Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design and Implementation of Photovoltaic System Based on Super-Lift LUO Converter

The battery’s DC voltage has a high voltage ripple, and therefore does not apply to most devices. DC converters are used in the voltage to relieve ripples regardless of the change in load voltage. In this paper, a design and implementation of positive output super lift POSL LUO converter using maximum power point tracking (MPPT) Algorithm in photovoltaic (PV) system. In LUO converter is highly efficient with low ripple in current and voltage. The super lift converter is a developer converter that comes from the buck boost converter, it is considered of the best converters. Used for low voltage irregular in photovoltaic to a higher voltage without ripples or voltage step down according to the design of the converter, it therefore applies to most devices, such as electric vehicles, dc-chargers, etc. The efficiency of the panels can be improved using maximum power point tracking algorithm, among the many accessible MPPT methods, perturb and observe method. The proposed P&O method based on the PI controller gives the best duty cycle, to eliminate the oscillations in the converter output value, and extracts the highest energy from the PV system. The values of the PI controller are adapted by trial and error method. The results were confirmed using MATLAB / Simulink in DC-DC converter design with MPPT.
Medicinal and non-medicinal uses of some plants found in the middle region of Saudi Arabia

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is gifted with a wide range of flora, consisting of different species of trees, shrubs and herbs. It contains hydrocarbon, edible and medicinal plants. Eighty three species (belonging to thirty four plant families) have been investigated for their traditional and medicinal potentiality. The ethnopharmacy of Saudi Arabia represents a good example of a strongly interconnected integration between straight forward familiar medicinal remedies, health, diet and traditional healing practices characterized by cultural specific symbolism. Some of these species have uses other than being medicinal; examples include Adiantum capillus-veneris as refreshing summer drink, Beta vulgaris as source of sugar, Chenopodium murale for making dye, Eleusine indica for paper manufacture,Acacia farnesiana for making perfumes and dyes. Sixty four species are used for treating ailments of different digestive system organs (stomach and intestinal pain, appetizer, emetic). Five species are used as a remedy for diabetes; 18 species are used as diuretic plants; 14 are used for liver and spleen disorders; 17 for rheumatoid and joint inflammation pain; 9 plants for treating cancer and tumors; 24 are used for different skin diseases; 9plants are used as antimicrobial, fungicide and insecticide and 19 are used for sexual diseases. Some of these plants have been used in medicinal remedy, as food and source of non-edible oil. Key words: Medicinal plants, economic uses, Saudi Arabia.
Sleep pattern: preventing factors for alzheimer disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is investigated by scientists broadly. Although there is no definitive treatment, a better medical intervention can be assumed as a preventive medicine which postpones the onset of disease and delays its progression. Understanding that the sleep changes affect the brain which it will be stabilized later as a cardinal manifestation of disease leads us to review recent studies and theories. In this review, we show that the interruption of circadian rhythm along with disruption of immune and endocrine systems can cause neuronal physiology changes. These changes can enhance neuro inflammation pathology by the time through Aβ deposition forming plaques in the brain tissue. Besides higher level of Aβ in CSF, immune system dysfunction occurred by aging will change solubility of Aβ. Furthermore, the defect in insulin and subsequently decreases in insulin receptor impair glucose metabolism. The dysregulation of glucose metabolism expedites the degenerative pathway and contributes to other oxidative stresses in neurons. The cortex of brain gradually will be damaged extremely and the brain size will shrink intensely and atrophy. In Review Article Khorgami and Sugaya; BJMMR, 9(7): 1-12, 2015; Article no.BJMMR. 19333 2 summary, we found that improving of sleep quality can reduce the disease progression and delay its symptoms by having effects in neuropathology.
Laboratory Evaluation of Controlled‐release Repellent Treated Pulp Fabric on Human Volunteers Against Mosquito Vectors

