Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Brown rot on nuts of Castanea sativa Mill: an emerging disease and its causal agent

Abstract: The quality and quantity of nut production are fundamental to the economic viability of chestnut cultivation, yet recent reports indicate that severe damage due to moulds represents a significant problem for growers. We carried out an investigation of the agents of chestnut rot and internal fruit damage in three orchards in Italy. Black and brown rot, as well as insect damage, were found in all the areas examined. Brown rot appeared to be the main cause of damage, affecting 8% to 49% and 2% to 24% of nuts collected from the ground and from burrs, respectively. With respect to morphology and DNA sequencing analyses, fungal isolates obtained from brown rot were homologous with Gnomoniopsis sp. obtained from Dryocosmus kuriphilus (Yasumatsu) galls and with Gnomoniopsis castanea and Gnomoniopsis smithogilvyi described on chestnut in Italy and Australia, respectively. The same fungus was also isolated from the bark of one- and two-years-old healthy shoots at each site, supporting the endophytic behaviour of this rot agent. Brown rot symptoms on nuts associated with Gnomoniopsis sp. corresponded with those previously described by several authors and referred to as Phoma or Phomopsis endogena, suggesting a relationship between these fungi and Gnomoniopsis sp. It is to notice that the escalation of brown rot damage in Italy followed several periods of drought and probably the recent invasion of D. kuriphilus, both stress factors for chestnut trees.
Incidence of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamases and Characterization of Integrons in Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolated in Shantou, China

This study is concerned with the level of antibiotic resistance of extended-spectrum β- lactamase (ESBL)-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, isolated in Shantou, China, and its mechanism. Seventy- four non-repetitive clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae producing ESBLs were isolated over a period of 2 years. Antibiotic susceptibility, carried out by Epsilometer test, showed that most of the isolates were multiresistant. Polymerase chain reaction showed that, among the several types of β-lactamases, SHV was the most prevalent, TEM was the second most prevalent, and CTX-M was the least prevalent. Sixty-nine isolates were positive for integrase gene IntI1, but no IntI2 or IntI3 genes were found. The variable region of class 1 integrons were amplified and further identified by sequencing. Thirteen different gene cassettes and 11 different cassette combinations were detected. Dfr and aadA cassettes were predominant and cassette combinations dfrA12, orfF and aadA2 were most frequently found. No gene cassettes encoding ESBLs were found. Integrons were prevalent and played an important role in multidrug resistance in ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae.
An Investigation on Mobile Banking Adoption and Usage: A Case Study of Mauritius

The purpose of this paper is to investigate m-banking adoption and usage in Mauritius; a service relatively new in the island. The aim is to gauge awareness level and to identify those factors that inhibit or motivate m-banking usage in Mauritius. An online survey was carried out using a standard questionnaire. Convenience sampling method was used. Out of the 211 people who responded to the survey, only 169 responses were deemed to be usable. It was found that awareness of local m-banking services is quite high and usage level is reasonable. Convenience, time and effort savings, privacy, ubiquitous access to banking services, compatibility with lifestyle and banking needs were identified as the main factors motivating mbanking adoption. Perceived security risk and reliability were found to be the main obstacles to m-banking usage. It was also found that m-banking usage is not associated with age, gender and salary. There is, however, an association between education and m-banking usage. As to the limitation of the study, the use of convenience sampling limits the generalisation of the findings of the study. The study has practical implications for local banks either offering or planning to launch m-banking services in Mauritius as factors preventing and encouraging usage of m-banking are discussed. Relatively few or no investigations on m-banking adoption and usage in Mauritius have been made. The constructs of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT) are integrated and extended with perceived risk and cost to ascertain mbanking usage and adoption. The study, therefore, offers valuable insights on m-banking in Mauritius.
The pastoral crowd: Exploring self‐hosted crowdfunding using activity theory and social capital

As crowdfunding technologies mature, designers and practitioners are continuing to discover new paradigms for fund‐raising activities. One such paradigm seeks to complement or replace third‐party crowdfunding websites by embedding crowdfunding technologies directly into fund seekers' personal websites. This promises more control and customisation for fund seekers yet also distances fund‐seeking activities from the established crowds on websites such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Consequently, fund seekers adopting this paradigm must be capable of gathering and sustaining a suitable crowd that does not already exist in any one location. However, not all organisations are likely to possess the social resources to meet this challenge. Of those that do, little is known about how they might leverage these resources or the manner in which specific resources have an impact. Thus, the objective of this study is to explore the social resources that enable self‐hosted crowdfunding activities. In particular, this research models these activities by leveraging 2 a priori theoretical lenses: activity theory and social capital theory. These are applied to analyse an extreme case of self‐hosted crowdfunding, the funding of Star Citizen. Observations from this case are used to develop a propositional model that links different types of social capital with specific elements of self‐hosted crowdfunding.
A Density Functional Study of Iron Segregation at ISFs and Σ5-(001) GBs in mc-Si

