Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Spread of Nezara viridula (Hemiptera:Pentatomidae) Species from its First Occurrence in Romania

Lately in horticultural agroecosystems from Romania joined several insect species autochthonous. Among these is a species of bugs known as southern green stink bugs or Nezara viridula L. (Insecta: Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Unlike other new entrants this bug species has a diversified polifagism being present in many plants but obvious damage produce only tomato fruit. The causes are unknown. Can be found in gardens, green spaces and parks. Often is observed in vegetable gardens where populations comprise all stages (egg, larva/nymph, adult). Although it has African origins of a warm area is interesting installation and survival in temperate zones like those in Europe. Presence in Europe appears to be more random which excludes primarily spread through the neighborhood. By observations made in west of Romania, during 2010-2015 we wanted to watch the evolution of the insect from the first point of occurrence (TimiE™oara, 2010). Also, were monitored tomato crops and ornamentals in gardens and green spaces from 5 counties. Only in four monitored counties it was observed this species. Most adults and larvae were registered in Timis county (5-6 adults or 7-8 larvae/tomato plant and 10 -11 adults or 15-20 larvae/ornamental shrub). In our country the insect has proven to be capable of a rapid spread in a relatively short time interval including surrounding counties.
The Role of Iroquois 3 and 5 in Limb Bud Pattern Formation and Morphogenesis

Limb skeletal pattern heavily relies on graded Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling. As a morphogen and growth cue, Shh regulates identities of posterior limb elements including the ulna/fibula and digits 2 through 5. In contrast, proximal and anterior structures including the humerus/femur, radius/tibia and digit 1 are regarded as Shh-independent and the mechanisms governing their pattern formation are unclear. Here I show that patterning of the proximal and anterior limb skeleton involves an early specification phase dependent on two transcription factors, Irx3 and Irx5 (Irx3/5). They are expressed in the anterior margin of the limb field to regulate expression of the key anterior prepattern gene Gli3 and specify the anterior population during limb initiation. The early specification phase is followed by a late modulation phase during which Shh signaling negatively regulates these anterior elements. In addition, Irx3/5 also play a role in limb bud morphogenesis. Irx3/5-DKO hindlimb buds are small with abnormal shape due to prolonged cell cycle time and division defects including anaphase bridge and altered cell division orientation in the anterior hindlimb field. Therefore, pattern formation of anterior limb skeletal elements requires functions of Irx3/5 during limb bud initiation for the specification and expansion of anterior population followed by negative modulation by Shh signaling.
Effects of Chemical Treatment, Hybridization, and Hybrid Fiber Stacking Sequence and Orientation on Tensile and Impact Strength of Continuous Sisal Fiber Reinforced Polyester Composites

ABSTRACT This paper has presented the enhancement of tensile and impact strength of continuously aligned sisal fiber reinforced polyester composites through chemical treatment and hybridization. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and baking soda (NaHCO3) were used for sisal fiber treatment. Comparisons on the effect of sodium hydroxide and baking soda treatments on tensile and impact strength of the composites were performed. Unidirectional glass and carbon fibers were selected as hybrid fibers. Nineteen laminates were prepared as per the standards. The laminates were made of pure sisal fiber and hybridized with glass or carbon fibers at different stacking sequence, orientation, and volume fraction. The effects of glass and carbon fibers hybridization on tensile and impact strength of the composites were studied and compared. Further enhancements on the tensile and impact strength of the composites were investigated through alterations on the stacking sequence, orientation, and volume fraction of the hybrid fibers. Symmetric hybrid composites which avoided sisal/sisal plies interface have shown more than 95% and 130% rise in their tensile strength by adding about 8% volume of glass and carbon fibers respectively. Moreover, with only about 8% carbon fiber inclusion in the laminates, almost 60% improvements in the impact strength were discovered.
INFECCIÓN NATURAL POR Trypanosoma cruzi (TRYPANOSOMATIDAE) EN TRIATOMINOS INTRADOMÉSTICOS DEL DEPARTAMENTO DE GUAINÍA

The continuous search and characterization of triatomine bugs is essential for Chagas disease surveillance programs in areas with ideal ecological conditions for the distribution of these vectors. These activities are necessary to define and optimize intervention strategies. The objective of this work was to determine the presence of triatomine and its infection status in households located in the municipality of Inirida (Guainia). Between 2018 and 2019, we developed a community participation strategy where an active search was essential for the capturing of triatomine bugs. The collected bugs were evaluated by PCR allowing to identify one as Panstrongylus lignarius and four as P. geniculatus . Genotyping showed the presence of TcI Dom confirming infection in both species. Thus, this study presents an update of the infection status of P. geniculatus and the presence of infected P. lignarius in the Guainia region in Colombia.
LC-MS/MS Method Applied to the Detection and Quantification of Ursodeoxycholic Acid Related Substances in Raw Material and Pharmaceutical Formulation

