonies with high mortality compared with windward breakwaters and the natural reef. Windward breakwater coral communities had comparable recruitment, mortality, and growth rates as the natural reef. Fine sediments ( 125 μm), likely as a result of differences in wave action among reef types. Overall, these results suggest that leeward breakwaters represent sub-optimal habitats for coral community development. However, with appropriate design, breakwaters can develop diverse and abundant coral communities with comparable coral cover, demographics, and growth rates to those on the natural reef in Dubai.
Isolation of lytic bacteriophages and their potential to control Cronobacter spp. - opportunistic food-borne pathogens

Bacteriophage could be an effective and safe method to decrease the presence of pathogens in food. In this study, lytic phages were isolated and examined for their efficacy to control pathogens. It was isolated using the “plaque assay” method with the indicator bacteria, Cronobacter spp. and the lytic ability of isolated phage was confirmed using turbidity test. The isolated φKA5 from chicken skin samples was able to inhibit the growth of bacterial host (Cronobacter spp.) specifically Cronobacter malonaticus strain 05CHPL53. Infection of Cronobacter malonaticus using φKA5 for 360 minutes showed the significant reduction of Cronobacter growth. Based on morphological classification with the ICTV system, the φKA5 can be classified into the Myoviridae family with a contractile tail. These data suggested that isolated phage from raw chicken skin are potential agents for controlling Cronobacter spp.
Triage and resource allocation during crisis medical surge conditions (pandemics and mass casualty situations)

The Christian Medical and Dental Associations (CMDA) was founded in 1931 and is made up of the Christian Medical Association (CMA) and the Christian Dental Association (CDA) CMDA has a current membership of over 19,000 physicians, dentists, and other allied health professionals During and in direct response to the pressing urgencies of the COVID-19 universal pandemic of 2020 the President of CMDA commissioned a special task force to provide current and future Christian reflection and guidance on triage and resource allocation policies during pandemics and other forms of crisis surge medical conditions (e g , mass casualty situations) This is a condensed version of the CMDA special task force position statement © 2020 Center for Health in Mission All rights reserved
Cytokines active on granulomonopoiesis: release and consumption by human marrow myeloid stromal cells

Haemopoiesis is sustained and preferentially committed to granulomonopoiesis by myeloid stromal cells generated by colony‐derived cell lines (CDCL). Using ELISA and RIA, we studied, in the supernatant of cells from CDCL, the time course of interleukins 3 and 6 (IL‐3, IL‐6), stem cell factor (SCF), granulocyte‐macrophage, granulocyte and macrophage colony stimulating factors (GM‐CSF, G‐CSF and M‐CSF), macrophage‐inflammatory protein‐1α (MIP‐1α) and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF β1). IL‐6, GM‐CSF, M‐CSF and MIP‐1α were released into the supernatant after medium renewal and, except for M‐CSF, addition of IL‐1β. G‐CSF was detected only after addition of IL‐1β. SCF, contained in medium, first declined and then increased 24 h after medium renewal. Release of TGF β1 started 24 h after medium renewal and lasted until day 7. IL‐3, provided by horse serum, declined throughout the 7 d of observation. In conclusion, stromal cells from CDCL synthesized and released into the supernatant. IL‐6, GM‐CSF, G‐CSF, M‐CSF and MIP‐1α after stimulation by seric factor(s) and/or IL‐1β. TGF β1 was synthesized and released without any obvious extraneous stimuli. There is no definite argument for synthesis of soluble SCF and IL‐3. These data support a model where growth factors increase shortly after medium renewal, and negative regulators take over at a later time.
Demography of the Beach Vole (Microtus Breweri) and the Meadow Vole (Microtus Pennsylvanicus) in Southeastern Massachusetts

The beach vole, Microtus breweri (Baird), and the meadow vole, Microtus pennsyl- vanicus (Ord), were live trapped at monthly intervals from May 1972 to July 1975. The beach vole is endemic to Muskeget Island, Massachusetts, USA, a 2.6-km2 island off the coast of Cape Cod. The meadow vole was caught at Cape Cod and Plymouth, Massachusetts. Neither of the 2 populations of beach voles showed any sign of long-term cycles. One population had a flat density curve, and the other, in poorer habitat, cycled annually. Both of 2 meadow vole populations trapped underwent 3-yr or more cycles of density. One declined in the winter of 1973- 1974. The other declined during the spring of 1975. Both species adjusted their reproductive effort to density. Microtus breweri showed changes in reproductive and mortality schedules that were also sensitive to season. Microtus pennsylvanicus showed changes in intensity of breeding, length of the breeding season, age at reproduction, and adult and juvenile mortality that agree with the generally recognized syndrome of events accompanying a vole cycle. During peak densities, meadow voles were larger in size. The beach vole is a large vole and shows many of the attributes of K-selected organisms (large size, later age at maturity, sex ratio weighted towardsS A, and lower reproductive output). Microtus brew- eri is the first naturally occurring vole population reported to show the complete absence of cycles.
Factors affecting the cost of polygynous breeding for female Great Reed Warblers Acrocephalus arundinaceus

