Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quantitative trait loci analysis for some root traits in Bread Wheat (triticum aestivum l.)

In India, large areas of wheat cultivation suffer with water-stress leading to poor yield, which may be improved through genetic manipulation of plant architecture, particularly involving the root morphology. The root system plays a key role in water and nutrient absorption from the soil, but has not received due attention of geneticists in the past due to the difficulties associated with phenotyping of this trait. During the present study, we dissected the genetic architecture of four root traits through QTL analysis using a RIL mapping population derived from the cross Chinese Spring × Rye Selection. Eight QTLs located on six chromosomes were identified, which included two suggestive QTLs (one each for root length and root dry weight), and six significant QTLs, which included one QTL for root number, four QTLs for root volume and one QTL for root dry weight. A major QTL (QRv.ccsu-4A.1) for root volume, detected at a LOD score of 6.5, explained ~30% phenotypic variation in root volume. The remaining five minor QTL each explained 8.82% (QRv.ccsu-2D.1 for root volume) to 15.93% (QRdw.ccsu-2A.1 for root dry weight) of the phenotypic variation. SSR markers Xgwm89 and Xgwm610 flanking the major QTL QRv.ccsu-4A.1 may be used for marker-assisted selection for higher root volume for improvement of water absorption efficiency of wheat grown in limited-water conditions.
Perceptions and knowledge of a selected group of organic consumers in Bloemfontein, Free State Province

Organic agriculture is a production method that upholds the well-being of soil, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles tailored to local conditions. This descriptive study assessed the knowledge and perceptions of organic food consumers in Bloemfontein. A convenience sample of 60 consumers (male and female) was selected to participate in the study. A structured questionnaire was designed to obtain data at a local fresh-produce grocer. Most of the consumers showed positive and negative attitudes towards organic products. Most consumers had basic knowledge regarding organic products, but it also became evident that there was uncertainty surrounding facts of organic products, such as labelling standards. Only 12% of respondents interpreted the term "organic" correctly. Human health (86.67%) and environmental concerns (28.33%) were the key factors influencing consumer preference for organic food. Organic fruit and vegetables (45.37%) were the most popular purchased organic items amongst consumers. The majority of consumers (61.67%) stated that organic products are affordable. The results of the present study provided valuable insight into the knowledge, perceptions and attitudes of consumers towards organically grown foods. The general positive attitude of consumers can be attributed to consumers' basic knowledge of, and preference for, organic food. Despite the organic lifestyle being in the minority in this region, there continues to be a growing demand for organic products in Bloemfontein, and for this reason producers have ensured a continued supply of organic products.
Timing Decisions in New Product Development for International Markets: A Review and Directions for Empirical Research

of International Business at Vienna University of Economics and Business, Faculty of Business and Economics, Welthandelsplatz 1, 1020 Vienna, Austria, Phone: +43-1-313 36-5120, E-Mail jan.fisch@wu.ac. at, and Visiting Professor at University of Newcastle, Faculty of Business and Law, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia. Jan-Michael Ross is Assistant Professor in Marketing at Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, Tanaka Building, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom, Phone: +44-(0)207/59-45105, E-Mail: jan.ross@imperial.ac. uk. Timing Decisions in New Product Development for International Markets: A Review and Directions for Empirical Research
Effect of Operating Condition on Performance of Anaerobic Hybrid Reactor at Thermophilic Temperature

Anaerobic hybrid reactor (AHR), like the upflow anaerobic sludge bed-fixed film reactor, was applied to treat and produce methane from raw palm oil mill effluent (POME) with high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and suspended solid (SS). This study was aimed at improving anaerobically digested POME at thermophilic temperature (55 °C) through optimization of organic loading rate (OLR) and hydraulic retention time (HRT). COD removal and methane production were measured as indicators of the reactor performance as well as pH and ratio of total volatile acid (TVA) and alkalinity (Alk) were used for the reactor stability. Microbial activities of inoculum seed for acidogens and methanogens at thermophilic temperature were 0.17 gCOD methane /gVSS.d and 0.72 gCOD glucose /gVSS.d, respectively. Experimental results within 78 days showing that OLR and HRT of AHR for methane production increased from 1.2 to 5.5 gCOD/l.d and shortened from 20 to 10 d, respectively. AHR was investigated in order to achieve high reactor performance and stability. High microbial activities of acidogens and methanogens in sludge and packed zones of AHR were found during operation. High performances of COD removal efficiency and methane production rate were in the range of 80-90% and increased from 1.35 to 7.82 l/d, respectively, when the OLR increased and HRT decreased within the tested range. In addition, methane yield coefficient was increased from 0.19 to 0.32 lCH 4 /gCOD removed.High reactor stability could keep in pH 7.0-8.0 andTVA/Alk was lower than 0.5. Keywords: Anaerobic hybrid reactor, Palm oil mill effluent, Operating condition, Thermophilic temperature.
Détection, localisation et identification de cibles radar par imagerie électromagnétique bistatique

