Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Water-use efficiency on irrigated dairy farms in northern Victoria and southern New South Wales

A survey of 170 randomly selected, irrigated, dairy farms in northern Victoria and 9 in southern New South Wales was conducted to examine and benchmark the key factors influencing water-use efficiency. Water-use efficiency was defined as the amount of milk (kg milk fat plus protein) produced from pasture per megalitre of water (irrigation plus effective rainfall). Information on water-use, milk production, supplementary feeding, farm size and type, pasture management, and irrigation layout and management was collected for each farm by personal interview for the 1994–95 and 1995–96 seasons. The farms were ranked in the order of water-use efficiency with the average farm compared with the highest and lowest 10% of farms. The range in water-use efficiency was 25–115 kg milk fat plus protein/ML, with the highest 10% averaging 94 kg/ML and the lowest 10% averaging 35 kg/ML. The large range in water-use efficiency indicated potential for substantial improvement on many farms. The high water-use efficiency farms, when compared with the low group: (i) produced a similar amount of milk from less water (387 v. 572 ML) (P<0.05), less land (48 v. 83 ha) (P< 0.05) and a similar number of cows (152 v. 143 cows); (ii) had higher estimated pasture consumption per hectare (11.5 v. 5.5 t DM/ha) (P<0.01) and per megalitre (1.0 v. 0.5 t DM/ML) (P<0.01); (iii) had higher stocking rates (3.2 v. 1.8 cows/ha) (P<0.01); (iv) used higher rates of nitrogen fertiliser (59 v. 18 kg N/ha.year) (P<0.05) and tended to use more phosphorus fertiliser (64 v. 34 kg P/ha.year) (P<0.10); (v) used similar levels of supplementary feed (872 v. 729 kg concentrates/cow); (vi) had higher milk production per cow (396 v. 277 kg fat plus protein) (P<0.05); and (vii) directed a higher proportion of the estimated energy consumed by cows into milk production (53 v. 46%) (P<0.05). The survey data confirmed that irrigated dairy farm systems are complex and variable. For example, the amount of feed brought in from outside the milking area varied from 0 to 74% of the estimated total energy used by a milking herd. There was a large range in the level of supplement input amongst the farms in the high water-use efficiency group, and in the low water-use efficiency group. This indicates that the management of the farming system has a greater impact on the efficiency of water-use on irrigated dairy farms, than the type of system. The data from the survey provide information for individual farms, a measure of the water-use efficiency of the industry, and an indication of the quality of regional land and water resources.
Effects of dietary available phosphorus and microbial phytase on growth performance, carcass traits, serum minerals and toe ash content in broiler chicks.

Effect of dietary phosphorus and microbial phytase was investigated on the growth performance, carcass, toe ash and serum Ca and P parameters using 160 Ross-308 broiler chicks. For this purpose, phosphorus low (0.329, 0.265 & 0.219%) and very low (0.251, 0.200, 0.145%) levels of available phosphorus (AP) were used for starter, grower and finisher periods, respectively. two Microbial phytase (MP) was used at 400 and 800 FTU/kg levels in each period. Experiments were laid in 2x2 factorial arrangements with 4 replications and 10 birds per each replicate. The interactive effect of AP×MP for growth performance, serum Ca and P and toe ash content was not significant (p>0.05); whereas it was significant (p<0.01) for carcass and liver percent. Data of main effects indicated that lowering AP levels caused a decrease (p<0.01) in weight gain and worse FCR (p<0.01) at the starter, grower and overall of experiment period (0-49 d), but 800 FTU/kg of MP improved (p<0.01) weight gain and FCR at said periods. Carcass, breast, thighs and toe ash percent was affected (p<0.01) by very low AP and decreased. MP @ 800 FTU/kg increased (p<0.05) toe ash percent. An increase in Ca and decrease in P levels of blood serum was observed (p<0.01) with very low AP. Results indicated that interaction effects of AP×MP could not affect the growth performance, toe ash, serum minerals and carcass traits except carcass percent and make it better in birds fed low AP diets. © 2011 Friends Science Publishers
The Ryanodine Receptor Leak: Its Role in the Development of Heart Failure

