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Effects of synonymous and nonsynonymous Cyp51 mutations on DMI resistance in Cercospora beticola
Full text linkCercospora beticola is the most devastating foliar pathogen of sugar beet. This pathogen is primarily managed by the application of fungicides, including demethylation inhibitors (DMIs). Given the broad use of DMIs in managing Cercospora leaf spot, resistance has developed. Recently, five haplotypes of CbCyp51 have been correlated with DMI resistance. To improve our understanding of these haplotypes, this study has evaluated CbCyp51 expression across haplotypes with and without DMI exposure using RT-qPCR. Significant differences were found between haplotypes in control and difenoconazole groups, but the broader implications were unclear. This study also produced mutant C. beticola strains with replaced CbCyp51 haplotypes. DMI sensitivity was assessed, revealing dramatic changes in difenoconazole resistance. Most mutants exhibited elevated tetraconazole resistance, which was largely shown to be associated with the transformation process rather than haplotype exchange. Further studies involving the different haplotypes and mutants could improve our understanding of these DMI resistance associated mutations
The Spillover of US Monetary Policy on EU Agricultural Prices: A Panel VARX Analysis
Full text linkThis research examines the nexus between US monetary policy shocks and agricultural prices of the EU. Utilizing monthly prices of beef, wheat, and barley of 21 EU countries, we estimate the impact of US monetary policy shocks on these three agricultural prices in a Panel Vector Autoregression with Exogenous Variables (PVARX) framework. We find that a contractionary monetary policy shock in the US has heterogeneous effects across the storable and non-storable commodity prices in the EU. Specifically, a contractionary monetary policy shock in the US reduces EU wheat and barley prices and increases EU beef prices. However, the estimated impulse response functions of dynamic multipliers reveal that these three commodity prices return to equilibrium within two months
Three-dimensional Structures of Flows in a River Bend: Open Surface and Ice-covered Condition
Full text linkThe existence of river ice has a significant role in flow characteristics during the winter and spring seasons. From the onset of freeze-up until the ice cover melts, river ice alters the flow structures, resulting in severe consequences such as ice jams, ice dams, and flash floods in spring. Nonetheless, the hydraulic and hydrologic mechanisms of river ice remain largely unknown due to difficulties of the field scale studies in severe winter seasons. In this work, the impacts of the ice cover on the vertical and cross-sectional velocity profile, secondary flow patterns, and shear velocity are investigated using analytical methods and fieldwork observations as well as the state-of-the-art computational fluid dynamics (large-eddy simulation) model. Results show the presence of river ice alters the secondary flow patterns and may induce double circulation in the thalweg area of natural cross-sections or near vertical channel walls of artificial channels/flumes. Results also indicate that the lateral distribution of the shear velocity is differentiated from the open surface condition as the high shear velocity can be observed near the inner and outer banks in ice-covered conditions. In this work, a numerical method is also developed to estimate the depth-averaged velocity profile based on the cross-section geometry. Model results demonstrate that the numerical method can accurately capture the velocity profile in irregular cross-sections based on fieldwork observations. This method helps to minimize the fieldwork efforts during the winter seasons. The future work will focus on the combined impact of the ice cover and the channel curvature (river bend) on the three-dimensional flow structures under different scenarios including the transitional stage. This work provides insights into the transient dynamics of flows during the freeze-up and breakup periods
Graph two-sample test via empirical likelihood
Full text linkIn the past two decades, there has been a notable surge in network data. This proliferation has spurred significant advancements in methods for analyzing networks across various disciplines, including computer science, information sciences, biology, bioinformatics, physics, economics, sociology, and health science. Graph two-sample hypothesis testing, aimed at discerning differences between two populations of networks, arises naturally in diverse scenarios. In this paper, we delve into the essential yet intricate task of testing for equivalence between two networks. There are many testing procedures available. For instance, the t-test based on subgraph counts is one of the methods. In this paper, we propose a new test method by using the empirical likelihood. We run extensive simulations to evaluate the performance of the proposed method and apply it a real-world network. Based on the simulation experiments and real data application, the empirical likelihood test consistently outperforms existing subgraph count tests
AI approaches in personalized meal planning for a multi criteria problem
Full text linkFood is one of the necessities of life. The food we consume every day provides us with the nutrition we need to have energy. However, food plays a more significant role in life. There is a relationship between food, culture, family, and society [1]. Since ancient civilization, people have realized the correlation between food and healthiness. Earlier, Physicians were treating people by prescribing special recipes. Last century, assorted studies investigated the impact meals have on human nutritional intake and the different diseases connected to it. There have been numerous other studies that focused on the required nutritional intake to ensure a good amount of energy for well-being in humans. A person who advises individuals on their food and nutrition is known as a dietarian and nutritionist. Nowadays nutritionists are experts in the use of food and nutrition to promote health and manage disease. They suggest several diet rules and food recommendations to assist people in living a healthy life.
Due to technological advancements, previous time-consuming issues that required human attention are now being solved by utilizing automated procedures machines. Meal planning is one of the attractive domains that recently has received great notation by researchers who are using machine learning techniques in it. In general, those studies were performed to use extracted nutrition knowledge and food information for designing an automated meal planning system. However, in the majority of published research, the user?s preferences were an ignored feature.