Three controlled‐release personal‐use pulp fabric impregnated insect repellent formulations of 5% N, N‐diethyl‐3‐methylbenzamide (DEET), and 10% and 15% neem oils were evaluated in an environmental chamber on volunteers for their repellent efficacy against three mosquito species, Culex pipiens pallens, Aedes aegypti and Ochlerotatus togoi. The 5% DEET formulation showed significant repellency in pulp fabric (5 mm in width) against Culex pipiens pallens and Aedes aegypti (P < 0.05), providing an average repellency of 88.0%, 66.3%, and 46.8% of Cx. pipiens pallens, Ae. Aegypti and O. togoi bites, respectively, during the 6 hours of exposure period. Against night‐biting mosquitoes Cx. pipiens pallens, the DEET formulation provided mostly complete protection for at least 4 hours after the application. In pulp fabric of 10 mm in width, the 5% deet formulation showed significantly the highest repellency among the repellents against O. togoi (P<0.05), providing an average repellency of 52.3% during the 6 hours of exposure period. However, the pulp fabrics treated with 10% and 15% neem oil were less effective than 5% DEET against three mosquito species. This study demonstrated the potential of 5% DEET as pulp fabric repellent against both day‐ and night‐biting mosquitoes.
Some Insects associated with Cotton in Papua and the Mandated Territory of New Guinea

In the following paper is given a list of cotton pests of Papua and New Guinea, with some notes on distribution and behaviour. The list makes no pretensions to being complete, but might prove useful in the event of cotton-growing being extended in that region. In August 1925, instructions were received to accompany Mr. G. Evans, C.I.E., then Director of Cotton Culture to the Queensland Government, on a tour of cotton areas potential and actual in Papua and the Mandated Territory of New Guinea. We sailed from Brisbane on 13th August and returned on 30th October. Of the short time at our disposal some 40 odd days were spent at sea. In consequence, the time available for collecting entomological material was not as much as might have been desired.
Computational approaches for in-depth analysis of cDNA sequence tags

Forage is an application which uses two neural networks for detecting single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Potential SNP candidates are identified in multiple alignments. Each candidate is then represented by a vector of features, which is classified as SNP or monomorphic by the networks. A validated dataset of SNPs was constructed from experimentally verified SNP data and used for network training and method evalutation.
Enhancement of Drought Tolerance in Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin, Benth) by Modifying Micro Climate and Frequency of Fertilization

Drought stress is one of abiotic stresses and has caused a significant deterioration in growth and yield of patchouli. This research was conducted in Reuleut Timu Village, Muara Batu District, Aceh Utara Regency, from July to December 2016, using split plot design in a Randomized Block Design with three replications. The main plot was mulch treatments (without mulch, rice straw mulch and black silver plastic mulch). The subplots were treated with different frequency of fertilizer application (once, twice and three times). The results revealed that the application of rice straw mulch has reduced the effects of drought stress, suppressed the soil temperature fluctuations, maintained soil moisture, which resulted in an increase of patchouli growth. Different frequency of fertilizer application did improve the oil yield, proline accumulation and drought resistance. Key words: Drought stress, Mulch, Proline, Soil moisture content, Soil temperature.
Landbird Assemblages in Different Agricultural Landscapes: A Case Study in the Pampas of Central Argentina

Abstract. A combination of elements (e.g., crops and pasture lands, strips of roadside vegetation, woodlots, temporary wetlands) increases the heterogeneity of rural landscapes. Agricultural landscapes range from homogeneous, dominated by a single element (i.e., pure cropland or pure pastoral farming) to heterogeneous, dominated by two or more elements (i.e., mixed farming). In this study we characterized landbird assemblages in various agricultural landscapes (cropland, pastoral, and mixed landscapes) in the Pampas of central Argentina, surveying along transects to quantify species richness, composition, and abundance. Mixed landscapes were more heterogeneous than pastoral areas and cropland. Species richness, particularly of generalists, was greater in mixed landscapes. Richness of grassland specialists (species of increased conservation concern in the Pampas) was lower in croplands than in pastoral and mixed landscapes. An indicator-species analysis supported the association of some grassland specialists (Rhea americana, Asthenes hudsoni, Embernagra platensis, Pseudoleistes virescens) with pastoral landscapes. Our results suggest that maintaining landscape heterogeneity throughout the Pampas (i.e., mixed landscapes) is important for preserving species richness of birds. But several threatened grassland specialists inhabiting the Pampas, such as Rhea americana and Asthenes hudsoni, are found exclusively in pastoral landscapes, so the long-term survival of these species will depend on the conservation of this landscape type.
The utility and limitations of chloroplast DNA analysis for identifying native British oak stands and for guiding replanting strategy