The male's role in feeding young and his effect on the mortality of eggs and nestlings of the Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus were studied in Kahokugata, central Japan, during eight breeding seasons. Three potential costs of polygynous breeding for females were examined:(i) a reduction of male parental care per brood, (ii) an attraction of predators due to concentration of nests, and (iii) an increase of unfertilized eggs due to the reduced frequency of copulation per female. Only the first cost was found to occur:polygynous males fed their young, especially of their second broods, less frequently than monogamous ones. The lowered paternal feeding frequency, however, did not increase the mortality by starvation in second-hatched broods. This was because the warm climate emancipated females from brooding and enabled them to compensate for the deficiency of feeding by males. The paper discusses possible roles of the staggering of the time of laying among harem mates and the shift of breeding status of females caused by nesting failure, in reducing potential costs of polygynous breeding for females.
Male reproductive success and variation in fruit and seed set in Aquilegia caerulea (Ranunculaceae)

The timing of fruit initiation and the proximity of fruits to resources influence the probability of fruit and seed initiation in many hermaphroditic plants. In two populations of Aquilegia caerulea, both fruit and seed set decreased significantly between early and late flowers. Low fruit and seed set of late flowers was not due to pollen limitation. Fruit and seed set of late flowers remained low when extra pollen was added to these flowers (pollen quantity), or when all flowers on an inflorescence received self or outcross pollen (pollen quality). While competition for resources occurred among flowers, resource limi- tation was not responsible for the low fruit and seed set of late flowers. Indeed, preventing pollination of late flowers significantly increased both fruit and seed set of early flowers, but fruit and seed set of late flowers remained low when early flowers were prevented from setting fruits. Late flowers were not just smaller or larger replicates of early flowers, as they allocated more reproductive resources to male function relative to early flowers. Neither herbivory nor architectural constraints could explain the low fruit and seed set of late flowers. While previously published adaptive explanations proposed to explain the low fruit and seed set of late flowers have emphasized a positive aspect to female reproductive success, it is suggested here that both male and female functions should be considered. Morphological data and estimates of male and female reproductive success demonstrate how, both morphologically and functionally, late flowers on inflorescences of A. caerulea specialize as males, early flowers as females. It will be argued that protandry in this sequential bloomer is expected to select for an increase in relative male allocation between early and late flowers, and that the observed pattern of resource allocation and the decrease in fruit and seed set between early and late flowers is consistent with this prediction.
Newly collected data across Alaska reveal remarkable biases in solar radiation products

Data on surface solar radiation are scarce in high‐latitude regions, and few studies have evaluated the performance of reanalysis products in estimating solar radiation in those regions. Here, an extensive solar radiation dataset is compiled from 98 stations across Alaska to evaluate 11 different surface solar radiation products (seven reanalysis and four observation‐derived). No product can capture all aspects of the ground‐based observations, and there is ample room for improvement; root mean square errors (RMSEs) of daily, monthly, and annual average comparisons of the products against observations are 38–65, 19–39, and 11–17 W⋅m−2, respectively. ERA5, MERRA2, and ERA‐Interim performed the best in Alaska. Daily records from all products show large RMSEs of 60–108 W⋅m−2 during May–July, equivalent to 30–55% of the observed solar radiation during this season. The sparseness of Alaskan observations, cloud cover, and algorithm issues may be potential sources of bias.
The Bacteriophage-Inactivating Effect of Basic Amino Acids; Arginine, Histidine, and Lysine

Some polyamino acids and amino acid derivatives are known to have phage-inactivat ing activities.1) On the other hand, little atten tion has been paid to the effect of free amino acids by themselves. In the course of a system atic investigation of the effect of about twenty amino acids on a wide variety of phages, we have found that basic amino acids, arginine, histidine, and lysine, exert the inactivating effect on phages.
Restoration of degraded secondary forest with native species: a case study in the highland of Ethiopia