Les travaux presentes dans ce manuscrit sont consacres a l'etude de l'imagerie radar bistatique. Nous considerons le cas general d'une liaison radar bistatique pour laquelle l'emetteur, la cible et le recepteur peuvent etre en mouvement. Le modele tri-dimensionnel developpe prend en compte l'ensemble des elements de la chaine d'acquisition ainsi que les polarisations d'emission et de reception. L'algorithme developpe pour la reconstruction des images bistatiques est une extension de l'algorithme RDA (Range Doppler Algorithm) deja utilise en monostatique. La definition des expressions des resolutions pour une image bistatique nous a permis de valider nos resultats et donc notre modele. Nous considerons enfin la reconstruction d'image pour des scenes plus realistes telles que les cibles complexes ou la detection de cibles (simples) sur une surface maritime. La comparaison des resultats obtenus dans le cas de l'imagerie monostatique et bistatique montre l'interet de cette derniere.
ROLE OF UNDERGRADUATE CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY TEACHING IN RATIONAL PRESCRIBING: AN INTERNEE΄S PERCEPTION

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Rational prescribing of drugs and good clinical practice are the most important factors which prepares an internee to be an efficient doctor. This can be expected only if an intern's clinical pharmacology knowledge is adequate. The aim of the study was to assess the clinical pharmacology (CP) knowledge of an internee and to know how far he is equipped to prescribe the drug rationally. METHODS: All the internees of Sri Siddhartha medical college were administered with a semi structured questionnaire. The questionnaire sought information about demographics, undergraduate CP teaching, experiences of adverse drug reaction and drug interaction and confidence in drug prescription. Suggestions regarding improvising under graduate CP teaching were also enlisted. RESULTS: It was observed that out of 66 subjects recruited only 46(70%) possessed average knowledge about clinical pharmacology and 41(62.1%) disagreed that undergraduate CP teaching had equipped them to prescribe. Internees were comfortable in prescribing certain drugs like antacids and antiulcer drugs 63(95.5%), laxatives 51(77.3%), and vitamins and minerals 59(89.4%) without supervision. However majority of them lacked confidence of prescribing to special groups like pediatric, geriatric and patients with liver and renal disorder. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that internees lacked confidence in prescribing for special groups Hence there is a need to vigorously train them in clinical pharmacology during their
Recent Advances in Electrochemiluminescence with Quantum Dots and Arrays of Nanoelectrodes

This review presents the last advances related to analytical and bioanalytical applications of electrochemiluminescence (ECL) achieved by exploiting the special optical or electrochemical properties of quantum dots and nanoelectrodes, respectively. After a brief introduction which covers the basic concepts of ECL detection, the review presents relevant examples dealing with in the use of quantum dots and arrays of nanoelectrodes to improve the analytical and bioanalytical capabilities of ECL. Finally, prospects and limits derived from the application of the above advanced nanomaterials to stimulate ECL emission are discussed.
Beyond authority transfer: explaining the politicisation of Europe

While there is increasing evidence that European integration has been politicised, knowledge of the driving forces of this process is still limited. This article contributes to the research by examining the importance of authority transfers to the EU as drivers of politicisation. It innovates in two ways. First, it extends the authority transfer argument by highlighting the mobilising power of membership conflicts; second, it analyses the relevance of national opportunity structures, referenda in particular, and mobilising strategies for politicisation. Empirically, it traces politicisation in public debates on every integration step (treaty reforms and enlargement) from the 1970s to the late 2000s in six West European countries (Austria, Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland), based on a quantitative content analysis of newspaper coverage.
Red fruit oil increases trophoblast cells and decreases caspase-9 expression in placenta of lead exposed mice

BACKGROUND Lead is able to pass through the placental barrier and interfere with fetal development. Red fruit has high antioxidant activity, due to carotenoids (pro-vitamin A), tocopherols (vitamin E) and unsaturated fatty acids. This study aims to examine the effect of red fruit oil towards placenta in pregnant mice before lead exposure. METHODS This was a laboratory experimental post test only study, using 20 pregnant mice (Mus musculus) that were randomized into five groups. The negative control group was not exposed to lead; intervention group 0 (P0) was exposed to lead at 0.011 mg/20 g BW/day on days 6-15 of gestation. The intervention groups P1-P3 were given red fruit orally at 0.3 mL/20 g BW/day, 0.8 mL/20 g BW/day, 0.9 mL/20 g BW/day, respectively, before lead exposure. Normal trophoblast cell count and caspase-9 expression of trophoblasts were calculated. One-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann Whitney tests were used to analyze the data. RESULTS The intervention groups P2 and P3 given red fruit at 0.8 mL/20 g BW/day and 0.9 mL/20 g BW/day showed a significant increase in normal trophoblast cell count of 88.2% (p=0.024) and a decrease in caspase-9 expression of 70.8% compared with P0 to which was not given red fruit (p=0.020). CONCLUSION Red fruit increased normal trophoblast cell count by 88.2% and decreased caspase-9 expression by 70.8% in pregnant mice before lead exposure. It should be noted that red fuit may prevent oxidative damage to cells.
Cytogenetic Analysis of 1400 Referral Cases: Manipal Experience

