Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evidence for Pollen Competition in Plants and Its Relationship to Progeny Fitness: A Comment

The question of whether there is competition between pollen tubes growing in the same style, such that genetically better pollen tubes grow faster, has been much debated recently (for a recent review, see Mulcahy and Mulcahy 1987). The main evidence that such a process occurs is not direct demonstration that pollen tubes differ in their ability to grow in the style and achieve fertilization, but comes from indirect experiments in which the quality of progeny plants seems to differ, depending on the opportunity for competition that was operating during the pollination process. Better-quality progeny have been claimed to be produced when pollen tubes are required to grow for longer distances or when heavy loads of pollen are applied to stigmas (review in Mulcahy and Mulcahy 1987). It is known that these situations could provide a strongly competitive environment for the growing pollen tubes (reviewed by Correns [1928, pp. 56-58], who did not, however, show that superior seedlings were produced under conditions of intense pollen-tube competition). The phenomenon of gametophytic competition i natural populations would be very interesting ifit occurred, and it is desirable to get clear evidence on this point. To do this, it will be necessary to show that the differences are indeed caused during pollination or fertilization a d to exclude the possibility that they are due to differential survival of different classes of zygotes. So far, however, except for a few instances of major mutations affecting gametophyte performance (see, e.g., Bemis 1959) and for the phenomenon of "certation," in which pollen carrying the Y sex chromosome suffers in competition with X-bearing pollen (Correns 1928), the data have been susceptible to alternative interpretations; and critical experiments hat could exclude other, relatively trivial, possibilities that could have produced the observed results have not been done (Charlesworth etal. 1987). In a recent paper, Winsor et al. (1987) described experiments showing that, in a strain of zucchini, seeds derived from flowers pollinated with large quantities of pollen give rise to progeny plants that are superior in several respects to progeny from fruits produced by flowers pollinated with small pollen loads. The seeds derived from flowers given the different treatments were matched for size, and only plants derived from two classes of seed size ("large" and "small") were used in the comparisons. It is clear, however, that this alone could produce the observed difference in vigor. Fruits produced by large pollen loads had many more seeds than those produced by pollination with small pollen loads. In fruits with many seeds, the size of individual seeds is likely to be smaller than in those with fewer seeds. This seems extremely likely for many plant species. It certainly
The Role of Personality Factors and Empathy in the Acceptance and Performance of a Social Robot for Psychometric Evaluations

Research and development in socially assistive robotics have produced several novel applications in the care of senior people. However, some are still unexplored such as their use as psychometric tools allowing for a quick and dependable evaluation of human users’ intellectual capacity. To fully exploit the application of a social robot as a psychometric tool, it is necessary to account for the users’ factors that might influence the interaction with a robot and the evaluation of user cognitive performance. To this end, we invited senior participants to use a prototype of a robot-led cognitive test and analyzed the influence of personality traits and user’s empathy on the cognitive performance and technology acceptance. Results show a positive influence of a personality trait, the “openness to experience”, on the human-robot interaction, and that other factors, such as anxiety, trust, and intention to use, are influencing technology acceptance and correlate the evaluation by psychometric tests.
Properties of the colostrum of the dairy cow. V. Yield, specific gravity and concentrations of total solids and its various components of colostrum and early milk.

Summary A study was made of changes in yields, specific gravity, total solids, fat, solids-not-fat, total proteins, lactose and ash in mammary secretions collected from dairy cows during the transition period from colostrum to normal milk. Considerable variation was found in values for yield and for the properties of early mammary secretions collected from different individuals at the same postpartal period. Fat was the most variable constituent. Variability in secretions from different individuals decreased as transition to normal milk progressed. Yields of mammary secretions increased markedly during the first week post-partum. Specific gravity, total solids, solids-not-fat, total proteins and ash decreased rapidly during the first four to six milkings, but only relatively small decreases were noted throughout the remainder of the 14 days of the study. Lactose changed in approximately an inverse ratio to the aforementioned properties. Based on equal weights of dry matter, milk had an energy value the same as or higher than that of colostrum. Proteins contributed a greater percentage to the total energy value of colostrum than to that of milk, while lactose and fat contributed a greater percentage of energy to milk than to first colostrum. The ratio of ash to total solids was higher in milk than in colostrum.
Mandibular Incisive Canal: A Cone Beam Computed Tomography Study