: Objective: To develop a highly sensitive LC-MS/MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry) method applied to the detection and quantitation of UDCA (ursodeoxycholic acid) related substances such as CA (cholic acid), DCA (deoxycholic acid), CDCA (chenodeoxycholic acid) and LCA (lithocholic acid) in raw material and pharmaceutical formulation. Methods: The method was validated for specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision, robustness. A triple quadrupole mass detector was employed, equipped with an ESI (electrospray ionization) source operated in the negative ion mode. The chromatographic system consisted of a Symmetry C18 column (150 mm × 4.6 mm, id; particle size 5 µm) and methanol-acetonitrile-ammonium acetate (pH 7.6; 10 mM) (40:40:20, v/v/v) as the mobile phase. The chromatographic conditions were 25 uL injection volume, flow rate of 0.4 mL/min and column temperature set at 35 °C. Key findings: The method requires a minimum sample amount and presents very low LOD (limits of detection) for CA (0.29 ng/mL), DCA (0.59 ng/mL), CDCA (0.13 ng/mL) and LCA (0.44 ng/mL) in comparison to LC methods coupled to different detectors like UV (ultraviolet), fluorescence and refractive index. Conclusions: The developed and validated LC-MS/MS method for the determination of UDCA and related substances in raw material and in a suspension was advantageous since it required a minimum sample amount. In turn, it could be used as a stability indicating method.
A review on issues, challenges and various optimization techniques in microgrid

A drastic change in the increase of carbon emission and green-houses gases has increased the demand of the use of Renewable Energy Sources (RESs). The integration of renewable energy in a power system network is due to the fact that the available natural resources are depleting at a faster rate. Microgrid with different configurations along with the development of smart grids ensures a paradigm shift from centralised to decentralized control. The installations done at the demand side of distributed generation marks change in the forthcoming years in the electricity markets both at the generating and distribution end. With the introduction of Microgrid the hedging of investment is done in different sectors of the electric industry such as generation operations, etc., easily. This review paper gives an idea about fundamental definition of a Microgrid (MGs); classification of Microgrid, issues, and challenges associated and optimization techniques for the overall stability and security of the grid.
Born to Throw: The Ecological Causes that Shaped the Evolution of Throwing In Humans

Humans are the only species capable of powerful and accurate overhand throwing. However, the evolution of this ability remains underexplored. Here we draw on several lines of evidence—anatomical, archeological, cross-species comparisons, and ethnographic—to develop a scenario for the evolution of throwing. Throwing has deep roots in the primate lineage. Nonhuman primates throw projectiles during agonistic interactions but rarely to subdue prey. Thus, we argue that throwing first arose during agonistic interactions and was later incorporated into hunting by human ancestors. The fossil record indicates that anatomical adaptations for high-speed throwing in Homo first appeared about two million years ago. Once the effective use of projectile weapons became critical to success in combat and hunting, the importance of the ability to throw, intercept, and dodge projectiles would have resulted in stronger selection on males than females to become proficient at these skills because males throw projectiles more often than females in both combat and hunting.
Bird Bonds: Sex, Mate-Choice and Cognition in Australian Native Birds

b a Some parts of this book are novel, interesting, or stimulating; the bibliography is useful. Much, however, has less to do with sex and mate-choice than with cognition and brain chemistry, some already appearing in the author’s Bird Minds (Kaplan 2016). Substantial parts are of value, notably where broad cognitive issues and research are discussed. Kaplan suggests that habitat complexity promotes avian intelligence, that pair-bonding is more than just about reproduction, and that bonding and cooperative group living correlate with longevity. As in Bird Minds, however, this book contains anthropomorphism, speculation (much unfounded), and factual errors so numerous that I cannot note them all. In presenting and interpreting her anecdotal observations of bird behaviour, the author is as much out of her depth as previously (see reviews of her bird books by Jarman & Jones 2005; Brigham 2008; Frith 2018; Ley 2018).
Exhibition of ‘the Drawing Effect’ Across VARK Learning Preferences in High School Students

In a free-recall experiment, the presence of 'the drawing effect' in relation to VARK learning preferences was examined in high school students. Participants were asked to draw and write out a list of presented words and afterwards completed a questionnaire to identify their VARK learning preferences. There was no statistically significant difference between the number of written words recalled versus the number of drawn words recalled. Further, no relationship between VARK learning scores and the drawing effect was identified. This experiment indicates that high school students of all VARK preferences do not display the drawing effect which may reflect a nuance in adolescent cognition or the recent modification of high school instructional practices. The findings of this study may encourage high school educators to focus more on quality of content rather than medium of presentation to create memorable lessons. Further research may determine whether the results of this research are consistent across age groups and with other high school student demographics.
Potential loss of clubroot resistance genes from donor parent Brassica rapa subsp. rapifera (ECD 04) during doubled haploid production