The cardiac ryanodine receptor-Ca 2+ release channel (RyR2) is an essential sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) transmembrane protein that plays a central role in excitation-contraction coupling in cardiomyocytes. Aberrant spontaneous, diastolic Ca 2+ leak from the SR due to dysfunctional RyR2 is the mechanism underlying contractile and relaxation dysfunctions in heart failure. Several potential mechanisms have been proposed to explain the dysfunctional RyR2 in heart failure including overphosphorylation status of RyR2, altered RyR2 regulation and perturbed RyR2 intra/intermolecular interactions. Novel therapeutic strategies that enhance myocyte Ca 2+ homeostasis could prevent and reverse adverse cardiac remodeling and improve clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure.
Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in the Soil of Al-Muthanna Storage Site using Geospatial techniques

During the early 90s, military operations and United Nations Special Commission “UNSCOM” teams have destroyed the Iraqi past chemical program. Both operations led to a large number of scattered remnants of contaminated areas. The quantities of hazardous materials, incompletely destructed materials and toxic chemicals were sealed in two bunkers. Lack of appropriate destruction technology led to the spread of contamination around the storage area. This paper aims to introduce the environmental assessment of the hazard contamination in the storage site area using Geomatics analysis technique. The environmental assessment for contamination level of eight main chemical compounds (Chromium Cr, Phosphate PO4, Nitrate NO3, Cadmium Cd, Copper Cu, Nickel Ni, Zinc Zn and Lead Pb) have been assessed and analyzed. Soil samples taken from the grid on the site and its surrounding areas have been investigated and analyzed compared to the reference points. The storage area grid was divided into 30 major sectors. 10 samples from each sector were acquired and evaluated. The assessment results indicated that Cr level exceeded the permitted level by (180) times, PO4 level exceeded the permitted level by (35) times, Cu by (1050) times over the permitted level and Ni level exceeds the permitted level over by (50) times. Activity level of Zn in the soil samples of the study area also exhibits large variability with (16000) times over the permitted level on the surrounding isolation protection on the north-west Wall. Very high Contamination spot activity of Pb was found in Destruction zone, about (1350) times over the background level. There is no activity detected for the Cadmium and Nitrate in the storage area site.
The Black Box Module for Low-Level Fluorescence Detection Targeting Optogenetic Studies

In optogenetics, genetic labeling by enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP) indicates transfected neurons expressing light-gated channel proteins, Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) and Halorhodopsin (NpHR) for millisecond timescale optical manipulation of neurons. However, poor spatial understanding of transfection relative to probing is responsible for blind stimulation in complex mammalian systems and necessitates histological analysis of brain tissue. Repeatable optogenetic studies on well-trained and valuable subjects are therefore impossible. We report here the Black Box Module as a novel fluorescence detection system targeting EYFP emission and used in conjunction with a co-axial waveguide “optrode. ” Results of the Black Box Module’s fluorescence detection performance in a bench-top environment simulating EYFP fluorescence with rhodamine 6g are presented. We show the Box’s filtration system to be sensitive to the EYFP-like fluorescence of rhodamine and its concentration dependent emissions behaviors. We anticipate these results to be the initial foundation in integrating the Box into optogenetic studies as a tool for locating areas of ChR2 and NpHR transfection.
Intergenomic and intragenomic ITS sequence heterogeneity in Neonothopanus nambi (Agaricales) from Vietnam