In this research, my journey through developing automated meal planning systems unfolds across distinct projects, each building upon the insights and advancements of its predecessors. Starting with a focus on incorporating user preferences, the exploration evolved through successive iterations, seeking to mirror the complexities of real-world decision-making more accurately. This progression led to the integration of advanced methodologies spanning artificial intelligence, optimization, multi-criteria decision making, and fuzzy logic. The ultimate aim was to refine and enhance the systems to not only align with users? dietary restrictions and preferences but also to adapt to user feedback, thereby continually improving their efficacy and personalization. Through this comprehensive approach, the research endeavors to contribute novel solutions to the nuanced challenges of personalized meal planning
Heat-treated Soybean Meal in Beef Cattle Diets
No full textTwo experiments were conducted to evaluate replacing dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) with heat-treated soybean (TSBM) at increasing rates in forage-based diets on steer growth performance, nutrient flow, and digestibility. Experiment 1: 70 angus-based steers were utilized in a generalized randomized block design for an 85-d growing study at the NDSU Beef Cattle Research Complex. Experiment 2: five fistulated Jersey steers fitted with ruminal, duodenal, and ileal cannulas were utilized in a 4 ? 5 row column design for 56 d to measure nutrient flow and digestibility. Diets were formulated to replace DDGS, included in the diet at 16% dry matter, with TSBM at 0 (TSBM0), 4 (TSBM4), 8 (TSBM8), and 12% (TSBM12) increments. Treatments had no effect on steer growth performance and residual carcass characteristics from the growing phase. Nitrogen, lysine, and available lysine total tract digestibility increased with increased TSBM inclusion however, post ruminal digestion decreased
Farm Operator Preferences Regarding Site Specific Weed Control Adoption
Full text linkAn increasingly popular use for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) is drone applied site specific weed control (SSWC). Site-specific herbicide application allows applicators to target previously mapped weed clusters and spot sprays the targeted weeds individually. This benefits farmers by generating cost savings from reducing herbicide usage and limits overapplication of herbicide. This study aims to identify characteristics of spray drones that are desirable amongst farmers. A discrete choice experiment is used to identify attributes which farmers deem more valuable than others. This study finds that price, herbicide reduction rate, and application rate significantly impact a farmer?s decision to rent or purchase a spray drone for SSWC use
New Breath for Johannesburg: Adaptive Reuse of Ponte Tower and the Imagining of Witpoortjie Tower as Catalysts that Foster Urban and Social Growth
Full text linkAdaptive reuse is the architecture of the future. In every single metropolis, city, town or village there are buildings that are decrepit, dysfunctional, or disused. In the future, adaptive reuse will encompass a huge percentage of architecture projects. In many areas giving new life to one of these buildings can act as a starting point for the surrounding area to come back to life, as they are usually not the only part of a neighborhood that needs help. This thesis explored how using architecture and adaptive reuse as a catalyst for urban revitalization can bring new life to a downtown area
Revitalizing Ghosts: Breathing New Life into Disused Developments to Foster Resilience
Full text linkThis thesis aims to study the ?intangible connector? and apply it to a master plan development. The ?intangible connector? are the words used to describe the feeling, the pull, and the attachment people have to a place. The idea of figuring out what is the connector for people and buildings. Taking these key factors that make up this connection, then applying them to a new site development design.
Landscapes and environments should not be limited to nature, but continued through what is designed in the built environment. A sense of place, human scale, and taking cues from the natural world should be a necessity in the creation of architecture. The goal of this thesis is to design for the overall human experience and establish a stronger connection with the surrounding environment, both built and natural. The study of an ?intangible connector?, which could be described as the attachment and pull of people to an entity, is analyzed and applied to the built environment. The consideration of how this feeling can be enhanced and designed within the scope of a master plan development is applied. Therefore, the incorporation of biophilic design in an adaptive, mixed-use development master plan aims to create this connection.
Through the adaptive reuse of abandoned box stores and sites which lay across the American landscape of cities and towns today, revitalization can breathe life back into ghost areas. Designing a development which promotes walkability, interactions, and connections, a resilient form of the urban environment can emerge. The adaptive reuse of a site, along with biophilic design, are integrated to revitalize a dimming area and create a catalyst for human connection to the built environment. Architecture should aim to create for the future, with the notion of a world that is not static
A Translation of Art: How Architecture Infused with Music Educates Humankind
Full text linkDuring the 18th century, humans started to perceive the world around them differently. Structures were designed with the assumption that the meaning of the building would follow afterwards, instead of building with initial purpose. The world we reside in is now full of buildings that are cheaply constructed, unaesthetic, and not serving the needs of a site or its corresponding community. To return to architecture with meaning, architecture must once again be used as a narration for human life. This thesis is a study on how the art of music can be translated into the field of architecture in a way that both educates on the significant effects music has on the individual and the importance of having architecture embodied with meaning. Incorporating music into design could help us return to structures that allow for the discovery of stories, moods, emotions, and showcase the current and past human experience