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to assess the presence, width, and initial part of the mandibular incisive canal (MIC) and its relation with the mental foramen (MF), by means of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). The study material included 140 CBCT scans taken for preoperative planning of implant placement. CBCT data were examined carefully by three experienced observers for the presence and location of the initial part of the MIC and its relation with the MF. The inner diameter of the MIC at the beginning of the canal was measured three times by one observer. The interobserver agreement in identification of the MIC was excellent (mean kappa value of 0.84). A MIC was found in 92.9 % of cases. The mean inner vertical diameter of the canal was 1.44 mm ± 0.39 mm. The diameter of the canal reached 2.5 mm at maximum. The canals in males and these on the right side of the mandibles were significantly wider. The majority of the MICs—86.3 % (n = 195), began before the MF (type 1); the rest of them—13.7 % (n = 31), began extremely close to the foramen (type 2). The MIC is an almost permanent finding on CBCT scans. In cases when the MIC begins at the level of the mental foramen (type 2) the lingual positioning of the implants could save the neurovascular bundle in the canal. All this will lead to better conditions for osteointegration and prevent eventual neurosensory disturbances.
Behavioural response of different epithelial tissues of sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) to light and differential expression of the light-related gene Pax6

ABSTRACT In this study, we evaluated the behavioural characteristics of the epithelial tissues of sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) subjected to illumination. The behavioural results indicated that the tentacles, tube feet, and spines were sensitive to light with structural changes. Among the three epithelial tissues, the tentacles were the most sensitive with the shortest reaction and recovery times, whereas the tube feet and spines had longer reaction times. Quantitative real-time PCR (q-PCR) was used to analyse the changes of Pax6 expressions before and after illumination in the tentacles, tube feet and spines. Q-PCR results indicated that Pax6 expressions in the three above tissues after illumination were higher than that before illumination. We hypothesised that sea cucumber may not have independent photoreceptors, but the epithelial tissues were capable of exhibiting a behavioural response to light. This will allow us to re-examine the functions of all epithelial tissues of sea cucumbers.
Platform-Independent Malware Analysis Applicable to Windows and Linux Environments

Most cyberattacks use malicious codes, and according to AV-TEST, more than 1 billion malicious codes are expected to emerge in 2020. Although such malicious codes have been widely seen around the PC environment, they have been on the rise recently, focusing on IoT devices such as smartphones, refrigerators, irons, and various sensors. As is known, Linux/embedded environments support various architectures, so it is difficult to identify the architecture in which malware operates when analyzing malware. This paper proposes an AI-based malware analysis technology that is not affected by the operating system or architecture platform. The proposed technology works intuitively. It uses platform-independent binary data rather than features based on the structured format of the executable files. We analyzed the strings from binary data to classify malware. The experimental results achieved 94% accuracy on Windows and Linux datasets. Based on this, we expect the proposed technology to work effectively on other platforms and improve through continuous operation/verification.
A Local Feature Descriptor Based on Rotational Volume for Pairwise Registration of Point Clouds

Aiming to problems in the pairwise registration of point clouds, such as keypoints are difficult to describe accurately, corresponding points are difficult to match accurately and convergence speed is slow due to uncertainty of initial transformation matrix, we propose a novel feature descriptor based on ratio of rotational volume to describe effectively keypoints, and on the basis of the feature descriptor, we proposed an improved coarse-to-fine registration pipeline of point clouds, in which we use coarse registration to obtain a good initial transformation matrix and then use fine registration based on a modified ICP algorithm to obtain an accurate transformation matrix. Experimental results show that our proposed feature descriptor has a good robustness to rotation, noise, scale and varying mesh resolution, less storage space and faster running speed than PFH, FPFH, SHOT and RoPS descriptors, and our improved pairwise registration pipeline is very effective to solve the problems in the pairwise registration of point clouds.
Pectinase Plays an Important Role in Stimulating Digestibility of a Corn-Soybean Meal Diet in Broilers

In our previous experiment, neither cellulase (Cell) nor hemicellulase (Hem) was effective in improving digestibility of corn-soybean meal diet in broiler chickens. As pectin is an important component in the cell wall matrix together with cellulose and hemicellulose, the effect of pectinase (Pec) and its combination with other carbohydrases were tested in the present study. The enzymes were mixed with the basal diet (CP 21%, ME 3000kcal/kg) and fed to male broiler chickens (Cobb) for 12 days from 15-d of age. Feed and water were offered ad libitum. Chicks were raised in a 25°C environment in wire bottom cages during the entire experimental period. Pectinase had no significant effect on any of the parameters measured. However, the combination of Pec with Cell or Hem led to significant improvement in the ileal digestibilities of crude protein and organic matter and increased apparent metabolizable energy content of the corn-soybean meal diet. Carcass yield was improved by all the enzyme combinations. Breast muscle weight was significantly increased by Pec+Hem and Pec+Cell+Hem and tended to be increased by Pec+Cell. All of the enzyme combinations had no significant effects on body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and abdominal fat content. The results show the importance of Pec as a feed enzyme to improve the digestibility of a corn-soybean meal broiler diet.
Measure of Noncompactness for Hybrid Langevin Fractional Differential Equations