Clubroot resistance derived from the oilseed rape/canola Brassica napus ‘Mendel’ has been overcome in some fields in Alberta, Canada, by the emergence of ‘new’ strains of the protist Plasmodiophora brassicae. Resistance to the pathogen was assessed in 112 doubled haploid (DH) lines, derived from B. rapa subsp. rapifera (European clubroot differential (ECD) 04). The lines were evaluated against five single-spore isolates representing the ‘old’ pathotypes 2, 3, 5, 6 and 8, and 15 field populations representing new strains of P. brassicae. The disease severity index (ID%) data revealed that none of the DH lines were resistant or moderately resistant to the new pathotype 5X (field populations L-G1, L-G2, LG3) and D-G3, while 3–42% were resistant or moderately resistant to the other 11 new strains. Using the mean ID induced by the old pathotype 3 (approx. 13.5%) as the baseline, clubroot severity increased by 300–600% when inoculated with the new pathotypes. A significant finding of this study was the fact that ECD 04 showed absolute resistance to all of the old and new P. brassicae strains while the B. napus ‘Mendel’, although resistant to all of the old pathotypes, was resistant to only about 50% of the new strains. Similarly, all of the selected clubroot-resistant commercial canola cultivars evaluated in this study were susceptible to 87% of the new P. brassicae strains. The molecular data revealed that the breakdown of clubroot resistance in Mendel and the canola cultivars was in part due to the noninheritance of the Crr1 gene on the A08 chromosome from ECD 04.
Intrasexual selection: Kin competition increases male‐male territorial aggression in a monogamous cichlid fish

Abstract During intrasexual competition, individuals of the same sex compete for access to breeding sites and mating partners, often accompanied by aggressive behavior. Kin selection theory predicts different kin‐directed social interactions ranging from cooperation to aggression depending on the context and the resource in question. Kin competition reducing indirect fitness might be avoided by actively expelling relatives from territories and by showing higher aggression against kin. The West‐African cichlid Pelvicachromis taeniatus is a monogamous cave breeder with males occupying and defending breeding sites against rivals. This species is capable of kin recognition and shows kin‐preference during juvenile shoaling and mate choice. However, subadults of P. taeniatus seem to avoid the proximity of same‐sex kin. In the present study, we examined territorial aggression of territory holders against intruding related and unrelated males as well as intruder's behavior. We observed higher aggression among related competitors suggesting that related males are less tolerated as neighbors. Avoidance of intrasexual competition with relatives might increase indirect fitness of males in monogamous species.
How should molecular findings be integrated in the classification for lung cancer?

The use of molecular diagnostics in the diagnosis and management of patients with advanced lung cancer has become widespread. Although molecular classification has increasingly been incorporated in the pathologic classification of certain types of human tumors (particularly within the hematologic, glial, and bone/soft tissue malignancies), genetic findings have not been formally incorporated into the pathologic classification of lung cancer, which presently relies solely on the assessment of histologic and immunophenotypic characteristics. Whether molecular classification should be adopted in lung cancer would depend on the diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive impacts of such classification—and whether these impacts confer significant values additive to those derived from the routine histologic and immunophenotypic assessment. We provide a brief overview on the genetics of lung cancer, including adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and neuroendocrine tumors (small cell carcinoma, large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, and carcinoid tumors). We consider the values of molecular information with some examples, in terms of the current diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive impacts. Finally, we discuss the conceptual and technical challenges of adopting a molecular classification for lung cancer in clinical management for patients. While there are conceptual and technical hurdles to tackle in implementing molecular classification in the pathologic classification of lung cancer, such integrated histologic-molecular diagnosis may allow one to personalize and optimize therapy for patients with advanced lung cancer.
Genetic diversity and correlation studies in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) based on morphological traits