We report a method using variation in the chloroplast genome (cpDNA) to test whether oak stands of unknown provenance are of native and/or local origin. As an example, a sample of test oaks, of mostly unknown status in relation to nativeness and localness, were surveyed for cpDNA type. The sample comprised 126 selected trees, derived from 16 British seed stands, and 75 trees, selected for their superior phenotype (201 tree samples in total). To establish whether these two test groups are native and local, their cpDNA type was compared with that of material from known autochthonous origin (results of a previous study which examined variation in 1076 trees from 224 populations distributed across Great Britain). In the previous survey of autochthonous material, four cpDNA types were identified as native; thus if a test sample possessed a new haplotype then it could be classed as non-native. Every one of the 201 test samples possessed one of the four cpDNA types found within the autochthonous sample. Therefore none could be proven to be introduced and, on this basis, was considered likely to be native. The previous study of autochthonous material also found that cpDNA variation was highly structured geographically and, therefore, if the cpDNA type of the test sample did not match that of neighbouring autochthonous trees then it could be considered to be non-local. A high proportion of the seed stand group (44.2 per cent) and the phenotypically superior trees (58.7 per cent) possessed a cpDNA haplotype which matched that of the neighbouring autochthonous trees and, therefore, can be considered as local, or at least cannot be proven to be introduced. The remainder of the test sample could be divided into those which did not grow in an area of overall dominance (18.7 per cent of seed stand trees and 28 per cent of phenotypically superior) and those which failed to match the neighbouring autochthonous haplotype (37.1 per cent and 13.3 per cent, respectively). Most of the non-matching test samples were located within 50 km of an area dominated by a matching autochthonous haplotype (96.0 per cent and 93.5 per cent, respectively), and potentially indicates only local transfer. Whilst such genetic fingerprinting tests have proven useful for assessing the origin of stands of unknown provenance, there are potential limitations to using a marker from the chloroplast genome (mostly adaptively neutral) for classifying seed material into categories which have adaptive implications. These limitations are discussed, particularly within the context of selecting adaptively superior material for restocking native forests.
Effect of Environmental Factors on Germination and Emergence of Aryloxyphenoxy Propanoate Herbicide-Resistant and -Susceptible Asia Minor Bluegrass (Polypogon fugax)

Abstract The influence of environmental factors on germination and emergence of aryloxyphenoxy propanoate herbicide-resistant (AR) and -susceptible (AS) Asia Minor bluegrass were studied in laboratory and greenhouse experiments. Seeds were collected from AR and AS plants cultivated in separate greenhouses under the same environmental conditions. The results revealed that optimum temperatures for the germination of AS biotype were 10 to 25 C or alternating temperature of 15/5 to 30/20 C and light was not necessary. However, maximum germination occurred at 10 C or 15/5 C, and no germination occurred above 15 C or 25/15 C for the AR biotype. The AS Asia Minor bluegrass was consistently more tolerant to environmental stress, as evidenced by their greater germination at same pH value, osmotic potential, and NaCl concentration at 15/5 C compared to the AR biotype. Higher emergence rates were obtained when seeds were sown on the surface of soil for both biotypes. Emergence percentage of the AR biotype was below 14% when buried, whereas the AS biotype had 20% emergence at 2.5 cm burial depth. It is concluded that several environmental factors affect the germination of Asia Minor bluegrass, and the AS biotype showed higher germination percentage and a wider adaptive range under same treatments compared with the AR biotype. Due to the reduced emergence at depth, deep tillage could be an effective management to reduce AR Asia Minor bluegrass infestation in the following crop. Nomenclature: Asia Minor bluegrass, Polypogon fugax Nees ex Steud.
Managing Soil Microorganisms to Improve Productivity of Agro-Ecosystems