Abstract Karyotypes were examined in 1400 cases, suspected of having chromosomal abnormalities. A total of 343 (24.5 per cent) had abnormal karyotypes including 43 (3.07%) polymorphic variants; 14.28% of children exhibited chromosome abnormalities including 12.07% of Down syndrome, 2.21% of congenital anomalies including global developmental delay, 0.5% with intersex disorders. Chromosomal abnormalities were observed in individuals with pubertal failures including short stature and amenorrhea in females (3.35%), and were recorded in 0.43% males. Cases of reproductive failures (3.64%) included recurrent miscarriages, bad obstetric history and infertility. Of these 2.28% were instances of polymorphic variants. Fifty seven patients who diagnosed of various symptoms of cancer were studied and found to have 56% structural variations including Philadelphia chromosome. Cytogenetic analysis is found to be useful in providing genetic counseling.
Functional equations related to weightable quasi-metrics

Starting from the definition of a weightable quasi-metric we observe that several functional equations are induced in a natural way. Studying these equations we characterize weightable quasi-metrics and show that they define representable total preorders. We also analyze how to retrieve weightable quasi-metrics from real-valued functions satisfying suitable functional equations. 2000 AMS Classification: 39B52, 54E35, 54F05, 06A06.
Assessment of heavy metal contamination in roadside soils along the Shenyang-Dalian Highway in Liaoning Province China

Heavy metal contaminations were assessed through a detailed soil survey in roadside soils along the Shenyang-Dalian Highway of Liaoning Province, China. Pb, Cu, Cd, Ni, and Zn were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The average concentrations of Pb, Cu, Cd, Ni, and Zn in roadside soils were 43.8, 26.5, 0.119, 32.1, and 71.3 mg/kg, respectively, and all concentrations exceeded the background values. Different heavy metal distribution patterns were found under different land use types. In farmland, a peak metal concentration occurred 25 m from the roadside soil, while in the forest and orchard soil all heavy metals decreased with distance from the roadside, which conformed to the exponential model. Heavy metal concentrations were markedly higher than those measured in 1999 and 2007, except for Cd. Concentrations in soils along the Shenyang-Dalian Highway were medium or low in comparison with roadside soils in other cities around the world. Overall, this assessment illustrates that heavy metal pollution in these soils is generally low, and we recommend that more attention should be given to Pb contamination in roadside soils along the Shenyang-Dalian Highway.
Reduced transformed features based breast mammograms classification

Mammography is a particular type of imaging that uses a low-dose x-ray system to examine breasts. A mammography exam, called a mammogram, is used to aid in the early detection and diagnosis of breast diseases in women. In this paper, we have proposed a method that consists of combination of different methods. First we have performed enhancement on breast mammogram to enhance the image quality. We have used Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE) for enhancement. Discrete wavelet transform based features has been extracted which have been used for classification. Principle component analysis has used for features reduction and selection. Different classifiers have been used for classification into benign and malignant. It has been noted that results are very much satisfactory. We have used MIAS data set for experimentation purpose. [Muhammad Talha, Ghazali Solung. Reduced Transformed Features Based Breast Mammograms Classification. Life Sci J 2013;10(7s):907-913] (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite. com. 145
Orientation Activities in Times of Crises: New Challenges for Secondary. Schools

The relationship between educational/training processes and the world of work – between schools, universities and companies – is a topic which, for some time, has neither stirred great enthusiasm nor aroused much interest. It is by no means a new idea, even though in recent years it has continued to expand, shifting from a schoolwork binomial to the wider one of school-territory. Yet, in spite of increased efforts in the field, the school-work nexus remains weak. Indeed, workers in the field cannot help noticing that every season there appears a reform or a policy or a slogan designated to resituate the school, and its connection with the world of production, centre stage Apart from the uneasiness, the indignation, caused by the condition of youth (from the points of view of education, level of qualifications obtained and occupational insertion), what interventions do schools carry out on behalf of tomorrow’s adults? What is being done at the local level, which is where young people’s competence is really developed and initiatives on their behalf put into practice? The paper tries to answer these questions focusing on a specific local context (the Piedmontese region in Italy), using qualitative methods.
In vitro free radical scavenging potential of Hydroethanolic extract in the leaves of Annona muricata