Removal of the dilaterous effects of iron in silicon is critical for the performance of multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) solar cells, with internal gettering at extended defects including stacking faults and grain boundaries being one possibility. We present the results of a density function study of the behavoiur of iron at the intrinsic stacking fault and (001)–Σ 5 twist grain boundary, which both represent examples of fully bonded systems. Our results show iron is bound more strongly to the grain-boundary than the stacking fault, which we ascribe to a combination of Si-Fe chemistry and strain relaxation. However, we find that the binding energy of a single Fe atom to these extended defects is modest, and less than 0.5 eV.
Systematic Message Schedule Construction for Time-Triggered CAN

The most widely used standard for in-vehicle communication networks that interconnect electronic control units is the controller area network (CAN). However, the event-triggered architecture of CAN introduces several issues, such as predictability, signal jitter, and reliability. Different time-triggered networks are being developed to address these issues. In this paper, we focus on time-triggered CAN (TTCAN), which achieves time-triggered behavior by implementing time-division multiple access on the existing CAN network standard. The main task is thus to construct a message schedule for a given set of messages while fulfilling certain performance criteria. To this end, we provide a formal framework for the construction of feasible message schedules in TTCAN networks by considering several performance metrics, such as bandwidth utilization and jitter, as well as the hardware constraints of the TTCAN controller specification.
Variability of shallow and deep western boundary currents off the Bahamas during 2004–05: results from the 26°N RAPID–MOC Array

Data from an array of six moorings deployed east of Abaco, Bahamas, along 26.5°N during March 2004–May 2005 are analyzed. These moorings formed the western boundary array of a transbasin observing system designed to continuously monitor the meridional overturning circulation and meridional heat flux in the subtropical North Atlantic, under the framework of the joint U.K.–U.S. Rapid Climate Change (RAPID)–Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC) Program. Important features of the western boundary circulation include the southward-flowing deep western boundary current (DWBC) below 1000 m and the northward-flowing “Antilles” Current in the upper 1000 m. Transports in the western boundary layer are estimated from direct current meter observations and from dynamic height moorings that measure the spatially integrated geostrophic flow between moorings. The results of these methods are combined to estimate the time-varying transports in the upper and deep ocean over the width of the western boundary layer to a distance of 500 km offshore of the Bahamas escarpment. The net southward transport of the DWBC across this region, inclusive of northward deep recirculation, is 26.5 Sv (Sv 10 6 m 3 s 1 ), which is divided nearly equally between upper (13.9 Sv) and lower (12.6 Sv) North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW). In the top 1000 m, 6.0 Sv flows northward in a thermocline-intensified jet near the western boundary. These transports are found to agree well with historical current meter data in the region collected between 1986 and 1997. Variability in both shallow and deep components of the circulation is large, with transports above 1000 m varying between 15 and 25 Sv and deep transports varying between 60 and 3 Sv. Much of this transport variability, associated with barotropic fluctuations, occurs on relatively short time scales of several days to a few weeks. Upon removal of the barotropic fluctuations, slower baroclinic transport variations are revealed, including a temporary stoppage of the lower NADW transport in the DWBC during November 2004.
Associative Structures in Pavlovian and Instrumental Conditioning

The associative analysis of conditioning assumes a conceptual nervous system consisting of a set of units (nodes). Some nodes are are activated by specific external stimuli; others, when activated, result in the emission of particular patterns of behavior (responses). The behavioral changes produced by conditioning procedures are explained in terms of the formation of links between nodes that allow activity in one to excite activity in another. The aim of this chapter is to specify what nodes are involved in a given conditioning procedure and the pattern of interconnections that forms among them. Three procedures are considered: Excitatory conditioning, in which a Pavlovian conditioned stimulus reliably precedes the occurrence of an unconditioned stimulus or, for the instrumental case, in which a given response reliably produces a given outcome; inhibitory conditioning, in which the association between the relevant events is discontinued (the conditioned stimulus or the response occurs without consequence); and complex conditioning, in which the consequence of the conditioned stimulus or of the response varies according to which other events are presented. It is demonstrated that the standard assumptions of associative theory can explain the results of the first of these procedures; that the second requires the further assumption that links can inhibit the tendency of nodes to be activated; and that the last requires further new assumptions (that nodes can encode the configural properties of stimuli, or that links can operate on other links as well as on nodes, or both). Keywords: activation; associations; excitatory conditioning; blocking; conditioned response (CR); conditioned stimuli (CSs); event processing; extinction; feature negative; feature positive; inhibitory conditioning; instrumental conditioning; occasion setting; outcomes (O); overshadowing; Pavlovian conditioning; persistence of associations; reinstatement; revaluation; R-O associations; S-O associations; S-R associations; S-R theory; S-S theory; second-order conditioning; sensory preconditioning; transfer tests; unconditioned response (UR); unconditioned stimuli (USs)
Study of Tai Chi Practice in the United States

