Alternate Entropy Computations by Applying Recurrence Matrix Masking

In practicality, recurrence analyses of dynamical systems can only process short sections of signals that may be infinitely long. By necessity, the recurrence plot and its quantifications are constrained within a truncated triangle that clips the signals at its borders. Recurrence variables defined within these confining borders can be influenced more or less by truncation effects depending upon the system under evaluation. In this study, the question being asked is what if the boundary borders were tilted, what would be the effect on all recurrence variables? This question was prompted by the observation that line entropy values are maximized for highly periodic systems in which the infinitely long line elements are truncated to different unique lengths. However, by redefining the recurrence plot area to a 45-degree tilted box within the triangular area, the diagonal lines would consequently be truncated to identical lengths. Such masking would minimize the line entropy to 0.000 bits/bin. However, what new truncation influences would be imposed on the other recurrence variables? This question is examined by comparing recurrence variables computed with the triangular recurrence area versus boxed recurrence area. Examples include the logistic equation (mathematical series), the Dow Jones Industrial Average over a decade (real-word data), and a square wave pulse (toy series). Good agreement among the variables in terms of timing and amplitude was found for most, but not all variables. These important results are discussed.

Effects of land consolidation in Southern Poland

Motives: The fragmentation of land and the distribution of plots in rural areas negatively affects the profitability and efficiency of agricultural production. Land consolidation is an activity that facilitates the improvement of the spatial structure and at the same time contributes to the sustainable development of rural areas. European Union (EU) funding helps to improve, among others the area structure of agricultural land in the EU countries. Aim: From these premises, the purpose of the work results, which is the assessment of the effects of the performed consolidation of land with EU funding. The detailed analysis covered 16 precincts from the Podkarpackie voivodeship and 3 precincts from the Świętokrzyskie voivodeship. The assessment of the consolidation of land was made in 19 consolidated objects in the years 2007-2020. In practice, there is a problem of how to demonstrate the effects of land consolidation? This article proposes to present the four most important effects of land consolidation in the form of the following coefficients: W1 (coefficient of reducing the number of plots as a result of consolidation), W2 (coefficient of increasing the average plot area in the consolidation facility), W3 (coefficient of reducing the number of plots in an individual farm as a result of consolidation), W4 (index of road network density in merged area) are a reliable image of the results of the land consolidation performed in the studied area. Results: The results were obtained. Index W1 in the examined objects indicated the result of 34.0% for the Podkarpackie voivodeship, and 28.8% for the Świętokrzyskie. Index W2 in the Podkarpackie voivodeship is 27.0%, and in the Świętokrzyskie it is higher and amounts to 29.7%. Index W3 which amounts to 39.4% of the average number of plots in a farm in the Podkarpackie voivodeship and much higher, amounting to 46.6% in the Świętokrzyskie. Index W4 for the Podkarpackie voivodeship is + 14.7%. However, for the Świętokrzyskie it is only + 3.7%. Summing up, the study analyzed four indicators showing the effects of land consolidation in southern Poland. The results obtained for these two voivodeships were similar. However, unsatisfactory in terms of the effects of land consolidation.

Evaluation of Turmeric (Curcuma longa L) Genotypes for Growth and Yield Attributes in Plains of Eastern Nepal

An experiment was conducted in order to identify the productive genotype of turmeric for the plains of Nepal. In 2017 and 2018, seven promising turmeric genotypes (CI 0207, CI 0205, CI 9102, CI 1312, CI 0503, CI 0507, and CI 0201) were compared with KKH-1 in a Randomized Complete Block Design with four replications at the Directorate of Agricultural Research, Tarahara, Nepal. The plants were 30 cm x 30 cm apart, with 40 plants per 3.6 m2 plot area. Cultural practices were followed in accordance with the recommendations. Analysis of variance, correlation, cluster, and GGEbiplot analysis were performed on the observed data. From the pooled analysis of two years of data, the results showed significant differences in plant height and fresh rhizome yield among genotypes. The rhizome yield of KKH-1 was found significantly higher (19.36 t ha-1) than CI 0205 and CI 9102 and at par with other genotypes. Weight of mother rhizome had significant positive correlation (r = 0.602**) with yield of fresh rhizome. Though KKH-1 yielded the highest fresh rhizome, the cluster and GGEbiplot analysis identified CI0207 as one of the potential turmeric clones next to KKH-1.