The present study was conducted to evaluate the selection criteria in 48 chickpea germplasm accessions using correlation, path analysis, principal component analysis and cluster analysis based on fourteen morphological traits. These traits included seven vegetative traits (viz., plant height, plant width, number of basal primary branches per plant, number of apical primary branches per plant, number of basal secondary branches per plant, number of apical secondary branches per plant and number of tertiary branches per plant), one flowering trait (days to fifty per cent flowering) and six yield related traits (days to maturity, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, number of seeds per plant, hundred seed weight and single plant yield). Basic descriptive statistics showed normal distribution for six morphological traits. However significant and positive skewness were observed for plant width (1.15), number of apical primary branches per plant (1.68), number of basal secondary branches per plant (1.18), number of tertiary branches per plant (1.86), days to maturity (0.91), number of seeds per pod (0.78), number of seeds per plant (0.72) and hundred seed weight (1.48). ANOVA revealed that significant genotypic variation existed for most of the traits. Traits such as plant width (0.346), number of pods per plant (0.788), number of seeds per pod (0.055), number of seeds per plant (0.675) and hundred seed weight (0.477) exhibited significant positive correlation with single plant yield whereas a strong negative association was exhibited by days to fifty per cent flowering (-0.418) and days to maturity (-0.331). Correlation among component traits revealed a strong negative association of hundred seed weight with seeds per pod (-0.36). Path analysis specified that the highest positive direct effect on single plant yield was exerted by number of pods per plant (0.86) and hundred seed weight (0.589). Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the first five components with Eigen values more than one contributed to a maximum of 77.58 per cent of the variability. PC1 contributed 26.59 per cent of the total variation and the traits contributing to maximum variation in first component included plant width (0.712), number of pods per plant (0.692), number of seeds per plant (0.621), number of apical secondary branches per plant (0.54) and plant height (0.538). The Wards method of hierarchical cluster analysis grouped the accessions into two major clusters. Cluster I comprised of genotypes with high mean values for hundred seed weight (20.65) whereas cluster II, showed superior contribution for number of pods per plant (40.27), number of seeds per pod (1.06), number of seeds per plant (42.52) and single plant yield (6.88g). The grouping of chickpea germplasm based on various agro-morphological traits would be useful to identify the promising genotypes for effective utilization in future breeding programmes.
Neurobiological factors in depression: A Review

The compelling and evolving nature of depressive disorders, one of a family of related conditions referred to as the “affective spectrum disorders’ and one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders, may be underscored by the numerous hypotheses enunciated in the last three decades concerning the nature of the disorder. Depressive disorders are a group of illnesses associated with significant neurobiological changes involving structural, functional and molecular alterations in several areas of the brain. Since no single cause of depression has been identified, understanding the neurobiologic substrates or biomarkers underlying the disease will help unravel the complexity of the disease as well as provide mechanistic explanation for the action of antidepressants and new insights on the latency of action of antidepressants, a latency of action which is at present undesirable considering the serious social and economic cost of the disease. These new insights, such as histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, isoform 2 of the potassium-chloride co-transporter (KCC2) blockers, N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) modulators and anti-apoptotics, endogenous enkephalin and cocaine-amphetamine regulated transcript (CART) peptides, melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) receptor antagonists, α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid (AMPA) potentiators and mitochondrial-targeted treatments like small-molecule inhibitors of glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3, may help provide drugs with a higher rate of responders than presently-available medications, since recent studies suggest that alteration in neuroplasticity and cellular resiliency may be more closely related to the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of depression as well as the mechanism of action related to affective treatments.
Hardware Implementation of PCM-Based Neurons with Self-Regulating Threshold for Homeostatic Scaling in Unsupervised Learning

Brain-inspired neuromorphic engineering aims at designing networks capable of learning from their own experience, in terms of both plasticity and stability. In biology, homeostatic scaling can regulate the frequency of neural processing in the brain and enable efficient synaptic learning activity. Implementing homeostatic regulation into hardware neural networks can thus enable stable, energy-efficient learning. Here, we present a novel artificial neuron based on phase change memory (PCM) devices capable of homeostatic regulation and power saving via self-adaptive threshold control. We experimentally show that this mechanism optimizes multi-pattern learning of the Fashion-MNIST dataset with asynchronous spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP). The PCM-based adaptive threshold is shown to act as a spike-frequency modulator of the whole neural network, giving robustness to the system against external perturbations. This work highlights the suitability of PCM devices for the optimization of synaptic dynamics and the implementation of brain-inspired neuromorphic circuits for cognitive agents and edge computing.
Impact of environmental conditions and agro- technical factors on ground beetle populations in arable crops

Ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) are the largest family of adephagan beetles. Their role in natural pest control is important due to their predatory polyphagous nutrition and bioindicative value since they are sensitive to environmental and anthropogenic changes. Therefore, the main objectives were to understand how common arable cropping systems in Croatia affect ground beetles abundance in respect to the environmental conditions. We hypothesized that environmental specifics (soil type and structure, climatic conditions) together with cultivation measures (tillage, insecticide application) would affect ground beetle activity and abundance. The research was conducted in two locations Lukac, Virovitica – Podravina County and Tovarnik, Vukovar – Sirmium County. Ground beetles were collected weekly, from May to September 2015, by epigeic pitfall traps and endogeic perforated probes from fields sown with typical arable crops in these areas. In total, 2, 582 ground beetle individuals were collected using epigeic traps, and 323 ground beetles were collected using endogeic traps. Significantly lower ground beetle abundance has been recorded in Tovarnik than in Lukac. The crop and cropping history affect the abundance through modification of environmental conditions (soil characteristics, microclimate factors such as temperature and humidity), as well as trough disturbance factors such as tillage schedules and harvest/sowing schedules.