Background: Tai Chi, as a traditional Chinese martial art, has gradually been modified to a mind-body practice in complementary and alternative medicine. Often referred to as “moving meditation,” it has been reported to offer many health benefits. Yet, most reports about Tai Chi have compared it with other mind-body techniques at a community level and little is known about its use at a population level. Methods: Using 2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) datasets, we investigated Tai Chi practice patterns among 33,392 American adults. Associations between Tai Chi practice and individual demographic information, health behavior, and ten common health conditions were examined using a complex sample logistic regression model. Results: About three percent of the American adults practiced Tai Chi in 2012. Significant associations were found between Tai Chi practice and many individual factors such as age, gender, race, drinking and smoking status, and some health conditions. Conclusion: Tai Chi practice in the U. S. is related to many individual, social, and health factors. As scientific evidence for the health benefits of Tai Chi continues to grow, it is important to inform and educate American adults about Tai Chi and its potential impact on health, especially for older people.
Anti-predation behaviour of Dickerson's collared lizard, Crotaphytus dickersonae

Males of Dickerson's collared lizard (Crotaphytus dickersonae) are conspicuously bright blue in colour and can be detected at great distances. In contrast, females are brown and much less conspicuous. Given the visibility of males to predators, the question arises how they avoid predation and whether the sexes differ in anti-predator behaviour. Using a slowly approaching human as a simulated predator, approach and flight distances were recorded, as were the presence of other anti- predation responses such as pursuit deterrence signalling, distraction behaviour and aggressive threat. The lizards were captured and physical data such as cloacal temperatures, weight and snout-vent length were obtained. To assess further the effect of coloration on predation pressure, test subjects were painted to make them inconspicuous (brown) or conspicuous (blue) and recaptured after a week. After shedding their painted skin, subjects were approached one final time. Few direct relationships were found between anti-predation displays and body weight, size or temperature. Exhibition of pursuit deterrence signalling or distraction behaviour was rare, and no subject displayed aggressive behaviour (except when caught). Interestingly, males fled sooner, and tended to use more refuge than females, which probably indicates stronger predation pressure on males. However, an overall low use of refuge, the observer's ability to approach most subjects closely before they fled, and few sightings of potential predators, suggest that weak local predation pressure helps to explain why sexually selected conspicuous male coloration has been able to evolve in C. dickersonae.
The Unsteady Mainstay of the Family: Now Adult Children's Retrospective View on Social Support in Relation to Their Parent's Heart Transplantation

The needs for support among children with a seriously ill parent, who is waiting for heart transplantation, are unknown today. The aim was to describe now adult children's experiences of social support in relation to a parent's heart transplant during childhood. Nine females and four males were interviewed. The median age for the children was 18 at the transplantation and their parents had been ill before for 18 months (median) and on waiting list for 161 days (mean). Three categories emerged: health care professionals' approaches, family and friends' approaches, and society approaches. Our results show that there was lack of support for children of heart transplantation patients. Support in the shape of information was in most cases provided by the sick or healthy parent. It is of great clinical importance to develop psychosocial support programs for children with a seriously ill parent waiting for heart transplantation (before, during, and after surgery).
Three-dimensional effects in polarization signatures as observed from precipitating clouds by low frequency ground-based microwave radiometers

Consistent negative polarization differences (i.e. differences between the vertical and the horizontal brightness temperature) are observed when looking at precipitating systems by ground-based radiometers at slant angles. These signatures can be partially explained by one-dimensional radiative transfer computations that include oriented non-spherical raindrops. However some cases are characterized by polarization values that exceed differences expected from one-dimensional radiative transfer. A three-dimensional fully polarized Monte Carlo model has been used to evaluate the impact of the horizontal finiteness of rain shafts with different rain rates at 10, 19, and 30 GHz. The results show that because of the reduced slant optical thickness in finite clouds, the polarization signal can strongly differ from its one-dimensional counterpart. At the higher frequencies and when the radiometer is positioned underneath the cloud, significantly higher negative values for the polarization are found which are also consistent with some observations. When the observation point is located outside of the precipitating cloud, typical polarization patterns (with troughs and peaks) as a function of the observation angle are predicted. An approximate 1-D slant path radiative transfer model is considered as well and results are compared with the full 3-D simulations to investigate whether or not three-dimensional effects can be explained by geometry effects alone. The study has strong relevance for low-frequency passive microwave polarimetric studies.
Retrospective detection of Porcine circovirus 3 (PCV‐3) in pig serum samples from Spain