The practice of the calculation of land plot physical area

The issue of physical area calculation has been scrutinized in the article. The research rationale is predefined by the influence of the accuracy of land plot area determination on the economic, environmental, and social components of land tenure. The issue of physical characteristics of a land plot at the determination of its area has been singled out in the article. The goal of the research is the substantiation of the use of land plot physical area calculation methodology in the current social and economic environment. The notion of land plot physical area has been provided. The trends of the application of land plot physical area determination methodology have been systemized. The methodology of land plot physical area determination by means of marking out polygons and determining the average slope has been used. The calculations of land plot area considering the relief at various quantities of the division of a triangle side have been made. Comparison with the calculation of area without considering the relief has been performed. The regression analysis of the dependence of physical area change with the change of the quantity of triangle side divisions has been carried out. The calculation of the relief complexity index for the determination of land plot physical area has been presented. This calculation confirms the economic viability of the determination of a land plot physical area by the suggested methodology at land improvement and agrotechnical activities. The result can be used for various works connected to the spatial aspects of land use and in the following scientific researches.

Pre-sowing seed treatment of narrow-leafed lupin against anthracnose and other diseases

The results of laboratory and field studies of the effectiveness of the Tirada SK disinfectant (suspension concentrate) against anthracnose seed infection and other lupine diseases are presented.The work was carried out in 2018-2020 in the Bryansk region. The object of study is the seeds, seedlings and crops of the Vityaz narrow-leafed lupin. In laboratory conditions, the effectiveness of the Tirada SK disinfectant (tiram 400 g / l + difenoconazole 30 g / l) was studied in three application doses (1.0; 1.5; 2.0 l / t). The biological effectiveness was evaluated by the number of infested seedlings grown in paper-polyethylene rolls compared to the control (without dressing). High biological effectiveness (100%) against anthracnose was shown by doses of 1.5 and 2.0 l / t. The highest overall germination (99.6%) and the number of seeds with strong seedlings (90.4%) were noted in the variant with a dose of 1.5 l / t. At the same time, the length of roots and hypocotyl of seedlings increased significantly (LSD05 = 0.69 and LSD05 = 0.51) by 18.0 and 1.0%, respectively. The field experiment was carried out in four repetitions, the plot area was 34 m2. The seeding rate was 1.2 1.2 million viable seeds / ha. The soil of the plot is grey forest with the humus content of 2.7%. The predecessor is spring sown cereals. Seed dressing with Tirada disinfectant at a consumption rate of 1.5 l / t was applied one month before sowing. The effectiveness of the disinfectant was evaluated in comparison with the control. The average biological effectiveness of the disinfectant against anthracnose infection was 94.3%. By the shiny pod phase, the number of affected pods was 5.7%, compared to 26.4% in the control. Plant infestation by Fusarium (Fusarium spp.) was reduced from 18.7% in the control to 11.8% in the experiment and by Rhizoctonia (Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn.) from 9.8% to 2.8%. The spread of grey rot and white rot on pods has been reduced by a factor of 2.4 and 2.8, respectively. The seed germination increased significantly (LSD05 = 0.71) by 8.1% and the safety of productive plants at harvest increased by 35.3%. A significant (LSD05 = 0.041) increase in seed yield was 0.82 t/ha, with a cost recovery of 7.15 rubles.

How to Predict Cancer-Specific Death of Patients with Chondrosarcoma: A Prognostic Model Based on Competing Risk