In this research article, we introduce a new class of hybrid Langevin equation involving two distinct fractional order derivatives in the Caputo sense and Riemann–Liouville fractional integral. Supported by three-point boundary conditions, we discuss the existence of a solution to this boundary value problem. Because of the important role of the measure of noncompactness in fixed point theory, we use the technique of measure of noncompactness as an essential tool in order to get the existence result. The modern analysis technique is used by applying a generalized version of Darbo’s fixed point theorem. A numerical example is presented to clarify our outcomes.
Psychotherapeutic interventions for LGBTQ + youth: a systematic review

Abstract LGBTQ + youth are at elevated risk for suicidality, substance use, and other mental health concerns. Evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions are often the first line treatment for mental health concerns. However, there is limited research examining the effectiveness of such interventions among LGBTQ + adolescents. This systematic review synthesizes extant literature examining psychotherapeutic interventions for LGBTQ + adolescents with mental illness and/or substance use. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, studies were assessed for inclusion eligibility. Researchers consulted three electronic databases, yielding a total of 666 results. Ten studies, with interventions ranging from drug use prevention to school-counseling, met inclusion criteria. Seven studies implemented adaptations to standard intervention protocol to make intervention content more accessible to LGBTQ + clients. Outcomes included decreased depressive symptoms, substance use, and social isolation. Significant design and methodological limitations were present across most studies, with four using a case study design and only two using a randomized controlled trial design. The review highlights preliminary evidence supporting the use of mental health interventions for LGBTQ + youth. However, more rigorous research is needed to determine if adapted interventions that include population-specific concerns of minority stress are more effective than treatment as usual.
Colonization dynamics and facilitative impacts of a nitrogen-fixing shrub in primary succession

Abstract Whether nitrogen-fixing plants facilitate or inhibit species change in primary succession is best resolved by examining their impacts throughout the plant's entire life cycle from arrival to senescence. We experimentally examined two aspects of the successional impacts of a nitrogen-fixing shrub, Coriaria arborea, on Mt. Tarawera, a volcano in New Zealand: factors limiting Coriaria colonization and impacts of Coriaria-induced soil changes on a later successional tree, Griselinia littoralis. Coriaria germination was promoted by artificial wind protection and by the presence of heath shrubs. Transplanted Coriaria seedlings survived only if nodulated with Frankia, and the addition of Coriaria-enriched soils slowed Coriaria seedling growth and did not improve seedling survival. This explained why Coriaria seedlings were found mostly in protected habitats away from adult Coriaria, and suggested that Coriaria thickets are not self-replacing. Coriaria increased soil fertility by developing a 4 cm thick organic soil horizon that was richer in nitrogen (tenfold) and phosphorus (threefold) than pre-Coriaria stages. These soil changes resulted in three- to sixfold increases in growth of Griselinia when it was grown in Coriaria-enriched soils in a glasshouse. Coriaria's net effect on primary succession is facilitative, but the establishment of Coriaria is itself facilitated by the amelioration of the physical habitat by earlier colonists, suggesting facilitation is important throughout the life cycle of Coriaria. Sequential facilitative events determine the order of species replacements in this study but inhibition, linked to the developmental stages of Coriaria, may determine the rate of species change. Nomenclature: Allan (1961); Webb et al. (1988); Fife (1995)Edgar & Connor (2000).
Competition, Debt Maturity, and Adjustment Speed in China: A Dynamic Fractional Estimation Approach

The purpose of this study was to investigate the capital structure adjustment rate in different levels of product market competitions. We classified Chinese non-financial listed firms into highly, moderately, and less competitive firms and applied an unbiased dynamic panel fractional estimator on unbalanced panel data of 10,941 firm-year observations during the period of 1998 to 2015. We find that the adjustment rate of highly and less competitive firms towards long-term target capital structure is higher (28.2–29.1%) as compared to the adjustment rate towards short-term target capital structure (18.8–18.9%). On the other hand, the adjustment rate of moderately competitive firms towards long-term target capital structure is slower (22.3%) as compared to the adjustment rate towards short-term target capital structure (25.3%). Further, the adjustment rate of highly and less competitive firms differs significantly between long-term and short-term target capital structure, while the adjustment rate of moderately competitive firms remains steady. Highly competitive large firms follow the limited liability model to adjust their target capital structure and support trade-off theory, while both small and large firms follow the limited liability and predation models in moderately and less competitive environments, respectively.
Effects of benzothiadiazole and acetylsalicylic acid on β‐1,3‐glucanase activity and disease resistance in potato