Historically, agricultural production has relied on practices designed to manage nutrients, water, weeds, and crop diseases. Precision agriculture and integrated pest management programs have gone one step further by recognizing the need to target inputs where they are required in the field. The major objective of these programs has been to minimize adverse environmental impacts of intensive agriculture practices and reduce per unit production costs. This review surveys the literature, examining the manipulation of microbial (primarily bacterial) populations as linked to agricultural production, and discusses new approaches that involve the precision management of microorganisms in the agro-ecosystem. It is proposed that our understanding of plant–soil interactions can be greatly refined through the development of “smart” field technology, where real-time, computer-controlled electronic diagnostic devices can be used to monitor rhizosphere and plant health. We submit that “smart field” generated information could be used to develop a prescription for timely and low-level production interventions that will avoid the traditional inundative approaches to crop maintenance and soil husbandry. Consequently, a lesser impact on the agricultural soil environment is envisioned. The maximization of production efficiencies will also involve the development of crop cultivars that are bred specifically to capitalize on beneficial plant–microbial associations.
Autoinhibitory Regulation of p73 by ΔNp73 To Modulate Cell Survival and Death through a p73-Specific Target Element within the ΔNp73 Promoter

ABSTRACT p73 is a p53-related tumor suppressor but is also induced by oncogene products such as E2F-1, raising a question as to whether p73 is a tumor suppressor gene or oncogene. Unlike p53, p73 has several variants, including ΔNp73, which lacks the NH2-terminal transactivation domain. Although, in developing neurons, ΔNp73 is expressed abundantly and seems to inhibit the proapoptotic function of p53, the role of p73 and ΔNp73 and their regulatory mechanism in cell growth and differentiation are poorly understood. Here we report that p73, but not p53, directly activates the transcription of endogenous ΔNp73 by binding to the p73-specific target element located at positions −76 to −57 within the ΔNp73 promoter region. The activation of ΔNp73 promoter by p63 was marginal. ΔNp73 was associated with p73α, p73β, and p53, as demonstrated by immunoprecipitation assays, and inhibited their transactivation activities when we used reporters of Mdm2, Bax, or ΔNp73 itself in SAOS-2 cells. Furthermore, induction or overexpression of ΔNp73 promoted cell survival by competing with p53 and p73 itself. Thus, our results suggest that the negative feedback regulation of p73 by its target ΔNp73 is a novel autoregulatory system for modulating cell survival and death.
Discrimination of meat species in processed meat products based on the ratio of histidine dipeptides

Meat species discrimination was examined on heat processed meat products by the analysis of histidine dipeptides, carnosine, anserine, and balenine, using high-performance liquid chromatography. The distribution of these dipeptides and their ratios, carnosine/anserine and balenine/anserine, were specific to each meat species of beef, pork, horse, deer, chicken, and turkey. Products made from single meat species of beef, pork, or chicken were almost always correctly identified from the dipeptide ratios. This discrimination technique was unaffected by the contents of moisture, fat, and/or other ingredients. The meat proportion in most of the mixed meat products made from any two meat species of beef, pork, and chicken was able to be semi-quantitatively determined using the standard curves of dipeptide ratio versus meat proportion.
Application of somatic embryos to rapid and reliable analysis of soybean seed components by RNA interference-mediated gene silencing