A luminous mushroom from Vietnam, identified earlier as Omphalotus aff. illudens (Van, 2009. J Siber Fed Univ. 2:157–171), was studied. Morphological observations of collected fruiting bodies were made in the field. A culture isolated from tissues of one basidiome was studied and the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS1-2) of the ribosomal RNA repeat were sequenced to confirm identifications. From these observations, the luminous mushrooms collected in Vietnam were identified as Neonothopanus nambi (Speg.) R.H. Petersen & Krisai. To resolve initial sequence ambiguities amplified DNA fragments were cloned and 38 different ITS sequences were obtained from a total of 98 clones, with 14 nt step differences (2% variability) across the entire spectrum of clone sequences. Commonalities in the sequences indicated that the cloned sequences represented two monokaryon mating strains from the basidiome and one possible recombinant. Cloning errors were accounted for by deletion of single occurrence nucleotide variants. Six insertions/deletions and four single nucleotide polymorphisms distinguished the two monokaryon sequences (98% similarity), which differed by 4 bp in length. As many as six multiple occurrence intragenomic polymorphisms in either monokaryon were found to be statistically significant. Possible evolutionary mechanisms for the persistence of intergenomic and intragenomic ITS polymorphisms are discussed.
An Alternative Approach to Investigate V-Shaped Electrothermal Microactuators in Vacuum

In this work, we use a simplified version of Young’s solution for the steady-state Joule-heating, that uses temperature dependent thermal and electrical conductivities, to find the temperature and displacement behavior of a V-shaped electrothermal microactuator (ETMA) device. In order to test and validate our approach we performed FEM simulations and actually built an ETMA device by microfabrication. The experimental device displacement was measured in vacuum, with a scanning electron microscope. Our numerical results agree quite well with the FEM simulation and experimental results up to a displacement of (0.8 ± 0.2) $\mu \text{m}$ and applied current of 30 mA. Above 35 mA, an abrupt variation of the resistivity is observed followed by surface degradation at 50 mA and device melting at 52 mA. The validity of our approach is discussed of the device geometry and material parameters. [2019-0208]
Regulation of Endothelial Cell Apoptosis by Vascular Endothelial Growth Inhibitor (VEGI) and Death Receptor 3 (DR3)

Vascular Endothelial Growth Inhibitor (VEGI) is an endothelial cell autocrine factor and a member of the tumor necrosis family of ligands. VEGI is able to specifically inhibit endothelial cell growth and is an efficient inhibitor of angiogenesis. The molecular mechanisms of VEGI activity on endothelial cells remain undefined. Here we focused on two important steps in the signal transduction of VEGI. We first determined a role of NF-κB in VEGI-induced apoptosis. We found that inhibition of the NF-κB pathway resulted in an increased apoptotic potential of VEGI. We conclude that the NF-κB pathway plays a role in suppressing the apoptotic potential of VEGI. We next investigated the receptor responsible for VEGI-induced endothelial cell apoptosis. DR3 is a receptor for VEGI and thus we first focused on confirming if DR3 is the receptor responsible for VEGI-mediated endothelial cell death. We determined VEGI had diminished apoptotic activity in endothelial cells that are depleted of DR3 by siRNA. However, it was determined that the apoptotic stimuli, LPS and TNFα, were also unable to mediate cell death in DR3-depleted endothelial cells. We conclude that DR3 is mediating an intracellular event that is involved in controlling the apoptotic pathway. This is a novel role of DR3 that is yet to be described. However, this role of DR3 interferes with our analysis of the ligand/receptor relationship and therefore we were unable to confirm that DR3 is the receptor responsible for VEGI-induced apoptosis. We also provide preliminary evidence that VEGI is utilizing an unknown receptor to mediate NF-κB activation. We therefore provide several mechanisms to control VEGI-mediated endothelial cell death, one being the activation of NF-κB to suppress the apoptotic potential of VEGI and the needed presence of DR3 for VEGI to initiate apoptosis, a role that is possibly independent of ligand binding.
Microbial metabolism of C1 and C2 compounds. The role of glyoxylate, glycollate and acetate in the growth of Pseudomonas AM1 on ethanol and on C1 compounds