Benzothiadiazole (BTH), as Bion WG50, and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) treatments of potato foliage of field- and glasshouse-grown potato plants were compared for control of two foliar diseases, early blight (Alternaria solani) and powdery mildew (Erysiphe cichoracearum). The effect of these treatments on harvested tubers wound-inoculated with the dry rot fungus (Fusarium semitectum) was also evaluated. BTH (50 mg a.i. L−1) gave almost complete control of both foliar pathogens on inoculated glasshouse-grown plants and reduced the severity of leaf spotting diseases (mainly early blight) in the field. BTH (100 mg a.i. L−1) and ASA (400 mg a.i. L−1) reduced the severity of dry rot in field-grown tubers in some post-harvest wound-inoculated treatments but not others and a similar reduction occurred with tubers inoculated post-harvest from BTH-treated plants grown under glasshouse conditions. BTH treatment increased β-1,3-glucanase activity in leaves > stem > tubers > stolons but not in roots. Increased enzyme activity was recorded for up to 45 days post-treatment.
Why size really matters when sequencing plant genomes

Genome sequencing has been restricted to species with a small genome size. With the advent of second- and third-generation sequencing technologies, the potential to sequence genomes of all sizes is becoming a reality. As the field of whole genome sequencing has developed, there has been a growing appreciation of the need to better represent the major lineages of the plant tree of life, rather than just those that contain economically important taxa. We argue that as well as accounting for phylogenetic diversity when selecting species to analyse, in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of genome evolution, large-scale sequencing projects also need to reflect the diversity of genome sizes in plants. In this article we briefly outline evidence from the literature to support this view.
Evaluation and Risk Management by Using Ocimum bacillicum Against Waterborne Pathogens

ABSTRACT Food and medicinal plants have been used for centuries against human diseases. The methanolic and aqueous extracts of different parts of Ocimum bacillicum Lam. (Niazboo or Sweet basil) of family Lamiaceae were investigated in vitro for their antibacterial properties against waterborne pathogens. The antibacterial properties of different parts of Ocimum bacillicum samples were assessed against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria, which were isolated from water samples and identified by the API 20E method. The extracts from leaves and seeds of Ocimum bacillicum showed more antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and E. coli at 37°C than those obtained from shoots, roots, and buds. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum bactericidal concentrations were observed for leaves and seeds as compared to other parts of the plant. No activity of alum was observed against the tested bacterial strains. The seeds of Ocimum bacillicum were associated with higher coagulation activity in comparison to other parts of the plant and were comparable with alum. These results suggest that parts of a plant offer a potential for antimicrobial treatment of drinking water, but needs further exploration.
Bioassay screening of 12 Iranian plants and detection of antibacterial compounds from Heracleum persicum using a TLC bioautography method

Abstract Allium paradoxum, Buxus hyrcana, Convolvulus persicus, Cyclamen coum, Eryngium caucasicum, Heracleum persicum, Pimpinella affinis, Parrotia persica, Primula heterochroma, Pyrus boissieriana, Ruscus hyrcanus, and Smilax excelsa are some medicinal and food flavoring plants found in the Hyrcanian forests in Iran. This study was designed to determine the most potent antibacterial compounds from the plants. The MIC values of n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol extracts of different parts of the plants (63 extracts) were determined against Staphylococcus aureus, B. cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella entritidis. The antibacterial compounds of the most potent extracts were determined by TLC bioautography, against S. aureus. According to the results, the n-hexane extract of the roots of H. persicum was selected to identify its bioactive phytochemicals. In the following, eight furanocoumarins, heratomin, xanthotoxin, isobergapten, bergapten, pimpinellin, isopimpinellin, moellendorffilin, and sphondin were identified by comparing with purified standards in different solvent systems. Among these compounds, moellendorffilin played a dominant role and exhibited significant activities against S. aureus, B. cereus, P. aeruginosa, and S. entritidis, with MIC values 31.25, 31.25, 62.5, and 15.62 µg/mL, respectively. Accordingly, H. persicum could be regarded as a promising high-potential plant and inexpensive source of antibacterial compounds for the pharmaceutical and food industries. Graphical Abstract
Sexual differences in Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) as influenced by photoperiod and temperature

Helicoverpa armigera showed strong protogynous emergence in its response to photoperiod and temperature, the induction of diapause in females was higher than males and the duration of non-diapausing male pupae was significantly longer than females. There was no difference in the larval duration between the sexes, and significant interactions with the photoperiod and temperature were observed.