Background. As chondrosarcoma is the second highest primary malignant tumor of bone, it is necessary to find a way to predict the prognosis of chondrosarcoma. But the current model rarely involves the study of competing risk. This is a retrospective study with the aim of establishing a prognostic model and a nomogram based on competing risk to predict the probability of cancer-specific death (CSD) at 3 and 5 years. The Fine and Gray regression is a targeted statistical method, which makes the results more authentic and reliable.Methods. A total of 1674 chondrosarcoma patients were identified from the SEER database, and they were divided into training cohort and validation cohort by year of diagnosis. These two cohorts were used to develop and validate the prognostic model to predict the 3-year and 5-year probabilities of CSD, with non-CSD as the competing risk. Model accuracy made use of some verification functions, such as C-index, receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), calibration plot, area under curve (AUC) and Brier score.Results. According to the outcomes of the model: older age (subdistribution hazards ratio(95%CI): 1.02 (1.01-1.03); P<0.001), dedifferentiated CHS (SHR(95%CI): 2.16 (1.30-3.59); P=0.003), high grade (SHR(95%CI): 2.60 (1.83-3.68); P<0.001), Regional involvement (SHR(95%CI): 3.15 (2.01-4.93); P<0.001), Distant metastasis (SHR(95%CI): 11.56 (6.82-19.59); P<0.001), tumor excision (SHR(95%CI): 0.47 (0.25-0.87); P=0.02) and Radical resection (SHR(95%CI): 0.54 (0.32-0.90); P=0.02) were significantly. They obviously promoted the increase of CSD.Conclusion. This prognostic model considered the competing risks of chondrosarcoma, and the nomogram can effectively predict the probability of CSD in patients with chondrosarcoma, which is suitable for clinical application.

Analysis of the collection samples of Coriandrum sativum L. by valuable breeding indicators

Coriander is a valuable, highly profitable essential oil crop. Therefore, the development of new highly productive varieties is the main direction of breeding. The aim of the research was to study the collection of Coriandrum sativum L. (owner – Research Institute of Agriculture of Crimea) by a complex of valuable traits to identify promising samples for breeding purposes. In 2017–2019, under the conditions of the Crimean Foothills (village of Krymskaya Roza, Belogorsky district), we analyzed 164 samples from 30 regions of the world. The territory of the experimental plots belongs to the upper foothill, warm, insufficiently humid agro-climatic region. To compare the parameters, we included five coriander varieties in our study. They were created in the Research Institute of Agriculture of Crimea (‘Yantar’, ‘Ranniy’, ‘Nektar’, ‘Medun’ and ‘Silach’) and registered in the “State Register of Breeding Achievements Permitted for Use” of the Russian Federation. The work was guided by the methodological recommendations on essential oil crops breeding. Plot area – 0.6 m2, double replication. The analysis revealed high variability of the collection samples in terms of the main indicators of productivity: fruit yield (Cv = 37.2 %), content of essential oil (Cv = 51.3 %), yield of essential oil per unit area (Cv = 60.0 %). Optimal weather conditions for the accumulation of essential oil with a high content of linalool (the main component) are relatively low air humidity and increased temperature regime during flowering and fruit ripening. The following samples were identified as sources of valuable traits: vr. 341, vr. 757, vr. 756, vr. 387, VIR 415 with a mass fraction of essential oil in fruits at the level of 2.81–3.62 %; VIR 258, vr. 233, VIR 144, VIR 165, VIR 246, vr. 705 with a fruit yield that reached 52.0–73.9 g per plot. Five samples – VIR 348, VIR 421, VIR 180, VIR 431 and vr. 521 – provided a high amount of essential oil (0.90–1.23 g per plot) because of the combination of the increased yield and essential oil mass fraction.

Performance inheritance and combining ability of spring barley accessions

Purpose and objectives. To establish the gene interaction types in the performance inheritance, to evaluate the combining abilities and effects of genes for this trait in spring barley accessions. Materials and methods. We investigated 75 F1 spring barley hybrid combinations derived from crossing 25 female forms with three male ones (chaffy and naked). Crossing was conducted in accordance with topcross design. F1 seeds and parents were sown with a cassette breeding planter SKS-6A. Grain pea was the forecrop. The plot area was 0.20 m2. The interrow distance was 0.20 m; the inter-plot tracks were of 0.50 m. Crossings were performed in two replications. Plants were harvested manually, with roots. For structural analysis, 20 typical plants were chosen from each F1 hybrid population, and the performance inheritance was determined by dominance degree (hp). The obtained data were grouped and gene interaction types were determined as per G.M. Beil and R.E. Atkins’s classification. Using two-factor analysis of variance in STATISTICA 10, we found significant differences between the GCA and SCA variances for the performance and evaluated the combining ability effects. Results and discussion. In 2019–2020, the features of 22 spring barley cultivars and three lines were described in terms of the gene interaction types in the performance inheritance and combining ability. On this basis, the prospects of biotype selections were evaluated. In the arid conditions of 2019, F1 only showed positive over dominance, while in favorable 2020 the inheritance types varied from positive to negative overdominance. In the two years, the general combining ability was high in female cultivars Khors and Troian. The male components did not show consistently high GCA for the both years. Hybrids between accessions with a high GCA and accessions with a lower or intermediate GCA may be promising in breeding due appearance of positive transgressions in the offspring. In 2019, the SCA effects were significantly strong in female forms Troian, Datcha, Gladys, Grace, Gatunok, Modern, and Herkules and in male forms Ahrarii and Scrabble. Conclusions. The study found that the gene interaction types in the spring barley performance inheritance depended on cross combinations and growing conditions. In unfavorable 2019, F1 only showed positive overdominance (heterosis), while in favorable 2020, positive overdominance, positive dominance and intermediate inheritance were observed. In 2019–2020, the high GCA was seen in female cultivars Khors and Troian. The strong SCA effects were noticed in female components Troian, Datcha, Gladys, Grace, Gatunok, Modern, and Herkules and male forms Agrarii and Scrabble. The hybrid combinations with the maximum probability of producing transgressive segregants have been selected