Soybean somatic embryos have attracted attention both as a model of zygotic embryos and as explants for the generation of transgenic plants. β-Conglycinin, which is composed of three subunits (α, α′, and β) that are encoded by a multigene family, is a major seed component of soybean, and accumulates in somatic embryos with their maturation. We subjected the somatic embryos to transformation with vectors encoding double-stranded RNA fragments of various sizes that correspond to the gene for the α′ subunit of β-conglycinin. These DNA fragments were put under the control of the promoter region of the gene for another major seed protein, the A2B1a subunit of glycinin. Transgenic somatic embryos were obtained within 2 months of transformation, and the resulting mature embryos manifested down-regulation of the α′ subunit of β-conglycinin in a manner dependent on the size of the RNAi vector insert. Accumulation of small interfering RNA and depletion of mRNA corresponding to the α′ subunit were indicative of RNAi. The amounts of α and β subunits of β-conglycinin, which share high sequence similarity with the α′ subunit, were also reduced in the mature somatic embryos. Moreover, the abundance of all β-conglycinin subunits was greatly reduced in the seeds of regenerated transgenic plants. Our results indicate that the application of RNAi to somatic embryos is a feasible and rapid option for functional studies of soybean seed components.
Phenolic compounds and fatty acid composition of organic and conventional grown pecan kernels

BACKGROUND: In this study, differences in contents of phenolic compounds and fatty acids in pecan kernels of organically versus conventionally grown pecan cultivars (Cheyenne, Desirable, and Wichita) were evaluated. RESULTS: Although nine phenolic compounds (gallic acid, catechol, catechin, epicatechin, m-coumaric acid, chlorogenic acid, ellagic acid, caffeic acid and an ellagic acid derivative) were identified in the methanol extract (80% methanol) of defatted kernels, only three compounds (gallic acid, catechin and ellagic acid) existed in sufficient amounts to accurately quantify levels in different cultivars and to study differences in organic versus conventional cultivation. Levels of ellagic acid and catechin found in organically grown ‘Desirable’ were fourfold and twofold higher than in conventional samples, respectively. Furthermore, significant differences in these two compounds were also observed when comparing values between cultivars. Oil content was also significantly greater only in organically grown ‘Desirable’. Oleic acid was the major fatty acid present and its content was significantly higher in organically versus conventionally grown ‘Desirable’ pecans, while there was no difference in levels of oleic acid in ‘Wichita’ and ‘Cheyenne’. On the other hand, linoleic acid content was significantly less in organically versus conventionally grown ‘Desirable’ pecans. CONCLUSION: Overall, these results showed that the effects of cultural differences (i.e. organic versus conventional cultivation) on kernel composition largely depend on the type of pecan cultivar. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Response of Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.) to Environmental Cadmium Toxicity During Organic Selenium Supplementation

This study was carried out to evaluate the resistance of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.), fed on organic selenium (OS)supplemented diet to water-born cadmium (Cd) toxicity. Fish (14.8±1.3 g) were randomly distributed at a density of 10 fish in 100-L aquarium. Fish in three treatments were fed a diet (30% crude protein) containing 0.5 g OS/kg diet (T1 - T3), while three other treatments (T4 - T6) were fed a basic diet without OS. During the feeding trial, fish in all groups were then exposed to 0.0, 1.116, or 2.232 mg Cd 2+ /L for 6 weeks. The fish performance and all the biochemical aspects were affected significantly by both Cd concentration, Se supplementation, and their interaction. OS supplementation enhanced fish growth, survival, and feed utilization, meanwhile the exposure to Cd reduced them (T1 vs T4, T2 vs T5, and T3 vs T6). All fish body constituents except moisture content were significantly affected by OS supplementation, Cd level, and their interaction. Crude protein and total lipids in fish body decreased, while ash content and Cd residue increased significantly with increasing Cd levels. OS reduced significantly Cd residues in fish body. Moreover, OS supplementation reduced creatinine, uric acid, AST, and ALT to below those of Cd-exposed treatments. Serum lipids increased, while protein decreased only in Cd-exposed groups (T5 and T6). Glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity increased significantly with increasing Cd level and it was higher in T1 vs T4, T2 vs T5, and T3 vs T6. It could be concluded that OS supplementation may reduce the harmful effect of waterborn Cd in fish, which in turn improves the growth, survival, and feed efficiency.