Objective: The present study was carried out to validate the free radical scavenging activity of hydroethanolic leaf extract of Annona muricata. Materials and Methods: The A. muricata leaves were evaluated for its scavenging activity against the free radicals such as 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, superoxide, nitric oxide, hydroxyl, and hydrogen peroxide. Results: The obtained results showed that hydroethanolic leaf extract of A. muricata possessed maximum scavenging activity of free radicals at a concentration of 250 µg/mL which was comparable to that of standard ascorbic acid. Conclusion: The observations suggest that the A. muricata leaf extract might serve as a potential source of natural antioxidant by providing significant protection against oxidative stress.
Moving Forward on Sustainable Energy Transitions: The Smart Rural Model

Among the different aspects that promote Sustainable Development, energy is a critical concern to meet the needs of present and future generations in a global-scale and long-term vision. Going beyond the emergence of local responses such as “Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings” or “Smart Cities” models, a more comprehensive view on sustainable energy planning, which involves urban and rural areas as an energetically balanced whole, has to be promoted. Central to this approach is the concept of transition which urges to be conceived in a broader and incremental change of society as pleaded by Rob Hopkins in Transition Towns. Spatial planning is able to manage the complex relationships between environment, economy and society and can represent the driver to implement integrated approaches and adaptive strategies towards the transition from “the actual fossil fuels system” to “a future net zero fossil fuels system”. This paper presents how such questions are being addressed and developed within the field of the doctoral thesis entitled “Smart Rural: energy efficiency and renewable energies in rural areas”. The interdisciplinary research design flow and expected results that support the Smart Rural model are presented in order to debate the thesis statement : “Can an integrated planning process for energy efficiency and renewable energies in rural areas, support the “Net-Zero Energy” balance at the municipal scale? ” Keywords: Sustainable energy; transition towns; smart rural; energy efficiency; renewable energies; energy balance.
Among- and within-tributary responses of riverine fish assemblages to habitat features1

We quantified fish abundance and environmental variables at 170 sites distributed among 11 tributaries of the Ottawa River, Quebec, Canada, to assess the relative importance of amongand within-tributary variation in riverine fish assemblages. Additionally, we determined (i) which environmental variables were most strongly associated with each type of variation and (ii) whether ecomorphological traits in fish assemblages were predictably related to environmental gradients. Partitioning of variation by means of partial ordination indicated that assemblages were less variable among (38.7% of the total variation) than within (61.3%) tributaries. Water transparency singly accounted for 33.3% of the variation among tributaries, whereas macrophyte cover and river width jointly accounted for 8.3% of the variation within tributaries. These results suggests that differences in habitat features among tributaries may account for a substantial fraction of the predictable variation in assemblage structure at the watershed scale, an aspect not emphasized in previous studies of riverine fish assemblages. Mixed regression analyses relating ecomorphological traits to environmental variables showed that the environmental variables most strongly associated with assemblage structure were significantly related to traits associated with predator avoidance or foraging efficiency. Résumé : Les communautés de poissons et des variables environnementales ont été quantifiées à 170 sites répartis le long de 11 affluents de la rivière des Outaouais (Québec, Canada), afin de déterminer l’importance relative de la variation interet intra-affluents dans la structuration des communautés. De plus, nous avons déterminé (i) quelles variables environnementales étaient le plus fortement associées à chaque type de variation et (ii) si les traits écomorphologiques caractérisant les communautés étaient liés de façon prévisible aux gradients environnementaux interet intra-affluents. La partition de la variation par ordination partielle a mis en évidence que les communautés étaient moins variables entre elles (38,7 % de la variation totale) qu’au sein (61,3 %) des affluents. La transparence de l’eau expliquait à elle seule 33,3 % de la variation entre les affluents, tandis que le couvert de macrophytes et la largeur de la rivière expliquaient conjointement 8,3 % de la variation au sein des affluents. Ces résultats suggèrent que des différences dans les caractéristiques de l’habitat entre les affluents pourraient jouer un rôle prépondérant dans la structuration des communautés de poissons de rivière à l’échelle du bassin versant, un aspect qui n’a pas été mis en lumière dans les études précédentes. Des analyses de régression mixte mettant en rélation les traits écomorphologiques et les variables environnementales ont montré que les variables environnementales associées à la structuration des communautés étaient significativement reliées à des traits liés à l’évitement des prédateurs et à l’efficacité de l’alimentation.