Porcine circovirus 3 (PCV-3) is an emerging circovirus species that has recently been reported in different countries around the world, suggesting a widespread circulation. In this study, sera samples originating from 654 pigs of different production phases and clinical/pathological conditions, submitted for diagnostic purposes between 1996 and 2017, were randomly selected. Detection of PCV-3 genome in such samples was attempted with a previously described PCR method, and the partial genome sequence was obtained from selected PCV-3-positive samples from different years. Compiled data confirmed that PCV-3 has been circulating in the Spanish pig population since 1996. The overall frequency of PCV-3 PCR-positive samples in the study period was 11.47% (75 of 654). Phylogenetic analysis of twelve PCV-3 partial sequences obtained showed a high nucleotide identity with the already known PCV-3 sequences, with minor variations among years. No significant correlation was found between the detection of PCV-3 and any production phase nor clinical/pathological condition. These results confirm PCV-3 circulation at least since 1996 in the Spanish pig population with a low/moderate frequency. Although the information obtained was limited, PCV-3 did not appear to be linked to any specific pathological condition or age group.
From strangers to friends: The interpersonal process model of intimacy in developing interracial friendships

We examine the processes involved in the development of interracial friendships. Using Reis and Shaver’s intimacy model, we explore the extent to which disclosure and perceived partner responsiveness influence intimacy levels in developing interracial and intraracial friendships. White and ethnic minority participants completed diary measures of self and partner disclosure and partner responsiveness every two weeks for 10 weeks about an in-group and an out-group person whom they thought they would befriend over time. The results revealed that perceived partner responsiveness mediated the relationships between both self and partner disclosure and intimacy in interracial and intraracial relationships. The implications of these results for intergroup relations are discussed.
Utilization of Fabric Formwork for Improving the Durability of Concrete from Supersulfated Cement

In this paper, the durability of fabric formwork-based concrete made from supersulfated cement was studied. The study involved comparison of chloride and carbonation resistance, pH values, and water absorption between of surfaces of SSC, the one being cast and the other cast in fabric formwork. It was shown that the use of fabric formwork minimized the pore volume near the surface, maintained the pH values at higher profile depths and showed improved durability when compared to the mould-cast surface. Carbonation depths were reduced by approximately 35% and calculated ab sorption rates were found to be approximately 40% lower at the fabric cast surface, indicating that fabric formwork is a promising aspect towards promoting the comeback of SSC in construction.
Structural Properties of SrTiO 3 /GaAs Hetero-interfaces

The SrTiO3/GaAs hetero-interface is being studied due to the interest of using it in metal-oxidesemiconductor field-effect transistors, where the GaAs substrate would act as the semi-insulating base material and the SrTiO3 would act as the barrier oxide layer between the GaAs and the gate material. Previously, SrTiO3 ultra-thin film deposited on As-terminated GaAs substrate have been studied experimentally [1-3]. SrO termination for SrTiO3 is found to be more stable than TiO2 at the interface. However, whether Gaor As-terminated GaAs is more stable at the interface remains unclear. In this work, GaAs thin film layers are grown on SrTiO3 instead of using GaAs as substrate. The SrTiO3/GaAs hetero-interface is characterized using atomic-resolution Z-contrast imaging and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) mapping, along with density functional theory (DFT) calculations.
Strain-Induced Pseudo–Magnetic Fields Greater Than 300 Tesla in Graphene Nanobubbles

Straining Graphene's Electronic States The conduction electrons in graphene, single sheets of graphite, can have very high mobilities. Under the influence of an applied magnetic field, a series of energy steps, or Landau levels, can be observed that correspond to the conduction electrons traveling in cyclotron orbits. Recent theoretical work has indicated that if graphene layers are strained, the strain field creates a pseudomagnetic field that should also lead to observable Landau levels. Levy et al. (p. 544) used scanning tunneling microscopy to probe the energy levels of graphene grown on a platinum surface, which forms highly strained “nanobubbles. ” The strain is equivalent to applying very high magnetic fields (in excess of 300 tesla). Thus, the electronic properties of graphene can indeed be modified using applied strain. Strain creates energy levels in graphene that are similar to those seen in very high applied magnetic fields. Recent theoretical proposals suggest that strain can be used to engineer graphene electronic states through the creation of a pseudo–magnetic field. This effect is unique to graphene because of its massless Dirac fermion-like band structure and particular lattice symmetry (C3v). Here, we present experimental spectroscopic measurements by scanning tunneling microscopy of highly strained nanobubbles that form when graphene is grown on a platinum (111) surface. The nanobubbles exhibit Landau levels that form in the presence of strain-induced pseudo–magnetic fields greater than 300 tesla. This demonstration of enormous pseudo–magnetic fields opens the door to both the study of charge carriers in previously inaccessible high magnetic field regimes and deliberate mechanical control over electronic structure in graphene or so-called “strain engineering. ”