Succinate (or a product of succinate metabolism) is a catabolite repressor of some enzymes of the serine pathway (hydroxypyruvate reductase, serine–glyoxylate aminotransferase and glycerate kinase) but not of methanol dehydrogenase nor methylamine dehydrogenase. A mutant (PCT64) of Pseudomonas AM1, which is unable to grow on C1 compounds, lacks glycerate kinase, showing that this enzyme is essential for the operation of the serine pathway. Mutant PCT48, unable to convert acetate into glycollate, has lost the ability to grow both on C1 compounds and on ethanol. The properties of a third mutant (PCT57) show that Pseudomonas AM1 contains enzymes catalysing the conversion of acetate into glyoxylate. Evidence is presented that hydroxypyruvate reductase is involved in the oxidation of glycollate to glyoxylate during growth on ethanol. A scheme is proposed for the conversion of ethanol and of C1 compounds into glyoxylate in which acetate (or a derivative) and glycollate are intermediates.
How microcystin-degrading bacteria express microcystin degradation activity

Alkali tolerance and the mechanism of microcystin (MC) degradation were investigated in the MC-degrading bacterial species, Sphingopyxis sp. C-1, to better understand the increased MC degradation under the alkaline conditions that arise during the disappearance of water blooms. MC-degrading bacteria harbour mlrA, mlrB and mlrC that encode MC-degrading enzymes. Sphingopyxis sp. C-1 also possesses these genes, as well as the mlrD gene that has been assumed to encode MC and its degradation transporter. This study demonstrated that MC degradation activity was promoted by the intermittent addition of microcystin-LR (MCLR) to cultures of strain C-1. That the expression of mlrA, mlrB and mlrC is induced by MCLR also was indicated, whereas that of mlrA and mlrB is induced by the MCLR degradation products linear MC, H-Adda-Glu-Mdha-Ala-OH (tetra peptide) and 2S, 3S, 8S, 9S-3-amino-9-methoxy-2, 6, 8-trimethyl-10-phenyldeca-4E, 6E-dienoic acid (Adda). Adda played a key role in the induction of mlrA and mlrB gene expression, and the cyclic structure of MCLR was closely associated with the induction of mlrC gene expression. It is suggested, therefore, that Adda is an essential part of a signalling molecule involved in cell-to-cell communication. Finally, the MC-degrading bacteria responded to MCLR and its degradation products by degrading the MlrA, MlrB and MlrC enzymes through a sequential chain reaction for the expression of each.
Childhood and Criminal Responsibility

In October, 2019, a 9-year-old boy is charged with five counts of first-degree murder, two counts of arson, and one count of aggravated arson. He is responsible for the deaths of his two young siblings (ages 2 years and 1 year), a 1-year-old cousin, his mother's fiancé, and his great-grandmother (Hawkins, 2019). Investigators determined that the child set the fire that engulfed his family's trailer home in Central Illinois. His mother barely escaped the fire, yet she maintains that “he is not a monster.he is a child. ” She pleads for understanding and help for her son. At the young age of 9 years, is it fair or even reasonable to charge a child of that age with murdering his family? How should we react to this tragedy? How should we even frame it in our own minds? Do your thoughts focus on fire, murder, crime, or the age of the “assailant”? Is “assailant” the term that should be applied to a 9-year-old? What if you knew the child had been recently diagnosed with ADHD, bipolar disorder, and a form of schizophrenia and took medication daily? Or that he helped his mother care for his young brother and sister and now cries constantly because he misses his family (Lourgos & Nickeas, 2019)? The charges are highly unusual because of the boy's age. At 9 years old, this child is not too young to be charged with these crimes in Illinois (National Juvenile Defender Association, 2019). If he is found guilty of the charges, he would be sentenced to probation and therapy according to the District Attorney (Hawkins, 2019). Although he can be charged and convicted of first-degree
Influence of Hot Carriers and Illumination Stress on a-InGaZnO TFTs With Asymmetrical Geometry