Abstract Ethiopia is losing a significant cover of natural forest every day owing to deforestation, yet surprisingly little field-based information exists on the ecological requirements and silvicultural strategies for the majority of the native species, which could be translated into plans for conservation and restoration. Munessa Dry afromontane forest is heavily degraded and characterized by many gaps. It has been disturbed by illegal logging and expansion for subsistence farming. What remains is a fragmented and overlogged forest. A study was conducted in Munessa Dry afromontane forest to evaluate the contribution of silvicultural options for sustainable management and conservation of forest resources in the highlands of Ethiopia. Under the project, the growth and photosynthesis response of four native tree species seedlings under a variable light environment in a gap were analyzed. The different species exhibited different survival strategies in forest understorey and open environment. Planting in the gap centre resulted in high light intensities, allowing a significantly higher increase in root collar diameter and height. Water use efficiency differs among species, the highest being Podocarpus falcatus, followed by Prunus africana, Cordia africana and Juniperus procera. Therefore, by strategically planting native tree species on suitable target areas with desired spatial configuration, the maximum potential of natural conditions could be captured and secondary forests could be restored.
Potential of Virtual Design Construction Technologies to Improve Job-Site Safety in Gulf Corporation Council

With the advancement of digital design practices in the global construction industry, different aspects related to the project lifecycle are extracting their benefits, including making improvements in safety. The objective of this paper is to ascertain the awareness of these technologies, their potential, and any barriers related to the use of different virtual design construction (VDC) tools, such as building information modeling, virtual reality, augmented reality, and geographic information systems, to improve job-site safety in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The paper presents an overview of the GCC construction industry and highlights current safety management practices and problems in the region. The potential of VDC tools for improving job-site safety is discussed and presented. The study has used a questionnaire survey to identify the drivers and barriers of using VDC tools in improving job-site safety management in the GCC region. The results indicated that “designing emergency and evacuation plans” and “fall-hazard prevention strategies” are the two best safety applications of these tools if used proactively. Similarly, “lack of knowledge about return on investment for VDC tools” was considered as the predominant barrier, preventing stakeholders from using these technologies to improve construction safety. These results will help the GCC construction industry to build a strategy for the digitalization of proactive constructability analysis techniques for improving job-site safety. Overall, due to the multilingual dynamics of this region, it is recommended that VDC tools should become more prevalent so that the transfer of safety information and hazard prevention becomes easier, mitigating safety risks.
Genetic and demographic variation in new recruits of Naso unicornis

Demographic data showed that larvae of Naso unicornis colonizing the reefs of Moorea, French Polynesia, on the same night within a restricted area originated from several spawning events that occurred 67 to 94 days previously. Based on the demographic structure of larvae of N. unicornis colonizing the reef, it cannot be entirely dismissed that siblings colonize together because five spawning dates grouped c. 55% of the captured larvae. Relatedness analysis reinforced these observations and also confirmed that larvae colonizing together were not all siblings. Larvae of the same spawning dates, however, appeared related in some age-classes (72, 74 and 77 days old), suggesting that siblings recruited together. In addition, the larvae appeared genetically different from adults (P=0.002) and juveniles (P<0.001) while juveniles and adults were similar (P=0.100). The variations in allelic and genotypic frequencies in the larvae probably reflect a family-structure that is diluted once larvae are recruited into the lagoon because of high mortality and active movement of fish.
Spread of violets in polluted pine forests: morphological and molecular evidence for the ecological importance of interspecific hybridization

Hybridization between plant species occurs frequently but hybrids are often restricted to ecotones or disturbed habitats. In this study we show that introgressive hybrids between the tetraploid Viola riviniana and the diploid V. reichenbachiana invaded pine forests of the Dübener Heide (central Germany), an area affected by calcareous pollutants. The spread of these violet populations was correlated with the impact of pollution on habitat conditions. We compared morphology, cytology and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) bands among six Viola populations from the Dübener Heide and three populations of each pure species. RAPD analysis using 12 primers revealed 141 scorable bands. We considered bands as species specific if they occurred in at least 75% of the plants in one pure violet species but in none of the other. Seven bands were specific to V. riviniana and 11 bands were specific to V. reichenbachiana. Two plants of a V. reichenbachiana population were identified as hybrids. Of the Viola populations from the Dübener Heide, one was diploid and could be classified as V. reichenbachiana by morphology and RAPD markers. However, the majority of the Dübener Heide populations were tetraploid, and of a more variable morphology than V. riviniana and V. reichenbachiana, showing different combinations of intermediate characters, characters of the pure species and extreme characters. Despite their overall genetic similarity to V. riviniana, these plants could be identified as introgressive hybrids between V. riviniana and V. reichenbachiana by species‐specific RAPD bands. Therefore, we propose that recurrent hybridization and backcrossing resulted in novel genotypes adapted to the changed environment of polluted pine forests.
NEW CANADIAN PERLIDS (PART II)

Length to tip of wings: ♂ 12 mm. ♀ 14 mm. ; expanse ♂ 21 mm. , ♀ 25 mm. Head (exclusive of eyes ) somewhat wider than prothorax, yellow with obscure light brown markings; lateral tubercles small, pale; ocelli ringed with black, the black sometimes extending a short distance forward and/or toward the eyes. Antennae yellow at base, brown toward the tips, palpi brownish.