POSTPRINT - Application of BDq method to Complex Tropical Mixed Forest Ecosystems in Nigeria

The lack of management practice/silvicultural treatments in the complex tropical mixed forests of Nigeria has led to uncontrolled exploitation of natural forest stands and loss of biodiversity. To sustain production, protection and conservation in the complex tropical mixed stands, this study proposed the application of a selection method – the BDq (B: basal area, D: maximum diameter, q-ratio) method for the management of the stands. Two strata were used as a pilot test: stratum 1 consisted of 15 plots and stratum 2 comprised of 7 plots with a plot area of 0.25 ha. Only trees with diameter at breast (d) ≥ 10.0 cm were considered in this study. Harvest in the BDq method was quantified, by setting B at 20, 25 and 30 m2 ha-1 corresponding to heavy, medium and light-harvesting regimes, respectively. D was set at 65 cm and q-factor was computed for each plot. The results showed that the three BDq regimes (heavy, medium and light) prescribed yielded reasonable felling intensities (FI) derived as the percentage of extracted volume (Vext) and biomass (Wext). The Vext and FI for stratum 1 ranged from 39.94 – 62.30 m3 ha-1 and 11.22 – 18.18 %; and stratum 2 had 30.44 – 51.33 m3 ha-1 and 10.02 – 17.57 %. In the case of biomass, the Wext and FI for stratum 1 ranged from 18.46 – 29.82 tons ha-1 and 9.40 – 15.95 %; stratum 2: 14.16 – 24.82 tons ha-1 and 9.73 – 17.50 %. The finding shows that the application of BDq method to the complex tropical mixed forests in Nigeria would yield an attractive stand.

Patriot – new variety of vegetable pieas

Relevance. The purpose of the research was to produce a new medium-ripe, high-yielding variety of vegetable peas with the usual type of leaf to expand the variety in the now used conveyor variety selection of the Krymsk EBS VIR Branch.Materials and methods. The experience was laid on the fields of the Krymsk EBS VIR Branch (Russia, Krasnodar Region, Krymsk) in 2019-2020. Varieties and strain were evaluated in a competitive variety testing. Sowing was carried out with a selection seeder SKS-6-10. The plot area was 10 m2 , the experiment was repeated four times. In the phase of technical ripeness, the sheaves were selected for description and the yield was taken into account. The conservation of green peas was done at the Tech Evaluation Lab.Results. Competitive variety testing in the mid-ripeness group was held by two strains 2014/7 and 344/16. The strain 2014/17 for green pea yields surpassed the standard "Parus" and G-344/16 in both years of study. Fresh and processed green peas were rated by the Tasting Commission at 5.0 and 4.8 points, respectively. High yield is achieved due to the paired beans on the peduncle and a large number of grains in the bean, up to 10 pieces. The grain in technical ripeness has a dark green color and the linear dimensions are 9.0x8.1 mm. In biological maturity, the seeds are intensely green, angular-compressed with a mass of 1000 pieces. 188-225 g.Conclusion. The results of field and laboratory analyses carried out on the complex of economicvaluable characteristics made it possible to distinguish the strain 2014/7, which in 2020 was transferred to the State Variety Testing under the name "Patriot". It is recommended as a supplement to the existing set of vegetable pea varieties of the Krymsk EBS VIR Branch in the mid-ripe group.