In this study, the influence of hot carriers and illumination stress on InGaZnO thin-film-transistors (TFTs) with asymmetrical geometry was investigated by measuring the drain current-gate voltage (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{I}_{\text {D}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{V}_{\text {G}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics. Reversed <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{I}_{\text {D}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{V}_{\text {G}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> in saturated operation shows that the sub-channel effect was caused by the electric field distribution. Furthermore, COMSOL simulation of the device under stress was performed to demonstrate the abnormal degradation behavior. Upon illumination, electron–hole pairs are generated. This causes carrier trapping in the gate insulator (GI) and etch-stop-layer (ESL). Based on the weaker electric field around the U-electrode observed in the COMSOL simulation, it was concluded that uniform hole-trapping was more dominant than electron-trapping, which lowers the barrier, as can be inferred from the measured gate-to-drain (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{C}_{\text {GD}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) and gate-to-source capacitances (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{C}_{\text {GS}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>).
Modelling and measurement in synthetic biology

Synthetic biology applies engineering principles to make progress in the study of complex biological phenomena. The aim is to develop understanding through the praxis of construction and design. The computational branch of this endeavour explicitly brings the tools of abstraction and modularity to bear. This thesis pursues two distinct lines of inquiry concerning the application of computational tools in the setting of synthetic biology. One thread traces a narrative through multi-paradigm computational simulations, interpretation of results, and quantification of biological order. The other develops computational infrastructure for describing, simulating and discovering, synthetic genetic circuits. The emergence of structure in biological organisms, morphogenesis, is critically important for understanding both normal and pathological development of tissues. Here, we focus on epithelial tissues because models of two dimensional cellular monolayers are computationally tractable. We use a vertex model that consists of a potential energy minimisation process interwoven with topological changes in the graph structure of the tissue. To make this interweaving precise, we define a language for propagators from which an unambiguous description of the simulation methodology can be constructed. The vertex model is then used to reproduce laboratory results of patterning in engineered mammalian cells. The assertion that the claim of reproduction is justified is based on a novel measure of structure on coloured graphs which we call path entropy. This measure is then extended to the setting of continuous regions and used to quantify the development of structure in house mouse (Mus musculus) embryos using three dimensional segmented anatomical models. While it is recognised that DNA can be considered a powerful computational environment, it is far from obvious how to program with nucleic acids. Using rule-based modelling of modular biological parts, we develop a method for discovering synthetic genetic programs that meet a specification provided by the user. This method rests on the concept of annotation as applied to rule-based programs. We begin with annotating rules and proceed to generating entire rule-based programs from annotations themselves. Building on those tools we describe an evolutionary algorithm for discovering genetic circuits from specifications provided in terms of probability distributions. This strategy provides a dual benefit: using stochastic simulation captures circuit behaviour at low copy numbers as well as complex properties such as oscillations, and using standard biological parts produces results that are implementable in the laboratory.
Dispersión de semillas por murciélagos: su importancia en la conservación y regeneración del bosque tropical

The aim of this work is to answer two basic questions (1) Do neoiropical frugivorous bats, as seed dispersers, contribute to tropical rain forest regeneration’ and (2) What oould be the ecological consequences if frugivoroiis bats disappear from the hurnid tropics pastures? I reviewed informalion on a) rnovement patteins, foraging and resouice utiliration by bats, b) seed dispersal by bats and seed shadows created by thern in the New World tropical rain forest, and c) compare species eaten by bats with seed rain and vegetation composition and stiucture under isolaled trees in pastures ftorn Los Tuxtlas, Mexico. The foraging habits and distances achieved dunng nocturnal flights of some Phyllostomidae bats are 1-20 km depending on sfiecies ancJ environmental conditions. The main seeds dispersad by bats are: Brosimum alicastrum, Cecrapia sp. , Eugenia sp. , Ficus sp,. Piper sp,, Solanum sp. and Spondias sp. Most of them are very abundant in seed rain in pastures, I conclude that frugivorous bats are important agents in the regeneration of tfie tropical forest in and around abandonad pastures in Mexican tropics.